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


Tuesday, July 28, 2015

Motorcycle Birthday

My brother's birthday is coming up at the 
end of the month, so I pulled out Rev Up the Fun 
motorcycle stamp (Stampin'Up) to make his 
birthday card. I don't have a lot of 
"masculine" stamps, but this is often 
used for my motorcycle riding brother!! 

I started by creating a water coloured card front 
using Aqua Mist and Hawaiian Shores inks. 
I was going for a 'smooshed' look, but it really 
didn't turn out as I expected. 
I definitely need more practice!! 
I decided to cut the aqua panel using the  
Star Cover Plate and adding some black and 
red stars to make the card front.

After stamping and fussy cutting the motorcycle, 
I realized it needed a background panel before 
adding it to the (very busy) card front. 
I stamped the rectangle frame (Label Basics) 
with Aqua Mist ink, cut it out and then 
mounted the motorcycle with foam dots.
I didn't have a plan for this card when I started, 
so it took some trial and error to find a way 
to add the sentiment. Sketched Stars dies and 
Postmarks stamps came to the rescue!!
I cut one of the Sketched Stars twice  
(Smokey Shadow and Aqua Mist); then 
layered onto a piece of Linen Vellum 
card stock that I cut a little larger 
than the original star. These were added 
to the card front with two layers of fun 
foam to create dimension. 
A sentiment and star (Postmarks) were stamped 
onto white card stock; then cut with a circle punch 
and added to the center of the larger stars.

The inside sentiment (Stylish Sentiments: Birthdays) 
was stamped with Versafine Onyx Black.
A splotch of ink got onto the left side of the card, 
so I covered it up with a black die cut star and 
added the dotted image (Rev Up the Fun) with 
Aqua Mist ink. In order to make it look like I 
planned this "addition" two more stars were included!!

Supplies (PTI, unless noted)
Stamps - Postmarks, Label Basics, Stylish Sentiments: Birthdays; 
Stampin'Up: Rev Up the Fun
Inks - Aqua Mist, Hawaiian Shores, Pure Poppy; Versafine Onyx Black
Papers - watercolour paper; Stamper's Select White, Smokey Shadow, 
Pure Poppy Patterened Paper ( bitty dots), Linen Vellum card stock
Dies - Cover Plate: Stars; Sketched Stars
Other - fun foam sheets; foam dots; Sakura Gelly Roll clear glitter pen; circle punch; red marker

Thanks for visiting today.
Karen C.

Saturday, July 25, 2015

Papertrey Ink July 2015 Blog Hop

Blog-hop-logo


I was able to finish and photograph a card for 
this month's blog hop at Papertrey Ink. 
I love the colours and designs from the inspiration photo: 
butterflies, browns and pinks and that create a vintage look.
 http://nicholeheady.typepad.com/.a/6a00d8341c64e753ef01b7c7b3d24b970b-pi

I started by creating a mask so that I could stamp Text Style  
with Kraft ink onto the center of a white card base.  
In order to "frame" this circle, I cut a larger circle and 
used the negative on the outside and the circle mask 
over the text. Using Kraft ink, I sponged a 1/4"  frame.
The Canvas Impression Plate was used on the card front. 
Two corners were rounded and Vintage Tea Dye ink (Chamomile) 
was sponged around the edges. I wish I had used the Kraft ink 
along the edges instead, but I will know the next time I use this colour combo!!
The sentiment (Fillable Frames #4) was stamped in Dark Chocolate ink.

The butterfly (Butterfly Dreams) was stamped onto 
white card stock with Memento Rich Cocoa ink 
and then coloured with copics. I fussy cut the butterfly, 
covered it with Versa Mark ink and then clear embossed 
it twice to get a shiny effect. I then mounted it onto a 
Beautiful Dreams die cut from white card stock. 
Brown embroidery floss was added behind the butterfly 
to create the antennae. Three brass adhesive dots were 
added over the body of the butterfly. 
I cut the die 3 more times from Kraft card stock, 
coloured the edges with a copic marker and then 
layered them over the text circle. The coloured 
butterfly was added on top with a thin strip of 
foam tape so that the wings would curl out.

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

Sunday, July 19, 2015

Rainbow Birthday

The Comic Strip Cover Plate from Papertrey Ink 
is such a fun way to use lots of different 
elements to create birthday cards. Each section 
can be used to highlight a variety of colours 
and/or designs. Here's a bright and playfulful 
design using a rainbow colour scheme!


The Cover Plate was cut from Blueberry Sky card stock to create the frame. The individual panels were cut from Rustic Cream card stock; stamped and embellished before adding them to the framed card front.
Bottom Left - Background (Cross Stitch Mini);  Sentiment (Clip Tips)
Gift Box (CTMH: Everyday Celebrations) 
Bottom Right - Candles (Polka Dot Parade #12 stamps & dies)
Colours from left to right: Holiday Red, Orange, Summer Sunrise, New Leaf, Blueberry Sky
Center -  Clothesline & Bows (Heart-2-Heart #5); Clouds (Heart-2-Heart #6);
Birthday Sentiment (Four Square); Happy (Polka Dot Parade Alphabet stamps and dies)

Top Left - Confetti (Birthday Style)

Top Right - Background (SAF 2014: 1940's); Circle (Postmarks)
Number (Polka Dot Parade Number stamp and die)
This bright and colourful card will be heading off to 
my grand nephew who will turn 5 this summer!!

Supplies PTI (unless noted)
Stamps - Polka Dot Alphabet, Heart-2-Heart #5, Heart-2-Heart #6, 
Polka Dot Parade #12, Birthday Style (confetti), Postmarks, Clip Tips, 
Four Square, Cross Stitch Mini, SAF 2014: 1940's; CTMH: Everyday Celebrations
Inks - New Leaf, Blueberry Sky, Spring Rain, Summer Sunrise;
CTMH: Orange, Holiday Red; VersaMark
Papers - Rustic Cream, Stamper's Select White
Dies - Comic Strip Cover Plate, Polka Dot Alphabet & Numbers, 
Polka Dot Parade #12 (candle)
Other - Canvas Impression Plate; Cuttlebug Swiss Dot Embossing folder;  
Clear Embossing powder; 7/8" EK Success Circle Punch; 
copic markers;  foam adhesive tape

Thanks for visiting today.
Karen C.

Monday, July 6, 2015

Floral Gift Tag

When I purchased a gift for my brother and sister-in-law's 
anniversary the store packaged it in this pretty Gift Bag: 
a Kraft background with lime green flowers and 
white accents. I love the fresh look of this colour scheme!!

It didn't come with a gift tag so I 
made one using my "collection" of craft supplies.

I started by die cutting Tag Sale #3 from Kraft card stock. 
The large flower (Rosie Posie) was stamped with Limeade Ice 
onto white card stock and then fussy cut!! 
A copic marker to was used to create shading on the petals.

The center of the flower (Simple Sunflower) was made 
using a circle of Kraft card stock, stamped with VersaMark, 
then heat embossed with white embossing powder.
The flower was attached to the tag before adding the final details.

The sentiment (Swoosh) and dots (Harvest Berries) were also 
heat embossed with white embossing powder and the 
little bow (Tinsel and Tags Kit) was stamped with Dark Chocolate ink.
   
Thanks for visiting today.
Karen C.