Happy Santa box card plus one

Hello, it's me with another guest post featuring Gerda Steiner Designs new release, Santa With Letters. I hope you like Santa's immature sense of humor - it is much like my own. LOL. 

In addition to the Santa with Letters, I used GSD Snowman Friends stamps, and Ellen Hutson, Santa's List stamp set for the bag of toys, tree, and deer. The actual box card is made from the Level Up box card die set from My Favorite Things. If you enjoy making box cards like I do, it is worth the somewhat spendy investment for the dies. 

As always, my box card folds flat for mailing in an A2 envelope. Depending how carried away you get adding goodies to the card (I tend to go whole hog most of the time!) you may need to add an extra postage stamp.

Copics used for this creation. 

My next card features the Gerda Steiner Designs, Lovely Pandas. This set is so cute, and depending how you wish to color the bears, they do not have to be pandas. But, who doesn't love sweet, chubby panda bears!?? 

Let's see how this one came together. 

I started by inking a background onto my card panel using this Pretty Pink Posh stencil, Valentine Background, in Distress Ink Kitsch Flamingo with a blending brush. If you haven't used blending brushes yet, let me tell you, they are the BOMB! I used original TH inkers and mini inkers for years but when I found these blending brushes, I got rid of all the inkers and use these only now. LIFE CHANGING! But I digress..  I kept to the center of the panel in a random oval using post-it tape (you can use washi or masking tape as well) to hold the panel and stencil in place. 

Only a few copics required for this one, and you can use any black or dark gray shades you prefer. Also, I use white gel pen for the eyes but again it's personal preference.

When stamping my sentiment, this one is by My Favorite Things, I used my mini-misti. I don't always do this, but it is helpful if you are stamping directly onto your card as opposed to stamping on a label or strip and adhering that.

Now all that's left is to attach the hearts and bear above the sentiment, I used foam tape to add the bear, because my life would be empty without foam tape. I love dimension on all my projects! then add to your card front, and mat if you wish. I added a red mat to this one as it was very very white without it. 

I hope you enjoyed my projects! It has been my absolute pleasure to guest on the Gerda Steiner Designs Blog. Thank you so much for all the wonderful comments. I've had a blast playing with the GSD team! 

Product List (box card):

Gerda Steiner Designs, Santa with Letters stamps and dies

Greda Steiner Designs, Snowman Friends stamps and dies

My Favorite Things, Outside the Box, Level Up die set

My Favorite Things, Outside the Box, Snow Drifts die set

Ellen Hutson, Santa's List stamps and dies (deer, tree, Santa's bag)

Taylored Expressions, banner stamp ("Santa says" and "bells" letters from GSD)

Copic, Xpress it blending card

Copic, Sketch Markers

*

Product List (panda card):

Gerda Steiner Designs, Lovely Pandas stamps and dies

My Favorite Things, Smitten with You sentiment stamps

My Favorite Things, Smooth White cardstock

Pretty Pink Posh, Valentine Background stencil

Distress Ink, Kitsch Flamingo

Copic, Xpress it blending card

Copic, Sketch Markers

Mini-Misti alignment tool, blending brush, post-it tape, foam tape

Pinkfresh Studio Create & Connect 2021, Day 1

Have you ever "attended" an online crafting event? I have taken a lot of online classes and small group sessions over the years, which have all been such fun, and a really great learning experience for crafters of any level. But this weekend's event was JAM PACKED, let me tell you! A full two days of creating and learning and sharing and just having so much fun with over 750 - that is NOT a typo!-750-plus other crafters all online together. Let me just say, phe-nom-en-AL!!!

Pinkfresh Studio is a fairly new company to my craft stash but you will certainly be seeing a lot of their products on my blog to come. This weekend's event was so amazing I honestly don't know how they are going to top it when they plan the next one. LOL! This was their first such event and everyone went above and beyond to make it special. It seemed as though they'd all done this a hundred times before. The teachers were really great and the projects were easy to complete, and modify if you wished to do so, and the products included in our event packages are all beautiful, as you can see by the projects I've shared in this post. Now, keep in mind, these are so new they are not currently available for purchase. BUT, the good news is, they WILL be available in the next release or two, so watch for them. Totally worth every penny.

If you have any questions, please don't hesitate to shoot me an email. You can use the link in the sidebar if you don't have it elsewhere (Facebook, Scrapendipity Crafters group, Instagram, etc.) but please if you do use that link, remember to include your email address in your message so that I can reply. All right, let's get to the fun stuff, shall we! 

Poor Pinkfresh had to deal with shipper issues and might I say they handled everyone's freak-outs better than I would have, I'm pretty sure. The infamous FedEx box that kept us all on pins and needles till the last minute. It's here, it's here!! CHECK ✅

Class and Project Guide in page protectors and held together by binder rings. I love page protectors. Oops, accidental ink smudge...spray with alcohol* (mentioned below) and wipe it off, no big! 

CHECK ✅

Page protectors make it so easy to make temporary notes or check things off with a dry erase pen, then simply spray and wipe off. 

BigShot and... um....extended cutting plate in three pieces??? Even though it broke twice, it still left me with a piece the size of a regular plate, so that was only a minor setback. It was all good. ✅

Craft cart stocked, pre-class homework prep completed, each class contents in its own envelope. See those spray bottles? Genius. One is water (for keeping my stamp cleaning cloth damp) and one is rubbing alcohol* (70% is perfect for cleaning stencils; wipe off ink with a cloth, dries instantly). Ready to begin. (Seriously, folks, I live for this stuff. I love being organized!) CHECK ✅

All right then, that's enough of that. Let's get to the projects already. :) 

MFT = My Favorite Things

TH = Tim Holtz Distress

HA = Hero Arts

CLASS 1

Day 1, Card 1 

Pinkfresh Citrus Blooms stamps, stencils and die; blanket stitched mini slimline rectangle die, foiled sentiments pkg. 

From my stash: MFT princess pink, TH worn lipstick, TH tattered rose, TH wild honey, MFT daffodil, TH shabby shutters, MFT factory green, TH hickory smoke. White cardstock, white gel pen, foam tape.

Day 1, Card 2 

Pinkfresh Citrus Blooms stamps, stencils and die; mini slimline stitched scallop rectangle die, foiled sentiments pkg., thank you stamp and die from Built on Dreams stamp set

From my stash: TH hickory smoke, MFT orange fizz, MFT persimmon, MFT lemon chiffon, HA, butter bar, TH fossilized amber, TH shabby shutters, TH tattered rose, MFT limelight, MFT factory green. Gold cardstock, gold embossing powder, white gel pen, vellum, foam tape, white cardstock.

Day 1, Make n Take

Pinkfresh Citrus Blooms stamps, stencils and die; mini slimline stitched scallop rectangle die, foiled sentiments pkg.

From my stash: MFT princess pink, MFT orange fizz, TH fossilized amber, MFT daffodil, HA butter bar, TH shabby shutters, MFT factory green, TH tattered rose, MFT grout gray. White cardstock, clear sequins, Studio Katia clear embellishments, foam tape. 

Class 2 cards tomorrow. 

Just roll with it!

You just never know what will happen when you're minding your own business, living your life. One day everything is fine, the next everything could be turned upside down. I'm a firm believer in everything happens for a reason....all you can do is roll with it. You'll come out stronger for it! 

These adorable little squirrels are by Gerda Steiner Designs, from the Happy Fall stamp set. I used stamps from this set to create the border with oxide ink colors, Rusty Hinge, Forest Moss and Gathered Twigs. The orange stripe is not a strip of cardstock, it's Carved Pumpkin Oxide ink. I love the coverage.

For something different, instead of putting one of the little critters on a wobble, I put the sentiment on one. It seemed appropriate. :)

He's my favorite. This nutty little guy was minding his own bees wax gathering acorns when he found himself upside down in the tree. Hang on little guy. Help is on the way!

Happy Fall stamp set, copic colors used. 

Product List:

Gerda Steiner Designs, Happy Fall stamps and coordinating dies

My Favorite Things, Smooth White cardstock

Copic, Xpress it blending card

Copic, Sketch markers

Action Wobble, mini

My Creative Time, ticket die *retired

Paper Smooches, Spiffy Scooters (sentiment) *no longer available

Distress Oxide inks; carved pumpkin, gathered twigs, forest moss, rusty hinge

Happy anniversary card

My parents have been married 68 years - pretty amazing isn't it! They've known each other since they were barely school age, basically grew up together in the same neighborhood and yet they can still stand each other. Hahahaha! They are still very young at heart and have lots of fun together. This card is for them, in mom's favorite color. 

This one is Pinkfresh Studios, a new company to my stash, but quickly becoming a fave addition. For this card, I used products from the first ever Pinkfresh Create and Connect Class Event. (More on that later.)

Pinkfresh products used here are what we used in class. Starting with the adorable mini slimline stitched scallop rectangle. It cuts the outer and inner frame together; here I cut it in two different blues to mix it up. The cake and flowers are part of the Celebrate With Style stamp and die set which also has coordinating stencils available. This was my first time "coloring" with stencils and inks as opposed to using copic markers! It's a lovely finish if I do say so. 

The "celebrate" word is included as part of the stencil set and has a coordinating die as well. I tried to make it ombre - I think I did ok for a first attempt. The numbers are from the Diesel Quickutz die set which I cut from gold card stock; the gold strips on the cake are heat embossed in gold. 

The class. It's this weekend (tomorrow and Sunday) and I just know it's going to be FAB-U-LOUS! Three classes on Saturday, two on Sunday, and the products we have to work with are so gorgeous. These products are not currently available for purchase, but will be over the next couple of months so keep an eye on the next two releases if you love Pinkfresh Studios or would like to get to know them, as I have recently. Great products, great teachers and designers, excellent customer service. What's not to like!? 

Hope you enjoyed my marker-free card. Watch for more yummy Pinkfresh-ness to come, including foiling! I'll be out of my craft room for the winter, and won't be taking a whole lot of equipment with me but I'll still be creating and posting when I can. 

Happy weekend, crafty friends!

MFT Outside the box challenge, Christmas Wishes

Finally, another box card. I'm sure that's what you've all been saying, right? Hahaa! Anyway, it's for the current Outside the Box challenge and I had to use these adorable penguins. Not much coloring involved with penguins, so I used the adorable Polar Pals 6x6 paper pad by Doodlebug to add some color. 

In addition to the Polar Opposites penguins, I used the sign from MFT Cool Day, and snowballs and snow clumps from MFT Pile on the Hugs. The Christmas tree is from MFT Santa's Elves.

The sentiments from MFT Itty Bitty Holiday sentiments

Folds flat for mailing in a regular A2 envelope. 

Copics used

Product List:
My Favorite Things, Outside the Box, Level Up die set
My Favorite Things, Polar Opposites stamps and dies

My Favorite Things, Cool Day (sign)

My Favorite Things, Santa's Elves (tree)

My Favorite Things, Pile on the Hugs (snow balls and clumps)

My Favorite Things, Itty Bitty Holiday sentiments

My Favorite Things, Smooth White cardstock

Copic, Xpress it blending card

Copic, Sketch Markers

Doodlebug Polar Pals 6x6 paper pad

Gold embossing powder, glitter enamel dots