Boo to YOU ~ Happy Halloween at Paper Funday!

 I was lucky enough to buy these stamps and dies from Mama Elephant when they were having their moving sale and SO happy that I got them! The little witches are SO cute {and don't even get me started on the little cats - peeking out of the pumpkin!! Adorable!!} and are "agenda" sized, yet I was able to use my watercolor markers to color them.  Perfect for this cute Halloween card and the challenge twist at Paper Funday Challenges!  Halloween is my favorite holiday and I can't ever have enough Halloween stamps, dies, paper or decorations! Anyway,  here is my card, I hope you think it is as cute as I do!

What I Used to Make my Card:
White Card Base
Mama Elephant Little Witch Agenda Stamps
Mama Elephant Little Witch Dies
Mama Elephant Big Boo & Trick Dies
Studio Katia Glow in the Dark Mini Stars, #SK2520
Kat Scrappiness Starlights Jewel Slimline Paper, #KA-PP005
Echo Park I Love Halloween 6" x 6" Paper Pad, #ILH218023
Watercolor Paper {I use this}
Zig Clean Color Brush Markers
Gina K Amalgam Ink Pad in Obsidian Ink

The GITD stars glowing!

Once my little witches were colored, cut and dry I started to assemble my card.  I cut "boo to you" about eight times out of thick white cardstock, then used a patterned Halloween paper for the top layer, glued them all together to give the words a nice pop and set it aside.  I chose a paper that is a bit too busy for me to use as a patterned paper background; just not my style, but it worked so well used in this manner.  I took a sheet of the background paper and trimmed it down; since it is designed for slimline cards it isn't as wide as typical background paper which left a small white border around the paper.  I then glued the sentiment onto the card, placed all my witches and cats where I wanted and lastly, used a few glow in the dark stars - they shine a bit in the light and really do glow in the dark!

So, as usual, you can enter the challenge at The Paper Funday Challenge with Anything Goes, or use our monthly twist - which is Halloween! I would celebrate Halloween every month if I could - I think we should!! Get to dress up and eat candy?? Works for me! The heat is finally beginning to break and it's getting chilly in the evening. Granted, not chilly enough to shut off the ceiling fan or shut the windows, but I can feel the change in the air!  Until next time, happy crafting! Christi 

I am entering my Boo to You card in the following challenges:
Addicted to Stamps & More, #415 - Die Cuts and/or Stencils
Crafting Happiness Challenge, #116 - October Color Challenge {Use any or all: Purple, Orange, Green and Black}
The Two Old Bats Halloween Challenge - Anything Halloween {theme board graphic below}
World Wide Open Design Team Challenge, #9 - Anything Goes
Paperminutes, #712 - The Sentiment Should be Large
Just Us Girls, #604 - Word Week - Halloween
The Paper Players, #561 - Spooky

HAPPY VALENTINE'S DAY! Sending Love and Hugs

💖💗💘💝 Happy Valentine's Day! 💝💘💗💖

One layer cards are not easy for me; I think my fear is a throwback to the old days when we had no choice but to use rubber stamps on wooden blocks.  You couldn't see exactly where you were stamping, and then if the image didn't come out, well, there were no MISTI's or Platforms, so unless you could use a stamp positioner, you got one chance at a good image and if that image missed a line, or an entire section, your one layer card now became a two layer card so you could cover your mistake.  Or, even more often for me, trash.  

I could never make them work. - I still can't understand them.  I have 2 of them; one is the good old L shape and the other is like a prototype of the platforms, but we had no magnets and you had to have set it up beforehand.  I think you use acetate somehow.  

Since it is possible to over stamp on an image now without all the fuss, I can actually make one layer cards like this one and not have to pray that I've inked the images perfectly!  Here is my card:    

What I Used to Make my Card:
White Card Base
Simon Says Stamp Beautiful Flowers Stamp and Die set, #set330bf
Prismacolor Pencils
Studio Katia, Clear Round Dots, Mix 1, #SK2410
Ranger Archival Ink in Jet Black

Tim Holtz/Tonic Stamping Platform

I am very pleased with this card.  Making one layer cards is still something I struggle to do, even with all the help the new stamp positioners give you.  I stamp the image, color it, and then stamp my sentiment, often times to notice after it's stamped that the words are crooked.  Maybe that is because I'm crooked {I am literally crooked - I suffer from scoliosis, it reared it's ugly head very late in life and, while I had major surgery about 7 years ago, I've noticed that my upper torso, shoulders and such, are starting to get crooked again.  Guess it's time to go back to the doctor!} or maybe because I don't pay enough attention to the grid on the positioner.  Anyway, this card is fine!  I stamped the flowers, colored them with colored pencils, added some clear dots, then stamped the sentiment.  I didn't use any blender, I just kept coloring over and over and I am tickled by the flowers.  Not a lot of highlights but still very nice in my book!  

What do you think?  Were you stamping back when every stamp was wood mounted and you had to use one of those impossible old stamp positioners? What do you think of the new positioners? Do you have one and, if so, which one?  I'd love to hear your comments on how you insure everything is straight on your creations.  Have any tips?  Please leave your answers in the comments.  I do read each and every one of them and I thank you for taking the time.  Until I see you again, take care!  Fondly, Christi

I am entering my card in the following challenges:
Creative Inspirations - M, Love
TTCRD - Anything Goes
Mod Squad - Floral
The Flower Challenge - #29, Use Your Latest {this is the latest floral stamp}
Crafting by Designs - Love is in the Air
DL Art - M,  Always Anything Goes
Crafty Cardmakers - #227, Love, Love, Love

Stinkin' Inkers Summer Heat

My first thought that came to me when I found out we were using Summer Heat at Stinkin' Inkers was water! Now that I live in Colorado, and I'm older, I don't get to hang out in the water like I used to as a youngster.  I was fortunate to have a pool in my backyard and spent many a days imagining a scene at the bottom of my pool just like this:

What I Used to Make my Card:
White Card Base

Hero Arts My Monthly Hero Kit, May 2017
Oxide Inks
Watercolor Paper
Hero Arts Intense Black Ink
Distress Markers in Tattered Rose and Pumice Stone
Tim Holtz/Sizzix Labels, #660060
Distress Sprayer
Craft Mat
Studio G Self Adhesive Assorted Pearls
Studio Katia Clear Round Drops Mix, #SK2410

I started out making the ocean background using just two of the Oxide inks, Broken China and Faded Jeans.  I applied the colors directly to the watercolor paper, trying (but

While Coloring

not too hard) to keep the lighter blue closer to the top of the paper.  I spritzed the colors with the Distress Sprayer, added some Cracked Pistachio, sprayed, and then let it dry overnight.  I reworked the background until I liked it, which is one of my very favorite things to do with Oxide Inks. 

I then took a piece of 8 1/2 x 11 white card and inked every color I had in about 2 inch increments (sorry, I forgot to take pictures before I cut them all up), basically each color had it's own area.  I inked the solidly, no spots of white let at all.   Then I sprayed them once and dried them with the heat gun.  Once they were fully dry (very important! You will rip your paper if it isn't absolutely dry! Well, at least I have) I proceeded to cut out the various undersea fauna supplied in the kit. The colors were so pretty it was a struggle to decide what to use!  

When I had cut all the fauna, I die cut the sentiment out of the Tim/Holtz Labels set, edged it with Broken China and set it aside.  I used the Hero Arts kit to die

cut the clam and a few fishes.  I colored the clam with Tattered Rose,  Pumice Stone Distress Markers and stuck the pearl onto the center.  I colored the fishes with Spiced Marmalade & Cracked Pistachio Distress Inks by mushing a bit of ink onto my craft mat and using a water brush. 

Once I had the placement down, I attached the watercolor paper to a while card base, fiddled and fooled with the various fauna and finally figured it out, decided where I wanted the sentiment, clam and the fishes to reside.  I left the tops of some of the fauna unglued so I could tuck sea creatures behind if I chose to. The bubbles from the fish are just amazingly cute! I am very proud of this card and I hope you adore it as much as I do!

Another Look - Click to enlarge :)

Please find some time during the festivities (you have ALL month!) to join us at Stinkin' Inkers with your version of Summer Heat! ~ Christi
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Just a gentle reminder!! Please be safe and keep an eye on your four legged critters - keep them inside during the fireworks; the Fourth of July is when most animals run away from home and go missing due to the noise. Keep your furbabies safe and inside (also, some animals need to be tranquilized due to the noise. If your dog is fearful of thunderstorms, he's going to be scared of the fireworks; be sure to ask your vet for medication early!)  Just a little reminder because I know you love your animals as much as I love mine (and cats can run away just like dogs!) 

I am entering my Summer Heat card in the following challenges:
Addicted to Stamps Challenge - #151, Summer/Beach/Holidays
Do-Al(l) Creatives - M, #7, Cool Water
DL Art - Thankful Thursday, #207, Summer Fun
Simon Says Stamp Wednesday Challenge - Anything Goes
a2z scrapbooking - M, Anything Goes
The Papergirls - M, #131, Seashells, Sea or Beachy
Paperminutes - #494, Sea, Beach, Etc.