Baby Bud Fairy Card with Green Background

Hello Dreamers!
Happy Friday!  Hope you are having a great start to the weekend.  Today I have another all occasion card to share.  This card is made with a Baby Bud digital image.  Just love those Baby Buds.  This pretty fairy card went to my girlfriend in her card order.

The digi image is colored with Copic Markers.  I used Spellbinders to cut out the circles.   I added some gems for accents.   Here is a closer look.

Ain't she sweet!!???  So, I just have to enter her in a few challenges

Fussy and Fancy: fairies
Totally Papercrafts: favorite things- my fav's are Baby Bud designs, and coloring with Copics
Do you Stack Up: go green
Simon Says Stamp: mother's day or for a special girl -this card is for my BF's granddaughter.
Crafty Purple Frog: pink and girly
Card Making Mamas: a colored image and green
Paper-Crafting Journey: Anything goes
Samuel Taylor: butterflies
Paper Shelter: anything goes
Pixie Cottage: things with wings
Whimsy Stamps: no sentiment

That's all for now!  Enjoy your weekend!!  Love ya
Karen

Blockheads Badge Contest!!

Hi Dreamers!!
Blockheads Paper Arts is offering a chance to win stamps and a gift certificate!!  All you have to do is add the badge to your side bar and add your link on the Blockheads Design blog.  Here are all the details!!

Simply add our Blog Candy Banner to your side bar for a chance to win the free stamp of the week. The stamp changes each Sunday evening after winners are selected. For now we want you to have a roughly 1 in 10 chance of winning. So if we get 20 participants we'll select 2 names winners and if there are 30, we'll select 3.

To add our banner to the side bar on your blogger page, simply enter design mode and click to add a widget. Select the HTML/JavaScript widget type and enter the following code into the Content Box (Title is optional):

Get the code here.

That will add the banner, which links to our blog.

Once you've done that add your link with the "add your link" button on our blog page.

Here's how you can win an additional $10 gift certificate:

If you are one of the random winners and the link you've submitted by clicking the "add your link" button goes directly to a post on your blog with this banner and some nice comment about Blockheads with a link to our web page http://www.blochkeadstamps.com, you will also be eligible to win an additional $10 gift certificate. I'm only asking for truthful comments so if you've ordered from us you can say what you liked about our service. If you haven't ordered from us your comment can simply be that you like a particular set of stamps or item we carry. Feel free to add any pictures of our products from web site in that blog post and link directly to them.

Only one gift certificate will be given away weekly so if multiple winners have linked to such a post, I'll pick one of them to win the gift certificate.

My Comment:

I shop at Blockheads Paper Arts frequently.  Blockheads carries original artistic stamps in unmounted rubber or on cling.  They also carry a few other manufactures' stamps, like Lost Coast Designs.  The selection of inks and reinkers  is second to none!!   The service is super fast.  My items usually arrive within three days of ordering!! 

And, I bet you would like to see a card.  Well, let me see what I can come up.  I did not plan anything for today.  Imagine you are listening to the Jeopardy theme music while I look for a card.  

Okay, I found one!  This card was published in the March issue of Vamp Stamp News.   The stamps are from the Daisies half sheet.

PS: Check out my Publishing Page which I have just updated.


Good luck on the drawing.  I hope you win!!  Have a great day!  Love ya.

Karen

New Blockheads Technique Challenge-Bleaching

Hello Dreamers!
The March Technique Challenge at Blockheads Paper Arts is under way now and will run until March 21st.  Design Team Member, Leslie, came up with a Bleaching Technique to challenge us.  See Leslie's post here.   I made three projects with the Bleach Technique and will show you two of them today and the third next week.

I did a little testing before I started my projects.  The top sample is Mat Board (the kind used for framing).  The second is a cardstock that has a different color on each side.  The bleached end is on the right; the reverse side on the left.  The last sample is Navy textured cs.  I decide that I liked the results of all of the samples.    Since the Mat Board turned out so well, I thought it would look cool if I applied the bleach directly to some pale blue Mat Board.  And this is how that turned out.  Love it.

For  project number one, I used the pale blue Mat board for the background and the Navy CS for the main image.  And, I thought since I am using Mat Board, why not make wall hanging type projects?  So, that is what I did as you will see.

Materials list:

Stamps: 

   Inspired By Nature

   Backgrounds and Borders (Script)

Inks:

   Dragonfly Black Pigment - Color Box

   Stormy Sky Distress Ink - Ranger

Black Embossing Powder

Papers:

Light Blue Mat Board

Navy Textured Cardstock

Other:

Sheer White wide ribbon

Frame-5 x 7 black

Clorox Bleach

Stamp the large flower from the Inspired by Nature stamp set with black pigment ink and heat emboss with black embossing powder.  I applied the bleach to the inner row of petals with a Q-Tip.  I let is set there and did not rub too much.  The CS kind of disintegrated from the bleach.  I decided not to color the bleached area because I liked the way it looked.

I cut out the flower and stamped the Script stamp with Storm Sky ink onto the bleached light blue Mat Board.   The ribbon was tied around this layer.  I layered this unit onto the second piece of bleached mat board.  I adhered them with Fabri-Tac glue.

I really like the way this turned out and it is going in my living room.  The frame can hang or stand and I think I will put in on one of the end tables.  (My living room is blue and white with yellow accents.)

For the second project, I went with the Brown Mat Board.  I used the same stamp set- Inspired By Nature.

Materials List:

Stamps: 

   Inspired By Nature

Inks:

   Dragonfly Black Pigment - Color Box

   Markers:

Terra Cotta, Pesto, Wild Plum, Raisin Adirondack - Ranger

Angel pink - Memento

Black Embossing Powder

Papers:

Brown and Black Mat Board

Other:

Burlap 

Twine

Stick

I applied the bleach with a Q-Tip and the paper turned yellow.  I colored the bleached area with the  Markers.  I layered onto  black Mat Board, added lots of burlap and twine.  I went out in the yard and grab a small stick.  I used the stick as a hanger: glue six pieces of twine to back and tie the pieces around the stick- trim twine.

Now, let's see what you can come up with using the Bleach Technique.  To enter the challenge for a chance to win a $25 gift certificate paste the HTML code to your post and Linkup on the Blackheads blog.   Can't wait to see your project!!
Have a great day!  Love Ya.
Karen

Fairy and Bird All Occasion Card

Hi Dreamers!
Just had to get one more post in today.  Had a great day hanging out with my dear friend, Reem.  Coffee and chatting.  So fun!   This card is a sweet little all occasion card made with a digital image from Meljens.  The image was colored with Copic Markers.

I used a bright orange CS and some fun DP from KI Memories.  

Fun Challenges:
Meljens Challenge: Orange and Meljen's image
Cheerful Stamp Pad: land of fantasy
Cupcake Craft: Yellow and Red
The Pink Elephant: at least 3 layers
Simon Says stamp: Anything goes

Okay, I really need to get something made for dinner.  LOL.  Have a super evening.   Love ya.
Karen

Love Birds Part Two

Hi Dreamers!
Hope you had a great weekend.  I wanted to share the rest of the Love Bird cards I made.  See original post here.   I made the cards with a cute Ippity (Unity) stamp set that I received from JenMarie who graciously sponsored Winter Sim's St Jude's Valentine's Day Card drive.    I used Comso Cricket DP on the first two cards..

And here is a peek at the inside.

Liked that pretty ribbon?  It is from Stamp Simply.  

Okay, not a lot of talking today.  I just wanted to get the pics up for you.  I will put a couple of these in my "to send" box and a couple will go in my friends card order.

How about a few fun Challenges:

Unity Opportunity: winged things
Fashionable Stamping: make it for a child
Crafting when we can: animals
Stampin Sisters in Christ: wings
catch the bug: anything goes
Simon Says Stamp: anything goes

Gotta run.  Have a great day!!  Love ya
Karen

Masculine Cards

Hello Dreamers!

How about a few masculine cards??  I made this card for a friend who is going through cancer  treatment.  I thought it turned out nice and...you know me...I can't stop at just one.  So, I kept stamping and stamping!!  The stamp is called "Cattail Bird"   (D1222)   and is from Impression Obsession.    

The DP is from Basic Grey.   For the image, I covered the stamp with the lighter colored ink and then touched the edges of the image with the darker colored ink-and then stamped on white/cream CS.  This gives the stamped image a nice shaded effect.  I stamped several more images in different color combinations.   

The DP is from K & Company in the other three cards.  

I used a Spellbinder's die on this card.  And this is what the inside looks like.

The last three cards went to the Card Ministry that I am involved with.  

Challenges for my masculine Cattail Bird cards:

Impression Obsession: True blue

Simon Says: anything goes

Paper-crafting journey: Anything goes

Marianne design Divas: winter blues

Sparkles forum: things with wings

Do you stack up: things with wings

Have a great day!! Love ya.

Karen

Flip and Fold Challenge with The Stampsmith

Hello Dreamers!

Happy March!  And, as it is the first of the month, that means it is time for a new Stampsmith Challenge.  This month  we challenge you to create a project with interesting flips and folds.  To be eligible for the drawing, please use a Stampsmith stamp.  The Challenge runs thru the month of March.  For my Flip and Fold Design Team project, I used a Side Step Card design from Technique Junkies.

The stamp set I used is called "It's a Dog's Life" from The Stampsmith.  I used three images and one of the sentiments.  This what the full sheet looks like.

The base of the card looks like this.  A little bit plain, but I jazzed it up.

I stamped the images on glossy white CS with Coffee Archival ink from Ranger.    The card stock is Baja Breeze and Basic Black from Stampin' Up; Brown Linen from TPC.  The images were layered with the black and brown CS.  The image in the back was layered on a piece of CS longer than the base so that it can be seen when the card is sitting up. 

I added polka dot ribbon and gold beads for accents.  Here are some close ups of these fun images.

I hope you will take the Challenge and create your own projects with Flips, Folds, and The Stampsmith!!  I can't wait to see what you come up with!!

And, how about a few other Fun Challenges for "It's a Dog's Life Side Step Card":

Simon Says Stamp and Show: Your idea-ology
Simon Says Stamp: anything goes
Crafty Creations: vintage fashion
Divas by Design: polka dots or stripes
Pile it On: fun folds
Dutch Dare:bingo----pearls(gold), bling, pastel colors
2 Sisters Challenge: Anything goes

I would also like to say and extra special "Hello" to my new followers!!  Welcome.  So very glad you are visiting!!   Also a Welcome back to  Shelley!!   And, to my regulars, "Well, you are the best!"    Have a great day!  Love you all.
Karen