"Hang In There" Encouragement Card

I ordered the cutest stamp set from Tiddly Inks.  Today, I made two encouragement cards for friends with cancer but I can see this as a fun birthday card too.  I love the included sentiment "hang in there".


















I colored the images with Copic markers and mounted on a card base.  The little girl was so fun to color!

I am entering this card in the following challenges:

Muse Card Challenge #280.  I was inspired by the yellow birds siting on a tree branch.



Addicted to Stamps Anything Goes Challenge



Time Out Bright Challenge



UPDATE:  So pleased to report that this card was voted  a "Featured Card" on the Muse Card Challenge #280!

Thanks for stopping by!

Karen

Puffer Fish

Tri-color Puffer Fish birthday card. This is a versatile card that I think would be perfect for a beach loving girlfriend or child's birthday.  I love the happy whimsical fish from The Hero Arts I Am Puffer For You Stamp set.

I mounted three fish on an acrylic block and hand stamped the pattern.  I knew I wanted to use three colors so I next worked out which fish would be which color.  I didn't want stripes of color so I went with the combination above.  I then heat embossed the sentiments on gravel cardstock and loosely fussy-cut the words.  I then mounted the base on a "gravel" colored card from Paper Source.

I am entering this card in the following challenges:

Paper Sweeties 6th Birthday Challenge

Pause Dream Enjoy #33

Sunny Day Animal Challenge

Always Happy Birthday "Water" Challenge

UPDATE:  I am very pleased my card received "Top Pick" Honors at Pause Dream and Enjoy!


Thanks for stopping by!

Karen

Masculine Get Well Card

I needed some more Get Well cards for men and decided this statement sentiment (Ranger Letter It Greetings) would be fun paired with the birds from SSS's Stacking Animals.  I thought the baby bird hanging upside added a light element to the card. I mounted my card base on a "gravel" colored card to add to the masculine theme.

Sunday Stamps has a Summer Splash Color Challenge and I used their color palette as my inspiration.

I love Watercooler Wednesday's prompts and am also entering this card in their Masculine Card Challenge.

Since this card features animals, I am also entering it in the current Sunny Day Challenge.

This is a CAS card and I wanted it bold so I embossed the sentiment and birds in a glossy black and then colored with Copic markers.  So fast and easy as I only used three colors:  B24, B29 and YR07.

UPDATE:  I was pleased to see this card was selected as a "Watercooler Rocker"!


Thanks for stopping by,

Karen

Watercolor Tea Cup Card

I went to a Card Convention in June and bought several fun new stamp sets.  This one is Catherine Scanlon Stacked.  I have a friend who loves tea and I thought this would make the perfect Birthday card for her.

I love fancy little teacups so I decided to emboss the cups in gold on Bristol paper.  I did a google search for teacups and used the results as inspiration for my color palette.  I painted with watercolor markers and then added an embossed sentiment on contrasting black cardstock.

I really enjoyed making this card and think I will try a Get Well card next.

I am entering this card in the following challenges:

Time Out Food and Drink Challenge



Watercooler Wednesday Feminine Challenge

 

Seize the Birthday Water Challenge (tea is made with water and the card is water-colored)



Always Happy Birthday Water Challenge (tea is made with water and the card is water-colored)

Update:  My teacups were chosen as "Watercooler Rockers"!


Thanks for stopping by!
Karen

Handmade Wedding Card

My daughter is getting married in our backyard in September so I wanted to make a handmade card with seasonal color.  I LOVE The Concord and 9th Happy Day stamp set.

I silver embossed the cake and sentiment on watercolor paper and then watercolored with Daniel Smith watercolors.  I love the bright vibrant colors.  

It was cloudy while I was photographing so I thought I would try some outdoor shots.  Nontraditional for cards, but I like them.

My inspiration for the orange flower came from Just us Girls Challenge #451

I frequently enter the Addicted to Stamp Challenge as I like their prompts.  This week is "Make Your Mark". 

Thanks for stopping by!

Karen

Handmade Halloween Card

My daughter is getting married in September so I am getting an early start on Halloween cards.  I think this Art Impressions image is so fun!

I embossed the haunted house and then colored with vividly hued watercolor markers.  I also made a coordinating envelop from a Penny Black Halloween stamp set.

I am entering this card in:

Watercooler Wednesday Holiday Challenge



Addicted to Stamps Make Your Mark



Update:
I was very excited to learn that my Halloween card was chosen as a "Watercooler Rocker".



Thanks for stopping by!

Karen

Linear Pattern Stamping

I love the look of linear pattern stamping and think the horizontal (coffee cups) and vertical (cupcakes) stripes emphasizes the  linear look.  I used an acrylic block and grid paper (instead of a Misti) to hand stamp the images (Altenew Tea Time).

The coloring went very fast as I only used four colors and no blending:
Y35
BG05
RV23
YG25
N1 to outline

Being a birthday card, I wanted to add a cake (Jane's Doodles Party Time) to the Sentiment (SSS Brush Stroke Messages).  I mounted on a grey card, adhered a white insert inside and added a "celebrate" sentiment.

This card is for one of my best friends and I am entering it in the following challenges:

Seize the Birthday Stripes Challenge

Always Happy Birthday (Optional Cake) Challenge

Update:  This card was chosen as a "Top Pick" for the  Always Happy Birthday July Challenge

Thanks for stopping by!

Karen

In June, I won the AAA 4th Birthday Challenge with my Yappy Birthday submission.  I won a 30 pound gift card to Visible Images!  AAA also asked me to be a guest designer for today's Challenge:  AAA Cards Over The Rainbow Challenge.  I was so excited that I created two different cards and liked this one the best, so I submitted it to the Challenge.

The Doodle Buds Stamp Set by WPlus9 is a favorite and I thought it would be fun to ink blend the Rainbow.  I stamped the images and colored/blended with my Copic markers.

I also gave this card to my card making friend, Chris.

I am entering this card in two Birthday Challenges:

Seize The Birthday Challenge


Always Happy Birthday Challenge


Update:  I was happy to learn I won "Birthday Honours" at Seize the Birthday!



Thanks for stopping by!

Karen

Monochromatic Watercolor Bleaching

I saw a technique that I wanted to try called Watercolor Bleaching.   I thought it was very striking so I took a go at it.  I went for monochromatic blues.  First, I white heat embossed a number of floral images and a Thinking of You sentiment.  Next, I (heavily) watercolored the background with several shades of medium and darker blue distress ink.  To "bleach" I wet a paint brush and dabbed the inside of the images.  I wanted a dramatic and intense effect so I wet the areas, blotted with a towel and repeated until I had the look I was going for.  It got lighter after each cycle.

I liked that card so I did a similar second card but added some reds and greens.  In the end, I liked the monochromatic blue card the best. 

 I am entering my card in the following challenges:

Just Us Girls Watercolor Background


The Flower Challenge - Monochrome


Cas-ual Fridays Embossing Challenge


Thanks for stopping by!
Karen

Bright Summery Card for a Girlfriend

I have been mentally designing a card with linear pattern stamping using citrus fruits.   I tried a couple different patterns and selected this one.  I usually use my misti, but I stamped this card freehand using an acrylic block.   To save time, I put all three stamps on the block and stamped across the card.

Create a Smile Fruit Salad Stamp Set

I colored the images with Copic markers using the YR02, Y06 and YG01 which are bright citrusy colors.There are a lot of images, but the coloring went surprisingly fast.  I used Sakura Gel Pens for the rind on the lime and orange images.  I debated whether to outline the fruit in gray but opted to keep the card fresh and bright instead.  If I had made two cards, I would have tried one each way to see which I preferred.

I embossed two Happy Birthday sentiments and decided I liked the smaller font on this card.  I added a few sequins and I was done!

This card will go to one of my girlfriends whose birthday is in August.  

I am entering this cheerful, summery birthday card in the following challenges:

Just Us Girls Citrus Challenge

Watercooler Wednesday Feminine Anything Goes Challenge

Seize the Birthday Sequin Challenge

TGIF Color Challenge

Thanks for stopping by!

Karen

Birthday Bird in Red, White and Blue

I wanted to do a birthday card featuring this cute whimsical bird and decided a bold background would be fun.  Since it is The 4th of July, I used Red, White and Blue as my color inspiration.  I started by stamping the Hero Arts Tribal Stripes Bold Print Background Stamp with Ranger Denim ink.  Next I stamped the bird from one of my favorite stamp sets,  Simon Says Stamp Stacking Animals. 

I used the same denim ink for the bird and sentiment to tie the card together.  I colored the bird with Copic markers and then added Tonic Nuvo Glaze to the birds beak. I trimmed the smaller panel down and mounted (with foam tape) on the blue background,.  I then mounted the background on a white card and stamped a birthday sentiment inside the card. 

I am entering this card in the following challenges:

Sunny Day Challenge - Any Animal

Just Us Girls Anything Goes Challenge

Simon Says Stamp Red White and Blue Challenge

Simon Says Stamp Red White and Blue Challenge

Thanks for stopping by!

Karen