Gnome Home ~ Dies R Us Guest Post

Hello everyone! I am THRILLED to be a Guest Designer on the Dies R Us Challenge Blog! I was on the Inspiration Design Team a while ago and it was hands down one of the very best design teams!  So when Darlene asked me to Guest, I said, "Of course!"  Here is my card for their April Challenge Theme, which is Anything Goes; a perfect theme to help you hop into spring!

What I Used to Make my Card:
White Card Base
Cardstock in variations of Green and Brown
Light Blue card 
Watercolor Paper {I use this}

Ranger Archival Ink in Jet Black

Zig Clean Color Brush Markers

Lawn Fawn Oh Gnome! stamps, #LF1880

Lawn Fawn Oh Gnome! dies, #LF1881
Lawn Fawn Mushroom House dies, #LF1920
Lawn Fawn Leafy Tree Backdrop, Landscape, #LF1237
Lawn Fawn Stitched Cloud Backdrop, Landscape, #LF1423
Scrap Red Card

Don't let the long list of items deter you - these stamps and dies are beyond adorable! Plus, you will use them again and again; I can't tell you how much I've used the Leafy Tree die; it's the perfect background for all your critter stamps, Lawn Fawn or not!  The first step to making this card was stamping, coloring, and cutting the gnomes, flowers, and mushroom.  As always, wait until your images are completely dry before you die cut them; go ahead, ask me how I know this!  While my gnomes were drying, I cut the Mushroom House.  Once it was cut, I realized that the light brown paper wasn't quite perfect.  I had used it prior and thought the base of the house fit.  I didn't notice that the right edge had a gap in it until I was assembling the cuts.  No worries!  A sweet blue mushroom to the rescue!  In addition to the mushroom, I used the little grass tuft and stem {I think it's a stem anyway} cut out of green card to add a bit of color and dimension.  

Next, I set about assembling the background.  I cut the Stitched Clouds out of

The Gnomes

light blue card and glued them to the white card base.  Then I cut the Leafy Tree out of a different light brown than the Mushroom House along with a gazillion leaves in shades of green.  The leaves are in a row of six, which are all cut at the same time, so it wasn't too tedious cutting out the different leaves.  I have a bit left over so I put them in a tiny zip bag and stored them with the die so I could find them easily AND remember to use them!  I added a pop of red to the door, propped the door open, and placed the female gnome in the house, looking out to the male who has come to visit.  I added the last bit of decoration and the card was finished.  I intentionally left the card with no sentiment so I could use it anytime I want.  Plus, I don't think I left enough room; maybe a tiny cloud that says "hi"?  At least there is plenty of room inside the card!

I had so much fun playing with these stamps and dies, but Lawn Fawn is one of my favorite companies.  I rarely buy just a stamp set; the matching dies open up endless possibilities for creating!  That is one of the main reasons I adore Dies R Us; if there are matching dies for a stamp set, it is going to be in the store with the stamps!  While they occasionally run out of an item, they get stock in as quick as the manufacturer can make them, so the wait time is minimal.  And the prices!  Let me just say anywhere I can get the best deal is where I want to shop and everything in their store from dies to paper to stamps to foil is priced far lower than anything else I have found and, trust me, I shop around!  

Well, thank you for reading this far down!  I hope you will take this opportunity to join in the Anything Goes Challenge at Dies R Us.  Who knows, you may win the challenge!  Have a great day!  Fondly, Christi

I am entering my Gnome Home in the following challenges: 
A Perfect Time To Craft - M, #4, Anything Goes
Simon Says Stamp Wednesday Challenge - Anything Goes
Time Out Challenges - M, #132, Home Sweet Home
Art Impressions - M, #225, Outdoor Scenes 
Cardz TV - #86, Always Anything Goes
Scrap from Your Heart - M, #32, Use Dies

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