Tag You're It 66!

Well it's time for a new challenge at Tag You're It!  This time around our guest featured artist is Maureen Merritt and she created this gorgeous spring-time tag for our inspiration.  My Tag You're It teamies must think I'm crazy because I saw all those pretty flowers and thought of snowflakes!

I followed Maureen's layout for my tag - some images in the top and bottom corners, a dark layer peeking out on the bottom of the tag, and a sentiment in the white space, plus a couple of die cut snowflakes for good measure.

There's a die cut challenge going on at Stampin' Royalty and since I haven't played along over there in a dog's age I thought I would this time around.  I'll also enter this in the anything goes challenge at Simon Says Stamp Wednesday Challenge.

We'd love to how you are inspired by our challenge this week at Tag You're It.  Maybe you won't think of snowflakes like I did, but something entirely different!  Our design team has made some beautiful tags to inspire you so be sure to check them out.  I hope to see you in the gallery!

Supplies
Stamps:  Snowflakes (Stampin' Up!)
Paper:  Solar White (Neenah); Buckaroo Blue (Stampin' Up!)
Ink:  Soft Sky, Buckaroo Blue (Stampin' Up!)
Accessories:  Gift Card Holder Tag (Reverse Confetti); Funky Flakes die (CAS-ual Fridays Stamps); Basic Rhinestones (Stampin' Up!); baker's twine

CAS(E) This Sketch 210!

Thursday in my house means it's time for a new challenge at CAS(E) This Sketch!  This week Leigh Penner has given us a fabulous design.

I hope it's visible in the photo but I used some embossing paste and a stencil to take the place of the oval shape on the sketch.  I wanted something subtle so that I could layer a big sentiment on there - and play along with the latest challenge at The Paper Players.  I surrounded the edges of the card stock with different color dots in a bokeh-like design.  The sentiment was die cut in both yellow and black - with the black just barely showing.  I love how this came out!

The challenge this week at Less is More is "alphabet."  I think this qualifies because I've got letters on my card.  Not sure if they mean sequential letters, so we'll see!

Thanks for stopping by.  And check out the inspiration from the design team at CAS(E) This Sketch.  I'm sure you will be inspired to play along with us!

Supplies

Stamps:  Hand Lettered Hello (WPlus9); Circles Circles Circles (Whimsy Stamps)

Paper:  Solar White (Neenah); Daffodil Delight, Basic Black (Stampin' Up!)

Ink:  Hello Honey, Daffodil Delight, Marigold Morning (Stampin' Up!); Onyx Black (Versafine)

Accessories:  Happy Hello die (My Favorite Things); Urban Insiders Square stencil (Stencil Girls Products)

Freshly Made Sketches 276!

There's a brand new sketch over at Freshly Made Sketches that I'm pretty sure you are going to love.  It's designed by Amy O'Neill and it is a classic design that leaves tons of room for creative interpretation.  Let's get to it, shall we?

I just realized that the flower on my card looks sort of like the star in the sketch!  That's totally unintentional and don't worry if stars aren't your thing - if you play along you can use whatever shape or image you'd like on your project!

I love the colors featured this week at Just Us Girls.  Coincidentally, I was recently perusing some old cards I made and I came across one featuring Crumb Cake and this polka dotted paper.  I liked how it looked and was determined to use that paper again.  These two challenges were the perfect excuse to!

Our amazing-as-always design team at Freshly Made Sketches has some real jaw-droppers this week so be sure to check them out.  We hope that you are inspired to play along with us!

Thanks for stopping by!

Supplies
Stamps:  Modern Blooms (My Favorite Things); Just Saying (Wow!)
Paper:  Crumb Cake, Whisper White, Crumb Cake DSP (Stampin' Up!); Black (Simon Says Stamp)
Ink:  Pure Poppy (Papertrey Ink); Onyx Black (Versafine)
Accessories:  Fancy Flourish die (My Favorite Things)

Live the Life You've Imagined

I needed a sentiment that ran subway-style for the card I'm sharing today.  "Live the Life You've Imagined" fit the bill and I will add the disclaimer that I do not, most days, fancy that I want to be a dragonfly.  With that being said here is the card:

I actually think that dragonflies are very interesting creatures.  They look vaguely like a helicopter and despite their size seem to fly around in a very elegant manner.  When I was a kid my sisters and I somehow thought that long body was some kind of sewing needle and if one of these fellows landed on you nothing good would come of it - you'd be sewn up like Frankenstein, I guess.

The colors for my card are inspired by the current challenge at Muse - pinks, green, and white are predominant in the inspiration so that's what I chose for my card.  The layout comes from the Mojo challenge and the dragonfly is a nod to the "winged creatures" challenge at Global Design Project.

I had an enjoyable long weekend, but it's back to work today.  The weather here the last few days has been decidedly spring-like but I try not to get too excited about that.  It's only February and warm days are an aberration here at this time of year.  But I'll enjoy it while I can.  The week ahead is looking good too so I'm hoping to get back to my lunch-hour walk!

Thanks for stopping by!

Supplies
Stamps:  Life's Possibilities (Tim Holtz)
Paper:  Pixie, Lemongrass, Raspberry, The Sorbet Collection (Avery Elle); Whisper White, Vellum (Stampin' Up!)
Ink:  Jet Black (Altenew)
Accessories:  Blueprints 21 die, Jumbo Fishtail Banner STAX (My Favorite Things); Libellules die (4enscrap)

CAS(E) This Sketch 209!

There's a brand new sketch at CAS(E) This Sketch brought to you this week by Chrissy .  When I saw it I knew instantly what stamp I wanted to use for that big focal image!

I loved the colors at CAS on Sunday so I used those on my card, although my Bermuda Bay looks a little washed out.  I love this awesome die, especially how it looks layered with the solid background.  And the accompanying sentiments that go with it give lots of choices for a "go get 'em" type card!

Thanks for stopping by and be sure to check out the inspiration from the CAS(E) This Sketch design team.  We'd love to have you play along with us!

Supplies
Stamps:  Fonds Grunge (4enscrap); Awesome (Neat & Tangled)
Paper:  Solar White (Neenah); Bermuda Bay (Stampin' Up!)
Ink:  Pool Party, Night of Navy (Stampin' Up!)
Accessories:  Awesome die (Neat & Tangled)

Freshly Made Sketches 275!

Well here we are at Wednesday again.  The days are whizzing by and little by little it's staying lighter in the evenings a bit longer.  Pretty soon it will be light out when I go home from work!  It's the little things, right?

Today's little thing is a great new sketch from Freshly Made Sketches.  Our friend down under, Narelle designed it and I love it!

There's a great color challenge at The Papers Players this week and I just happened to have some shiny copper washi tape at my disposal so I was good to play along.  I took one strip of washi tape and stuck it to a narrow piece of cardstock then ran it through my crimper - that's my short horizontal layer.  The washi tape, unadorned, became the larger horizontal layer.

I learned from Narelle that leaves don't have to be green so I die cut mine out of gray.  I paired them with these pink flowers.  The sentiment is from a really old SU set that I got on eBay many years ago.  I bought it because I loved this particular sentiment (and got lots of other ones in the bargain) .  I should use it more!

Thanks for stopping by and be sure to check out the cards from the Freshly Made Sketches design team.  We hope you'll join us in the gallery!

Supplies
Stamps:  Artful Flowers (Simon Says Stamp); All Year Cheer I, Gorgeous Grunge (Stampin' Up!)
Paper:  Solar White (Neenah); Smoky Slate, Whisper White (Stampin' Up!)
Ink:  Blushing Bride, Smoky Slate (Stampin' Up!); Metallic Copper (Ink It Up)
Accessories:  copper washi tape

You Tickle My Fancy

I really loved the colors this week at Color Throwdown and the sketch at Fab Friday so I wanted to be sure to play along with both.  I think they are a match made in heaven!

I used my favorite feathers for this card and embossed them with some SU embossing powder.  I also used an old favorite - a scallop circle die!  I remember when your stamping stash was not complete without a plethora of Nestabilities in it.  The scallop circles were especially useful and then in accordance with the fickle nature of crafting supplies they sort of fell out of fashion.  But I've noticed them popping up now and again.   What's old is new again!

The forecasters are predicting another blizzard for tonight and tomorrow.  There's a good chance that the storm will be just far enough north of me that I'll only get another half a foot of snow.  But the winds are expected to be very bad and I am praying I don't lose power.  There's nothing worse than being in a cold, dark house!

Thanks for stopping by!

Supplies

Stamps:  Feather Finery (Papertrey Ink); Fancy Feathers (Clearly Besotted)

Paper:  Solar White (Neenah); Black (Simon Says Stamp); Tempting Turquoise, Vellum (Stampin' Up!)

Ink:  Versamark; Onyx Black (Versafine)

Accessories:  Petite Scallop Circle die, Standard Circles die (Spellbinders); Washi Tape die (My Favorite Things); Tangerine Tango embossing powder (Stampin' Up!); enamel dots (Freckled Fawn); washi tape

Pow!

We had a wee snow storm here yesterday.  We call it a nor'easter and it came with high winds that blew all that snow around and generally caused all kinds of mess on the roads.  When it was done it dumped about a foot and a half of snow in my yard.  Thankfully, my office closed early and I was able to go home from work and ride out the storm in my stamp room!

There's a hero challenge at CASology which gave me an excuse to use one of my super hero-style stamp sets.  And I recently got some patterned paper that is all comic book themed so I grabbed that and made this card using the sketch from Sketch Saturday.

I love the way this super-girl is standing, arms akimbo, and with a determined look on her face.  She reminds me that girls can do anything!

Well, this girl is headed outside to finish shoveling snow then I'm off to work.  Duty calls!  Thanks for stopping by!

Supplies
Stamps:  You're Super (My Favorite Things)
Paper:  Enchanted Evening, Comic Strip (Papertrey Ink); Daisy (Avery Elle); Whisper White (Stampin' Up!)
Ink:  Jet Black (Altenew); Enchanted Evening (Papertrey Ink)
Accessories:  You're Super die, Wonky Stitched Rectangle STAX (My Favorite Things)

CAS(E) This Sketch 208!

Since Valentine's Day is only five days away, I took the opportunity to use the latest sketch at CAS(E) This Sketch to make a valentine.

There are a few valentine challenges this week so I'm joining in the fun at AAA Cards, Creative With Stamps, and The Paper Players.  I've made a couple of valentines this year and one thing occurred to me each time:  I have lousy valentine stamps.  The sentiment I used on this card is about the only thing I have that even remotely fits the theme.  I must rectify this, I think!

N@ Ali has brought us this great sketch so be sure to check out the creations from the CAS(E) This Sketch design team this week.  We'd love to see you in the gallery!

Thanks for stopping by!

Supplies
Stamps:  Fancy Word Coordinates (Reverse Confetti)
Paper:  Soft Stone, Pure Poppy (Papertrey Ink); Gingham-Linen Rainbow Petite Prints (Doodlebug Design)
Ink:  Jet Black (Altenew)
Accessories:  Blueprints 21 die, Stitched Rectangle STAX (My Favorite Things); Scribble Heart die (Simon Says Stamp)

Freshly Made Sketches 274!

The last few days were very busy for me.  I was trying to get a bunch of things done before the weekend so that I could watch the Super Bowl in peace.  Well, if you watched the game you know it was an edge-of-your-seat thrill ride - at least the fourth quarter was!  Being from New England I am well aware that everyone else hates the Patriots but it was a great game and sweet ending to a tumultuous couple of years.  #RogerThat

Now that's out of the way we can move on to the real reason you are here - the newest challenge at Freshly Made Sketches is up today and our design this week comes to you from Canada - where I'm pretty sure that Jen Brum doesn't care about my football team!

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Sometimes there is a strange phenomena in challenge blogland where different ones will have eerily similar themes.  This weeks offering is Addicted to CAS with a "pets" cue word and Just Us Girls who is looking for dogs.  I've had this doggy footprint die for quite some time and obviously these two challenges were the perfect excuse to use it.  And I love that the footprint is inside of a heart!

  
My friends at Freshly Made Sketches have made some fantastic cards with the sketch this week so be sure to check them out.  We hope to see you in the gallery!

Supplies
Stamps:  Who Let the Dogs Out (Technique Tuesday)
Paper:  Fresh Snow Linen, Sweet Blush (Papertrey Ink); Black (Simon Says Stamp)
Ink:  Jet Black (Altenew)
Accessories:  Dog Icons die (Paper Smooches); Stitched Sentiment Flag die (Lil' Inker); Midnight Blend sequins (Avery Elle)

CAS(E) This Sketch 207!

We have whizzed around to Thursday and a brand new challenge at CAS(E) This Sketch designed by Michele Ferguson.  It has been a while (a full month, I think) since I've made a Christmas card so I took the opportunity of this sketch plus the "snow" challenge at Christmas Card Challenges and the "winter chill" challenge at AAA Cards to add to my 2017 Christmas card stash.

I dug deep into my stash for these snowflake stamps.  I've had them for years and once...once I contemplated selling them on eBay.  But then I came to my senses and kept them.  I love the patterns and I embellished them a bit on this card with some rhinestones.

Thanks for stopping by.  Don't forget to check out our latest challenge at CAS(E) This Sketch.  We love to see you in the gallery!

Supplies
Stamps:  Snowflakes (Stampin' Up!); Jingle All the Way (Technique Tuesday)
Paper:  Pure White (Gina K); Baja Breeze, Whisper White (Stampin' Up!)
Ink:  Baja Breeze (Stampin' Up!); Jet Black (Altenew)
Accessories:  Blueprints 21 die (My Favorite Things); Basic Rhinestones (Stampin' Up!)

Freshly Made Sketches 273!

Halfway through the workweek - yay!  February 1st already - say what!?!?!  And it's also time for a new challenge at Freshly Made Sketches.  This week our friend from the southern hemisphere, Karren Johnson, is our hostess.  I tried to be clever with the three rectangles on the sketch...

I stamped the sketchy floral image of this card twice.  Once on the card base and once on another piece of cardstock that I intended to cut into three rectangles.  The images needed to line up perfectly on each piece in order for this card to work as intended so, of course, after I had the first two layers of images stamped I dropped an ink pad onto one of the pieces and made a big mess.  Back to step one I went {insert angry words here}.

In case you can't see it in the photo there is a popped up layer made from three rectangles of the floral image that I stamped on the card base.  I briefly toyed with the idea of running a black marker around the edge of each of the rectangles so that they would show up better but I was afraid that it wouldn't look good and I'd have to go back to step one AGAIN so I left it as is.  I also managed to find a sentiment that fit PERFECTLY between the stems of those flowers!

The colors for my card come from the inspiration photo at Sunday Stamps.  The darkest color in the challenge looked like a a taupey-gray to me so for the outline images and stem plus the dark matted layer I used Smokey Shadow which is (to my eye anyway) a taupey-gray .  It looks black here - but it's not!

Thanks for stopping by!  And be sure to check out our challenge at Freshly Made Sketches plus all the inspiration from our amazing design team.  We love to see you in the gallery!

Supplies

Stamps:  Abstract Poppies (Rubbernecker Stamps); Lace Leaf (Concord & 9th)

Pape:  Solar White (Neenah); Smokey Shadow (Papertrey Ink)

Ink:  Sweet Blush, Smokey Shadow (Papertrey Ink); Calypso Coral (Stampin' Up!)

Accessories:  Blueprints 21 die (My Favorite Things); enamel dots (Studio Calico)