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Hello friends and happy Monday! Welcome back from the weekend! I hope all you mother's out there spent a day being celebrated, thanked and cherished for the special women that you are. My mom is my best friend and I am so grateful for her every single day.
On Friday I mentioned that I was going to take a break from painting over the weekend and spend it in my craft room, but, unfortunately that didn't happen. You see, I only had one bedroom left to paint and I just wanted to be done with this whole $#@#$*& project, so, instead of spending the weekend crafting as I had hoped, I painted. And primed. And taped. And cleaned. And then, I finally put my house back together again. But, I am happy to say that that project is finally done! In four weeks and one day I have painted our entire house - bedrooms, living room, dining room, kitchen, two bathrooms, stairwells, hallways, baseboards and ceilings! I N-E-V-E-R want to see a paintbrush again! While I am utterly exhausted, I couldn't feel more proud and accomplished for completing this massive project. I am also beyond ready to return to a "normal routine" where my evenings are spent in my craft room and NOT at Home Depot! Today's card will be the last of my "I made this month's ago" cards because I hope to be back in my craft room very soon sharing fresh new ideas and products with you. I have recently purchased some of the latest spring release stamp sets from Altenew and I can't wait to try them! 
Card details:
The base of this A2 sized card is made from Neenah Solar White Smooth cardstock. Using the Gina Marie Designs Scalloped Stitched Rectangle Nesting dies, I cut the first layer from Blueberry Bushel cardstock. I cut a 5 " x 3 3/4" piece of Kirkland Signature Glossy Photo paper to create the alcohol ink background on. *Note - to say yourself some money, purchase a ream of this glossy paper (found on Amazon!) in lieu of the uber expensive Yupo polysynthetic paper. I promise you will see the same results! Using the Tim Holtz ink blower and isopropyl rubbing alcohol, I created the background using Ranger Alcohol Ink in Celestial and Patina. I die cut the outline of the "thinking of you" in Blueberry Bushel cardstock and the words in white cardstock. I heat embossed the "sharing in your sorrow" sentiment in white embossing powder on Blueberry Bushel cardstock and added it to the middle of the sentiment using 3M foam adhesive. Lastly, I placed some clear rhinestones randomly on the card for added sparkle.
*For more information on creating alcohol ink backgrounds, please refer to YouTube, specifically any of the amazing videos produced by Jennifer McGuire. 
For more details on creating beautiful backgrounds with alcohol inks, please check out the abundant videos on YouTube, specifically any of those created by the amazing Jennifer McGuire!
Here are the layering "Thinking of You" dies from Honey Bee stamps that I used to create this card:
Thanks for visiting and have a wonderfully creative day!
XO, Crystal
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TGIF! Who is ready for the weekend!? I'm taking a break from house painting this weekend and hoping to get in my craft room finally! When I bought the stamp set called "Dear Rose" that I made today's card with, it was by a company called Fun Stamper's Journey. My dear friend, Donna, was a consultant with FSJ and I have always tried so support her small business adventure, as she did mine. However, last November Fun Stamper's Journey merged with SpellbindersPaper Arts and WOW talk about a creative boom! They have been killing it lately with so many great stamp and die products, plus their monthly kits are AH-mazing! I even love the look and layout of their new website, it is so colorful, fresh and inspiring that it makes me want to create (and buy) all the things! But, we've been so busy re-doing our house that all creative purchases have
been put on hold. . . for now. . . 
Card details:
The base of this A2 sized card is made from Neenah Solar White smooth cardstock. I cut a 5 1/4" x 4" sheet of white cardstock and ran it through my Big Shot using the Garden Trellis Texturized Embossing folder. I adhered this embossed sheet directly to the cad front. Using the Gina Marie Stitched Scalloped Rectangle Nesting dies, I die cut a piece of Calypso Coral cardstock and then mounted a sheet of white cardstock on it. Using Calypso Coral ink, I stamped the sentiment "Get Well Soon" in the lower right corner. I stamped two roses on Calypso Coral cardstock in Basic Gray ink and die cut the roses using the coordinating Dear Rose die. I adhered them to the center of the card using 3M foam adhesive. I stamped two leaves in Basic Gray ink on white cardstock and adhered them underneath the roses using 3M foam adhesive. Lastly, I added a coat of Clear Wink of Stella to the roses and leaves for added sparkle.
Thanks for visiting and have a wonderfully creative weekend!
XO, Crystal
Happy Wednesday, friends! I bet you're surprised to see a dog card here coming from this cat lover! While it's true I own both cat and dog themed stamp sets from My Favorite Things, I had never used the dog stamps until today! Turns out, these playful pups do make a pretty cute card too!
Card details:
The base of this A2 sized card is Pear Pizzazz cardstock. Using the PinkFresh Studios Toy Store die, i cut the background from Crumb Cake cardstock. I lined the back of the windows with white cardstock and thinn strips of Crumb Cake cardstock to resemble shelves. I cut a 1 1/2" sheet of white brick patterned paper to use as the "sidewalk" of this scene. I stamped all of the images in Tuxedo Memento Black ink on Neenah Solar White smooth cardstock and colored the images with Spectrum Noir alcohol ink markers. I used a white Uniball gel pen to add details to some of the colored images. I placed the stamped images onto the card using 3M foam adhesive. Lastly, I added a coat of Crystal Effects (clear gloss glaze) onto some of the images for a shiny raised look.
I used these two stamps by My Favorite Things to create this card:
Thanks for visiting and have a wonderfully creative day!
XO, Crystal
Then, as I was eating some sliced pineapple for breakfast, I knocked it over and pineapple juice went all over my desk and phone. SO STICKY!
Ugh. And, it's only 7:08 am . . . This afternoon I have to take all three cats to the vet for their annual check-up and that's always a hissing, foaming at the mouth, yowling melodic cat-astrophe. . . Wish me luck! Today I'm sharing a card that I made back in February at our annual craft retreat on Cape Cod. I used the Pink & Main stamp set "Gullfriend" combined with a Lawn Fawn Landscape die and some Distress Oxide ink sponging to create this beachy scene. There's a lot of detail in this card, but that's what I like about it. I had the time to experiment with my Spectrum Noir alcohol ink markers to create a distress wood look on that old Wagoneer and beach shack. It was also my first time using the Life Changing Blender Brushes from Picket Fence and these brushes are all that and more! If you do a lot of work with oxide inks or sponging, trust me, you want these brushes! 
Card details:
The base of this A2 sized card is made from Neenah Solar White Smooth cardstock. Using the Lawnfawn Landscape die, I cut the background out of this same white cardstock. I sponged Walnut Distress Oxide ink all over the back of this landscape die to create the look of sand. I sponged the background in Broken China and Twisted Citron Distress Oxide inks and the Life Changing Brushes. I stamped all of the images in Tuxedo Memento Black ink on white cardstock and die cut them using the coordinating die. I colored in all of the images using Spectrum Noir alcohol ink markers and added additional detailing with a Uniball White Gel Pen. I adhered all of the images to the card using 3M foam adhesive. I stamped "hey gullfriend" in the upper left corner of the card using Staz On ink. Lastly I added a coat of Clear Wink of Stella to all the images for added sparkle.
Here is the Gullfriend stamp set and coordinating dies from Pink & Main that I used to create this card:
I hope you have enjoyed today's card! Thanks for visiting!
XO, Crystal
Hello friends and happy Friday! I hope you have fun things planned for the weekend ahead.
I'll be painting. . . again! If I had actually sent (or even made) Easter cards this year, they might have quite closely resembled today's card! In fact, I purchased this stamp set called "McGregor's Garden" by Hello Bluebird specifically to create my Easter cards with. Then, whatever. . . life happens. . . and before you know it, Easter has come and gone. I'm over it, I didn't send Easter cards and the world did not end. Eh. There's always next year! 
Card details:
The base of this A2 sized card is made from Neenah Solar White Smooth cardstock. From the same white cardstock, I also cut the tree border. I'm so sorry, but I can't remember who makes this die! To create the background I simply dipped a small paintbrush in Tim Holtz' Cloudy Blue alcohol ink and "painted" the sky on Yupo paper. I used Tim Holtz Botanical (green) alcohol ink to "paint" the ground. I stamped all of the images on Neenah Solar White smooth cardstock using Tuxedo Memento black ink and colored them in with alcohol ink markers. Because I am not a pro at coloring with alcohol markers, I use a Sigma White Uniball gel pen to add additional details to most of my images. I die cut the images and adhered them to the card using 3M foam tape. Lastly I stamped the sentiment "Hello friend" in black Staz-On ink. *Note - you will want to use Staz-On ink when stamping on Yupo or any other glossy paper so it doesn't slide or smudge.
Here are the McGregor's Garden stamp set and coordinating dies from Hello Bluebird that I used to make today's card:
Thanks for visiting and have a wonderfully creative weekend!
XO, Crystal
Last Tuesday I taught a beginner's cardmaking class at my local library in West Springfield. This is a great community event that is sponsored by the library and free to the public. This year the class generated so much interest there was a wait list and enough to schedule a second class in June! Registration has not opened yet, but watch the library's Facebook page to reserve your spot for my next class on Tuesday, June 25th.
Today I am sharing with you one of the cards we made at the class last week. During this class you will also learn about the various types of inks, the differences between wood, rubber and photopolymer stamps, plus the best brands and weights of cardstock available and all the basic tools you need to begin making cards on your own. It's a LOT of information jammed into two hours, but, I'd like to think I make it pretty fun at the same time! 
Card details:
The base of this A2 sized card is made from Melon Mambo cardstock. Using the Gina Marie Designs Stitched Scalloped Rectangle Nesting dies, I cut the first layer from Neenah Solar White Smooth cardstock. Using Blushing Bride ink, I stamped the first layer of the wreath in the center of the scalloped cardstock. Using Melon Mambo ink, I stamped the second layer of the wreath directly over the lighter pink. Using a small flower punch, I punched six flowers from Blushing Bride cardstock and adhered them to the wreath using 3M foam tape for added height. In the center of each small flower, I added a pearl rhinestone. On a 5" strip of white cardstock, I stamped the sentiment in Tuxedo Memento Black ink. The sentiment is from Papertrey Ink's "Birthdays II Inside and Out" stamp set.
Here is the Magnolia Wreath bundle from Concord & 9th that I used to create this card:
Thanks for visiting and have a wonderfully creative day!
XO, Crystal
Hello readers! Not surprisingly enough, it's another rainy day here in Massachusetts. We've sure had our fair share of rain this spring. It has rained a LOT here in the past few weeks. While the grass has never looked more green, I am beyond ready for some blue skies and sunny days!
Today I am sharing a black and white card that I created with a masculine birthday in mind. Who else is forever running low on greeting cards for men? Although looking at it now, it would also make for a great New Year's card with a little modification. . . Are YOU a glass half full or a glass half empty person? I thought I was a glass-half-full person, but I'll tell you this - when my cell phone battery is less than 50%, I'm near panic freak-out mode, so, perhaps I am more of the glass half empty type! ; ) 
Card details:
The base of this A2 sized card is made from Basic Black cardstock. Using the Gina Marie Designs Stitched Scalloped Rectangle dies, I cut a sheet of Neenah Solar White cardstock. Using Tuxedo Memento Black ink, I randomly stamped little starbursts on this sheet of paper. I die cut the word "cheers" from both black cardstock and silver glimmer paper. I layered the two together with liquid adhesive and adhered them to the card using 3M foam tape. I die cut the martini glass and martini shaker out of black cardstock as well. I adhered these shadow images to the card using foam tape. I stamped the sentiment on a thin strip of white cardstock in Tuxedo Memento black ink. I adhered the sentiment to the card with 3M foam tape. Lastly, I added a few randomly placed rhinestones for added sparkle.
Here are the products from My Favorite Things that I used to create this card:
Thanks for visiting and have a wonderfully creative day!
XO, Crystal
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I, Crystal Komara, am solely responsible for this blog and all of its content, including, but not limited to designs, concepts, text, images and photographs. This website is for your personal enjoyment, inspiration and to help stimulate your own creativity.
If you use one of my posts, images, classes or designs please be sure to give credit where it is due. Thank you! 2019 © Disclosure:Whether gifted, or from my own supply, all of my recommendations are based on items that I use and truly love, and I think you will too. |
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