To create the first card, I die cut the Butterfly Garden Layer Plate C from white cardstock. I adhered this over a piece of rainbow patterned paper. I stamped one butterfly on each of five different colored cardstocks (red, orange, yellow, green and blue) and heat embossed the butterflies with white embossing powder. I used the coordinating Lovely Butterflies dies to die cut the butterflies out. ​I die cut a circle of vellum cardstock and stamped the sentiment in the middle of the circle in Versamark ink. I heat embossed the sentiment with white embossing powder and adhered it to the center of the card. I adhered the die cut butterflies down the left side of the card in a rainbow ROYGBIV pattern. I adhered the butterflies using small pieces of 3M foam adhesive.

I hope these rainbow cards will bring some sunshine to your day!

Hello readers and happy Saturday!  Today I am sharing a new digital stamp set called "Making It" from the RG  Avenue Monthly Card Club.  I'll be the first to admit that when I saw this geometic shaped stamp set, I was quite hesitant that it wasn't necessarily "my style."  But, part of being a designer and artist, means being unafraid to take chances and experiment with things outside of your comfort zone.  I was very pleasantly surprised with how these cards turned out using a rainbow theme of colors!  

The base of this A2 sized card is made from Neenah Solar White smooth cardstock.  Using the Altenew Watercolor Stripes Cover Die, I cut the background from Black Taffy sugar stock.  I printed the butterflies from the "Making It' stamp set on Neenah Solar White Smooth cardstock and colored them with Copic Markers.  I cut the butterflies out using my Brother Scan and Cut 2 machine.  I adhered the butterflies to the card using 3M foam adhesive.  I adhered some black baker's twine under the sentiment.  Lastly, I coated the butterflies with a layer of Dazzling Pat for added sparkle.  

Here is the "Making It' digital stamp set that I used to create today's set of cards:

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*Live class is held every 2nd Wednesday of each month*  Receive your Exclusive Download instantly after checkout and start creating! Exclusive Digital Download included with files in 5 formats; Regular PDF, Digital Die Cut Machine Outlined PDF, Mini PDF, SVG & JPEG. You will also receive an exclusive new stamp set each month to create your projects (Stamp Set available for by mail kits only).

Here’s what you receive in each Monthly Kit!– Create 4 gorgeous projects!
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Subscription:* In the mail kit Option (U.S. Purchases only) 6-month subscription at – $29.99 + Tax & Shipping each month.

I hope you have enjoyed this colorful array of cards!  Thanks for visiting. 

Hello friends and happy Friday!  Today I am very honored and happy to be participating in another fun blog hop called "Spread Joy Not Germs."  Much like the "Send Uplifting Smiles" blog hop that I posted about just an hour ago sponsored by Newton's Nook Designs, this hop is also designed to inspire you to create and spread joy through sending handmade cards.  There are over 153 bloggers and companies participating in this hop and there are many great prizes available as you will see at the end of this post.  

Today I'm happy to be representing Whimsy Stamps.  I have used their sweet Bunny Balloons stamp set to create my card for this hop. 

​Here is the rainbow themed card I created for this bloghop:

*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 sized business envelope and do not require additional postage.  The base of this slimline card is made from Neenah Solar White Smooth cardstock.  Using the Slimline Postage stamp die, I cut the frame from Neenah Solar White Smooth cardstock.  I lined the back of the frame with rainbow striped paper.  I stamped some of the cute little bunnies and balloons from the Bunny Balloons stamp set and colored them in using Copic markers.  I added the bunnies to the card with 3M foam adhesive for added height.  I stamped the sentiment in Memento Tuxedo black ink, notched the left edge and adhered it to the right side of the card.  Lastly, I added a coat of Clear Wink of Stella to the balloons for added sparkle. 

Sponsor and Prize List:

Catherine Pooler Designs - $20 Gift Certificate on each of the Brand Ambassadors' blogs 
Hedgehog Hollow - one month free sub to the box with free us shipping
Artesprix - Getting Started Kit
Beacon - Product gift bag 
Brutus Monroe - $50 GC
CAS-ual Fridays - Win the new release - over $80 value
Dina Kowal - Two $10 gift codes to Dina Kowal Creative
Dress My Craft - $35 gift certificate
Ellen Hutson - $35 Gift Certificate
Greeting Farm -$25 Gift Certificate
Heffy Doodle - £35 voucher for the store
iCrafter - $20 Gift Certificate 
Ink on 3 - $35 Gift Certificate
Joy Claire - $25 Gift Certificate
Miss Ink Stamps -$25 Gift Certificate
Pear Blossom Press -$25 gift certificate
Paper Sweeties - $50 Gift Certificate
Polka Dot Orchard- $20 Gift Certificate
Pink and Main - $25 Gift Certificate
Rabbit Hole Designs - $10.00 gift code on each DT members blogs
Sassy and Crafty Stamps - $35 Gift Certificate
STAMPlorations - $25 gift code on the STAMPlorations blog + $10 gift code on each designer blogs.
Taylored Expressions - $50 Gift Certificate
Trinity Stamps- $25 Gift Certificate
The Ton - $20 Gift Certificate (stamps, dies, ink or sequins)
Unity - two $25 Gift Certificates 
Whimsy Stamps - $15 GC on each of their Creative Team team blogs
WOW! Embossing Powder - two gift vouchers £30 UK or Europe & $30 for US winner
Xyron - Mega Runner, Refill & 1.5 inch sticker maker, refill
You're Next Stamp - $25 Gift Certificate
​

​For a full list of details and all those participating, you can always refer to:
Hedgehog Hollow
​Catherine Pooler
​

Thank you for visiting and have a wonderfully creative day!

Today the Newton's Nook Designs and Inky Paws Challenge Team members are hopping along to Send Uplifting Smiles!  Our goal today is to help brighten your day with uplifting and encouraging cards that will make you smile!  We know that many of you are under stay-at-home orders to help fight the spread of the Coronavirus and during this time of social distancing it's more important than ever to keep in touch with family and friends!  We encourage you to spend some time creating and sending cards to those who matter to you!  Check out all the stops on this hop to get inspired on ways YOU can send uplifting smiles!  

Please leave kind comments at all the stops on the hop for a chance to win a store credit to our shop (details at the bottom of this post). 

*A full supply list 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 into a regular #10 business sized mailing envelope, so no extra postage is required.  The base of this card is made from 80 lb. Neenah Solar White Crest cardstock.  As you will notice, I created a bit of "home" theme here starting with a little town at the bottom using the Snowglobe Scenes stamp set by Newton's Nook.  I stamped the town in Memento Tuxedo Black ink and used the coordinating Snowglobe Scenes dies to cut them out.  The town was colored in a rainbow array of Copic markers.  Then I progressed into the city still using the Snowglobe Scenes stamp set, but also added the Eiffel Tower from Newton Dreams of Paris stamp set and Big Ben from Newton Dreams of London.  I kept the city in a neutral range of various gray tones.  Then at the very top of the card, I incorporated the castle and clouds from the Once Upon a Princess (soon to be retiring!) stamp set.  The whole card was tied together by lots of rainbow colors and layering with 3M foam adhesive.  Lastly, I stamped the sentiment "Home is wherever we are together" at the bottom of the card in Memento Tuxedo Black ink.  This sentiment was from the Newton's Nook Cozy Camper stamp set.  

Inspired?
What will you create? Newton's Nook Designs is having a sale this weekend too so you can stock up on your favorites to make some cards today! Check out their shop at www.newtonsnookdesigns.com for details! 

Send Uplifting Smiles Hop Giveaway!
Would you like to win a $25 store credit to Newton's Nook Designs online shop?
We are giving them out to TWO lucky winners!

Here's how to win:
Comment on the NND blog and Design Team blogs (see list below)! The winner will be chosen at random from the collective reveal posts. Make sure to check out each of their blogs and comment for your chance to win. You will not know which blog has been chosen so the more you comment on the better your chances are of winning! You have until Monday, April 20th at 9pm EST to comment -- winners will be announced on the blog post on Tuesday, April 21st.

Check out all the awesome Design Team Blogs below to enter:
Newton's Nook Designs
Ellen Haxelmans
Larissa Heskett
Samantha Mann
Zsofia Molnar
Maria Russell
Andrea Shell
Tatiana Trafimovich
Amanda Wilcox
Debbie Owens
Diane Morales
Becky Noelle
Crystal Komara (You are here!)

Who says sunflowers have to be all yellow and gold?!  Well, until I saw two cards created by my fellow Creative Team Members at Whimsy Stamps, I did!   Knowing nothing about sunflowers, or any flowers really for that matter, I had it set in my mind that sunflowers must be traditional.  B-O-R-I-N-G!   
​Life is infinitely better in a rainbow of colors!

*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 carsdtock.  Using the Altenew Watercolor Stripes Cover die, I cut the frame from white cardstock.  I lined the back of the frame with a piece of rainbow paper from the Whimsy Stamps Rainbow paper pack.  I stamped the large Sunflower background stamp on Bristol Smooth cardstock and heat embossed the sunflower with white embossing powder.  Then I sponged Distress Oxides inks in a rainbow of color over the embossing.  I fussy cut the sunflower out and adhere it to the card using 3M foam adhesive.  I added a couple die cut leaves in white cardstock and stamped the sentiment (from the Happy Sky stamp set by Whimsy Stamps) in Memento Tuxedo black ink. 
​​

Here are two cards created by Bev and Michelle that inspired ME to think outside of the box:

​I hope today's rainbow sunflower brings you a sunshine-y smile.  Thank you for visiting!

Hello readers!  Thank you for taking the time out of your busy day to visit my website.  I do hope you find creativity and inspiration while you are here.  If you would like to learn more about ME, please click here.  Do you live in Western Massachusetts or Northwestern Connecticut and want to take a class?  You can view my home studio schedule here.   Please feel free to ask me a question anytime or send me an email at ckomara@comcast.net.   I am happy to help YOU in your creative journey in any way that I can.

Today I am sharing some very vibrant, artistic cards.  I just love how bold and colorful these came out!  These are what I call "happy cards!"  If you recall, last month I shared the amazing new 6 x 6" Rainbow paper pack  from Whimsy Stamps, and I have used that same paper pack again today to create these two cards.  I have also added the Artist Toolkit stamp set by Whimsy Stamps and they work together so perfectly.  

*A full supply list 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 red cardstock and adhered it directly to the card base.  I used a piece of striped rainbow paper from the Whimsy Stamps Rainbow paper pack and cut it to 5" x 3" and placed it along the bottom half of the card.  I stamped all of the paint bottles, brushes and tubes in Memento Tuxedo Black ink on Neenah Solar White Smooth cardstock.  I colored the images in a rainbow of colors using Copic markers.  I added a few highlights to the colored images using a Uniball white gel pen.  I cut all of the images out using my Vagabond 2 electronic cutting machine.  I adhered the images to the card in a rainbow pattern using foam adhesive to apply the images, thereby giving the card a two-dimensional feel.  I stamped the sentiment in the upper right corner using Memento Tuxedo Black ink.  

The base of this A2 sized card is made from Neenah Solar White Smooth cardstock.  I stamped the sentimentin Memento Tuxedo black ink in the bottom right hand corner.  I matted a 5 " x 2 1/2" piece of the Rainbow paper pack with a rich purple background.  I adhered this to the top half of the card base.  I stamped all of the paint brushes, bottles and tubes in Memento Tuxedo Black ink on Neenah Solar White Smooth cardstock.  I colored the images in a rainbow of colors using Copic markers.  I added a few highlights to the colored images using a Uniball white gel pen.  I cut all of the images out using my Vagabond 2 electronic cutting machine.  I adhered the images to the card in a rainbow pattern using foam adhesive to apply the images, thereby giving the card a two-dimensional feel.  

I think you'll agree that these cards are so fun and cheerful no matter what kind of art you create!​ 
Thank you for visiting and I wish you a bright, bold and beautiful day!

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: 

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!

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.  

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.  

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!

Hello friends! Today I'm delighted to share with you a new RG Avenue release called Sending Bunches.  I am SOOOooo in love with the beauty of this stamp set!  First, I think hot air balloons in and of themselves are a sight to behold, and then you add a bouquet of flowers in lieu of a basket and oh my pretty!

The base of this A2 sized card is made from Rich Cherry cardstock.  Using the Gina Marie Scalloped Stitched Nesting Rectangle dies, I die cut a piece of Neenah Solar White Smooth cardstock for the first matted layer.  As the Sending Bunches stamp set is a digital stamp, I printed out the images on Neenah Solar White Smooth cardstock and colored them with my Copic markers.  As always, I add highlights to the colored images with a white gel pen.  I used my Scan & Cut machine to cut the images and began adhering them to the card using 3M foam adhesive for added dimension.  I also popped up the sentiment.  Lastly, I added a double coat of clear Wink of Stella to the flowers and balloons for added sparkle. 

Thank you for visiting!  I hope you have a wonderfully creative day!

Hello readers and TGIF!  I hope you have things planned for the weekend ahead.  Tomorrow is World Cardmaking Day so I hope that you will find a little crafting time over the next two days.  I pretty much forget about it every year, but I really need to plan ahead and create a special event or class just to celebrate the day with all of my crafty friends.

Today I'm sharing a bright card featuring the stamp set "Up" by Stamplistic.  Whenever I visit a stamp show, the Stamplistic booth is always one of my favorite.  Stamplistic stamps are filled with so many layers and Swarovski crystal's that they are AH-mazing!  The photographs of this card really do not do justice to the six layers and all the sparkle.  I am truly always in awe by their beautiful designs as the Stamplistic Cut & Layer stamps are unlike any other on the market.   Yes, they are a little time consuming to stamp and die cut the multiple layers, but the end result is always so worth it.

The base of this card is made from Neenah Solar White Smooth cardstock.  The first matted layer is a piece of Lovely Lipstick cardstock that I die cut using the Gina Marie Designs Scalloped Stitched Nesting Rectangle dies.  I cut a 5" x 3 3/"4 sheet of white cardstock and stamped the "hello" sentiment in Lovely Lipstick ink on the lower right corner.  Next, I stamped the entire hot air balloon in Versamark ink SIX times - once each on Lovely Lipstick, Pumpkin Pie, Daffodil Delight, Pear Pizzazz, Blueberry Bushel and Highland Heather cardstock.  I heat embossed each with white embossing powder.  Using the coordinating dies, I began to die cut each layer of the balloon out and layer on top of each other using foam adhesive, so that each layer pops individually.  Once the card was all layered, I add a clear rhinestone to each "circle" that was already marked by the stamp set itself.  Lastly, I added a coat of clear Wink of Stella to the entire balloon for even more sparkle. 

Here is the "Up" stamp set and coordinating layering dies by Stamplistic that I used to create this card:

Thank you for taking the time to visit!  Have a great weekend!