One last 2017 post

Thought I'd sneak in one more post before the year runs out... I painted this image a few months ago using the Art Impressions watercolor collection stamps - something I just love doing.  For Christmas I made up a couple of dozen cards for my nephew to have a stash on hand, and this is one of the ones that was part of the collection.  So even though Mother's Day is a few months off, I loved how this pretty card turned out and thought I would post it.  I have stepped down from the Ai Design Team effective today, which is very bittersweet for me - I've been on the team for 4 1/2 years, met the loveliest people, have had my cards published in a magazine, and featured by some prominent retailers, and I'd like to think that my colouring skills have improved in the mean time.  Oh, you'll still see me using an awful lot of Ai images, especially these watercolour stamps... it's a bit addicting.  Wishing you all a Happy New Year, and a big round of thanks for all the lovely comments I've received here on my blog.

Happy Penguin card

Hello everyone!  I am sliding in a guest post over on the One Crazy Stamper blog just before Christmas with a card featuring my two favourite High Hopes stamps!  I made four of these up this afternoon, and have pieces cut and ready to assemble four more.  Here is Happy Penguin #PP002 and that funky little tree Simple Winter Tree #RR021 :

 I used Copic markers to colour the penguin and the tree on the right, the others were paper pieced.  I used pop dots to raise the penguin up a little and added some snowflake die cuts.

 A few weeks ago, I made a tag that I just adored, and it was my inspiration for making up the cards.  Since my cards have all been sent out this year, these are the first of my 2018 stash!  Have a very Merry Christmas!

A Teddy Blanket

About a month ago I posted the baby card that I'd made for my new great nephew, and a few weeks ago I finally finished his welcome-to-the-world gift.  I haven't posted any knitting on here in a while, but here is what has kept me out of trouble this fall:

Just straight knitting & purling, but it was the first time that I've done intarsia (for each teddy, you switch balls of yarn, the colours are not carried across the back of the blanket) which was a learning curve!  And after blocking, I embroidered on all the little faces.  I loved it when his Mom sent me photos of him enjoying his new blanket!

A Festive Hedgehog

Who doesn't want a Festive Hedgehog for Christmas??  My boss & I have the crafting gene in common, and she is an amazing book-folder.  So when I came across this idea on Pinterest, I knew that I had to make her one for Christmas.  (We work in a library, so the whole book-art idea is a perfect fit).  Here he is:

If you want to make your own hedgie, just google "book folded hedgehog", and if you're on Pinterest, you'll find tons of ideas there as well.  Happy Holidays!

Karen's Art Impressions Top Ten of 2017

 It's my last Art Impressions post for 2017, and time to comb through all the cards I made this year - always fun to go down memory lane, and hard to pick just ten favourites!  It also just happens to be my birthday today!!  Here are some of my favourite Ai cards made in 2017:

Proud Nurse Set from Feb 23rd:

Nuts About You from Mar 7th:

Teachers Rule from Apr 4th:

Moove It from May 9th:

Tuesday Threads from June 27th:

Reel Great Guys from June 13th:

Happy Haunting Shadow Box from Aug 31st:

Stamptember Exclusive Set from Sept 24th:

Holiday Watercolours from Nov 7th:

A big thank you to everyone at Ai for everything you do; for providing me with these wonderful images to create with (Bonnie!); and to Kate & Annelise for all the care & attention you've given me.

Wishing you all a wonderful holiday season - and all good things for 2018

Windows to the World

I have a Windows to the World card to share today using Art Impressions Birthday Banner Window (Sku # M3198), which I've mounted on the inside of my card, and I used the Window Die (Sku # 4619) on the outside so that the image peeks through when the card is closed:

 The window die is sized perfectly to fit over the square WWTW images.  I used my Copic markers to add a touch of colour.  Happy stamping!

Front & Back Birthday

I have a birthday card to share today, using one of the Art Impressions Front & Back stamps, Eat Itself Set (Sku # 4828):

 I coloured her with Copic markers and used the matching dies to cut her out with my Cuttlebug. The sentiment and cupcake are from SC0794 Big Birthday Wishes.

Doggie Kisses

Time to post a few cards that I haven't had a chance to this year... here are four cards using Art Impressions get well set, Doggie Kisses (Sku # AiCS38):

Coffee Lover's Hop - Sixth Post

I think I'm done now, ha!  It is National Tea Drinker's Day today, so in it's honour, I made a Christmas card using Verve's new Santa and Coffee digital set for the 2017 Winter Coffee Lover's Blog Hop.  It comes with not only the tea sentiment, but a cocoa one, and two coffee ones - so scroll down to see all of them.  I was really inspired by this darker patterned paper from Fancy Pants - love it:

Patterned papers are Fancy Pants Designs; Stamps are Verve Santa & Coffee; Copic Markers.

Coffee Lover's Hop - Fifth Post

I have three cards to share today - two are coffee themed for the Winter 2017 Coffee Lover's Blog Hop.  All three are using digital stamps from Verve, and some older Close To My Heart papers:

 This one is using the Viva La Verve December sketch, and uses Santa & Coffee from Verve.

My second card is using My Cup to Yours by Verve, and the last one (below) is also using Santa & Coffee:

Work & Play and Funny Farm

Our last Art Impressions launch before the holidays!  The design team are sharing the two new Funny Farm and two new Work & Play sets that are now available in the Ai store.  I have Holy Moley Set (Sku #4934) to show you:

This is a sweet set containing four mole images, a couple of accessories, and six sentiments!  Thank goodness the packaging that comes with the sets is in full colour... cause I didn't exactly know how to colour a mole :o)  He is pretty cute.

 I decided some paper piecing was in order, so I stamped him on two different patterned papers from Lawn Fawn, cut the outfits apart and made two matching cards.  I pulled out my button stash, added some thread and twine and there you have it.

Be sure to visit the Ai blog to see what the rest of the Design Team has to share.  Happy stamping!

Copics used: Mole - E47, E44, E43, E41, E00, R32

Balloon - Y38, Y35, Y32, E50

Coffee Lover's Hop - Fourth Post

Two variations of the eggnog/wassail cards that I posted a few days ago for the 2017 Winter Coffee Lover's Blog Hop:

Patterned papers are Echo Park and Fancy Pants Designs; Stamps are Verve; Copic Markers; Dies are Memory Box & Your Next Stamp

Christmas Wonder

 I have the last of my Ai Christmas cards to share with you today - two cards using the lovely Christmas Wonder Set (Sku #4936) from Art Impressions:

  I kept both of these images to a fairly neutral palette - other than red & green, I used just the Copic Warm Greys & a hint of gold.

For this card, I fussy cut out the lamp post and the tree, and popped both of them and the sentiment up with pop dots.  Happy stamping!

Copics used: Greys - W7, W5, W3, W1, W00

Reds - R37, R35, R32, R30, R59

Greens - G46, G43, G40

Skin/hair - E11, E00, E000, R30, Y26, Y23, E50, E55, E53, E51, E47, E44, E43