Crystal Komara
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Classic Sentimental Wreath

5/23/2022

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Hello readers! Today I am on the Birch Press Design blog and while I know there is a beautiful new release of the hot foils in the shop right now, I always love to use some of the "oldies but goodies." Everyone seems to always get caught up in what's the newest or latest and greatest product, but SOooo many of us haven't even used what we already own, so that's what I've been working on this month. Today's card features the beautiful Classic Sentimental Wreath stamp set and coordinating dies.  
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Card details: 

​The base of this A2 sized card is made from 80 lb. Neenah Solar White smooth cardstock. This is my go-to white cardstock for e-v-e-r-y-t-h-i-n-g. On a 5 1/4" x 4" piece of white cardstock, I embossed it using the Blooming 3D embossing folder from Memory Box (a sister company to BPD). You guys, this folder is absolutely gorgeous! I cut a scalloped rectangle from white cardstock. 
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​On a piece of lush green cardstock, I stamped the wreath first in pale green ink and then the leaf layers in lime green ink. I used the coordinating die to cut the wreath out. I adhered the wreath to the scalloped rectangle using 3M foam adhesive. I stamped two of the flower sprigs in purple ink and used the die to cut them out as well. I adhered the two floral sprigs to the wreath and then I tied a small bow with lilac ribbon and adhered the bow to the card using a glue dot. I stamped the sentiment "thank for everything" in Memento Tuxedo black ink. This sentiment is also part of the Classic Sentiment Wreath stamp set.
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This is one of those cards that I say can be used for every type of occasion. I could easily swap out the sentiment for a sympathy, birthday or get well expression and create a variety of quick and elegant cards.  I hope you have enjoyed the simplicity of today's card. Thanks for visiting and have a wonderfully creative day!
​

XO, Crystal 

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Truly Inspired May Mood Board

5/6/2022

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Hello readers!  Today I am on the Joy Clair Designs blog sharing another card that was inspired by this month's beautiful mood board.  In case you missed it, on the first of every single month, we share a mood board that is designed to inspire YOU to create.  Mood boards (also commonly called “inspiration” boards) are a combination of colors, images, textures and patterns that can offer guidance or direction.  If you feel like you don’t know where to begin a project, try looking at a mood board and let the creative juices flow.


Here is the May mood board:
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Here is the card I created using the Truly Inspire digital stamp set: 
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Card details: 

​The base of this A2 sized card is made from 80 lb. Neenah Solar White smooth cardstock.  For the first matted layer I cut a 5 1/4" x 4" piece of black cardstock and heat embossed it in black with a woodgrain stamp.  I love heat embossing black-on-black for my floral backgrounds.  It really allows the colors to pop.  I printed out the same two flowers from the Truly Inspire digital stamp set onto the same 80 lb. Neenah Solar White smooth cardstock.  I increased the flowers to 3" x 3 1/4".  I colored the flowers with Copic markers in the Y family.   I used Y000, Y02, Y04 and Y06.  I fussy cut eat flower and adhered it to the card using 3M foam adhesive.  I printed the sentiment from the Bunch of Love digital stamp set.  I used an oval punch to punch out the sentiment and then I adhered it over the flowers also using 3M foam adhesive.  Lastly, I added a coat of clear Wink of Stella to the flowers for added sparkle.  
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I hope you have enjoyed this bright card inspired by this month's mood board palette.  We would love to see YOU create using this mood board as inspiration too!  Feel free to use similar colors in whatever brand of cardstock you have readily available.
 
We’d love for you to use your Joy Clair Designs stamps if you have them!  And if you don’t have any yet CLICK HERE TO START SHOPPING TODAY! 


Be sure to tag us on social media using the following hashtags so we can see your cards or other papercraft projects: 
#joyclairdesignsmoodboard 
#joyclairmoodboard 
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Thanks for visiting and have a wonderfully creative day!  
​

XO, Crystal 

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Thanks

2/10/2022

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Hello readers! Today I am on the Birch Press Design blog sharing some quick and simple thank you cards in a variety of colors that could be used for nearly any occasion. 
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​Each of these A2 sized cards were made the exact same way, I simply swapped out different color cardstocks to show how the cards look in alternating colors. 
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Card details: 

​The base of each card is made from 80 lb. Neenah Solar White Smooth cardstock. I cut a 5 1/4" x 4" piece of colored cardstock (peach, lime and ocean) and adhered this directly to the card base. Using Layer Plate B of the new Flora Plate Layering dies, I cut three pieces from white cardstock. I die cut the word "thanks" using the Thanks Honey Script dies. I cut the bottom shadow layer from the coordinating color cardstock (peach, lime and ocean) and the top thinner layer from white cardstock. I adhered both layers together using a fine-tip liquid glue. Then I layered the entire sentiment to the card using 3M foam adhesive for added dimension.  
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These cards were very simple to make and came together quickly, making it a great design if you need multiples!  Thanks for visiting and have a wonderfully creative day!
​

XO, Crystal 

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October Release from Whimsy Stamps

10/1/2020

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Hello friends and happy Thursday!  Today is another exciting new release day at Whimsy Stamps and I'm happy to be sharing lots of fun new products with you over the coming days and weeks.  I particularly loved this new release because it was a well balanced combination of fall and Christmas themed stamp sets.  

Today's card feature the beautiful new "Leaf Layers" stamp set.  Fall is my favorite time of the year, so I began by making a fall themed card (in oranges and browns) using this new stamp set, but, I was also inspired to create the same card in other colors too in order to show you endless possibilities with this one set. 
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Card details: 

*A full list of supplies is located at the end of this post. 

All of these A2 sized cards were made the same way, I simply used different color combinations on each card.  The base of each card is made from 80 lb. Neenah Solar White Smooth cardstock.  Using the A2 Lattice die, I die cut the lattice background from white cardstock.  I adhered the lattice directly to the card base.  I cut a piece of polka dotted vellum and die cut it with a 3" circle, snipping off the left hand side and adhering it to card with vellum adhesive.  I stamped the leaves in a variety of ink colors and fussy cut ALL of them out.  I adhered 5 leaf sets to each card.  I then used the "thanks" die to die cut the sentiment.  The base shadow outline layer was cut from one color cardstock and the thinner outline on the top was cut from another piece of cardstock.  
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Do you have a favorite color from today's cards?  You can check out all the awesome new release products from Whimsy Stamps HERE and have fun creating!

XO, Crystal 

List of supplies: 

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Inspired by Pinterest

7/3/2020

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Hello readers!  Before we get to today's cards, I'm going to share with you the Pinterest photo I found that became my source of inspiration!  Never in a million years would I have paired these colors together, yet when I saw this image, I was captivated by how stunning these colors were.  Now, granted, I would not choose these colors for any room in my house, but I was determined to bring these colors to life on paper, and I couldn't be more in love with the results!
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Here is a step-by-step video tutorial showing how both cards were created:
I think I will have to turn to Pinterest room decor ideas more often to find my next source of color inspiration!

XO, Crystal 

List of supplies:

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Sweetness

7/2/2020

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Now that summer is officially here, despite it arriving after a spring we'd all like to forget, let's celebrate with the coolest treat of the season!  But, if you look closely, these aren't your average ice cream cones, but ones creatively filled with beautiful flowers instead. 
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Card details: 

*A full supply list is located at the end of this post.

The base of this A2 sized card is made from white cardstock.  Using a piece of purple and white lined paper, I cut the striped paper to 5" x 3 3/4".  I matted the striped paper with a piece of grape cardstock. I printed out the ice cream digital stamp on white cardstock and colored it using Copic markers.  I fussy cut the entire image and adhered it to the card using 3M foam adhesive for added dimension.  I stamped the sentiment "you are so" in Memento Tuxedo black ink on white cardstock and cut it into little strips to adhere to the card.  I die cut the "sweet" sentiment from grape and white cardstock, adhering the two layers together before mounting them to the card.  Lastly, I added a coat of Clear Wink of Stella to the ice cream for added sparkle.  
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Card details: 

The base of this A2 sized card is made from white cardstock.  Using a piece of tan and white lined paper, I cut the striped paper to 5" x 3 3/4".  I matted the striped paper with a piece of Crumb Cake cardstock. I printed out the ice cream digital stamp on white cardstock and colored it using Copic markers.  I fussy cut the entire image and adhered it to the card using 3M foam adhesive for added dimension.  I stamped the sentiment "you are so" in Memento Tuxedo black ink on white cardstock and cut it into little strips to adhere to the card.  I die cut the "sweet" sentiment from Crumb Cake and white cardstock, adhering the two layers together before mounting them to the card.  Lastly, I added a coat of Clear Wink of Stella to the ice cream for added sparkle.  ​
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Here is the "Sweetness" digital stamp set from Graciellie Design that I used to create these cards: 
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Thanks for visiting and have a wonderfully creative day!

XO, Crystal 

List of supplies: 

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Summer Flowers

6/24/2020

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Hello readers!  Today I am sharing a shaker card created with the beautiful "Summer Flowers" digital stamp set from Alex Syberia Design.  I mentioned in this post just a couple weeks ago, that I had recently discovered her work on Instagram and purchased a few of her designs on Etsy.  I thought that these flowers were beautiful, but fairly simple, so I placed them over a shaker frame and it added more visual interest to the card.  
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Card details: 

The base of this A2 sized card is made from Neenah Solar White Smooth cardstock.  Using a scrap piece of green striped paper, I cut the base mat to 5 1/4" x 4".  I created a frame out of white cardstock and lined the back of the frame with acetate film.  I filled the shaker with approximately 1 tablespoon of iridescent sequins.  I printed out the digital flowers onto Neenah Solar White Smooth cardstock and colored them with Copic markers.  I fussy cut the flowers using a small pair of craft scissors and adhered the flowers over the shaker frame using 3M foam adhesive for added dimension.  I stamped the sentiment in Memento Tuxedo black ink on white cardstock and used a small oval punch to punch out the sentiment.  I adhered the oval sentiment to the card using 3M foam adhesive as well.  Lastly, I added a coat of clear Wink of Stella to the flowers for added sparkle.  
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Here is the digital "Summer Flowers" stamp set from Alex Syberia Design that I used to create this card:
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Thank you for visiting and have a wonderfully creative day!

XO, Crystal 

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Inky Paws Challenge #123

5/11/2020

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Hello readers and welcome back from the weekend!  I hope you found a little time to do something crafty.  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 #123 by Newton's Nook is a sketch challenge.  Let the image below be your inspiration for creating a card (or scrapbook page) and see where this challenge takes you! 
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I'm not going to lie, I really struggled with this sketch layout!  All I could see in those three tall blocks were Christmas trees, but it's FAR too early for Christmas designs!  I tried many different design ideas before I came up with an idea I was happy with:
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Card details: 

The base of this A2 sized card is made from 80 lb. Neenah Solar White Smooth cardstock.  I lined the card base with a 5 1/4" x 4" piece of light blue gingham paper.  I die cut three scalloped rectangles from Balmy Blue cardstock and adhered those to the top half of the card.  I adhered a small strip of yellow polka dot paper below the rectangles. I stamped the sentiment in Memento Tuxedo black ink on a 4 1/4" x 1/2" strip of white cardstock.  I stamped the Newton's Nook Dainty Daisies in Memento Tuxedo Black ink on white cardstock.  I colored the daisies with Copic markers and die cut them using the coordinating Dainty Daisies die.  I adhered the daisies to the card using 3M foam adhesive for added dimension.  I added a coat of Clear Wink of Stella to the daisies for added sparkle.  Lastly, I tied a piece of linen thread around the card for texture. 
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Will this sketch 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, May 22nd, at midnight CST.

XO, Crystal 

List of supplies: 

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Angels in Disguise

5/7/2020

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Today I am humbled to share two cards with you in honor of healthcare workers.  This beautiful and very relevant digital stamp set called "Angels in Disguise" is from Graciellie Design.   The elegant scripted sentiments and powerful images convey the profound gratitude and appreciation we all wish to convey to these selfless and dedicated essential workers.  
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Meet Graciela Chavez:

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My name is Graciela Chávez, but my crafty friends call me Gracie.  The name Graciellie (Gracie Ellie) is actually a nickname given to me by my family in Brazil. I was born in Brazil, nevertheless I have lived most of my life in Central America. I speak three languages fluidly: Spanish, Portuguese and of course English, but I decided to write and share my content in English.
Both my parents were very creative, and they influenced me greatly. I dedicated the first part of my life to music, at the same time that I studied Laws and Business Management. These majors had nothing to do with art but I’ve always been a creative person and so, without planning it, I found myself starting this new creative venture.
I’m married, and I have the privilege of being the happy mom a bright and loving 6 year old boy and a sweet baby girl. Spending time with family is what truly makes me happy.
I love cardmaking but once in a while I like to make mixed media and art journaling projects. I started making cards since I was a child, and I used to collect stickers, diaries, notebooks and stationery papers. Around 2010 I discovered stamping and little by little cardmaking became my hobby. I’ve had crafty hobbies before, like jewelry making, but cardmaking stole my heart from day one.
I have always loved paper, so it was no surprise to my family that I started a papercrafting blog. Since I opened my blog I’ve felt even more captivated by this craft. This blog has allowed me to connect with other artists and has given me so many opportunities for which I’m thankful.
I order all my crafting supplies online, since there aren’t any major craft stores where I live. I love every kind of style but I find myself working mostly on Clean & Layered and Mixed Media designs. Dies, white cardstock, stamps, inks, glue, Deco Foil, stencils, sequins and anything mixed media are must-haves in my craft room, but of course, I can never have enough arts and craft supplies! Lately, technology has played a big role in my arts and crafts too. Also, I’ve surrounded myself with lots of art supplies -from paints to pastels and such-. More than ever my work is becoming very technique driven…

"Angels in Disguise" digital stamp set:

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You can click on the logo below to see more of Gracie's designs, read her blog and admire her beautiful art.  
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Thank you for visiting! 
Stay healthy and stay home.  You just might be saving the life of someone you may never know. 

XO, Crystal 

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Bloom Book

4/26/2020

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Hello readers, I hope you are all enjoying a pleasant Sunday.  I am sure the weekends also look like most weekdays do right now, there is not a whole lot going on and you are forever forgetting what day of the week it actually is!  Today I have a beautiful large new digital stamp to share with you from RG Avenue called "Bloom Book."  What I love most about this stamp set is the detail already in the lines of the image that make it easy to color because you need less blending and shading.  The image is so large, it becomes the focal point of the card and doesn't need much to embellish it, but this lovely lattice background is a perfect accompaniment.  
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Card details: 

The base of this A2 sized card is made from Black Taffy cardstock.  Using the Whimsy Stamps Lattice A2 die , I cut the lattice frame from Neenah Solar White Smooth cardstock.  I printed out the large beautiful Bloom Book stamp on Neenah Solar White Smooth cardstock and colored it with Copic markers.  I ran the colored image through my Scan and Cut 2 electronic cutting machine, so it cut the stamp out for me.  I adhered the bouquet of flowers to the card using 3M foam adhesive for added dimension.  I stamped the sentiment in Black Taffy ink on a 4 1/4" x 1 1/2" strip of Neenah Solar White Smooth cardstock.  I wrapped a piece of black lace ribbon below the sentiment before adhering it to the card.  Lastly, I added a coat of clear Wink of Stella to the flowers for added sparkle.  
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Here is the "Bloom Book" digital stamp set from RG Avenue that I used to create this card:  
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I just absolutely LOVE this large stamp!  Thank you for visiting and enjoy the rest of your weekend!

XO, Crystal 

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    Disclaimer:

    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:

    • I participate in several affiliate programs.  This means I earn a small commission when products are purchased using my links (at no additional cost to you). 
    • I do not work for any companies. 
    • I buy all of my own supplies, unless where mentioned in a post that a product has been gifted, or if I am supplied products in exchange for being on a company's Design Team.
    • I do not do sponsored posts (where a company pays me to talk about a product).
    • I do not place ads on my blog.  Ever. I hate them and I know you do too!

    ​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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