Category Archives: Paper Smooches

Nautical Sparks

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School is almost out – just this week and next….then stamping heaven time! I’m working in stamping as often as I can for now. This card was made for the Paper Smooches Sparks challenge – Cool Shades “Nautical”.

by Karen @ carefree creations - Nautical Spark

The challenge colors are navy, teal, red, kraft. I thought the adorable Surf & Turf set would work really well for that.

The ocean is done by using ink smooshing. That is, I made little droplets of reinker on my craft sheet and then smooshed the card stock into the ink. I made sure the darker colors were focused more at the bottom.

The card base is embossed with an old swirl design folder from Sizzix. Since the folder image is smaller than a normal card base, so I just trimmed the card down to 5 1/4 x 4.

The critters are paper pieced and the sentiment is heat embossed.

Thanks for taking a peek!

Hey GillFriend
Stamps: Surf & Turf (Paper Smooches);
Ink/Card Stock: Midnight Muse, Bermuda Bay, White (StampinUp);
Other: Crumb Cake pattern paper (SU); Pure Poppy pattern paper (PTI); white embossing powder (Filigree); Swirls embossing folder (Sizzix);
Technique: ink smoosh, paper piecing, heat embossing;

Thanks, Teacher

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I’m squeaking in a card for the Paper Smooches Sparks challenge – Anything Goes!

by Karen @ Carefree Creations - Thanks Teacher

To do the chevron strip, I masked off my card base and repeatedly stamped the image. The apple is paper pieced and popped up.

The seeds on the apple are the brush tip from a Copic marker.

This is the last month of school and this week is teacher appreciation. Both my girls have multiple teachers so I need lots of cards this year (at least 10). I won’t get them done in time for this week, but I will have them done by the end of the month.

Thanks for taking a peek!

thanks
Stamps: Falling for You, GeoGraphic, Sentiment Sampler (Paper Smooches);
Ink/Card Stock: Kraft, Rustic White, Black (PTI);
Other: assorted pattern paper; marker (Copic-E59);
Technique: Paper Piecing, Masking;

Butterflies of Peace

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by Karen @ Carefree Creations - watercolor background

I created this card for the latest Paper Smooches Sparks Trend Watch challenge – Butterflies.

I decided to do a watercolor background. I did the coloring by hand instead of a smoosh technique – I wanted the control over the amount of each color and its placement.

When picking colors, I first chose Baja Breeze and then decided to do an homage to SU colors that are being retired: Baja, Not Quite Navy, More Mustard, and Riding Hood Red. I needed a yellow, so I threw in Daffodil even though it isn’t retiring.

My original attempt at the background involved emboss-resist. That didn’t work, but I knew I still wanted white butterflies. This time I clear embossed the butterflies on white paper and cut them out. The embossing is much more visible in real-life.

I wanted to white emboss the sentiment, so I decided I needed a large size sentiment. The ‘peace, love, & happiness’ sentiment makes this the perfect birthday card for a friend of mine (though it will be hard to send this one away!)!

I’m so very happy with how this card all came together.

Thanks for taking a peek!

Peace Love & Happiness
Stamps: Flap Happy, Pretty Momma, Pretty Phrases (Paper Smooches);
Ink/Card Stock: Baja Breeze, Not Quite Navy, Daffodil Delight, More Mustard, Riding Hood Red (SU); White (PTI), Bristol Smooth (Essentials by Ellen);
Other: white & clear embossing + Versamark;

Happy Easter

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by Karen @ Carefree Creations - Easter Mini Notes

These little cuties are the mini note cards I made for my girls. The cards are 3 1/2 inches square.

Hope everyone has a fabulous weekend!

Thanks for taking a peek!

Happy Spring
Stamps: Spring Fling (Paper Smooches);
Ink/Card Stock: White (PTI); Green Galore (SU);
Other: Markers (Copic); Grass die (My Favorite Things);

Enjoy Spring

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by Karen @ Carefree Creations - Enjoy Spring

I created this card for a couple challenges. First, the Addicted to CAS challenge whose code word is Spring. I chose my colors because the make me think spring – and butterflies…can’t wait for them to come around!

Next up is the Paper Smooches Sparks Picture Perfect challenge that showed buttons on a bulletin board. I used circles on my card in reference to the inspiration piece buttons.

The card base is 5 1/2 x 3 3/4 – the sentiment strip is 4 1/4 wide.

Thanks for taking a peek!

Enjoy this Day
Stamps: Flap Happy (Paper Smooches);
Ink/Card Stock: White (PTI); Black ink (Memento);
Other: Country Drive Pattern Paper (Echo Park); Fancy Fan embossing folder (SU); lots of different circle punches;

Dino-Party

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by Karen @ Carefree Creations - Dino Party

I created this card for the Paper Smooches Sparks Challenge – Fiesta Colors. I love those colors!

With a challenge name like Fiesta – I knew I needed a party card. To get the green in the card, I decided to go with a green animal. I had fun coloring the dino and even added a few spots for interest.

Thanks for taking a peek!

Happy Birthday
Stamps: Cuteasaurus, Hullabaloo, Geographic, Sentiment Sampler (Paper Smooches);
Ink/Card Stock: Summer Sunrise, White (PTI); Black (Memento);
Other: Flag die (Paper Smooches); markers (Copic);

Hey Chick

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I know, right? Nothing from me for days on end – and now 3 posts in 1 day! I’ve been so busy that I just haven’t had time to stamp. While my schedule hasn’t lightened, I’ve decided for sanity sake to try to get some stamping in every day. That doesn’t mean I’ll post everyday, but I need the mental down time of stamping.

by Karen @ Carefree Creations - Hey Chick

I created this card for the Paper Smooches Sparks Designer Drafts challenge.

This was a hard sketch for me, but I just kept to the bones/general idea of the layout.

I totally forgot to put pigtails on my human 🙁 I’ll have to add them before I send it off. I did have fun coloring!

Thanks for taking a peek!

Hey Chick
Stamps: Green Acres, Debonair (Paper Smooches);
Ink/Card Stock: Pure Poppy, White (Papertrey Ink); Black (Memento);
Other: markers (Copic);

FYI – Paint the Town

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It is time for another For Your Inspiration challenge. Check out the latest challenge -> FYI41.

FYI Challenge #41

I love the perspective of this image – looking down the long line of buildings. And the reflection in the water is wonderful. The colors also captured me – browns and orange even in the sky.

Oh my – so many ways to interpret the inspiration photo. I finally landed on using a city scene and a “paint the town red” concept.

by Karen @ Carefree Creations - Paint the Town

I stamped both the cityscapes from the stamp set (used masking). Then I used Cherry ink to “paint” the town. I tested a few colors to see how they would look when watercolored because so many will lighten up considerably – Cherry actually came out like a dark pink and that suited my needs.

To add the glitter to the painting, I used my craft mat to mix up a drop of Tombow glue with water and painted that onto the panel and then spooned on glitter. I did rub it in a bit and then let it set. Once it was dry I went over it with a dry brush to get rid of any stray pieces.

Thanks for stopping by!

Make sure you check out the other design team members:
Debbie
Michelle
Mynnette
Regina
Rochelle
Rudlis
Sara
Steph
Vicki

I hope you join us at For Your Inspiration!

A Little About the Challenge: The For Your Inspiration challenge is posted the first and third Thursday of every month; each challenge is open for two weeks. To play, use the photo to inspire you and create a card – very simple! Make sure you tell us in your blog post how you were inspired!

Let’s Party
Stamps: Metropolis, Spring Fling, Word Salad (Paper Smooches);
Ink/Card Stock: Cherry ink, Melon Mambo (StampinUp); Black (Memento); White;
Other: markers (Copics); glitter;

Hugs & Kisses

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by Karen @ Carefree Creations - Hugs & Kisses

This week’s Paper Smooches Sparks Challenge was a picture inspiration (picture perfect). What I took from the photo was theme of love and soft pastel colors.

I created this card in record time (maybe 15 minutes from conception to completion!!).

I started with a Rustic Cream card base (I liked the flecks in it to give depth to the card). The stamp was done on smooth cream.

Instead of using foam adhesive to attach the stamped layer, I just put the tape in the center so the edges are free to add a little shadow.

Thanks for taking a peek!

Huge Hugs & Kisses
Stamps: Reflections, We Connect (Paper Smooches);
Ink/Card Stock: Rustic Cream, Vintage Cream, Dark Chocolate, Limeade Ice (PTI); Pool Party, Blushing Bride (SU);

Calls for a Toast

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by Karen @ Carefree Creations - Calls for a Toast

I created this card for the Paper Smooches Sparks’ Cool Shades challenge – Carnival (cherry red, aqua, cream, chocolate).

I went a bit pinker with my “cherry red”, but that’s because anytime I put red with the other colors it screamed Christmas at me and I just was not in the mood to make one of those 🙂

I’ll be sending this card to my sister who recently moved up the ranks in her volunteer fire company!

Thanks for taking a peek!

Calls for a Toast
Stamps: Wake Up, Debonair (Paper Smooches);
Ink/Card Stock: Pool Party, Vanilla, Melon Mambo (StampinUp); Black & Brown (Memento);
Other: markers (Copic); twine (Paper Smooches);