A Flowery Hello for the Card Chain Challenge

Hi everyone! I am finally feeling rested after the Valentine's Day frenzy.  Every year I do the same thing; I tell myself I am not going to make any more Valentine cards and I end up making one, teeny, little card and the next thing I know it's five days later, I have glitter glue in my hair,  my hand is glued to my desk, and I can't see anything among the scraps, stamps and embellishments that are all over the place.  I envision it like a crafter's "hangover" and it takes a while to recover!

Anyway, I made this card, which is totally out of my comfort zone (at least I think so) just because, but then I signed up for the Card Chain Challenge and discovered it fit the challenge!  I was really inspired by the new (to me) Spellbinders die set and I had some colorful scrap paper so off I went!  Here are the themes from which we were able to choose for March at the CCC:

Color Palette:

These colors are your guideline - exact matching is not necessary.

OR
Sketch

You can orient this sketch in any direction and/or flip it.
OR
One of the following themes: – Flowers  or  Fish  or  Friendship
OR
One of the following products: Stampers Anonymous stamps, Sequins, Fussy Cutting

My card, which was sent to Lizzy all the way in Australia, follows the theme of flowers and friendship. I hope you like it!

What I Used to Make my Card:
Square Card Base in Mint Green (5 1/4" x 5 1/4")
Blue Sky Paper (from stash)
DCWV Tie Dye Stack (discontinued but available)*
Unity Stamps "Hello" from He's a Wordy Buck, UK-705A
Spellbinders Die D-Lites Flower Field
Distress Ink in Wilted Violet
Martha Stewart Mini Pastel Pearls
Gems from my Stash
Pop Dots

*First, once again Die Cut With a View (DCWV) has released another stack with 

Original Tie Dye Stack

the same name as the stack I used in this project. Just in case you absolutely need the Tie Dye stack I used, this is a picture of the cover. I love DCWV stacks but they can be pretty pricey so I often end up buying them when they have been discontinued.  

All of the papers except the card base come from this DCWV Tie Dye Stack.  I cut out the dies a bazillion times and a bunch of extra flowers. If you aren't familiar with DCWV stacks they often include specialty papers and this one includes both glitter and gloss (a coating similar to the many commercial glazes out there).  All I used on this card were parts of the paper that had glitter, gloss or both, so I got some really pretty flowers.  And for once the gloss isn't leftover glue on the card. 

Another Look

Once felt I had enough of the die cuts, I figured out the placement on the mint green card base and started gluing the cuts down.  I ended up pop dotting some of the flowers but you can't really see that in the photos. There is plenty of texture with all the glitter and gloss; I added even more by using gems and pearls for the middle of some of the flowers.  You should be able to make any of the photos on my blog bigger by just clicking on them; let me know if you have trouble with this. 

Please take a moment to see the Card Chain Challenge Reveal that is posted on the main blog today.  

You get to see who sent who what and where everyone lives.  I am thrilled to be back playing in this "challenge;" it is SO cool to get a card in the mail - it sure beats junk mail! This month I was the lucky recipient of LesLee's card, isn't it fabulous!?! She had to take a short break from crafting, but do pop over to her blog and take a look at the work she has done - it really is marvelous and after that stop over to the Card Chain Challenge and check out the reveal!  Some of us may even include a goody or 2!

Thank you for stopping by and reading this rather long post.  I encourage everyone who makes cards to participate in the Card Chain Challenge.  It's so much fun to see a card online and actually have it in your hands! Please consider signing up, and if you have any questions not answered in the FAQs, feel free to email me and I will see what I can do to help you out. The rewards out weigh the effort!  Fondly, Christi

I am entering my Flowery Hello card in the following challenges:
Pixie's Crafty Workshop - week 275/276 - Anything Goes
Southern Girls Challenge - #156, Dyeing to See You (use a die)
Simon Says Stamp Wednesday Challenge - Anything Goes (entry #2)
Deep Ocean Challenge - #151, Flowers Everywhere
Simon Says Stamp Work It Wednesday - Spring has Sprung

Follow Your Bliss at House of Cards

Hello everyone and thank you for joining me today as I share my take on the House of Cards April challenge:

You can use feathers, the color palette or both!  

I was inspired by my good friend Jane's recent card (see it on the right) and I decided to CASE it (too bad it's too late to enter this card in the challenge; it fits perfectly in my opinion!)

What I Used to Make my Card:
Vanilla Card Base
Turquoise, Dark Turquoise, Medium and Light Brown Scraps
Graphic 45 Artisan Style Collection, 8x8, #4501113
DCWV Linen Closet Stack (old version click here for info)
Memory Box Stamp "Follow Your Bliss" #B2060
Distress Ink in Faded Jeans
Darice Nested Craft Dies, Classic Circles, #2014-74
Household Twine, enough for bow

I have no feather stamps or dies, so I went and Googled 'feathers' and traced the ones I liked using my trusty Silhouette CAMEO.  I also used the Silhouette to cut the feathers out of the turquoise scraps I had.  Once I had cut a few feathers, I moved on the the circles.

Using the Follow Your Bliss stamp, I stamped the sentiment on light brown card and then used the circle dies to cut the first circle.  The second circle is cut from medium brown card, the third from the DCWV stack and finally the fourth is cut

Colors are closer to real life in the above card,
but here is another look

from the coordinating paper I found in the Artisan Style Collection.  I attached all the circles together, then placed the feathers on the side. The finishing touch for this card is the bow I made using plain old household twine.  I hope the card I made inspires you to come and play along at House of Cards!  I honestly wasn't crazy about the color scheme this month but it grew on me.  Look through your stash and see if you can find any patterned papers that match the scheme; you'll be surprised how often blues & browns are used -- at least I was.  Off to catch up on my other design team commitments {and figure out a special announcement! Don't you just hate love surprises? }~ Fondly, Christi

I am entering my Follow Your Bliss card in the following challenges:
Crafty Friends Challenge - M, #54 - B is for. . Bliss!!
Making Memories Crafting Challenge - M, #3 - Add Some Layers
Die Cuttin' Diva's - #310, Anything Goes
AAA Cards (CAS Challenge) - M, #86 - Use Die Cuts
Crafty Hazelnut's Patterned Paper Challenge - Anything Goes
Classic Design Team Challenge - M - Anything Goes 
Aud Sentiments - #176,  Anything NOT Birthday
Simon Says Stamp Wednesday Challenge - Anything Goes

I found these challenges, and MANY more, at Challenges for Days!