WTSHTF Mermaid Cards

I have been having fun with the Mermaid from When the Scrap Hits the Fun and couldn't wait to show you the cards I designed. If you decide to click on the link above  to look at Marion's digis or go here for the Underwater CD of the whole series, you will have to be a little patient as Marion is on a well deserved vacation right now. But she will be back on August 16th and will take care of any orders that come in then.

If you know me, you know I am not a big fan of  coloring. So when I can print a pre-colored digi image like the one above, I am happy and so is the person who receives the card because it is colored just gorgeous! I cut her out and placed her on a peach card, then cut along her edge again showing the cute WTSHTF sentiment and some star fish I also printed and cut out. So easy but still a fun card.

For my second card, I started with the traditional digi (not already colored.) I paper pieced her botttom half and her starfish and colored the rest with copics. I raised her up with mounting tape and attached her to a card folded like I learned on a tutorial here. It was not hard to do and makes for a fun and unique card. The white piece on the inside of the card was punched with a bubbles border punch from ek success.

Here is another picture showing the fold from the inside and the sentiment also from WTSHTF:

I am entering these cards in the Mystical Creatures challenge at Di's Digi Designs and the Anything Goes challenge at Poodles Parlour.

Stamping smiles, Karen

Happy Birthday Nate!

I am on my way to celebrate my grandson's 6th birthday and am sharing his birthday card, a tea light cake and a scrapbook page with you today. Nate loves loves loves his super heroes so I put his face on a Captain America body and said Happy Birthday Super Nate in this cascading card. I am entering this card in the Cascading Card Challenge at Technique Tuesday  and if you click on the link, there is a tutorial there on how to make one. Here is another view of the card from the top:

I used a stars embossing folder from Cuttlebug and two border punches from Martha Stewart. I hope he likes his card. And here is a little birthday tea light cake I made with images of another favorite of his: Legos.

Here is a link on how to make a cake like this one. And one more thing to share with you- a scrapbook page with some fun pictures and quotes. (You should be able to click on the pictures to make them bigger if you want.)

I will be back on Tuesday with more cards after celebrating this weekend. Have a great weekend and Monday.

Stamping smiles, Karen 

Help Carrie Fight Cancer

I have found a new website and a new cause to tell you about. Scrapping Memories is hosting a raffle ticket sale to raise money to help a young single mother who is fighting cancer. Here is some information about Carrie and the raffle. (You can click on the link or on the blog badge on the side of my blog to purchase some tickets or check out this amazing website.)

Carrie has been diagnosed with lung cancer at the age of 34. She is a single mom of 2 wonderful boys.She is currently going through chemo. 100% of the money raised from this raffle will be donated to her to help with medical costs and family needs. Please find it in your heart to purchase our raffle tickets, which will give you all of the files we add to our site for an entire year and say a prayer for her too! Even if you do not scrapbook... it goes to a loving and wonderful woman!!!

I don't know a thing about SVG files or cutting machines, but I discovered an amazing selection of digital stamps at Scrapping Memories ALL 60% OFF! right now during their summer sale! What a deal! Of course I had to pick a Harry Potter image for my grandson and all my kids at SAS4Kids! 

For my card I simply printed the colored version of Harry and cut out. I cut the front of the card diagonally to show the wood grain dp on the inside of the card. I punched a star circle (Tonic) to complete this CAS card. 

I am entering this card in the Anything Goes challenges at Jackson Digital Expressions and  Simon Says Stamp. 

Stamping smiles, Karen 

The Stamping Boutique and Loves Rubber Stamps Challenges

Paper piecing is the theme at The Stamping Boutique and Loves Rubber Stamps challenges this week and since paper piecing is my favorite way to "color", I almost always have a card using that technique. This one happens to be from a stamp camp I did last spring and features a favorite stamp of mine from My Favorite Things. Isn't the little boy in the dino costume cute? And what does Rawr mean?

Awww...Can you tell I am a Grandma to a darling little boy? That is why I just had to get this stamp set:) I used my super thick No More Shims embossing pad to emboss only with a circle Nestabilities die. I stamped the image on a white circle and on patterned paper and paper pieced the costume. I doodled around the circle and added the rest of the stamps to finish this super cute card for a little boy.

Stamping smiles, Karen

Crackerbox Palace Thursday and More Blog Candy!

It's Crackerbox Palace Thursday and today I am sharing two cards I made with some fun popcorn stamps that are available from Crackerbox Palace.  You can win your choice of the stamps featured on the front of one of these cards by leaving a comment at either blog.  The simple requirements for a chance at winning this week’s blog candy are below.

But first- the winner of last week’s blog candy of the stamps featured on one of the sympathy cards last Thursday is………………Diane Ronge! Here is her winning comment from Karen’s blog:  “Karen, thank you for the nice ideas that you always come up with. I can always use new sympathy verses and ideas. Sorry to say that in my line of work we have people passing away all the time. Thank you.” Diane also left a comment on the CBP blog and doubled her odds of winning. You can leave one comment on each blog to get two chances at the weekly blog candy!

Diane, please send me or Crackerbox Palace your address and your choice of which stamps you want, so we can get you the stamps you have won.  And remember you can win another CBP stamp of your choice simply by posting a card you made with the stamps you won to your blog or Splitcoast Stampers gallery and sending us a link.

I made two poppin’ popcorn cards to share with you today. I love love popcorn- it really is my favorite snack! The first time I saw these stamps was in the Crackerbox Palace booth at the Saynor Stampede stamp show in May of this year. They had a make and take where they were teaching how to pop out the bowl of popcorn, but it was so popular, I couldn’t even get close to making one. I had used the technique on flowers, but never thought to use a stylus and pad to pop out a bowl or other object. I tried it and it was very easy. I paper pieced the bowl part, rolled the larger end of a stylus around the center of the bowl to pop it out and attached the sides with Scotch Quick Dry Adhesive which Vicky recommends. I stamped the “poppin’” sentiment three times and cut out just that part and attached along with some extra pieces of popcorn. Then I cut a little door and stamped the sentiment again. You open the door to reveal the Happy Birthday wishes.

My second card uses a sketch I had seen in a magazine design call and the same “poppin” technique I described above. I cut six inchies and attached them to the card with the funny sentiment below them. I stamped the popcorn bowl, colored the bowl part and cut out three squares from the bowl of popcorn. I used the stylus and pad to pop them up and attached with the glue on the edges. I stamped and cut out a couple extra pieces of popcorn and the YUM to complete the card.

So would you like to win the fun stamps featured on the front of one of today’s cards? Here is how to win our weekly blog candy:

 1.) We have decided that becoming a follower on both blogs is going to be something we would prefer you do but not a requirement.  My blog is here and the Crackerbox Palace blog is here. 

2.) Leave a comment on either my blog or the Crackerbox Palace blog on the Thursday blogpost featuring CBP stamps.  If you leave a comment on BOTH blogs, you will be entered twice in the drawing.   The deadline to leave a comment will be the following Wednesday at Noon CST. Mr. Random will pick a winner from the comments and he or she will win the featured stamp(s). You must send me (khasheck@gmail.com) or Crackerbox Palace (crackerbox@crackerboxstamps.com)  an email with your home address so the stamps can be mailed to you.  And if you post a card to your blog or to Splitcoast Stampers with the stamps you won and send a link to Crackerbox Palace, you will win another Crackerbox Palace stamp of your choice!!

I am entering these cards in the CAS challenge at Paper Pretties and the Food Inspired challenge at Crafty Sentiments. 

Crackerbox Palace smiles, Karen

What If? Wed. Sketch Challenge

It's time for another fun sketch challenge at The House that Stamps Built and we are challenging you to make a card using the sketch below and link it up for a chance at some great Repeat Impressions rubber! For all the details on what you can win and to see the other Rock Stars cards using this sketch, please visit our blog.

I flipped the sketch for my card and created a CAS card featuring Repeat Impression’s cool Harley and a perfect sentiment from the Boy’s Toys collection released this summer. I cut some pennants out of black and white dp and anchored them with red circles punched out of shiny paper. I snipped the corners of the focal piece before attaching to a black card.

Here is the sketch for you to follow when you create a card for our challenge.

I am entering this card in the challenge at Craft Your Passion for black and white and one other color.

Stamping smiles, Karen 

Crafting When We Can and Sweet Stampin" Challenges

Monochromatic is the theme of the challenges this week at Crafting When We Can and Sweet Stampin' this week. Lately I have been doing more monochromatic cards and loving the results. This is a card that would be perfect for a teenage boy especially one who likes to skateboard. The stamps are from a set called Freestyle Boarding from Raisin Boat. I started with some dp from Tim Holtz that had shade of grey on it. I stamped all the stamps twice except the Born to SK8, so there are shades of black and grey and a feeling of motion.

Stamping smiles, Karen

Repeat Impressions Stamp of the Week

The stamp of the week this week at Repeat Impressions is this fun Under The Sea image, and it is available this week only for 50% off with the discount code found at Repeat Impressions blog. What a deal! Please visit the blog for all the details and to see the other Rock Star's cards using this stamp.

For my card, I decided to try playing with my alcohol inks again which have been sadly neglected. They were something I just had to have, but rarely pull out. Part of the problem was I was never pleased with the results when I did. But I took a class recently that taught me to dab with them, not swirl and mix too much or the results are muddied. I like this background better although I still am not a whiz at it like some. I cut the glossy paper alcohol ink background into three pieces and separated them a little when I layered on a black card. I stamped the fun Under the Sea image in black Stazon ink and added the sentiment also from Repeat Impressions.

I am entering this card in the Anything Goes challenge at Fat Pages and Cards with Attitude.

Stamping smiles, Karen

Digi Doodles and Charisma Cardz Challenges

Anything Goes at Digi Doodles Shops Best this week and at Charisma Cardz they want us to feature our favorite animal on our cards. I like giraffes but my grandson loves giraffes because it is his Daddy's favorite. So when I saw this embossing folder that looks like giraffe spots from Darice, I just had to get it and make a cute giraffe card for Nate. I sponged the tan paper after embossing. The giraffe is an old stamp from TAC and after stamping him, I cut out, embossed and sponged while still in the oval nestie die. The sentiment was computer generated.

Stamping smiles, Karen

Animal Cards 4 Kids at SAS4Kids!

It's time for another new challenge at Send a Smile 4 Kids and our theme this time is Animal Cards 4 Kids. Any animal will do- just make a card for a child that includes some kind of animal and enter it in our challenge for a chance at two great sponsor prizes. Delicious Doodles and Stamping Dragon Designs are both awarding their random winners 4 digis of their choice! Just click on their names to check out all the wonderful choices at their websites! We will also be picking a Top Three who win a blog badge and the chance to join our design team for an upcoming challenge.

My first card features a super cute giraffe from Delicious Doodles. I printed him and cut him out- so sweet and easy! The border die is from Quic Kutz and I took three of the circles to highlight the sentiment from Verve.

My second card features a sweet mouse and his cheese from Stamping Dragon Designs. I love cheese (and am a proud cheesehead:) so couldn't resist this digital stamp. I printed him and paper pieced with a little coloring of the eyes and nose. The cheese on the bottom was created with a bubbles edge punch from ek success and a layer below that was sponged just slightly darker. The perfect sentiment is a digital stamp from Clear Dollar Stamps.

I am entering these cards in the Anything Goes challenges at Divas by Design and The Paper Shelter.

Stamping smiles 4 our kids, Karen

Let's Hear it For the Boy(s)

The challenge at The Sisterhood of Crafters this week is "Let's Hear it for the Boys" and I have a scrapbook page to share with you that features my favorite boy, my grandson. He is the light of my life and such a sweetie:) Archivers has a contest going where you create a 12  x 12 scrapbook page featuring ten of something so I picked the Top Ten Smiles by Nate that Lit up our Lives. The sun part is embossed with a Tim Holtz embossing folder and I used a rainbow and stars of patterned paper to complete the theme.

Here is a close up of sweet baby cheeks from a few years ago. Nate will be six in a little over a week so we have a birthday celebration to look forward to soon.

So if you are in the Appleton area, stop in Archivers any time from July 21-26 and vote for your favorite scrapbook page.

Scrapping smiles, Karen

Crackerbox Palace Thursday and Blog Candy!

It's Crackerbox Palace Thursday and today I am sharing two cards I made with some lovely sympathy stamps that are available from Crackerbox Palace.  You can win your choice of the stamps featured on the front of one of these cards by leaving a comment at either blog.  The simple requirements for a chance at winning this week’s blog candy are below.

But first- the winner of last week’s blog candy of the stamps featured on one of the frog cards last Thursday is………………Paleopal! Here is her winning comment from the Crackerbox Palace blog:

“I have loved the Crackerbox Palace frogs since I bought one of their frog and sayings stamp. I don't have either of these frog stamps or sayings. If I won it would be hard to pick since both cards are so cute! Well done!” 

Paleopal also left a comment on my blog and doubled her odds of winning. You can leave one comment on each blog to get two chances at the weekly blog candy! Ms. Paleopal, please send me or Crackerbox Palace your address and your choice of which stamps you want, so we can get you the stamps you have won.  And remember you can win another CBP stamp of your choice simply by posting a card you made with the stamps you won to your blog or Splitcoast Stampers gallery and sending us a link.

**Just a note about commenting- We cannot pick you to win if you comment anonymously. If Blogger is not letting you comment unless you choose that option, be sure to leave your complete name and an email address in the comment so we can contact you if Mr. Random picks your number. You can put your email address in the comment by writing out the dots and ats if you are concerned about that (example: khasheck at gmail dot com.) Even if you are not commenting anonymously, leaving an email address in the comment means we will be able to let you know you won if you do not contact us. If we do not hear from you and we can’t reach you through a blog, your prize will be forfeited. **

I made two sympathy cards to share today. Even though we all wish we would never need a sympathy card, we all do from time to time.  I like to have some special ones made in advance because I know that a hand stamped card means more to the recipients than one purchased at a store.  My first card was given to a special friend who recently lost an aunt whom she was very close to. I created a mask with an oval die by Quic Kutz, and I used the cut out piece on the inside of the card for a beautiful sentiment also by Crackerbox Palace. I sponged inside the masked area with a burnt orange ink, darker on the outside and lighter towards the middle. I removed the mask and stamped the dove and another beautiful sentiment from Crackerbox Palace.

My second card features the same technique but shades of brown and a mask made with a Nestabilities oval die. I added a few tiny gold stickers in the rounded edges to complete the CAS card.

So would you like to win the beautiful stamps featured on the front of one of today’s cards? Here is how to win our weekly blog candy:

 1.) We have decided that becoming a follower on both blogs is going to be something we would prefer you do but not a requirement.  My blog is here and the Crackerbox Palace blog is here. 

2.) Leave a comment on either my blog or the Crackerbox Palace blog on the Thursday blogpost featuring CBP stamps.  If you leave a comment on BOTH blogs, you will be entered twice in the drawing.   The deadline to leave a comment will be the following Wednesday at Noon CST. Mr. Random will pick a winner from the comments and he or she will win the featured stamp(s). You must send me (khasheck@gmail.com) or Crackerbox Palace (crackerbox@crackerboxstamps.com)  an email with your home address so the stamps can be mailed to you.  And if you post a card to your blog or to Splitcoast Stampers with the stamps you won and send a link to Crackerbox Palace, you will win another Crackerbox Palace stamp of your choice!!

I am entering these cards in the challenges at Lexi’sCreations (For a Friend and the first card was for a dear friend) and LEJDesigns Anything Goes.

Crackerbox Palace smiles, Karen

DCC Challenge at Repeat Impressions

It’s another Designer’s Choice Challenge at The House that Stamps Built, Repeat Impression’s blog. It’s Maki’s turn and she is challenging us to make a card with the Outdoors or Wildlife as its theme. Please visit the blog for all the details and to see the other Rock Star's cards for this DCC challenge. 

For my card, I stamped the loon stamp on white paper and then masked him and the moon. I tore some paper and created the line between the night sky and the water and brayered on shades of blue and oranges and browns. I stamped the loon again on acetate and brayered on the reflection. Then I stamped the sentiment and layered on a black card.

I am entering this card in the Anything Goes challenge at That Craft Place.

If you are in a bookstore or stamping store that carries Scrap and Stamp Arts magazine, check out pages 50-51 of this issue (September 2012). I had an article with some samples accepted and it should be on shelves right now:)

Stamping smiles, Karen 

Robyn's Fetish and Amusing Challenges

Christmas in July is the theme at Robyn's Fetish and Amusing Challenges and I have been in mood to make holiday cards so I won't have to push myself later this year. I fell in love with this Dasher stamp after seeing so many lovely cards made with him on Pinterest and Splitcoast and now - thanks to my buddy and team mate Christy, I have my very own Dasher to play with any time I want:) I really like silhouette stamps- I like the look and that I don't have to color them... For this CAS card, I created masks across the top and bottom and a circular one, then sponged the blue ink. After removing the masks, I simply stamped Dasher, the swirly snow and the sentiment. Of course Dasher is a retired SU stamp, the snowy swirl is from Anticipations and the sentiment is an old stamp from Annette Watkins.

Stamping smiles, Karen

Paper Crafting Journey and Digi Doodles Shops Best Challenges

 It's Summertime at Paper Crafting Journey and Digi Doodles Shops Best challenges this week and it certainly is in Wisconsin too. Hot and dry and humid- thank goodness for air conditioning! I made this card with a fun set from Raisin Boat. Cool water and splashing makes me think of summertime and swimming. I stamped the variety of cool stamps in shades of blue on white, cut out, distressed the edges and arranged on a square navy card.

Stamping smiles, Karen

Card Makin' Mamas and Frosted Designs Challenges

Rubber stamping is the challenge at Card Makin' Mamas and Frosted Designs Fabulous Fridays challenges this week. Well, that is no challenge for me...my first love is stamping with rubber stamps! I am OK with digital but have to be honest in saying I love me my rubber stamps. And especially when I win them or earn them by being published with a special company's stamps like these stamps. I love Kitchen Sink Stamps because they are a series of layered stamps that result in the image looking like the card maker is a very talented artist. I am NOT and am the first to admit it. But I can make a card like this one with Kitchen Sink Stamps! The Texas bluebonnets and butterfly are part of a set I won from Kitchen Sink Stamps when I was published with their stamps. I used several shades of blue and some yellow on the flower; orange, yellow and black on the butterfly; and several shades of green on the leaves. I cut out the image with a new oval die from Quic Kutz and layered it on a pretty patterned paper card stock card. The sentiment is also from Kitchen Sink Stamps.

Stamping smiles, Karen

Christmas is for Kids!

Today is the start of a week long Christmas in July celebration at Bugaboo's challenge blog, Catch the Bug and their theme today is "Christmas is for Kids!" So true! Making a child's face light up with a special gift or card or love is the best part of the holidays! SAS4Kids is grateful to Bugaboo and their design team at the challenge blog for encouraging their participants in this challenge to send in their cards to SAS4Kids to cheer a child who is inpatient over the holidays.

Bugaboo is sponsoring our current challenge at Send a Smile 4 Kids which is called Christmas in July too. So you can create a holiday card that is appropriate for a child and enter it it BOTH challenges for double the chances at winning some great prizes!

I used Bugaboo's Deacon Candy Cane to make this fun holiday card for one of our kids. I cut a white card the normal A2 size, then used the large Martha Stewart snowflake border to punch both layers on the side of the card. I created a mask and sponged green leaving a spot for the sentiment which I stamped in red. I stamped Deacon on white, colored with copics and paper pieced his hat. I cut him out and attached with mounting tape to raise.

I am entering this card in the challenge at Catch the Bug and also at the Christmas in July challenge at Crafty Sentiments Design.

Stamping smiles 4 our kids, Karen

Stamp n Plus and Aud Sentiments Challenges

Anything Goes at the new challenge blog Stamp N Plus and at Aud Sentiments we are to share a Friend card. I just received some new stamps from Raisin Boat and had to play with them right away and make a card. I love the Swedish proverb about friends in the Stunning Silhouettes set and cat tails have always been a favorite of mine too. I started with a light yellow card piece, masked the moon and sponged on oranges randomly. I stamped the weeds (also Raisin Boat) and cat tails to create a peaceful scene, layered on black and orange and the card was complete.

Stamping smiles, Karen

Crackerbox Palace Thursday and Blog Candy!!

It's another Crackerbox Palace Thursday and today I am sharing two cards I made with some funny frog stamps that are available from Crackerbox Palace.  You can win your choice of the stamps featured on the front of one of these cards by leaving a comment at either blog.  The simple requirements for a chance at winning this week’s blog candy are below.

 But first- the winner of last week’s blog candy of the stamps featured on one of the summer cards  last Thursday  is………………Margy! Here is her winning comment from the Crackerbox Palace blog: “ Love the grill baby grill punny background - and the great grill image!” Margy also left a comment on my blog and doubled her odds of winning. You can leave one comment on each blog to get two chances at the weekly blog candy!

Margy, please send me or Crackerbox Palace your address and your choice of which stamps you want, so we can get you the stamps you have won.  And remember you can win another CBP stamp of your choice simply by posting a card you made with the stamps you won to your blog or Splitcoast Stampers gallery and sending us a link.

I made two cards to share today- and I am showing you the fronts and the insides of each card, because CBP has so many great sentiment stamps to go with their images, it is easy to add a perfect sentiment to the insides of your cards! The funny frogs on my first card look like they are having a great time. I stamped on green, did a little coloring and cut out with a scalloped Nestabilities die. The kraft card has the front folded back in half and embossed with big dots from Cuttlebug. The frog parking sign was stamped and cut out from the same rust card stock used for the inside piece where I stamped “Hoppy Birthday.”

My second card is a humorous get well card. As it says on the inside: “Laughter is the Best Medicine”, and I really believe that. Of course you have to pick the right person to send it to. I paper pieced the sick frog and created a pierced border with my scor-bug and thin black marker. I started again with a kraft card and added some dark red cardstock to one side. I like the color combo of kraft, red and light blue and used the light blue for the border (ek success) and the sentiment oval.

So would you like to win the fun stamps featured on the front of one of today’s cards? Here is how to win our weekly blog candy:

 1.) We have decided that becoming a follower on both blogs is going to be something we would prefer you do but not a requirement.  My blog is here and the Crackerbox Palace blog is here. 

2.) Leave a comment on either my blog or the Crackerbox Palace blog on the Thursday blogpost featuring CBP stamps.  If you leave a comment on BOTH blogs, you will be entered twice in the drawing.   The deadline to leave a comment will be the following Wednesday at Noon CST. Mr. Random will pick a winner from the comments and he or she will win the featured stamp(s). You must send me (khasheck@gmail.com) or Crackerbox Palace (crackerbox@crackerboxstamps.com)  an email with your home address so the stamps can be mailed to you.  And if you post a card to your blog or to Splitcoast Stampers with the stamps you won and send a link to Crackerbox Palace, you will win another Crackerbox Palace stamp of your choice!!

I am entering these cards in the challenges at Tammy's Scrappin' Corner for Anything Goes and Truly Madly Craft Challenges to use Animals in our cards. 

Crackerbox Palace smiles ,  Karen

What if? Wed. Sketch Challenge

It's time for another fun sketch challenge at The House that Stamps Built and we are challenging you to make a card using the sketch below and link it up for a chance at some great Repeat Impressions rubber! For all the details on what you can win and to see the other Rock Stars cards using this sketch, please visit our blog.

This card makes me smile and I hope it does the same for you and the person who receives it. I had not yet inked up this cute Mouse and Cheese stamp from Repeat Impressions and I had fun making him the center piece of this CAS cheese card. I love cheese, am from Wisconsin and my Grandfather made his living making cheese, so this punched background and stamp was perfect for me. I stamped and colored the mouse and paper pieced the cheese. Then I cut, embossed and sponged the mouse piece with a small nestie circle. The “cheese” background was created with a “Bubbles” border (ek success) punched three times and attached to a piece of cardstock sponged slightly darker than the top piece. I rounded the corners and added a piece of decorative black tape to finish the sketch. The circular sentiment is perfect for the mouse popping up and is from Repeat Impressions (of course.)

I am entering this card in the Anything Goes challenge at That Craft Place.

Stamping smiles, Karen

When the Scrap Hits the Fun!

Have I shared with you lately what a wonderful blessing stamping and blogging can be? Just by blogging and following other talented bloggers and stampers, we can become friends with them even if they live halfway around the world! I have been an admirer of Marion Fal of When the Scrap Hits the Fun for quite awhile now, and have  grabbed up many of the freebies she offers. She is a generous and talented artist who lives in Greece and she has wonderful designs for kids and adults and many imaginative sentiments too. Last week, Marion asked me to help her promote her digital stamps by designing and sharing cards with you on my blog. What fun! All her digital stamps are available here and check out her paper piecing files too!

My first card for WTSHTF features "Cake Bear 2" who is beary sweet:) I started with a sidestep card (tutorial here if you have not made one yet.) I embossed and sponged the card. I paper pieced just about all the pieces of the sweet bear and her cake, with a little coloring using gel pens. I like pink and yellow together especially for girl's cards, so I printed the sentiment on pink paper and colored the cake with copics and gel pens.

I am entering this card in the paper piecing challenge at Sweet Stampin', and the Anything Goes challenge at Catch the Bug.

Stamping smiles, Karen

Repeat Impressions Stamp of the Week

The stamp of the week this week at Repeat Impressions is this lovely Dragonfly Deco stamp, and it is available this week only for 50% off with the discount code found at Repeat Impressions blog. What a deal! Please visit the blog for all the details and to see the other Rock Star's cards using this stamp.

For my card, I started with a square 4 ¼” card made of kraft cardstock. I folded the card to open in the middle of the front and rounded the top edges. I cut an oval opening with a die and through that opening you can see the dragonfly on the inside. I stamped the dragonfly and paper pieced his wings in sparkly pink and green paper. The bottom piece was made with a Martha Stewart butterfly border punch and a perfect sentiment (from Repeat Impressions, of course.)

I am entering this card in the challenge at Cute Card Thursday.

Stamping smiles, Karen

CAS-ual Fridays and Shelly's Images Challenges

The challenge this week at both CAS-ual Fridays and Shelly's Images is to use text in our cards. This is another of the cards I made with the new Color Me Toppers from Paper Wishes. I love the text background. The flowers and sentiment part was paper pieced and I added some gems to complete the card.

Stamping smiles, Karen

SAS4Kids Christmas in July Challenge!

It's time for our first annual Christmas in July challenge and celebration at Send a Smile 4 Kids! It's hot, hot, hot out there, so stay inside (hopefully in air conditioning) and make a holiday card for a child and get a start on your own holiday cards too. We decided to join in on the Christmas in July trend as a way to encourage anyone who would like to donate some holiday cards to SAS4Kids to get started early so that all of our kids in the seven children's hospitals we now serve will get a holiday card and maybe even be able to pick some for their family and medical staff too. You can send them in anytime, but our deadline is December 1st so that we have time to mail or deliver them to the hospitals. Of course, you do not have to donate your card to join in our challenges and you can still win one of our sponsor prizes whether you donate or not.

We are celebrating all the way through the next week, because from July 14-21, we are joining in Bugaboo's Christmas in July celebration and they are hosting a card drive for SAS4Kids as part of their celebration! So if you enter your kids holiday card in their challenge too, you are eligible to win prizes there as well! Check out all the fun at the Bugaboo challenge blog here. 

We have two generous sponsors for our Christmas in July challenge - Bugaboo, of course, and their prize is 7 digital stamps of the winner's choice! Our other sponsor is Crafty Sentiments Designs and their prize is 3 digis of the winner's choice!

My first card above features a darling Harry Potter Magical Christmas digital stamp from Bugaboo. My grandson and his Mom love anything Harry Potter, so I couldn't resist this digi from Bugaboo. I paper pieced everything after embossing the red card and yellow top with a wavy star embossing folder from Sizzix.

My second card features a sweet snowman with a gift from Crafty Sentiments Design. I paper pieced his mittens, scarf and present and added some glitter on the snow. The sentiment is from CTMH and the present border punch is by Martha Stewart. This card is made with a fun fold called Double Dutch Fold and here is a link to a tutorial on how to do it. Here is another picture that shows how the top folds up and the bottom part opens.

I am entering these cards in the Anything Goes challenge at Whimsy Inspiration and the embossing challenge at Papercraft Star.

Stamping smiles 4 our kids, Karen

Ladybug's Crafts Ink and Sassy Cheryl's Challenges

Does this card help to cool you down? Or at least make you feel a little peaceful? I am in the mood to make holiday cards for some reason- stay in my nice cool house and make cards:) The challenge this week at Ladybug Crafts Ink Challenge is Christmas in July and Anything Goes at Sassy Cheryl's, so I am entering this card I just made in those challenges.

I borrowed the Dasher stamp by Stampin' up from a friend, but I sure wish it was still available from SU. I have seen so many cool cards made with him and I really want him for my own...I did a little masking and sponging to make this card and I love how it turned out. (Sorry- I didn't write down the other stamp credits.)

Stamping  smiles, Karen

Crackerbox Palace Thursday and Blog Candy!

It's Crackerbox Palace Thursday and today I am sharing two cards I made with some more fun summer time stamps that are available from Crackerbox Palace.  You can win your choice of the stamps featured on the front of one of these cards by leaving a comment at either blog.  The simple requirements for a chance at winning this week’s blog candy are below.

 But first- the winner of last week’s blog candy of the stamps featured on one of the summer cards  last Thursday  is………………#2 Marla of Moments by Marla! Here is her winning comment: Karen, your cards are fabulous!!! I especially love your "Life is a Picnic" card!! Love the red plaid border punch you used as it really gave it the perfect picnic feel. Love all of the stamps used to make both cards!! The stamps from Crackerbox Palace Rubber Stamps are so much fun and oh how I would love to add them to my rubber stamp collection!!!

Marla, please send me or Crackerbox Palace your address and your choice of which stamps you want, so we can get you the stamps you have won.  And remember you can win another CBP stamp of your choice simply by posting a card you made with the stamps you won to your blog or Splitcoast Stampers gallery and sending us a link.

I made two cards to share today- the first features a Weber grill (red like we used to have before our gas grill) and the sentiment “Grill, Baby Grill”. I paper pieced the red grill and used Versamark ink to stamp the sentiment repeatedly on the kraft paper.

My second card is a BBQ invite using many of Crackerbox Palace’s fun summer stamps. The ketchup bottle and sentiment is perfect for an invitation or card. The front of this card made of two sided dp was cut at an angle and attached at the side. The inside piece slides in and out and I used the BBQ invite, the Kabob, and the Grill Sargent and King of the Grill stamps to create a fun invitation at Vicky’s house.

So would you like to win the fun stamps featured on the front of one of today’s cards? Here is how to win our weekly blog candy:

 1.) We have decided that becoming a follower on both blogs is going to be something we would prefer you do but not a requirement.  My blog is here and the Crackerbox Palace blog is here. 

2.) Leave a comment on either my blog or the Crackerbox Palace blog on the Thursday blogpost featuring CBP stamps.  If you leave a comment on BOTH blogs, you will be entered twice in the drawing.   The deadline to leave a comment will be the following Wednesday at Noon CST. Mr. Random will pick a winner from the comments and he or she will win the featured stamp(s). You must send me (khasheck@gmail.com) or Crackerbox Palace (crackerbox@crackerboxstamps.com)  an email with your home address so the stamps can be mailed to you.  And if you post a card to your blog or to Splitcoast Stampers with the stamps you won and send a link to Crackerbox Palace, you will win another Crackerbox Palace stamp of your choice!!

I am entering these cards in the challenges at Tuesday Throwdown for Summertime cards and the Anything Goes challenge at Paper Take Weekly. 

Crackerbox Palace smiles ,  Karen

Repeat Impressions Designer Choice Challenge

It’s another Designer’s Choice Challenge at The House that Stamps Built, Repeat Impression’s blog. It’s Lynette’s turn and she is challenging us - and you!- to make a card using purples and greens. Lately that has become one of my favorite color combinations. Please visit the blog for all the details and to see the other Rock Star's cards for this DCC challenge. 

For my card, I used markers directly on the beautiful Peacock stamp to make the peacock purple and the rest brown. I then colored the leaves green. I did a little coloring with gel pens to highlight some of the feathers.  I cut out the framed stamp, then layered on green cardstock and cut another frame. The lighter purple piece was embossed and border punched.

Stamping smiles, Karen