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Hello friends and happy Saturday! I hope you are all enjoying a nice weekend so far. It is 93* and insanely hot and humid here in Massachusetts today, so I'm happy to be inside crafting with my friend Donna, who is here from L.A. visiting for a long weekend. Today I am linking up with the My Favorite Things Color Challenge #166, which is a fun blend of purples, teals and gray. I haven't played along with any card challenges in quite a while, but Donna participates in them frequently and has inspired me to begin creating again using challenges as my guide.  Card details:This slimline card measures 8 1/2" x 3 1/2" inches. The base of the card is made from 80 lb. Neenah Solar White Smooth cardstock. Using a piece of teal houndstooth paper (source unknown) I cut an 8 1/4" x 3 1/4" piece for the first layered mat. I used the Whimsy Stamps Slimline Postage die for the white frame background. Using the Whimsy Stamps Slimline Bunting Border dies, I die cut the banners from teal and purple glitter cardstock. I stamped the images from MFT Stamps Sending Sweet Celebration Wishes in Memento Tuxedo Black ink on white cardstock. I colored the images, using the required challenge colors, with Copic markers. I die cut the images using the coordinating MFT Stamps Sending Sweet Celebration Wishes dies. I adhered the images to the card using 3M foam adhesive for added dimension. I stamped the sentiment Memento Tuxedo Black ink on white cardstock and adhered it to the card using 3M foam adhesive. Lastly, I added a coat of clear Wink of Stella to the images for added sparkle.   Here is the color challenge from My Favorite Things that inspired today's card:   Thank you for visiting and have a wonderfully creative weekend! XO, Crystal
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Birthday cards are probably one of the cards I make and send most. But, how do you make a card for a grown man look classy and elegant? I found that it's really quite easy with a simple black, gold and white color combination. Add some balloons and champagne (wine or beer works too) and cheers to the years! Today's cards will be the first of many cards I share this month using a similar color palette.   Card details:The base of this A2 sized card is made from black cardstock. Using the Stitched Scalloped Rectangles from Gina Marie Designs, I die cut the background from Neenah Solar White crest cardstock. I die cut a half circle in the center of this white cardstock and lined the back with clear acetate in order to make a shaker card. I lined the back of the hole with a gold foil striped paper. I added black, gold and white sequins to the shaker. I heat embossed the word "cheers" in gold embossing powder on the front lower right corner of the card. I stamped the champagne bottle and two wine classes in Versamark ink on black cardstock before heat embossing them with gold embossing powder. I fussy cut the images out and adhered them to the card using 3M foam adhesive. *I used the "Cheers" (retired) stamp set from 88 and Clear to create both of these cards.     Thanks for visiting and have a wonderfully creative day! XO, Crystal
Hello readers and welcome back from the weekend! I hope you found a little time to do something crafty. It's Monday, so today we have a new challenge to share with you at Inky Paws Challenge. Challenge #135 is a sketch challenge. Using the sketch shown in the image below, share with us YOUR creations!
For some reason, I really struggled with this layout, even though it really seems quite simple! Here is my take on the sketch:
Card details:
*A full list of supplies is located at the end of this post.
The base of this A2 sized card is made from 80 lb. Neenah Solar White Smooth cardstock. Using the Frames & Flags die set, I cut the first mat from purple cardstock. I then cut a 5" x 3/4" piece of white cardstock for inside the scalloped frame. I used a piece of Lawn Fawn Really Rainbow paper to place diagonally across the white cardstock (to mimic the sketch image) and stamped "It's Your Day" in purple ink just below the paper. Using the Balloon Shaker Frames die set, I cut two balloons from pink and purple glittery cardstock and filled each with pink and irridiscent sequins. I stamped the backing of each balloon with "Yay" and "Make a Wish" sentiments from the "Birthday Essentials" stamp set in pink and purple inks. I adhered the balloons to the card using 3M foam adhesive. 
Are you ready to get your paws inky with us and play along to win a prize? We will chose a RANDOM entry to win a $20 store credit to our Newton's Nook Designs online shop! We will also highlight our favorites from each challenge the following Monday so all entries have a chance to be featured on this blog!
You have TWO WEEKS to play along - Deadline to enter is Friday, November 6th , 2020 at Midnight CST. The winners will be announced on the Newton's Nook blog the following Monday. Are you ready to play along and get your paws inky? Make sure you check the challenge rules page before you link up your project. XO, CrystalList of supplies:Hello friends and happy Friday! I hope you have fun things planned for the weekend ahead. I hope to be spending lots of time in my craft room as I have many projects to design for some upcoming deadlines! I tried to accomplish some of them last weekend, but I have been feeling a little less than inspired lately, so. . hello procrastination, party of one! Now it's crunch time. . . Today I am sharing another slimline birthday card using the same Slimline Birthday Scallops die and Celebrate Word dies from Whimsy Stamps that I used yesterday, but this card has a whole different look!  Card details:*A full list of supplies is located at the end of this post. The base of this slimline card is made from Basic Black cardstock. Using the Five Frames Slimline die, I cut the frame initially from Neenah White Solar Smooth cardstock. Then I cut the frame five more times in Lovely Lipstick cardstock, Calypso Coral cardstock, Daffodil Delight cardstock, Granny Apple Green cardstock and finally Pacific Point cardstock. I cut candles from each of the same color and adhered the candles directly to the background on a sheet of white cardstock. I sprinkled about three tablespoons of rainbow colored sequins directly over the candles before I created the shaker frame. I lined the back of the frame with a sheet of acetate and then lined over the acetate end-to-end wit foam adhesive before placing the frame over the candles and sequins. Press firmly to ensure all ends are sealed and that sequins cannot fall out. Using the "celebrate" word dies, I cut the bold shadow from black cardstock and the thinner script word from silver glitter cardstock. I adhere both layers together using a Lawn Fawn glue pen. Then I adhered the entire word sentiment to the front of the card using 3M foam adhesive for added dimension.     Thank you for visiting and have a great weekend! XO, CrystalList of supplies:
Today I am very excited to be sharing an awesome new slimline die from Whimsy Stamps called Slimline Stars Background Die. I am already so in love with this fun die and my brain is just swirling with ideas! I have made my card into a birthday theme by combining it with the Birthday Slimline Scallop dies, but if you scroll until the end of today's post, you can also see a variety of other ideas using this same Slimline Star background die from my fellow design team members. I always find it so neat to say how multiple people use the same product!  Card details: *A full list of supplies is located at the end of this post. This slimline card measures 8 1/2" x 3 1/2". Slimline cards are designed to fit inside a regular #10 business sized envelope and require no additional postage. The base of this card is made from Neenah Solar White smooth cardstock. I die cut the Slimline Star frame from black cardstock and placed an 8" x 3" piece of gold glitter paper behind the frame before adhering both to the card base. I die cut the candles multiple times from Melon Mambo cardstock, Basic Black cardstock, white cardstock and gold glitter cardstock before layering them all together in the center of the card. For the sentiment, I die cut the shadow layer of the word "celebrate" from Melon Mambo cardstock and the skinny top layer from white cardstock. I adhered both layers of the word together using a fine glue pen and and adhered the entire word itself to the card using 3M foam adhesive for added dimension.    I hope you have enjoyed seeing the card I created using the new Slimline Stars background die. Here are more samples using this same die from the Whimsy Stamps Design Team to help inspire you!     Thank you for visiting and have a wonderfully creative day! XO, CrystalList of supplies:
Hello friends! It's another exciting new release of products at Whimsy Stamps and I have a fun card to show you using the new Slimline Connected Bubbles die. Did you know that Whimsy Stamps is actually the innovator of the slimline dies and has more than 10 dies to choose from with more on the way? That's right, slimline dies all started with Whimsy and many other companies have followed this hugely popular card trend!  Card details:*A full list of supplies is located at the end of this post. The base of this slimline card is made from Coastal Cabana cardstock. I cut a 8 1/4" x 3 1/4" piece of Neenah Solar White Smooth cardstock for the mat. I randomly stamped ink splatters in both Coastal Cabana ink and Daffodil Delight ink on this white background. Using the new Slimline Connected Bubbles die, I cut the bubbles from Coastal Cabana cardstock and adhere this to the center of the card. Using the Best Fishes stamp set, I stamped the fish in Memento Tuxedo Black ink on white cardstock. I colored the fish using Copic markers and then used my Brother Scan and Cut 2 electronic cutting machine to cut the fish out (in lieu of fussy cutting). I adhered the fish randomly to the card using 3M foam adhesive for added dimension. I stamped the sentiment "Best Fishes" in Memento Tuxedo Black ink on a strip of white cardstock, notched the left end and adhered it to the lower right hand side of the card with 3M foam adhesive. Lastly, I added a coat of Clear Wink of Stella to the fish for added sparkle.     I hope you have enjoyed this fun card! To see more of the latest release products from Whimsy Stamps, please click here. Thanks for visiting and have a wonderfully creative day! XO, CrystalList of supplies:
Earlier this month on one of my "off" weeks from work, I decided to begin assembling some cardmaking kits for my friends, family and local stampers. Since the beginning of March, when the Covid-19 pandemic began, I have not been able to hold classes in my home studio, or in the community. I keep receiving emails and text messages from my regular attendees who state how much they miss coming to classes, which just warms my heart as I miss hosting and teaching too! So, I have been creating a variety of kits and making doorstop deliveries so that my class comes to them! And WOW, are they are a hit! With each and every new card kit I create, they are selling out within two days! I am so happy that I can help my friends and family from a little boredom at home. Here is one of the poppy themed birthday card kits I put together using the beautiful "Painted Poppies" stamp set by Stampin' UP!        Here is the Painted Poppies stamp set by Stampin' UP! that was the focal point of this card kit:    Ladies, I hear your requests and I promise, there ARE more kits coming, I just need to replenish some supplies! Thanks for visiting and have a wonderfully creative weekend friends! XO, CrystalHello readers and welcome back from the weekend! I hope you found a little time to do something crafty. Today I am sharing another card that I made for the Newton's Nook Inky Paws Challenge #121. This week we have a theme challenge to inspire you. Our challenges run for two weeks, thereby giving you more time to create, so I have designed a second card to share with you this week that was still inspired by the same image seen below:  Here is the card I created inspired by the birthday theme challenge:  Card details:*A full list of supplies is located at the end of this post. The base of this A2 sized card is made from Neenah Solar White Crest cardstock. I diecut a semi-circle in a sheet of 5 1/4" x 4" piece of white cardstock to adhere on top of the card base. I stamped the sentiment "Have a pawsome birthday" in Blueberry Bushel blue ink in the lower left corner of the card. Behind the semi circle, I created a stenciled background. First I layered Peacock Feathers Distress oxide on a sheet of Bristol Smooth white cardstock. Then I used a glitter shimmer paste over the Balloon stencil and let that dry before adhering it behind the semi circle. I stamped the cat and multiple balloons in Memento Tuxedo black and colored them with Copic markers. I cut the images out with the coordinating dies and adhered them to the card using 3M foam adhesive. Lastly, I added a few highlights to the images using a Uniball white gel pen.     Will this theme inspire YOU to create? Are you ready to get your paws inky with us and play along for a chance to win?! We will randomly select one linked entry to receive a $20 store credit to the Newton's Nook Designs online shop! We will also highlight our favorites from each challenge the following Monday, so that all entries have a chance to be featured on the Newton's Nook Designs blog. Please make sure you review the challenge rules page before you link up your project! The deadline to enter is Friday, April 24th, at midnight CST. XO, CrystalList of supplies:
Hello friends and happy Monday! I hope you all had a nice weekend, most likely doing the same ol', same ol' now! I am excited to be sharing my card for the Newton's Nook Inky Paws Challenge today. I frequently hear from friends and fellow stampers that they aren't creative enough to design something on their own, or that they don't know what colors to use. They feel frustrated before they even begin because they don't know where to begin. I understand! Yes, I've been there too! That's the concept behind a card challenge. It can help to inspire you and get the creative juices flowing by giving you a place to start. Challenge #121 by Newton's Nook is a theme challenge. Let the image below be your inspiration for creating a card (or scrapbook page) and see where this challenge takes you!
I created a shaker birthday card for this challenge using the Newton's Nook Fabulous Frenchies stamp set and a colorful background of Distress Oxide inks. I don't typically use Distress Oxide inks because they are, 1) messy and, 2) out of my comfort zone. But, I'm pretty sure if there was ever a time to be out of your comfort zone, the months of March and April 2020 are it!
Card details:
*A full supply list is located at the end of this post.
The base of this A2 sized card is made from 80 lb. Neenah Classic Crest cardstock. On a 5 1/4" x 4" piece of Bristol Smooth cardstock I created the distressed background. I ink blended Distress Oxide inks in Twisted Citron, Wilted Violet and Ripened Raspberry. Then I stamped little paws in Wilted Violet ink. I cut a piece of grass using the Lawn Fawn Grassy Hillside die and splattered that with Twisted Citron ink. I created the balloon shaker using the Newton's Nook Balloon Shaker die set. I stamped the sentiment inside the balloon in purple ink and filled the balloon with iridescent sequins and a die cut green bow. 
I stamped two of the French bulldogs (and two party hats) in Tuxedo Memento Black ink on Neenah Solar White smooth cardstock and colored them in with Copic markers. I die cut the bulldogs and party hats using the coordinating Fabulous Frenchies die set. I adhered the bulldogs to the card using 3M foam adhesive for added dimension.
Will this theme inspire YOU to create? Are you ready to get your paws inky with us and play along for a chance to win?! We will randomly select one linked entry to receive a $20 store credit to the Newton's Nook Designs online shop!
We will also highlight our favorites from each challenge the following Monday, so that all entries have a chance to be featured on the Newton's Nook Designs blog. Please make sure you review the challenge rules page before you link up your project! Deadline to enter is Friday, April 24th, at midnight CST. Thanks for visiting and I hope to see your creations there! XO, CrystalList of supplies:Hello friends, today I have a whole array of birthday cards to share with you that were all created using the same "free" Happy Birthday to You stamp set by Stampin' UP! I say "free" because technically, you only receive this stamp set free with a $50 order! So no, free it is not! I make a lot of birthday cards and I didn't have a simple large birthday cake stamp set that didn't involve layering stamps or detailed dies, so this set really appealed to me. The only downside was it had no coordinating die, so I did all the fussy cutting for each of these cards!  Card details:*All of these cards were made using the same layout, I simply alternated patterns of paper and color choices. Each A2 sized card was made from Neenah Solar White smooth cardstock. I then cut a 5 1/4" x 4' piece of designer patterned paper to line the card base. Using the Scalloped Stitched Nesting Rectangle Dies from Gina Marie Designs, I cut a scalloped piece of cardstock. I lined the scalloped piece of cardstock with a 3 1/4" x 2 1/4" piece of white cardstock. I stamped the sentiment at the bottom of this white cardstock in Memento Tuxedo black ink. On a separate sheet of white cardstock, I stamped the large cake in Memento Tuxedo black ink and then colored the cake with Copic markers. I fussy cut each cake and adhered it to the card using foram adhesive for added dimension. I die cut a silver leaf and green leaf to tuck in behind the cake for more detail and interest. Lastly, I added a couple randomly placed clear rhinestones for more sparkle.        Here is the "Happy Birthday to You" stamp set from Stampin' UP! that I used to create these cards:   I hope you have enjoyed seeing a wide array of cards in various colors all made using the same stamp set. Thanks for visiting and have a wonderfully creative day! XO, CrystalYou might also enjoy:
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