Crafter's Companion Gemini Jr. First Card - YEA!

I recently invested in a Gemini Junior die-cutting and embossing machine by Crafter's Companion because my previously badly broken wrist can get very achy after much cranking of the other machines I own. I wanted an electronic machine but most were too big for the space I have in my crafting room. The Gemini Jr. fits right next to me and I am loving how it cuts and embosses beautifully every time. In the HSN package special were many gorgeous dies and stamps and embossing folders that we received with the machine. My favorite of all the goodies I received is the 3D Regency Swirls Embossing Folder I used on this card. I have been wanting to try the eclipse technique with an embossing folder and so I pulled out my new alphabet dies from Kat Scrappiness and die cut YEA out of a dark brown piece of cardstock. Then I ran the whole piece including the die cut letters through my Gemini Jr. with the Regency Swirls embossing folder. I sponged on some Nuvo Indian Gold Embellishment Mousse with a Ranger sponging tool to highlight the pretty swirls. I layered the piece on a piece of Gold Touch Mirri Sparkle cardstock from The Paper Cut and then onto a dark brown cardbase. I raised the cut out YEA on black foam with an adhesive back and then glued on the embossed and sponged YEA to complete the cardfront. I love how it turned out! Here is a look at the inside of the card:

The stamps on the inside of this card are also from Crafter's Companion and the set is called "Spread Your Wings". It was included in the Gemini Jr. package as sold recently on HSN. 

I know many people are finding the larger Gemini on clearance but that would not  fit in my room. I am very happy with my Crafter's Companion Gemini Jr. and so glad I now have it next to me at all times in my craft room.

Crafty Friends Sponged Card

(I normally post a new YouTube video and a card from that video on Monday, but this week I posted a couple days early to participate in a Celebration video hop. If you missed the video and the card, here is a link to them.)

I found a Unity Quick Tip video with an easy technique and tried it on the card above. She stamped the background image with clear embossing ink and then overstamped the sentiment with VersaFine black ink before embossing it all with a clear embossing powder. Then she sponged on a distress ink darker towards the center and lighter towards the edge and the result is a lovely card front. I stamped Penny Black's Trumpet Song first with clear Versamark ink and then stamped the sentiment from Altenew's Crafty Friends Set with Onyx Black VersaFine ink. I heat set both with clear embossing powder and my heat gun, then sponged on Salty Ocean Distress Oxide Ink. I layered it on a navy blue cardbase and added some clear Nuvo Morning Dew Crystal Drops. I made this card for an upcoming birthday of a crafty friend, so the Altenew Crafty Friends set is perfect for this card. I used some more of the sentiments from that set in the inside of the card along with a Simon Says Stamp Corbel Curved Border die:

I am entering this card in the Anything Goes challenge at Simon Says Stamp Wednesday and the February challenge at Crop Stop.

I think my crafty friend will really like this card and I had fun making it for her. Thanks for helping me #share the joy of creativity!

Anything Goes 4 Kids OR Easter/Spring Cards 4 Kids at Send a Smile 4 Kids

(This is my second blogpost today. If you are looking for the blogpost regarding the weekend video hop and the prizes you can win, click here.) 

It’s Saturday and time for another fun challenge at Send a Smile 4 Kids! This year, all challenges at SAS4Kids are Anything Goes 4 Kids! We will have an alternative theme that you can choose to follow, but are not required to. Create and link any card that is appropriate for a child and your card could be chosen as one of our top three cards and you could join us as a guest dt member on a future challenge.

The theme for this challenge is: Anything Goes 4 Kids OR Easter/Spring Cards 4 Kids!  It may seem early, but now is the time to make and send in your Spring and Easter cards for our kids. It is not required that you send in your card if you enter our challenges, but our kids would sure love it if you did!

I made an Easter card with a fun Die-Versions Easter Tower die and an Easter stamp and Peep from Studio Calico. I did a little inlaid diecutting and added some flower eyelets for a cute and CAS kid’s Easter card.

I am entering this card in the Anything Goes challenge at Simon Says Stamp Wednesday.

 

Maaike Uijthoven's Celebration Video Hop Double Display Card

This weekend I am joining in a video hop with other friends of Maaike Uijthoven to celebrate a milestone and to help promote the YouTube channels of smaller or newer YouTubers such as myself. At most stops along the video hop you will have a chance to win something and you will also be learning about the projects we made. Here is my double display card that I make in my video:

This double display celebration card is easy to make with the right dies and you can win the card and the Gina K Designs/Therm O Web Time to Celebrate Stamp n Foil Clear Stamp Set by watching my video here, commenting on the video and subscribing to my channel. But HURRY- the contest is only open on Saturday and Sunday Febuary 3rd and 4th, and the winner will be drawn and announced on Tuesday February 6th on Maaike's YouTube channel here. I will leave a comment on the winner's comment too.

Here is a list of the others in this video hop, so take some time this weekend and hop along for great projects:

Maaike UIjthoven  
https://youtu.be/PEjPkcSAuxg 

Karen Hasheck (you are at my blog now)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2rZK_zXGl10&feature=youtu.be 

Mary Polanco 
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K2ivbEM4xa8

Charlotte Ehrukainen 
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=osVe3m1p7Uo&feature=youtu.be 

Jasmine Burgess 
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LiAo3_oZ5E0&feature=youtu.be 

Gerry’s craft room 
https://youtu.be/fYQxbTvQYK8 

Uniquepaper 15
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kaPbJxUDqRc&feature=youtu.be

Maike kreations 
https://maikreations.blogspot.nl/2018/02/celebrate-maaike-uithovens-2000.html

So hurry on over to my new video here, subscribe if you are not already one, and leave a comment. Then hop, hop, hop for more fun videos and projects and chances to win.

I am entering this card in the Anything Goes challenge at Simon Says Stamp Wednesday.

Happy Early Birthday Gina K. and The Announcement of My Blogaversary Giveaway Winner!

Today is a very special day because it is Gina K's birthday (of Gina K Designs and Stamp TV) and it is the day I announce the winner of my huge 8th blogaversary prize! 

I learned that February 2nd was Gina K's birthday on her Facebook page and decided I really needed to make and send her a birthday card as my way of saying Thank You for the awesome Therm O Web and Gina K Designs Stamp n Foil Products I received early to make sample cards for the Therm O Web Creativation (CHA) booth. Here is a link to a blog post where I shared the cards I made with the new Gina K Designs Stamp n Foil products:  http://karenskreativekards.blogspot.com/2018/01/card-samples-from-gina-k-designs.html and here is a link to the video I made showing the brand new products and samples I made:    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n7Nd_RrBVW4&feature=youtu.be

(Edited to add: the correct date of Gina K's birthday is February 8th not the 2nd as was stated in a post I read. Like she said, she is celebrating all week:) 

To make this card I used Gina K's Time to Celebrate Dies and Clear Stamps, her Vibrant Vines Foil-Mates, and her Brilliant Blue and Twinkling Pink Fancy Foils. All of these products were just released at Creativation by Gina K and Therm O Web and should be available to order in early March. I also used Simon Says Stamp's Corbel Curved Border Die. Here is a look at the inside of the card: 

I am entering this card in the Anything Goes challenge at Simon Says Stamp Wednesday.

**If you would like to win the Gina K. Time to Celebrate Clear Stamp Set before it is available to buy anywhere, come back tomorrow for a video hop and a chance to win it!**

And now- the winner of this prize valued at $150 on my Blogaversary blog post here who is a follower and subscriber on my YouTube channel is.................................Tracy Steinbach! Tracy's name was drawn from the 58 comments and here is her winning comment:

Congratulations Karen I enjoy reading your emails and seeing your cards daily. I hope your New Year brings you nothing but good health and happiness! And my fingers are crossed for such a wonderful prize!

Tracy- I will contact you to find out your mailing address and Congrats! Thanks to all of you for following me here and subscribing to my YouTube channel and for helping me share the joy of creativity!

Ballerina Happy Birthday Shaker Card

I recently had a request for some birthday cards that younger girls would like so I made this interactive shaker card. I stamped CAS-ual Friday's Tutu ballerina stamp in pink and cut it out with the matching die. I attached her to the pink polka-dotted cardstock base with an adhesive spring so she "dances" and added some pink floral gems. I die cut the Modern Happy die from Frantic Stampers and the "birthday" from a Sue Wilson set of dies. I layered some mounting tape around the word openings on the back and dumped in some beads and fun sequins. Here is a look at the shaker elements all shook up:

I am entering this card into the Anything Goes challenge at Scrapy Land.  Thanks for helping me #share the joy of creativity!

Video: Easy Sympathy Card with Inlaid Gold Wreath

Once in awhile we need a quick and easy but elegant sympathy or thinking of you card and in my newest YouTube video I share how to make this card with a beautiful die from Taylored Expressions and lovely stamp from Sprinkle 'N Sparkle. I inlaid the gold leaves (Gold Touch Mirri Sparkle Cardstock from The Paper Cut) and show you how to do that in the video. Here is a look at the inside with more beautiful dies and stamps:

I am entering this card in the Anything Goes challenge at Scrapy Land.

For all the links to the products I used and other information, watch the video here and click "Show More" in the Description Box. Thanks for sharing, commenting, subscribing and for helping me #share the joy of creativity!