Last Happy Halloween Card

Happy Halloween! I made a couple last minute cards with my Silhouette cutting machine and some cutting files from Silhouette (on sale of course) I hadn't used yet. I thought the trick or treating silhouettes were so cute, I couldn't resist. And isn't this jack-o-lantern face awesome:

Again, couldn't resist. On sale or with my subscription, these files cost me less than $2.00 and I can make them any size I want.

I am entering this card in the Halloween challenges at Loves Rubberstamps and Fan-Tastic Tuesday.

Stamping and Silhouette 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.

I really like the Snowman and Friend stamp from Repeat Impressions and decided to feature him in this sketch card. I stamped him in blue ink, colored just his nose and bird friend and cut him out with an oval die (Nestabilities.) I framed him with a scalloped oval die (also Nestabilities) and dotted each scallop with a white gel pen. I used a thin snowflake border embossing folder (Cuttlebug) and a couple gems to complete the sketch card.

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!

I am entering this card in the Anything Goes challenges at Tammy’s Scrapin’Corner and Created with Love.

Stamping smiles, Karen 

Masculine Thank You Card

Sometimes we need a thank you card that has a masculine CAS feel to it, and recently when my family needed some, I designed this one. I started with kraft and black colors because I love that color combo and it seems masculine to me. I embossed the kraft paper with a favorite embossing folder from Tim Holtz for Sizzix, added a couple geese silhouettes I cut with my Silhouette, and finished with the perfect sentiment.

 I am entering this card in the Thank You challenge at Raisin Boat and the Anything Goes challenge at  Challenges 4 Everybody.

Stamping smiles, Karen

Spooky Spiders for Halloween

I saw a card on Pinterest with spiders coming out of a mason jar and after I got a mason jar stamp from Inspired by Stamping, I just had to try it! I stamped the jar on white cardstock and also on acetate and cut out both. I used my Silhouette and a Silhouette America cutting file to cut out the spiders and spider web as well as the Eeek! I added some eyes to the spiders with a white gel pen and attached a bunch inside the cardstock and acetate layer as well as a couple on the loose. The spider web borders were created with a Martha Stewart punch I borrow from a good friend. (Thanks Jane!)

I am entering this card in the Spooky challenge at Totally Gorjuss and the Halloween challenge at Di's Digis Design. 

Stamping smiles, Karen

It's Halloween on Silhouette Sunday!

I'm home again after a week's vacation in sunny Florida with my grandson and family, and it is almost Halloween! I had so much fun making Halloween cards this year with my Silhouette Portrait and Silhouette cutting files and I am sharing three of the cards with you today. Halloween is the theme at the Silhouette Blog this week and also at Cut it Up, so these cards will be entered in both challenges.

My first card above features a Halloween fence and a fun Halloween sentiment both cut with my Silhouette. The washi tape was created with washi tape stamps from Inspired by Stamping and velum.

My second card is a Frankenstein face card and a Halloween Boo, all cut with my Silhouette and their files.

My last card is one that was inspired by one I saw on Pinterest, simply using some jack-o-lantern eyes to create a Ninja Halloween card. I added some washi tape to the front and changed the sentiment from Happy Halloween to HIYA! Halloween. Nate always says HIYA! when he is pretending to be a Ninja and of course, that is what he is going to dress up as on Halloween for trick or treat. I made him a bunch of these Ninja cards that he could share with friends and family.

Had a wonderful trip to Florida and Disney World but it is nice to be home again too:)

Stamping and Silhouette smiles, Karen

It's My Turn for a Designer Choice Challenge at Repeat Impressions!

It’s another Designer’s Choice Challenge at The House that Stamps Built, Repeat Impression’s blog. It’s my turn and I am challenging the other Rock Stars and you to use paper piecing on your card. Paper piecing is my favorite way of “coloring”- try it on a card and 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. 

I started this card with a kraft piece with rounded corners on a brown card base. I cut the blue cloudy dp apart, rounded the corners and attached with pop dots to raise. I stamped Repeat Impression’s hot air balloons on three different dps, put two sided tape on the back and then cut out just to the outside of the black lines. I have learned to make paper piecing easier, put the two sided tape on first, then cut out. Even on the smallest pieces, it will then easily stick to your card and you don’t have to worry about added any adhesive after cutting. I added the perfect sentiment from the same RI set to complete the card.

Stamping smiles, Karen 

Early Holiday Wishes at Send a Smile 4 Kids!

It’s Saturday and time for another fun challenge at Send a Smile 4 Kids! This time our challenge is Early Holiday Wishes 4 Kids. Create and link any Christmas or December Holiday card for a child and you could win one of our great prizes.

We start early at SAS4Kids because we would like all our kids in the eight children’s hospitals we serve to receive a holiday card and it would be even better if they could choose a few more for friends or family they are missing while they spend the holidays in the hospital. You do not have to send in your card to participate in our challenges, but our kids sure hope you do. We need to receive the cards by early December to have enough time to sort and mail to the children’s hospitals we serve.

We have three very generous sponsors for this challenge: COLORink Digital Stamps is giving their winner a 5 Euro coupon to their store! The Paper Shelter is giving their randomly picked winner a $20 gift certificate!  And Di’s Digi’s winner gets a $10 gift certificate! 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 the cute Jingle Bears colored digi by COLORink Digital Stamps. Since Jingle Bells was the theme, I cut a "Jingle all the way!" frame and some jingle bells with my Silhouette cutting machine and some Silhouette America cutting files. The cute Jingle Bears sentiment circle was punched out and layered on a red circle to complete the card. 

My second card features a sweet colored Snow Angel digi from The Paper Shelter. I die cut a snowy border with a Memory Box die, and added a Merry sentiment (Silhouette cutting file.) Fun and easy card to make, but I think one of our kids will love it.

I am entering these cards in the Christmas challenge at Simon Says Stamp and the Anything Goes challenge at Crafting by Designs.

Stamping smiles 4 our kids, Karen 

Christmas Dreams Card for Repeat Impression's 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 started with the beautiful Snowflake Orb stamp and cut it out with a Nestabilities circle die somewhat larger than the stamp. The white card base was embossed with a snowflake embossing folder from Sizzix. I raised the circle on pop dots and trimmed off the edges after attaching. I added the perfect sentiment (from Repeat Impressions, of course) and some gems to complete the card.

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!

I am entering this card in the Anything Goes challenges at Through the Craft Room Door and 613 Avenue Create.

Stamping smiles, Karen

October Stamp Classes Cards

I decided to start sharing here the cards I am teaching in the classes in my home each month, and to also let you know (if you are local), that I am in the process of organizing the new 6 month sessions starting in January. Contact me at khasheck at gmail dot com for more details or if you would like to take the class by mail.

The card above is a gatefold card with the pink and green rings interlocking to frame the flower in the center. The flower was made with 8 layers of the creped filter paper (from Stampin' Up.) I cut it with two different sizes of Nestabilities and punched a brad through to hold it together. I crumpled each layer of the filter paper and then sponged the edges with pink ink.

The second card we made was a baby card from a cute template I had purchased on the Stamping T! blog a while back. The class did the embossing (Stampin' Up and Cuttlebug embossing folders), and wove the shoe laces after attaching the eyelets.

Our third card was a punch art Santa that would be perfect for a child. Normally we do a lot more stamping in the cards we make, but this month's cards were more embossing and punches and die cut ideas.

I am entering these cards in the Embossing challenge at Craft Your Passion, and the challenge at  Created with Love to use real or faux stitching (faux stitching on baby shoe card.)

Stamping Smiles, Karen

Vellum Dimension Project of the Week

It's Magic Monday, and I am so excited to be sharing my Project of the Week with you here and on The House That Stamps Built blog! I am calling the technique I am showing: Vellum Dimension Technique. It is easy to do and looks even more beautiful in real life! I stamped Repeat Impression's Tiger stamp on vellum with an ink that does not smear on vellum. You could use Stazon, but my favorite is Archival Ink by Ranger. Turn the image over, and from the back, "color" in the white areas with a stylus tool on a thicker pad (see below).

As you color in the vellum from the back, the image turns white and is raised for great dimension. Here is a photo from the side that shows that dimension.

One of the problems we all have with vellum is how to attach it to our cards without the adhesive showing. On these cards, I chose to frame all the velum images and was able to easily attach without the adhesive showing. The tiger was framed with a circle cut out with a Nestabilities die, and then framed again with a black scalloped circle created with two Nestabilities dies. I added a lovely Repeat Impressions sentiment stamped on the rust paper and attached all to a black card base.

I chose a beautiful Eagle stamp for the second card I am sharing with this technique today. I again stamped the Eagle on vellum, "colored" in the white parts from the back with a stylus and thick pad and framed the vellum piece with a "polaroid" frame. I added some fancy yarn and a few brads to complete the card.

Animals and birds work beautifully for this technique, but as you can see on my third sample, it can be used on just about any open stamped image. I "colored" the candles, frosting and plate on the birthday cake with the vellum dimension technique, and then added some color with markers and gel pens. I again framed the velum piece and punched some more birthday candles along the top with a Martha Stewart punch. I love to use humor on my cards and Repeat Impressions has so many lol stamps on their website! I chose "Distant Glow" to make the recipient smile.

I hope you enjoyed the Vellum Dimension Technique and my sample cards today as much as I enjoyed sharing them with you!

Stamping smiles, Karen

Autumn Cards on Silhouette Sunday

I am fascinated with using positives and negatives on my cards and it is so easy to do with my Silhouette electronic cutting machine and Silhouette America cutting files. This is a fall flourish cutting file that I cut out of the green card base, then embossed the card (Cuttlebug embossing folder) and layered some orange dp behind the opening.

Then I took the fall flourish I had cut out of the green card and attached it to a gold card I also embossed with the fall words embossing folder. I could use these cards for Thanksgiving or thank you cards or any fall occasion.

I am entering these cards in the Fall challenge at the Silhouette Blog and the Autumn challenge at Chocoate, Coffee and Cards.

Stamping and Silhouette Smiles, Karen

CAS for Anything Goes Challenges

My favorite kind of challenge is Anything Goes because I can choose to share any card I want. Brown Sugar and Stampin' for the Weekend are both Anything Goes this week, and I have chosen a card I made a while ago after seeing something similar somewhere in Pinterest land. I started with a snowflake embossing folder from Spellbinders that has an unembossed center. I die cut the bare tree (Memory Box) twice- once on white cardstock and once on the brown dp. I trimmed the dp with a deckle scissors, attached the white tree and added the brown tree on the right. I stamped the little sentiment to complete the thank you card.

Stamping smiles, Karen

Spirit of Christmas at Crackerbox Palace

It's Crackerbox Palace Friday and I am sharing a holiday card I made with stamps from Crackerbox Palace. I cut the front of the white card base in half and stamped the beautiful Christmas sentiment and a couple pretty snowflakes on the right side. I embossed a piece of Shimmer Sheetz (by Elizabeth Crafts) with a Cuttlebug embossing folder and then sanded it to bring out the embossed snowflakes.

Thanks for stopping by my blog. Please visit the website to see these and many other awesome Crackerbox Palace stamps.

I am entering this card in the Anything Goes challenge at Addicted to Stamps and the challenge at Simon Says Stamp to use a rubber or clear stamp on our cards.

(Edited to add- ooops:( I tried to schedule for Friday but this blog post published early- oh well- Thursday or Friday, I hope you like the card and check out all the great stamps at CBP.)

 Crackerbox Palace smiles, Karen

Cupcake Liner Fall Dress Card

I bought some fall cupcake liners last year on sale and was determined to figure out a way to use them on a card. This is what I came up with. I started with a dress cutting file from The Cutting Cafe' and embossed the top part with an embossing folder from Cuttlebug. I cut the cupcake liners to created the skirt part, and added some ribbon and acorn buttons to complete the cute card.

I am entering this card in the Anything Goes challenges at Through the Craft Room Door and at  Eureka Stamps.

Stamping smiles, Karen

Happy Halloween DCC from Repeat Impressions

It’s another Designer’s Choice Challenge at The House that Stamps Built, Repeat Impression’s blog. It’s Geri’s turn and the theme of her challenge is Halloween. Any Halloween themed card will do. 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. 

I love to create Halloween cards for my kids and this one was easy with so many fun images from Repeat Impressions. I started with a green card embossed with a spider web embossing folder and then sponged with purple ink. I stamped the ghost, Frankie and black cat and did a little coloring. After cutting out the squares, I distressed all the edges. I attached and then stamped the spider web Happy Halloween to complete the card.

I am entering this card in the Any Holiday challenge at Created with Love and the Halloween challenge at Stamp and Create.

Stamping smiles, Karen 

Club Sketch Card with Washi Tape

Two of my favorite things are washi tape and feathers. I thought of them when I saw the sketch that was the challenge this month at our local stamp club and this is what I came up with. I attached several rows of purple floral washi tape on some scrap card stock and die cut the feather (die from QuicKutz.) I stamped the feather stamps in several generations of aqua blue ink and added the sentiment (all stamps from Clear and Simple Stamps.) I added some more washi tape and a circle cut out with a Nestabilities die to complete the card.

I am entering this card in the Anything Goes challenges at Catch the Bug and Crafty Catz.

Stamping smiles, Karen

Fall Colors Outside and on My Card

I love fall colors and here in central Wisconsin, our trees are just beautiful right now. I used my favorite fall colors on this card I designed for a stamp camp recently. I embossed the gold and orange strips with a SU embossing folder, layered on dark brown and wove them for the background. The maple leaf was cut and embossed with a Spellbinders die, and the Gratitude was cut with my Silhouette Portrait and a cutting file from Silhouette America.

I am entering this card in the Autumn Colors challenge at Allsorts and the Fall Fun challenge at 2 Sisters.

Stamping smiles, Karen

Flowers and/or Frames on Silhouette Sunday

Flowers and/or Frames is the theme of the challenge this week at the Silhouette Blog. I am sharing this sweet baby card I made with a cutting file by Daniela Angelova at the Silhouette America store. I have scalloped square diecut frames but it never fails- they are not the size I want when I am designing a card. With the Silhouette cutting files, I can make the frame any size I want! I cut my card 5 1/4" by 10 1/2" and rounded the corners. Then I simply cut the front piece somewhat smaller, attached and added some pearls. So simple and so cute.

I am also entering this card in the Anything Goes challenge at 4 Krafty Girlz.

Stamping and Silhouette smiles, Karen

Bright Colors 4 Kids at Send a Smile 4 Kids!

It’s Saturday and time for another fun challenge at Send a Smile 4 Kids! This time our challenge is Bright Colors 4 Kids. Create and link any brightly colored card for a child and you could win one of our great prizes.

We have three very generous sponsors for this challenge: COLORink Digital Stamps is giving their winner a 5 Euro coupon to their store! Squigglefly is giving their randomly picked winner 3 digis of their choice!  And LOTV’s winner gets a 10 pound gift certificate! 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 sweet image from COLORink Digital Stamps. I printed the digital stamp, cut out with a Nestabilities circle die and doodled around the edge of the circle. I created the colorful background with blocks of primary colors and an embossing folder by Sizzix.

My second card features "Say Cheese" by Squigglefly. When I saw this super cute digital image, I immediately knew my card had to be green and gold for all the cheeseheads I know (for those of you not in Wisconsin, a cheesehead is an affectionate (?) term for a Green Bay Packer fan.) So I paper pieced the cheese mouse and colored the Say Cheese! with a gold pen. This is what the inside of my card looks like (cutting files from Silhouette America): 

I am entering these cards in the Anything Goes challenges at Creative Craft and Lady Anne's Challenges. 

Stamping smiles 4 our kids, Karen 

My Favorite Crackerbox Palace Sentiment Stamp

It's Crackerbox Palace Friday and I am sharing a card I made with my favorite sentiment stamp from Crackerbox Palace. I just love what this stamp says- it is just perfect for a card maker like me (and you!) I stamped it on a white piece in my favorite aqua blue ink and sponged the edges with the same ink. I am loving the ombre look with different shades of a color, and I cut out triangles in different shades of aqua blue to fit in the hexagon space created with a Nestabilities die. I added a butterfly (punch by Martha Stewart) and a couple gems to complete the card.

I am entering this card in the Anything Goes challenge at Penny’s Paper-Crafty and the challenge at Simon Says Stamp to use dots on our cards. 

Thanks for stopping by my blog. Please visit the website to see these and many other awesome Crackerbox Palace stamps.

Crackerbox Palace smiles, Karen

So Much Fun with Tim Holtz and the New Envelope Punch Board

The challenge this week at my buddy Hilde's challenge blog, Crafting with Dragonflies, is to make and link a card box and at least 3 cards. I have been having so much fun this week designing cards and this box using the Envelope Punch Board by WeRMemory Keepers and the fabulous paper by Tim Holtz called Kraft Core Shattered by Core'dinations. I love love love this paper and this fabulous tool and will be using both when I am one of the instructors at a Round Robin of card making November 1st at Dale's Weston Lanes. (Contact me or The Stamp Shoppe in Weston for more details if you are local.) I wanted to show at my table more cards and projects you can make with both the paper and the Envelope Punch Board. I learned how to make the easy card box here in this video.  I added a belly band of the kraft side of the paper to hold the box closed and decorated it with a Spellbinders fancy circle die and a lovely stamp from Heartfelt Creations.

Pictured above is one of the cards I designed with a matching envelope- both created with the Envelope Punch Board. File tab cards and matching envelopes are easy to make with this tool, and this is just part of what you will learn in my class that night. I embossed this card with a Marianne's Designs embossing and cutting folder, then added a poinsettia also made with Marianne's Designs dies and a Martha Stewart punch. All the sentiments on these cards are from a set by Penny Black I will also be using in the class.

My second card is a money holder and envelope created again with Tim Holtz's awesome paper and the Envelope Punch Board. The snowflake punches are by Martha Stewart. I attached some baker's twine under pop dot raising the snowflake, then went around the card and then around the snowflake brad to hold the money holder shut.

My last card is another file folder card with a fun lined envelope- again so easy to make. I embossed the card with a holly embossing folder (by Tim Holtz for Sizzix.) I made the candles with the goo border by Martha Stewart and her twig punch. The holly leaves and flames were parts of cutting files by Silhouette America.

Did I mention that I love Tim Holtz? I am so excited that a bunch of friends and I are going to see him in Madison the end of November at a stamp show we are going to:) I have always wanted to at least see him in person, much less maybe even meet him! Can't wait!

I am also entering these cards in the Anything Goes challenge at The Crafting Cafe'.

Stamping 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.

The Joy Penguins from Repeat Impressions just make me smile and I decided to punch parts of them with a circle punch for this sketch. The JOY stars were paper pieced and popped up for a little more dimension. I used a Martha Stewart punch to create the greens border and added the perfect sentiment (from Repeat Impressions of course) on the strip in the center. 

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!

I am entering this card in the Anything Goes challenge at Scrapbook Stamp Society and the animal challenge at Melonheadz Friends.

Stamping smiles, Karen

Another Card with my Favorite Paper

Have you discovered Tim Holtz's Kraft-Core Shattered cardstock by Core'dinations? I love kraft paper and this paper is two sided with kraft on the back and cracked color on the front. I made this card with the purple which is a personal favorite, but I like all the colors. I punched the sides with a Martha Stewart snowflake border punch, and stamped and cut out the cute snowman from Pickley Pear. This is what the inside looks like (sentiment also from Prickley Pear):

I am entering this card in the Anything Goes challenges at 613 Avenue Create and Scribble and Scrap Blog.

Stamping smiles, Karen