Three Trees

Here's a card I made for this week's Weekend Sketch Challenge, WSC110. I came across my Let It Snow sentiment today...poor wee thing had been tucked away and needed some lovin'. So I pulled out my Three Little Trees image and wondered how they'd look embossed in white on dark cardstock. Voila! This is the result of all my thoughts colliding!  :)

I started by stamping the Three Little Trees with versamark onto Night of Navy and Garden Green. Then I embossed them with white powder and cut them out. The green tree was popped for dimension. I popped all three trees onto some Baja Blue which I cut out with my Labels Four nesties then ran through my Swiss Dots Cuttlebug folder.

The pretty SEI Glitzma paper was the inspiration for this colour combo. I just love the sparkly swirl that runs through the paper. I added a scalloped edge with my apron lace punch. The sentiment is also embossed with white powder. I added a little snowflake accent, punched with my MS snowflake punch and topped with a platinum Glitter Dot. Two more glitter dots in the top corner complete the details. I had intended to glitter up the green tree but once the card was all put together I decided against it. I like the graphic white lines on the trees so I left them as is.

This week is the last Bellarific Friday Challenge until the new year so I hope you'll play along. The theme is "Faux or Sew". You can add real stitching to your project either by hand or with a machine, or fake it with a paper piercer and marker. You could win $20 Bella Bucks just for playing along this week! Email your creations to Em by Thursday night!!!

Thanks for stopping by!
Karen

Fabulous Fall Key Ingredients from Taylored Expressions

It's no secret that I'm a HUGE fan of the Key Ingredients at Taylored Expressions. Everything handpicked by Taylor, perfectly coordinated to make my paper crafting easier! Well, Taylor has done it again! You really need to pop over to Taylored Expressions and check out the amazing new Fabulous Fall Key Ingredients Kits being offered in limited quantities at just $12.95, a spectacular discount. If you've never tried the Key Ingredients, this is your opportunity to try a kit at a discounted price. All the details are on Taylor's Blog so I'll get right down to the cards I made with my Key Ingredients Kit, Winnie's Walls...the colours are so fun to work with!

Each of my cards features supplies from the Winnie's Walls Key Ingredients kit, including all the patterned paper, solid cardstocks, ribbons and rubons. I used the Weekend Sketch 105 for this card and paired it with Celebrate Life. I added a little stitching and some Flower Soft.

On this card I let the rubons be the main attraction and added a sentiment from A Year of Sweet Sentiments. After the sentiment was stamped I wished I'd embossed it to make it stand out a little more, so I added a row of Zva crystals to help draw attention to the sentiment.

And last but not least, a birthday card featuring images from For the Love of Cupcakes. I used Taylored Expressions Sketch Challenge 90 for the layout, and altered it slightly to fit the big 'HAPPY' rubon. I added some Fruit punch Stickles to the cupcake and Multicolour Twinkles to the scalloped circle. I think this card's my fave of the three.

Here's a little more info on these limited edition Key Ingredients kits. There are four kits to choose from...try one or grab them all...you won't be disappointed. I use my Key Ingredients kits often and I still haven't used one up yet! I truly {heart} my Key Ingredients! The kits are versatile for so many occasions and you can pair them with any TE images. Each of these limited edition Key Ingredients will include a full colour inspiration sheet with six samples created by members of the Baker's Dozen!

Winnie's Walls Key Ingredients

Petals & Paisley Key Ingredients

Morning Meadow Key Igredients

Penelope's Potpourri Key Ingredients

So quick...go see what the other Baker's Dozen players have created using these Fabulous Fall Key Ingredients Kits then head over to Taylored Expressions and pick some up while quantities last!

Charmaine Ikach

Denise Marzec

Donna Baker

Jodi Collins

Karen Giron

Sankari Wegman

and Taylor VanBruggen

Thanks for stopping by!

Karen

Happy Birthday Nancy!!!

Today is my uber-talented friend Nancy McKinney's birthday and a few of us are celebrating with a little blog hop. In case you don't know Nancy's work, check out her blog Cardworthy. She creates the most gorgeous things and she's a stamp designer too!

For my card I used one of the sets Nancy designed, For the Love of Cupcakes available at Taylored Expressions. Cupcakes are yummy for any occasion, but they're perfect for a birthday!!! The layout is the Weekend Sketch #106.

First thing I did was stamp the three cupcakes with Memento Tuxedo Black onto Choice Snow White. Then I coloured them all with copics and jazzed up the two on the end a little with pink Stickles. I couldn't resist 'frosting' the middle cupcake with Espresso Dimensional Pearls.

I made my card long and skinny, so the white base measures 3.25 x 6.5 inches. I used papers from my Cupcakes Key Ingredients and added a little brown stitching along the edges. A few Multicolour Twinkles add just the right touch.

Nancy, hope your day is a special one!!! Happy Birthday!!!!

Here are some more friends who are wishing Nancy a very happy birthday.

Dana White

Michelle Leishman

Janet Rossi

Wendy Bond

Jodi Collins

Charmaine Ikach

Sankari Wegman

Donna Baker

Karen Giron

Laura Fredrickson

Thanks for stopping by!

Karen

Pretty Purple Tatiana

Happy Monday!!! I'm posting later than usual today because life got in the way this morning. We were away this weekend and Shadow (our mini schnauzer) was staying at his usual place...well he came home a little under the weather so we spent the morning at the vet. Turns out he picked up kennel cough at the groomers last week (not where he stayed on the weekend) but now I feel awful that he was staying at my friend's house with her seven dogs. Yikes!!! I'm keeping my fingers and toes crossed that they don't all get sick because of my little guy!!

But you came here for a card, right? I stamped this one this morning while waiting to go to our vet appointment. I decided to use the Weekend Sketch Challenge, WSC104, for the layout and as I was reading Beate's post I realized the Ways To Use It challenge on Splitcoast, WT242, is to use purple, so I combined the sketch and the purple challenge.

I think I'm one of the few people who likes using purple. I can't say it's my favourite colour, but I really like how the purple copics blend and I love how vibrant they can be. So for my card I pulled out my favourite paper with purple in it, My Mind's Eye Penny Lane. I stamped Tatiana Ketto from Stamping Bella with Memento Tuxedo Black onto Bella's Bestest Paper and coloured her with copics. Nothing fancy here, but I did add a lemonade Bauble to the center of the flower. The image is cut out with circle Nestabilities and layered onto a scallop circle of Eggplant.

I started with a standard size white card base then I layered some Prism Frosted Kiwi and some Prism Intense Teal, which I ran through my D'vine Swirls Cuttlebug folder. The rest is just three strips of paper and I tucked a scalloped strip of Eggplant near the right edge. There's a little sparkle from two medium lilac Glitter Dots.

Don't forget about this week's Bellarific Challenge...it's a Christmas/Winter theme. Email your entries to Em by Thursday, November 5th to be included in her Bellarific Friday post on November 6th and you might just win a $20 gift certificate to Stamping Bella! Click here for all the details.

Thanks for stopping by!

Karen

Up, Up and Away...

I finally cracked into my other new-to-me Verve set Up, Up and Away. I've loved this set since it was released and it's the reason I'm no longer Verve-less. :)

The Weekend Sketch Challenge, hosted by Beate, seemed like a fabulous layout to use with this set. I also dug into my SU Thoroughly Modern PP. I stamped the balloon with Memento Tuxedo Black onto Choice Snow White then stamped it again onto one of the patterned papers so I could paper piece the circle. The rest of the image is coloured with copics and I added a blue background with my copics to make it look like it was in the sky. I ran my clear Glaze pen over the balloon to make it shiny.

The white card base is 5 inches square. I layered rose red then sahara sand and stamped the clouds in sahara sand. I backed the scallop border with bermuda bay to make it pop. I saw this fun ribbon treatment on Paula's card and tucked it away in my memory to use on my own cards. I just love her idea of wrapping it back onto the image and securing with a button. I was lucky enough to find a button in my stash that coordinates perfectly with bermuda bay! Thanks for the idea Paula!

The weather is soooooooo beautiful here this weekend...finally! Hot and humid...just the way I like it so you won't hear me complaining...perfect convertible weather (with sunscreen and a hat of course!).

Thanks for stopping by!

Karen

Sweet Angel Teddy

Today I have a sweet card to share with you that I made especially for my Baker's Dozen pal Charmaine. She had a baby girl recently and this is my congratulations card for her. I hope she received it before I show it here. I used the Weekend Sketch Challenge #90 hosted by Laurie for the layout.

I knew I wanted to use my Beary Special set from Taylored Expressions (which appears to be out of stock right now) and since Charmaine had a girl I thought it would be perfect to use the angel wings with the bear. I stamped the bear first onto Choice Snow White then masked him and stamped the wings. I stamped the bear again onto papers from the Easter Key Ingredients...LOVE the colours in this Key Ingredients...so I could paper piece the bear. I coloured the wings with a very light pink copic. A little glitter was all this sweet teddy needed on her wings.

For the sentiment I used my stamp-a-majig and combined two sentiments from the set, then I cut it out with my Tags Trio and tucked it under a fabulous flower I received from Jodi (Thank Jodi!). The card base is 5 inches square. The card needed a little more bling so I added a pink rhinestone brad to the flower and five Crystal Twinkles around the image.

Congratulations again Charmaine!

Thanks for stopping by!

Karen

My Support Team...

ETA: Mel aked which line of Primas I used because it has skulls on it. I didn't even notice that was what was printed on the Primas...too funny! Here's what the back of the Prima packaging says: #714659-Petal Pallette Pink/Lime. The flowers come in a tube that's crimped at the top. Hope that helps! Thanks for pointing out the skulls Mel!

This card cracks me up!!! But I made it with a very specific purpose in mind.

When I was in Manhattan a few weeks ago one of my shopping missions was to go for a proper bra fitting at a specialty store. After all, as Stacy and Clinton say, the girls need to be taken care of, right? So I googled bra stores and found Bra Tenders, which was only two blocks from our hotel (and Crystal, my fit specialist, told me that Stacy and Clinton have brought people to them!!!). I liked that they're an independent business that's been in business for a long time with plenty of repeat clients. Needless to say, the proper bra really does make a difference...and makes you look slimmer too. It really was an uplifting experience!!! :)

As soon as I saw Granny's Support Team from Our Craft Lounge I knew it was the perfect set to use for my thank you card to the staff at Bra Tenders. I didn't plan that the card would be sooooooo bright but it'll actually fit in well with the store decor because they've got it decorated like you're on Broadway...bright, fun and cheery, just like this card. I used the Weekend Sketch #88, hosted by Jenn Balcer, for the layout.

I stamped Granny and the bra with Memento Tuxedo Black onto Choice Snow White and coloured them with copics. I added some black dots to the bra with my Copic Multiliner so it would coordinate with the green panties on the chair. I also added lime green Stickles to the flower centers on Granny's dress. I cut the bra out with Labels Four Nestabilities and cut out Granny with rectangle Nestabilities.

I chose the yellow floral pattern from my new Basic Grey June Bug 6x6 pad. The solid colours are Intense Kiwi, Blush Red Medium and Intense Orange, all by Prism. Once I had all my layers and strips in place I sewed around the edge with my Janome. The striped ribbon is from my stash and I love how it brings together all the colours. A few Primas and my favourite sentiment treatment, a banner, finished the card perfectly.

I can't wait to get this in the mail cause I know they'll get a good chuckle out of it at Bra Tenders (don't you just love that name...I love saying it!).

Thanks for stopping by!

Karen

It's a Monstah Bash!

We do the mashhhhhh...we do the monnnnnnster mash...the monster Bash! Now that song will be in your head for the rest of the day...sorry! Have you got your sunglasses ready? Cause this is a b-r-i-g-h-t card!

I think I'm trying to make up for the lack of sun here in New England the last few weeks...LOL! But seriously, this little Monstah Bash from Stamping Bella would look just as adorable in more muted colours but I really wanted to use my Lime Rickey patterned papers. The layout is the Weekend Sketch Challenge #85 hosted by Sharon Harnist. 

I started by stamping the Monstahs with Memento Tuxedo Black ink and colouring them with copics. I stamped the balloon a second time and popped it for dimension. The image was cut out with circle Nestabilities and layered onto a red circle. I pierced around the edge for a little interest. 

The white card base is 5.25 inches square. I really seem to be into square cards lately! The yellow patterned paper is layered onto tempting turquoise and I stitched around the edges. The rest of the card was very quick. A couple of strips of the solid green and orange from the Lime Rickey line, stamped the happy birthday sentiment and added two burnt honey Bella Bonbons and a button from my stash. 

Don't forget to check Bloggabella for this week's Bellarific sketch challenge and email your submissions to Em by Thursday at 5pm EST for a chance to win $20 Bella Bucks!

Thanks for stopping by!

Karen

Kick Back and Relax with Cupcakes

I have two creations to share with you today!!!

This first card uses the brand new For the Love of Cupcakes stamp set and papers from the Cupcakes Key Ingredients (which is sold out at the moment but read here for more info from Taylor) from Taylored Expressions. I love love LOVE this set!!!! The Weekend Sketch Challenge #84, hosted by Laurie Schmidlin, was the perfect layout for this. 

I started by stamping the cupcake image twice onto Choice Snow White. I coloured it with copics then cut out one of the images with circle Nestabilities and I cut the other out with scissors. It's popped for some dimension. I added some pink Tiny Twinkles for a little sparkle. The polka dot flower was cut out using my Blossom Nestabilities...it's such a pretty flower shape!

I ran the three blue panels through my Swiss Dots Cuttlebug folder then adhered them to the fun striped paper and backed that with some pink. The apple green double-edged polka dot ribbon was from my stash and I think it added just the right amount of green. I'd love to hang onto this card cause it makes me happy, but it's already in the mail, on it's way to make someone else happy.  :)

My next creations is a manly one. I made this card over a month ago, when I was back home at my parents' place but for some silly reason I haven't shared it here yet. 

We have a friend who's retiring from his career as a police officer and I made this card with his retirement in mind. The image and sentiment are from my much-loved Boys Will Be Boys set and I used the March 20th Key Ingredients to create this card. The layout is another Weekend Sketch Challenge #76, which also happened to be hosted by Laurie Schmidlin...what a coincidence! 

The boots were stamped with Memento Tuxedo black onto Choice Buttercream and coloured with copics. I tried to make them look like my Blundstone boots. My friend Nancy McKinney, who designed this stamp set, turned me on to Blundstones (or Blunnies) a few years ago and I'm soooooooooo happy she did. When the stamp set first came out I emailed her right away to say how cool it was that there was a pair of Blunnies in the set! She made an awesome card with some pink blunnies which you can see here. 

I ran the blue background piece through my Diamonds in the Rough Cuttlebug folder then added some ribbon and a buckle from the March 20th Key Ingredients. I finished it off with three orange snaps from my stash. Our friend's retirement party is at the end of this week so I hope the card arrives on time!

Thanks for stopping by!

Karen

Celebrate in Style

Really...what is it with me and the Orchid Opulence lately??? I used it again on this card. I'm still using my original package I bought back in 2003, but at this rate, with all the pretty purple patterned papers on the market right now, I'm going to need to reorder...eeeeeks!

Last night I sat down to stamp with absolutely no idea what I wanted to do. Both my MFT's and my Gina K's need some lovin'....hmmmmm....then I remembered my friend Jane (the one who takes our mini schnauzer when we go away) has a birthday coming up in June, so my MFT Let's Go For A Walk set won out. I used the Weekend Sketch Challenge #81, hosted by Charmaine, for the layout. 

I stamped the main image and the present with Memento Tuxedo Black onto Choice Snow White and coloured them with copics. Both images were cut out with Nestabilities. The main panel is layered onto Elegant Eggplant and the circle is layered onto a fun shade of green called Frosted Kiwi by Prism Papers. 

I started with a white card base then layered on some Frosted Kiwi and Orchid Opulence. I stitched around the edges with my Janome Sew Mini. The patterned paper is Groovy by Daisy Bucket Designs and there's a fun polka dot pattern on the reverse side. You can't see it in the photo but the patterned paper has a linen texture to it, much like the texture on Bazzil paper. My ribbon, green polka dot from Taylored Expressions (it must be sold out because I can't find it on the site), doesn't quite follow the sketch but it didn't look right if I placed it where the sketch shows. 

I can't believe I didn't add any bling to this card...weird! But then again, I don't think it needs any...the green is bright enough on it's own. 

Thanks for stopping by!

Karen

I'm on Cloud Nine!

Really...I am! I'm on cloud nine cause my friend Leslie is visiting. She drove back with me last week and we've been having a fabulous time. Sadly, she heads home tomorrow, but I've thoroughly enjoyed our time together, shopping, stamping, shopping, dining out, shopping.  :)

We took a little trip to my LSS to see what's new and I picked up some fabulous papers by My Mind's Eye, the Pretty Please line...they're GORGEOUS! I decided to pair them with the new Altee 'tude image (which includes the sentiment) from Stamping Bella and the Weekend Sketch Challenge hosted by Cambria WSC80. 

I started as I always do, by stamping Altee 'tude with Memento Tuxedo Black onto white. Then I cut her out with circle Nestabilities and pulled out the copic markers to coordinate with the patterned paper. I set to work colouring this darling image and I'm really pleased with how it turned out. I added a smidge of Crystal Stickles to the flower center on her hat then layered her onto some pumpkin pie cardstock. 

The card base is white with a layer of Pretty Please patterned paper. Next is some rose red with three panels of one of the other patterns in the Pretty Please line. I sewed around the edge of the panels to unite them then tied some rose red ribbon. The sentiment is stamped in black and I added three 5mm Hyacinth Bella Bonbons. 

Thanks for stopping by!

Karen

Festive Snowmen

I raided my SIL's stamp collection for this set, Festive Favourites from Stampin' Up!. It's a set I don't own, so this is the perfect opportunity to use it. The layout for this card is from the Weekend Sketch Challenge hosted by Sharon Harnist, WSC78. 

I stamped the snowmen with Memento Tuxedo Black and coloured them with copics...what little colouring there was...LOL! I trimmed around the frame with scissors then layered the image onto Baja Blue (I'm really going to miss that colour when it's gone...I find it coordinates so well with lots of different patterned papers). It's hard to see in the photo, but I used my new Spellbinders Deckle Scalloped Edge Borderabilities along the bottom of the baja piece...it cut a nice scallop and embossed three rows of little circles. The ribbon is SU white taffeta. 

The card base is white, followed by a layer of Baja Blue then two of the patterns in the Bo Bunny Holiday Cheer line. I was wishing I'd brought my ghost snowflakes with me but I didn't...then I remembered my Spellbinders Snowflake Wonder Shapeabilities. So I cut out a Pink Pirouette snowflake, attached it with a white brad and added crystal Stickles to the outer edges. I also added some crystal Stickles to the row of snow under the snowmen. 

Thanks for stopping by!

Karen

Thinking of You By the Sea

This is where I'd like to be...sitting in a chair by the ocean, the sun beating down on me, a light breeze blowing my hair, sipping a refreshing drink...ahhhhh...if I stare at the picture long enough maybe it'll come true! giggle!

I decided to play with my first Weekend Sketch Challenge #77, which is hosted by Lori Craig. I combined it with the Chicks Inspiration Challenge #4. When I saw the Chicks inspiration piece I thought about an SU set I've had on my shelf for a loooooong time, Along the Shore. It was in a mini (I think) way back in 2005. And I must confess, it has never seen ink until today! Yikes! So I stamped it with Memento Tuxedo Black onto Gina K pure luxury and coloured it with copics. I drew in the horizon line for the sea. I cut it out with my new Labels Four Nestabilities then I adhered it to some Tangerine Tango and trimmed around the edge with my scissors to create a mat. I REALLY wish Spellbinders would create a nice layering size for the Labels nesties. Spellbinders...are you reading this??? Could you please create a layering size??? Pretty Please!!!

The patterned paper is My Mind's Eye Bloom & Grow and I accented it with some ribbon from The Paper Source. The light one is called Pool and the dark one is called Deep Pool (that makes me giggle!). The sentiment is from the SU Trendy Trees set and it's stamped onto certainly celery and punched out with my word window punch. 

Thanks for stopping by!

Karen