Clean and Simple Christmas Card with The Stampsmith

Hi Everyone,
I have another Christmas card today.  I went very CAS (clean and simple) with this one.  I used a lovely stamp from The Stampsmith called "Grace Christmas"  I stamped the image on glossy white CS with black dye ink.

The card base is made from Real Red CS from Stampin' Up.  The flowers were cut off their stems, layered, and held together with a gold brad.  I picked up the flower bunches at Michael's for $1 each.

This is a super simplistic card.  As I was making it, I realized it just did not need anything else.  I love the contrast of the white and red CS.   I added a sentiment from My Favorite Things on the inside.

CAS Christmas is entered in the following challenges:
Fashionable Stamping: White Christmas
Paper Sundaes: Winter Wonderland
Stamptacular Sunday: Anything Christmas
Less is more: a bit of bling

Have a great day!  Love ya.  PS: Did not get any Christmas decorations up. I will have to work on this during the week.
Karen

Cute Christmas Tag Cards

Hi Everyone,
Today's projects are some cute Christmas cards I made using similar tags to the ones that made the cover of Vamp Stamp News Dec issue.  (See previous post)   I went one step further this time and incorporated the tags into my cards.  The stamps are from My Favorite Things and are colored with Copic Markers.

The DP is from Anna Griffin and the snowflake punch is Stampin' Up.   The snow and hat are colored with a Le Plume Pigmented Opaque White marker.

 I used Flocked paper for the tag on this card.  The ivy cut outs are from K & Company.

I used the Anna Griffin DP again here and the K & Company cut outs.

My Cute Christmas Cards with tags are entered in the
 Simon Says Challenge- Use a tag.
Dutch Dare: Recipe (use three) Ribbon, Images, pattern papers, layers, rhinestones, brads, buttons. [I used pattern paper, layers ribbons, and rhinestones.
Sweet Stampin Challenge: die cuts and punches

Well, you have a great weekend!  I may put up some Christmas decorations today.  Love ya.
Karen

My Black Friday Post

Hi Everyone,
I decide to do a Black Friday Post.  There are no sales, no crowds, you don't have to wait in line, or drive anywhere.  You just get to look at some cards.  I have a few of my Christmas cards for you today.  I used a retired Stampin' Up set to make all the cards.  I won't talk much today.  This is supposed to be a nice restful post.

The snowflakes are stamped on Kraft with Poppy Parade ink (SU).

Stamped and embossed - black on Night of Navy CS (SU).

Stamped and embossed on white CS.  Color added with Distress Inks (Ranger).

I made about 20 of this design.  Hope you enjoyed this nice, quiet, relaxing Black Friday post.  Love ya.

Karen

Publishing Update November 2011 Part 2- My First Cover!

Hi Everyone,
I am back with another Publishing Update.  I wanted to share this with you: My first Cover!!!  My artwork appears on the Cover of The December issue of "Vamp Stamp News".

I made three Christmas tags using stamps from My Favorite Things.  I don't usually show the artwork that is published, but since the tags are the cover, I felt it was okay to show you the projects.  As long as you still buy the issue.  LOL

Okay, see you on Friday.  Love ya.
Karen

Publishing Update November 2011

Hi Everyone!
I thought I would post my publishing up date today.  I am still working on Christmas cards this week.  I have 45 done.  I will start posting some of the cards on Friday.  I thought it would be fun to have my own Black Friday celebration...that does not actually start before Friday.  No sales....just cards to look at. Stay tuned for that.   Okay, These are the  magazines which have published my artwork  this month.

 

Have a Happy Thanksgiving!  I am having dinner with my family.  My Mom is cooking.  I have to bring the rolls.  How did I get so lucky.  LOL  Well, I think I will make something else too.  And, I will take a birthday cake as there are two family birthdays this week-my nephew, Tyler and my hubby, Don.   Enjoy!!  Stop back on Friday for my Black Friday post.  Love ya,
Karen

Christmas Lovely from Third Coast Rubber Stamps

Hi Friends,
More Christmas inspiration today!  This time, I have used two images from Third Coast Rubber Stamps.
Winter Walk and Retro Ornaments.  I used paper piecing on this lovely lady.

Card Size: 5 x 5 ¼

Materials:

1. Stamps: Winter Walk (VB-370-M), Retro Ornaments (CO-099-M) – Third Coast Rubber Stamps; Sentiment-My Sentiments Exactly.  
2. Card Stock: Really Red-Stampin’ Up; White.
3. Decorative Paper: No. 2 Tiny Dots-My Mind’s Eye; Chic Stripes-Fancy Pants Designs.   
4. Ink: Jet Black (SZ-31) Stazon; Emboss It (EIP05506) Ranger; On doily- Rocket Red Gold (BR-96) Brilliance.
5. Glimmer Sprays: Vintage Pink and Gold Glimmer Mist –Tattered Angels.
6. Other: Clear Super Fine Embossing Powder (EPB10968) Ranger; Markers-Memento; Blender Pen-Stampin’ Up.
7. Embellishments: Paper Doily; Red Riding Hood Striped Ribbon (113099) Stampin’ Up.
8. Other: Dimensional Adhesive Squares. 

Instructions:

Make card from Really Red CS.  On green DP, stamp Retro Ornaments with Emboss It ink and heat emboss with clear powder.  Add to card front.  Cut a rectangle and strips of CS and DP; add to card front.  Cut Doily in half.  Spray doily with Glimmer Mists (let dry) and add Rocket Red Gold ink.  Glue to card front.  Stamp sentiment and layer with CS; add to card front.  Paper Piece the Christmas Lady Stamp: Stamp the Christmas Lady on white CS, Tiny Dots DP and again on Chic Stripes DP.  On the White CS color the hair, face, purse, and boots with markers and blender pen; cut out.  Cut out the Skirt and coat from the DP; glue over the original stamped image.  Add to card front with Dimensional squares.  Fold a piece of ribbon and glue to inside edge of card. 

And, of course, a peek at the inside.

This is a really fun image.  You may recognize it from a Halloween card I made in October.  She is very versatile.  There is lots and lots more TCRS inspiration on the TCRS Design Blog.   

I would also like to enter my Christmas Lovely in the By the Cute And Girly Challenge: Christmas Girls.

Have a great day.  Love ya.
Karen

Lovely Juliet in Watercolor

Hi Everyone,

I have a watercolored beauty from The Stampsmith for you today.  I used the image called Juliet.  I stamped the image with Stazon ink.  The image was colored by placing the ink from markers on an acrylic block.  Then pick up the ink with a wet brush.  You get such a soft, warm color with this technique.  

I tore the image and  layered it onto some DP from Fancy Pants.  The edges were distressed with Victorian Velvet Distress ink (Ranger).

And, here is a peek at the inside.  This was sent to one of the ladies of the Stampsmith Yahoo Group.

Thanks for stopping by.  There is still time to participate in the Stampsmith Blog Hop and Challenge.  See my blog hop  post by clicking here.  There are prizes!!   Have a great day.  Love ya.
Karen

Sparkly Christmas Card

Hi Everyone,
Hope you are having a great weekend.  I have been working on some Christmas cards this week.  I wanted to share one of them with you today.  I used the background technique again I used with the Tea Cup Card recently.  It is a double stamped-double embossed kind of thing.  I haven't thought of a good name for it yet.  LOL  Here is the card.

Stamps: D6905 Hanging Tree Bulb and CC057 Cover a Card Vines both from Impression Obsession.  I stamped the Cover a Card Vines stamp with pigment ink twice on white CS.  Each time using a different color.  Then heat embossed with clear powder.  This was then sprayed with Gold Glimmer Mist (Tattered Angles).  The Hanging Tree Bulb was stamped with Onyx Black Versa-fine on yellow CS (The paper Company)  and heat embossed.  I stamped a second bulb for layering.  The yellow CS was painted with Champagne Mist shimmer ink (Tsukineko) and layered with wine CS (Bazzill).  The second bulb was cut out and layered on to the first.  The snow was decorated with Diamond Stickles.

I added more sparkle with Gold Stickles and more of the Champagne Mist on the edges of the card base.   I placed a gingham ribbon tied in a bow with pleated tails at the corner of the bulb piece.   I cut a white ribbon that was printed with Seasons Greetings and glued over the gingham ribbon..   The photos don't do the sparkle justice.  It is very shimmery.

Challenges for My Sparkly Christmas Card:
Impression Obsession: no DP, have to use IO stamps
Art Impressions: Red, green and metallic
Just For Fun: Favorite Technique ( double embossed background)
Samuel Taylors: Christmas card
Southern Girls: Bingo (I used Glitter, ribbon, and embossing.
Artistic Stampers: Backgorunds


How are you doing with your Christmas cards?  I did get quite a few done this week.  And, I have about twenty in the works.  I stamped and stamped snowflakes.  Some are embossed and some aren't.  Now, I will just go from there to finish up the cards.  Well, you have a great day!  Love ya.
Karen

Technique Challenge and blog Hop with Blockheads

Hi Everyone!
We are starting up a series of technique challenges at Blockheads Paper Arts.  The first Challenge begins Nov 17th.  The Challenge Technique is called  "Sanded Color Block".    We are trying out a different kind of Hop.  For this hop, anyone can join in by adding the html (shown below) to their post.  This is the first time we have tried it!  I hope it works.  (What I really hope is that I do it correctly.  LOL)  


Materials needed to complete a project using this technique are:
Any dry embossing folder, 
Bone folder or burnishing tool, 
Sand paper, 
Glossy Cardstock
At least one color of Distress Stains or Distress inks.
Oh, and a stamp or two

To Take our Challenge: Visit the Distress Stain Sanded Color Block Technique Page and create your own sanded color block project.  Create a blog post that includes the link code, which creates links to other participants.  Then add your link on the Blockheads Design blog.  

Links will be removed that don't include the code.

The design team will vote on a winner to receive a $25 blockheads gift certificate after the challenge ends. Design Team members cannot win.

Here is the card I made using the Sanded Color Block Technique.  

My Materials List:

Stamps: Victorian Inventions; Background and Borders Set (small border image)

Glossy White Cardstock

Med Olive Brown Cardstock

Distress Stain: Vintage Photo

Distress Ink: Rusty Hinge 

Vintage Sepia VersaFine ink

Clear Superfine Embossing Powder: Ranger

Embossing folders: Postmarks and Dot Matrix Tim Holtz Texture Fades

Brown Satin Ribbon

Copper Brads

Here are a few more photos for your enjoyment.

I used Vintage Photo Distress Stain on the left half of the card.  I heat embossed the stamped image of the Flying Machine to give it more depth (stamped with Vintage Sepia).   I stamped the border image in Rusty Hinge Distress Ink.

I hope you will take the challenge and hop along with us.  Just a tip about the technique: choose an embossing folder with larger, bold images.  You will get better results.   Okay, now.  Have fun!!  Love ya.

Karen

Veterans Day Celebration

Hi Everyone!
Just wanted to share this post today in honor of our Veterans.  I have been talking about the cards I have been making for Operation Write Home this month.  I got everything finished up and sent out a box of cards last week.  So, today I will share some of the photos with you.  Not a lot of talking, just lots of pictures.  OWH is also having a blog hop this weekend.    I made quite a few cards for children too.

And here is the whole bunch in a pile.  

Happy Veterans Day and much love and thanks to our Heroes!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Karen

Fun Princess the Cat Cards

Hi Everyone,

Today's cards are "just for fun" kind of cards.  This image is so funny.  I think it really represents the way cats feel about themselves.  LOLLOL  This fun image is called Princess and is from The Stampsmith.  I made this card for my Mom because I thought the cat looked like pictures of the cat  she had as a child.  

The image was stamped on Glossy White CS with black dye ink.  I added a cheerful sentiment to the inside.

CARD #2:   I made a second card using different papers and ribbon.   I dry embossed the background on this project too.

I used the same sentiment (Victorine Originals)  on the inside.  

So, just a really quick post with this really fun image.  Hope you are having a great day!  Raining here.  Love ya.
Karen

Clean and Simple Christmas Card

Hi Everyone!
One more Christmas card made!  I went CAS (clean and simple) with this card.  I used a yummy Poinsettia Stamp from Serendipity stamps.

I stamped the image with Memento black ink and colored with Copic Markers.  I added lots of layers using traditional Christmas colors.  And of course, a great big bow.

The sentiment is also from Serendipity Stamps. (It was only $1!-OMGosh) 

Challenges for CAS Poinsettia Card:
Serendipity Stamps: Super Simple Christmas card
Mark's Finest: Fall or winter theme
Paper Sundaes: rectangles
Ribbon Girls: Christmas and ribbon

Have a great day!!  Love ya.
Karen