Thanks for Everything

I was in a huge bind early last year and I was helped out by a city employee.  She went above and beyond her job description and now that the situation has been resolved I decided to send her a thank you card.  I didn't want it too feminine or too plain; I think I struck a good balance.

What I Used to Make this Card:
Vanilla Card Base
Hero Arts Stamp & Cut Thanks, #DC152
KaiserCraft Fairy Garden 6 1/2 x 6 1/2 Paper Pad, #PP1039 {available online}
Reverse Confetti Striped Frame Cover Panel {not sure if this is retired}
Hero Arts Ink in Robin's Egg Blue {I got mine in the February MMH kit}

I chose a vanilla card base to soften the card a bit.  I cut the Striped Cover Panel out of one of the papers that had "spot varnish" on it; spot varnish is when a shiny coating is added to certain parts of decorative paper.  I die cut

The dimension and that "spot' shine

some plain white paper using the Thanks die, quite a few times, glued them all together and finished with top Thanks cut out of the same paper as the cover panel.  I added the matching blue paper in the center of the panel and stamped for everything using the same stamp set and a matching light blue ink.

I really like how this card came out and I hope she {and her office} like it, too!  I only have a few things from my craft room set up so I am trying to use up some older things I've had.  I'd love it if you'd follow me on social media - I am pretty much everywhere, so just chose one or 2 from the listing on the right hand side of the blog.  Thank you so much for stopping by and if you do end up following me please let me know so I can return the favor ~ hugs, Christi

PS: I actually sent this card out to the person I made it for! Of course, I did it the day before the virus stuff hit so I have no idea if she got it, but I sent it! I get a gold star {finally!} 

I would like to enter my card in the following challenges:
Dies R Us, #143 - Spring Flowers 
Simon Says Stamp Wednesday Challenge - Flower Power
Addicted to Stamps and More, #386 - Anything Goes
Krafty Chicks Challenge, #504 - Any Occasion
Crafty Hazelnut's Patterned Paper Challenge, April - Anything Goes
Allsorts Challenge, #568 - Flowers and/or Showers
Arty Divas, #20 - Anything Goes

We Were Mermaid for Each Other

While this is an older Lawn Fawn set, it's brand new to me and what better time to break out an adorable mermaid couple than when we are all stuck together and maybe not feeling so loving towards those we are stuck with?  I dearly love my family, but things are starting to feel a bit. . . crowded.  I just keep telling myself this too shall pass :) 

What I used to Make my Card:
Navy Blue Card Base
Lawn Fawn Mermaid for You stamps, #LF1167
Lawn Fawn Mermaid for You dies, #LF1168
Pre-made Distress Oxides Ink Background {I always have a bunch of these around}
Various Hero Arts Inks
Watercolor Paper {I use this}

Ranger Archival Ink in Jet Black

Zig Clean Color Brush Markers

Light Blue Card
Sakura Gelly Roll Silver Pen, Stardust
Scrap White Card

I had already made the background of the card; I find it very helpful to have a bunch of these backgrounds in various colors ready to make into a card at any time.  I find it very relaxing to play with the Distress Oxides.  I love the fact that you really can do no wrong with them.  If you don't like the way the colors blended or thought it would look different, you can always add more Oxides to the watercolor paper or use any number of shimmer sprays to liven it up.  I also keep all the scraps from my backgrounds {at least the ones that are 1/4" or bigger.}  You'd be surprised at how many uses come up between stamping a sentiment or weaving bits together.

Since my background was done, I moved on to the elements of the card.  I stamped, colored, and cut all the pieces, some on watercolor paper and some on plain scrap white.  For the images I stamped on the white scrap that didn't need to be colored, I used various Hero Arts inks.  The Oxide Ink background was

Another Look

glued onto a navy blue card, another scrap of white was glued inside so the giver would be able to write inside the card, and then all of the pieces were glued onto the front of the card.  I am by no means a talented color-er but looking back at my earlier creations, say last year and the year before, I'm happy to say I've gotten better, at least with water coloring.  I look at my cards from way back and I just cringe, but I try to look at how I've grown rather than focus on how bad I was.  I'm talking cards so bad they will never see the light of this blog.  I've also lost my irrational fear of alcohol ink markers which is handy since I am watching videos and reading tutorials on how to use them {one of my on going goals.}  How are you doing with your crafty goals?  Do you go back to your older cards and marvel at your progress?  You should!  Maybe I should make a page {or start a challenge!} for "The Cards We Made Way Back Then!"  Hope you enjoyed my post and I hope you come back and visit me soon!  Fondly, Christi

I am entering my card in the following challenges:
Simon Says Stamp Monday Challenge - Make a Scene 
Little Patch of Crafty Friends, #130 - Anything Goes
Three Muses - Something Fishy
Through the Purple Haze, #166 - Anything Goes
Cardz TV, #112 - Anything Goes
Alphabet Challenge Blog - A is for Anything Goes

Something a little different. . .

Hi all! I hope everyone is doing well & keeping busy.  I'm happy to say all the people in my life are doing well and I am crafting up a storm!  This card is a little different than what I normally create; I didn't use any ink or coloring on it.  I'd love to know what you think! Also, if you'd like to see the photos bigger, just click on it ~ thanks!

What I Used to Make my Card:
White Card Base
Pink, Lavender and Light Green Scrap Paper
Memory Box Springtime Tulips Die, #94216
Spellbinders Nestabilities Fancy Edges Circles, #S4-903 {available online}
Various Small Half Pearls in Green, Pink and Yellow


The very first thing I did for this card was I cut the Springtime Tulips out of

heavy duty white card. I had gotten a large bag of mixed colors of half backed pears and used the second to the smallest size on this {I repackaged the pearls and neglected to write down the sizes.} I started to stick the half pearls with a wax holder pencil; the type that has a small metal tube in the front and you pick up a bit of the wax and then your item and then place it on your substrate.  Well, I got SO frustrated that I could not continue and I searched for a solution. I even tried the actual "wax pencils," that you sharpen as a real pencil, that supposedly

work the same way but the "lead" is a sticky substance with no luck. I found all of those items while searching and most of them were in the Nail Art section - perhaps they'd work better if you were placing a gem onto wet nail polish?  Finally, I had read about the Marvy Uchida Jewel Picker - this thing is GREAT! I was never good using tweezers and I have no trouble using this product! You can buy the Jewel Picker with one tip or two tips {the one I used}.  I breezed through the rest of the design in no time!

Close Up of the Tulips

When the die was covered with the pearls I cut the background circle out of lavender paper, the leaves out of light green paper and the pink strip.  I assembled the card as you see in the pictures.  I honestly wasn't expecting the project to come out as well as it did; fighting with embellishments is one of my least favorite things to do! But I really liked how the half pearls fit perfectly on the tulip die and I am glad I persevered and finished the card.  I hope you enjoyed my small write up; I'd love to hear what you do with your embellishments that might be a little different.  Feel free to leave me a message letting me know you were here as well as a link back to your blog so I can leave you some love.  Fondly, Christi

Another Look

Outside The Box - Memory Box Die Challenge, April, Spring Fling
Crafty Gals Corner, #206 - Easter/Spring
Double D Challenges - Showers & Flowers 
Happy Little Stampers - Anything Goes with Dies 
Not Just Cards - April, Anything Goes
TTCRD - Anything Goes 
Shopping Our Stash, #418 - Happy Spring, Easter and/or Passover 
Make My Monday, #120 - Spring Flowers 
The Paper Girls, #197 - Florals 
Dragonfly Dreams - Add a Flower

Hope You're Day GLOWS. . .

Another card from the "ready to publish" batch I have from cards I made before my sabbatical.  The items aren't exactly new anymore, but perhaps they are new to you? This was the first time I used the GITD embossing powder as well as the stamp & die sets. It is snowy and dreary here and I needed to brighten things up so I chose to publish this post now. I hope you enjoy this write up!

I love playing with new stuff and playing with new stuff that does something {other than stamp or die cut} is even better! I was perusing Amazon and this bundle pack of Lawn Fawn stuff came up; the light bulb set, Lights Out, this set, both with coordinating dies, and a bottle of the new Glow in the Dark embossing powder.  Was it cheaper?  I dunno, but I had wanted all of it, so my finger slipped pressed the button and they ended up in my cart.  I had so much fun with this card, I hope you like it!

What I Used to Make my Card:
White Card Base
Distress Oxide Inks - Salty Ocean, Wilted Violet, Squeezed Lemon, Mermaid Lagoon, Seedless Preserves & Black Soot
Zig Clean Color Markers
Lawn Fawn Little Fireflies Stamps, #LF1593
Lawn Fawn Little Fireflies Dies, #LF1594
Lawn Fawn Grassy Border, #LF613
VersaMark Ink 
Ranger Archival Ink in Jet Black
Lawn Fawn Glow In the Dark Embossing Powder, #LF1577
Tutti Designs Stitched Nested Rectangles, #TUTTI-217
Shades of Green Paper
Watercolor Paper
Dimensional Dots

These fireflies are SO cute! I pondered for a while how I was going to use the GITD {Glow in the Dark} embossing powder so I watched the video which Lawn Fawn puts out with each new release.  I took the idea about making the fireflies' butts glow using little dots.  I covered a piece of white card with VersaMark ink and sprinkled on the GITD embossing powder and heated it up with my heat gun.  I did this multiple times (honestly, at least 8 times) as I wanted to be sure the powder was thick enough to really glow.  I set the paper aside while I continued working on the card.

Another Look

I made my background with Oxide Inks, set that aside, and stamped my little fireflies on watercolor paper using my MISTI.  While I had everything out, I also stamped my sentiment.  I used Clean Color markers to color the fireflies {this was a challenge - I have no idea what color real fireflies are, but I suspect they aren't that pretty.  I improvised to make mine look sweet when they aren't glowing} and cut them out, as well as my sentiment.  I needed something to ground the scene so I cut out the Grassy Border twice, using two shades of green.

Next step was to die cut the little circles out of the paper I had coated with the embossing powder.  Then I attached them to the firefly butts and let them dry.  Once my background was fully dry, I attached the grass cuts and the sentiment.  I also cut out two of the "twinkles" from the embossed card so I could put them around the word GLOWS in the sentiment.  I popped most of the fireflies up with some dimensional dots and I was done! 

The card matched up with the Glow In The Dark spots

I was so anxious to see what it looked like in the dark, and I am SO pleased at how the card came out, but my camera refused to take a picture of the card! Absolutely refused.  I figured I'd try my cellphone and luckily that worked!  I hope you like this adorable card as much as I do! ~ fondly, Christi

I am entering my card in the following challenges:
NBUS {Never Been Used Schtuff}, #13 - Anything New Goes 
2 Crafty Critter Crazies, #37 - Anything with a Critter {fireflies are critters?}
Take It, Make It Challenge, April - Anything Goes 
Coloring in Scrapland, April Challenge - Anything Goes w/ Option of Embossing
Dream Valley Challenge, #223 - Things with Wings
Pammies Inky Pinkies, #2015 - Anything Goes

A Trio of Lawn Fawn Shadow Box Cards

I know most of you are stuck in the house and the big trip of the week is to the grocery store to see if they have any toilet paper - thank goodness that is starting to get easier, at least here in Colorado it is.  I have been crafting like crazy in between doing some chores that have been put on the back burner; at least I feel that something is getting done! The entire  time I took off from crafting I still shopped, and bought crafting supplies, cause how can you not?   Once I started to look at all the goodies I have amassed I really wanted to play with these sets that go along with the Lawn Fawn Shadow Box card; I love that these cards can be folded to fit into a regular A2 envelope! I made three of them {I sense a pattern here; I seem to be making sets lately. I guess I am making up for lost time!} Here is the trio of Shadow Cards I made:

Here is the group:

What I Used for Each Card:
Lawn Fawn Shadow Box Card, #LF1486
Gina K. Amalgam Ink in Obsidian
Sturdy Cardstock for the Boxes 
Various Pastel Colored Card

Now, this is what I used to make the Waving Hello card {in addition to the items listed above}:

 

Lawn Fawn Shadow Box Ocean Add On, #LF1705
Lawn Fawn Wavy Sayings, #LF1899
Lawn Fawn Fancy Wavy Banners, #LF1923
WOW! Opaque Bright White Super Fine Embossing Powder, #WL01SF 
VersaMark Ink
 
This was simple to make, I just cut out all of the pieces, using appropriate colors of card and put the card together.  I stamped the sentiment onto the banner with Versamark ink and embossed it with the white embossing powder.  Attached the banner and the card is done!

To make the Spring Shadow Box card I used {in addition to the items listed above}:
Lawn Fawn Spring Shadow Box Add On, #LF1906
Strip of Acetate

This card was a little more time consuming; cutting out and gluing the little flowers to the hillside took a bit of time.  I cut out the bunnies, one out of grey card and one in brown, and put the card together.  I made the back brown bunny appear to be jumping using the strip of acetate.  It's so much fun to make the pieces of a car look like they are floating {it's the little things that make me laugh!!}


Lastly, to construct the You're a Star card I used {in addition to the items listed above}:

Lawn Fawn Shadow Box Card Theater Add On, #LF1706
Lawn Fawn Lucky Stars Stamp Set, #LF514
Hero Arts Strawberry Ink
Strip of Acetate
Die-Namics Stitched Fishtail Sentiment Strips, #MFT-1123

I like the double meaning of this card, you're a star in a theater, get it? I cut out all of the components, put the card together, again using a strip of acetate to make the star appear that it is floating in the background.  Finished it up with the sentiment and the gems.  After all, why be on stage if you can't rock some bling? 

That's it for today! I hope my 3 happy, spring cards brought you some joy; and

Another Look at all Three

I sincerely hope everyone in your world is doing fine.  If any of the cards, or projects, on my blog speak to you, please message me & if I still have it, it's yours! No worries as I will pay the postage.  I have so many cards hanging around I need to do something with them and while I do donate a bunch it would be nice to share them with other card makers.  Email me {StampinDiva at yahoo dot com} and I will let you know if I have the card(s) available.  Thank you so much for using your time to come visit me - do leave me a comment so I can visit you back! Fondly, Christi

I would like to enter my cards in the following challenges {if the challenge is specific to one of the cards, I will note which one is entered}:
Simon Says Stamp Wednesday Challenge - Spring Moodboard {see below} 
NBUS, #13 - Anything Never Been Used {schtuff} - I never used the Spring and the Theater Add On's for the Shadow Box Cards :)  
Die Cut Diva's - April Challenge - All About Animals {Spring & Waving Hello Cards}
Country View Challenges - April Challenge - Animal Magic {Spring & Waving Hello Cards}
A Perfect Time to Craft - April Challenge, Anything Goes
2 Crafty Critter Crazies, #37 - April Challenge, Anything with a Critter {Spring & Waving Hello Cards}
Southern Girls Challenge - April Challenge, Anything Goes 
Cut it Up! - Hopping Down the Bunny Trail {Easter} - {Spring Card}
Craft Rocket Challenge, #69 - April Challenge - Furry Friends {Spring Card}