WWC205 – Donna\’s "All About Holidays" Challenge

January 23, 2019 Karen Brown3 Comments

Handmade Valentine\’s are such a nice gift and today at Watercooler Wednesday we are creating projects for the holidays. I came up with a pastel pink Valentine design for my mother. I feel extremely lucky to still have my 83 year old mom. She lives a mile away and we see each other often.

Handmade card embellished with Studio Katia Clear Drops, Nuvo Crystal Drops and Nuvo Aqua Shimmer.

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I designed a wreath using the fun elements in SSS\’s Hello Friends Stamp set. I lightly drew a circle where I wanted the wreath placed and then hand stamped all the cute little elements. The sentiment is from Forever in Time – Sentiments. I colored with Copic Markers: RV04, RV21, RV23, YG01, YG03. And because my mom likes lots of sparkle, I brushed the flowers with Nuvo Aqua Shimmer, added Nuvo Crystal Drops to the circles and heart and placed three Studio Katia Clear drops on the wreath.

Hop on over to see what the other Watercooler Artists created this week for All About the Holidays. I hope you will link your creation too.

I am entering my card in: Just us Girls \”Pastel\” Challenge I was inspired by the color theme \”pastels\”.

Addicted to Stamps and More #325 I was inspired by the \”love\” and \”pink and green\” color themes.

Thanks for stopping by!
Karen

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Square Valentine with Octagonal Insert

January 13, 2019 Karen Brown8 Comments

I bought the Gina K Wreath Builder template a while back and thought it would be fun to use for a valentine. Instead of rotating an 1/8th of a turn each time, I skipped and did quarter turns. I started by stamping the cute birds from Photoplay Thinking of You. Then, in the areas in between the birds, I used the template again and stamped hearts and butterflies from a stamp set I received for Christmas (Inkblot Shop This & That). This card is for my mother-in-law and she loves birds and butterflies.

$Handmade card featuring butterflies and hearts from Inkblot Shop\'s This & That Stamp set.$

After coloring with Copic markers, I was very happy with the panel, but I wondered how it would look with the four corners clipped. I was a bit nervous but went ahead and loved the octagonal result. I mounted on a square 4\” x 4\” hot pink card base. I wanted a vintage feel like the small valentines we used to exchange as kids.

Copic colors used: RV 4, RV 23, Y06, Y08, R35 and BG11.

I am entering my valentine in the following challenges:

Addicted to Stamps and More Holiday Challenge This week I made two valentine\’s and Addicted so Stamps Holiday Challenge called to my designs.

Time Out Loving Challenge This week I was ready to work on Valentine\’s so the \”loving\” theme was perfect for me.

The Card Concept Pink Party Challenge I was inspired by the gorgeous hot pink, white and black color scheme and the butterflies on the table runner.

Thanks for stopping by!
Karen

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WWC203 – Karen\’s "All About Occasions" Challenge

January 9, 2019 Karen Brown3 Comments

Let The Bliss Begin! My daughter just got married and this is the card I made for her shower. I thought it was appropriate for my first time hosting a challenge for Watercooler Wednesday.

I bought this stamp set (Colorplay) at a card making expo. I embossed the delicate image in a glossy black and colored with Copic markers. I also embossed the sentiment (SSS Floral Bliss) \”Let The Bliss Begin\”. I mounted this panel on a nice thick gray note card and then added a white insert inside. My daughter loved the card. 🙂

Our Watercooler Artists have some lovely cards showcased this week…pop on over and take a look!

I entered my card in:

Stamping Sensations Fabulously Feminine Challenge What is more feminine than a bridal shower card?

Crafty Creations Anything Goes Challenge This is my first time entering this challenge.

Thanks for stopping by!

Karen

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WWC202 – Dawn\’s Feminine "Anything Goes" Challenge

January 2, 2019 Karen Brown2 Comments

I made my youngest daughter an assortment of cards as a Christmas gift. Megan is a cute blond who owns her own marketing company so I thought this image was perfect.

The stamp set is Clover by Rubbernecker. The sentiment is Visible Image\’s Live in the Moment which was fun to use as I won it as a prize in a challenge this summer. Link to Yappy Birthday card

I colored Clover with Copic markers and then added three pearlescent sequins for a little interest and shine.

My card is among the artist cards for Dawn\’s Watercooler Wednesday Feminine Anything Goes Challenge. Come take a peek and play along.

Thanks for stopping by!
Karen

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WWC201 – Marsha\’s Special Two-Week Year End Anything Goes

December 19, 2018 Karen Brown9 Comments

I love Christmas and all the opportunities for paper crafting. I\’ve decorated several boxes and gift bags and am especially happy with this particular gift.

I ordered some white and kraft boxes and had fun decorating them. This particular parcel features Avery Elle\’s Festive Wreath stamp set. I colored with Copic markers, added shine with a shimmer pen and then fussy cut the images and attached with foam mounting squares. To finish it off I tied on a bright red bow.

I am a design team member for Watercooler Wednesday and created this package for Marsha\’s Two-Week Year End Anything Goes Challenge I hope you will pop over and see what the other artists have posted and then link one of your creations.

I am entering my gift box in the following:
Stamping Sensations Winter Sparkle Challenge My winter sparkle comes form the Wink of Stella I used on the wreath.
Please grab our logo

cupcake inspirations #460 My color scheme is kraft (gingerbread), red, green and white.

Casology Holly Challenge – Festive Wreath

Thanks for stopping by!
Karen

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Warm and Cozy Thank You Note

December 3, 2018 Karen Brown9 Comments

Pink and Main Christmas Mugs was my favorite new (to me) holiday stamp set this year. I stamped the mug, colored with Copic markers, embellished with gel pens (berries, candy and straw) and Wink of Stella on the whipped cream and done! Clean, simple, easy and pleasing to the eye.

The shine doesn\’t show up in the photographs, but the card has a pretty sparkle in person.

I paired this with a bright red envelop, took a couple of quick pictures and am ready to enter some challenges.

Clean and Simple Challenge #147 I love a good CAS card.

Coffee Loving Cardmakers Fall/Winter Blog Hop I cant figure out why, but I was unable to copy their graphic without an error message. Such a fun hop though!

Cupcake Inspirations Challenge #459 Sprinkle and Sparkle – Love this bright festive prompt!

Stamping Sensations Winter Sparkle My winter sparkle comes from the Wink of Stella on the frothy whipped cream.
Please grab our logo

Paper Players Its Beginning to Look a Lot Like Christmas Challenge – Love this bright Christmasy inspiration!

Thanks for stopping by!

Karen

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Happy Birthday "Cheers" Card

November 10, 2018 Karen Brown4 Comments

I have a friend whose birthday is in December and she has a party every year with the subtitle \”Midweek Merrymaking\”. She loves to try new cocktails so I thought she would like this CAS card. I am looking forward to giving it to her next month.

V04, B00 & YG01

I stamped three beverages from \”Raise a Glass\” by Clearly Besotted, then colored with Copic markers. I really like the color combination of V04, B00 and YG01. I fussy cut the images, added a bit of gloss using Nuvo Tonic Clear Glaze and put them away to dry. I then took an A2 card and scored two lines above and below where I wanted to attach the cut-outs. I thought this would frame my focal point. Next, I heat embossed a sentiment and adhered all 4 pieces with 3D foam squares. Last, I stamped Happy Birthday inside the card.

Closeup to show the glaze shine and scored border

I should do this more often, but I took a picture of the supplies I used

I am entering this card in the following challenges:

CAS on Friday Challenge 145

For your blog

Seize The Birthday #154 – I went all the way and used the CAS \”Topping\”.

Casual Friday #212 Challenge

UPDATE: I was very excited to learn that my CAS card was selected as the Challenge Winner for Seize the Birthday!

…and as a CAS on Friday Favorite!

Thanks for stopping by,
Karen

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Handsome Mutt Handmade Card

September 13, 2018 Karen Brown3 Comments

My daughter adopted a rescue mutt. Tank is a very handsome dog, but since he is not a purebred I had not been able to find a stamp that looks like him. At a Craft Convention I found Friends4Cookie by Stamps of Life and bought the set immediately, because Cookie looks like Tank. So, of course I wanted to make a card for my daughter.

Handmade Card featuring a mutt mixed breed rescue dog.

Adorable Mixed Breed Mutt

Since Tank is a reddish brown color, I thought a bright background would make the card more interesting. I used distress ink mini cubes and a wide flat brush to paint a messy rainbow brushstroke background.

I stamped and colored Cookie/Tank, fussy cut the image and then went along the edge with a brown Copic so he wouldn\’t have a white edge. I thought the sentiment was cute so I fussy cut and mounted it as well.

I am entering this card in Card Concepts Colorful Basics Challenge
I was drawn to the rainbow stripes in the inspiration photo. I think my card fits best in the Clean and Layered category.

Thanks for stopping by!

Karen

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CAS Floral Card

September 12, 2018 Karen Brown7 Comments

My daughter is getting married this month and my sister is hosting a Bridesmaid\’s luncheon for Kristen. I wanted to make a thank you card to go with the hostess gift. I had a Catherine Scanlon (Clara Paisley) stamp set that I hadn\’t used yet so I decided to play with it. I was VERY pleased with the clean and simple finished card.

I found a Copic color scheme that I really like: V04, B02 and YG01. Just three colors and very easy to stamp, color and duplicate.

I am looking forward to giving this card to my sister.

I am entering this card in:
CAS #141 Flowers Challenge

Addicted to Stamps Clean and Simple Challenge

Muse Card Challenge #282. I focused on:

The floral theme
Simple color palette
CAS design.

Pause Dream Enjoy 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