Cozy Christmas Quilt

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Another card from my 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.

Cozy Christmas Quilt | by karen @ carefree creations

Love this card – the bright colors the stitch details.

Thanks for taking a peek!

Wishing you a Cozy holiday season
Stamps: Circles & Diamonds (Lil Inkers); Happiest of Holidays (PTI);
Ink: Pure Poppy (PTI); Crushed Curry, Gumball Green (SU);
Paper: White (PTI);
Other: Circles & Diamonds die (Lil Inkers); Tag Sale #5 die (PTI);

Nordic Sweater Christmas

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So this weekend and next, I’ll be posting my December 2015 Splitcoaststampers design team cards. Each design team 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.

Nordic Sweater | by karen @ carefree creations

I used a cream color panel to warm up the card (going along with the sweater theme).

I’m not exactly sure why I put the ribbon off-centered, other than trying to give it a bit of interest (love the phrase you can justify anything with it :).

Thanks for taking a peek!

Merry Christmas
Stamps: Nordic Winter (Waltzing Mouse Stamps);
Ink: Scarlett Jewel (PTI); Midnight Muse (SU);
Paper: Rustic Cream (PTI); Not Quite Navy (SU);
Other: Enchanted Evening ribbon (PTI); rhinestone (Kaiser);

Prickly Hugs

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This card is for the current CASology challenge – Hugs.

I’ve been feeling prickly the past few days. That helped me pick my image for the card:

Prickly Hug | by karen @ carefree creations

This turned out so much better than I was envisioning!

I sponged some light blue onto the background through the stencil. I stamped the images using Antique Linen distress ink so I could do no-line water-coloring. After coloring the images, I added the prickly details using a colored pencil.

To add a bit of dimension, I attached an enamel dot to the flower center.

Next up was picking the color for the base. I definitely thought green, but I hemmed and hawed over the shade, but settled on the brighter green to keep the fun feel of the card. Then I wasn’t sure how to cut or mount the cactus panel. I started by trimming one side, but I didn’t like that. As I was moving it around, I liked this layout.

Thanks for taking a peek!

Hug Me
Stamps: Stamp Your Own Cactus (Hero Arts);
Ink: Antique Linen, Worn Lipstick, Rusty Hinge, Mowed Lawn, Twisted Citron, Tumbled Glass, Fired Brick distress inks (Ranger);
Paper: New Leaf (Papertrey Ink – PTI); Watercolor (Ranger);
Other: Modern Backgrounds stencil (PTI); Magic & Wonder enamel dots (Echo Park);

Just Keep Swimming

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Welcome to a new year of CAS Colours & Sketches challenges! I hope you enjoyed your holiday and are refreshed and ready for our the latest challenge:

And here is my take:

Just Keep Swimming | by karen @ carefree creations

I had so many ideas for this wonderfully versatile sketch! I narrowed it down to something fun and encouraging – I love this goldfish!

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).

Just Keep Swimming
Stamps: Color Layering Goldfish (Hero Arts – HA);
Ink: Summer Sunrise, Orange Zest (Papertrey Ink – PTI);
Paper: White (PTI);
Other: Color Layering Goldfish die (HA); Caribbean bakers twine (The Twinery);

Sympathy

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Sadly, I needed a sympathy card. I wanted flowers in a subdued tone. This is what I came up with:

Sympathy | by karen @ carefree creations

This is a true one-layer card. The layered stamping helps bring dimension to an otherwise flat card.

Thanks for taking a peek!

with Sympathy
Stamps: Watercolor Anemones (W plus 9); Think Big Favorites #3 (Papertrey Ink – PTI);
Ink: Espresso Truffle (Momento); Melon Berry, Ocean Tides, Stormy Seas, Prairie Grass (PTI); Groovy Guava, Mellow Moss (Stampin’Up);
Paper: White (PTI);
Layout: CAS(e) This Sketch #250

You Are Fierce

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Today I have a card for the CASology – Encourage challenge.

You are Fierce | by karen @ carefree creations

I just got this adorable little set and with the sentiments included it was a perfect choice for an encouragement challenge!

To start, I used an airbrush system to create the scene’s background. I stamped the palm tree directly onto the background and colored it in. Since the leaves are green and blue is part of green, coloring over the background was easy peasy.

I did selectively ink the sentiment (which is fully “you are fiercely awesome”).

Thanks for taking a peek!

You Are Fierce
Stamps: Fierce Friends (My Favorite Things – MFT);
Ink: Tuxedo Black (Momento); markers (Copic);
Paper: White (Papertrey Ink);
Other: Fierce Friends (MFT);

Cat Napping

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My last November 2015 SCS DD card (I’ll give you week to catch your breath before I start posting December, lol). 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 theme here.

Cat Napping | by karen @ carefree creations

I love the sleeping kitty image! I did a bit of sentiment collage along the edge. I started by placing my main sentiment in a bolder color where I wanted it positioned. Then I filled in the border with the other sentiments/images using pale colors.

Thanks for taking a peek!

dreaming of you
Stamps: Pillow Talk (Simon Says Stamp-SSS);
Ink: Black (Momento); Soft Sky, Pink Pirouette (SU); Fog (SSS);
Paper: White (PTI); Twitterpated DSP (SU);
Other: markers (Copic);
Technique: paper piecing;
Challenge:
Inspired/CASEd from:

With a Good Book

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I’m almost done posting the November 2015 SCS DD cards! 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 theme here.

With a Good Book | by karen @carefree creations

My favorite “hobby” is to curl up on the couch with a blank, a book, my cat, and hot beverage. This card is a little tribute to that.

I wish you could touch this card – the fibers are so soft!

Thanks for taking a peek!

thinking of you
Stamps: On My Couch, On My Couch Additions, Keep it Simple: Thinking of You (PTI);
Ink: Dark Chocolate, Soft Stone (PTI); Sage Shadow, Buckaroo Blue (SU);
Paper: Dark Chocolate, Vintage Cream (PTI); This & That Charming 6×6 pattern paper pad (Echo Park); Blink of an Eye 6×6 pattern paper pad (My Mind’s Eye);
Other: fiber (stash);

Thanks a Bunch

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More from November 2015 SCS DD. 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 theme here.

Thanks a Bunch | by karen @ carefree creations

Love the word play between the sentiment “thanks a bunch” and the grouping of acorns. Of course, it could just be clever only to me 🙂

The leaves are inked using the rock-n-roll technique.

Thanks for taking a peek!

Thanks a Bunch
Stamps: Autumn Acorns (PTI); Label Love (Altenew);
Ink: Dark Chocolate, Terracotta Tile, Canyon Clay (PTI); Hello Honey, Tip Top Taupe (SU);
Paper: Kraft, Vintage Cream (PTI);
Other: Woodgrain embossing folder, Linen Thread (SU);
Layout: Sweet Sunday Sketch

Silent Night

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Happy New Year!

While I am not one for snow, I really hope we get some soon! Maybe this will help:

Silent Night | by karen @ carefree creations

Another November 2015 DD 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.

A white-on-white scene. Lots of texture on this one – satin ribbon, embossing, glossy paper, glittery snowflake.

Thanks for taking a peek!

Silent Night
Paper: White (PTI); Glitter paper, Irresistibly Yours DSP (SU);
Other: Fancy Flakes die (PTI); Modern Landscape die (Memory Box); Snowfall embossing folder (Taylored Expressions); Satin Ribbon (SU);