Sympathy Bister Cling Wrap Card

A while back I was experimenting with BBCB and cling wrap and this background was one of the results. I used Bister crystals spritzed with glimmer mist spray, and then scrunched up cling wrap on the piece and let it dry. I decided to make a sympathy card with it. I attached a tree frame die cut from Prickley Pear and a few birds die cut with Memory Box and IO dies.

I am entering this card in the Anything Goes challenge at Simon Says Stamp Wednesday Challenge and the Sympathy card challenge at Speedy Fox and Friends.

New Bister Colors Card

I just got black and mahogany Bisters and experimented with them to make this background. Mahogany results in shades of red and brown and black has shades of grey and black. The containers of Bister at I Brake for Stamps here are only $1.65, so I recommend you get them all if you want to try this fun product. I added a text background from Hero Arts, then heat embossed some flowers from Prickley Pear with white embossing powder. I layered on a white card base and added a white butterfly die cut from Memory Box.

I am entering this card in the Anything Goes challenge at 613 Avenue Create and the Anything Goes with a flower challenge at One Stitch at a Time.

Christmas Stencil Card

In the classes I teach in my home (new sessions starting in March), we do one holiday card each month. So I decided to play with creating my own stencil using Spellbinders ornament dies and the sponging and stamping inside as we were taught in the one of the lesson videos this weekend in the Stenciled Class and this is what I came up with. The sentiment stamp is from Prickly Pear and the flourish and greens dies are by Cherry Lynn Designs.

I am entering this card in the Anything Goes challenges at Party Time Tuesday and Through the Craft Room Door.

Stamping smiles, Karen

Last Minute Holiday Cards with Washi Tape and Acetate

I bought some new Christmas washi tape and had to make a few last minute cards with it and some other embossing folders and stamps in my Christmas NSIHNUY pile. To make this card I simply embossed a white piece with a new folder from Couture Creations and sponged the Merry Christmas with red ink to make it stand out. I added some pretty washi tape in each corner and a red bow at the top of the embossed ornament.

This card features some new stamps from Prickley Pear and Heartfelt Creations in different shades of purple.  I stamped and cut out some ornaments and attached over a piece of acetate in the space cut out from the middle of the front of the card. Through the acetate and on the top I stamped a matching design element also from Prickley Pear. The Believe sentiment is from Heartfelt Creations and I added some black gems to dot the i and to the ornaments.

I am entering these cards in the Home for the Holidays challenge at Card Crafter's Circle and the Anything Goes challenge at Stampin' for the Weekend.

Stamping smiles, Karen

Snowflakes and Stars CAS Card

Today I am posting one last holiday card featuring my new snowflake embossing folder from Darice and the Christmas star by Stampin' Up. I stamped the star in silver ink on a silver dp, cut out and scored the lines for great dimension. I attached to a navy blue card embossed with my favorite snowflake embossing folder and added a nice sentiment from Prickley Pear.

I am entering this card in the Snowflakes challenge at CAS-ual Fridays and the Let It Snow challenge at Simon Says Stamp.

Stamping smiles, Karen

Peaceful Season Ornament Card

I am so in the mood to make Christmas cards so you will be seeing many of them between now and the end of December. I  combined two diecuts from Spellbinders to make the ornament on this card. I cut the opening with an ornament die and cut the lattice work background with another Spellbinders die. I added pearls on the intersections and a ribbon bow to complete the ornament look. I stamped the Peaceful Season sentiment from Prickley Pear on red, cut out, scored (lifting the center) and snipped the pennant ends.

I am entering this card in the Anything Goes challenge at Charisma Cardz and Crafty Girls.

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

Prickley Pear Thank You Card

I recently purchased a beautiful set of flowers and sentiments with matching dies by Prickley Pear and I couldn't wait to design a card with them. The sketch for the card was cased from a card I saw on Pinterest. I started with a two sided orange floral paper for the card base. I stamped the Prickley Pear flowers in orange ink on an off white panel and also on scrap paper, then cut the smaller ones out with their matching die. I attached the smaller flowers over the larger ones, and layered that piece over a green card stock piece. The "thanks for your kindness" sentiment is from the same set by Prickley Pear. The dotted circle die is by Memory Box and the greens were cut with a Cherry Lynn die. I added some gems to the flowers and sentiment to complete the card.

I am entering this card in the Anything Goes challenges at Paper Take Weekly and Sister Act.

Stamping Smiles, Karen

613 Avenue Create and Crafts 4 Eternity

Anything Goes at Crafts 4 Eternity and 613 Avenue Create, with an optional theme of Friends at 613 Ave. I could not resist this sentiment from Prickley Pear when I saw it recently at my local Stamp Shoppe because it is so true. Me and my buddies are all shapes and sizes, but it really doesn't matter when it comes to friendship:) I am still having fun with my Stampin' Up dressmaker dies, and here is another dress I was inspired to make after seeing something similar on Pinterest. The background paper is my new favorite dp again from Stampin' Up.

Stamping smiles, Karen

Critter Sketch "Happy Birthday for Me" Challenge

It's not my birthday but the challenge this week at Critter Sketch is to make and link a card that I would like to receive for my birthday. Our wonderful sponsor is Stamp and Create - please visit the blog for all the details and to see the other birthday cards by our design team.

I love butterflies and diecuts and pretty dp and making people smile- so I put this card together with me in mind:) The gorgus butterfly stamp and diecut are from Prickley Pear. I stamped it twice once on velum and once on orange cardstock and colored the velum one from the back with markers.  CAS (with a twist or something fun or different) is my style and I cut the dp in swirls and poked holes along the edge to make it fun.

I am entering this card in the "Wings and Things" challenge at Stampin for the Weekend.

Stamping smiles, Karen

Prickley Pear Sketch and Craft Your Passions Challenges

The challenge this week at Craft your Passion is Anything Goes and at Prickley Pear it is to use this sketch and their stamps. I hadn't inked their beautiful bird yet and was itching to, so this was the perfect time. I stamped the bird and its wing on patterned paper (all Stampin' up) and attached with mounting tape to raise it on a nestie circle. The sketch had the rectangle behind this circle cut into fours and mine is, but the circle ended up too big to show that. The sentiment is also from Prickley Pear.

Stamping smiles, Karen

Penny's Paper Crafty and Creative Inspirations Paint Challenges

"Anything Goes" is the theme of the challenge at Penny's Paper Crafty and at Creative Inspirations Paint the theme is "Inspired by Butterflies" this week. I played with some new toys I got at a stamp show last week and made this sympathy or thinking of you card. The beautiful sentiment is from Prickley Pear and it is stamped in the center of a new embossing folder from Tim Holtz. The butterfly border is a new die from Memory Box. I also punched out a couple butterflies (Martha Stewart punch) from a flower Clear Views Transparency and attached with glue dots.

Stamping smiles, Karen

Flutterby Wednesday and Aud Sentiments Challenges

The challenge this week at Flutterby Wednesday is to use a butterfly, fairy or angel on our cards, and at Aud Sentiments it is Anything Goes. I made this card for my BFF's birthday earlier in April. The large butterfly stamp and diecut is from Prickley Pear. The stream of butterflies stamp is by Hero Arts for Archivers. I love the sentiment stamped on the inside so it is visible through a window of acetate, but don't know where it is from. The DP is from CTMH and was cut 1/4 inch smaller on the top and bottom of the orange card. I cut out a long window in the middle of the card and attached acetate, then attached the bottom back on. A couple pearls on the inside and on the butterfly finish the card.

Stamping smiles, Karen

Sisterhood of Crafters and Penny's Challenges

The challenges at Sisterhood of Crafters and at Penny's Challenges were "Anything Goes" this week. I love that kind because I can pick any of my recent cards to post. This is a CAS winter card featuring a beautiful cardinal stamp from Prickley Pear and a snowflake embossing folder from Cuttlebug. It is hard to see but the black behind the cardinal is also embossed and the cardinal is sprayed with Glimmer Mist so it sparkles. Adding the red gems was the last step.

Stamping smiles, Karen

Crafty Cardmakers #37 and Cupcake Crafts #124 Challenges

The challenge this week at Crafty Cardmakers was to use red and a diecut and at Cupcake Craft it was to try something new. The awesome cardinal stamp from Prickley Pear comes with a diecut to cut it out. And just about everything about this card is new: the stamps (including the sentiment from AMuse and the musical background from Prickley Pear); the border punch from ek success and the Funky Fold layout of the card. I had never tried this type of card before, but saw a card on line that directed me to a video here. I love different and unique folds and this one was fun and easy to do. I even adjusted the sizes for an A2 card and will post that card on another day.

Stamping smiles, Karen

Scrap-Creations & Bunny Zoe's Crafts "Love is in the Air"

"Love is in the Air" is the theme of the challenges at both Scrap-Creations and Bunny Zoe's Crafts this week. I designed this larger card with either a wedding or Valentine's Day in mind. I attached a piece of pipe repair tape across the center of a 5 x 7 white card and embossed it all with a hearts CB embossing folder. The beautiful dancing couple in the center of the lacy circle nestie is from Prickley Pear. I sprayed that piece with glimmer mist so it sparkles in real life and added some fake pearls with a pearl pen and a ribbon down the middle.

Stamping smiles, Karen

Creative Sketches & Speedy the Cat #36 Challenges

The challenge this week at Creative Sketches was "Anything Goes" and at Speedy the Cat they challenged us to use something new. I have been having so much fun playing with all the great new items I have received lately so this was perfect for me. The gorgeous stamps are from Prickley Pear and the embossing and cutting folder is a new one from Cuttlebug. I love the CAS but elegant look.

Stamoing smiles, Karen