Saturday, March 31, 2012

Last Day to Sale-a-Brate!!

Hi All,
Wanted to add another post just to remind people that today is the last day to take advantage of Sale-a-bration!! You can order through this evening if you still wanted to receive some free "goodies"!! 
Today is the LAST DAY to take advantage of the Sale A Bration sale going on! You can earn FREE products for every $50 you spend! Click HERE to see all the FREE PRODUCTS you can earn!
You can also sign up for a reduced price of $125 AND receive a pack of designer paper each month of 2012 that you place a demonstrator order!
Feel free to contact me with any questions on products, signing up ordering or stamping in general!
Have a great day!
Karin

I made the showcase!!

Morning All,
I am SO excited! I was chosen by the operators at Stamping 411 blogspot for my entry for the Saturday Sketch Challenge 248!!  I am so honored as the entries were stunning!

Stampers Showcase #248

 

Thank you all SO much!!
Karin

Friday, March 30, 2012

Spring Stamp Club!

Hi All,
Well, I am a bit tired after my first day back. Out today from the rehab, as I don't think I am quite ready to transfer patients while I am still on crutches for long distances! So, after a few appointments and prepping dinner in the crock pot, I decided to make my third card for my April stamp club. I have been visiting the Stamping Royalty Blog and really enjoying the challenges as well as the beautiful entries, so I thought I would try my hand at it this week. Their theme for the week is:

Stampin' Royalty Challenge #117

This Weeks Theme is
SPRING THINGS!!!
This worked perfectly as I wanted to spotlight the Beyond the Garden DP. Its very cheerful and definitely "Springy"! Here is what I came up with:
I added one of the great sayings from the Pursuit of Happiness and am pleased with the results. Hope my club likes it! Thanks for stopping by!
Karin 

Thursday, March 29, 2012

Think Spring and recovery!!

Hi All,
Finally feeling somewhat "normal" again and am off to work, although on crutches, but still moving forward!! Another friend offered to try a workshop in a box and wanted to focus on the stamp set "Herb Expressions". Love that set and yet I have not played nearly enough with it so I was very excited for the opportunity!! I had also been perusing some new challenges (to me) and came across SU only challenges and loved this weeks theme

SUO Challenge #41 – Think Spring (or Autumn?)

The Autumn is for the Aussie visitors!
So anyway here is what I came up with:
I loved the combination of Baja Breeze and Chocolate Chip with the added softness of the Victorian lace that lets the Baja Breeze Seam binding "peek" through. I am looking forward to starting my garden and will be adding some of these beautiful herbs so thought this worked perfectly for the SU only challenge! Thanks so much for stopping by!
Karin

Wednesday, March 28, 2012

Try Stamping in general!

Wow what a heck of a few days! I did well from my surgery until Sunday then proceeded to have a very rare reaction to the meds. Oh boy what fun that was!! Finally got some meds to balance off the problems and was able to make a card last night to get my mind off things and prepare for my follow up. I had gone on over to Try Stamping on Tuesday and this is this weeks sketch:

I loved the elements and knew just how I wanted to interpret them. Here is what I came up with:
I have seen this cute bunny a bunch of different places and knew I wanted to make at least one for my Easter cards. I also loved the top grouping of circles and loved using them for my sentiment. Plus it kind of described how I have been getting around lately! The paper is retired DP Tea Party. Truly perfect for Easter! Well thanks for stopping by.
Karin


Sunday, March 25, 2012

Saturday Sketch Challenge

Hi All,
Here is another card I was able to complete yesterday. I still need a few more Easter cards and so I checked out the sketch at Stamping 411 Blogspot. I thought it would work perfectly for one of my Easter cards:
Here is what I came up with:

I took a few liberties with the size of the main panel and ribbon, but I really liked how it came out. I used some Tea Party DP that I have hoarded for a while. I had also ran the Pretty in Pink cardstock through the Big Shot with my Lattice folder to give it some texture. Hope you like it!
Thanks for stopping by!
Karin


Saturday, March 24, 2012

SQSC31

Hi All!
Well survived the first surgery ok, just very tired. Decided to see if I could make it downstairs to do some crafting. Made it down, albeit very slowly! I had checked out this cool sketch at the Stampin Queens Blog:
SQSC27-001


I used this sketch to make my second card for my April stamping club. Here is what I came up with:
I loved how the "Packed for Mom" stamp set "pops" against the Beyond the Garden DP! I hope my club will like it!
Thanks for stopping by!
Karin

Monday, March 19, 2012

Saturday Sketch Challenge


 
Hi All,
Gave myself a good amount of time to craft this weekend, as I was trying to get a few Easter cards done and make plans for an upcoming stamp club. I wanted to complete at least one of the cards that I will present to the ladies and was fresh out of ideas, I knew the DP I wanted to use and had an idea for a technique to showcase, just needed a layout. I happened on over to the Saturday Sketch Challenge at Stamping411 Blogspot and this was their great sketch:

And here is what I came up with:
I took a little bit of liberty on the center panel and really liked how it came out. Here is what I used:
Paper: Rich Razzleberry, Very Vanilla, Early Espresso and First Edition DP (great stuff!)
Ink: Early Espresso
Stamp Set: Elements of Style
Punches: Small Oval, 1" circle and Modern Label
Other: Victorian Lace, Large sticky back pearls, brights brads, Big Shot and Vintage Wallpaper embossing folder, water color pencils and blender pens
Thanks for stopping by!
Karin


Sunday, March 18, 2012

PPA131 and a new venture!


Hi All,
I am very excited to share this card with you. I had gone over to my neighbors yesterday (she ran out of coffee pods for her Keurig gasp!) and as we were talking I ran this idea by her about doing a "Workshop in Basket". You see I am scheduled for my "first" surgery on the 23rd for my knee and may, potentially be having a few more, which will limit my ability to do some of my more "physical" hobbies (i.e. horseback riding, going to the gym...a lot!) so I want to really focus on my crafting. The catch is I'm not sure how well I will be getting around, so instead of teaching at workshops I could send a kit out with instructions on how to complete a card that I have included the parts for. So long story short my WONDERFU:L neighbor is going to bring a basket into work and we will see what happens. SO! Now I need a card that is elegant yet easy to put together. Hence I went on over to the Pals Paper Arts Blog and they had, as usual, a wonderful sketch:
PPA131
And their designers and challenge participants had wonderful cards to be inspired by. Here is what I came up with:
I REALLY like how it came out and am so appreciative of all the Bloggers who take the time to create and/or participate in challenges! Here is what I used:
Paper: Every Enchantment DP, Pool Party, Peach Parfait and Naturals White
Ink: Peach Parfait
Stamp Set: Kindness Matters
Punches: 1 1/4" Square
Other: Big Shot and Vintage Wall paper Embossing Folder
Thanks so much for stopping by! Enjoy your Sunday!
Karin

Saturday, March 17, 2012

Freshly Made Bunny!

Morning All,
Well the camera issues continue, but I am still borrowing the significant others camera when I can. Anyway I had checked out the great sketch this week at Freshly Made Sketches.:

As I am still working on my Easter cards I knew that would be my theme and had an interesting idea for the "any shape" circle. Here it is:
Here is what I used:
Paper: Whisper White, So Saffron, Pretty in Pink, Certainly Celery and Tea Party (retired)
Ink: Basic Black and Certainly Celery
Punches: Small Scallop Circle, Small Oval and Word Window
Other: Big Shot and Polka Dot Embossing Folder and Certainly Celery Satin Ribbon

Thanks for stopping by! Happy St. Partrick's Day!
Karin

Wednesday, March 14, 2012

Try stamping on Tuesday and try taking a picture!!

Morning All,
Quick post before I head out. I had made this card very late last night after I saw this cool sketch on Try Stamping on Tuesday Blogspot:

Here is what I came up with:
I took the liberty of rotating the sketch for the look I wanted. I used Pool Party and Whisper White cardstock and some of my Tea Party DP that I had "squirreled" away. I had a few of these cute butterfly stickers and thought it worked well for the card. I ran the base through the Big Shot in the Petals a Plenty folder as I thought it worked nicely with flowers from Sweet Stems (sadly retired). After all this I spent over an hour trying to get a picture and my phone is now malfunctioning so I am "borrowing" my sig other's camera. I think he is worried my bad luck will stretch to his camera now!! Not so sure I can blame him!! Have a great day!
Karin


Sunday, March 11, 2012

Stampin Queen's Challenge

Hi All,
Wow love having Daylight Savings back but hate losing an hour of my weekend! Anyway I realized that I need to get cracking on my Easter cards so thought I would check out the Stampin Queen's Blog and this is their sketch challenge:
SQSC27-003

And here is what I came up with:
I loved the idea of using some of my scraps from the Tea Party DP that Stampin Up used to carry! They worked perfectly for the eggs! Here is the rest of the recipe:
Paper: Tea Party DP (retired), So Saffron, and Naturals Ivory
Ink: So Saffron
Stamps: Well Scripted (sadly retired)
Punches: Decorative Label and the Small Oval
Other: Big Shot and Lattice Embossing Folder and Pretty in Pink Taffeta Ribbon.

Thanks for stopping by!
Karin


Friday, March 9, 2012

Demonstration Card

Hi All,
Finally had a chance to finish this card. I needed a demonstration card for an upcoming workshop and was fresh out of inspiration for how to layout the card. So I went on over to Freshly Made Sketches and this was their great sketch:

I loved the look! Here is what I came up with:
Sorry the photos are still less then stellar. The camera "issue" is on the "list". Anyway I used the Simply Soft hostess set and Loving Thoughts for the sentiment. I really love the soft colors of the Everyday Enchantment DP and it worked great with the technique of layering the blues on the flower. Thanks for stopping by!
Karin


Tuesday, March 6, 2012

Another quick post!

Morning,
 Quick post of a card I made that met two challenges guidelines. Even though I am lucky enough to have a room that I can leave my craft supplies out I don't have as much time as I would like to stamp. Probably the same issue for many avid stampers! Anyway I went on over to Try Stamping on Tuesday and this was there sketch:

Then I went on over to The Paper Players and their challenge was:

                        
They wanted a project with a Spring time theme. Here is what I came up with after mashing up the two challenges:

Sorry about the quality of the picture. I am not having as much luck with my camera phone. I used a lot of my favorite retired products that I had squirrel away. Anyway must run to work email for further details.
thanks!
Karin



Sunday, March 4, 2012

Stamp a stack

Morning All,
Another very quick post before heading off for my crazy day. I wanted to share the third card that I came up with for my next stamp a stack. I had a request for heat embossing so I did an emboss resist. I apologize that the photo isn't as crisp as I would like. I still need a new camera. Anyway here it is:
I used the Sunflower with Chocolate Chip Craft ink and heat embossed with clear powder. I then sponged the center with Close to Cocoa (retired) and More Mustard and Daffodil Delight. Hope your having a great weekend!
Karin

Thursday, March 1, 2012

Two for one!!

Evening All,
Had a chance to try out a new challenge (to me that is) AND liked the clean design so much that I decided to make this card my second card in my upcoming stamp a stack. I had found the clean and simple blog challenge this past weekend and noted the recent sketch challenge:

Here was my take on it:
Here is what I used:
Paper :Whisper White and Basic Black
Ink: Staz on Black and Daffodil Delight
Stamp sets: Loving Thoughts and Just Believe
I used a simple masking technique to make the sun. Thanks for stopping by!
Karin