CTMH Paper Pack Blog Hop: Zoe

Welcome to this month's Heartfelt Sentiments Paper Pack Blog Hop!  This month we are featuring the brand new Zoe.  If you are coming from Melissa Robinson's blog you are on the right track!  I am so excited that our the Annual Inspirations catalog comes out on September 1.  For now, we get a little a teaser with Zoe.

This month I chose to use Studio J to showcase the paper pack.  Studio J is quick and so easy!  It can be as simple as dropping photos into pre-made layout templates to creating your own from "scratch".   The best part is it is is free to play around with and practice. 

Now you can hop along to Maxine's blog.

Technique Blog Hop: Simple Shadows

Welcome to this month's CTMH Technique Blog Hop!  If you are coming from Darlys's blog you are on the right track! Hope your summer is going great.  Mine is FLYING by!  

This month's technique is Simple Shadows found on page 102 of the current Annual Inspirations.  It is a very very easy technique.  All  you have to do is layer two cardstocks and offset the top one to give your project dimension.  I made a coaster using plain tiles for a small and inexpensive gift.  

Now you can hop on over to Michelle's blog.  

Close To My Heart: Life is worth...

CTMH Techinique Blog Hop: A Bit of Blot

Welcome to May's Technique Blog Hop where we are featuring the technique on page 55 of the Annual Inspirations Idea Book/Catalog.  If you are coming from Darlys's blog you are on the right track.  

This was the first time for me to use this technique.  I found that it was very easy, but it took me a few times to figure out just how much ink and just how much spray to use.  It is a fun and different look.  I also used May's Stamp of the Month--Just Sayin'(S1505).  White Sequins and white glitter trim also made an appearance on this card (um...I love those two things.  I fully admit I am addicted).

Thanks for stopping by the blog hop today!  You can hop on over to Michelle's blog to continue on the hop.

Blossom Card Kit

This is one of favorite things in the latest Seasonal Expressions.  What is not to like about these cards?  They are so happy and summery! In your workshop you get just about everything you need to complete 15 cards!  All you have to supply is the ink and adhesive.  I can help you with that too!

Remember the contest I have going on my facebook page!  It ends tomorrow!

CONTEST ANNOUNCEMENT

Yesterday I announced a new contest on my facebook page.  It is very simple and will only take you about 1 minute to enter.  You can see the contest here.  I will randomly draw for a winner on Friday, May 15th.  Good luck!

Bokeh Technique

bo·keh

bōˈkā/

noun

the visual quality of the out-of-focus areas of a photographic image, especially as rendered by a particular lens

Pretty, right?!!!

I had several people ask me how to do the Bokeh technique.  The way I do it is very simple, but it does take practice.

You will need:
The ink of your choice (preferably colors that would look good when blended)

I used the following groupings of inks:
Lagoon, Glacier, and Smoothie
Lagoon, Pear, and Smoothie
Pixie, Glacier, and Pear
Pacifica (all by itself)



White Daisy ink

Sponge daubers or round sponge (cute it up like a pie to get lots of uses) will work also
 or  

Circle template of varying sizes of circles
.
Using my Cricut Expression and CTMH's Art Philosophy to cut circles of different sizes.  I just used a plain piece of white daisy cardstock to cut the circles.  The best way to do the template is to use Cricut Craft Room and you can use that to randomly place the circles.

Now that you have the tools needed to do the Bokeh technique you are ready to start!

1.  Take any size white daisy cardstock (I suggest starting with a 4.25x5.5" card base until you get good at it)

2.  Using a sponge dauber choose a color and ink up your sponge or dauber.  I start in one corner and go in circles and skip around.  You can always go back and fill in empty spaces.  When your white cardstock is full of the colors you chose you are ready to use the circle template.

3.  Place your circle template on your now colorful white cardstock.  Using another sponge dauber or piece of the pie sponge ink it up using the white daisy ink and color in the circles however you see fit.  You can rearrange the template to get more circles on your card.  Also, you don't have to re-ink for every circle.  Some will look "closer" and others "farther away" depending on the amount of white ink used.

4.  Voila!  Now you can decorate your project.

A few things you need to know...

Your fingers WILL be messy

It will take practice

You will be addicted

Here are some examples of the cards I have made.

1.

2.

3.

This one is my favorite!

4.

I only used Pacifica for this card. 

If you have any questions let me know!!  Watch my facebook page for a contest coming very very very soon!