Crackerbox Palace Thursday Sympathy Cards

It's Crackerbox Palace Thursday and today I am sharing two cards I made with Crackerbox Palace sympathy sentiment stamps and die cuts. You can win your choice of the stamps featured on one of these cards by leaving a comment at either blog. The simple requirements for a chance at winning are below and now you have even more choices of what you can win!

But first- the winner of last Thursday’s blog candy is                                                     Leanne! Here is her winning comment from my blog: “Really love Vicky's card.”

Leanne, please email me or Crackerbox Palace your address and your choice of which stamps you want (see your options below), so we can get you the stamps you have won.

The first card I am sharing today is my favorite card I have designed lately. It features a  beautiful sympathy sentiment that is perfect for saying just the right thing after a loss. The feather die cut is from QuicKutz and after cutting out the feather, I embossed it with a Sizzix embossing folder. I attached a Clear View Transparency (from the Mark-it Place) behind the feather opening. The feather under the sentiment is another beautiful stamp from Crackerbox Palace which I stamped on patterned paper and cut out. I was inspired to make this card by this card I found on Pinterest. 

My second card features another perfect sympathy sentiment, this time embossed in white over a background made with alcohol inks on glossy paper. The park bench die is from Memory Box and I added a punched heart to symbolize the love that remains in our hearts for the departed.

So would you like to win the stamps featured on one of today’s cards or your choice of another CBP stamp? Here is how to win our weekly blog candy:

Vicky or Karen will post a card or two every Thursday on both blogs. All you need to do is to leave a comment on either blog and if you leave a comment on both blogs you will have a double chance to win. We hope you also want to 'follow' the blogs. The following Wednesday a name will be picked at random and the winner will receive:

The featured stamps that we used in one of the cards that were posted,
OR you can pick out a stamp that is worth up to $10.00 and email us your choice
OR Vicky will email you a coupon code so you can go shopping at Crackerbox Palace store for your choice of the stamp(s) you would like with a $10.00 coupon.

For a Bonus: if you use the blog candy stamps and post it on your blog, Splitcoast or somewhere else you will be able to choose another free stamp. So make sure you check out one of our blogs on Thursday! The winner will have 2 weeks to contact Karen or Vicky.

I am entering these cards in the Anything Goes challenges at Through the Craftroom Door and Party Time Tuesday. 

Crackerbox Palace smiles, Karen

Designer's Choice Challenge at Repeat Impressions

It’s another Designer’s Choice Challenge at The House that Stamps Built, Repeat Impression’s blog. It’s Cheri’s turn and she is challenging us to use the colors black, white and red on our cards.  After you make your card, you can enter it for a chance to win some awesome Repeat Impressions rubber! Please visit the blog for all the details and to see the other Rock Star's cards for this DCC challenge. 

The minute I saw this week’s challenge and this week’s Stamp of the Week, I knew I wanted to pair them up with this sweet panda opening a present. They fit perfectly and you can get the lovely sentiment for 50% off all week- visit the blog to find out how! The color combo is one of my favorites and it was perfect for this CAS card.

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

Stamping smiles, Karen

Tammy's Scrapin Corner and Whoopsi Daisy Challenges

At Whoopsi Daisy Challenges they want us to Add a Sentiment to our cards this week, and at  Tammy's Scrapin Corner, they want to see paper piecing on our cards. I paper piece all the time and almost always include a sentiment on my cards. It answers the question- what am I trying to say with this card? Hambo Stamps has funny sentiments to go with their great stamps and that is why I love Hambo Stamps. Isn't this otter cute? I paper pieced him in grey and stamped the sentiment before "stitching" around the edge with my scor-bug and a blue marker. The card is a joy fold and this is what the inside looks like:

Another fun Hambo image and lol Hambo sentiment... Hope it puts a smile on your face:)

Stamping smiles, Karen

Challenges 4 Everybody and Totally Gorgus Challenges

Anything Goes this week at Challenges 4 Everybody and "Happy" is the theme at Totally Gorjuss. The sentiment on this card is a happy one and butterflies always make me happy. I found an inexpensive stencil at Hobby Lobby and used my "No More Shims" thick embossing pad to emboss it in my Big Shot. Then I sponged with pink distress ink and added the happy sentiment and some punched out butterflies to complete this CAS card.

Stamping smiles, Karen

Hambo Hoedown and Sweet n Sassy Digi Challenges

Using Warts or Bumps on our cards with a Hambo image is the challenge this week at Hambo Hoedown and at Sweet n Sassy Digis, they want to our card to be "For a Child" using a digital stamp. If you follow me at all, you know I am always making cards for my kids at SAS4Kids, and this week I received this super sweet free digital stamp called Frog Boy from Hambo because I participated in their challenge last week. Every week you enter their challenge and send a picture of your card, you receive the free digital stamp set for the next week's challenge. What a deal!

I used three embossing folders to make this card as well as some textured cardstock for the green. The card is 3 3/4" wide and the sentiment (one of three that comes with Frog Boy), sticks out from the edge of the card.

Stamping smiles, Karen

Crafting by Designs and Penny's Paper-Crafty Challenges

Anything Goes at Crafting by Designs and Penny's Paper-Crafty this week and I am sharing a card that cracks me up and we could use a smile after all the snow and cold we continue to have in Wisconsin. This Clear View Transparency was part of an Easter set I bought from The Mark-It Place and it can't help but bring a smile to anyone who sees it. I embossed a white piece with a Tim Holtz embossing folder and sponged yellow on it before layering it on black and then a yellow card.

Stamping smiles, Karen

Crackerbox Palace Thursday and yes you can win blog candy:)

It’s another Crackerbox Palace Thursday and I am sharing two fun cards featuring Crackerbox Palace stamps. The first one is by Vicky, the owner of Crackerbox Palace and is a cute tri-fold card to send someone get well wishes. For some more pictures and what CBP stamps she used, please visit the CBP blog here.

The second card is a special treat as we are sharing a card by Trena featuring CBP’s Coffee Helen. For more great cards by Trena, please visit her blog here.

Mr. Random has chosen and the winner of last Thursday’s blog candy is                                             Karen Schroeder!  Here is her winning comment:  “Like the chalkboard look!  Thanks for sharing the technique!  Crackerbox Palace has great sayings stamps!”

Karen, please send me or Vicky your address and your choice of which stamps you want (see your options below), so we can get you the stamps you have won.

So would you like to win the stamps featured on one of today’s cards or your choice of another CBP stamp? Here is how to win our weekly blog candy: 

Vicky or Karen will post a card or two every Thursday on both blogs. All you need to do is to leave a comment on either blog and if you leave a comment on both blogs you will have a double chance to win. We hope you also want to 'follow' the blogs. The following Wednesday a name will be picked at random and the winner will receive:

The featured stamps that we used in one of the cards that were posted,
OR you can pick out a stamp that is worth up to $10.00 and email us your choice
OR Vicky will email you a coupon code so you can go shopping at Crackerbox Palace store for your choice of the stamp(s) you would like with a $10.00 coupon.

For a Bonus: if you use the blog candy stamps and post it on your blog, Splitcoast or somewhere else you will be able to choose another free stamp. So make sure you check out one of our blogs on Thursday! The winner will have 2 weeks to contact Karen or Vicky.

So leave us a comment for a chance to win and come back and see us again next week!

Crackerbox Palace smiles, Karen

What If? Wed. Sketch Challenge at Repeat Impressions

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.

For my card, I used the cute Baby stamp and the perfect RI sentiment to go with it to make a baby boy card. I embossed the two blues in the background with an embossing folder from Sizzix, paper pieced his pjs and added some blue buttons for the final touch. 

Here is the sketch for you to follow when you create a card for our challenge. You do not need to use Repeat Impressions stamps to enter our challenges, but you get an extra chance to win if you do!

Stamping smiles, Karen 

Raisin Boat and Challenges 4 Everybody

Is it time for Spring yet? I sure am ready and at Raisin Boat Challenges they are encouraging Spring too by wanting us to use flowers in our cards. At Challenges 4 Everybody the theme is Anything Goes, so I am sharing this Easter/Spring card I made with floral diecuts and a Clear View Transparency from The Mark-it Place. I am loving the Spring colors of the chicks and I punched a couple butterflies out of the cut off part of the transparency too. I think one of my kids at Send A Smile 4 Kids will like receiving this Easter card- atleast I hope so.

Stamping smiles, Karen

Repeat Impressions Stamp of the Week

The stamp of the week this week at Repeat Impressions is this sweet Cat Features, 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 stamped the Cat Features in the middle of a white square and added the perfect sentiment (also from Repeat Impressions of course). I taped three colored squares together and used a Spellbinders star die to cut the star opening. (Of course I originally saw something similar on Pinterest and saved it for casing someday.) Then I layered that piece on a blue square card and the CAS card was complete.

I am entering this card in the “Dies and Punches” challenge at A Gem of a Challenge and the Anything Goes challenge at Tuesday Throwdown.

Stamping smiles, Karen

Hambo Hoedown and QKR Stampede Challenges

The challenge this week at the Hambo Hoedown is to create a CAS card with Hambo stamps, and Anything Goes at QKR Stampede. I love CAS cards and am a big fan of Hambo stamps as well- both "real" and digital, so I had fun designing this card. The best part is the chuckle the person who gets the card will get when they open the card:

"With friends like you, who needs anemones?" Isn't that funny? And I love how the card opens in the center to reveal another set of circles underneath the orange one on the top. Fun sketch I am sure I found on Pinterest somewhere. And as it typical of my CAS cards, I embossed the whole thing with any embossing folder- this one by Lifestyle Crafts.

Did you know if you enter Hambo's challenges and email them a pix of your card, you get a free digital stamp for the next challenge? And if you get published with Hambo stamps, they reward you handsomely?! That is how I received these stamps for free! Even if you do not have any any Hambo stamps yet, they have freebies to participate in their challenges with.

Stamping smiles, Karen

CAS Cards for Kids at SAS4Kids

It’s Saturday and time for another fun challenge at Send a Smile 4 Kids! This time our challenge is CAS Cards 4 Kids. I love CAS (Clean and Simple) cards and so do our kids! There are many ways to define CAS- and you can use your interpretation… but to me, CAS means not super complicated or tons of layers or embellishments. But it does not mean lack of caring or throw a few stickers on a card and call it done. You do not have to donate your card(s) after you enter our challenge, but our kids would sure love it if you did. And remember we are a card only challenge- cuz that is what we are all about- cards for our kids!

We have three very generous sponsors this week: Doodle Pantry is giving their winner 3 digis of their choice! And Fred She Said is giving their randomly picked winner a $10 Gift Certificate! Heather Ellis's winner will receive 3 digis of their choice!  TEAM S.A.S will also be choosing their favorite cards for our top three and the winners will receive a blog badge and an opportunity to be a guest design team member on a future challenge.

My first card above features a snow-boarding birdie and sentiment from Doodle Pantry. I simply printed the colored version, cut out and attached to a card with a fun embossed background. 

My second card is a Valentine with an embossed background and a sweet boy from Heather Ellis. I paper pieced with various papers and then just attached.

My third card is another CAS design with more embossing, a couple diecuts and a colored image of Nolan with his frog from Fred She Said. I think any young boy would love this card and it only took me a few minutes to make. 

I am entering these cards in the following challenges: Craft Us Crazy- show us your favorites which are CAS cards using embossing folders and diecuts (the third card); MilkCoffee Challenge to "Make it Cute" (the first card); and the "My Heart is for You" challenge at My Heart Pieces Challenge (the second card.)

Stamping smiles for our kids, Karen 

The Paper Shelter and Crafty Sentiments Challenges

Valentines is the theme at The Paper Shelter and Crafty Sentiments this week and so I am sharing the Valentine I made for my dear friends this year. The picture of the sweet monkeys puts a smile on my face and I hope it did for my friends too. It is a Clear View Transparency from The Mark-it Place and I cut it out with a nesties die and layered it on a slightly larger white piece and added some red pearls. I cut the left edge with a new die from Impression Obsession and added the perfect sentiment from Printworks.

Stamping smiles, Karen

Crackerbox Palace and More Chances to Win!

It's Crackerbox Palace Thursday and I am sharing two cards I made with awesome Crackerbox Palace sentiment stamps and the trendy “Chalkboard Technique” that I learned how to do here. You can win your choice of the stamps featured on one of these cards by leaving a comment at either blog. The simple requirements for a chance at winning are below and now you have even more choices of what you can win!

But first- the winner of last Thursday’s blog candy is                                                     Jan Scholl!   Here is her winning comment from my blog: “I found Crackerbox Palace after seeing the ad in RSM. Looking forward to lots of fun ideas.”

Jan, please email me or Crackerbox Palace your address and your choice of which stamps you want (see your options below), so we can get you the stamps you have won.

To do the Chalkboard Technique, you start with a piece of black cardstock and emboss with white embossing powder the sentiments or stamps you want to feature. I dry embossed the snowman with an embossing folder by Tim Holtz for Sizzix, then stamped and embossed the winter sentiments with white embossing powder. I added some snowflakes with white craft ink and punches and then sponged more white craft ink on to look like chalkboard smudges. Then I drew a border with a white colored pencil and layered onto a blue card. 

My second card features two more special sentiment stamps from Crackerbox Palace, some red and black washi tape and the same technique described above. I repeated the “Live out Loud” stamp several times in white craft ink and added some punched musical notes to complete the card.

So would you like to win the stamps featured on one of today’s cards or your choice of another CBP stamp? Here is how to win our weekly blog candy:

Vicky or Karen will post a card or two every Thursday on both blogs. All you need to do is to leave a comment on either blog and if you leave a comment on both blogs you will have a double chance to win. We hope you also want to 'follow' the blogs. The following Wednesday a name will be picked at random and the winner will receive:

The featured stamps that we used in one of the cards that were posted,
OR you can pick out a stamp that is worth up to $10.00 and email us your choice
OR Vicky will email you a coupon code so you can go shopping at Crackerbox Palace store for your choice of the stamp(s) you would like with a $10.00 coupon.

For a Bonus: if you use the blog candy stamps and post it on your blog, Splitcoast or somewhere else you will be able to choose another free stamp. So make sure you check out one of our blogs on Thursday! The winner will have 2 weeks to contact Karen or Vicky.

So leave us a comment for a chance to win and come back and see us again next week!

I am entering these cards in the Anything Goes challenge at Through the Craftroom Door and the challenge at LEJ Designs “For Someone Special”. 

Crackerbox Palace smiles, Karen

Designers Choice Challenge at Repeat Impressions

It’s another Designer’s Choice Challenge at The House that Stamps Built, Repeat Impression’s blog. It’s Kecia’s turn and she is challenging us to make a card using your all-time favorite stamp. Of course, we would love to see Repeat Impressions stamps on your cards, but if you don’t have any yet, make a card featuring your favorite stamp, enter our challenge and you might win some!  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 started with my all-time favorite Repeat Impressions stamp which is Rebecca. If you know me or my style, you know I love to paper piece and to use my embossing folders and I love how this stamp looks using those techniques. I have made so many cards with Rebecca and will continue to do so, I am sure. I included a favorite RI sentiment, and layered the embossing folder background to complete this cheerful Spring card.

I am entering this card in the challenge at Incy Wincy Designs to use Texture on our cards.

Stamping smiles, Karen 

Guest DT at Through the Craftroom Door!

Today I get the privilege of being a guest design team member at Through the Craftroom Door! I have been entering their challenges frequently because they are always my favorite kind of challenge: Anything Goes! I received this darling image from QKR Stampede to play with and used some cheery dotted patterned paper both on the background and in my paper piecing. Because the sweet bear has a kiss on his cheek, I added some stickers and said SWAK, and then did a little doodling to complete the card.

I am entering this card in the challenges at QKR Stampede "For Someone Special" and at Forever Friends to use an animal on our card.

Stamping smiles, Karen

Paper Take Weekly and Crafty Sentiments Challenges

Anything Goes at Paper Take Weekly and Crafty Sentiments Challenges this week, so I am free to pick my favorite card that I made recently to share with you. I was inspired by a card on Pinterest to try this fun sponging background and love how it turned out. I cut a circle out of the front of a card with a Nestabilities circle and then used the circle I cut out to sponge the inside piece. First I drew the circle lightly with pencil on the inside white piece, then marked a spot on the right side to start the sponging. After sponging a semi-circle, I just moved the mask a little first up for the blues, and then down for the greens. I die cut some cat-tails (Spellbinders) and punched a bird (Martha Stewart) and added a birthday sentiment on SU punches to complete the card.

Stamping smiles, Karen

Totally Papercrafts, Stampin' for the Weekend and Stamping with the Dragon Challenges

At Stampin' for the Weekend this week, they want to see something metal, and Love or Valentines is the theme at Totally Papercrafts and Stampin' with the Dragon. I punched a border (ek success border punch) on both sides of some silver metal tape and then embossed with a Cuttlebug embossing folder before attaching it to a black piece of cardstock. The picture of the romantic couple is a Clear View transparency from The Mark-It Place. I rounded the corners and added some pearls to complete the card.

Stamping smiles, Karen

Simon Says Stamp and Fab n Funky Challenges

The challenge this week at Simon Says Stamp is "Have a Heart" and at Fab n Funky, they want to see our hearts or valentines. I pulled out a new romantic stamp from Penny Black that I had not used before and stamped it twice, cutting out the heart and raising it with mounting tape. The background was created with a hearts embossing folder, Tim Holtz's embossing diffuser and sponging with red ink.

Stamping smiles, Karen

A Tribute and a Love Card

"Don't cry because it is over, Smile because it happened."

-Dr. Suess

I love Donald Driver and am not ashamed to say that publicly. What a class act! Loyal to the Packer organization, his family and his fans, he showed us all how to play and how to retire from the game when the time is right. He will always be my favorite Packer and I can't wait to see what his next chapter in life holds for him.

Love is the theme of my card today too:) This is a card I designed for my classes in my home last month, showing a fold I learned how to do here. This is how the fold looks from the inside:

Not hard to do, but unique. I added a punched heart border (Martha Stewart) to the bottom of the inside and the heart die cut (Nestabilities) on the inside is for your heartfelt written words.

(If you are local to Wausau, WI., there is one opening in my day time and night time classes if you would like to join us.)

I am entering this card in the Romance challenge at Digi Stamps 4 Joy, the "Have a Heart" challenge at Simon Says Stamp, and the Anything Goes challenge at Love's Rubberstamps.

Stamping smiles, Karen

Crackerbox Palace Thursday

It’s another Crackerbox Palace Thursday and I am sharing two lovely cards created by Vicky Briggs, the owner of Crackerbox Palace.  Aren’t they great?  For all the details on how she made them, some more pictures and what CBP stamps she used, please visit her blog here.

Mr. Random has chosen and the winner of last Thursday’s blog candy is                                             Pat Moore!  Here is her winning comment from my blog:  “The boxer shorts are a hoot. The giraffes are so sweet. I especially like how the classy cat became a Valentine.”

Pat, please send me or Vicky your address and your choice of which stamps you want (see your options below), so we can get you the stamps you have won.

So would you like to win the stamps featured on today’s card or your choice of another CBP stamp? Here is how to win our weekly blog candy: 

Vicky or Karen will post a card or two every Thursday on both blogs. All you need to do is to leave a comment on either blog and if you leave a comment on both blogs you will have a double chance to win. We hope you also want to 'follow' the blogs. The following Wednesday a name will be picked at random and the winner will receive:

The featured stamps that we used in one of the cards that were posted,
OR you can pick out a stamp that is worth up to $10.00 and email us your choice
OR Vicky will email you a coupon code so you can go shopping at Crackerbox Palace store for your choice of the stamp(s) you would like with a $10.00 coupon.

For a Bonus: if you use the blog candy stamps and post it on your blog, Splitcoast or somewhere else you will be able to choose another free stamp. So make sure you check out one of our blogs on Thursday! The winner will have 2 weeks to contact Karen or Vicky.

So leave us a comment for a chance to win and come back and see us again next week!

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.

For my card, I decided to make another Valentine’s Day card as it is fast approaching. I used a variety of hearts- embossed, punched and stamped and the fun sketch to create this CAS Valentine. 

Here is the sketch for you to follow when you create a card for our challenge. You do not need to use Repeat Impressions stamps to enter our challenges, but you get an extra chance to win if you do!

Stamping smiles, Karen 

Repeat Impressions Stamp of the Week

The stamp of the week this week at Repeat Impressions is this sweet “Roses are Red” sentiment for stamper’s Valentines, 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 cut a hole in the front of an embossed red card so you can see the stamping inside. I stamped the “Roses are Red” sentiment on the Cat Banner stamp and surrounded it with a blue hearts background. I popped up one of the embossed candy hearts to say “luv u” to the special recipient.

Stamping smiles, Karen

Simon Says Stamp and Moving Along with the Times Challenges

Anything Goes at Simon Says Stamp this week and at Moving Along with the Times, they want us to "Punch it Out". I saw a similar card on Pinterest with the mittens and the play on words for a fun Valentine, so just had to case it. My mittens were punched with the Stampin' Up mitten punch and I also punched some hearts in the corners. The word was created in my Word program and the heart glued on with bakers twine. Such a sweet idea that I was inspired to make from this Splitcoast picture found on Pinterest.

Stamping smiles, Karen