Simply Inspired "Year Noted" Blog Hop

Thanks for visiting our first Blog Hop of the year!  

If you've arrived here from the super talented Katy Taylor's blog, you are right on track. 

It's National Paper Crafting Month!  Each January Close To My Heart features a fantastic exclusive special and this one is amazing in both content and value!  

For only $5 on a $50 purchase, you'll receive Year>>Noted, a beautiful kit containing exclusively designed papers, stamp set, and foil stickers!  For just $5 more, you can add the My Creations Mini Book to the kit.  This sweet little book contains 10 page protectors will make up a darling little photo album highlighting events of your year.

I chose to show how versatile the supplies are and made a springtime card which could be used for a 

Birthday or Easter card.

How cute is this little lamb in a hot air balloon?  The design is part of a new stamp set called "Hopping By" found in the 

Seasonal Expressions supplement.  

The entire set is filled with adorable images!

The card is held together with Baker's Twine and tags cut with the CTMH Artiste Cricut cartridge.

Additional CTMH supplies used:

Hopping By & Holiday Tags Stamp Sets

Desert Sand & White Daisy cardstock.

Archival Black, Sorbet, and Desert Sand stamp pads

 ShinHan Touch Twin Markers: Barely Beige, Light Orange, Turquoise Blue, Clay, Warm Grey

Baker's Twine Neutral Metallic Asst 

Journaling Pen, Scallop Border Punch

CTMH Exclusive Cricut Cartridge: Artiste, page 33, Accent 4.

Dot Embossing Folder

Now hop over to my friend Bren Yule's blog to see what amazing creations she has to share with us!    

If you get lost along the way, find the complete list of participants here at Dana's blog. 

Gifts From My Heart

Christmas always brings back special memories of family and my childhood.  My dad was a wonderful photographer who loved taking Christmas card photos to send each year.  I made a little canvas art gift for my sisters this year using one of my favorites of our annual photos.  This photo shows us in our little cherub choir robes singing in the glow of candles with real flames!  Apparently dad had a lot of faith in us to hold on tight to those candles! 

(I'm in the lower corner and should've held my candle straight.  Yikes!)

This little 6x6 canvas looks adorable resting on a small easel and hopefully with bring my sisters lots of happy memories each Christmas when they display it.  Gifts made from the heart are always the best to give!

Here are the steps to create a canvas art piece like mine:

1. Ink distress the edges of the canvas with a Chocolate stamp pad.

2. Cut and sponge Chocolate ink on the edges of B&T paper.

3.  Apply a very generous coat of Mod Podge to the canvas.  I used a foam brush.

4.  Apply the B&T paper to the wet canvas and smooth is down with your fingers.

5.  Immediately apply a generous coat of Mod Podge over the paper.  Don't worry if bubbles appear, they will smooth out when dry.  

6.  I added strips of paper to the edges of the canvas as well using the same technique as the front.

7. Decorate as desired.  I did not put Mod Podge under or over the photo.

CTMH Supplies:

My Creations 6x6 Canvas Display, Chocolate Stamp Pad, Gold Glitter paper, Yuletide Carol paper (zip-strip for message), Green Enamel Accents

Retired Products: Mistletoe Paper Pack and Assorted (flower) Accents, Green Sparkles, Word Rub-Ons (Joy, Love, Family)

Non-CTMH supplies: Ornament Accents, Mod Podge