Java Great Day! ~ Tranformation ~ Throwback Thursday!

Hey there! It's me with my 7th card for day 7 of the Coffee Lovers Blog Hop!! I had a fun idea to do a Transformation ~ Throwback Thursday kind of post today. During the Winter 2017 Coffee Lovers blog hop one of the cards I made and shared wasn't totally my favorite. I ran out of time and shared it before I felt like it was really done. This is the card...

If you'd like to check out the details for this card, you can do that ---> here.

So, I think this card is beautiful... but like I said, I felt like it needed a little something more.

So, here's my Transformation ~ Throwback Thursday card! I changed up the colors to work for a Spring/Summer card. I went with Twisted Citron, Squeezed Lemonade, and Peacock Feathers. I blended the distress oxide inks. I added some water splatters that I dabbed with a paper towel and then added some white acrylic paint splatters. I then stamped the coffee ring from Altenew's Coffee With a Splash set using VersaMark watermark ink and heat embossing ultra fine white embossing powder. To add a little more 'coffee' fun to this version of the card, I stamped the coffee beans from STAMPlorations' Latte Love set with VersaMark watermark ink and heat embossed it with the same embossing powder. I die cut the piece with the same scallop die as the original card from My Favorite Things Blueprints #20. I adhered it to a white card base and set it aside.

I stamped the image from Unity Stamp Company's Planner Gal Stay Cozy set with Memento tuxedo black ink and colored her in with the following copics ~ Y06, Y11, YG11, YG13, YG23, BG11, BG15, E000, E00, E21, E23, E25, E50, E53. I used colors that were similar to the background. I die cut the image using the same My Favorite Things Stitched Fishtail Flag STAX die and popped it up on the card. Now since this is a Spring/Summer card I didn't want to use the same sentiment so I decided to go with Java great day from another STAMPlorations' stamp set called Bloomin' Spring Coffee Basket. I die cut it using a banner die and adhered it to the bottom half. I think doing the sentiment this way makes it pop a bit more.

Well, that's it for my Transformation ~ Throwback Thursday post!

Thanks for stopping by!

See ya next time.

~ Crystal

Scrapping for Less ~ You're Gonna Need These!!

Hello! Today, I'm sharing a super fun birthday card using Art Impressions Sunny Shades stamp set. Isn't this a funny set?! I just love these fun ladies in this image!

I stamped the image using VersaMark watermark ink onto watercolor paper and then heat embossed some ultra fine black embossing powder. Since the image has some smaller detailed spots, I wanted to be sure that the watercolors would stay where I put them - so that's why I heat embossed the image. I also did it for the cake... all those candles were so much easier to watercolor with the raised image.

Once I had my images ready, I pulled out my ZIG Clean Color Real Brush watercolor brush pens and had a blast coloring. I did pick out my papers beforehand so that I could pull the colors from the papers to use on the images. Sometimes, I do the reverse and then panic trying to find the right paper so I wanted to avoid that.

I thought this sentiment was hilarious and I really designed the whole card based on it! Too funny! Not sure who will get this fun card, but I sure had a ton of fun making it! This fabulous stamp set is available in the shop... here!

Thanks for stopping by!

See ya next time.

~ Crystal

Oh So Good ~ Unity Stamp Company

Hey there! I'm here with another card for the Spring/Summer Coffee Lovers Blog Hop. I just recently got this adorable kitty stamp and I was so happy that I got in time to use for this hop. This sweet stamp is from Unity Stamp Company and it's called Purr-fectly Perfect ~ and I have to say that I think it's purr-fectly named! I love it!

I stamped the kitty using VersaFine Onyx Black ink. I heat set the image and colored it using ZIG Clean Color Real Brush markers. I attempted to color her in to look like my childhood calico kitty named Callie... I think she turned out pretty close. Once I had her colored in, I die cut her out using the Pleated Lace Rectangles die set from Gina Marie Designs and set her aside. I die cut a couple pieces of patterned paper from the Echo Park Imagine That! papers using the stitched rectangle die and banner die in the My Favorite Things Blueprints #13. I adhered my layers onto a Kraft card base, popping up the kitty cat layer. I stamped the sentiment on the same watercolor paper and fussy cut a banner. I adhered it to the card and called this one done!

Thanks for stopping by!

See ya next time.

~ Crystal

A Whole Latte Love ~ Graciellie Designs

Hey there! It's Day 5 of the Spring/Summer Coffee Lovers Blog Hop and I am back with my 5th card. For today's card, I'm using a digi stamp from Graciellie Designs that I got during another Coffee Lovers Blog Hop. Isn't it gorgeous!?

I kept this design very simple. I printed the image on the white card stock and then colored it in using copic markers ~ V06, V12, V17, Y06, Y35, YG67, YG93, B0000, B00, B12, N0, N1. I die cut the piece using a Loopy Rectangle die set from Gina Marie Designs. I adhered the piece to a Kraft card base and then stamped the sentiment from STAMPlorations' Latte Love stamp set in the top right corner. I added a few drops of Nuvo Sea Breeze Jewel Drops and called this card done!

Thanks so much for stopping by!

See ya next time.

~ Crystal

A Fresh Start ~ Unity Stamp Company

Hey there! I'm back for Day 4 of the Coffee Lovers Blog Hop and I just HAD to use this lovely stamp from Unity Stamp Company! This is a Uniquely Unity kit called Flutters to Go and I just adore it! It's one of my absolute favorites! I mean... coffee and butterflies... how could you go wrong!?

I stamped the image on watercolor paper using Versamark watermark ink and then heat embossed it with ultra fine white embossing powder. I used ZIG Clean Color Real Brush markers to watercolor the image. I then die cut it out using a new die set to me from Gina Marie Designs called Pleated Lace Rectangle die set... isn't it awesome!? I love it!

I adhered pretty papers from Echo Park called Hello Easter to a piece of white card stock and then ran them through the big shot with a stitched rectangle die. I then adhered that piece to a white card base. I popped up the cup image using foam tape and then set it aside. I really wanted the sentiment to pop so I grabbed a scrap of True Black card stock from Papertrey Ink and heat embossed it with the same white embossing powder. I adhered the sentiment to the card and called this one done!

Thanks for stopping by!

See ya next time.

~ Crystal

My Alone Time ~ Jessica Lynn Original ~ STAMPlorations

It's Day 3 of the Spring/Summer Coffee Lovers Blog Hop... Eeek! 

So if you know me, you know I love owls... just about as much as I love coffee!

I knew when I saw this sweet freebie digi from Jessica Lynn Originals that I just HAD TO make a card with him! 

How stinkin' cute is this little guy?! I'm not sure how I've never heard of Jessica Lynn's Brentwood Owl line of stamps but I have now and WATCH OUT!! I'm in love!!

Here's the list of copics that I used to color the image ~ N0, N1, N3, Y06, Y35, YR02, YR16, E00, E21, E33, E34, E37, E51, E55, BG000, BG01, BG15, BG57, BG70, BG72, YG05, YG63, YG67. 

I cut the papers from the Echo Park Summer Fun paper pack and adhered them to a white card base. I trimmed the image down and die cut the top portion with a My Favorite Things Stitched Scallop Basic Edge die. I adhered the focal image to the card and set it aside.

I then die cut the Coffee sentiment using STAMPlorations' CUTplorations coffee die three times. I then adhered the layers and adhered it to the card. I stamped the sentiment from STAMPlorations' Dark Coffee stamp set... LOVE the snarky sentiments in this set!... onto the card and called this one done! That's it for my third card!

Thanks for stopping by!

See ya next time.

~ Crystal

Coffee and Books ~ Ink Road Stamps

Hello again! I'm back with another coffee themed card for the Coffee Lovers Blog Hop! This time I'm super excited to share a card that I made using the Katya set from Ink Road Stamps! Katya was the subscription stamp for the month of April and I am so super happy that I was able to get her! 

I love this sweet stamp! Isn't she adorable! I paired her with a fun pack of papers from Carta Bella called Practically Perfect... and isn't it?! I love this paper with the books all laid out! I thought it paired well with the image. I die cut the paper using the stitched die from My Favorite Things Blueprints 20 and mat it on Autumn Rose card stock from Papertrey Ink. I then die cut the scalloped rectangle from Papertrey Ink's Hawaiian Shore card stock using the same Blueprints 20 set of dies. I adhered the patterned paper layer with the scalloped rectangle and then ran them through the big shot with a circle die. I wrapped a piece of pink ribbon around the piece and then I adhered the piece to a white card base  I stamped the sentiment, layered it on a mat of Autumn Rose card stock, and then popped up the sentiment with foam tape. I then stamped the Katya image in the bottom right corner.

I colored the image in using copics and also paper pieced her shirt and hair 'bow' using a different paper from the Practically Perfect paper pack. I really love the way this turned out! Hope you do too!

Thanks for stopping by!

See ya next time.

~ Crystal

Scrapping for Less ~ May FOTM Blog Hop ~ In the Countryside

Hay there! Let's head to the farm and the countryside this month! We are showcasing many wonderful and fun farm critters and lifestyles with our super cute kit this month! So jump on the hay wagon and travel along to all the wonderful blogs to see what we have cooked up in our country kitchen today to inspire you and knock your socks off! 

Head over to the Flavor of the Month page and grab yourself a kit or a subscription today! Thanks for stopping in and ya'll come back now, ya hear!

Make sure you enter that Rafflecopter for a chance to win the prize for this month. 

So... let's get to the cards!!

For my first card I used Sketch #3 with Collection One. 

So... I had a little fun with this design. When I saw the papers in this collection had what looked like plates and of course, there's chickens. I just had to make a 'picnic' of sorts for my design. I started with the layer of 'picnic blanket' paper on a Wild Cherry card base. I die cut the 'plate paper' with a small stitched rectangle die and adhered them to the card. I die cut a stitched oval for my 'platter'. I stamped the image and colored it in just a little bit with copic markers and then I trimmed it down and mat it on a scrap of Wild Cherry card stock. I adhered the stamped image piece to the platter and then popped up the piece on the card. I added a few sequins and the Carta Bella tag from the collection and called this little picnic done!

For my second card I used Sketch #1 with Collection Two. 

Now for this card I omitted part of the sketch element... the background paper was just too cute to cover up anymore of it. All those adorable little horses and trees... love them! I also kept this card pretty simple by using the Down on the Farm Mini Icon stickers and Chit Chat tag to build a scene. I used distress inks to blend the sky and grass background and then I just added all the stickers and adhered all the pieces onto a Kraft card base. Super easy and quick card!

For my third card I used Sketch #2 with Collection Three.

I think the stamp set in the third collection is my absolute favorite... it's a new Scrapping for Less set called Piggy Picnic! This set has adorable images and funny pun-tastic sentiments - Love it!! I kept the design for this one kind of simple by layering it all on a piece of white card stock. I then wrapped the pretty ribbon around and tied a bow. I popped up the panel using foam tape and then set it aside. I inked up the 'picnic blanket' in the stamp set and then masked it to blend the grass and sky. I die cut the whole piece and then layered that on a larger sized white die cut piece. I stamped the adorable little pig and basket on a scrap piece of card stock, colored them in, and fussy cut them. I stamped the sentiment and die cut it with a small banner die. I also die cut a piece of Wild Cherry card stock to mat the sentiment onto. I added a few drops of Nuvo Sea Breeze Jewel Drops... they don't show up well in the picture, but they add a fun little touch in person!

For my fourth card I used Sketch #4 with Collection Four.

I wanted to go with a monochromatic theme for this card (aside from the grass, of course). I wanted the focus to be on the one ewe so I inked up four of these little gals on post it notes and fussy cut them out. I alternately masked them to make my flock of sheep and masked them again to blend the grass with distress ink. I colored the one little focal ewe in front to make her stand out and go along with the sentiment. Ewe are the best! I trimmed down the piece, mat it, and wrapped it a couple times with the twine in the collection. I then added some layers to my card base and popped up the main image. Oh, and for the sentiment... I actually die cut the space there so the sentiment is stamped directly on the card base through the negative space. I added a few sequins and called this one done!

I shared a sneak peek a couple of days ago using the Technique Junkies set in the Banana Split subscription... you can check out that post ---> here.

But before you check that out... let's finish up hopping (or start hopping... :) ) and see what the Design Team has for inspiration this month... I bet it's all amazing!!

Scrapping for Less

Tanya

*Guest Designer* Andrea

LeeAnn

Courtney

Jessica

Luci

Crystal <--- you're here

up next ---> Katie

Desiree

Tina

*Guest Designer* Annie

*Guest Designer* Michelle

Thanks so much for stopping by!

See ya next time.

~ Crystal

Scrapping for Less ~ Coffee Lover's Spring/Summer Blog Hop ~

Yay!! It's finally time for the Spring/Summer Coffee Lovers Blog Hop!! I have been looking forward to this hop for a long time now. The Winter hop was such a long time ago... well, enough about that! Let's get to my first card for this hop!

My first coffee card for the hop is actually a card that I made for Scrapping for Less because they are a Super Sponsor for the hop now!! Yay! So exciting! 

I started with a Jillibean Soup Coffee Cup Shaker card and the coordinating shaker cup. 

I found some pieces of patterned paper in my stash called Main Squeeze by Crate Paper. I loved these papers from the December Flavor of the Month card kit - Winter Love. I thought that the colors and the love theme would work perfectly with the sentiment from My Favorite Things Perk Up stamp set. You can find another fun coffee themed sentiment set in the Scrapping for Less shop ---> My Favorite Things Coffee Break.

So, I adhered the papers to the card base. I wrapped some gold thread around and added the gold foil heart. I added some fun brown and cream sequins to the shaker... I like my coffee with a good amount of cream so I thought it was fitting! I adhered the shaker cup to the patterned paper and trimmed it. I adhered the shaker element to the front of the card. I die cut a flourish die that I have in my stash and adhered it to the card, trimming it to look like steam. I colored a few paper flowers with pink copic markers and adhered them to the top of the cup. My last touch was several Nuvo Sea Breeze Jewel Drops... I went a little crazy with them but they were so pretty! That's it for me for this card.

Thanks for stopping by!

See ya next time.

~ Crystal

Scrapping for Less ~ May FOTM Sneak Peek!

Hey there! Crystal here with a sneak peek of the May 2018 Flavor of the Month card kit and Oh My Goodness... this is such a fabulous kit!

I started with a black card base and added some strips of the patterned paper. I set that aside and then stamped the image on white card stock. I blended some distress inks for the sky and ground. I die cut the piece using a Stitched Mod Square STAX die and then mat that on a black piece that I die cut using a Mod Square STAX. I love this fun die shape... it's great for focal images on a card.

I also die cut the rooster three times and layered all of those to give it some dimension. I adhered all my layers on the card and then adhered the rooster. And there you have my sneak peek for this month's Flavor of the Month card kit!! This is such a sweet kit... you're going to love it! If you haven't already subscribed, there's still time... click here ---> Flavor of the Month card kit.

Thanks so much for stopping by!

See ya next time.

~ Crystal

Scrapping for Less ~ My Favorite Things ~ Tweet Wishes

Hey there!Today I'm sharing a couple of tweet cards *wink*wink* using a simply adorable set from My Favorite Things called Tweet Wishes. I just got back from a wonderful family vacation and I have to tell you... I was itching to get inky! I was even more excited when I saw this adorable set in my design team package for this month.

My first card I put together kind of quickly using a pack of 6 x 6 papers. Now this particular pack isn't available in the Scrapping for Less shop, but there are a lot of fun packs available and you can check them out ---> here. Along with the Tweet Wishes stamp set and dies, I used the 'hello' stamp from the Spring Bloom set by Scrapping for Less and Brutus Monroe that was included in the April 2018 Flavor of the Month card kit that is still available ---> here.

I had so much fun making the first card with the Tweet Wishes set that I couldn't help but make another card... I mean, come on. These owls are so cute! I stamped the owls on a piece of white card stock and colored them in with copics {N0, N1, N2, N3, N4, V17, V20, RV11, Y06, BG01, BG11, BG15}. I used the coordinating die set also named Tweet Wishes to die cut the images and then set them aside. I trimmed a piece of white card stock down to 5-3/8 x 4-1/8 inches and die cut the stitched interactive window die to get the 'windows' for these little guys. I stamped the little flower all over using Wilted Violet, Worn Lipstick, Squeezed Lemonade, and Peacock Feathers Distress Oxide inks. And then I used the 'windows' as a guide to figure out what parts of the white card base I would need to color blue for a little background color.

I adhered the owls to each blue background using just a bit of Tombow Mono Permanent Adhesive. I was careful not to press the owl down until I had it in just the right place. I popped up the whole front panel using foam tape and then I set the card aside to get the sentiment ready. I pulled out a scrap of grey card stock. I stamped the sentiment using VersaMark watermark ink  and then I heat embossed some fine white embossing powder. I cut the sentiment into a banner and then popped it up using some more foam tape and there you have it! I sure hope you liked the cards I shared today. If you're interested in purchasing this sweet set I've included links below.

You can purchase these stamps here ---> Tweet Wishes.

And the coordinating dies are here ---> Tweet Wishes.

Thanks so much for stopping by!

See ya next time.

~ Crystal

~ Friends of Unity May Blog Hop ~

Hello! It's one of my most favorite times of the month... the first Saturday of the month means it's time to do a blog hop with my Unity loving friends!! Woohoo! Our theme this month is Motherly Love... sadly this is my first Mother's Day without my Mum. 

But rather than dwell on the sadness, I just wanted to make a pretty card that I think she would have loved. She loved roses. We talked about them a lot on our last visit together. We'd sit out on the back patio and enjoy the garden and chat. 

A sweet memory I'm glad I have and it helped to inspire my card.

I knew that I had to use the gorgeous flowers in the Mama's & Grandma's sentiment kit. I started 

by die cutting some Canson XL watercolor paper using the Stitched Arch STAX die. I colored the image using ZIG clean color real brush markers directly on the red rubber stamp. I spritzed the stamp very lightly and then stamped the image. I decided it was a little too light so I stamped the image again which was super easy since I was using my new Tim Holtz Travel Stamp Platform! Loving this smaller version of the platform! Well, the flowers were still too light... so I decided to just add some more color with the markers. I scribbled some of the color on an acrylic block and picked it up with my water pen... cleaning the block in between colors. I added more and more color until I was happy with the results. I started to get worried that the paper would get ruined, but it held up pretty well. I added just a bit of blue around the flowers and set the image to the side to dry.

Now to add my layers... I am loving the Spring Market papers from Carta Bella! Oh my goodness... so many pretty papers in this paper pack!! I thought the roses on this particular paper was perfect for this card. I cut it down to 2-1/2" x 5-1/2". I cut a strip of the pink paper and die cut it with a stitched border scallop die. I adhered those two pieces together and then adhered them to a cardfront piece of Natural card stock by My Favorite Things. I die cut the black print paper using a stitched banner die and then adhered it to the cardfront. I wrapped the card front with twine a few times and tied a bow to the side. 

I adhered the cardfront to a white card base using mono multipurpose liquid glue. I popped up the roses panel using dimensionals. I then stamped the sentiment, also from the same sentiment kit, using versamark ink and heat embossed some ultra fine white embossing powder. I trimmed the sentiment down and then popped it up on the card. My final touch for this card was a little bit of clear wink of stella on the roses. You can kind of see that in this last picture.

Well, that's my card for this month's hop. I hope you like it... I'm sure my Mum would have loved it!

Now, let's go hop along to see what all my friends made - shall we?!

Eileen Mathys

Crystal O. Minkler <--- you're here

up next ---> Robyn Jordan

Wynne Grob 

Jeanie Hays

Dawn Fields

Thanks for stopping by!

See ya next time.

~ Crystal