Watercolored Fuschias

Hi and welcome!  It's Saturday evening and I've had a busy day encompassing laundry, dog-walking and car-washing.  In between all that, I got in some stamping time and made a card for this week's Muse Challenge, as well as Just Add Ink, who are looking for "W" cards and Seize The Birthday, where I'm joining in the linky party.

I think it's pretty obvious where my inspiration came from :)  I stuck with the same layout as Tracey as well as the flower and birthday theme.  I stamped the fuschia image onto some Canson XL watercolor paper and colored with my Zig markers before die-cutting it.  The sentiment comes from Say it in Style and I just love the font on this stamp!

Thanks for visiting.

Products used:

Stamps:  Beautiful Friend, Say it in Style (Clearly Besotted)

Ink:  Versafine Onyx Black

Cardstock:  White, watercolor

Dies:  Beautiful Friend (CB)

Accessories:  Zig Markers

Cheers

Karren

Edited to Add:  This card got a shout out at Just Add Ink.

Poppies

Hi and welcome to another Fusion Card Challenge!  Today we have a beautiful inspiration photo as well as an elegant sketch.

For my card, I stuck with the photo and ended up using the photo also as my sketch :)

I stamped the poppies image in Grout Gray ink and colored with my my pencils and a blender pen.  Unfortunately I decided to outline the image in blue and it looked terrible!  To save that mess, I fussy cut the whole image, which took a while, but was worth it.  I sponged some Steel Blue ink onto a white card base after masking off the side.  I then adhered the poppy image on the card base and finished it off with a sentiment from Label Love that I cut out and mounted on foam tape.

Be sure to check out the fabulous samples from the rest of the design team and have a go yourself.

Products used:

Stamps:  Delicate Blossoms (Hero Arts), Label Love (Altenew)
Ink:  Archival Black, Steel Blue (SSS), Grout Gray (MFT)
Cardstock:  White
Accessories:  Colored Pencils (Derwent)

Cheers
Karren

Shaker Snowflakes

HI and welcome to another fabulous challenge at Freshly Made Sketches.  This week, our talented friend from Germany, Cindy, is our hostess and she has a very cool sketch which can be rotated in any direction.

I ended up with a shaker card for this challenge, which wasn't my intention when I started out but once I saw the cut out squares, it just screamed "shaker" to me :)  

I sponged some blue distress inks across the top left and side of a white panel and then I used the Stitched Interactive Window Trio die from MFT to cut my squares and cut away the fourth side which remains attached on the die cut.    I silver-embossed the sentiment and also coated a snowflake die cut with Versamark and silver embossing powder to create a lovely silver snowflake.  

It was at this stage that I decided to make a shaker card, so quickly adapted my design to take some sequins from SSS and Doodlebug.

Thanks for visiting!  Be sure to visit the other DT members' blogs as they have some amazing cards on display.

Products Used:

Stamps:  Freshly Fallen (PTI)

Ink:  Versamark, Tumbled Glass, Broken China, Peacock Feathers

Cardstock:  White

Accessories:  Stitched Interactive Window Trio (MFT), Freshly Fallen dies (PTI), sequins, silver EP

Cheers

Karren

Oooh, Shiny

This is my second post today, as I'm cranking out some cards for challenges on this, the last day of my long weekend.

This card uses the stars theme from Cupcake Inspiration Challenge, as well as the black/white/glam theme at Verve October Inspiration Challenge and the sketch from Retro Sketches.

I started with a white card base, then added a smaller white panel with silver glitter paper top and bottom.  In the middle of that is a black panel, on top of which I adhered the sentiment, also cut out of the silver glitter paper.  The stars I found in the packet with the glitter paper and I think they are cut from Verve's Starry Dies.  These are popped up on foam tape.

A pretty simple but shiny and glittery card - the only way I like glitter - firmly adhered to card :)

Thanks for visiting.

Products used:

Stamps:  Good Times (PTI)

Ink:  Versafine Onyx Black

Cardstock:  White, black, silver glitter paper

Dies:  Good Times (PTI), Starry dies (Verve)

Cheers

Karren

Edited to Add:  This card got a shout out at Cupcake Inspirations and Retro Sketches.

Framed Birthday

Hi!  I'm taking advantage of the extra day in my weekend to do a bit of card-making for some of the challenges I don't often get time to enter.  This first card uses the colors from MFT Color Challenge and the sketch from CAS on Sunday.  This is my first time playing along with a challenge at MFT, but over the last several months, I've accumulated quite the collection of MFT stamps and dies, so I thought it was time :)

Unfortunately, I don't have any MFT colors so I've made do with the closest matches I could find.  I hope this is okay.

I started by die-cutting two pierced rectangle frames from some Schoolhouse Red and Old Olive cardstock.  I then interlinked them and adhered them to a white card base.

The word was die-cut four times and stacked, using some Soft Navy cardstock.  I painted over the top with some Wink of Stella and it wasn't completely dry when I took the photos, which is why it looks a bit patchy.  Impatient, much? :)

I really quite like the graphic and simple look to this card and I love the plain font of the sentiment - it makes a nice change from all the scripty fonts - although I love them too!

Thanks for visiting.

Products used:

Cardstock:  White, Soft Navy, Schoolhouse Red (SSS), Old Olive (SU)

Dies:  Happy Birthday die (MFT), Pierced Rectangle Frames (MFT)

Cheers

Karren

Winter Snowflakes

Hi!  Today is the start of a three-day weekend for us here in New Zealand, so after doing a bit of housework and a bit of shopping, I got into my craft room to produce a few cards.  This card was made for the current challenge at CAS(E) This Sketch, as well as the Baby, it's Cold Outside theme at Simply Create Too.

Lately my cards haven't been turning out as I envisage in my head and it's frustrating!  With this card, I originally white embossed the snowflakes onto the card base and sponged some SSS ink up the panel, tapering off on a diagonal.  However, I quickly learned that SSS inks do not wipe off white embossing!  So I had to create another panel and use distress ink, which does wipe off.  Lesson learned!

The die-cut was cut from Audrey Blue cardstock and double-embossed with clear embossing powder to give it a raised and shiny finish.  I then adhered two strips of washi tape to mimic the sketch.

Thanks for visiting.

Products used:  In the Meadow (PTI)

Ink:  Peacock Feathers, Versamark

Cardstock:  White

Accessories:  Clear EP, White EP, Wintertime Wishes die (Penny Black), Washi Tape

Cheers

Karren

The Cutest Elf

It's Freshly Made Sketch Challenge day and this week our hostess is the one-and-only Jen Brum and she has such a versatile sketch for us.  Check this out!

I took a slight detour with the sketch by downsizing one of the layers and turning it into a tag.  But I hope you can still see the sketch :)

I used some new toys from MFT Stamps - the super-cute Santa's Elves set and the fabulous Candy Stripes Background stamp.  I stamped the solid stripes in Hot Lips ink then the thin strips in Jellybean ink.  Then I layered a sheet of vellum over the top to tone down the colors.

My little elf was colored with Copics and die-cut before being popped up with foam tape onto a die-cut tag.  The sentiment comes from Jingle All The Way.

Thanks for visiting.  The rest of the design team show how truly versatile this sketch is so I hope you'll give it a go.

Products used:

Stamps:  Santa's Elves, Jingle All the Way, Candy Stripes Background (MFT)

Ink:  Versafine Onyx Black, Memento Tuxedo Black, Hot Lips, Jellybean (SSS)

Cardstock:  White, Vellum, X-Press It

Accessories:  Copics, Tag Me Too die (Reverse Confetti), Santa's Elves dies (MFT), Sequins, Wink of Stella

Cheers

Karren

Witches Go Riding

Hi and welcome!  Today I'm thrilled to be a Guest Designer at The Challenge, thanks to my monster card being picked a couple of weeks ago.  This week we have an inspiration picture for you - a very, very cool inspiration pic, I might add!

Now, while I love the picture, I was stumped with this one.  You see, New Zealand doesn't really celebrate Halloween so I haven't got much in the way of Halloween stamps.  Initially I thought of just using the colors and patterns, but then I decided to go digi-shopping and came up with this card.

This is a fun Bugaboo digi stamp and after I printed it onto X-Press It cardstock, I colored the pumpkins and broom with Copics.  I then masked those items and sponged Chipped Sapphire, Dusty Concord and Black Soot ink onto the background.

The layout was kept pretty simple - I took the stripes from the inspiration pic and added some striped paper to my cardbase and then popped up the image with foam tape.  Some orange enamel dots and I was done.

Thanks so much to Lesley and the team for letting me join in this week!  Be sure to check out all the wonderful creations from the rest of the team.

Products used:

Stamps:  Bugaboo digi
Ink:  Chipped Sapphire, Dusty Concord, Black Soot
Cardstock:  White, X-Press It, Dots & Stripes Neutrals (MFT)
Accessories:  Copics, Wink of Stella, enamel dots

Cheers
Karren

Rock On!

Hi!  This quick and very CAS one-layer card was made late on Sunday night with a few challenges in mind:  ColorQ, Seize the Birthday with a splatter theme, Less is More with a masculine theme, Cardz for Guyz with a rock theme and Time Out where I was inspired by the colors.

I stamped the sentiment onto a white card base using Slate ink and then stamped the guitar in black ink "resting" it against the sentiment.  I then stamped the smaller ink blots in Orange Peel ink and a triangle of larger ink blots in Burnt Orange ink.

And that was it!  No embellishments because it's for a guy.

Thanks for visiting.

Products used:

Stamps:  Ink Blot (CTMH), Rock On (PTI)

Ink:  Slate, Orange Peel, Burnt Orange (SSS), Archival Black

Cardstock:  White

Cheers

Karren

Merry Moose-mas

Hi and welcome!  Today I'm playing along in the challenge at Merry Monday to use a moose, as well as the Muse Card Challenge and the Simon Says Stamp Wonderful Watercolor challenge.

I actually bought this moose die back when I was on the Merry Monday DT, with the intention of using it for the challenge as I had nothing at all with a moose on it.  Well, in the meantime, I dropped from the DT and I nearly let this week slip by without making a moose card!

I was inspired by Michele's card in relation to the layout and the pattern on the top 2/3 of the card.  I didn't use patterned paper, but did make a watercolored panel to resemble a snowy night sky.  I also used gold for the sentiment.

I did color the moose with a brown Copic and then use a towel and some colorless blender fluid to give a "furry" finish but it's barely visible against the brown cardstock.

Thanks for visiting.

Products used:

Stamps:  Hand Lettered Holiday (MFT)

Ink:  Versamark, Spiced Marmalade, Ripe Persimmon, Mermaid Lagoon, Chipped Saphire Distress Inks

Cardstock:  White, Chocolate Chip (SU), Green Apple, Sunshine, Lipstick Red, Burnt Orange (SSS), watercolor paper

Accessories:  Stitched Slopes & Hills Die (SSS), Merry Moose-mas die (Cottage Cutz), Gold EP, White Gel Pen

Cheers

Karren

Edited to Add:  This card got a shout out at Merry Monday.

Circular Birthday

Hi and welcome!  It's time for another Fusion Card Challenge so check it out!

I went with the colors in the photo.  We don't celebrate Halloween much here in New Zealand so I don't have need for Halloween cards.  But I did love the orange, black and white colors as well as the circular element, so that's what I focused on in my card.

I watercolored a piece of watercolor cardstock using Spiced Marmalade ink and splatted on some ink on top as well.  That was layered onto some orange cardstock and then onto a black card base.  The sentiment is stacked four high and I finished with some black enamel dots.

Thanks for visiting.  Be sure to check out the amazing cards from the rest of the design team!

Products used:

Ink:  Spiced Marmalade Distress Ink

Cardstock:  Black, white, watercolor, Orange Peel (SSS)

Accessories:  Birthday Circle die (SSS), Enamel Dots

Cheers

Karren

Yellow Flowers

Today's fabulous sketch at Freshly Made Sketches was designed by the wonderful Cindy Hall.

I went very CAS with my card this week, with lots of white space.

I stamped several flowers using Altenew inks and fussy cut them out.  I chose two to feature on my card and put them to one side.  The card base is white and I have a thin strip of black cardstock that I painted in Wink of Stella.

The sentiment panel was die-cut with a pierced rectangle die and stamped with a scripty sentiment from Sending Happy Thoughts.  I die-cut two tiny little hearts from Daffodil Delight cardstock and adhered those for the dots in the i's.  The sentiment panel is raised up on foam tape as is the smaller of the two flowers.  The larger one is popped up on two layers of foam tape.  The flowers and hears are also covered in Wink of Stella.

Thanks for visiting.  The rest of the design team have some wonderful cards with the sketch, so be sure to check them out.

Products used:

Stamps:  Sending Happy Thoughts (SSS), Painted Flowers (Altenew)
Ink:  Versafine Onyx Black, Buttercream, Warm Sunshine, Frayed Leaf, Forest Glades (Altenew)
Cardstock:  White, Black
Accessories:  Wink of Stella, Pierced Rectangle Stax (MFT), Storybook dies (Avery Elle)

Cheers
Karren

Autumn Leaves

Hi!   Today's card was made at the weekend but I'm only just getting around to posting it!  I decided to join in the one layer challenge at Less is More as well as a second entry in the current Time Out challenge.  Both of these have an autumn-themed challenge going on at the moment.

I went for a favourite layout of mine with a sponged panel and some over-stamping.  The panel was masked and sponged with Fossilized Amber, Wild Honey, Spiced Marmalade, Rusty Hinge and Vintage Photo distress inks.  After I removed the masks, I stamped a NBUS foliage set by Penny Black called Lush and Lavish in Archival Black ink, using my Misti for good coverage. 

After the leaves were stamped, I put the masks back on and stamped the little dots from Bold Blooms to tie everything together.

Thanks for visiting.

Products used:

Stamps:  Lush and Lavish (Penny Black), Bold Blooms (Ellen Hutson), Happy (Stamplorations)

Ink:  Fossilized Amber, Wild Honey, Spiced Marmalade, Rusty Hinge, Vintage Photo (Distress), Archival Black

Cardstock:  white

Cheers

Karren

Zig Zag

Hi and welcome!  I'm thrilled to be Guest Designer at City Crafter Challenge.  My card won the challenge a few weeks ago and I was invited to be GD for this challenge - and what a fun challenge it is!

Paste it!  Use either Texture (Embossing)Paste, Crackle Paste or Crackle Paint somewhere on your project.

For my card, I decided to use embossing paste and a stencil (one of my favorite techniques!).  This time, however, I colored my embossing paste different colors for each row of zig zags.  The hardest part was not smooshing previously stenciled work when protecting it while spreading on the next color :)

While the background was drying, I started work on the images.  I Copic colored and fussy cut the envelopes and adhered them to a black square I had white-embossed the sentiment on.  I then die-cut another square out of white that I stuck behind the black one at an angle.  That is all popped up on foam tape and I finished the card with some silver thread in the top right corner.

This is a fabulously fun challenge - given how popular embossing paste is at the moment so I hope you'll give it a go.  Be sure to check out the fabulous samples from the rest of the design team.

I'm also linking this up to Just Us Girls who are asking for stencils.

Thanks for visiting.

Products used:

Stamps:  Sending Happy Thoughts, Sending and Wishing (SSS)
Ink:  Hot Lips, Orange Peel, Duckling, Jellybean, Scuba, Wisteria (SSS), Memento Tuxedo Black, Versamark
Cardstock:  White, black, X-Press It
Accessories:  Copics, Embossing Paste, White EP, Nesting Rounded Square dies (Lifestyle Crafts), Zig Zag Dots Stencil (SSS), silver thread

Cheers
Karren

Edited to Add:  This card got Chic of the Week at Just Us Girls.