Zoe Final Project Count

One question I am often asked is "How many projects do you typically get from a paper packet or Workshop on the Go?".  So I've decided that from now on, as part of my "Kill-a-Kit" process, I will do a summary post featuring all the projects I've made with a given "kit" and share the final total(s) with you.

So without any further adieu, here we go... Drumroll, please... The grand total # of projects I was able to make with using the Zoe paper packet along with the coordinating embellishments and assorted cardstock / card bases from my stash is...

5 double-page and 2 single-page layouts

9 cards

1 pocket letter and 1 tag

For full details on any of the projects pictured, please select Zoe from the Labels section on my blog.  You will be directed to all posts featuring Zoe.

To order Zoe or any of our other fabulous Close to My Heart products, please visit http://jddesigns.ctmh.com.

Until next time, remember to design it with {heart}!

Zoe "Kill-a-Kit" process -- Day #5: Happy Wishes

As many of you know, I tend to pick a paper packet and work it until it's gone.  Typically, I will make the Workshop on the Go and/or Fundamentals layouts and as many more scrapbook layouts as I can until my scraps get too small or too few to make more layouts.  Once I finish the scrapbook layouts, I switch gears and make cards until I officially "kill" the paper packet.  I also try to use up as many of the coordinating embellishments as I can.  When I have completely exhausted all paper from the packet, I will... {GASP!}... throw away the final scraps -- usually there are very few leftovers.  At that time, I take any remaining embellishments (such as stickers, ephemera, etc.), cut them into individual pieces, and put them in a small basket of mixed embellishments if I can see myself using them in the future or into another small container to use for pocket letters or other giveaways.

This week on my blog, I been featuring my "kill-a-kit" projects for the Zoe collection.  I have loved playing with Zoe, but feel the time has come to give her a rest and enjoy some of the other fabulous collections currently offered by Close to My Heart.  I hope you'll enjoyed coming back each day to see what I came up with.

Today's cards are my favorites of my Zoe KaK process.  I love the "Think Happy Be Happy" cut from the Artistry Cricut collection, and there's just something about the "Make a Wish" card that I can't get enough of.  In fact, that card is currently on display in my studio.

The patchwork technique used in the "Think Happy" card is one of my favorites for using up scraps as it is made from multiple 1-inch squares.  First, I cut a piece of cardstock (usually a scrap piece from my stash as it won't show) to whatever size layer I'm working with - usually in full inch increments in at least one direction.  I cover said piece with adhesive (ATG or other tape runner) being sure to get adhesive anywhere I will be placing a square.  Next, I apply my squares either in a repetitive pattern or more often, randomly.  Once all the squares are securely adhered, I run the layer through my Cuttlebug with an embossing folder that coordinates with my B&T paper.

On the Wish card, I used the same Blending Pen coloring technique I used earlier in the week (for full details, check out Wednesday's post).  To create the ombre look, I started at the top of the candle and colored my way down as I used up the ink on the Blending Pen.  This kept the higher concentration of color at the top of the candle.

Supplies used:
*Artistry Cricut Collection
*Birthday Wish stamp set (Hostess Exclusive)
*Zoe Paper Packet
*12" x 12" Sorbet cardstock
*12" x 12" Glacier cardstock
*12" x 12" White Daisy cardstock
*White Daisy card bases
*Slate Exclusive Inks stamp pad
*Sweet Leaf Exclusive Inks stamp pad
*Glacier Exclusive Inks stamp pad
*Sorbet Exclusive Inks stamp pad
*Canary Exclusive Inks stamp pad

*White Shimmer Trim
*Glacier Extra Thick Baker's Twine
*Bitty Sparkles
*White Gel Pen (from my stash)

To order these or any of our other fabulous Close to My Heart products, please visit http://jddesigns.ctmh.com.

Stay tuned for Monday's blog post where I will reveal my final project count for the Zoe collection.

Until next time, remember to design it with {heart}!

September Sales Smash

I set a rather high goal for myself for the month of September.  To help me reach that goal, I am offering the above sales specials from now until September 30th.  If you haven't taken advantage of the National Stamping Month promotion and bought the Hello, Life! stamp sets, now is the time.  These fabulous sets are only available through September 30th.

Until next time, remember to design it with {heart}!

Zoe "Kill-a-Kit" process -- Day #4: Hello, You

As many of you know, I tend to pick a paper packet and work it until it's gone.  Typically, I will make the Workshop on the Go and/or Fundamentals layouts and as many more scrapbook layouts as I can until my scraps get too small or too few to make more layouts.  Once I finish the scrapbook layouts, I switch gears and make cards until I officially "kill" the paper packet.  I also try to use up as many of the coordinating embellishments as I can.  When I have completely exhausted all paper from the packet, I will... {GASP!}... throw away the final scraps -- usually there are very few leftovers.  At that time, I take any remaining embellishments (such as stickers, ephemera, etc.), cut them into individual pieces, and put them in a small basket of mixed embellishments if I can see myself using them in the future or into another small container to use for pocket letters or other giveaways.

This week on my blog, I will be featuring my "kill-a-kit" projects for the Zoe collection.  I have loved playing with Zoe, but feel the time has come to give her a rest and enjoy some of the other fabulous collections currently offered by Close to My Heart.  I hope you'll come back each day to see what I've come up with.

For today's cards, I pulled inspiration from my head and also from one of the Idea Books.  I absolutely love the brushstroke image in the Hello, Life! Pocket Scrapbooking stamp set.  I have been waiting for a stamp like this for what seems like forever.  It is so versatile and fun for adding a splash of color behind a greeting or creating a whole motif like I did below.  If you've not purchased the amazing Hello, Life! sets yet, don't wait any longer.  These sets are only available through September 30th and are too great to pass up!

The second card featured below is inspired sweet and simple designed originally shown in one of the CTMH Idea Books.  I love how the simplicity of the card allows the greeting to speak for itself.  You could easily change the diamond / square shape into basically anything you want.  I could see this card below as a new baby card.  In fact, I'm loving that idea so much that I may have to change the greeting on this one.  Does that ever happen to you?  You finish a card and think... "hmmm... I'd like it better as *this*," and then you tear the greeting off and redo it?

Supplies used:

*Hello, Life! Pocket Scrapbooking stamp set (only available through 9.30!)
*So Many Smiles stamp set
*Zoe Paper Packet
*12" x 12" Slate cardstock
*White Daisy card bases
*Slate Exclusive Inks stamp pad
*Sweet Leaf Exclusive Inks stamp pad
*Glacier Exclusive Inks stamp pad
*Sorbet Exclusive Inks stamp pad
*Canary Exclusive Inks stamp pad

*White Shimmer Trim
*Glacier Extra Thick Baker's Twine
*Bitty Sparkles

To order these or any of our other fabulous Close to My Heart products, please visit http://jddesigns.ctmh.com.

Stay tuned for tomorrow's blog post featuring my final (and favorite) two cards created during my Zoe "Kill-a-Kit" process.

Until next time, remember to design it with {heart}!

Zoe "Kill-a-Kit" process -- Day #3: Sweet Birthday

As many of you know, I tend to pick a paper packet and work it until it's gone.  Typically, I will make the Workshop on the Go and/or Fundamentals layouts and as many more scrapbook layouts as I can until my scraps get too small or too few to make more layouts.  Once I finish the scrapbook layouts, I switch gears and make cards until I officially "kill" the paper packet.  I also try to use up as many of the coordinating embellishments as I can.  When I have completely exhausted all paper from the packet, I will... {GASP!}... throw away the final scraps -- usually there are very few leftovers.  At that time, I take any remaining embellishments (such as stickers, ephemera, etc.), cut them into individual pieces, and put them in a small basket of mixed embellishments if I can see myself using them in the future or into another small container to use for pocket letters or other giveaways.

This week on my blog, I will be featuring my "kill-a-kit" projects for the Zoe collection.  I have loved playing with Zoe, but feel the time has come to give her a rest and enjoy some of the other fabulous collections currently offered by Close to My Heart.  I hope you'll come back each day to see what I've come up with.

For today's projects, I took inspiration from cards shown in the 2015-2016 Annual Inspirations Idea Book.  The CTMH Idea Books are among my favorite places to look for inspiration.... right up there with Pinterest, other blogs, and the CTMH How-To Programs.

To color the ribbon on the gift in the second card, I used a fun and simple coloring technique featuring the CTMH Blending Pen and Stamp Pads.  To draw ink from the stamp pad, gently squeeze the closed pad in the center so the pad itself touches the inside cover.  Quickly do this a few times; then open the ink pad, but do not lock the cover under the pad.  Instead set the pad (cover out) on your work surface.  Use the blending pen to pick up the ink from the inside cover and color away!  This technique allows you to color your stamped images without having any markers.  You can also use your reinkers -- as shown in this video from CTMH.

Supplies used:
*Art Philosophy Cricut Collection
*Hello, Life! Cardmaking stamp set (only available through 9.30!)
*Sweeter With You stamp set
*Zoe Paper Packet
*12" x 12" Sorbet cardstock
*12" x 12" Sweet Leaf cardstock
*12" x 12" Glacier cardstock
*12" x 12" White Daisy cardstock
*White Daisy card bases*Slate Exclusive Inks stamp pad
*Sweet Leaf Exclusive Inks stamp pad
*Sorbet Exclusive Inks stamp pad

*Bitty Sparkles

*Enamel & Glitter Duos Green Triangles

*Marvy® Uchida® LePen™ Journaling Pen
*Blending Pen

To order these or any of our other fabulous Close to My Heart products, please visit http://jddesigns.ctmh.com.

Stay tuned for tomorrow's blog post featuring two more cards created during my Zoe "Kill-a-Kit" process.

Until next time, remember to design it with {heart}!

Zoe "Kill-a-Kit" process -- Day #2: Hello

As many of you know, I tend to pick a paper packet and work it until it's gone.  Typically, I will make the Workshop on the Go and/or Fundamentals layouts and as many more scrapbook layouts as I can until my scraps get too small or too few to make more layouts.  Once I finish the scrapbook layouts, I switch gears and make cards until I officially "kill" the paper packet.  I also try to use up as many of the coordinating embellishments as I can.  When I have completely exhausted all paper from the packet, I will... {GASP!}... throw away the final scraps -- usually there are very few leftovers.  At that time, I take any remaining embellishments (such as stickers, ephemera, etc.), cut them into individual pieces, and put them in a small basket of mixed embellishments if I can see myself using them in the future or into another small container to use for pocket letters or other giveaways.

This week on my blog, I will be featuring my "kill-a-kit" projects for the Zoe collection.  I have loved playing with Zoe, but feel the time has come to give her a rest and enjoy some of the other fabulous collections currently offered by Close to My Heart.  I hope you'll come back each day to see what I've come up with.

Today, I have two cards for you.  Both were made using the Hello, Life! Cardmaking stamp set -- which is only available through September 30th.

Supplies used:
*Art Philosophy Cricut Collection
*Hello, Life! Cardmaking stamp set (only available through 9.30!)
*So Many Smiles stamp set
*Zoe Paper Packet
*12" x 12" Glacier cardstock
*12" x 12" White Daisy cardstock
*White Daisy card bases
*Slate Exclusive Inks stamp pad
*Sweet Leaf Exclusive Inks stamp pad
*Glacier Exclusive Inks stamp pad
*Sorbet Exclusive Inks stamp pad
*Canary Exclusive Inks stamp pad

*Coral Shimmer Trim
*Clear Sparkles Assortment

To order these or any of our other fabulous Close to My Heart products, please visit http://jddesigns.ctmh.com.

Stay tuned for tomorrow's blog post featuring two more cards created during my Zoe "Kill-a-Kit" process.

Until next time, remember to design it with {heart}!

Zoe "Kill-a-Kit" process -- Day #1: One Final Layout

As many of you know, I tend to pick a paper packet and work it until it's gone.  Typically, I will make the Workshop on the Go and/or Fundamentals layouts and as many more scrapbook layouts as I can until my scraps get too small or too few to make more layouts.  Once I finish the scrapbook layouts, I switch gears and make cards until I officially "kill" the paper packet.  I also try to use up as many of the coordinating embellishments as I can.  When I have completely exhausted all paper from the packet, I will... {GASP!}... throw away the final scraps -- usually there are very few leftovers.  At that time, I take any remaining embellishments (such as stickers, ephemera, etc.), cut them into individual pieces, and put them in a small basket of mixed embellishments if I can see myself using them in the future or into another small container to use for pocket letters or other giveaways.

This week on my blog, I will be featuring my "kill-a-kit" projects for the Zoe collection.  I have loved playing with Zoe, but feel the time has come to give her a rest and enjoy some of the other fabulous collections currently offered by Close to My Heart.  I hope you'll come back each day to see what I've come up with.

For today's layout, I was inspired by the layout on page 34 of Holiday Expressions 2015.  I didn't have very many large pieces left from the Zoe paper packet so I incorporated the Paper Fundamentals and plain cardstock in the coordinating colors.  I love the subtle pattern the UV-coated side of the fundamentals cardstock adds to the layout.  What do you think?

Supplies used:
*Art Philosophy Cricut Collection
*Hello, Life! Cardmaking stamp set (only available through 9.30!)
*Hello, Life! Pocket Scrapbooking stamp set (only available through 9.30!)
*So Many Smiles stamp set
*Zoe Paper Packet
*Zoe Compliments
*Zoe Assortment
*12" x 12" Canary cardstock
*12" x 12" Glacier cardstock
*12" x 12" White Daisy cardstock
*Paper Fundamentals Whimsy
*Slate Exclusive Inks stamp pad
*Sweet Leaf Exclusive Inks stamp pad
*Glacier Exclusive Inks stamp pad
*Sorbet Exclusive Inks stamp pad
*Canary Exclusive Inks stamp pad

*White Shimmer Trim
*Glacier Extra Thick Baker's Twin
*Boardwalk Washi Tape (retired)
*Grey Enamel Gems
*Mini Stapler

To order these or any of our other fabulous Close to My Heart products, please visit http://jddesigns.ctmh.com.

Stay tuned for tomorrow's blog post featuring two cards created during my Zoe "Kill-a-Kit" process.

Until next time, remember to design it with {heart}!

Scrappin' with Mackin' Challenge #2, Day 5

I've been a subscriber of Nicole Mackin's on YouTube for quite a while now.  She recently started a new series of scrapbook challenges.  For her second challenge, she shared an Easy Patterns "article" from Creative Keepsakes magazine - January 2007.  For those of you who are not familiar with Easy Patterns (as I wasn't), you are given a small list of supplies to grab from your stash and then guided to make 5 projects from the supplies.  In this case, we made 2 double-page layouts, 1 single-page layout, 1 card, and 1 tag.  Since the supply list was from 2007, some of the embellishments were out of date, but Nicole challenged us to use the bones of the patterns and go from there.

Throughout the week, I've been showing you my finished projects from the challenge.  I used the leftovers from my Zoe Workshop on the Go for these projects and love how they turned out.

Now for the final reveal -- the card...

Supplies used:
*Artistry Cricut Collection
*Hello, Life! Cardmaking stamp set (only available through 9.30!)
*Zoe Paper Packet
*Slate Exclusive Inks stamp pad
*Sweet Leaf Exclusive Inks stamp pad

*Coral Shimmer Trim
*Bitty Sparkles

To order these or any of our other fabulous Close to My Heart products, please visit http://jddesigns.ctmh.com.

Thank you for spending time with me this week as I've shown you my projects from the Scrappin' with Mackin' Challenge #2 - Easy Patterns.

Until next time, remember to design it with {heart}!