Welcome!

My name, Karin, was pretty common when I was growing up...just not the spelling. Unless you are of German heritage like I am. So, I have spent my entire life answering the question, "What is your name"?... With, "Karin...with an "i"! Who knew it would come in handy all these years later when I went to name my blog.

Tuesday, April 30, 2013

Pastel Card

 
 
Hi Everyone,
 
The current challenge at the DRS Designs blog is "Pastels", so I chose to make a card for a baby or wedding shower using a couple of newer stamps.  I stamped the Umbrella in a pale pink and used a darker pink for the Rain Down Greeting on top.  I then die cut it and sponged on some ink. 
 
I used the umbrella for the background as well, this time paper piecing it by using the
Material Maker Square for the the tops.  I colored in the handles and added some pearl embellishments to the embossed strip at the top, as well as the points on the umbrellas.
 

 
Well, this marks the end of April and I'm hoping to turn over a new leaf.  I feel like I keep saying that, but spring has been a busy time.  I'm still struggling to get rid of my blocked ear, we had out of town guests, and I've been getting estimates for a home improvement project.  NOT my favorite job. I'm dreading the upheaval in my house and life :(   I'm trying to focus on feeling blessed instead of stressed, but why is it easier said than done? 
 
Oh, and a guy across the street and 3 houses down, came into my yard and cut down a tree in my flower bed.  WITHOUT asking me.  Seriously, I thought I was living in the twilight zone.  He said it was dying and needed to come down. How about ASKING first, if I even want this favor...So then I was left with a mountain of tree stumps and branches and I had to scramble and get estimates for getting rid of it.  It took me calling 6 places before I could even get 2 people to give me a price. UGH.  It's now taken care of, and I'm slowly doing my own spring clean up outside.  This is proving another challenge, as our city has "outlawed" plastic trash bags. All my yard waste cannot fit in paper bags people.  It's just another thing I'm at my wit's end about, and all of this simply makes me want to move.  I've always wanted a downtown loft style condo ;)
 
ANYWAY, I hope to be around to your blogs real soon!  Thanks for your patience crafty friends :)

Tuesday, April 23, 2013

On Mother's Day

Hi Everyone,
Well, I must say I feel on top of things regarding this holiday. Not only do I have a Mother's Day card finished and ready to share with you today, but I actually have my mother-in-law's gift purchased and ready to give! Woo-hoo :) I had a floral arrangement (silk, obviously) made for her coffee table. It was something she asked for at Christmas, but I wasn't able to make it happen. I'm famous for thinking, I gotta remember this idea for next time. And of course I don't. The exception being now...However, I like to think this is a turning point, and a sign that I might be more organized this year ;)
Anyway, I chose one of my favorite floral stamps from DRS Designs, the Dogwood Branch. I colored it with Copics, die cut it and added some Stickles. I chose the background stamps,
Three Butterflies and Background Branch and colored them to match the main image.
 
 
I embossed one of the die cuts and was so excited to find that my flowered ribbon fit in my punched border strip perfectly. I love happy accidents. Finally, I simply added the On Mother's Day greeting to finish it off.
As a reminder, the current challenge at DRS Designs is "Bows", so I hope you get a chance to enter!
Have a great day!


Monday, April 22, 2013

Use A Digi Challenge

Hi Everyone,
 
From the title of my post, you can see that the challenge this month over at the Sparkle N Sprinkle Creative Challenges blog is super easy. Print out a digi and come play along!
 
Here's my card using the darling Spring Bunny digi from Michelle Perkett. Did I mention that if you use a digi from Sparkle N Sprinkle, you will receive one of her digis for free?!
 
 
I tore some strips of washi tape for my background and after coloring and die cutting my image, I  added some Waterscape Glitter(G1108) to the bunny's tail. And since the sentiment comes with, I can call it done...Super easy! 
 
What's not so CAS are the cards from my team mates...Check 'em out and link up your card right here!
 
Thanks for dropping by :)
 


Sunday, April 21, 2013

I'm Hooked

Hi Everyone,
 
DRS Designs is the sponsor this week at the 365 Cards blog.  Play along in the challenges this week and you could be the winner of a voucher to the DRS Designs store!
 
I decided to play along with the sketch challenge for today.  Here is the sketch:
 
 
And this is my card:
 
 
It's sort of quick and simple using the super cute little Worm on a Hook and matching
 I'm Hooked on You sentiment.  I like how the background turned out by stamping it with the
Fishing Pole.  It made a great pattern and you don't realize it's even an image right away.  I embossed the green panel with a new embossing folder named bubbles that I picked up on sale for one dollar. However, I think they look more like marbles than bubbles, so I'm not sure how great of a deal it actually was ;)
 
Ok, that's it from me.  Enjoy what's left of your weekend!
 


Tuesday, April 16, 2013

Another Graduation Card

Hi Everyone,
I have another graduation card to share with you made with my DRS Designs stamps. I chose navy and gold as my colors this time around as they seemed like a classic combination. I know they belong to the University of Michigan, but that's a taboo subject with me living in Ohio...:)
I stamped the Tassel along the top of my background and added the bottom panel made from the Argyle background stamp and the Argyle Diamond.
 
 
The Culmination Graduation Greeting was stamped in navy ink, die cut and highlighted with some matching gold ink. I only added a ribbon strip to the bottom and ribbon knot attached with a glue dot at the top of the sentiment. I was trying to keep it gender neutral. Did I succeed?
Thanks for visiting me today and don't forget the current challenge at the DRS Designs blog is "Stitching"! 
 
P.S. Just a quick personal note, I'm still trying to rid myself of these blocked ears.  The doctor said I just have to wait it out, but if it doesn't clear up, he will refer me to an Ear, Nose and Throat doctor.  Sigh.  I have no patience, I just want it to fix itself now so that I can get on with normal life.
 
 
 

Wednesday, April 10, 2013

Born to Ride

Hi Everyone,
I missed out posting this card last Wednesday because I've been sick since before Easter. Blech.  While I've finished up my prescription of antibiotics today, my ears are still blocked and my equilibrium is off. Needless to say, I'm going back to the doctor for a follow up, because this not being able to hear thing, is really cramping my style :)
Anyway, I made this card with my cousin in mind.  It was his birthday yesterday and he's a motorcycle/dirt bike fanatic. I think he's reliving his youth ever since he hit his 50's!  These stamps from the set Motorcycles #284   from Sparkle N Sprinkle (They're on special right now too!) have his name written all over them.  So masculine and perfect that it was sheer joy creating with them.
I stamped the image in Versamark,  embossed it with Black Detail Embossing Powder #EP171 and fussy cut it, adding it on top of my die cuts.
 
 
The center border was made from Sticker Paper #99558 and Black Suede Velvet Glitter #2009.  Full card details can be seen in the gallery here.  And if you haven't seen what's new in the store, just click here...Awesome new sets to be had. Trust me ;)
Thanks for stopping by today and stay well!
 


Tuesday, April 9, 2013

Live the Life You've Imagined

Hi Everyone,
The time has come for me to start thinking about graduations. The high schools don't usually get out until June, but I know that both of my nieces are done with their college semesters in less than a month. That's when all the announcements start hitting my mailbox, so I want to be on top of things this year.
So with that, I present you with my first graduation card of the year made with my stamps from
DRS Designs. The background was made by stamping the Graduation Background (so adorable with all the caps and diplomas flying around!) and coloring it in with my Copic markers. I used just the Argyle Diamond stamp (it's the one that pairs up with the Argyle background stamp) and made that border along the bottom.
 
 
I inked up the Go Confidently Graduation Greeting and used a baby wipe to take off the ink from the first two words and colored them in with a red marker before stamping it. It was then die cut and I added three gems for some bling. Finally, the graduation cap embellishment was made with a square punch, brad and a bit of embroidery floss.

There are only a couple of days left in our "Paper Flowers" challenge and then Thursday starts with an all new one!

Have a great day!


Wednesday, April 3, 2013

Anything but a Card Blog Hop

Hi Everyone,
 
Today is the day for the "Anything but a Card" blog hop with Sparkle N Sprinkle!  You should have come here by way of Brigita, but if you didn't, start at the beginning, so you don't miss out on commenting along the way!  Lots of great prizes to be had :)
 
I've been seeing many projects around Pinterest that feature paint chips, (You know, those strips of paint samples from the store?) so I used those as a theme in today's projects. I just love the gradient colors on them :)
 
First off I have a bookmark to show you.  I simply cut off the paint numbers from the one side, punched a hole at the top for the ribbon and rounded the corners at the top Then I chose my stamps, Blossoms to Go (#444S) and stamped them in Versamark(#712353310018) and Black Detail Embossing Powder(#EP171)
 
 
I added a few gems to finish it off. Quick, easy and super cute. My kinda project :)
 
 
 The next project is a scrapbook page using a photo from last October.  I love autumn and all the gorgeous colors that time of year.  It's what I think of when I see these beautiful colors in the Velvet Glitter line.  Specifically Tiger Orange (#GM2003), Goldenrod (#GM2006), and Luau Green (#GM2004).  I die cut these leaves from Sticker Paper (#99558), sprinkled them with glitter and then dry embossed.  It turned out even better than I dared to hope :)
 

Here is a look at the paint chip I used to embellish my page and I used the same glitters and sticker paper to spell out the word Autumn on my page.
 
 
 The sentiment and flourish from the above photo both come from the stamp set Autumn Swirl (#410)and I used some Bronze Splendor (#G1012) glitter in my die cut layers.
 
 
As always, full details can be found in my card gallery.

 Thanks for peeking in today.  This hop is a fun one, lots more surprises along the way.  Next up is Cammy! 

Enjoy!
 
 

Tuesday, April 2, 2013

Ladybug Birthday

Hi Everyone,
Even though Mother Nature played an April Fools joke by sending me snow yesterday morning, I'm choosing to remain cheerful by posting this summer like birthday card. I know lady bug time can't be too far in the future, so I inked up the Ladybug Birthday Greeting and made it the focus of my card. By cutting it out with my circle dies, I was able to layer it up to match the color theme of my card. DRS Designs has lots of great card edgers, and this Ladybug (which comes paired with a butterfly edge) worked perfectly down the side of my card. I simply stamped and colored it up with my Copic markers and added a punched border.

 
The Easy Dot Background made making the background paper so simple and matched the theme of the card so well. I finished it off by adding some resin ladybugs that have been in my crafty stash forever :)
 
Just to add a personal bit, I succommed to the awful flu/cold/virus whatever thing that seems to have many people sick.  Last week was rough, sleep was scarce and with 18 coming for Easter dinner, I wasn't sure I was going to make it.  I managed to survive, and went to the doctor yesterday (for the second time...long story), and I'm hoping with these meds I will be back to feeling better.
 
To check out all of the stamps currently being featured, this month at DRS,  just click here. Wishing us all sunny days ahead!

Karin
 
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