Tuesday, December 30, 2014

My Top Twelve Favorite Cards of 2014

Hello everyone,

I like how lots of bloggers look back at their cards of the past year and pick a favorite for each month so I have decided to take a walk through my posts and pick mine:
ETA: links to the actual posts

January




February




March





April





May





June





July





August





September





October





November





December





Boy, some months it wasn't easy to make a decision - I could have easily picked more!

I haven't been crafting for a long time and therefore have a hard time getting back into it. But there are some birthdays coming up so I really need to dust off my mojo! Hopefully I will have something to share with you soon!

Until then I wish you health, happiness, and lots of  time to craft in 2015!

Hugs,
Susanne

Thursday, December 18, 2014

Merry Christmas

With this card I wish you all a very merry Christmas and a happy New Year!
I have to post this early because I probably won't get around to post again before Christmas!
Please forgive me for not being more active here. 
Looking forward to having more time to play and blog after the holidays!




Stamps: Hero Arts (winter scene), unmounted, unknown sentiment
Ink: SSS Smoke, Colorbox Chalk Warm Red

I managed to keep it really simple this year and even made a one layer card! I had a hard time getting this solid image to stamp well.

And look at this - it works for several challenges!

"Less Is More" - One Layer, Snow

"Less is More"

CAS-ology - Snow




Simon Says Wednesday Challenge - Winter


Simon Wednesday Challenge Blogicy-moodboard-sss













































Simon Says Monday challenge - Anything goes


Simon Monday Challenge Blog


I am very happy to see that I have three new followers! Hopefully they will understand if I welcome them properly after the holidays. Then you also might have more time to visit their blogs!

Wishing you a very happy holiday season full of everything that makes you happy!

Warmly,
Susanne

Wednesday, December 3, 2014

New Home for CAS(E) this sketch #101

First let me apologize for the long break in posting! Don't worry, everything is fine. The holiday season is here and I've been just busy with other things so blogging took a back seat. But today I have a card for you. I needed a card for one of my nieces who recently moved into her first apartment and hope it has reached the destination because I would like to add it to the fabulous gallery at CAS(E) this sketch #101 which it closes in 13 hours.







keepintouchcards.blogspot.com




Stamps: Winnie & Walter (happy), Studio 112 (new home)
Die: Impression Obsession
Other: Papertrey Ink (Linen Impression Plate)

I chose this particular die (which I cut apart for layering) because my niece moved to a small town in the mountains. I used markers on the buildings and watercolored the hills. The sky is paper that I bought for the birth announcements for my younger son and he is 11! I miscalculated and bought way too much but that's ok because it works perfectly (IMHO) and I couldn't have painted it better!

Hope to be back soon!

Hugs,
Susanne

Monday, November 17, 2014

Merry Christmas with folded tree

Surprise! I  have a Christmas card for you today! Blogland is full of them right now but you don't see a ton of them on mine...




Stamps: Hero Arts (swirl background), unmounted, unknown sentiment
Punches: EK success (star border)
Other: LifeStyle Crafts (embossing folder)

It features one of those folded trees that you probably have all seen around but the unusual thing about this one is that I used double-sided foil paper. One side is green, the other gold. It is very popular in Germany for all kinds of Christmas crafts and comes in a variety of color combinations. I brought some back some time ago especially with those trees in mind. After I folded it, I dry embossed it and added a foam mounted star punched from gold glitter paper. The rest is pretty self explanatory, I think, but if you have any questions please let me know!

This card works for several challenges! Check them out:

Virginia's View Challenge #9 "Metallic"




Simon Says Wednesday Challenge "Stars"

Simon Wednesday Challenge Blog



Addicted to Stamps "Anything Goes"


Inkspirational "Shine"




Hope the week has started well for you!
Susanne

Friday, November 14, 2014

Virginia's View / Simon Says Wednesday Challenge / Freshly Made Sketches

This week I needed a birthday card for my friend Lola, one of the 7 Cardologists. My starting point was a piece of background that I had left over from that card (the second one in the post). Lola had admired those golden splatters and so I assumed she liked the panel...?



http://keepintouchcards.blogspot.com



http://keepintouchcards.blogspot.com



Stamps: Simon Says Stamp (Happy)
Dies: PTI (birthday, gold star)
Other: Studio Calico (little, wooden stars), Heidi Swapp (white star with script), Gelatos

It took me way too long to decide which way to go with this card until these challenges came to my rescue:

Freshly Made Sketches #182




Virginia's View Challenge #9 "Metallic"




Simon Says Wednesday Challenge "Stars"




Simon Wednesday Challenge Blog


In the end I really love how it came out! I feel it's so me! The stars, the artsy panel (in my dreams I am very artsy, you know...), the grey card,...

ETA: Carol pointed out that I should link up to Addicted to Stamps (Anything goes) and to Inkspirational (Shine). Thanks Carol!

Wishing you a fantastic weekend and thanking you for your visit and comments,

Susanne






Tuesday, November 11, 2014

SSS Wednesday Challenge / Fusion Challenge

I have loved this background from Hero Arts ever since it came out but only recently bought it. To try it out I heat embossed it in white and sponged the background with Peacock Feathers Distress Ink. Then I added a shimmery butterfly die cut on top of a vellum solid one and the saying. 


http://keepintouchcards.blogspot.com


Stamps: Hero Arts (Leafy Vine background, sentiment)
Dies: Memory Box (butterfly)

This card goes to the Simon Says Wednesday Challenge "Thinking of you" and the Fusion challenge "Embossed Ombre" (I was inspired by that gorgeous cake but didn't use the sketch).



Simon Says Stamp Wednesday Challenge Blog                      


ETA: My friend Sarah from Funky Fossil Designs suggested that I link this card also to the A2Z Scrapbooking Supplies for their "Anything Goes" challenge! Thanks Sarah! Hope they don't consider that as backlinking...

Hope you are all having a fantastic week,
Susanne

ETA: This card won Honorable Mention at the Fusion Challenge! Woohoo!

Sunday, November 9, 2014

Muse Challenge #92

Happy Sunday to you all! Hope you are enjoying your weekend!

I made a card inspired by the Muse this week "Vicky Dutcher". This is her card




and here is my take on it






Stamps: Simon Says Stamp (birthday)
Dies: PTI (Headline Alphabet)
Other: Cuttlebug (embossing folder), Marco's Paper (silver cardstock), Distress Inks

I still love to use embossing folders as background stamps with distress inks spritzed with water! Cut out the HAPPY with my NBUS dies from PTI from matte silver cardstock, embossed the birthday in silver, mounted the panels on foam tape and really liked the result! Hope you do, too! It's always good to have some guy cards ready, right? (Although if someone would send me a similar card I would be delighted. Even though I love flowers, butterflies, bling, etc. I also like this type of cards.)

Help me give a warm welcome to my new follower Karren J. from "Karren J - Stamping Stuff"
Why don't you visit her blog, let yourself be inspired by her wonderful cards and leave her some love?
Karren, my welcome quote for you is from Wassily Kandinsky:

Color is a power which directly influences the soul.

Thank you for becoming a follower! I also want to thank everybody who has signed up to get my posts through email and all of you visitors! Hope you continue to like what you see here!

Hugs,
Susanne

Tuesday, November 4, 2014

Baby Girl for SSS flickr challenge

Just popping in with a card I made for the Simon Says Stamp flickr challenge. They want to see any kind of embossing - dry, heat, or paste. I used one of their amazing stencils with embossing paste mixed with pearl acrylic paint to make it shimmery.





Stamps: Lawn Fawn (Milo's Alphabet), SSS (baby girl)
Stencil: SSS (falling stars)
Dies: Sweet 'n' Sassy (clouds)

Did you see that Dora and Cathy have their "Get To Know You" posts up? If not, go for a visit and leave them some love! It's always fun to learn something new about our stamping friends!

That's it from me for now. I am trying to get over a strep throat but the antibiotics are not kicking in as fast as I would like to...

Thanks for stopping by!
Hugs,
Susanne

Tuesday, October 28, 2014

CAS(E) this sketch #97 in kraft for SSS Wednesday Challenge

Love sketch #97 from CAS(E) this sketch and can see myself using it over and over again! Also love Kraft which is the theme at the Simon Says Wednesday Challenge so I made this:



http://keepintouchcards.blogspot.com



Stamps: Hero Arts (background and sentiment)
Dies: Impression Obsession

The maple leaves are cut out from watercolor paper, dipped in Distress Inks and splattered with gold. They are inlaid in the stamped panel and everything is mounted with foam tape but it looks sort of flat in the picture. It was a dark and dreary day - not great for taking pictures...

As is often the case I am entering this in the last minute. The galleries are already full of awesome creations! Check them out!


  Simon Wednesday Challenge Blog


Thank you so much for your visit and your wonderful comments!

Hugs,
Susanne

Sunday, October 26, 2014

Happy Birthday, Shirley-bee!

It's Shirley-bee's birthday and Maria F. has organized a linky Party at her blog "Rieslingmama"! Hop on over and look at all the fabulous cards that Shirley's friends have made for her! Better yet, make a card for Shirley and join the party!

You probably know Shirley-bee from Shirley-bee's Stamping Stuff! Her wonderful, artsy creations are all over blogland! Recently she even has released her first two stamp sets available from Stamplorations. Shirley-bee and I share a love for splatters so I made sure to add some to the card I made for her! Hope you like it Shirley-bee and wish you all the best on your birthday!


http://keepintouchcards.blogspot.com


Stamps: A Stamp in the Hand (poppies), Hero Arts (sentiment), unknown unmounted script background


Hugs,
Susanne


Friday, October 24, 2014

"Happy Thoughts" for SSS flickr challenge #4

Just a quick post to show you a card I made for the SSS flickr challenge #4 "Watercolor".


http://keepintouchcards.blogspot.com



Stamps: Simon Says Stamp
Die: Simon Says Stamp

If you are interested how I made the background please click here.
There is Wink of Stella on the happy diecut.

Thank you for your visit!
Sending happy rainbow thoughts your way for a fantastic weekend!

Hugs,
Susanne

Monday, October 20, 2014

Getting to Know You Blog Hop

Warning: Long and picture heavy post! Find a comfortable position and stock up on food and drink before you start to read!

You probably have all seen some version of the Getting to Know You Blog Hop by now. Well, today it is my turn to tell you a bit more about my cardmaking process. Can you believe that the amazing and talented and extemely kind Anita in France of My Papercraft World has asked little old me to participate? I am so honored and still have to pinch myself to see if I am dreaming! To thank her I wanted to CASE Anita. She has so many inspiring cards on her blog (click here to see for yourself) that I couldn't pick just one so I combined some of the things that she likes (like rainbow colors, CAS design, and birds - just learned about that one) and made this:



http://keepintouchcards.blogspot.com


Stamps: DeNami (chick), Hero Arts (sentiment)

Glossy Accent on the beaks, Stickles dots between the sentiment.

Ok, let's get started on the questions!

What creative projects are you currently working on?

I have started my Halloween (almost done) and Thanksgiving (so far, only a prototype) cards which I exchange with the 7 Cardologists, my local stamping friends. I am also in the middle of my big Christmas card production. Unlike many of you I make them all the same and actually enjoy the assembly line method. We need about one hundred. Every year I vow that the next ones will be really simple and every year I add another layer and another step, etc. But this year they are rather simple and even one layer! This one is from 2012:


http://keepintouchcards.blogspot.com



What inspires your designs?

Mostly I am inspired by all you fabulous cardmakers out there. (I spend too much a lot of time looking at all your inspiring blogs - much more than crafting...) 
Sometimes an ad inspires me or some design or color combination. Recently I took a picture of the upholstering in a restaurant because I thought the pattern would make a cool card (haven't made it yet). 
Often it's a challenge that reminds me of a stamp or die that I have and that would be perfect. I use Pinterest mostly to pin cards that inspire me in one way or another. 
This card was inspired by a Moxie Fab World Tuesday Trigger:




http://keepintouchcards.blogspot.com



What method/process do you apply to each of your creative projects and how long does each take?

I usually have a certain stamp, die, or embellishment that I want to use. Then I work my card around it. I also love sketches and often use them as a starting point. 
I am mostly a slow crafter. It can take me a long time to find the right paper, ink color, sentiment, etc. (It doesn't help that I have a hard time making decisions.) But that doesn't mean my cards come out perfectly every time because at some point I loose patience and just put it together. Rarely a card just comes together easily and I am even happy with the result! Like the one above for Anita or this one:


http://keepintouchcards.blogspot.com


If you had to describe you signature style, what would it be?
I don't think I have a style. I follow a lot of CAS blogs and definitely lean towards CAS without achieving it most of the time, I believe. I admire white space on other people's cards but it makes me sort of nervous on mine. (The card for Anita is obviously an exception!) Sometimes I do Clean & Layered, other times I try to be artsy or do freestyle collage. When I asked the 7 Cardologists they all agreed that I had a style but couldn't pinpoint it either. Maybe YOU could tell me what my style is... ;) 
I do know that I like to adapt the style of my cards to the recipients. If I feel they don't really care for CAS I will add layers and embellishments, etc. 



http://keepintouchcards.blogspot.com


What are the three crafting products/tools that you can't live without?

I guess that would be my paper cutter, double stick tape/foam tape, and my stampsinksdiescuttlebugembossingfolderswatercolorsembellishmentsembossingpastestencils. ;)


http://keepintouchcards.blogspot.com


Additional tidbit about me that you may or may not be interested (not part of the official interview):

When I got my Cuttlebug it was because I really loved embossed backgrounds. For the longest time I thought I could live without  all those Nestabilities everybody else was buying. Then I thought, well maybe I would use these label dies from Sizzix and maybe those other ones, too, and then so many other companies started coming out with all these cool shapes and word dies and now I have quite a collection and an ever growing longer wish list. 

And now I get to nominate two lovely ladies. You will be able to get to know them better on November 3, when they will put up their blog hop posts. But you don't have to wait until then to check out their blogs and find all kinds of inspiration.

Dora B. from the 7Cardologists.
Knowing her personally I can tell you that she is just one of the kindest, most generous person out there. Every year she uses her time share week to rent an apartment for all of us to get together and stamp to our hearts content! Visit her blog and check out her beautiful cards like this one:





Cathy from Cathy's Card Spot.
Cathy is the master of gorgeous butterfly cards. They are colored so lifelike that you expect them to fly off the paper at any moment. Of course you will find lots of other things like delicate flowers and awesome cards for guys, etc. when you wander through her blog




So mark your calendars for November 3rd or better yet start following their blogs so you won't miss another one of their posts!

Thank you so much for sticking with me through this long, long post!

Have a great week and consider yourself hugged!
Susanne





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