Balloon Animals February 2016 SOTM Blog Hop

Welcome to the February 2016 SOTM Blog Hop featuring the stamp set Balloon Animals. This month there are almost 40 bloggers sharing projects they created with Balloon Animals. If blog hopping is new to you, we try to keep it simple, just keep clicking on the link to the next blog (typically near the bottom of the post) to visit the next stop. Blog hops are circular so visiting the next blog will take you back to where you started.

The SOTM for February 2016, Balloon Animals, is a D-size set of 13 stamps that is $5 with a qualifying purchase. Alternatively you may purchase it for $17.95. Recommended CTMH My Acrylix® Blocks for this stamp set are: 1" x 1" (Y1000), 1" x 3½" (Y1002) and 2" x 3½" (Y1009). The stamps in the Balloon Animals set are:

You should have arrived here from ***Crafty Happy by Darlys Recker***. If you get lost along the way, Melinda Everitt keeps a list of participants on her blog at If You Bling It.

I do not remember where, probably on vacation, but I saw translucent balloons with balloon animals inside, similar to a ship in a bottle, and that was the effect I was trying to achieve on this card. I stamped the images on a die cut balloon and then covered it with a thin layer of Liquid Glass.

card (front) created for SOTM Blog Hop with CTMH Balloon Animals (S1602)

I carried the ombré, embossing and rock and roll stamping to the card inside.

card (inside) created for SOTM Blog Hop with CTMH Balloon Animals (S1602)

Before you head to ***jd designs by Jennifer Dykstra***, here are some details about how I created the card and the supplies I used to create my project are listed below.

I tried a different machine for embossing the Regatta Paper with the Confetti Stars Embossing Folder. I used a We R Memory Keepers Evolution Advanced Machine set on the lightest setting for embossing. The sandwich went through the machine so easily that I though there was no way the paper was embossed, but wow, I am happy with the results. Almost zero paper cracking.

After stamping the balloon die cuts with Glacier, Canary and Pear and letting it dry for several hours (I probably did not have to wait so long, but it was the last crafty thing I did before heading to bed), I sprayed the die cuts with Mod Podge Clear Acrylic Sealer and let it dry for a few more hours. I did this because when I had some trouble with paper bubbling after applying Mod Podge, I did some research and read that spraying the paper with the Clear Acrylic Sealer reduced the absorption. I thought that might help with the Liquid Glass and stamped images and I am very happy with the results.

All supplies are from Close To My Heart except where noted:

• My Acrylix™ February 2016 SOTM: Balloon Animals Stamp Set (S1602)
• 12" X 12" White Daisy Cardstock (1385)
• 12" X 12" Sapphire Cardstock (X5775)
• Regatta Paper Packet (X7206B)
• Confetti Stars Embossing Folder (Z3119)
• Sapphire Exclusive Inks™ Stamp Pad (Z2648)
• Glacier Exclusive Inks™ Stamp Pad (Z2641)
• Canary Exclusive Inks™ Stamp Pad (Z2643)
• Pear Exclusive Inks™ Stamp Pad (Z2197)
• Liquid Glass (Z679)
• Marvy® Uchida® LePen™ Journaling Pen (Z1979)
• 3L® E-Z Dots® Adhesive (Z3022)
• 3-D Foam Tape (Z1151)
• Thin 3-D Foam Tape (Z2060)
• Cricut® Artiste Collection (Z3170)
• Balloon - #M45A50 - page 70
• Cricut® Artistry Collection - physical cartridge (Z3167) or Artistry Digital Collection - no cartridge (Z3190)
• Together - #M416E3E - page 27
• Supplies not from Close To My Heart: Cricut® Design Space, Cricut® Explore, We R Memory Keepers Evolution Advanced Machine, Mod Podge Clear Acrylic Sealer - Gloss

Here is the link to my Cricut® Design Space file in case you would like a jump start creating a similar file. You will need both Artiste and Artistry linked to your Cricut® account.

If you are not working with a CTMH Independent Consultant yet, you may purchase all of the supplies I used at my Online Business Address.

I love to hear what people think of my crafts, so if you have a moment I would be delighted if you leave a comment. So you do not have to scroll back up, the next stop on the hop is ***jd designs by Jennifer Dykstra***.

Thank you for hopping with us today. I hope you are enjoying the creations you are finding.