Tag: thank you card.

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Altenew Academy: Easy Die Cutting

Karen Brown1 Comment

Hello and Welcome!  I just finished the Altenew Academy class titled Easy Die Cutting.  Yana Smakula was the instructor and she shared six wonderful lessons.   I chose to write this blog post about lesson #5:  Inlaid Die Cutting, which I found very inspirational.  I just purchased this large beautiful scripty thank you die (Altenew\’s Simply Thank You) and thought it would work great with the inlaid die cutting technique.  I learned to save all the pieces from both panels so you can can create two cards from the positive and negative die cutting.  Don\’t you just love two-for-one projects!  🙂

My Process:
I started by ink blending a bright colorful gradient on Bristol cardstock.  I didn\’t want it to smear so I let it dry overnight.  The next day I die cut the \”thank you\” from the inked panel.  I also die cut the same sentiment  from a white panel.  Then I just swapped the sentiments and glued the white die-cut into the opening on the inked panel and glued the inked sentiment onto the white panel.  I was careful to save all the die cut pieces so I could piece everything back together.  Voila…two cards!  Yana also loves embellishments so I felt encouraged to add buttercream jewels to the white background.  
These cheerful cards will come in so handy on my next thank you notes.
I am so pleased that you stopped by!
Karen
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WWC253 – Karen\’s Challenge: Anything Goes With A Feminine Twist

Karen Brown7 Comments
Hello and welcome!  I can\’t believe it is a new year…and a new decade.  This week we are making \”feminine\” cards at The Watercooler Wednesday Challenge Website and I am the hostess.

I ordered some Altenew Mega Alphabet dies and the Altenew Large Thanks sentiment so I could make some thank you cards.  I wanted a bright happy card so I decided to do some \”ink smooshing\”. 

 I started by making two inked panels.  Here was my technique:
  1. I liberally inked an 6×6\” acrylic block with Distress Inks.  I wanted an ombre gradient look so went in rows across the page.
  2.  I sprayed the inked block with water 
  3. \”Smooshed\” the block onto a piece of watercolor paper
  4. Weighted the ink/block with a book for 5 minutes
  5. Uncovered.  If the ink pooled, I dabbed with a paper towel.
  6. I made a \”second generation\” panel for the background by taking a piece of Bristol Cardstock and soaking up the excess ink on my work space.    I had never done this before but I like having a softer but coordinated background for my card.  
Panel one was made with Peacock Feathers, Cracked Pistachio, Twisted Citron and Mustard Seed.  

Panel two (thanks) was Abandoned Coral, Carved Pumpkin and Mustard Seed.

After the panels were dry, I die cut the \”T\”, thanks and floral images (Spellbinder\’s Month 7 Die of the Month and Newton\’s Nook Flower Trio die). I also die cut Sunny Studio\’s Frilly Frame to go over my second generation background.  I used Gina K Connect glue to adhere everything to the A2 card.    

I am pleased with this bright vibrant card.  

I am entering this card in:
As You Like It Thanks Challenge

Dies R Us Challenge I used Spellbinders floral dies.

Always Fun Something New Challenge  I made a second generation ink smooshing panel to coordinate with my die cuts.  I had never thought to coordinate like this in the past.  

Alphabet Challenge Try Something New I made a second generation ink smooshing panel to coordinate with my die cuts. I had never thought to coordinate like this in the past. 

UPDATE:  I was very pleased to be chosen \”Top 3\” at As You Like It!


I would love to see YOUR creation in our challenge.

Thanks for stopping by!
Karen
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WWC251 – Dawn\’s "All About Occasions" Challenge

Karen Brown12 Comments
Hello and welcome. This week we are making \”Occasion\” cards at The Watercooler Wednesday Challenge which means holiday cards to birthday cards to sympathy cards…the list is vast.  Dawn is our talented hostess.
I chose to make some thank you cards to use during the holiday season.  I wanted bright, festive and fun so I opted to go with my Zig markers.  

I stamped, colored and die-cut my wreath.  My wreath has five Christmas colors. I wanted a clean and simple look but with a bit of interest on the background so I dry embossed an A2 panel.  I liked that the planks look snow covered when embossed on white paper. I also wanted a small sentiment that would fit inside the wreath and within the boundaries of the plank so I looked through my sentiments and found this cute little one.

I like the top folding cards I see online but I had never made one until this card. I do think it adds a fun little twist to cards.  While I was at it, I made a batch of top folding cards so I will be making more in the future.

ZIG Clean Color markers in 036, 031, 033, 053, 041, 200, 202, 029
Supplies:
Weekend Doodles Stamp and Die Bundle
Tim Holtz Alterations Wood Planks Embossing Folder
Bristol Cardstock
Zig Markers:  036, 031, 033, 053, 041, 200, 202, 029 + blender
Versafine Black Ink for wreath
Gerda Steiner Hedge Hog Sentiment (with Archival Jet Black ink)

I am submitting my card to:
As You See It \”Holiday Joy\”
Bright happy colors raise my spirits and bring me joy.  

Make My Monday \”Anything Christmas\” Challenge

Time Out Merry and Cheerful Challenge

Happy Little Stampers December Die Challenge

UPDATE:  My card was selected as a Top Pick at The As You See It Challenge:

Thank you for stopping by!
Karen
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WWC250 – Helen\’s Feminine "Anything Goes" Challenge

Karen Brown4 Comments
Hello and welcome. This week we are making \”feminine\” cards at the Watercooler Wednesday Challenge. Talented Helen is our hostess. 
I wanted to do a pretty thank you card so I started by stamping,  coloring and die cutting this favorite wreath.  I wanted a subtle white on white backdrop so I die cut a basket weave panel and affixed to an A2 card base. I love the pretty little sentiment which I heat embossed. 

Supplies:
Avery Elle – Festive Wreath stamps and dies
Frantic Stamper Basket Weave die.
Bristol Cardstock
Zig Clean Clear Markers (May Green 47, Pale Green 45, Lt. Carmine Red 21, Red 20, Light Blue 36, Cobalt Blue 31). 
Sentiment:  Photoplay Paprika

I am pleased to be entering my card in:
 Sunday Stamps \”Feeling Festive\” Challenge

Just Us Girls \”Anything Goes\” Challenge
A Place to Start December Challenge

Shopping Our Stash – Happy Holidays Challenge

UPDATE:  My card was selected as a \”Top Cup\” at The Sunday Stamps Challenge:



Thanks for stopping by!
Karen
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Ink Smooshing with Altenew Mega Alphabet Die

Karen BrownLeave a comment

I felt inspired by Altenew\’s November Inspiration Challenge and those lovely pink flowers.  I just received several Altenew Mega Alphabet dies plus Altenew\’s large thanks die and wanted to play with them.  I was thinking thank you notes and personalized stationary.


I decided ink smooshing on the Mega \”T\” die would be interesting.  I applied two shades of distress ink: Spun Sugar and Pickled Raspberry to a 6×6\” acrylic block and then sprayed with water.  I put the spun sugar at the bottom and the pickled raspberry at the top because I wanted gradient color.  I put the ink/water side onto watercolor paper, weighted it down with a book and let it sit for 5 minutes.  When that was done, I took a piece of cardstock and sopped up the remaining color for my background panel. I wanted the same colors but in a more muted watercolor look.  There is a bit of pinkish linen in the color swatch so I did the same smooshing technique with Antique Linen.  After the watercolor paper was dry, I die cut the \”T\”.  I also die cut the \”Thanks\” die cut from Elm Green textured paper that matched the color in the inspiration color swatch.  I then die cut small flowers from the antique linen, and pink watercolor panels.  The leaves were left over from a previous project and I thought they added to the layout. 


I assembled the card by putting the second generation sopped up ink smooshed panel behind a die cut cover and then arranged the die-cut elements.  

I always give my mom a packet of cards for Christmas and I think I am going to include this one.  


 I am pleased to be entering this card in Altenew\’s November Challenge.


I am so pleased that you stopped by!
Karen

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WWC240 – Kath\’s "All About Occasions" Challenge

Karen Brown3 Comments
Hello and Welcome!  This week it is \”all about occasions\” at the Watercooler Wednesday Website and Kath is our hostess.
I\’ve been playing around with Dare 2B Artzy stamps and dies and Zig markers.  I stamped the bloom on Bristol cardstock and then used my favorite Zig colors.  I stamped the sentiment and leaves, die cut the bloom and then adhered with foam tape.

Supplies:
Dare 2B Artzy Flowers for Mom stamp
Dare 2B Artzy Joyful Flowers Die
Bristol Cardstock
Pool envelop

Zigs:
202 Peach Pink
200 Sugared Almond
050 Yellow
052 Bright Yellow
031 Cobalt Blue
036 Light Blue

Dare2BArtzy Favorite Color Challenge  I love bright colors and I would have to say \”aqua\” blue is my favorite. Zig calls it Cobalt Blue and Light Blue. 

Thanks for joining us at Watercooler Wednesday!
Karen
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Tropical Pineapple Thank You Card

Karen Brown4 Comments
Hello and Welcome!  I came up with the idea for a CAS framed thank you card.  I love the pineapple form Sunny Studio Tropical Paradise and thought it would be cute in a tall skinny  stitched frame. I added the small flower, leaf and lemon wedge as a cluster.
I used Bristol card stock, colored with Zig Markers and cut with coordinating dies.  I die cut the sentiment to complete the card.  I added some white gel pen accents.  This card came together very quickly.  

I am entering this card in:  
Thanks for stopping by!
Karen
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Guest Designer for Craft Stamper Magazine

Karen Brown3 Comments
I am so pleased to have been selected to be the Guest Designer for Craft Stamper Magazine this month!  Hop over to their July \”Take It or Make It\” website for some inspiration or to enter your stamped creation.
Heat embossed seahorse
Since it is summer I went with a bold nautical card.  I won the Visible Images Create Your Own Calm stamp set in a card challenge and this is what I crafted.  The background is watercolored with three colors of blue/blue-green watercolor paints.  I wet the watercolor paper and then dropped in colors randomly and let them blend as they pleased.  I then white heat embossed the darling seahorse and rings.  I trimmed the panel down so that I would have a contrasting white strip when I mounted on a white A2 card.  I heat embossed the sentiment on vivid blue card stock and then trimmed it with a stitched die.  

I hope you like this card and that you will submit your creation to Craft Stamper Magazine\’s Take It Make It Challenge.

I am entering this card in:
The Rainbow \”Blue Breezes\” Challenge

Country View Blues and Greens Challenge
Help yourself to our buddy button


Thanks for stopping by!
Karen
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WWC217 – Michelle\’s Masculine "Anything Goes" Challenge

Karen Brown2 Comments

Hello and thank you for stopping by!  This week the theme for Watercooler Wednesday is Masculine \”Anything Goes\”.  Michelle is our hostess.

Once a quarter, I take a Copic class with Laura Griffin.  Recently, instead of coloring with Copics, we used Copic refills to make alcohol ink backgrounds.  I\’ve been playing with alcohol inks, but had never tried re-inkers.  Reinkers make a vibrant glossy creation!
For this card we layered on three different colors of Copic ink and used straws to move the ink around on the Yupo paper.  When we were satisfied with the result, we added a bit of gold.  Then we die-cut our sentiments (Papertrey \”Count My Blessings\”.  I used bold jewel tones that I thought would be suitable for sending to a man yet still fun and festive.
I am, entering this card in Simon Says Stamp Wednesday Mood Board Challenge
Karen 
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Create A Smile Guest Designer – Spring Citrus

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