Welcome to my crafty blog... a "garden" of colourful cards, quilting, sewing projects, knitting...and what ever else happens along the way!!


Friday, November 29, 2013

Stitches and Swirls November Birthday

I took a break from making Christmas cards to complete a few cards for November birthdays. I made this one for my sister-in-law, using Stitches and Swirls. Darker pinks, reds, yellows and greens were chosen to create a rich look.
* I stamped several images from Stitches and Swirls using Vineyard Berry (Close To My Heart). Copic markers were used to colour all of the flowers and leaves.  
* Before mounting this panel onto Scarlet Jewel card stock, it was impressed with the Stitching Impression Plate and the edges were sponged with Chamomile Tea Dye ink.  In real life, the front of the card looks like fabric!! 
* A Fine Linen card base was also edged with Tea Dye inks. The sentiment panel uses the inside oval from Framed Out #8 die and stamp set and the sentiment from Butterfly Dreams.

* The inside of the card uses a sentiment from Signature Series:Dress Form and additional images from Stitches and Swirls.

Card Details (PTI, unless noted)
Stamps - Stitches and Swirls,Butterfly Dreams, Signature Series: Dress Form
Inks - Vintage Tea Dye Duo: Chamomile;  Close To My Heart: Vineyard Berry
Paper - Fine Linen;, Scarlet Jewel
Dies - Framed Out #8
Other Supplies - copic markers; small adhesive pearls; Stitching Impression Plate.

Thanks for visiting today!
Karen C.

Tuesday, November 26, 2013

Button Bits Santa


 



I'm back today with another card I made for the 
Festive Friday Blog: Final Challenge, using 
my favourite colour scheme of red, green and 
gold and the sweet Santa from Holiday Button Bits. 






Pure Poppy card base (4 1/4" square) was used to make this 
fun Christmas card - perfect for one of my little grand nieces.
* Three papers (Bo Bunny Mistletoe Collection) were used on the card front. 
* Santa - coloured with copic markers; Pure Poppy felt button was added.  Black embroidery floss accents the "tummy".
* Frame - made by cutting several layers of chipboard into a rectangular shape and covering it with one of the patterned papers.  Label Basics Angled Die was used to cut the opening. 
* Sentiment (AmyR Stamps) was stamped with New Leaf and Pure Poppy inks, onto a hand cut notched banner. A white bow and a tiny gold 'jingle' bell accents the sentiment panel.
Santa's head and beard were stamped, fussy cut, then 
added to the original image with a dimensional foam dot. 


A sentiment (Winter Sentiments - AmyR Stamps) was stamped with 
Pure Poppy ink on the inside of the card. The "North Pole" seal 
(Neat & Tangled) was embossed with gold embossing powder.

Card Details (PTI, unless noted)
Stamps - Holiday Button Bits; AmyR Stamps: Winter Sentiments; Neat & Tangled: Santa's Notes
Inks - New Leaf, Pure Poppy, Memento Tuxedo Black; Versamark
Paper - Pure Poppy, Stamper's Select White; Bo Bunny Mistletoe Collection
Dies - Button-Up #2 Die, Label Basics Angled Rectangle Die
Other - Pure Poppy felt; SU: Gold Embossing Powder; copic markers; 
black embroidery floss; white ribbon; gold mini bell; sewing machine; chipboard

Thanks for visiting today.
Karen C.

Saturday, November 23, 2013

Holly Leaves & Button Berries


 
We're heading into the last month before the holiday season and I'm still making cards for my Christmas mailing list. The Festive Friday Blog has been a great inspiration for colour schemes and themes and this week the challenge was to choose one of the 22 previously described challenges. I love the traditional colours of the holidays, so I chose the colour challenge using red, green and gold.

When Papertrey Ink came out with the die collection for Holiday Button Bits, I was excited to add this stamp set and dies to my 'collection' last year. 


* The large holly image was stamped with Memento: Cottage Ivy ink onto Rustic White card stock.
* The sentiment (Holiday Wishes) was stamped with Versamark and heat embossed with red EP.  
* The postmark stamp (2010 Holiday Tags) was stamped with black ink.

* A border stamp (Postmarks) was added to the bottom with Cottage Ivy and Pure Poppy inks. When I was stamping, an extra ink spoltch appeared on the edge of my card front. My solution? I took the small stamps included in Watercolour Wonder and stamped them around three edges of the card. 
* This panel was attached to a green mat and then a Rustic White card base.

* I stamped the leaves directly onto the card front, die cut three leaves and stamped them on the front and back with the matching stamp. I stitched them to the card front along the center and then curled up the edges to give them lots of dimension. 
* Three red buttons, accented with red embroidery floss, were positioned at the base of the leaf trio. Gold adhesive pearls were also added around the focal image.

* The holly border (CTMH: December Word Puzzle) was stamped with Cottage Ivy;  red 'berries' were added with a red metallic pen.
* The sentiment (Holiday Wishes) was stamped with Pure Poppy ink.

Card Details  (PTI, unless noted)
Stamps - Holiday Button Bits, 2010 Holiday Tags, Postmarks, Holiday Wishes, Watercolor Wonder;  December Word Puzzle (Close To My Heart)
Inks - Smokey Shadow, Pure Poppy;  Memento Cottage Ivy; Versamark
Paper - Rustic White,  Stamper's Select White; Recolllections: Green,
Other Supplies -  Martha Stewart: Ladybug Embossing Powder; red buttons, embroidery floss, red metallic pen, brass adhesive dots, sewing machine

Thanks for visiting today. 
Karen C.

Tuesday, November 19, 2013

Nuts for You Birthday Tag & Card

I made a card and tag for my husband's birthday in October, using a variety of stamps and dies from Papertrey Ink. 

* I used the Cover Plate: Circles for the lower portion of the card front!  
     (I love playing with a combination of colours and patterns for the circles) 
* The top of the card was covered with Spring Moss polka dot paper.

* The sentiment panel was created with stamps and dies from Framed Out #1. 
I mounted the panel onto a bitty dot Spring Moss patterned paper and popped the center panel with 3D foam dots.
* A strip of ribbon and a double bow separates the two sections of the card and accents the top of the sentiment panel.

The inside of the card is a fun scene using Nuts for You and Falling Leaves. (I wanted something unexpected on the inside!!) We have a lot of squirrels that visit our trees and my husband always has something to say to them!! (They try to get into our bird feeders and often make a real racket when birds fly into the tree!!)
* I used a combination of colouring and paper piecing for the squirrel. The body was stamped with Background Basics: Herringbone and the face and tummy with Bitty Background Blocks. The tail was coloured with copic markers.
* The acorn die cut was stamped with Dark Chocolate onto Kraft card stock.
The tree and leaves were stamped with images from Falling Leaves.  
* Movers & Shakers Sentiments were stamped onto the top of the card and a sentiment from Nuts For You was added to the bottom corner of the card.

Card Details (PTI, unless noted)
Stamps - Nuts For You, Happy Hexagons, Framed Out #1, Movers & Shakers Sentiments, 
Bitty Background Blocks, Background Basics: Herringbone, Falling Leaves
Inks - Canyon Clay, Summer Sunrise, Simply Chartreuse, Kraft, Dark Chocolate,  
Spring Moss, Pure Poppy
Paper - Stamper's Select White, Spring Moss Polka Dot Patterned Paper, Dark Chocolate, Kraft
Dies - Cover Plate: Circles, Nuts For You, Framed Out #1
Other - American Crafts: Coffee Ribbon, copic markers, corner rounder, 3D Foam Dots


Tag: 
This tag was attached to a bag of cashews!

* Boutique Accessory Card die - cut from white card stock and Spring Moss Polka Dot Patterned Paper.   
* I stamped and paper pieced another squirrel and attached it to the tag. 
* The leaves were die cut from Canyon Clay cardstock, impressed with the Herringbone Impression Plate and then added to the top corner of the tag. 
* Two acorns were die cut from Kraft card stock, stamped with Dark Chocolate ink and then highlighted with a copic marker. Both of the acorns were popped up with 3D foam dots. 
* The sentiment was stamped with Dark Chocolate ink.
Tag and Card Interior

Thanks for visiting today.
Karen C.

Sunday, November 17, 2013

Festive Friday - FFC21

Over the last few months I've been working on Christmas cards and have entered a few at the Festive Friday Challenge Blog. Several times I've finished a challenge, but not in time for the deadline!! So .. this week I got into my craft room early in the week and came up with a quick and easy card using Aqua, Red and White. You can find the details for this week's challenge here.

* Mehndi Medallion was stamped onto white card stock using Aqua Mist ink. 
* The card front was impressed with the Stitching Impression Plate.
* The medium size Fancy Flakes die was cut from Aqua Mist ink and 
    then stamped with Versamark using the same Mehndi Medallion image. 
* I used Iridescent Ice Embossing Powder (Stampin'Up) for some shimmer.
* The center star from the Fancy Flakes die cut was covered with glue and then Glamor Dust was sprinkled onto the star. This was glued to the center of the medallion image on the card front, then the large glittered snowflake was attached using 3D foam dots. The center of the star was accented with a red adhesive pearl.

* The sentiment strip (Photo Finishers) was stamped with a border from Holiday Photo Finishers and Pure Poppy ink. The sentiment (2010 Holiday Tags) was stamped with Aqua Mist and Pure Poppy inks. The dotted line (Sew Simple Borders) was added to either side of the die cut. This was impressed with the Canvas Impression Plate. A strip of Aqua Mist was glued to the back of the Photo Finisher die cut. 

* The inside of the card uses a sentiment from 
Holiday Wishes and a snow flake from 2010 Holiday Tags.

Card Details (PTI, unless noted)
Stamps - Holiday Photo Finishers, 2010 Holiday Tags, Mehndi Medallion, 
Sew Simple Borders, Holiday Wishes
Inks - Pure Poppy, Aqua Mist, Versamark
Paper - Aqua Mist, Stamper's Select White
Dies - Fancy Flakes, Photo Finishers
Other Supplies - Stitching Impression Plate, Canvas Impression Plate, red adhesive pearl, 
SU: Iridescent Ice Embossing Powder, Deco Art Glamor Dust, Glue pen, 3D Foam Dots

Monday, November 11, 2013

Peace On Earth

I originally made this for Festive Friday Challenge Blog, (FFC17 - September) but never finished it in time!! Navy, white and silver were to be incorporated into the card - I also added some aqua and a tiny touch of red (on the top of the silo)


* The top portion of the white card base was stamped with a tiny 
image from Framed Out #7 using Versamark and then embossed with 
silver embossing powder.  
* A One Liner die was cut from Enchanted Evening card stock and then 
adhered to the card front. A small strip of white card stock was stamped 
with ON EARTH (sentiment was selectively inked: Holiday Wishes) and then 
impressed with the Wood grain Impression Plate. This strip was then 
attached to the card front right below the navy strip. 
* Winter Hills focal panel was made by stamping and embossing with 
silver embossing powder and colouring with copic markers. The rectangle 
was cut close to the frame and then  matted with navy card stock. 


* I always like to add some details to the inside, but I kept this one fairly 
simple - sentiment (Holiday Wishes) and a snowman and snow from Winter Hills.

Card Details (PTI, unless noted)
Stamps - Winter Hills, Believe, Framed Out #7, Holiday Wishes
Inks - Aqua Mist; Memento Tuxedo Black; Versamark; Close To My Heart: Denim
Paper - Stamper's Select White, Enchanted Evening
Dies - One Liners Die Collection
Other - Wood grain Impression Plate; copic markers; corner rounder; 
Stampin' Up: Silver Embossing Powder

Thanks for visiting today.
Karen C.

Thursday, November 7, 2013

Mum's the Word Birthday

I seem to be drawn to more floral stamps sets lately. Mum's the Word creates beautiful petals and the sentiments are quickly becoming my favourites. When my son (who rarely comments on my cards) said he thought I bought this card, I knew I had a winner!! I based this design on a card that Debbie Olson created for the Papertrey Ink August 2013 release. (View her card here)

* The 4 1/2" card base was impressed with the Herringbone Impression Plate.
* The front card panel was stamped Mum's the Word using Summer Sunrise 
and Canyon Clay (flowers) and Simply Chartreuse (stems and leaves). 
* Several flowers were die cut, stamped and popped up with 3D foam dots. 
I outlined the flowers with a copic marker (BG10) and then added glitter 
to the center of the flowers with a yellow gel pen. 
* The front panel was matted with Canyon Clay card stock.
* The sentiment was stamped with Autumn TerraCotta (Close To My Heart) 
onto a Double-ended Banner Die cut. A button accents the sentiment strip.

I didn't have a square envelope for this card so I made one with 
white computer paper. The front and back flap were stamped with 
more of flowers, stems & leaves to co-ordinate with the birthday card.

The inside of the card was also stamped with a flower and a combination 
of sentiments (Big Birthday Wishes Sentiment and Stylish Sentiments: Birthday).


Card Details (PTI, unless noted)
Stamps - Mum's the Word, Big Birthday Wishes, Stylish Sentiments: Birthday
Inks - Summer Sunrise, Canyon Clay, Simply Chartreuse; CTMH: Autumn TerraCotta
Paper - Stamper's Select White, Canyon Clay
Dies - Mum's the Word, Double-ended Banner Die; Spellbinder's Large Classic Squares
Other - Herringbone Impression Plate; Sakura Yellow Glitter Gel Pen; copic marker;
button/embroidery floss (from my stash)

Thanks for visiting today.
Karen C.

Monday, November 4, 2013

Rosie Posie Birthday

I waited a long time to purchase the Rosie Posie & Rosie Posie Step 2 stamp sets and dies, but I'm so glad I have them now. This is my first card using this set - a birthday card for my husband's cousin. She will be 80 this month, so one of her daughters is arranging for 80 cards to be delivered on her birthday. Can you imagine having 80 cards and letters in your mailbox? I'm sure it will be a fun birthday celebration!!

I started by cutting the largest square from a Nestabilities die and then embossed Off the Grid (Stampin' Up) with gold embossing powder. Happy Birthday sentiment (Butterfly Dreams) was stamped with Berry Sorbet ink and fits perfectly in the top right corner. (The colour of the ink and cardstock looks like orange in this picture, but it really is Berry Sorbet!!)The front panel was matted with Berry Sorbet cardstock and then mounted onto the 4" square card base that was impressed with the Stitching Impression Plate.

The bottom left corner of the grid provided the perfect place for 3 of the small Rosie Posie flowers.  I die cut the flowers and then stamped them with the solid flower image (Rosie Posie) and the matching accent stamps (Rosie Posie Step 2) with Berry Sorbet/Raspberry Fizz; Harvest Gold/Summer Sunrise; Winter Wisteria (stamped off once to create the lighter flower and then full strength for the accents).

All of the leaves were stamped onto Spring Moss card stock with Old Olive ink  and then fussy cut. The flowers and leaves were positioned, some with 3D foam dots for added dimension. The brass adhesive dots finish off the front of the card. I did stamp the inside of the card with another flower and birthday sentiment, but I forgot to take a picture of it. I was in a rush to get it into the mail; it's on its way to Michigan!! Happy Birthday, June!!

Card Details (PTI, unless noted)
Stamps - Rosie Posie, Rosie Posie Step 2, Butterfly Dreams,; SU: Off the Grid
Inks - Berry Sorbet, Raspberry Fizz, Harvest Gold, Summer Sunrise, Winter Wisteria, 
SU: Old Olive; Versamark
Paper -  Stampers Select White, Berry Sorbet, Spring Moss
Dies - Rosie Posie Die Collection; Spellbinders Classic Squares
Other - Stitching Impression Plate; SU Gold Embossing Powder; 
Brass adhesive dots; 3D Foam Dots

Thanks for visiting today.
Karen C.

Saturday, November 2, 2013

Birthday Style Shaker Cards

Nichole Heady used Birthday Style to make a shaker card here; I cased her design to make 2 cards - one for my nephew and one for my grand niece.



Birthday Style - Blues and Greens
My oldest nephew celebrated his 40th birthday in October, so I made him 
a fun and festive shaker card using blues, greens and silver star confetti.

 Spring Rain card stock and ink was used to was cut and stamp a  
Fabulous Frame die cut. Birthday Style images and sentiment were 
stamped with Blueberry Sky, New Leaf and Summer Sunrise. 

Two balloons were cut from white card stock and stamped with a coordinating image. Linen Thread was attached to each balloon and knotted to one side. Silver star confetti was added to the shaker portion of the card, and a few scattered onto the card base. The new Stitching Impression Plate creates some texture on the card front. A corner rounder was used to punch two of the corners.
A piece of white card stock was stamped with New Leaf ink, using the gingham stamp from Bitty Background Blocks and then the number "40" was cut with Block Alphabet Numbers. Big Birthday Wishes was used to stamp the rest of the sentiment in New Leaf and Blueberry Sky inks. The confetti image was stamped with Summer Sunrise ink.
Card Details (PTI, unless noted)
Stamps -  Birthday Style, Fabulous Frames, Big Birthday Wishes, Bitty Background Blocks
Inks - Spring Rain, Blueberry Sky, New Leaf, Summer Sunrise
Paper - Stamper's Select White, Spring Rain
Dies - Fabulous Frames, Birthday Style, Block Alphabet Numbers Die Collection
Other - Stitching Impression Plate; acetate sheet; SU: Linen Thread; 3D Foam Dots;
Celebrate It! Mini Silver Mini Star Confetti



Birthday Style - Pink, Purple, Aqua & Gold
One of my grand nieces will turn 5 in November, so I decided to make her a similar card, but used pinks and purples along with multi-coloured confetti stars.

This card has all of the same details as the first one - just a few colour 
changes and it makes a great card for a little girl!! (Aqua Mist, Raspberry Fizz, 
Winter Wisteria, Harvest Gold)
The shaker card uses multi-coloured star confetti. A pink and a yellow balloon were added to the front of the card and then thin ribbons were attached. (I used copic markers to colour white ribbon from my stash to create the bright colours). The Sunshine Impression Plate was used to create texture.
Details of Card Interior


Card Details (PTI, unless noted)
Stamps - Birthday Style, Fabulous Frames, Big Birthday Wishes, Bitty Background Blocks
Inks - Aqua Mist, Raspberry Fizz, Winter Wisteria, Harvest Gold
Paper -  Stamper's Select White,
Dies - Fabulous Frames, Birthday Style, Block Alphabet Numbers Die Collection
Other - Sunshine Impression Plate; Acetate sheet; White 1/8" ribbons; copic markers;
Clebrate It! Multi-coloured Mini Star Confetti; 3D Foam Dots.

Thanks for visiting today.
Karen C.