Guest Designer at the Four Seasons Challenge

 I am so excited to be the Guest Designer at the Four Seasons Challenge for this month.  

Here is the Mood Board for this challenge.  I can't wait to see what you create with this! This is my card - hope it feels Fall to you!

I had made this background of leftover glitter paper quite a while ago but have been saving it since the colors speak fall to me; the glitter is crisp and the colors are so pretty! I stuck strips of the various glitter card to a piece of plain white card then cut it out with a stitched scalloped slimline die.  That was attached to a white slimline card. The sentiment is cut from 2 different dies; happy is from Elizabeth Dies (the die is discontinued, but if you do a search you can find it - item number is 1161, Happy Birthday 2) and the fall is from this Pinkfresh Studio's Alphabet, both are cut from Curious Metallic's Ice Silver card.  Once I attached the words, I decorated the card with various gems from Picket Fence Studio (they have the BEST gems; they are a bit pricey but SO pretty and sparkly in person!).  

I am so looking forward to the start of fall weather! I've had enough of the heat and am SO ready to snuggle under some quilts and break out my flannel shirts! 

Thank you so much for stopping by and please be sure to check out the Four Seasons Challenges! Fondly, Christi

I am entering my card in the following challenges:
Dragonfly Dreams, M - Halloween/Autumn
The Sisterhood of Crafters - Fall Colors
Dream Valley Challenges, #281 - Dies and/or Punches
Try it on Tuesday - Sparkle and Shine
Die Cut Divas - Anything Goes
Inspiration Station, #40 - Harvest (honestly, the word inspired me more than the picture!)

Spring ATCs at the River of Creativity

I have done it AGAIN - this post is too early - the challenge doesn't start until tomorrow {4/5/22}!! So take the rest of today & create something for us :) I apologize for the confusion!!

Hello! Time for another challenge at River of Creativity! For challenge #12, our theme is spring as well as anything goes but a card - that's right, put away your card blanks and get inky with us!  I had planned on making something completely different than these Artist Trading Cards but nothing seemed to coalesce, so I listened to the universe and made a set of 6 ATCs instead of struggling to create something that just wasn't working! I've had a small box of scraps that I have amassed over the years {small die cuts, pieces of Dresden, punched patterns, stickers, scraps of paper, etc} and I decided to use what I had in the box to make set. I'd had the box for so long I really needed to go through all the things I had saved and figure out if I was truly ever going to use the pieces or not; so I went through the box, set aside what I really wanted to use and threw the rest away so a lot of what you see on these is from that scrap box and is almost vintage {grin - ok not really, but I have had it for a long time!}.  Enjoy!

 

I used a bunch of assorted products on these little guys, and I stuffed them full of bling! I used gems and sequin mixes from Picket Fence Studios, Dresden scraps from Alpha Stamps and many other sources, washi tape (and matching die) from Pinkfresh Studios as well from my stash, a ton of Dream Drops {I used  Indigo Eclipse, Cloud 9 and Love Potion} from Tonic Studios and many other bits and pieces, including stickers and more that are from my huge stash.  The background paper for these ATCs is from ModaScrap from the Fly and Scrap Collection, 6" x 6" paper {I could not find it on the ModaScrap site, but I did do a search and it is available}. I also used a bunch of small alphabet stickers and tiles, most from companies that aren't in business anymore, sadly.  All this stuff I've saved over the years

needs to be used so I can get new stuff! I had so much fun making these ATC's; I am finding myself using lots of bling and glitz in my work lately and I just went nuts with these. Knowing that if I really didn't like how something came out, I could just throw the paper away {I have so many blanks that I have amassed over the years, I could probably make an ATC a day for the next year!} and begin again with no harm.  Something about these little canvases is so freeing!

I was showing these to my roommate and explaining how "back in the

day" we'd make a bunch of ATCs, using the same design and bring them to stamp conventions and trade.  I think I still have a notebook full of traded ATCs. Do you remember those good old days? Hopefully, soon, we will be able to attend stamp conventions again - I miss the energy and all the cool products! Thanks for dropping in and get out your creative muse and create anything but a card and join us at the River of Creativity, optional theme of Spring - hope to see you there :) Christi

PS: To see the smaller pictures bigger, just click on them. If that doesn't work please let me know ~ Thanks!

I am entering my Spring ATCs in the following challenges:
Simon Says Stamp Monday Challenge - Easter/Spring
Country View Challenges - Spring is Coming
We Love 2 Create - Anything Goes
Four Seasons Challenge - Spring Challenge
The Sisterhood of Snarky Stampers, #207 - A is for ATC 

The Robin's Nest Creatives and Hope All is Well Card

Before I get to my post let me say I am delighted to announce I am now a part of The Robin's Nest Creative team and will be posting the 1rst & 3rd Fridays here as well as on the blog.

 So many people in my life lately seem to be going through some tough times.  All sorts of issues that are throwing a wrench in their daily lives.  I made this card to send to a friend who just had brain surgery; luckily he is doing fine, but a card never hurts to perk someone up!

I started this card by stamping the flowers, from Pinkfresh Just a Hello Floral stamps and matching dies set, with my favorite black ink on some water color paper.  I colored the flowers with my Zig markers, then adhered them to a white card.  I stamped the sentiment in black ink, cut it out and placed it in the center of the two floral pieces - it's a brilliant set because you can use the separate pieces so many ways and the flowers aren't too complicated, at least not for me.  Plus it comes with a fantastic range of sentiments.  I finished the card off with some Mini Dew Drops in light blue and medium blue {these blue mini dew drops can be bought in many of the mini dew drops collections such as Belgian Chocolate, Hillside, Rubber Ducky, Skies and Riverside}

Thank you for stopping by to see my card & I am looking forward to many fantastic creations using The Robin's Nest Creatives products ~ Fondly, Christi

I am entering my card in the following challenges:
Craft Rocket Challenges, #89 (M) - Sparkle & Bling
Tic Tac Toe Challenge, #149 - I used the middle horizontal row (white, Friendship Sentiment, 2 of the Same Thing)
The Paper Shelter, #499 - Shades of Blue
Penny's Paper-Crafty Challenge, #515 (M) - Anything Goes
World Wide Open Design Team Challenge, #02 (M) - Anything Goes
Happy Little Stampers Watercolor Challenge (M) - Anything Goes w/ Watercolor

Sparkle and Shine with The Paper Funday Challenge!

 Hello everyone!

Happy June! This month at the Paper Funday Challenge the optional theme is "Sparkle and Shine" so I decided to make a rainbow card! I figure everyone loves rainbows and, after a wet spring, we can all use a bit more color. I hope you enjoy my creation!

 

What I Used to Make my Card:
White Card Base
Hello Bluebird Rainbow Sky Die
EK Success Hearts, #54-80012 {Retired, I used the small heart}
Pinkfresh Studios Kelly Alpha Lower Case Dies, #PFSA1719
Black, Pink, Red and Purple Glitter Card
Rainbow Colors in Regular Card
Gold Card
Gems

When I found out the optional choice for this month's challenge was Sparkle and Shine I knew I wanted to make a rainbow card.  My first step was to cut out the rainbow, then I assembled it and studded it with the gems.  I found a great deal on these gems, they are actually marketed for fingernails, but a flat backed gem that works just fine on cardstock too!  Once my rainbow was dry, I cut the word "shine" out of black glitter card, then the word "on" from muted gold and glued those onto the card base.  At this point I wasn't sure what else I wanted to put on the card, more gems or something else and, as you can see, I chose to make a bunch of hearts from scraps of glitter card.  I attached them onto the card and I was finished. I have to say I am in love with the new alphabet dies and I imagine you will be seeing more creations featuring it.  Another card done with no stamping, but the message is clear - Shine On!

I hope we see you at the challenge, you have the entire month to play at Paper Funday! So get out all your bling and Sparkle and Shine along with us! Thanks so much for stopping by and I hope to see you very soon! 

Fondly, 

Christi

I am entering my card in the following challenges:
Rainbow Card Challenge, #30 - Radically Rainbow
A Place to Start, #5 - Anything Goes
Dream Valley Challenges, #249 - Dies and/or Punches
TTCRD - Anything Goes

You Are So Much More to Me

Hi everyone!

I hope this post finds you all well! I have been insanely busy for what seems like forever, I found out that moving is not as easy as it used to be! In addition to moving all of my stuff, I have been helping a friend pack his home to prepare for his move back to the East Coast and then I got hit with a horrible sinus infection!  Finally things are settling down and I made this card to remind me that there are new beginnings all around us as Spring has Spring, which just so happens to be the May Twist {all of our challenges are always Anything Goes, but feel free to use the twist} at The Paper Funday Challenge this month!

What I Used to Make my Card:
5" x 7" White Card Base
Simon Says Stamp You Have My Heart Bundle, #SET382YMH
Pinkfresh Studios Simply Sentiments: You, #PFSA0120
Pinkfresh Studios Sentiment Suite You Die Set
Watercolor Paper {I use this}
Zig Clean Color Brush Markers
Gina K Amalgam Ink Pad in Obsidian Ink
Distress Ink in Hickory Smoke
Grey Cardstock

Once I had stamped and colored the flowers I realized I wanted them both on one card but they wouldn't fit on the standard A2 cards I typically make; so, this is my third 5" x 7" card in less than a month. It's strange because I rarely make them t his size. Anyway, after the flowers were cut out and I had figured out the placement I wanted, I stamped the sentiment on white card using grey ink before die cutting the "you" from grey card.  I trimmed the sentiment down to fit where I wanted, glued it on and attached the word die cut above it. 

As I said in my opening I have been crazy with both moving and helping my friend move back to the East Coast.  By the time you read this he will have gone home and I hope to have gotten my new space in some order.  At least now I can open the windows and let the breeze in! This card is one of my favorite cards ever; it really says spring to me! I adore the flowers, the sentiment, the coloring, everything. I am going to be sending this to my sister, just because she does mean the world to me. Thank you all for stopping by, and for reading my post! I appreciate you more than you know!

Fondly,
Christi

I am proudly entering my card into the following challenges:
Simon Says Stamp Wednesday Challenge - Feminine
The House that Stamps Built M521- All About Moms
Addicted to Stamps, 404 - Any Occasion
Double D Challenges - Flower of the Month {honestly, I have NO idea about flowers LOL}
Simon Says Stamp Monday Challenge - Feminine
Dare 2B Artsy - Flowers
Allsorts, 622 - Flowers
Happy Little Stampers Watercolor Challenge - Anything Goes
Moving Along with the Times 130 - Bouquet