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$25 gift certificate

from Rubbernecker. Hop on over and get all the details.

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No White card stock!

Nope, no white card stock on this creation. I made this one at my friend Beckie’s house. Simple and cute, don’t you think? Squares of designer paper, a little bow and a gorgeous button. The sentiment is from the Nature’s Postage stamp set by Mark’s Finest Papers.

Round and round we go!

Rounds seems to be in the spotlight lately. This card incorporates another circle.

I cut the circle from white, then stamped the poppies repeatedly around the circle using Tuxedo Black Memento ink and coloring with Copic markers: R14, R17, YG63, G24, E18. I then stamped the sentiment onto that main panel. I backed that circle with the scalloped circle cut from black. I used just part of the embossing folder to emboss just that bit of flourish on the right side of the card.

Stamps: Poppies, Poppies, Poppies by Mark’s Finest Papers

Thanks for looking.

Dodge ball card

I created this card for two SCS challenges: The colors are one of them and the shape is the other. Does it look like a dodge ball? hee hee hee Well, a very bejeweled dodge ball maybe and those scallops would make for some crazy bounces.

The card base is kraft card stock, cut/embossed using a Spellbinders Grand Big Scalloped Circles die. I then cut another of the same shape from vanilla and stamped the pansies with navy ink and clear embossed. I colored those with Copic markers. I then stamped the pansies again onto the cherry cobbler cs and clear embossed before cutting out and popping up onto the stamped image. I added jewels to the centers of the flowers and at each scallop. I then added the seam binding bow.

Stamps: Mark’s Finest Papers Happy Pansies

Thanks for stopping by! Have a great day!

Aged Yellow Poppies

I love vintage and antiques – all that sort of thing. I definitely added that to this image of poppies.   

The poppies are inked with Vintage Photo distress ink and stamped onto vanilla card stock and clear embossed before coloring with Copic markers Y08, Y11, Y13, G24, G28.  I then over-stamped it using the crackle background which was also inked with the vintage photo ink and stamped off once. I then tore the edge of the poppies panel and sponged the edges. The strip of dp was added to the card front, then the poppies panel adhered over the top before embossing with the Cuttlebug Textile Texture folder and sponging all the edges and lightly running the sponge over the whole thing to catch the high spots of the embossing. I scrunched and sponged the seam binding before adding it to the image panel.

Thanks for taking a peek!

Stamps: Mark’s Finest Papers Poppies, Poppies, Poppies,  and Background Fun.

Imagine

This card is a 5-1/2” square, a size I don’t often create, but I wanted to use this gorgeous butterfly die and it is LARGE, so needed a bigger card.

The card front is Old Olive cs. I then added a square of Webster’s Pages. The beautiful new sentiment from Rubbernecker is stamped onto a piece of vellum and the top and bottom edges of that are torn. To attach it to the card I hid the adhesive behind the strip of pink DCWV Mariposa card paper. I used that same paper to cut/emboss the butterfly which is the Spellbinders Fanciful Flight die. I also added the Fleur de Lis Accent border again using the green card stock.

Thanks for stopping by. Please come again soon.

Stamps: Imagine with all 582-23

Rubbernecker Design Team adds new members!

Our design team is welcoming some new members and they are AWESOME! Congratulations and welcome to our new members:

Judy Rozema

Holly McMillen

Jennifer Cuthbertson

Kecia Waters

Charlene Driggs

The rest of the team:

Charlene Merrick

Frances Gumprecht

Joan Ervin

Julia Aston

Bev Gerard

Jacquie Peifer

Jen Charboneau

Juliana Swanson

Maria Gurnsey

Kittie Caracciolo

Olive brown and vanilla

I wanted to try this color combo on another card, so I created this one:

I think I started channeling my friend Kittie. wink wink

First I stamped the chicken wire bg using brown ink, then I inked, off-stamped the leaf vine and stamped several times. Next I inked the stamp again and stamped two more times with full strength ink and then clear embossed. This really gave the vine a lot more dimension.Then came the Kittifying where I added the punched fronds and then the brown flowers. I added stickles to the centers of the flower. I also added the flourish from using Spellbinders Fleur de Lis accents to the lower corner. That panel is matted with brown before adding to the green card. The image is stamped with brown ink onto vanilla card stock, then cut/embossed with Spellbinders Labels ten and I stamped through the die using the same leaf vine stamped off once. I added markers and AtYou spica pens to the edge of the sentiment panel and popped it up onto the card front. A small bow of ribbon and it was finished.

In case you can't read the sentiment, it says: Sorrow looks at yesterday
Worry looks at today
Faith looks at tomorrow

Stamps: Rubbernecker Chicken Wire bg 58-01, Leaf Vine 537-10, Sorrow Looks at Yesterday 582-17

Thanks for stopping by!

Keep on track!

I really like the new stamp set – All Aboard – released by Mark’s Finest Papers this month. This scene stamp can be colored and looks really wonderful, but I used it today by simply stamping it with the brown ink and cutting into the one inch tiles. I then mounted them just a bit away from each other onto a green square and then embossed that with the Sizzix bricked folder. I then sponged a little more of the brown ink on to distress and bring out the embossed brick pattern.

That square is mounted onto the brown. The card front is vanilla, but I smudged it so had to distress it by sponging. Trust me, it was a good boo boo as it really looks better. I then added the tracks at the bottom of the card and the sentiment. I wanted a little ribbon or something on the bottom, but ribbon just didn’t look right, so I stamped some twill tape with another stamp from the set  - the rail road crossing stamp, knotted it, and attached to the tracks.

Thanks for stopping by once again. Please come back soon.

Hugs,

Karen

Stamps: Mark’s Finest Papers All Aboard

Homeward Bound

I just love this cute little train by Mark’s Finest Paper from the new set called All Aboard. I like using just one color on white for a very simple yet striking look.

I stamped the train using Barn Door Distress ink, then I masked it and stamped the tracks all across the card. The top of the card front is embossed with the Cuttlebug Diamonds in the Rough folder to coordinate with the design on the train. The sentiment was easily curved to create a smoke like look coming from the engine. I added a length of ribbon (also from MFP) and there you have it.

I also stamped the tracks on the inside of the card. It adds such a nice touch.

Stamps: All Aboard from Mark’s Finest Papers

Does this look like Delft Blue China

to you? It does to me.

This color and the new background stamp from Rubbernecker really remind me of Delft Blue China. I'm lovin' it.

I stamped the bg image using Chipped Sapphire ink onto white card stock then cut into 1" squares and attached to the white card front. The bottom of the card is punched with the MS Arch Lattice punch and I put a strip of the stamped bg on the inside of the card to show through. The sentiment is a new one from Rubbernecker also called Happy Thoughts and is stamped with the same ink onto white cs and cut/embossed with a Spellbinders oval die. Behind that (you have to look closely) is vellum cut with Spellbinders Fancy Tags Two. I added the ribbon bow and ~ ta da!

Stamps: Rubbernecker Toile Panel 572, Happy Thoughts 565-11

Thanks for stopping by!

Organization and tips!

I'm sure you are wondering, "How does Karen organize ALL her stuff?"
I do have a lot of stuff in my stamp room and I LOVE LOVE LOVE it. I had to clean up a bit yesterday (had the windows cleaned inside and out, so had to move my table away from the window) plus I got some new stuff to add to my collection, so I took some photos for you and thought I would share. It might help you get your stuff organized. OR, if you have some great organization tips, please feel free to share them in a comment. I would love to know how you organize.
Stamps sets:
I have lots of stamp sets. First of all, here is how I organize my stamps from Rubbernecker:

As soon as I get new stamps, I add them to my own personal catalog. I usually copy the picture of the stamps from the website and add it to a document, along with the SKU number so I can find it again if I need to. See that under each image. I then hand write which container they are in. I have two kinds I use for these stamps.

Notice two types of containers in this photo – the white ones in the back and the clear in the front.
I have a lot of the clear DVD cases. The Rubbernecker stamps are on cling mount, so they stick to the containers. I add a printed sheet of what stamps are in there as well. This is especially helpful for the sentiments, as they are hard to read backwards on the stamps. lol

The other containers (white ones in the photo two up) I have are from Rubbernecker. You can find them here. I can get a lot of stamps in each one. Notice I use my labeler to number each container.


These are my stamps from Mark’s Finest Papers. They are in a photo storage box on their sides and I have them alphabetically by the set names. I have a catalog on my computer with all the stamps I have from them, so I can scroll through to find just the right one and then find it easily.
 
Now here are my punches. I am in a rental home and didn’t want to put a lot of holes in the wall so I came up with this solution. The bars are from IKEA. They are for wall organization in the kitchen, I think. I bought two 1X2’s (very inexpensive) at Lowe’s. I then screwed the bars onto them. The hardest part is getting them level, but that’s not too bad, even for me. I propped this against the wall and put my punches on. Oooops, it was too far from the wall so I needed something to hold them more upright. Well, I had these metal strips from IKEA (I can’t find them there any more though. sniff sniff) so I screwed them on just above the bars. Perfect! Unfortunately, I needed three more, but since I can’t get them, I went back to the Home Improvement store and bought their very inexpensive yardsticks, cut them to the proper length (21"-1/8”) and used them. Yea! It  works! (you can see the yardstick on the top row of the close up) So now I can see my punches in a quick glance and get right to them.

I got some new Spellbinders dies and added them to my collection. I also keep them in the clear DVD cases. I bought them here.
I am again too late smart and just decided to organize my newest dies like this. I cut the packaging they came in with the image on it to a size to fit in the cases, then I backed it with the stick on magnetic sheets (I bought these from Oriental Trading for a good price.) Now I put the dies on the magnetic side. I also catalog all my dies, otherwise they would be forgotten and that would be just too sad.

I got some new Copic colors too, so added them to my collection. The pink, red, yellow and green are in a storage wallet I got from Copic. The blues and grays are in a container from Copic as well. I had too many markers though and so went into my kitchen and got the containers that the Great Value (Wal Mart) drink mix comes in. I put the browns into one and the purples into another. They are all standing in a collapsible container I got at IKEA and are just to my left when I am stamping.
I was throwing something away and had some styrofoam inserts and I said to myself – “Self, you can use that to make bows!” So, I got some bamboo skewers from my kitchen and cut them a little shorter and stuck them into the foam. This is great because you can move them at intervals to create bows of different sizes. All this cost what? Less than a penny? Oh yeah, thriftiness.
Here is how I tie a bow with this little goody.

Loop a length of ribbon around the two skewers and cross the ends.

Now take those ends and wrap them to the back, cross and loop one end through and pull.

Tighten as much or as little as you wish.

Slip the loops off and there you have a perfect bow. Now you can create dozens or even hundreds of bows exactly the same size. So easy!
Okey dokey, I think that is all I have for you today. Thanks so much for stopping by. I would love to know what you think of my tips here and if you have some of your own you think I could use, please leave them for me.
Please come again soon! Hugs ~ Karen

Blog Hop Day Four!

Hello! Welcome to the June 2011 MFP New Releases Blog Hop!

This week's new releases are: All Aboard, Poppies Poppies Poppies, Sand Surf Relax, and Floating Along.

For your convenience, all these sets are available TODAY at Mark's Finest Papers.

So, do you want to WIN today's Featured Stamp Set: Floating Along? (If you don't want to wait to win, you can always purchase the sets right away! We'll substitute a set from NEXT month's release if today's winner has already purchased this set!)

For your chance to win: Comment on the following Design Team members' blogs TODAY before midnight EDT. There will be ONE random winner chosen from the comments on today's Blog Hop blogs. That winner will win Floating Along. We will announce the winner's name on tomorrow's blog post.

Emily
Nancyruth
Neva
Silvia
Faith
Claudine
Dawn
Marilynn
Patricia
Chrissy
Karen
Pam
Joanne
Kittie
Sharon-Guest Designer for June
Mark’s Finest Papers


Another very simple card. The card is 140 lb cardstock from MFP. It is FABULOUS FOR CARD - such a great weight. I stamped the swan image onto the front of the card using Rich Cocoa Memento ink and then I colored the bill on the swan and the water using Copic markers. The sentiment is stamped using Tumbled Glass distress ink. The inside sentiment continues the thought with "Thinking of You". I added the gorgeous ribbon and stick pin (also from MFP) as a finishing touch.

Thanks for stopping by. Now pop over to MFP and buy some of these fabulous new stamps, ribbon, stick pins and the wonderful 140 lb. card stock. It also comes in Vanilla.

Blog Hop Day Three!

Hello! Welcome to the June 2011 MFP New Releases Blog Hop!

This week's new releases are: All Aboard, Poppies Poppies Poppies, Sand Surf Relax, and Floating Along.

For your convenience, all these sets are available TODAY at Mark's Finest Papers.

So, do you want to WIN today's Featured Stamp Set: Sand Surf Relax? (If you don't want to wait to win, you can always purchase the sets right away! We'll substitute a set from NEXT month's release if today's winner has already purchased this set!)

For your chance to win: Comment on the following Design Team members' blogs TODAY before midnight EDT. There will be ONE random winner chosen from the comments on today's Blog Hop blogs. That winner will win Sand, Surf, Relax. We will announce the winner's name on tomorrow's blog post.

Emily
Nancyruth
Neva
Silvia
Faith
Claudine
Dawn
Marilynn
Patricia
Chrissy
Karen
Pam
Joanne
Kittie
Sharon-Guest Designer for June
Mark’s Finest Papers




These shells are just part of the great new set, Sand, Surf, Relax. Ahhhhhh! Now I live nowhere near a beach, but I love the colors and sights of the beach. I won't get in the water, however. lol

I stamped the shell three times onto white card stock using Rich Cocoa Memento ink. I then colored them using Copic markers and the airbrush system before cutting them out. Next I placed them upside down on an old mouse pad and used an embossing tool to puff them up. The Kraft panel is stamped with another shell stamp from the set using the brown ink again. This is all mounted onto the coral colored cs which is embossed and airbrushed using Spellbinders Sea Scape Impressabilies. It is very subtle, but you can see it in person. I colored a small length of seam binding using Tim Holtz distress ink refills, crumpling and my heat gun.

Thanks for stopping by. Be sure to come back tomorrow for another featured stamp set.

Blog Hop Day Two!

Hello! Welcome to the June 2011 MFP New Releases Blog Hop!

This week's new releases are: All Aboard, Poppies Poppies Poppies, Sand Surf Relax, and Floating Along.

For your convenience, all these sets are available TODAY at Mark's Finest Papers.

So, do you want to WIN today's Featured Stamp Set: Poppies, Poppies, Poppies? (If you don't want to wait to win, you can always purchase the sets right away! We'll substitute a set from NEXT month's release if the winner has already purchased this set!)

For your chance to win: Comment on the following Design Team members' blogs TODAY before midnight EDT. There will be ONE random winner chosen from the comments on today's Blog Hop blogs. That winner will win POPPIES, POPPIES, POPPIES. We will announce the winner's name on tomorrow's blog post.

Lois
Dawn
Anne
Peggysue
Connie
Emily
KarenYou are here
Patty
Roxie
Vicki
Liz
Geri
Lynn
Lagene-Guest Designer for June
Mark’s Finest Papers



I just love these poppies! I colored them using these Copic markers:

I used a Martha Stewart Garden Lattice border punch matted onto black cs. The black corner embellishments are Spellbinders Fleur de Lis accents and the sentiment is ovals and scalloped oval dies. The card front is a wonderful poppy red (also from MFP).

Thanks for stopping by and taking a look. Be sure to come back tomorrow for another wonderful featured set.

Blog Hop Day One!

Hello! Welcome to the June 2011 MFP New Releases Blog Hop!

This week's new releases are: All Aboard, Poppies Poppies Poppies, Sand Surf Relax, and Floating Along.

For your convenience, all these sets are available TODAY at Mark's Finest Papers.

So, do you want to WIN today's Featured Stamp Set: All Aboard? (If you don't want to wait to win, you can always purchase the sets right away! We'll substitute a set from NEXT month's release if today's winner has already purchased this set!)

For your chance to win: Comment on the following Design Team members' blogs TODAY before midnight EDT. There will be ONE random winner chosen from the comments on today's Blog Hop blogs. That winner will win ALL ABOARD. We will announce the winner's name on tomorrow's blog post.

Lois
Dawn
Anne
Peggysue
Connie
Emily
Karen You are here
Patty
Roxie
Vicki
Liz
Geri
Lynn
Lagene-Guest Designer for June
Mark’s Finest Papers



I created this simple card using the small train silhouette image along with the Choo Choo sentiment in the set. I added a swirl clip and a short length of ribbon (also from MFP) and that was it. Fast, fast, fast (as trains should be).

Thanks for stopping by. Be sure to come back tomorrow for another featured stamp!

Matching Envelope

The SCS technique challenge was to decorate an envelope to go with a card.

For this card with matching envelope I used this new image from a set being released Tuesday by Mark's Finest Papers called Poppies, Poppies, Poppies! You can easily and quickly create a very striking card by stamping a simple image and sentiment in one color onto a white card, adding a big of ribbon, if you like and voila! Stunning, don't you think? Stamp the same image onto the envelope to let the recipient know there is something wonderful inside.

Stamps: Mark's Finest Papers Poppies, Poppies, Poppies

Matching Envelope

I just couldn't resist making another card/envelope set for the SCS challenge. I just got some new sets released by Rubbernecker. This is a set called Moulin Rouge. It has some great images, some texture stamps and sentiments in Francais, of course! I love it. You can see several of the stamp images on the envelope and the bg white panel was created using several of them as well - the Eiffel Tower and the chandelier are two of my favorites, but I love them all.
Stamps: Moulin Rouge by Rubbernecker SKU 576

Thanks for stopping by. Come back soon to see a card created with the Opera Set! Oooo, you're gonna love it!

Tag - you're it!

This is not a card, it is a shipping tag which has been distressed and stamped using a new set being released next week by Mark's Finest Papers called Floating Along.

I used a regular old manila shipping tag. I sponged on 3 different ink colors before stamping the water lily image with Vintage photo distress ink. I then colored the blossoms with Copic markers. I stamped two of the sentiments from the new set Floating Along using the Vintage photo ink for the Thinking of You sentiment, and the little one that says water lily using Victorian Velvelt ink. I colored the seam binding with reinkers, scrunched and heated it with the heat gun before adding thru the hole of the tag.

All Aboard the Choo Choo Train!

NEW STAMPS ARE COMING, NEW STAMPS ARE COMING! I love getting new images, and I love sharing them with YOU!

Next Tuesday Mark's Finest Papers will be releasing four new stamp sets. The images on this card are from the All Aboard set and are fabulous!

I chose to make a masculine card today. I stamped the train image onto Vanilla card stock using Vintage Photo Distress ink and cut/embossed it using Spellbinders deckled edge oval. I used a ticket punch for the three panels at the bottom utiziling three more stamps from the set. Trains - tickets - get it? lol

The card front is embossed with the distressed stripes CB folder and sponged and dirtied with Vintage Photo distress ink. I also distressed the edges a bit. I then added the beautiful ribbon and the tickets at the bottom. The vanilla tickets are matted with chocolate chip tickets to make them stand out a bit more. To do that, I just punched three tickets from the brown cs and then cut them in half lengthwise before adhering the vanilla stamped tickets with just the slightest edges of the brown showing on top and bottom. All the images are from the new set being released next Tuesday by Mark's Finest Papers, appropriately enough called All Aboard. The ribbon is also from MFP.

Thanks for looking! Please drop by again soon!