A Few of My Favourites: 2013

At the end of each year many bloggers share some of their 

favourite cards and projects. Here are 12 of my favs from 2013. 

You can click on the dates to view the original post.

January 2013: Papertrey Ink Blog Hop

This was my first attempt at the chalkboard effect.

Chalkboard Effect

Chalkboard Gift Card Holder

February 2013: Designer Inspiration

I love using the impression plate and (faux) stitching to create fabric texture. 

Aida Impression Plate & Sew Simple Borders

 March 2013: Waiting for Spring

Colouring with Copic Markers

April 2013: Rock On

The Cover Plate: Circles has become a favourite. 

I enjoy combining colours and designs to create a background.

I chose 2 cards for May - 

one has lots of details and techniques, 

the other uses simple stamping and an Impression Plate.

May 2013: Kitty for Parker

This card incorporates lots of my favourite things:
* layering of patterned paper and card stock,  
* paper piecing, * masking and * a 3D flower.

May 2013: Papertrey Ink Blog Hop

Simple Stamping for colour and design and an Impression 

Plate for texture. I usually add die cuts, ribbons and other 

embellishments, so this was a departure from my normal style.

Mini Blooms

June 2013: Clouds & Rainbows

The clouds and rainbow paper is a perfect match for the hot air 

balloons and the sentiment from Movers & Shakers Sentiments.

July 2013: Rev Up the Fun

Gold Embossing and a watercolour stamp create a colourful background 

 for the fussy cut motorcycle. The matching envelope takes it up a notch!! 

August 2013: SAF#3

A new technique (rolled dough design) and supplies were used 

during this Stamp-a-Faire activity. This card was also featured in 

the 'wrap-up' video for the day, so it had to be on my favourites list!!

 September 2013: Golden Wreath

An embossed golden wreath and dimension from the 
die-cut wreath, flowers and birds, and a little tag, make 

this a favourite. I love using the Wood grain Impression 

Plate to create an outdoorsy/natural atmosphere.

October 2013

I took a break from blogging this month, so I 

chose an 'extra' card during the month of May.

 November 2013: Rosie Posie Birthday

I finally purchased the Rosie Posie dies and stamps and this 

was my first card using all of these. I usually make A2 cards, but 

decided on a square card base. The gold embossed background 

and colourful grouping of flowers are favourites from this card.

 December 2013: Winter Hills

This card makes me feel the warmth and coziness of home at Christmas time. The Stitching Impression Plate has become a favourite of mine and adding blue ink to the raised texture as well as the main focal panel adds a lot of dimension 

to the card. I also like the colour scheme of red, light blue and chocolate.

* Hope you enjoyed a look back at my favourites from 2013. 
* It's fun to see some of the features and techniques that keep appearing in my projects - I definitely like using embossing folders and Impression Plates, and background stamping is also something that I often use. 
* I still find Clean and Simple cards are a challenge for me. I admire others that make this work, but I'm most happy when I can add layers to my projects!!.

Thanks for visiting today.
Happy New Year and Best Wishes for a Wonderful 2014!
Karen C.

Blue Maple Leaf Birthday

I have one last birthday card from 2013 to share. 

My husband is a fan of the Toronto Maple Leaf hockey team. 

He looks forward to the fall, when the teams are back on the ice. 

So ... I always try to incorporate something blue and 'leafy' in his cards!!

Card Front - 
* I stamped the veins of the leaf (Leaf Prints) onto Stamper's White Select card stock with Versamark ink; then heat emnbossed it with white embossing powder. 
* The main leaf image and sentiment (Birthday Style) were stamped with blue ink. Moonstruck (Close to My Heart) 
* The card front was impressed with the Stitching Impression Plate; Fine Linen ink was rubbed over the front to give an aged look.
* Three blue dots (Stamping Bella) accent one corner of the card front. 

Card Interior

A sentiment (Movers & Shakers Sentiments) and 

a blue leaf complete the inside of the card.

Card Details (PTI, unless noted)

Stamps - Leaf Prints, Birthday Style, Movers & Shakers Sentiments

Inks - Fine Linen, Simply Chartruese; Versamark; Close To My Heart: Moonstruck

Paper - Stamper's Select White

Other Supplies - Stitching Impression Plate; Stampendous Detail White Embossing Powder; 

Stamping Bells: Dots;

Thanks for visiting today.

Karen C.

Papertrey Ink December 2013 Blog Hop

I hope everyone had a Merry Christmas. We enjoyed good food and time with family yesterday, along with a warm, cozy fire beside our Christmas tree. 

Today's Blog Challenge at Papertrey Ink involves the 
use of string on cards or packages. I've included two 
little pillow boxes and tags that I made for Christmas 
gift cards ... one for my husband and the other for my 
son. I used Pure Poppy Baker's Twine on each and tied 
them up with a little bow. Nothing too fancy or unique, 
but the string just adds that 'finishing' touch for a masculine gift.

Celebrate the Season

* I die cut festive striped paper (Pebbles Inc.) with the Pillow Box Die. 

* The little tag was made by stamping white card stock with Framed Out #5 and New Leaf ink. I trimmed the tag with a craft knife and then sponged the edge with more green ink. The sentiment and holly image (Framed Out #8) were added to the center of the tag. 
* I cut a second tag from Pure Poppy card stock and trimmed the bottom using a border punch. I've seen this layering technique for tags, so thought I'd give it a try. Baker's Twine was tied around the length of the pillow box and then the tag was added with an additional piece of twine.

Certified Coffee Drinker 

My husband loves coffee, so a gift card to Tim Horton's was on his list!

* The coffee cup (Heart-to-Heart #1) was perfect for the front of this tag.  
* I stamped a pattern from Bitty Blocks Backgrounds in Kraft ink onto a piece of card stock, then used it to paper piece the top and bottom of the coffee cup. 
* Pure Poppy card stock was used on the center of the cup, then "Certified Coffee Drinker" (Latte Love) was stamped, cut with a circle punch and added.
* Glossy Accents creates a 'clear bubble' top on the lid of the cup.
* A rectangle of Kraft card stock was impressed with the Aida Impression Plate, and outlined with a red marker. The coffee cup was added with 3D Foam Dots.

* A larger second tag was cut from a heavy cream cardboard, stamped with a sentiment (Latte Love) using New Leaf, Pure Poppy and Dark Chocolate inks. 

* On the back, I stamped an invitation: Let's get together for coffee!!

* The pillow box was made with Rustic White card stock and 

stamped with Distressed Stripes (New Leaf and Pure Poppy inks). 

Both tags were added to the pillow box with Baker's Twine.

Supplies: Papertrey Ink, except the patterned paper used on the first pillow box.

Thanks for visiting today. Enjoy the Blog Hop!
Karen C.

Winter Hills

My final Christmas card for 2013 has folk art elements from Winter Hills.

Focal Panel - 
* The house from Winter Hills was stamped onto white cardstock (cut with Notched Star Banner Die). The house was coloured with copic markers. 
* The 'sky' was coloured with Crystal Blue ink and a distressing pad. The white panel was mounted onto red and dark chocolate cardstock, then the small white dots and stars were reinserted into the openings in the main panel. This gives the look of white snowflakes and stars in the blue sky. 
* The tree was stamped coloured and had cut, then added to the corner of the front panel. "Snow" was added across the bottom of the tree and house.
Card Front - 
* Blue card stock was stamped with a sentiment (Holiday Wishes), then impressed with the Stitching Impression Plate. I used my distressing pad to rub Crystal Blue ink over the impressed card stock to add some colour variations.
* A red and brown ribbon from my stash was placed across the front and then three loops were created on the left side. The focal panel was mounted over the ribbon and bow using 3D foam dots. 
Card Base - Dark Chocolate cardstock

Card Interior:

Sentiment (Holiday Wishes) and tree - stamped with Dark Chocolate ink. 

The tree was accented with dots using a red marker.

Card Details (PTI, unless noted)
Stamps - Winter Hills, Holiday Wishes
Inks - Dark Chocolate; Memento: Tuxedo Black; Close To My Heart: Crystal Blue
Paper - Dark Chocolate, Pure Poppy, Stamper's Select White; Recollections: Blue
Dies - Notched Star Banner Dies
Other Supplies - Stitching Impression Plate; copic markers; 3D Foam Adhesive; 
red/brown ribbon from my stash

Thanks for visiting today.
Karen C.

Wreath & Joy

I wanted to make a card using a One Liner die - Joy - and since I hadn't inked Wreath for All Seasons for a while, I decided to combine these two ideas on another Christmas card. This one is fairly flat and is great for mailing.

Woodgrain Impression Plate on Stamper's Select White

One Liner - Joy - cut from Pure Poppy card stock.

Holly Jolly die - cut from New Leaf card stock

 and accented with red adhesive pearls.

  
Holiday Wishes - sentiment stamped with Pure Poppy ink
Wreath - stamped with the same details as the front. 
Small card stock circles (Pure Poppy) - accent the Holly Jolly die cut.
 

Card Details (PTI, unless noted)
Stamps - Wreath for All Seasons, Holiday Wishes
Inks - Dark Chocolate, Pure Poppy, New Leaf
Paper - Stamper's Select White, Pure Poppy, New Leaf
Dies - One Liners Die Collection, Holly Jolly
Other Supplies - Wood grain Impression Plate, green marker, red adhesive pearls,

Thank you for visiting today.
Karen C.

Rustic Wreath - Two Ways

Here's 2 cards using Papertrey Ink's Rustic Wreath . 

Even though similar supplies were used, one has 

a 'country' theme and the other is clean and simple!!

Rustic Wreath #1

 Card Front: Stamper's Select White.  Card Base: Kraft

* The wreath image was stamped using Memento Tuxedo Black ink, then coloured with copic markers. 
* The main sentiment was stamped with Pure Poppy ink and Versamark and then heat embossed with clear embossing powder. 
* Background Basics: Postmarks was stamped with Fine Linen over the entire card front; Kraft ink was used to stamp a variety of images from Postmarks and 2010 Holiday Tags around the wreath; 
* Sentiments (Rustic Wreath,  Tag-Its #9, Framed Out #8) were stamped with Kraft ink inside the center of the wreath.  
* A strip of Pure Poppy gingham patterned paper and Kraft Twill Tape was added to the bottom of the card front; a Tiny Tag was attached to the bow. 
(tag: SU punch; sentiment: Tiny Tags: Papertrey Ink)

Card Interior:

 

Rustic Wreath  #2

Card Front: Stamper's Select White. Card Base: Kraft

* Rustic Wreath was die cut from the center of the card front. The center and the wreath were set aside and the remainder of the front panel was impressed with the Aida Impression Plate. 
* A sentiment was stamped and embossed on the center panel. 
* The wreath and center were reinserted into the card front opening. A second Rustic Wreath was die cut, stamped and coloured with copic markers. This was attached to the card front. 
* A red marker was used to create the berries around the wreath. 
* A red gingham bow was attached to the bottom of the wreath.

Card Interior

Card Details (PTI, unless noted)
Stamps - Rustic Wreath, Background Basics: Postmarks, Postmarks, Holiday Tags 2010, Tiny Tags, Framed Out #8, Tag-Its #9,
Inks - Fine Linen, Kraft, Pure Poppy, Memento: Tuxedo Black; Versamark
Papers - Stamper's Select White, Kraft, Pure Poppy, Pure Poppy Gingham Patterned Paper
Dies - Rustic Wreath
Other Supplies - copic markers, red marker, Aida Impression Plate, Kraft Twill Tape; red gingham ribbon; Stampin' Up: Tiny Tag punch;

Thanks for visiting today.
Karen C.

Two Feet Deep - Three Ways

     Wow ... I had lots of fun making these cards using Two Feet Deep and a design by Betsy Veldman. (created for Papertrey Ink here). 
     Originally, I had planned on making 6 cards -  2 each using the three main images (skiis, sled, snowshoes) in this set. I created the card bases and card fronts first and then as I started to assemble everything I realized that the snowshoes and the sled wouldn't work with the vertical orientation. So, I cut 4 more sets of skiis and made 6 ski cards. I then experimented with a horizontal layout so I could use the prepared sleds and snowshoes. In the end I added 10 cards to my Christmas card stash!!

Two Feet Deep - Skiis

 I copied Betsy's card, using the same colours and stamps. This is one of my all time favourite cards!! There are lots of skiiers in my family that will be receiving this card for Christmas.

Inside: 
A small rectangle of Rustic White card stock was stamped with a sentiment from Holiday Wishes and the small pine swag and bow from Two Feet Deep.

Two Feet Deep - Sleds

Two Feet Deep - Snowshoes

Inside: A sentiment and snowflake from Two Feet Deep were added to a small panel on the inside of the horizontal cards.

Card Details (PTI, unless noted)
Stamps - Two Feet Deep, Autumn Pattern Pieces, Peaceful Pinecones, 
             Harvest Berries, Holiday Wishes
Inks - Kraft, Dark Chocolate, Pure Poppy, Simply Chartreuse, Vintage Tea Dye Duo;   
        Close to My Heart: Twilight;  Memento Tuxedo Black;
Papers - Rustic White, Kraft, Pure Poppy
Dies - Two Feet Deep, Tiny Tags
Other Supplies - Cream Baker's Twine;3D Foam Adhesive Dots

Thanks for visiting today.
Karen C.

Believe

     I used some of my favourite stamps and dies to create this colourful Christmas card.  Cover Plate: Circles was cut with a parchment paper from my stash and then attached to a white card base. If you look closely, you can see tiny dots that were stamped onto the white card stock with Fine Linen ink. This created an aged look in the small openings left between the circles. 
     Happy Hexagon stamps were used on the circles. They are just the right size if you carefully center them over the circles. (This gives additional pattern options to use on this cover plate.)

* Santa and his gift (Believe) were die cut and then coloured with copic markers. The present was added with 3D foam dots for dimension. 
* One of the Half & Half dies was used to cut the parchment card stock into a long narrow tag, which was stamped with "Believe" and Simply Chartreuse ink. Pure Poppy ink was sponged along the edge of the tag and a green satin bow was added to the top. 

     I used some additional stamped circles to create hanging ornaments along the inside of the card. The dotted line (Sew Simple Borders) and the bow (Tiny Tags II) finish this detail. I also used a silver gel pen on the dotted line where it attaches to the ornament. The sentiment (Holiday Wishes) was stamped with Olive ink (Close to My Heart).






Card Details (PTI, unless noted)
Stamps - Believe, Holiday Wishes, Happy Hexagons, Sew Simple Borders, Tiny Tags II
Inks - Pure Poppy, Canyon Clay, Simply Chartreuse, Fine Linen; 
Memento Tuxedo Black; Close To My Heart: Olive
Paper - Stamper's Select White; Recollections: Parchment
Dies - Believe, Half & Half, Cover Plate: Circles
Other - copic markers; Sakura Metallic Gold Gelly Roll pen; 3D Foam Dots; Fabricland: Satin Ribbon (3/8"); adhesive pearl

Thanks for visiting today.
Karen C.
 

 

A Christmas Cottage Window

I bought Cottage Window (Stampin' Up) because it included a variety of stamps for different seasons. I finally decided to use it to make a Christmas card with the window image and the holly berry swag.

* The window image was stamped onto Bella White card stock, coloured with copic markers and then fussy cut (on the outside and the inside).
* The holly swag was stamped onto another piece of card stock and coloured with copic markers. The snowflake stamps were added with Bashful Blue ink and highlighted with a clear glitter gel pen.
* I was then able to mount the cut window over the stamped holly and snowflakes so that the swag was positioned in the top and right corners of the window. These layers were then added to the card front. (Confetti White impressed with the Woodgrain IP)  This was time consuming, but creates a lot of dimension to the final image.

* The set of gift packages (SU: Loads of Love) were stamped, coloured with copic markers and then fussy cut, before gluing them on the window sill. A small red bow was added to the top corner of the window and holly swag.

Sentiment Panel

Inside Details

Card Details
Stamps - Stampin' Up Cottage Window; PTI Peaceful Pinecones
Inks - Memento Tuxedo Black & Rich Cocoa; Pure Poppy
Paper - Bella White; SU Confetti White; PTI Pure Poppy
Other - PTI Wood grain Impression Plate; EK Success Dotted Scsallop Border Punch; copic markers; Sakura Clear Glitter Gel Pen; 3D Foam Tape; red mini adhesive pearls

Peaceful Pinecones

Festive Friday Challenge Blog is celebrating their Final Challenge for 2013. Twenty-two different 'triggers' were outlined over the past year and this time we were to choose one of them for the final week. My card was inspired by this Rustic Country Theme graphic:

I live in an area of Canada that is surrounded by pine trees.  When Peaceful Pinecones was introduced last year, I knew it would be a great set for my holiday cards.

Pinefeather (dark green) papers and ink, Kraft and Dark Chocolate with Pure Poppy accents: these definitely create a rustic country theme.

 
* A panel of Rustic Cream card stock was embossed with the Square Lattice Textured Folder (Stampin' Up) and then cut into 3 vertical  strips. These were mounted onto a Pinefeather panel, then attached to a Rustic Cream card base.

* The main image was stamped onto die cuts from Peaceful Pinecones. The pinecones were stamped with Kraft and Dark Chocolate inks; some were added to the front with 3D foam dots. Three red glittered adhesive pearls accent this arrangement.

* Double-ended Banner Die was cut from Pinefeather Gingham Patterned Paper. A thin strip of Pure Poppy card stock was glued to the center of the banner. 
* The sentiment panel was created by stamping an Rustic Cream oval with Postmarks and Fine Linen ink. The sentiment (Holiday Wishes) was stamped with Pure Poppy ink and then Versamark. Clear embossing powder gives this a glossy finish. The stamped oval was matted with an oval of Pinefeather, edged with Vintage Cream ink.

A sentiment from Holiday Wishes was stamped with Pure Poppy ink 

and a small image from Peaceful Pinecones is the finishing detail.

Card Details (PTI, unless noted)
Stamps - Peaceful Pinecones, Background Basics: Postmarks, Holiday Wishes
Inks - Pinefeather, Pure Poppy, Kraft, Dark Chocolate, Vintage Cream; Versamark
Paper - Pinefeather, Rustic Cream, Pure Poppy, Pinefeather Gingham Patterned Paper
Dies - Peaceful Pinecones, Double ended Banner Die; Spellbinders Classic Oval
Other - SU: Square Lattice Textured Folder; Red Glitter Adhesive Pearls;
3D Foam Dots;  Ranger: Super Fine Clear Detail Embossing Powder; 

Thanks for visiting today.
Karen C.