Guest Designing at Poppystamps

There are so many fantastic companies out there with awesome products that I love to use.  One of my favorites is Poppystamps, and I've loved them for years.  They have so many fun die-cuts and stamps sets and a fun Challenge each month on the Poppystamps Blog.  So, when I was asked to be their August Guest Designer, I simply couldn't say no.  How exciting, right?

I made three new cards that I'd like to share with you.  The theme of this month's challenge is "Back To School" and you must use at least one Poppystamps product on your card in order to play along.  With that theme in mind, my "Back to School" influences for Card #1 were in my "old school" technique of stamping my own background, and in my use of primary colors (rainbow) to represent the colors in a box of basic school crayons.

My first card uses the largest frame in the Scalloped Stitched Frame Dies.  I painted the frame in rainbow colors using alcohol paints.  The center piece of white cardstock was background stamped using sentiments found in the Art Deco Inspiration Stamp Set using Lemonade Oxide Ink.  The water was also painted and was cut using the Whittle Wave Background Die.  The groovy fish was painted and cut using the Koi Whittle Die.  I painted one side in the traditional Koi colors and the opposite side in the rainbow.  This awesome die is on SALE for just $1.

I took a picture of it each way (one with the rainbow coy and one with the orange koi) to show it both ways.  The sentiment is also found in the Art Deco Inspiration Stamp Set.  Stamping your own background is an "old school" technique that you can use to play along in this fun Challenge.  Poppystamps has lots of great Stamp Sets to create backgrounds and lots of other awesome products.  I hope you'll check it out and come play along in their FUN challenge.

My second card is very CAS (Clean and Simple).  It uses the Scalloped Frame Stitched Dies that I rubbed with Hickory Smoke and Lemonade Oxide Inks, and then the Oval Sun Burst Die (also on SALE for just $1) as the focal point.  The lovely sentiment can be found in the Art Deco Inspiration Stamp Set.  I also used the fabulous Scalloped Stitched Frame Dies again on this card (and all three of my cards, in fact).  The "Old School" technique for this second card is CAS (Clean & Simple) technique on a one-layer card.

And finally, my third card uses the "Old School" technique of stamping my own background using the Art Deco Inspiration Stamp Set combined with the Scalloped Stitched Frame Dies and the beautiful Butterflies Die Cuts.  I used some silver Stickles in the centers of the butterflies.  Because the entire background was stamped, I didn't actually add a sentiment.  I also stamped the word Grateful in Hickory Smoke Ink as opposed to the Spun Sugar Ink I used on the rest of the background for this card to make that word stand out a bit more than the rest.  Stamping your own background is a fun and creative way to give your backgrounds a pop of color.  Pappystamps has lots of great stamp sets to help you do just this.

Have an awesome week, and thanks for stopping by today.  I'm always happy when you're able to visit me and say hello.  Don't forget about visiting Poppystamps and playing along in their fun Challenge.  You need to use at least one of their products to play along, and you could be a lucky winner of their monthly prize.  It's always more exciting when everyone plays along.  I hope to see you there.

I'm playing along here:

Triple B Challenge Blog - Butterflies, Birds and Blooms - I'm entering my butterfly card.

Blessings,

Karen

Hello w/Poppy Stamps Dies

There's a fun new challenge over at Poppy Stamps and this month they're asking us to use our Poppy Stamps dies.  I always enjoy using their amazing dies (stamps and other products) so this was a challenge that I definitely wanted to enter.  Here's what I created to share in their challenge.

I used green corrugated cardboard for the base.  I added a piece of white paper to lighten the background just a bit.  Next, I used several Poppy Stamps Dies on my card.  I used their FUN Double Scalloped Stitched Grames Dies to create the frame which I rubbed with different shades of green oxide inks.  I also rubbed the center piece with green oxide ink and then used a circle stencil and Hickory Smoke Oxide Ink to run on the circles.

The sentiment was cut using the Poppy Stamps Brushed Hello Die Cut.  The finishing touches were some bundled Ivory Burlap String topped with an Ivory Sweetheart Blossom.  Very simple, but it showcases some of the awesome dies from Poppy Stamps.

I'm sharing my card in these fun challenges:

Poppy Stamps Challenge #102 - Die Cuts Only - The Poppy Stamps die cuts I used are all listed and linked above.

Stencil Fun Challenge Blog - March: Anything Goes w/Optional Theme: CAS - My card is somewhat CAS, and it uses a polka dot stencil from Reverse Confetti.

Dar & Diane's Double D Challenge Blog - Every Is Coming Up Green

Colorful Options Challenge Blog - March: Green

Thanks again for stopping by today.

Blessings,

Karen

Gift Giving w/Poppy Stamps

I don't know about you; but I enjoy giving lots of little gifts at Christmas and all year round.  It's always a quick and easy idea to make treat bags, and these ones were made quite easily using some FUN products from Poppy Stamps.  And by the way....who doesn't love a sweet treat?

I used the Brilliant Rings Craft Dies to cut the circles from white watercolor paper that I rubbed with various colors of oxide inks to create a gift tag.  Next, I used the adorable Whittle Ice Cream Sandwich Dies to cut the ice cream sandwiches from corrugated kraft paper.

Finally, I used a small scrap of the oxide inked paper to cut the sentiment by using the Simple Thanks Die.  I put some small white coated chocolate candies in a small cellophane bag and attached the cute tag to each bag.  I made several of these sweet little bags....SO quick and easy.   Poppy Stamps has so many adorable stamps, dies and goodies.  I always enjoy visiting their inspiring Poppy Stamps Blog and playing along in their FUN challenges.  Have a blessed and creative week, everyone.

I'm playing along here in these FUN challenges that I love:

Poppy Stamps - December Challenge:  Gift It - As outlined and linked above, I used the Brilliant Rings Craft Dies, Simple Thanks Die and the Whittle Ice Cream Sandwich Dies

Dare 2B Artzy Challenge - December: CAS (Clean and Simple) - To be completely honest, I don't make much of anything that's truly "clean and simple" (LOL); but these little treat bags are pretty CAS for me.  I hope they qualify.

Simon Says Stamp Monday Challenge - Holiday Cheer

Thanks again for stopping by today.  It's a great day to PRAISE THE LORD.

Blessings to you,

Karen

Pumpkin FUN at The Card Concept

Are you ready for a super FUN challenge?  Well, my friends and I over at The Card Concept are hoping that you'll stop by to share your art with us in the challenge starting today.  The gorgeous inspiration photo is just a starting point for your creativity.  You don't have to follow it literally....just let it inspire you and come play along with us.

Just look at this gorgeous inspiration photo.  My first idea was to use one of my scale stamps, but when I actually sat down to create my card, I ended up going a different route.  You can create anything you want; just let this photo speak to you and inspire you.  What catches your eye when you see this?

What really spoke to me in the inspiration were the colors.  When I saw those pumpkins made out of bandanas, I just couldn't resist making some black and white pumpkins of my own.  While we all know that pumpkins don't come in these patterns, it's still FUN and that's what art is all about.  I used basic black and basic white cardstocks for the base.

I used a Brick Wall Stencil from Funky Fossil Designs to create the inked background.  The ovals for my pumpkins were cut using the Scalloped Oval Frames Dies from Paper Sweeties.  I cut them from patterned papers.  The foliage was cut using the Orchard Leaves Dies from Poppy Stamps and the pumpkin stems (and some leaves) were cut from corrugated cardboard.

The sentiment (thanks so much) is from Sweet 'n Sassy Stamps.  A few little sequins and a rusty paperclip were the finishing touches.  Really nothing fancy, but some super fun pumpkins for sure.  I do hope that you'll stop by The Card Concept to share your art with us.  We really enjoy having you play along.  Have a blessed and creative week, friends.

I'm playing along here:
Simon Says Stamp Wednesday Challenge Blog - Simon Says "Thanksgiving/Thankful"

Dar & Diane's Double D Challenge Blog - Thankful, Blessings, Grateful Challenge

Stencil FUN Challenge Blog - November: Anything Goes/Optional Twist: Autumn Colors - I used a stencil from Funky Fossil Designs

Crafts Galore Encore Challenge Blog - Anything Goes

Blessings,

Karen

May Flowers at The Card Concept

Hello, sweet friends!  Welcome by today as I share my inspiration for the beautiful new challenge over at The Card Concept where we're celebrating May Flowers with this gorgeous inspiration photo.  I hope you'll come by and share your creations with us.

Don't you just LOVE those beautiful flowers?  I used the theme MAY FLOWERS - you know, as in "April Showers bring May Flowers"?  I veered away from the color scheme a bit (sorry).  The color pink was in the forefront of my mind as I sat down to create my card.

I used black and pink cardstock and a Scalloped Stitched Frame Die set from Poppy Stamps.  I cut the center piece from white watercolor paper and painted my background with Weathered Wood and Spun Sugar Oxide Inks.  The stamped sentiment is from Reverse Confetti.

Thanks for visiting me, and don't forget to pop over to The Card Concept to share your May Flowers with us.  We can't wait to see your wonderful creations.

I'm playing along here:

Allsorts Challenge Blog - Challenge: Stamp and/or Dies and Why? - I would say both because you can (almost) always incorporate a die-cut for creating the card base, and you always (almost always) need a good stamped sentiment on your card.  Hey...they're both great (and necessary) so either way - together or separately, they're both awesome.

Reverse Confetti - Stock Your Stash: May Challenge - Birthday - This is a birthday card.  I actually like to make (similar to what you'd buy in the store) where the sentiment is on the outside (front) of the card.  This BIG FUN sentiment is from an adorable Reverse Confetti stamp set.  And I like to stamp the Happy Birthday on the inside.  And I used a Reverse Confetti stamp set (a different one) for that as well.

Tic Tac Toe Challenge Blog - Challenge #161 - My Tic Tac Toe is going up and down the first (left-hand) column which includes Layers, Bow and Floral.

Blessings,

Karen

Have a Sweet Day With Poppy Stamps

Hello, friends!  I made this yummy little card last night because I've really been wanting to play along in the challenges at Poppy Stamps for quite some time now.  Most of time, I have so many DT projects to create that I don't find the time to create just for fun.  Well, I did just that when I sat down to make this sweet card.

I used basic black cardstock for the base and I layered the papers by cutting the black frame using the Scalloped Stitched Frames Dies from Poppy Stamps.  The white papers are water-colored with Citron and Lemonade Oxide Inks, as are the ice cream scoops.  The ice cream cones are cut from cork.  The middle ice cream is water-colored with Ripe Raspberries Oxide Ink.  I also added a few pink prills to add the TEXTURE for this challenge.  These darling ice cream cones were cut using the Whitte Ice Cream Cone Die from Poppy Stamps.

I tied some Solid Pink Baker's Twine around my card to add even more texture.  The sentiment I used (Have a Sweet Day) is from Paper Sweeties.  This card is fairly simple, but it showcases the Poppy Stamps proeducts so nicely and shows are easy they are to use and to help me create such a FUN card.  It was so nice to have to create just for fun....just for me.  SO...I'm playing along in the following challenges:

Poppy Stamps Blog - Challenge #91 - Add Texture - I used some ADORABLE Poppy Stamps products on this card including the Scalloped Stitched Frame Die and the Whittle Ice Cream Cone Die.  My texture items include all the layers of paper, the 3-D tape that raises the pink ice cream, the pink floral prills I added to the green ice cream, and the baker's twine wrapped around my card.

Colorful Options Challenge - April/Yellow Inspiration Photo (below) - I used Lemonade Oxide Ink on this card, and mine needs to be replaced, so this challenge was a perfect fit for me.  Come, play along!

Pammie's Inky Pinkies Challenge Blog - Challenge #2217 - Anything Goes - Sponsored by CAS-ual Fridays Stamps - Come and play along in this FUN challenge.

Allsorts Challenge Blog - Challenge Week #673 - I Spy Something with The Letter B and I chose Baker's Twine that I wrapped around my card and tied into a Bow.

Have a blessed day,

Karen