January 2016 Card Chain Challenge Reveal!

It's so good to be back playing with the Card Chain Challenge - I missed how much fun it is to make a card and actually send it! Seriously, I have a HUGE pile of cards, but that story is for another time. This month Deborah gave us the following perimeters to work with:

Sketch

Themes:  Winter / Valentine’s Day / Friendship

Products:  Stencils / Embossing Paste

                        Color Palette:

This month I chose to use the sketch, the theme of winter and the color scheme; daring, I know!  My card is on it's way from Agata, who's fabulous blog can be seen here.  Agata lives in Switzerland, and I am SO happy her card made it in time for me to show you:

Look at that sparkle!!! Thank you Agata!!!

 I sent my card to Jeanne in Minnesota; I don't think she's going to appreciate my snowflakes, but. . .

How I made my Card:
White Card Base
Sentiment from Memory Box, #B2060
Blue Papers from Stash
Tim Holtz/Sizzix Thinlits Die Cut Set, Labels, #660060
Snowflake Punches from Emagination
Silver Paper
Ranger Archival Ink in Jet Black

After I dug through my stash (which took forever!) to try to find 3 papers I felt matched the color palette, I decided how I was going to incorporate the sketch into my card.  The sentiment stamp is brand new, never been inked, and I was dying to use it, so that was a given.  I punched the snowflakes using a set of snowflake punches I got ages ago when the company was going out of business. I remember I got an awesome deal! So, I punched the snowflakes using silver paper and set them aside.

Next I decided to use two of the circle dies included in the Sizzix Labels Set - there are 17 dies (!) in that set and it has been one of the best purchases I've made in a long, long time.  After I cut the circles out, I adhered the snowflakes to the circles and set them aside.  Now I was looking for a die for the sentiment.  I had already put the Labels Set away when it dawned on me that I would most likely find a die that fit my sentiment in that set - so out the set came again and sure enough I found the die that I used (I call it a blimp die because that's what it looks like to me - the circle dies are called POW dies from when you'd see that edged word bubble in comics when something shocking happened. Now, if I get famous, you have these fabulous obscure facts about me to amaze your friends).  I die cut the sentiment and adhered everything onto the blue background paper. Simple but effective!

Another Look

I hope Jeanne likes my card, it certainly evokes winter in my eyes.  Thank you for reading my little tutorial.  I have lots of fun stuff coming up this month, so stay turned, or better yet, subscribe to me! Why not join in the Card Chain Challenge? It's simple; you sign up, you make a card following the suggested theme(s), you send the card, you get a card AND there is a drawing each month for a fabulous prize :) It's a win win win situation ~ Fondly, Christi

I would like to enter my "Follow Your Bliss" Card in the following challenges:
Craft for the Craic (M) - January, January Blues
Addicted to Stamps - #119, Anything Goes
Brown Sugar Challenge - #183, Anything Goes
Southern Girls Challenge - Anything Goes
Aud Sentiments - #147, Anything Goes

5th Saturday ~ Technique Time at TWOFERS!

Please note there are 3 cards in this post and I am entering each one in different challenges. If you don't see the card I entered, please scroll down! Also, I am giving away some awesome blog candy, please consider joining in!!

The three cards I made

Hi everyone - I have three cards I made to showcase the 5th Saturday, Technique Time event at Twofers today - here are the cards:
Poppin' Pastels Poppies

I would like to enter my Poppin' Pastel Poppies Card in the following challenges:
Cut it Up - #88, Love is in the Air
Really Reasonable Ribbon - #133, Show me the Pink w/ Ribbon or Trim
Die Cut Diva's (M) - New technique. color, etc. (new technique)
DL Art - #173, Valentine
The Sisterhood of Crafters - Love or a Heart
Simon Says Stamp Monday Challenge - Love is in the Air

Thinking of You:

I would like to enter my Thinking of You card in the following challenges:
The Artistic Stamper (M) - January, Anything Goes #2
Simon Says Stamp Wednesday Challenge - Anything Goes #1
Tuesday Throwdown - #278, Anything Goes
Creative Card Crew - #105, Anything Goes
The Crazy Challenge - #214, Ribbons

and Happy Birthday:

I'd like to enter my Happy Birthday Card in the following challenges (also, this was a brand new technique for me - I'd never done it before!)
Open-Minded Crafting Fun - #1, Something New (technique)
Daring Cardmakers - Balloons
Fussy & Fancy Friday - #156, Monochrome
Simply Create Too - #101, Something New (technique)
Little Red Wagon - #326, They Say it's Your Birthday
Simon Says Stamp Wednesday Challenge - Anything Goes #2

If you'd like to see how I made these cards, just pop on over to the Twofers blog.  And no worries, next week we will be back with our newest challenge and your chance to win a $20 Gift Certificate to Alleystamp!  Thanks for stopping by and please do go over to Twofers, I wrote up a really nice tutorial and I'd love for you to read it and please, let me know what you think! Thanks ~ Christi

https://www.alleystamp.com/

(Guess what?!? The NEW Tim Holtz Stamps, Crazy Cats & Mini Crazy Birds are IN STOCK RIGHT NOW!!! Click on Alleystamp to get them NOW!)

Looking for challenges to enter your fabulous creations in?? Take a look at Challenges for Days - we pride ourselves on an easy to read format, a stress free environment, code list is on the page and all we do is list challenges ~ Take a look HERE

Dr. Digi at Through the Craft Room Door

This week the Design Team here at Through the Craft Room Door was able to play with some Dr. Digi's House of Stamps digi stamps.  

http://www.doctor-digi.com/

Since I have 5 cats (The Fabulous Feline Five) it was a natural that I would choose "Climbing Kitties" as my stamp. I actually have a HUGE cat tree in my living room and every one of my cats plays on it - even the 17 year old.  

I can go on and on about my cats like parents do about their kids - in fact, I think I'm worse!  Anyway, here is the card I made for inspiration:

Here is Sylvester helping me take pictures of the card.  He was SUCH a pain in the great help! Here is a clearer picture:

To get all the details on my card, and to enter your own "Anything Goes" card at Through the Craft Room Door, just click HERE.

Now I know you are dying to read all about my FFF, so I have actually put a page up on my blog - just go here: My Cats - The Fabulous Feline Five - be sure to grab a cup of tea or whatever - it's not a short page ;)

Thanks SO much for stopping by my blog today! Fondly, Christi

I would like to enter "Have a Purrfect Day" in the following challenges:
Creative Card Crew - #105, Anything Goes
City Crafter #296, For the Love of Pets
Creative Ladybird's Creations - #11, Anything Goes
AudSentiments #147- Anything Goes
The Cats Pajamas - #306, Anything Goes
SUYP - #2, Furrything Goes
613 Avenue - #160, Anything Goes
That Craft Place - (M) Anything Goes
Simply Papercraft - (M) #21, Anything Goes

A Little Romance ~

I am once again delving into the abyss of abandoned papers that I have, specifically my vellums.  I am sure I got this vellum when a girlfriend of mine went through her crafty stash and sent me all her goodies - stuff too good to throw out, but that she didn't feel like selling.  Needless to say, I have had this vellum for years, honestly, I was sort of hoarding it because it really is beautiful and I was saving  it.  For what you ask? Apparently right now!

How I Made My Card:
Pink Card Base
Patterned Vellum
Colorbox Alchemy Petal Point Pad 
Silver Cardstock
Lovers Stamp from Renaissance Art, now Stamp Francisco
Pink Panel & square
Silver Brads
Pop Dots

When I decided to use this vellum, my first concern was how was I going to show people how pretty this vellum is? Knowing how much FUN it was to photograph vellum, I decided to mat it on a pink panel to hopefully pick up and bring out the pink flowers in the pattern. So I cut a panel of cardstock to mount onto a card and attached the vellum to it with silver brads.

You can see the pattern here, but it isn't sparkly

I then stamped the couples stamp on a square of that same pink card, using the silver ink pad from the Alchemy Petal Point.  I matted the pink square on a silver one and set it aside.  In retrospect I should of used a white card base, but, since I had the pink on my desk, I made the card base out of the same pink as the panel.  No biggie, I just attached the small square to the panel using pop dots, and then attached the panel to the card base.

I truly wish I could show all of you this card in person - it is much prettier than the photos show.  It is SO difficult to capture shimmer, couple that with the delicate vellum pattern, and it's like photographing a vampire.  If you'd like a closer look, just click on the photo and it should get bigger (if it doesn't please let me know!).  I sincerely hope you enjoyed my tutorial and the fact that I actually used pink ~ fondly, Christi

This picture shows the sparkle more

I would like to enter my A Little Romance card into the following challenges:
Addicted to Stamps and More - #173 Anything Goes
In The Pink - #85, Anything Goes w/ Pink
Allsorts - #346, Girly & Sparkly
Glitter 'n Sparkle - #171, Monochrome
Crafting for all Seasons - #117, Monochrome
Avenue 613 - #159, Anything Goes w/ a twist of Stylish and Elegant card
The Artistic Stamper - (M) - Anything Goes
DL ART - (M) January Linky Party Anything Goes
One Crazy Stamper - (M) Anything Goes

Marvelous Metals at Twofers ~ Challenge #12

Hello crafters! Welcome to my post featuring the new challenge at Twofers, challenge #12, Metal, chosen by Zoe. This time I took the theme literal and made an embellishment out of metal! Here is my project, which could be hung on a wall, stood on an easel or framed:

What I Used to Make my Project:
White Card
Fredrix 4" x 6" Canvas Panel, painted prior
Tin (I used a soda can)
Copics: G17, V09, RV04, R29
Tria Marker in V564 (pantone purple)
Spellbinders Inspire Die Plum Blossom, IN-046
DieNamics MFT Pierced Oval Stax, MFT-521
Sentiment from Hero Arts, C2768 Moments (disc.)
Thin Gold Decorative Paper
Embossing Fluid
Embossing Powder in Gold

The first step in making this project is getting the tin can ready.  I rinsed the

The die taped to the tin, & the tin taped to the metal
adapter.  You'll have to tape the tin down because it
will keep rolling up on you.

can out thoroughly, set it out to dry overnight and then cut the can with tin snips (wearing gloves AND goggles!), removing the top and bottom.  That leaves you with a nice piece of tin to work with.  I have cut tin with dies before and the only thing that is different is you have to use a metal plate adapter when you are using low profile dies.  I have found that the "regular" dies from Tim Holtz will cut the tin without a plate but the low profile dies seem to need that extra push.  I bought mine at a stamp convention from Tesslar Stamps/Scrapbook USA, but I imagine you can get them from other sources as well.  

The die cut with one coat of green alcohol ink

Next you want to paint your 4" x 6" canvas panel.  Mine was already painted; I used acrylic paint, I think it was called Champagne Gold, but it was months ago. If you have to paint your panel, set it aside to dry and start coloring your tin die cut.

I wasn't sure that the Copics and Tria markers would work on the tin, but I was pleasantly surprised at how cool the

Close up of the flowers

colors blended together.  Be very careful holding the die cut, it is VERY sharp and while it appears harmless, it isn't.  I held mine down while coloring it, and I started with the branches, which I colored green.  I then colored the rest of the die, using pinks for the flower buds, pinks & purples for the flowers and red for the bird (I do love Cardinals!).

I found that the ink would sort of swirl together, giving the appearance of texture.  I let the ink dry a bit, but I did go over the die quite a few times to get the dept of color I wanted.  While I was coloring the die I moved on to getting the rest of the piece ready.

I cut the oval die cut out and the metallic gold paper. Then I embossed the sentiment using gold embossing powder.  While the stamp isn't manufactured any more, you can find it online.  I trimmed the sentiment, placed everything where I thought I wanted it to go and glued the gold background paper onto the panel, then the sentiment. 

Once I thought the tin die cut was colored enough, I glued it onto the oval and set it under the floor tiles I have on my desk.  The tin really didn't want to stay

Shiny!

straight, having been curled when it was a can, so I needed the weight of the tile to hold it flush with the paper and to ensure the whole die stuck.  I let it sit overnight.

The next day I attached the oval to the panel and I was done.  I love reusing items that would just be thrown out, and since we don't have bottle or can returns here in Colorado, I saved this can from the landfill.  Even if you do have can returns, it's worth the few cents to have a little crafty fun.  I'll be coloring with alcohol inks on tin more now that I saw how the inks reacted with each other.  I hope you enjoyed my tutorial and got some inspiration to join our Metal theme at Twofers.  You have TWO WEEKS to enter your project, just make sure you follow the rules, and you could win a $20 gift certificate to Alleystamps - yes, you can even pre-order all the new goodies coming out at CHA right now!!   

If you do have a moment, please stop by and marvel at the creations my wonderful teammates have made; you can visit Jane here and Zoe here.  Thanks so much for visiting and I'd love to hear what you think so please leave me a comment - Fondly ~ Christi 

I am entering my Marvelous Metals project in the following Challenges:
C.R.A.F.T. Challenge - #346 Not a Card
Addicted to Stamps - #176, Anything Goes
Scrappy Land - #33, Anything Goes (you carry Spellbinders)
Die Cuttin Diva's - #248, Tweet, Tweet Use a Bird
Stamping Sensations (M) - Anything Goes with a die(s)
Create And Inspire -#37, Anything Goes

Coffee Anyone? The Cutting Cafe at TTCRD

For this fortnightly challenge at Through the Craft Room Door we are sponsored by the fabulous cut file store, The Cutting Cafe.  As always, our challenge theme is "Anything Goes"

http://thecuttingcafe.typepad.com/the_cutting_cafe/ 

For my card, I chose to use the Coffee Cup Shaped Card 2, and this is what I designed:

What is really cool about this cut file is that it comes with cute little circle sayings for every occasion, which I couldn't use because I have yet to master the Print & Cut feature on my Silhouette - I can do one or the other, but not both at the same time.  Ah well, it's on my list of things to learn.  I also like the little pocket on the inside, perfect for a gift card, or as I used it, cash.  There is plenty of white space to write loads of greeting card stuff for your recipient.

You have two whole weeks to enter at Through the Craft Room Door and a chance to win an awesome prize! Please stop by the blog and check out my teammates creations! As always, I appreciate your lovely comments and the time you take to stop by ~ Christi

I would like to enter my Coffee Cup Card in the following challenges:
Not Just Cards (January) - #28, Anything Goes
That Craft Place Blog - Anything Goes
As You Like it Challenge - Anything Goes
Paper Creator Crafts (January) - #43, Anything Goes

Blogger is at it again!! Please read & share! ARGHHHHHH!

An update on Google Friend Connect

Posted: December 21, 2015

  

In 2011, we announced the retirement of Google Friend Connect for all non-Blogger sites. We made an exception for Blogger to give readers an easy way to follow blogs using a variety of accounts. Yet over time, we’ve seen that most people sign into Friend Connect with a Google Account. So, in an effort to streamline, in the next few weeks we’ll be making some changes that will eventually require readers to have a Google Account to sign into Friend Connect and follow blogs.

As part of this plan, starting the week of January 11, we’ll remove the ability for people with Twitter, Yahoo, Orkut or other OpenId providers to sign in to Google Friend Connect and follow blogs. At the same time, we’ll remove non-Google Account profiles so you may see a decrease in your blog follower count.

We encourage you to tell affected readers (perhaps via a blog post), that if they use a non-Google Account to follow your blog, they need to sign up for a Google Account, and re-follow your blog. With a Google Account, they’ll get blogs added to their Reading List, making it easier for them to see the latest posts and activity of the blogs they follow.

We know how important followers are to all bloggers, but we believe this change will improve the experience for both you and your readers.

Posted by Michael Goddard, Software Engineer

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

So what this means to me is if you don't have a Google Friend Connect account (and I honestly am not even sure WHAT that is, you won't be able to comment on any Blogger blogs. :::sigh::: If anyone has any info on this, on what exactly will change, what we need to do, etc. PLEASE post links in the comments so everyone can access the info. Dunno about you, but I am going to be researching other formats, so any recomendations are also appreciated!

Illegal, Immoral, Fattening or too Expensive

 My wonderful sister who lives in Florida has been going through a rough time and I thought I'd send her a care package. Can't send a care package without a card (especially since I make cards!) so I whipped up this card:

What I Used to Make my Card:
Newton's Nook, Newton's Antics Stamp Set
Newton's Nook, Newton's Antics Die Set
White Cardstock Base (4" x 4" - it had to fit in the box)
Designer Paper, brown with gold flourishes
Distress Ink in Brushed Corduroy
Hampton Art - Hot Fudge Studio - PS0806, Everything I like. . . (Disc. but available)
Derwent Inktense Water Color Pencils
Dove Blender Pen
Pop Dots

I had already had the adorable kitties stamped, colored and cut from a coloring session I had a while back.  I am SO in love with Newton's Nook stamps, I go to the website so often to just drool, I hope they don't think I'm stalking them. OK, back to the card - I had just gotten the Hampton Art sentiment stamp and I think it is so funny, it fits my sense of humor perfectly, and I knew it would give my sister a giggle.  I cut my card base to 4" x 4" so it would fit in the little box I was sending. I found this old, old, OLD designer paper in my stash (I have NO idea where I got it from - I purchased it back in the day when stamping stores sold paper in large sheets for book makers) and decided to use it as a background.  I then stamped the sentiment on a piece of white card, trimmed it down, and pop dotted the cats above the sentiment.

Glued it all together and threw it in the box.  The picture above shows the gold sparkly flourishes - I like that they aren't too flashy - and they pep up the neutrals I used on the card.

I can't wait to hear what she has to say when she sees this!! I'm diving right in to the New Year, looking forward to all the new goodies at CHA and determined to meet some of my crafting goals.  I hope you and yours have a fabulous New Year ~ Hugs! Christi

I would like to enter my "Illegal, Immoral, Fattening or too Expensive" card in the following challenges:

Sisters of Craft (M) - January Anything Goes

The Crafter's Cafe (M) - January, Square Cards (mine is 4" x 4")

Crafty Hazelnut's Patterned Paper Challenge (M) - January, Anything Goes w/ Designer Paper

Naughty or Nice Challenges, (M) #23 - Let's get Silly

The ABC Challenge -  Y is for Your Choice

Less is More - #257, Neutrals

QKR Stampede - #127, Feathers & Fur, Entry 2

As You Like It Challenge - Anything Goes

Penny Black & More Challenge (M) - One for the Girls. .

Cards & Scrap - Stamps .

Birds with Twofers Challenge #11

Jane has chosen our theme for TWOFERS this fortnight and it's birds (I can't get the Hitchcock movie out of my head now) and I have chosen to once again use the Bird Crazy set from Tim Holtz.  I had a bunch of birds laying about from my recent coloring excursion so I decided to put them to good use.  Funny, no matter how many I use, they just keep multiplying. . .

What I Used to Make my Card:
White Card Base
Tim Holtz/Stampers Anonymous Bird Crazy Stamps, #CMS212
Tim Holtz/Sizzix Bird Crazy Die Set, #660954
Dylusions How About Never Set, #DYR48466
Tim Holtz/Sizzix Embossing Folder Snowflake, #660041
Core'dinations Brights - Atoll Aqua
Ranger Archival Ink in Jet Black
Distress Ink in Mermaid Lagoon
Various Distress Markers, Zig Clean Color Brush Markers & Various Water Color Pencils
Water Brush
Dove Blender Pen
Sander

Truthfully, I had the embossed background paper on my desk already (I was anxious to see the embossing folder at work since I purchased it after the holidays last year and it supposed to be snowflakes), I love that you can sand the Core'dinations papers to get a two toned look, so I sanded this to see the different color blues I could get. Having that piece of paper on my desk, along with all the birds floating around gave me the idea for this card.  

After I sanded the background, lightly so I wouldn't take off all the texture, I began to arrange my birds.  Once I thought that they were in place I stamped and cut out Dyan Reaveley's sentiment - I thought it was PERFECT because it's so true and the birds are so colorful, and this time of year can bring some sadness for so many people - I hope this brightens someones day! I edged the sentiment with some Mermaid Lagoon ink and then I had to rearrange the birds because the sentiment was a bit larger than I had planned.  

So I rearranged them, fit everything where it belonged and glued it all together.  Now it's YOUR turn to enter your bird creations on Twofers ~ you have two whole weeks and you just might win a $20 Gift Certificate from our amazing sponsor

So get the muse humming! Do pop by my design team buds, Jane & Zoe, to get some more inspiration. Thanks so much for stopping by ~ Fondly, Christi

I am entering my Birds card into the following challenges:
Creative Corner Challenges - (M) Anything Goes
QKR Stampede - #172, Feathers & Fur
That's Crafty Challenge Blog - Anything Goes
Cute Card Thursday - #406 - Anything Goes
Creative Ladybirds Challenge - (M) #11, Anything Goes
Eclectic Ellapu - (M) Purple Team - Cards to Die For (using Bird Crazy dies)
Crafty Girlz Challenge - (M) #10, Anything Goes
A Bit More Time to Craft - #11, Anything Goes