Gardener Gail has come to visit by Sharon Caudle

 Hello AI Fans!

Our new Bi-weekly challenge "When one door closes" is going strong and if you haven't looked at all the DT and GDT creations, I really urge you to do so! They always blow me away with their talent!! We were even blessed to have Debbie Hedges join us as a Guest Designer this month!!  So please do yourself a favor and scroll through the blog to look at all the amazing works of art!

 So.... I'm going to make a big confession here. I have had this screen door die for probably almost 15 years and I have NEVER used it. When I saw the theme of this challenge I decided it was finally time. I grabbed 6076 Gardener Gail and went to work. I used quite a few sets from Art Impressions to create this, and they're all linked below.  I wanted the door to actually open on the front of the card, so I found some miniature hinges on Amazon and the tiny brads from Art Impressions are the PERFECT size for them! Don't you think? I used a larger brad for the inside and outside doorknob.  I simply spread the tines all the way out and glued them in place. The screen in the door actually came with the die and is sandwiched between several layers of the die cuts. The die was made by Cheery Lynn Designs if you want to try and find one. I doubt it is still manufactured after all these years, but I would be surprised if there isn't some kind of substitute die you could use. 

 I wanted it to look like the inside of the house of the front and to be able to see Gail through the screen door. I took just a strip of the paper from 6072 Father's Day PP to use as the floor.  I just needed a small strip, so I actually just cut it out of the back cover of the paper. That way I didn't have to cut into a full sheet for a small strip! Don't overlook using both the front and back cover pieces in the paper packs! I then added a small strip of white cardstock to look like the baseboard. 

I used the fishtail banner from 5809 Decorative Journal Page 2 to cut out the sentiment and pop it up on the top of the door.  I had to make sure to watch where I glued it so the door would still open. Here's a picture with the door open.  

And finally the inside of the card when it's fully opened. 

I used plants from 5490 Front Porch Farm House to place next to the door. For behind Gail, I cut a couple fences using 5807 Journal Fence Dies and pieced them together. The branch came from 5346 Birdhouse Cubbies Set and the bee and birdhouse from 5925 Honey Bee Set. I tied the birdhouse to the branch with a piece of twine and just let it dangle freely. I thought that was just a fun touch. So that's it for me today! Thanks so much for stopping by for a visit and until next time - stay crafty!!

Copic markers used:

E000, 00, 04, 11, 33, 35, 37, 51, 53, 55, 95, 97, and 99

W0, 2, 3, 4, and 5

G40, 43, and 46

C1, 2, 3, 4, and 5

YG00, 13, 17, and 67

Y15, 17, 18, 32, 35, and 38

R02, 12, 81, 83, and 85

B00, 91, 93, and 95

Welcome to Your New Home by Janet

 

Ever wonder how to do more things with your stamps than make cards? I do too. This gift bag was a result of me scratching my head to make something special to put some baked goods in for a new neighbor. I was looking through my stamps and came across the 5090 Front Porch Circlet Mini Tryfold Set. This is designed so you can create a tri-fold card but I thought I could trim the pieces on each stamp and layer them with foam tape to get a 3D look. After coloring with my markers I used a 5064 Circle Double Stitched die to cut out the main image with the sentiment around it. I used the next two larger circle dies to cut a red and a white mat to make the image a bit larger for the bag. 

To make a cheerful welcome tag for the bag, I used the largest tag die from the 5543 Journal Template Die Set and three images from 5490 Front Porch Farm House Set. I love the 3D appearance of the Circlet stamped images. It looks like you can walk right in! 

I also decorated the bag by adding strips of various colors and patterns. It's a really easy way to customize a plain gift bag. It's quick and effective and adds to the homemade charm. Finally, I added an embroidery thread bow and accented it with a red and white jewel. 

Thanks for stopping by today for a little creative fun. Be sure to visit the Ai Store for lots of additional inspiration.

Wishing you a very crafty day!

Janet - Facebook - Instagram - YouTube - Pinterest   

💥NEW RELEASE---Knock Knock by Mercy Sauer

 Hello Ai Crafter, this is Mercy with very exciting news. Ai released NEW products!!! 

The releases will be unveiled between April and June and I am thrilled to be part of the design team and play with new sets.

 

The sets I’m presenting today are:

https://www.artimpressions.com/shop/5512-front-porch-door-set/

https://www.artimpressions.com/shop/5490-front-porch-farm-house-set/

Folks these sets are so versatile and beautiful. 

My focus for this card was the door, the entryway. I chose not to include the walls of the house nor any other detail, just the door. Who would not feel welcomed in this home? I love flowers in front of the house, as a matter of fact, in my home I have a similar set up. Mix of flowers, a lantern, the occasional butterfly, even though if I should be honest, you will find more lizards and unwelcomed flying critters than butterflies.

 

I love the symmetry of this design. I stamped and die cut the mirrored image of the potted trees and the flower pots. I use this trick often to stretch the versatility of my supplies. I love the wreath and welcome mat. The elements included in this set can be used in so my other settings, mixing and matching the old with the new.

Behind the windows I used warm yellow paper and vellum to suggest the lights are on inside the house and glossy accent on the light fixture.  

I popped up most of the elements creating dimension, as you know, my favorite! 

Notice how I left the door slightly open, welcoming guests! 

Love it, a set worth adding to your own stash.

Enjoy and keep checking back to see more new releases