The Cutting Cafe' and Corrosive Challenges

The Cutting Cafe' has a challenge going where we could download "Elisha Jean and Friends Holding a Balloon" and create a card for a chance at a great prize. Corrosive Challenges is "All About Kids" this week and so am I:) The girls were so cute I just had to do more than one! Mikala Ann is above and Ruby is below. Both cards were made with my new Fleur DeLis Rectangles from Spellbinders. I cut two and scored the top of the front one and attached with strong orange line tape. I printed my girls on white cardstock, cut out with a rectangle nestie and sponged blue while still in the die. I paper pieced the dress and balloon on each and colored the rest with my copics.

Aren't they just so cute? Perfect for my kids at SAS4Kids.

I am leaving shortly for the weekend to celebrate my grandson's 5th birthday! Birthday presents and cake and hugs and family- will be great!! See you back here Monday.

Stamping smiles, Karen

CAS-usal Fridays and Crafty Catz Challenges

The challenge this week at CAS-ual Fridays is to do a CAS card using a sticker or rub-on and at Crafty Catz they did not want any pink or blue. I purchased some beautiful Laser Cut Stickers by Mrs. Grossmans and just love how they look on a card. I placed the Halloween scene sticker on white cardstock and cut it out. That piece is attached to the left part of the gatefold card opening. I punched the large fence border from Martha Stewart in black and attached that to the right side of the gatefold card opening. I simply stamped the BOO (Fiskars stamp) on the fence in white ink and the CAS card is done.

Stamping smiles, Karen

What If? Wed. Sketch Challenge

The What If? Wednesday challenge at The House that Stamps Built is to create a card using the fun sketch below. I am loving the new Summer stamps Repeat Impressions just came out with and used their Lightning Bug Jar and Fireworks and Aglow with Good Times to create this card. And it is hard to see but the lightning bugs are aglow with Spica Pens accents and you can get those now at RI too. Sparkly fun for summer.

It's a fun sketch to play with so give it a try and then link it to our blog for a chance at a great prize. Please visit the blog for all the details and to see the other sketch cards designed by our design team.

I am entering this card in the Summer challenge at Little Miss Muffet Challenges.

Stamping smiles. Karen

Fun with Cherry Lynn Designs Diecuts!

I just love beautiful diecuts and when I saw this Cathedral Lace Frame diecut from Cherry Lynn Designs I just couldn't resist it! I always say my style is CAS with a twist or something fun or different thrown in. A couple gorgeous diecuts and some pearls is all you need to make this CAS but elegant card. In addition to the beautiful Cathedral Lace Frame I punched some butterflies from Martha Stewart and added a Spellbinders die with a Flourishes sentiment.

I used more Cherry Lynn Design diecuts on this scrapbook page of my grandson and me at the Milwaukee Public Museum. I diecut one beautiful Cherry Lynn Designs butterfly as the centerpiece and also diecut a mask and sprayed yellow Smooch Spritz for my journaling piece. I am teaching scrapbooking at our local JoAnn Fabric and Crafts in September and October and this page is illustrating journaling, color selection and page enhancements. I am also featuring diecuts and punches in my fall card class in September and October at Jo-Anns, so if you are local check them out.

The handsome little boy is my grandson Nate and he is turning 5 this weekend! Of course Grandma and Grandpa are going to help celebrate so we will have more fun pictures and memories to scrapbook after that:)

I am entering the card in the challenges at Shelley's Images for Anything Goes and at Totally Gorjus for Punches and Diecuts.

Stamping smiles, Karen

Repeat Impressions Stamp of the Week

The Stamp of the Week at Repeat Impressions this week is this cute little girl "Headin' Home". Isn't she just so sweet? I just love her little buns:) This stamp is available at 50% off this week with a discount code found at Repeat Impression's blog, The House that Stamps Built.

I stamped her on white and did some coloring and paper piecing. I cut out along the shape of the stairs and then cut the layers to frame in the same shape. The embossing folder is from Sizzix and the edge punch is Martha Stewart. I put a piece of yellow cardstock in the inside to show off the stars on the edge.

I am entering this card in the challenge at Craft Us Crazy for Anything Goes.

Stamping smiles, Karen

Mojo Monday 200 and Freshly Brewed Challenges

It is Mojo Monday's 200th sketch challenge and this is the great sketch they are featuring this week. At Freshly Brewed Challenges they want us to use an animal in our card. I chose this Zebra and Foal from Delicious Doodles- too cute. The sentiment is from TPC Studios and was cut out with a square nestie and then sponged while still in the die. I like to think a handmade card is like a hug you get through the mail.
The border punch is from Martha Stewart and I added a black checked ribbon to complete the card.

Stamping smiles, Karen

Enjoying Summer PCI Blog Hop!

Paper Creations Ink is sponsoring a Blog Hop this weekend and we are sharing our Enjoying Summer images by The Stamping Boutique in each of our cards. The Blog Hop runs from Saturday July 23rd at 12:01 a.m. to Sunday July 24th at 7 p.m. CST. Look what you can win!!

Here is what is included:
 1 - Double Sided Fiskars Texture Plate (Party/Whimsy)

1 - Double Sided Fiskars Texture Plate (Rain Drops/Snowflakes)

1 - Martha Stewart Crafts Clear Stamp Set (Dinner Party)

1 - K&Company Designer Mat Pad (24 Double Sided Sheets)

1 - Sampler Pack of Core'dinations Canvas Texture Cardstock (5 sheets ~ 4X6)

1 - Package of 10 Invitation cards and Envelopes by The Paper Company (White)

1 - Package of Journaling Sprouts by Jillibean Soup

1 - Package of Studio G Clear Stamps (Valentines - 5 total stamps)

1 - Red Attachments Cloth Pocket (Can be Added To Scrap Pages To Hold Notes or memorabilia!)

1 - Package of 2 Blue Sheer Pockets by Paper Pizazz

For a chance at all this candy, just visit each blog and leave a comment and a winner will be chosen by Mr. Random from the comments. Here are the blog links for this blog hop:

Paper Creations Ink http://papercreationsink.blogspot.com/
Aletha http://ajsdesigns.blogspot.com/
Karen http://karenskreativekards.blogspot.com/ (you are here)
Nel http://crealinedance.blogspot.com/
Melissa http://melissacreates10.blogspot.com/
Miranda http://mirandascardcreations.blogspot.com/
Pat http://ppearsonsplace.blogspot.com/
Sara http://creativeaddictionsbysara.blogspot.com/

For my card I used the really cute clothesline digital stamp designed by Tracey Malnofski at The Stamping Boutique. I printed it and cut out with my nesties. I love the flip flops image for summer so I focused on that and paper pieced the ones on the clothesline and added some matching diecut flip flops from Spellbinders on the sides. The sentiment was just printed on my computer and cut out.

So come hopping and leave comments on each site and you could win this awesome package of blog candy!

I am entering my card in the Summer challenge at Scrapalicious.

Stamping smiles, Karen

Hambo Hoedown and Clear it Out Tuesdays Challenges

The challenge this week at Hambo Hoedown is to create a monochromatic card with colors we don't normally use and to use their Mosquito digital stamp. And at Clear it Out Tuesdays it is Anything Goes (and use something you haven't used in awhile.) I won this fun Mosquito digital stamp from Hambo by participating in last week's challenge. If you have any Hambo stamps you can participate and then win the next week's stamp.

I used shades of grey for this card and that is not a color I ever reach for, so it definitely qualifies. And the dp the card is made with is very old and I found it while organizing and cleaning out some of my papers this week. The fun sentiments are from Repeat Impressions and Cornish Heritage. Another great boy's card for my Send a Smile 4 Kids box:)

Stamping smiles, Karen

Sweet Stamping and Totally Gorjus Challenges

The challenge this week at Sweet Stamping is One for the Boys and at Totally Gorjus it is All About Boys. I have been trying to make some more cards for my boys at SAS4Kids so these challenges are perfect for that. I won this awesome frame digital stamp from Delicious Doodles and it makes the card! I printed it on brown paper and cut it out. The deer is a stencil and I sponged him in brown ink on wood like paper. I attached to a black card and it was done. CAS but I love it.

Stamping smiles, Karen

Repeat Impressions DCC Glitter Challenge

It's a new Designer's Choice Challenge at The House that Stamps Built and this time Joy is challenging us to use Glitter in our cards. I love this glitter technique I learned recently and have used it over and over- but it doesn't photograph any way near as sparkly as it is in real life. I colored the Woodland Friends scene with my copics then I applied a piece of two sided adhesive sheet over the whole piece, removed the other piece of sticker sheet and covered the whole piece with very fine glitter. The background is a Sizzix embossing folder. CAS but lovely I think.

OK get out that glitter and join us for another fun DCC challenge at Repeat Impressions. You can win some great rubber! And you know you love going to work or church with glitter all over your face and body:) Please visit the blog for all the details and to see the other great glittery cards.

I am entering this card in the Anything Goes challenge at Bling it On.

Stamping smiles, Karen

PCI Christmas in July Challenge

It's Christmas in July at Paper Creations Ink and we are challenging you to make a Christmas card. It's a great time to get a head start on our holiday cards. Aletha J. Williams, one of the PCI Designers and an Ippity Chick is our sponsor for this challenge! You can visit her Get Hippity With Ippity Sales Blog anytime to see the latest and greatest from Ippity (which is a branch off of the Unity Company.) She is offering a very sweet holiday set of stamps as the prize for this challenge. Please visit the blog for all the details and to see some other fun holiday cards as well.

For my card I did a version of a stair step card but with a hidden message that pulls out from the back. The Find the Joy stamp is a Unity Itty Bitty stamp and I just love it. I used it on the front on the top level and used Martha Stewart punches on the other two levels. You pull out the little handle with a pearl (made with a nesties label die) and the message inside wishes you and yours JOY - as I do for you all year round:)

I am entering this card in the Christmas in July challenge at Fairy Knoll Challenges.

Stamping smiles, Karen

Repeat Impressions Stamp of the Week

The stamp of the week this week at Repeat Impressions is Damselfly Flight. It is available this week for 50% off with the discount code found at our blog, The House that Stamps Built. Isn't it delicate and just lovely? Please visit the blog for all the details and to see the other Rock Star's cards using this wonderful stamp.

I stamped and embossed the Damselfly with a blue sparkly embossing powder. I picked some fun dp and cut pieces and put them all together on a dark brown background. This was layered on a blue Core'dination piece with the edge punched with a ek success border punch and I added the bakers twine for the finishing touch.

I am entering this card in the "Anything you might see in the sky" challenge at Paper Cutz.

Stamping smiles, Karen

Critter Sketch "Happy Birthday for Me" Challenge

It's not my birthday but the challenge this week at Critter Sketch is to make and link a card that I would like to receive for my birthday. Our wonderful sponsor is Stamp and Create - please visit the blog for all the details and to see the other birthday cards by our design team.

I love butterflies and diecuts and pretty dp and making people smile- so I put this card together with me in mind:) The gorgus butterfly stamp and diecut are from Prickley Pear. I stamped it twice once on velum and once on orange cardstock and colored the velum one from the back with markers.  CAS (with a twist or something fun or different) is my style and I cut the dp in swirls and poked holes along the edge to make it fun.

I am entering this card in the "Wings and Things" challenge at Stampin for the Weekend.

Stamping smiles, Karen

Simon Says Stamp and Paper Shelter Challenges

The challenge this week at Simon Says Stamp is Anything Goes and at The Paper Shelter Challenge it is "For the Birds". I won four awesome digital stamps from Delicious Doodles and Lovey Dovey Silhouette is the first one I picked. Is it not gorgus?! So easy to make a CAS but lovely card with an image like this! I printed on white paper and added the Sizzix embossing to frame it. Rounded the corners, added some pearls and a simple sentiment from Flourishes and the card was done.

Stamping smiles, Karen

Hambo Hoedown and 4 Crafty Chicks Challenges

The challenge this week at 4 Crafty Chicks is to use black, turquoise, yellow and red (the SU versions of these colors) in our cards. And at Hambo Hoedown they want us to make gatefold cards featuring the digital Steamroller stamps. If you played in their challenge last week, you got Steamroller and his funny funny sentiment for free. I haven't had a chance to play lately, but when I saw this set I just had to have them, so I bought them. Next week's images I will get for free, though. Free stamps are always fun, especially Hambo stamps!

I thought of Tim Holtz's embossing folder when I saw the funny sentiment and used it on the left side of the gatefold card and on the steamroller part. Of course I paper pieced that part and the rest of the equipment and colored the operator with my copics. The sentiment was attached on the top to the left and on the bottom to the right of the center opening of the gatefold card.

Stamping smiles, Karen

SAS4Kids "For the Boys (Especially Teenage Boys)" Challenge

(For Michael's Birthday Blog Hop, please go here.)

It's time for another fun challenge at Send a Smile 4 Kids and this time we are challenging you to make and link a card for a boy, especially a teenage boy. We receive mostly cards for younger boys and girls and feminine cards for older girls, but the older boys need cheering up too when they are in the hospital especially on their birthday or a holiday. Our awesome sponsors have given us some really neat digis to work with and they are offering some great prizes too. Two random winners will win either 3 digital stamps of their choice from Kenny K or a $10 gift certificate to Glitterbabe's digital online store!

Our design team made some awesome cards with the digis- take a look at the blog or click on their names on the side of this blog.

I love the Skateboard Stan dude from Glitterbabe above! I paper pieced him, cut him out and raised him with mounting tape. The right triangle was made with alcohol inks and glossy paper and the left one with a Tim Holtz embossing folder.

This batter image is from Kenny K. I paper pieced his uniform and batting helmet and doodled around the edge of the circle cut with my nesties. The "happy.happy" sentiment is from TAC and the embossing folder from Cuttlebug.

So make a card for a boy and join us in this fun challenge. You have until August 5th at noon to enter. And don't forget about the blog candy contest ongoing at SAS4Kids- the picture and link is at the top of this blog.

I am entering these cards in the challenge at Woodware USA for paper piecing and at Kaboodle Doodles for "Use those Scissors."

Stamping smiles 4 our kids, Karen 

Happy Birthday Dear Michael Blog Hop!

(For my SAS4Kids new challenge post, please go here.)

Happy Birthday to PCI's Michael! The PCI Design Team is doing a bloghop to show Michael how much we appreciate him. Have you ever seen a blog hop for a guy? Well now you have:) Michael is a sweetheart and also a very talented blogger and computer whiz! Check out the amazing blog he and Sara have put together at Paper Creations Ink. Love those slide shows! I am also personally so grateful for all his help on my blog and the SAS4Kids blogs!

So to honor Michael on his birthday and view some fun birthday cards, hop around to these PCI team mate's birthday cards for Michael:

Melissa - http://melissacreates10.blogspot.com/
Miranda - http://mirandascardcreations.blogspot.com/
Pat - http://ppearsonsplace.blogspot.com/

I designed a gatefold card for Michael's birthday. The card opens up to show some more circles with fun blogger sayings from The Cutting Cafe'. He is Mr. Blogger and his (and Sara's) blog does inspire me so the sayings were perfect for his card.

Why don't you drop over to PCI and leave a comment wishing Michael a Happy Birthday?!

I am entering this card in the Anything Goes challenge at Bearly Mine.

Stamping and Birthday Smiles, Karen

Repeat Impressions Summer 9000 Blog Hop!

It’s time for a Fun Summer Blog Hop featuring the NEW Summer 9000 series of Repeat Impressions Stamps! Each of the Rock Stars below will have a NEW card posted for you to see using the NEW Summer 9000 stamps as well as a SECRET WORD for you to collect. After you collect all the words, you need to email Wendy at: wendy@repeatimpressions.com with all the words to be eligible for the blog candy. And if you can use all the words to create the correct phrase, then you will have earned TWO chances for the blog candy! Our readers must complete the hop and email Wendy at Repeat Impressions all the words and/or the phrase no later than 8 p.m. Eastern Time on Tuesday, July 19th. The blog candy for this hop... the whole unmounted sheet of the NEW Summer stamps of course! The winner will be announced on Wednesday July 20th on the RI blog, The House that Stamps Built.

My word is - you guessed it - NEW!

Here are the rest of the links in the Blog Hop:

Darsie ~ http://www.craftingwithdarsie.blogspot.com/
Dawn ~ http://dipndotscreations.blogspot.com/
Harriet ~ http://allycatcards.blogspot.com/
Joy ~ http://www.piecesofjoyhadden.blogspot.com/
Karen ~ http://karenskreativekards.blogspot.com/ (you are here)
Lynette ~ http://mystampingaddiction.blogspot.com/
Makiko ~ http://makinkstudio.blogspot.com/
Michele ~ http://whimsicalcreations.blogspot.com/
Miriam ~ http://miriamsdelirium.blogspot.com/
Robin ~ http://robins-rubber-room.blogspot.com/

For my card I used the Sand Castle and Happy Summer Stamps from the NEW 9000 Summer Series. Doesn't the Sand Castle just look so real? I stamped it in brown on white cardstock and sponged with blue ink inside a circle mask to frame it. I created corners with a Martha Stewart shells punch and stamped the Happy Summer sentiment on a flag piece I created with a few snips of my scissors.

Your summer would be even happier if you follow the blog hop, see the awesome cards and collect the words for a chance at all the fun new summer stamps! Happy summer blog hopping!!

I am entering this card in the Summer challenges at Dream Valley Challenges and Paper Playtime.

Stamping smiles, Karen

One Stitch at a Time and Stamping Scrapping Central Challenges

The challenge this week at One Stitch at a Time is Anything Goes and at Stamping Scrapping Central it is "Simple". This is a CAS card I made with pretty stamps by Fiskars and punches by ek success and Martha Stewart. I created the circular frame with a corner punch from ek success and then embossed it with the Cuttlebug Swiss Dots folder. I added a MS bird punch to the sentiment piece to complete the card.

Stamping smiles, Karen

What If? Wednesday at Repeat Impressions

Today is What If? Wednesday at Repeat Impression's blog, The House that Stamps Built, and we are challenging you to make a card using the fun sketch below. I used the Cheetah Extreme stamp as the focal point in my card and I just love that stamp! So perfect for guys cards! He was stamped in black on rust colored cardstock and cut out. The base of the card was made with Tim Holtz papers and I attached the black strips then embossed the whole card in one of Tim's embossing folders. Then I simply added the cheetah and pearls on black paper in the center.

This great sketch was the starting point of a card I am proud of. So check out the blog for more great samples of how to use the sketch and all the prize and contest details, then try one of your own.

I am entering this card in the challenge "Let's hear it for the boys" at A Gem of a Challenge.

Stamping smiles, Karen

Art Impressions and Craft Us Crazy Challenges

The challenge this week at Art Impressions is "Use Something from Your Stash" and at Craft Us Crazy it is "Christmas in July and/or Distressing". The stamps and paper are from my stash and I did distress the edges of the image after I cut it. I stamped the trees and snowflakes on a tan piece of cardstock and cut out the image with my nesties. Then I cut the pieces into a "puzzle", sponged to distress and then put back together. CAS but still a nice look.

Stamping smiles, Karen

Repeat Impressions Stamp of the Week

The Stamp of the Week this week at Repeat Impressions is this relaxing Hammock scene. Doesn't it make you just want to go lie in the hammock under those trees and just enjoy the summer peace? This stamp is 50% off this week with a special discount code found at RI's blog, The House that Stamps Built. Please visit the blog for this great deal and to see the cards the rest of the Rock Stars have created for your inspiration using this fun stamp.

I stamped the Hammock scene on white cardstock and cut out and embossed with my circle nestie. While still in the die, I sponged with a light brown distressing ink. I used green Flower Soft to give the trees life like dimension. I cut two strips of light green paper and embossed them with a Tim Holtz embossing folder. I also cut two strips of orange dp and wove them a little at their intersections and finished with some brown larger pearls.

I am entering this card in the challenge at Crafty Purple Frog for "Summer Fun."

Stamping smiles, Karen