Category Archives: cards

Oh Dear!

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It is time for another CASology challenge. Check out the latest challenge – Swoon!

Here is my take:

Oh Dear! | by karen @ carefree creations

I wasn’t sure what direction I wanted to go with this cue, so I asked my family for advice. My kid said they picture an old woman clutching her pearls and fainting. That got me thinking of a hanky.

I die cut some linen vellum with a stitched and scalloped edge – to look like a hanky. I embossed a flower and leaves in the corner and colored them on the back using Copics. Some of the color stuck in the crevices of the linen vellum which unfortunately looks like adhesive, but I only put adhesive behind the pearl and down the stitching of just the center leaves.

Originally the layout was the vellum at the bottom of the card and the sentiment on the vellum, but the contrast was too much. My kid suggested putting the vellum at the top and leaving the sentiment at the bottom. It worked!

I hope you join us at CASology – and, for more inspiration, check out the other design team members:

Thanks for stopping by!

oh dear
Stamps: Stitches & Swirls (Papertrey Ink – PTI);
Ink: Versamark (Tsukineko); markers (Copic);
Paper: Peach Bellini (My Favorite Things – MFT); Calypso Coral (Stampin’Up); Linen Vellum (PTI);
Other: Stitch Scallop Basic Edges die (MFT); Emma alphabet die (Echo Park); white embossing powder (Hero Arts); Pearl (Kaiser);

You Are My Happy

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It is time for Timeless Tuesday challenge at CAS Colours & Sketches. Check out the latest challenge:

This special challenge involves some retired colors AND a past sketch (you have to use both). Here is my take:

You Are My Happy | by karen @ carefree creations

Double challenges are so challenging for me! I usually spend all my time coming up with ideas for either the colors or the sketch. It takes quite a bit of brain power to do something with both. And even then it usually involves something geometric or abstract – as this card is.

Thankfully I have those old colors in marker form as well as ink – so I used those to color my image. Using the MISTI, I was able to stamp my image multiple times ensuring complete ink coverage.

My white panel started out as wide as a card base. After stamping my image, I used a circle die to make an impression around the image. The impression also helped when cutting around the image.

Since the card is fairly flat, I added a button to the image center for interest.

The card above is actually iteration 2. Originally, my white panel went from the top to bottom:

You Are My Happy | by karen @ carefree creations

I was actually putting this blog post together with the original version when I realized the sketch showed space at the top and bottom – and after seeing the card on screen, I wish I had done that. So I peeled off the layer, trimmed it up and took a new photo.

I actually like both cards. I was fairly surprised that I liked the trimmed panel as much as I do! What do you think?

I hope you join us at CAS Colours & Sketches!

Thanks for stopping by!

A Little About the Challenge: This weekly challenge is posted on Tuesday, and alternates between color and sketch (if there is a 5th week in the month you get the double dose of color & sketch).

You Are My Happy
Stamps: Dot Spot (Papertrey Ink – PTI); Essential Sentiments (My Favorite Things – MFT);
Ink: Apricot Appeal, Certainly Celery, Coastal Cabana (Stampin’Up – SU); Versamark (Tsukineko);
Paper: Coastal Cabana (SU); White (PTI); Gravel Gray (MFT);
Other: white embossing powder (Hero Arts); Circle die (Spellbinders); Summer Sunrise button (PTI);

Monkey Friend

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My last January 2016 Splitcoast Dirty Dozen card. Each month has a theme; if you are a member of the Fan Club, you can view more details about this card and its relation to the challenge here.

Monkey Friend | by karen @ carefree creations

Fussy-cutting can be quite therapeutic. I am honestly amazed I cut everything out so well….I’m guessing it was a good day, lol.

While this is not a cas card, I still kept it simple by not adding more pattern or texture to the card base. Lots of twine and even a button – definitely a hand-carry creation!

Thanks for taking a peek!

Hello Friend
Stamps: Monkey Business, Paradise (SU); Little Labels (PTI);
Ink: Gumball Green (SU); Burnt Umber (Palette);
Paper: Sour Apple (MFT); Crumb Cake (SU); Lemon Tart (PTI);
Other: Tremendous Tags (PTI); button (stash); twine (SU); Rectangle die (Spellbinders);

Winter Friends

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Another card from my Splitcoast January 2016 Dirty Dozen time. Each month has a theme; if you are a member of the Fan Club, you can view more details about this card and its relation to the challenge here.

Winter Friends | by karen @ carefree creations

I broke out another oldie but goodie for this card. Hedgehogs are so adorable!! Not as cas as my usual style, but I like it all the same. I love that tiny little tag.

Thanks for taking a peek!

Hi There
Stamps: Holiday Hedgehogs (SU); Mixed Messages (PTI);
Ink: Gray Flannel (Momento);
Paper: White, Spring Rain (PTI); Holiday Thyme pattern paper (SU);
Other: twine (SU); Tiny Tags die (PTI);

Ladybug Thoughts

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Here’s another card from my Splitcoast Dirty Dozen time. Each month has a theme; if you are a member of the Fan Club, you can view more details about this card and its relation to the challenge here.

Ladybug Thoughts | by karen @ carefree creations

I started with a regular 4.14 x 5 card base but trimmed it down to 4″ wide to make the little images feel bigger.

White is pretty much my go-to color for card bases, but occasionally I like to change it up and use a color. I like the bright colors of this card.

Thanks for taking a peek!

Thinking of You
Stamps: Squiggle Lady Bug (The Angel Company);
Ink: Black (PTI);
Paper: Spring Rain, Pure Poppy (PTI); Green Leaf (SSS);
Other: Leaf Silhouettes die, Woodgrain impression plate (PTI);

thinking of you

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I was inspired to stamp last night:

Thinking of You | by karen @ carefree creations

I ordered from Uniko and the package arrived last night. I paired a new-to-me stamp – the striped background – with one I’ve had for a bit – the flower image. I first colored the flowers with copics, then stamped the detail images with ink. The flower is fussy cut (either I had it going on last night or it wasn’t as hard as I thought it might be). Love the striped background, a great way to add interest and grounding.

Thanks for taking a peek!

thinking of you
Stamps: Beautiful Blooms II, Background Basics Horizontal Stripes (Uniko); Around and About Sentiments (Papertrey Ink – PTI);
Ink: markers (Copic); Tuxedo Black (Momento); Fog (Simon Says Stamp); Saffron Spice (PTI); Bermuda Bay (Stampin’Up); Pure Plum (My Favorite Things);
Paper: White (PTI);

Always with a Book

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This weekend I’ll be posting my cards from my January 2016 time with the Splitcoast Dirty Dozen. Each month has a theme; if you are a member of the Fan Club, you can view more details about this card and its relation to the challenge here.

Gnome | by karen @ carefree creations

This is an old Stampin’Up set, but I love the gnomes in it! I broke out my Copics for this one. No sentiment…just focusing on the little dude reading!

I really love the cream colored base with the white panel…I need to do that more!

Thanks for taking a peek!

~gnome~
Stamps: Knobbly Gnomes, So Very Grateful (SU);
Ink: Baked Brown Sugar (SU); Black (Momento); markes (Copic);
Paper: Naturals Ivory (SU); White (PTI);
Other: Stitched Rectangles die (Lil Inkers);

Sorry This is Late!

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Eeeek! I joined the CASology design team! My thanks go out to Melissa and the team!! Today is a new challenge – Late.

And here is my take:

Sorry This is Late | by karen @ carefree creations
When I first saw this cue card I had lots of ideas – one of my favorites was “pregnancy” but I just didn’t have supplies to do anything for it…dern! My helpful family said I could do a sympathy card (for the euphemism of “being late”), but I thought that might be a bit too sassy for a new team member. So I put my brain back in gear and realized my library books are due tomorrow.

Collages can be hard on a CAS card. I selected just a few images and stamped them close together/overlapping to make it seem like one image. And there is still plenty of white space. To help give some dimension, I fussy-cut the sentiment and popped it up with dimensional adhesive.

The scribble circle around “Past Due” is from the PTI It’s Official set. The image has an A+ within the loop. I cut my stamp apart then I was able to stretch the circle when placing it on the block so it would fit around the words which were in the same set.

I hope you join us at CASology – and, for more inspiration, check out the other design team members:

Thanks for stopping by!

Sorry
Stamps: Apologies (Paper Smooches); Stamp of Authenticity (Stampin’Up); It’s Official (Papertrey Ink – PTI); To Thine Own Shelf (Simon Says Stamp);
Ink: Black, Pure Poppy, Saffron Spice, Enchanted Evening, Plum Pudding (PTI); Elf Green (My Favorite Things); Espresso Truffle (Momento);
Paper: White (PTI);

Birthday Gang

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

And here is my take:

Birthday Herd | by karen @ carefree creations

This card is a tri-fold card. I made 2 card bases and taped them together so that the window flap opens to show the herd image which then opens to a blank inside.

Here is a better look at the herd:

Birthday Herd inside | by karen @ carefree creations

I colored the image with colored pencils (you can click the image to see it larger). I don’t have any gamsol, so this isn’t really blended at all. I did use a blending color pencil, but it didn’t help much. I’m still deciding if I want to get some gamsol, or just stick with my Copics.

Since the balloon shows through the window, I backed the pattern paper balloon with a cardstock balloon (the string die sandwiched between). I just liked the finish.

I hope you join us at CAS Colours & Sketches!

Thanks for stopping by!

A Little About the Challenge: This weekly challenge is posted on Tuesday, and alternates between color and sketch (if there is a 5th week in the month you get the double dose of color & sketch).

Happy Birthday
Stamps: From the Herd (Stampin’Up – SU); Bountiful Banners (Papertrey Ink – PTI);
Ink: Black for sentiment (PTI); Bashful Blue (SU); Black for herd (Brilliance Tsukineko); Colored Pencils (Prismacolor);
Paper: White, Pure Poppy pattern (PTI); Bashful Blue, Poppy Parade (SU);
Other: Bountiful Banners die, Balloon Strings die, Picnic Plaid impression plate (PTI); Make a Wish balloon die (Taylored Expressions); Stitched Circle die (Simon Says Stamp);

Winter Winds

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My final December 2015 Splitcoast Dirty Dozen time. Each DD month has a theme. If you are a member of the Fan Club, you can view more details about this card and its relation to the challenge here.

Winter Winds | by karen @ carefree creations

The winds were created by using a wave die. I die-cut it from 3 shades of blue. One color I used as the frame and then pieced the other two colors into the frame alternating the shades.

Thanks for taking a peek!

Warm Wishes
Stamps: Holiday Cheer (W plus 9); Tiny Tags (PTI);
Ink: Autumn Rose, Scarlet Jewel (PTI);
Paper: White, Spring Rain, Blueberry Sky (PTI); Marina Mist (SU);
Other: Stitched Rectangles die (Lil Inkers); Waves Coverplate die (PTI);