Primrose Garden

I pulled out Secret Garden and its matching framelits for this card today.  My card uses the sketch at Hand Stamped Sentiments.

I stamped my flower images and colored them with Copics before deciding on my color scheme - doh!  Turns out the big flowers matched Primrose Petals quite nicely so that became my card base and some Print Poetry DSP tied in the yellow flowers.  One of my favorite embossing folders, Needlepoint Border, was used to add some interest to the card base.

Thanks for looking.

Products used:

Stamps:  Secret Garden; Tiny Tags
Cardstock:  Primrose Petals; Whisper White; Print Poetry DSP
Ink:  Primrose Petals; Pear Pizzazz
Accessories:  Copics; Secret Garden Framelits; MFT Fishtail Flags; Corner Chomper; Needlepoint Border EF

Cheers
Karren

Butterfly Colors

This is my second post today.  Scroll down for my Triple Time Stamping card.

The challenge at Fab Friday this time is to use all five of the new In Colors.  I decided to combine that challenge with the sketch challenge at Nacho Average Challenges and this is the result:

I didn't follow the sketch exactly as I only used 4 panels instead of five, but I wanted to use the little butterfly punch and I could only fit 4 panels onto my card.  

I punched out a butterfly from each strip of cardstock and adhered the strip to a Whisper White base.  A tiny strip of Baked Brown Sugar was adhered across the top and the sentiment was also stamped in Baked Brown Sugar.

I used the butterfly punches for the inside of the card so nothing went to waste!  

Thanks for looking.

Products used:

Stamps:  One in a Million
Cardstock:  Whisper White; Baked Brown Sugar; Pistachio Pudding; Strawberry Slush; Coastal Cabana; Crisp Cantaloupe
Ink:  Baked Brown Sugar
Accessories:  Itty Butterfly Punch; Basic Pearls

Cheers
Karren

Sweet Floral

This week at Friday Mashup the challenge is either to create a card using Triple Time Stamping or use three of the following colors:  Crumb Cake; Summer Starfruit; Pacific Point and Daffodil Delight.  I chose to go with the Triple Time Stamping and inked up Sweet Floral for the first time:

I colored Sweet Floral using Concord Crush and Always Artichoke markers and stamped it onto Whisper White.  I layered each Whisper White layer onto Basic Black, with the largest layer being adhered straight to the card base.  The Jewellery Tag punch and  Tiny Tags set were used to create some little embellishments tied with white baker's twine.

Thanks for looking.

Products used (all Stampin' Up!):

Stamps:  Sweet Floral; Tiny Tags
Cardstock:  Whisper White; Basic Black
Ink:  Concord Crush; Always Artichoke
Accessories:  Jewellery Tag Punch; white baker's twine; Concord Crush, Always Artichoke markers

Cheers
Karren

Lucky Calypso Flowers

I'm feeling a bit more creative this week, which is a lucky thing after last week's eyesore of a card LOL.

I made this card for the sketch challenge at Freshly Made Sketches and the Just Add Leaves challenge at Just Add Ink.

I love this sketch and will be sure to use it again.  For my card, I used a piece of First Edition DSP as the main panel and over-stamped it with a Penny Black stamp colored with markers.  Once I'd stamped it, I used my sponge dauber and a touch of Calypso Coral ink to put a tiny bit of color to the flowers.  

The ribbon embellishment uses Lucky Limeade ruffled ribbon stuck down with sticky strip, then some Calypso Coral baker's twine on top.  It's finished with a brad.

Thanks for looking.

Products used:

Stamps:  Delicate Florals (Penny Black); Signature Greetings (PTI)
Cardstock:  Basic Black; Calypso Coral; Very Vanilla; First Edition DSP
Ink:  Calypso Coral
Accessories:  Lucky Limeade, Calypso Coral markers; Lucky Limeade ruffled ribbon; Calypso Coral Baker's Twine; Large Scallops framelit; 2011-13 In Color Brad

Cheers
Karren

Edited to Add:  This card received an Honorable Mention at Just Add Ink

Bright Hello

I haven't really been feeling like stamping for the last couple of weeks but I just got my brand new Silhouette Cameo the other day so thought I'd put some bits and pieces I'd cut out onto a card.

I used the sketch at Freshly Made Sketches and I warn you - this is a major departure from my normal style and I'm pretty ambivalent about the finished card.  So put your sunglasses on and check this out:

These were practice pieces so I chose a piece of cardstock I wouldn't regret destroying (Crushed Curry), not realising I'd actually use the cut pieces on a card!  I cut a pattern that came with the Silhouette and used both the positive and negative pieces on this card.  The "Hello" was the result of playing around with fonts and welding.  There is such a learning curve to this machine that I really need to take a week off work to learn what it can do.  I think that it might even be able to make coffee LOL.

The Hello was adhered to a piece of Basic Black that had been run through the Big Shot with the Fancy Fan EF.

I wasn't sure how to do the smaller panel in the sketch so I decide the designer builder brads mimicked the curved pattern in the background enough to not look too out of place.

Thanks for looking.

Products used:

Cardstock:  Basic Black; Crushed Curry Textured; Neutrals DSP
Accessories:  Silhouette Cameo; Designer Builder Brads; Fancy Fan EF

Creative Crew Jun 2013 Scrapbook Focus

This month's scrapbook focus challenge at Creative Crew over at Splitcoaststampers is on the dads in our lives.

CCREW0613SF - Scrapbook & More Focus:  June is best know for Father's Day (3rd Sunday).  Celebrate Dad with a scrapbook page featuring Dad or dad-like qualities.

And here's my MDS page:

I had to dig deep to find some photos of my DH.  He's not too keen on getting his photo taken, but I did find some photos from Christmas 2005, where Pete is teaching William how to pedal.  William was only 3 back then and Matthew was 8 - how time flies - William is nearly 11 and Matthew is 15 1/2.

Anyway, for this page, I took the blues and greens from the photos and used them for my background.  I kept this page simple as I'm still learning MDS, but thanks to a tip from TrishG on SCS, I managed to color my bicycles to match the background.

Thanks for looking.

Products used (MDS):

Background
     Designer Series Paper\_Designer Kits\Number One - designer series paper\Number One - 7

Embellishments
   Designer Kits\Number One - embellishments\Number One - tape 1 (re-colored)
   Designer Kits\Number One - embellishments\Number One - border 1 (re-colored)
   Staple & Stitching\Chocolate - Simple Stitches line 5 (re-colored)
  Staple & Stitching\Staple

Stamps
    Postage Due\Postage Due - bike & flower     

Cheers
Karren

Dad's Day by the Seashore

I wasn't planning on stamping this weekend - I'd decided to have the weekend off, but then the courier delivered my new catty pre-order this morning and, well, I got the urge to stamp!

This card covers the sketch challenge this week at Freshly Made Sketches and the masculine challenge at Stampin' Royalty.

My card uses the new Baked Brown Sugar color as well as Soho Subway DSP and Epic Day Washi Tape.  The shells were stamped on Shimmery White cardstock and colored using Crumb Cake ink refill and a blender pen.  They were popped up on dimensionals onto the Very Vanilla panel which was stamped with a sentiment from Delightful Dozen. Several flags were cut from the Soho Subway DS and rolled slightly to flick outwards.  

I used some washi tape to cover the line where I had to stamp Netting twice to cover the Baked Brown Sugar layer.  Some Early Espresso twine and a Brushed Bronze button.

Thanks for looking.

Products used (all Stampin' Up!):

Stamps:  By the Seashore; Delightful Dozen; Netting
Cardstock:  Basic Black; Baked Brown Sugar; Very Vanilla; Soho Subway DSP
Ink:  Crumb Cake; Black Stazon; Baked Brown Sugar
Accessories:  Epic Day Washi Tape; Early Espresso Baker's Twine; Brushed Bronze Button; 

Cheers
Karren

Edited to Add:  This card was chosen as a Top Pick at Stampin' Royalty.

Creative Crew Jun 2013 - Holiday Focus

The Creative Crew challenges really challenged me this month - and this card was no exception.

I very rarely do anything other than the standard rectangle or square card, so when this challenge called for an accordion fold, I had to take a deep breath.

CCREW0613HF - Holiday Focus:  June is National Accordion Awareness Month.  How interesting!  Let's celebrate June by making an accordion project.  It must have at least 3 folds, preferably 5 folds.  Use any colors you wish to use in your accordion fold project, but you must use at least one embellishment.

I went with a tri-shutter card and tried for a collage-look.  The First Edition DSP is over-stamped using many images from Artistic Etchings; Established Elegance and French Foliage.  I used So Saffron; Crumb Cake; Baja Breeze and Soft Suede ink.  The So Saffron flowers were made using two different sized scallop circle punches (the original punch and the 7/8" punch).  I used the faux suede technique to make my flowers all soft and textured.

The leaves were made using Baja Breeze cardstock which had been stamped with the Old World Map then cut out using the Secret Garden Framelits.

Here's a photo of the card closed so you can see how the flowers line up:

Thanks for looking.

Products used (all Stampin' Up!):

Stamps:  Artistic Etchings; Established Elegance; French Foliage; Old World Map
Cardstock:  Soft Suede; So Saffron; Baja Breeze; First Edition DSP
Ink:  So Saffron; Baja Breeze; Soft Suede; Crumb Cake
Accessories:  Scallop Circle Punch; 7/8" Scallop Circle Punch; silver brads; Secret Garden Framelit

Cheers
Karren

Creative Crew Jun 2013 - Catalog Focus

Here is my second project for this month's Creative Crew challenges at Splitcoaststampers.

The challenge this time is:

CCREW0613CF - Catalog Focus:  Our new catalog is beautifully done with gorgeous, colorful projects, making sure we remember all our color names by naming the color backgrounds.

Name Your Poison Day - June 8th will allow us to practice our colors by using many colors in a color blocking technique card.  Make a card with at least 3 colors.

I love color blocked cards, so once I chose the colors I wanted to use, this card came together fairly easily.

I chose vintage-y colors of Crumb Cake, Always Artichoke and Perfect Plum, then threw in a pop of color with Raspberry Ripple.  Each panel was stamped and sponged before being adhered to the card base which is Crumb Cake.  The soda pop-top embellishment was one I had already prepared and not used on another card.  The sentiment is stamped in vellum.

Thanks for looking.

Products used (all Stampin' Up! unless otherwise noted):

Stamps:  Established Elegance; Artistic Etchings; French Foliage; Memorable Moments
Cardstock:  Crumb Cake; Perfect Plum; Always Artichoke; Raspberry Ripple; Vellum Cardstock
Ink:  Perfect Plum; Always Artichoke; Raspberry Ripple; Basic Black
Accessories:  Soda Pop Tops; Crystal Effects; Itty Bitty Punch; Basic Pearl

Fabulous Day

Well, it's not such a fabulous day where I am - it's raining!  But I suppose as we're now officially into winter, I shouldn't complain.

This card uses the fabulous sketch at CAS(e) This Sketch.  

I pulled out my distress inks for this card - just to mix things up a bit!  The sentiment is stamped directly onto the card base.  I then cut two panels and ran them through the Needlepoint EF and adhered them onto the card base using dimensionals.  This leaves the sentiment in negative space.  I quite like this effect.  

The banners are stamped and cut using Hearts a Flutter stamps and framelits.  They were also run through the EF so the edge matches the white edge.

Thanks for looking.

Products used (all Stampin' Up unless otherwise noted):

Stamps:  Hearts a Flutter; Itty Bitty Bits; Signature Greetings (PTI)
Cardstock:  Whisper White
Ink:  Shabby Shutters; Rusty Hinge; Scattered Straw (Ranger)
Accessories:  Hearts a Flutter Framelits; Itty Bitty Punch; Basic Pearl; Needlepoint EF.

Cheers
Karren

Creative Crew Jun 2013 - Color Focus

My first card I'm showing on my blog for this month's Creative Crew challenge at Splitcoaststampers is the color focus card.

Here's the guidelines from our hostess:

CCREW0613DF - DSP/Color Focus:  To celebrate Candy Month (June), let's concentrate on the new In Colors:  Baked Brown Sugar; Strawberry Slush; Crisp Cantaloupe; Pistachio Pudding and Coastal Cabana.  These colors all look good enough to eat!

Use one or most colors in a happy, sparkly way.

(If the new In Colors are not part of your stash yet, use Soft Suede; Melon Mambo; Wild Wasabi; Marina Mist and Daffodil Delight.)

Any neutral is welcome in the candy store.

As we in New Zealand can't pre-order the new In Colors until now, I worked with the alternate colors.  I was quite pleased that I managed to get all the colors into my card, except Soft Suede.

I used the trendy set Oh Hello for this CAS card.  I stamped the chevron pattern in both Daffodil Delight and Melon Mambo.  The Daffodil Delight piece I cut out with my oval framelits and the Melon Mambo piece I punched out using my Itty Bitty Punch and adhered it to a Designer Builder Brad.  The flowers were colored using markers and then fussy-cut. The white organdy ribbon was dyed using Daffodil Delight ink and then because I'm impatient, it was dried in the microwave!  The "Hello" was stamped using Marina Mist ink.

Thanks for looking.  Head on over to Splitcoaststampers and check out the gallery by using the search term CCREW0613DF.

Thanks for looking.

Products used (all Stampin' Up!):

Stamps:  Oh Hello

Cardstock:  Whisper White

Ink:  Melon Mambo; Daffodil Delight; Marina Mist

Accessories:  Wild Wasabi, Melon Mambo, Daffodil Delight markers; Designer Builder Brad; oval framelits, white organdy ribbon, Daffodil Delight re-inker

Cheers

Karren

Butterflies a deux

It's the middle of the long Queen's Birthday weekend here in New Zealand and you'd think I'd be taking advantage of that to stamp, stamp, stamp.  But no, in my typical perverse style, I stayed away from my stamp room all day and chose to do chores instead!  I know!  I finally sat down and made a card for the color challenge at Create with Connie & Mary and the sketch challenge at Fab Friday and this is the result:

The colors are Island Indigo, Pool Party and So Saffron.  I stamped the butterflies onto Shimmery White cardstock using Stazon ink.  I then colored them using inkpads and a blender pen. The Pool Party is a bit scarce but I did use it to color my butterflies.  It's hard to see in the photo but I also paper-pierced lots of circles around the butterflies, to add a bit of interest.

Thanks for looking.

Products used (all Stampin' Up!):

Stamps:  Just Believe; Papillon Potpourri
Cardstock:  Island Indigo; Whisper White; Festival of Prints DSP; Subtles DSP; Shimmery White
Ink:  Black Stazon; So Saffron; Pool Party; Island Indigo
Accessories:  2 1/2" circle punch; butterfly punch; Essentials Paper Piercing Pack; corner rounder

Cheers
Karren

Edited to Add:  This card was chosen as a Top Pick at Fab Friday.

The Blackbird of Just Because...

So, instead of the bluebird of happiness today, I present the blackbird of just because...

This card is for this week's challenge at Freshly Made Sketches and the challenge at Friday Mashup, which is to use the colors from your favorite sports team or make a CAS card.  I'm not into sport, but if I had to name my favorite team, it would have to be the All Blacks - New Zealand's rugby team (and current Rugby World Cup champions).  For those of you who don't know what our national rugby team's colors are - feast your eyes on this...

Not too shabby, aye?  So you can see that the uniform is black with white accents, which is what I attempted on my card.  I again used a rub-on for my sentiment - gotta use them up somehow!  I struggled with whether to add more embellishments, but ended up just leaving it pretty plain and simple - unlike Dan Carter above :)

Thanks for looking.

Products used (all Stampin' Up!):

Stamps:  Notably Ornate

Cardstock:  Whisper White; Neutrals DSP

Ink:  Versamark

Accessories:  Rub-ons; Black EP; Adorning Accents EF and framelits; corner rounder

Cheers

Karren

Edited to Add:  This card was chosen for a Glamette award at Friday Mashup.