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