Freshly Made Sketches 597

We've got a great new challenge for you at Freshly Made Sketches this week.  Our hostess is Jacquie and she gave us this great landscape-oriented sketch that I accidentally turned to portrait!  Oops!

I'm pretty sure at one point I knew this card was supposed to be landscape, but somehow I turned it around in my head.  I didn't even realize my mistake until I went to add this card to our design team blog.  By then it was too late to fix, but I think it works anyway!  My flowers represent the two vertical layers and for the horizontal layer I used washi tape and a thin sentiment strip.  These fun colors are inspired by the Cupcake Inspiration challenge.

 

Thanks for stopping by!  As always our Freshly Made Sketches design team has cooked up some amazing cards to inspire you to play along with us!

Supplies
Stamps:  Simple Sentiments (Avery Elle); Truth Is (CAS-ual Friday Stamps)
Paper:  Lemon Grass, The Everyday Collection (Avery Elle); Taken With Teal, Whisper White (Stampin' Up!)
Ink:  Nocturne (Versafine Clair)
Accessories:  washi tape

Freshly Made Sketches 575

Hi stamping friends!  Today at Freshly Made Sketches we've got a challenge for you designed by Karren and, no surprise, it's a great one!  It's now March and I don't think I've made a Christmas card in a while so I thought I'd better add one to my stash.  This sketch gave me the inspiration I needed.

I recently discovered flocked (or velour) paper and I bought a paper pack recently.  It came in handy for the poinsettia on my card.  Look, what gorgeous texture it adds!  I added some leaves in a shimmery vellum, some enamel dots for texture, and the vertical strip of patterned paper for some extra interest.  The colors I chose were inspired by the Cupcake Inspiration Challenge.

Thanks for stopping by!  As usual my fellow Freshly Made Sketches design team members have made some amazing cards to inspire you to play along with us!

Supplies
Stamps:  Signature Christmas (Papertrey Ink)
Paper:  White Linen (Essentials by Ellen); Pool Party, Blushing Bride, Twitterpated DSP (Stampin' Up!); vellum (Graphix); velour paper (Hygloss)
Ink: Onyx Black (Versafine)
Accessories:  Blooming Poinsettia die (Memory Box); enamel dots (Studio Calico)

Freshly Made Sketches 509

We've got a great new sketch for you at Freshly Made Sketches this week.  Our hostess this week is the incomparable Jen Timko!  Her sketch inspired me to make a slimline card.

Halloween is around the corner so that was a big inspiration plus I added in a couple of other challenges.  I took my color cues from the challenge at Just Us Girls and had some fun with the Halloween Fun challenge at Cupcake Inspiration.  

Thanks for stopping by!  I hope you can join us at Freshly Made Sketches!  Our design team has some great cards to inspire you to play along!

Supplies:

Stamps:  Ghouls & Goblins (Inkadinkado Stamps); Bite Me, Autumn Apparations (Stampin' Up!)

Paper:  Smoky Slate, Peach Parfait, Whisper White (Stampin' Up!)
Ink:  Black Licorice (My Favorite Things); Nocturne (Versamark Clair); Smoky Slate (Stampin' Up!); Copics

Accessories:  Pierced Nested die (The Ton)

CAS(E) This Sketch 366 Meets Fusion

It's that time again when I get to combine the challenges from CAS(E) This Sketch and Fusion into one card.  This time around I had some layers and a fun Easter gnome to play with.

Those gnomes are so cute with their bunny ears, but I didn't find anything in my stash that I could use to approximate those ears so I had to satisfy myself by making a "regular" gnome in soft pastel colors with some polka dots thrown in for good measure.  The soft colors at Cupcake Inspirations inspired my color choices.

Thanks for stopping by!  Please play along with us at CAS(E) This Sketch and Fusion!

Supplies
Stamps:  Teeny Tiny Wishes (Stampin' Up!); Circles Circles Circlesl (Whimsy Stamps)
Paper:  Solar. White (Neenah); Blushing Bride, Sweet Pea DSP (Stampin' Up!); Lemon Tart (Papertrey Ink)
Ink:  Lemon Tart (Papertrey Ink); Onyx Black (Versafine)
Accessories:  Gnome die (Simon Says Stamp)

Freshly Made Sketches 396

It's hard to believe that another week has rolled around and we are set to reveal a new sketch at Freshly Made Sketches!  This week our hostess is Linda and I swear I've got those cross hairs on my card!

I embossed some lines horizontally and vertically on my card a-la the sketch but they are really hard to see in the picture.  Trust me, they are there!  Then I cut a layer smaller then those embossed lines and stamped a bokeh design in bright yellow on it (so I could play along with the Cupcake Inspiration "shades of yellow" challenge).  I added a big ol' sentiment and was done! 

Thanks for stopping by!  Our Freshly Made Sketches design team has got some great cards to inspire you to play along with us.  I hope we'll see you in the gallery!

Supplies
Stamps:  Text & Texture Bokeh (Papertrey Ink); You Matter (Simon Says Stamp)
Paper:  Solar White (Neenah); Black Licorice (My Favorite Things)
Ink:  Harvest Gold (Papertrey Ink); Nocturne (Versafine Clair)

CAS(E) This Sketch 315

Today we've got a great new challenge for you at CAS(E) This Sketch designed by our friend Nathalie.  I was SO tempted to use a butterfly on my card (you'll understand what I mean when you scroll down and see the sketch).  But I resisted! 

I resisted the butterfly because I saw the beautiful colors at the latest Cupcake Inspiration Challenge and thought I had a hydrangea stamp in my stash that I could use for that big focal image.  Turns out the stamp I was thinking of was a dahlia but it worked just as well!  It's a three-step stamp so I used two shades of blue and one shade of purple to create dimension on the image.

I used vellum for the die cut leaves so that I didn't introduce another color into my card and I love how they look.  The vellum gives this a delicate look, I think.

Thanks for stopping by.  It's no surprise that my CAS(E) This Sketch teammates have made some spectacular cards with this sketch so be sure to check them out.  I hope you are inspired to join us in the gallery!

Supplies
Stamps:  Delightful Dahlia Additions (Papertrey Ink); Gorgeous Grunge (Stampin' Up!)
Paper:  Solar White (Neenah); Whisper White, Vellum (Stampin' Up!)
Ink:  Soft Sky (Stampin' Up!); Blueberry Sky, Amethyst Allure (Papertrey Ink)
Accessories:  Stitched Leaves die (My Creative Time)

Let it Snow

I'm here today with a snowflake card.  As is well documented here I only like snowflakes when they appear on a card.  I don't want them on the street, in my driveway, or anywhere else that creates an inconvenience or work for me!  BUT I have strange fascination with snowflakes and have multiple snowflake dies in my card stash - go figure!  So I was especially pleased to see the snowflake challenge at Addicted to CAS.

And at Cupcake Inspirations they are looking for something new.  This snowflake stamp set is a new one to me, having joined my stash this past Christmas season.  I loved how the snowflakes are surrounded by a little bit of sprinkles.  I have the companion die to this set so once I stamped the image and embossed it in silver I cut the companion snowflake in silver glimmer paper and popped it up on top of the original embossed image.  This pic in no way gives justice to how sparkly this is but I'm really pleased with how this turned out.

 Thanks for stopping by!

Supplies
Stamps:  Blizzard Hugs (The Ton Stamps)
Paper:  Solar White (Neenah); Silver Glimmer (Recollections)
Ink:  Versamark
Accessories:  Blizzard Hugs die (The Ton Stamps); silver embossing powder

CAS(E) This Sketch 293 Meets Fusion

Halloween is fast approaching and I love to make Halloween cards so this week's challenge at CAS(E) This Sketch and the inspiration at Fusion were fun to mix together.  Donna is our sketch designer and she has given us this fun sketch at CAS(E) This Sketch and at Fusion we are given a pastel color Halloween theme.

I've done a pink Halloween card before before because it's a little unexpected and a whole lot of fun!  This card has pink bits that are a little hard to see because the pink I chose is very light in color.  But trust me all those layers are there!  My scary skull became one of the circles on the CAS(E) This Sketch and the bat became the other circle.  There's a things that go bump in the night challenge at Cupcake Inspiration Challenge and I think a skull definitely fits that bill!

                                                                                     

           
Well that's it for me.  We've got some great challenges for you at CAS(E) This Sketch and Fusion so I hope you can play along with one (or both) of them!  Thanks for stopping by!

Supplies
Stamps:  Gorgeous Grunge, From the Crypt, Autumn Apparitions (Stampin' Up!)
Paper:  Solar White (Neenah); Pixie (Avery Elle)
Ink:  Pixie (Avery Elle); Nocturne (Versafine Clair)

Freshly Made Sketches 348

Hello there!  I've got a card for our newest challenge at Freshly Made Sketches!  This week our sketch is designed by Jen Brum - and it's awesome!

One thing that I like to do when I see four squares arranged like this is to create one image and then split it up.  So that's what I did!  I used a distressed sunburst stencil and covered it with embossing paste that I tinted yellow.  I cut it into four squares and mounted them with a little bit of space in between to mimic the sketch.  CAS and done!

The color challenge at Cupcake Inspirations Challenge is a particular favorite of mine so those colors were my choice for this sunshiny card!

ETA:  And by lucky coincidence the cue word this week at CASology is Sunbeam!  Since I made my card a few days before that challenge went live I can only think that the challenge was cosmically transmitted to me!  LOL!

Thanks for stopping by!  Our Freshly Made Sketches design team has created some beauties with this sketch so be sure to check them out.  We hope to see you in the gallery!

Supplies
Stamps:  Just Saying (WOW); Hand Lettered Hello (WPlus9)
Paper:  Solar White (Neenah); Daffodil Delight (Stampin' Up!)
Ink:  Daffodil Delight (Stampin' Up!); Nocturne (Versafine Clair)
Accessories:  Urban Insiders Square stencil (Stencil Girl); white embossing paste (Dreamweaver)

Freshly Made Sketches 336

Happy Wednesday!  It's time for a new sketch challenge at Freshly Made Sketches and it just so happens that I am the sketch hostess this week.  I chose some tilted layers just because I like to shake things up once in a while!

Last weekend I went to a birthday bash for a friend.  A few days before the party I went searching through my extensive stash of cards for one with a birthday sentiment and I found exactly three cards that fit the bill.  Say what!!!??!!!  I have been seriously neglecting the birthday genre so that changes here and now.

The colors for my card come from Global Design Project and at Cupcake Inspirations they are looking for florals so I took the opportunity to add a pretty flower to my card.  I embossed the background of the large white layer to give it some interest.

Thanks for stopping by!  Our Freshly Made Sketches design team has got some fantastic cards to inspire you so be sure to check them out.  We hope to see you in the gallery!

Supplies
Stamps:  Bloom & Grow (Verve); Scripty Sayings (Gina K)
Paper:  Solar White (Neenah); White (Catherine Pooler); Lemon Lime Twist (Stampin' Up!)
Ink:  Pool Party, Melon Mambo (Stampin' Up!); Jet Black (Altenew)
Accessories:  Elegant Leaves die (Verve); Cracked embossing folder (Tim Holtz); enamel dots (Studtio Calico)

Freshly Made Sketches 328

I can hardly believe it's Wednesday again!  But here we are with a new sketch challenge at Freshly Made Sketches.  This week our sketch is brought to you by Linda - who is currently buried under many, many, many inches of snow.

Pets!  That's the challenge at Cupcake Inspirations so I just had to play along.  I've got a kitty or two in my house and I've also got one or two kitty stamp sets in my stash.  I chose this fun image from Tim Holtz and gave her a pink diamond background.  Meow.  That says it all!

Thanks for visiting.  Our Freshly Made Sketches design team has got some great cards to inspire you this week.  I hope you'll join us in the gallery!

Supplies
Stamps:  Crazy Cats (Tim Holtz); You Crazy Cat (Concord & 9th)
Paper:  Solar White (Neenah); Bristol Smooth (Strathmore)
Ink:  Black Licorice (My Favorite Things); Jet Black (Altenew); Worn Lipstick (Distress Oxide); Copics

Freshly Made Sketches 322

Happy Wednesday!  It's time for a new sketch at Freshly Made Sketches.  This week our sketch is brought to you by Cécile and it is simplicity at it's finest!  Let your imagination be your guide!

I made another Valentine!  I think it's because the color challenge at Cupcake Inspiration inspired my theme.  I liked the idea of a bit of black accenting the cream and pink and I thought it would make an interesting Valentine.  My card actually ended up being a postcard.  I made this card over the course of two days.  My only task on Day 2 was to stamp the sentiment.  Well, I wasn't paying very good attention because this top-fold card was bottoms up when I stamped the sentiment so it would have opened bottom side up.  Oops!  No problem, though.  I cut the card along the fold and I'll attach it to another card base - there are no mistakes in staming, right!!??!!

Thanks for stopping by!  And don't forget to check out the inspiration from our always-amazing design team at Freshly Made Sketches.  I hope to see you in our gallery!

Supplies
Stamps:  Love (Hero Arts)
Paper:  Classic Ivory (Flourishes); Black Licorice (My Favorite Things); Pink Pirouette, Regal Rose (Stampin' Up!)
Ink:  Regal Rose (Stampin' Up!)
Accessories:  Love die (Hero Arts); Pierced Rectangle STAX, Rectangle STAX (My Favorite Things); Pink & Pepper Couture sequin mix (The Ton); Wink of Stella

Freshly Made Sketches 317

Well it seems I did, in fact, have another Christmas card in me this year!  It's not really my fault though.  There's a bunch of challenges going on right now with Christmas themes and they really got me in the mood!

Today, of course, is time for a new challenge at Freshly Made Sketches.  And it's a nail biter because I am the hostess!  I created a square sketch (of course) but feel free to use another shape if squares give you the heebie jeebies!

I used some oldie-but-goodie colors from Stampin' Up! on this card.  I think some of these are the very first "in colors" that they came out with many moons ago - and they are still my faves.  I especially love using them on Christmas cards.

As I mentioned there are a bunch of Christmas challenges out there but I didn't want to go crazy!  So I'm adding this to Cupcake Inspirations and Fab Friday.  They are both Christmas-paloozas!

Thanks for stopping by.  And go check out the amazing creations from our super-creative design team.  They will inspire you to play along with us at Freshly Made Sketches, I'm sure!

Supplies
Stamps:  Jingle All the Way (My Favorite Things)
Paper:  True Thyme, Cranberry Crisp, Sahara Sand (Stampin' Up!); Cloud White (Reverse Confetti); Bristol Smooth (Strathmore)
Ink:  Cranberry Crisp (Stampin' Up!); Black Licorice (My Favorite Things); Copics
Accessories:  Jingle All the Way die (My Favorite Things); Sprinkles enamel dots (Doodlebug Designs)

Freshly Made Sketches 316

I'm pretty sure that I've been making Christmas cards non-stop for the last gazillion weeks!  I've actually had enough and this is the last Christmas card that [I think] I'm going to share in 2017.  Never say never, but I think I've got enough cards to cover my entire mailing list so I hope to turn to to other themes now.  BUT, I've got this one last Christmas card to share inspired by the latest challenge at Freshly Made Sketches.  This week our design was created by Jen Timko and I am sure that you are going to love it.  It's got a wide open panel that is up for anything that your creative juices can think of.

My creative juices came up with this big sentiment that stretches across that wide open panel.  The edges of my card are full of glitter (paper) and I added a few sequins to make sure that this card was super sparkly in real life. 

The colors for my card were inspired by the Cupcake Inspirations Challenge and they are looking for Christmas at AAA Cards so I'll be adding this over there as well.

Thanks for stopping by.  And I hope our Freshly Made Sketches design team will inspire you to play along with us!

Supplies
Stamps:  Fa La La (Simon Says Stamp)
Paper:  Solar White (Neenah); Black Licorice (My Favorite Things); Pool Party (Stampin' Up!); glitter cardstock (Recollections)
Ink:  Pool Party (Stampin' Up)!
Accessories:  Fa La La die (Simon Says Stamp); Christmas Couture Mix sequins (The Ton)

Freshly Made Sketches 310

Halloween ghosts and goblins abound this week!  Everywhere I look there's a Halloween challenge going on.  Between colors and themes all your Halloween card needs are covered! 😀  Of course, I took the opportunity to combine our latest challenge at Freshly Made Sketches, designed by Kim, with a few of these.

I almost scrapped this card when it was done.  It looked a little plain Jane because the purple layer was just plain purple.  It was quite boring.  I had some patterned paper in the same shade that I could have used to layer it but, in true hoarding fashion, I decided the piece I have is just too small to use.  If I stick it on a card it will be gone FOREVER!  So I improvised.  I grabbed a stencil and added some texture with translucent embossing paste.  All of a sudden I liked this card a lot more!

There's a black, green, and purple challenge going on at Just Us Girls and I tried really hard to stick to those colors.  Hopefully they think that the shades of gray, represented by the witch's robes, are a light shade of black!  And the challenge this week at Cupcake Inspirations is Ghouls and Ghosts.  This lady is definitely not a ghost, but she might be considered a ghoul!

Thanks for stopping by and I hope you have a chance to check out our latest challenge at Freshly Made Sketches.  Our amazing design team has created a bevy of cards that will amaze and wow you!  I hope we'll see you in the gallery!

Supplies
Stamps:  Best Fiend, Bite Me (Stampin' Up!)
Paper:  Black Licorice (My Favorite Things); Perfect Plum, Old Olive (Stampin' Up!); X-Press It Blending Card
Ink:  Black Licorice (My Favorite Things); Jet Black (Altenew); Copics
Accessories:  Stone Layering stencil (Tim Holtz); translucent embossing paste (Dreamweaver); enamel dots (My Mind's Eye)