You are Positive, Mental Health Awareness

 Hi again friends! 

I am excited to share my projects using the new Box Pops, You are Positive die set. As soon as I saw this set, I knew I wanted to use it for a Mental Health Awareness project or two, so that's exactly what I did!

May is Mental Health Awareness Month, this is a subject that is extremely important to me. I struggle with severe anxiety, depression, and panic attacks. Life unfortunately gets the best of me, and without my support system, that consists of friends, family, my i-crafter family, and medical professionals, I would stumble into a dark place. We often feel that we are alone in the midst of a mental crisis, and the National Alliance on Mental Illness's message for May is "You are not alone." Mental Health is health. To help improve awareness, we need to talk about what we are dealing with, taking mental health sick days, and supporting our friends and family when they are struggling with their own mental health issues. 

Now on to my projects! I made two, first, I used the "You are" base and added two of the word inserts "strong" and "enough" to it. I used a yellow cardstock for the exterior of the words. I added a dark teal to fill the words "you are" and "enough" words. This is a smaller card, so the words took up most of the card. I kept it simple and just mounted it on a kraft base that has white polka dots. This card is perfect for someone who feels alone and needs to be reminded that there are people who care, that someone is thinking of them.

My next project, I wanted to create a bookmark for a gratitude journal that I found at my local secondhand craft store, Lost & Found Crafts. Gratitude journals are a fantastic way to help combat anxiety and depression. They help our brains focus on positives in our lives and see the good we have. I used the colors from the journal to inspire my bookmark.

I started with the base of the Zip Gift Tag die set in a bright pink cardstock. Next, I used the teal cardstock with the Box Pops, You are Positive die set, I did "You are enough" this time. I added the yellow centers to the letters from the last project.

 There was a blank space at the bottom, so I die cut one of the butterflies from the Butterfly Burst dies. I covered this in Nuvo's Rose Gold Glitter, it was a bit messy, I don't typically play with lose glitter. To finish it off, I laminated the entire thing, used a hole punch, and added a light pink ribbon to the top.

I hope my projects, and message have inspired you. I hope that we can all take a little time to let someone in our lives know that they are not alone, and I hope that you know that you are not alone. 

Be sure to join the i-crafter Facebook Fan Club, then follow us on Instagram, and Pinterest too! Don’t forget to include this month’s Anything Goes Challenge hashtag #ICrafterApril21 to enter our giveaways. We love seeing all of your creations using the i-crafter products!

Until next time,

R. Winn 

i-crafter Cherry Blossom Box Two Ways

 Hello again friends!

I am showing off the new i-crafter Cherry Blossom Box two different ways today!

My first project is using the i-crafter Cherry Blossom Box dies and adding an insert from the Zip Gift Tag die set! This fun pink & black patterned paper seemed like a great chance to create a luminary of sorts.

The star from the Zip Gift Tag die set played nicely with the fun paper. I backed the stars with some light weight paper, it may have been rice paper, but it was from a friend's stash so I'm not positive!

I added one of the cherry blossoms from the Cherry Blossom Box set to the top pedals of the box to help it stay closed. I layered the pink with black stripes, the white paper, and then a yellow paper to create a beautiful cherry blossom.

Here it is all lit up! I used a battery operated tea light to light it up safely. I love the effect from the lights and the star inserts really gave it a fun, rather than traditional feel.

Even the top is gorgeous lit up.

My next Cherry Blossom Box is a candy box! My best friend LOVES candy and had all this gorgeous patterned paper that played well creating a candy box for her with some gummy cherry candy.

The paper that I used was double-sided. I started with the red side, featuring this cute "You're cherry sweet!" saying and cut out one panel with that saying centered. I then cut out 4 more panels using the blue background covered in cherries.

I filled my Cherry Blossom Box with cherry gummy candies.

I added just a single die cut stamina to the top petals to help keep it closed.

I hope you enjoyed my take on the i-crafter Cherry Blossom Box! Be sure to join the i-crafter Facebook Fan Club, then follow us on Instagram, and Pinterest too! We love seeing all of your creations using the i-crafter products.

Until next time,

Rachel