Tag Archives: gender-neutral

Yuletide Blessings

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It is time for another CAS Colours & Sketches challenge. Check out the latest challenge: #93 – sketch.

CAS Colours & Sketches Challenge #93

And here is my take:

Yuletide Blessings - by karen @ carefree creations

If you can’t see it, then let me first say that I rotated the sketch 180° (or flipped it upside down).

I guess I have Christmas on the brain…when trying to decide what to use as the two arrow-things in the sketch I saw pine branches and couldn’t move away from that.

I really wanted a plaid pattern at the top, but I’m using what I have! The paper has “cranberry crisp” listed as a color. I have the stitched ribbon that came out with that color, but oh boy it does not match very well. Instead I dug into my red ribbon box and found some dark red twine. I thought the twine added to the rustic feel of the card (or um makes the card feel rustic….something like that anyway).

Make sure you check out the other design team members:
Jacqueline
Lizy
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).

Yuletide Blessings
Stamps: Festive Foliage, Compliments of the Season (Waltzing Mouse Stamps);
Ink/Cardstock: Rustic Cream (PTI); Thyme, Soft Suede, Old Olive (SU);
Other: Holiday Thyme [really old] DSP (SU); red thread (stash);

Good Thoughts

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It is time for another CAS Colours & Sketches challenge. Check out the latest challenge: #92 – colours.

CAS Colours & Sketches Challenge #92

And here is my take:

Good Thoughts - by karen @ carefree creations

I always see bees when yellow and black are together, but I really didn’t want that this time. So I thought, “OK, if black is just a sentiment color that leaves yellow – lots of it….what can I use.” And of course sunshine came to mind.

I got to use some new to me stamps and dies and it was fun to put this together!

I really had no idea that the sun image from Kinda Eclectic was so huge – but I love that it is!

Make sure you check out the other design team members:
Jacqueline
Lizy
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).

Sending Good Thoughts
All supplies StampinUp unless otherwise noted.
Stamps: Perfect Pennants, Kinda Eclectic;
Ink/Cardstock: White, Black, Hello Honey;
Other: Banner dies;

Sketchy Halloween

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I’m just a bit late for my DT post at CAS Colours & Sketches challenge. The good thing is that YOU still have a few days to play along! Check out the latest challenge: #91 – sketch.

CAS Colours & Sketches Challenge #91

And here is my take:

Sketchy Halloween by karen @ carefree creations

I had this idea in my head for a week before the challenge but I just couldn’t carve out the time until this weekend.

The card base is 3 3/4 wide and the black panel is 4 1/4 – so it will fit perfectly in an envelope.

Make sure you check out the other design team members:
Jacqueline
Lizy
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).

Happy Halloween
Stamps: Trick or Treat (PTI); Halloween Backcgrounds spider (SU);
Cardstock: Black (PTI); Sahara Sand, Vintage Violet (SU); Vellum (stash);
Other: white embossing powder (Hero Arts); Versamark (Tsukineko); Spider Web die (PTI); Halloween Night DSP (really old SU);

Autumn Birthday Leaves

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It is time for another CAS Colours & Sketches challenge. Check out the latest challenge: #90 – colours.

CCS_2014-09-04_#90

And here is my take:

Autumn Birthday Leaves - by karen @ carefree creations

Love these colors together! Honestly, I wasn’t sure at first, but I did my research and came up with an idea. Once I started stamping and putting it together, I really fell in love with the colors!

The colors are pretty intense. To keep the card cheery and fun, I used a light color base. Also, the leaves are kissed with patterns which gives texture but also removes some of the color so it isn’t as intense.

The sentiment is stamped directly on the card base; the frame is popped-up. I did mask the sentiment are off just in case the leaves wanted to peek through.

Make sure you check out the other design team members:
Jacqueline
Lizy
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).

Happy Birthday
Stamps: Leafy Greens, Kissables 1, Kissables 2, Happy Birthday (Paper Smooches):
Ink/Cardstock: Dark Chocolate, Rustic White (PTI); Lost Lagoon, Blackberry Bliss, Tangelo Twist (SU);
Other: Scallop Frames die (Paper Smooches);

Don’t Panic

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So today is my hubby’s birthday – and he turns 42. One of his favorite books is Hitchhiker’s Guide and he works in quotes from it as often as he can. Of course, that meant I wanted/needed to make a themed card for him this year. Check it out:

Don't Panic - by karen @ carefree creations

I was so happy how this turned out (despite how hard it was to cut those hands out, even as poorly done as they are)!

I tried my hand at the galaxy technique. I used Kristina W’s distress ink video as a guide. I didn’t have distress paint, so I used watercolor crayons and layered the colors. Not sure if I’ll do it this way again…may have to figure out another medium (or learn to be patient and let layers dry ;).

Oh, since the front says “don’t panic”, on the inside I wrote “it’s just another birthday”.

Thanks for taking a peek!

don’t panic
Stamps: Hot Concoctions – mug, Mini Monograms – numbers, Great Chemistry – mouse, Sunny Side Up – mouth (Paper Smooches);
Paper: watercolor paper; Soft Stone, Pure Poppy, White, Black (PTI); Crushed Curry, Green Galore (SU);
Other: watercolor crayons (SU); black watercolor paint (kid’s craft stash); white distress paint (Ranger); Alpha Whimsy dies (Paper Smooches);
Technique: layered watercolor galaxy

New Digs

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New Digs - by karen @ carefree creations

I started this card for my sister-in-law’s family, but it seems like a better fit for my niece, so I may hold on to it until she gets settled in. Of course that means I need another “new home” card.

For this card I used an old sketch from Dahlhouse – Wanna Sketch #5. I used the paper piecing technique on the lamp shade and chair.

I hand wrote “congrats” before the “new digs”. I know grammatically I need “on your” but it was a stylistic choice.

Thanks for taking a peek!

Congrats New Digs
Stamps: Vogue Abode (Paper Smooches);
Ink/Cardstock: Dark Chocolate, Cream (PTI); Pool Party, Crisp Canteloupe (SU);
Other: Lime Twist pattern paper (My Mind’s Eye); Flag Tag dies (Paper Smooches); Woodgrain embossing folder (SU); Stitched Squares die (Lil Inkers);
Technique: paper piecing;

Patriotic Hello

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It is time for another CAS Colours & Sketches challenge. Check out the latest challenge: #86 – colors.

CAS Colours & Sketches Challenge #86

And here is my take:

Patriotic Hello - by karen @ carefree creations

My nephew is at West Point for college. He has been there since the first week of July and isn’t allowed online or any outside interaction except mailed notes/cards. So this one is for him!

I was going to try to do some negative/positive die-cutting wizardry, but that didn’t work out so well, lol. Instead, I die cut the ‘hello’ from the circle, then I die cut ‘hello’ from both blue and cream. I layered the cream onto the blue and fit it into the circle. I did the layering because I wanted the tiny bit of shadow to help the letters outside of the circle stand out.

Make sure you check out the other design team members:
Jacqueline
Lizy
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).

Hello
Stamps: Star Prints, Let Freedom Ring, Super Stars (PTI);
Ink/Cardstock: Scarlet Jewel, Cream (PTI); Night of Navy (SU);
Other: circle die (Spellbinders); hello die (My Favorite Things);

Boo!

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Boo! - by karen @ carefree creations

I made this card for my mom to use in her August stamp camp. She wanted a Halloween card, and I had the photopolymer set Bite Me, so that worked out 🙂

The card base is orange. To make the top layer, I made a cut from the center-point on the edge to almost center-point of the card. Then I rolled the flaps back exposing the stamping on card base. The sentiment banner is a long strip which is rolled/folded and tucked behind the flaps.

FYI – I got a job! After 14 years I am heading back into an office. I’m looking forward to it, but at the same time, I’ve gotten quite spoiled by being at home and it will take some adjusting! Anyway, my point is I probably won’t be posting as much (though the past few weeks haven’t been much either – so maybe about the same, lol).

Thanks for taking a peek!

Boo!
All supplies StampinUp unless otherwise noted.
Stamps: Bite Me;
Ink/Cardstock: Pumpkin Pie, Smoky Slate, Perfect Plum, Basic Black;

My Sunshine

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It is time for another CAS Colours & Sketches challenge. Check out the latest challenge: #85 – double.

CCS_2014-07-31_#85

And here is my take:

My Sunshine - by karen @ carefree creations

I started a card for this challenge and it morphed into this because I loved the concept enough I had to figure out how to make it work.

It may not be too obvious at first glace, the Smoky Slate color is the “silver lining” to the clouds. I die-cut the clouds from both white and gray and adhered them together a just a slight off-set.

Make sure you check out the other design team members:
Jacqueline
Lizy
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).

My Sunshine
Stamps: Textile Rectangle (My Favorite Stamps); Hello Sunshine (PTI);
Ink/Cardstock: White (PTI); Crushed Curry, Lost Lagoon, Smoky Slate (SU);
Other: Cloud dies (MFT);

Mr & Mrs

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It is time for another CAS Colours & Sketches challenge. Check out the latest challenge: #82 – sketch.

CAS Colours & Sketches Challenge #82

And here is my take:

Mr & Mrs - by karen @ carefree creations

Oh boy! I thought this was going to be a challenging sketch, but I had a couple ideas within a few minutes of looking through my stamp index. I am quite happy with how this turned out – and I kept it clean & simple!

One way I kept it CAS was to keep the colors down. Since it was lots of white on white, I embossed the background so that flat-white layers would stand out. I also used lots of dimensional adhesive! For the banner/flags I only adhered the ends (under the &) with tape, leaving the fish-tail ends to be free to pop-up some.

I normally don’t like to mess around with the layout of sentiments because I don’t want it to be hard to read. But I think by keeping the two sentiments (Mr & Mrs and forever & always) in two different colors, I managed to separate them. I do wish I had swapped the colors so the “focus” of the sentiment would be “forever & always”…that way I could do this as an anniversary card or wedding card – to me, this card is really best for a wedding since the “mr & mrs” is what is boldest.

Yes, very happy with how this turned out!

Make sure you check out the other design team members:
Jacqueline
Lizy
Louise
Patricia

I hope you join us at CAS Colours & Sketches!

I’m also going to submit this for the PaperSmooches Anything Goes Challenge 🙂

PaperSmoochesSparksBadge

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).

Mr & Mrs
Stamps: We Connect (Paper Smooches);
Ink/Cardstock: White, Pure Poppy, Soft Stone (PTI); Black (Brilliance);
Other: Decorative Dots embossing (SU); Ampersands die (Paper Smooches); Heart Prints die (PTI);