I was a bit stumped with this colour combo

I have to admit the latest colour combo challenge at Just Add Ink had me a bit stumped: Coastal Cabana, Starry Sky and Berry Burst - these are all Stampin' Up! colours and I have in my stash the first two. I thought Dragonfruit (C9) looked pretty close to Berry Burst so that's what I used instead. Often when I stumped I will just watercolour something up using the reinkers and as I had recently received a hydrangea stamp I thought that would be a great flower to colour as hydrangeas often have a real range of shades.

I also wanted to play along with the latest Tic Tac Toe challenge using the first column (flowers, embossing, gems). I have dry embossed with an embossing folder plus white embossed the sentiment and added lots of gems.

Of course the flower I coloured doesn't have a die so I ended up fussy cutting it out and as it was watercoloured I used my 100 Copic black marker to try and blacken the edges and tidy the cut edges up a bit, this worked fine apart from where the marker went for a skid on the petal!!

I've also acquired from the SU! retirement sale the Dots & Spots coverplate die, I was so happy they reduced it finally to a "real price" as it retired. I wasn't prepared to pay $72 (kiwi dollars I'm talking about) for a coverplate die no matter how cute it is, when most companies charge half that price and I added a really old SU! embossing folder for some more dots (Perfect Polka Dots).

Supply List:

Stamps: Paint-A-Flower: Hydrangea (ALT)

Ink/re-inkers: Versafine Clair Nocturne, Versamark, Coastal Cabana (SU!), Starry Sky (SU!), Dragonfruit (C9)

Paper: Coastal Cabana (SU!), Starry Sky (SU!), Dragonfruit (C9), Neenah solar white #110lb, Watercolour (Fabriana Artistico cold pressed)

Other: Dots and Spots die (SU!), Perfect Polka Dots EF (SU!), white EP, no. 4 round paintbrush, Magic Potion Ombre glitter drops (PFS), 2mm foam squares (SP), Copic 100 black marker

Challenges: JAI #699, TTTC #246

I'm really happy how my card turned out - I don't make enough flower cards, so it's nice to tuck one away in my stash. Also, again those colour combos that stump me always look fab when KReated too, Thanks for popping in.

EDITED: 2/5/24: Really happy to be chosen as the JAI Winner and big thanks to them for pushing me outside my comfort zone. This was the kind comments from their DT:

Striking combination of dotted background and

beautifully soft hydrangeas

Beautiful hydrangeas are a lovely way to use

the challenge colours in Karen's fun design

Such a pretty use of the challenge colours.

✿Karen✿

AAA Card Challenge 264: Sketch Challenge

Hi everyone it's time for another fun sketch this week at AAA Cards and if I'm honest I've emulated the sketch pretty good IMO. It reminded me of a wreath with a wee butterfly. So that's what I have created.

I'd forgotten how much fun or how effective it is using Gina K's Wreath Builder system. I have to be honest this is the first time I've done an A2 panel rather than a square. Gina has a video showing how to create an A2 Card which you can watch HERE if you're like me and have her wreath builder. Also I blogged HERE how you could make a wreath without a wreath builder.

I used the 4" template for my wreath builder and chopped a 1/4" of each side of an A2 panel. I also lightly blended Ocean Breeze on my wee butterfly die-cut. 

Supply List:

Stamps: Original Wreath Builder (GKD)

Ink: Ocean Breeze (PFS), Mint (PFS), Versafine Clair Nocturne

Other: Intricate mini butterflies dies (Memory Box), Aqua Glitter drops (PFS)

Challenges: AAA Cards #264, Colorful Options

Definitely check out the fab cards from the Design Team and others , I am always constantly amazed at what clever concepts my fellow DT came up with for the sketches. Hopefully something will "turn on a light bulb" and inspire you to play along too. Just a reminder AAA Cards is a CAS challenge site:

Well I hope you have time to join in with us, as always you have 2 weeks to play along. I'm also playing along with the Colorful Options challenge for April which is PASTELS, so I feel my colours are cool pastels.

✿Karen✿

It's bright and sunny...

at my place today, it truly is a perfect Autumn day. I think this may have influenced me what challenges I had a play along with as I had different ideas when I went into play.

So I ended up playing along with Color Hues (pink and yellow) which made colouring up my scene very easy with minimal Copics. CAS on Friday would like some sunshine and Just Us Girls would like a stencil; so sunshine was added to my wee scene with a stencil. I love it when the challenges direct how the card is created.

I chose this really cool sentiment so I had to change the orientation of my card. I actually stamped the sentiment first then stamped the bunny, then masked the bunny, stamped the towel, masked the towel, then stamped the beach umbrella, masked the umbrella, then did my ink blending through the stencil. Removed masks and Copic coloured up quite simply as a 2 colour challenge at Color Hues. I even coloured up my bunny with light pink E's.

Supply List:

Stamps: Beach Day (EE), Let's Chill (EE)

Inks: Versafine Clair Nocturne, Detail Black (PFS), Lemon Whip (PFS), Sunshine (PFS)

Paper: Neenah Solar White #80 and #110lb

Other: Copics, Sunray Background stencil (LF), Inside Out Stitched Rectangle die (LF), blending brushes, masking paper

Challenges: TCH#85, CAS on Friday #282, JUG #724

Well I think that's a trifecta when the sum of the three challenges makes it better than if I did them as stand alone. Thanks for popping in.

EDITED 1/5/24: My card was a runner up at the Color Hues Challenge which makes me really happy as OMG there were some lovely yellow and pink cards entered.

EDITED 10/5/24: Very thrilled my card was the CAS on Friday winner.

✿Karen✿

Shaker birthday card

It's been awhile since I've made a shaker card and I should make more as they are fun, pack a wow, and I might get to use up all those shaking bits I can't help myself collecting.

When I saw AAA Birthday's April challenge was for a shaker card I knew exactly what die I wanted to use as it had taken me a long time to track one down and that die is the Happy Birthday Circle Frame die from MFT stamps. Inkspirational also has a very cool rainbow mood board which I feel my rainbow colours play along nicely with as well (especially as I have rainbow letters). I'll also play along with Seize the Birthday's anything goes or I might be off the edge enough to be doing the "topping"  with STB. And as you have to be in it to win it, I'm always pleased when Simon Says Stamp has an anything goes challenge.

I've just die cut my HB Circle frame out of white card stock and then Copic coloured the letters in a rainbow, made my shaker and then had to decide what image to add for some extra cute appeal. I'm still in love with my Party Animal set from Pink and Main so used the party chick and cupcake this time. As the chick is yellow I used the complementary colour which is supposed to be Violet for the background colour of the mat and for the cupcake icing. My final card is a 4-1/4" square.

Supply List:

Stamps: Party Animal (P&M)

Ink: Memento Tuxedo Black

Paper: Orchid Oasis (SU!), Neenah Solar White, Xpress IT blending

Dies: Happy Birthday Circle Frame (MFT), Stitched Scallop Square (PFS), Master Layouts 3 (GKD), Sweet Circle Stack (HB)

Other: Copics, acetate scrap, foam tape, Rainbow Sprinkle mix (PPP), white Gelli roll pen

Challenges: AAAB#60,  INK#313, STB#282, SSSW#116,

Well I'd better go tidy up my wee craftastrophe but this in all honesty is a relatively easy card which is always fun to give, thanks for popping in and hope you can play along with some of these fabulous challenges.

EDITED 15/3/24: My sweet shaker was a Top 3 card at AAA Birthdays

✿Karen✿

Time to return to my craft room

Gosh I didn't realise how much time a new kitten takes up but I'm really happy to report that Cinder is settling in really well after a few weeks of some TLC and I decided it was time to start crafting again. It might have been easiest to catch up on a class but decided I was going to have a go at combining a few challenges as I really enjoy my challenge blogs and so today's effort was trying to work out how I could create a card that could cover a few to ease me back in. 

In the end as I played with the cat too long I've had to snap my card late at night with artificial light but tomorrow rain is predicted and we always have the grandkids on Friday so this will be as good as it gets!

I wanted to play along with The Color Throwdown's colour combo of yellow, green and aqua. These colours played nicely with the moodboard at AAA Colourful and I chose to play along with the latest Lawn Fawnatics' latest challenge which is a Bingo board (I'm doing the vertical line under I: bright, critter, lawn cuts, stamp and cute). It also plays nicely with BOTH the Simon Says Stamp challenges; Monday's wants Up in the Air and Wednesday's Anything Goes

Lawn Fawn Supply List:

Stamps: Fly High, Wheely Great Day, Winter Birds
Dies: Just Stitching Double Circles

Other: Prisma glitter

Other Supplies:

Ink: Versafine Clair Nocturne, Memento Tuxedo Black, Salvaged Patina oxide (RNG), Cracked Pistachio oxide (RNG)
Paper: Neenah Solar White, Xpress IT Blending

Other: Copics, clear EP, white Gelli Roll pen no 8., Sweet Stack Circle dies (WF), Additional A2 Rectangle dies (WF), mini cloud edges stencil (MFT), blending brushes (TE)
Challenges: CTD #790, AAAC #3; LF#171; SSSM; SSSW #116

Well I thought I would share what is keeping me from crafting and I'm sure you would agree that Cinder is a very good excuse.

Thanks for popping in and hopefully will be back to blogging more regularly/normally going forth.

EDITED 30/4/24: My card caught the eye of Wanda at The Color Throwdown

EDITED 1/6/24: and a Top 4 at AAA Colourful

✿Karen✿

Berries and Blossoms with Heather

Gosh it's been nearly 2 months since my Virtual Cardmaking with Pinkfresh Studios happened and I haven't shared all the cards I made at the event. It was quite interesting how quickly they released a lot of the products we received in our kits in their March release, and this stamp set was one of the items released.

Before the event I thought the cards we were creating looked OK but I really loved working with this set. It's actually a "large" red rubber stamp which you stamp/heat emboss and then use the corresponding stencils to colour up followed by the coordinating die cuts out all the different elements in one pass. Card one is gold embossed, card 2 has been stamped in a light grey ink (Rocky Slope).

The class was officially titled "Elegant Notecards" and they truly are elegant and taught by Heather Hoffman.

We've used the notched corner frame dies to make a frame with PFS's Rose Gold glitter cardstock for card 1 and to make an impression for card 2. Card one also has the coverplate die (Stitched Octagons) we received as an essential for the event as an added feature on the background with a few wee splatters of ink. Card 2 we just used a bit of left over ink on our brushes.

At the time this was the first card we got to make on "our Monday" and it was a great start to the day's crafting. 

✿Karen✿

AAA Card Challenge 263: For the Bride

Hi everyone it's time for a new challenge at AAA Cards and anything CAS goes but with an optional twist ; wedding or anniversary. Even though I don't have a wedding coming up it's good to be prepared and I knew I had a lovely stamp just right. The bride stamp comes from a long retired stamp set from Stampin' Up! called Wondrous Moments.

I've stamped off the edge with Smoky Slate ink (SU!) , which I always think is the closest ink I own to silver that is not silver. I've trimmed off 1/4" of 2 sides to make the image pop a bit more and then 3 tiny gems in a row to complete the card. How easy is that!! Only 3 supplies needed (excluding basic tools, glue and paper).

Well I hope you can join in with us this week but as always do check out the inspiration on the blog at AAA Cards Challenge.

✿Karen✿

Friend Flower

It was lovely to do a live class again as it has been quite awhile. I'm actually sitting on my hands and not signing up for new Virtual classes as I need to get on top of the mound under my desk "still to do one day".

Today's class I made it to live was held at 930am on my Sunday and was part of Hero Art's weekend Spring Stamp-a-Long and taught by my favourite teacher Kristina Werner. It was funny looking at the sneak she provided, I actually thought I'd forgotten to buy some groovy flower die that she was working with. But as it turned out, it was using one of the FIVE things I actually did buy to do the event with, namely the Rounded Jewel  Infinity dies. We've used the 2 smallest sizes of these dies to create the petals and leaves. 

The lovely big friend die and sentiment is from the Smile Friend stamp and die set (2nd item). The 3rd item I bought was the Teal Hero Pearls. I also have a Mandela stamp set with a matching stencil (4 and 5) but I felt it was minimal what I needed to buy to participate fully, plus I liked them and I had nothing similar. I am also working with stuff I have in my stash already too.

I used Distress inks to blend my die cuts with: Peacock Flowers, Wilted Violet, Picked Raspberry and Squeezed Lemonade. For my background I used an older stamp from Hero Arts I had in my stash: Rough Dots Bold Prints. I stamped it firstly with Versafine Clair Nocturne ink, then ink blended Charcoal ink (also HA) lightly over the whole panel, before blending the edge with a black ink, Memento Tuxedo black ink as I thought that it would dry faster. The stems are drawn with a white Gelli roll 10 pen. It is a really quick and effective card.

That was a great start to my day and I have to be honest the next card I am most interested in doing from the weekend event is also using these Rounded Jewel Infinity dies. I think they are going to be a great addition to my stash.

If you've ever thought about doing a Virtual class I can highly recommend the Stamp-a-Longs with Hero Arts, they are really are a reasonable price to register, especially if you sign up early, you don't need to buy everything they're working with either. Use what you own where possible and if you do buy a few items like I did their prices are really reasonable and I find their shipping from the States to be the cheapest and even more incredibly the quickest. As it's their 50th anniversary this year, it sounds like their Summer event in mid-July is already being touted as huge and not to be missed.
✿Karen✿

Spring Flowers anyone??

I'm absolutely delighted to be the Guest Designer for CAS on Friday's latest challenge which is SPRING.

I actually don't have a lot of small flowers but thought it might be time to get out an old favourite the gnomie with a bunch of "Spring Flowers" from Hanging with My Gnomies (MFT). This wee gnomie always makes me smile so hopefully whoever receives the card feels the same.

As this is a CAS challenge I went for stamping directly onto Neenah card stock so I could Copic colour up the image. Then adding a mask to the gnome. I used a die cut out square to make a mask so I could do some simple ink blending through with Twisted Citron and Salvaged Patina Distress inks (RNG).

I've coloured my wee gnomie up with the following colours (darkest > lightest):

Skin: E13/93/00

Beard: W3/1/0

Clothes: YR02/61/20; Y19; W9/5/3

Flowers: Y19/08/02; R22, YG23

I just wanted to add a generic sentiment as it's now Fall down under and definitely not Spring, so I thought this wee sentiment from Butterfly Kisses (LF) was appropriate. 

So what do you think of when you think of Spring?? I think of flowers but the team at CAS on Friday would love you to join in and show us what Spring means to you.

✿Karen✿

"Bamboo" wishes you a Happy Birthday

A couple of my favourite challenge sites would like Spring flowers; at Seize the Birthday they are the optional twist and they are also wanted at Simon Says Stamp's Monday Challenge.

 Bamboo's  really big gerbera would be my perfect birthday flower I would like to receive. Bamboo is a really old stamp set that I picked up early 2010's when I was first introduced to Spectrum Noir alcohol markers, and the stamp set is also a Crafter's Companion product and amazingly I see it is still available in some stores.

I've stamped her up on Neenah Solar white 80lb card stock with Memento Tuxedo Black ink and Copic coloured her up. I stamped a generic Happy Birthday sentiment from To the Wise One (HB).

I've used a wee sentiment from the Bamboo set and another butterfly to stamp inside my card.

Copics used (darkest >> lightest):
Greys: W9/7/6; W3/1/00

Pinks: RV13/21/10

Yellows: Y19/15/11

Browns: E37/33

Greens: YG09/05

Thanks for popping in.

✿Karen✿

Cake Inspiration

Playing along with Just Add Ink's latest challenge which is an inspiration photo which is good enough to eat and the DT have come up with some fab cake cards which truly are even scrummier plus lots of lovely flowers. It's also a really nice colour palate to play with. I've been inspired by the "cake" and the colour palate; I see cream, mint green, freesia purple and a darker purple in the image.

I actually only own 2 cake stamps one from a Simon Hurley Class kit and one from Studio Katia (Mini Birthday Cake). I went with the latter as it has a matching die. I did use the wee stencil of Simon's from the class kit which is a prototype/smaller stencil of the released Flip Flop Circles (stencil). I ink blended through the stencil Fresh Freesia ink (SU!) and then turned the stencil over and used a glitter paste I created with Fairy Dust stencil paste (LF) and Mint re-inker (PFS). I Copic coloured up my image in the following shades:

• Greens: G05/03/02/000
• Violets: V17/15/12
• Yellow-reds: YR23/21/20/31/30 

The sentiment comes from MFT's Itty Bitty Celebrations. I've also added a Just Double-Stitched Rectangle (LF) pattern to my card to add a subtle bit of detail.

Hopefully you can see the homemade glitter paste in this snap better, but it is very pretty IRL. I love minty greens.

Just a very quick post and card as I happy to report that I have adopted a rescue cat ~3months old and it is day 2 of being "mum" but she is quite lost and lonely at the mo but seems extremely smoochy so will post some pictures soon of her. 

I'd also like to play along with Colourful Options who are challenging us to use "PASTELS" in April.

And also entering at Simon Says Stamp Wednesday challenge - where this week the theme is "HAPPY BIRTHDAY"

 Thanks for popping in.
✿Karen✿

Rainy Days

Addicted to CAS latest challenge is "Rain"; Simon Says Stamp Monday Challenge is "Whatever the Weather" and Simply Clean and Simple's April challenge "Weather" is the optional theme.

I thought I would play with a stamp set that I bought last year and hadn't played with but in the end I only used the sentiment as I liked how clean and simple it was and IMO the sentiment and the ink blended rain was all I needed.

Supply List:

Stamps: Rainy Days (ME), My Monthly Hero Feb. 2017 (HA)

Ink: Distress Oxides - as above, Versafine Nocturne Clair, Versamark
Paper: Neenah Solar White #80lb and #100lb

Dies: Just Stitched Double Rectangles (LF), A2 Layers (WF)

Other: White and Clear EP, blending brushes (TE)

Challenges: ATC #255, SSS Monday, SCAS April 2024

EDITED 18/4/25: My wee card was chosen as the Addicted to CAS's winner for this challenge, which was a lovely surprise to see when I'm catching up on my blog reading in my PJs on Sunday morning!

✿Karen✿