New Emossing Folder

Took a trip to Catan's (two days in a row!), and 

found a fun quilt block embossing folder by Darice, but let me tell 

you about this card. 

Mason jar is from a set made by Spellbinders. I inked the jar with 

 

black and stamped on the designer paper which was then colored with Blushing Bride marker.

I used designer paper from the same paper pack and used the lightest color with the embossing folder.

 

The flowers were made with punches. The Blushing Bride one was made

with three cardstock pieces and the 1 1/4 scallop punch. After punching the pieces

I wet them and crumpled them up in my hand. Next step was to put a brad in the center (layer the

three pieces together then put the brad through)

Wisteria Wonder flower was made with the punch that matches the Grateful Bunch stamp set. 

Leaves were done with Pear Pizzazz and cut with one of the leaves from Botanical Blooms. 

I also added a cream lace flower. 

Here is a better look of the embossing folder I used on this card. Its called

Quilt Blocks. I have no idea why I'm on a mason jar kick lately. So far I have three

different sets of mason jar stamps, and dies. And....I'm fixing to purchase another 

mason jar die my Sizzix. 

Happy last day of March! 

Stamping trails
Karen

Family Photos and Cherokee is Two

Just some family pics to share with you today. 

This was taken Easter day. I thought Emily looked so pretty. John looked great too.

The next few photos were taken on Saturday while Sarah was here

making the strawberry cake. 

While she was putting away the Kitchen Aid Cherokee thought Sarah was 

playing with her. 

Ready to attack! 

Okay I'm bored now time to take a break. 

I can't believe Cherokee is two years old this month. I don't know what day she was born

but I know we got her in May and she was 8 weeks old. We weighted her last week, 

and she's 12 lbs 4 oz. What a big girl! 

Stamping trails

Karen

Butterfly Trapped in a Mason Jar

I made a happy mistake while making this card.

After I stamped the greeting I noticed there was a light line of black under

it as I didn't take care to make sure there was no ink around the image. 

Anyway I covered it up with a strip of white lace. 

Stamp set used Butterfly Basics. Colors: Marina Mist, Pear Pizzazz, and black. 

 

The designer paper is unknown. I just found it in my stash and thought it went well with the ink and

 

subject I was using. 

This is the mason jar embossing folder I used by Darice. 

Before running it through the big shot I inked the raised side of the jar with Marina

Mist ink. I was a little sloppy about it as I wanted to get some of the ink inside the jar as

well as around the edges. 

 

After I embossed a piece of white cardstock with the jar I cut it out. It was later

 

popped up over the card after the stamping was completed. 

I also did some light stamping inside the card. 

 

Making another Pat Catan run today. I was searching the net for more mason jar stuff

 

and came across another Darice folder I would love to have, so I'm checking to see

 

if Catan's has it. 

 

Stamping trails

Karen 

Mailable Monday # 145

I was suppose to post this card yesterday so I'm back dating it. 

I did stamp it Sunday morning, but with the family coming over

and the dinner prep and clean up after I was too wiped out to

bother with the blog. Shame on me! 

Stamp set Sage Advise. Retired Stampin'Up. 

The cardstock is also retired. I believe it was from 2015 SAB. 

I sponged the cardstock with Always Artichoke ink. I didn't want

to sponge the entire piece so I just did some to highlight the leaves. 

Here is an inside view. 

Happy Mailable Monday.....a day late! 

Stamping trails

Karen 

Strawberry Cake

I had such a good day yesterday with Sarah. 

She wanted to make a strawberry cake for Easter Dinner, but 

didn't have a stand mixer or a food processor so she spent the 

afternoon baking in my kitchen. 

We had to alter the cake a bit as it called for a spring form pan which I don't have. 

The cake as pictured was suppose to have 3 layers, but we made two using 8 inch cake pans. 

We needed lots of strawberries!

Building the second layer. 

Here is the top. 

Side view. 

Happy girl with her completed cake. 

I have never made a cake from scratch, and neither had Sarah. 

We followed the recipe and it came out pretty darn good. I should

have taken a photo of the first layer after it was finished because it also has

a strawberry filling that we made. Skip thought we were making cheese cake as 

he saw the package of cream cheese that we needed to make the whipped cream layer. 

Sarah told him she had a recipe for a New York cheesecake that she'll make for him next time. 

Hope everyone has a Happy Easter. The family will be gathering here around 4 for dinner. 

Bunny trails

Karen

Best Buds Window Box

I was in a mood this morning and came up with this card. 

Uses From the Garden, Floral Wings, and Gorgeous Grunge stamp sets. 

Colors: Crumb Cake, Rose Red, White, Always Artichoke, and Soft Suede. 

Here is what the desk looked like while I was trying to figure out what I was doing. 

In hind sight (which is my world) I would not

 

have stamped the bud coming out of the pot at the bottom corner of the card. 

 

The thought was I needed something coming out of one of the pots to match 

 

the bud on the plant poke. Since when do things have to match anyway? LOL 

 

I have some prep work to do today for dinner tomorrow. 

 

Sarah is coming over after work and we are going to do some baking. 

 

Stamping trails

Karen 

Floral Wings Card

Stamp set Floral Wings.

 

The background was cut from my new Tim Holtz texture thinlit. 

 

 

Here is a side view. I did stamp and cut two butterflies. The bottom

layer is Blushing Bride, and the top layer is Soft Suede. 

Speaking of Blushing Bride......

I lost this little background stamp from my Timeless Texture set. 

Its been lost for weeks. Well thank goodness I stamped with Blushing Bride

ink because the stamp got stuck to the bottom of the case when I put it away. 

Have to laugh as I was taking the ink pad out of its holder I felt something odd on the 

bottom of the pad, and at first I though it was a spider or other bug. Thankful it was the 

missing stamp! 

Stamping trails

Karen

Mason Jar Notepads

The other day while shopping at Catan's I found 

these cute mason jar note pads. They

have a magnet on the back so they can be put on the fridge. 

I used a Sizzix stamp set with matching thinlit dies to cut the 

mason jar tag. I punched a hole in the top of the tag and wrapped twine around the holder. 

The notepads also came with a blue topper. I haven't decorated this one yet.

Purchased several of them as I though they would make nice stocking stuffers, or

birthday gifts for friends.

I received this really cute Easter card from my friend Kat yesterday.

The bunny is embossed. Love the fun egg background. Thanks Kat.

Stamping trail

Karen

March Paper Pumpkin, and Leftovers

Another alternate design using this month's paper pumpkin kit. 

I used the end flaps from the gift holder and placed them on both ends of the base card. 

Center panel was part of the kit that I stamped on, and layered on a black panel. 

The kit does have some cardstock bases that look like they have been

lightly splattered with Bermuda Bay ink. I decided cut the bases and use them 

for layers. This one was placed on the inside card and stamped across the bottom with

one of the flower that came in the kit. 

Came across a swap that I was in last year. I had a sheet of grapes that

were stamped on glossy cardstock then highlighted with a white crayon. 

Next step was to sponge on ink then wipe off the excess. Technique is called crayon resist. 

Wanted to use the sheet up so I came up with this card. Layered on black with a strip of lacy

trim. I threaded a white safety pin with white pearls and hung from the trim. 

And the last card I made yesterday.

 

 The green bakers twine is from one of the paper pumpkin

kits. I think it was from February's, anyway I made some loops with it on the white base

card then popped up the grape cluster over it.

Getting really good at using up some of the stuff I have in the stamping studio. 

What was that old saying?...

Use it up, wear it out

make it last, or do without.

I really need to start following this saying more. 

Stamping trails

Karen

Mailable Monday # 144

The first day of Spring was yesterday and it brought a surprise for us......

SNOW!!!! 

It was a chilly 30 degree day with big fluffy flakes. All the

house tops were covered with the white stuff. 

Not that surprising as I've seen it snow here in Oh in mid April. 

Got the new March Paper Pumpkin kit on Saturday. It has 

things to make gift card holders. Since I didn't have an occasion to give a gift card 

coming up I made a pocket card instead. 

Love the pretty Bermuda Bay designer paper with this kit. 

Stamping trails

Karen

A Case for the Layers, and Pat Catan Find

Since I'm getting quite a collection of embossed layers it

was time to make a case for them. 

I used a large wood mount clear case with Perfectly Artistic designer paper. 

The front has a layer from a Sizzix folder, then topped with something cool I found 

at Catan's on Friday. 

Flowers are from Grateful Bunch. 

Side view of the case has another strip of embossed cardstock. 

The label was made with the Dymo machine. 

Okay moving on to the Pat Catan's find. 

These are packs of 12 embossed, and die cut layers. Distributed by Darice right here in 

Strongsville, OH. I picked up 4 packs but could have easily bought them all. 

I was good and only got 4 packs. 

Wanted to open them up so you could see them better. 

I like how the die cut also comes with the embossed image of the die. 

This one came in black and white in the package with a cut out in the center. 

Cream and white in this one with different die cuts and layers. 

Iridescent, and silver in this package. 

Best part each one was only .25 cents! What a great deal, and 

nice to have around when you just have to make a faster than light card. 

I'm thinking, now mind you just thinking about going back and picking up some more. 

Happy first day of Spring!!!!!  

Stamping trails

Karen 

Pleats made with Vintage Designer Paper

I got it into my head yesterday morning to make a card with pleats. 

Don't ask how the mind works it just does strange things at times! 

The designer paper I used was very vintage to say the least. The upc code says

Autumn Leaves 2004!!!!

Well I guess this paper hung around long enough to gather the most vintage dust indeed! 

To make the pleats I cut the 12x12 paper to a 2 inch strip then scored it at 1/2 inch

intervals across the length. 

Side view of the pleats. 

I also took a bottom shot so you could see how I pleated the paper. 

Can't say that this is how I wanted it to turn out, but I'm happy with it. 

The inside card was also layered with the same paper as the pleats. 

Stamp set by See-D's called Victorian Dressmaker. The 

greeting Sewing Mends the Soul by TPC Studio Vintage Treads.

I can thank my friends because Kat got me the stamp set, and Connie

sent me a large jar of ribbon years ago, and that is where the black ribbon came from. 

The black and red paper button is from the what-knot drawer. 

And I bet you all saw right away that I used the "power of three". Three inks

and three stamps for the focal point. 

Had a great day yesterday. Went out on my own and did some shopping. 

Khol's was having a good sale and I bought three sweaters, one top, and a pair of jeans. 

All for 53 bucks. I had a 30% off coupon. Which made it nice. 

Then I stopped by Pat Catan's and picked up the rest of the magnet sheets to finish the

framlet cases. 

I found something pretty cool at Catan's and they were only 25 cents each. That is another story.

I'll be posting that tomorrow. 

Stamping trails

Karen

Tails from the What-Knot Drawer

Back today with more tails from the what-knot drawer. 

Still using some embossed panels that my friend sent me. 

She also sent me the leaves on this card. Of course when I got the leaves

I didn't know what I was going to use them on, but into the what-knot drawer they

went. The flowers were stamped on designer paper and then punched. They are from Grateful 

Bunch stamp set. I was going to use them on another card, but they weren't right so they

were also put into the what-knot drawer hanging out with all the other stuff. 

I added some rhinestones to the flower centers, and used wink of stella on the petals. 

And here is the famous what-knot drawer in question. Just

a jumble of misc pieces and parts left over from other projects, or from 

projects gone wrong. 

While I was searching though the misc stamps I have in a box (that is another story)

I came across this stamp intended to be stamped on the back of a homemade card. 

I have know idea how I got this stamp, but I thought it was cool so its now on my desk waiting to

be stamped on completed cards. 

I'm off to Khol's this afternoon. Got a 30% off coupon, and I need to buy some new clothes. 

Haven't bought any for awhile, but I'm ready to shop! 

Stamping trails

Karen

Lace Meets Industrial

My friend sent me a bunch of different embossed panels by Tim Holtz. 

This one is called gridlock. 

First I cut a vanilla panel to the same width as the embossed piece. 

Next I inked up the lace background stamp with Smokey Slate and stamped. 

For contrast I added a thin strip of black cardstock. 

The fun part for me was going through my what knot drawer. This 

is where I keep odds and ends. You know stamping elements you think you may

use some day, and lets face it they they just to good to end up in the "round file"

Well I pulled out a flat washer that I had covered with designer paper and sealed with 

crystal effects. 

You can see from the side view how thick the washer is. 

 

After attaching it to the card I glue on a decorative silver lacy button.

I also found some black cardstock buttons that were die cut. Now all of these

embellishments came from the what knot drawer. I just added them to the card. 

I think this will make a great birthday card.  Love the greeting forever young. 

Kat sent me a fun St. Paddy's day card. I have it displayed on the fridge with

a magnetic clip. Thanks Kat! 

I'm going to get out this afternoon and do some running around. Need to make a pit stop to 

Catan's for more magnetic sheets so I can finish up the framelit cases. 

Happy St. Paddy's day to all! 

Stamping trails

Karen