Author: Karen Brown

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Altenew Academy All About Layering 1

Karen Brown11 Comments
I\’ve been cardmaking for a little over three years and thought it might be time to see what I could learn at The Altenew Academy Teacher Certification Program.    I applied and was pleased to see that I was invited to join their 17th class.  The first class is \”All About Layering 1\”.  I have actually never used layering stamps so this was a great way for me to start.  I purchased their \”Bride to Be\” stamp and die bundle and started creating.  Since I have never done layer stamping before I thought the best way for me to learn was to just stamp lots of images.
The background, stems and tan flowers were all stamped using Altenew\’s Coffee Break ink cubes.  For the sentiment, I hand inked a  scrap of paper with navy ink and die cut it twice because I wanted the sentiment to coordinate with the blue flowers.  
I normally stamp with a Misti, but the instructor used an acryllic block so I did also.  I think it was good practice to stamp free hand.  
I practiced on scratch paper to see which colors I liked and wound up with a simple tan and blue palette.  

I am also playing along:
Just Add Ink \”Thinking of You\” (#505) During these uncertain times, I\’ve found myself making more hello/thinking of you/encouragement cards.  This card is for a friend who is living alone, which is so hard during the quarantine.  

A Place To Start: Create a Custom Background I handstamped my background for this card.  

I was so pleased to see that this card was selected as \”The Winner\” at Just Add Ink.
I was honored that this card was selected as a \”Rising Star\” at A Place to Start.
Rising Star Badge
I am so pleased that you stopped by!
Karen

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WWC271 – Kath\’s Challenge: All About Occasions

Karen Brown8 Comments
Hello and welcome!  This week we are making occasion cards at Watercooler Wednesday and Kath is our hostess.  My mother-in-law has been in \”lock down\” at her senior living facility and we have been unable to visit her.  I made this card to try and brighten her day.  
I\’ve always loved cacti and thought this was a cheery little stamp set.  This is my first time to use it.  I also used a new sentiment that I think will be very versatile in the future.  I stamped and Copic colored this foursome.
Supplies:
Fiskars \”Stuck on Each Other\” stamps
Copic Markers
The Greetery Crimped Frame Die
Waffle Flower \”Here For You\” sentiment

I am playing along at Krafty Chicks \”Stamp Act\” Challenge,
 Cute Card Thursday – Anything Goes
Allsorts – Anything Goes Challenge

I am so pleased that you stopped by!
Karen

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WWC270 – Tristan\’s Challenge: Anything Goes with a Feminine Twist

Karen Brown11 Comments
Hello and welcome.  This week is all about \”feminine\” cards at The Watercooler Wednesday Challenge and Tristan is our hostess.  It seems there is more uncertainty and stress in 2020 so I made a \”Hang in There\” card to send out during this time of quarantine.
My Monthly Hero May 2019 kit
I had some leftover die cut circles that I thought would be fun to use as small spotlight backgrounds.  I used botanicals from the Hero Arts May 2019 kit and the wreath from WPlus9 New Home.  I stamped, Copic Colored and die cut the images and then mounted on the stitched circles.  I die cut (The Greetery Crimped Frame die) a piece of vivid egg shell blue cardstock and glued onto an A2 card.  
I think this is a cheery and encouraging card that I\’ve already put in the mail to a family member.

I am playing along with the following challenges:

As You Like It – Non-Birthday Occasion During this quarantine I\’ve been making encouragement cards for friends that live alone or seem to be struggling.  The cards have been well received so I have really enjoyed creating and mailing them. 

CAS on Friday – #179 Use Your Favorite Flower Stamp This Hero Arts Kit stamp and die set is one of my all time favorites.  The flowers are so versatile and fun.  

Stamping Sensations \”Say It With Flowers\”

Krafty Chicks #505 \”Anything Goes\”
Little Red Wagon #548 \”Flowers\”

I am so pleased that you stopped by!
Karen
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WWC269 – Anything Goes Challenge

Karen Brown8 Comments
Hello and welcome!  Since there are five weeks in April, this week\’s challenge is \”Anything Goes\” at Watercooler Wednesday.
 This is the birthday card I made for my photography loving sister-in-law.  I think this darling girl looks just like Debbie and I colored her complexion and hair color to further customize the card.
I ink blended the background, and then stamped, Copic colored and die cut the image.  The sentiment was heat embossed and die cut.  
Stamps and Dies:
Picket Fence Studios \”Karen Girl\”
Jillibean Sentiment

I am entering this card in:
Rainbow Card Challenge: Totally Tiffany

I am so pleased that you stopped by!
Karen
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WWC268 – Dawn\’s Challenge: All About Occasions

Karen Brown10 Comments
Hello and Welcome!  This week I\’ve created an \”occasion\” card for The Watercooler Wednesday challenge where Dawn is this week\’s hostess.  The occasion I\’ve chosen is Mother\’s Day.
Frantic Stamper Basketweave Cover die.
I really enjoyed making this card. I recently ordered this pretty bouquet stamp and thought it would be perfect for my mom.
 
I stamped, Copic colored and die cut the main image.  I wanted a white on white background so I die-cut this lovely basket weave panel. The sentiment is heat embossed but I thought it needed a little contrast around the edge so I gently put Versamark Ink around each edge, dipped in gold embossing powder and then heat set.  

Supplies used:
Technique Tuesday Bowl Bouquet stamp and die
Frantic Stamper Basket Weave Cover Die
Neenah cardstock
Paper Source Sentiment
Versamark Ink
Gold and Black embossing powder for the sentiment

I am entering my card in the following challenges:
The Card Concept #133: Hello Spring  I focused on the flowers in a container; the pink, blue and yellow color scheme and the muted white background.  I think my card might be best described as \”Clean and Layered\”. 


The Flower Challenge: Spring/Autumn – I was making my Mother\’s Day card so I went with \”Spring\”

Happy Little Stampers Anything Goes With Dies – I used the floral die and cover die on this card.

Allsorts – Floral or Showers

Addicted to Stamps #386 \”Anything Goes\”

Make My Monday \”Spring Flowers\” #120


I am so pleased you stopped by!

Karen

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WWC267 – Karen\’s Challenge: Anything Goes With a Masculine Twist

Karen Brown6 Comments
Hello and welcome.  This week we are making \”masculine\” cards at The Watercooler Wednesday Challenge and I am so pleased to be this week\’s hostess.  I needed a card for a friend having cancer surgery and I came up with this design.
 Baby Giraffe by Impression Obsession is one of my all time favorite stamps and I thought the sincere look on the giraffe\’s face could convey my well wishes.

I started by making an A2 top folding card using cold press watercolor paper.  I then heat embossed the giraffe in brown.  I mixed my own water color browns by combining purple with yellow and orange and then went to work painting.  I think the monochromatic colors work well for a man (or woman).   I am pleased with the clean CAS look.

I used a Visible Image sentiment stamp inside \”Life can be tough but darling so are you.\”

UPDATE:  I was so pleased to see that my card was chosen as the \”winner\” for the Addicted to CAS challenge.

Challenges:
Addicted to CAS: Code Word Animal
As You Like It Challenge: Animals or People  I love to use animals in cards and giraffes are a favorite.  One of my favorite things to do is hand feed giraffes and I have done this at zoos all over the US.  

Always Fun Challenge – CAS  I am excited about this CAS theme!

Simon Says Stamp Monday Challenge – E is for…  Embossing.  I used brown embossing powder for my watercolor giraffe.

I am so pleased you stopped by!
Karen
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WWC266 – Heidi\’s Challenge: All About Occasions

Karen Brown11 Comments

Hello and Welcome!  This week we are making occasion cards at The Watercooler Wednesday Challenge and our hostess is Heidi.  There are so many occasions to send cards, but I chose to make a birthday card.

I started by making a card base out of Arches Cold Press watercolor paper.  Next I grabbed several floral stamp sets and planned my layout using a mixture of stamps.  I painted the stamped images with my Kuretake watercolors.  This was a project I packed to work on at the beach.  I stamped a bunch of designs on watercolor paper and then worked on the batch during slow times on vacation.  It was nice because I didn\’t need to pack many supplies this way.  

I like the natural look of a one layer card on watercolor paper.

CAS Watercolour \”Spring Flowers\” Challenge


Allsorts \”Something Old…\” Challenge  I dug through and found some of my oldest floral stamps for this watercolor card.

Inkspirational – Spring Challenge




I am so pleased you stopped by!
Karen 
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WWC265 – Marsha\’s Challenge: Anything Goes With a Feminine Twist

Karen Brown3 Comments
Hello and Welcome!  Today we are making feminine cards at The Watercooler Wednesday Challenge.  Marsha is our hostess.
Simon Says Stamp Sketchy Lines Background die and emboss resist technique.
I combined two ideas I had, making personalized initial notecards and using alcohol ink on watercolor paper (as opposed to Yupo paper).  

My Process:
  1. I started by stamping a background stamp onto watercolor paper.  I used Versamark ink and then heat embossed with white embossing powder.  
  2. I added three colors of alcohol ink (sunshine yellow, sunset orange and flamingo) plus blending solution.   I blended the colors with a felt blending tool.
  3. I added some pops of Gold with Jacquard Pinata Rich Gold.
  4. After my panel was dry, I glued craft foam on the back and die cut the K.  The great thing is that you wind up with two cards.  
  5. I made two A2 top folding cards and glued the K on the card base.  The K die cut looked a little small so I trimmed one card base down to 4\” x 5 1/4\”.

I really like the cards and plan to make some batches for gifts.  I\’ve ordered some additional initials and hope to post some variations in the future.

Supplies:
Altenew Mega Alphabet die
SSS Sketchy Lines Background stamp
watercolor paper
Ranger Alcohol Inks
Blending Solution
Ranger Alcohol Ink Mini Applicator Tool
Jacquard Pinata Rich Gold
Craft Foam

I am entering this card in:

Simon Says Stamp Monday Spring Mood Board Challenge

I am so glad that you stopped by…stay safe and stay sane!
Karen
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WWC264 – Helen\’s Challenge: All About Occasions

Karen Brown10 Comments
  Hello and Welcome.  Today we are showcasing \”Occasion\” cards at The Watercooler Wednesday Challenge and Helen is our hostess.  I wanted to make a birthday card for my daughter. Megan\’s beloved \”Tank\” is her baby so I went with a dog themed card.  
I was at a card making convention and I saw a stamp that looked just like Tank so I put together a little birthday scene and  I colored the dog to look like Tank.  Since it is for my daughter, I wanted to make it special so I included a \”pop-up\” dog inside.

I Copic colored all the stamped images, added gel pen accents and used Nuvo Crystal glaze on the cake frosting and balloons.  I fussy cut most of the images but did die cut the pop up.  The tone on tone details didn\’t photograph well, but the background was made using an embossing folder.  

Supplies:
Stamps of Life:  Friends 4 Cookie stamp
Janes Doodles:  Party Time stamps (cake and gifts)
Mama Elephant:  Playful Pups (pop-up)
Sunny Studio Quilted Hearts Embossing Folder (background)
SSS Birthday Word Mix 1 sentiment

I am entering this card in:
Time Out\’s 6th Birthday Challenge  Happy Birthday Time Out!  I \”twisted\” and did both fussy cutting and die-cutting.  🙂

Allsorts \”Animal Kingdom\” Challenge

Always Fun \”Birthday Wishes\” Challenge

Shopping our Stash #216 \”Happy Birthday!\”

Simon Says Stamp\’s Wednesday \”Anything Goes\” Challenge

Day of the Month Card Club \”National Puppy Day\”  Happy First Birthday!   I entered that inaugural challenge last March.  🙂


I am so pleased that you stopped by!
Karen
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WWC263 – Tristan\’s Challenge: Anything Goes With a Masculine Twist

Karen Brown7 Comments
Hello!  I am so pleased you stopped by.  Today we are making Masculine cards at The Watercooler Wednesday Challenge and Tristan is our hostess.
In my family, boys/men enjoy humorous animal cards so that was my starting point.  I stamped, Copic colored and die cut the animals and greenery.  Next I die cut the sentiment and then assembled the scene with foam tape.  I thought the monkey swinging from the sentiment was fun.

Supplies:
Photoplay We Bought a Zoo stamps and dies
Mama Elephant Wild Meadow stamps and dies
Copic Markers
Lawn Fawn Celebrate Sentiment
Neenah cardstock
Coordinations Color Core \”Whitewash\” cardstock for the background

Seize the Birthday \”A Touch of Green\” Challenge I used a soft green textured background and lovely green foliage to showcase these party animals. 


As You See It \”Preferences\” Challenge  My favorite type of card to send is Birthday cards.  I have a monthly calendar with friends and family\’s birthdays so I never miss a birthday.  

Inspirational: Designer\’s Choice \”Animal\” My card features a playful trio of animals.


Alphabet Challenge – Something for Youngsters  I think animals are always a popular option for the youngsters in our life.

UPDATE: 
 I was so pleased to see this card was selected \”top 3\” at The Alphabet Challenge!

My card was also The Top Pick at As You See It.

Thank you for visiting my blog.
Karen
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