Happy New Year with Newton's Nook

I had made only a few cat cards for the holiday so when I discovered this set in my collection {yes, I had forgotten that I had it, have never used it and that also makes it a NBUS!}, I knew I had to put it to good use.  What better way to ring in the new year than with a cat AND champagne!

What I Used to Make my Card:
White Card Base
Watercolor Paper {I use this}
Zig Clean Color Brush Markers
Gina K Amalgam Ink Pad in Obsidian Ink
Newton’s Nook New Year Stamp set,#NN1811S05
Newton’s Nook New Year Die set, #NN1811D05
MME Joyful 6”x6” paper pad, #JYF109 {retired but available}
Dimensional Dots
Gel Pens

I started this card as I do almost all the others I make, by stamping the cat, coloring it in and then cutting it out.  I used a lot of gel pens on this design, I wanted some sparkle and I

Close up of Sparkle 

“dotted” a juicy gold gel pen to make it look like bubbles in the glasses and in the champagne exploding out of the bottle.  I pop dotted the kitty on a white panel, used some gold starred patterned paper for the top of the card, attached the white panel to the bottom of the card. 

 I am very pleased with the bubble effect, it came out better than I envisioned it.  I hope you like this card as much as I do; I think it conveys the fun and excitement that only a New Year can bring!  Thank you for taking the time to stop by and checking out my card! I hope you & yours have a fabulous New Year! Fondly, Christi

PS: Consider following me on Instagram - I am going to be having a fantastic giveaway for my Instagram followers only & you want to be a part of it, trust me! Thanks :)

I am entering my card into the following challenges:
NBUS, #22 - Stamp Set & Die have never been used :)
Moving Along with the Times, #126 - New
Simon Says Stamp Monday Challenge - Use a New or Unused Product
Make my Monday, #139 - Something New in Your Stash
Use Your Stuff, #413 - It's all about the New
Shopping our Stash, #436 - Use Something New
Simon Says Stamp Wednesday Challenge - Something New
Krafty Chicks, #541 - Stamp Act {must stamp}
Paperminutes, #673 - Happy New Year!
Creative Fingers, #199 - Anything Goes

Cat Lover's Blog Hop Entry #4 ~ Pumpkin Kitty

Hi all! Here is card #4 that I made to participate in the Cat Lover's Blog Hop 

If this is your fourth (or more) time here, feel free to skip all this stuff until you get to "What I Used to Make my Card", that will be different for each card I make for the hop. For those of you that haven't been reading my blog long, you can learn all about my fur babies by clicking on the page at the top of my blog, or, just click here. 

I had colored in a bunch of the Crazy Cats a while ago (I color while watching TV) and water colored them with Distress Markers and Kuretake Clean Color Markers.  If I can recall what I used for each design I will certainly let you know. Everything is stamped with waterproof black ink pads.

OK, enough housekeeping stuff, on to my fourth card:

What I Used to Make my Card:

White Card Base

Watercolor Paper

Penny Black "Bewitched" Stamp Set, #30-318

Die-Namics (MFT) Stitched Oval Stax, #MFT-521

Distress Markers

My Minds Eye Background Paper - "Spooked" Collection (retired but available)

Pop Dots

Another Penny Black image water colored with Distress Markers, I intentionally left the kitty uncolored so the pumpkin image would pop out.  Again, cut with one of the Stitched Ovals from the Die-Namics set, this time pop dotted on background paper from MME.  All layered onto a white card base - easy peasy card, and I love that MME background paper - I only have a bit of it left and I am hoarding it (LOL). 

Thanks again for stopping by - I really appreciate it! Only one more day to enter the Hop and I do hope you have been entering, or at least commenting on the entries, for a chance to win (there are a lot of them - I'm way behind LOL) ~ Hugs! Christi

I'd like to enter my Pumpkin Kitty in the following challenges:
The Cat Lover's Blog Hop
The Mod Squad - Halloween Fun
Crafty Creations - #327, Water Color
The Sisterhood of Crafters - Pumpkins or the Color Orange
Deep Ocean Challenge - #140, Halloween

Krafty Valentine

I almost feel bad about posting this card - it is THAT easy.  The key is the Kraft paper from My Mind's Eye Life Stories paper bundle, which is unfortunately discontinued (but available online in many places - I looked!). This so reminds me of the "love" notes we'd send in school, all folded up, with directions on who to deliver it to, of course with a strict No Peeking Policy, "Check the box - Do you like me? [] Yes []No", or, the even bolder "Will you go out with me? []Yes or []No. We had to make things simple for the note's intended, and be to the point so there was no misunderstanding or confusion.  I always felt a note was better than actually asking, face to face, since a note could be used as evidence if they decided to deny that they said liked you.  Fickle boys!  

For being so simple, I think it's kinda cute

What I Used to Make this Card
Cream Card Base
MME Life Stories Paper Pack
4 Black Photo Corners
Small Heart (from another card)
Wendy Vecchi's Archival Ink in Geranium

This was a very easy card, since the paper from the MME stack did all the work for me.  I cut the square out of the 12 x 12 piece of paper and edged it with the Wendy Vecchi ink in Geranium.  I had saved all the little hearts that came from making this card and I used one of them to "tick" off the Valentine's Day square.  I wanted the card to look somewhat vintage, so I pulled out my photo corners (that I have had for more years than I can remember) and attached the Kraft panel to the card.  For how amazingly simple this card was, I think it makes a statement all on it's own. 

Thanks for taking time to read my little tutorial (if I can even call it that).  I appreciate each comment you leave me, and, please, leave your blog in the comment so I can pop over to your place.  I also hope you will consider becoming a follower of mine and help me reach my goal of 100 followers. Thank you so much for stopping by! Christi

You can see the Geranium ink in this picture better

I would like to enter my Krafty Valentine in the following challenges:
Dream Valley Challenges -  #99, Valentine's Day
Pixie's Crafty Workshop - #163 (my little heart is a snippet)
Make My Monday - Valentine's
Sister Act - #93, Anything Goes
Scrap & Craft - #2, Valentine's, Love, Romance
My Craft Creations - Anything Goes
Card Mania - #65, Add Some Red
4 Crafty Chicks - #233, Valentine's

Summer Lovin' with Anything But a Card

I finally got a bird feeder.  When I moved, I had to leave my old one at my old house and I have been bugging anyone and everyone to get me a new one.  So, after about a year of begging, I went and bought one myself.  Now that I have my spectacular feeder, I needed somewhere to keep the birdseed.  I am not particularly strong, so the idea of lugging a bag of birdseed out to the front yard doesn’t thrill me.  So I made a birdseed (bird food) holder for my Summer Lovin’ project, the challenge now being held at Anything But a Card.

This should have been simple.  Should have been a piece of cake.  But, I got sidetracked as my SO decided we needed another cat when he went to Petco to get cat litter.  Our local shelter, The Dumb Friends League, loans out cats and dogs to the local Petco in hopes someone will see the animal and fall helplessly in love.  Score one for Dumb Friends League.  Now I have five, yes FIVE feline companions and our newest is named Sylvester – but more on him in another post.  I give you my Bird Food Jar:

See the cat on the left side? Guess who!

What I Used in my Project:
Container

Gesso

Damask Paper from MME Bestof Damask Pack

Chipboard from Basic Grey, Undressed Periphery (retired, but you can find it)

Distress Ink Pad in TeaDye

Distress Marker in VintagePhoto

Distress Paint in MilledLavender

Tim Holtz Grunge Board Letters, Plain (again, retired)

Pale Lilac Paper from SU!(retired, I think)

Cut File from my Batch of Free Files

Silhouette Machine

I eat biscotti (too much, but hey!) and the brand I eat comes in these awesome containers.  And since I eat so much, I always have an empty container handy.  So I peeled off some of the label (in hindsight, I really should of taken the time to peel off the whole label), gathered 2 12x12 sheets of the paper I thought would be pretty, measured and cut the paper and then glued the paper to the container.  I also cut out a circle of the same pattern to put on the lid.  This is going great!

I gesso all the Grunge Board and the Basic Grey Chipboard.  After that is dried, I try to paint my letters.  I know what color I want them, as the paper is a mixture of pink and brown (which doesn’t match ANY room in my house. . .) so I try to paint them with Distress Marker in Gathered Twigs – I scribble the marker on my craft sheet and spritzed some water on it to make paint.  Well, I forgot gesso kind of reactivates with water.  So I ended up with a very light tan.  OK, I’ll let that dry and perhaps I can paint on it after since there is now a base coat.  Nope.  I’ll spare you the trials and tribulation and share that I finally just pressed the letters on a Distress Ink Pad in Tea Dye.  After they dried, I used a Distress Marker in Vintage Photo to edge the letters.  Whew!

 

The Top

Now I move on to my gessod chipboard.  Again, I had an idea in my head of the color I wanted the chipboard to be.  Pink enough to pick up the pink in the paper.  I must have painted that chipboard with 45 different colors of Distress Paint.  I could NOT get the pink “pink” enough.  I used Pickett Fence with Festive Berries – nope.  Tried to dry brush Pickett Fence on the chipboard after it dried – nope.  After numerous attempts, I realized that Milled Lavender matched the paper almost perfectly.  See, I told you this SHOULD have been easy!  By this time, I have literally lost days, since the heat is here (along with our one month where it rains almost every afternoon – sort of like Florida, but without the crushing humidity) and I have to wait for the embellishments to dry.  I start to panic.  I have my words and my shipboard plaques but what am I going to decorate the container with?  Thank goodness I have this Silhouette.  I found some paper that matched, SU! Pale Plum, and set about cutting out some cute little birdies to put on the sides of the container. 

And the cat is so helpful

I glued them to the sides, glued my letters to my chipboard plaque, and attached my plaques to the container. . .only to realize I had put the birds on the wrong sides.  But yanno what? You can’t tell.  And if anyone dares to ask me why my bird food container is in pink & brown, or why the seams are visible, well, let’s just say I have a shovel and a large backyard.

Take my mistakes and use them so you don’t go bonkers – at least from crafting something. If you'd like the cutfile I used here, or in any of my projects, just ask (I share, except when , legally, I can't) I hope you are cool and comfortable ~ enjoy! Christi

PS: Maybe I'll make another one that matches my kitchen??

Before and After (told you I had a bunch of these)

I would like to enter my Bird Food Container in the following challenges:
Open-Minded Crafting Fun Challenges - #12, Anything With Wings
UnStampaBelles - #36, Mixed Media
Penny's Paper Crafty Challenges - #181, Anything Goes
Crafty Girls Challenges - #20, Anything Goes

Hello Handsome. . .

People who know me know I am fairly nontraditional & that translates into my crafting.  I really enjoy stretching myself and making holiday cards that don't rely on expected colors or images.  I was looking through some of my paper stash last night when I hit upon this awesome cut out and I immediately decided to make a card featuring this retro man, he looks so dapper, how could I leave him?   

This is what I used:

• Kraft Card Base, 5 ½” x 4 ¼”
• Pattered Cardstock from MME LifeStories Collection 
• “Hello Handsome” is a cut out from 3Birds Estate Collection, Treasured Layouts 2 (I got this kit from HSN)
• Distress Marker in Forest Moss
• Be Mine Stickers from Tim Holtz Chit Chat stickers, Seasonal
• Masonite Heart from Coffee Break Designs (I got mine from Retro Café Art Gallery)
• Globecraft & Piccolo Antique Gold Embossing Ename
• Enamel & Embossing Powder Adhesive Fluid 
• Crafters' Pick The Ultimate Glue

I took my Masonite heart and embossed it twice with the Antique Gold Embossing Enamel, using the Embossing Fluid each time.  Set aside to cool.

Close up of the heart

I cut the “Hello Handsome” out and found a background paper that I thought matched well in the MME LifeStories Collection.  I cut the background paper to 5” x 3 ¾” and adhered it to the Kraft base card.

I got my Chit Chat stickers and edged them with the Forest Moss Distress Marker and then swiped them with a paint brush dipped in water – they looked stark next to the muted colors of the design so adding just a hint of color helped to soften them.  I took the Masonite heart attached that to the middle of the “Hello Handsome” cut out, placed the 2 Chit Chat stickers around the heart and I was done!  It took me longer to pick out the background paper than it did to construct the card!

It was difficult to get the colors to come out so I posted 2 versions

I hope you enjoyed my little tutorial ~ thanks for stopping by! Christi

I would like to enter my card in the following challenges:

Simon Says Stamp Wednesday Challenge - Get Krafty! 

Creative Inspirations Challenge #252 - Love

Rhedd & Rosie Challenge #26 - Love is in The Air
The Kraft Outlet - Love
Cards in Envy - Love is in The Air
Crafty Cardmakers #109 - This is a Man's World
Crafty Catz #217 - Love is in the Air
A Creative Romance - Show Us Some Love 
Fussy and Fancy Challenge #107 - Be My Valentine

Thanks!! Looking for challenges to enter?? Please give Challenges for Days a chance to show you how EASY it is to find great challenges!

The BOO Banner

I have seen a plethora of banners lately but this is my first attempt to make one; mostly because I have no where to hang one & I can’t draw a crooked line.  But then I got my Silhouette Cameo and I actually made my own triangles and viola! My banner was born – well, at least the idea of my banner.

 

In hindsight, I would have made them larger as I don’t feel I had enough room to truly decorate the individual triangles as much as I wanted but overall I am pleased with the results. 

First, I designed the triangles – the tops are about 5” across and the V part is about 6 ½” on each side. I cut them from more of the My Mind’s Eye Halloween paper I had (all from the old Spooked collection).  I then dug through my stash of Dresden – I knew I had these medallion-like black pieces and I thought they’d look great on the banner.  I then used my Silhouette Cameo  to make the BOO letters – I cut them out in various fonts and sizes because I am still not trusting of the measurements the machine shows me & I wanted to pick the best one for the banner.  And who doesn’t like to play around and try different things? Plus, I know I can use whatever I have left on another project.  So I picked the letters I wanted to use and glued them to the medallions.  I put a black plastic gem on each tip to, hopefully, give some weight to the paper; I had originally planned on using this wonderful orange piece of plastic folder under the triangles but I ruined it by drawing on the wrong side with a black Sharpie – so I threw the plastic and the idea out.  I got this wonderful pack of paper, called Glitter Silk from Core’dinations so I decided to punch out some stars to add some bling.  I was surprised at how easily this paper was punched – I used a small old star punch, one of those button ones (not the cool new lever ones) and it punched like a dream! I have had more issues with trying to punch regular card stock than this paper and if you get a chance to get some I highly recommend it.

So I ironed my ribbon (that I got from May Arts) that I used to actually dangle my triangles from – I know, I was shocked that I actually ironed it but I really wanted the ribbon to be creased in half & the only way to do that was to iron it.  I haven’t used my iron in years and am happy to report it worked fine.  Then I glued my banner pieces to the ribbon.  I used “ribbon glue” hoping that the glue wouldn’t show through the ribbon and for the most part, it stayed hidden.  I decided my banner needed more bling and I found a foam die cut I had made of a skull using one of the Tim Holtz Sizzix Dies and it looked blah, so I glittered it.  I also decided to punch out some more stars, just bigger, to add along the ribbon. 

That was it!  I must confess the word “boo” means more to me than just a word to use to scare someone.  As some of you know, I am the mom to four beautiful kitties, 2 boys, Spike, who will be 19,and Boo, who is 17. My girls are Monster, 16, and Mew, 4 months .  Boo is a Mama’s boy – he hates everyone but me.  Honestly.  If I am home alone he acts almost like a normal cat, but if someone else is around, he would live under the bed if I fed him and provided a litter box.  He recently had some dental surgery and I’m happy to report he came out fine and is starting to feel much better – so this banner is also a celebration of Boo’s recovery! (the pictures aren't the best - the banner is literally tacked to my wall in the laundry room.  To see them bigger, as always, just click on them).

 

I am entering my banner in the following challenges:                        
Crafty Ribbons Challenge  - Anything Goes

2 Sisters Challenge  - cute & spooky

Crafts 4 Eternity - Halloween

Cut It Up - Halloween/Day of the Dead

Left of Center  - Halloween/LOC

I am adding my project to this challenge as well - Thanks Linda!!
Craft My Life - Anything But a Card (challenge runs for 2 months)

Thank you for stopping by!  I have one more spooktacular project to share before Halloween is over – look for it to be posted in the next few days.

And if you are wondering where I found these fantastic challenges to enter just take a look at Challenges for Days – an awesome blog that lists crafty challenges!

Spooky Words Halloween Card

I find myself using more & more paper sets lately – I never realized the potential of these coordinated papers, and how much easier it is to create things when the matching is done for you! 

This charming card was made out a paper stack I have from My Mind’s Eye – that pack is called “Spooked” and all the embellishments are from the same set.  The arrow I cut out with my new Silhouette Cameo (and I am SO proud of myself – I am technically challenged and I HATE reading directions – I know, a dangerous combination – and for me to have actually figured out how to draw something free hand and get it to cut is a miracle!) out of paper called “Spook Star Dots”, the front panel was cut out from “Spooked Spooky Words” and then layered onto a purple card. The little Trick or Treat embellishment is actually one of those labels that I cut in half.  Unfortunately, My Mind’s Eye has discontinued the paper pack but you can find some of the papers by doing an internet search, asking your local paper craft store or by doing an internet search.  I think this card is super cute (which is another “out of the box” project for me!) and I hope you enjoyed it.  Please take a moment to see my other blog posts and please consider following me – thanks!

I am entering this card in the following challenges:

Cuttin and Stampin - Halloween

Craftin' Boutique Challenge - Halloween
Imagination Crafts - Halloween
The Paper Players - Trick or Treat - Halloween Card or Treat Holder
The Cupboard Trilogy - Halloween/Fall 

Cat in a Pumpkin

Both the sentiment &  the cat rubber stamps are from an old Stampin’ Up! stamp set called “A Haunting we will Go” (which I bought, and keep, due to the cute kitty in the pumpkin).  After stamping the cat & the “Happy Halloween” on scrap white cardstock, using Ranger Archival Ink in Jet Black,  I colored the cat in with my set of old Stampin’ Up! watercolor pencils (remember watercolor pencils? It’s what we used before alcohol ink markers became the rage.  Comparing watercolor pencils to alcohol ink markers is sort of like comparing the old corded, rotary phone in the kitchen compared to the sleek cellular phone that you can use to do almost anything – the old phone still works, but the new phone is so much more fun!) I used a blender pen to blend the pencils a bit.  I used a base made of My Mind’s Eye paper from the “Spooked set”; the actual paper name is “Spooked Star Dots” (unfortunately the paper pack has been discontinued but you can find it online).  I chose this paper due to the fact I think it matches the purple band around the cat’s hat fairly well – I edged the decorative paper with a black Sharpie, cut out a panel of black cardstock & glued the kitty & the sentiment both on the black rectangle & then glued it to the base.  Super easy & lots of fun! I forgot how much fun coloring is – think I need to break out my coloring books and my crayons ~ have a GREAT day & thanks for reading XO

I am entering this card in the following challenges:

Simon Says Wednesday Challenge - We're going Dotty

Creative Inspiration Paints - Inspired by Halloween 

Loves Rubber Stamping - Anything Goes

Card Makin Mamas - Halloween  

Animal Friends Challenge - Fall or Halloween

Craft Blogging Central - Halloween
 Try it on Tuesday - Going Dotty