Fall is on the Way!

 It's difficult to think in anther few weeks fall will be upon us as when I am writing this we are expecting another few days up in the high 90's! I can tell the difference in the evening and it has cooled down significantly so sleeping is not a problem, thank goodness!  I wanted to give this card a fall feel and I think I achieved my goal! You can find this beautiful die, as well as so many more, at Dies R Us and I hope this inspires you to join in our challenge.

What I Used to Make my Card:
Vanilla Card Blank
Poppystamps Adriana Oval Frame Die, #2327
Sue Wilson Mini Sentiments, Just For You Die, #CEDME028
Watercolor Paper {I use this}
Zig Clean Color Brush Markers
Wink of Stella, Gold
Nuvo Dream Drops, Indigo Eclipse, #1796N
Dark Brown Card

No stamping on this card so I put my coloring skills to work trying to make the leaves around the oval look like fall leaves as much as possible.  I took some pictures of my process so you can see that I actually colored over some of the leaves quite a few times

The Leaves

.  Once the leaves were finally to my liking, I colored the inner oval with the gold marker and used the Nuvo drops on the berries. These are not your regular drops, they actually have an iridescent shine to them that is beautiful, so beautiful I bought all three colors!  Once the gold and the berries were dry, I attached the oval to a cream colored card base {white just looked too stark} and adhered the sentiment die which was cut from dark brown card in the center.  I am very pleased with how this card came out; I hope you like it as well!

The Nuvo Drops

Don't forget that you have until the end of the month to join in the Dies R Us challenge, all the important links can be found below. All you need to enter is to use a die from a company they carry and you could win!  Please do pop by to see the design teams wonderful inspiration; there is a new post every day.  Thanks so much for stopping by and see you soon! 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

I would like to enter my card in the following challenges:
Simon Says Stamp Monday Challenge - Glimmer & Sparkle
Use Your Stuff, #430 - Anything Goes
Path of Positivity, #93 - Anything Positive Goes w/ Option of Enjoying Nature
A Place to Start, #8 - What's your Style {I love using die cuts & water coloring!}

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

Irish Blessing

Happy March Everyone! This month at House of Cards you can use the following colors and/or Make a Scene.  Look at those moo cows! How cute are they!

Make a Scene and/or Use Color Palette 

I am mostly Irish (in fact, I have a family tree that dates back to the 1500's) and I have had this Irish Blessing stamp since 1999.  It's one of my oldest, but most cherished stamps.  I really only use it for St. Patrick's Day and I should break it out more often; it really is a lovely poem. 

What I Used to Make my Card:
Vanilla Card Base (square 5 1/4" x 5 1/4")
DCWV Linen Closet Stack (I have the OLD one, picture below)
Irish Blessings Stamp, PSX, K-2483
Hero Arts MMH January, heart die (sold out)
Martha Stewart Medium Scroll Heart Punch (discontinued but available)
Poppy Stamps Dianna Border Die, #1029 (retired but available)
Green and Gold Glitter Cardstock
Ranger Archival Ink in Jet Black

Before I get into the tutorial on how I made this card I have to share about the heart on the upper Dianna Border (the green glitter die cut.)  I knew I wanted to put a heart in the middle of the border and I happen to have the Hero Arts January My Monthly Hero kit still on my desk (shocking! Not really) so I decided to try one of the heart dies included in the kit.  I cut the heart out of gold glitter card and it fit perfectly on the border.  I felt it was kind of blah, so I fished out the Martha Stewart punch.  I have had this punch for ages and have never used it but I thought it would work to spice up my card. So, I punched out the heart in the same green glitter card and the hearts fit almost perfectly!!! I mean, it was like they were MADE for each other! I was SO excited but since this card wasn't posting until this month, I had no one to with whom to share this with, until now.  The Man didn't share my enthusiasm, but I know all of you will!

Another look at the card. If you enlarge
this picture you can see the texture of the dots.

Now that I've gotten that out of my system, back to your regularly scheduled program.  I made a square card out of vanilla card and cut the dotted panel out of the DCWV Linen Stack.  You can't really tell, but the dots on the panel are raised just a bit.  I stamped my sentiment on a piece of scrap vanilla card and trimmed it down to fit in the middle of the card.  Then the border and the heart were die cut, and the over heart punched out.  I adore how this came out; it is so sparkly in person and I am awestruck by how cool that heart looks.  When things come together and look even close to what I picture in my mind it is a good day! 

Thanks for reading and I do hope you will join us at House of Cards! Grab your cow stamps, your green goodies from your stash and make some cards.  We would love to see what the prompt inspires you to create.  Fondly, Christi

PS: Here is the picture of the DCWV Linen Closet Stack I use.  Seems that this one is retired and they have come out with another one, so if you are looking for the papers I used be sure you get the "old" Linen Stack.  If you do an internet search for the stack, you can find it in a multitude of places. 






I am entering my Irish Blessing card in the following challenges:
Frilly & Funkie - Welcome Spring
Work it Wednesday - Use the Color or Word Green
Paperminutes - #476, Spring
Crafting by Design - Anything Goes
Crafty Cardmakers - #183, Go Green