Crafty Meraki "Meraki Hugs" Release Week 2

Hello! The Design Team is back today with part two of the New Release for Crafty Meraki - called Meraki Hugs! I am having so much fun creating with this new release and once again I have two cards to share. Both cards are Slimline cards, and this first one is a fun fold card with a bright background. 

I have a walkthrough of the card on YouTube showing how I created the water colour looking background and also the measurements for my Slimline Trifold.

I started making these Slimline Trifold cards back in June and every time I post one I get lots of comments from people. The new Celebrate Slimline Tag is perfect for this fun fold!

The Celebrate Slimline Tag is another one that was designed by Candice Fisher and it's another one that I will use again and again. I love the bold sentiments that you can use both with the tag die and on it's own and that it cuts as a single piece. 

As I said in the video, I inked a small panel of white card stock with die inks and blending brushes, spritzed it with water then let it dry before I die cut the CELEBRATE from it. 

When you open the first flap, this bright water coloured background is revealed with a stamped greeting from the Valentine stamp set. I showed how to create this type of background in my video, using regular die inks and a piece of plastic packaging. 

That flap opens to reveal a pretty painted cherry blossom sprig and another sentiment, both from the Year of the Ox stamp set.

To create the card base for my Slimline Trifold, cut card stock 8-1/2 x 8-1/2". Score 2" from left edge and 3" from right and you can decide whether to use the 2" flap on the right or left side. I change it up often! NOTE:  There is a label on the right side of my blog called Trifolds if you want to see more of them in a variety of sizes.

OK - now for my second card!

Being new to the Design Team, I have limited Crafty Meraki supplies to use and I had to get creative to die cut my frame. I centred a Slimline rectangle die inside a 3.5 x 8.5" piece of white card stock and die cut it but I know Crafty Meraki has a great Slimline Frame die set in their shop (called Frame-Worthy Slimline) and that would be much easier to use. That set is on my Wish List!  I added pen stitching to the frame while I waited for a DT package to arrive. I had been hoping to use one of the included Slimline Background Dies to create a pattern on the frame but - like so many packages in December - it got delayed and isn't here yet. I had already finished the white panel with the foxes, so finally I just added more clouds and grass to the frame using deeper shades of colour and adhered the frame over the stamped panel with foam tape. I like the shadowbox look this gives!

How cute are these images? The stamp set is called To-Tail-Ly Awesome and I think these are probably the cutest critters I've seen. Their big eyes and happy faces just make me smile! I wanted to show you a different way to use them, so rather than creating a horizontal scene I went vertical and stacked the foxes. The snail was too cute not to add so he ended up on the tip of the top foxes tail. 

Since I like to decorate the inside of my cards, you can see how I did that here with a white panel that has the same ground and clouds on it as well as a bit of yellow for the sun which was brushed through a circle mask.

I added one of the cute snails and two blossoms from the To-Tail-Ly Awesome stamp set and my card was finished. The cloudy sky is light enough to easily write on when you go to send the card.

One final look at my card front ...

I hope you are enjoying the Meraki Hugs release - I know I have loved seeing all the beautiful creations from the Design Team on Facebook and Instagram. 

"Crafty Meraki is a tribe of women who are all creators but more importantly, love helping others in any way we can! 

Meraki (may-rah-kee) a verb, or adverb, a Modern Greek word, derived from the Turkish “Merak” (Labor of love, to do something with pleasure), is applied to tasks, usually, creative or artistic tasks, but can be applied to any task at all. Meraki means to do something with passion, with absolute devotion, with undivided attention.

Crafty Meraki was born out of a vision to help creators do what they love doing the most- to create!"

Supplies:
Celebrate Slimline Trifold
Celebrate Slimline Tag - Crafty Meraki
Year of the Ox - Crafty Meraki
Valentine - Crafty Meraki
Waffle Flower Mini Media Mat
Blending Brushes - Taylored Expressions
Card stocks
Sakura white gel pen
Water Brush
Stickles
Mesh Ribbon - Stampin' Up
Bakers Twine
Card size - 3.5 x 8.5", fits in a #9 or #10 Business Envelope

Slimline with Stacked Foxes
To-Tail-Ly Awesome - Crafty Meraki
Card stocks
Scan 'n Cut
Copic markers
Sakura black glaze and white gel pens
Hand made cloud mask
Blending Brushes - Taylored Expressions
Wink of Stella
Brown fine point marker - Marvy Uchida
Iridescent Butterflies - Studio Katia
Embossed Edge Nesting Slimline Dies - Kat Scrappiness
Card size - 3.5 x 8.5", fits in a #9 or #10 Business Envelope

Thanks for stopping by today