Merci

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Merci | by karen @ carefree creations

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.

This is pretty much a one-layer card – only the Eiffel Tower is popped-up. I love how the tower makes the “A” in “Paris”!

Thanks for taking a peek!

Merci
Stamps: City Scene, Sweet Life, Think Big Favorites #3 (Papertrey Ink – PTI); Sophisticated Serifs (Stampin’UP – SU);
Ink: Lemon Tart, Fine Linen, Spring Moss, Smokey Shadow (PTI); Daffodil Delight, Lucky Limeade (SU); Wet Cement (Hero Arts); Sour Apple (My Favorite Things);
Paper: White (PTI);
Other: City Scene dies (PTI);

Western Strips

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

And here is my take:

Western Strips | by karen @ carefree creations

A double challenge – you have to use the colors and the sketch! I like all these colors, but had never thought to put them together!

When I considered the blue and red I came up with these textures and the rest of the card just came 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 Tuesday, and alternates between color and sketch (if there is a 5th week in the month you get the double dose of color & sketch).

Howdy
Stamps: YeeHaw, Paisley Background (Stampin’Up-SU); Western Backgrounds (My Favorite Things);
Ink: Baja Breeze, Riding Hood Red, Soft Suede (SU);
Paper: White (Papertrey Ink); River Rock (SU);
Other: Stitched Rectangle die (Lil Inkers);

Oh Hai

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Here is another of my Splitcoast Dirty Dozen cards. 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.

Oh Hai | by karen @ carefree creations

Selective inking and masking is what makes this card possible! First I inked up all the body except the head and stamped that; then I inked up the head and all the neck and stamped that.

Thanks for taking a peek!

Oh Hai
Stamps: Zoo Crew, Alphadot (Paper Smooches);
Ink: Tuxedo Black (Momento); markers (Copic);
Paper: New Leaf, Kraft, White (PTI); Daffodil Delight (SU);
Other: Leafy Branch dies (CC Designs); Stitched Rectangles (Lil Inkers); Flag Tag dies (Paper Smooches); Twine (PTI);

Ridin’ Around in My Automobile

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My kid and I watched Stranger Things Season 2 last night, so I have nothing new to share today. Instead, I thought I would post another of my Splitcoast Dirty Dozen cards. 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.

Congrats | by karen @ carefree creations

This card was for my kid, who at the time was getting their learner’s permit. My hope was that they and I would alternate driving during our summer trip. Wasn’t to be though. They’ve only been driving 3 times since getting their permit a year ago – and all of those in the parking lot. Driving scares them and they have no desire to learn. Thankfully we have a pretty good bus system here and honestly, a year pass doesn’t cost that much (especially when you put it against car payment, insurance, and gas!!). I think they’re a city person at heart!

Thanks for taking a peek!

Congrats
Stamps: Enjoy the Ride (PTI); Antique Map (Hero Arts);
Ink: Winter Wisteria, Black (PTI);
Paper: Vintage Cream, Rustic Cream, Black, Plum Pudding (PTI); Baja Breeze Patterns DSP, Kiwi Kiss Patterns DSP (SU);
Other: Wonderful Words: Congrats die, Enjoy the Ride die, Rainbow Stripes die, In the Meadow die (PTI);

Friends Like You are Rare

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I’m squeezing a card in for the Less is More – Monsters challenge.

Rare Friend | by karen @ carefree creations

I just love how cute the yeti stamp set is! The sentiment made me think of the yeti hiding so I created the scene with the yeti between the mountains.

To help anchor the scene, I sponged a bit of blue.

The mountains and trees are fussy cut; I did use the die for the yeti.

Thanks for taking a peek!

Friends like you are Rare
Stamps: Beast Friends, Prehistoric (My Favorite Things – MFT);
Ink: Sno Cone (MFT); Tuxedo Black (Momento); markers (Copic);
Paper: Sno Cone (MFT); White (Papertrey Ink);
Other: Beast Friends die (MFT); Stitched Rectangle die (Lil Inkers);

Autumn Days

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This card is for the Addicted to CAS challenge – Pumpkins!

Autumn Days | by karen @ carefree creations

I really wasn’t sure where to start so I did some scrolling through my Pinterest files. I noticed a trend in my recent pins – cards with watercolor “squish” backgrounds and frames that went off the edge. I used both of those techniques on my card.

While I do have a few pumpkin stamp sets, these elegantly flourished ones fit in the frame I chose to work with.

This is actually my second background as the first one I made was too big! Since this is a CAS challenge I wanted my elements to be contained (well, I did want a bit of bleed like I do have, but the original background took up about 70% of the card!).

Once I got the background right, the rest just fell together. I chopped up a wreath die to make the vines.

Thanks for taking a peek!

Autumn Days
Stamps: Fall Elegance, Monthly Moments: September (Papertrey Ink – PTI);
Ink: Oranze Zest, Cocoa Bean (PTI); Mustard Seed, Fossilized Amber, Scattered Straw, Dried Marigold Distress (Ranger);
Paper: Oranze Zest, Cocoa Bean, Simply Chartreuse, White (PTI); Watercolor (Ranger);
Other: Rustic Wreath die (PTI); Stitched Rounded Rectangle Frame die (My Favorite Things);

Rainbows & Sunshine

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I have another Splitcoastsampers Dirty Dozen card for you:

Rainbows & Sunshine | by karen @ carefree creations

This is another attempt at no-line coloring.

I die cut clouds out of the blue panel to let the white card base show through.

The yellow along the top is to represent the sunshine above the clouds.

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.

Thanks for taking a peek!

Wishing you rainbows & sunshine
Stamps: Up Up & Away, Up Up Away Sentiments (Papertrey Ink – PTI);
Ink: Black (PTI); Fog (SSS);
Paper: White, Spring Rain (PTI); Blending Cardstock (X-press It);
Other: markers (Copic); Clouds die (PTI); Stitched Rectangle dies (Lil Inkers);

Birthday in Blues

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I usually only stamp on the weekends, but last night I was inspired to play along with the latest CAS(e) This Sketch #244! Here’s what I came up with:

Birthday in Blues | by karen @ carefree creations

I don’t have anything in the shape that is used in the sketch. When I was looking through my dies, I thought this Mat Stack was similar in the point at the top and the side cut off (OK, in the sketch it is just the one side, but still).

I did create a few different sentiment panels – with different grey inks for the frame because the inks all stamped a bit different on the Stone cardstock and dried differently too. I actually left my card overnight before I made a decision as to which grey looked best with the pattern paper.

Thanks for taking a peek!

Birthday Wishes
Stamps: Mat Stack 7 Basics (Papertrey Ink – PTI);
Ink: Enchanted Evening, Dark Indigo (PTI); Gravel Gray (My Favorite Things);
Paper: Three Piece Suit pattern, Soft Stone cardstock (PTI);
Other: Mat Stack 7 die (PTI);

New Year’s Toast

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

And here is my take:

New Year's Toast | by karen @ carefree creations

I had so many ideas for this sketch! I went through my stamp index and found lots of images that would work, but this idea stuck with me the most!

The glasses are die cut from vellum. I used some clear dimensional adhesive under the “liquid” to adhere the glasses to the card.

I sorta wish I had stamped the sparkler higher on the card a bit, but since it still turned out well, I’m good with it!

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 New Year
Stamps: Propose a Toast, Keep it Simple: New Years (Papertrey Ink – PTI); It’s a Celebration (Stampin’Up);
Ink: Brillance Graphite, Delicata Golden Glitz, Versamark (Tsukineko); Espresso Truffle (Momento);
Paper: White (PTI); Vellum (stash);
Other: Double-Ended Banner die (PTI); Filigree Gold embossing powder (Stewart);

Hope Your Day is Magical

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A couple years ago I was invited to the Splitcoast Dirty Dozen. Part of the requirements is that you don’t post your DD creations on your blog (at least until 6 months after your 6-month term). When that time came around I wasn’t feeling like I should post them (my own hang-ups about the quality). Now another year later some of the cards are still my favorites and I want to post them (though I’m sure they will all get posted).

Here is the first one:

Magical Day | by karen @ carefree creations

While I’m not overly in love with the coloring of the wizard, the background and sentiment still make me very happy!

Here are the notes I kept from when I first posted the card on Splitcoast:

This was my first attempt at no-line coloring. I made that task harder by choosing an image that was both outline and solid! I have always loved the cards I’ve seen with this technique, but my coloring skills are fairly basic (for instance, if there is a light source for this wizard, I haven’t a clue where it is!). Still, the wizard turned out better than I could have hoped! It took 4 attempts to get a background I loved as much, but boy am I giddy with happiness over this card!

To do the sentiment, I used a paint brush and some masking fluid (I don’t have one of those nifty masking pens – yet). I printed out my sentiment, placed it and my watercolor paper on a light table, lightly traced the letters in pencil, then traced with the masking fluid. After applying the distress inks and allowing them to dry, I rubbed off the masking and erased the pencil.

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 challenere here.

Thanks for taking a peek!

Hope Your Day is Magical
Stamps: Fairytale (Starving Artistamps);
Ink: Dusty Concord and Faded Jeans Distress Inks (Ranger);
Paper: Watercolor paper (Ranger); White (GinaK);
Other: markers (Copic); Mister Giggles font (2Peas); masking fluid (Grumbacher); Shine color mist (Mister Huey’s);