Double Partial Die Cutting and a Winner!

Thank you, everyone who participated in my give away drawing.  It was fun to see how you are all encouraged by our paper crafting community.  The winner is: Hazel of My Card Attic!  Congratulations, Hazel, I will contact you soon so I can get your gift to you. 

It's spring break this week for our family, and I am going to be off line for most of it.  Before I go, I have a card to share for PTI's Make It Monday #207 with Laura Bassen.  She showed us how to partial die cut double time!  I made a simple wedding card.  I love how the background comes through the church windows:

I used PTI's Petite Places: Church, and Mat Stack 3 dies to create the double cut.  Then I cut out the sentiment with PTI's Swoosh and heat embossed the coordinating stamp in white embossing powder.  The heart on the church is cut with a die from Shaker's + Sprinkles from Berry Sorbet cs.  The background was a combination of inks: Harvest Gold, Summer Sunrise, Orange Zest, and Berry Sorbet.  The white panel is raised with foam adhesive.

Laura Bassen's card on the Make It Monday #207 video is a real treat!

 

Thanks for coming over to visit!  I will be away from blogland for most of spring break, so I want to wish everyone an early Happy Easter.  Have a wonderful day!

 

Kara Lynne

Ellie's Thank You

Please don't forget to comment on THIS post for your chance to win the give away!  You have until noon CST Monday, March 30th.

I am so exited to finally put ink to paper with W+9's Unforgettable, and Fresh Cut Florals!  I've had Fresh Cut Flowers for a while, but only played around with it; I never made a card.  Guess what came in the mail....The MISTI!  

The sun was going down, and the pink card base was glowing onto the white background, so pictures got a little strange.  Look at the difference in depth between these two!  I used a wide variety of W+9, SSS, and HA shadow inks.  I die cut Fresh Cut Florals first and then stamped them using the MISTI.  I put the little pieces on a sticky note so they wouldn't move, and then placed the stamp on them, shut the door, opened it, inked the stamp and closed the door.  It was a lot of fun!  I cut an oval out of a piece of white cs and embossed it with a -- folder.  The background was ink blended with Broken China and Mowed Lawn.  I cut out the little Ellie and cut further into her trunk in order for her to hold her little flower.  Ellie and her flower were colored with Copics.  I used the MISTI to stamp the sentiment which is also from Fresh Cut Flowers.  The card base is PTI's Raspberry Fizz.

This card was inspired by the following challenges:
W+9's Throwback Thursday #2 - Very Vintage Florals.  Fresh Cut Florals are my oldest W+9 stamps and I was inspired by the first and second card examples.

Fusion Card Challenge (Cupcake Inspiration).  My last two posts had cupcakes on them so today I just used the sketch.

Darnell's NBUS Challenge #4.  I love Darnell's challenge, it makes me so happy to use NBUS.  Today it is MISTI and W+9's Unforgettable.


Thanks for stopping by for a visit!  I hope you are having a wonderful day!

Kara Lynne

Guest Designer Over at Tag You're It! Challenge

It is my privilege and pleasure to be guest designing at Tag You're It! for challenge #18. Our inspiration comes from none other than Nancy Penir!  Nancy is an amazing card artist with a style I admire!  She's all into the details.  As I studied her card, I saw the double ribbon, the music, embossing, button...so much inspiration!

I kept the pink, green and white from her color scheme, copied her double ribbon, the script font "Joy", and the kraft tag complete with music notes on the bottom edge.  I also replicated the shape of her petals and made one flower larger than the others to add interest.

The leafy swirl was cut from PTI Simply Chartreuse and is a combination of three cut files from Silhouette: Holly Flourish, Holly, 8 Fall Leaves.  The tags were cut from white and kraft with the Silhouette cut file "3 Tags".  The flowers were cut on the Silhouette with the cut file "5-Petal Flowers".  They were then stamped using the W+9 Fresh Cut Florals stamp set in PTI Hibiscus Burst and Raspberry Fizz.  The music is a background stamp from Glitz it Now.  It was heat embossed in white.  The word "JOY" was cut on the Silhouette in a font called Exmouth.  The plaid ribbon was in the dollar section at Target and the white ribbon is from Hobby Lobby.  The pink background paper is The Paper Studio's Khole Lane , and the card base is Hobby Lobby.  The tags were distressed at the ends a bit with DI Brushed Corduroy.

Please check out the design team's incredible inspiration, and I hope you have a chance to join in the fun over at Tag You're It! for challenge #18.  You'll also want to visit Nancy Penir's delightful blog, you won't be disappointed!

I would also like to participate in Darnell's NBUS Challenge #4 with my debut of NBUS stamp set W+9 Fresh Cut Flowers.

Thanks for coming over to visit!  I hope you have a wonderful day!

Kara Lynne

Cupcake Trio

I tried several times to create a card using the inspiration photo from The Card Concept. Then, Danielle Flanders demonstrated stamping and mixing patterns in the MIM #206 video and I finally completed it:

I colored three cupcakes from PTI's Baker's Dozen with Copics.  The sentiment and banner are also from Baker's Dozen. Wink of Stella was applied to each of them.  The inks I used to make the papers are: PTI's Berry Sorbet, Pure Poppy, and W+9 Coconut Husk.  The stamp sets are: Background Basics: Super Stripes, Happiness in Bloom, and Friendly Flowers.  Papers are:  PTI's Pure Poppy, Berry Sorbet, and Dark Chocolate.  The background behind the cupcakes was made with Liquitex Modeling Paste and Fired Brick Distress Ink.

 

I was inspired by the following Challenges:

Papertrey Ink's Make It Monday #206:  Stamping and Mixing Patterns

 

The Card Concept #31: Cupcakes  I would call my card clean and layered.

Simon Says Stamp Wednesday Challenge:  Anything Goes

 

Thanks for coming over to visit, I hope you're having a wonderful day!

 

Kara Lynne

Playing Along with PTI's March Blog Hop

I really enjoyed the inspiration photo for PTI's March blog hop!  That room would be so fun, but then one of my daughters would come home and plop her bright pink backpack on that table, and that would be the end of my picture perfect room!  Ah well, I will enjoy it on a smaller scale with my card.  My inspiration is quite obvious, but I'll say it anyway.  The hutch reminded me of a shaker and I mimicked the shelves by creating a plaid background.  That plaid is also on the upper left corner of the photo in one of the shades.  I probably shouldn't say that the sequins are the dishes, because they would all be broken!  Sorry the pictures are dark, I was going to try to retake them today, but it's snowing!

Here is what I used:

Papers: Aqua Mist, Hawaiian Shores, Harvest Gold

Inks:  Hawaiian Shores, Lemon Tart

Stamps: Baker's Dozen, Friendly Flowers, Super Stripes, Swoosh

Dies: Shakers + Sprinkles, Cake Plates

Sequins:  Shakers + Sprinkles, white seed beads from Hobby Lobby

I embossed the cupcake onto the colored cardstocks and layered it.  I then used Copics to shade.  The background flowers were embossed with Zing Mustard embossing powder, and the sentiment was embossed in white.

 

Make sure to check out all of the fantastic entries on the PTI March Blog Hop!

 



Thanks for coming over to visit!  I hope you have fun if you're hopping along!

 

Kara Lynne

Think Spring

I'm sorry I didn't get much time to come over this past weekend.  My daughters had a long weekend and we were all trying to cut down on screen time, even Mom!  I think that's just going to happen from time to time, so that I'm not the parent that says, "Do as I say, not as I do!"

REMINDER:  Don't miss out on the give away on THIS post!

Spring is officially here, but where we live, the lovely blossoms bloom on the trees in late May.  That's what I call spring!  Virginia Lu used this beautiful stamp set from Simon Says Stamp called Artful Flowers.  I loved her cards so much, I knew I wanted to try it out myself:

The flowers were heat embossed with white embossing powder.  I smooshed DI Picked Raspberry and Mustard Seed on my craft sheet, sprayed them each with water, and used a brush to paint the petals and centers.  The "Thinking of You" is also from SSS Artful Flowers.  It was heat embossed on the pink cs in white.  I'm not sure of the paper company, it was in my unmarked stash.

This card is going to play over at the following challenges:

Simon Says Stamp Flickr Challenge #15: Springtime/Easter! 
    
   Retro Sketches #157                                                         



Darnell's NBUS Challenge #4  Artful Flowers

Thanks for coming over for a visit!  I hope you are having a wonderful day!

Kara Lynne
           

Thank You Times Four and a Give Away!

Today I want to thank FOUR lovely ladies for their extremely thoughtful and generous gifts!  It's such a blessing to be part of this wonderful crafting community, and I am so thankful for all of you!

During the Spring Coffee Lover's Blog Hop I received prizes from commenting on two blogs:

Monika's blog, Creative With Monika.  She sent me her award winning card with such kind words, an amazing bar of German chocolate, beautiful papers from Indonesia, and a wonderful stamp of the Bible verse Jeremiah 29:5.  It's a special one to me because it says to settle in and be content, you're going to be here for a while, even though this place is not your home.

Michele's blog Crimson Owl Creations.  She sent me a colorful array of handmade enamel dots, ribbons, tags, and tag accessories!  I also found out she and I grew up 20 miles from each other, small world!

Then there were two other people that gave me some wonderful gifts:

On a recent blog post I was using the PTI Doodlie Do stamp set and mentioned that I fussy cut it because I didn't have the matching dies.  Birgit from Crafting While I Wait, emailed me to say that she had an extra set of the dies and would I like them?  Wow, how thoughtful was that!  She mailed them right out to me with THIS beautiful card included!

Last week I found out that, through commenting on the Serendipity's March release blog hop, I won a $20 gift voucher to use at the Serendipity Stamps online store.  I don't have a picture because I just placed my order, but you'll be seeing some Serendipity goodies popping up on my cards soon!  Thank you, Mary, from the Serendipity Stamps Blog! 

TIME FOR A GIVE AWAY!

I am so incredibly blessed and I know it!  Now it's my turn to show my gratitude to all of you that come over to visit, and share in this card making adventure.  Please comment on this blog post and tell me one way you have been encouraged by our card making, blogging community.  I will choose one random person to win a $25 gift certificate, winner's choice to either Serendipity Stamps, Simon Says Stamp or Papertrey Ink.   You have until Monday, March 30th at noon CST.  I will pick a winner with the help of random.hfm (honest family member).  The winner will be announced the next day on my blog.

Thanks again, Monika, Michele, Birgit, and Mary!  Thanks, also, to everyone who comes to visit, I appreciate all of you!

Kara Lynne

Confetti Stamping with MIM #205

Today's Make it Monday was hosted by Lizzie Jones who demonstrate how to achieve confetti cluster by stamping.  Her video had so many helpful tips, I was amazed with all her insight!  Here's where I went with it:

Here's a run down on the stamps and inks I used:
Big Hugs small heart cluster with Sweet Blush ink
Friendly Flowers tiny dot cluster with Harvest Gold
Stylish Sentiment: Birthday three tiny stars with Summer Sunrise
Stylish Sentiment: Birthday single star with Berry Sorbet and Orange Zest
Swoosh single heart with Hibiscus Burst and Pure Poppy
"Sending" from Big Hugs stamped with Summer Sunrise
Big Hugs die in Pure Poppy cardstock
The panel was adhered to a piece of Summer Sunrise cardstock and then to a Pure Poppy cardstock base.

Check out Lizzie's wonderful card and the Make It Monday #205 video

Thanks so much for coming by to visit!  I hope you have a great day!

Kara Lynne

A Smooshie Birthday

Before I get to the card, I'd like to give a thankful shout out to the people in customer service at Papertrey Ink!  I have the Petite Places church die and all of the little details weren't cutting out well for me, even with shims.  I emailed customer service about it and Julie Heskamp wrote right back with very helpful advice.  Maybe you already know this, but if you cut with the die right side up (blades up), it cuts out all the little details perfectly!  I did use one piece of cardstock as a shim, but that's it.  Thank you, PTI Costumer Service, I'm very grateful!

Betsy Veldman hosted this week's Make It Monday and it was all about watercolor smooshing!   I followed her instructions, and came up with this card: 

 

I smooshed PTI's Tropical Teal and Enchanted Evening ink onto a piece of acetate, spritzed it with water, and placed the paper on top.  I'll be honest, the panel on this card was not my first attempt, nor my second.  I'd say it was probably my twelfth.  I die cut one of the rejected panels using PTI's One Liners: Happy, and heat embossed part of a stamp from PTI's Stylish Sentiments: Birthday in Zing Aqua.  The sequins are from PTI's Shakers + Sprinkles.

 

You should see Betsy's fabulous cards using this technique for Make It Monday #204: Watercolor Smooshing. 

Thanks so much for stopping by my blog!  I hope you have a great day!

 

Kara Lynne

A Nod to Marybeth

I am a huge fan of Marybeth!  She's so thoughtful and encouraging, and her style is classic!  The colors at the Color Throwdown Challenge reminded me of Marybeth's card over at the Tag You're It! challenge.  I thought it would make a great combination:

Flowers and leaves from PTI's Doodlie Do were heat embossed in white on PTI Pure Poppy and PTI Hawaiian Shores cardstock along with some navy and khaki scraps I had in my stash.  This would've been a great time to have the matching dies, but alas, they are still on the wish list!  The tag sentiments are from PTI's Mega Mixed Messages. I used Lifestyle Crafts' Lattice to emboss the background.

I am excited to play over at the following challenges:
Tag You're It! Challenge #16             Color Throwdown: ctd332       Virginia's View Challenge #13:  All Things Embossed

                


Thanks so much for coming over to visit!  I hope you are having a wonderful day!

Kara Lynne

Spring, Music, Laughter, and Embossing!

My card today celebrates the joy of many things: spring, laughter, music, and embossing!  Yes, watching that powder melt into a crisp image and opening that embossing folder to reveal a raised texture really makes me smile! 

I decided to see how many ways I could emboss on this card.  I heat embossed the Hero Arts Collage background in white on The Paper Company Cucumber Metallic cs, then I dry embossed it with its matching Sizzix Collage Background embossing folder.  The panel was cut out using SSS Stitched rectangles that left an embossed stitching around the border.  Mojito ink from Wplus9 was blended on the cardstock to bring out the images a bit more.  I heat embossed the butterfly portion of HA Collage Background in white on vellum and cut it out.  I dry embossed a back panel using a Cuttlebug Swiss Dot folder on white cs.  Finally, I heat embossed the sentiment from PTI's Out on a Limb.  The sequins are from PTI's Shakers + Sprinkles, and the beads are from Hobby Lobby.

Here are the fun and fantastic challenges that inspired me:
 Virginia's View #13 All Things Embossed                         CAS-ual Fridays CFC 137Springtime Melodies

Sparkle and Shine Challenge #1                   Simon Says Stamp Monday Challenge: Just a Hint of Clover

                       

 

 

Thanks for coming over to visit!  I hope you are having a wonderful day!

 

Kara Lynne



Doodling Along with MIM #203

Ashley Cannon Newell gave us a demonstration of her awesome doodling on the MIM #203 video.  Doodling?  Okay, maybe I went a bit overboard!

Using watercolor paper, I Stamped Friendly Flowers and Big Hugs in Orange Zest, Summer Sunrise, Raspberry Fizz, Hibiscus Burst, and Simply Chartreuse.  I went over the images with a water brush and some added ink.  I used a Prismacolor 05 Fine Line Marker to doodle, and added a bit of white Gelly Roll pen.  The card base is Limeade Ice cs. 

Check out Ashley's beautiful card at MIM #203! 

 

Thanks for coming over to visit!  I hope you're having a great day!

 

Kara Lynne