Neutral Collage

Today I'm submitting a card for a new-to-me challenge called Mod Squad Challenge.  I loved the Mod Squad TV show when I was a kid, so how could I not enter this challenge :)  

(In the interests of not appearing too old, I would like to point out that in New Zealand, we got TV shows years after they screened in the US.... LOL)

The challenge is to find a designer that you like and case one of their cards.  I chose Jen Mitchell, whose stamping style I really admire.  Finding a card to case involved a pleasant visit to her blog, where I found this card from November last year.

I decided to case the colors and the collage style of Jen's card.  My card is quite a bit different in layout but I hope you can see where the inspiration came from:

This is a one-layer card and uses many stamps from Stampers Anonymous and Hampton Art Stamps.  I masked off an area of my card base and randomly stamped images using Always Artichoke, Sahara Sand and Crumb Cake ink.  The sentiment is a Penny Black stamp and was stamped in Memento Tuxedo Black ink.

I stamped a star in Crumb Cake and cut it out before lightly sponging the edges.  I thought I'd randomly placed some Candy Dots, but looking at the photo, I can see I ended up with a near perfect triangle :)

The inside was finished in a similar manner:

Thanks for looking.  Go check out the new challenge.  It looks like it's going to be fun.

Products used:

Stamps:  Stampers Anonymous, Hampton Art Stamps, Collections, Penny Black, Seeing Stars (SU)
Ink:  Always Artichoke, Sahara Sand, Crumb Cake, Memento Tuxedo Black
Cardstock:  Very Vanilla
Accessories:  Neutrals Candy Dots

Cheers
Karren

Purple...

For my second card today, I've combined challenges from CAS(E) This Sketch, CASology and Colour Me to come up with this card.

The Colour Me challenge is 5 colors of our choice so I went with three different shades of purple, black and white.  The sketch at CAS(E) This Sketch is so versatile that this is my second go at it this week :)

I used various foliage images and, after masking off the bottom of the panel, I stamped in several generations using Wisteria Wonder and Elegant Eggplant from SU and Dusty Concord Distress ink.  I then stamped the sentiment in Memento Tuxedo Black ink and did some paper piercing.  To cover the masked edge, I placed a tiny strip of Concord Crush cardstock.  I was going to snip off the overhang, but I decided I quite liked it, so it stayed!

The little butterfly was stamped in black and lightly colored with Copic markers.  Some Dazzling Details gave it a bit of bling.

The inside is very simple, using a stamped die cut that I decided not to use on the front.

Thanks for looking.

Products used:

Stamps:  Turning a New Leaf, Larger than Life, Communique Curves (PTI), Papillon Potpourri (SU)
Ink:  Wisteria Wonder, Elegant Eggplant (SU), Dusty Concord (Ranger), Memento Tuxedo Black
Cardstock:  Whisper White, Concord Crush
Accessories:  Paper Piercing Essentials Kit, Larger Than Life die, small butterfly punch

Edited to Add:  This card got an Honorable Mention at Colour Me.

Cheers
Karren

Up, Up and Away

Hi and welcome to another Freshly Made Sketch challenge.  This week, it's Linda Callahan's sketch we're working with and it's a fun one.

I had several ideas for this sketch but ended up going with a hot air balloon and cloud theme.

For this card, I went with a fresh aqua, red and white color scheme.  I created cut files for my images using my Silhouette then after cutting them out, I stamped the images and colored with Copics.  The sentiment is from a new-to-me set called Laurels by Avery Elle.  I just love the font!  The curved bottom is also from a new-to-me die from Spellbinders.  

I hope you've checked out the rest of the Design Team's cards.  They're fantastic!  

Thanks for looking.

Products used:

Stamps:  Avery Elle, CTMH

Ink:  Memento Tuxedo Black

Cardstock:  Whisper White, Coastal Cabana, Real Red

Accessories:  Cloudy Day EF, square nesties, curved borders nesties, white baker's twine, copic markers

Cheers

Karren

Love Tag

I'm off work this week as my boys go back to school next week after the long summer holiday and there's lots to get sorted before then.  Anyway, the upside is that I get more stamping time and get to play along in some challenges I don't usually get time for.

This card is for The Paper Players sketch challenge and the inspiration photo at Just Us Girls.

This card is all SU apart from the tag which I cut with my Silhouette.  The card base is embossed with the Pretty Prints EF.  I cut into some retired DSP called More Amore for the heart DSP and the laser cut heart.  

The sentiment on the heart is white-embossed.  The music DSP is from Modern Medley.  With the tag open, this is what you see:

Pool Party and Real Red hearts were white-embossed then cut with the Hearts a Flutter framelit.  I tied some Cherry Cobbler Baker's Twine around the tag and it's far enough from the red heart to not be noticeable that it's a different color.  I cut two arrows from the Label Card Thinlits and cut them to appear as if it was one arrow going through the heart.

Thanks for looking.

Products used:

Stamps:  Teeny Tiny Wishes, Hearts a Flutter, Well-Scripted
Ink:  Basic Black, Versamark
Cardstock:  Basic Black, Crumb Cake, More Amore DSP, Modern Medley DSP, Real Red, Pool Party
Accessories:  Label Card Thinlits, Hearts a Flutter Framelits, Pretty Prints EF, White EP, Basic Pearls, Cherry Cobbler Baker's Twine, Silhouette

Wheat

It's Day 4 of the Stenciled Class at Online Card Classes, but today's card uses one of the Day 3 techniques as I had to wait for the embossing paste to dry.

I rushed out yesterday to a local store that stocks a few random craft items and found some Kaisercraft stencils.  I bought this one, called Wheat, as well as a chevron one and a circle one.  For this card, I colored the embossing paste with a drop of More Mustard reinker before using.  I left it to dry overnight so as not to be tempted to poke it to see if it was dry :)

The card is finished simply with some retired More Mustard DSP, a sentiment from PTI and some twine.

Thanks for looking.

Products used:

Stamps:  Beautiful Butterflies (PTI)
Ink:  Memento Tuxedo Black
Cardstock:  Basic Black, Whisper White, Brights DSP
Accessories:  Wheat stencil (Kaisercraft), Wendy Vecchi Embossing Paste, More Mustard reinker, American Crafts twine

Cheers
Karren

Blue Ornament

This week's challenge at Merry Monday is to use an ornament or ornaments on your Christmas card.  This challenge came through at a good time, because I'd just dipped my toe into the digi stamp pool and bought a few digi stamps - one of which was an ornament.  

And here's the card I made.

As well as the digi stamp, I also bought some digi paper.  In fact, I was commenting on a Merry Monday challenge entrant, Janet Kay Bailey and I saw the paper that she used and immediately went to the link in her blog and bought pretty much the whole range!  This paper has very subtle snowflakes on it.

I used a sketch from Retro Sketches from a couple of months ago, which I love and will be sure to use again.  

Aren't the rest of the DT samples fantastic?  If you haven't checked them out, head on over and give the challenge a go.  It's never too early to start on your Christmas cards :)

Thanks for looking.

Products used:

Stamps:  Signature Christmas (PTI), Squigglefly Digi Stamp
Ink:  Basic Black
Cardstock:  Whisper White, Basic Black, Lucky Limeade, Pacific Point, Blue Christmas (Raspberry Road Designs digi paper)
Accessories:  Copic Markers, Silhouette Cameo

Marilyn

For my second card today, I'm going in a different direction from my last CAS card.  The lovely Narelle challenged me to go shabby chic for challenge No. 2 at The Card Concept.  So here goes my second submission for The Card Concept's texture challenge:

I decided to play along with the challenge colors at Dynamic Duos and its dessert option of umbrella.  I was looking through my stamp catalogue looking for umbrella stamps and came across a selection of photo stamps I've had for years and years.  I thought this image of Marilyn would look suitably vintage/shabby chic.  I love this stamp from Stampsmith - I had a quick look on their website but couldn't see this image nor a brilliant one of Audrey Hepburn that I've also got.  Photo stamps aren't the easiest to stamp because they are so finely detailed but it's so worth it.  This really looks like a photo cut out of an old newspaper.

I lightly colored Marilyn's dress using a Melon Mambo marker and layered it onto a piece of Very Vanilla.  Further texture was added using some flocked paper from Mocha Morning DSP, some torn DSP from Newsprint and Brights DSP and some colored Vanilla Trim Flowers.  Some black twine and a paper clip finish off my card.

So, in summary, I couldn't find an umbrella for the dessert option at Dynamic Duos, but I really love this card anyway :)

Thanks for looking.

Products used:

Stamps:  Stampsmith

Ink:  Versafine Onyx Black, Crumb Cake, Melon Mambo

Cardstock:  Basic Black, Mocha Morning DSP, Brights DSP, Newsprint DSP, Very Vanilla, Xpress-it

Accessories:  American Crafts twine, paper clip, Vanilla Flower Trim, Melon Mambo Marker

Cheers

Karren

Fleur de Lis

Day 3 of the stencilling course and the technique I tried first was heat embossing over embossing paste.  The first time I tried this, I was too frugal with the paste and it just looked like normal heat embossing, but the second time I applied a thicker layer and wow!  It was even cooler to watch than normal heat embossing because the paste expanded as it heated up.

I'm entering this card into this week's CAS(E) This Sketch challenge as well as the texture challenge at The Card Concept.  This week, I'm categorising my card as Clean & Graphic.

I used an old SU Decor Elements die and applied embossing paste over the top.  I then sprinkled on some silver EP and heat set it.  Wow, it bubbled up like liquid applique!  Here's a close up and side on shot so you can see the texture and dimension.

The sentiment is also silver embossed onto the black card base.

Thanks for looking.  

Products used:

Stamps:  Birthday Bash Sentiments (PTI)
Ink:  Versamark
Cardstock:  Basic Black, Whisper White, Silver
Accessories:  Wendy Vecchi Embossing Paste, SU Decor Elements Stencil

Cheers
Karren

Stencilled Circles

This is my second post for today.  If you receive notifications via email, keep scrolling to see my first post :)

My homework for Day 2 of the Online Card Class on stencilling uses Kristina's technique of tracing.  My very open stencil worked quite well for this, although my color choices now look a bit bright to me :)

I used a Simon Says Stamp stencil for this card, called Ring Cluster Stencil and some Prismacolor pencils.  I traced the circles using five different colors.  The lovely big sentiment is from a new-to-me set called Shenanigans by CASual Fridays.  The card base is Raspberry Ripple which was the closest match to the red pencil.  (I was so impatient to start my tracing that I didn't even think about matching cardstock LOL)

The inside was finished very simply.

Thanks for looking.

Products used:

Stamps:  Shenanigans (CASual Fridays)
Ink:  Memento Tuxedo Black
Cardstock:  Raspberry Ripple, Whisper White
Accessories:  Prismacolor Pencils, American Crafts Twine, Simon Says Stamp stencil

Cheers
Karren

Rock Star

I'm so glad that the Just Add Ink challenge is back up and running and I hope the DT had a great break.  They came back with a bang - a gorgeous sketch using my favorite element - circles!  I combined that challenge with the stars challenge at Friday Mashup to come up with this card.

I can see looking at the sketch that I didn't get the elements exactly right, but I hope it's close enough to pass muster.  I inked up Extreme Guitar with Versarmark then Island Indigo and clear embossed it onto some DSP from World Spectacular DSP (which has stars on it).  I quite liked the semi-distressed look of the embossing with some of the stars showing through.

The sentiment was also embossed with Island Indigo.  The embossing folder is a Tim Holtz one that I didn't even know I had...  And here's the inside:

Thanks for looking.

Products used:

Stamps:  Seeing Stars, Extreme Guitar (SU), Rock On (PTI)
Ink:  Versamark, Island Indigo, Daffodil Delight
Cardstock:  Basic Black, Island Indigo, Whisper White, World Spectacular DSP
Accessories:  American Crafts Twine, circle nesties, Tim Holtz Dot Matrix EF, clear EP, large star punch, star brad

Dotty Day

Today's card is my homework for Day 1 of the Online Card Class on Stencils.  But instead of using my newly-bought stencils, I ended up cutting my own with my Silhouette.  Oh, the irony!

I used the colors from Stampin' Royalty's challenge and the sketch from Nacho Average Challenges - both challenges I haven't played along with for a while.

The Silhouette file was one I bought from the online library and I think it is called Random Dots.  I just cut it out of some cardstock, although I do note that Silhouette have just introduced stencil material, which is pretty cool.

I sponged over the stencil in Tangerine Tango, Pool Party and Pear Pizzazz.  I then stamped the sentiment from Avery Elle in Memento Tuxedo Black ink.  I wasn't going to put any sequins on there, but I sort of splodged the 'y' in 'day' so I had to try and cover it up LOL.

I layered that onto Sahara Sand then onto the card base.  And continuing with my resolution of finishing the insides of my cards when I make them, I did some simple stencilling on the inside as well.

Thanks for looking.

Products used:

Stamps:  Oh Happy Day (Avery Elle)
Ink:  Tangerine Tango, Pool Party, Pear Pizzazz, Memento Tuxedo Black
Cardstock:  Whisper White, Sahara Sand
Accessories:  Kelly Purkey Sequins, Silhouette 

Edited to Add:  This card was a top pick at Stampin' Royalty and at Nacho Average Challenges.

Cheers
Karren

Wisteria Mums

This week's sketch at Freshly Made Sketches is by Rita.  You can take this sketch in many directions.  The "Any Shape" layer gives you lots of freedom, so go for it!

I decided to make my "Any Shape" a bunch of flowers - mums to be precise.  

I think this PTI set comes with matching dies but I didn't buy the dies at the time, so today I stamped each image in black onto white cardstock and scanned it into my Silhouette software.  I then traced and offset and printed out some blank templates.  Now I've done the initial work, they're sitting there waiting to be cut anytime I want.  Gotta love the Silhouette!

I stamped my flowers in Raspberry Ripple, Crisp Cantaloupe and, believe it or not, Perfect Plum.  The Perfect Plum flower matched Wisteria Wonder cardstock way better than Perfect Plum, so I'm thinking that maybe I need to re-ink.  I stamped a few leaves in Old Olive and the sentiment in Versafine.

The banners are cut from MFT's Fishtail Flags Stax.

The inside of this card was very simply done this time using a leftover flower in Perfect Plum.

Check out the gorgeous samples from the Design Team before having a go at this sketch.

Thanks for looking.

Products used:

Stamps:  Mum's the Word (PTI)
Ink:  Perfect Plum, Raspberry Ripple, Crisp Cantaloupe, Old Olive, Versafine Onyx Black
Cardstock:  Wisteria Wonder, Old Olive, Whisper White
Accessories:  MFT Fishtail Flags Stax, Framed Tulips EF, Basic Pearls, Copic

Distressed Poinsettia

Hi everyone, I hope your week is starting out well.  Over at Merry Monday we have a beautiful inspiration photo for you.

I just love everything about this photo and chose to stick with the text theme on my card.

I stamped the Crumb Cake card base with both Sanded and Woodgrain background stamps before sponging the edges.  The First Edition DSP was given the same treatment without using Woodgrain and this time I distressed the edges before sponging.  I mounted this piece onto an Early Espresso layer which I also distressed.  The poinsettia uses the two smallest dies in the Spellbinder poinsettia set.  I cut three of the larger size and two of the smaller size and then used the smallest of the Basic Pearls for the center.  I randomly placed some Linen Thread behind the poinsettia for added interest.

The ribbon part of the challenge is met using some Cherry Cobbler striped grosgrain which is adhered using Sticky Strip.  I burned the edge to stop it fraying.  The rustic and distressed sentiment is from the Peaceful Pinecones set from PTI.  And continuing my resolution of finishing the insides of my cards when I make them, here's the very simple inside.

Thanks for visiting.  I hope you have a great week and have time to join in the challenge.

Products used:

Stamps:  Peaceful Pinecones (PTI), Sanded, Woodgrain
Ink:  Crumb Cake, Early Espresso
Cardstock:  Crumb Cake, Early Espresso, First Edition DSP, Very Vanilla
Accessories:  Spellbinders Poinsettia die, Basic Pearls, Linen Thread, sponge, Cherry Cobbler Striped Grosgrain ribbon

Cheers
Karren

Starfruit Blooms

The colors at Fusion this week really appealed to me and to challenge myself I decided to add in the sketch as well.

I started my card by making the dotty base.  To make this I inked up the Dotted Background from SU in Versarmark then again in Smoky Slate before stamping it onto Whisper White and clear embossing it.  I then sponged Summer Starfruit ink all over the panel creating an emboss resist background.  The oval panel was stamped with images from Embroidered Blooms from PTI in Smoky Slate, Basic Gray and Summer Starfruit.   

The fleur de lis panel started out as a piece of First Edition DSP which I painted with Gesso.  Once it was dry, I sponged over a fleur de lis stencil with Basic Gray.  This was layered onto Basic Gray and some white baker's twine was wrapped around and tied.  The flowers were die cut before being stamped with Summer Starfruit stamped off then full strength.  A Basic Gray Candy Dot was put in the centre of each flower.

Thanks for looking.

Products used:

Stamps:  Embroidered Blooms (PTI), Dotted (SU)

Ink:  Summer Starfruit, Smoky Slate, Basic Gray, Versamark

Cardstock:  Whisper White; Basic Gray; First Edition DSP

Accessories:  Gesso, Elegant Trio Stencils (SU), White Baker's Twine, oval nesties, Neutrals Candy Dots

Edited to Add:  This card received an Honorable Mention at Fusion.

Cheers

Karren