Impression Obsession Rainbow Giraffe

April 24, 2019 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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WWC216 – Dawn\’s "All About Occasions" Challenge

April 10, 2019 Karen Brown4 Comments

Hello and welcome to Watercooler Wednesday\’s All About Occasions Challenge. Dawn is our hostess this week.

$Lawn Fawn\'s Perfectly Plaid designer paper.$

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
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Handcrafted Easel Card

April 5, 2019 Karen Brown4 Comments

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!
Cardz 4 Guyz Logo
The Male Room \”Spring\” Challenge – This cute pup is sporting her raincoat for the spring showers.

Thanks for stopping by!
Karen

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WWC211 – Kath\’s Feminine "Anything Goes" Challenge

March 6, 2019 Karen Brown2 Comments

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.

Today\’s card is embossed and water colored with Tombow markers
I did a Blog Post in January showing the same layout colored with Copic markers.
Inktense colored pencils
Kuretake Watercolors.

In the end, the Tombow markers and Copics were my favorite two.

If you look at both, leave me a comment and let me know whether you like the Copic or
Tombow version best.

I am entering this card in:

Simon Says Stamp \”Whatever the Weather\” Monday Challenge

Thanks for stopping by!

Karen

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Create A Smile Guest Designer – Spring Citrus

March 6, 2019 Karen Brown3 Comments

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\”.

Watercolor stamped background in yellow and lime green.

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

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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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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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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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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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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