Wonderful Day Floral Bouquet Card {Avery Elle}

Hello friends, 

I am excited to be on the Avery Elle blog today sharing a card that I made with the absolutely stunning Floral Bouquet stamp set and coordinating Elle-ments die. 

I stamped the image twice onto white Copic friendly paper and colored the blooms and leaves with Copic markers.  I arranged the florals along the right edge of my notecard and trimmed off the excess. 

I stamped the sentiment with black ink before adhering the florals to the card.  I popped up the top floral cluster with a bit of foam tape.  For a finishing touch, I adhered a few clear droplets with glossy accents.

Supplies: 

Floral Bouquet Clear StampsDie: Floral Bouquet Elle-ments

Well that's all for me today, but be sure to stop by the Avery Elle blog for even more inspiration from the design team!

Thanks for stopping by! Have a Wonderful Day!
Katie

Rise + Shine Card {Waffle Flower Crafts}

Hello friends,

For the better part of three months, we have been in a deep freeze in Northeast Ohio.  Subzero temperatures, arctic wind chills, epic snowfalls, and seven (7) calamity days (no school for the kiddos).  I haven't seen my lawn since late December and my lllooonngg driveway could double as a hockey rink.

All that's about to change, thankfully.  The spring thaw has begun, so I wanted to make a card in celebration of all things bright and sunny using Waffle Flower Craft's Rain Check stamp set and the Partly Cloudy die.

I covered a card with blue patterned paper and stamps the sun rays onto white card stock. 

TIP: For the gingham rays, I stamped the rays with a light colored pigment ink on the back of the patterned paper and trimmed them out. 

I adhered the rays to the card and added a yellow card stock circle cut with the Flower Circles die set. I just love the dotted detail on the Flower Circle die set. 

I stamped and die cut the clouds and stamped the sentiment on the clouds.  I adhered them to the card with a bit of foam tape. 

I am sooo ready for spring and I hope we see lots of bright, sunshiny days ahead!

Thanks for stopping by!

Katie

It's a Banner Day! {Avery Elle}

Hello friends,

I am over at the Avery Elle blog today with a card featuring the Bunting stamp set.

On a panel of white cardstock, I stamped the little half-circle banner in red, gray, peach and yellow ink- over and over until I filled the card front.  To help with placement, I lightly drew pencil lines spaced at 5/8", but I didn't worry too much if the pattern was perfectly straight.  I think it looks a little more whimsical when banners are askew. 

I adhered the stamped panel to a Fog card stock base and die cut a flag using the Dotted Elle-ments die set from Mimosa card stock.  I punched a circle from white card stock and stamped the sentiment with black ink. 

Be sure to stop by the Avery Elle blog for even more inspiration! 

Thanks for stopping by!

Katie

You + Me Card {Take 2 Thursday}

Hello friends, 

It's been a few weeks and Lindsay and I are back again today; this time with another edition of Take 2 Thursday.  This week, we are using the adorable Snow Day stamp set from Lawn Fawn. With the holidays behind us, I decided to use the tiny heart images included in the set and paired it with this sketch from Retro Sketches to make a clean and simple Valentine's Day card. 

On a scrap of white cardstock, I die cut a heart  and stamped the Me + You sentiment.  The sentiment is from Lawn Fawn's Woodgrain Backdrops stamp set. 

I lightly traced the heart onto a panel of white card stock and filled in the shape with the tiny hearts.  I erased the pencil lines and adhered the heart negative panel with foam tape.  Finally, I adhered the white card stock to a merlot card base.  

Well, that's all for me today, but be sure to stop over at Lindsay's blog to check out her fabulous take on this set.  

Thanks for stopping by!

Katie

Let's Celebrate Card {SPARKS Challenge}

Hello Party People!  

Let's celebrate the very first Paper Smooches SPARKS challenge of 2015!  YAY!  It's a super easy challenge because ANYTHING GOES!  Here's my celebratory card. 

The champagne bottle is the Apron Dies- die cut twice and layered.  Then I added some streamers, confetti and the "Let's Celebrate" sentiment using the Free Spirits stamp set. 

Ready to play?  You know the routine!  Link up your take on this week's challenge to the Paper Smooches SPARKS blog by 11:59 p.m. PST on Saturday, January 10.  The winner of the challenge will get a $30.00 gift certificate to the Paper Smooches store!  Yay!!!!  

Be sure to check out the inspiration from the other SPARKS team members playing along with this week's challenge: 

Lynn Mangan

Lori Tecler
Larissa Heskett

Savannah O'Gwynn

That's all for me today!  Thanks so much for stopping by!  I can't wait to see what you create! 

Katie

You're Invited {Avery Elle}

Hello friends,

today, I am over on the Avery Elle blog sharing a card I created with the You're Invited Elle-ments die.

When I started card making several years ago, my sole purpose was to make party invitations and holiday cards and crafts.  Although I have expanded my horizons over the years, I was really excited to see Avery Elle's You're Invited Elle-ments die and coordinating You're Invited stamp set included in the latest release- these fun products make it super easy to make special events a little more special.

To showcase these products I created a mod baby shower invitation.

The stripes were die-cut with the Dotted Borders Elle-ments die before adhering them to a panel of Fog card stock.  Next, I die cut the bracket shape- I just love the dotted detail on the inside and outside of the die cut.  I die cut a second bracket from white card stock and adhered the "You are Invited" words and stamped "to a baby shower" in Fog ink.  I added a few stars with Daisy ink from the Bunting stamp set. 

I adhered the fog panel to a white card stock base with foam tape and dropped in the white card stock interior. 

Well, that's all for me today. Be sure to stop by the Avery Elle blog today (and EVERY day) for even more inspiration from my talented teamies.  Thanks for stopping by!

Katie

Warm Wishes Snowman Card {Avery Elle}

Hello and TGIF!  

I am on the Avery Elle blog today with a card I made using Avery Elle's Dotted Borders Elle-ment die set and the Be Jolly stamp set. 

First, I made a card from white card stock and covered it with the pale blue heart patterned paper from the Sorbet Collection Paper Pad.  I thought the hearts could pass for snowflakes falling.  Next, I cut a pair of snowdrifts from white card stock using the wavy Dotted Boarder dies.  I stamped "Warm Wishes" on the bottom drift before attaching it to the card with a bit of foam tape. 

I stamped and die cut the darling snowman from the Be Jolly stamp set and colored him with some markers.  I tucked him among the drifts and secured him to the card with a bit of adhesive. 

Well, that's all for me today.  Be sure to stop by the Avery Elle blog for even more inspiration from my talented teamie, Karolyn Loncon.  

Thanks for stopping by!

Katie 

Let's Celebrate Card {Take 2 Thursday}

Hello and Happy Thursday!

It's time for another Take 2 Thursday with my friend, Lindsay.  Today, we are using the Simon Says Stamp December Kit of the Month.  Recently, I made the decision to switch my monthly card kit subscription from Studio Calico to the Simon Says Stamp kit, and I am really pleased with this first kit.  Lots of useful items- card stock, embossing powders and a cute stamp set to boot.  I used said cute stamp set to create this super CAS card.

I stamped the "let's celebrate" sentiment in black ink and added a few of the sweet banner shaped just beneath the banner.  I was tempted to leave it as that, but decided that it needed a little something special, so I wrapped the card with black and white baker's twine tied into a sweet bow and added a sprinkle of star sequins. The name of the kit after all is Sparkle and Shine.  

Although the kit is sold out, the stamp set is still available here.   

Be sure to stop by Lindsay's blog to see what she made with this fun kit.  Thanks so much for stopping by!

Katie

Just a Note {Avery Elle}

Hi folks!

Happy Friday!  I am on the Avery Elle blog today with a card I made using the new Just a Note Elle-ment die set.  

I die cut the banner card from Avery Elle's Aquamarine, Fizz, Mimosa and Sapphire card stock. I arranged the banners on a panel of white card stock.  Next, I die cut "just a note" from gold card stock and adhered it to the panel. 

I adhered the completed panel to a card base made from Sapphire card stock.  That little extra strip of the Sapphire card base at the bottom?  That was a mistake- apparently, I couldn't recall that card bases were 4.25 x 5.5 and I cut the panel of white card stock a bit too short, but I thought the asymmetry looked cool, so I left it.  

Well, that's all for me today.  Be sure to stop by the Avery Elle blog for even more inspiration from my talented teamie, Karolyn Loncon.  

Thanks for stopping by!

Katie 

A Christmas Wreath Card from Our Home to Yours {Waffle Flower Crafts}

Hello friends, 

Today, I am sharing a Christmas Wreath card that I made using a couple sets from Waffle Flower Crafts.

It's no secret that I LOVE Waffle Flower's Loved stamp set (see my other cards I made this this amazing set here, here and here) and I pulled it out this weekend to stamp a holiday wreath.

To start, I traced a circle onto a panel of rustic cream card stock and stamps the leafy laurel with Hero Art's Soft Olive ink.  I left a space between each laurel as I knew I wanted to add in some flowers and the bow which I did with WPlus9's Cranberry Crush and Sweet Gelato ink. 

I continued working my way around the wreath stamping the branches and other botanicals with darker shades of green ink (Hero Arts- Forever Green, Field Greens) along with the vibrant cranberry and gelato.  Once I reached the point where I was concerned that I would mess it up if I stamped any more, I added a sentiment from A Homemade Christmas stamp set. I inked the edges of the card stock panel before adhering it to a kraft card base.  

Well that's all for me today!  Thanks so much for stopping by!

Katie

New Release Blog Hop {Avery Elle}

Hello, hello and Happy Avery Elle New Release Day! 

Today, the Avery Elle design team is sharing projects created with the December release.  I used the Simply Said: You stamp set and die to create this cheerful card:

I covered a card base made from Mimosa card stock with a patterned paper from the Every Day 6x6 paper pad.  I positioned the paper so that the rays would start at about one-third of the way up the card.  Next I die cut one of the larger balloons from the Balloons Elle-ments die set and positioned it at the center of the rays.  I die cut a white card stock strip with the Dotted Border Elle-ments dies and adhered it at the bottom of the card and stamped the "Brighten My Day" sentiment with red ink. 

I die cut "you" from several shades of card stock, adhered them together and affixed the die cuts to the card.  When the recipient looks at the card from an angle, he or she will see all that rainbow goodness.  Finally, I added a couple enamel dots as a finishing touch.  

Now you can't have a blog hop without prizes and to celebrate our December 2014 Release Blog Hop, Avery Elle is giving away a $25 Gift Certificate to one random winner.  You have until midnight Sunday, December 7th to enter.  The winner will be announced on the Avery Elle Blog on Monday, December 8th .  All products are available for purchase in the Avery Elle store right now.

To enter to win you can do 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 or all 6 of the following to increase your chances:

1. Comment on any of the design team's posts and/or here on the Avery Elle Blog
2. Follow us on Twitter and tweet the contest (we are @averyellestamps )
3. Follow us on Facebook (we are www.facebook.com/AveryElle ) and share us with your friends - make sure they tell us you sent them.
4. Follow us on Pinterest
5. Become a blog follower through email (comment on the Avery Elle blog if you already follow us)
6. Join our Flickr group (comment on the Avery Elle blog if you already belong) 

Be sure to check out the projects made by the rest of the Avery Elle team and leave some love for these talented girls for even more chances to win!

Avery Elle / Jamie

Karolyn Loncon 

Chunyuan Wu

Caryn Davies

Heather Campbell

JJ Bolton

Yainea

Melania Deasy

Katie Gehring 

Maska Vanacker 

So that's all for me today, but thank you for stopping by and good luck!

Katie

Introducing Made With Love {Avery Elle}

Hello friends,

The December release preview week is continuing on the Avery Elle blog and I am sharing a card I made with the new set filled with motifs perfect for the knitters and makers in your life and anyone who appreciates a good pun- Made with Love.

When I think of knitting, I think of blankets and scarves- I know there are so many other possibilities, but I was definitely going for a scarf vibe with my card:

I stamped rows of knitting stitches on a panel of silver fox card stock and then colored in the stitches with some Copic markers.  I die cut the panel with the wavy boarder die from the Custom Panels Elle-ments set.  I adhered the scarf to a Fog card stock card base and stamped the sentiment and tag on white card stock.  I trimmed the tag and tucked it under the scarf.  And that sentiment? Cracks me up every time.  And I know that you are singing Brittany's school girl hit in your head right now- no judgement. ;) 

Made with Love and all the sets that Jamie is previewing this week will be available for purchase on Thursday, December 4.  Be sure to stop by the Avery Elle blog for more details about the release including additional sneaks and previews. 

That's it for me today.  Thanks so much for stopping by! 

Katie

 

Introducing Berry Good {Avery Elle}

Hello, 

This week, Jamie is sharing some sneak peeks and previews of Avery Elle's December release and I wanted to share a couple cards that I made with the Berry Good stamp set.  Berry Good is an amazing fruit-filled set featuring berried, peaches, pears and lemons.  The set also takes some of the guess work out of sentiment placement because many of the sentiments included in the set fit right inside the fruit.  

First up is a card I made with the lemon image.  I did some simple masking to achieve the set of lemons stamped in Old Paper Distress Ink.  Then I did a bit of "no line" watercoloring by smooshing distress ink pads on an acrylic block and adding the color to the stamped image. 

Once the ink was dry, I stamped and heat embossed the sentiment with white powder, and I die cut the stamped panel using the Finished Frames Elle-ments die set.

Next up, it's more simple masking and "no line" watercoloring with this "peach" of a card.  I tried to envision what the peaches might look like hanging off the branch of a tree.  I heat embossed the sentiment with gold embossing powder and added a strip of patterned paper from the Fancy Pants Burlap and Bows paper pad.  

I die cut the bottom edge of the panel with the Pinked Elle-ments die set and tied a bit of twine into a bow before adhering it to a kraft card base. 

Well, that's all for me today, but be sure to stop by the Avery Elle blog today for more sneaks and previews of this and the other awesome sets that Jamie is introducing today! 

Thanks for stopping by!

Katie

We Wish You a Merry Christmas card {PS SPARKS}

Happy Sunday friends!

I hope that you are having a lovely holiday weekend.  My No{work}vember is sadly coming to a close, and I head back to the office on tomorrow, but it's been wonderful having some time off for a Walt Disney World vacation with the family and another week to recover from the vacation because let's face it, WDW with two girls is not really a vacation.  

Whilst recovering, I found some time to make a simple, but colorful Christmas card for this week's Paper Smooches SPARKS challenge.   Since there are 5 Sundays in November, we have a bonus Anything Goes challenge this month and here's my card: 

On a white card stock panel, I stamped the evergreen boughs from the Holly Jolly stamp set in Mint Julep (Hero Arts), Limeade Ice (PTI) , and Emerald City (SC) ink.  

Next, I added the berry clusters with Sweet Gelato (W+9) ink. To make the berry branches, I stamped a few of the twigs and stems from the Botanicals 1 stamp set in Cranberry Crush ink (W+9) and added the berries with one of the small circles included in the Holly Jolly stamp set. 

I added a few green dots with Emerald City ink and a couple yellow stars with Sunny Days (SC) ink to balance it out a bit before stamping the greeting with black ink.  The greeting and the small stars both came from A Holy Holiday stamp set.   I matted the stamped panel on black card stock and attached it to a white card stock base. 

Are you ready to play along?  Link up your take on this week's challenge to the Paper Smooches SPARKS blog by Saturday, December 6 at 11:59 p.m. PST.  In order to be eligible for prizes and recognitions, Paper Smooches stamps and dies should be the main focus of your project. As always, the challenge winner will receive a $30.00 gift certificate to the Paper Smooches store!  

Please be sure to check out the Anything Goes creations of the PS SPARKS team playing along with this week's challenge:

Alice Wertz

Erin Taylor

Jenny Mullens

Katie Gehring

Lynn Mangan

Lori Tecler
Larissa Heskett

Savannah O'Gwynn

Well, that's all for me today!  Thanks so much for stopping by!
Katie

Time to Soar {Avery Elle}

Hello!  

I am still on my mini-bloggy break, but I am popping in because I wanted to share a card that is being featured on the Avery Elle blog today.   A few weekends ago, I had a crafty retreat with my girlfriends and I had the opportunity to try a few techniques that don't get a lot of "play" in my day to day card making- like watercoloring.  

I stamped the sentiment and feather from Avery Elle's Look Up stamp set with Ranger's Black Archival ink on a piece of watercolor paper.  Next, I smooshed some yellow, green and blue dye ink onto an acrylic block and added the ink and lots of water to the feather images.  

I die cut the watercolor panel using the Finished Frame dies (love those!) and adhered it to a black mat.  I attached the card front to a white card stock card base.  Finally, I added a few enamel dots to the panel to balance it out.

Well, that's all for me today!  Thanks so much for stopping by! :) 

Katie

Stuff, news, a card and {CASE}ing Genius

Hello friends,

Can you hear that?  (crickets chirping) I am taking a much needed mini blogging break until around Thanksgiving.  Now I have managed to work ahead a bit, so I will still be sharing projects here and there, and this blog with be a much more happening place towards the end of the month. :)

In the meantime, while I am recharging my batteries, there is lots to share, so I thought I would pop in with a quick update.  On Thursday, I received an email that stopped me in my tracks.  Paper Crafts and Scrapbooking magazine will be ceasing publication after their February issue.

The above picture is of the December 2014 issue- see that card in the bottom right- that one is mine.  I was lucky enough to be selected as a December Cover Girl!

I am an introvert by nature, so I have spent the past 72 hours processing this information.  After all that thinking, I still don't have the words to accurately or adequately describe what I am thinking and feeling about this.  So for now, I would just like to say that my thoughts are with the Paper Crafts and Scrapbooking editorial team- Jennifer, Kerri, Susan, Holly, Stacy, Melinda and Matt.  While change is never easy, I have faith that great things lie ahead for each of them.  They have been a pleasure to work with over the past 3 years, and I will miss both them and my beloved magazine dearly.

Since magazines work so far in advance, many issues into 2015 were planned out, projects selected, typed up and sent in.  Here is a card I made which was slated to appear in the March 2015 issue.

The call was for baby cards- inspired by children's literature.  Can you guess which book inspired my card?  The monster cut file is from the Silhouette online store and the sentiment was stamped using Milo's ABCs by Lawn Fawn. 

Finally, before I go, I wanted to share that I am being featured this week on Kelly Latevola's {Case}ing Genius series. 

Living in NE Ohio, I am lucky to live near some card makers with some seriously mad crafty skillz... some of these gals are "known" out and about in blogland and some prefer to be a bit off the radar. We get together at my church for a day of crafty fun about once a month.  Earlier this summer, Kelly popped by, and I am so glad that I got the opportunity to meet and connect with her- she is one amazing lady and card maker.  

I was so flattered when she approached me a few weeks ago about being the subject of her Caseing Genius series.  If you have a moment today, please stop by Kelly's blog, You and Your Big Dreams, to learn a bit more about me- including  fascinating tidbits like who I would like to play me in a movie,  AND more importantly to see Kelly's AMAZING CASE on one of the inspiration cards I sent her way.  I haven't seen the project yet, but if it was made by Kelly, it will be STUNNING. :) 

Alrightly, that's all for me for now- back to relaxing. :)  Thanks for stopping by!

Katie

Peace on Earth Globe Card {Avery Elle}

Hello friends and happy Friday!

I am over on the Avery Elle blog today with a card I made using Avery Elle's Joy to the World stamp set.

On a piece of white card stock, I adhered a green dot strip from the Every Day patterned paper collection.  Next, I stamped the globe stand with gray ink.  On a separate piece of white card stock, I stamped and heat embossed the globe with gold embossing powder.  I die cut the globe using the coordinating Joy to the World Elle-ments dies and adhered it to the stand.  Lastly, I added the garland and berry image to the globe.  

It's a super simple card, but I really love the gold embossed globe- it's so pretty!  

Well, that's all for me today. Be sure to stop over at the Avery Elle blog and see the amazing card that my teamie Karolyn Loncon made for you today as well! 

Thanks for stopping by! 

Katie

Happy Thanksgiving Card {Avery Elle}

Hey, hey everyone! 

Happy Friday!  I am up on the Avery Elle blog today with a Thanksgiving Card using the new Seasonal Sentiments and Fabulous Florals stamp sets. 

First I die cut a panel of Speckled card stock using the large Finished Frames Elle-ments die.  Next, I stamped the acorn from Seasonal Sentiments and built a wreath around him using the flowers and leaves from the Fabulous Florals stamp set. 

The branches were created by stamping some of the stems and leaf veins included in the set with brown ink.  I also got a little crazy and did a "rock and roll" technique on the yellow/orange leaf.    I finished the acorn by die-cutting Papaya card stock into a cute little bow and adhering it to the acorn top.  The bow is also included in the Finished Frames die set.  Finally, I adhered the completed panel to a kraft card base. 

Well, that's all for me today!  Thank you SOOO much for stopping by!

Katie

Lettuce Celebrate {Paper Smooches SPARKS}

Greetings crafty friends!

Happy Sunday!  Today starts another Paper Smooches SPARKS Challenge, and this week, Anything Goes!  My card uses the Calorie Free stamp set and coordinating dies plus the Polaroid die set. 

 I made a card from white card stock and covered it with a panel of patterned paper. Next I die cut the polaroid from white card stock and stamped the sentiment from Calorie Free.  I die cut the frame insert from brown card stock and stamped and die cut the lettuce on green card stock.  To make him party-ready, I created a little party hat using orange card stock and a small white pom-pom.  Finally, I stamped his face using the smiley face included in the Spectrum stamp set and added a few enamel dots for a fun confetti look. 

Ready to play?  You know the routine.  Make a project showcasing you favorite Paper Smooches stamps and dies and link it up to the Paper Smooches SPARKS blog by 11:59 PST on November 8.  The challenge winner will get a $30.00 Paper Smooches gift card!  Woo hoo!  

I can't wait to see what you create!  Thanks for stopping by! 

Katie

 

Welcome to the Family {Avery Elle}

Hello friends,

I am on the Avery Elle blog today with a card that I can't wait to send!  In a little less than a month, I will be an Auntie for the third time. My brother and sister in law are expecting their first baby this November, and I couldn't be more excited for them.  Using Avery Elle's We R Family and We R Family additions to create a card for my new little niece or nephew.

On a panel of Daisy card stock, I stamped the family member roles in yellow ink.  I used a stamp press and it made for easy work of creating this wordy background.  Next, I added a strip of patterned paper from the Everyday Collection 6x6 paper pad. 

I die cut a circle from white card stock and stamped the sentiment in gray ink.  I added a circle swirl and heart flower as a finishing touch and adhered the stamped panel to a kraft card base. 

So now the card is all set, we just need the baby!  Can't wait to meet him or her in only a few short weeks!  

That's all for me today!  Thanks so much for stopping by!

Katie