Tag Archives: mailable

FYI – Paint the Town

Posted on by

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;

Razzle Roses

Posted on by

It is time for another CAS Colours & Sketches challenge. Check out the latest challenge -> #15 – colors.

CAS#15

And here is my take:

by Karen @ Carefree Creations - Razzled Roses

I went easy-peasy for my card. If you give me pink and green – my instinct is to stamp flowers! My flowers are Pink & Razzleberry; my leaves are Pear – the bottom layer stamped off and the top layer full-strength.

I used the oval Designer Frame embossing folder to help anchor the flowers and sentiment on my panel. I used dimensionals to adhere the panel to my card base – which is textured card stock.

I really wish I had an embossing folder that would give plain card stock the textured look – sometimes that subtle texture is the perfect final touch. If anyone knows of such a product – please let me know!!

Useless fact: my Stamp-a-ma-jig is Razzleberry colored 🙂

Thanks for stopping by!

Make sure you check out the other design team members:
Jacqueline
Kylie
Louise
Paula
Sandie

I hope you join us at CAS Colours & Sketches!

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: Stippled Blossoms, Sweet Essentials;
Ink/Card Stock: Rich Razzleberry, Pretty in Pink, Pear Pizzazz, Very Vanilla;
Other: Designer Frames embossing folder;

Hello Sunshine

Posted on by

It is time for another CAS Colours & Sketches challenge. Check out the latest challenge -> #14 – sketch.

CAS Colours & Sketches #14

And here is my take:

by Karen @ Carefree Creations - Hello Sunshine

I think this card was inspired as much by the sketch as by the fact I got a new light bulb (I made the card last week). I’ve never considered myself affected by light, but I did NOT feel like crafting with that dismal yellow bulb!

Anywho! To keep my card clean and simple I knew the “circles” would need to be stamped. In scanning my stamp index I saw the sun rays stamp set and knew that would be perfect.

I had a few ideas for sentiments, but none worked in the space. I decided to use this large die – a bonus that the companion stamp set had the word “sunshine” in it! I chose to use the negative cut because I really love the shadow effect (you can’t have sunshine without shadows).

Thanks for stopping by!

Make sure you check out the other design team members:
Jacqueline
Kylie
Louise
Paula
Sandie

I hope you join us at CAS Colours & Sketches!

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).

Hello Sunshine
All supplies Papertrey Ink unless otherwise noted.
Stamps: Hello Sunshine, Wonderful Words: Hello;
Ink/Card Stock: White, Harvest Gold, Summer Sunrise;
Other: Wonderful Words: Hello die;

Hugs & Kisses

Posted on by

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);

Smiles & Silver Flowers

Posted on by

by Karen @ Carefree Creations - Smiles & Silver Flowers

I created this card for the CASual Fridays challenge – #91 Hi Ho Silver. It is probably hard to tell in the photo, but the stems and large flowers are stamped with silver ink.

I got additional inspiration from this pin – a pattern wallpaper with yellows and greys. I added blue because I didn’t want the silver to get lost as grey on my card, and besides, I love Baja!

I wanted a sentiment that wouldn’t get lost in my pattern paper, but I also didn’t want to cover up all that hard work, so I kept the card pretty sparse. I think the shine from the silver ink is just enough that no embellishment is necessary.

I did toy around with doing more than just one word of the sentiment with the yellow, but it got too busy. I do like how the one pop of yellow brings in the background but also focuses you to the sentiment.

Thanks for taking a peek!

Smiles to Last the Year
Stamps: Spiral Bouquet, Stylish Sentiments-Birthday (PTI);
Ink/Card Stock: Baja Breeze, Summer Starfruit (SU); White (PTI); Silver (VersaColor);
Other: Limitless Layers-Oval lg die (PTI);

Multiply Happiness

Posted on by

Yes, another card…I was busy last night having fun playing challenges I’d missed the past week! And that is how I plan to spend today! I’ll start my taxes tomorrow, yeah, tomorrow.

by Karen @ Carefree Creations - Multiply Happiness

I created this card for the CASology cue Flame.

I, like many others, chose to work with candles. For me it actually started with the sentiment “…as each candle is added to your cake”. That just called for a card with lots of candles. And since I was going to add lots of candles – they needed to be a rainbow!

A few weeks ago I took an Online Cards class and the first lesson was about craftmanship. I tried hard on this card, but the fates were against me! Thankfully I think I salvaged it.

First I used my pencil to mark where each of the 7 candles would go (a rainbow being 7 colors). Then I proceeded to stamp only 6 colors, sigh. So I trimmed the card down… it is an odd 4 3/4 x 4 1/4 – not quite square, not quite rectangle.

I had drawn a top line where I wanted the candle tops to be. I managed not to hit my top mark, but as it turns out, I think this is better…any closer to the top and it would have felt claustrophobic.

In erasing my pencil marks, apparently I didn’t wait quite long enough and smudged some ink. Thankfully I stopped quickly and the damage was minimal – and easily removed by scrapping off, very lightly, with an Xacto knife (a lesson I learned in the class!!).

Finally I managed to stamp my sentiment just off center enough to bug the heck out of me (but it was late and done was done, lol).

I still adore this card, despite the problems (which now that I’ve shared them with you, you’ll notice too 😉 ).

Oh and here are some tidbits you might actually want to know:

  • The flames were inked with Summer Sunrise, then the bottoms touched with Poppy – then to really blend them, I inked again with Summer Sunrise.
  • The curve around the sentiment is hand-cut, as is the mat.

Thanks for taking a peek!

Multiply Happiness
Stamps: Hullabaloo (Paper Smooches); Stylish Sentiments-Birthday (Papertrey Ink);
Ink/Card Stock: White, Black, Pure Poppy, Orange Zest, Harvest Gold, New Leaf, Blueberry Sky (I *always* want to call this Blueberry Pie, I think PTI missed out on this!!), Winter Wisteria, Summer Sunrise (Papertrey Ink);

Shamrock Shower

Posted on by

March will be here before you know it (who decided February should be so short??). That means I need to get working on my cards for the InkUp stamp camp. This one is easy, but fun!

by Karen @ Carefree Creations - Shamrock Shower

I chose to use this little image because sometimes the little images are the hardest to use. I thought this was a good technique to share.

Another bad photo, sorry! BUT – good news: I finally got a replacement light bulb which means now I actually feel like crafting! (My kiddo wanted to know why I didn’t craft and take photos later – that yellow light was just too depressing…maybe if it wasn’t winter too, lol.) Oh, and another thought – GE Reveal, despite saying it is bright white, is NOT! I had to go to Lowes to find a true white light.

Thanks for stopping by!

Happy St. Patrick’s Day
All supplies Stampin’Up unless otherwise noted.
Stamps: Every Little Bit, Teeny Tiny Wishes;
Ink/Card Stock: Gumball Green, Whisper White;
Other: Modern Label punch, Word Window punch;

FYI – Pink Leafy Layers

Posted on by

It is time for another For Your Inspiration challenge. Check out the latest challenge -> FYI40.

For Your Inspiration - Challenge #40

Isn’t this beautiful? All those pink leaves are breathtaking! I love the play of the dark wood against the pink as well.

by Karen @ Carefree Creations - Pink Leafy Layers

I started my card by selecting my stamp set – I’ve seen a lot of beautiful cards made with this set recently and I decided to finally get mine inky. My layout comes from a Dawn McVey card (first one).

I did the layers in all pinks – how could I not? I added touches of brown to finish it off.

The card base is Rustic White…the photo is bad because I still haven’t replaced my lightbulb that is out 🙁

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!

Happy Birthday
All supplies Papertrey Ink unless otherwise noted.
Stamps: Lovely Layers, Communique Curves: Sentiments;
Ink/Card Stock: Rustic White; Pretty in Pink, Rose Red, Early Espresso (SU);
Other: Lovely Layers dies;

Happy Valentine’s Day

Posted on by

by Karen @ Carefree Creations: Valentine's For Kids

I created these little notes to leave for my girls today (along with a little box of chocolate).

Just a quick note about the sentiment. Many companies don’t make “we” versions, so I often have to piece together my own thing. For this one, I started with an “i love you” sentiment from Paper Smooches. I inked up just the “love you” bit then using a coordinating marker I wrote “we”. Of course I started too far away (despite practicing!!). So to fix it, I just added a small heart.

Thanks for taking a peek!

We Love You
Stamps: Nine Lives, Woofers & Tweeters, Word Salad (Paper Smooches);
Ink/Card Stock: Hibiscus Burst, White (PTI); Black (Memento);
Other: markers (Copic);

Strawberry Sweetness

Posted on by

It is time for another CAS Colours & Sketches challenge. Check out the latest challenge -> #12 – sketch.

2013-02-14

And here is my take:

by Karen @ Carefree Creations: Strawberry Sweetness

I’ll admit it – this sketch stumped me at first. But I did it! All the pieces are there – they just aren’t on their own layer.

I started by trimming a white panel to 3 5/8″ x 5 1/2. I used temporary adhesive to attach it to my green card base (I used temporary at first so if I messed it up it would be easier to start over). Then I stamped the leaves.

The strawberries are all die cut – with the one on the right popped up. I think because they are red and draw your eye, they keep the bones of the sketch (representing the circles).

I’m really happy with the final card – it is so cheery!

Thanks for stopping by!

Make sure you check out the other design team members:
Jacqueline
Kylie
Louise
Sandie

I hope you join us at CAS Colours & Sketches!

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).

Sweet Birthday Wishes
All supplies Papertrey Ink unless otherwise noted.
Stamps: Strawberry Patch, Strawberry Patch Sentiments;
Ink/Card Stock: New Leaf, White, Pure Poppy, Black;
Other: Strawberry Patch dies;