Sue WIlson Shaker Card

 Hi Dies R Us friends!! Today I am sharing an easy shaker card featuring a Sue Wilson Die. I hope you like it!

What I Used to Make this Card:
White Card Base
KaiserCraft Paper Pad, Rose Avenue, 6 1/2" x 6 1/2" {retired but available}
Sue Wilson Expressions Die, Hello, #CED5401 {out of stock, but this will work as well}
White Card
Foam Tape, doubled
Filler from Stash

This was an easy shaker card to make since the die I chose was rectangular; the hardest part

was cutting the foam tape!  I have a huge roll of foam tape I bought years ago at a convention and I consistently forget I have it; well, this time I remembered! Since the shaker fill has some little gems in it I doubled the foam tape, sticky side to sticky side, then cut it in about half to fit around the die thus allowing enough height for the fill to shake and not get stuck.  I chose sequins, gems and sparkly bits that didn't clash with the paper I covered the card base with. Once I made the shaker part of the card using the die cut, acetate, foam tape and the fill, I attached it to the base that I had covered with a pink paper with a geometric design lightly embossed on it, very pretty I think and the photos don't do it justice.

I certainly hope you enjoyed my card and that will encourage you to pull out some of your dies and make a card to join in on the monthly challenge; just be sure the die you use is from one of the companies Dies R Us carries {shouldn't be difficult, they carry everything!} and join in the fun!  Take care and stay safe! Until next time, Christi

Don't forget to come join in the fun at the Dies R Us Challenge Blog. There's a new challenge theme offered on the 1st and 15th of each month and one lucky randomly drawn winner will receive a gift voucher prize to the Dies R Us Store.  

For your convenience, all the important Dies R Us links are provided below.

 

click below for:

STORE

CHALLENGE BLOG

FACEBOOK

INSPIRATION BLOG

FRIENDS OF DIES R US PINTEREST PAGE

As I am stamping away with the NEW Lawn Fawn release I realized I hadn't entered this card in any challenges!! If my card doesn't meet the timeline for entering your challenge, please accept my apologies and delete it ~ Thanks!!  So, without further ado, I am entering my card in the following challenges:

Cardz TV, #150 - Anything Goes
Happy Little Stampers Anything Goes w/ Dies
Creations in Pink, #37 - Anything Goes in MAINLY Pink
Krafty Chicks, #578 - All Occasions
Creative Friday, #290 - Big Word as the Focus
A Place to Start, #9 - Patterned Paper
Creative Fingers, #215 - Anything Goes

 

Colorful Love Card

 I have SO many patterned paper pads; I buy them with good intention, but then they end up sitting in my stash, forgotten.  It was actually the background paper that inspired me to get a bit tropical for this card, I hope you like it!

What I Used to Make my Card:
White Card Base
Sue Wilson Caribbean Island Collection, St. Kitts, #CED5204
Impression Obsession Love Die, #DIE385B
KaiserCraft Fly Free 6.5" x 6.5" Paper Pad #PP975
Teal Blue Card

One of the best things about Sue Wilson dies is that you get so many options in one package! Using the St. Kitts die I started this card by cutting out the background in the patterned paper, then the outline in the teal blue, I continued with the patterned paper and then layered the teal blue onto that.  There is also

a pink paper in the paper pad that has epoxy detail and it since it's from the same pack, it matched the patterned paper so that is what I cut the sentiment out of.

You may not know that the Dies R Us challenge is always Anything Goes with a die that they carry - and they carry LOTS of dies so it should be easy to enter! All of the links are below so you can easily find the store and then the challenge! Thanks so much for stopping by! Christi

 For your convenience, all the important Dies R Us links are provided below.

 click below for:

STORE

CHALLENGE BLOG

FACEBOOK

INSPIRATION BLOG 

FRIENDS OF DIES R US PINTEREST PAGE

I am entering my card in the following challenges:
Crafting Happiness, #107 - Anything Goes
Pammie's Inky Pinkies, #2131 - Anything Goes
Get Creative Challenges, #104 - Anything Goes
Cardz for Gals, #152 - Use Dies and/or Punches
Little Red Wagon, #613 - Just Because!
Word Art Wednesday, #503-504 - Anything Goes

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

Sympathy. . 2018 Cat Lovers Hop, Day 4

Thanks for joining me on Day 4 of the Cat Lovers Hop 2018!

You can check out all the details here {link to the FAQ and Info page}, at Her Peaceful Garden {this is the link to the main hop page}! Hope you can join in, there are tons of fabulous prizes!  This is a sad one, so get some tissues 😢

My two best friends in the whole world lost their pets in a two week time span.  Tom had to put his dog, Bear, down due to a suspected tumor in his spinal column.  Rather suddenly, Bear, who was about 5 years old and 17 pounds, stopped jumping to greet people, he wouldn't get on the couch, wouldn't eat, and generally seemed to be in a bad way.  Not two days after he began to exhibit these symptoms, Tom noticed that he was beginning to drag his hind legs.  Unfortunately, the tumor had grown and was now either pressing on his spine or a disc and essentially paralyzing him.  There was nothing that could be done. 

Diane's cat was 17 years old and she had stomach cancer.  Kitteny went to meet Bear and all the others a week after her diagnosis.  Now, Tom is a "manly man" and I know he would not appreciate a sympathy card {plus, he & I live about 15 minutes from each other} while Diane lives back East and I know she needs all the support she can get. I needed to express my feelings about both of these unfortunate events, so I made Diane a card.

What I Used to Make my Card:
White Card Base
KaiserCraft Fairy Garden, 6.5" x 6.5" pad, #PP1039
Distress Ink in Hickory Smoke
Simon Says Stamp, Pawprints on our Hearts Stamp Set, #SSS101425
Simon Says Stamp With Sympathy Die, #SSSD111360
Grey Card
Altenew Modern Cats Stamps & Dies {already colored and cut}

I was pleased that I had the beautiful clouds paper - I felt it worked perfectly with the message I was trying to convey.  I had colored and stamped the cat long ago {as I tend to stamp and color more card pieces than I need - I've ruined far too many projects when I don't have extras!} so once I glued the patterned paper to the white card, then put it under the infamous tile I have on my desk to dry overnight, I decided what I wanted to stamp onto the card, the ink I wanted to use, and cut out the "with sympathy" sentiment, I was done until later.

Once that card base was dry and checked for naughty peeling paper, I stamped directly onto the upper left corner of the card "Cats leave pawprints on our hearts" and glued the "with sympathy" die cut to the bottom right hand corner. 

The cat was put across from the die cut and she was glued down as well.  I have to confess, I have a terrible phobia of stamping directly onto papers when  I have a limited supply of them, and thank goodness I used my Stamp Platform.  I can't even begin to tell you how many things I messed up in the old days due to the placement being crooked or the ink not being dark enough, or not fully filled in.  I am slowly starting to realize that these fabulous inventions, whichever kind you favor, aren't going to let you fail if you take the time to line things up; you can stamp as much as needed without worrying about the ink not completely transferring to your paper.  Wish *I* had thought about {and invented things} to make our lives {as crafters} easier!

I did use the stamp that comes with the Altenew set inside the card.  It just reads "So sorry about the loss of your Cat", but I was so anxious to get this into the mail {it took her birthday card 3 months to get to her but another item I mailed only three days!} since I didn't know if it was going on the same trip as her birthday card or not, that I forgot to take a quick picture.  No worries as you can click the link above, under How I Made my Card, and see all the sentiments that both these fantastic sets offer.  Regardless of the sad nature of the card, I do like it.  I think the gray compliments the colors in the sky very well.  What do you think? Do you have a standard Sympathy card? 

Even though this isn't a happy card, Diane loved it.  I am going to enter it into the Cat Lovers Hop that is held every year by Janis who owns Her Peaceful Garden.  It's a fabulous hop, with tons of great prizes and cat cards!  I hope you can join us - I'll be playing every day from October 22 to the 27, 2018.

Thanks for stopping by! Christi

I am entering my Sympathy card in the following challenges:
2018 Cat Lovers Hop
The House that Stamps Built - #02418, Anything Goes
Crafty Creations - #377, Anything Goes
TTCRD - Always Anything Goes
SUYP - #35, Anything Goes with a Cat
CraftyHazelnut's Pattern Paper Challenge - M, Anything Goes
Sunny Day Crafting - M, Anything Goes w/Animals

You're Amazing!

I love sending out goodies to my crafty friends.  Somehow, I end up with a HUGE pile of extra stuff, stuff I don't use, or have duplicates {triplicates?}  So, instead of it hanging around here, I'll send a goodie package out or have a giveaway.  On Instagram, I've met SO many new people and one of them lives in Colorado so it doesn't cost me an arm and a leg to send her stuff; I've sent her a package already and it was the first one she'd ever gotten!  She was so grateful she made a video and everything.  How cool is that?!? I made this card to send with my next goodie package for her.

It's an odd angle, but you need to be able to read the word

What I Used to Make my Card:
White Card Base
Foam Board {from the Dollar Tree}
The Ton Bold Amazing Greetings Word Plate Dies
Navy Blue Card
KaiserCraft Wandering Ivy, 6.5" x 6.5" pad, #PP1033

I am in LOVE with this sentiment set from The Ton; I've already got a few other projects in the works using the dies.  It's fabulous!  I started this card by cutting the words out of foam board; the cheap stuff die cuts much easier than the expensive stuff and I snagged a few white and black foam core boards from my local Dollar Tree.

I've made these cards before {here is my first try, and my second, in case you are interested.  The first card I made goes into greater detail about the technique and there is a link to the Jennifer McGuire video that I studied} but I don't think I'll ever get over how cool they look.  Choosing the wandering ivy paper for the word and the background paper was an easy choice; every piece of paper in that pack is so pretty!  I cut out the word "amazing," used the cuts to

Another weird angle but
you can see the foam

cover the foam board, then carefully placed them into the voids left by the die.  For me that's the hardest part about making these cards and I can get a bit obsessed about ensuring the letters are placed as close to perfect as I can get them.  Then I take my photos and realize that the card is SO far from perfect -- but like I always say, mistakes are part of the charm of handmade, right?  Then I cut the word "you're" out of the foam board, covered that with navy card, attached those cut letters, and I was done.  My tip for you - if you've never made this kind of card and want to give it a go, use a word die that is welded together so you don't have to fuss with individual letters.

Now I'll be packing up some goodies to send out along with the card.  I hope she likes this bunch of goodies as much as the first batch and I'm happy to report some other crafters have sent her some stuff since I sent her my care package.  I say that the crafting community is the most generous and kind people around; what other artists encourage people to copy them?!  None that I know, yet we post instructions, either written or video, to show people how we created our projects.  Now that's sharing!  

I hope this gives you the push you need to attempt one of these incredible cards - they are so much easier than they look.  Thanks for stopping by and I hope to see you soon.  Christi. 

I am entering my You're Amazing! Card in the following challenges:
Word Art Wednesday - #354 -355, Anything Goes
Through the Craftroom Door - Anything Goes
CraftyHazelnut's Patterned Paper Challenge -M, Anything Goes
DL Art Monthly Challenge - Anything Goes
Sparkles Monthly Challenge - #108, Use Dies or Punches
The Color Sisters - M, #59, Color Palette 

Cardz TV - #67, Anything Goes
Simon Says Stamp Wednesday Challenge - Anything Goes

There's a Cat in the Tub?

This is my first post for the Die Cut Divas Design Team and I want to thank the entire team for the wonderfully warm welcome!  If this is your first time here, or your 100th, I invite you sit, take a break, and hopefully have some fun! 

This month's challenge is sponsored by Frantic Stamper and the theme is Animals/Pets.  Should be an easy one; most of us have SOME sort of animal die and I have been thoroughly enjoying your makes thus far in the challenge.  You do want to join in {you have about two more weeks} because this is the fabulous prize you can win:

Worth $20!!

As some of you may know, I have the Fabulous Feline Five; four males and one chubby, short black girl.  Mew is my baby and I knew when I found out the theme I had the purrfect card to make.  See, Mew likes to use our tub as a gym.  Actually, closer to a skateboard ramp.  She throws herself around the tub (sometimes she does it SO hard I am positive she's hurt herself, but she loves it!), talks and purrs and generally has a great time, to the point we were actually discussing having just a shower stall put in but that idea was nixed.  After all, what would Mew do?  Anyway, here is my card:

What I Used to Make my Card:
White Card Base
Watercolor Paper
Zig Clean Color Markers 
Lawn Fawn Meow You Doin' Stamp set, #LF1315
Lawn Fawn Meow You Doin' Die set, #LF1316 
Lawn Fawn Rub-a-Dub-Dub Stamp set, #LF1583
Lawn Fawn Rub-a-Dub-Dub Die set, #LF1584
Lawn Fawn Slide on Over Circles, #LF1382
KasierCraft Paper Pad, Misty Mountains, 6.5" x 6.5", #PP1040
Alcohol Markers, Spectrum Noir, BT1 & BT2
Ranger Archival Ink in Jet Black
Wendy Vecchi Archival Ink in Watering Can
Foam Tape, white
Darice 5mm Crystal Clear Sequins, #10043-8

I have a confession - this is my very first interactive card ever.  I recently purchased the Slide On Over Circles die set, watched the Lawn Fawn Video, and gave it a try.  I definitely would change things a bit the next time I make one of these cards but, all in all, it was a lot of fun!  

I began this card by stamping all the kitties with Jet Black ink on some watercolor paper.  Then I colored them with Zig Clean Color Markers (I just got the 90 color pack - my gift to me for my birthday!), let them completely dry, and cut them out with the matching dies.  Secondly, I stamped all the bubbles, and the bathtub with Watering Can ink (I found black to be too harsh for the outline); colored them with Spectrum Noir #BT1 and highlighted with #BT2.  Please be kind, I am still very, very new working with alcohol inks!  Once the bubbles were dry, I cut them out as well.

Another Look

Then I took the background paper and used the smallest Slide On Over Circle die and used that to make my interactive element.  I am not going to go into how I made the card since Lawn Fawn has a wonderfully easy video on how to construct this type of card and if you'd like to learn how I made it, I highly suggest going to the video.  This is the second time I've made this type of card and this one went together MUCH easier than the first; I guess practice does make perfect!

Lastly, I stamped the sentiment on white card and mounted it on some pink card, to give the illusion of a picture hanging on the bathroom wall (I am waiting for the Lawn Fawn Mini Picture Frames Die set to get here - they would have been purrfect!!) and my card was done.  

Thank you for stopping by my blog today and I'll be back on the 25th of this month with another project for this month's Die Cut Divas challenge.  In the meantime, why don't you whip up a project with an animal or pet in it and join in the fun at Die Cut Divas? I hope to see you there!  Oh, one more reminder, there are about two more weeks to enter my giveaway, check out all the details here - who knows, you might win! Thanks SO much, Christi

I am entering my There's a Cat in the Tub? Card in the following challenges:
Crafty Animals - #15 Anything Goes with an Animal
Happy Little Stampers - Anything Goes with Dies {entry 2}
2 Crafty Crazy Critters - #15, Anything Goes with a Critter 
Creative with Stamps - #27, Cute Animals
Art Impressions - #234, Odd Animals {it is odd for a cat to bathe in the tub!}
The Sisterhood of Crafters - Animal Crackers

A Truckload of Happy Birthday

Hey everyone - this is my FIRST post for the Simply Crafty SVG's design team! I'm honored and want to thank Sandy for accepting my application.  I know I'm going to have a BLAST playing with all these cool SVG's.  My brother's birthday is coming up and it's SO difficult to get anything for him, even a card is hard to make for him.  He watches every sport there is, and is online when he has free time.  The only other hobby he has is taking photographs {and, I might be biased, but they are beautiful !}.  When I saw the Christmas Tree Delivery Truck on the website I immediately decided I'd make a truck delivering his gift!  In order to do that, I also used the Presents Gift Card Holder - perfect!

What I Used to Make my Card:
Simply Crafty SVG's Christmas Tree Delivery Truck file
Simply Crafty SVG's Presents Gift Card file
KaiserCraft 6.5 x 6.5 Paper Pad, Frosted, #PP1005
Light Brown, dark brown, black, silver, sparkly silver & red cardstock
Dimensional Dots

The "card" 

I am really horrible at figuring out what I need to cut with what colors - it's something to do with my lack of depth perception {ok, I don't really know if it is, but that's my story} but I had decided I wanted to make my truck in hues of brown, so I cut the card portion out of a good, sturdy, light brown, card.  One of the absolutely COOL things about Simply Crafty SVG's is that each and every design comes with an PDF Instruction file! No more wondering where the heck this part goes!  I have to admit I did not look at the directions PDF until I was almost done with the card, so my assembly is a tad different than the one you'll get with the file.

Then I cut all of the truck embellishments out of dark brown card.  After I put

Pieces

on some of the truck embellishments, I did refer to the instructions since I couldn't figure out where all the parts went.  Once I did that {looked at the directions}, it was easy peasy.  I used dimensional adhesives to pop out my fenders and the door.  I adhered the silver accents to the door, the tires {which I cut out of black card}, and the front grill.  I didn't use all the truck embellishments; I didn't want to gussy up the truck too much since it is for my brother.

Just the Gift

Almost Flat

Once the truck was finished, I started on the gifts I wanted to put into the back of the truck.  Using the Simply Crafty SVG's Presents Gift Card File, I edited the
smaller of the two gifts to make it an open-at-the-top envelope instead of the slider that goes on the gift card.  Unfortunately, the bigger gift was too big to fit in the back of the truck.  I cut the smaller gift and the bow, out of some wintry KaiserCraft card; the bow is cut from super sparkly silver card.  I then altered the small gift box and made a small card to fit inside the box.  I found the Happy Birthday already printed on some ephemera I had, glued that to the little card, wrote "my favorite brother" {it's a joke, he is my only brother!}, some birthday wishes and I was done!

Another View

Simply Crafty SVG's has an awesome bunch of freebies on their site, as well as some very reasonably priced files.  I think if you take a look, you'll be amazed by the awesome files {plus, it looks really good for me!}  Please don't forget to follow the Simply Crafty SVG's blog - there is tons of delicious inspiration coming up and you don't want to miss it! Since I don't have the A9 envelope to fit this card {it told me in the PDF instructions what size envelope I'd need!}, I'm also using the freebie envelope set file, it's a definite MUST have!. Thanks for stopping by and have a wonderful day! ~Christi

I am entering my Truckload of Happy Birthday in the following challenges:
Try it on Tuesday - Vintage {the truck is vintage & so is my brother - hehe!}
Unstampabelles - M, #76 - Anything Goes, TWIST - Something New {the SVG file for the card is new!}
Crafty Catz - Anything Goes TWIST - Birthday
2 Sisters on a Blog - M, #12,  Make a Man a Card
Simon Says Stamp Wednesday Challenge - Anything Goes
Inspiration Destination - #145, Anything Goes
TTCRD - Anything Goes

All You Need is Love & a Cat

and a cat. Or six.  I think this stamp is SO cut with the the kitty's glasses and bow tie! I've had it for a
while but {gulp} I actually forgot about it! I'm ashamed! So when I did recall I had him, I had to make it up to him! In order to do that, I put him on a card just in time for the Cat Lovers' Hop!   

What I Used to Make my Card:
White Card Base
KasierCraft Pawfect Cat Collection, PK555 
Meow, Meow, Meow Stamp Set from Unity Stamps, #UK-926A
Watercolor Paper
Derwent  Inktense Pencils
Heart Punch
Red Glitter Paper
Darice Nested Craft Dies, Classic Circles, 2014-74
Ranger Archival Ink in Jet Black

I started by stamping the kitty on water color paper, then coloring him in with Derwent Inktense Pencils.  I didn't like the heart in the language bubble, so I took a very. very old heart shaped punch and made a new heart out of red glitter paper.  I then stamped the sentiment onto white card and cut it out with circle dies.  I fussy cut {argh, I hate it - wish I could sent it all off to someone

who finds joy in fussy cutting!} the main image out and adhered that as well as the sentiment to the background paper.  Lastly, the background paper was glued to the card base, left overnight under my drying tile and we have a card!

Thanks so much for supporting me and the Cat Lovers' Blog Hop!  I have one more tidbit to share with you - I am having a small giveaway on my blog and I would love for you to enter and share:

Art~Without~Anxiety

presents

HAPPY HALLOWEEN!

I’m having a small drawing on my blog.  All you need to do is click onto this post, chose the costume you like best & when I get 75 costume comments, I’ll draw a random winner.  Open Internationally! Please feel free to share!

EXPIRES Nov, 1. 2017

Thanks for stopping by! Hugs, Christi

In addition to the Cat Lovers' Hop, I am entering my card in the following challenges:

2 Crafty Critter Crazies - M, Anything Goes w/ a Critter

Simon Says Stamp Wednesday Challenge - Anything Goes

Inky Chicks - #90, Animals

Guest Designer at 2 Crafty Critter Crazies

I am beyond thrilled that I was chosen to be the Guest Designer for June by the gals at 2 Crafty Critter Crazies,  Since this month's challenge is being sponsored by Sparkle 'n Sprinkle, I got to choose an image to use! If you follow my blog, you know how much I love to create with kitty stamps and, while the image isn't a traditional one, I still love it and am glad to have it for when the need arises.  Also, not only does the set have a cat angel, there is also a dog angel! And both have images that are pre-colored; here's the one I used on my card:

What I Used to Make this Card:
White Card Base
Purple Cardstock
Digi Stamp Set by Sparkle 'n Sprinkle, 472M Pet Sympathy
Die-Namics, MFT, Stitched Oval Stax
DieVersions Whisper Stitched Nesting Squares, DV-572
KaiserCraft Violet Crush Designer Paper, PK-463
Pop Dots

First step for me was to die cut all the pieces; the pre-colored digi, the sentiment and the two purple panels to layer them, then I glued them together, stuck them under my drying tile and left them overnight.  I also cut out my designer paper panel, attached that to the white card base and left it to dry overnight along with the die cuts.

The next day I just assembled the card.  I pop dotted both the square and the oval die cuts onto the card and I was finished!  This is my first time using a pre-colored digi and I can definitely see where you could save oodles of time and how easy they are to use if you need to make a bunch of cards. Having the choice to use either the plain or pre-colored digi certainly

Another Look

took the stress off of me; I did try to color the kitty in with various alcohol markers, but I just could not get the look I wanted.  Having the choice between the two digi's was nice.  I want to thank 2 Crafty Critter Crazies for inviting me to be their guest designer.  They run a super fun challenge and all you need to do in order to play is have a critter (any critter! Aardvark? Yup! Manatee? Yup!) on your project and you are in! It's also a monthly challenge, so you have plenty of time to get a card together and enter.  Plus, the team over there certainly LOVE animals - I went to the "The Team" page and WOW! - those ladies are critter lovers! Please pop by and give them some support.  Thank you so much for taking time out of your busy day to stop by and check out my creation.  I appreciate it more than you know! Christi

I am entering my Sympathy Cat Card in the Following Challenges:
Watercooler Wednesday - #121, Anything Goes
Crafting with Dragonflies - #81, Animals
Simon Says Stamp Wednesday Challenge - Anything Goes
Kitty Bee Designs - #95, Animals
That's Crafty! - Feline Fine 

Masculine Happy Birthday

My brother's birthday is coming up and I got some new Spellbinder dies.  Those two statements caused the following card to happen (sounds like a public service announcement).

How I Made My Card:
Black, Square (5 1/4 x 5 1/4) Card Base
Spellbinders Fleur de Lis Squares, #S4-318
Newton's Nook Stamp Set, Simply Sentimental
Patterned Paper, KaiserCraft, 6 1/2 pad, Time Machine, #PP978 (disc on site)
Kraft Paper
Ranger Archival Ink in Jet Black

I was searching through some of my smaller paper pads after Bud tried to step on them and caused almost all of them to fall on the floor, searching for something to make my brother a birthday card.  My brother is a grumpy, manly man so it needed to be a man's card.  No fluffy stuff for him (although he does plant and nurture flowering plants in the summer, to the point that he will move them around on the balcony so they get the best sun. I digress. . .).  When I saw the 2 papers in the Time Machine pad a light bulb went off in my head. I wanted to piece the papers together so that they'd match, but be different and I had just gotten some new Spellbinder dies (on sale, cause I hate paying full price!)and I thought I'd use one of the new dies to cut the papers and then I

could match them up.  And, the pattern on the brown/black paper is raised and shiny - so cool! Unfortunately, the small pad is discontinued on the KaiserCraft site, but, you can find them all over on the internet (and the larger pad is still available on the KaiserCraft site).

I will spare you the agonizing details of how I discovered the easy way to do this and cut to the chase; If you ever want to match papers up like this, cut the small one out FIRST, match it up with the other paper, THEN cut out the bigger piece.  Let's just say I have only teeny bits of the patterned paper left that I used.  So, if you were using these papers, you'd cut the black layer out, match it up with the brown/black design, then position your die and cut it out.  OK once you have gotten your two layers matched up, cut and glued, then stamp your sentiment on a matching piece of paper and use the smallest die to cut that out.  It took me entirely too long to make this simple card but I think it was worth it!

You can see a bit of the shiny black raised pattern on this picture

Thank you so much for reading my post - I'd love it if you'd consider becoming a follower of mine (if you do, please leave me a comment and your blog address so I can return the favor).  I hope you are all enjoying this new year so far ~ fondly, Christi

I am entering my Masculine Happy Birthday Card in the following challenges:
Crafty Hazelnut's Patterned Paper Challenge - Anything Goes #3
Oh La La Challenge - #220, For a Man or a Boy
Incy Wincy - For the Men in Your Life
Work it Wednesday (Simon Says Stamp) - Use Something New (Spellbinders Die)
Through the Purple Haze - #116, Happy Anything