Graphic 45 Safari Adventure "Thanks" gift set

Hello Crafty Friends!

Don't you just love playing with new crafty products?  Not only is playing with new Graphic 45 paper a treat, so is smelling the paper.  The scent of a fresh Graphic 45 paper pad invigorates the soul and the colorful patterns brighten the spirit.  The new Graphic 45 Safari Adventure pad is no exception.  Love it!

I decided to create a sweet little Thank you gift set using the pad.  First, I pulled out two stamp set from Quietfire Design.  (Quietfire Design stamps and Graphic 45 papers are a match made in heaven!)  The "Thanks" from Thanks Cuddlers stamp set was used on the card front:

And the "for you" from the Being Thankful stamp set was used on the wee gift box:

The Kraft card box was die cut using Spellbinders die set LF-012, Square Petal Top Box.  I fussy cut various pieces of Safari patterned paper using circle dies and adhered to the top of the box.  

The sides of the box were embellished using various tags, stamps and other Safari images.

A tent fold 4.25" x 5.5" Kraft card was created.  Mounted on the card were several pieces of Safari paper as shown.

The Thanks was stamped on ivory G45 paper, cut and mounted on black card stock.  

The embellies in the upper left corner were too fun to collect.  On the compass I applied Viva Decor's clear Pearl Pen to give the appearance of glass.

Such a great paper collection!  Such vibrant colors and patterns.  

Here is another look at the box:

And one final peek at the set:

Thanks for stopping by!  I do hope you enjoyed the gift set.  :)

Have a happy, crafty day!
Big Hugs,
Kathy Jo

Tim Holtz 12 Tags of 2016- August Tag "Hope"

Hello Crafty Friends!

Can you believe it is almost the end of August?  It seems like yesterday when I flipped the calendar to August...hmm...wait a second... perhaps it was yesterday and I am just a horrible procrastinator.  :)

Today I am sharing my tag I created for Tim Holtz' 12 Tags of 2016, August, challenge.  The tag background was created using a rubber brayer and Distress Stains in Pumice Stone and Picket Fence.  (see the technique here)

Next I applied Distress Inks in Antique Linen, Pumice Stone and Walnut Stain along the edges.

Water was flicked on the tag for an aged appearance.

Next I took a scrap piece of ivory card stock and applied Versamark to one end.  Distress Embossing powder in Fired Brick was applied.  Please note, I usually heat emboss the Fired Brick from under the card stock as I don't want the grains to fly off the ink.  When it appears that the embossing powder is set, I apply heat to the top of the tag to make sure all was embossed.

The finish is awesomeness.  The close up photo does not do it justice.

The embossed area and the non-embossed area were both die cut using the brick die from the Sizzix Mixed Media #3 set (66186).  

The ivory die cut was cut into pieces and adhered to the tag.  Next I glued the bricks into place.  Yes, I could have just placed the "mortar" cuts on top of the embossed paper but I did not want the mortar to stick out further than the bricks.  It does take a few minutes to do this step but well worth it.  (I hummed "She's a brick...house" during this process to keep me entertained.)

The inspiring hope sentiment from Stampers Anonymous' Ponderings stamp set (CMS252) was stamped with Archival Ink in Jet Black onto an ATC size map from Tim Holtz' Crowded Attic paper pad (TH92897).  It was mounted onto cheerful blue paper and then to the tag.

Tiny Tattered Flowers were created using Sizzix' die set 660227 and a plant die cut from Sizzix' Wildflowers set 661190.  Stickles was applied to the flowers as shown. (At first I wondered if I went overboard with the Stickles but then I laughed and said "Pfft...you can never have too much Stickles."  It's true, I would add it to this blog post if I could.)

Tim Holtz' typed token "hope" had Picket Fence paint added to whiten the text.

It was secured to the tag with pink twine and seam binding dyed using coordinating Distress Stains.

Some frosted half pearls were added and the tag was complete.

Looking at the tag makes me happy.  I hope it does the same for you!

Thanks for stopping by!
Have a happy, crafty day!
Big Hugs,
Kathy Jo

"I don't tell you often enough...I love you" Graphic 45 stair card

Hello Crafty Friends!  

This week at Quietfire Design is a week long celebration of Yvonne and Harrie's upcoming nuptials!  To celebrate this week of love, I created a side step card using the sentiments from the "I don't tell you often enough" stamp set:

I think any of those sentiments would work so well with our significant other and perhaps saying those things more often would result in more cuddles.  Win-win!  :)

For card instructions, please hop on over to Quietfire Design.  In the meantime, here are some photo snippets:

The stamp set goes so well with the pretty Mon Amour papers!

Thanks for stopping by!  Feel free to stop by Quietfire Design and see all of the love filled projects this week.  

Have a happy, crafty day!

Kathy Jo

"Noel"- newly released Elizabeth Craft Designs die

 Hello Crafty Friends!

Earlier this week I shared a project using newly released Elizabeth Craft Designs dies for a wedding photo card.  Today on the Elizabeth Craft Designs blog I am sharing a quick and easy holiday card using the newly released Noel die:

Gorgeous die!!  I made sure to accentuate the "e" with two gems:

 For instructions on how to make this card, hop on over to the ECD blog.

Thanks for stopping by!  Have a happy, crafty day!
Big Hugs,
Kathy Jo

Graphic 45 Mother Goose birthday card

Hello Crafty Friends!

I don't make a lot of children's cards but I attended a very special birthday party that required one.  The birthday party was for a cute as a button one year old girl.  Oh- she was so adorable in her sweet white dress.  She just learned how to give hugs, too, which made the birthday party even better!  What a doll!

Graphic 45's Mother Goose collection was perfect for her card.  The white tent fold base was 4.25" x 5.5" and had a few layers of patterned papers applied as shown.  The stitched tag was created using Die-namics' die set MFT-375.

I realized after the card had dried that I forgot to adhere the patterned paper on top of the vertical yellow paper!  But, I don't think the wee birthday girl noticed.  ;)

The inside contained patterned papers on both faces.  The image of the girl is adorable.

The ivory paper had adhesive applied on only three sides so that a gift card or cash could be slid in.  I wrote my sentiment on the ivory paper.

The card was simple to make and created in under an hour.  Not bad for me starting from scratch as I usually get distracted in the craft room when I go through all my papers, dies and stamps!

Thanks for stopping by!  Have a happy crafty day!
Big Hugs,
Kathy Jo

New Elizabeth Craft Designs release! Wedding announcement card with photo

Hello Crafty Friends!  Today is Day 1 of a week long celebration of the newly released A Way With Words dies!  The Quietfire Creations blog will have a week full of inspiring projects using the new dies.  All the dies were designed by the ever-so-talented Suzanne Cannon.  She always blows me away with her stamps and dies!  Today I am sharing my project on the Quietfire Creations blog.  The project is using the newly released Mr and Mrs die set…

…and the ampersand and heart from the Calligraphic Elements 2 set:

The project is a wedding announcement/thank you card with photo:

Feel free to hop on over to the blog to get the instructions to make the card.

Thanks for stopping by!  Don’t forget to check out the other posts this week celebrating the new die releases!

Here is a link to the new releases in the Quietfirestore.  Enjoy!

Big Crafty Hugs,

Kathy Jo