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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, Crystal
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Hello 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:
Hello again readers, this is my second post for today as I had a few deadlines to meet, and fortunately, I was able to spend a good portion of the weekend (and most likely the foreseeable future) in my craft room. Before I get to today's card, I would just like to take a brief minute to let my readers and followers know that I am thinking of you all, as well as your friends and your families, in these unprecedented times that we are all facing. I wish you good health, love, light and positive vibes. Above all, please remember to be kind always and take care of one another. "A person's most useful asset is not a head full of knowledge, or pockets full of gold, but a heart full of love, an ear ready to listen and hands willing to help." Today's fun slimline card features the yummy "Frosting Tops" digital stamp set from RG Avenue. For more information about digital stamping, please read here.  Card details:*A full supply list is located at the end of this post. The base of this slimline card is made from Berry carsdtock. This slimline card measures 8 1/2" x 3 1/2" long. I lined the base of the card with a piece of Neenah Solar White smooth cardstock. I splattered Berry and lime green ink on the white cardstock. I printed all the images from the "Frosting Tops" stamp set onto Neenah Solar White smooth cardstock. I colored the images and ran it through my Scan and Cut to electronically cut the images for me. I added a few highlights to each image with a Uniball white gel pen. I adhered the cupcakes to the card with 3M foam adhesive for added dimension. Lastly, I tied a piece of lime green twine around the card and tied a bow to complete the card.     I hope you have enjoyed today's sweet card. Thanks for visiting and please stay safe and healthy friends! XO, CrystalList of supplies:
Hello readers and happy Sunday! I hope you are all enjoying a nice weekend. Happy 1st day of March! Today I am joining the rest of the Design Team celebrating a new monthly release of products from Whimsy Stamps. There is just no possible way I can introduce today's fun new Chameleon Party stamp set without actually thinking of the Culture Club's "Karma Chameleon" hit song. So now, you too will have it in YOUR head.
All. Day. Long. You're welcome! : ) 
Card details:
A list of supplies (with shopping links) is located at the end of this post.
The base of this A2 sized card is made from Jelly Bean Green cardstock. Using the Scalloped Stitched Nesting Rectangle dies from Gina Marie Designs, I cut the frame from Neenah Solar White Smooth cardstock. I cut the stitched half circle from the Whimsy Stamps Rainbow paper pack and adhered it directly to the center of the card. I cut a thin strip of Jelly Bean green cardstock to adhere to the bottom of the card (for the chameleon to be grounded on). I heat embossed the sentiment in white embossing powder in the center of the semi-circle. On a separate sheet of white cardstock, I stamped the chameleon image in Memento Tuxedo Black ink. I colored the chameleon with Copic markers. I adhered the image to the card using 3M foam adhesive for added dimension. Lastly, I added a coat of Clear Wink of Stella to the chameleon for added sparkle. 
2nd Card Details:
*A full list of supplies (with clickable links) is located at the end of this post.
The base of this A2 sized card is made from Neenah Solar White Smooth cardstock. Using the Gina Marie Designs Scalloped Stitched Nesting Rectangles, I cut the first layer from Jelly Bean Green cardstock. I created a rainbow colored alcohol ink background. 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 red, orange, green, yellow and blue ink. Once the alcohol ink dried, I stamped the chameleon and the balloons on a separate sheet of white cardstock in Memento Tuxedo black ink. I colored in the images with Copic markers. Then I added the images to the card using 3M foam adhesive for added dimension. Lastly, I put a coat of clear Wink of Stella on the chameleon and balloons for added sparkle. 
I hope you have enjoyed these fun rainbow reptilian cards today. Please check out Whimsy Stamps to see more of their new March release!
Thanks for visiting and enjoy the rest of your weekend! XO, CrystalList of supplies:
Hello friends! Today I have two different cards to share with you using the new "Beaver Birthday" stamp set from the February release at Whimsy Stamps. The first card is a punny card based on the included sentiments, and the second card would be a good one to send to your Canadian friends celebrating the country's national holiday. I have just one Canadian friend (Hi Margaret!) so she's sure to see this card pop up in her mailbox one day!
Card details:
*A full list of supplies (with shopping links) is located at the end of this post.
The base of this A2 sized card is made from Neenah Solar White Smooth cardstock. Using the Peekaboo Window 3 die, I cut the frame from Crumb Cake carsdtock. I backed the three circles of the frame with little scraps of red heart paper. I backed the large window with a piece of woodgrain patterned paper. I stamped all of the images from the Beaver Birthday stamp set in Memento Tuxedo Black Ink on Neenah Solar White Smooth cardstock. I colored all of the images with Copic markers and added some white highlights to each image with a Uniball white gel pen. I used my Scan and Cut 2 electronic die cutting machine to cut out the images and then I adhered them to the card using foam adhesive. Lastly, I added a coat of clear Wink of Stella to the images for added sparkle. 
Here is the second card I created using the same Beaver Birthday stamp set:
Card details:
The base of this A2 sized card is made from Neenah White Solar Smooth cardstock. Using a piece of kraft colored paper from the Lawn Fawn Woodgrain paper pack, I cut a 5 1/4" x 4" piece of woodgrain paper and mounted it directly to the card base. Using the Gina Marie Scalloped Stitched Nesting Rectangle dies, I cut a piece of Real Red cardstock. I cut a 4" x 2 3/4" piece of white cardstock to mount directly on top of the red rectangle. I stamped the sentiment in the upper right corner in Real Red ink. I stamped all of the images on a separate piece of white cardstock and colored the images with Copic markers. I added highlights to the images using a white Uniball gel pen. I used my Scan and Cut 2 electronic cutting machine to cut out the images and then I adhered them to the card using foam adhesive. Lastly, I added a coat of clear Wink of Stella to the images for added sparkle.
I hope you have enjoyed today's cards. Thanks for visiting and have a wonderfully creative day!
XO, CrystalList of supplies:
Hello friends and TGIF! I hope you have fun things planned for the weekend ahead. I am very thankful that it's a 3-day holiday weekend because I still have craft bags to unpack from our retreat at the Cape two weeks ago and lots of organizing to do. My Brother P-Touch label maker and I will be spending LOTS of time together! ; )
Today I am sharing a fun boy's birthday card using a new stamp set from Whimsy Stamps called "Goth Doll Boy." I kept this card simple enough with just a little touch of plaid to pick up the colors from the dogs and the boy's shirt. 
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 smooth cardstock. I cut a 5 1/4" x 4" piece of navy cardstock to adhere directly to the card base. Using the Gina Marie Stitched Nesting Rectangle dies, I cut a piece of white cardstock and a piece of plaid cardstock from the dies. I put half of the white cardstock on top of the navy paper and half of the plaid cardstock on the lower portion of the card over the navy cardstock. I stamped the sentiment in navy ink in the upper right corner of the white cardstock. 
I also cut a thin strip of navy cardstock and notched both ends before adhering it to center of the card to "ground" my images. I stamped the boy and the dog in Memento Tuxedo black ink on a separate piece of white cardstock. I colored the images with Copic markers and added some highlights to the image with a Uniball white gel pen. I fussy cut the images out and adhered them to the card using foam adhesive.
Thank you for visiting and have a wonderfully creative weekend!
XO, CrystalList of supplies:
Hello friends, today I'm excited to share more new release products with you from Whimsy Stamps. This is the "Happy Sky" stamp set and Rainbow 6" paper pack. If you recall, last week I shared with you the beautiful Rainbow paper pack too and it is just so full of color. I've received so many compliments on my cards and I tell them the secret is in the paper!   Here is the Happy Sky stamp set and Rainbow paper pack that I used to create these cards:
 Card details:The base of this A2 sized card is a piece of kraft cardstock. Using the Peekaboo Window Frame die, I cut a piece of white cardstock. I put a small piece of Rainbow paper behind each window of the frame that coordinated with the balloons colors. I stamped the sentiment in Memento Tuxedo black ink in the lower right hand corner of the frame. I then stamped each of the hot air balloons directly ON the rainbow paper (no need to color!!) and the fussy cut the balloons out and adhered them to the card with foam adhesive. I used the coordinating Happy Sky dies to cut clouds out of each coordinating color of rainbow paper. I added highlights to all of my images using a white Uniball gel pen. Lastly, I added a coat of Clear Wink of Stella to all the images for added sparkle.   Here is the second card I created using the same Happy Sky stamp set and Rainbow paper pack:     I hope you are enjoying these fun new products from Whimsy Stamps. I still will have more to share with you tomorrow! XO, CrystalYou might also enjoy:
Happy Saturday, friends! I hope your weekend is off to a great start! It is a very exciting day today for a variety of reasons, 1) I'm home packing right now as we leave tomorrow for our annual craft retreat on the Cape, and, 2) I'm excited to share with you the new February release from Whimsy Stamps! Today I will be focusing on the "Best Fishes" stamp set and Rainbows paper pack. But, if you would like to see more of the new release products, please click here for the Whimsy Stamps website.
I have three very different cards to share with you today that were all created using the same "Best Fishes" stamp set and Rainbows paper pack. You NEED this paper! It is so full of fun patterns and vibrant colors and they will add so much color and WOW to your projects.
Card details:
The base of this card is made from Neenah Solar White smooth cardstock. I mounted a piece of black cardstock to the top half of the card and a piece of the Rainbow Paper Pack to the bottom. I then added a small piece of white cardstock to the top again. I stamped the sentiment "Seas the Day" in Memento Black ink on the center of this cardstock. I stamped each of the fish in Memento Tuxedo Black ink on white cardstock and colored them using Copic markers. I added a few highlights to each fish with a white gel pen. I cut the fish out using my Scan and Cut 2 e-cutting machine. I adhered the fish to the center of the card in a rainbow array using 3M foam adhesive. Lastly, I added a coat of Clear Wink of Stella to the fish for added sparkle and a couple clear rhinestones to resemble bubbles.
Card details:
The base of this A2 sized card is made from Crumb Cake cardstock. Using the Whimsy Stamps Peekaboo 1 die, I cut the frame from white cardstock. I then adhered a piece of the Rainbow Paper Pack paper behind the window frame to let the rainbow colors shine through. I stamped the sentiment in the lower right corner in Memento Tuxedo Black ink. I stamped three of the fish from the Best Fishes stamp set in Memento Tuxedo black ink on white cardstock and colored them using Copic Markers. I cut the fish out using my Scan and Cut 2 e-cutting machine. I added a few highlights to each fish using a white gel pen. I adhered the fish to the card using 3M foam adhesive. Lastly, I added a coat of Clear Wink of Stella to the fish for added sparkle and a couple clear rhinestones to resemble bubbles.
And finally, here is the last card I created using these same products. Look at that beautiful rainbow bokeh background and it was all created with just a simple piece of paper!
I hope you have enjoyed this first look at the February release from Whimsy Stamps. I'll be taking next week off to fully enjoy my vacation, but, I will see you back here on Tuesday, February 11th, with MORE of this month's release from Whimsy Stamps!
Thanks for visiting and have a wonderfully creative weekend! XO, Crystal |
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