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Wednesday, July 3, 2019

Modern Gems + Giveaway

I came home from Minneapolis to a really fun surprise.

I have a handmade mailbox on my porch. It was handmade in Poland, and it's a real conversation starter with everyone who comes over. Of course, it's decorative only, because I no longer live in America, where you used to be able to actually have your own mailbox at your house.

However, it's beautiful, and I love it. I'd link you to the Etsy shop, but it's now closed

It has a little newspaper holder under it - also super quaint and old fashioned.

When I got home Sunday, I saw that the newspaper holder had been filled up with sticks. Looking closer, I saw some tiny, fuzzy little heads amongst the sticks. They are wren babies, and they are SO cute.

If you want to be wren friendly, have birdhouses that have openings no larger than 1.5". House sparrows are dreadful murderers, and cannot get into openings that small, so you can protect your wrens by giving them a tiny habitat for their adorable babies.

While I was discovering my wren babies, I heard the joyful sounds of kids outside playing and yelling and being kids, like in the good old days.

I love summer and all the things that come with it.

So today, I decided to make a very summery, sunshiney card for you.

I know exactly who I'm sending this to, because it's basically the card version of her entire personality.

It was a super quick and easy card to put together. First, I used this masking tape to mask off the white section. Then, I sprayed Pixie Spray on this art deco stencil and stuck it to my card front. Then I brushed Wild Dandelion ink all over that with Life Changing Blender Brushes. I removed the masking tape, and stamped the gem from this set, masking it and stamping it in different orientations across the masked portion of the card in Amalgam Ink. I used a Copic Marker to add a matching yellow to the gems.

The sentiment to pull it all together is from this stamp set.

If that stamp set seems familiar, it is - I used it to make one of my favorite cards EVERRRRRR, which you can find the details for at this blog post

I guess that stamp set inspires sunny colors! :)

Want to be entered to win a shopping spree from the two companies whose products I used today? Stay tuned below the supplies for details!

Vibrant Blooms Die Set - Gina K Designs
[ GNK ]
Clear Stamps- Vibrant Blooms - Gina K...
[ GNK ]
GKD Art Stencils- Art Deco - Gina K...
[ GNK ]
Bad & Boujee 3x4 Clear Stamp Set
[ INK ]
Sakura CLASSIC WHITE Fine Line 05...
[ SSS ]
Therm O Web PIXIE SPRAY iCraft...
[ SSS | ELH ]
GKD Amalgam Ink Pad- Jet Black
[ GNK ]
GKD Color Companions Ink Pad- Wild...
[ GNK | SSS ]
Post-it 658 Labeling & Cover-Up Tape,...
[ AMZUS ]
Art Anthology BIG CRAFT MAT 24x36 311473
[ SSS ]
Life Changing Blender Brushes. 4 Pack...
[ PFS ]
Heavy Base Weight Card Stock- White
[ GNK ]
MISTI Stamping Tool
[ MSP | HA | SSS | ELH | MFT | UNT ]
Rotatrim Professional Series Cutter -...
[ BLIC ]
LightView 2in1 LED Magnifier for...
[ BRG ]
Mudder 10 Pack White Buffer Sanding...
[ AMZUS ]
Xyron ADHESIVE ERASER 23675
[ SSS | ART | AMZUS ]
Teflon Bone Folder - Ellen Hutson LLC
[ ELH | SSS ]
Crafter's Companion GEMINI...
[ SSS ]
Cut Align
[ MSP ]
Ink Off Cloth
[ INK ]
Essentials by Ellen Storage...
[ ELH ]
Die Storage - Clear Storage Pockets...
[ CHC ]
XL Stamp Storage Pockets
[ ELH ]
Lawn Fawn STAMP SHAMMY Cleaner LF1045
[ SSS | CST ]
Airtable: Organize your stamps & dies
[ ART ]


So do you want a chance to win a $50 shopping spree to Gina K or Inkon3? Just leave me a comment telling me what you love most about summer! Both companies will post winners on their blogs on Friday.
Want more inspiration? Hop along to the next designer - the talented Courtney! Loveyameanitbye.

51 comments:

  1. Your cards are so bright and cheery and summery-looking! I too love summer. Is that because we were teachers?

    Sandye

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  2. I hope your little wren babies are safe in your newspaper holder! I always love your cards, and today I’m completely smitten by your cheerful ones... the “heart smile” card is outrageously beautiful! My favorite thing about summer... this year, especially, is the fantastic array of plants and flowers and trees that come to life and put on a show every day, if you are paying attention. I need a knowledgeable companion to walk with me, every day, and tell me what it all is.

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  3. I love the early morning bird songs.......probably because winter is long, cold and quiet.....

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  4. Summer (unless you live in the South) means just walking out the door; no mittens, scarf, coat, boots, shivering. Freedom, Mobility and Spontanaity all return! Love your happy yellows...

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  5. First to comment! YAY me! Such a wonderful collaboration! TFS your inspiration and creativity!!

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  6. Favorite thing about summer...just how alive everything looks and feels. The grass is green and tomatoes are ripening. Flowers are blooming and birds are chirping (and dive-bombing my ever-scared dog). And everyone seems a little more relaxed.

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  7. Your work is beautiful ❤❤❤

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  8. Yellow awesomeness!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I love the first one! Great background!

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  9. Hi Lydia! This is beautiful and sunny so a perfect summer card. I've been watching the archives of craty chat so thank you for all you do there and with all your other projects. I think my favorite thing about summer is the way people change and seem to relax a bit. Also I love to be at the beach by the water. If I had my way I would have my butt at the edge where the sand meets the waves from June to August.

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  10. The ability to travel without work and school constraints is the best of summer

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  11. Those are wonderful. Love them. Thanks for sharing. Johanne Lacombe

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  12. Yellow is such a bright, happy colour! That's my favourite part of summer - the brightness! here on the 'wet' coast, our skies are so grey from late Oct. to Feb/March... Thanks for sharing the sunshine :)

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  13. I like how you really focused on one flower. It is very pretty. And the BRIGHT yellow background on the first is great.

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  14. Gorgeous cards. Yellow is my favorite color and you used is beautifully.

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  15. Wow! Both cards are cheery and bright! Where I live, desert southwest, it is difficult to find something to love about summer...but there are a few things to love.
    Snowbirds have fled back to Canada or Minnesota, leaving our streets and restaurants empty! Also grocery stores are empty too!
    We have cooler mountains just a short 3 hour or less drive away!!
    We can stay inside all day and craft...because no one expects you to go outside!!!šŸ˜‚šŸ’œšŸŒµ

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  16. Love your cards! So cheerful & bright. I love the sound of the cardinals in my yard. They bring me such a sense of peace.

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  17. I love the sunshine. In Michigan, the winters can be so dreary. Your cards are so cheery!

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  18. Thanks for your beautiful inspiration! The thing I love most is being able to plant flowers and taking time to sit outside and enjoy the beauty of nature... living in the northeast it's a short season!
    Thanks Lydia!

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  19. Beautiful cards, Lydia! Summer is my favorite season and I love the flowers, the green trees, the birds singing and the warm weather. It goes by way too quickly!

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  20. Beautiful cards! They really are sunny.

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  21. Such a vibrant cards.. loved your choice of colors on your cards..

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  22. We've got sunshine on a cloudy day with these beauties! Such a cheerful burst of color and I love your sharing of the baby wrens! I wish we here in Florida had better luck at being able to get the birdies to nest (plenty of morning doves nesting in the rafters!) Your friend will be delighted to receive such a pretty card! TFS :)

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  23. Love these cheery bright cards! Summer always means bright & cheery to me & your cards fit right in that category. My favorite summer thing is waking up to bird songs every morning.

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  24. Beautiful cards! Love the bright and happy yellows and such fun designs. We have a fun birdhouse on an old shovel handle and have been surprised by wrens nesting the last few years - so fun!

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  25. I love going to sleep in summer to the singing of the little frogs around the building. I've even recorded it on my cell phone to play back in winter when it is so quiet.

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  26. Such sunny cards! Love the cooors. Summer means time ah the cottage with family and friends, fun and food. Love watching the clouds and feeling the breeze. Thank you for the opportunity.

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  27. Would you post a picture of your mailbox please?

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  28. Love the colors! Can never have too many diamonds! Thanks!

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  29. Summer means freedom - to have the windows open to get fresh
    air in the house, to not have to bundle up whenever I want
    to go outside, and the beauty of the flowers that can grow
    during this wonderful season. Love your new family - they
    can find a home in the smallest areas. take care
    Happy 4th thanks for sharing
    txmlhl(at)yahoo(dot)com

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  30. Lydia! This is amazing. I love the brightness! Thanks for joining us on the collab!

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  31. I love these cards! What I love most about Summer is being retired, and not having to work in 114° heat anymore, with a boss asking why it took me so long :) Now I stay in my air conditioned fortress of solitude!

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  32. I love the sound of the little frogs singing away at bedtime. I miss them in winter but have recorded their singing on my cell phone for that time.

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  33. I get a real summer feeling when I look at your gorgeous cards Lydia. Hope everything is well with the wren babies, they are so adorable.
    Thank you so much for sharing your inspiration.

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  34. Your cards are so bright and cheerful Lydia! So gorgeous and very summery!!! I love the summer with it's warm weather, visits to the beach and the longer days!

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  35. Love that it is light outside when I leave work. I know this is lame, but it makes such a difference in my happiness and energy level!!

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  36. So pretty and cheery. I like being able to garden in the summer.

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  37. Your cards are brightful.Thanks for the inspirations!

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  38. Ooooh!! Lydia, I LOVE these!! I love the brightness of the yellow!!!

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  39. Well I love the sun, of course!
    Lovely sunny cards, you have there! ;)

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  40. Beautiful! Love your bright & cheerful cards!

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  41. Best things about summer - free fruit from our trees and free flowers from our garden!! Love your sunny card!!

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  42. All that pretty yellow on your cards does remind me of sunshine. Which by the way is a commodity sadly lacking this Spring and Summer. We have need for the rain to stop now. LOL

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  43. I like all the fresh vegetables from the garden! :)

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  44. Your cards are so bright and cheery! I love them both. Beautifully designed. TFS!

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  45. It's 6:00 AM and there are birds singing outside. That's my sign that it's summer. There's no better way to wake up!

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  46. Beautiful cards! Love all that yellow... my favorite color! Awesome stencil design and stamps!
    What I love most about summer... heading over to beautiful Lake Tahoe to cool off when it gets hot here at home! It's only about an hour and 45 minutes away, but it's always a lot cooler there!

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  47. What beautiful bright and happy cards! I love both of them! Thanks for the inspiration!

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