Anything Goes at Repeat Impressions

Happy Wednesday everyone! It's time for another fun challenge at Repeat Impressions. If there is a 5^th Wednesday in the month, the challenge is my favorite: Anything Goes! Make any card 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 belong to a local stamp club and we have a sketch/theme challenge each month. Last month the theme was Asian inspired cards and the sketch was the one I used to make this card. I started with my beloved Brusho Crystal Colors (now sold at Repeat Impressions) sprinkled on watercolor paper and spritzed with iridescent gold shimmer spray. I stamped RI’s Chinese Calligraphy Background and sponged the edges of the smaller Brusho background with black ink. I stamped RI’s fan twice on a diagonal piece and colored the flowers, then attached that piece to another Brusho piece. I stamped Dream Calligraphy on a orange square diagonally. Then I die cut it out with RI’s scalloped square die, layered it on a black scalloped square and attached with pop dots.

I am entering this card in the Anything Goes challenges at 613 Avenue Create, Simon Says Stamp Wednesday Challenge and Craft Your Passion.

**Don’t Forget: for a 10% discount on any size order at Repeat Impressions, make a note of my discount code (rr10kh), click on the blog badge on the side of my blog and go to the website here to shop and save!**

Grateful for Fall and Napkin Cards

I have been having so much fun since re-discovering how to attach napkins to cardstock to use for beautiful cards. We had a napkin exchange at our local stamp club and this was one of the gorgeous fall napkins I received. Here is a link to a video on how to attach the napkin with cling wrap and an iron.  I created a larger card with this napkin because it was just too pretty to cut too much of it off. I die cut "Grateful" from Penny Black out of another piece of the napkin on cardstock, layered it on another "grateful" cut out of white fun foam for great dimension and attached. I also die cut a pretty butterfly (Sizzix), added some sparkle to the tips with glitter paste from BoBunny and attached.

Today I am writing up an article on this technique as well as adding embossing and glitter to the napkin backgrounds. The article will be published next spring in Scrap and Stamp Arts.

I am entering this card in the Anything Goes challenges at Lil Patch of Crafty Friends and Amusing Challenge.

Guest Artist Cards

This week I had the honor of demonstrating some of my favorite card techniques at a local art association meeting. One of the organizers of the demonstration thrilled me by sharing the two pictures above of a Polish chicken she created with pastels on sanded paper. The name of the artist is Tamara Martin of Mosinee and I am in awe of her talent! I created a couple cards with her pictures. The first one above started with a background I made with orange, terracotta and gamboge Brushos sprinkled on watercolor paper and spritzed with iridescent gold Glimmer Mist. When it was dry, I embossed the watercolor piece with an embossing folder from WeR Memory Keepers. All I needed to do then was attach the gorgeous picture. That is really all I did on the second card too- round the corners and attach the picture to a red Core'dinations cardbase. I die cut the "celebrate" from Cheery Lynn Designs out of the same cardstock and attached.

I am entering these cards in the Anything Goes challenges at Crafting with Dragonflies  and 613 Avenue Create.

Holiday Bows Merry Christmas Card

I am trying so hard to resist buying more stamps or dies because I have so many I have not even used yet. But when I saw this new Christmas bows stamp/die set from The Ton and the Merry Christmas die from Die-Versions, I knew there was no resisting- they just had to come and live here in my craft room with me:) The bows are two step stamps and they are so realistic looking you swear they are two dimensional. I used my MISTI to line them up and made a red, blue and green bow in the different sizes. I cut two negative bow shapes out of a white piece with the matching bow dies from The Ton, attached a gold washi tape strip, and then embossed with a Sizzix snowflake embossing folder. I popped that piece up with pop dots and put the red and blue bows on the cardbase showing through the die cut bow shapes. I die cut Die-Version's Merry Christmas, attached it and added a popped up small green bow to complete the cheery Christmas card.

I am entering this card in the No DP challenge at Simon Says Stamp Wednesday Challenge and the "Lots of Texture or Layers" challenge at Christmas Stampin' All Year Long. 

Deep Impressions and Color Burst for a Friend

A dear friend had surgery this week and I wanted to send a card to let her know I was thinking of her and sending positive thoughts her way. So I designed this card especially for her. The leaves are created with Stampendous dies, stamps and embossing powders using the Deep Impressions technique (melting layers of embossing powder and then stamping in them while molten.) The colorful strip was done with masking the white parts and sprinkling Color Burst powders, then spritzing with glimmer mist. I am loving the new deeper colors of Color Burst and used Merlot and orange on this colorful strip. I die cut "friend" with a die from Tim Holtz and dotted the i with a black gem.

I am entering this card in the No DP challenge at Simon Says Stamp Wednesday Challenge and the Anything Goes challenge at Crafty Girls Creations. 

Celebrating Fall with Die-Versions Dies

Fall is my favorite season! I love the cooler temperatures, beautiful colors and football! I am having so much fun with my gorgeous new dies from Die-Versions that I could not stop at just one fall card. My first card above features the lovely “Patterned Pumpkin” die from Die-Versions. I die cut it out of polka-dotted orange and green paper and also out of black fun foam. I layered them together for great dimension. I stamped the background piece with a Stampendous background stamp called “Dream Text” with brown ink. Then I embossed the piece with a swirly leaf embossing folder from Darice. I sponged on some Wild Honey Distress Ink and attached to a brown card base. I attached the pumpkin and also the “Friends” die cut from Die-Versions.

My second card features two smaller fall dies from the Wee Petites collection. I die cut the two maple leaves and a pumpkin out of chipboard.  I melted several layers of embossing powders from Stampendous and Stampamania on the leaves and pumpkin, and then stamped each with a rubber stamp while the embossing powders were still molten. I embossed a gold and green cardbase with a fall words embossing folder from Sizzix, and attached the colorful leaves and pumpkin.

**Remember you can get a 15% discount on any of Die-Versions great dies by simply using my discount code karen15 when you check out at the Die-Versions website. **

I am entering the first pumpkin card in the challenge at Scrapy Land to use a stamp and a die from one of those they sell. I, of course, used Die-Versions dies. I am also entering the 2^nd card in the challenge at Simon Says Stamp to use NO designer paper.

Hunka Hunka Elvis Shaker Card

Today I am sharing a card I made with Crackerbox Palace’s awesome stamps and Color Burst brilliant colored crystals which are available from Crackerbox Palace. The minute I saw CBP’s Elvis stamp, I knew I wanted to make a card that said “Hunka Hunka Burning Love” and had some flames on it. I asked John to design those stamps for me and this card is the result. Customized stamps are a big part of what Crackerbox Palace can do for you. You can contact CBP via phone or email and chances are, they can make a customized stamp out of any idea you might have. If you like Elvis, this song and the flames, you can order any of them by contacting Crackerbox Palace directly.

I started this card with a piece of watercolor paper and sprinkled Merlot, Lemon Yellow and Orange Color Burst powders on, then spritzed with water. After it was dry, I cut the frame out with a Spellbinders die. I stamped the flames on the top of the open frame and applied gold and copper glitter paste from BoBunny. I stamped Elvis and cut him out. I also stamped the juke box and the “hunka hunka burning love” on the white card base. I created a shaker card with two layers of mounting tape and dumped in a bunch of sequins and beads. After attaching card front, the beads and sequins move around and shake, rattle and roll as this picture shows:

I am going to share this card in the workshops we have coming up on October 18^th and 19^th featuring Color Burst and Deep Impressions techniques. If you are local, we have openings yet in the Monday sessions. Email me via the contact feature on the side of my blog if you are interested in attending.

I am entering this card in the Anything Goes challenges at Through the Craft Room Door and 613 Avenue Create, and the No DP challenge at Simon Says Stamp Wed. Challenge.

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 started my card with Repeat Impression’s beautiful butterflies heat embossed on watercolor paper. Then I sprinkled on violet, sea green and orange Brusho Coloured Crystals and spritzed with water. These favorite colors of mine as well as three more and a water spritzer are all available here all in one kit on the Repeat Impressions website. I layered the butterfly piece over an orange dp and then onto an aqua cardbase. I added some colored 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 613 Avenue Create, Through the Craft Room Door and Craft Your Passion.

**Don’t Forget: for a 10% discount on any size order at Repeat Impressions, make a note of my discount code (rr10kh), click on the blog badge on the side of my blog and go to the website here to shop and save!** 

Snowy Peace Card

I am loving the look of snow created with flicks of masking fluid on watercolor paper before creating a background with B/B/or CB. In this case, I used mostly the new color of Color Burst called Indigo which is a dark blue with a little of the lighter blue Color Burst too. After the Color Burst was dry, I rubbed off the masking fluid dots and it looks like falling snow in a night sky. I cut out the trees (Penny Black), the deer (from Memory Box) and the "peace" (from Ellen Hutson) and the result is a lovely card which I am teaching this month in my classes.

I am entering this card in the die crazy challenge at Simon Says Stamp Wednesday Challenge and the pigment powders challenge at Paper Artsy.  

Brusho, Color Burst and Deep Impressions Butterfly Card

This is one of those cards that looks so much better IRL than it photographs. The background was created with  Brusho and Color Burst powders sprinkled on watercolor paper and spritzed with iridescent gold Shimmer Mist spray. After it was somewhat dry, I embossed with a beautiful WeR Memory Keepers embossing folder. The background has wonderful embossed texture and the debossed lines are gold from the Shimmer Mist spray.  I wanted to use Stampendous' beautiful butterfly die and stamp with their Deep Impressions technique on this card. There are three sizes of butterfly dies and stamps in this Stampendous set, and it was kind of like the three bears story- the largest was too big, the other two were too small. Then I saw a brilliant card on Pinterest that featured just half of a large butterfly, and decided to try that. I die cut the largest butterfly die out of chipboard and cut it in half. I layered many layers of beautiful embossing powders on both halves and stamped with the butterfly stamp while it was still molten. I was only going to use one half, but decided I liked the dimension of one layered on top of the other. Here is a close up look of the gorgeous butterfly:

I die cut the Live Love Laugh from Cherry Lynn out of a black embossed paper and added some gold glitter paste from BoBunny lightly with my finger. Here is how that looks close up:

Love the sparkle! I am entering this card in the Die Crazy challenge at Simon Says Stamp Wednesday Challenge and the Paper Artsy Pigment Powders Challenge. 

Die Crazy for my Favorite Dies

If you follow my blog, you know I was very excited to announce recently that I was picked to be part of the Die-Versions design team. I love my dies and one of my absolute favorites is this Nice Heels die available here on the Die-Versions website. What can I say- nice heels and flowers and swirls- love it! The die cut is just perfect over a beautiful Bisters background that I created by sprinkling Bister powders over watercolor paper and spritzed with water. I cut the shoe die twice and layered the peachy red over the black so it really stands out. I die cut "enjoy" from Penny black in the Bister background piece and also out of teal, then inlaid the words and pieces back in. I punched the corners with a Fiskars corner punch and layered the whole piece on a teal square card.

I am entering this card in the Die Crazy challenge at Simon Says Stamp Wednesday Challenge and the Favorite Die and Why challenge at As You Like It. I am also entering it in the Paper Artsy challenge Pigment Powders.

If you love this die or any of the others on the Die-Versions website, remember you can save 15% by using my code on the side of the blog.

Fall 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 Fall Colors 4 Kids! Create and link any cute fall colored card appropriate for a child, and you could win one of our great prizes.

We have three very generous sponsors for this challenge: Lacy Sunshine is giving their winner 3 digis of their choice!  Stitchy Bear Digital Outlet is giving their randomly picked winner a $10 gift certificate!  And Inspired by Stamping's winner gets a $20 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.

"Candy Corn" is the name of the sweet digital stamp from Lacy Sunshine featured on my first card. I love candy  corn, and decided to create a background that uses the colors of my favorite Halloween candy. I ripped white, orange and yellow strips of cardstock, sponged the edges with black ink and attached them on a white cardbase. I stamped Happy Halloween (from Crackerbox Palace). I printed the pretty "Candy Corn" digital stamp on white cardstock and also on yellow and orange, then paper pieced her outfit and hair. I cut her out, did a little coloring and attached her to her "Candy Corn" background. Too cute!

My second Fall Colors card features "Candy Bear" from Stitchy Bear Digital Outlet. Isn't he sweet? Once again I printed the digital image, cut out and paper pieced with fall colored papers. I cut the front of the black cardbase in half so the inside Halloween dp can be seen. Candy Bear was attached just on his left side. 

I am entering these cards in the Anything Goes with a Sentiment challenge at Aud Sentiments and the Happy Fall Y'All challenge at Creative Knockouts.

Coffee Aged Background Friends Card

Happy Friday! Today I am sharing a card I made with Crackerbox Palace’s awesome stamps and an aged background made with instant coffee. I learned how to do this aged look in a video here by the wonderful Fran of Stampendous. It is easy to do- just put hot water in a spray bottle and add several spoonfuls of instant coffee, then shake. Spray the mixture on your cardstock, then sprinkle on a few of the instant coffee grounds while still wet for even more color and interest.

On this card I stamped Crackerbox Palace’s “coffee stain” stamp first, then created the background as described above. After the piece was dry, I embossed with an embossing folder from Tim Holtz. I mixed brown distress ink with water on my craft mat, then spattered on brown dots with a small paintbrush and the distress ink/water mixture. The “friends” die is also by Tim Holtz for Sizzix. I stamped Crackerbox Palace’s coffee pot, divided the open area with a small black marker, and zentangled the inside of the stamped image.

I am entering this card in the Use a Die and Stamped Image challenge at Scrapy Land (die is Tim Holtz and Sizzix both brands they carry), and the Anything Goes challenge at Crafty Gals Corner.

Magical Favorite Technique

One of my favorite current techniques is to use masking fluid to create snowflakes on a pretty Color Burst background. I created some dots for snowflakes with masking fluid, then sprinkled on several shades of blue Color Burst and spritzed with water. After the piece was dry, I rubbed off the masking fluid for some pretty snowflakes. I embossed a Tim Holtz reindeer die cut with some swirly snowflakes and attached him with a "peace" die cut (from Ellen Hutson.)

I think peace would be pretty magical, so I am entering this card in the Something Magical challenge at Crafting with Dragonflies.  I am also entering this card in the "Love this Technique" challenge at Simon Says Stamp Monday Challenge, and the Die Crazy challenge at Simon Says Stamp Wednesday Challenge. 

Repeat Impressions Photo Inspiration Challenge

On the third Wednesday of every month at Repeat Impression’s blog, The House that Stamps Built, the challenge is going to be an Inspiration Photo challenge. Here is the photo chosen to inspire us this month: 

Will you be inspired by the colors or the objects or shapes in the photos? It is up to you to pick out what inspires you and make a card, then enter it for a chance to win some great Repeat Impressions rubber. Be sure to check out the RI blog for the inspiration based cards by the other Rock Stars. I have seen them and you do not want to miss them!

I was inspired by the colors and contrast between lights and darks on the inspiration picture. I made my card a “thinking of you” card with a beautiful sentiment from Repeat Impressions on a die cut tag from Spellbinders. I started my card with yellow Brusho Crystal Colours sprinkled on watercolor paper and spritzed with water. Then I stamped the pine bough several times and sponged on the darkness with black distress ink. I mixed a little of the black distress ink with gold spray on my craft sheet, and used a small paintbrush to flick black spatters on the watercolor piece. Butterflies are uplifting, I think, so I stamped one with yellow ink on yellow cardstock, cut it out and attached it with some black gems. I think this card could be perfect for a sympathy card or for anyone going through a tough time.

 I am entering this card in the Anything Goes challenges at Crafting from the Heart and Craft Your Passion.

My First Die-Versions Design Team Blogpost

I am so happy to post that today is my first blogpost as a member of the Die-Versions Design Team!  I am sharing a couple cards with you today that feature some of my favorite background techniques and (of course) some gorgeous Die-Versions dies. 

My first card above started out as a black swirly cocktail napkin. I attached it to cardstock using a hot iron and cling wrap. Here is a link to a tutorial on how to do that. After the napkin was attached to cardstock, I applied Versamark all over it, sprinkled on heat and stick powder and melted it with a heat gun.  I immediately covered it with fine clear glitter and shook off the excess. Then I sprayed the glittery napkin with a fixative so the glitter stays in place. I attached the background to a black cardbase. The best part of the card is the gorgeous die called Trellis, which can be found here on the Die-Versions website.  I attached it to the front of the card using a spray adhesive.

My second card features the Christmas Word Tree which says it all, right?  I cut it twice and layered the white over the red. I cut the star again in a glittery gold and attached.  I created this background by spattering masking fluid which I watered down so I could easily use a small paintbrush to flick it on watercolor paper. When the masking fluid spatters were dry, I sprinkled on two blue shades of Color Burst and spritzed with water. After that was dry, I rubbed off the masking fluid for the look of snow coming down. I tore a snow drift and attached the Christmas Word Tree to complete the card.

I am finding all I need to create awesome cards are great dies and pretty backgrounds. 

Remember you can get a 15% discount on any of Die-Versions great dies by simply using my discount code karen15 when you check out at the Die-Versions website.

I am entering these cards in the Love to Create Challenge  and 613 Avenue Create Anything Goes challenge.

Four of my Favorite Current Loves on One Card

Lately I have loved making cards with Fall Colors, Napkins, Deep Impressions and Inlaid Die Techniques, and I have used all of those on this card. The beautiful fall background on this card is a napkin I applied to cardstock with an iron and cling wrap (tutorial on how to do that here.) I die cut "Thankful" (from Penny Black) out of the napkin piece and again in dark brown. I inlaid the dark brown "thankful" in the negative space and added back in the little pieces in the f and l. The gorgeous leaf is a chipboard leaf cut with a Tim Holtz Sizzix die with many layers of embossing powder melted on it before stamping with a great texture stamp from Free Range Rubber.

I am entering this card in the Anything Goes challenge at 613 Avenue Create and the Fabulous Fall Colors challenge at Di's Digis.

Cherish Deep Impressions Feather Card

It is hard to pick my favorite of all the Deep Impressions cards I have made recently, but this one would one of my top choices. I am so enjoying making cards with the Deep Impressions technique taught by Fran of Stampendous at the summer CHA I went to. The feather on this card is a chipboard piece cut with a die from Quikcutz. I layered on copper and purple embossing powders and topped it with the gorgeous Gold Luxe mix from Stampendous. While still molten, I stamped the feather with my favorite background stamp from Technique Junkies. The picture is a Clear Views transparency from The Mark-It Place and that feather die is from Kelly Purkey. Cherish is from a words die set by Tim Holtz for Sizzix. Here is a close-up picture of the beautiful feather and a picture of how I continued the theme in the inside of the card:

I am entering this card in the Anything Goes challenges at Crafting with Friends and Simply Papercraft.

Wisconsin Beer Card using NBUS

I discovered a new stamp company from Wisconsin at the summer CHA and since I love making funny cards, I had to order a bunch of their stamps. This is the first card I have made with them. The company is called Two Lips Stamps and the stamps are available on line here.  Because there is a lol punch line, I started with half of the Two Lips sentiment on a top folding joy fold card. The beer bottle and flap closer (also part of the beer bottle) is from Raisin Boat. I added some stickers to show the beer was made in Wisconsin. Here is why:

Ha Ha! The "cereal bowl" is really a popcorn bowl from Crackerbox Palace, but I paper pieced the popcorn with kraft paper to look like cereal.

I am entering this card in the NBUS challenge at djkardkreations (3rd and final entry- sentiment stamp is Never Before Used Schtuff), and in the Use a Stamp challenge at Simon Says Stamp.

Happiness is Funny NBUS!

I love using funny stamps in my card making! They make me laugh and hopefully the recipient laughs too. The lol new sentiment stamp above that I won from So Suzy Stamps would be perfect for so many of my wine drinking friends! I embossed the whole card with a beautiful snowy scene (source unknown.) Then I stamped the first part of the So Suzy Stamps sentiment and added a beautiful snowflake from Memory Box. Looks like a typical holiday card with my favorite Christmas song lyrics, right? Then you open the card and see the wine glass (My Creative Time) and the lol red sentiment. Love it!

I am entering this card in the NBUS challenge at djkardkreations (the So Suzy Stamps sentiment is Never Before Used Schtuff), in the "Happiness Is" challenge at So Suzy Stamps and the "Use a Stamp" challenge at Simon Says Stamptember.

September/October Issue of Through the Craftroom Door Now Available

I am happy to share that the newest issue of Through the Craftroom Door is now available. There are 180 pages of crafty goodness in this issue. It includes tons of card samples, some free digis, and lots of tutorials and articles. I have an article on the faux leather look background you see on this card. I taught this technique in my card classes this month and this week at stamp club and everyone loved it. Here is another card from the article with this technique:

I am entering these cards in the Anything Goes challenges at Tuesday Throwdown and Crafting from the Heart.

Fall or Autumn Designer's Choice Challenge

It’s another Designer’s Choice Challenge at The House that Stamps Built, Repeat Impression’s blog. It is Deonna’s turn and her theme is Fall or Autumn. Why don’t you join us in this challenge and enter your project 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 projects for this DCC challenge. I have seen them and you do not want to miss them!

I heat embossed Repeat Impression’s falling leaves several times on a watercolor piece for a resist. Then I sprinkled on fall colors of Brusho Crystal Colours and spritzed with iridescent gold Glimmer Mist for the lovely background on this card. Repeat Impressions now sells Brushos in a kit of my favorite colors! Check out the website here for all the details.

I stamped RI's larger maple leaf with Versamark and heat embossed it with a glittery embossing powder from Stampamania. I tied a baker’s twine bow before attaching. I am sharing another sneak peak of a fabulous word set soon to be released by Repeat Impressions. The “Happy” and “Hello” sets are available here. I stamped “give” and “thanks” with the aid of my MISTI since it needed to be stamped several times on the watercolored background. The MISTI allows you to stamp as many times as needed always in the exact correct spot. I am finding I cannot live without it. It is available here.

I am entering this card in the Anything Goes challenges at Crafting from the Heart and 613 Avenue Create.

And don’t forget: For a 10% discount on any size order at Repeat Impressions, just make a note of my discount code (rr10kh), click on the blog badge on the side of my blog and go to the website here to shop and save! 

Happy Dance! I am a Die-Versions Dynamo!

If you follow my blog, you know I love me my dies! I find I reach for my dies more than stamps when I am designing! So when I saw that Die-Versions  was having a design team call, I applied. Guess what?! They picked me as one of the new Dynamos on their design team!

**I am excited to share that you can save 15% on any of the fantastic dies at Die-Versions just because you are a follower of my blog! Use my discount code   karen15  anytime you are looking for some great new dies. You can click on the blog badge on the side and go shopping. This discount applies to regular prices only.**

I am eagerly awaiting my first package of goodies from Die-Versions, but while I am waiting, I played with the Big Butterfly Die-Versions die from the Whispers line. I had purchased it some time ago but never used it before. I know- why not? It is gorgeous! But I rectified that today and made two cards with it.

The  background for my first card above was made with my favorite colors of Brusho Coloured Crystals (ostwalt blue, turquoise and orange) and spritzed with pearl Glimmer Mist. I cut the "Big Butterfly" in white cardstock and applied Wasabi and Silver Glitter Paste from BoBunny for some sparkly quick drying glittery beauty.

I have been playing with napkin backgrounds recently and the glittery fabric like background on this card is a pretty napkin that looked this before I attached it and added the glitter:

The napkin is attached to the cardstock using an iron and cling wrap and here is a video on how that is done. I applied Versamark all over the napkin piece, then melted heat and stick powder on it with my heat gun. I dumped fine clear glitter on it and then sprayed with a fixative to hold the glitter in place. IRL it is very sparkly, but hard to photograph. I cut the Large Butterfly from Die-Versions in green and attached it. Then I cut the butterfly out in white and also out of another matching napkin. I layered the napkin butterfly on the white one and then onto the green die cut, raising the wings.

I am entering these cards in the NBUS challenge at djkardkreations since the butterfly die from Die-Versions is Never Before Used Schtuff. I am also entering the anything goes challenges at Glitter n Sparkle  and 613 Avenue Create. 

Rockin' Birthday Superstar Card

My Favorite Things is having a Card Design Superstar Contest and I decided to pull out my favorite MFT stamp set and the matching Die-namics dies and have some fun designing a card for the challenge. The first time I saw the Die-namics Headphones and the Keep on Rockin' clear stamp set from My Favorite Things, I knew I had to make them my own. They are perfect for cards for teenagers which is the type of cards we have the greatest need for at Send a Smile 4 Kids. I stamped the equalizer with Memento Tangelo, Bahama Blue, Lady Bug and Grape Jelly inks, and the rockin' birthday sentiment in black. I die cut the headphone pieces with chipboard and applied layers of Stampendous embossing powders using Fran's Deep Impressions technique. Here is a closer look at the sparkle and deep embossing on the headphones:

I stamped a purple note from the MFT Rockin' Birthday set and added some gold splats and dots with a small paintbrush and Heidi Swapp's Gold Colorshine spray. I attached the headphones with some good strong two sided tape and then attached the completed card front to a black A2 cardbase.

I am entering this card in the You Could be a Card Design Superstar Contest at My Favorite Things. Wouldn't that be a thrill to win? If you don't try, you can't win, right?

Coffee Deep Impressions Card

I am having so much fun playing with techniques I learned from videos by Fran of Stampendous on U-Tube! Her Deep Impressions technique is my favorite currently, but I also used instant coffee on the background of this card after watching another video on that technique. After the instant coffee spray was dry, I sponged on the lines with distress ink and a stencil and stamped the coffee stains, steam and the perfect sentiment from Crackerbox Palace. Here is a closeup of the dimension and shine of the coffee cup:

Isn't that gorgeous? The embossing powder I used primarily was Aged Copper from Stampendous which is a combo of gold, copper and green/blue. I stamped with an awesome background stamp from Technique Junkies into the molten embossing powder. I finished the card by sprinkling distress ink mixed with water with a small paint brush for the random dots.

I will be teaching this technique at an upcoming local workshop. If interested, email me via the contact feature on the side of the blog.

I am entering this card in the "Take a Stamp" challenge at Craft Stamper Magazine and the Make it Colorful challenge at Simon Says Stamp. 

Cute Fall or Halloween 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 Cute Fall or Halloween 4 Kids! Create and link any cute fall or Halloween card appropriate for a child, and you could win one of our great prizes.

We have three very generous sponsors for this challenge: Bugaboo is giving their winner 7 digis of their choice!  Dollar Graphics Depot is giving their randomly picked winner a $15 gift certificate!  And A Day for Daisies’ winner gets a $12 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 is a top folding joy fold card featuring "First Flight" from A Day for Daisies. I did a little coloring and sponging and paper pieced their outfits. The "Best Witches" is from Crackerbox Palace and is popped up to the hold the card front in place. Here is a picture of the inside of the joy fold card with another sentiment from Crackerbox Palace: 

My second card features a sweet colored digital image and sentiment from Dollar Graphics Depot called Cutie Bears-Happy Fall. I cut the images out with a couple die cuts and attached to an orange square card.

I am entering the first card in the colorful challenge at Simon Says Stamp and the sentiment challenge at Creative Moments.