Happy Black Friday

Happy Black Friday, Friends with Flair!

I hope y'all had a super happy Thanksgiving.  Soooooooooooo what I wanna know is, are you out shopping?  Or does the thought of fighting the crowds on Black Friday unnerve you as much as it does me?

As for me, I spent my Thanksgiving with my mother- and father-in-law in Oregon.  Nice time with family we don't get to see much!

For my post this week, I'm posting the card that I made with 18 of my co-workers/staff this week.  We call it crafter-lunch.  Basically, I design a card and then bring all the supplies for everyone to make it.  We learn a new technique each month.  Since most of them are fairly new to paper-crafting, it's easy to come up with new techniques for them.  This month, we learned paper piecing with this adorable little "Simple Snowman Joy" from Unity Stamp of the Week.

I love crafter lunch!  It's just a great time to all get together and have fun.  Everyone else seems to love it too!

Craftily yours,

Karen

Pug Antlers

There She Goes has a new challenge to make a SET of Christmas Cards.  I used two 12x12 pieces of Echo Park Seasons Greetings (using both sides of one of them), some 3 Girl Jam crinkly ribbon, and TSG Pugalicious to create this set!

I loved coloring this adorable pug with antlers!  Sooooooooo funny!  I wanted very much to use the little paw-prints in this set of stamps, so I also decorated up the inside:

CUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUTE lil paw-prints!

Craftily yours,

Karen

Bringing Home the Tree

It's Tuesday and mid-inspiration challenge time at Clear It Out Challenges!  It's an "Anything Goes" kind of theme, but we ask that you put a snowflake on it.  Easy!

This week, I created a card with using an adorable snowman bringing home his fresh-cut tree from QKR. 

I hope you will join us in this ANYTHING Goes Challenge (with a snowflake)!!

Craftily yours,

Karen

Unity Friends Blog Hop

Earlier this week, I got a Facebook message from Angela at Unity Stamp Company asking if I wanted to participate in a Unity Friends Blog Hop she was hosting.  After I picked myself up on the floor and did a major "SQUEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEAL!!!!" I said, YES!  OMG, how ExCiTiNg and FuN is this!!

This hop is in celebration of some new releases featured here - and their fabulous Brown Thursday sale!  The name is a bit misleading though cuz it's a Thursday, all weekend and Monday fantastic sale!  Be sure to stop by to check it out for some GREEEEEEEAAAT deals! 

My first project is a card featuring Candy Hearts along with a sentiment from Hello Little One.  The paper used is Carta Bella Devoted.

Next, I created a card that I hope I never have to send.....but unfortunately, it is part of life.  I used SORRY love and prayers and some paper from Fancy Pants Country Boutique.  I also used Tim Holtz Distress Paints and some UmWow Studios confetti hearts.

Thirdly (is that a word?), I used Everything More, to make a thank you card with some Bo Bunny papers.  The flower is a Stamp of the Week, Each Moment is Success, with distress glitter.

And FINALLY, I made a canvas using a FABULOUS quote from Lasting Thoughts.  The heart hands are UmWow Studios chipboard, and I used their circle mask on the background.

I love the "promise not to let go" part the best.

You still with me?!?!?!  THIS part is super-iffic COOL!  LEAVE a comment on my BLOG Post and you have a CHANCE to WIN a GRAB BAG of 20 STAMPS from Unity! :)  Winners will be picked and ANNOUNCED on the Unity Blog and FACEBOOK PAGE on Tuesday Morning!

YAY!  And I've gotten to spend a little time getting know THESE amazing, crafty and inspirational women.  How COOL is tHaT? 

Now, HOP you GO onto your next stop, the INCREDIBLY creative Kary!

Here is the order!

Camille  http://cammierobinson.blogspot.com/

Kassi http://kassicreations.blogspot.com

(you are here) Karen http://karey2005.blogspot.com

(go here next) Kary http://karyg.blogspot.com/

Rachel http://www.rwkrafts.com/

Julie www.paperandsuch.blogspot.com

Kris www.klcardcollection.blogspot.com

And HEY, thanks so much for hopping with us, and thanks to Unity Stamp Company for hosting this fun lil hop!

Craftily yours,

Karen

Snowball Fight

There She Goes (TSG) Stamps has a Winter Fun challenge going on this week.  So in that theme, I thought, "What could be more fun than a snowball fight?"  I know!  Staying in and coloring an adorable image from TSG Holiday Cheer.  Even better - combine the two!  Using Authentique Winter Collection paper, here's what I came up with! 

The ribbon is from 3 Girl Jam.

Craftily yours,

Karen

Dress Form Friday

Happy Friday!  It's been a LOOOOOOONG week, but next week is an itty-bitty short week for me, so ALL is good with the world.  So ready for some down-time!

This week, I decided to break out a recent Unity Stamp Company SOTW, Mind and Beauty, and used the sentiment from another SOTW, Acorn Greetings, to create a "Giving Thanks" card for the current 3 Girl Jam Challenge.  I'm also submitting this card to the Paper Girls Give Thanks challenge!  The paper on this card is mostly from Bo Bunny, and the gold and light teal ribbons are 3 Girl Jam!  (The bright pink ribbon is seam binding ribbon from my stash...)

EEEK, I totally LOOOOOOVE this card.  So much so, I decided to create another similar card using
Santa Baby.  The papers are MME Merry Little Christmas.  The pink ribbon is the same seam binding ribbon from above and the blue is 3GJ.

Have a happy weekend, Friends with Flair!

Craftily yours,

Karen

Oh Christmas Tree

If you're here for the All That Stickles Black Diamond Blog Hop, go HERE!  Otherwise...........

It's time for a fabulous new challenge at Christmas Card Challenges!  Whoop, Whoop!  This week, our optional challenge is to create a Christmas Card with bling.  Easy, huh?

For my card this week, I used my BRAND NEW Tim Holtz Blueprint Christmas Tree stamp and Sizzix dies.  I colored it with my TH distress markers.  I really love these things!  The paper is from Basic Grey Nordic Holiday.....and the bling, wellllll, it's bling.  :)

Craftily yours,

Karen

All That Stickles - Black Diamond Deals Blog Hop

Welcome to the Black Diamond Deals Blog Hop brought to you by the All that Stickles design team!

The biggest shopping day of the year is just around the corner, and the ATS design team has put together some fun, sparkly shopping projects to help inspire those shopping lists! (And maybe the shine from all the glitter will help wake you up in the middle of the night to hit the stores!)

 If you've come from Angeline's blog, you're in the right place! If you've just come across the hop, please go to All that Stickles to see the WHOLE hop!

Photo frames are a great gift, so I made went to Michael's and bought a $1 frame and spiffied and stickled it up!  

I used Bo Bunny Back to Basics paper, some flowers from my stash and Timeless Twine to create the frame.  I decided to give it to one of my cousins who is going through some tough times.  I thought it would be nice to include an inspirational "picture" for her (with the idea she can add a photo of her own later).  This stamp from Unity Stamp Company was PERFECT.  I underlined "Big Hugs" in Black Diamond Stickles and used Firefly Stickles to glue the twine around the opening of the frame.  Here's a close-up:

We have blog candy for those who are a follower of All that Stickles and leave a comment on every stop of the hop! Winners will be announced Wednesday November 20th at All that Stickles.

Fresh Brewed Designs

$15 Gift Certificate

Bugaboo Stamps

7 Digital Stamps of Winner's Choice

The Stamping Chef

3 Digital Stamps of Winner's Choice

(If you email TSC letting them know you're hopping with us, you'll receive a free image!)

info@thestampingchef.oo.gd

SKdigis

2 Digital Stamps of Winner's Choice

Your next stop is Karen S's blog!

Here's the complete lineup:

All that Stickles

Tonya

Chas

Ann

Cathie

Sonia

Angeline

Karen N.

Karen S. 

La-Vie - Featured Fan

Thanks for hopping! :) Don't forget to check out our Let's Talk Turkey Linky Party!

Craftily yours,

Karen

Happy Friday!

Happy Friday, Friends with Flair!  It's been quite a few weeks since I've participated.....life is just too busy sometimes, huh? 

For this week's post, I felt the need to craft a card with something other than winter/Christmas images.  As much as I love them, I wanted something SUNNY!  I pulled out the Sunflower/Miss You Friend stamp of the week by Unity Stamp Company.....and some happy colors in Websters pages....and some sunny Timeless Twine on UmWow Studios layered chipboard.....and came up with this!

Craftily yours,

Karen

'Smore Snowmen

It's Tuesday mid-inspiration time at Clear It Out Challenges!  This week's theme is 'Smore and our challenge is to use something brown and white as your stash item!

This week, I created a card with 'smore snowmen using the Bobblehead Snowman from Bugaboo Digital Stamps.  The paper used is from Basic Grey Nordic Holiday, the sentiment is from Stampin' Up and the bow is from Timeless Twine!

Can you make something 'smore?  Join us!

Craftily yours,

Karen

Happy Veteran's Day

There She Goes Stamps has a new challenge up today.  They asked us to make something of thanks or about Thanksgiving.  Cuttin' and Stampin' (a new to me challenge) also asked us to create something to give thanks.

It happens to be Veteran's Day today, and I am feeling very grateful to all those who sacrifice to serve our country.  One of these fine heroes is my own son who bravely serves the United States Army and is currently deployed in South Korea.  I sure miss him.

Here's what I came up with!

The stamps are from the There She Goes Boot Camp collection.  The paper is mostly from my scraps, and the twine is from Timeless Twine!  This card is destined to become an "Any Hero" card through Operation Write Home.

Craftily yours,

Karen

Snowy Days

It's challenge day over at Christmas Card Challenges, and this week, our optional challenge is a sketch challenge!

Using Snowy Days from There She Goes Stamps, I created this.

I colored him with my TH Distress markers.  So much fun to play with!

Be sure to check out the blogs of the other extremely talented Christmas Card Challenges design team members:

Alanna

Anne C

Anne J

Heather

Jenn

Jovita

Margo

Monica

Sabrina

Craftily yours,


Karen (karey2005)

Mistletoe Kisses

Today was a sad day.  We had to put our dog, Mr. Peter P Peaches, down.  He was such a good boy and gave so much to us. Shout-out to you, Petey, and thank you for letting us be your family.

Soooooooooooo, what do I do when I want to drown my sorrows?  Yes, that's right - I cut paper, ribbons and twine.  I stamp; I color.  Using MME Merry Little Christmas, Websters Pages trim, Timeless Twine, and Unity Stamp Company Birdies, Hugs and Mistletoe Kisses, I created this happy hugs card.

I'm entering this into The Paper Girls Challenge to Cut It Out!  (I used a Spellbinders die to cut out the image!)

Craftily yours,

Karen

Talkin' Turkey

There's a new linky party at the All That Stickles blog!  Our theme is "Let's Talk Turkey."

For my project, I decided to make a Thanksgiving card.

The paper was a 99 cent deal at Unity Stamp Company.  The stamp is from there as well.  The background to the turkey is done with TH distress paints.  The bird wings are done in Distress Antique Linen Stickles.  The center of the flowers and the corner embellishments are Stickles in Taffeta Pink. 

Link up with us.  You could win one of these amazing prizes!
The Paper Parade - $25 GC
Get Inky! Stamps -  $25 GC


Craftily yours,


Karen

Silhouette Challenges CH#7 "Anything Holiday

It's time 

for another Challenge here at

A blog dedicated to the Silhouette Cutting Machines.
You MUST use a Silhouette somehow in your project.

Ch# 7 Anything Holiday
Begins: Friday, November 1
Ends: Saturday, November 30

Sponsors this month are:

My Scrap Chick
Prize: $10.00 GC


My Crafting Channel
Prize: $15.00 Amazon GC


Little Scraps of Heaven Designs
$15.00 GC

For my project this month, I went holiday tag crazy!  I cut a bunch of tags and ornaments, trees, penguins, doilies, and hearts AND a lot of fun!  Cutting "FUN"??  Yes, it is possible! 

Craftily yours,

Karen

Dots and Stripes

There She Goes Stamps has a new challenge this week to use polkadots and stripes in your creations. Using their Snowy Days stamp set and some Authentique Winter Collection paper (along with some Timeless Twine and UmWow Studios hexagon chip), this is what I came up with!

The dots are painted on with Tim Holtz Distress Paint in Picket Fence using one of his new stencils.

Craftily yours,

Karen

Makin' 'Smore

It's TUESDAY, so that means it's time for a NEW challenge at Clear It Out Challenges!  This week's theme is 'Smore and our challenge is to use something brown and white as your stash item!

We have three generous sponsors this week - Lacy Sunshine, Bugaboo Digital Stamps and Whimsy StampArt!  And here's my take on making 'smore cards (i.e. one from each sponsor!!)

And here's a close-up using the adorable Lacy Sunshine Santa!  This card used papers from LilyBee Designs Harvest market, some UmWow Studios chip (heart confetti) and Timeless Twine in Black/Kraft.

Card two features a super adorable Bobblehead Snowman from Bugaboo Digital Stamps.  The paper is from Authentique Seasons: Winter collection and also includes UmWow Studios chip (layered stars) and Timeless Twine.  I am submitting this card to the UmWow Studios / Authentique challenge!

 

The final card uses an adorable image from Whimsy StampArt.  The paper is from my scraps and the ribbons are from Webster's Pages and 3 Girl Jam.

 
Whew!  That's definitely 'smore cards!  How about you?  Can you make something 'smore?

Craftily yours,

Karen

Santa's List

It's time for another challenge at Christmas Card Challenges, and this week, our optional challenge is to create something with dimension!  It's only about 1.5 months til Christmas now.  Hope you are a card-creating fool!  :)

Using a holiday set I picked up from Unity Stamp company and some Basic Grey Nordic Holiday paper, I created this fun and dimensional card.  Santa and his list are both popped up...

Be sure to check out the blogs of the other extremely talented Christmas Card Challenges design team members:

Alanna

Anne C

Anne J

Heather

Jenn

Jovita

Margo

Monica

Sabrina

Craftily yours,


Karen (karey2005)

Word!

Word!  Yeah, just word!  Hahaha, I love the sentiment I used in this card for the There She Goes (TSG) leaf challenge and 3 Girl Jam Anything Goes Challenge.  It's from the TSG Smarty Pants set.

I colored this cutey nerdy girl with Tim Holtz distress markers.  The ribbon is fun and fabulous 3 Girl Jam Crinkly!  Timeless Twine and UmWow Studios star confetti chip rounds out the recipe.  Word!

Craftily yours,

Karen