WWC232 - Anything Goes Challenge

Hello and welcome!  There are five Wednesdays in July so that means it is Anything Goes at Watercooler Wednesday. 

Sometimes you just know you need a stamp. It was that way when I saw Hero Arts' Venetian Neighborhood.  This card is so much fun to color that I made four different versions in one week. This card is colored with Zigs.  The building was colored with 064 Oatmeal and 061 light brown.  I think the result is very stucco like, which is what I was going for.  This is a get well card so I wanted bright rainbow colors for the windows and clothes.  

I love the sentiment:  Hello Bluebird Rainbow Script.

Thanks for stopping by!

Karen

One Image for a CAS Masculine Card

Several of my nephews have birthdays coming up so it was time to make some masculine cards.  I really like the simplicity of this CAS card.

I started by stamping and coloring the bike from the January 2019 My Monthly Hero kit.  I then glued craft foam to the back and then die cut.  I positioned the sentiment to "ground" the bike.  Quick and easy but eye catching as well.

I am entering this card in:

The Paper Players Clean and Simple Masculine Challenge
UPDATE:  I was very pleased to learn that my card was selected as a "Cut Above" winner at The Paper Players.

AAA One Image + Positivity Challenge


Make My Monday: For A Guy

Thanks for stopping by!

Karen

WWC231 - Tristan's "All About Occasions" Challenge

Hello and welcome!  This week it is all about occasion cards at the Watercooler Wednesday Challenge Website and Tristan is our hostess. 

I go through a lot of Get Well cards and it was time to add some new cards to my inventory.  Lawn Fawn's Get Well Soon stamp set has been a longtime favorite and I thought it would be cute as a CAS card with some off the edge die-cutting.    I started with an A2 panel, did the off the edge die-cutting, then stamped and colored the images in with Copic markers.  Next, I added Nuvo Crystal Glaze to the prescription bottle tops to make them shine.  

I am entering this card in:

Lawn Fawnatics "Little Things" Challenge
I love the small little images in the Get Well Soon set. It is one of my most used stamp and die sets because it makes the cutest cards.

Thanks for stopping by!

Karen

Twofer Garden Cards

Hello and thank your stopping by!  The theme this month at The Twofer Challenge is "Garden".  I doubled up on the garden theme by using  botanical stamps and dies and secondly, by dry-embossing using a stencil called Garden Leaves (Dylusions). Fun fact...this was the first stencil I ever purchased.

The sympathy card is more subdued with just one image combined with the dry embossed stitched accent panel.  When I made the card, the blue violet flower reminded me of a button or decorative snap. I am entering this card in Clean and Simple on Friday's "Use a Stencil" Challenge  I used the Dylusions Garden Leaves stencil to dry emboss an accent panel.

The second card is a bright vibrant birthday card with multiple images and texture. I am entering this card in The Dies R Us "Birthday" Challenge  I used WPlus9 Doodle Bud dies and MFT A2 Stitched Rectangle die for the accent panel.  

The photo above shows the dry embossing better.  I am entering this card in The Happy Little Stampers "Anything Goes With Dies" Challenge and Little Red Wagon "Stitched" Challenge.  I used MFT's stitched die to emphasize the accent panel.

Supplies:

• WPlus9 Doodle Buds stamps and coordinating dies
• Ranger Ink Dylusions Garden Leaves Stencil
• MFT A2 Stitched Rectangle STAX set 2 die
• Memento Ink
• Neenah Cardstock
• Signo Uniball white pen
• Foam Tape Adhesive
• Copic Markers

UPDATE:  I just discovered that I won the prize in the Dies R Us Challenge!

Karen

Tropical Pineapple Thank You Card

Hello and Welcome!  I came up with the idea for a CAS framed thank you card.  I love the pineapple form Sunny Studio Tropical Paradise and thought it would be cute in a tall skinny  stitched frame. I added the small flower, leaf and lemon wedge as a cluster.

I used Bristol card stock, colored with Zig Markers and cut with coordinating dies.  I die cut the sentiment to complete the card.  I added some white gel pen accents.  This card came together very quickly.  

I am entering this card in:  

Make My Monday 100th Challenge - Thank You 
Congratulations on your 100th Challenge!

Less is More "Small Images" Challenge

Thanks for stopping by!

Karen

WWC230 - Kath's Masculine "Anything Goes" Challenge

Hello and Welcome! This week it is all about the men in our lives and Kath is our hostess for our challenge at  Watercooler Wednesday.

I took a Copic class with Laura Griffin and we made diorama cards.  The card is three Copic colored panels that are stacked.  The only stamping is on the sentiment, the rest is coloring Memory Box "Sapling Collage" and Woodland Glimpse" die cuts.

1. We started by coloring the sky with Copic markers on the bottom panel.  I used two colors of blue, but the color variation did not photograph well. 
2. Next, we colored the tree undergrowth die cut layer and then the top foliage die cut layer.  We distressed the edge of the top layer for a more masculine rough-hewn look.
3. We colored the cute deer (Creative Expressions Sue Wilson "Woodland Collection, Forest Animals) with Copics and then added white gel accents. 
4. We assembled the card: White card, then green mat, then sky layer,  undergrowth and then top cover.  The undergrowth and top layer were adhered using foam squares for a diorama effect.
5.   Next, I inserted the deer in the forest.  
6. I wanted this to be a birthday card so I stamped the sentiment and die cut with a banner.

I think the card turned out very well.  The card has a lot of dimension because of all the layers and foam adhesive.

Thanks for stopping by!

Karen

Guest Designer for Craft Stamper Magazine

I am so pleased to have been selected to be the Guest Designer for Craft Stamper Magazine this month!  Hop over to their July "Take It or Make It" website for some inspiration or to enter your stamped creation.

Since it is summer I went with a bold nautical card.  I won the Visible Images Create Your Own Calm stamp set in a card challenge and this is what I crafted.  The background is watercolored with three colors of blue/blue-green watercolor paints.  I wet the watercolor paper and then dropped in colors randomly and let them blend as they pleased.  I then white heat embossed the darling seahorse and rings.  I trimmed the panel down so that I would have a contrasting white strip when I mounted on a white A2 card.  I heat embossed the sentiment on vivid blue card stock and then trimmed it with a stitched die.  

I hope you like this card and that you will submit your creation to Craft Stamper Magazine's Take It Make It Challenge.

I am entering this card in:
The Rainbow "Blue Breezes" Challenge


Country View Blues and Greens Challenge

Thanks for stopping by!

Karen

WWC229 - Helen's "All About Occasions" Challenge

Hello there and welcome. This week it's all about Occasions at The Watercooler Wednesday Challenge website and Helen is our hostess!

This is the first time to use this stamp and die set - Paprika by Photo Play.  I bought the set at a card making conference I attended this year and it is full of cute images and sentiments.  I love how the llama looks so self important.

I stamped and colored the llama with Copic markers.   Next, I used a stitched die to trim the panel and then a circle die to cut out a

 spotlight.  I also heat embossed a stitched sentiment. I backed the white panel with craft foam and attached to the teal A2 card.  Last, I used foam tape to adhere the llama and sentiment strip.

I am entering this card in:

Clean and Simple on Sunday Color Challenge

Thanks for stopping by!

Karen 

Bright Tropical Celebration Card

Hello and welcome! Sunny Studio Tropical Paradise is a well loved stamp and die set that makes great tropical summery cards.  

For this card, I stamped my images on Bristol card stock, colored with Zig markers and then die-cut.  I also die cut a stitched circle for a backdrop and a celebrate sentiment.  This card was easy to make and put together but still very fun and festive.  

I am entering this card in:

Dar and Diane's Tropical challenge - I got inspiration from both the colors and the images on their mood board.  

Cardz for Galz is celebrating their 100th challenge and I am submitting my card to celebrate along with them!


Simply Less is More "Celebrations" Challenge


Update:  My card was selected Top Three at Dar and Diane's Tropical Challenge!

Thanks for stopping by!

Karen

Dare 2B Artzy 3D Shaped Scene Card

I went to a card convention in Irving, Texas and bought this fun stamp  and die set (Flowers for Mom) by Dare 2B Artzy.  They had the cutest booth  full of inspiration.

   When I saw their current challenge I thought it would be fun to do a 3D shaped scene card. I stamped, colored with Zigs and then die cut three floral images.  Next I made made my card base by cutting a 5 1/2" x 5 3/4" panel and scoring at 3/4" and 1 1/2" on each end.  I then used brushes and Dare 2 B Artzy "Blue Sky" dye ink to create a sky background.  I wanted to layer the flowers so I created two panels of  "grass". The back "hill" is 1/4" above the sky panel so the card actually has three levels.

Recipe:

Dare 2B Arzy Flowers for Mom stamps

Dare 2B Artzy Joyful Flowers dies

Dare 2B Artzy Blue Sky die ink

Bristol card stock

Zig Clean Color Real Brush Markers

I am entering this card in:

Dare 2B Artzy Shaped Card Challenge - I created a 3D shaped card for my flowers.

Lil Red Wagon Repeat Challenge - I repeated the layers of flowers for a full dimensional look.

AAA Birthday "For the Girls" Challenge  I just discovered the AAA Birthday Challenge. I love their sister challenge AAA Cards. 

Thanks for stopping by!

Karen

WWC228 - Marsha's Feminine "Anything Goes" Challenge

Welcome and hello!  Today it's the popular Feminine Anything Goes Challenge at Watercooler Wednesday and Marsha is our hostess.

I love pattern stamping and wanted to make a bright summery feminine birthday card so I got all my favorite individual floral stamps out and black heat embossed a random background pattern.  I love texture with heat embossing.  Next, add bright colors, heat emboss a sentiment and use an A2 stitching die.

I am entering this card in:
SSS Make a Background Monday Challenge

Thanks for stopping by!

Karen

Watercolor Wedding Card

We are so happy to be attending the wedding of a friend this month.  Our friend is 52 and has never been married and he is engaged to a lady that is 51 and has never been married!

I love to watercolor this beautiful stamp from Concord and 9th (Happy Day).  I used Brutus Monroe Aqua Pigment Paper, which is a lovely soft eggshell color.  I silver embossed then used my Kuretake watercolors.  I used a stitched die to trim the panel down and then adhered to a kraft A2 card.

I am entering this card in:

Addicted to CAS "Code Word Wedding".

Sisterhood of Crafters Any Occasion Challenge and my card is for a wedding.

Tuesday Throwdown Anything Goes Challenge

Thanks for stopping by!

Karen