Lawn Fawn Hope Card

The current situation in the world is making me feel so helpless; I can't do much to help any of the people affected by these events, so I made a card with Ukraine in mind. I actually feel for ALL the civilians involved in this catastrophe and while I may hold strong opinions about world leaders, I do not wish harm to come to any innocent civilian. I have to say, crafting truly does help heal because I feel better, a bit brighter.  I like that this card has a cheerfulness to it.  All the cute daisies actually bring spring to mind as well; and spring is a time for hope. So, this card has two meanings; works for me! Here you go:

 

All of the dies are from Lawn Fawn; I made the daisies using the Little Flowers set {while not new, this is the first time I have used this set}, using gold glitter card for the flower centers, the grass from this border die, the sun background is this die and the letters are from this set.  Obviously, the colors are sort of the Ukrainian flag's colors {I struggled with incorporating enough blue, but I really loved the sun as the background instead of a blue sky}.  The letters were half pressed {inspired by Jenn Shurkus and how beautifully she does this sort of technique} into embossing ink and then embossed with Wow! Clear Hologram Sparkle embossing powder. The grass is popped up using dimensional tape, some of the daisies are glued to the card and some to the grass. The papers are from my stash, but I think they are Core'dinations because they do have some texture to them. Thanks so much for stopping by ~ stay safe, Christi

PS: Do you want to help Ukraine but don't know how? Go to Yana Smakula's post here - The coordinator, Denzil Quick is amazing! I emailed him and he responded within a DAY!! #freeUkraine

I am entering my card in the following challenges:
Lil Patch of Crafty Friends, #177 - Anything Goes
The Paper Players, #581 - Spring is in the Air
Simon Says Stamp Wednesday Challenge - Use a Die Cut (#2)
Dies R Us, #188 - Anything Goes using a Product they Sell
NBUS Challenge, #36 - Anything NBUS (#2)
Simon Says Stamp Monday Challenge - Add Some Green
The Friendship Challenge, #75 - Anything Goes
Creative Knockouts, #442 - Sparkle & Shine

 

Crack is Bad for You ~ 2018 Spring/Summer Coffee Lover's Blog Hop

And here is another snarky coffee card for the blog hop.  

What I Used to Make my Card:
White Square Card Base {5 1/4" x 5 1/4"}
Kraft Paper
DCWV Burlap Paper Card Stack, 6" x 6" {available at numerous stores}
Darice Nesting Circles Dies, #2014-74
CAS-ual Fridays Fri-Dies, Coffee Cup
CAS-ual Fridays Stamps, Coffee Talk
Distress Ink in Ground Espresso
Various Colored Paper {rainbow colors - I used mostly Core'dinations paper in the pastel, brights, and dark pads}

I am obsessed with rainbows lately {so much so I added a Rainbow Cards board to my Pinterest page!}, and what better way to make a rainbow than using different colored cardstock?  I used a bunch of scraps; filled in when I needed using whatever color I found that I thought helped complete the rainbow.  The first step for this card was cutting out the little coffee cups using all the rainbow colors.  I set them aside.

Another Look

Then I stamped the sentiment on kraft paper, cut it out using a circle die, and cut the burlap paper using the circle die that was two dies larger {I hope that makes sense - the long & short is I wanted the burlap to peek out a bit}.  Then I also cut a circle out of scrap white using the largest die that would fit on my card.  Then I used some old washi tape to temporarily arrange the cups around the white circle.  It took a bit of fiddling and moving the cups around, but when I finally got the look I wanted.  After that, I glued the cups onto the white circle, gluing just the bottom of the cup and the bottom half of the handle to the edge of the white circle, so each cup is actually more off the circle than on it.  I debated how I was going to achieve a circular design without using the template, but I decided I needed no more stress in my life and just used the circle.  You can't really even see it unless the light captures it perfectly and it honestly doesn't do anything bad to the design {in my opinion.}

Once I had the circle with the cups on the card base, I glued the sentiment onto the burlap paper and then attached that to the center of the cup circle.  I really like the dichotomy of the pretty, happy, rainbows and the "darkness" of the sentiment; I think it's hysterical.  I hope you are hopping along with me at the Spring/Summer Coffee Lover's Blog Hop.  There are TONS of cool prizes to win, and if you are in the mood to win something, why not check out my own awesome giveaway?   All the details are here.  Thanks so much for stopping by and I hope you got a chuckle out of my card! Fondly, Christi

I am entering my Card in the following Challenges:
Spring/Summer Coffee Lover's Blog Hop
Bastel-Traum - M, #65, Rainbow Colors/Fantasy
Dragonfly Journeys - #119, Somewhere Over the Rainbow
The Cat's Pajamas - #346, Use Your Dies {entry 2}
Simon Says Stamp - Use More than One Stamp {2 sentiment stamps}
My Time to Craft - #371, Use More than One Circle
Ellen Hutson - May/June, Inspirational Photo/Color Challenge 
Crazy for CAS - M, #6, Turn Around in a Circle
Creative Moments - M, #143, Anything Goes, Option: Make it Humorous {#2}

Pictures and/or Badges {in order of entry}

Clean and Simple Holiday Card

This is another CAS card. I was inspired when I found the stamps; yes, I had forgotten I had them!  I was looking through the binders where I keep my unmounted stamps and there they were! Seemed like a great time to break them out and ink them up!

What I Used to Make my Card:
Blue Card Base - Core'dinations Premium Cardstock in Sea Glass
White Card
Oxide Inks in Salty Ocean, Peacock Feathers & Faded Jeans
So Suzy Stamps, Ornament Star Dangle, #A00509
So Suzy Stamps, Ornament Dangle, #A00508
Sentiment from Scribbly Christmas, CMS249
Distress Ink in Blueprint Sketch
MISTI

This was a very simple card to make. I used a white card panel to begin the card, trimmed to A2 size.  I used my MISTI to ensure each ornament was positioned properly; they are about an inch apart.   I inked up the first stamp, the Ornament Star Dangle, in Salty Ocean Oxide Ink, followed that with the Ornament Dangle, inked in Peacock Feathers Oxide and continued to alternate

Another Look

the two stamps, the middle stamp is inked in the Oxide inks Faded Jeans, then Peacock Feathers and finally Salty Ocean.

Finally, I stamped the sentiment with Blueprint Sketch ink, trimmed the white panel down and attached it to the blue card base.  Here is a bit of enabling - right now at Consumer Crafts the Core'dinations cardstock pack, sea glass, I used is 50% off!! Seems to be a heck of a sale going on there! Also, stay tuned for a sparkly version of this card - showing as soon as I get a second to write up the post :)

I hope you are having a fabulous holiday season! Thank you SO much for stopping by ~ Christi

I am entering my CAS Holiday Card in the following challenges:
Double D Challenges - Baby, it's COLD outside (Inspiration Image) 

CropStop Challenge - #35, Anything Goes (I used Oxide Inks)
Dragonfly Dreams - Non-Traditional Christmas
Through the Craft Room Door - Always Anything Goes
Use Your Stuff - #293, Holiday Stamp

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

Peace Card

Close up of the embossed Peace

I hope that you and yours had a very happy holiday and please be safe celebrating the New Year - I'll be hanging home with the Fabulous Feline Five and hopefully getting my butt in gear after a lazy holiday with my mom and my cousin. 

I bought this Peace stamp from the store I used to frequent when I lived in Connecticut, it's a PSX stamps from 1998, it is one of my oldest stamps.  I loved how ornate it was and that it really could just stand on it's own.  Unfortunately, the little store closed a few years before I moved, but I have many fond memories of the classes I took and the artists I met.  

Being the stressful time of year that it always is, I felt that a peace card was needed, plus, I needed a card to send to my sister (tee hee). Without further ado, here is my Peace card:

Might look a bit wonky in the photo, but it is straight :)

Did you know that Through the Craft Room Door has an online magazine?!? Each issue features over 150 pages of inspiration - tutorials, cards, mixed media, tips - it's fabulous!! Please stop by and check it out - you won't be sorry!!

If you'd like to know what I used to make this luscious card, please pop over to Through the Craft Room Door, who is sponsoring this fortnightly "Anything Goes" challenge on their site.  I hope to see you there!! Christi 

I would like to enter my Peace Card in the following challenges:
Come & Get It Challenges - (M) Anything Goes
Crafty Hazelnut's Christmas - Anything Goes as Long as It's Christmas
Penny Black & More - (M) Anything Goes with a Stamp
Brown Sugar Challenge - #178, Christmas
A Bit More Time to Craft - #10, Anything Goes
The Artistic Stamper - (M) Christmas
One Crazy Stamper - (M) Christmas/Winter
Cute Card Thursday - #405, Anything Goes

I wouldn't have missed being your friend. . .

I am SO excited to have been chosen as a Guest Designer for Quietfire Designs! I have been buying Suzanne's beautiful calligraphy stamps for years and now they offer dies and cutting files - could they get ANY better?

Fall is so colorful and I thought the colors would work well with the Silhouette cut file I used.  What do you think?  While this card is larger than I normally make, the 5" x 7" format is needed so all the crafty qualities can be properly embodied.

Please click here to see how I made my creation and visit the inspiring blog of Quietfire Designs. Thank you for stopping by and I hope you get some fall inspiration ~ Fondly, Christi

I would like to enter my "I wouldn't have missed being your friend" card in the following challenges:
Path of Positivity - #32, Gratefulness
Not Just Cards (M) - Anything Goes
The Cat's Pajama's - #303, Anything Goes
The House That Stamps Built - #1111, Focus on Sentiment
Create & Inspire - #33, Anything Goes
Paper Sweeties (M) - #37 Picture Inspiration
Stamping Sensations (M) - Festive Flowers & Foliage
Simply Papercraft - Anything Goes

Challenge #6 ~ TWOFERS ~ Blue, Green & Yellow

Hi all you fabulous people! For Challenge #6, Zoe has chosen a color challenge and you can see the specifics at the Twofers Blog. A fun chance to get away from all the holiday projects and stretch yourself a bit. I needed to make a birthday card anyway, so it was the perfect opportunity to use the colors in the challenge.  Here is my blue, green & yellow birthday card:

How I Made my Card:
White Card Base
White Cardstock
Darice "Clouds Background" Embossing Folder
Paper Smooches Streamers Die Set, #KFBD-13-029
Quietfire Designs, Ten Tiny Tag Sentiments, #6382
Silhouette Cameo
Airplane & Sun Cut files
Core'dinations Cardstock in Pastels; Blue, Green and Yellow
Pebbles Chalks in Basic Brights
Ranger Archival Ink in Jet Black
Pop Dots

Let me tell you, buying the Ten Tiny Tag Sentiments from Quietfire Design has been one of the BEST purchases I have made - I use these little sayings so much!  I started the card with the concept of a sky scene, with a plane dragging a banner (I had just gotten the Paper Smooches Die set and was dying to use it - get it? LOL) with Happy Birthday on it, luckily the Ten Tiny Tag Sentiments fit on my banner perfectly! But I am getting ahead of myself. . .

I first dry embossed white cardstock with the Darice Clouds embossing folder. Funny as this was one of those purchases that caught my eye and I bought on impulse and this is the folder I seem to use most. Once my clouds were embossed, I chalked around the clouds and filled in the sky. like I did while making this Summer Fun card.  Once I was done with the chalking, I trimmed the panel down to fit on the card base, glued it and set it aside to dry.

While waiting, I went to my trusty Silhouette Cameo, found some free vectors which I turned into cut files and cut out my sun and my airplane.  It's so easy to use the Cameo machine and I honestly don't think there is anything it can't do, as long as you can find a picture, vector, saying or shape, you can convert it and cut it out!  So I cut out my airplane and my sun to use on the card and set them aside.

I chose a banner that I wanted to use, used my Big Shot to die cut it out of the green paper.  I stamped Happy Birthday, kind of on an angle, using the Jet

Black ink and started to assemble the card.  You can't really see it in the pictures, but I chalked the edges of the plane and the banner before I pop dotted them onto the cloud background. I also pop dotted the inside circle of the sun.  Lastly, I used a black sharpie and drew the rope that attaches the banner to the plane.  I hope my friend likes her birthday card :)

I am thrilled that you stopped by to check out my card - now you have two whole weeks to put together your own Blue, Green & Yellow card (or project) and enter it in our Twofers challenge. You might win a $20 gift certificate to Alleystamps and be able to get yourself some real goodies! So come and join Zoe, Jane and myself, you just might win! Have a fabulous day ~ Christi

Another look 

I'd like to enter my Flying High Birthday Card in the following challenges:

Chalk N Stock (October) Anything Goes

Silhouette Challenges (October) Anything Goes

Not Just Cards - Anything Goes

Creative Ladybird's Creations Challenge (October) - Anything Goes

The Sisterhood of Crafters Die-lirious & Punchy

Scrapy Land - #27, Must Use a Brand of Die Sold in Store (Paper Smooches)

Sweet Stamps (October) - Anything Goes

Southern Girls Challenge - Let's Celebrate

Polkadoodles - #42, Use a Die Cut
Paper Smooches - (week 3) Anything Goes