Tag Archives: mailable

FYI – Brighten My World

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It is time for another For Your Inspiration challenge. Check out the latest challenge -> FYI44.

FYI44_2013-04-18

I love the striking contrast of the sunset colors sandwiched between the silhouetted land and grey clouds. And here is how I used that:

by Karen @ carefree creations - Brighten My World

The yellow panel is sponge-brayered with yellow and orange. I tried to brayer black triangles onto the panel, but it just didn’t look right and seemed too flat. To add depth, I made the triangles with paper and overlapped them – sorta like a curtain.

The lamp is heat embossed with silver and fussy-cut. I attached it with dimensionals – one under the bulb (tucked into the corner where the black triangles meet) and one at the tippy top attaching it to the card base.

Thanks for stopping by!

Make sure you check out the other design team members:
Debbie
Michelle
Mynnette
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!

Brighten My World
Stamps: Bright Ideas (Technique Tuesday);
Ink/Card Stock: Summer Sunrise, Black (PTI); Daffodil Delight, White (SU);
Other: silver embossing (Filigree); sponge brayer;

CASology Word

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Guest Designer Badge

I’m so happy – I was asked to be a guest designer for CAS-ology! And this week’s cue was so fun to work with!

Week 40 - WORD

I actually made a couple cards for the challenge. But first up is the one I chose to have on the challenge blog:

by Karen @ Carefree Creations - Word Up

There are so many directions you can go with the cue “word”, but my first thought was the phrase “word up” (there’s an old 80s song). Of course that phrase also makes me think of Word Girl (I have two girls that love PBS Kids), but I wasn’t sure what kind of card I could create that would incorporate our favorite Lexicon superhero.

Using the original phrase, I wanted an urban feel to the card. I created a conversation and added a bit of brick texture to anchor the die cuts.

The brick background is a full-size image. To get just a partial inking, I broke out my sponges – that way it has a nice fade to the edges.

by Karen @ Carefree Creations - Word, Bird

Another thought that came to mind for the cue “word” was the phrase “what’s the word, bird”. I actually have a sentiment stamp that says that, so I had to use it! I paired it with a cute little bird and added color with pattern paper.

Since the pattern paper was so bold and colorful, I left my stamping black and white – enabling it to pull the focus.

I hope you play along too!

Thanks for stopping by!

Word Up
Stamps: Say What (My Favorite Things); alphabet (Studio G); Brickwall (Cornish Heritage Farms);
Ink/Card Stock: Limeade Ice, White, Black (PTI); Going Grey (SU);
Other: Say What dies (MFT);
What’s the Word, Bird
Stamps: Bird Assortment (Inkadinkadoo); My Peeps (Paper Smooches);
Ink/Card Stock: White, Black (PTI);
Other: Sunshine & Sprinkles DSP, Pool Party SAB ribbon (SU);

Spring Fusion

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by Karen @ Carefree Creations - Spring Fusion

There is a new challenge! It is called Fusion and basically it is 3 challenges – either a sketch, an inspiration, or a combination of both.

I decided to do both! The layout is the sketch (think of the picket fence as the chevrons…the tops do sorta look like it!) and the colors and flowers are a nod to the inspiration photo.

To do the fence, I die cut it twice and trimmed the second one down to just 2 pickets. I also embossed all those pieces with a woodgrain texture.

Thanks for taking a peek!

Enjoy Your Day
All supplies Papertrey Ink unless otherwise noted.
Stamps: Mini Blooms;
Ink/Card Stock: Kraft, Black, White, Orange Zest, New Leaf; Daffodil Delight (SU);
Other: Hibisucs Patterns paper, Mini Blooms die, Happy Trails die, Picket Fence die, Woodgrain impression plate; grass die (MFT);

Heart Racing

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by Karen @ Carefree Creations - Heart Racing

I created this card for the CASology cue Up. My first reaction was to use balloons – but lots of folks were doing that so I decided to try something different. While thinking about what goes up – I came up with pulse rate!

I don’t have a cool pulse-rate-line-thingy image, so I created this (and the sentiment) on the computer! The race car is stamped, cut-out, and popped-up.

Thanks for taking a peek!

Heart Racing
Stamps: Free Spirit Boy (Waltzing Mouse Stamps – wms); Sentiment & pulse line are computer generated;
Ink/Card Stock: White, Pure Poppy (PTI);
Other: Red & Black markers (SU);

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;

FYI – Paint Stroke Sky

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It is time for another For Your Inspiration challenge. Check out the latest challenge -> FYI43.

For Your Inspiration - Challenge #43

I was really drawn to the colors of the sunset.

by Karen @ Carefree Creations - Paint Stroke Sky

After choosing my colors, I went back to the inspiration photo to help me figure out what stamp set to use. I loved how the clouds looked like paint strokes.

I used 3 different stroke images. The top one is inked with Wisteria and edged with Velvet. The middle stroke has Lavender and Melon Berry. The final stroke (really just a dot) is just Melon Berry. I stamped the sentiment with Velvet.

I finished the card off with a little rhinestone dotting the “i” in “big”.

Thanks for stopping by!

Make sure you check out the other design team members:
Debbie
Michelle
Mynnette
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!

Wish Big
All supplies Papertrey Ink unless otherwise noted.
Stamps: Wonderful Watercolor, Stylish Sentiments: Birthday;
Ink/Card Stock: White, Royal Velvet, Winter Wisteria, Lavender Moon, Melon Berry;
Other: Rhinestone (Kaiser);

Owl Be Thinking of You

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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;

Salted Watercolor

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So last week I created a watercolor + embossing card and ended up with a lot of ink left over on my craft sheet. I sopped up the ink with some watercolor paper and salted it (tutorial). This is how they turned out:

by Karen @ Carefree Creations - Salted Watercolor Backgrounds

The brown spots are where the salt pushed the ink away and, I guess, also reacted with the ink. I love the resulting veining! These papers remind me of landsat photos of the earth.

I loved the results so much that I wanted to make sure the papers were not covered much. Both cards are the exact same, so I’m just showcasing one.

by Karen @ Carefree Creations - Salted Watercolor Birthday

Design Point: My original plan was to use hemp twine/jute (more masculine in my opinion – and it did match those little salt dots in the background) but it really did not look right and as soon as I switched it out for white – the card popped.

Thanks for taking a peek!

Happy Birthday
All supplies Papertrey Ink unless otherwise noted.
Stamps: Ad Sense (“happy”);
Ink/Card Stock: White, Lemon Tart, True Black, Enchanted Evening, New Leaf;
Other: Tiny Tag die, Wonderful Words: Birthday day; twine (SU);

Captain Dad

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by Karen @ Carefree Creations - Captain Dad

I created this card for the CASE this Sketch #21 challenge.

Not sure if this will go to my hubby or his dad. At least I have time to figure it out 🙂

Thanks for taking a peek!

Father’s Day
All supplies StampinUp unless otherwise noted.
Stamps: The Open Sea, Best Dad Ever;
Ink/Card Stock: Crumb Cake, Soft Suede, Very Vanilla, Pool Party, Island Indigo;
Other: Circle dies (Spellbinders);

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);