Cats & Coffee ~ Cat Lovers Blog Hop DAY 3

 What is as good as cats and coffee?? Nothing I say!! I hope you have been enjoying hopping around on day 3 of the Cat Lovers Blog Hop - I love seeing what other people have made, especially since I have most of the products they have used :) 

Today I have a card made with Newton's Nook (one of our fantastic sponsors!) - you can find the stamp here and the set I used for the sentiment here.  I colored in the kitties with my Zig markers. I used this die for the frame and I have a funny story about it.  I haven't used the frame die in a long time and I didn't realize that the die doesn't actually cut around the frame, it just cuts the inside.  Well, I found that out after I cut the watercolor panel I had already colored.  So I had this panel with these peaks and valleys in it that I really didn't want - so I cut the frame again, out of purple, and placed the panel inside the frame, trimmed it down to fit an A2 card and fixed my error.  There definitely was some panic involved!! But then I laughed like crazy at myself.  But I do that a lot :) 

Thanks SO much for stopping by ~ I'll be hopping around again today :) Hugs, Christi

I am entering my card in the following challenges:
Cat Lovers Blog Hop (day 3)
Simon Says Stamp Wednesday Challenge - Anything Goes
Crafty Animals, #66 - Anything Goes w/ an Animal
Die Cut Divas - Watercolor

 

Sarcastic Kitties - Cat Lovers Blog Hop DAY 1!

I know I haven't been around lately - life has gotten a bit hectic, but I am still creating! Stay tuned for some goodies to be posted very soon! 

I am excited to be able to participate in the Cat Lovers Blog Hop 2022 (the link will take you to the main page that has ALL the info)! I love this event and look forward to it ALL year! Janis, the event owner and coordinator puts on a FANTASTIC hop with TONS of prizes :) I hope you will join us!

I missed this stamp set during Simon Says Stamp's STAMPtember 2021 event & I was heartbroken! I mean the set has everything I love in it - snarkiness and cats! I was lucky enough to find one for about what I would of paid for it if I'd caught the set; I happened to be looking for it on eBay and people are insane - listing these sets for at least $100!! The Tim Holtz one is going for even more than that! But I digress. . .here is my first creation with the Sarcastic Kitties stamp & die set from Simon Says Stamp and Picket Fence (sadly no longer available, but rumor has it if you bug Simon Says Stamp enough, they might re-release it!)

I used DCWV Playful Pets (not on DCWV website, but readily available) paper and Tutti Designs Nesting Stitched Scallop Squares to cut the sentiment out after I stamped it on white card. The cat and the furball heart are stamped in black ink on watercolor paper and colored in with my Zigs. I cut them out with the coordinating dies.  I used a white card base, covered it with the patterned paper, used a strip of the other side of the same paper and made a little square for the furball heart.  I attached everything together and this is what I came up with. I appreciate each and every comment & visit - thank you SO much :) Fondly, Christi

Happy Hopping!! 

I am entering my card in the following challenges:
Cat Lovers Blog Hop
We Love Stamping - Colors of Autumn
4 Season Challenge, #61 - Pets
Crafty Hazelnut's Patterned Paper Challenge - October
NBUS, #43 - Neve Before Used Schtuff, October
Use Your Stuff, #469 - Die Cuts
Addicted to Stamps & More, #440 - Die Cuts and/or Stencils
Crazy for Cats Challenge, #1 - Anything Furrything Goes
SUYP, #82 - October Anything Furrything Goes

April Showers at The Paper Funday Challenge

 I am really pressed for time right now and I just squeaked this card under the due date for my design team position at Paper Funday - that's right, it's another challenge at Paper Funday!! For the month of April our theme is "April Showers" and I was SO happy I had gotten a bunch of new goodies from Lawn Fawn's latest release as they fit perfectly for this theme, I used the Beary Rainy day stamp and die set - perfect for an April Showers card! Here's my card:

 

I started with a white slimline base but when I tried to stencil in the raindrops I messed it all up; so I got another slimline base card and set it aside.  I used another piece of paper and stenciled in the raindrops, using Distress Oxide Hickory Smoke, added some Distress Tumbled Glass to give a blue tint to the sky and a bit of Distress Tea Dye at the bottom.  I discovered that when you need to use a stencil more than once to cover a large scene, don't go all the way to the edge; if you do, you will end up with a line, which is what I got the first time I tried to make the card.  I then used a stitched slimline die to cut out the portion of the card I liked best.  I set the card side while I glued that portion to the top of the actual card.  While that was drying, I pulled out the Lawn Fawn stamp and die set {brand new - called Beary Rainy Day}, stamped using my favorite black ink, colored the stamps in with my Zig markers {Oh and I am SO excited - I finally got my hands on the 30 new colors; and I am finally going to do swatches of all 120 markers that I have!} and cut them out.  It took me a bit to figure out the puddles as I really wanted to use holographic paper but you can't stamp on it {well, you can, but then you have to use embossing powder since it is coated and the ink will not dry on it's own} but I figured if I cut the puddles out with a little rain drop it would look as if the puddles were real.  I'm still not sure, what do you think? I cut the clouds out of vanilla paper and then cut a few more clouds using the Butterfly Kisses dies.  I added the clouds to the scene, stamped the sentiment {the first part of the sentiment comes from a set that I think was a freebie called "Here for you Bear" - it isn't available from Lawn Fawn yet, but I am sure it will be soon} and cut it using this banner set and then I was done. 

I hope you like the card as much as I do - we need rain in Colorado badly, so maybe the card will work as a rain dance? We'll see.  I hope to see your "April Showers" creations at Paper Funday - thanks so much for stopping by! Christi

I am entering my card in the following challenges:
Shopping our Stash, #467 - Under the Weather
NBUS, #37 - Never Before Used Stuff
Unicorn Challenge, #75 - Include an Animal
Simon Says Stamp Monday Challenge - Easter/Spring
Make my Monday, #171 - Use a Stencil (Lawn Fawn Rainy Sky Stencil, #LF2816)
Allsorts, #670 - Any "real" Animals
Dies R Us, #190 - Flowers/Spring
The Funkie Junkie Challenge - April Showers Bring May Flowers

You Warm My Heart

This is my first stamp set from the Colorado Craft Company but it won't be my last. I resisted and resisted but when I saw these cute cats, I caved.  You shouldn't be surprised because you KNOW how much I love cats!

This is a simple, one layer card {something I am working on - I can't seem to get the hang of just one layer! This card is quite a feat for me, one layer plus clean and simple - it's a miracle! :)} and I started with a water color card that folds at the top.  I stamped the image and the sentiment with my favorite black ink, then colored the card with my Zig Clean Color Real Brush Markers.  I told you it was simple!  I hope you and yours are having a GREAT day and I hope to see you soon, stay safe {and warm}!! Crafty Hugs, Christi

I am happily entering this card into the following challenges:
NBUS, #35 - Anything Goes as long as it's NBUS
Stamping Sensations - Anything Goes w/ Option of Wings and Tails {tails!}
Simon Says Stamp Wednesday Challenge - Anything Goes
The Sisterhood of Crafters - Favorite Pet
SUYP, #75 - Anything Goes w/ a Cat
Krafty Chicks, #600 - All Occasions
CASology - #400, Affection

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

Winter's Night Shadow Box Card

I made this card for the Paper Funday January Challenge, which is anything goes or a winter landscape - not surprisingly, I went with the optional theme. I love making these Lawn Fawn shadow cards!  And the fact that they fold flat to make mailing easier {and cheaper!} is so cool.  I actually found the base of the shadow box already cut in a pile of papers on my desk so I took it as a sign and whipped up this card! 

 

What I Used to Make my Card:
White Card
Lawn Fawn Happy Village stamps, #LF1591
Lawn Fawn Happy Village dies, #LF1592
Lawn Fawn Winter Skies stamps, #LF1763
Lawn Fawn Winter Skies dies, #LF1764 
Lawn Fawn Shadow Box Card dies, #LF1486
Lawn Fawn Starry Skies dies, #LF1377
Dark Blue Shimmer Card
White Shimmer Card
Silver Glitter Card
Watercolor Paper {I use this}
Ranger Archival Ink in Jet Black
Red Liner Tape
Zig Clean Color Brush Markers

I wanted this card to have a starry night so I cut a piece of shimmer, dark blue card, cut stars out of the silver glitter card, attached the stars to the

Stars from the top of the card

background, and set aside.  I had cut the middle pieces of the card {where all the components sit} out of white shimmer card.  It's hard to see in the photos but it's very pretty.  I set all the shadow box card pieces aside.  

I stamped all of my houses and trees onto watercolor card and colored them with my Zigs.  Once they had dried I cut them out with the coordinating dies.  I then assembled the card.  I could go through step by step, but Lawn Fawn has a wonderful video that tells you exactly how to make this card so if you are wondering what the exact process is, or want to see the construction, just click HERE.   In the video they use white tape, the type you can tear, but I've found the red liner tape works the best for me.  I guess it is all what you prefer.  However, wet adhesive would really present a problem trying to hold everything together properly so you do need to use some sort of tape.

The bright colors of the houses really pop against my night sky.  I'm very happy with how this card came out especially considering I wasn't even planning on making it! Hopefully this inspires you to join in the challenge at Paper Funday!  I hope you enjoyed my card as well.  Stay warm out there and I will see you soon!  Fondly, Christi

 

I am entering my Winter's Night Card in the following challenges:
Shopping our Stash, #461 - Something beginning with S (Stars!!)
4-Season Challenge Blog, #52 - Cottages
Inspiration Station, #21 - Winter Cityscape
Dies R Us Challenge, #184 - Anything Goes with a Company they Carry
Sparkles Christmas Challenge - A Winter's Scene
Stamping Sensations - Anything Goes with Option of Dies

Peace & Happiness

I found this card among my blog drafts - I made it long ago, but never published it.  Well, I think this is a good time to publish this card with all the recent events as I wish all my fellow humans & furbabies health, peace & happiness now & forever. 

When I first began card making, Asian design was all the rage.  We used anything Asian {often mixing countries and regions} on our cards; joss papers, hell money, pieces from advertisements, newspapers, book text, and anything even remotely Asian looking.  I've used more than one take out menu on my cards!  Even replicated coins found their way onto our cards.  I still have a fabulous supply of Asian papers, rubber stamps, trinkets, tassels, papers, coins and charms, and most of the items can be found on eBay, Etsy, or in small craft stores.  There are even a few stamp companies who still make beautiful Asian stamps, Hero Arts being one of them, and I'm lucky to still have many of my wood mounted, red rubber, Asian stamps.  When I received this stamp and die set, it brought back so many memories of the gorgeous creations my fellow crafters would make that I just had to play with it.  I hope you like what I've designed!

What I Used to Make my Card:
White Card Base
Blue and Silver Asian Background Paper {stash}
Hero Arts Japanese Wishing Garden Stamp & Die Combo, #SB148 {retired but available}

Watercolor Paper {I use this}

Ranger Archival Ink in Jet Black

Zig Clean Color Brush Markers
Distress Ink in Blue Jean
Alchemy Petal Point Inks from Colorbox {I used the silver ink petal}

Once I had stamped four buildings on watercolor paper and colored them with my Zig markers, I set them aside to dry so I could cut them.  While waiting, I stamped the cloud element and the butterfly a few times on scrap white card

See the sparkle!

using silver ink.  I attached a strip of the decorative paper to the white card base and cut out all my items.  I stamped the sentiment and arranged all the pieces to the card and the card was finished.  I wish you could see the sparkle of the paper; it's raised a bit as if it is embossed {and it may be} and the shine is beautiful!  I have a major collection of this type of decorative papers gathered when I was certain I'd be hand binding books and I'd need them for the covers.  I still do hope to learn to do a hardcover binding but the papers are just waiting to be used, so I snipped a bit for this card.  

This card brings me feelings of peace; it's part of my promise to make more "any occasion" cards that I can just mail out - no birthday or holiday needed.  I

Another Look

am my own worst enemy and will find things wrong with a special occasion card so I tend to let slide on a "just thinking of you" card. I'm getting back to the roots of card making.  I want to have fun with my creations and not worry so much about them being perfect.  As I often say, if it was perfect it would be 'store bought'!  I hope my story has prompted you to drag out some of that old paper, especially that paper you are saving {for what!?!} and some of the stamps you haven't used in a while.  Or maybe purchase a new set in your "old" style; whatever works for you! Just create and have some fun!  Fondly, Christi


I am entering my card in the following challenges:
Classic Design Challenge, #12 - Anything Goes
Cute as a Button,  #75 - Anything Goes option: Vintage Feel
Krafty Chicks, #588 - Stamp Act
Simon Says Stamp Wednesday Challenge - Christmas/Holidays
Addicted to Stamps and More, #419 - Any Occasion
Everybody Art Challenge, #503 - Blue & White
Inspired By Challenge, #198 - Inspired by the Graphic {Blue & White are my FAV colors!}

Reindeer Games with Paper Funday!

Welcome to Paper Funday's Monthly challenge - the theme this month is Holiday Time!!  I recently purchased the Mama Elephant Flurry Frame and I had some of the reindeer floating around on my desk from Reindeer Games so I made this card :)

 

Like I said, I already had the reindeer colored and cut, so all I had to do was cut out the frame (out of white card), and the red glitter paper background.  I used a white card base, glued the glitter paper to the back of the frame, glued that onto my card, then placed and attached the reindeer. I gave one reindeer a little red nose using a gem from my stash; I think it looks like the other reindeer are celebrating Rudolph!  I love these little reindeer, you will be seeing them around. 

I hope to see your Holiday Time Creations at the Paper Funday Challenge - you can't win if you don't play :)  Thanks for stopping by! Christi 

I am entering my card in the following challenges:
Simon Says Stamp Monday Challenge - Sparkle Mode
Simon Says Stamp Wednesday Challenge - Happy Holidays/Christmas
Make the Cards Challenge, #43 - Christmas
Dies R Us, #182 - Anything Goes w/ Dies they Carry
Make my Monday, #162 - Cute Christmas
Country View Challenges - Anything Christmas Goes

CLBH A Nervous Halloween Kitty {DAY 6} and a GIVEAWAY

UPDATE: Winner chosen!!!

Another fun Halloween card for the Cat Lovers Blog Hop!!! Today is the LAST day to enter, but you still have a few days to show all the entrants & sponsors some love! I love the holiday SO much I truly think we should make it last longer. . .  How about 2 months of Halloween? Maybe 6? Too much? 

I have to admit I have been longing for all the sets of snarky cats that Tim Holtz put out, but I wanted the matching dies. Now I can't find the dies for any of the sets and it seems he may be getting ready to discontinue the lot of them so I gave up.  I was happy to have found this little combo which includes these stamps and a stencil which was much more inexpensive than the set so I scooped it up.  I also found one for birthdays and I am sure that will be making it's debut soon.  On a piece of water color paper I stamped the cat, the bat and the two sentiments.  I colored in the cat and pumpkin with my Zigs then layered the panel onto the patterned paper that I had already attached to the white card base.  I love the look on the cat's face!

Now the Cat Lovers Blog Hop has a HUGE amount of prizes to be won; and a bunch of ways you can win them - so I urge you to go and check it out :)  Thanks SO much for stopping by ~ hugs! Christi 

PS: I have a little prize to give away to all the Cat Lovers Blog Hop folks who comment on this post & follow me {to be eligible PLEASE put CLBH in your comment, as well as what social media platform you follow me on}  You can find all my social media links here, so please choose one or all of them : ) So sorry but due to outrageous postal costs, USA entrants only for the prize, but I will have a $10 GC for folks out of the USA. Closes November 2 and I will choose the winner November 5, 2012.  Feel free to share!!! 

Entering my card in the following challenges:
Cat Lovers Blog Hop ~ DAY 6
The House that Stamps Built, #2721 - LOL, Funny, Snarky
Simon Says Stamp Wednesday Challenge - Anything Goes (entry 3)
Modsquad Challenge - Halloween
Cardz TV, #152 - Anything Goes
Art Impressions - Feline Crazy (entry 2)
Daring Cardmakers - Halloween Inspired (entry 2)
Allsorts Challenge, #648 - Add a Sentiment

 

 

CLBH Life will be Purr-fect!! {DAY 5}

And yet another card for the Cat Lovers Blog Hop! As most of you know I adore cats and I seem to collect cat stamps almost as easily as I collect actual cats (truthfully, if I had as many real cats as I do cat themed stamp sets I'd go out of my mind - I honestly don't know how people with children get anything done! Between feeding, scooping, loving, breaking up spats, brushing and attempting to cut nails I can barely get anything done. Parents you have my utmost respect!) Anyway, I think these little cats from My Favorite Things are so cute and this card allows me to show them all off properly!

What I Used to Make my Card:
White Card Base
Blue Star Paper, Lucky Prints from MFT {retired}
MFT Mini Meows Stamps, #CS-533
MFT/Die-Namics Mini Meows Dies Set, #MFT-1905
Watercolor Paper {I use this}
Zig Clean Color Brush Markers
Gina K Amalgam Ink Pad in Obsidian Ink
Uniquely Creative 10 Window Frame Die, #UCD1764

I began this card by stamping, coloring and cutting out the cats.  I wanted the colors to be a bit muted, nothing that caused your eye to go to one particular cat so coloring them was quite easy and fast.  I set them aside to dry and cut out the 10 window frame using a retired patterned paper.  Positioning the sentiment in the very bottom of the card, in the largest window of the die, I stamped it directly onto the card base.  I attached the frame onto the card and filled in the other nine windows with the cats.

With all the nastiness floating around this card is perfect to send to someone you literally haven't seen and it shows you miss them.  At the same time, it's cute and hopefully will bring a smile to the face of the recipient.  I hope it brought a smile to your face, too!  Thanks for spending some of your time with me, stay safe and see you soon! Christi

I am entering my card into the following challenges:
Cat Lovers Blog Hop - Day 5
Art Impressions, #315 - Feline Crazy
Simon Says Stamp Wednesday Challenge - Anything Goes (entry 2)
Simon Says Stamp Monday Challenge - Thinking of You
Happy Little Stampers Dies Challenge - Anything Goes w/ Dies (entry 2)
Penny's Paper Crafty Challenge, #508 - Anything Goes