Looking for Comfort | ft. Newton's Nook "Newton's Sick Day"

Hi everyone, thank you for stopping by. I hope you're having a great day.

I mentioned yesterday that things have not been spectacular around here. There are waves of "maybe it was all a dream" but then it all comes crashing back and it wasn't a dream. It happened and then comes a wave of crushing sadness. You lose time, and wonder why your coffee is cold even though you just poured it.

Sadness is a kind of sick, so today I made myself a get well card. Maybe you don't want to hear my random thoughts that just need to get out, maybe you do. I honestly don't know. I do know, however, that if I don't get them out somewhere, there's a good chance I'll explode and then my super clean craft room will be a big mess again.

To begin, I cut two banner pieces from 110lb Copic-friendly cardstock. I then cut a circle out of the one that will be the top. I lined the two pieces up and lightly traced a circle with my pencil on to the bottom piece.

The circle will be the guide for where I stamp this kitty image from Newton's Nook "Newton's Sick Day", I then erased the pencil line and coloured the image with Copic markers.

For the background panel, I used my largest stitched rectangle frame and cut a piece of the same cardstock. I used the little hearts from the same set and stamped them in CTMH Whisper ink randomly to create my own subtle patterned paper.

I used the same stamp with CTMH Cranberry ink to create a bolder pattern on the front banner. I adhered the banners together with some foam tape and then used a turquoise ribbon (as close of a match as I could find to the soup bowl) and tied it through the holes at the top.

Finally I mounted the banner to my background panel and adhered the whole thing to the front of a standard A2 sized card base.

I hope you like today's card and are inspired to create something of your own. If you haven't already, please follow me on the right side bar or over on Facebook, so you don't miss any future posts. Drop me a line in the comments section below and let me know what you think.

This card is for:

2 Crafty Critter Crazies
Challenge #10

Birthday Surprise | ft Newton's Nook "Newton's Birthday Bash"

Hi everyone, thank you for stopping by. I hope you're having a great day.

It was my sister's birthday yesterday, she's always been a fan of kitties, so when it came to making her a card, my choice was pretty obvious. I didn't want to just make a plain card so I thought I would jazz it up a bit with a "surprise" gift card door.

To begin, I cut down a piece of 110lb Copic-friendly cardstock to fit the whole front of my standard A2 sized card base. I then used 1/4" strips of Post-It tape to mask the edges and across the panel.

I sponged Twisted Citron, Peacock Feathers and Mermaid Lagoon in the three little windows I made. Once that was completely dry, I used the largest die from Lawn Fawn's "Lift the Flap" die set to cut the flap for the gift card.

On a scrap of the same cardstock, I stamped this kitty image from Newton's Nook "Newton's Birthday Bash" along with the greeting in Memento Tuxedo Black ink and coloured it with Copic markers.

I added clear Wink of Stella to the bag to make it shimmer. I then popped it up on foam tape and adhered it to the door.

I used super strong two-way tape to mount the panel to the front of my card base and then added some coordinating sequins for a bit more interest.

Under the flap and hidden by the gift card I stamped this additional greeting from the same set, also with Memento ink.

To ensure that the flap would stay closed, I added a drop of Tombow Mono Multi glue and allowed that to dry completely before closing the door. This glue is amazing as it can be permanent if it bonds when wet, but is repositionable if it bonds after it is dry. Perfect for cards with doors or flaps that you want to open and close.

I hope you like today's card and are inspired to create something of your own. If you haven't already, please follow me on the right side bar or over on Facebook, so you don't miss any future posts. Drop me a line in the comments section below and let me know what you think.

Clean and Simple Birthday | ft. Newton's Nook "Newton's Birthday Bash"

Hi everyone, thank you for stopping by. I hope you're having a great day.

Today, I thought I would share a birthday card for any cat lover on your list. I'm running a bit behind today, as we had the kids Christmas party this morning and then I got to doing other things. I'd like to tell you that they were super important things, but really they weren't. It's been quite a lazy day, in fact.

To begin, I stamped the kitty image and the greeting from "Newton's Birthday Bash" with Memento Tuxedo Black ink on 110lb Copic-friendly cardstock and coloured him with Copic markers.

I then tied a length of 1/8" ribbon around the top. To finish it off I added bright red glitter to his hat and the ribbons of the gifts.

I adhered this panel to the front of a standard A2 sized card base.

I hope you like today's card and are inspired to create something of your own. If you haven't already, please follow me on the right side bar or over on Facebook, so you don't miss any future posts. Drop me a line in the comments section below and let me know what you think.

Hello Halloween Series | ft. Newton's Nook "Boo-tiful Night"

Hi everyone, thank you for stopping by. I hope you're having a great day.

So our winter weather has let up a bit, and while the thermometer outside says that it is colder than yesterday, it certainly doesn't feel like it. Without the crazy winds it feels rather nice. Oh, don't get me wrong - those kids were still bundled right up we just weren't as sad about it.

Today is the 9th(!!) in the Hello Halloween Series for 2017 and today, I'm using a stamp set that took forever to get my hands on. I've ordered from Simon Says so many times and I've never had issues. Not with their pick times or items being out of stock or shipping or anything. And they are by far the best site I have found for any card making supplies.

But isn't it just the way it is that when I order something I reeeeeallllllyyyy can't wait to get my hands on, THAT'S when the post moves so slow. By no fault of the site it took three extra weeks to get here. I was done the vast majority of my Halloween designs before customs decided to let this one through. Now, in all fairness I did order a stamp cleaner so maybe it was the bottle of chemicals that held it up? Who knows?

Either way, it took forever and the second it arrived I literally dropped everything to sit down and play!!

To begin, I stamped the large jack-o-lantern and kitty image and the greeting from Newton's Nook "Boo-tiful Night" with Memento Tuxedo Black ink on 110lb Copic-friendly cardstock and coloured it with Copic markers.

I then masked off the image and sponged Gathered Twigs Distress ink for the ground and Dusty Concord with a bit of Chipped Sapphire for the sky. Once that was completely dry I splattered with Copic Opaque White to create some stars.

Once that was dry I stamped the bats with CTMH Archival Black ink. I chose this particular ink because I didn't want the images to run or reactivate the Distress inks, just in case they weren't completely dry.

I then matted the top panel with a piece of 65lb black cardstock and then adhered the whole piece to the front of a standard A2 sized card base.

I hope you like today's card and are inspired to create something of your own. If you haven't already, please follow me on the right side bar or over on Facebook so you don't miss any future posts. Drop me a line in the comments section below and let me know what you think.

This card is for:

Inky Paws Challenge #56

Selected as favourite by Design Team Member Diane! Thank you so much!!

Hello Coffee! | ft. Newton's Nook "Newton Loves Coffee"

Hi everyone, thank you for stopping by. I hope you're having a great day.

I think that coffee is a vital part of any morning. It's pretty much the first thing I do when I get up. I'm not even sure why. I can drink coffee right before bed and it doesn't keep me awake, but there's just something about that first cup of the day that is just wonderful.

Now that my kids are back in school, my first cup is on the go but it is no less amazing than having one and just being able to sit and enjoy it.

I love this shifty-eyed Newton, because that's exactly how I feel. Either "That better be for me", or "I'm taking this as soon as no one is looking".

To begin, I stamped the travel mug from "Newton Loves Coffee" randomly in CTMH Chocolate ink on 65lb Kraft cardstock.

I prepped a smaller piece of Kraft with my powder tool and stamped the two solid coffee cups and the beans from the same set in VersaMark ink and heat embossed them with clear embossing powder. I then sponged some Walnut Stain Distress ink around the edges just go give it a bit of interest.

I sponged the long piece with Ground Espresso Distress Ink to work as my accent piece. For the greeting strip, I prepped a narrow piece of white with my powder tool and stamped the greeting with VersaMark and heat embossed with clear powder, then sponged Ground Espresso Distress ink over it for an emboss resist.

For the main focus, I stamped the Newton image with Memento Tuxedo Black ink on 110lb Copic-friendly cardstock and die cut it using one of my Spellbinder oval dies; then coloured the image with Copic markers. I used a black glaze pen over his eyes so that he'd look really shifty.

To finish it off, I popped the greeting banner and the oval up on foam tape and put the card together. Then, because I just can't help myself, I used Glossy Accents by Ranger over the coffee mug to make it really shine. Like a beacon of hope in the early morning.

I hope you like today's card and are inspired to create something of your own. If you haven't already, please follow me on the right side bar. You can also follow me over on Facebook. Toss me a line in the comments section below and let me know what you think.

This card is for:

Inky Paws Challenge

Sketch #55

Easter Series 2016 - Card 4

Hi everyone, thank you for stopping by. I hope you are all having a great day.

Welcome to day four of my 2016 Easter series. I thought I would do a fun one today, not only to keep things nice and balanced, but because it was a special request from my friend Karen, and it turned out super cute.

To create this card, I began by stamping the bunny in the pot directly onto Copic friendly paper with Memento Tuxedo black ink, as well as the carrots. I had to use a lot of masking for this one, as the carrot is a single stamp and I wanted a whole pile of them. There are three carrots that were stamped separately and fussy cut out to add dimension. Once the stamping was completed I coloured them in with Copic markers.

I used very light copics to colour the background, and die cut clouds from vellum and adhered them in place with vellum adhesive. While super expensive, it is the best adhesive I have found for keeping vellum in place without seeing anything through the piece.

I die cut two pieces of grass and taped them down, using the same colour for the matting around the panel.

I hope you like today's card and are inspired to create something of your own.