One More Card in the August Die Cut Crazy Magazine

This cute baby block card was the second card of mine published this week in the newest edition of the online magazine Die Cut Crazy. There are 71 pages of die cut inspiration in this month's issue and if you have an iPhone or iPad, you can get it for just a buck or two! I shared how to make this baby block card and I am teaching a class called Fun Folds II that includes this card and two other unique folds on September 3rd in my home. If local and interested contact me via email or phone. Here are two other pictures showing different views of the block card:

All the stamps are from Repeat Impressions and the dies are from Stampin' Up. I am entering this card in the Anything Goes challenge at Crafty Girls and the "Two or More Die Cuts" challenge at MilkCoffee.

Die Cut Crazy is having a birthday blog hop Friday the 15th, so come back then and hop with us for tons of awesome birthday inspiration and maybe even win a prize! DCC is hoping to have their new PDF version available for the blog hop so you could subscribe even with one of those i things:)

Cover of the August Issue of Die Cut Crazy!

I have had hundreds of cards published and many full length articles too, but I never made the cover until this  newest issue of Die Cut Crazy, so I am very excited! I am doing a monthly column called Never Too Early to Make our Christmas Cards and this is the card I shared along with a review of the Spellbinders Tool in One. Have you tried that yet? I love the Zig Zag die from Memory Box, but I used to have to poke out all the holes by hand in the paper and clean the ones out of the die too. With the Spellbinders Tool in One, you can simply roll the bristles over the paper or the die on a mat and they fall right out! I die cut kraft paper twice with the Zig Zag die and stamped the sentiment from Paper Trey Ink in the center. The poinsettia was cut with a Marianne Creatables die and colored with 3D Stamp Paint from Viva to make it sparkly. I added some greens punched with a Martha Stewart punch.

Check out the new issue of Die Cut Crazy if you have an iPhone or iPad. We are having a birthday blog hop next Friday (the 15th) and I am told the PDF version should be ready by then for those of us without an iPad or iPhone. And there will be prizes and lots of great birthday card inspiration!

I am entering this card in the Anything Goes challenges at Through the Craft Room Door and Paper Take Weekly.

Masculine Card on Crackerbox Palace Friday

It's Crackerbox Palace Friday and I am sharing a masculine card I made with Crackerbox Palace’s stamps and a background technique I learned from Lisa Eisner in the latest issue of Die Cut Crazy. I started with a top folding brown card and a light yellow front piece. I scored the yellow piece every half inch with my Scor-Buddy. Then I dragged a series of inks over the piece (yellow, medium brown and darker brown) to achieve this worn wood look. I cut a hole in the front with a Spellbinders circle die and stamped the ship circle in the inside of the card. I cut the brown circle frame and added some yellow candy dots to the window frame. I stamped the “Just Because”, cut out with a Spellbinders label die and sponged with Scattered Straw Distress Ink while still in the label die. I attached that with pop dots. I had some extra of the front wood piece, so I attached one on the inside too. Here is a look the inside: 

Don’t forget you can save 15% off your order at Crackerbox Palace.com with my name (Karen) in the coupon code box. All I ask is that you sign up as a follower here and then go shop for all these great stamps and more at 15% off!

I am entering this card in the Anything Goes challenge at  Simon Says Stamp and Addicted to Stamps.

More Cutting Edge Stencil Cards and Winners Announced

I have had so much fun the last week or so playing with stencils from Cutting Edge Stencils and this is my favorite card so far. I love the Entwined stencil and the screen or panel card I learned how to make in the most recent Die Cut Crazy digital magazine.  I will share some details and a few more pix of this and other cards, but I know you are here to find out who won, right?

The winner of the $20 gift certificate for stencils at Cutting Edge Stencils is:   Berni Cuttino!!!  Here is her winning comment: "I am back with my favorite stencil. There were a few calling my name, but I especially am fond of Houndstooth Card Stencil Template. I am following Cutting Edge on Facebook and subscribe to their blog."

I added a prize from me (and Cutting Edge Stencils) after I saw all the wonderful comments about my cards and the contest. The winner of the prize of a set of 4 rubber grip stencil brushes from Crafter's Choice and a butterfly stencil is:   Robin who commented: "These are lovely cards! Thanks so much for a chance to win some stencils too. The one I liked the best is Lily Scroll Card Stencil Template. I really like the wall stuff too."

Berni- Cutting Edge Stencils will be in touch with you about your prize. Robin- I will email you about yours.

Here are a couple more pictures of the screen or panel card I made with the Entwined stencil. I sponged each panel with two colors of distress ink, and then decorated with various dies and stamps from Repeat Impressions and others. The panel is an 8 1/2" by 12" piece of card stock scored at 3, 6, and 9 inches, then punched at  the top with a border punch and a label punch at the bottom. The last pix shows the card closed ready to fit into a business sized envelope to mail.

My second card features the same Entwined stencil but with a totally different technique. I attached the stencil to a piece of water color paper with temporary tape. Then I applied Versamark ink through the stencil openings, sprinkled on clear embossing powder and melted the powder with my heat gun. Then I applied three colors of Adirondack ink refills to the water color paper with watercolor brushes. I let that dry, while I heated up my iron as hot as it would go with no water for steam. I covered the colored piece with a paper grocer's bag and ironed it, which melts and removes the embossing powder leaving the clear smooth off white swirls. Then I used pieces of the sheet I created for the background behind the scalloped circle, the smile die (which is inlaid in the white cover piece), the butterfly and the side strips. I added a couple sequins to complete this card.

Here is the front and inside of my last stencil card (for today anyway:) I applied black 3D Stamp Paint from Viva in the openings of the Birch Forest stencil on a birch tree designer paper. The 3D Stamp Paint gives the front of the card wonderful texture which is hard to see on a photo. I tore some snow drifts, added some deer and a Santa and a beautiful - so true!- sentiment on the front and the inside.

I had so much fun designing with the stencils from Cutting Edge Stencils and hope you will visit them real soon to check out all their stencils for crafting and decorating your home. I want to thank them for the stencils and brushes I received and for the prize for our winner!

I am entering these cards in the Anything Goes challenges at Treasured Times and Suzy Bee's Bloomin' Challenge.

Hooray for SAS4Kids in Die Cut Crazy Magazine

The newest issue of Die Cut Crazy Magazine has just been released and I am thrilled to have two articles in  this issue, including one about my charitable blog, Send a Smile 4 Kids. Please visit the Die Cut Crazy blog  to find out how to get this awesome digital magazine with 80 pages of die cut ideas.

I created this card to show one that would be perfect for our kids of any age at SAS4Kids. I embossed the white background piece with a stencil from ColorBox and my No More Shims thick embossing pad, then sponged distress inks on the debossed side. I ripped three washi tape strips and attached a bike die cut (Memory Box) over them. I added the Hooray die cut from Penny Black and attached the whole piece to a black square card. Here is something else to say Hooray about - a great way to store washi tape I found on Pinterest:

19 rolls of decorative tape in one aluminum foil box! Hooray for great storage ideas!

I am entering this card in the die cut challenge at Virginia's View and the Anything Goes challenge at Sister Act.

Christmas Card in a Box in July Die Cut Crazy Magazine

Woo Hoo- I am so excited! The newest issue of Die Cut Crazy has been released and it is 80 pages full of die cut inspiration!! This is one of the cards I designed and wrote an article about. As I pointed out in the article (which is going to be a monthly feature), it is never too early to start making our Christmas cards so that in December we can relax and enjoy our holidays.

Here is a link to where you can download the July issue if you have an iPhone or iPad. PDF versions are in the works. It is unbelievably inexpensive for either a subscription or just one issue. My articles are on pages 35-37 and 51-53, but the whole issue is packed with die cut ideas and great articles!

This card is another of the longer version of a card in box that folds to fit into an A2 envelope. I decorated with Memory Box and W Plus 9 die cuts. Here are a couple more pictures showing the card from the front and the back side where you can write a personal message.

I am entering this card in the Die Cut challenge at Virginia's View Challenge and the Christmas Stampin' all Year Round Challenge, using a favorite holiday color combo: blue and white.

Embossed Stencil Summer Card

What says Summer more than flowers and butterflies? Lots of steps to my card today, but not a lot of time to explain it.I stamped an old TAC word background, then embossed and sponged a Memory Box butterfly stencil using my No More Shims embossing pad. The trellis was made with the Stampin' Up chevron punch. I learned how to make the floral cone in this month's issue of Die Cut Crazy (digital die cut magazine only 99 cents a month direct to your iPhone or iPad.) This card is part of my new stencil techniques class in my home.

I am entering this card in the Summer challenge at Brown Sugar and the Anything Goes challenge at QKR Stampede.

Celebrating a New Adventure

I am so excited to share that I am now a monthly contributor at an on-line digital magazine called Die Cut Crazy. This is the card that was published in the June issue available right now on iTunes for iPad and iPhone owners. (If you do not have an iPad or iPhone, there is going to be a PDF version available very soon.) I just received my copy of the issue and I am blown away! 53 Pages of Die Cut Awesomeness! 11 articles with great cards, techniques, reviews, etc. I am so making some of these cards! There is page after page of reader cards that can be submitted via Instagram or email. There is a monthly challenge and if you enter, your card will be published! The theme is Jewelry- Diamonds, Engagement & Wedding, Tiaras.  So if you ever wanted to get your cards published in a magazine, this is your perfect opportunity! One month subscription (that renews automatically until you cancel it in iTunes) is only 99 cents!!  There are even better deals if you buy a year's subscription. Here is a link to the subscription details:  https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/die-cut-crazy-mag/id590620928?mt=8.

Between Memorial Day, Flag Day and 4th of July, I have been feeling patriotic lately, so I was inspired to make this Stars and Stripes Shaker Card. I stamped the stars (Kitchen Sink Stamps) on a white piece, then embossed it with a stripes embossing folder (Stampin' Up) inked with red ink. I created the star shaker with star Nestabilities dies, acetate, and various sequins. I finished the card with a few more star sequins and small red gems.

I am entering this card in the Anything Goes challenges at Crafty Sentiments Designs and Papertake Weekly (summer is the optional challenge and what is more summer than red, white and blue for 4th of July?)