Bordered Thanks (09/28/2012)

Thanks ... it is ALWAYS appreciated when we say THANK YOU for something.  I always feel the need for some thank you cards, so let's check out one that I made:

A little bit of dry embossed Cuttlebug folders, some border punched paper strips, a paper-pieced stamped out flower, and one little sweet sentiment.

Simple, but effective.

Thanks for stopping by, have a magical day!

Chris

BandAid Thanks card (09/26/2012)

Today's card has a band-aid on it :)

First of all, I was inspired by Latisha's card on the 09/07/2012 Lawn Fawn blog posting.  The little band-aid from the On the Mend stamp set makes me so happy!

In a nutshell, my dear hubby rode his bike with me on my last training ride before my most recent triathlon, and he had a bike crash, which landed him in the Emergency Room.  The ER folks were FABULOUS and took really good care of him.  What could have been a horrific experience was changed into a positive (and dare I say FUN) experience because of their professionalism, their efficiency, and their warm and caring abilities.  I just had to make a card to send to the ER staff thanking them for taking care of my Guy.

I used a bunch of Lawn Fawn "thanks" sentiments, both from stamp sets, and the little thank you gifties they include in each and every order.  I also used Grand Greetings for the main sentiment, and Belinda's Borders for the stitched edge.  I stamped out the band-aid on patterned paper from Lawn Fawn's Bright Side Collection Petite Paper Pack, and also made banners from the paper pack.

A little bit of edging ink and I was done.  This card hopefully will help show the ER staff how much they are appreciated!  They were really a great crew - Thank You!

Thanks for stopping by, have a magical day!

Chris

Lawnscaping Challenge #42 Anniversary Card (09/25/2012)

Here is another project for the current Lawnscaping Challenge, called "Getting Texty."  The challenge is to incorporate text into your project. 

For this challenge, I made an anniversary card.

I pulled out sentiments from several Lawn Fawn stamp sets, including:
Happily Ever After
Lunar Lights
Happy Everything
Sophie's Sentiments

First, I stamped the heart border from Belinda's Borders.  I masked over the heart border, and used Versa Mark ink to stamp the sentiments all over the card.  I heat embossed the sentiments with clear embossing powder.  With the heart border mask still intact, I then used Distress Inks (spun sugar, worn lipstick and barn door) to color the white card stock, which revealed the embossed text.

I also used the stitching line from Belinda's Borders to stitch the edges of the card.  I stamped, colored and fussy cut the unicorn from Critters Ever After.  I stamped out a word bubble from A Birdie Told Me, and stamped the sentiment from Happy Everything with a teeny heart from the Critters Ever After set to give it a little extra pop. 

Happy Anniversary to D&J, two perfect lovebirds.

Thanks for stopping by, have a magical day!

Chris

Lawnscaping Challenge #42 Thanks cards (09/24/2012)

I am so excited!  Today's card is a card which is also an entry into the Lawnscaping Challenge #42 Getting Texty.  The idea is to make a card with text incorporated in it.

I made word cloud Thank You cards for this challenge.  Let's get right to it and say howdy to one of the cards:

I used all sorts of "Thanks" sentiments from Lawn Fawn - from stamp sets and from the little thanks stamps they include in every direct order from Lawn Fawn (if you don't know about this little treat, just go ahead and order from lawnfawn.com and note the little stamp and signed card from Kelly Marie or Mike ... it truly will make your day!)

I also used a sentiment from Grand Greetings, and edged the card with the stitching border from Belinda's Borders.  All the patterned paper is from Lawn Fawn's Bright Side Collection Petite Paper Pack.

I scraplifted this idea from Latisha's card on the 09/07/2012 Lawn Fawn blog.  I added in the text, changed things around a little, and came up with a card that fit this Lawnscaping Challenge.

It was fun making this thank you card, so I did it in several colors since I always need thank you cards:

Thanks for stopping by, have a magical day!

Chris

Lawnscaping Challenge #42 Iggy Pup Text card (09/23/2012)

I am so excited - this is my first Lawnscaping Challenge set of projects.  The challenge is "Getting Texty" and I have incorporated text into a card. 

A friend of mine recently lost his very best friend, Iggy Pup, a fabulous dog.  I needed to make him a card to tell him how sorry I am for his loss, and the Getting Texty challenge was perfect!

Let's check out the card shall we?

I used Lawn Fawn's Critters in the 'Burbs for the sweet doggie, stamped him with black Memento ink and colored him with Copic markers.  I also used some of the sweet patterned paper from Lawn Fawn's Bright Side Collection Petite Paper Pack to frame the pup.  I used the ol' trusty Spellbinders Circle die cut to cut out a circle, and a SB Scalloped Circle to mat the circle.

The "texty" part was fun - I stamped out the "Iggy Pup" sentiment in Black Memento ink, using Lawn Fawn's Claire's ABCs and replicated it with Versa Mark ink along the bottom of the card.  I replicated the same idea with the "so sorry" sentiment using Lawn Fawn's Harold's ABCs.

I didn't have a paw stamp, so I used my Silhouette to cut out some paw prints, and used the negative space as a template, and daubed Pumice Distress Ink through the template and created little paw prints on the card too.

I pulled out two green Distress Inks, inked up some white cardstock, and punched it with my Grass Fiskars punch to make some grass for the bottom of the card.  Tied on some Lawn Trimmings hemp cord from the Vivid Triple Pack in bows and I was done.

Hopefully Mike knows we are so saddened by the loss of his best friend.  Thinking of you....

Thanks for stopping by, have a magical day!


Chris

Welcome Home Card (09/21/2012)

Sometimes ya gotta do something a little different.  Let's say hey shall we:

I used Lawn Fawn's new Sweet Christmas stamp set.  The stamp set is really a build-your-own gingerbread house set, but I used it as a regular little sweet house and paper pieced it.  I also stamped out some sweet little pine trees on green suede paper.  I also stamped out two little flowers from Flutter By as well.  I used Critters Down Under for the "welcome" part of the sentiment, and Gnome Sweet Gnome for the "home" part. 

To make the card, I made a cardstock base and layered some hills on it, and placed the house, trees and flowers in the foreground.  Slapped the big ol' heart with sentiment in the sky, and I was done!

I made this card for a friend who just bought a new house.  I wanted to celebrate the big commitment and change in her life - it was a fun card to make, and I hope it makes her happy as she gets used to her new house!

Thanks for stopping by, have a magical day!

Chris

Bunch o' Animals Birthday Card (09/19/2012)

Hi!

Today's card has a bunch o' animals on it - and that makes me happy!

I totally scrap-lifted this idea from the amazing Kelly Marie from Lawn Fawn's recent blog post on the Simon Says Stamp website.  You can check out her fabulous and inspirational card HERE.

I used several Critters sets: Critters Ever After (dragon), Critters in the Forest (racoon), Critters on the Farm (cow), Critters in the Burbs (doggie), and Critters in the Snow (penquin).  I also used Gnome Sweet Gnome for the flamingo.   I stamped out all the animals in black ink, then colored them with copic markers.  I used my new favorite, A Birdie Told Me for the word bubbles, and Hats Off to You for the sentiment.

I did just like Kelly Marie did, and made the sky background with two blue distress inks and also colored the grass with two green distress inks.  I also punched out the grass colored paper with a border punch.

Used pop-up dots for the word bubbles, and rolled glue dots for the animals. 

Here's hoping the birthday boy enjoys his card - it was fun to make :)

Thanks for stopping by, have a magical day!

Chris

Believe In Your Dreams (09/17/2012)

Today's card is a fun one...

I used Lawn Fawn's Flutter By and Bright Side Collection Petite Paper Pack on this card.  I also stamped out the flowers, leaves and butterflies on white paper and colored them with copic markers.

I made the card from yellow cardstock, added Lawn Fawn's patterned paper for a panel, and layered on the colored flowers and leaves, tossed on a border punched strip, and a Lawn Fawn Lawn Trimmings hemp cord (colored with distress ink) tied in a bow, and was done.

Thanks for stopping by, have a magical day!

Chris

Pink & Black Bridal Card (09/14/2012)

Today's card was a stretch for me, but I stretched, and overcame ... let's say Howdy shall we?

I used Lawn Fawn's Happily Ever After for the dress and sentiment.  I used some DCWV patterned paper and good ol' black cardstock.  I wanted something traditional bridal - but with a pizazz factor.  I also colored tulle with distress ink and rhinestones with copic markers so that everything was in the same shade of pink.

I gathered up the dyed tulle (thanks Terri for the great idea!), adhered rhinestones to the skirt and topped it off with a pink ribbon sash at the waist.

I layered die cut labels and matted them with black.  Layered it all over a patterned paper panel on a black cardstock card, and I was done.  Sounds easy ... it was loads of fun to come up with something different yet traditional.

Thanks for stopping by, have a magical day!

Chris

Penguin Birthday (09/12/2012)

Today's card is a card for a boy (a grown up boy).  I seem to be a little "masculine-card-challenged" but here it is anyway:

I used Lawn Fawn's Critters in the Snow for the penguin and the very light igloo behind him.  I also used Lawn Fawn's Hats Off to You for his party hat, and three of their newest stamp sets for the sentiment (Happy Everything), the cartoon bubble for the sentiment (A Birdie Told Me), and the ice-cube-layered background (Interlocking Backdrops). 

To make the card, I stamped the brick background with versamark on the card, then clear heat embossed it.  I colored it with two blue Distress Inks, then stitched the edges with a black marker.  I laid down a strip of washi tape, die cut two circles from blue cardstock, and stamped, copic colored and fussy cut out the penguin and his hat.  I also stamped the sentiment bubble and sentiment and fussy cut those.

Ya can't tell by this photo - but the penguin circle is mounted on a wobbler, so his little circle dances and moves!

Hopefully the birthday boy likes it - he does like penguins, so maybe this helps show him how much we think of him and miss him. Happy Birthday Dave!

Thanks for stopping by, have a magical day!

Chris

Newest Medium ... Fabric! (09/10/2012)

I tried out a new medium (and might be a tad addicted already!) ... Terri invited me to a "bag class" at a local quilt shop.  Our community recently enacted a plastic bag ban, so this quilting shop offered some classes for folks to come and make their own fabric tote bag for grocery shopping or what-have-you.  Let's check out what I made shall we?

I didn't get to choose my own fabric - but I did get to choose which pre-cut fabric I wanted.  I of course gravitated to the GREEN and FLORAL one :)  It is hard to tell, but this fabric is warmer and greener than what it looks like in this photo. 

This class was so much fun - and it was actually really easy.  Our teacher was good, gave us great instructions and cheered us on.  Most of us in class were (cough, cough) NEWER to sewing!  She had her hands full, but she did a great job corraling us and moving us to the goal of having a completed bag!

Here is a close-up - don't look TOO CLOSE and notice my not-straight-stitching lines!

I feel some more fabric-related crafting coming on ... I'll keep you posted!

Thanks for stopping by, have a magical day!

Chris

Fabric Rosette Thanks Card (09/07/2012)

A first attempt with fabric ... and a new technique with lots o' glue (glots!) and rosettes.  Let me set the stage though, before we meet our card.

Terri treated me to a "bag" class where we made fabric grocery or tote bags at a local quilt shop.  The class was so much fun, and I really enjoyed it.  I purchased some fabric after the class to use for rosettes, which was a technique I learned from a video by Melissa of The Rubber Cafe.  I just knew I could blend all these things together for a little thank you card for Terri!

Here is the card:

For the fabric rosette, I laid down a big blob of glue on parchment paper and let it "dry" overnight.  It dries clear but remains tacky.  I cut a strip of fabric, about 2 or 2-1/2" wide, and about 18" long.  I tied a knot in the selvage end, stuck it down in the middle of the dry/tacky glue glob, and started twisting the fabric and tamping it down into the glue blob and wound the fabric around and around, moving to the outer edge.  I kept going until I ran out of fabric, or glue glob space, whichever came first!  At the very end, I tucked about one inch of fabric under the glue glob to help hold it in place.  I peeled off the glue glob from the parchment paper, and stuck it down on my card base.  For more detailed directions, check out Melissa's video here.

I made a small card from yellow cardstock (maybe about 3" square, when folded), and added a dashed border Lawn Fawn's Belinda's Borders stamp set.  I also tossed on a sentiment from Many Thanks set as well, and cut around it, then adhered it to the card.

I enjoyed trying out a new technique, and using some gorgeous fabric!  I think I am addicted to fabric now :)  And, I just wanted to tell Terri thanks for the great afternoon, and the fun we had making our cool new bags!

Thanks for stopping by, have a magical day!

Chris

BONUS: Guest Designer Post (09/06/2012)

Mary made the coolest card, I just had to share it here.  Wanna see it? Let's go shall we?

I love this card!  The cardstock panel was dry embossed, the flowers and leaves were copic colored.  Mary also used a Lawn Fawn sentiment for the Thanks Friend as well.

It might be hard to see in this photo, but the half-circle pop-out is actually a cutout from the card base.  It is a really cool effect.

Just wanted to share this incredible card that Mary made!  She is amazing!

Thanks for stopping by, have a magical day!

Chris

You're A Star Birthday Card (09/05/2012)

Stars, glitter and stamps, oh my!  Let's say hello to today's card shall we?

I made this ORANGE card because the birthday boy likes ORANGE, so I tried to keep everything within the ORANGE theme.  The glitter on the stars is really yellow, orange and red, but it appears almost purple in the photo - I don't know why!

I made the card from ORANGE cardstock, and created a panel that I embossed with my Cuttlebug Happy Birthday folder, then cut out some adhesive star shapes that I stuck down and sprinkled glitter over them.  I tossed in a few stars from Lawn Fawn's Critters Ever After set.  I also drew in a black line around the edge to separate the ORANGE layers a little.

I also decorated the inside.  Let's check it out:

 
To keep in the STAR theme, I used Lawn Fawn's Say Cheese Too for the sentiment, and the larger star.  I repeated the Critters Ever After star inside too to add some continuity from the front.

This was pretty fun to make, and definitely it was ORANGE and I think the birthday boy enjoyed it :D

Thanks for stopping by, have a magical day!

Chris

Happy Wishes (09/03/2012)

We all need Happy Wishes - and today's card can fit the bill:

A friend is retiring, so I made her a card to wish her well for her next adventure.  I used Lawn Fawn's Critters Down Under, Sunny Skies and Lunar Lights.

I created a card from green shimmery paper from my stash.  I covered it with versa marked boomerangs to give it some depth and texture.  I stamped out the tree, boomerang, kookaburra, leaves, and sun on paper and fussy cut them out.  I also stamped out the sentiment from Lunar Lights and fussy cut around the entire sentiment. 

To add an anchor to the image and the sentiment, I put down a thin strip of liquid glue, and sprinkled gold glitter over it.  I also added a teeny bit of glitter to the boomerang as well, just for fun!

Fun times ahead of the retiree - I hope she has many wonderful adventures in her next chapter.

Thanks for stopping by, have a magical day!

Chris