You Are So Much More to Me

Hi everyone!

I hope this post finds you all well! I have been insanely busy for what seems like forever, I found out that moving is not as easy as it used to be! In addition to moving all of my stuff, I have been helping a friend pack his home to prepare for his move back to the East Coast and then I got hit with a horrible sinus infection!  Finally things are settling down and I made this card to remind me that there are new beginnings all around us as Spring has Spring, which just so happens to be the May Twist {all of our challenges are always Anything Goes, but feel free to use the twist} at The Paper Funday Challenge this month!

What I Used to Make my Card:
5" x 7" White Card Base
Simon Says Stamp You Have My Heart Bundle, #SET382YMH
Pinkfresh Studios Simply Sentiments: You, #PFSA0120
Pinkfresh Studios Sentiment Suite You Die Set
Watercolor Paper {I use this}
Zig Clean Color Brush Markers
Gina K Amalgam Ink Pad in Obsidian Ink
Distress Ink in Hickory Smoke
Grey Cardstock

Once I had stamped and colored the flowers I realized I wanted them both on one card but they wouldn't fit on the standard A2 cards I typically make; so, this is my third 5" x 7" card in less than a month. It's strange because I rarely make them t his size. Anyway, after the flowers were cut out and I had figured out the placement I wanted, I stamped the sentiment on white card using grey ink before die cutting the "you" from grey card.  I trimmed the sentiment down to fit where I wanted, glued it on and attached the word die cut above it. 

As I said in my opening I have been crazy with both moving and helping my friend move back to the East Coast.  By the time you read this he will have gone home and I hope to have gotten my new space in some order.  At least now I can open the windows and let the breeze in! This card is one of my favorite cards ever; it really says spring to me! I adore the flowers, the sentiment, the coloring, everything. I am going to be sending this to my sister, just because she does mean the world to me. Thank you all for stopping by, and for reading my post! I appreciate you more than you know!

Fondly,
Christi

I am proudly entering my card into the following challenges:
Simon Says Stamp Wednesday Challenge - Feminine
The House that Stamps Built M521- All About Moms
Addicted to Stamps, 404 - Any Occasion
Double D Challenges - Flower of the Month {honestly, I have NO idea about flowers LOL}
Simon Says Stamp Monday Challenge - Feminine
Dare 2B Artsy - Flowers
Allsorts, 622 - Flowers
Happy Little Stampers Watercolor Challenge - Anything Goes
Moving Along with the Times 130 - Bouquet

 

Cats & Houseplants!!

Hey everyone!

Finally had some time to sit down and make something! I'll tell you, I always knew that crafting had a calming effect on me but until I couldn't do any of it did I realize how much more it does for my mental health! Boy am I crabby when I can't play with some paper, stamps, dies and markers! I tried to keep it inside since I had a house guest and I didn't want him to feel uncomfortable, but it was not pretty.  But, take a breath, because all is calm and I have my room to myself again.  I am still no where near settled in, but I see the light at the end of the tunnel.  I was lucky enough to get my taxes and stimulus money in the same week and I went shopping! One of the items I bought was the My Favorite Things Cats and Houseplants kit {sold out now, but available separately} and I have had SO much fun playing with this kit! The card I am posting today is the first card I made with the kit:

What I Used to Make my Card:
White Card Base
MFT Wallpaper Patterns Paper Pad
MFT Housecats Stamp Set
Die-Namics Housecats Die Set
Die-Namics Window Dressing Die Set
Die-Namics Cats & Plant Perches Die Set
VersaMark Ink
Super Fine Black Embossing Powder
White Card {curtains}
Various Colors of Brown Card {plant stems, curtain holder and border on top & bottom of card}
Various Colors of Green Card {leaves}
Scraps of Card {plant holders}
Watercolor Paper {I use this}
Zig Clean Color Brush Markers
Gina K Amalgam Ink Pad in Obsidian Ink 

If you follow me on any social media then you will know that I am a serious cat lover; I do love every animal {except spiders, but they aren't really an animal are they?} but cats have a huge place in my heart.  I grew up in a house with 5 cats and 3 dogs and my mom was an avid gardener both inside and outside, so when I saw this set, and especially the cat in the plant hanging from the ceiling, I knew I had to have it.  As usual, I began by stamping, coloring and cutting all the needed items and I also covered the front of my card with the brick patterned paper found in the paper pad.  I added a strip of dark brown card to the top & the bottom of the card to ground it a bit. I also cut out the window dressing items {I used a scrap of pre-made sky that I had made using oxide inks and a splatter of metallic watercolor paint - I figured it could be snowing outside, or raining or it could even be the stars you see through the window, your choice!} and I trimmed the curtains some. I then cut out the two perches and started placing the items I had to ensure they'd all fit on the card where I wanted them to.  Next I stamped and embossed the sentiment and glued everything down.  

I enjoyed making this card so much that I made a whole bunch of houseplants using nothing but the dies; stay tuned as those cards will be on the blog soon.  I hope this post finds you all happy and healthy! Thanks so much for reading my little tutorial.

Fondly,
Christi

I am entering my card in the following challenges:
The Cutie Pie Challenge Blog, #158 - It's Raining Cats & Dogs!
Happy Little Stampers - April Anything Goes with  Watercolor Challenge
Happy Little Stampers - April Anything Goes with Dies Challenge
Shopping Our Stash, #433 - Plant Life
SUYP, #65 - Furrything Goes
Unicorn Challenge, #64 - Include an Animal
Crafty Animals, #49 - Anything Goes w/ an Animal
Moving Along with the Times, #129 - Animals/Birds
NBUS Challenge, #25 - Anything Goes as Long as it is Never Used Before