CYCI163 - We Salute You!

Hello again! I have a patriotic card for you today. I had planned on making something else but just yesterday I received this beautiful Angie's Girl from Unity Stamp Company called America Girl! I just had to ink her up! 

I stamped America Girl in VersaMark ink and heat embossed her with fine silver embossing powder. I then used Ken Oliver's Color Burst in Alizarin Crimson and Ultramarine Blue to make my watercolored background. I'll admit, it was difficult keeping the red and blue from becoming purple, but I think I did okay. In the picture the red kind of looks pink but it's really more red in person. I die cut the watercolor panel using My Favorite Things Blueprints #31. I then added some Pure Platinum Nuvo Mousse over a star stencil I have from Stampin' Up! I stamped the sentiment in Versamark and heat embossed it with fine silver embossing powder. I trimmed the sentiment and cut out a banner by hand. I then adhered it to the watercolor panel. I decided to also die cut a piece of Brushed Silver card stock using the same Blueprints #31 die set. I offset those two pieces and adhered them to a true black card base using stampin' dimensionals.

Here's a picture that shows the shine on the America Girl and the stars.

 I can't wait to see what you create using this fun color combo as your inspiration!! Be sure to join our Facebook group so that you can see the Design Team creations and enter the challenge... Can You Case It? Challenge Group

 Please leave a comment. I'd love to hear what you thought of my creation.

Thank you so much for stopping by!

See ya next time.

~ Crystal

Savvy 7 ~ May Blog Hop ~ April Showers Bring May Flowers!

It's time for another Savvy 7 & Friends Blog Hop! The theme for this month is April Showers Bring May Flowers! Another theme with so many possibilities! I can't wait to see what the other hoppers created!

I had so many ideas for this hop, but decided to focus on a mixed media piece that I made for my friend's birthday. I really hope that she likes it.

I wanted to share some of the steps that I went through creating this canvas. First, I applied a thin layer of clear gesso to the blank canvas and set it aside to dry. I then stamped a script background all over a piece of tissue paper (not pictured) using Archival jet black ink. Once the gesso was dried, I applied some matte mod podge to the canvas and adhered the script tissue paper all around the canvas (even over the edges). Once the canvas was dried, I used a baby wipe to apply some Bimini Blue acrylic paint to the canvas. Along the two edges I applied some Bright Yellow acrylic paint also using the baby wipe. The yellow added to the blue gave a bit of a greenish tinge that I really liked. Once the paint was dry, I grabbed a stencil and added some texture paste around the three corners and also on the edges of the canvas.

Using the Bright Yellow acrylic paint again, I painted the texture paste using a tiny paint brush. I then stamped the daisy onto the canvas using Archival jet black ink. I wasn't looking for a perfectly stamped image... I just needed a guide for adding shading around the image. I applied a tiny bit of Pewter Grey acrylic paint around the stamped image and then smudged it using another baby wipe. I set the canvas aside and stamped the daisy on a piece of white cardstock. I wanted the daisy to be white so all it needed was a few touches of yellows, orange, and a bit of brown. I also painted the stems and leaves using a couple different green paints. I applied some matte mod podge to the canvas and adhered the daisies in two pieces - kind of like a puzzle. I then stamped the sentiment on a piece of tissue paper using Archival jet black ink and adhered that to the canvas using matte mod podge. I wanted the sentiment to pop a bit so I added some grey paint for shading but then it looked a bit too dark so I ended up adding some white paint and I think that helped it to pop a bit more. 

I used the Uni-ball Signo white gel pen to fill in the word 'Everything'. My last finishing touches were some gloss white nuvo crystal drops around the daisies. The stamped image had black dots and I wanted to make them pop so adding the drops not only made them pop, but it also gave them some dimension on the canvas.

Here's a side view showing the color and texture that was applied around the edges as well. 

Here's a close up view of the daisies with the glossy drops. 

If you've made it this far in my post, THANK YOU!! I know there's a lot of pictures and info here. I had such a great time making this canvas for a very dear friend of mine. I truly hope she liked it. 

Here are the products I used for this card:

Stamps: Everything Joyful & Beautiful, Spring Inspired (Unity)

Materials: LWR Crafts Stretched Canvas 6x6, Apple Barrel Acrylic Paint set, Matte Mod Podge (Amazon), Ranger Texture Paste (SSS)

Card Stock: white (PTI)

Inks: Ranger Archival Jet Black (SSS)

Tools: Palette Knife set (SSS)

Miscellaneous: Uni-Ball Signo White gel pen (Amazon), Gloss White Nuvo Crystal Drops (SSS), white tissue paper

Thanks for stopping by!

See ya next time.

~ Crystal

Be sure to check out the rest of the fabulous creations on the hop!

CYCI155 - A Very Simple Happy Birthday!

We are back with a very simple sketch challenge this week! In fact, this one was so simple I really struggled designing my card. Until, I realized... I have the perfect stamp kit for this!

I stamped the sentiment and the flowers using my misti, because honestly, it was the easiest way to line this up straight. With this image being my only focal point on this card - it had to be straight! I used Memento tuxedo black in and colored it with copics. I layered it on True Black card stock and then adhered that to a white card base. I decided it needed just a little something so I pulled out the ebony black nuvo crystal drops.

 I can't wait to see what you create using this sketch as your inspiration!! Be sure to join our Facebook group so that you can enter the challenge... Can You Case It? Challenge Group and go check out all the creations by the CYCI design team on our Facebook page!

Here are the products I used for this card:

Stamps: Special Wishes (Unity)

Card Stock: White, True Black (PTI)

Inks: Memento Tuxedo Black (SSS)

Copics: YR16, YR15, YR0000, Y35, YG97, YG95, B23, B000 (Oozak)

Adhesives: Tombow Mono Multipurpose liquid glue (SSS)

Miscellaneous: Ebony Black Nuvo Crystal Drops (SSS)

 Please leave a comment. I'd love to hear what you thought of my creation.

Thanks for stopping by!

See ya next time.

~ Crystal

Make It Monday #281 ~ Happy Mother's Day!

It has been a very long time since I have played along with Papertrey Ink's Make it Monday challenge. I used to play along but didn't have a blog to share and actually enter my creation. I'm excited to actually be able to enter my card.

My die cut window was made with just a regular stitched rectangle die cut. I used it on both the Soft Stone patterned paper and the kraft card stock. I also cut out the Floribunda Frame die in kraft card stock. I sponged Fresh Snow, Raspberry Fizz, Hibiscus Burst, and Harvest Gold on the flowers. I used Always Artichoke and Wild Wasabi markers to color the leaves. I added some white gel pen to the centers of the flowers to help make them pop and then added some sparkle with a clear Wink of Stella pen. I stamped the sentiment using Raspberry Fizz ink directly on the patterned paper. I adhered the Soft Stone die cut piece on a white card base. I popped up the kraft layer with dimensionals. I then cut tiny pieces of the dimensionals to pop up the center pieces of the Floribunda Frame die cut piece and glued down the outer portion using liquid glue. For a last little touch, I added some white gloss Nuvo Crystal drops.

Here's a close up of some of the sparkle. It was difficult to get a picture since it's cloudy here today, but you can see a bit of it.

Here are the products I used for this card:

Stamps: Cutaway Tags: Spring (PTI)

Card Stock: White, Kraft, Soft Stone patterned paper (PTI)

Inks: Fresh Snow, Raspberry Fizz, Hibiscus Burst, Harvest Gold (PTI), Always Artichoke, Wild Wasabi markers (SU!)

Tools: Stitched Rectangle Stacklet (TE), Floribunda Frame die (PTI), 

Miscellaneous: Clear Wink of Stella, White Gloss Nuvo Crystal Drops (SSS)

 Please leave a comment. I'd love to hear what you thought of my creation.

Thanks for stopping by!

See ya next time.

~ Crystal

CYCI153 - Happy Birthday!

Hello! We have another fabulous sketch challenge at CYCI! I love sketches... here is my card inspired by the sketch! I just love white on kraft!

 I've been having some fun with the new Distress Oxide inks. For this card I masked off a block and blended Worn Lipstick and Wilted Violet inks. I also blended them on a scrap piece of kraft card stock. I patted both blended areas with my embossing buddy and then stamped this lovely medallion flower from Unity's February Kit of the Month in VersaMark ink and heat embossed fine white embossing powder. I cut out the center of my scrap for a cute little embellishment on the side. The sentiment (also from the February KOM) was also stamped in VersaMark and heat embossed with fine white ep. I popped up the little center flower and the sentiment using stampin' dimensionals. Then I added a few dots of Nuvo drops and BAM! 

 I can't wait to see what you create using this sketch as your inspiration!! Be sure to join our Facebook group so that you can enter the challenge... Can You Case It? Challenge Group and go check out all the creations by the CYCI design team on our Facebook page!

Here are the products I used for this card:

Stamps: Feb. KOM Unexpected Places (Unity)

Card Stock: Kraft (PTI)

Inks: VersaMark, Worn Lipstick DO, Wilted Violet DO (SSS)

Adhesives: Stampin' Dimensionals (SU!)

Tools: Heat tool (SU!)

Miscellaneous: Micropore Paper Tape, Fine White Embossing Powder, Gloss White Nuvo Crystal Drops (SSS)

Thanks for stopping by!

See ya next time.

~ Crystal

~ Happiest of Birthdays ~

It's been a while since I've played along with the CASology cue cards. This weeks cue card is Icing! I was playing with a design for some birthday cards so I thought this was a perfect chance to make it fit for this challenge.

I finally got inky with the Distress Oxide inks!! Just a simple blending on some kraft, but I think it's really nice along with the white embossed cupcakes. A beautifully simple one layer CAS card!! One tip though if you decide to give this a try... after blending I patted the area with my embossing buddy. Don't rub! The ink will rub off on your embossing buddy. Just pat it on the area. Then I was able to stamp with VersaMark and add the white embossing powder without it sticking everywhere.

Here are the products I used for this card:

Stamps: So Glad You Were Born, My Cupcake (Unity)

Card Stock: Kraft (PTI)

Inks: VersaMark (SSS)

Distress Oxide Inks: Cracked Pistachio, Broken China (SSS)

Tools: Heat Tool, Embossing Buddy (SU!)

Miscellaneous: Fine White Embossing Powder, Gloss White Nuvo Crystal Drops (SSS)

Go check out the challenge over at CASology... there's still some time to play along!!

Thanks for stopping by!

See ya next time.

~ Crystal

CYCI152 - Happy Easter!

Hello! It's time for another color challenge with Can You Case It? I am loving this color combo from Amber... gorgeous!! We have Turquoise, Pink, Lime, and Kraft!! Are you kidding?!!? My faves all together! Here is my first official Easter card. 

I had so much fun putting this card together but I have to admit, I cheated a bit. All of the product for this card is in a kit that I had purchased from Simon Says Stamp, the March Card Kit. The kit is no longer available, but I believe some of the pieces of the kit are available so go check it out!

My absolute favorite part of this kit is that it came with a stencil and mini containers of Nuvo Mousse! I love Nuvo Mousse! It is so much fun to play with and it's so versatile. I hope to play around with it more and share my projects here. Anywho, back to the card, I used the stencil and the mousse for my focal point on this card. I tore some of the patterned papers and layered it on the card base. I added some beautiful satin ribbon and attempted a bow... haha! I hope you like it!

 I can't wait to see what you create using this color combo as your inspiration!! Be sure to join our Facebook group so that you can enter the challenge... Can You Case It? Challenge Group and go check out all the creations by the CYCI design team on our Facebook page!

Here are the products I used for this card:

Stamps: Some Bunny (SSS)

Card Stock: White, Kraft (PTI), Green Apple, Echo Park Celebrate Easter (SSS)

Inks: VersaMark (SSS)

Adhesives: Tombow Mono Multipurpose (SSS), Stampin' Dimensionals (SU!)

Tools: Mix & Mat: Flourishes die (PTI)

Miscellaneous: Classic Kraft 1/2" Satin ribbon (PTI), Oval of Flowers stencil, 

Aquamarine Nuvo Mousse, Peony Pink Nuvo Mousse (SSS), White embossing powder (retired SU!)

Thanks for stopping by!

See ya next time.

~ Crystal