the lovely diy shop

hi all!  i'm back today with some cards to share with you--goodness, it feels like forever since i've posted anything crafty.  i'm so glad to have these to show you!

over the last 3 months or so, i have gotten opportunities here and there to make some things--mostly cards and tags--using the new--shall we say latest--Crate Paper collections.  i hadn't really played around with them too much before Nemy was born but since then, i've been using them every chance i get--and not just because i'm on the CP Design Team.  i honestly love these lines! Maggie Holmes, Party Day, and especially DIY Shop have been on heavy rotation on my studio desk for the last 12 weeks.  while i love them all, i have gone head over heels mad for DIY Shop!  

the colors are soft and beautiful and in all of my favorite shades--aquas, mints, pinky reds, and yellows.  even the neutrals are great in their krafts, creams, and charcoal grays.  then there are the patterns...i think i love them ALL!  the typewriters, the woodgrain, the black and cream stripe...so incredibly lovely!  the collection itself feels vintage yet timeless--like i could use this line for the rest of my life and it wouldn't look dated.  i don't mean to gush, but i honestly adore this collection.  i've been a long-time fan of Crate Paper and have liked every line i've had the pleasure of working with as a designer.  but nothing has come along that makes me as euphoric as DIY Shop has done.  i don't know whether to use it all or hoard it all!

well, anyhow, the first card uses all DIY Shop elements, from the 6x6 paper pad to the Standouts, to the stickers.  the kraft tag and doily are the only things that are not DIY Shop. 

the second card is mostly DIY but also features a few Party Day pieces, as well, including the "Happy Birthday" sticker.

DIY has several pretty floral arrangements, like the ones i've used on these two cards.  see what i mean about the colors?  when everything in a collection is this gorgeous, i feel like my creativity just pours out of me and the work is so enjoyable i don't want to stop.  it can be a problem, however...for instance, we're supposed to be working with new collection The Pier right now and although The Pier is a lot of fun and has an amazing color scheme itself, i find myself still gravitating back to DIY Shop for nearly every new project i start!      

if you haven't seen it yet, do be sure to check out The Pier.  it's been in stores for a bit now and it's so wonderfully summery--think Coney Island and saltwater taffy.  luckily, i have been able to pull myself away from DIY Shop to successfully create a few cards and tags using The Pier.  i'll likely be sharing them here next week.

i've also been adding new goodies to my Etsy Shop this week and i'll have a full post all about them soon.  okay, i know i didn't go step by step or product by product over these cards today because i was too busy singing the praises of DIY Shop, but if you have any questions about the cards, please don't hesitate to ask.

lastly, i want to just let you know that we made out pretty well on Hoss's first day back to work.  there were a couple hairy moments, but we made it through them and lived to tell!  a very big, heartfelt thank you to everyone who reached out with encouraging words and advice--i appreciate it more than you know.

until next time...