With Gratitude {Paper Smooches SPARKS}

Hello friends, 

It's time for another Paper Smooches SPARKS challenge! This week is a Designer Draft or a sketch challenge. 

Confession time:  I have to admit that this sketch got the best of me... hangs head in shame...so I simplified the sketch- a lot and here's what I came up with:

I stamped two of the large leaves from Leafy Greens onto a cream card stock panel.  These leaves are taking the place of the squares on the sketch.  Next I added the sentiment from Chit Chat in brown ink.  After I stamped it, I thought about stamping it on a banner- ala the sketch, but I decided to leave it as is. 

I felt that the card was a little too simple, so I added the stitched die lines from the Stitched die set and adhered the stamped panel onto a piece of woodgrain patterned paper before attaching it to a cream card base.  

Here's a look at this week's inspiration sketch:

Ready to play? You know the routine! You have until 11:59 PT on Saturday, November 29, 2014 to link up your take on this week's challenge to the Paper Smooches SPARKS blog for a chance to win a $30.00 gift certificate to the Paper Smooches store. Woot, woot!  

Well that's all for me today!  Be sure to check out inspiration from the awesome members of the Paper Smooches SPARKS team playing along with this week's challenge:

Larissa Heskett
Lori Tecler
Lynn Mangan
Savannah O'Gwynn

Thanks 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

12 Days of Gift Giving with Waffle Flower Crafts

Hello friends,

It's Day 8 of the 12 days of Gift Giving at Waffle Flower Crafts, and I am just popping in today to let you know that I am on the Waffle Flower Crafts blog today with an idea for dressing up my go-to gift for the holidays- that's right, the gift card!

I would LOVE for you to stop by and see my project.  You can check out my post here. 

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