August 2018 - Joyful Stars Blog Hop!

Thank you for joining us on the Joyful Stars August 2018 Blog Hop!  If you've come here from the talented Betty's blog, you've come to the right place! 

Next month Close To My Heart is revealing some beautiful new products, including many for the holiday season.  That means that we will have to say goodbye to some of our favorites.  I decided to focus this month's blog hop card on some of my own personal favorites before they're gone.


 First, I stamped the beautiful background stamp from the retiring Heartfelt Thanks stamp set using VersaMark ink on Black cardstock, then embossed it in White Detail embossing powder.

Next, I pulled out my Blossom cardstock, which is also sadly retiring, to add a pop of color to the stamped background above.  The frame was cut from the Cricut Artbooking Collection, while the oval was cut from the Stitched Ovals Thin Cuts.

Then I grabbed my Punny Pals stamp set and Thin Cuts.  (Note that there will be a new stamp set to support Operation Smile in the new 2018 Holiday Expressions Idea Book.)  Punny Pals has definitely been a favorite stamp set of mine!  I stamped the cat with Memento ink (also retiring), colored with Shinhan alcohol markers, and embossed with VersaMark ink and Clear Detail embossing powder.  The corresponding Thin Cut was then used to cut out the image.

Finally, I pulled all the pieces together on a Black cardstock card base, putting Foam Tape under the stamped background and framed piece, and Thin Foam Tape under the stamped cat and sentiment.  A Clear Bitty Sparkle was added to the collar of the cat, and Clear Sparkles were put on the corners of the frame.  Here is the finished card:

Here is a closer look at all the embossing:

Questions?  Please ask in your comments!  Now please continue on to the talented Krista's blog!