A blog about cardmaking and papercrafting.
I did want to share this process photo as well.
For my \”masculine\” cards I chose to use an overall blue theme with ink blending techniques and Altenew\’s Garden Grow as the unifying elements. For my first card, I ink blended a background and used peek-a-boo die cut windows to spotlight my images. During quarantine, I\’ve been sending so many encouragement cards that I wanted to include one in this set.
I thought a birthday and recovery card would round out the gift set.
Here is an in-progress photo. The die cut elements were attached to each card with foam tape.
And here is the masculine set.
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
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
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: 
Hello and welcome to Watercooler Wednesday\’s All About Occasions Challenge. Dawn is our hostess this week.
I needed an Easter card so I challenged myself to use patterned paper with limited stamping. I chose bright cheery Lawn Fawn \”Perfectly Plaid\”. I used one pattern to cover an A2 card and then selected a second pattern to die-cut SSS\’s Plush Carrot. The carrot top is die cut from green embossed paper for some added texture. I think this would make a darling stuffed ornament, but I needed a card. Next, I embossed Rubbernecker\’s Three Line Frame on sherbet colored card stock. I assembled the card using craft foam and Gina K connect glue and then added Lily of the Valley Jewels from Little Things from Lucy.
I am entering this card in: The Paper Players Plaid or Checks Challenge
Thanks for stopping by?
Karen
I came up with an idea to combine two of my favorite Hero Arts sets: My Monthly Hero January 2019 kit and Hero Arts Fun in the Rain.
The pup from this set looks like my mini-Aussie so I colored her with markings like my \”Scout\”. I think it is so cute that she has a raincoat on and I thought this would be perfect for a Spring card.
Since this is an easel card, I die cut some thick leathery textured paper from The Paper Company. I used black paper to simulate a blackboard and then heat embossed with a bold birthday sentiment to get that chalkboard look.
I am really pleased with the way this card came together.
I am entering this card in:
A Blog Named Hero Embossing Challenge
Cardz4Guyz \”Let\’s Get Messy\” – For me, I always make the biggest mess with embossing powder. No matter how neat I try to be, little bits of powder wind up all over my work surface!
The Male Room \”Spring\” Challenge – This cute pup is sporting her raincoat for the spring showers.
Thanks for stopping by!
Karen
I always love our \”Feminine\” Challenge prompts! Please be sure to pop over to The Watercooler Website to see what the other Artists have created this week.
I have a fondness for pattern stamping, and when I received a new stamp set for Christmas, I thought this brightly colored layout would work well. I used my new Inkblot Shop This & That stamp set along with images from SSS Hello Friends and Photoplay Thinking of You.
I started by embossing the sentiment (Ranger Letter It Birthday) on Bristol paper. I then worked out from the sentiment and embossed the larger images first. Next I went in and filled in with the smaller details. I colored/watercolored with Tombow Dual Tip markers and I like how bold the black embossing combined with the bright watercolor markers turned out. I finished by adding a few black sequins to this otherwise one layer card.
I really liked this layout and wanted to try it using different coloring techniques to see which I liked best.
It\’s citrus season here in Texas and that inspired me to make a bright cheery citrus themed card. I was invited to be a Guest Designer for Create-A-Smile stamps and I used one of my favorite stamp sets, Fruit Salad. For this card, I chose to use only the citrus stamps. The theme for their current challenge is \”Stamp a Background\”.
I started by embossing the three citrus images on Brisol cardstock. Next, I used my Kuretake Watercolors to paint a watery lemon-yellow base and then dropped in more concentrated lemon yellow. I wanted a messy watercolor background so the lime green (sap green light) was placed here and there.
I let the panel dry overnight and then I used a stitched die to trim the card down slightly. I also cut an interior stitched frame out of white cardstock. I glued the white frame and the watercolor panel to a white A2 card. I die cut the \”thanks\” sentiment twice, glued them together and placed it at the bottom of the frame.
Rainbow Card \”Yellow Challenge\” My first time to enter this challenge…mostly yellow with a bit of yellow-green splashed in.
Pile it On Favorite Color Challenge I just love the color yellow because it is so happy and warm.
Simon Says Stamp Monday Challenge It is citrus season in Texas so it is sunny and warm. 🙂
I love how bright and happy this card turned out.
Thanks for stopping by!
Karen
Kenny's Cards 
