Author Archives: kth

Masculine Birthday Wishes

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It is time for another CAS Colours & Sketches challenge. Check out the latest challenge: #34 – colors.

CAS Colours & Sketch Challenge #34

And here is my take:

by Karen @ carefree creations - Masculine Birthday

My hubby’s birthday is in a few weeks. I thought this week’s color challenge paired with a moose image would make a great card for him. I did use a sketch from dahlhouse blog.

After doing a watercolor wash with Summer Starfruit in the background, I decided that the panel was a bit plain, so I used some old Smooch Spritz and the Spritzer tool to add some splots of the dark brown color.

Make sure you check out the other design team members:
Jacqueline
Kylie
Louise
Patricia

I hope you join us at CAS Colours & Sketches!

Thanks for stopping by!

A Little About the Challenge: Posted every Thursday, the challenges alternate between color and sketch (if there is a 5th week in the month you get the double dose of color & sketch).

Birthday Wishes
All supplies StampinUp unless otherwise noted.
Stamps: Walk in the Wild, Four You;
Ink/Card Stock: Chocolate Chip, Crumb Cake, Summer Starfruit;
Other: Woodgrain embossing folder; Spritzer tool; Smooch Spritz; Watercolor paper (art store);
Technique: watercoloring

Washi Day

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It is time for another CAS Colours & Sketches challenge. Check out the latest challenge: #33 – sketch.

CAS Colours & Sketches Challenge #33

And here is my take:

by Karen @ carefree creations - Washi Day

When I saw this sketch, using washi tape as a couple of the layers was the first thing that came to mind.

I love watching trends – and I usually buy whatever it is – but I hardly ever participate until well after the trend. I think this is the first time I’ve used washi!

I was worried about putting tape down, but I was really happy with how easy it was to pull it up and re-position it (a few times, lol).

Since this card is really simple, I added some dimension with lots of foam tape between the layers and embossing on the card base.

Make sure you check out the other design team members:
Jacqueline
Kylie
Louise
Patricia

I hope you join us at CAS Colours & Sketches!

Thanks for stopping by!

A Little About the Challenge: Posted every Thursday, the challenges alternate between color and sketch (if there is a 5th week in the month you get the double dose of color & sketch).

Happy Happy Birthday
Stamps: Fillable Frames #1 (PTI);
Ink/Card Stock: White, Lemon Tart, Harvest Gold, Smokey Shadow (PTI);
Other: Fillable Frames #1 die, Diamonds impression plate (PTI); Washi Tape (blue-Target, Pink-SU);

Frosted Flowers

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by Karen @ carefree creations - Sympathy

Sadly I needed a sympathy card this week.

I’ve been wanting to try the PTI Make it Monday challenge – Frosted Flowers and I thought it would help make a sympathy card.

I’m not sure it worked. I did quickly move from the color ink to the white, but it didn’t blur like in the video. I’ll keep looking for a way to get the blurry effect.

I’m still happy with the final card!

Thanks for taking a peek!

with Sympathy
Stamps: Life, Bigger than Life, Tag Its #5 (PTI);
Ink/Card Stock: Sage, Wisteria, Bashful Blue (SU); Chocolate, White, Rustic White (PTI);
Other: Vanilla Seem Binding (SU); Limitless Layers 1 3/4″ circle die (PTI);

Birthday Balloons

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by Karen @ carefree creations - Balloon Party

I created this card for the latest CAS(e) this Sketch challenge.

I chose bold, bright colors to make the card fun.

The balloons are rock-n-rolled in two pink inks. I also smeared some Stickles along the left side of the balloons.

The balloons strings are hand-drawn (with an SU Melon marker). I masked the balloons to stamp the confetti spots.

The pennant fish-tail is hand-cut (no die).

Thanks for taking a peek!

Birthday Wishes
All supplies Papertrey Ink unless otherwise noted.
Stamps: Birthday Style;
Ink/Card Stock: Hawaiian Shores, Summer Sunrise, Hibiscus Burst & Raspberry Fizz, White;
Other: Stickles (Ranger);
Technique: Rock-N-Roll, masking;

Sending You Sunshine

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by Karen @ carefree creations - Sending Sunshine

I combined a couple challenges for this card.

First the theme “sun” from Keep it Simple challenge.

Keeping the card one layer and using masking is from the latest Clean & Simple challenge on SplitCoast.

One layer cards are hard! Masking is a great way to fake layers though, so I’m pretty happy with how this turned out.

If I was to do this card again I’d probably stamp brown instead of black.

Thanks for taking a peek!

Sending Sunshine
Stamps: Hello Sunshine (PTI); Frame It (Waltzing Mouse);
Ink/Card Stock: White, Lemon Tart, Harvest Gold, Summer Sunrise, Black (PTI);
Technique: masking;

Let’s Hang Out

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by Karen @ carefree creations - Let's Hang Out

I played along with the latest PaperSmooches Sparks Challenge which was a sketch.

I rotated the sketch so I could hang the squirrel (love that image!).

Today was my first real day back at the craft table (June was full of projects and company). I actually made 3 cards today! I’ll post another one shortly and save the other for tomorrow. I wish I knew how folks managed crafting every day (and no, my house is *nowhere* near spotless…I have no idea where my time goes!!).

Thanks for taking a peek!

Let’s Hang Out
Stamps: Hang Ups (Paper Smooches);
Ink/Card Stock: White, Limeade Ice, Kraft (PTI); Black (Memento);
Other: Limeade Ice pattern paper (PTI); markers (Copic);

Stamp Camp Cards

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These are the cards I created for mom’s July stamp camp. My job was to use some photopolymer stamps and make a juvenile birthday card.

First up the juvenile birthday card:

by Karen @ carefree creations - Cake & Candles

I wanted a card that could be used for a large age range, and any gender. And, you know me, a rainbow can never be wrong 😉

The cake is gently watercolored with blender pens and ink.

The pennant pieces are alternated in there adhesive, dimensional and glue (though even the glue are just at the top so the bottoms can be fluffed).

My other card uses a recent photopolymer set that I fell in love with:

by Karen @ carefree creations - Hello

I went with a graphic type background stamping the arrows in the background. The label was stamped and trimmed out. I used a marker to hand write “me”, though you could easily use the alphabet from Designer Typeset.

Thanks for taking a peek!

Cake & Candles
All supplies Stampin’Up unless otherwise noted.
Stamps: Bring on the Cake;
Ink/Card Stock: Daffodil Delight, White, Black;
Other: Polka Dot Parade DSP, Pennant builder punch, blender pens, dimensionals;
Hello
All supplies Stampin’Up unless otherwise noted.
Stamps: Wanderlust, Designer Typeset;
Ink/Card Stock: Island Indigo, Crisp Cantaloupe, Pistachio Pudding, White;
Other: dimensionals;

Flower Spot

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It is time for another CAS Colours & Sketches challenge. Check out the latest challenge: #32 – colors.

CAS Colours & Sketches Challenge #32

And here is my take:

by Karen @ carefree creations - Flower Spot

This is such a fun color scheme, I wanted my card to be fun too.

To get the flowers all lined up, I first drew a grid on my paper. I did 1″ squares with a 1/4″ between them. After I stamped the blue flowers I set it aside to make sure it was dry (I’ve smudged in the past and didn’t want to do it again). Once I had stamped and cut all the other pieces, I finally erased the grid lines.

The fish-tail banner is popped up on dimensionals. The orange flower is popped up too, but only on the edges that hang over the banner; I used a drop of glue to adhere the flower to the banner.

Make sure you check out the other design team members:
Jacqueline
Kylie
Louise
Patricia

I hope you join us at CAS Colours & Sketches!

Thanks for stopping by!

A Little About the Challenge: Posted every Thursday, the challenges alternate between color and sketch (if there is a 5th week you get the double dose of color & sketch).

Happy Birthday
Stamps: Beautiful Blooms 2, Birthday Basics (PTI);
Ink/Card Stock: Pool Party, Pumpkin Pie, Lucky Limeade (SU); White (PTI);
Other: Beautiful Blooms 3 die (PTI);

Inspired Sequins

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by Karen @ carefree creations - Copper Streamers

This card was inspired by one of my very first pins at Pinterest – this beautiful dress:

inspiration from Pinterest

I love the colors and all the shimmer from the copper.

I really wanted to have a flow of sequins similar to the dress, but nothing I came up with looked like anything but messy. So instead, I sprinkled the sequins along the streamers.

I wish I had better ribbon in my stash, but I worked with what I had.

Thanks for taking a peek!

Birthday Wishes
Stamps: Birthday Style (PTI); Elegant Cheer (SU);
Ink/Card Stock: Island Indigo (SU);
Other: Copper embossing (SU); Copper sequins (Neat & Tangled); ribbon (stash);

Select A Sentiment

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** CREDIT INFO: I originally saw the “all-in-one card stamp” idea recently via a website I subscribe to (link via my pin), but I think Ji Lee is the originator. **

by Karen @ carefree creations - Funny Birthday

As soon as I saw the image I knew I had to make a card like it for my brother! He has a wicked sense of humor and I know he’ll get a kick out of receiving this.

Besides the whole “I don’t have enough time to make a proper card” feeling of the concept, I loved the “Go to Hell” sentiment. I did change some of the other sentiments and then alphabetized the listing (mostly so that Happy Birthday would be in the middle).

I adhered the panel to the card base with staples because I felt that went with the “I don’t have enough time” feeling.

Thanks for taking a peek!

Happy Birthday

Ink/Card Stock: White (PTI); Island Indigo (SU);
Other: staples; font (Casablanca Antique);