I Love You to The Moon and Back

I've been missing from social media lately - it's just been too nice out to stay cooped up inside! But, I had a blast making this card and trying something new!

I've seen so many "galaxy" cards on Pinterest lately, I thought that this would be a perfect time to try one.

What I Used to Make my Card:
Black Square Card Base, 5" x 5"
Distress Ink in Tumbled Glass, Mermaid Lagoon, Wilted Violet, Black Soot and Blueprint Sketch
Die-Versions Whispers Stitched Nesting Squares, DV-573 (similar squares here)
Die-Versions Whispers Mrs. Moon, DV-627
Tim Holtz Mini Blend Tool
ColorArte, Twinkling H20's in Metallic Mica Pewter, Heavenly White and Icicles
My Sentiments Exactly Quick Coloring Frame, Y602
Piccolo Silver Siam Embossing Powder
Embossing Ink
Watercolor Paper
Silver Mirror Card
Navy Blue Card

The first thing I did was make the background.  In order to make the inks look "galaxy" like you start off with the lightest ink, pounce it a few times around your paper and follow with your next darkest ink and so on.  There are many, many videos out there to help you - I actually used 3 different videos, and used what I had on hand.  I didn't take pictures of the very beginning of the galaxy (sorry!), I was so preoccupied I completely forgot.  But, here is where my watercolor paper was looking at about step 3.

And here is the galaxy at step 4.  You can see some of the inks are pounced to

make them darker.  The more variation of color the better your galaxy is going to look.  As I said, I used the ink colors I had on hand (I still don't have every single Distress Ink) and improvised.  

Instead of watered down white acrylic paint, I decided to use my Twinkling H2O's.  These paints are amazing watercolor paints; they shimmer so much! I used a toothbrush dipped in the H2O paint, and splattered the galaxy with a few different colors.

And here is my galaxy.  I also threw some water on it at random times.  I love how it came out, except (isn't there always an exception?) on the right hand side, but, that's no big deal because my die cut will cover that up.  

Setting aside the galaxy to dry, I grabbed some navy blue card and embossed my sentiment on it.  I then used my stitched square dies to cut the sentiment out.  Then it came time to cut out my moon die.  The moon die was the whole inspiration behind this card and I wanted to make sure it wasn't lost in the galaxy.  I debated a bit, cutting the moon out of silver card as well as the mirror card, but ultimately decided the mirror card looked the best.  I trimmed the galaxy down a bit, adhered it to the black square card base, glued the embossed sentiment up in the left hand corner and lastly glued on my beautiful mirror card moon.  Here is the final product.  What do you think? Here's another look:

Thanks so much for reading my post and I hope I've inspired you to try something new! Hugs, Christi 

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I am pleased to enter my Love You to the Moon and Back card in the following challenges. Looking for challenges? Check out Challenges for Days!
Creative Fingers Challenges - Anything Goes
Simon Says Stamp - Wednesday Challenge - Add a Sentiment
Paperminutes - 500 Jubilee Challenge, Anything Goes
Die Cut Diva's - M, Anything Goes, August
Tuesday Throwdown - #356, Anything Goes
Scrapbook Stamp Society - #123, Anything Goes, Option of punches and/or dies
Crafting with Dragonflies - #87, M, Embossing Wet and/or Dry

We Are All Mad Here . . .

I knew that.  I have been seeing so many really cool quotes and as I was watching one of my TV shows, I saw one of the characters had this tattooed on her arm.  It's from Alice in Wonderland and after the saying popped up in a few more places, I decided the universe was telling me something. . . or maybe that was just the cat. . .Anyway, I chose to use this chipboard bubble frame from JittoBear to make my quote pop out and express how really mad we all are. . .

What I Used to make My Project:
JittoBear Chipboard "bubble" frame
5 x 7 panel
Gesso
Twinkling H20's in Mystic Blue, Meridian Blue, Dragon Fire, Purple Sage, Mulberry and Blue Flame
White Cardstock
Twinkling H20's in Periwinkle
Various Embellishments

Cool huh??

I first gessoed the bubble frame and the panel - I lightly gessoed the frame since I knew I'd be using the H20's, and they are water activated.  I had painted the frame and also just sort of swished the H20's on the panel, not sure exactly what I wanted for a background.  I decided I didn't like the darkness of some of the H20's on the panel, so my intention was to gesso over it and start again.  Well, a happy accident occurred when I put the gesso on the H20's it reactivated the colors but only just enough for them to appear almost pastel!  I liked that so I kept it.

I felt that white cardstock was a bit too bright for the printed words, so I first

printed them on a piece of colored cardstock.  Well, the print faded immediately and I wanted the words - needed the words - to be darker.  So I switched to plain old white card, printed my saying on that, and used Mulberry H20's to soften the starkness of the white.  So now everything blended well.

Look how sparkly the H20's made the bubbles

Nothing is glued down yet...

Then the fun part! I started going through all my bits and bobs, pulling out gems, brads, stickers, anything that I felt would add to the piece.  I had pulled a bunch of embellishments out that I thought may fit the theme and/or the

Testing. . .

color scheme, and then put the panel up where I thought my cats couldn't reach it - well, I wasn't so lucky.  I'm not entirely sure which cat did it (I am 95% sure it was Sylvester), but when I walked into my studio the next day I saw that the panel, and everything else, was no longer where I left it. And of course it is the worst part of the room, with all boxes, paper packs and general disarray, so I can't find all the original pieces, and probably never will.  So I took a deep (really, really deep) breath and started again, pulling out goodies to put on the panel.  I made a few nods to Alice and then just filled in some of the spaces with gems, beads, buttons and anything else I felt worked.  So, there you have it! 

Be sure to check out the JittoBear "Custom Orders" area on the website - you can get whatever you want designed and cut out!! Love this option! And be sure to look at the "Products" tab, there are always new designs being added in pre-cut shapes, the bubble frame was pre-cut and I already have an idea on how I want to use it again.  I am going to attach a wall hanger to the back and put this up in my studio.  I love giving myself gifts & I hope you find some time to make yourself something fun! Fondly, Christi

One last look

I am entering my wall hanging"We Are All Mad Here" into the following challenges:
Simply Create, Too - (2w) #83, No Digi's or Stamped Images
Crafting with an Attitude - (2w) #2, Freestyle/Fantasy
Stamps & Stencils - Anything Goes - April Challenge
2 Creative Chicks - Anything Goes (no cards) April Challenge
Ladybug Crafts - Anything Goes, April Challenge
Virginia's View Challenge - (m,5/18) #14, Layers and Dimension
Dazzling Diva - #70, Mood Board or Anything Goes
Creative Moments - #65,  Anything Goes/Anything But a Card
Decorate to Celebrate - #97, Anything Goes

Valentine with Quietfire Designs

First, let me say that if you have never been to Quietfire Designs, click on the link once, choose "open in another tab" from the dropdown menu you will get another tab and open the store up so you can go there as soon as you are done reading.  Suzanne is the owner & operator and I have been in love with her stamps (and now her cut files at the Silhouette Store!) sine I started to rubber stamp.  Even if you aren't a huge calligraphy fan she has the best quotes and sets to choose from, I dare you to not find something you fall in love with. I just got an order I placed and this stamp screamed to me the moment I opened the package.

 What I Used to Make my Card
White Cardstock Base
Twinkling H20's in Fairy Plum, Pink Crocus & Purple Sage
Watercolor paper
Archival Ink by Ranger in Jet Black
Pink Cardstock
Quietfire Designs, #6304, The Heart has it's Reasons stamp
Tattered Angels Iridescent Gold Glimmer Mist
Vellum (embossed with Darice Embossing Folder Damask)

The Sparkle!!

This is a fairly straight forward card.  I had already embossed the vellum as I was going to use it on a Christmas card (in fact, it has little snowflakes on it, but you can't see them due to the embossing) but never did - a heads up, if you have older vellum, I have vellum that I have had for 15 plus years, embossing folders can cause the vellum to crack in spots, so be gentle.  And don't use any more shims in the die cut machine than you need - I have a metal plate that helps dies cut better when I used it with an embossing folder and some vellum  it embossed so hard the vellum literally broke. I used a Darice embossing folder, called Damask when I embossed the vellum.  Anyway, what you want to do first is get out your Twinkling H20's, drip a bit of water in them and let them sit so they get nice and creamy.  I use an old dropper to put water in mine in mine.  Once they were ready, take your watercolor paper and your lightest color and just swish the H20 all around

Close up of the sentiment

your paper.  Let that dry a bit and then swish your middle color, let that dry a bit and finish with your darkest color.  The screen does not due justice when it comes to the beauty of H20's.  I set that aside to fully dry and when it was I spritzed the iridescent  gold mist lightly to give it an extra boost of sparkle.  Then I stamped my sentiment with the Jet Black ink and cut it to size.  I found a

piece of pink cardstock that matched the H20 colors, trimmed that down and glued it to the card base.  Then I attached the vellum, followed by the sentiment.  The hardest part was finding the right shade of pink to match the colors I made with the Twinkling H20's. I love the sentiment because it can be used on so many different cards!

Thanks for stopping by and reading my short tutorial - I hope this inspires you to make something, be it a card, or anything else ~ Christi

A last look - tell me I am not the only one who takes a TON of pictures of each project!!

I would like to enter my Valentine with Quitefire Designs card in the following challenge:
The Pink Elephant Challenge - #283, Anything Goes
The Cheerful Stamp Pad - Valentine Challenge
Time Out Challenge - #23, Valentine's Day with option twist of Hearts
Red Rubber Designs - #204, Focus on Stamping, Anything Goes
Die Cut Divas - January Challenge, Anything Goes (embossing folder)

My Fairy Shadow Box

I made this shadow box years ago – the fairy has traveled with me to a few houses, apartments, then across country.  The shadow box is only 4” x 4” and I found it at the Dollar Store.  I kick myself often because there were a bunch of them there and I only bought two thinking (yeah, I always get in trouble when I think) that I’d be able to go back and buy more later. . . Haven’t seen them since and I even wrote the Dollar Store company asking for them & got no reply.  I like the box especially because it has a magnetic closure on it so you can open it and not disrupt anything.  I painted the fairy – she is made of resin (I found her at American Science & Surplus) with twinkling H20 paints, jazzed up a few flowers I already had, grabbed some velvet leaves out of my stash and here it is!