You're the Cat's Meow - Cat Lovers Blog Hop DAY 2

And for Day 2 for the Cat Lovers Blog Hop - this is one of my favorite events ever and I hope you support the hop and ALL the generous sponsors :)

 I made this card to have on hand if I just wanted to send a cute little note to let someone know I am thinking of them. Honestly, I needed to use these kitties - I got the stamps & dies a bit ago and they have been sitting on my desk, meowing at me. I have a boat load of cards I've made and never sent out, so I don't know who I think I am kidding!

 

 I stamped the cats, and their toys,  on watercolor paper, using my favorite black ink, then colored and cut them out using Avery Elle's Whiskers Stamps and Dies.  I blended a bit of Distress Ink Spun Sugar  onto the white card base to give a bit of grounding for the kitties.  I stamped the sentiment {from the same stamp set} onto some white card and used Die-Namics Fishtail Sentiment Strips to cut it out.  I glued the cats, their toys and the sentiment onto the card and to add a bit more interest I cut some hearts using Lawn Fawn's Long Distance Hugs die set out of some paper I had made using Distress Oxide inks Spun Sugar. 

I love the way the kitties came out! Thanks for stopping by! Christi and have fun hopping!!

I am entering my card in the following challenges:
Through the Craft Room Door - Anything Goes
The Cutie Pie Challenge - Think Pink
Creative Fingers Challenge - Anything Goes
Critter Crazy Challenges - Anything Goes w/ a Critter

CLBH Life will be Purr-fect!! {DAY 5}

And yet another card for the Cat Lovers Blog Hop! As most of you know I adore cats and I seem to collect cat stamps almost as easily as I collect actual cats (truthfully, if I had as many real cats as I do cat themed stamp sets I'd go out of my mind - I honestly don't know how people with children get anything done! Between feeding, scooping, loving, breaking up spats, brushing and attempting to cut nails I can barely get anything done. Parents you have my utmost respect!) Anyway, I think these little cats from My Favorite Things are so cute and this card allows me to show them all off properly!

What I Used to Make my Card:
White Card Base
Blue Star Paper, Lucky Prints from MFT {retired}
MFT Mini Meows Stamps, #CS-533
MFT/Die-Namics Mini Meows Dies Set, #MFT-1905
Watercolor Paper {I use this}
Zig Clean Color Brush Markers
Gina K Amalgam Ink Pad in Obsidian Ink
Uniquely Creative 10 Window Frame Die, #UCD1764

I began this card by stamping, coloring and cutting out the cats.  I wanted the colors to be a bit muted, nothing that caused your eye to go to one particular cat so coloring them was quite easy and fast.  I set them aside to dry and cut out the 10 window frame using a retired patterned paper.  Positioning the sentiment in the very bottom of the card, in the largest window of the die, I stamped it directly onto the card base.  I attached the frame onto the card and filled in the other nine windows with the cats.

With all the nastiness floating around this card is perfect to send to someone you literally haven't seen and it shows you miss them.  At the same time, it's cute and hopefully will bring a smile to the face of the recipient.  I hope it brought a smile to your face, too!  Thanks for spending some of your time with me, stay safe and see you soon! Christi

I am entering my card into the following challenges:
Cat Lovers Blog Hop - Day 5
Art Impressions, #315 - Feline Crazy
Simon Says Stamp Wednesday Challenge - Anything Goes (entry 2)
Simon Says Stamp Monday Challenge - Thinking of You
Happy Little Stampers Dies Challenge - Anything Goes w/ Dies (entry 2)
Penny's Paper Crafty Challenge, #508 - Anything Goes

CLBH Birthday Whiskers {DAY 4}

 I have been fortunate enough to be able to subscribe to the Hero Arts Kit of the Month club once again and this card was born from the June 2021 kit.  I made it so I could use it for the Cat Lovers Blog Hop, something a little brighter than all the Halloween makes! 

I started the card, as always, by stamping, coloring and cutting out the cat and the balloons.  I used the Gina K ink pad and Zig Clean Color Markers to stamp & color.  I got the background paper free from a Lawn Fawn order and I felt it matched with the happy vibe of the card so I trimmed it down to size used it to cover the white card. The sentiment was stamped on white card and die cut using the fishtailed banner.  A small bit of gel pen was used to color the dots on the birthday hat, and everything was glued onto the card.

Thanks for stopping by & stay turned for more Cat Lovers Blog Hop cards! Til next time, Christi 

I am entering my card in the following Challenges:
The Cat Lovers Blog Hop - Day 4
Simon Says Stamp Wednesday Challenge - Anything Goes (entry 2)
Crafty Hazelnut's Patterned Paper Challenge - Anything Goes w/ Patterned Paper
NBUS, #31 - First Time Using the Stamp Set (entry 2)
Seize the Birthday, #226 - Always Anything Birthday Goes
Day of the Month Card Club, #32 - It's My Party Day
SUYP Challenge, #71 - Anything Goes w/ a cat :)

Oh Look! {WARNING Adult Humor}

 If you a regular reader of my blog, or a Facebook friend, you know I like some snarky stuff.  Well, a friend of mine knows how much I adore a bit of sass and she sent me a picture of this stamp set.  I loved it so much I HAD to buy it - I hope you get a laugh out of it; I sure did!

 WARNING: Adult Language to Follow - please do not continue if you are offended by naughty words!

 OK - if you haven't moved on by now you should be prepared for adult humor!

What I Used to Make my Card:
White Card Base
Whimsy Stamps, Meme Oh Look, #CWSD366
Patterned Paper from Authentique, DAME, 6" x 6" pad, #CDA011 {available}
Die-Namics Wonky Stitched Rectangle STAX
Watercolor Paper {I use this}
Zig Clean Color Brush Markers
Gina K Amalgam Ink Pad in Obsidian Ink

This was an easy card; what I did first was stamp the image directly onto some watercolor card, colored it with my Zigs then die cut it with the wonky rectangle die.  I wanted to make the card seem old fashioned so I picked a patterned paper that reminded me of the 1950's, trimmed it and attached that to the card base.  Finally I glued the image onto the card base and I was done! Judging from the number of people who commented on the stamp, and the others in Whimsy Stamps "Meme" collection I am not the only one who found the humor in this image!

I hope you like the card and got a chuckle out of it.  My biggest issue now is who do I send it to; and that's because I can think of SO many people who need this card! LOL Thanks for stopping by! Fondly, Christi 

I am entering my "Oh Look" card in the following challenges:
Sisterhood of Snarky Stampers, #196 - E is for Everything Pink {my cupcakes}
Crafty Hazelnut's Patterned Paper, - October Challenge
HLS Watercolor Challenge - October Challenge
Dragonfly Dreams - In the Pink {my cupcakes}
NBUS Challenge, #31 - October Challenge {3rd entry}

Hugs and Houseplants

 Hi everyone!

If you read my other post about the card kit I purchased from My Favorite Things then feel free to jump right on to the main card making part of this post; if you haven't, go ahead, I'll wait here. Stamping was the first craft I felt I could actually do, meaning I could make things that I felt were good enough to share with other people. Since I started stamping I have branched out into so many other crafts, stamping is my gateway craft! So, to make a card with NO stamping at all is something I am trying. Of course, it is much easier with the amazing selection of dies that are available; including these cute stand alone houseplant dies!

What I Used to Make my Card:
Cream Card Base
Die-Namics Houseplants Die Set
Die-Namics Cats & Plant Perches Die Set
Die-Namics Sending You Hugs Die
My Favorite Things Wallpaper Patterns Paper Pad
Gold Shimmer Card
Various Colors of Brown Card
Various Colors of Green Card
Scraps of Card 

After I made my first card I was a houseplant making fool. I made so many of them I even had leftovers after using them to make two cards!  But it was SO fun to just cut everything out of greens and browns and then add a pop of color using nothing but scraps!  The only thing I

used a new piece of paper for was the "hugs" sentiment and that was due to the fact that the color I liked just hadn't been used yet!.

So this card is fairly easy to figure out but I can't do a blog post without telling you how I made it, so here goes!  I started with a cream card base, trimmed down a piece of patterned paper from the pad and adhered that to the card.  Then, once I found the color I liked for the sentiment, I cut that and a small perch from it. I saved the scrap from the sentiment and used it in my next card. I placed the sentiment onto the card, (yes, the G is a tad off but, like I always say because it is handmade it isn't supposed to be perfect) and glued it down.  I then proceeded to pick and choose from the plants I already had made which ones to include on this card.  Easy peasy! I wanted to make this card feel a little more masculine while still using a heart felt sentiment and I think I made that happen!

I hope you like the card as much as I do! It reminds me that I truly don't have a style that I stick to when I am creating; I just go where the muse takes me!  

Thanks!
Christi

I am entering my Hugs and Houseplants card in the following challenges:
Creative Fingers Challenge Blog, #207 - Anything Goes
Cardz TV, #140 - Anything Goes
Just Us Girls, #583 - Layers
LTSCB, #145 - Anything Goes
LTCCB, #58 - Anything Goes
Through the Craft Room Door - Anything Goes
Happy Little Stampers - Anything Goes with Dies
Classic Design Challenge Blog - Anything Goes
Word Art Wednesday - Anything Goes

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

 

 

Happy St. Patrick's Day!

Hello everyone!

This cute card was made for my Design Team project on The Paper Funday Challenge.  The theme is Irish Luck (use green on your project) and my card features a bunch of Lawn Fawn goodies. Since most of my family is Irish, St. Patrick's Day is a holiday close to my heart.  I enjoyed making this card and I hope you like it: 

What I Used to Make my Card:
White Card Base
Green Glitter Card
Light Green Card
Copic Markers
Lawn Fawn Special Delivery Stamps, #LF2466
Lawn Fawn Special Delivery Dies, #LF2467
Lawn Fawn Simply Celebrate Spring Stamps, #LF1896
Lawn Fawn Simply Celebrate Spring Dies, #LF1897
Lawn Fawn Celebration Scripty Sentiments, #LF1898
Lawn Fawn Quilted Backdrop, #LF1625
Die-Namics Fishtail Sentiment Strips, #MFT-1125
Distress Oxide Ink in Lucky Clover
Watercolor Paper {I use this}
Zig Clean Color Brush Markers
Gina K Amalgam Ink Pad in Obsidian Ink

You can see the
glitter a bit better
here

I began, as I do with most of my cards by stamping, coloring and cutting out all the elements I need. The birds were water colored {and their beaks were cut with the included die; isn't that just the cutest?} and the clover was colored with Copic markers. I then set them all aside to concentrate on the backdrop portion of the card, I cut a piece of green glitter card and the quilted backdrop out of a lighter green card and attached them to the white card base.  The sentiment was stamped onto a piece of scrap white card then die cut. After everything was done and dried I assembled the card as you see in the picture. I think it came out so cute!

Whilst there are a lot of different stamps, dies and coloring mediums the project was easy to put together and it looks like the image in my mind {always a plus!}  

Do you celebrate St. Patrick's Day? My mother used to make corned beef and cabbage and that is one meal I truly miss {not the cabbage}! And the sandwiches the next day were so good! I have fond memories of this holiday and that meal.  I hope you have a fantastic St. Patrick's Day - like the saying says "everyone can be Irish for the day" - and be safe!

Fondly,
Christi

I am entering my card in the following challenges:
The Rainbow Challenge, #27 - Judiciously Jade
TTCRD - Anything Goes
Cuttlebug Mania - Today our Favorite Color is Green
Little Red Wagon, #591 - Fun Feathered Friends
The Card Concept, #150 - Luck of the Irish
2 Crafty Critter Crazies, #48 - Anything Goes with a Critter
The House that Stamps Built, #321 - Going Green

A Couple of Prickly Animals

I was originally going to make a post for these cards separately but they look so cute together I just couldn't separate them! I made these cards quite a while ago and I was happy to have finally gotten them on the blog so you all could see them.  I had originally made these for a color challenge but they never made it there; but here they are now!

What I Used to Make Both Cards:
Hero Arts Cactus Animals Bundle #SB199 {retired but is available online}
You can also look for the products separately; the animals are #CM267, dies #DI512
Watercolor Paper {I use this}

Ranger Archival Ink in Jet Black

Zig Clean Color Brush Markers

I stamped, colored, and cut both the turtle and cat.  As you can tell from the cards I colored each of the images quite carefully.  I layered greens over browns with a bit of orange and yellow thrown in, as well as the colors for each image, such as the plant container for the cat.  It actually took a few days to complete them as I had to wait for each color to dry completely before I added another layer of color.  If you don't let them dry completely, you end up with a mud puddle of brown! Don't forget if you want to see all the details in the pictures, just tap the image and it should show you a larger one.

It's easier to show each card and the items I used to make them separately at this point, so here we go!

What I Used on the Turtle Card:

Kraft Card Base                                                                                  

VersaMark Ink

Simon Says Stamp Fine Detail White Embossing Powder

I attached the turtle right to the card base and took a leap of faith by stamping the sentiment and embossing it right on the card.  I typically try to do this but end up creating a huge mess and cutting the sentiment out and layering it over the huge mess.  But this time it worked like a charm! 

What I Used on the Cat Card:

White Card Base

Kraft, Green, Light Blue & Blue Cardstock {stash}

Die-Namics Linked Chain Circle Frames Dies
Die-Namics Stitched Rectangle STAX Dies
Ranger Archival Ink in Jet Black

To add some interest to the cat card, I started with cutting the chain circles out of blue and green card. Once they were glued on and dry, I added the prickly kitty.  Finished this card off by stamping the sentiment in black on Kraft card, cutting it with the stitched rectangle die, and gluing it on.

These cards were really delightful to make; layering the colors was so much fun!  It isn't something where I have a lot of experience since most of what I color is just one color.  They pushed me out of my comfort zone and I hope they inspire you to get a little crazy! What else is there to do? Might as well make a bunch of cards :) I sincerely hope that you and yours are well during this trying time; to me it makes it even more special that you have popped in as I am sure you have other things on your mind.  I appreciate you taking the time to read my posts :)  Fondly, Christi

I am entering my cards in the following challenges {found on Challenges for Days}:
CAS on Friday, #197 - Animals {hope my faux animals count!}
Krafty Chicks, #543 - CAS
Scrapping for Fun Challenges, #184 - Anything Goes
Little Red Wagon, #585 - Die-Ing to get Crafty!
The Male Room, #146 - Animals {hope my faux animals count!}
Creative Knockouts, #385 - Anything Goes