A brief break from the KNK

I just want to play all day with my Klic 'n Kut but then playing with the Stephanie Barnard Flip It's is just as much fun.  I joined the PAO Christmas Card Swap and had a blast using the circle Flip It and the entire 6x6 pad of Doodlebug paper to make these cards.

THE AMAZING KLIC-N-KUT

I will try to shorten this shaggy-dog story of how I ended up with the KNK.  It began with a friend demoing her new Scan & Cut by Brother.  Wow!  I was seriously impressed how you could stamp images, feed the paper into the S&C and out comes perfectly cut images of your stamp.  Dies could be a thing of the past with this!  So I talk to my dear hubby, Bob, about this machine saying I am interested in it but prefer to wait until sometime next year when I feel like the bugs (if any) are ironed out.  Good idea he says…then proceeds to research what is out there in the cutter world of crafting.  Gee…I had no idea there were so many choices and such advanced ones as well.

Bingo…after researching numerous machines, and there are many great ones out there, I am now the proud and delighted owner of the Klic-N-Kut Maxx Air or KNK.  This machine uses the Make the Cut software that allows you to load pretty much anything and pop out perfectly cut images.  But wait…there's so much more it will do.  I have only scraped the surface after having it for 2 weeks now.  It does have a learning curve in mastering the software but once you get the hang of a few things, the rest starts to come easily.  I have been able to print and cut older WM stamps that I haven't used in years.  I can cut out shapes that match any stamp I have and stamp directly onto the shape however I wish.  Clear stamps are fantastic with this since you are not limited in any method of reproducing the images.  WM stamps are semi-limited in that the easiest way to use them is to print the image and then cut it rather than cut the shape and then stamp it.  But either way I am head-over-heals with this machine.  On top of stamps there are millions of images on the internet, many free, that can be downloaded into the software.  Any SVG file is usable, any image that can be scanned is also usable.  The resources are endless.  This machine does not take cartridges but I am able to also download my Cricut images and use those cuts as well.  See?  Endless!  One more thing about the KNK…we also chose it over others due to the incredible customer support.  We were so impressed with the knowledge, patience and enthusiasm.   We always got answers on the first call!

To do everything, the KNK requires a scanner, a computer, and a printer.  The Maxx Air is NOT portable however the Zing model is.  The KNK can cut on so many different materials also…even balsa wood!

So here is my first completed card using the KNK for all the images.  The Gift Girl and Christmas Tree stamps are WM stamps.  I first stamped them in black ink on white paper, scanned the images, imported them into the MTC program.  (Once those steps are done, that does not have to be repeated) From there I printed the images allowing (via software) for a "shadow" around the entire image.  Next I then cut the images on the KNK which uses a fine laser beam to register the coordinates

and create perfect cuts each time.  The doorway is a cut file found within the Make the Cuts software gallery.  Sounds involved doesn't it!  It is, but once you get the hang of it, it's really a breeze.  I've made a few mistakes along the way but learn each time something new in the process.  I am very fortunate to be married to a very computer savvy guy who is more than happy to help me learn this KNK to it's fullest.  I've only begun to scratch the surface.

Finally…the card

Thanks for reading and looking.

Make It Monday #139: Stamped Square Frames

Yes, I know…it says Make It Monday and today is Saturday.  I'm sliding in pretty close.  I haven't done a MIM in ages but this challenge not only got me excited but I have PTI stamps that are well suited to it.

For the frame I used Boutique Border - Thanks, stamping it once at the top and bottom and twice on each side to make a rectangular frame on Kraft card stock.  The Flower is made from the Lovely Layers stamp and die set.  Sentiment is made up from the Boutique Border - Sympathy stamp and die with the sentiment from Lovely Layers also.  All card stock is from various collections from Club Scrap.

Thanks for looking:

Can't get enough of this Triple Cricle Die

It's an addiction!  This die is just so much fun and opens up a wealth of ideas to decorate those little circles.  So many things can be featured on them.  This card was made for my friend Jen's card sketch challenge on PAO.  The idea being that you can make this card with or without the die.

Card stock is all Club Scrap with the print from Comfort Zone collection.  Stamps are from Papertrey Ink's Lovely Layers set.

Baby Shower

Today was my step-daughter Julia's baby shower.  She, her hubby and 19 month old son are expecting a girl in December!  It's PINK time!  After spending a great evening with my buddy Jen at Stephanie Barnard's card class Thursday night, I felt ready to take on one of her Flip-It cards all by myself.  Easier said than done.  The cutting part, of course is easy.  It's the selecting of papers for all the bits and pieces that caused me to stumble a time or two.  But when you are working with a specific 6x6 pad of adorable PINKish papers, how can you go wrong?  It took a lot of thinking and a bit of discovery if you are using a patterned paper that has a TOP and a BOTTOM.  Beware of that.

So all paper is from Doodlebug Design's 6x6 Double Sided (that really helps) "hello spring".  The colors were so girly I couldn't resist.  With the exception of the tiny flowers which are punches, the entire card including the owl stamp are Stepanie Barnard's designs.  Her Flip It die is the Circle Flip-Its #2.

Being an engineer, I knew Julia would get a kick out of this card on top of the PINK…and she did:)


Thanks for looking!

Flip-It Cards

Tonight my friend Jen and I spent the evening with Stephanie Barnard of TSOL and Sizzix, learning how to make her Flip-It cards.  OMG…it was too much fun.  Stephanie is adorable and her creativity was overflowing tonight as she guided us in making three fantastic cards with her clever dies she has engineered.  Just brilliant.  You know I am a die-junkie and this has just opened up a new vista for more die exploration.

I had so much fun with Jen making these cards.

It's almost Halloween!

Tomorrow is Halloween and I've been busy making cards for my dear friends and family.  Halloween is not a big deal for me but I find it a refreshing vehicle for stamping some fun images in colors that I love.

Without any great explanation of my cards and materials, here they are.  All the stamps are from two CTMH Halloween kits.  I will also note that I have been having fun with my Cricut and the Cricut Craft Room which is all new to me.  The CCR really makes the Cricut easier to use and offers a lot more versatility.

You say tomato...

...and I say tomato, LOL.  Well anyway I made this tomato card for a very gracious friend who put up with an invasion of 2 other families/friends at her ranch.  It ended up being a fabulous day for 5 assorted grandkids...all boys (19 months to 7 years old)...to enjoy a spot of ranch life.  We were all able to enjoy a horse-drawn buggy ride through their gorgeous fields and woods on one of the prettiest Autumn days imaginable.

We went home with a bag full of butternut squash and tomatoes.   I just happen to have a great tomato stamp from the PTI collection "Vegetable Garden".  This seemed like the perfect image to create a thank you card around.  I stamped a background in 3 Memento greens using the PTI 3-step stamp.  Then repeated making 6 more tomatoes in red with green tops to be cut out with the corresponding die.  I finished it off with the Boutique Borders "thank you" set.

A Taste of Fall

This month's Simon Says Stamp card kit is outstanding.  The fall colors and theme of "Season of Thanks" are just the ticket to get in the mood for Fall.  Last week at my semi-regular craft group get together I made 6 cards!  Not bad in 5 hours, LOL.  All materials are from the October Kit unless noted otherwise.

A taste of Fall:


Doily die from MFT.

Hello sentiment from The Stamps of Life

Flower die, Lovely Layers, and sentiment from PTI

Wednesday Scrap Group

It's not really a scrap group exactly.  More of a diverse paper arts group really.  I, along with good friend Jen when she can, meet up at a local scrapbook store in my neighborhood.  I've only been doing this since the beginning of August.  This group of ladies has been so welcoming and sharing of ideas and materials.  So this past Wednesday I worked on the below card.  Sad to say I spent most of my time there on this one card!  But it's fun to be in a creative environment and take my time discovering one of the latest stamp sets in my PTI arsenal.  The set I played with from PTI is called Mums the Word.  There are also matching dies you can add to this set which or course I couldn't resist.  Anyway below is the outcome of my playing with the new stamps and dies.

Once I was done I then played along with one of the very generous ladies showing a technique she had learned in a recent card class.  It involves ink, stencils and stamps.  What could be more fun?  I liked this easy technique and will try to do some more on my own.

Two cards in a day!

Wow, I'm on a roll, LOL.  But I did make two cards on my cards-to-make list today.

First is my submission to the Club Scrap challenge, NBUS Challenge - Animal Stampin'.  Pam has given us a great challenge in her monthly "Never Before Used Stamp" - we must use a non-flying animal in our card or project.  This was not easy to find a CS stamp, that hadn't been used, that wasn't a flying critter.  I was coming up empty until I remembered this beast.  It may be a bit on the fantasy side but it has 4 legs and hooves...works for me!  All stamps (NBUS) are from Club Scrap's Haberdashery collection.

Next is my card I will be sending off to my assigned PAO - OCAM recipient for September.  I am early for once.  The steam panel and coffee cup stamps are all from Michael Strong's set "Hetty's Coffee Cup".  I used my Spectrum Noir Markers to color in the images.  Background is a print from Club Scrap's Welcome collection.

Thanks for looking:)

MFT Card Sketch Challenge - September 2013 - week 1

This is the first time I have made and submitted a card to this weekly challenge.  It is always hard for me to follow a sketch and therefore is the fun and the challenge.  I am a stream of consciousness crafter so following a pattern is out of the comfort zone.  I knew that this card had to involve the MFT birdhouse die.  From there, it was by the seat of my pants but being sure to include all the components within the sketch.  I really enjoyed it.  But it literally took me all day!  I started around 10am and finished about 4:30 pm!

Here is the sketch I followed

I did not have any of the above MFT dies so I improvised with MFT dies that I do have.  Matter of fact, all stamps and dies are MFT.


Starting with a 6x6 tan card base (yeah, big) I layered it with a green panel.  For the "arrow" I used the MFT Homespun Birdhouse die along with the birds.  The house is stamped with Washi Patterns as is the small feather.  Sentiment in the chip board bubble is from Document It - Right on Target.  The light green layer beneath the red panel is Vertical Greetings II die.  Red printed panel is from Club Scrap "Welcome".  Finally I had to add feathers, of course, so I used Accent it - Feathers and Arrows.

Thanks for looking!

Jen's September PAO Sketch Challenge

I need to go to bed.  But I can't until I post this card.  I'll be quick and just say that all items used for Jen's Sketch were used for the first time.  Embossing folders, stamps and papers.

Thanks for looking and goodnight!

Paula Best Challenge

My buddy Jen and I came up with a challenge over at PAO to use any Paula Best stamps, or Michael Strong stamps or stamps that beg to be colored.  I was first drawn to Paula's stamps 17 years ago because of her vibrant and creative use of colors for her samples at the stamp shows.  Her sophisticated, whimsical collage stamps were so ahead of the times.  I discovered her stamps at my first craft show and probably spent an hour at her booth agonizing over what stamps to buy.  Each year I added to my collection.  But I haven't touched these beautiful designs in years.  Neither has Jen...hence the challenge.

I pulled out my assorted markers, a combination of PITT India Ink and Distress Ink Markers and went to town.  Then I used a stencil never before touched to create the background on black glossy card stock with Distress Paints.

Thanks for looking

Skidding in under the wire.

That's me.  My inspiration works on it's own schedule but today I had to light a fire under it.  Actually this card has been tumbling in my brain and came out fairly close to how I imagined it.  I say under-the-wire because tomorrow is the last day to submit a card to my friend Jen's card sketch over at Paper Artists Online, AKA: PAO.

Jen's sketches always stretch me.  I had a great time with this one and even...well kind of...stayed close to the sketch.  The sketch's main focus was a banner.  Being a coffee geek I chose to use coffee cups for the banner.  I stamped the JudiKins background swirls stamp on Kraft card stock with aqua and brown inks.  Die-cut coffee cups are Memory Box.  Cup border is an old favorite of Paula Best's.  French press pot is from Just for Fun and the Coffee Break is a clear stamp that I have no name on.


Thanks for looking!

Adirondack Chair Card

Oh dear!  It's been an entire month since I posted anything here.  What the heck have I been doing?  Well for one thing I've been acquiring dies, LOL.  And this Sizzix Pop Up Die by Karen Burniston is a favorite of mine.  This is my first serious attempt to create a card scene.  Not much of a plan here, just my usual stream of consciousness type card.

I began with a base card stock from Club Scraps' Autumn Splendor collection.  Long gone but I have just a few sheets of assorted prints and solids.  But this print was the perfect base for a wood floor with its streaks of browns against a lighter brown background.  The remaining printed papers, (with the exception of the table...Authentique) are from Basic Grey's Hey Girl 12x12 pad.

I gave the cat (Memory Box) stripes using a Copic Marker and the lamp base was embellished with a Pentel Sunburst  gel pen....yes, one that actually works!  The table, lamp, picture frame and rug are all cut out from Sizzix embossing folders created for this Pop Up die.  I cut the two pillows and kitty cushion from scraps used in this card.  I embellished the two pillows with flower patterns, using a black PITT pen so they looked a little more 3-D.  And finally, a cute little bird on the lamp shade, exasperating the cat.

Thanks for looking!

July PAO - OCAM

This was a particularly fun card to make for several reasons.  One, the recipient of my OCAM (one card a month) this month was for one of my dear friends, Nancy.  Two I used a favorite theme...coffee.  And three I am goofy over dies and this Pop N' Cut coffee cup is just amazing.

Thanks for looking.

Building a Card: MIM #127

This week's Papertrey Ink MIM challenge was a fun one for me.  It just so happened I had been playing last night with Mat Stack 6 Collection of stamps and dies.  Just the ticket to complete today's "twice stamped background".  As I went through the process I could see my card building and coming to it's completion.  So I took a few step out photos of the process.  This is a real mix of PTI stamps and dies and I am very happy at how they all worked together in creating this card.  My design is not at all original and pretty darn close to the sample given.  But hey...copying is a form of flattery, right?

My first step was to create the twice stamped background.  I used two of the arrow-like stamps from LIve, Love, Life with Memento Bamboo Leaves ink on a turquoise card stock.

Next was to create the label and greeting.  I used die cut shapes from my already cut stash of Mat Stack 6 Collection and the accompanying stamps.  This one is particularly fun to use due to the multiple parts you can add to this label.  I adhered the whole panel to a cream card stock for a 5"x5" card.  The base of the label is a shimmery copper text weight paper that is very rich looking.

Now came the fun part of making the flowers and leaves.  I chose (since it's the only flower and die set I have) Happiness in Bloom stamps and dies.  This is one sweet and versatile flower collection.  I had not used the leaf stamps or dies yet and was extremely impressed with the delicate leaves and how nicely it stamped up.  I stamped the smallest flowers twice in Memento Angel Pink and two more in Memento Rose Bud.   The pink ones I edged with the Rose Bud and then colored in the centers with a Spectrum Noir marker.

 I layered the pink over the rose ones for some depth and shadow effect and then tucked the leaves at the sides.

I have noticed of late that my tastes have turned a bit on the gaudy side...at least for me who has always preferred the color of mud, LOL.  I am happy with how this turned out.



All stamps and dies are Papertrey Ink
All ink Memento die ink
All card stock came from my enormous Club Scrap stash

Latte Girl

I am a bit of a coffee geek.  I love to make lattes on my La Scala Butterfly Espresso Machine with fresh coffee beans ground at the time of brewing in the morning and afternoon.  I have (ahem) acquired numerous coffee related stamps over the years as testimony of my fondness for caffeine.  Finally yesterday I stamped and colored this cutie from MFT's "Miss You A Latte" set.   Another one of my stream-of-consciousness cards.

This card has everything going on in it.  Label stamps and dies (PTI Mat Stack 6), latte embossing folder (Sizzix), Latte Girl (MFT) and a varied assortment of colored pencils with a little Spectrum Noir markers thrown in.  Oh, and don't forget the glitz...Glitter Glaze from MFT that I painted the embossed coffee cup and steam with.  Yeah, now that I look at it, maybe I overdid this card a bit.  Well I don't mind...I rather like it, LOL.

Thanks for looking.

Birthday Card

My niece is turning 14 next week.  Just can't believe it.  I remember that baby with the killer eyebrows.  Now she is a killer looking young lady.  Anyway I started this card yesterday while at a card making/scrapping group get-together and which is quickly becoming a regular thing.



Pinks, browns and greens.  An unusual color combo but it seemed teenage-girl-appropriate.   The cover was embellished with a pocket stamp and die from Paper Smooches.  I added the green-dotted kerchief and the Happy Birthday die is from Elizabeth Craft Designs.

Inside the card is a Sizzix Pop 'n Cuts using a generic label shape die that can be used for any occasion.  I added a PTI label and die, stamped with a sentiment from MFT and highlighted letters and flourishes with a white Signo pen.  Side panels are also die cuts and label stamp from PTI.