Handmade Halloween Card

July 28, 2018 Karen Brown3 Comments

My daughter is getting married in September so I am getting an early start on Halloween cards. I think this Art Impressions image is so fun!

Handmade Halloween Card using watercolor markers.

I embossed the haunted house and then colored with vividly hued watercolor markers. I also made a coordinating envelop from a Penny Black Halloween stamp set.

I am entering this card in:

Watercooler Wednesday Holiday Challenge

Addicted to Stamps Make Your Mark

Update:
I was very excited to learn that my Halloween card was chosen as a \”Watercooler Rocker\”.

Thanks for stopping by!

Karen

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Linear Pattern Stamping

July 24, 2018 Karen Brown1 Comment

I love the look of linear pattern stamping and think the horizontal (coffee cups) and vertical (cupcakes) stripes emphasizes the linear look. I used an acrylic block and grid paper (instead of a Misti) to hand stamp the images (Altenew Tea Time).

The coloring went very fast as I only used four colors and no blending:
Y35
BG05
RV23
YG25
N1 to outline

Being a birthday card, I wanted to add a cake (Jane\’s Doodles Party Time) to the Sentiment (SSS Brush Stroke Messages). I mounted on a grey card, adhered a white insert inside and added a \”celebrate\” sentiment.

This card is for one of my best friends and I am entering it in the following challenges:

Seize the Birthday Stripes Challenge

Always Happy Birthday (Optional Cake) Challenge

Update: This card was chosen as a \”Top Pick\” for the Always Happy Birthday July Challenge

Thanks for stopping by!

Karen

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July 22, 2018 Karen Brown11 Comments

In June, I won the AAA 4th Birthday Challenge with my Yappy Birthday submission. I won a 30 pound gift card to Visible Images! AAA also asked me to be a guest designer for today\’s Challenge: AAA Cards Over The Rainbow Challenge. I was so excited that I created two different cards and liked this one the best, so I submitted it to the Challenge.

The Doodle Buds Stamp Set by WPlus9 is a favorite and I thought it would be fun to ink blend the Rainbow. I stamped the images and colored/blended with my Copic markers.

I also gave this card to my card making friend, Chris.

I am entering this card in two Birthday Challenges:

Seize The Birthday Challenge

Always Happy Birthday Challenge

Update: I was happy to learn I won \”Birthday Honours\” at Seize the Birthday!

Thanks for stopping by!

Karen

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Monochromatic Watercolor Bleaching

July 14, 2018 Karen Brown5 Comments

I saw a technique that I wanted to try called Watercolor Bleaching. I thought it was very striking so I took a go at it. I went for monochromatic blues. First, I white heat embossed a number of floral images and a Thinking of You sentiment. Next, I (heavily) watercolored the background with several shades of medium and darker blue distress ink. To \”bleach\” I wet a paint brush and dabbed the inside of the images. I wanted a dramatic and intense effect so I wet the areas, blotted with a towel and repeated until I had the look I was going for. It got lighter after each cycle.

Emboss Resist Technique with Distress Inks.

I liked that card so I did a similar second card but added some reds and greens. In the end, I liked the monochromatic blue card the best.

I am entering my card in the following challenges:

Just Us Girls Watercolor Background

The Flower Challenge – Monochrome

Cas-ual Fridays Embossing Challenge

Thanks for stopping by!
Karen

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Bright Summery Card for a Girlfriend

July 7, 2018 Karen Brown6 Comments

I have been mentally designing a card with linear pattern stamping using citrus fruits. I tried a couple different patterns and selected this one. I usually use my misti, but I stamped this card freehand using an acrylic block. To save time, I put all three stamps on the block and stamped across the card.

Create a Smile Fruit Salad Stamp Set

I colored the images with Copic markers using the YR02, Y06 and YG01 which are bright citrusy colors.There are a lot of images, but the coloring went surprisingly fast. I used Sakura Gel Pens for the rind on the lime and orange images. I debated whether to outline the fruit in gray but opted to keep the card fresh and bright instead. If I had made two cards, I would have tried one each way to see which I preferred.

I embossed two Happy Birthday sentiments and decided I liked the smaller font on this card. I added a few sequins and I was done!

Handmade card featuring lemons, limes and oranges.

This card will go to one of my girlfriends whose birthday is in August.

I am entering this cheerful, summery birthday card in the following challenges:

Just Us Girls Citrus Challenge

Watercooler Wednesday Feminine Anything Goes Challenge

Seize the Birthday Sequin Challenge

TGIF Color Challenge

Thanks for stopping by!

Karen

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Birthday Bird in Red, White and Blue

July 4, 2018 Karen Brown5 Comments

I wanted to do a birthday card featuring this cute whimsical bird and decided a bold background would be fun. Since it is The 4th of July, I used Red, White and Blue as my color inspiration. I started by stamping the Hero Arts Tribal Stripes Bold Print Background Stamp with Ranger Denim ink. Next I stamped the bird from one of my favorite stamp sets, Simon Says Stamp Stacking Animals.

I used the same denim ink for the bird and sentiment to tie the card together. I colored the bird with Copic markers and then added Tonic Nuvo Glaze to the birds beak. I trimmed the smaller panel down and mounted (with foam tape) on the blue background,. I then mounted the background on a white card and stamped a birthday sentiment inside the card.

Denim Blue, Red and Yellow Card Color Scheme.

I am entering this card in the following challenges:

Sunny Day Challenge – Any Animal

Just Us Girls Anything Goes Challenge

Simon Says Stamp Red White and Blue Challenge

Thanks for stopping by!

Karen

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Ink Blending for Summertime

June 23, 2018 Karen Brown4 Comments

I was in the mood to do some ink blending and this fruit collection (Create a Smile Fruit Salad) was calling to me. This is such a fun summery stamp set and I wanted bright bold colors.

I started by embossing 5 fruit images and then used distress inks to blend from pink (watermelon) to orange, yellow (lemons and bananas) and ended with green for a nice citrusy lime. I wanted contrast so I mounted the fruit band on white cardstock then drew two black Sharpie lines to frame the colors. Lastly, I mounted the card top on a black base.

I am entering this card in the following challenges:

TGIF Summer Inspiration Challenge which features a photo of a bright Lemonade Stand for inspiration. I went with the bright colors and citrus theme.

Addicted to Stamps Make Your Mark Challenge so make your mark and play along.

Thanks for stopping by!

Karen

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Corgis are the Best

June 19, 2018 Karen Brown12 Comments

My daughter has the most adorable Corgi, so I wanted her birthday card to feature her beloved \”Newton\”. I recently purchased the MFT Lucky Dog set so that I would have a Corgi stamp. I thought a clean and simple card with just Newton colored (and emphasized) would be a fun look.

I am happy with the way the card turned out and am entering it in several challenges:

Casology \”Jumpy\”Challenge

Muse Challenge 271 (focusing on the dog, birthday and \”subjects in a row\” themes)

MFT Birthday Project Challenge

Thanks for stopping by!

Karen

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Create a Smile Fruit Salad Card

June 6, 2018 Karen Brown2 Comments

I was invited to be a guest designer for the next Create a Smile Challenge so I\’ve been busy playing with their fun summery stamp set, Fruit Salad. Summer is my favorite season and I love bright bold colors which work perfectly with this stamp set.

I started by embossing 5 of the fruit stamps plus the sentiment on white card stock. Next, I colored the images with Copic markers. I love how bright and lively they turned out. I wanted the sentiment to be vibrant and summery as well so I selected SSS Big Greetings so that I could color Happy Birthday. Next I trimmed the card down and mounted on a black card so the embossing would really pop.

I am linking this card to the following challenges:
CAS on Friday Embossing Challenge
Dare2BArtsy Bright Colors

Update: I was so excited to learn that I won the Dare2BArtzy Bold Colors Challenge (Winners Page) They offer a beautiful prize of one stamp set and one ink pad. I chose their whimsical Home Sweet Home Stamp set and Blue Sky Ink Pad.

Thanks for stopping by!
Karen

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Yappy Birthday

June 3, 2018 Karen Brown3 Comments

There\’s not much better than a card with puppies on it. I needed some more birthday cards and since I usually send the ones with puppies first, I thought I better come up with a new design. AAA cards is celebrating their 4th birthday so I an entering this card in their CAS Big Birthday Bash Challenge

I drew two pencil lines so that I could keep my stamped images aligned in a band. I used Mama Elephant\’s Playful Pups, which was one of the first stamp set I purchased, and is still a favorite. I colored with Copic markers and like the simple color scheme.