My Crush Blog Hop

Welcome to the CTMH MyCrush Blog hop! This hop focuses on the creative ways to use the MyCrush albums...just in time for this month's special (click HERE for more info). If you are joining me from Vicki's blog you are on the right track.

My Crush Holiday Happenings Book

My Crush Holiday Happenings Assortment

 If you have followed my blog for awhile you'll know I'm a HUGE fan of mini-albums. They are quick, easy and a great way to record a specific time period or event with many photos. My project focuses on The My Crush Holiday Happenings Book and Holiday Happening Assortment to record our past Christmas adventures in a December Daily style album.

Cover (stickers from Assortment on the spine)

Inside Cover & Page 1

Page 2 & 3

Page 3 (with pull out tag) & 4 

Page 3 (Tag)

Page 4 &5 (includes photo sleeves for 4x6 photos)

Page 5 Photo Sleeve converted into a flip up mini

Page 5 Photo Sleeve converted into a flip up mini #2

Page 5 Mini Envelope with Note

Page 6 & & (vellum page was too pretty to alter)

Page 8 & 9 (with pull out journal tag)

Page 9 Pull out Tag Detail

Page 10 & 11 (another photo sleeve for 2x2 photos or cards)

Page 12 & 13

Page 14 (uses Picture My Life cards to embellish)

Last Page (all white but I colored with Shin Han markers)

 Products Used (all CTMH Unless Otherwise Noted):

Paper: White Daisy Cardstock, Olive Cardstock

Stamps: n/a

Ink: n/a

Other: My Crush Holiday Happenings Book, Holiday Happenings Assortment, Picture My Life Cards, Stuck on You Puffies (Z3037), Holiday Happenings Buttons, Jornaling Pen, Red/Pink Sparkle Gems

I have a few pages left to finish still. This was such a fun project to make! Thanks for checking out my project! I'd love to hear what you think of my mini so please consider leaving a comment (I'm not going to lie I like reading comments). Now, hop on to Traci's blog to see what she's created!

~Michelle Battitori

National Scrapbooking Month Blog Hop

Welcome to the National Scrapbooking Month Blog Hop! This month 37 CTMH consultants will be featuring the vibrant Taste of Summer Paper Pack and the coordinating Taste of Summer Stamp set. If you have arrived from Priscilla's blog you are on the right track. In the event you get lost along the way please visit Melinda's blog for a complete list of blog participants. Now on to the project!

This set just screams summer so I knew I wanted to make a special explosion box mini-album to record our 2014 summer adventures! The box was constructed out of Canary Cardstock with the B&T paper accenting each panel. The top of the box was made with cuts from the Cricut Artbooking & Art Philosophy Sets.

The pop-up strawberry accent on my title tag was created by stamping the strawberry six times on White Daisy Cardstock, cutting them out, folding in half and attaching together. It's a perfect accent and a great way to add dimension to your project!

Want to see the "explosion" in action? Check out my video below! (This is my 2nd video EVER so please be kind...and yes, I see I need a manicure!)



Supplies Used (all CTMH unless otherwise noted):
Paper: Taste of Summer, Canary Cardstock, White Daisy Cardstock
Stamps: Taste of Summer, Cricut Artfully Sent Alphabet Font
Ink: Ruby, Canary,
Other: Corner Rounder, Scoring Tool, 3D Foam Tape, Art Philosophy Chipbard Shapes, Artbooking Cricut Cartridge, Art Philosophy Cricut Cartridge


Thank you so much for checking out my summer mini! I'd love to know what you think so please leave a comment. I won't lie...comments make me happy!! Now please visit Michelle Loncar's blog see what she's created with these delightful materials.

~Michelle Battitori

P.S. The Taste of Summer Paper Pack and Stamp sets are only available until 5/30/15 or until supplies last. To purchase your set please contact your CTMH consultant or visit my website HERE.

May Creative Club

The next Creative Club is scheduled for Friday, May 8th at 7 pm. We'll be making this adorable mini-album/card courtesy of my 2nd upline Janene Wawro.

This mini has an optional gift card holder and is perfect for a last minute Mother's Day, Teacher Appreciation or other special occasion gift. Or, simply keep it as a mini to document a fun activity in your life. The choice is yours!

I'll show you how to stamp the adorable floral wreath from the Happy to be Friends stamp set as well as highlight it with some faux stitching.

To RSVP please visit my Meetup Page, Manassas Area Papercrafters.

Hope to see you on the 8th!

~Michelle Battitori

P.S. Take-home kits are available for purchase. Message me for details!

Seasonal Expression Blog Hop

Welcome to our Seasonal Expressions 1 Blog Hop!  Over 30 CTMH consultants will be featuring new products from the first Seasonal Expressions Idea Book.  This book contains all new products not found in the Annual Inspirations Idea Book.

If you have come here from Michelle's  Blog, you are on the right path*! The blog hop is a great big circle, so you can start here and work your way all around.  

For my project I used the new My Creations Mini Black Book and the Hopscotch Picture my Life Cards (PML) to record my family's Thanksgiving trip to Colorado! I kept the embellishments to a minimum to make this a very quick and easy project.

 

 For the cover I used one of the 4" x 6" PML cards and the zip strip from one of the Heartstrings paper pack. The twine is also new and knots beautifully!

For this page I added a small strip of the beautiful new Blue Shimmer Trim...I have to have a little bling after all!

Every once in awhile I take a video that I like to incorporate into my mini albums. I simply upload them to YouTube, create a QR code and print a photo of the code! 

I had a lot of food photos so I made a collage out of them in Picassa and printed as one 4" x 6." 

Have two 3" x 4" spaces but want a 4" x 6" photo? Simply cut it in half and insert into the pockets! 

In these pages I had a 4" x 6" slot but didn't have  alot of journaling so I added a small photo to one of the journaling cards!

I like the orange chevron card but it was a little plain for my layout so I added a 3" x 4" card to it!

Don't forget to decorate the mini album covers! I wanted a little summary of our trip so I used one of the calendar cards in the PML kit and created a pocket for the last page of my album!

Products Used (all CTMH unless otherwise noted)
Paper: Heartstrings (X7193B), White Daisy
Inks:Indian Corn Blue, Smoothie
Stamps:Hopscotch WOTG (G1091)
Other: Hopscotch PML Cards, My Creations Mini Black Book, Extra Thick Twine (Z3036), Blue Shimmer Trim (Z3025), Corner Rounder, Hopscotch Assortment (Z3016)

Thanks for taking  a look at my little mini-album. I look foward to making many more of these beauties...shh, the kids may just find one in their stocking this year! Now "Hop" on over to Lalia's Blog to see her work! Be sure to visit all the Consultants at their Blogs to get some great crafting ideas and other fun ideas!

The Seasonal Expressions 1 Idea Book is available December 1, 2014 - March 30, 2015. To receive your copy of the Seasonal Expressions 1 Idea Book please contact your CTMH consultant or visit my website HERE.

*If you get lost along the way, you’ll find the complete list of participating consultants on Melinda’s Blog:  http://ifyoublingit.blogspot.com/p/stamp-of-month-blog-hop-list.html.

December Daily Album with CTMH

It's that time of year to start getting your December Daily albums ready! Not sure what it is? I think Ali Edwards describes it best:

"The simple goal is to capture the spirit of December via one story per day."

The way you document is totally up to you. Some simply print and combine photos while others like to create mini albums. I'm planning on a combo of both and using the MyCrush Holiday Happenings Book from CTMH!

Here are a recommended list of items you will need to get started:

• My Crush Holiday Happenings Book (Z2098): 30 – 8¼" × 6½" pages in a mix of styles: printed vellum; printed, cardstock-weight; and page protectors in various styles. Kraft hardcover with foil gold accent, wire-bound.

 

• My Crush Holiday Happenings Badge Buttons (Z2051): 8 adhesive-backed mini badge buttons in 8 designs, ¾"

 

• Crush Holiday Happenings Assortment (Z2062): Includes 4 – 4" × 6" Cards, 8 – 3" × 4" Cards, 18 – 2" × 2" Cards, 4 – 4" × 4" Sticker Sheets, 2 – 4" × 4" Alphabet Sticker Sheets, 4 – 2" × 2" Envelopes

Need more info on creating a December Daily Album? Here are some helpful references and sites to get you going:

 December Daily Journal Prompts

ABC List for December

45 December Photo Ideas 
Ali Edwards December Daily FAQs

I hope you'll consider joining me and some other crafty consultants on this journey! If you would like to purchase any of the supplies listed above please contact your CTMH Independent Consultant or visit my website, www.michellebattitori.ctmh.com.

~Michelle Battitori

Stamp of the Month Blog Hop

Welcome to our Stamp of the Month Blog Hop!  We will be featuring September's SOTM, which is Family Love, a set of 7 stamps.  If you have come here from Pam's Blog, you are on the right path! The blog hop is a great big circle, so you can start here and work your way all around.  If you get lost along the way, you’ll find the complete list of participating consultants on Melinda’s Blog: http://ifyoublingit.blogspot.com/p/stamp-of-month-blog-hop-list.html.

This month we have 80 Close To My Heart Consultants sharing their creations using this month's SOTM and other great CTMH products on their blogs. This is simple to do - just click on the link at the end of the post on each blog to move to the next one! Here we go!

Since my husband and I are celebrating our 13th anniversary today I decided to make him a special card/mini album! The card is a double Z fold card that measures approximately 6" x 8" when closed. I started with Whisper Cardstock for the base and decorated it with our new Snowhaven paper (who says it can only be used for winter/holiday projects??!!). 

To create the front of the card I used the "Family" portion of the "Family is Forever" stamp, curving it on my block to match the shape of the White Daisy Circle. The doily paper was cut with the Artiste cartridge at 4 1/4." I stamped the heart directly on the circle and then again on the coordinating heart image from the Artiste Cartridge using 3D Foam tape for added dimension.

The second layer of the card/mini uses two 4" x 6" photos. I stamped the hearts in Cranberry Ink on Cranberry Cardstock as well as the Happy Anniversary sentiment from a retired stamp set. I'm planning on writing a private message here as well. The flourishes are from the Sparkles Flourishes set. 

For the 3rd layer I stamped both sentiments on opposite panels and added a few more of our favorite photos.

The center panel of the card/mini is also 4" x 6." I stamped the tree image in Whisper Ink and colored the hearts with Carmine Shin Han marker. I added liquid glass to the top of the hearts for a little extra shine. I wrapped a few pieces of Metallic Bakers Twine around the panel and adhered to the card/mini with 3D Foam Tape.

I love the finished project and can't wait to give it to him! Hope he likes it :) 

Products Used (all CTMH unless otherwise noted):

Paper: Snowhaven (X7188B), White Daisy Cardstock, Glacier Cardstock, Cranberry Cardstock

Stamps: Family Love (S1409), Card Word Puzzle (retired)

Ink: Black (Z2105), Whisper (Z2172), Cranberry (Z2116)

Other: Liquid Glass (Z679), Small Black Flourishes (Z1916), Cricut Artiste Cartridge (Z1790), Shin Han Marker (Z2448), 3D Foam Tape (Z1151), Metallic Baker's Twine (Z1921), Keyboard Kraft Alphabet Stickers (retired), Border Punch (Martha Stewart)

Here's one more look of the card/mini fully opened:

Now "Hop" on over to Stefani's Blog to see her work! Be sure to visit all the Consultants at their Blogs to get some great crafting ideas and other fun ideas! Remember, the September SOTM is only available until 9/30!  Contact your CTMH Consultant (or click here) to see how you can get this stamp set at a discount!

Have a fantastic day!

~Michelle Battitori