What If? Wed. Sketch Challenge at Repeat Impressions

Happy Wednesday everyone! 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 like the Chimp stamp from Repeat Impressions and decided to feature him on a CAS Father’s Day card for one of my kids at SAS4Kids. I stamped him on a diamond shaped piece of cream card stock. I punched a gold piece with a Martha Stewart border punch and stamped the sentiment in black. I layered both onto a piece of corrugated brown paper and then onto a black card base. I added a couple black pearls 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 Crafting from the Heart.

Floral Tile Card

I have been playing with my new 3D Stamp-Paint from Viva and am loving this product! There are many ways to use it and this time I embossed a piece of black cardstock with a Stampin' Up embossing folder and then applied silver 3D Stamp Paint all over the piece before cutting it into 1 1/4 inch squares. Those squares were attached to a white card with space in between them to look like tiles. Then I die-cut and attached greens from Cherry Lynn, flowers from Elizabeth Flowers and hello from Paper Smooches.I added some clear gems to complete the card.

I am entering this card in the Anything Goes challenges at That Craft Place and 613 Avenue Create.

CAS Sympathy Card

Because you never know when you might need a sympathy card, I try to have a few on hand that I have made at all times. I can't even imagine buying one now. This one was very easy to make but I think it is elegant and says exactly what I would want to say.

If you follow my blog, you know I love to use Clear View Transparency pictures from The Mark-it Place. I layered the picture onto a piece of gold cardstock and attached behind the rectangular shaped openings in the card. The card base is cream colored and the top piece is black. I stamped the sentiment from Stampin' Up on a cream piece, cut it out with a Spellbinders label die, and sponged the label while still in the die.

I am entering this card in the No Designer Paper challenges at Sweet Stampin' and Paper Crafting Challenges. 

Triple Time Variation Floral Card

Today I am sharing a card I taught last month in the classes in my home. It showcases a variation on the Triple Time stamping that can be found all over Pinterestland. Basically, to achieve this look, you attach the white pieces of cardstock with temporary tape to a white A2 card. Stamp the sentiment and the large flower on the right, then stamp the flower again without re-inking for the lighter flower on the left, and then add the greens. All the stamps are from Stampin' Up except the greens and I am not sure who makes that stamp.

Layer each white piece onto a burgandy piece 1/4 inch larger and place back on the white cardbase os the images line up. The technique is easy to do and results in a lovely card.

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

Teacup Treats for our Birthday Celebration

A bunch of friends and I recently celebrated our birthdays at a local tea shoppe and I made these teacup treat holders for each of the gals. I learned how to make them on this blogpost. They were not hard to do and were really cute at each of our place settings. Here is another picture showing the cup a little better:

I bought Hershey's kisses in spring colors for a pretty surprise treat. All you need to make the cup treat holder is some two sided cardstock, a scoring tool, a bone folder and kisses. The bottom part is just a circle cut with a Nestie and a circle paper doily.

I am entering this project in the Anything Goes challenges at Crafty Girls and Creative Knockouts.

Crackerbox Palace Friday - New Blog and Website!

It's Crackerbox Palace Friday and I am sharing another card I made for my daughter with Crackerbox Palace’s Lady with a Tattoo. But first I have exciting news to share with you! Crackerbox Palace has a brand new website and blog! The blog is now part of the website so you can go here and click on the blog tab at the top, or you can go directly to the blog here.  Be sure to fill your email address in the subscriber box on the right for all the news and card samples posted there.

Today’s card is a CAS card that I started by heat embossing the tattoo lady in the center of a black card. I cut a scalloped oval out of a white piece to frame her and punched the side  with a edge punch by Martha Stewart. After attaching that piece, I embossed the whole card with an embossing folder by Couture Creations.

I am entering this card in the CAS challenge at Simon Says Stamp and the Anything Goes challenge at Creative Moments.

Enjoy This Day Butterfly Card

Today I am sharing a butterfly card I am teaching in May's monthly classes. We will be playing with Susan Louise's beautiful images on  Ranger specialty paper and a fun fold called Reverse Gate Fold. To create this fold, I started with a 9 1/2 x 4 1/4 piece of rust Core'dinations paper. From each side, I scored at 2 3/4" and 3 3/4" and folded to look like this:

I embossed the side panels with a Craft Concepts embossing folder and sanded the embossed butterflies. Susan Louise has a whole series of beautiful images on Ranger specialty paper that reacts with water after sponging with distress inks. I sponged Peacock Feathers Distress Ink on and then spattered water on it for the fun speckled look. After dry, I stamped the Paper Smooches sentiment on with black archival ink. I layered the butterfly piece on a black piece of cardstock punched with an ek success border punch.

 This is what the back looks like- a side embossed with Embossalicious Happy Birthday and one side left blank so I can write a note to the birthday celebrant.

I am entering this card in the Fancy Folds challenge at Love's Rubberstamps and the Anything Goes challenge at Fantastic Tuesday.

My Designer's Choice Challenge- For the Guys!

I'm back! We had a great time on our cruise, but we are happy to be back now. It's my turn to host the Designer's Choice Challenge and I have chosen "For the Guys" as my challenge theme. It is not hard to make a great guy's card with Repeat Impression's awesome stamps. I stamped RI's Metro Map on a kraft card. Then I stamped the classic car and perfect sentiment on an aqua blue piece and embossed with a Couture Creations embossing folder after layering on a black piece.

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

Birthday Fun 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 Birthday Fun 4 Kids! Create and link any birthday card for a child and you could win one of our great prizes. Please visit our blog for all the details and to see the awesome cards by the rest of the SAS4Kids design team.

We have three very generous sponsors for this challenge: Dollar Graphics Depot is giving their winner a $15 gift certificate! Bugaboo is giving their randomly picked winner 7 digis of their choice!  And QKR Stampede’s winner gets 5 digis! 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 Birthday Fishes by Bugaboo. I just love this stamp- so fun for kids! I printed him on gold paper and again on several dps and paper pieced the fish, his hat and the bubbles. I added some strips of the blue paper and attached all to a kraft card.

My second card is a gate-fold easel card featuring sweet colored digital stamps from the Alyssa the Birthday Girl set from Dollar Graphics Depot. I simply printed two of the girls, cut them out and placed on either side of the front gate-fold. This what the inside easel part looks like: 

I attached another sweet birthday girl and the sentiment, all from the same set of colored digital stamps. The Birthday Girl is raised with pop dots to hold up the inside easel.  I learned how to make this unique fold on Dayonna's blog here. 

What If? Wed. Sketch Challenge at Repeat Impressions

Happy Wednesday everyone! 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.

One of my favorite Repeat Impression’s stamps is this “Ode to Spring” bunny. He just makes me smile! I stamped him in pink and cut the spring scene out with an oval die cut. I stamped RI’s Celebrate Spring in green on a yellow piece and added some buttons to complete the spring 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 out of town for a few more days hopefully loving my Western Caribbean cruise. Happy Easter!

Lots of Love for Lauryn

"Lauryn was diagnosed with Leukemia Thursday, March 27th. She has been in the hospital since her diagnosis and will remain there having chemo treatments. Please pray for this sweet little girl and her dear family. Lauryn has two siblings that she just adores! Updates can be found via their Facebook page HERE."

I copied the paragraph above from the blog post here where they are doing a card drive for Lauryn and her family. There is an address on the side of the blog where you could send a card, as I have done. Here is the front of my card: 

I decided to use the theme from one of the beautiful digital images they are selling to raise money for Lauryn and her family's expenses in this long fight. This is the one I purchased: 

There are several beautiful digital images to choose from. Lauryn likes purple and pink and princesses and Superman, so here is the fun surprise when she opens her card: 

The Superman and Super Lauryn and a pink butterfly pop up on pieces of acetate. Here is a close up look at the floating images:

You go Super Lauryn! Sending prayers and love from one of her many blogging and stamping friends.

Happy Birthday to my Best Friend

It is my BFF's birthday on Saturday but I am not able to blog that day and I gave her her card yesterday, so I am sharing it with everyone today here on my blog today. I masked the front square piece with a beautiful dragonfly stencil from The Crafter's Workshop and then painted on Rose Metallic 3D Stamp Paint from Viva. This was my first card using this new product, but I will be playing with it more as soon as I have the time. I love the sparkly dimension it gives to a card. The perfect sentiment for my best bud is from Simon Says Stamp. There was more fun when she opened the card:

I continued the dragonfly theme with dragonflies and swirls I cut out with my Silhouette that pop up when she opened the card. I also added some pearls that I recently pulled off my 24 year old wedding bouquet before I finally tossed it. The dragonfly flourishes are attached with strips of acetate to a scored center in the square card. I attached one more dragonfly flourish to the bottom and added another perfect sentiment for my friend.

I am entering this card in the Anything Goes challenges at Through the Craft Room Door and Fan-Tastic Tuesday.

Happy Easter 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 Joy’s turn and the theme of her challenge is Easter.  After you make your Easter 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 liked the Bunny Stencil from Repeat Impressions so I stamped it three times on different pastel cardstock scraps and then cut them out. I embossed the green base card with a floral frame embossing folder and stamped RI’s Happy Easter in green ink. I punched the three circles in a green strip, and attached it with pop dots to raise. The bunnies were attached with glue dots hopping in different directions.

I am entering this card in the Easter Animal Challenge at Artistic Inspirations  and the Easter Challenges at Crafting From the Heart and Simon Says Stamp. 

Wishing You Joy and Asking For Cards and Prayers for Lauryn

It is a very busy time for me so I have not had lots of time for playing and making new cards. I did complete some for the upcoming individual classes to be held in my home after April and this is one of them, I created some masks with a Memory Box deer die-cut, a tree cut with my Silhouette and a circle for the moon. After attaching them all on a black piece I sponged white ink all over and then added the sentiment. I love the front of this card, but the inside is even better. Take a look:

This is another Floating Image Card and the Joy and snowflakes pop up when you open the card. I know we are tired of snow, but I make and share Christmas ideas all year round in my classes and that way we are not overwhelmed later when we have to get them all done.

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

I have just discovered a blog post about a sweet little two year old named Lauryn recently diagnosed with leukemia. Some on-line friends of her family have started a card drive for her. You can click on the ribbon picture on the side of my blog, or here  to go to the blog with all the details on the card drive and the address where you could send a card. Just imagine if Lauryn was your granddaughter or daughter, and if you can, please send a card and your prayers her way.

Origami LOL Stencil Card

I had fun designing this L.O.L. stencil card for one of the classes I am offering in my home soon. I have been playing with my plastic stencils to make backgrounds and this stencil by Clear Scraps I sponged with blue and purple distress inks. I stamped and cut out the Origami birds by Mama Elephant and attached them on black punched circles. The sentiment is from Hambo. The L.O.L. part happens when you open the card:

Ha! Sure to bring a smile to the lucky person receiving this card- maybe even a belly laugh:) Love doing that!

I am entering this card in the Anything Goes challenges at Jo's Scrap Shack and Sister Act.

Happy Mother's Day (From the 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 Happy Mother’s Day (From the Kids). Create and link any card for Mother’s Day that a child could give his or her mother and you could win one of our great prizes.

We have three very generous sponsors for this challenge:  Doodle Pantry is giving their winner a $10 gift certificate! A Day for Daisies is giving their randomly picked winner a $12 gift certificate!  And Stitchy Bears Digital Outlet’s winner gets 2 digis (a $6 value)! 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.

I just love the "Best Man" image from A Day for Daisies I used to make my first card above. He reminds me of my sweet grandson:) I printed him on white cardstock, paper pieced his tux and flowers and colored the rest with my Copics. The sentiment is from Repeat Impressions. I attached blue polka dotted dp on half of the front piece and attached the cut out "Best Man" over the middle. That piece was popped up with mounting tape to raise it over the white card base. 

If you follow my blog, you know I have been having a lot of fun making cards in a box. The flowers and sentiment from Doodle Pantry's Tulip Wreath set seemed perfect for another fun card in a box. I printed the colored version of the tulip wreath and various colors of the tulips and the sentiment and cut them out. I attached all the stamps to a yellow card in a box and added some purple layers and some punched flowers on the sides. This box folds flat for mailing and I think any Mother would love receiving this cheerful tulip card.

I am entering the second card in the Spring challenge at Milk Coffee and the Fancy Folds challenge at Inky Impressions. 

Happy Birthday for a Fabulous Friend

Simon Say Stamp is celebrating a birthday and so is a good friend of mine, so I am posting a birthday card I made recently. I used the Stampin' Up dress die and cut the negative shape in the white card front. Then I attached the rainbow colors strips on a thin weight paper and die cut the dress, embossed with my favorite embossing folder from Cuttlebug and attached the dress inside the negative space. This is called inlaid die-cut technique and I love the look. I added some gems and a fabulous sentiment to complete the card.

I am also entering this card in the Anything Goes challenge at Crafty Girls.

L.O.L. Stencil Card for Classes

I love using humor in my cards and am now having fun using plastic stencils for backgrounds, so have combined those two to make this card and two others that will be shared in a class I am calling L.O.L. Stencil Cards. I have designed the cards for six classes so far and you can take a peek at all the cards here on my Flickr sets boards. If you are local and want to take any of the classes, just let me know- I will be setting up classes after we get back from our cruise and some big home improvement jobs are done.

I made this file folder card with my Envelope Punch Board from WeR Memory Keepers. The rose and the sentiments are all from a Repeat Impression's hilarious swing set. I used Tim Holtz's Kraft-Core Shattered cardstock from Core'dinations which is kraft on one side and red crackled on the other side. I sponged red distress ink on the front with a stencil by Stencil Girl. The L.O.L. part happens when you pull out the inside of the file card:

Ha Ha! This stamp set just cracks me up! I stamped the punch line in black, and again on a red piece. Both the rose and the "Official Seal" were paper pieced. For the right guy, this card could be perfect:)

I am entering this card in the Anything Goes challenges at Love's Rubberstamps and Papertake Weekly, and the stencil challenge at Virginia's View Challenge.

What If? Wed. Sketch Challenge at Repeat Impressions

Happy Wednesday everyone! 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.

One of my favorite Repeat Impressions sentiments is the “Consider Yourself Hugged” stamp I used on the oval. If I send a card, it is like a hug with a fold in it, so this stamp is perfect for that thought. I continued the thought with cyh in stickers on the circles. I paper pieced RI’s Bear Hug and added some thin washi tape and a little doodling 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 2 Cute Ink Digital Stamps.

No Foolin'- Blog Candy Winners Announced!

Hey Ryan- Thanks! I had a fun birthday weekend and next weekend my kids and grandson are coming to visit so that will be the best present of all:) It is time to announce the winners of my blog candy contest. Thanks for all the sweet comments and well wishes!

The winner of the whole set of fun stamps from Crackerbox Palace (thanks to CBP for donating the prize!) is --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
#5 Margy!! Here is her sweet comment:  "Karen, I love your new blog format - beautiful and easy to navigate! Major congrats on all your upcoming publications. I'm not sure you retired, more like just began a new career as an author."

And the winner of the grand prize shown above is-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
#13 Verna!!  Here is her winning comment: "What an awesome prize package. I am a follower and I think you have my information too. I love all the lovely creations you come up with and enjoy all those ideas and articles you have published in magazines as well."

Verna (love that name- it was my Mom's) and Margy- I will be in touch to get your snail mail addresses so I can send out your prizes to you. Congrats!

Thanks again to my friends Sarah and Michael for all their help on my blog upgrade. Thanks also to to all my followers and subscribers. If you are not already a follower, please sign up- it really means a lot to blog owners when you take the time to follow us- and those numbers are key when we apply for design teams and other blogging opportunities.