Author: Karen Brown

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WWC222 – Helen\’s "All About Occasions" Challenge

Karen Brown15 Comments

Hello and Happy Wednesday!   This week is \”All About Occasions\” on the Watercooler Wednesday Website where Helen is our hostess.

I\’ve created a card I really like, in fact I did a series of four of them.   I came up with the idea of watercoloring each of the giraffe\’s \”spots\” with two colors and then letting them organically blend.  I knew that giraffes spots are all unique like human fingerprints, so I thought a vibrant rainbow giraffe would be fun to create.

On this card, I started by embossing (Impression Obsession Baby Giraffe) in black on Bristol paper and then selected bright Tombow watercolor hues.  For my series, I changed the look by using gold, black and brown embossing and using watercolors and Tombow markers.  It is impossible to create identical cards.  It reminds me of working with alcohol inks. On this card I also fussy cut the giraffe and made a spotlight background using distress inks (mustard seed,  squeezed lemonade and shimmer spray).

You can see my Clean and Simple Rainbow Giraffe card here.

I am pleased to enter this card in the following:
Craft Stamper\’s Take It Make It May \”Anything Goes\” Challenge

Update:  I was so pleased to learn I was selected as Craft Stampers Design Winner!

This is the cover of the August magazine where my card is featured:

Thanks for stopping by!

Karen

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Humorous Dog Card

Karen Brown8 Comments
  Hello there!  I was at a cardmaking convention in February and saw this humorous dog and die set (Photo Play – Fetch) and knew I could make some really fun cards.  Don\’t you love how the dog almost makes a perfect square?
Photoplay Fetch stamp and die set.
I started by stamping Fetch and the small bird (SSS Stacking Animals), coloring with Copics and die-cutting.  I knew I wanted to frame the little vignette so I die-cut a large frame.   I had previously  made the background (Tim Holtz Bricked Layering Stencil) in a bright vivid blue.  Next I stamped the Hello sentiment (Altenew Pinstripes Background Stamp Set) on the frame.  I wanted to emphasize the frame so I used foam tape to adhere the frame and animal die-cuts to the bricked background.  I think this is a cheery little card that will be fun to send to a friend.  

I am entering this card in the following challenges:

Dar and Diane \”Frames\” Challenge


The Card Concept #115 Mosaic Challenge  I focused on the vivid blue, yellow, orange and brown color pallet.


Thanks for stopping by!
Karen
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WWC221 – Tristan\’s Masculine "Anything Goes" Challenge

Karen Brown1 Comment

Happy Wednesday and thank you for stopping by!  Today is all about masculine cards on the Watercooler Wednesday Website and Tristan is this week\’s hostess.

I\’ve been playing with alcohol inks a lot and made this card for one of my nephews.  I made an alcohol ink panel in bright masculine colors and then set the card aside to dry. I took a piece of white cardstock and negative die cut  MFT\’s dienamics Happy Birthday sentiment.     I saved the die-cuts for a future project. Next, I die cut the panel with a stitched die. I wanted a CAS look but the card seemed a little plain so I die-cut a heart to attach to the card.  I assembled and the card is ready to go.

Joining in at Simon Says Stamp \”Stitched\” Challenge

Wishing you a great day!
Karen
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Birthday Balloons

Karen Brown5 Comments
Hello there!  Last year, I ordered one of Simon Says Stamp\’s \”Mystery Sacks\” and Clearly Besotted\’s \”Lift Me Up\” was one of the sets in the sack.  I don\’t think I would have purchased this set, but I\’ve had a lot of fun playing with it. So far I\’ve made a birthday card, baby shower card and Get Well card.  

MFT Lucky Dog Chihuahua

You can mix and match hot air balloons and baskets so I went with the duck balloon and puppy basket. I thought it would be fun to have a friend on the ground so I added the Chihuahua from MFT\’s Lucky Dog set.  I colored and die-cut the pup and then adhered him to the bottom with foam tape so he would have dimension.

  • I started by inking the \”grass\” with Pink and Main\’s Pattern Maker Pinstripes with Twisted Citron Distress Ink.
  • Next I stamped my little scene on an A2 panel and colored with Copic Markers. 
  • I cut some masks because I wanted to add a \”cloud\” background with Tumbled Glass Distress Ink.  I used my new Picket Fences Life Changing Brushes.  
  • Finally I die cut with a stitched rectangular die.
  • I think this is a cute little scene card and I am entering in the following:

Seize the Birthday Balloon Challenge – I definitely went all the way and included the optional \”Balloon\” toppings prompt!
Allsorts Transport Challenge – This duck balloon will transport you…but who knows where you\’ll land!
Grab our logo
Alphabet Distress Challenge  I used distress ink for the \”grass and cloud\” background.
Thanks for stopping by!
Karen
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WWC220 – Kath\’s "All About Occasions" Challenge

Karen Brown1 Comment
Happy Wednesday and thank you for stopping by.  It is All About Occasions on the Watercooler Website and Kath is our hostess this week.
Distress Ink: wilted violet, salty ocean, twisted citron, squeezed lemonade, carved pumpkin

This is the Mother\’s Day card I made for my mother-in-law.  I embossed the  blooms and leaves from Create a Smile\’s In Bloom.  I love these large bold flowers!  Then I used distress ink (wilted violet, salty ocean, twisted citron, squeezed lemonade, carved pumpkin) on an ink blender to color each image.  I buffed and let dry. Finally, I fussy cut each image.  I really need to order the die cuts for this much used set.

Next, I stamped a background using SSS\’s Brush Stroke Messages.  I adhered the flowers and leaves using foam tape for dimension.  Last I popped on the sentiment and added SSS sequins  and Pretty Pink Posh jewels.

I am joining Simon Says Stamp\’s Wednesday \”For a Special Lady\” Challenge

Thanks for stopping by!
Karen
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Die-Cut Alcohol Ink Flowers

Karen Brown4 Comments
Hello there!  I\’ve been playing with alcohol inks and had some scraps I wanted to use to make into a floral card.  I just ordered these fun floral die-cuts (Newton\’s Nook Flower Trio) for this idea.  
I started by die cutting the parts to each flower/leaf and then assembled.  I wanted a textured background so I used an embossing folder on a yellow cardstock panel.  I like that there are different sizes of \”dots\” as well as empty spaces.  I also diecut my sentiment from an alcohol ink scrap.  I added the yellow dry embossed panel to a white A2 card and then added the flowers with foam dots for added dimension.  I like this cheery card and it is going to my girlfriend on her birthday.

I am joining these challenges:
 

I am so pleased you stopped by!
Karen
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Coffee in the Garden

Karen Brown20 Comments

Hello and thank you for stopping by!  I always love a good scene card and I came up with the idea of \”Coffee in the Garden\” using Altenew\’s Garden Grow and Tea Time sets. Garden Grow is a longtime favorite set that I love to pull out and create little vignettes with and Tea Time worked just great to finish the scene.  I am entering this card in the Altenew May Challenge.

Handmade card with Coffee in the Garden theme.

I watercolored a background with two shades of yellow and then set my panel aside to dry.   I stamped, colored (with Copics) and die cut the garden and coffee images and then adhered to the background panel with  foam squares for added dimension.  I think I\’ve created an idyllic little scene that is going to my sister on her birthdy.

Altenew May Challenge:  I loved this close-up garden scene inspiration.   I chose to back up and create the macro view.

Coffee Loving Card Makers Spring/Summer Hop I am so excited to participate in this hop. My entry is \”Coffee in the Garden\”.

UPDATE:  I was so pleased to see that my card was selected as one of Coffee Loving Card Makers Designer Picks. and Flash Prize Winner.  Thank you to Cats Pajama\’s Art Stamps for the gift certificate to their store!

Karen

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WWC219 – Heidi\’s Feminine "Anything Goes" Challenge

Karen Brown9 Comments

Hello and thank you for stopping by!  This week it is Feminine Anything Goes at Watercooler Wednesday.  Heidi is our hostess this week. Check out our website for more artist cards and details on the challenge.

Card Background using Stamper\'s Anonymous Bricked Layering Stencil.

I LOVE scene cards, so when I saw Hero Arts January 2019 kit I had a ton of card ideas.  This particular card is for Mother\’s Day.  It took a bit of time to make, but I love the end result.

  • I ink-blended the Stamper\’s Anonymous Bricked Layering Stencil for the Background.  
  • The shop scene was stamped on Bristol cardstock and then watercolored with Tombow Dual Tip markers.  Everything was die-cut and then arranged on an A2 card with foam tape.
I am entering this card in:
 Allsorts Mother\’s Day Challenge
Grab our logo

Mod Squad Mother\’s Day Challenge

UPDATE:  My Mother\’s Day card was chosen \”Top 5\”in the Allsorts Challenge! 🙂
In our Top 5 ?

Karen
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Impression Obsession Rainbow Giraffe

Karen Brown14 Comments

Hello and thank you for stopping by!  I am very excited about this bright fun card!

One of my most used and loved stamps is Impression Obsession Baby Giraffe.  I came up with the idea of watercoloring each \”spot\” with two colors and then letting them organically blend.  I knew that giraffes spots are all unique like human fingerprints, so I thought a vibrant rainbow giraffe would be fun to create.

I started by embossing in brown on watercolor paper and then selected bright watercolor hues.  I made four cards changing the look with gold and black embossing and whats fun is that it is impossible to create identical cards.  It reminds me of working with alcohol inks. I wanted to keep the design clean and simple so that the focus was on the giraffe with rainbow colors.    I matted on a neutral card base and it is ready to send.

Casology\’s Africa Challenge – Giraffes are definitely my favorite African animal and I have to say that  I LOVE hand feeding giraffes lettuce leaves.+

Happy Little Stampers \”Bright\” Watercolor Challenge

Karen

UPDATE:My card was selected: 

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WWC218 – Marsha\’s "All About Occasions" Challenge

Karen Brown1 Comment

 
Thanks for stopping by! This week is Watercooler Wednesday\’s All About Occasions Challenge.  Marsha is our host.  Head over to the website for further details.

Lawn Fawn Perfectly Plaid purple paper
 I started with Lawn Fawn\’s Perfectly Plaid paper and used a 2 1/2\” circle punch near the top of the panel. Then I distressed the edges and around the circle with Seedless Grape Preserves dye ink. 
Next, I stamped Impression Obsession Baby Giraffe, colored with Copic markers and then fussy cut.  I arranged him peeping out of the circle window at a jaunty angle.  I added some flowers from Sunny Studio Tropical Paradise and embossed the birthday sentiment.  I wanted a  bit of dimension so attached the Perfectly Plaid layer to a lavender card base with craft foam and glue.  I added sequins, Wink of Stella on the blooms and horns, and Tonic Nuvo Glaze on the eyes.   I think the giraffe has a lot of personality and I love using this stamp.
I am entering this card in Simon Says Stamp Wednesday Anything Goes Challenge
Thanks for stopping by!
Karen
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