Category Archives: cards

Grateful Heart

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Grateful Heart | by karen @ carefree creations

I created this card for the One-Layer Simplicity Challenge: Let Green March In.

There is another layer to the horizontal/vertical leaves, but I liked how just having the whispy veins adds interest.

Using linen paper also adds a touch of elegance to the final card (I’m really starting to enjoy the linen card stock!).

Thanks for taking a peek!

Grateful Heart
Stamps: Lovely Layers (Papertrey Ink – PTI);
Ink: Sour Apple (My Favorite Things); Gumball Green, Mossy Meadow (Stampin’Up); Smokey Shadow (PTI);
Paper: White Linen (PTI);
Technique: masking;

Think Happy Frogs

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Think Happy Frogs | by karen @ carefree creations

I’m squeezing in another card for a challenging ending soon: Freshly Made Sketches #228.

FreshlyMadeSketchesBadge

There are some sets that I know I will never get rid of. This really old frog set is definitely one of them. I don’t know what it is, but I love this set. Many of my old sets don’t see as much love because I have my digital index is sorted by date added and often when I’m looking for something non-specific (like to put in the circle bit of this sketch), I find something in the recent sets. Today I made myself go through the whole index before deciding…and I love the result.

Thanks for taking a peek!

Think Happy Thoughts
Stamps: Leapfrogs (Stampin’Up – SU); Thoughs (Impression Obsession);
Ink: Mossy Meadow, Lucky Limeade, Crushed Curry (SU);
Paper: Mossy Meadow, Lucky Limeade (SU); White, Bright Buttercup (Papertrey Ink);
Other: Thoughts die (Impression Obsession);
Techniques: fussy cutting;

Woohoo Doodles

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Woohoo | by karen @ carefree creations

This week is spring break – no work (working for the school has its perks!!). Although I still have to do my taxes, I decided to get some stamping done this weekend first.

CASologyBadge

I’m squeaking in a card for CASology: Doodles. I love “keyword” challenges – it leaves everything so open.

I used to doodle like crazy when I was in high school, so of course I own a few doodle style stamp sets. I pulled out one I haven’t used in a long time.

Since I was reminded of my youth, I chose to color the image with colored pencils.

The background was done by sponging a light grey ink onto the background stamp. I was aiming for a fade just around the main image.

I tried to foil the center of the star. My toner pen stopped working, so I went the glue route, but didn’t know what I was doing. I thought I had destroyed the card, but I was able to salvage it and honestly, the grungy look of the foil goes with the messy/imperfect coloring. And my kid approved, so I kept it 🙂

Thanks for taking a peek!

Woohoo!
Stamps: Notebook Stamps (Lil Inkers); Chubby Chums sentiment (Paper Smooches); Writing Notes background (Stampin’Up);
Ink: Black (Hero Arts); Fog (Simon Says Stamp);
Paper: White (Papertrey Ink);
Other: colored pencils (Prismacolor); gold foil (decoFoil);

Watery Hello

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It is time for another CAS Colours & Sketches challenge. Check out the latest challenge: #165 – colors.

CC&S_2016-03-17_#165

And here is my take:

Hello | by karen@ carefree creations

The water background is watercolored with distress inks. The frame is popped up over the background – as is the jellyfish and sentiment.

I hope you join us at CAS Colours & Sketches!

Thanks for stopping by!

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

Hello
Stamps: From Land to Sea (StampinUp-SU); Label Love (Altenew);
Ink: Abandoned Coral, Broken China, Chipped Sapphire Distress Inks (Ranger); Graphite Black Brilliance (Tsukineko);
Paper: Marina Mist (SU); White (Papertrey Ink);
Other: Rectangle Frames (My Favorite Things); Sea Things die (Dies by Dave);
Technique: watercolor;

You are so Sweet

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It is time for another CAS Colours & Sketches challenge. Check out the latest challenge: #164 – sketch (and it is requested the square shape is part of your card – i.e., don’t change it to a circle, or star, etc).

CC&S_2016-03-10_#164_USE SQUARE!!

Such a simple, classic sketch, but boy did I take forever to come up with my card! I think because it felt like the options were endless, I just couldn’t decide which direction to go. I really didn’t want to just stamp something on a square and be done…I wanted something a bit different – but still CAS. I love CAS, but sometimes I find it hard to keep it simple (usually only when I *have* to, figures, eh?). Anyway…

I finally came up with the idea to take an object and do an artistic impression of it. Watermelon came to mind and I thought I could make that work.

So Sweet | by karen @ carefree creations

The card base is watercolor paper – as are the square and pinked mat.

I painted green stripes on the card base and then did a gradient pink wash on the square. I liked the pinked edge for the mat as it made me think of the way watermelons can be cut open.

I used a brush marker to make little seeds along the bottom of the pink panel.

The “sweet” is die cut using an alphabet set. The letters have longer swoops at their ends, but I cut them down so I could squish the letters closer together.

I hope you join us at CAS Colours & Sketches!

Thanks for stopping by!

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

Sweet
Stamps: Strawberry Patch (Papertrey Ink – PTI);
Ink: Worn Lipstick, Festive Berries, Mowed Lawn, Peeled Paint Distress Ink (Ranger); Black (PTI); Black brush marker (Zig);
Paper: Aquarelle Watercolor (Canson); Black (PTI);
Other: Limitless Layers: Squares 2 1/4″ die, Script Alphabet die (PTI);
Technique: watercolor

Thank You Ever So Much

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Thanks | by karen @ carefree creations

My Monday had a wonderful surprise in it! A couple co-workers gave me a bag of chocolate and a PTI gift certificate for helping them with a work project (really, just doing something that is my job). Such a very sweet thing to do!! I made this thank you card for each of them.

The sentiment panel is popped up with fun foam. I got the idea from Jennifer McGuire. I wonder though if the foam isn’t too thick. It is 2mm (about 1/16″) which doesn’t sound too thick, but every time I make a card (especially if the foam layer is fairly large) it makes the card very stiff and I worry about sending it through the post office equipment. Has anyone else started using this? Do you have problems? The foam comes in 1/32 (1mm) thickness, but I can’t find it to buy anywhere (just wholesale).

Thanks for taking a peek!

Thank You
Stamps: Ruby Rose (Papertrey Ink-PTI):
Ink: Enchanted Evening, Hibiscus Burst, Pure Poppy, Bright Buttercup, New Leaf (PTI);
Paper: White, Spring Rain (PTI);
Other: Stitched Rectangle die (Lil Inkers);

Lucky Me

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It is time for another CAS Colours & Sketches challenge. Check out the latest challenge: #163 – colors.

CC&S_2016-03-03_#163

And here is my take:

Lucky Me | by karen @ carefree creations

In the spirit of challenge, I used a St. Patrick’s Day stamp set – though my resulting card can be given any time.

I went very simple with the layout. And you may be wondering where my Mint Macaroon is…it is very subtle – just the dots between the sentiment lines. The rhinestone is also a very good match for it, but you can’t really tell (especially after putting it on the brighter green image).

I did a bit of image piecing too. The stem for the image was a word – and I didn’t like it for this card. So I inked up just the clover head, then I inked up just the stem from a different image in the same set.

I hope you join us at CAS Colours & Sketches!

Thanks for stopping by!

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

Lucky Me
Stamps: Pinch Proof (Stampin Up – SU);
Ink: Mint Macaroon, Cucumber Crush, Pure Poppy (SU);
Paper: White (PTI);
Other: rhinestone (stash);

PTI Blog Hop – Thank You

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PTI_BlogHopLogo

Today is PTI’s February Blog Hop. Here is the inspiration photo:

2016-02_PTIBlogHop-InspirationPhoto

And here is my card:

Thank You | by karen @ carefree creations

The first thing that caught my eye in the inspiration photo was the fern – I love ferns. I also wanted to add a bit of pink circle. The Tag It’s frame is cut-out by hand.

Thanks for taking a peek!

thank you
Stamps: Meadow Greens, Tag Its #5 (PTI);
Ink: Spring Moss, Ripe Avocado, Lovely Lady (PTI); Versmark (Tsukineko);
Paper: Ripe Avocado, Spring Moss, Sweet Blush, White (PTI);
Other: Spring Moss ribbon, Woodgrain impression plate (PTI); Clear embossing powder (Filigree);

Welcome Spring

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It is time for another CAS Colours & Sketches challenge. Check out the latest challenge: #162 – Sketch.

CC&S_2016-02-25_#162

And here is my take:

Welcome Spring | by karen @ carefree creations

My latest PTI package came just in time to use the new Spring Woods. I love robins – they are a wonderful sign of spring!

I hope you join us at CAS Colours & Sketches!

Thanks for stopping by!

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

Welcome Spring
Stamps: Spring Woods, Wreath for All Seasons (PTI);
Ink: Canyon Clay, Fine Linen, Limeade Ice (PTI); Wet Cement (Hero Arts); Soft Suede (SU); Cotton Candy (MFT);
Paper: White (PTI);
Other: Spring Woods die (PTI);

Hello

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It is time for another CAS Colours & Sketches challenge. Check out the latest challenge: #160 – colours.

CC&S_2016-02-18_#161

And here is my take:

Hello | by karen @ carefree creations

Very simple card today! Seeing the purples in the challenge graphic had me thinking hydrangeas – so that is what I used.

I hope you join us at CAS Colours & Sketches!

Thanks for stopping by!

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

hello
Stamps: Happy Hydrangea (PTI);
Ink: Winter Wisteria, Royal Velvet (PTI);
Paper: White (PTI); Silver (SU);
Other: Happy Hydrangea die (PTI);