Believe in Your Dreams (08/31/2012)

Sometimes we need to be reminded to believe in our dreams, and that is what today's card does:

A friend is off to a great adventure, and I am so proud of him!  He is going to China to teach English for a year.  I made this card to wish him well on his journey and adventure.  I wanted a Chinese theme, and my Cuttlebug bamboo embossing folder was just the trick!  I also stamped out some lanterns onto green vellum using Lawn Fawn's Lunar Lights.  I hung the lanterns from some twine (that I pulled apart and used only two strands, since it was too thick).  I strung the twine through two eyelets instead of wrapping it under the card panel.  This gave it a different look I must say (THANKS Terri for the tip!).  I also colored the twine with Tea Dye distress ink to darken it a little.

To keep it masculine, I didn't really do any embellishments and kept it monochromatic.  I matted the black cardstock panel with shimmery green paper from my stash, and made the card base from black as well.  For the sentiment, I used Lawn Fawn's Flutter By stamp set and used black embossing powder.  I also copic colored two pearls to dot the i's.  I triple matted the sentiment, to pop it up off the black background. 

I wish Kevin lots of luck during his year abroad, and know that he will have countless, amazing experiences!  Good luck to you, my friend!

Thanks for stopping by, have a magical day!

Chris

EXTRA: "Happy Summer" GUEST DESIGNER BONUS POST (08/30/2012)

This card that Terri gave me is too cute, so I had to share:

Terri used Lawn Fawn's Happy Summer set and some watermelon patterned paper from her stash.  She made a slider card - hence the ribbon on the right side ... pull the ribbon and a hidden panel on each side of the card slides out.  Here are what the panels look like:

and,

Terri stamed out those little ants and their trail, and stamped out watermelon slices and copic colored them. She also stamped the Happy Summer sentiment and matted it for the front.

Her slider card was amazing, and inspired the card I made for Toby's wedding, which you can see here.  Terri did such a fantastic job on this card, and truly made my summer happy!  She's a total peach :)  Thank you Terri for this beautiful, fun and interactive card!

Thanks for stopping by, have a magical day!

Chris

Bunny Cake Birthday Card (08/29/2012)

What do bunnies and cakes have in common?  They help wish a Happy Birthday to the birthday girl .... Of course, everybody needs a bunny cake!  Let's see one:

I made a birthday card for a friend, who loves bunnies.  I thought it would be fun to have the bunny popping out of the cake and be on top of the cake instead of candles.  So, I pulled out some pretty patterned paper from my stash, and got crackin' on stamping out some Lawn Fawn birthday cake from the Bake Me a Cake stamp set.  I used the bunny from Critters in the 'Burbs.  I stamped out a banner from Bannerific, and stamped the sentiment on the banner from Sophie's Sentiments.    

I used a card base from a pack of cards I got at a big box store, but layered a card panel in blue from my stash.  The patterned birthday cake paper is from my stash too.  I cut out a label with Spellbinders Label 16 (a favorite!) and matted it in black.  I tied a piece of Lawn Fawn Lawn Trimming cord from the Vivid Triple Pack Cord set.  I don't like ribbons or cords stretched across the inside of my card, so I made the panel with matted label and image as a unit, tied the cord around it, tied a bow, then adhered the whole thing down onto the card base.  This way, the cord doesn't wrap around through the inside of the card.

I think Kelly will like this, cuz she loves bunnies.  Here's wishing her a happy birthday!

Thanks for stopping by, have a magical day!

Chris

Down Under Birthday Card (08/27/2012)

Crickey!  Whot's that you say?  I spy a Down Under Birthday Card with a cuddly koala bear:

I made this birthday card with Lawn Fawn's Critters Down Under, Sunny Skies, Bannerific, and Hats Off to You.

I created a panel from purple patterned paper from my stash, and adhered it to a card base.  I stamped out the trees, koala and leaves, birthday party hat, and sun, and colored them with copic markers.  I stamped the banner and sentiment, and fussy cut out the banner. 

I also used my new favorite shape, Spellbinders Reverse Wonky Rectangles to cut and emboss a white label, and cut and embossed a mat in purple.

Layered it all up, and had a fun birthday card for a birthday girl.  Hopefully Chrystie likes her card.  It was fun to make :0

Thanks for stopping by, have a magical day!

Chris

Quick "Scrap" Card (08/24/2012)

Sometimes ya just need a card quick - and I decided to use some scraps.  My scrap bags are getting too cumbersome, so I figured this was a way to combat it.  This is what I pulled out of the scrap bag and committed to use: 



I picked some lavendar today, and needed to make a little card to send along with the lavendar bouquet.  I pulled out some scraps.  The black piece was a piece of cardstock that I cut out a label with my die cutter.  I realized that the negative space would make a great card base, so I used that as my foundation.

I ended up cutting the purple paper and filled in the negative label space on the card base.  I layered up the flowers and leaf, and stamped a sentiment (using a sentiment from Lawn Fawn's You've Got Mail) and matted and cut it.  Here is what I ended up with:

Pretty easy, and a great way to use up some scraps.  I like that it was a fast way of making a card too.

Thanks for stopping by, have a magical day!

Chris

Z-Fold Birthday Card (08/22/2012)

Today's card is scraplifted from a class I took at the Puyallup Scrapbook Expo.  I took a fabulous class, called "Fabulous Folds" by the incredible Melissa of The Rubber Cafe.  Melissa had us do a card with a Z-fold, two square diecuts, and a large colored rose stamp. 

Here is the card that I made recently, based on what Melissa taught us:

It is kinda hard to tell that the black label is repeated on the front of the card, and the inside.  So, I took another photo to help highlight that.  Here is a different view:

The card base is 6" x 11-1/2" and scored in the middle.  I also scored the front flap at the halfway mark, and folded the right side back over the left side to make the Z fold shape. 

I adhered the black label die inside the card, then aligned the second black label die over the flap on the front so that the two black labels were in (practically) perfect alignment when the card was closed. 

I stamped a rose, using two of Melissa's designs, Wild Rose and Rose Garden, and colored them with Copics.  I fussy cut them, and layered the images and popped up the center of the rose.  Then, a little Scrap Happy Glue and some glitter later, I had some bling!

I made this card for my cousin's Birthday - I made it without a sentiment, but hopefully birthday wishes were still shared!  Happy Birthday Vicki!

Thanks for stopping by, have a magical day!

Chris

Garden Party Merci (08/20/2012)

Today's card is a Garden Party Merci card.  Gonna get right to it:

I was invited to a Garden Party, so I made this little card to say Merci for the wonderful party!  I used Lawn Fawn's Judy's Blooms and Flutter By stamp sets.  I stamped out lots of fllowers and leaves, then colored them in with rainbow colored Copic markers.  After fussy cutting, I laid out the flowers and raised a few with pop dots.

I stamped the sentiment, which is a "thank you" gift that Lawn Fawn includes in all their orders, and die cut and framed it with Reverse Wonky Rectangles.

A few blingy pearls and a spot of gold glitter glue later, I was done!  Easy, fun, colorful card.  It was a fun party in a beautiful garden.

Thanks for stopping by, have a magical day!

Chris