Shaving Cream Seas

by Karen @ carefree creations - Shaving Cream Technique

Yet another technique newsletter card. This time the messy technique was Shaving Cream.

I had such fun with this that I have quite a few left over pieces in all sorts of colors.

This blue piece just screamed nautical, which is quite the trend lately. I pulled out The Open Sea and made a father’s day card.

To make the knot, I just googled knots and found a knot that looked interesting. It did take me quite a few tries and since the ends are chopped off (because the rope was too thick to wrap around the panel), it isn’t like it would work anyway, lol.

Thanks for taking a peek!

Father’s Day
All supplies StampinUp unless otherwise noted.
Stamps: The Open Sea, Teeny Tiny Wishes;
Ink/Card Stock: Pacific Point, Garden Green, Black, White;
Other: rope (old SU “ribbon”);
Technique: shaving cream

Dual Embossed Flowers

by Karen @ carefree creations - Dual Embossed Flowers

This is another card I created for the technique newsletter. This time I used Dual Embossing. The basic idea is to use more than 1 color of embossing powder on an image.

You have to add both colors before you heat the image.

The only trick to this technique is that you can’t put the second color back into the jar because some particles of the first color may have come off when you tap off the excess of the second color.

For this card I did the process twice: stamped the leaves, sprinkled the two embossing powders, heated; then again with the flowers.

Thanks for taking a peek!

Thank You
All supplies StampinUp unless otherwise noted.
Stamps: Summer Silhouettes, Four You;
Ink/Card Stock: Melon Mambo, White, Black;
Other: Embossing Powder – Turquoise, Wasabi, Melon, Tangerine, Rhinestones;
Technique: Dual Embossing

Poppies Caught in Crystal

Last month I hosted a newsletter for my mom’s StampinUp blog. I did a theme – messy techniques. Here is one of the cards I created for the newsletter.

by Karen @ carefree creations - Poppies in Crystal

The technique I used is called Acetate & Tissue, but I’ve also seen it called Caught in Crystal. Basically, you stamp your image on acetate using permanent ink. Then you put Crystal Effects (or the like) on the backside, drop re-inker dots, smoosh around, sprinkle glitter, and finally layer with tissue paper.

One thing I really wanted to show in my newsletter was that you don’t have to make the card all about the technique – a technique can be a great touch without being overwhelming.

For this card, I trimmed the acetate piece to be narrow and ran it down the middle of my card. I trimmed it up with a lacey border and plopped my sentiment panel over the “boring” bit.

I think all the additional white-space on the card helps make the technique really pop (hmmm, did I just contradict myself??).

Thanks for taking a peek!

Thank You
All supplies StampinUp unless otherwise noted.
Stamps: Pleasant Poppies, Four Frames, Four You;
Ink/Card Stock: Soft Sky, Daffodil Delight, White; Stazon Black;
Other: Window Sheet, Crystal Effects, Dazzling Diamonds, Decorative Label punch, Finishing Touches edgelit;
Technique: acetate and tissue;

Split Negative

My SU Demo (aka Mom) is taking the month of August off to get some work around the house done. I told her I’d be willing to put together a weekly newsletter so her customers would have something pretty to look at. I chose the theme of “techniques”. This is the first week:

by Karen @ carefree creations - Split Negative

I’m very happy with this card! I used an old CAS(e) This Sketch layout (#3).

If you want the directions, you’ll have to sign-up on her site 😉

Thanks for taking a peek!

Thinking of You
All supplies StampinUp unless otherwise noted.
Stamps: By the Seashore, Sweet Essentials, Gorgeous Grunge;
Ink/Card Stock: Soft Sky, Whisper White, Crumb Cake, Cherry Cobbler;
Other: Cherry Cobbler & White embossing powder, Circle dies, Natural Trim ribbon;
Technique: split negative

Masculine Birthday Wishes

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

Stamp Camp Cards

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;

Zebra Spots

by Karen @ carefree creations - Zebra Spots
Working on camp cards for my mom.

My charge for this card was to use Zoo Review. While I chose to go with a pink sentiment, you could easily change this to a masculine card by changing the sentiment color.

I used a drop of grey re-inker and about twice that amount of water. Then I took a paint brush and dipped it into the ink. Just a few taps of the brush against my hand and I had splatters. I did mask the zebra image first.

I was inspired by a sketch at CAS(e) This Sketch (but as usual, I missed the deadline).

Thanks for taking a peek!

Happy Birthday
All supplies StampinUp unless otherwise noted.
Stamps: Zoo Review, Itty Bitty Banners;
Ink/Card Stock: Black, White, Melon Mambo, Slate;
Other: Itty Bitty Banner framelit, dimensionals;

You are Wonderful

by Karen @ carefree creations - You Are Wonderful

I created this card for Mom’s stamp camp this week. The theme of the camp is retiring products. Everything I used for this card is retiring!! (Well, except the white paper, lol.)

The hummingbird is fussy cut and popped-up.

So, I need to get three Mother’s Day cards in the mail tomorrow…and I don’t have any made!! Eek! Hopefully I will be forgiven for late cards!

Thanks for taking a peek!

You Are Simply Wonderful
All supplies Stampin Up unless otherwise noted.
Stamps: Elements of Style, Friendly Phrases;
Ink/Card Stock: Baja Breeze, White, Pretty in Pink, Certainly Celery;
Other: Elegant Lines embossing folder;

Taste the Rainbow

I HAD to play in the current Addicted to CAS challenge; it’s my favorite color: RAINBOW!!

by Karen @ carefree creations - Drink Rainbow

Most of the drinks are double inked – I completely inked the image with a light color, then, using a marker, added a darker color to the bottom of the drink bowls (but not the champagne or appletini). See the supply list for the colors I used.

I trimmed the card’s length to be the same as the die cut and added pattern paper to the bottom portion.

To decorate the edges of the die cut, I inked up the short end of an image from Four Frames and topped them off with rhinestones.

Thanks for taking a peek!

3 Cheers
All supplies StampinUp unless otherwise noted.
Stamps: Happy Hour, Four Frames;
Ink/Card Stock: Real Red & Calypso Coral, Peach & Tangerine Tango, So Saffron, Lucky Limeade, Pool Party & Island Indigo, Wisteria & Perfect Plum, White, Black;
Other: Apothecary Accent die, So Saffron pattern paper, Rhinestones;

Owl Be Thinking of You

It is time for another CAS Colours & Sketches challenge. Check out the latest challenge -> #19 – colors.

CAS Colours & Sketches - Challenge 19

And here is my take:

by Karen @ Carefree Creations - Owl Be Thinking of You

I thought I’d have some fun with these colors. I pulled out the adorable Aviary set to use.

I chose to use the blue for my base because it is light and the other colors would pop around it.

I used the cage stand to create a bar for the birds.

Design Point: Despite using a Stamp-a-ma-Jig, the bar is crooked and the extra finial is just a smidge not connected. Thankfully it isn’t obvious. I didn’t try to connect them with a marker because I thought it would draw attention to the gaff. Sometimes it is better to just let the mistake stand, most folks won’t even see it.

I’ll send this card to Mom for her inspiration wall.

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

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).

Thinking of You
All supplies StampinUp unless otherwise noted.
Stamps: Aviary, Teeny Tiny Wishes;
Ink/Card Stock: Raspberry Ripple, Daffodil Delight, Bashful Blue, Whisper White;
Other: twine, Bashful pattern paper, Fancy Fan embossing folder;