Toadaly Cool

I am posting on the Art Impressions blog today!

A few months ago, I did a card using the little crab from the Frog & Crab Mini Set (Sku #4406)... and I had an idea for how I could use the little frog that comes in the set, which I have finally made come to life!

 I wanted to make a bunch of the little guys, and have it look like they were hopping onto a lily pad... so I hand cut an oval shape with a notch cut into it - and by putting some green paper on the inside of the card, the negative die cut became my lily pad (I know, some of my cards can be a bit of a stretch!!).  It's a little easier to see what I was going for when the card is shut:

 I love that when you open up the card, a couple of the frogs are peeking in, too.

 To make assembling my card even easier - I've used the Frog & Crab Mini Dies (Sku #4539) to cut out all of the little pieces.  Check out all of the Mini Front & Backs in the Art Impressions store - you can find them all here!  Happy stamping everyone!

Copics used: YG05, YG03, YG01, YG67, YG63, YG61, E51, E50

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Sally Swimmer

 There are so many wonderful summery images available in the Art Impressions store... and I'm determined to own all of them!  I'm sharing a card using Sally Swimmer Set (Sku #4323) today:

Don't you just love her facial expression?  She was quick to colour up, then I used a scallop die on the bottom of my patterned paper to make the 'negative' part of it look like waves (hopefully!!), then I added a few clear enamel dots that add a bit of a watery feel to everything.  I hope you're getting lots of crafty time while you're enjoying the summer weather!  Happy stamping!

Copics used: Skin tones - E13, E11, E00, E000, R20

Oranges - YR18, YR16, YR15, YR12, YR00

Yellows - Y38, Y35, Y32

Aquas - BG18, BG15, BG13, BG11

Blues - B28, B24, B23, B21

Greys - C7, C5, C3, C1

Lips - R37, R35

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40th Birthday card

I had this great Art Impressions stamp "Norm" already coloured up, so when I needed a 40th birthday card for a relative this weekend, I made him up into a fairly quick & easy card.  I searched through my collection of Ai sentiments, and found a couple that were perfect for the occasion:

The inside says "Old Guys Rule" - yep, perfect for a 40th :o)

Patterned papers are Spicy Social Soup by Jillibean Soup; Cardstock is White Daisy & Pacifica, CTMH; Ink is Tuxedo Black, Memento; Enamel dots are Your Next Embellie in Olive, Pumpkin & Apricot; Copic Markers.

Not Christmas in July?

The current challenge on the Art Impressions blog is Create With Christmas - and we want you to use your Christmas stamps to make a NON-Christmas card!  Hmm... you may have to give this one a little thought.  Or maybe an idea popped right into your head?  I knew fairly quickly that I wanted to use the WC Series 4 sets - (Sku# 4097 & 4098) I've had them for a while, and intended to use them for Christmas cards - but knew that they would work for this challenge.  Here's what I've come up with:

 I know, you're thinking, "Karen, those don't exactly look like Christmas images."  But that basket is actually full of ornaments, that I made into apples, and the bird is intended to be decorating a Christmas tree.  I've used Tombow markers to colour directly onto my stamps - which is why I could selectively colour the ornaments, leaving off the 'hooks' to turn them into apples.  I added some grass & foliage and went over everything with a wet paintbrush to soften the edges and pull out the colours.  I used some distress ink to paint in the sky.

The picture made me think picnic - so I grabbed a square of gingham-like paper to sneak in behind it.  Here are pictures of the stamp sets that I've created my scene from, I did a couple using the birdhouse as well, which I'll make up and post over the summer.  

 Head on over to the Ai blog to see what the other designers have to share today - and see how creative you can be with your own challenge entry!

I am pleasant...

 I am a huge fan of coffee themed cards, so I knew that I just had to make up a couple of cards featuring Art Impression's Maude (Sku #I1238):

I made a few slight variations between the two, added some bright pink zigzag stitching, a coffee cup diecut, and the sentiment: I m pleasant (Sku #2629)

 I drew in a little steam over my coffee mugs with a grey copic marker.

There are all kinds of coffee themed stamps in the Ai store - check them out!

Happy stamping everyone :o)

Copics used: Skin tones - E13, E11, E00, E000, R20

Purples - BV08, BV04, BV02, BV01, BV000, BV0000

Oranges - YR18, YR16, YR12

Pinks - R89, R85, R83, R81

Greens - G46, G43, G41

Yellows - Y17, Y11

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Antiques Window

I am posting on the One Crazy Stamper blog today!  I've gone from doing a totally summery card yesterday, to an almost fall-like one today!  I've been itching to use the Antiques Window stamp from Art Impressions, and to me, it was crying out to be coloured up in fall tones:

I wanted to show off the patterned paper as much as possible, so I made a floating frame around the image and popped them both up with pop dots.

Found in the One Crazy Stamper store: Art Impressions Antiques Window (Sku #4587)
Xpress It Blending Cardstock: Memento Tuxedo Black Ink;  Copics: YR18, YR16, YR15, YR12, YR00, YG97, YG95, YG93, YG91, E57, E55, E53, E51, E50, W7, W5, W3, W1, B38, B34, B32.

One Crazy Stamper July Challenge

It's officially summer!  Even though it's been feeling pretty summery for weeks now, July just seems to be the official start to the season - and July 1st brings us a new challenge on the One Crazy Stamper blog!  I've gone totally summery with this one, using one of the Art Impressions Vintage Vixens images: Bathing Suit Set (Sku #4589)

 I've paired up the ladies with a 6x6" paper pad from Doodlebug Designs: Sunkissed , and of course, my favourite enamel dots!  The sentiment reads: My bathing suit told me to go to the gym but my sweatpants said, "Nah, you're good."  I think we can all relate!

Be sure to head on over to the OCS blog to see what the rest of the design team has to share with you this month, and we would love you to join our challenge!  Here's where you can find things in the One Crazy Stamper store:

Art Impressions Bathing Suit Set

Memento Tuxedo Black Ink

Xpress It Blending Cardstock

Bazzil Basics Textured Cardstock

Doodlebug Designs Sunkissed 6x6

Your Next Embellie Enamel Dots

Copics:  Skin tones - E13, E11, E00, E000; Reds - R37, R35, R32, R30; Blues - B02, B01, B00, B000, B0000; Greens - YG05, YG03, YG01; Yellows - Y17, Y15, Y13, Y11; Oranges - YR18, YR16, YR15, YR12; Greys - C5, C3, C1, C00; Hair - E18, E07, E02, E55, E53, E51, E50