colourQ 319

I've got Christmas on the brain so even though the colors this week at colourQ are anything but Christmas-y I wanted to use them for another Christmas card anyway!

And in a strange twist of fate The Challenge wants us to make "non-traditional" Christmas card.  Yay!  A little help from the sketch at Sweet Sunday Sketch Challenge and I was off.  I didn't actually have any real wood in my stash so I used the next best thing - woodgrain patterned paper!

Thanks for stopping by and I hope you have time to play along with us at colourQ!  The design team has made some amazing cards so be sure to check them out!

Supplies:
Stamps:  Holiday Greetings (Amy R Stamps)
Paper:  Sweet Tooth (My Favorite Things); Chocolate Chip, Summer Starfruit, Blushing Bride, Melon Mambo, Woodland Walk DSP (SU)
Ink:  White (WPlus9)
Accessories:  Blueprints 15 die Favorite Things); Blooming Poinsettia die (Memory Box); white embossing powder; enamel dots (My Mind's Eye)

colourQ 303!

Hello hello!  I feel like I've been neglecting my blog lately, but the beautiful summer-time weather I've been having has prevented me from staying inside.  I just can't let these hot and sunny days go by being cooped up inside so I've been spending most of my weekend time relaxing on the patio.  You can be sure that once winter rolls around I won't be outside very much at all and hopefully I'll have loads of time to make up for my crafty absence!

But onto our new color palette at colourQ inspired by this mobile phone cover.  I love the rich tones and that woodgrain background.  Wouldn't you know it, this Etsy seller doesn't make this cover to fit my phone!  Rats!

I thought that I had a floral stamp in my stash that was similar to the flower on this phone cover but I couldn't find it.  Either I dreamed that I had it or I sold it on eBay!  But never fear - when a flower won't do grab a butterfly instead.  This one I bought a while ago and this is the first time I inked it up.  It's quite large and I was a bit nervous about coloring the blank spaces but decided to go with a bit of a streaky effect with my markers.  I like how it looked with the razzleberry tones but not so much with the teal ones so I blended those a bit.  My layout is from the latest Sweet Sunday Sketch Challenge.

Be sure to check out the design team inspiration at colourQ this week and then join us in the gallery!  We love to see you there!

Thanks for stopping by!

Supplies:
Stamps:  Flutterby (Indigo Blu); Papillon (Tim Holtz)
Paper:  Classic White (Flourishes); Early Espresso, Pumpkin Pie, Taken With Teal (SU); X-Press It Blending Card
Ink: Hot Fudge (My Favorite Things); Pumpkin Pie (SU); Copics
Accessories:  Stitched Square STAX, Pierced Fishtail Flags STAX (My Favorite Things); enamel dots (My Mind's Eye)

colourQ 294

Happy Tuesday everyone!  Today there's a new palette up at colourQ and this week we are inspired by these adorable flip flops that have been embellished a bit!  How cute is that?

I use white so often as a card base that I like to shake things up a bit every so often and use something different.  Today's card starts with a Soft Suede base so that I could have some contrast between it and the Pool Party and the two shades of yellow.  I love how it looks!

This is two days in a row that I've used a doodled flower image from Rubbernecker Stamps.  I love the abstract look of these images and how you can use them to layer colors together.  And speaking of layers the sketch at the Sweet Sunday Sketch Challenge was a great way to use some paper layers to show off the colors of the challenge.  The top layer was wide open and perfect for this flower image and a little sentiment.

It's no surprise to you, I'm sure, that the colourQ design team has some beauties to inspire you this week to join us in the gallery!  I hope you do!

Thanks for stopping by!

Supplies:
Stamps:  3 Flowers (Rubbernecker Stamps); Bright Days (Avery Elle)
Paper:  Soft Suede, Pool Party, So Saffron, Whisper White, Comfort Cafe DSP (SU)
Ink:  So Saffron, Hello Honey, Soft Suede (SU)
Accessories:  Small Stitched Rectangle die (Lawn Fawn); Pierced Fishtail Flags (My Favorite Things); Festive Fall Mix sequins (Neat & Tangled)

colourQ 290!

Spring has finally arrived in New England!  After a blah Saturday and a not-so-promising start to Sunday the sun finally broke through the clouds, the temperatures warmed up and I actually wore short sleeves outside!  Woo hoo!  But alas I had to eventually go back inside to get busy with the latest palette from colourQ.  The colors, inspired by this apron, are perfect if you have flowers on your mind!

I actually didn't have flowers on my mind, as you can see!  I was feeling the butterfly instead.  The colors seem awfully close in my photo (a professional photographer I am not), but I can assure you that the horizontal stripe is Calypso Coral and the butterfly is layered with Blushing Bride and Poppy Parade.  I went over the intricate details of the Poppy Parade layer of the butterfly with my Wink of Stella pen because that makes everything better, of course!

I've used a liberal interpretation of the Sweet Sunday Sketch Challenge this week.  I started out with some card stock for the horizontal layers and decided that they were a little too blah, so I created those "layers" with some new grungy stamps I recently bought.  And I'm pleased as punch to say that I was chosen over there last week for the Sweet Sunday SPOTlight!  Yay me!

I can't wait to see how you light up the colourQ gallery this week with these beautiful colors.  The design team has outdone themselves with their creations!  I hope to see you over there!

Thanks for stopping by!

Supplies:
Stamps:  Mixed Media Grunge (Stamplorations); Live, Love, Laugh & Be Happy (My Creative Time)
Paper:  White (Spectrum Noir); Blushing Bride, Poppy Parade (SU)
Ink:  Coastal Cabana, Calypso Coral (SU); Onyx Black (Versafine)
Accessories:  Chrissy Butterfly die, Leanna Butterfly die (Simon Says Stamp); enamel dots (My Mind's Eye); Basic Pearls (SU); Wink of Stella

colourQ 289

Happy Tuesday everyone!  It's time for a new challenge from your colourQ friends.  This one is based on this jewelry box.  I just love the bit of Early Espresso in the inspiration photo.

I decided to make a shaker card based on the Sweet Sunday Sketch Challenge.  One of the design team members there, Barbara Anders, made a shaker card and that inspired me to make my own!

I loved the idea of a predominately white card with some Early Espresso accents so those colors make up the main design of my card.  Then I filled the shaker with sequins in all the other colors of the challenge.  I love the little pops of color from the sequins!

As you can expect, the colourQ design team has made some fantastic cards with these colors this week so be sure to check them out.  And we also bid a fond farewell to Silke who is leaving us after this challenge.  We sure will  miss her beautiful creations each week!

Thanks for stopping by!

Stamps:  DIY (Precious Remembrance)
Paper:  White (Spectrum Noir); Early Espresso (SU); Vellum (Papertrey Ink)
Ink:  Early Espresso (SU)
Accessories:  Blueprints 20 die, Fishtail Flags Layers STAX (My Favorite Things); Early Espresso button (SU); sequins (Avery Elle); crochet thread

colourQ 274

Hey, hey stamping friends!  We're back at colourQ, after a wee holiday break, with a brand new palette inspired by this comfy, cozy flannel bedding - just the sort of thing you want on a cold winter's night!  My card features a poppy because I'm dreaming of spring!

Since I made this card I wish I had done a little something extra with that big layer.  It's a little too plain, even for me, but it will have to do!  The layout for my card comes from the latest Sweet Sunday Sketch Challenge and since I used some new stamps and dies I'm throwing this into the ring at the always-amazing Darnell's NBUS challenge.

The colourQ design team have got some gorgeous cards to show you, so be sure to pop on over there to check them out.  We'd love to see you in the gallery!

Thanks for stopping by!

Supplies:

Stamps:  Painted Poppy (Altenew)

Paper:  Kraft, Ripe Avocado, Vellum (Papertrey Ink), Rich Razzleberry, Very Vanilla (SU)

Ink:  Calypso Coral (SU); Ripe Avocado, True Black (Papertrey Ink)

Accessories:  Pierced Rectangle STAX (My Favorite Things); Dotted Borders die (Avery Elle); Banner Trio die (WPlus9); enamel dot (My Mind's Eye)

Ho Ho Ho

Today is officially the last day of my vacation (insert loud sigh here).  It's been a fun and relaxing two weeks, but all good things must come to an end.  I was quite prolific in my stamp room yesterday and today I'll show you the first of what I made.  You'll have to come back on Tuesday and Wednesday to see what else I got up to {wink}.

I've really been trying to use some patterned paper lately, especially since two small pads of paper jumped into my cart when I was at TJMaxx recently.  In order to do all this paper justice I need to make cards with layers.  Since I like to start my cards with a sketch I've been searching sketch challenges for ones that have some layers.  For this card I chose the Sweet Sunday Sketch Challenge and added in the tic-tac-toe challenge at The Paper Players.  (I did the left column of Tree, Patterned Paper and Star).

P.S.  Any Walking Dead fans out there?  I'm still in a bit of a daze after last night's mid-season finale.  How about you?

Well that's it for me - I'm off to the grocery store.  Thanks for stopping by!

Supplies:

Stamps:  Modern Christmas (Clearly Besotted); Santa's Greeting (Close to My Heart)

Paper:  White (Spectrum Noir); Solar White (Neenah); Smokey Shadow, Ripe Avocado (Papertrey Ink); Riding Hood Red (SU); Heidi Swapp patterned paper (there's no name on the pack - grrr)

Ink:  Riding Hood Red (SU); True Black (Papertrey Ink)

Accessories:  Pierced Fishtail Flags STAX, Fishtail Flags Layers STAX (My Favorite Things); gold embossing powder

Time For a Halloween Card

Seeing as how we are nearly a week into October I thought it was high time I made a Halloween card.  Lucky for me the challenge this week at The Paper Players was to make a Halloween project.  And I am extra lucky because the Sweet Sunday Sketch this week has a big layer on it that is perfect for showing off my favorite witch.  I love it when all the card-making stars align!

A face only a mother could love!  I decided to give her a violet dress because she's a little too flamboyant for boring black.  Ha!

Short and sweet but that's it for me.  I'm writing this during half-time of the Patriots game Sunday night and the game is just about to start up again.  Football calls!

Thanks for stopping by!

Supplies:

Stamps:  Best Fiends (SU)

Paper:  Basic Black, Pumpkin Pie, Vintage Violet (SU); X-Press It Blending Card

Ink:  Black Licorice (My Favorite Things); Onyx Black (Versafine); Copics

Accessories:  Stitched Rectangle STAX, Stitched Fishtail Flags STAX (My Favorite Things); Small Stitched Rectangle Stackable (Lawn Fawn)

Merry Monday 125

It's Monday so that means it's time for a new challenge at Merry Monday.  This week Debbie is challenging us to use a vehicle or some kind of transportation on our card.  Well that was a stumper for me as I didn't have anything like the cute images the design team used.  But as I perused my stash I stumbled on an image that is connected to transportation in a fictional, fantasy-land kind of way.  Don't judge me!

The image you see is a reindeer.  And reindeer are what Santa use to pull his sleigh all over the world on Christmas Eve.  And a sleigh, of course, is a type of transportation.  And this particular reindeer is so good at what he does that he won first place, as is evident by the red ribbon he wears!  That's my story and I'm sticking to it!

The layout for my card comes from the latest Sweet Sunday Sketch Challenge and my only regret with my interpretation of the sketch is that I wish my circle was a bit smaller.  I think it would have shown up my reindeer friend a little better.  

Thanks for stopping by and I hope you get the chance to add to your Christmas card stash by joining us this week at Merry Monday.  The design team has got some great cards to inspire you so be sure to check them out!

Supplies:

Stamps:  Christmas Carols (CAS-ual Fridays Stamps)

Paper:  Chocolate Chip, Old Olive, Real Red, Brushed Silver, Ski Slope DSP (SU)

Ink:  Versamark

Accessories:  Pierced Circle STAX (My Favorite Things); Large Stitched Rectangle Stackable (Lawn Fawn); Christmas Reindeer Silhouette (for Silhouette Cameo); gold embossing powder

Merry Monday 122

This is my third week designing over at Merry Monday and I'm now three cards closer to Christmas!  What a relief it is to have these cards already made so that I'm not scrambling around after Thanksgiving trying to make all the cards I'm going to need.  If you're getting nervous about your Christmas card stash, then I encourage you to play along!

The challenge this week is brought to you by Sue and I predict it will encourage a lot of elegant cards in the gallery.  Just check out the design team cards to see what I mean.  Sue wants us to use black, silver and gold on our Christmas card this week.

This is actually the second card I made for this challenge.  The first one wasn't grabbing my attention until I realized that it was missing a bit of sparkle.  So I re-worked it using the Sweet Sunday Sketch and ended up with this.  I stamped the same pine boughs I used last week in gold Delicata ink (surely the prettiest gold ink out there) then die cut a little sprig in silver glimmer paper.  Trust me when I say that this is way better looking in person.  It's tough to photograph all that shimmer and shine!

The ladies over at Merry Monday have all got some fantastic cards to share with you this week, so be sure to pop on over and check them out!

Thanks for stopping by!

Supplies:

Stamps:  Watercolor Winter (SU); Handy Christmas Greetings (Amy R Stamps)

Paper:  Basic Black, Very Vanilla, Silver Glimmer, Gold Foil (SU)

Ink:  Delicata Golden Glitz; Onyx Black (Versafine)

Accessories:  Chloe Stem die (Memory Box; Onyx button (a.muse studio); gold cord (SU)

Oh Baby!

I need to make some baby-themed cards for an expectant mother and as luck would have it I don't really own any decent stamps for the job.  The card I've got to show you today I made with some cheap stamps I picked up at Michael's for a few bucks.  They were on the clearance rack and didn't cost much and after having used them today I can see why.  Despite the lousy stamps, the card came out kinda cute *wink*

I used the Sweet Sunday Sketch for my layout and as luck would have it, but not surprisingly, I missed that the bottom of my card is supposed to be different than the top.  I also used the colors from Cupcake Inspirations and before you wonder why I forgot the pink look really closely at the baby's mouth.  I feel badly that I didn't use more pink in the spirit of the challenge but since I screwed up the sketch I figured I might as well continue the theme with a screwed up color palette.  Sheesh.

Tomorrow is another day so hopefully I can redeem myself when I sit back down in the old craft cave.  Thanks for stopping by!

Supplies:

Stamps:  Oh Baby (Hampton Art)

Paper:  Pistachio Pudding, Early Espresso, Whisper White, Pistachio Pudding DSP (SU)

Ink:  Early Espresso (SU); Tuxedo Black (Memento); Copics

Accessories:  Flower Daisies #2 (Sizzix); First Place Ribbon die (My Favorite Things); Farmhouse button (October Afternoon); crochet thread

If the Shoe Fits

Hi everyone!  I'm so glad it's Wednesday because that means we're halfway through the work week and we start the downward slide into the weekend!  Yay!  But before the weekend gets here, I've got a few more cards up my sleeve!

I couldn't resist inking up these adorable shoes from Funky Feet (free in August just by spending $40 at The Alley Way Stamps)!  There are lots of reasons why I love this stamp set.  Not least of which is that I have a fascination with shoes and own a ridiculous number of them.  Which is why the companion sentiment to the one on the front of my card is perfect!

It's been a while since I've played along with the Sweet Sunday Sketch and I loved it so I'll be adding my card over there!  Thanks for stopping by!  

I'll be back in a bit with my card for the monster, epic 100th challenge at Freshly Made Sketches!

Supplies:

Stamps:  Funky Feet (The Alley Way Stamps)

Accessories:  Circles STAX 2 die, Pierced Circle STAX die (My Favorite Things); Enamel Dew Drop Stickers (Freckled Fawn); washi tape

colourQ 148

Hello and welcome to what I like to call colourQ Tuesday!  Once again (and no surprise) Arielle has found a delightful color combo and an equally delightful image graphic to get your mojo-licious juices flowing.

For my card I inked up a new stamp set called Pleasant Poppies, which is absolutely perfect for this color challenge.  I think poppies are their most striking when they are that orangey-red color!  Here's my take:

Inspired by this pattern I tried making a card with some colorful hexagons but what I designed looked pretty awful so I scrapped it and went with the poppies instead.  My interesting layout is courtesy of the Sweet Sunday Sketch Challenge.

Be sure to check out the inspiration from the colourQ design team because every card you'll see is a complete knockout!  Then I hope you play along with us!

Create With Connie and Mary 210

It's time for another fabulous challenge from Create With Connie and Mary!  This week there's a gorgeous color combo.  Take a peek:

I think that Cherry Cobbler and So Saffron together have got to be one of my favorite combos.  There's just something about the deep red and warm yellow together that appeals to me.  The layout of my square card comes from the Sweet Sunday sketch and I had a lot of fun putting this card together because I got to use all kinds of fun stuff!

I used the Stripes embossing folder on the horizontal Old Olive layer, then highlighted it with some rick rack from the Tasteful Trim Bigz XL.  My Cherry Cobbler flower is from Raining Flowers and I punched a small flower in So Saffron using the Boho Blossoms punch to layer on top of it.  I added a little Basic Pearl in the center and a leaf from Little Leaves Sizzlet to complete my little floral display.  The sentiment is from Delightful Dozen.

Now, here's some extra fun:  This color challenge will be open for two weeks!  So that means there's lots of time for you to participate!

Head on over to Create With Connie and Mary and check out the inspiration from the design team.  Then go ahead and GET INKY!  We can't wait to see what you create!