Spooky Spiderweb

I am not a fan of spiders.  I am much better than when I was younger; a small spider would throw me into such a tizzy, I'd go running away before I could even verbalize that there was a spider there. I now try to put them outside (as long as the spider doesn't get uppity and start crawling on whatever I am carrying it on; if it starts to move, all bets are off) and not kill them, but that is contingent on how big it is.  I am trying to coexist with them and I am making progress!  I adore the sentiment I used on this card and I hope you get a chuckle out of it!

What I Used to Make this Card:
White Card Base
Recollections Halloween Laser Die Cut Paper, #10517530
Riley & Co. Sentiment, #RWD-361
Darice Embossing Essentials Nesting Circles, #2014-74
Hero Arts Black Intense Ink
Sparkly Spider Sticker, Dollar Tree
Black Sequins

The first thing I did to make this card was trim down the die cut paper.  The pad from Michael's has some really cute pages; in addition to the web there are bones, bats and a pretty pattern.  There are even some beautiful laser cut

metallic papers! So, I trimmed the web to fit my card base, attached it and left it under my drying tile. 

While my base was drying, I stamped the sentiment onto white card and die cut it using the circle dies.  Once the background was dry, I popped the spider sticker on the card and attached the sentiment.  It needed a bit more bling, so I added a few black sequins.  It was a really easy card to make and, while the Halloween season is almost over (sniff), I will be using that pattern design in some other cards.

Thank you so much for visiting! I have a small giveaway going on and I would love for you to be a part of it!

Art~Without~Anxiety

presents

HAPPY HALLOWEEN!

I’m having a small drawing on my blog.  All you need to do is click onto this post, chose the costume you like best & when I get 75 costume comments (or on Nov. 1, whichever comes first), I’ll draw a random winner.  Open Internationally! Please feel free to share!

EXPIRES Nov. 1, 2017

Thanks so much for visiting my blog - I appreciate it more than you know! Christi

I am entering my Spooky Spiderweb in the following challenges:

Through the Craft-Room Door - Anything Goes

Hand Stamped Sentiments - #275, Inspiration Board

Try it on Tuesday - It's Halloween Time

Always Fun Challenges - Monochrome

Crafty Cardmakers - #198, Spooky

Make My Monday - #57, I Put a Spell on You

Lawn Fawn Trick or Treat

I love this time of year! The leaves are so pretty and I love the chill in the air.  There is nothing like sleeping under some nice heavy blankets with three or four cats snuggling up next to you! For this Sunday post on the Dies R Us inspiration Blog, I'm sharing another adorable Lawn Fawn Halloween card.  I hope you like it!

What I Used to Make my Card:

White Card Base

Tim Holtz/Sizzix Labels, #660060

Lawn Fawn Leafy Tree Backdrop, Landscape, #LF1237

Lawn Fawn Costume Party Stamp Set, #LF1458

Lawn Fawn Costume Party Dies, #LF1459

Red, Brown, Orange, Yellow, Green, Grey and Black Cardstock

Derwent Inktense Pencils

Watercolor Paper

Hero Arts Intense Black Ink
Uni Ball Signo White Gel Pen

Wink of Stella, Clear

Ranger Glossy Accents

Blender Pen

Various Gems

MISTI
Pop Dots

When I got the Lawn Fawn Costume Party set, I stamped a bunch of the adorable characters on watercolor paper and colored them in with my Inktense Pencils using a blender pen. I found that using the MISTI is the best way to stamp on watercolor paper since the texture of the paper can inhibit the ink from making a strong stamp.  Once I die cut them, I also decorated them with various gems, Wink of Stella pens, glossy accents, and other goodies.

While the gems and decorations were drying I started to make the actual card.  I started by making the backdrop in grey card, then cutting a tree out of brown card and attaching that over the grey tree.  The leaves on the tree were die cut

You can see the dimension of the mummy
and the dragon.

from various fall colors and attached to the tree (no matter how many photos I took of the card, nor how I enhanced it, the leaves never came out as brilliant as they are on the actual card.)  I attached the grey frame and the brown tree onto a piece of black card - I felt this would showcase the adorable little costumed kids the best.  Lastly,  I stamped the sentiment on white card and used the Labels die set to cut it out.  

Another Look

Assembling the components was easy - I placed the sentiment and the characters onto the card and attached them.  I pop dotted every other character; both the mummy and the dragon are pop dotted. I loved decorating the costumes after they were colored.  The witch has some clear Wink of Stella on her hat, as does the candy the mummy is holding.  There are green gems on the pumpkin stem, glossy accents on the pumpkin hat, and orange gems were used on the pumpkin's eyes (and the little teeth were colored white with a gel pen.)  Finally, the pink dragon was accented with some pink gems.  
Thank you SO much for reading my post! I'm having a small giveaway on my blog! All you have to do is go to this post and leave me a comment about which costume you like most; the contest ends November 1, 2017 or when I get 75 entries, whichever comes first.  Also, please consider visiting all of the fabulous Dies R Us links; remember, there are TWO chances to play in the Challenge and there is a NEW creation every day on the Inspiration Blog. 

Don't forget to play along at the Dies R Us Challenge Blog for your chance to win a gift voucher to the Dies R Us Store.  A new challenge begins on the first and fifteenth of every month.  

Be sure to Follow Us on FACEBOOK too. 

click below for:

STORE

CHALLENGE BLOG
FACEBOOK
INSPIRATION BLOG

FRIENDS OF DIES R US PINTEREST PAGE

Thank you and I hope to see you around Blogland! Hugs, Christi

I am entering my Lawn Fawn Trick or Treat card in the following Challenges:

Die Cut Divas - M, Mood Board 

Crafty Calendar Challenge - M, Halloween      

Victorine Originals Challenge - M, #13, Mood Board   

Aud Sentiments - #190, Use a Die Cut & Sentiment

Pause, Dream, Enjoy - #194, Halloween

Frilly & Funky - 'Tis Near Halloween

Scrapy Land - M, #75, Anything Goes (#2)

Lawn Fawnatics - #14, Add a Critter (I hope dinosaurs count)

Sympathy Calligraphy Bird & Giveaway Information!

My dear neighbor has a daughter and son-in-law who are bird crazy.  I know they have a cockatiel and a few smaller ones, but they absolutely LOVE their birds; I imagine as much as I adore my fabulous feline four.  Unfortunately, one of their little flying angels flew off to the Rainbow Bridge to wait for the others to join them.  Helen asked me to make a card for her to send them and I knew exactly what stamp I was going to use.  Finding that stamp was another matter entirely, but I digress.  I made two cards for her so she could choose the one she preferred.

Before I get into how I made these cards, I want to share this little giveaway I'm having:

Art~Without~Anxiety

presents

HAPPY HALLOWEEN!

I’m having a small drawing on my blog.  All you need to do is click onto this post, chose the costume you like best & when I get 75 costume comments, I’ll draw a random winner.  Open Internationally! Please feel free to share!

EXPIRES Nov, 1. 2017

What I Used to Make my Cards:

2 White Card Bases

White, Navy Blue and Black Card

Calligraphy Bird Stamp (I have no idea where I got this stamp)

Peace, Courage & Memories Set from Unity Stamp Co., #GKD-004A

Kaleidacolor Pad in Spectrum #KA-000-001

Ranger Archival Ink in Jet Black

Wink of Stella in Clear

Black Enamel Dot 

Pop Dot

Both of these cards were very easy; I just stamped one image using the

Kaleidacolor ink pad and another with the Jet Black ink, both on white card.  I then trimmed both images.  I placed the color card onto the navy card and then attached the card onto the white card base. Lastly, I stamped the sentiment using the color pad, onto the bird image.  I then swiped the Wink of Stella, in clear, all over the colors, line by line.  I tried to get a picture of the sparkle, but I couldn't.

Then I assembled the black and white card.  I adhered the black and white image onto the black card with Pop Dots.  I also adhered the sentiment with Pop Dots.  I then placed the enamel dot on the card.  You can see the dimension and the texture on the black card.  

Here is the black and white card.  I am not sure which card Helen chose to send to her daughter, but the beauty of these cards is you can send them for any reason.  I hope you enjoyed my short tutorial and I do hope to see you join my Happy Halloween giveaway - I can't wait to see which costume wins the vote!  Thank you so much for visiting! Christi 




I am entering my Sympathy cards in the following challenges:
CASology - #270, Odd (It's odd I made 2 cards)

Through the Craft-Room Door - Anything Goes

2 Crafty Critters - Anything Goes w/ a Critter

A Bit More Time to Craft - #53, Anything Goes

My Time to Craft - #356, Sympathy

Crazy for Challenges - #406, Make a Card

Cream & Black Halloween & Giveaway Information!

I actually made this card last year - that happens to me often with Halloween; the holiday might be technically over, but my creative drive is still totally into it.  I have stacks of Halloween paper, from all manufactures, and I found this paper in an Echo Park pad.  Here is my Cream & Black Halloween card:

What I Used to Make this Card:
Black Card Base
Arsenic & Lace , #AL71016 by Echo Park, Spooky Icons, #AL71005  (discontinued but available)
Happy Halloween Bat by Cherry Pie Stamps, P437 
Cream Cardstock 
Memento Tuxedo Black Ink
Spellbinders Nestabilities Labels #17
Pop Dots

Before I get to the making of this card, I want to share this with you: 

Art~Without~Anxiety

presents

HAPPY HALLOWEEN!

I’m having a small drawing on my blog.  All you need to do is click onto this post, chose the costume you like best & when I get 75 costume comments, I’ll draw a random winner.  Open Internationally! Please feel free to share!

EXPIRES Nov, 1. 2017

Now, as you can see, this card was very simple to make.  I trimmed a piece of the Spooky Icons to fit onto the black card base.  Then, on the cream colored card, I stamped the Happy Halloween.  The sentiment was then die cut and pop dotted to the front of the card.  This is the type of card you could make over and over again since it is so easy!  I think the colors compliment each other.  Just a

Another Look 

little shout out to Maria at Cherry Pie; they have been in business since 1991 and she has amassed a stunning array of stamps.  Just take a peek at the decorative elements she has (click here) - I don't get paid for this and she doesn't even know I'm telling you all this, but I honestly feel Cherry Pie is worth a look. 

Thank you for stopping by and I hope to see you enter my little giveaway.  Stay tuned for many more Halloween cards and projects - this is my FAVORITE holiday and I have so much fun playing with spooky goodies! Fondly, Christi





I am entering my Cream & Black Halloween Card in the following challenges:
Crafty Calendar Challenge - M, Halloween
Creative Friday - #189 Die Cuts/Punches (#2)
Aud Sentiments - #190, Use a Die Cut & A Sentiment
DL Art - Thankful Thursday, #213, Halloween

Join the Monster Mash at Stinkin' Inkers!

The challenge this month at Stinkin' Inkers is "Monster Mash" - you can use ghosts, monsters, or witches; basically anything Halloween-y and/or scary.  I had decided to throw a costume party with the help of Tim Holtz' Crazy Cats, Dogs and Birds.  I hope you enjoy! 

What I Used to Make my Card:
Vanilla Watercolor Card, 5 x 7 (this was the only size card onto which everything would fit and I have NO idea where I got them)
Tim Holtz Crazy Cats Stamps, #CMS251
Tim Holtz/Sizzix Crazy Cats Dies, #661209
Tim Holtz Bird Crazy Stamps, #CMS212
Tim Holtz/Sizzix Bird Crazy Dies, #660954
Tim Holtz Crazy Things Stamps, #CMS237
Tim Holtz/Sizzix Crazy Things Dies, #660953
Tim Holtz Mini Cats & Dogs Stamps, #CMS272
Tim Holtz/Sizzix Mini Cats & Dogs Dies, #661594
Tim Holtz Mini Bird Crazy & Things Stamps, #CMS250
Tim Holtz/Sizzix Bird Crazy & Things Dies, #660949
Happy Halloween Sticker from Stamp on It #DD7256
Hero Arts My Monthly Kit, April 2017 #HeroArts 
Red and Black Cardstock
Derwent Intense Pencils
Kuretake Zig Clean Color Markers
Watercolor Brush
Dove Blender Pen

Various Embellishments: Washi Tape, Sequins, Glitter, Bling on a Roll, Various Gems, Fabric Roses, and more.

I began by coloring and die cutting all the animals I wanted to use.  I have

Ms. Cat and
Little Tongue Out Dog

found that once my colored pencil dries it sometimes isn't as vibrant as I'd like, so I embellish the coloring further with the markers.  Sometimes it works out, sometimes not, but it is always fun!

There were a few "alterations" I had to do to make the costumes fit properly  First, Ms. Cat needed her front paws cut out again so they could be glued on the outside of her gown.  You couldn't see them otherwise.  And Diva Pink Bird also needed a new pair of wings to go over her sash.  

Diva Pink Bird and Slightly
Confused Dog

Now, there is a little story about this card.  Ms. Cat wanted to have a costume party for the neighborhood children so she invited Little Tongue Out Dog, Shy Orange Cat, Diva Pink Bird and Slightly Confused Small Dog. All of the invitees did a fabulous job with their costumes, as did Ms. Cat (she chose to wear a red dress made from the April 2017 collection of the House of Hero Arts and topped off the outfit with Silver/Silver Bling on a Roll earrings and choker, just be her glamorous self.)  Little Tongue Out Dog dressed himself up as a rose garden , using actual fabric roses as a headpiece  

The Crew

and an entire body rose.  Shy Orange Cat added bat wings to herself so if she felt nervous, she could just fly away.  Diva Pink Bird showed off her most recent pageant win, complete with glittery crown and sash.  If you look close, you can even see the sparkle in her eye.  Lastly, Slightly Confused Little Dog put on her star collar and witch hat that she customized by adding a matching star to the tip of the hat.  All of the kittens and puppies ate their fill of treats (no chocolate!) and had a grand time.  I hope you did, too! 

Another Look

I do hope you will join us this month at Stinkin' Inkers - I KNOW you are making Halloween cards, so you really have NO excuse not to join in the fun!  Thanks for visiting, and if you would, comment below on which costume you like the best.  If I get enough votes, I might give out a treat of my own, so please feel free to share this post! You don't need to follow my blog, but it is greatly appreciated (let me know in your comment so I can be sure to follow you back!)

** UPDATE: When I get 75 comments telling me which costume you like the best I will be doing a random drawing for a little prize. Open internationally! Please spread the word! (expires November 1, 2017)

I'd love to see your Monster Mash creations, so please join us at Stinkin' Inkers! Stay tuned for some more frightening fun Halloween creations! Hugs, Christi

I am entering my Monster Mash card in the following challenges:
Simon Says Stamp Monday Challenge - A Walk on the Dark Side
Naughty or Nice Challenge - #44, Something Spooky
Frilly & Funky - Show Us Your Stamps 
Scrapy Land - #75, Anything Goes 
Double D Challenge - Fright Night Challenge
Creative Friday - #189, Die Cuts/Punches
2 Crafty Critter Crazies - #7, Anything Goes w/ a Critter

Angie's Thank You Card

I am lucky enough to live about 30 minutes away from a fantastic pain clinic.  I've been a patient there for about 5 years and have seen staff, including doctors, come and go.  Throughout all the upheaval, I've been blessed with awesome people.  I've been treated with respect, dignity, and my medical treatment hasn't suffered a bit.  The office manager, Angie, told me at my last appointment that she was leaving, sort of.  She'd probably be popping in (she travels from Utah) occasionally and as soon as her husband finds employment, she'd be back at the clinic full time.  I really grew close to Angie and I decided I wanted to make her a Thank You card for all her help (I don't do this nearly enough - it's going to be one of my resolutions!)

Anyway, there was this technique I'd seen where the sentiment literally pops out at you.  I thought I had pinned it, but couldn't find it, so off to Jennifer McGuire's blog I went.  If you want to try something new, Ms. McGuire's is the place to go.  She has a TON of cool techniques on her blog. If fact, I got lost checking everything out! But I did find the technique I wanted to try; it's from 2013's Simon Says Stamp STAMPtember event, and as always there is a fantastic video - Jennifer named the card An Autumn Hello.  

Here is my version:

What I Used to Make my Card:
Water Color Paper
Distress Oxide Ink in Worn Lipstick, Broken China, Cracked Pistachio and Wilted Violet
Distress Spritzer
White Card Base
Matching Color Cardstock (I used Mint Green)
Thanks - Stamp & Cut from Hero Arts, #DC-152
Little Things for Lucy's Cards, Jewels, Ice Cube Mix, #LBJ03

I first made my Distress panel using the Oxide Inks on a piece of watercolor paper, smooshing the inks about and spritzing them with water (if you aren't sure how to play with Distress Oxides, feel free to take a look at my Pinterest Board - there are a lot of different techniques out there!)  Once the panel was to my liking, I set it aside to dry overnight.  Since I am die cutting the paper, I want it to be thoroughly dry or it will rip.  Trust me on that one. 

The next day, I chose where I wanted my "Thanks" die cut to be, and cut the word out of the panel.  Be sure to keep ALL the INSIDES of the LETTERS - you'll need them! I set my word aside and made a stack of paper with the mint green card.  I made two stacks of three sheets each and glued them together with a glue stick, just as Jennifer did in the video.  Well, when I put the die and paper through my Big Shot, all of the extra glue smooshed out of my stack and got everywhere.  I should have let them dry overnight as well! Eh, nothing a few about ten wipes couldn't clean up! So I cut "Thanks" out of both stacks and then glued them together.  I decided to give them a bit of time to adhere to each other, so I took the afternoon off. 

For some reason this looks much lighter than the card is.
The card above is true to color.

Later, I attached the water color panel onto my white card blank.  I adhered my original (oxide inked) "Thanks" to the mint green stack, and then carefully placed that back into the spot created from the initial die cut.  This is where you need the little "innie" pieces - you then have to glue the "innie" cut outs onto the card. I didn't take this into consideration, and the next time I make one of these cards I will use a larger die but it really wasn't that difficult at all.  I used a toothpick and a straight pin to work the pieces in where they belonged.  I am very pleased with this card - it looks very difficult to make, but was easy (my favorite kind!)

Before I go, I want to remind you all that Halloween is literally around the corner.  It's my very favorite holiday, but can be a horrible event for your fur babies (black cats can be at GREAT risk - if you have a black cat, please keep it indoors for this one night).  Please keep them safe inside, preferably a room away from where you will meet trick-or-treaters.  Some pets don't like the door bell (my Mew freaks out!) so we actually sit outside and distribute the candy so no extra doorbell stress.  Finally, absolutely NO CHOCOLATE for dogs - it's deadly! 

Thanks SO much for reading this all the way to the end! I hope you enjoyed my card and got inspired to try something new of your own ~ Fondly, Christi

I am going to enter Angie's Thank You Card in the following challenges:
Allsorts - #435, Sentiment in Focus
Just Us Girls - #413, Wild Card Week, Word Cut Dies
Less is More - #348, Watercolor
My Time to Craft - #355, Die Cuts Only
Creative Friday - #189, Die Cuts/Punches
Simon Says Stamp Wednesday Challenge - Anything Goes
The Sisterhood of Crafters - Use Your Dies
The Crafter's Cafe Challenge - Use Die Cuts and Punches

Trick or Treat

Hi, everyone! Halloween is on the way and I am creating like crazy!  It was only in the low 50's today, dreary and rainy, so it was a perfect day to hang out and create; after the football game, of course!  I paired one of those crazy birds with a brand new die. I hope this inspires you to get started on your Halloween crafts! And I do hope you are having better weather.

What I Used to Make my Card:
White Square Card Base (5 1/2" x 5 1/2")
White, Black, Purple and Orange Card Stock
Tutti Designs Spiderweb Window, #TUTTI-376
Tim Holtz Bird Crazy Stamps, #CMS212
Tim Holtz/Sizzix Bird Crazy Dies, #660954
Tim Holtz Crazy Talk Stamps, #CMS236
Googly Eyes
Simon Says Stamp Ultra Fine Embossing Powder, White, #WhiteEP2
Embossing Ink
Distress Ink in Carved Pumpkin
Derwent Inktense Pencils

I began this card thinking my window would be orange, but changed my mind.  Instead, I die cut the window out of black card and inserted it into the negative space left from the orange cut.  I then used carved pumpkin to edge the design.  I then cut a piece of white card with the intention of layering it behind the window, but I set that aside. I needed to choose a character to peek out of the window first!

I have quite a stash of images I've already colored in and I chose this crazy bird out of that pile.  I did use Inktense Pencils to color him; I'm getting smarter, I wrote it on the back of the image what medium I used to color it.  After that, I added the googly eyes (mostly because this is what I look like when I see a spider!) and positioned the bird where I wanted him to be.  I glued him in place and trimmed the rest of the image.  Then I added the white card to the back of the window.  

Lastly, I chose a pretty purple card out of my card stock, stamped the phrase with embossing ink and heat embossed the sentiment with fine detail white embossing powder.  I assembled the entire card and there you go! I am thrilled that I got this die. Even though it is geared toward Halloween, I can see no reason why I can't cut the webs out of it and use it all year round! Thanks for reading and please visit some of the Dies R Us blogs (enabler alert - the store is having some awesome sales!) and don't forget to enter the challenge; there is a new one on the first and the fifteenth of every month! ~ Fondly, Christi

Don't forget to play along at the Dies R Us Challenge Blog for your chance to win a gift voucher to the Dies R Us Store.  A new challenge begins on the first and fifteenth of every month.  

Be sure to Follow Us on FACEBOOK too. 

click below for:

STORE

CHALLENGE BLOG
FACEBOOK
INSPIRATION BLOG

FRIENDS OF DIES R US PINTEREST PAGE

I would like to enter my Trick or Treat card in the following challenges:

Darnell's NBUS Challenge #12 - Day 2

Scrapy Land - #74, Anything Goes

Allsorts Challenge - #434, Things with Wings

Mix it Up - #5, Anything Goes w/ Option of Inlaid Die Cut

Happy Little Stampers - Anything Goes w/ Die Cuts

Use Your Stuff - #281, Old & New (stamps = old, window die = new)

Muse Challenge - #235, see photo inspiration: