Happy Monday!

What a gorgeous day! It's about 70° outside and there is a breeze blowing through the house. The air is rich with pollen - a sure sign of spring! My hummingbirds haven't shown up yet, but I'm sure they'll be here soon! The other day, as I watched out the window of my scraproom, I witnessed two cabbage moths "playing" together as they fluttered through the air. I KNEW they weren't playing but doing what the birds and bees do in the Spring! LOL It was so sweet! Cabbage moths are those pretty white butterfly looking critters. Bless their little hearts!

I have a new card to share with you today. I just give up on getting the lighting right. How I can take the exact same shot three times and get three different color outcomes is beyond me! Arrgghh! One version came out all magenta. One came out looking green, and one was "workable." I wish I knew what the secret to good photos is! I'm at a loss. I'm using an Ott light and it still looks fluorescent. I know there's enough light because my flash won't work.

Here's the card I did:



The little angel has been colored with inks. I am so comfortable using them over my Copics. I get sweaty palms just picking up the boxes of Copics to start working with them! LOL

These are the shots of the inside:







I just thought that Magnolia infant stamp was adorable. I've used it since I got it, but never posted a card to my blog on which I used it.

I am submitting this card into the following challenges:

CES Challenges - die cuts
Magnolia Stamp Lovers Challenge - ribbon
RESQ Challenge - Scrub It Up! (I chose #1 with the flowers & pink colors)
Wild Orchid Crafts - Sketch
Just Magnolia - Bingo (ribbon, flowers, gems)

Thank you so much for stopping by! Your visits are such a joy! I hope you will come back again!

XO,
Chris Christensen

Do March Showers bring April Flowers?

We have had such a wonderful March! It's been cool and damp here in the desert. Last night, I was awakened with the wind outside just hauling! Then, later, I was awakened with pouring rain outside! Morning came with bright sunlight! We're in a wet pattern that is great for the water levels and horrible for those of us with allergies!

I've been working on cards. I do have one to share with you today that is for Easter. I put it up on Etsy and it was gone in no time! That's the second time in a week that one went right after I posted it! The nice thing is that it is the same person, so I can only guess she likes my work! I like her, too! I hope she isn't disappointed. LOL

Here it is:



I decide to do a round card this time. I love this little Tilda. That egg is adorable. I inked the edges of the lavender papers and cardstock just to give it depth. I used the Cat's Eye Lavender inkpad to match the papers. I colored the image w/ Copics.



This is the inside top of the card. I pulled out my Cricut and put it to work for me. The stickers are rimmed in a multicolored silverish effect. It made a nice contrast against the papers.



I fell in love with that ribbon. The flowers on it are just perfect! For the shapes, I used my Nesties.

Here is what the card looks like completely on the inside.



So, that is one of the cards I did this week. I am so not a purple person! The papers are lovely with it.

I'm going to hunker down with a book, I think. I'm tuckered out. I had a busy day, LOL.

Thank you so much for stopping by! It is so sweet that you have taken the time to visit. I hope you will come back again!

Blessings,

Chris

I would like to enter this card into the following challenges:

1. Stamp with Fun - Spring
2. Stamping Scrapping Challenge Central - Pastels
3. Card Cupid's Blog - Spring
4. The Corrosive Challenge Blog - Recipe
5. Creative Inspirations Paint - Easter
6. Gingerloft Creations - die cuts

Happy First Day of Spring!

What a wonderful first day of Spring it was - temps in the 50s, a gray overcast sky, and rain coming! Any rainy day in the desert is a good day because we need the water! Also, I know that on any given day in June, July, August, or September, I'll be dreaming of temps like today!

As I sat at my scrap table and gazed out the window, I noticed that my two bridlewreath plants had fresh, green leaves! They're awake! I love bridlewreath bushes. We had them at our home in Bucks County, PA. We also had gorgeous forsythia bushes which just don't grow well here. At least the bridlewreath can take the heat!

I have a new card to share with you today. I thought I had the frog stamp. I just KNEW I had the frog stamp. I went through all my stamps and it must have hopped away, because there was no frog stamp to be found! So, I ordered one to complete the card I had started. I am such a reflective person. I have ideas bouncing around in my head for months before they all fall into place. Such is the case with this card. I hope you like it. Here it is:



I loved this Basic Grey paper! It was just right for a masculine card such as this. I've inked and distressed the edges, added lots of layers, too. There is machine stitching around the stamped image. The wings have been filled in with glitter glue as is the frog's crown. It adds just the right amount of sparkle! I had to have flowers. What can I say? LOL So, I chose to use masculine colored flowers instead of girly ones.

The next image is of the upper inside of the card. Again, I added my flowers and used my computer to print the sentiment. I love these papers!



Below is the lower inside of the card. Here is the frog that got away! LOL His crown has been filled in with yellow glitter glue. I thought about using one of the gold shades that I have, but I liked the yellow so much better! Again, the sentiment was printed on my computer.


The last shot is of the what the card looks like on the inside.



This card was so much fun to make! I really got into this one for some reason!

This card is available for purchase in my Etsy Shop.

I would like to enter this card into the following challenges:

1. Magnolia-licous Challenge Blog - green
2. Let's Ink It Up - Die cuts/punches
3. Sentimental Sundays - Sentiment
4. tamptacular Sunday Challenge - Sentiment
5. Delightful Sketches - Green
6. Moving Along with the Times - Good Luck

**A note about the word verification** - I apologize for leaving it on. I have found that when I turn it off, I am receiving disgusting messages from "anonymous." When it is on, the bot that leaves these pieces of trash is unable to do so.
Thank you so much for visiting my blog. I so appreciate the time you took to visit and leave such a treasured comment!

Blessings,
Chris Christenen

Daylight Savings Time

Does Daylight Savings Time mess you up? Boy, it takes me time to adjust! It's almost 8:00 PM and the sky is still light.

I've been up early the past two days, and busily working on a card to share. I had this card in my head for such a long time. I wanted to wait until I got a different kind of watercolor paper. When DH went to Vegas on Friday, he brought a couple of sheets home for me to test. I like it! Don't ask me what it is as I haven't a clue! A little background. Shortly after high school, young men in my church go on 18 month missions somewhere around the globe. Just before they leave for their missionary training, they have a "Farewell." It's a special time. So, I thought I'd make a Farewell Card using Edwin. Here it is:



Oh, how I wish you could see the clarity of the colors on this. They are very vivid in real life. I've elevated Edwin and his trunk on pop dots so it stands out a bit more. I colored the image with distress inks - my new love! Edwin's face is a bit darker than it is showing. I think I had the light aimed too closely to his face. The colors of the card are dark green, beige, and brown. I wanted to keep it masculine, so there are no frills.



The stamp is a Magnolia stamp. It's an interesting stamp as it has little dots around a couple of the letters. It sort of bothers me because they look like bad stamping! LOL



This page is for a special message from the sender to the recipient. I thought that shape was a nice one in size and shape.

This is the card inside:



This card is available for purchase in my Etsy Shop.

I would like to submit this card for the following challenges:

1. Magnolia-licious Challenge Blog - green
2. Dream Valley Challenges - new beginnings
3. Paper Sundaes - keep it simple
4. CES Challenge Blog - men
5. Crazy 4 Challenges - trees
6. Color Create Challenge Blog - green, cream, brown, black

Thank you so much for taking the time to visit my blog. I hope you liked my card! I loved that you took the time to visit.

Blessings,
Chris

Such Trying Times

My heart aches. I feel helpless and wish I could do something huge to help those in need in Japan. What a huge tragedy! I know my prayers help, but I wish I could do more. Such loss.

I did get a card done this week. It turned out better than I've been doing! LOL I love the inked images. The colors are hot pink, lime green and yellow. Here it is:



I did use distress inks on the stamped image. There are lots of layers, machine stitching, a gold tone metal corner, some pretty ribbon, and a Prima flower. The green on the flower does match the card, but got skewed when I took the photo. Now, it looks more mint than lime.

Here are photos of the interior:



I think the card is bright and cheery. I think I should have upped the contrast a bit, but it's hard to tell as I lose contrast when I post to my blog or even Etsy. It just dulls. I never know how it is going to be viewed after I post it. The balloons are elevated on pop dots. Again, lots of layers and machine stitching was used.

Here is the opposite side. It's not doing well on Etsy. Should I stamp a sentiment in the empty square?





This card is available for purchase in my Etsy Shop.

I would like to submit this card for the following challenges:

1. Fun With Shapes and More - Birthday/die cut
2. Aud Sentiments Challenge Blog - birthday
3. Cute Card Thursday - birthday card for three year old
4. DYSU Challenge Blog - layers
5. Paper Romance Challenges - colors
6. Simon Says Stamp Challenge - anything goes
7. Paper Take Weekly - Bright and Zingy
8. Wild Orchid Crafts - Anything Goes

Thank you so much for taking the time to visit my blog. I hope you liked my card! I loved that you took the time to visit.

Blessings,
Chris

Spring is in the Air

Oh, the glorious fresh air of Spring! I've had the windows open all day and has it felt wonderfully! It was in the mid to high 60s today and such a difference from a week ago! I wish I could bottle it and keep it this way for the next six months! It is just so perfect outside!

Not much happening around here. I've been working on cards and playing with lighting and taking better photos. I worked on three cards over the past few days. My scrap room is a mess! LOL I've had things pulled for each of the three cards. I think I figured out it isn't that smart to simultaneously work on multiple cards!

I think my Cuttlebug is dying. It's been a great tool over the past seven or so years. It's getting persnickety about allowing things to roll through. Of course, I want to give myself a good kick for NOT taking advantage of a recent sale at Joann's when die cutting machines were in sale with free shipping. I passed on getting the Big Shot Pro. I just wasn't sure which machine would work for the Cuttlebug, Sizzix, Nesties, etc. I want one that will work for ALL. If you have a suggestion, I am soooooo open to hear it! HELP!

I'd like to share a St. Patrick's Day card with you. It's one I finally finished today. I had fun and loved that I think Tilda's red hair looks pretty good on both images! I surprised myself when they both matched! For me, that's a miracle! Here she is:









I used lots of layering, multiple papers, some pretty ribbon, die cuts, flowers with gem centers, gold coin paper embellishments, and machine stitching. There's a lot packed into this little card! I have to tell you a funny story about the shamrocks on the dancing Tilda inside the card. I had this unopened package of glittered shamrocks in my St. Patrick's Day stuff and thought they'd look cute. Well, I opened the package only to discover that the adhesive had been put on the wrong side of the sticker sheet! What's with that? LOL So, I got creative and cut them out using a knife. Then, I glued them to the paper. Instead of having the adhesive on the back, they put the adhesive on the front of each shamrock! Too funny! I've never had that happen before!

This card is available for purchase in my Etsy Shop.

I would like to submit this card to the following challenges:

1. House of Gilli - Green
2. Flourishes - St. Patrick's Day
3. Bling it On - anything goes
4. The Paper Variety - Green
5. Shelly's Images Blog - layers
6. Sassy Studio Designs - green
7. DYSI Challenge - Green It Up
8. 4 Crafty Chicks - Stitching

Thank you so much for stopping by! I so appreciate your visit and know that it takes time to do so. Thank you! It means the world to me!

Have a wonderful weekend - it's just a day away!

Blessings,

XO,
Chris