Grunged Up Cornflower with Blockhead Stamps

Hi Dreamers,

I should be relaxing on the beach as you read this.  I am vacationing in Florida and have schedule some posts to keep you occupied while I am gone.  LOL.  The Design Team at Blockhead Paper Arts are showcasing the Grunge It Up Stamp set.  I used this set to "grunge" up the Cornflower Stamp.

Materials List:

Stamps:

Cornflower

Grunge It Up

Inks:

Frayed Burlap, Black Soot Distress Ink -Ranger

Terra Cotta Walnut Ink Spray

Gold Shimmer Spray

Crafter's Workshop Template-Mini Harlequin

Flannel fabric

Chain

Gold Cording

Cardstock: White, Kraft, and Black

Make the background by placing the template on top of the white CS.  Spray with gold glimmer spray ink.  Let it pool up a bit to get those really intense blobs of goldy shimmer.  Dry.  Stamp the Cornflower with Black Soot Distress ink.  Stamped the Grunge elements with Frayed Burlap DI.  Tear the edges of the stamped piece and distress edges with Frayed Burlap.  

Layer onto Kraft and black CS.  What would Grunge be without flannel??!!  I tore some strips of green flannel and grunged it up with Terra Cotta Walnut spray.  Let dry.  Glue to card front.  Pin a recycled piece of broken jewelry and add some gold cording.  I used a piece of scrap from the background to decorate the inside.  Also stamped more of the elements from the Grunge It Up set.  And, there is still room to write a note or add a sentiment.  

Well, hope you are having a great day!! Love ya.
Karen

Tea Dance and Evening Tea Party With The Stampsmith.

Hello Dreamers!
Time for Tea!  I call this card "Tea Dance" and I used an image from The Stampsmith full sheet "Sunday Evening Tea".     I stamped with Vintage Sepia Versafine on lavender CS.  I added dry embossing that is colored with Distress Inks.

 Isn't this a fun card.  I will send this to one of my tea loving friends.  I layered with pinks and added a pink satin bow.

The second card is called "Evening Tea Party" and used am image from the same set as above.  I stamped with Vintage Sepia again on white CS.  I dry embossed; and colored with Distress inks.  Will you take lemon with your tea?

This card is made on a lavender base.

Not too much talking today.  I am actually on my way to Florida as you read this.   I will be gone for a couple weeks, but have scheduled lots of posts so you won't miss out on any creating.  So, keep on dreaming.  Love ya.
Karen

Masculine Birthday Card and Featured on Craft Corner

Hi Dreamers!

I have some exciting news!  My blog and I will be featured on Crafts Corner!  Have you been over there yet? It is a really cool web site that has lots of tutorials on every thing from crib sheets to cards.  They archive all the tutorials in easy to find tabs (on the top of the home page).  There is sewing, jewelry, and lots more.  They are also have a feature called "Best of the Web"  which is where I am featured.  The lovely Susan  at  Crafts Corners  does all the leg work by collecting a fabulous assortment of web sites for us to visit.  Head over and leave some heart warming comments.  You can say you like me too.  LOL.  

In addition to the announcement, I have a Masculine Birthday Card to share.  This is the card I made for my Brother's birthday with the decorated envelope.

The background is dry embossed with a folder and distressed with Vintage Photo Distress Ink.  The train is from 100 Proof Press and is stamped with Onyx Black VersaFine ink.  The sentiment is from Stampin' Up.

On the inside, I used a sentiment from Blue Ridge Impressions.  

Hope you are having a great day!  Love ya.
Karen

Sketch Challenge Mother's Day Card with The Stampsmith

Hi Dreamers!

Time for a new Stampsmith Challenge!   Val came up with a really cool sketch to challenge us.  

Lots of possibilities with this sketch.  You will have all month to create a project following the sketch and using a Stampsmith stamp.  Head over to the Stampsmith Challenge site and link up your creation.  A Random winner will receive a full sheet of rubber!!!  And top picks will be showcased next month.   Here is what I came up.

Since Mother's Day is fast approaching, I made my card for Mother's day.  I used a super sweet image from the full sheet called  

"Thank Heavens for Little Girls #1".   

This little sweetie is stamped with black dye ink on white glossy CS.  I added some CS layers and a pretty DP from Stampin' Up.   

Here is a peek at the inside.  I repeated the layers and added another sentiment.  I have plenty of room to write a nice note.  

Hope you will join the fun and take the Challenge!  Can't wait to see what you come up with.  Have a super fun day!! Love ya.
Karen

PS: I have updated my Published Work page.

Emboss Resist Technique Challenge with Blockheads

Hi Dreamers!
Busy week here.  I will be taking a nice long vacation in May and have been trying to work ahead a bit.  I will schedule some posts to go live while I'm gone so you won't miss out on any craftiness.  Today's post is to announce the new Technique Challenge with Blockheads Paper Arts.  This month, Colleen has chosen the Emboss Resist Technique.  Since Mother's Day is fast approaching, I used the mother and baby stamp from the Grunge Collage Half Sheet.

Here is my Mother's Day card.

Materials List:

Stamps: Grunge Collages, Sentiments are from the Flowers-Daisies Half Sheet

Inks: Black Pigment

Onyx Black Versafine

Cappuccino Delight Kaleidacolor Pad

CS: Tan, Black, Brown, and Blue

Tools: Stipple Brush

Clear Embossing Powder-Ranger

Ribbons, Pearls, and Lace

Following the Emboss Resist Technique instructions, I stamped  the main image on tan CS with Black Pigment ink and heat embossed with clear powder.  I used a stipple brush to add the ink to the stamped piece.  Dab the brush on the Kaleidacolor Pad and pounce the brush onto the CS.  Repeat until all the CS is covered with ink.  By using the Kaleidacolor Pad, gradation of color occurs automatically.  Too fun!

The rest of the card is a breeze from here.  Make the card base from brown CS.  Layer the stamped piece with black and blue CS.  Add some lace and ribbon.  Stamp the sentiment with Onyx Black ink on a scrap of the stippled CS.  Never throw out the scraps.  LOL  Layer the sentiment with black and blue CS and add to card front.  Add the pearls.  Almost done now.  But, don't forget the inside!

Stamp the sentiment with Onyx Black and add the stippling.  Layer away and now we are done.  I have plenty of room to write a nice note.

This is such a versatile technique and of course I could not make just one.  I will share the other with you in a short while.  I will schedule that one for you to look at while I am on vacation.  Oh, I guess I can give you a sneaky peeky.

What do you think??  Now, don't forget that you have to copy and paste the linky thing at the bottom of your Technique Challenge project.  It is very easy.  Just go to the Blockheads web page Tutorial and copy the HTML and paste it onto the bottom of your post.  There are prizes and lots of fun.     So have fun and let's see your creation!!


I also would like to enter my card in the Simon Says Stamp Anything goes Challenge!!

Have a super weekend!  Love ya.
Karen

Magic Metal Goes Asian

Good Afternoon Dreamers!
Here I am again with the last card in my collection of projects for the Magic Metal Technique Challenge.
The Challenge will be open for a few more days.  Let's see your projects!  There is a gift certificate up for grabs too!!!  For this project, I used images from Blockheads Paper Arts.

Materials List:

Stamps:

Japanese Musicians

Chinese Princess-Coins

Verses: Special Delivery (Sentiment)

Inks:

Stream Adirondack Ranger

Back Soot Distress Ink Ranger

Versamark

Gold Embossing Powder

Cardstock: Teal and Mustard

Gold Cording

Make the Magic Metal Ornaments following my Tutorial.     Make a card from Mustard Cardstock.  Stamp the Japanese Musicians with Stream Ink on teal CS.  Add to card front.  Glue the Magic Metal Ornaments to the card front and add the cording.

On the inside stamp the Musicians again, but stamp off once first.  Stamp the sentiment with Black Soot Distress Ink on teal CS.  Wasn't that fun!!??

Well, that's it for me today, I think.  I should get out and work on the garden clean up.  Lots of work to do there.  Have a super day!  Love ya.
Karen

Magic Metal Technique Challenge - More Ideas

Hi Dreamers!
I am back today with another fun project that I made for the Blockheads Technique Challenge.  The Challenge is open for a few more days and I would love to see your take on the Magic Metal Technique.  See all the details on my original post.  This card is a bit humorous.  It is made with one of Di's fun loving images available at Blockheads Paper Arts.

Materials List:

Stamps: Harried Housewives-Carpool from Blockheads

Inks: Tuxedo Black- Memento

VersaMark

Gold Embossing Powder

Copic Markers

Cardstock: Solar White Neenah Classic Crest; Red and Mustard

Heat tool

Ribbon

Spellbinders die

Create the Magic Metal Ornament following the directions on the Tutorial.     Make a card base with Mustard CS and layer with Red.  Tie ribbon in a bow around card.  Stamp the Harried Housewife on Solar White CS with Tuxedo Black ink and color with Copic Markers.

Cut out image with Spellbinders die and add to card.  Stamp the sentiment (also in the stamp set) and layer with CS; add to card front.  Layer the Magic Metal Ornament with CS and add a ribbon tab.

All done!  

I would like to enter My Harried Housewife in the Cute Card Thursday Challenge-adding metal

The Graphic 45 Operation Write Home Blog Hop

Stayed tuned for one more Magic Metal Project!!!

Have a super fun day.  Love ya.

Karen