Carnival Artist Trading Cards

Hi Everyone,
Today, I have some Artist Trading Cards (ATC).  This is a Design Team project for Blockheads Stamps.  I used some Carnival stamps from Blockheads.

Materials List:

Distress Stains: Faded Jeans, Vintage Photo, Peeled Paint

Distress Ink: Black Soot

Clear Embossing Powder: Ranger

Craft Sheet or plastic bag

Black Staples

Tulle, lace, ric rac, velvet ribbon

Cs: Cream, Wine

The background was created by applying Distress stains to the Craft sheet and pressing the Cream CS into the stain. Repeat until you like it.  Stamp the images with Black Soot and sprinkle on the Embossing powder and heat emboss.  Layer onto a piece of wine colored CS.  Now all you have to do is add all the embellishments.  Very easy, right?!

I used black staples to secure the velvet ribbon.  

 I glued ric rac to the Carnival Jester ATC.   A piece of tulle was knotted and stapled to the ATC.

I am also entering my Carnival ATC's in:
Simon Says Stamp and Show: ATC's
Sweet Stampin Challenge: Anything Goes
The Stampman: pears or pairs-I made a pair of ATC's
Art Impressions: For the girls
Southern Girls: Anything goes
Fashionable Stamping: Vintage


Okay that's about it for me.  Hope your weekend is going great!  Love ya.
Karen

Halloween Fun with the Ghastlie Gang

Hi everyone!
More Halloween spooky fun with Blockheads' Ghastlie Gang Stamps.  Today, I have three cards.  Hopefully this will help you to get going on your own Halloween cards.  Here is a look at the stamp set.  How fun!  These images are just great for Halloween cards.

Materials:

Ghastlie Gang Stamp Set (Blockheads)

Tuxedo Black Memento Ink

Copic Markers or Marvy Alcohol ink Markers

White CS suitable for use with Copics

Distress Inks (Ranger)

   Spiced Marmalade

   Rusty Hinge

   Stormy Sky

   Black Soot

   Victorian Velvet

Embossing Folders

   Dot Matrix (Tim Holtz)

   D'vine Swirls (Cuttlebug)

Spellbinders

   Wonky Rectangles

   Standard Circles Small

Ribbons

Gems

DP with Halloween theme

CS: Orange, Dark Green, Black, Yellow

 The image was stamped with Tuxedo Black ink and colored with Copics.  I dry embossed half of the piece of CS.  Distress inks  (Spiced Marmalade, Rusty Hinge, Stormy Sky, Black Soot) were used to distress the Cs.  Here is a close up.  Pretty Ghastlie huh?  Do you like his yellow teeth?




For Card number two, the image  was stamped with Tuxedo Black and colored with Copics.  The image was cut with a Spellbinders die and layered with orange CS.  I cut the candy corn, pumpkin, and Boo from some Halloween DP.  And layered on a piece of DP, Dark green CS onto a yellow card base.

And, here a few close ups.

And, card number three is made in the same way.  In this card I used the embossing folder and a Spellbinders die.

Ain't she sweet??  The dry embossing was distressed with Rusty Hinge and Soot black.  The image was distressed with Victorian Velvet, Stormy Sky, and Black Soot.   Trick or Treat was cut from the Halloween DP.  To place the sentiment on the top of the card, I glued it to a longer piece of Black CS matching the top and side edges exactly.  The lower portion of the black CS is glued to the inside of the card front.

Well, I have to say, I had a blast making these cards.  The images are just so fun.


Challenges:
My Ghastlie Gang Halloween Cards are entered in the Simon Says Stamp Challenge: Dies or punches.




My trip to Florida was very fun!  I got in lots of quality stamping time.  I will share some of the projects and some pictures later on in the week.  I feel pretty refreshed and ready to take on the world.  Well, a small part of the world anyways. LOL   Hope you are having a great day.  Love ya.
Karen

Autumn Colors Challenge with The Stampsmith

Hello Everyone!
Time for the Stampsmith Challenge!  And, for the Challenge on the 15th, please use a stamp from The Stampsmith to be eligible for the gift certificate drawing.  The Theme is:

Colors of Autumn

For my Design Team  project, I wanted to continue with my Halloween theme and made this project using stamps from the Halloween Full sheet. 

Now, that is a scary sheet of stamps!  I used the sentiment, the Castle, and the black cats for my card.

The images were stamped on glossy white CS with black dye ink.  I used lots of different DP's (K & Company, Stmapin' Up)  and CS in Fall colors.  I also used embossing folders to add texture.

I added a sheer ribbon, black ric rac, and orange rhinestones for accents.  You have until Sept 29th to make your project and link it up on the Stampsmith Challenge Blog.  Have fun!  Can't wait to see what you come up with.

Note: Estelle at The Stampsmith is working on the new web site for the store.  That will be up and running soon.  The new site will make ordering easier and there will be lots of sample cards!!

Have a great day.  Love ya.
Karen

Another Spooky Halloween Card -Third Coast Rubber Stamps

Hi Everyone,
More Spooky Halloween action today.  I will keep the Halloween cards coming for the next few weeks.  Just for the fun of it!  Tomorrow I will be hopping on a plane and flying down to sunny Florida with my stamping buddy, Chris.  We will be taking a nice long weekend and having some fun in the sun.  We are going to hang out with Chris' mom.  There should be plenty of stamping fun!  Okay, on with today's card.
I used a pretty scary stamp from Third Coast Rubber Stamp called Cat Gargoyle.  Check out all the new Halloween stamps here.   Now, I was thinking that a gargoyle should sit on top of a wall.  I used an embossing folder to simulate a brick wall.  Take a look.

Materials:

1. Stamps: Halloween New Release Gargoyle – Third Coast Rubber Stamps; Alphabet stamps from Scrappy Cat.  
2. Card Stock: Blueberry from Martha Stewart; Metallic Gray from DCWV; White from Staples.
3. Ink: Distress Inks-Black Soot, Faded Jeans, Forest Moss from Ranger; Jet Black from Stazon.
4. Embellishments: Black Tulle; Green Woven Ribbon from Offray.
5. Other: Cuttlebug Machine; Gridlock Tim Holtz Texture Fade Embossing Folder; distressing tool from Ranger; Fabri-Tac glue. 

Instructions:

Make a top fold card from Metallic Gray CS and layer with Blueberry CS.  Stamp the image on White CS and watercolor with distress inks listed using a wet brush. Distress edges and background with Distressing tool to completely cover white CS using the same ink colors.  Dry emboss with the Gridlock Texture Fade.  Do a little more distressing with the Distress inks.   Attach the stamped piece to card front.  Stamp the letters b, o, and o in black ink. Distress (with Distress inks) and cut out.  Attached the word “BOO” to the card front with dimensional adhesive.     Cut a strip of Black tulle five inches wide and 20 inches long.  Run some gathering stitches down one long edge.  Pull up gathers to fit the width of the card top edge.  Glue the tulle to the card front using Fabri-Tac glue.  Wrap the ribbon around card covering the edge of the tulle and tie ribbon in a bow.  Fold tulle over leaving 2 inches showing at top of card.  Secure the tulle on the back of card using the Fabri-Tac Glue.  Cut a strip of ribbon (or paper) and glue to back of card to cover glued edge of tulle. 

So what do you think of that crazy poof of tulle?  It just seemed to happen on its own.  Strange.   Here is a look at the inside.  The sentiment on the inside is from Stampin' Up.

There is plenty more Third Coast Rubber Inspiration over at the new Third Coast Rubber Design Team Blog.  Check it out!!!

Have a great day and stop by tomorrow for the Stampsmith Challenge.  I will schedule my post so you won't miss a thing while I am out of town.  Love ya.

Karen

Halloween Inspiration

Hi everyone!
I am in  a Halloween mood!  I will be sharing a bunch of Halloween cards over the next two weeks.  I have a little cutie for you today made with Serendipity Stamps for the Halloween Challenge on their blog.  I used a small bat stamp and a sentiment.  I made two cards and varied the colors slighthly.  Here is the fist card.

To make the background, I applied ink (black) to an acrylic block and stamped with it directly onto white CS.  The bats and sentiment were stamped with black ink.  I colored in the bats with black chalk.  I used a Spellbinders die to cut the decorative square and used fall colors.  Here is a close up.

I tied a bright orange ribbon in  a bow and glued it on.  And, for the second card, I applied navy ink to the acrylic block and used orange for the decorative square. This time I spritzed the acrylic block with water before stamping.  A totally different look from the first card-which was not spritzed with water.   I tied the yellow ribbon in knot and glued in place.

My Halloween Bats are also entered in the:
Sweet Stampin challenge: anything but Birthday.
Pile it on: Starts with B-I used bats and bows
Craft us Crazy: Autumn colors
Victoine Originals: Primary Colors
That's it for today.  I will be back in a few days with another Halloween card.  Have a great day.  Love ya.
Karen

How About a Little Birthday Action?!

Hi Everyone,
Happy Saturday!  I am back today with a cute little Birthday card.  I have used stamps from Impression Obsession and am entering this card in their Birthday Challenge.

Stamps:
Cake Trio F2280
Happy Birthday A5490


I stamped with Stazon black ink on Blush Blossom CS (SU) and colored the image with Stickles  (Gold, Thistle, Xmas Red, Silver, and Aqua).  I layered with Regal Rose, Real Red (Stampin' Up) and Blueberry (M. Stewart).

I used a Spellbinders for the sentiment and added some bright ribbon.  

This how I decorated the inside.

Birthday Cake is also entered in the Bling Challenge over at Mark's Finest.
Have a great weekend.  Love ya.
Karen

Stampsmith Challenge-Add Something Faux

Hi Everyone,
It is time for the Stampsmith Challenge!  The theme for this challenge is to use something Faux on your project.  It can be anything Faux.
Challenge Details:
Since it is the 1st of the month, you are welcome to use any stamps you like-all manufacturers.  You have until Sept 14th to make and link your project up on The Stampsmith Challenge Blog.  A random Winner of a $10 gift Certificate will be announced on the 15th.
I decided to use Faux Stitching on my card.   This is a fun way to add a little detail.  I think it would have been faster to actually sew it on my sewing machine though.  LOL  I do have a sewing machine right there in my studio.  But, the challenge is to use something faux...right!  Here is my Design Team project.

This is an image from the Flappers #3 set.  Another lovely lady.  You can find this set in The Stampsmith Shop.  Here is the whole sheet.  Nice!

When I first starting working on this card, I did not intend to make a Christmas Card.  But, as I kept going on it, I felt it was going in that direction.  The green Cs, the punched edge, just seemed very Christmasy to me.  So, I went with that.  And that is why I call this card Christmas Beauty.  Here is a close up.

I stamped the image on White glossy CS with black dye ink.  The CS: Always Artichoke (Stampin' Up) and the Cream (Bazzill).  I added the Faux Stitching with a fine tip brown marker.  Than I added a ribbon and done.   Here is what the inside looks like.

Well, I have two Christmas cards done.  70 more to go.  LOL  Okay, so get your Faux ideas flowing and click over the Stampsmith Challenge and show us your take on the theme.  Can't wait to see what you come up with.
Christmas Beauty is also entered in the:
Simon Says Stamp and Show Challenge Hop: Anything Goes!

Have a great day.  Love ya.
Karen