Hey, you! Happy Valentine's Day

Hey everyone!

If you follow me on any social media then you know I love cats.  I am an animal lover, but cats have a special place in my heart; so, when I see a new stamp set with cats in it I have to get it! This adorable stamp set falls in that category {see what I did there?!?} and while it is technically a Valentine's Day set, I think it can be used anytime.  Here is my first creation using this set:

What I Used to Make this Card:
White Slimline Card Base
Leftover Pink Scalloped Slimline Piece {from this Lawn Fawn Die Set}
Gina Marie Designs Big and Little Chain Die Set
Simon Says Stamp Heart Animals Stamp Set, #SSS302247C
Simon Says Stamp Heart Animals Die Set, #SSSD112290C
Watercolor Paper {I use this}
Zig Clean Color Brush Markers
Gina K Amalgam Ink Pad in Obsidian Ink
Pink Card

Once the animals were stamped, colored and cut I set them aside for a bit whilst I decided what kind of card I wanted to make. Since I wanted to use all the critters, I decided it had to be a slimline card.  Luckily I had the white scalloped panel left over so I used that to attach my animal panel to, after edging them with a pale pink marker to make them stand out a bit more.  Once I had them on the panel I then stamped the sentiment directly onto it before layering onto the pink chain card I had cut out. Finally I layered the whole thing onto the slimline white card.  I really think the "hey you" sentiment in this set is so quirky and I expect to be using that a lot in my upcoming projects. 

This was a fun card to make and the images make me smile! I like that you can see just a bit of pink peeking out from under the white and the card doesn't do the chain die set justice, I am sure I will be making another card featuring those dies, so you can get a good look at them.  Thanks so much for taking the time to stop by and check out my card; if you follow me on any of the social media platforms on the right side please let me know so I can follow you back!

Crafty hugs, Christi

I would like to enter my card in the following challenges:
CCEE Stampers, #2107 - Love your Pet Day
Cute Card Thursday, 674 - Slimline
Addicted to Stamps & More, #339 - Any Occasion
Double D Challenges - Anything with a Heart {mood board below}
Creative Inspirations Challenges - Animals {Jan - Feb Challenge}
SUYP Challenge, #63 - Furrything goes with a Cat
Crafty Animals, #47 - Anything Goes with an Animal
NBUS, #23 - Anything Goes with Using New Stuff {entry 2}

Happy Valentine's Day!

 Hi everyone :) I hope this post finds you in good spirits! This was a simple card that took no time to make at all but I think it's striking. Hope you like it too!

What I Used to Make my Card:
White Card Base
Pink Card & Darker Pink Card
Gina Marie Designs Argyle Heart Plate Background
Poppystamps Doodle Happy Valentine's Day Die, #2166 {retired but available}
Pink 1/2 Pearls

I just love Gina Marie Designs and I am so happy I found them!  If you are a die lover like I am, this is one of the best places to go for new designs that are inexpensive.  They do carry a limited number of other crafting products but to be honest I just looked at the dies.  Anyway, I began this card by cutting out the Argyle background and adhering it to a white card base.  Then I glued 1/2 pearls onto the design, four to a row.  After I was sure they dried, I cut and glued on the sentiment.  Easy card but as I said, I think it is beautifully striking! Thanks so much for stopping by!  Fondly, Christi

I am entering my card in the following challenges:
Poppystamps, #77 - I Love You
Cut it Up, #219 - All You Need is Love
Daring Cardmakers - Share the Love
Color my Heart Color Dare, #431 - Shades of Pink and 1 other Color {white}
Watercooler Wednesday, #308 - All About Occasions

Love is in the Air with Paper Funday's February Challenge

Hello everyone! I'd like to take this time to announce that I am now on the Design Team of  The Paper Funday Challenge Blog which is a monthly challenge open to any and all papercrafts!  I am very excited to share my first creation for the month of February; our challenge is Anything Goes with the Option of Love is in the Air.  I chose to work with the option this month and here is my card:

What I Used to Make my Card:
White Card Base
Red Cardstock
Light Pink Cardstock
Simon Says Stamp Pawsome Love Stamp Set, #SSS102077
Simon Says Stamp Pawsome Love Die Set, #SSSD112094C
Simon Says Stamp Ornate Love Dies, #SET12180L {retired, I just used the heart die}
Gina Marie Designs Lacey Lattice Rectangle Dies 
Watercolor Paper {I use this}
Zig Clean Color Brush Markers
Gina K Amalgam Ink Pad in Obsidian Ink
Derwent Inktense Pencils
Stickles Glitter Glue in Christmas Red 

I've been finding that using colored pencils, watercolor or not, along with my Zig Clean Brush Markers allows me to color in designs better and I have much more fun when I am mixing mediums.  That is what I did with the images I used on this card; I stamped them, colored them, {I can't remember which I used first but I think it was the pencils} and then cut them out, and set them aside.  For a background, I used the lace lattice dies and red cardstock.  I had first used a clear dimensional gel on the heart balloons but for some reason as it was drying it cracked and while that look may be fine for some projects, it just didn't work for this one so I covered the clear dimensional gel with the Christmas Red Stickles and they came out nice and sparkly.  I stamped the sentiment onto light pink card and used a heart die to cut it out.  Lastly, I adhered all the pieces to the card base and here you have it!

I love how each of the kitties is different; I still have yet to master adding stripes to my cats without them looking silly, but I think these cats are adorable even without the stripes!  Now it is your turn to create a paper craft or two and enter it into our challenge; after all you have the entire month so I am positive you can make something and join in the fun{day}!  I hope you enjoyed my card!  I am hoping to see you soon!  Fondly, Christi