Bright Welcome Card

August 26, 2018 Karen Brown7 Comments

In June, I entered The Dare2B Artzy Bold Colors Challenge and I won some lovely prizes. I selected The Home Sweet Home stamp set, which is fun and whimsical.

My mother-in-law just moved to an Assisted Living Senior Center and I wanted to make her a cheery welcome card so I started by embossing the homes, trees and sentiment in black. Next, I picked out my favorite bright bold watercolor marker pens and started adding color.

This was my first time using Bristol paper but the watercolors worked great! I am happy with the result and my mother-in-law has the card displayed on her book case.

I am entering this card in the following challenges:

Dare2B Artzy Anything Goes Challenge

Time Out Bright Challenge

Addicted To Stamps Anything Goes Challenge

Thanks for stopping by!
Karen

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"Hang In There" Encouragement Card

August 25, 2018 Karen Brown14 Comments

I ordered the cutest stamp set from Tiddly Inks. Today, I made two encouragement cards for friends with cancer but I can see this as a fun birthday card too. I love the included sentiment \”hang in there\”.

I colored the images with Copic markers and mounted on a card base. The little girl was so fun to color!

Encouragement Card for friend with cancer

I am entering this card in the following challenges:

Muse Card Challenge #280. I was inspired by the yellow birds siting on a tree branch.

Addicted to Stamps Anything Goes Challenge

Time Out Bright Challenge

UPDATE: So pleased to report that this card was voted a \”Featured Card\” on the Muse Card Challenge #280!

Thanks for stopping by!

Karen

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Puffer Fish

August 19, 2018 Karen Brown2 Comments

Tri-color Puffer Fish birthday card. This is a versatile card that I think would be perfect for a beach loving girlfriend or child\’s birthday. I love the happy whimsical fish from The Hero Arts I Am Puffer For You Stamp set.

Handmade card featuring brightly colored puffer fish.

I mounted three fish on an acrylic block and hand stamped the pattern. I knew I wanted to use three colors so I next worked out which fish would be which color. I didn\’t want stripes of color so I went with the combination above. I then heat embossed the sentiments on gravel cardstock and loosely fussy-cut the words. I then mounted the base on a \”gravel\” colored card from Paper Source.

I am entering this card in the following challenges:

Paper Sweeties 6th Birthday Challenge

Pause Dream Enjoy #33

Sunny Day Animal Challenge

Always Happy Birthday \”Water\” Challenge

UPDATE: I am very pleased my card received \”Top Pick\” Honors at Pause Dream and Enjoy!

Thanks for stopping by!

Karen

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Masculine Get Well Card

August 17, 2018 Karen Brown3 Comments

I needed some more Get Well cards for men and decided this statement sentiment (Ranger Letter It Greetings) would be fun paired with the birds from SSS\’s Stacking Animals. I thought the baby bird hanging upside added a light element to the card. I mounted my card base on a \”gravel\” colored card to add to the masculine theme.

Sunday Stamps has a Summer Splash Color Challenge and I used their color palette as my inspiration.

Ranger Letter It Get Well Sentiment stamp

I love Watercooler Wednesday\’s prompts and am also entering this card in their Masculine Card Challenge.

Since this card features animals, I am also entering it in the current Sunny Day Challenge.

This is a CAS card and I wanted it bold so I embossed the sentiment and birds in a glossy black and then colored with Copic markers. So fast and easy as I only used three colors: B24, B29 and YR07.

UPDATE: I was pleased to see this card was selected as a \”Watercooler Rocker\”!

Thanks for stopping by,

Karen

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Watercolor Tea Cup Card

August 3, 2018 Karen Brown7 Comments

I went to a Card Convention in June and bought several fun new stamp sets. This one is Catherine Scanlon Stacked. I have a friend who loves tea and I thought this would make the perfect Birthday card for her.

I love fancy little teacups so I decided to emboss the cups in gold on Bristol paper. I did a google search for teacups and used the results as inspiration for my color palette. I painted with watercolor markers and then added an embossed sentiment on contrasting black cardstock.

I really enjoyed making this card and think I will try a Get Well card next.

I am entering this card in the following challenges:

Time Out Food and Drink Challenge

Watercooler Wednesday Feminine Challenge

Seize the Birthday Water Challenge (tea is made with water and the card is water-colored)

Always Happy Birthday Water Challenge (tea is made with water and the card is water-colored)

Update: My teacups were chosen as \”Watercooler Rockers\”!

Thanks for stopping by!
Karen

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Handmade Wedding Card

July 29, 2018 Karen Brown4 Comments

My daughter is getting married in our backyard in September so I wanted to make a handmade card with seasonal color. I LOVE The Concord and 9th Happy Day stamp set.

I silver embossed the cake and sentiment on watercolor paper and then watercolored with Daniel Smith watercolors. I love the bright vibrant colors.

It was cloudy while I was photographing so I thought I would try some outdoor shots. Nontraditional for cards, but I like them.

My inspiration for the orange flower came from Just us Girls Challenge #451

I frequently enter the Addicted to Stamp Challenge as I like their prompts. This week is \”Make Your Mark\”.

Thanks for stopping by!

Karen

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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.