Author: Karen

I am a very blessed wife, mother, daughter, sister, aunt, and friend. I firmly believe in the quote by Dieter F. Uchtdorf which states "The desire to create is one of the deepest yearnings of the human heart." Every day I try to create something that lifts the heart for myself and others.

You Are the Tweetest

My granddaughter recently had her 13th birthday.  The years are passing too quickly.  She loves parakeets and has two of her own.  When I saw this cute stamp by Penny Black I knew it would make the perfect card for Aurora.

I colored the image with Copic Markers in her favorite colors of turquoise and purple.  And the little parakeet was colored the same as one of her birds.  Once coloring was complete I die cut the image using the Silhouette PIXScan Mat.  The stamped image has long hair, so I manipulated the cut file to have short hair, just like Aurora.  I traced around the image onto some Darice Sticky Back Foam and fussy cut around it, making it slightly smaller so it would fit behind the die cut focal image.

For the card front I die cut a rectangle of Turquoise cardstock I had in my stash with a My Favorite Things A2 Stitched Rectangle and then dry embossed it with Do Crafts Small Polka Dot Hearts Embossing Folder.  It was adhered directly to the front of a top folding A2 cardbase made from Gina K. Designs 120# White Cardstock.

For the focal image I die cut a scalloped rectangle using a die from Gina Marie Designs.  I placed the die cut image on the rectangle to determine where to stamp the sentiments from Penny Black’s Tweetie and Hero Arts Year Round Sentiments.  I used Altenew Volcano Lake Ink.  The focal image was adhered to the scalloped rectangle with Nuvo Deluxe Adhesive and then it was adhered to the card front using the same liquid glue.

Products Used:

  • Penny Black Tweetie
  • Hero Arts Year Round Sentiments
  • Copic Markers: E55, E53, E51; E11, E01, E00, R21, R20; YG25, YG03, YG21; Y06, Y02, Y11, Y12; W5, W3, W1; C2, C1; V25, V22, V20; BG15, BG13, BG11
  • Gina Marie Designs Scalloped Rectangles
  • My Favorite Things A2 Stitched Rectangle
  • DoCrafts Small Polka Hearts Embossing Folder
  • Altenew Volcano Lake Ink
  • Darice Sticky Back Foam
  • Nuvo Deluxe Adhesive
  • Silhouette Cameo PixScan Mat and Software
  • Turquoise Cardstock from Scraps
  • Neena Classic Crest 80# White Cardstock
  • Gina K. Designs 120# White Cardstock

You’re the Star of the Day

I recently purchase Altenew’s Molded Lines Stencil.  I really like out the lines are on a curve.  It reminded me of the trails of light to a shooting star and so I decided to create a birthday using a heart star die cut.

I ink blended the stencil onto Neena Classic Crest 80# Solar White Cardstock with yellow Distress Oxide Inks.  When the ink was dry I die cut the panel using a My Favorite Things A2 Stitched Rectangle and added Darice Sticky Back Foam to the back for dimension.  It was adhered to a top folding A2 cardbase made from Gina K. Designs 120# White Cardstock.

In my stash of papers I had some gold glitter foam and decided to use it to die cut my star using the largest Spellbinders Stars Five Die.  Since it already had dimension I was adhered directly to the card front with Nuvo Deluxe Adhesive.

I didn’t have a sentiment that went with the star theme and so I created one using Microsoft Word.  Cut it into a thin strip and adhered it to the card front with liquid adhesive and the card was done.

Very quick and easy card.

Products Used:

  • Altenew Molded Lines Stencil
  • Spellbinders Stars Five Die
  • Antiqua Caps and Book Antiqua Fonts for Sentiment
  • Distress Oxide Inks: Squeezed Lemonade, Fossilized Amber, Wild Honey
  • Gold Glitter Craft Foam
  • My Favorite Things A2 Stitched Rectangle
  • Darice Sticky Back Foam
  • Neena Classic Crest 80# and 120# Solar White Cardstock
  • Nuvo Deluxe Adhesive

Happy Happy Birthday to You

When you purchase something from the  Honey Bee Stamp Company you get a cute little coloring card with flowers and bees.  This time I decided to use it for a card.  I colored it with Copic Markers, changed the sentiment, and the results was a cute a colorful birthday card.

I decided to go outside my norm and place the focal image on an angle.  I matted it with turquoise cardstock from scraps and added Darice sticky Back Foam for dimension.

For the cardbase I found some hexagon patterned paper in the Doodlebug Designs Kraft in Color Paper Pad and cut it to fit the front of an A2 top folding cardbase made from Gina K. Designs 120# White Cardstock.  I searched through my paper packs to find a complimentary patterned paper to add a strip of color behind the focal image and decided on this turquoise and white stripe from Lawn Fawn Really Rainbow Petite paper Pak.

It turned out to be a bright and cheerful birthday card.

Products Used:

  • Honey Bee Stamps Thank You Card
  • Amy R Great Birthday Greetings
  • Copic Markers: Y08, Y06, Y04; R20; BG01, BG000, BG0000; C10, C8, C6; E49, E47, E59, E57, E55; Y19, Y17, Y15, Y13; YG67, YG17, YG25; B01, B00, B000
  • Lawn Fawn Really Rainbow Petite Paper Pak
  • Doodlebug Designs Kraft in Color 6 x 6 Paper Pad
  • Neena Classic Crest 80# Solar White Cardstock
  • Gina K. Designs 120# White Cardstock
  • Blue Cardstock from Scraps
  • Darice Sticky Back Foam
  • Kokuyo Dotliner Adhesive
  • Tombo Mono Multi Glue

Fingernail Polish Marble Birthday Balloons

Making marble background using fingernail polish can be really fun.  The smell can be a little overwhelming, but you get some really unique and interesting results.  The balloons on this card were die cut from a marble background created using this technique.

I went to the Dollar Store and got some fingernail polish.  I wouldn’t use black nail polish on myself, but I thought it would make an interesting background.  You will need a disposable dish or container to create these backgrounds.  You fill the dish with about 3-4″ of water and then dribbled the nail polish you have selected around the water.  If you want you can use a wooden stirring stick to help them marbleize.  Once you have it the way you want you take some watercolor paper and place it into the water and immediately pull it back out.  You never know what it is going to look like, but you do get some beautiful results.

Once the background was completely dry I die cut the balloons using Lawn Fawn’s Party Balloons.  I tied some Cousins Iridescent Silver Cord for strings, added 3M 1/2″ Foam Tape to the back for dimension and adhered them to a rectangle of Neena Classic Crest 80# Solar White Cardstock I had die cut using a My Favorite Things A2 Stitched Rectangle.  I wrapped the balloon strings around the back and secured them in place with Scotch Tape.  The rectangle was then adhered to a top folding A2 cardbase made from Gina K. Designs Base Weight Onyx Black Cardstock.

The sentiment is from Gina K. Designs Grand Greetings and was stamped on a scrap of the same cardstock with VersaMark Ink and heat embossed with Ranger Fine Detail Silver Embossing Powder.  It was cut into a strip and adhered to the front of the card with 3M 1/2″ Foam Tape and the card was done.

Products Used:

  • Lawn Fawn Party Balloons
  • Gina K. Designs Grand Greetings
  • Fingernail Polish Marble Background
  • Canson XL 140# Cold Press Watercolor Paper
  • Neena Classic Crest 80# Solar White Cardstock
  • Gina K. Designs Base Weight Onyx Black Cardstock
  • Cousins Iridescent Silver Cord
  • Ranger Fine Detail Silver Embossing Powder
  • VersaMark Ink
  • Tombo Mono Multi Glue
  • Elmer’s Craft Bond Spray Adhesive
  • My Favorite Things A2 Stitched Rectangle

Fingernail Polish Marble Background Happy Everything

I had seen a challenge on Splitcoaststampers.com to use fingernail polish to create a marbleized background and decided to give it a try.  I went to the Dollar Store and picked up several colors of nail polish, dropped them into a small tub of water, stirred them with a wooden stirring stick and then dipped watercolor paper into the water.  It can give some amazing results.  With this background I made two different cards.

It is amazing how different the same background can look by using different colored paper in the card design.

I die cut the rectangle using a My Favorite Things A2 Stitched Rectangle and then die cut an oval out of the center using an Oval STAX die from the same company.  The sentiment was cut from the center of the oval using the Penny Black Awesome Die.

For the first card the oval was adhered to a rectangle of light purple cardstock, also cut with a stitched rectangle die.  It was matted with some Paper Accent Silver Mirror Cardstock.  Darice Sticky Back Foam was added to the back and then the rectangle was adhered to a side folding A2 cardbase made from some deep purple cardstock I had in scraps.  The sentiment was die cut from the same purple cardstock four times and adhered together using Nuvo Deluxe Adhesive and then adhered into the negative space of the oval and the card.  Purple sequins were scatter around the card front as a final embellishment.

For the second card the positive rectangle of the marble background was adhered to a side folding A2 cardbase made from Gina K. Designs 120# White Cardstock.  An oval was die cut from a scrap of burgundy cardstock and adhered into the negative space.  The marbleized die cut sentiment was adhered to the center of the oval and Simon Says Stamp Moonshine Confetti was scattered around the front of the card.

Products Used:

  • Penny Black Awesome Die
  • My Favorite Things Oval STAX
  • Fingernail Polish Marble Background
  • Canson XL 140# Cold Press Watercolor Paper
  • Gina K. Designs 120# White Cardstock
  • Paper Accents Silver Mirror Cardstock
  • Purple/Burgundy Cardstocks from Scraps
  • Doodlebug Designs Lilac Sequins
  • Pretty Pink Posh Trick or Treat Mix
  • Simon Says Stamp Moonshine Confetti
  • Darice Sticky Back Foam
  • Tombo Mono Multi Glue
  • Ranger Multi Medium Matte

Color Burst Daisy Happy Birthday II

This is the second card I made from one image of the The Ton’s Daisy Full View Background Stamp.  This time I die cut the leftover image using a Gina Marie Designs Scalloped Rectangle die.

To assemble the card I added Darice Sticky Back Foam to the focal image and adhered it to the next largest scalloped rectangle cut from green cardstock I had in scraps using Nuvo Deluxe Adhesive.  The sentiment from Winnie & Walter’s Sentimental Birthday was stamped on vellum with VersaMark Ink and head set with Ranger Fine Detail Gold Embossing Powder.  It was cut into a thin strip and adhered to the front of the focal image by wrapping it around the focal image and adhered it to the back with Scotch Tape.

A top folding cardbase was made from Gina K. Designs Base Weight Ivory Cardstock and the focal image was adhered to the front with the same liquid glue and the card was done.  I love when I can get two beautiful cards from one stamped image.

Products Used:

  • The Ton Daisy Full View Background Stamp
  • Mama Elephant Script Happy
  • Winnie & Walter Sentimental Birthday
  • Ken Oliver Color Burst Lemon Yellow, Chartreuse, Tangerine, Alizarin Crimson, Orange
  • FineTec M600 Gold Watercolor Ink
  • VersaMark Ink
  • Ranger Fine Detail Gold Embossing Powder
  • Gina K. Designs Base Weight Ivory and Onyx Black
  • Canson XL 140# Cold Press Watercolor Paper
  • Green Cardstock from Scraps
  • My Favorite Things A2 Stitched Rectangle
  • Darice Sticky Back Foam
  • Gina Marie Designs Scalloped Rectangle

Color Burst Daisy Happy Birthday I

My friend Denise came over the other day and brought her new stamp from The Ton called Full View Daisy Background.  She had also just purchased some Ken Oliver Color Burst Watercolor Powder and we decided to play with this coloring medium on this stamp.  I love the bright orange that was achieved by tapping color burst on watercolor paper and then adding water.

This is a big 6″ x 6″ stamp and I used a 4 1/2″ x 6″ piece of Strathmore 140# Cold Press Watercolor Paper.  I stamped it with VersaMark Ink and heat set it with Ranger Fine Detail Gold Embossing Powder.  It was large enough that I was able to get two cards from one image.  For this card I die cut a portion of the daisy using a My Favorite Things A2 Stitched Rectangle and then matted it with some green cardstock I had in my scraps.  I added Darice Sticky Back Foam to the focal image and adhered it to a top folding A2 cardbase made from Gina K. Designs Base Weight Ivory Cardstock.

For the sentiment I die cut the word “happy” using Mama Elephant’s Happy Script Die from Paper Accents Gold Mirror Cardstock and again from a scrap of sticky back foam.  I stamped the secondary sentiment onto a scrap of the green cardstock with VersaMark Ink and heat set it with the same gold embossing powder.  3M 1/2″ Foam Tape was added to the back.  Both were adhered to the bottom of the focal image using Nuvo Deluxe Adhesive and the card was done.

Products Used:

  • The Ton Daisy Full View Background Stamp
  • Winnie & Walter Sentimental Birthday
  • Ken Oliver Color Burst Lemon Yellow, Chartreuse, Tangerine, Alizarin Crimson, Orange
  • FineTec M600 Gold Watercolor Ink
  • VersaMark Ink
  • Ranger Fine Detail Gold Embossing Powder
  • Gina K. Designs Base Weight Ivory and Onyx Black
  • Canson XL 140# Cold Press Watercolor Paper
  • Green Cardstock from Scraps
  • Paper Accents Ivory Vellum
  • Gina Marie Designs Scalloped Rectangle

Rainbow Butterfly Birthday Card

Every week at Splitcoaststampers.com they have a featured stamper.  I was selected to be one last year and it was an honor.  This weeks featured stamper is nerdybeth.  Typically you select one of the FS card to showcase and design and used it to inspire you to create a similar card.  I chose to case https://www.splitcoaststampers.com/gallery/photo/2745486?&cat=500&ppuser=157841 where she used rainbow colored butterflies.  For my card I pulled out my Simon Says Stamp Butterflies Stencil.

It was a simple card to create.  I used Distress Oxide Inks to sponge the butterflies using a finger dauber onto some Neena Classic Crest 80# Solar White Cardstock.  Crystal Stickles was used to add some sparkle.  Different colored sequins were scattered in the areas where the stencil had small dots.  I decided to stamp the sentiment from Simon Says Stamp Best Ever with Picked Raspberry Oxide Ink to add that touch of pink.  To finish the card I die cut it using a My Favorite Things A2 Stitched Rectangle, added some Darice Sticky Back Foam to the back of the panel and adhered it to a top folding A2 cardbase made from Gina K. Designs 120# White Cardstock.  A clean and simple card, but a rainbow punch of color.

Products Used:

  • Simon Says Stamp Butterflies Stencil
  • Simon Says Stamp Best Ever
  • Distress Oxide: Candied Apple/Barn Door, Ripe Persimmon, Mustard Seed, Mowed Lawn, Peacock Feather, Blueprint Sketch, Dusty Concord/Seedless Preserves, Picked Raspberry
  • My Favorite Things A2 Stitched Rectangle STAX
  • Darice Sticky Back Foam
  • Nuvo Deluxe Adhesive
  • Stickles Crystal

Birthday Cupcake Circle

I had some leftover background paper that was created using Kodak Glossy Photo Paper, Distress Oxide Inks, and Ranger Distress Micro Glaze that I had used for leaves in a previous card.  I couldn’t let it go to waste, so I die cut the remainder into a circle and added the Simon Says Stamp Birthday Cake die to the front.  In the end I added three layers of the word circle and the cupcake for a little added dimension.

I wanted to add a little more visual interest so I die cut two more circles from coordinating green cardstock I had on hand, each a little larger than the previous circle.  I added Darice Sticky Back Foam behind each for added dimension and adhered it to a rectangle of Neena Classic Crest 80# Solar White Cardstock, which was die cut using the largest My Favorite Things A2 Stitched Rectangle Die.  An A2 top folding cardbase made from some of the green cardstock and the focal image rectangle was adhered to the front.  There was a lot of white space at the bottom of the card and so I cut thin strips from the remaining background and adhered them underneath the focal image circle.

A quick and easy card made from scraps on hand.

Products Used:

  • Simon Says Stamp Birthday Circle
  • Distress Oxide Inks: Peeled Paint, Bundles Sage, Lucky Clover
  • Ranger Distress Micro Glaze
  • My Favorite Things A2 Stitched Rectangles
  • Kodak 4” x 6” Glossy Photo Paper
  • Neena Classic Crest 80# Solar White Cardstock
  • Gina K. Designs 120# White Cardstock
  • Green Cardstock from Stash
  • Nuvo Deluxe Adhesive
  • 3M ½” Foam Tape
  • Darice Sticky Back Foam
  • Elmer’s Craft Bond Spray Adhesive

Rose Peonies Happy Birthday

Recently I watched a video with Tim Holtz demonstrating how to use Glossy Photo Paper, Distress Oxide Inks, and Ranger Distress Micro Glaze.  He created amazing backgrounds and I immediately went and ordered the Micro Glaze.  It came last week and I finally had some time to play with it.  One thing I can say about this technique is don’t throw anything away, no matter how awful you think it looks, until after you add the micro glaze.  You never know what beauty is hiding behind all that oxidize color until you bring it out with the glaze.  Here is a card made with my first attempt at using this product.

For this technique you ink smooch your glossy paper into Distress Oxide Inks that have been spritzed with water.  Oxide inks become very milky in saturation when they come in contact with water.  The great thing about them is that they are opaque and so you can add as many layers as you want, as long as you dry each layer between applications.  The beauty of the colors is only reveal after you add the glaze and buff away the residue.

I made several backgrounds and for this card decided to use the background created with the following colors.  For the flowers I used Picked Raspberry and Worn Lipstick.  For the leaves I used Peeled Pain, Bundled Sage, and Lucky Clover.

I recently purchased Gina K. Designs Rose Peonies and hadn’t yet used that stamp set.  I decided to stamp them onto my background with VersaMark Ink and heat embossed with Gina K. Designs Detail White Embossing Powder and then die cut them with the matching dies.

I arranged the flowers and leaves to fit an A2 side folding cardbase, made from Gina K. Designs 120# White Cardstock.  I wanted to have some visual interest behind the flowers and die cut a few background dies from Neena 80# cardstock, the one I liked best was Gina Marie Designs Stud Dot Argyle.  I was going to place it directly, white on white, to the cardbase, but at the last minute I found some matching pink cardstock in my stash and really liked how it complimented the flowers.

I glued the two rectangles together with Nuvo Deluxe Adhesive, added Darice Sticky Back Foam behind it and adhered it to the cardbase.  The flowers and leaves were adhered with both Nuvo Adhesive and 3M 1/2″ Foam Tape.  I stamped the sentiment from Papertrey Ink’s Inside & Out Birthday onto a scrap of the same pink cardstock with VersaMark Ink and heat embossed it with Gina K. Designs Detail White Embossing Powder, die cut it with a My Favorite Things Stitched Sentiment Strip and added it to the card front with foam tape and the card was done.

Products Used:

  • Gina K. Designs Rose Peonies
  • Papertrey Ink Inside & Out Birthday
  • VersaMark Ink
  • Gina K. Designs Detail White Embossing Powder
  • Gina Marie Designs Stud Dot Argyle
  • My Favorite Things A2 Stitched Rectangle
  • My Favorite Things Stitched Sentiment Strips
  • Distress Oxide Inks: Picked Raspberry, Worn Lipstick, Peeled Paint, Bundled Sage, Lucky Clover
  • Ranger Distress Micro Glaze
  • Kodak 4” x 6” Glossy Photo Paper
  • Neena Classic Crest 80# Solar White Cardstock
  • Gina K. Designs 120# White Cardstock
  • Pink Cardstock from Stash
  • Nuvo Deluxe Adhesive
  • 3M ½” Foam Tape