Freshly Made Sketches 409!

Hello everyone!  It's my turn to be the hostess at Freshly Made Sketches this week so that means I get to be extra nervous!  As I have found over the years it's one thing to design a sketch that people will like but it's another thing entirely to design a sketch that doesn't stump me!

I don't design my sketches with a particular card in mind so it's always a fun journey when it's time to make a card with that sketch.  This time around I was completely undecided about what I wanted to do but I had a vague idea about incorporating vellum.  So I opted for a Christmas card and a simple color scheme.  The kraft background shows off the vellum perfectly and I added some winter flowers that were embossed in white on vellum.  The placement of my florals seemed a bit off so I added a couple of enamel dots in bright red to balance things out.

Thanks for stopping by.  My Freshly Made Sketches design teammates have made some fantastic cards with this sketch so be sure to check them out.  I hope you'll join us in the gallery!

Supplies
Stamps:  Winter Flowers, Fa La La (Simon Says Stamp)
Paper:  Desert Storm, Naturals White (Neenah); Vellum (Stampin' Up!)
Ink:  Dark Chocolate (Papertrey Ink); Versamark
Accessories:  white embossing powder; enamel dots (My Mind's Eye)

CAS(E) This Sketch 345

Our newest sketch at CAS(E) This Sketch was incredibly CAS.  Even though I'm all about CAS, it still gave me a bit of trouble!  I was able to pick out a sentiment that I wanted to use right away but I was left with a lot of blank space that troubled me because it seemed too blank.  I pondered how to fill it without compromising the simplicity of the sketch.

I ended up using a stamp set that had three kings - those magi - and I stamped them subtly using Versamark ink.  I then embossed them with matte clear embossing powder so that they would apppear in the background but not overpower the sentiment.  It's an interesting look and I'm pleased with how it looks in real life.  I did manage to squeak in another challenge because at CAS on Friday they are looking for a big sentiment.

Thanks for stopping by!  My fellow teammates at CAS(E) This Sketch have really out-done themselves with this sketch so be sure to check them out.  We hope you'll join us in the gallery!

Supplies

Stamps:  Three Kings (Penny Black)

Paper:  Soft Stone (Papertrey Ink)

Ink:  Versamark; Onyx Black (Versafine)
Accessories:  clear matte embossing powder

Freshly Made Sketches 408

I was so excited when I saw the new sketch at Freshly Made Sketches.  I had been anxious for an excuse to use this plaid paper that I got a while back and the big rectangle on the sketch was perfect for it.  Our hostess this week is Jen Timko and I think that maybe she read my mind when she designed this sketch!

As luck would have it the challenge at Addicted to CAS is all about plaid and at The Paper Players they are looking for a LOUD sentiment.  So I combined both of those elements with this great sketch and came out with a Christmas card!

Thanks for stopping by!  My Freshly Made Sketches teammates have made beautiful card with this sketch so be sure to check them out.  I hope we'll see you in the gallery!

Supplies
Stamps:  Joy Stamp (The Stamp Market)
Paper:  Classic Ivory (Flourishes); Pinefeather (Papertrey Ink); glimmer paper (Recollections); Wrapped in Plaid (Stampin' Up!)
Ink:  Pinefeather (Papertrey Ink)
Accessories:  Joy die (The Stamp Market)

CAS(E) This Sketch 344 Meets Fusion

I am in full Halloween mode with the card I'm sharing today!  It's that time when I combine the sketch at CAS(E) This Sketch with the inspiration at Fusion and that inspiration put me in mind of Halloween.

I know it's a hollowed out pumpkin with a relaxing camp fire scene inside but I saw Halloween!  So armed with the colors at The Paper Players I set about adapting that inspiration.  I chose a circular spider web to mimic the circle on the sketch then added the fun "spooky" die along with a few enamel dots.  I love how fun this card looks! Who says that spooky cards need to be scary?!

Thanks for stopping by!  My fellow design team members at CAS(E) This Sketch and Fusion have made some great cards to inspire you so be sure to check them out!

Supplies
Stamps:  Bite Me (Stampin' Up!)
Paper:  Basic Black, Smoky Slate, Elegant Eggplant (Stampin Up!)
Ink:  White (WPlus9)
Accessories:  Spooky die (Lil' Inker Designs); enamel dots (My Minds Eye); white embossing powder

Freshly Made Sketches 407

Hi everyone!  It's Wednesday so that means we've got a new sketch for you at Freshly Made Sketches.  This week Lee Ann is our hostess and she's got a great sketch for us!

I'm always a little concerned that I don't have enough cards made for the holiday season so around this time of year I begin to add a few here and there.  For my FMS card this week I decided to go non-secular and turn those little flowers on the sketch into some sparkly snowflakes.  I added a cheery sentiment and I was done!  Easy peasy!  My colors were inspired by the latest challenge at Christmas Card Throwdown - although my blue isn't quite right - sorry ladies 😕

Thanks for stopping by!  I hope you can join us this week at Freshly Made Sketches.  You only need to take a peek over there to be inspired by our amazing design team.

Supplies
Stamps:  Sentiment Staples Seasons Greetings (Papertrey Ink)
Paper:  Solar White (Neenah); Aqua Mist (Papertrey Ink); Chocolate Chip (Stampin' Up!); vellum (Graphix); glimmer paper (Recollections)
Ink:  Dark Chocolate (Papertrey Ink)
Accessories:  Snowfall embossing folder (Tim Holtz); Let It Snowflake Too die (My Favorite Things); enamel dots (Doodlebug Designs)

Tag You're It 98

It's fall y'all!  And our latest challenge at Tag You're It celebrates those special colors and leaves that we only see this time of year! I decided to simplify those leaves from the inspiration photo into one big one.

It's been a while since I've used this stamp set from Concord & 9th and I thought it might be good for this tag.  So armed with colors inspired by The Color Throwdown I stamped the base of this leaf with red and yellow and topped the lace overlay with a brown.

I added a few enamel dots for a bit of dimension and twill ribbon tied with some brown crochet thread completed the look of this card.

Thanks for stopping by!  My teammates at Tag You're It have made some fantastic tags this week so be sure to check them out!

Supplies
Stamps:  Lace Leaf (Concord & 9th); Great Friend (Stampin' Up!)
Paper:  Truffle (Avery Elle); Very Vanilla (Stampin' Up!)
Ink:  Real Red, Daffodil Delight, Early Espresso (Stampin' Up!)
Accessories:  Traditional Tags STAX, Pierced Traditional Tags STAX (My Favorite Things); Antique Brass Jumbo Eyelets, Natural Twill Ribbon (Stampin' Up!); enamel dots (My Mind's Eye); crochet thread

CAS(E) This Sketch 343

We are going back into the CAS(E) This Sketch archives this week and reprising sketch #175!  Back when this sketch debuted I made a very different card than the one I've got here.  But it's  October now and I've got Christmas on my mind - as in I hope I've got enough Christmas cards in my stash!

For this card I used a background of triangular trees and then added a nice holiday sentiment over them.  Easy peasy!  I think I had a more difficult time deciding on colors than I did on the execution of this card!  There's a Christmas theme going on at Simon Says Stamp Wednesday Challenge so I'm going to add this there too.

Thanks for stopping by!  My fellow teammies at CAS(E) This Sketch have made some fabbo cards with this sketch so be sure to check them out! 

Supplies
Stamps:  Triangle Trees (Reverse Confetti)
Paper:  Fresh Snow Linen, Hawaiian Shores (Papertrey Ink); White (Catherine Pooler)
Ink:  Hawaiian Shores (Papertrey Ink); Silvery Shimmer (Delicata)

Freshly Made Sketches 406

It's Wednesday again which means it's time for a new sketch from Freshly Made Sketches!  This week our hostess is Jacquie and she's got a great sketch for us!

I love how those three circles in the corner lend themselves to a wide interpretation.  I chose to do a sunflower - since it's fall and that is the flower I tend to associate with late summer/fall.  I was also inspired by the inspiration photo at The Paper Players.  The color of the berries put me in mind of the sunflower and the woodgrain background had me digging into my patterned paper stash!

Thanks for stopping by!  My Freshly Made Sketches teammies have made some great cards with this sketch so be sure to check them out!  I hope we'll see you in the gallery!

Supplies
Stamps:  Tiny Words (Simon Says Stamp)
Paper:  Cement Gray (Simon Says Stamp); Chocolate Chip, Marigold Morning, Old Olive (Stampin' Up!); Solar White (Neenah)
Ink:  Fallen Leaves (Versafine Clair)
Accessories:  Sunflower die (My Favorite Things); Stitched Leaves die (Lawn Fawn)

CAS(E) This Sketch 342 Meets Fusion

Every other Thursday I have the distinct pleasure of melding two challenges:  the sketch at CAS(E) This Sketch and the inspiration photo at Fusion.  It's fun to stretch my creative processes - but not always easy.  This week those two vertical layers gave me pause.  Until I decided to loosely interpret them as a particular letter!

Ironically my CAS(E) This Sketch teammate Michele had the same idea and used the letter U as well!  Great minds think alike!

The rest of my card involves some pretty watercolor patterned paper and this fantastic dragonfly die.  I love how this turned out!

Thanks for stopping by! 

Supplies
Stamps:  You Matter (Simon Says Stamp)
Paper:  Solar White (Neenah); Tempting Turquoise, Perfect Plum, Basic Black, Vellum (Stampin' Up!); Watercolor Wash Brights (My Favorite Things)
Ink:  Onyx Black (Versafine)
Accessories:  Libellules die (4enscrap)

Freshly Made Sketches 405

Hello friends!  It's Wednesday so that means we've got a new sketch for you at Freshly Made Sketches!  This week Judy is our hostess and at first glance I was afraid of those three squares!  But then I got the bright idea to make a Halloween card using a digital cutting file I recently bought.

I sponged some colors to create a night sky with a giant moon then added a witch and some bats in place of those squares.  My first Halloween card in the books for this season!  Yay!  I have a fascination with making Halloween cards.  In real life I don't like scary things - I'm not a horror movie fan at all -  but when it comes to my cards I love fun, spooky themes - just not too spooky!  LOL!  I think these images are fun!

My fellow Freshly Made Sketches teammates have made some amazing cards with this sketch.  What an array of themes and designs you'll find there so be sure to check them out.  I hope you'll join us in the gallery!

Thanks for stopping by!

Supplies
Stamps:  Bite Me (Stampin' Up!)
Paper:  Bristol Smooth; Black Licorice (My Favorite Things)
Ink:  Fossilized Amber, Wild Honey, Broken China, Faded Jeans, Chipped Sapphire, Black Soot (Distress Oxide); Onyx Black (Versafine)
Accessories:  Witches svg (AMstudiosvg); Bat Silhouettes svg (sequint design)