CAS Christmas Card

I have a sheet of Penny Black stickers on my pile of stuff I need to use before Christmas so I designed this CAS but lovely holiday card featuring them. The embossing folder is an older one from Sizzix and I used my new diffuser plate from Tim Holtz to create the unembossed area in the center of the card. Then I simply added the stickers and some pearls to complete the card.

I am entering this card in the CAS Christmas challenge at Oldie but a Goodie (embossing folder is OBAG) and the Anything Goes challenge at Through the Craft Room Door.

Stamping smiles, Karen

What If? Wed. Sketch Challenge at Repeat Impressions

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 love Repeat Impressions stamps that are designed to use with a flip card such as shown here on the RI website. But there are other ways to use RI’s flip stamps and on this card, I stamped three trees from the Snow Tree Flip Set and punched them out with a circle punch. Then I stamped the matching Winter’s Eve stamp and cut out with a Nestabilities looped square die. I added a “snow fun” sentiment flag and a pearl to complete the sketch 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 Card Mania and Love to Scrap!

Stamping smiles, Karen 

Thankful for New Stamping Toys

Today I am sharing a seasonal Thank You card I made with a new stamp and other toys I have purchased recently. The rust piece was embossed with a new swirly fall leaves embossing folder by Sizzix, but the middle was unembossed because I used a new Tim Holtz diffuser. This one is in the shape of an arched window and is in his set of three new diffusers. The sentiment is from Deep Red.

I am entering this card in the Anything Goes challenge at Challenges 4 Everybody and the challenge at 613 Avenue Create to create a holiday thank you card- I think this would be perfect for a Thanksgiving Thank You.

Stamping smiles, Karen

I'm Dreaming of a White Christmas...

Not  really:) But I love the song, and the white on white look on a card. This is one of the cards I am sharing in the classes in my home this month (if you are local, new classes starting in January 2014 are being formed right now. If interested, contact me for more details or to sign up.)

I embossed about 2/3 of the front of an A2 sized white card with my favorite embossing folder from Cuttlebug - Swiss Dots. I die cut the deer (Memory Box) and the Joy with a snowflake (W Plus 9). The birch frame was cut with my Silhouette cutting machine and a Silhouette America cutting file.

I am entering this card in the White Christmas challenge at Allsorts and the Sing, Sing a Song challenge at Creative Corner. Of course the song is White Christmas.

Stamping smiles, Karen

Merry Christmas Card on Silhouette Sunday

The free file from Silhouette this week is this curly Christmas sentiment and I just had to snatch it right up and make a Christmas card with it. The challenge this week at the Silhouette Blog is to use our sketch pens on a project or use the new free file from this week. Good thing they offered the second option because I can't get the sketch pens to work right- I just have to find the time to call the help line to get it fixed. Silhouette America is great when you have a problem- either on line or over the phone I have gotten great service, but no time right now to play with the sketch pen problem...

I did have time to make a fun and easy Christmas card though. I cut the greens, berries and swirly from a cutting set by Miss Kate and added some sticker corners to complete the card.

Another Christmas card done- yeah! I am also entering this card in the Anything Goes challenge at  Brown Sugar.

Stamping and Silhouette 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

Christmas Joy with Crackerbox Palace and the Bokeh Effect

It's Crackerbox Palace Friday and today I am sharing a Christmas card using beautiful Crackerbox Palace stamps and a fun new technique called Bokeh Stamping. Perhaps you have seen photographs such as this one that shows the Bokeh Effect in photography:

I found some cards on Pinterest that show how to use that technique in stamping. I started with the beautiful holly and Joy to the World stamps from CBP. Then I added red ink using a finger dauber darker in the middle and then lighter with each generation of ink. I also added gold ink in smaller circles using a pencil eraser and again several generations of ink from dark in the center to lighter going out. The technique was easy and fun and makes a lovely background on your cards. I added some red sticker berries and layered the front piece onto my favorite paper: Kraft-Core Shattered by Tim Holtz for Core'dinations. 

I am entering this card in the Traditional Christmas Colors challenges at  Fab 'n' Funky and Holly Jolly Christmas.

Thanks for stopping by my blog. Please visit the website to see these and many other awesome Crackerbox Palace stamps.

Crackerbox Palace smiles, Karen