Royalty Challenge at The Stampsmith

Hi Everyone,

As it is the 1st of the month, it is time for a new challenge at the Stampsmith Challenge Blog. The theme is royalty. You can interpret that as broadly as you like. We would like you to use Stampsmith stamps if possible. But, since it is the first of the month, you may use any stamp company! The winner will be announced on the 15th!

I went with "Lady" Liberty for my inspiration. I used the Statue of Liberty (small) stamp from The Stampsmith Shop.


I stamped the image with black dye ink on glossy white CS. I used 3 different punches. DP: Red-K & Company, Purple - DCWV. To make the star paper I used a piece of purple tissue paper. I stamped the stars (Rubber Stampede) with VersaMark ink. I tore one edge of the tissue. Accents: Silver stick ons, Red Gingham ribbon. Here is a close-up.

Some fun challenges for Lady Liberty:

Stamptacular Sunday: Whateva

Craft your passion: Use bling and red or hearts

Pile It On: Punch It

SSDS: Punchy

Totally Gorjuss: As you like it

Top Tip Tuesday: Anything Girlie

Hubby Update: Don is coming home from the hospital today!!!!!

Have a great day! Love ya,

Karen

New Challenge Site for Lawn Fawn

Hi Everyone,

Just a quick note to let you know there is a new Challenge site called Lawnscapes. It is hosted by Lawn Fawn stamps. The current challenge is to CASE the fabulous Mrs. Lawn Fawn and it ends on Wednesday, 2/2! Plenty of time to play along!

My blogger friend Laurel is having a give-away to help spread the word. Check out her blog for all the details. Here are the goodies:

Hope you are having a great weekend. I will be back on Wednesday with a new challenge from the Stampsmith challenge blog. See you then!

Karen

Masculine Card for Stamping Vacation Challenge

Happy Friday!

I have a masculine card for you today. This is a Design Team card for the Stamping Vacation Challenge blog State your State Challenge. The theme this month is Michigan. This is an easy one for me because I live in Michigan. And, what says Michigan more that Cars?!





All the stamps are from Stampin' Up. I made background paper by stamping screws, rulers,etc... on gray CS. I over stamped that with the Sanded background stamp using metallic ink. The car is watercolored with inks and I also used some SU markers. CS: Bermuda Bay (SU), Dark Grey Brown (Bazzill) and Med grey. I added some silver metal brads for accents. And, here a couple detail photos.

And, here is a look at the inside. I can add any kind of sentiment to the inside next time I need a "Guy" card.

Challenges for the Hot Chevy:

Flourishes: Some kind of Hardware- metal brads

Woodware USA: Anything Goes

AI Factory: For the Boys

The Sisterhood of Crafters: Anything Goes

Lets Ink It Up: Anything goes - no digis

Hope everyone is having a great day. Enjoy your weekend too.

Karen

Clean And Simple Challenge at Stamping Vacation

Happy Wednesday!

It is Clean And Simple time over at the Stamping Vacation Challenge Blog! So, today I have a Design Team card for you. I used stamps from our January sponsor, Stamps Of Life. Make a CAS card and link it up for a chance to win a $25 gift certificate! We have a Recipe Theme this month:

Use a Border, Oval Panel, 1 Sentiment, and 2 Pearls

Very fun Recipe!! Here is what I came up with for the challenge.

Stamps: Flowers 2 Share Set #15 from Stamps Of Life.

CS: Bermuda Bay and Barely Banana from Stampin' Up.

DP: Stampin' Up

I stamped the images with black pigment ink and embossed with clear powder. I hand cut the oval and layered in some DP. My border per the requirements of the recipe is a floral stamped border. Accents are 2 pearls and a bow. And here is a detail photo.

I also decorated the inside.

As I was downloading the photos of this card, I thought that the flowers on the inside would look nice colored in too. So, I grabbed a Bermuda Bay Marker and colored them in. Of course than I had t0 take another photo so you could see. Which do you like better?

Bermuda Bay is really more of a teal color, but I just could not get the camera to pick up the blues. Can't wait for summer and I can get my photos in the sunlight!!
A few Fun challenges:

Penny's Challenges: Anything Goes

My time to Craft: Emboss -I heat embossed all stamp images.

The Crafy Pad: Something Girlie

That's about it for me today. I have to head over to the hospital. My Husband is still not well enough to come home. He had a blood transfusion on Monday. He still cannot eat much and is still on IV feeding. I hope and pray he will be home this week. Pretty lonely here without him! Love ya,

Karen

Angel Valentine's Card

Hello Crafters!

We have a nice sunny morning here in Michigan. Very cold though. My Husband, Don is still in the hospital. I am hoping and praying that He will be home soon. Please keep us in your prayers!

Today, I have a Stampsmith Design Team card for you. I used the "Little Angel (Large)" stamp that is available in the Stampsmith Shop. I am working on Valentine's Day cards and this will be sent to someone. Not sure who yet. LOL.

I stamped the Angel on glossy white cs with black dye ink. I used a Faux Linen technique to create the roses paper. The roses were stamp with an Impression Obsession Cover-a-Card large stamp. The dp at the bottom of the card is from K & Company. I added red velvet, tulle, sheer ribbon, and a metal brad for accents. I wrapped a strip of tulle about 2 inches wide around the card several times and secured it on the inside. The ribbon is tied around the card and knotted on the front. Here are some detail photos.

I also photographed the inside. I still have to add the Valentine's sentiment. And while I was making the Linen background paper, I decided to make a couple RAK cards too. I stamped the angel directly onto the Faux linen paper with the two smaller cards. I like how that looks too and will do that again.

You can really see the line effect is this detail photo of one of the smaller cards.

And finally, a few challenges for Angel Valentine's:

Simon Says Stamp: Bingo- I used Brads, Flowers, and Ribbon.

Cute Card Thursday: 1,2,3 Recipe - 1 image, 2 papers, 3 fibers

Do you stack up: Pink

CES Cahllenge: use angels or fairies

The Stamp Man: distressing

Stamping Vacation: Occasions - Valentine's

Have a great day and thanks for stopping by!

Love ya,

Karen

My Wishful Thinking Card

Hi Everyone,

Yes, this is my "Wishful Thinking" Card. I am just ready for winter to be over. But, here in Michigan, winter will be in full swing for about 3 more months. My card today is a Spring card. ( I am living vicariously through my cards. LOL)

I used this fun sketch from Dutch Dare. I changed it a bit. I put my sentiment in the upper corner instead of an embellishment and put my embellishment (ribbon) in the lower corner. And , I went just a tad bit squarer. I used stamps from Impression Obsession for their Thursday Challenge: use the color Purple. This card also is entered in the Paper Play Challenge: Back to Back (use black for the base) and Stamp Something : Cute somethings.

I stamped the image with Stazon on watercolor paper. I watercolored with inks. I used a Spellbinders to cut the circles. Cardstock: Perfect Plum, Black from Stampin' Up: Lt. Lavender and Purple from Bazzill. And, here is a detail shot.

My Husband is still in the Hospital. He might be able to come home on Sunday. Please keep us in your prayers. Thanks so much.

Love ya,

Karen

Valentine Card

Hi Everyone,

Well, my dear Husband is still in the Hospital. Doctor doesn't think he will be coming home before Thursday or Friday. He is still having a really tough time trying to eat and being feed intervenously. Please add him to your prayers.

I have made another Valentine's Day card using the DeNami sketch #06. I also used a Denami stamp. I stamped with VersaMark and embossed with Ruby Red Powder from Stampendous. The stamped image is layered onto Real Red CS (Stampin' Up). All the DP is from GCD Studios.

For accents, I added a strip of red tulle and three red buttons. Here are some detail photos.

Challenges for Love Hearts Card

DeNami: Sketch

Flourishes: Make a 5 x 7 card

Alice In Wonderland: Red or White card

Bunny Zoes Crafts: Love is in the Air

Craft Your Passion:Buttons Up

Crazy challenges: Buttons

Lexis Creations: Say it with Love

PaperPlay Time: Use the word Love

Woodware USA: Colors - pink, red, and white

Tuesday Throwdown: Valentine

Belli Challenge: Embell's that start with P- pattern paper (1 year old), the color pink

Pile It On: Anything Goes

Stamping Vacation: Occasions - Valentine's

That's about it for me today. Have a great day!

Karen

Baby Bud Best Friend Card

Hello Lovely Crafters,

Happy Monday. I am hoping my Husband will be home from the hospital tomorrow. As some of you know, he has been going through cancer treatment. He had to be hospitalized since Friday because his electrolytes were too low. But, he is doing much better now.
I have had a few hours in the mornings to make some cards before I head out to the hospital. I used this great sketch from The Sweet Shop. I printed out a digi from Baby Buds and colored it with copics. I added some glitter to the hair and clothes. (not sure if you can see it in the photos)


The card base is made from Baja Breeze cs and the layering piece is Razzleberry from Stampin' Up. DP is all from Basic Grey. The "friend" and Polka Dot Circle stamps are from My Sentiments Exactly and the "best" stamp is from SU. I added lots of stitching and two rows of glitter glue. And of course, some velvet ribbon. Gots to have ribbon! I used a Cuttlebug folder to do the dry embossing. Here are a few detail photos.

Some challenges for Baby Bud Best Friend:

Sweet Stop Sketches: sketch plus dry embossing

BabyBud: Use a Baby Bud and Friend theme

Paper Play: Cutie Patootie

Papercraft Star: Colors-aqua, teal, rust,and magenta plus 2 0f- ribbon, stamped image, embossing, or die cut.----I used ribbon and embossing.

Victorine Originals: Use a tag

Basic Grey Challenges: BG paper and Dots and Spots

Craft Your Days Away: Anything Goes

Glitter Babes: Anything goes with glitter

Dutch Dare: Stitching

Karbers Challenge: digi plus ribbon

Allsorts: teal blue and brown

Hope everyone is having a great day and finding time for a little card making.

Love ya,

Karen

Cute and Girlie Card

Hi Gals,

I have a cute and girlie card for you using a digi from By Lori Designs. They have also started a new challenge blog. I am using challenge number one's photo/color for my inspiration. Lori is also offering a freebie on the challenge site.

I also drew inspiration from this week's Simon Says Stamp sketch.

The image is colored with Copics. I used some pink DP from Stampin' Up for the card background. The card base is white cs. The scallop square is die cut using Pretty in Pink cs from SU.

For accents, I stamped flowers (SU stamp) on white cs with Poppy Parade and Blushing Bride (SU) and cut them out. I added Pink, Orange, and Aqua pearls to the center of the flowers. Here are a couple detail pictures.

Some Fun challenges for this Cute and Girlie card:

Simon Says Stamp: sketch

By Lori Designs:color and photo

Bild Malarna: pink

Stamp Something: anything goes

The Pink Elephant: colors- pink, orange, aqua

Crafty Card Makers: red and a die cut'

Karbers: use a digi and pearls

Kaboodle Doodles: use a digi (max 10 challenges)

Copic Creations: Anything new- new digi

Scrap Stamp and Doodle: Anything goes

The Pink Elephant: colors- pink, orange, aqua

Well, I guess that is it for me today. Love ya.

Karen

Valentine's for St. Jude

Hi Friends,

I made a big batch of cards to send off to Winter at Winter Wonderland blog. She has organized a Valentine's Day card drive for children at St. Jude's Hospital. Click over to her blog for all the details.

I pulled out some of my old Stampin' Up sets, printed out some digis and just made cards for fun. I made 24 cards that I will send off. I tried to make non-gender specific cards that would be appropriate for all aged children. There is still time to get some cards made. The deadline to get the cards to Winter is January 31. Here are a few photos I took before packing the cards up.

All four cards use stamps from Stampin' Up.

This is a Cocoa Digi from Sweet N Sassy.

The bunny love digi image is from Melgens.

And, this is the whole batch in a pile. Too, too fun!! Thanks to Winter for organizing this drive!!

I also entered my cards in the Stamping Vacation Occasion challenge - Valentine's.

Karen

Another Lucy Card

Hi Everyone,

It's is Stampsmith Challenge time again. We took a couple weeks off over the Holidays. (Click over and see who won the blog candy!!) And, now we are back with a new challenge. The challenge theme is:

Love.

That would include love of a child, marriage, love of a pet, etc.... And since it is the 15th of month, you must use a Stampsmith Stamp. For my love card I used one of the Lucy Stamps from The Stampsmith Shop.

Materials:

CS: Poppy Parade from Stampin' Up, Med Red from Bazzill, glossy white

DP: GCD Studios

Inks: Black dye, Tattered Rose, Fired Brick, and Vintage Photo from Ranger.

Lucy is stamped with black dye ink on glossy white paper. I cut the image into a heart shape and distressed with inks. I added a border of red Stickles, some DP, ribbon, pearls, and lace. Here are some detail photos.

As this is a Valentine's Day card, I used appropriate sentiments on the inside. Both are from My Sentiments Exactly.

Other Challenges for I Love Lucy:

Top Tip Tuesday: Anything Goes

Cute Card Thursday: Monochrome

AI Factory: Anything Goes

Do you Stack Up: Distress It

Southern Girls: Totally Loved Up

Phindy's Place: Valentine's

The Stampman: Distressing

Stamp Something: Anything Goes

Creatallicious Challenge: Use ribbon and a Love theme

The Secret Crafter: With Love

Mark's Finest: Hearts

Stamping Vacation: Romantic Style

Really Reasonable Ribbon: Heart Theme

Hope everyone is having a great day! Love ya!

Karen

Stampsmith DT Lucy Birthday Card

Hi Everyone,

I made a couple RAK Birthday cards for the ladies in the Stampsmith Yahoo group. I used one of the stamps from the Lucy Full sheet available in The Stampsmith Shop. Another single layer Clean and Simple card for me.

Lucy was stamped on glossy white CS with black dye ink. I used a scallop square die cut on a folded piece of CS to make the card. Added a sentiment from Stampin' Up and a bright ribbon.

Challenges for Lucy:

Charisma Cardz: Bithday/Celebrations

Ginger Snap Creations: Single Layer Card

Rainbow Lady: Pick one of previous challenges - Edge it (fancy edges)

Sweet Stampin: Favorite Song - "They Say It's Your Birthday" by The Beatles

Card Makin Mamas: Girlie

Just a quickie post. So that's all for me today.

Karen

Very Vintage DT Card

Hi Everyone,

Today is Very Vintage day! So get out your distressing tools! The theme for the Very Vintage Challenge this month is:

Use a Silhouette Stamp

The Challenge is over at the Stamping Vacation Challenge Blog. You have all month to make your project and link up. This month our sponsor is The Stamps of Life. The prize is a $25 gift certificate. Their stamp sets are so nice. Check out the card I made using "Flowers 2 Share Set #15". And I got a little help from the Paper Pretties Sketch # 135

The silhouette vase is stamped with Chocolate Chip ink from Stampin' Up, leaf sprigs in Sahara Sand. I masked the vase. The leaves were colored in with a Desert Sand marker from Memento. CS: card base is Close to Cocoa - SU, cream. The oval frame is die cut from DP by SEI. The CS and DP are distressed with Scattered Straw and Vintage Photo - Ranger. I added some lace and a piece of seam binding tied in a bow. And some detail photos for you.

On the inside I added a sentiment from the same stamp set and repeated the vase with leaf sprigs in a lighter color.

Some Fun Challenges for Vintage Vase:

Flourishes: The Beauty of Vintage

Paper Take Weekly: Anything Goes with Option of added Lace

Pile it On: Brand Spanking New: I used my new Stamps of Life stamp set.

Drunken Stamper: A new product - I used my new Stamps of Life stamp set.

Creative Cottage: Something New: I used my new Stamps of Life stamp set.

Fab n Funky: Anything Goes

Paper Pretties: Sketch 135

Moving Along With the Times: Ring in the new, ring out the old -New Stamps of Life Stamp set, DP is 2 years old.

Cute Card Thursday: Out with the Old - DP is 2 years old, Lace and seam binding I have had for years.

Paper Play: clean and simple

Stampin Bees: Use an old fav and something new - the Lace is an old fav and Stamp set is brand new.

Hope everyone is having a great day! I am sitting here enjoying a cup of java. I have been trying to cut out coffee, but today I am treating myself to a couple cups. See you soon.

Karen

Color Combo Challenge DT Card

Hello Crafty Friends,

Here I am today with a Design Team card for the Color Combo Challenge at the Stamping Vacation Challenge Blog. The Colors this month are:

Light Purple and Light Blue

I love this combo. It is so soothing and relaxing. You will have all month to make your project and link it up over at Stamping Vacation. This month our sponsor is The Stamps Of Life. The winner of the drawing will receive a $25 gift certificate!! Check out the site...the stamps are so cute. This month I will be working with the "Flower 2 Share Set" #15. Look how cute this set is.

I stamped the vase and flowers using the masking technique. I colored them with Copics. CS: Bashful Blue from Stampin' Up and Light Purple from Bazzill. I used a Sizzix die for the center image. I added some ric rac and ribbon. The sentiment is also in the stamp set. Here are some detail photos.

I also did some CAS decorating on the inside and left lots of room for writing a note.

Other Fun challenges for Vase with Flowers:

Mark's Finest: Use Something New - I am using my new Stamps of Life Stamp set.

Creative Inspirations Paint: Inspired by a Circle

I Did It Creations: Favorite technique - Masking

Paper Sundaes: Something New - I am using my new Stamps of Life Stamp Set.

Reasonable Ribbon: Something New and Ribbon - I am using my new Stamps of Life Stamp Set.

Flourishes: flowers

Aud Sentiments: use only two words - "So Cute"

I will be back tomorrow with my Very Vintage DT Card. ohhh. Love Vintage!!

Karen