Author: Karen Brown

cardmaking · Die cutting · papercrafting

Spellbinders New Serenade of Autumn | Colorful Die Cut Cards

Karen BrownLeave a comment
Colorful Die Cut Autumn Cards using Spellbinders Serenade of Autumn Collection

Hello papercrafters, I am back with some lovely seasonal die-cut cards for Fall! I chose some traditional autumn colors and then added beautiful pops of blue. Spellbinders just released this fun collection called Autumn Serenade and I used the Autumn Sealed Sprigs dies along with the coordinating Chipboard Stickers and pre-printed Die Cut Shapes for my cards. I found the stickers and shapes to be real time savers when assembling my cards.

I just got back from a trip to Colorado, and I found the changing folliage was so inspirational for these projects.

Using Pre-Printed Stickers and Die Cut Shapes for Quicker DIY Cards

For my first card I used the Sprigs die kit and then added a sentiment plus heart die-cuts to finish my card. This Die Cut Shapes Kit includes 138 pre-printed pieces with lots of sentiments, botanicals, pumpkins, butterflies etc.

Seasonal Thinking of You Card with die cut leaves, Wheat and flowers.

For card #2 I used this showy Chipboard Hello Banner Sticker to complete my fall bouquet. The Chipboard set includes 27 chipboard stickers pre-printed with a variety of sentiments, gold embellishments, butterflies, birds, pumpkins, leaves and flowers. I love this little package and will be using it on future projects.

This Sealed Sprigs Collection reminds me of one of my 2022 Favorite Die Sets called Floral Reflections and you can see that Blog Post HERE.

Using Pre-printed Chipboard stickers for Quick Seasonal die cut cards.

My Process:

  • I started by selecting colors for my two cards. I used colored paper from two different sampler packs (listed below).
  • Next, I die cut my leaves and botanicals. I played around with layouts and then used the Press and Seal Method to keep my arrangement in place as I flipped it over and added foam adhessive squares to the back.
  • I knew I wanted a banner across the “crossed stems” on each card. The HELLO is a lovely chipboard sticker and the “Thinking of You” is a preprinted die cut. The gold accents add a nice bit of shine to the cards.

Products Used:

Interested in more…You can also find me at these spots too:

@karens_mini on Instagram

Pinterest: @karenabrown

FaceBook: Karens_Mini

YouTube: Karen Brown

cardmaking · Mixed Media · papercrafting

Super Easy Cut Collage Birthday Cards | Minimal Supplies Needed

Karen BrownLeave a comment
Cut Shapes Paper Collage Birthday Cards

Hello, I have a super quick post today sharing two fun collage birthday cards that I created by cutting wonky shapes from paper. So easy, anyone can make them and they require minimal supplies. I think they are so cheerful and happy.

I started by going through my acrylic gel press and scraped scraps but you could just as easily use ready made paper. I picked out some melon (just made these for my last post on covering journal covers: read HERE), green, blue and gray. After I was done sorting I decided to add some red to the mix too. I then cut out silly whimsical shapes and glued them onto an A2 notecard. I handlettered a quick sentiment to complete the card. Nothing precise or perfect here!

Easy DIY collage style birthday card made by cutting shapes from colored paper.

Now that I see card #2 finished, I think it has a real Eric Carle vibe.

Supplies:

  • Colored Paper or Mixed Media Scraps
  • Scissors
  • Glue (I used UHU stic glue)
  • Card Base
  • Black pen (for sentiment)

I found this cardmaking session very satisfying. What do you think? Would you try this?

Karen

cardmaking · Hot Foiling

Spellbinders| Glimmer for the Holidays| Swirling Foliage Tree

Karen Brown2 Comments

Quick and easy Christmas cards are my favorite! Today I am sharing three bright colorful DIY cards that came together very quickly.

Glimmer for the Holidays Hot Foil Christmas Cards

Sometimes, it seems that it takes me several tries to get the hot foil result that I am looking for, but this Spellbinders Swirling Tree and Comfort and Joy sentiments came out perfectly everytime!

I did three versions, and I love them all. These glimmer plates would work so well for mass producing Christmas cards. And I love that I get 6 sentiments with every foil and die-cutting pass! I have tons leftover for future cards. Such a time-saver.

For the Rainbow tree I angled the rainbow foil and I really like the end result. I also used the rainbow foil for the sentiment on the blue and amythest cards.

Products Used:

Supplies Available at Amazon:

X-Press It Blending Cardstock For Great Foiling Results

Waffle Flower Foam Strips

6 Inch T Square Ruler
Mixed Media · papercrafting

Colorful Collaged Journal Covers: How I Made My Handcrafted Gifts

Karen Brown1 Comment
Color-Blocked Collaged Journal Covers.

I recently signed up for Willa Wanders Fodder Challenge 2023 and I was so inspired by Instructor Barb Smucker and her Collaged Notebooks. I knew I wanted to try this technique and I am so glad that I did!

Collaged Mixed Media Notebook Covers

Color-Blocked Collaged Notebook Journal Covers.

My “How To” Process:

  • I started by creating colorful papers for my cover. Instead of using a gelli plate, I put acrylic paint on my mixed media paper and then used a scraper to move the paint around. On a palette, I started with basic primary colors and then had loads of fun custom mixing my colors. I was going for coral but wound up with several really pretty melon colored pages. On some pages I smoothed out the paint and on others I left it a bit rough with slight ridges of acrylic. I also painted marks (circles, lines, Xs and doodles…) on additional pages.
  • I also went through my gelli prints and selected some more papers that I used. The dark blue and bright orange were both gelli prints.
  • Once I selected a bunch of papers that I liked, I started playing around with layouts. I was going for a contemporary color-block look. Using a metal ruler, paper trimmer and 1 1/2″ circle punch I trimmed the pages to the sizes and shapes I wanted.
  • I laid a piece of plain paper inside the cover to protect the journal pages from excess glue during my assembly process.
  • Next, it was time to start covering my journal. I started with the the papers that would go along the spine. This journal has a cool open spine that did not need to be covered so the paper edge went directly up to the edge of the spine, but I left a 1/2″-1″ overhang for the other side. To get a nice smooth cover I dipped the paper in a pan of water for 2 seconds, blotted off the excess water, and on the back, brushed on a 50% mixture of Matte Modge Podge and Matte Medium with a flat brush. Then, I carefully put the paper up against the spine, leaving the overhang off the edge. Next, I put a piece of wax paper over the glued piece and brayered over the area to remove air bubbles and excess glue. Finally, I dabbed up the excess glue that seeped out.
  • I repeated this process until the front and back covers were complete. This journal has a nice black elastic band, but it was a little trickier to cover the back because of the grommets. For my next journals, I ordered notebooks without the elastic band. I will report back which style I like better.
  • To finish the notebooks, I folded the overhung edges (starting at the corners) toward the inner face pages and then glued securely with the glue mix I used above.
  • Last step was to glue a facing page to the front and back inside covers. I again used my mixed media painted pages for this.
  • I let my journals dry and then placed books on top overnight to keep the notebook nice and flat.
Mixed Media Collage Journal

These two journals are gifts and I plan to make more for Christmas. I hope to have another post about them this fall.

Collage Mixed Media Notebook Covers

I bought all my own supplies, but I am including links to the products used in case you’d like to give it a try.

Products Used in This Tutorial:

Products Available on Amazon:

Soho Open Spine Notebook

Liquitex BASICS Paint I used 3 Primary Colors and white

Liquitex Matte Medium

Matte Modge Podge

Brayers

Metal Ruler for Cutting and Tearing Paper

Scraper

Karen

cardmaking · papercrafting · Video

3 Colorful Sentiment Focused Cards +Video

Karen Brown2 Comments
3 Sentiment Focused Handmade Cards

Sometimes, you just want your sentiment to be the star of your card. Today I am sharing three cards where the focal point is the sentiment. The video (below) is also part of Altenew’s Let’s Get Sentimental Video Hop.

Love Card or Valentine

Love, Love, Love Die Cut Valentine Card

I felt like getting a little inky and messy, which is always fun in the craft room! I started by creating three gradient watercolor panels that were the basis for my sentiment die cuts. I wanted BOLD colors so I used Altenew’s lusciously pigmented Spring Garden Mix Watercolor Markers + the love die from Altenew’s Script Words set. I kept things Clean and Simple for this first card.

I made this card for my husband, but wouldn’t it be great for a Valentine?

VIDEO

I created a short video for Altenew’s “Let’s Get Sentimental “Video Hop that shows my process. Watch below on YouTube or click below to watch on my blog.

Watch on my blog:

Congratulations Card for Graduation

Die Cut Congrats Graduation Card

I needed a Graduation card for my nephew and I came up with this design using Altenew’s Archway die set (includes both the wave and tree + a rainbow that I used twice HERE) + Script Words Congrats Die. The Archway die set is one of my favorite 2023 releases.

Hello Friend Card

Hello Friend handmade card.

I wanted to add some texture to my next card so I embossed my background with Altenew’s Playful Circles. The die cuts are Simply Hello and Simply Friend.

Here is another variation of a bright fun “hello friend” card I did a few months ago.

Altenew Spring Garden Mix Watercolor Markers + Script Word Dies + Archways die set.

Supplies:

Here are links to the supplies I used on these cards….click the icon to start shopping. Compensated Affiliate links are used at no additional cost to you. Your support helps me bring you new projects, content and videos. Thank you!

Other Supplies Available at Amazon:

Faber Castell Collapsible Watercolor Cup

Tonic Studios paper trimmer

Removeable Highlighter Tape

Tonic Studios Craft Pick

3M Painter’s Tape
Altenew Script Words "love" die + handmade card.

I took a bunch of photos and am including the rest here.

Altenew Script Words die cut handmade cards.

And finally, one standing photo…. Don’t you just love top fold cards?

Clean and Simple CAS Valentine

Thanks for stopping by!

Karen

Give Away

I’ve Got A Giveaway! | 2 Altenew $25 Gift Cards

Karen BrownLeave a comment

Hi! I wanted to give you a heads up that I am hosting an Instagram Giveaway that just started! Here is a link to my Instagram page so you can join in the fun…it is so easy.

Giveaway Details:

I am giving away 2 $25 Altenew Gift Cards and I want to make sure you get a chance to win.

Just follow these easy steps for a chance to win:

1. FOLLOW @Karens_mini and @altenewllc on Instagram

2. LIKE the corresponding Giveaway post.

3. COMMENT on the Giveaway Instagram post.

2 Winners will be announced on my Instagram post one week from today.

If you would like to see the original post for this card, please click HERE.

Shop at Altenew HERE.

Good Luck!

Karen

cardmaking · Mixed Media · Video

Using Squeegee “Scraped” Acrylic Art Panels in Cardmaking

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Squeege Scraped Acrylic Art + handmade cards.

Recently, some friends and I got together to experiment with “Squeegee Art”, which I find just mesmerizing. I love to watch @sharecestudios on Instagram! Sharece is an artist but I am just an experimenter, as you can see in my photos.

Squeegee Art (also known as “Scraped Art”) is created by putting acrylic paint (dots, squiggles, lines, shapes…) on cardstock and then pulling the paint down with a shower squeegee. I posted a short video below showing how I created one of the panels.

Quick Video Showing My “Squeegee Art” Process

Video: creating a squeegee scraped art panel

You know me, once I was done, I took three of my panels and made them into contemporary art cards.

Summery Acrylic Art Birthday Card

Contemporary Acrylic Squeegee Art Birthday card

I love how bright and happy this card is! This panel was from a second generation “scrape”. The first generation panel is on card #3 below. After I created panel one, I scraped the leftover paint that was on the squeegee onto a second piece of cardstock and I love how the colors blended.

Card #2 was die cut from the same panel as card #1, and it is so adorable in person!

Acrylic "Scraped" art birthday card.

Below, is a photo of the paints and supplies that I used.

Acrylic Paint + Shower Scraper + Squeegee Scrape Technique

Card #3 (shown below) was created from the “1st generation” scrape that I talked about above.

Squeegee Scraped Acrylic Art handmade card.

Contemporary Masculine Birthday Cards

Cards 4 and 5 were made from the panels created in the video above.

Contemporary Masculine Acrylic Birthday Cards.

Supplies Used:

(Affiliate links are provided below but there is no additional cost to you. For more information please see the Affiliate Programs info to the right or click on the link at the top of my blog. I purchased all the products used in this blog post, with the exception of the 2 * items from Spellbinders.)

Products Available at Amazon:

Liquitex BASICS Acrylic Paint – lots of colors and several sizes

Squeegee for Acrylic Scrape Painting

Plastic Squeeze Bottles for Acrylic Paint – 2 ounce

Tonic Studios paper trimmer

So what do you think?

Karen

cardmaking · Die cutting · Video

Altenew | Sweet Blossoms Floral Die Cut Card With Rainbow Stripe Background + Video

Karen BrownLeave a comment
How to create rainbow striped card backgrounds with colored cardstock strips + Altenew's Sweet Blossoms floral die set.

Die Cutting with Outline Dies

Die cut flower and leaf silhouettes over a rainbow striped background makes for a colorful high impact card. I love Altenew’s Sweet Blossom’s Layering Dies and wanted to play with them again (You can see my first card HERE). This time I wanted to use just the outline dies so you could see the beautiful background I created.

Altenew Sweet Blossoms Layering Die Set handmade card

I created a short video (below) to show how I made my background panel. I love rainbow striped backgrounds so I have two pouches (see final photo) where I keep my pre-cut colored cardstock strips. The pouch on the left has a variety of widths and all the strips in the right pouch are cut to 1/4″ widths. It is easy to take a paper trimmer and cut lots of strips and then it is so quick to make a colorful background. For this card, I used PaperTrey’s Perfect Match Colored Cardstock.

Click HERE to see a card where I used just 1/4″ strips.

For this card, I wanted variety so I used colored cardstock bands from both packets. I like to use Altenew’s Glue Tape Runner when making these types of backgrounds.

I wanted my flower bloom to sit on a stem, so I did a little surgery on the larger leaf die cut, and with scissors, I cut off the top three leaves. This left me with a stem and an additional little leaf cluster to use on my card.

I wanted substantial die cuts, so using the Sweet Blossoms and Vertical Greetings sets, I die cut each element three times and then glued them together.

Quick Video: How I Created This Rainbow Striped Background

Products and Supplies Used on this Card:

Altenew No Hassle Storage Pouches

Products Available on Amazon:

Tonic Studios paper trimmer

I am SO happy you stopped by today!

Karen

cardmaking · hot foiling · papercrafting

Spellbinders | Its My Party Too Collection: 3 Colorful Rainbow Card Ideas

Karen BrownLeave a comment
Spellbinders Hip Hip Hooray clean and simple foil glimmer card. GLP-388

Clean and Simple Foil Glimmer Card

Today I am sharing some sentiment focused hot foil cards and the first one was so quick and easy! I wanted to spotlight the fun sentiment so I added some 1/4″ paper strips to the bottom right corner and then angled my sentiment. Done!

Products Used:

Paper Trimmer available at Amazon:

Tonic Studios paper trimmer

Spellbinders Glimmering Hooray Hot Foil Plate and Die Set + handmade card | GLP-388

Hot Foil Stamping + Texture + Rainbow Colors

For my second card, I wanted some texture on my background panel and I thought the Tiny Dots Embossing Folder would be perfect. To add fun pops of color, I added a 1″ rainbow accent strip to the bottom of my card. The width of each strip is 1/4″.

Products Used:

Spellbinders Glimmering All About You Hot Foil Plate and Dies Set GLP-389 + handmade card

Hot Foiling + White and Gold Floral Die Cuts

For card #3, I kept the rainbow color theme but I added lots of white and gold floral elements to emphasize the lovely gold foiled sentiment. I started with the star of the card, which is the gorgeous hot foiled sentiment. Next, I ink blended a rainbow panel that I die cut into an oval shape and then embossed with the Tiny Dots embosssing folder. At this point, I thought the card looked too plain so I die cut a bunch of my favorite flowers and added them around the perimeter of the center oval. I also embellished with some colorful enamel dots. I die cut the card base from an A2 top folding card. To keep the top fold, I positioned the top edge of the die just above the fold.

Spellbinders Glimmering All About You Hot Foil Plate and Dies Set GLP-389 + Tiny Dots Embossing Folder SES-051.

cardmaking · Mixed Media

Spellbinders | House Mouse Designs Collection 3 Ways

Karen Brown6 Comments
Spellbinders House Mouse Designs | Daisy Mouse | Mixed Media handmade card.

Spellbinders just released 6 adorable House Mouse Designs Rubber Cling Stamp Kits + a bundle of the entire collection. The whimsical stamps are all so fun and today I am sharing three cards that I created.

Vintage Look Mixed Media Tutorial + Daisy Mouse (RSC-002)

Mixed Media cards have so much interest and I thought the technique would work perfectly with this Daisy Mouse (RSC-002) stamp set.

My Process:

  • I started by creating my background. I masked off a border and then used two shades of tan to ink blend my background. (Antique Linen and Frayed Burlap)
  • With the masking tape still on the cardstock, I then used the same tan inks to stencil and stamp bits and pieces on the background. Most of the stamping was “second generation” where I stamped first on a scrap and then onto my background so that the pattern would be subtle. Cathe Holden has some great stamps (Handle with Care: STP-093 and Friendly Society: STP-094) that I added here and there. I also used a bit of stamping with white pigment ink, but it is hard to see in the photograph.
  • Carefully remove your masking tape. I used Post It Tape, which is the best!
  • After my background was dry, I stamped The Daisy Mouse with Versafine Black Pigment Ink.
  • PRO TIP: For a crisp look, keep the stamp in your Misti stamping platform and restamp the image after you are done coloring. You won’t believe how much this one step will elevate your project!
  • I used Faber Castell Polychromo Colored Pencils to color the mouse and daisy. I used white, 2 shades of gray, 3 shades of yellow, orange, 2 shades of green, blue and coral.
  • PRO TIP: A bit of blue colored pencil was the secret ingredient!
  • Remember to restamp the image and let dry.
  • I also added a few white Posca Paint Pen (.9-1.3mm) dots.
  • The adorable Special Delivery sentiment is included with the stamp set.
  • I mounted my card panel on a navy card base and the finished card is 7″ x 4 3/4″. I usually add lots of foam tape, but I kept this card simple and just used Bearly liquid glue.
Spellbinders + House Mouse Designs | Daisy Mouse (RSC-002) two handmade cards

I loved the Daisy Mouse stamp so much that I made a second Copic colored version.

House Mouse Designs + Copic Coloring Tutorial

Spellbinders + House Mouse Designs | Daisy Mouse (RSC-002) Copic colored handmade card.

The detail on these stamps is so well done that coloring is so easy! I used the following Copic Colors:

  • E50, E40, E00, R20 (face, hands and tail)
  • BV0003 (shadows)
  • W0, W3, W5 (mouse body)
  • YG01, YG03 (stem and flower)
  • Y00, Y06, YR04, YR07 (flower)
Spellbinders + House Mouse Designs Collection Copic colored handmade cards.

My final card uses Tea for Two (RSC-005). I am a tea drinker so this stamp set definitely called to me!

I used the following Copic colors:

  • E50, E40, E00, R20 (face, hands and tail)
  • BV0003 (shadows)
  • W0, W3, W5 (mouse body)
  • RV00, RV02, RV04 (teacups)
  • YG03 (stems)
  • BG05. B05 (flowers)

I wanted to add a small little sentiment in the middle of the scene, so I stamped the Hello from Fill My Heart Sentiments (STP-183)

Spellbinders + House Mouse Designs Tea for Two (RSC-005) Copic colorered handmade card.

Products Used:

Items Available at Amazon:

Faber Castell Polychromos Colored Pencils