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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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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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

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Fruit Salad Birthday Card

May 17, 2018 Karen Brown1 Comment

I just received this new stamp set (Fruit Salad by Create A Smile) and wanted to play a bit. I saw that The Paper Players Blog was having a color challenge so I selected those four colors as my inspiration. Paper Players Card Challenge

I embossed 5 of the fruit images and then watercolored them with Tombow markers. I thought the card panel was missing something, so I used distress ink to make a coordinating edge on a scrap of cardstock. Next I embossed a birthday sentiment on black cardstock and trimmed one edge at an angle. I assembled the card and it is ready to send to a girlfriend who has a June birthday.

Handmade card using Create a Smile Fruit Salad. Lemon, lime, orange, banana watermelon.

Fruit Salad Stamps from Create a Smile

The stamps are from a set called Fruit Salad by Create a Smile.

The sentiment comes from a favorite set called Big Greetings from Simon Says Stamp.

Thanks for stopping by!
Karen