Freshly Made Sketches 374

I learned a new word just in time for this week's Freshly Made Sketch challenge.  It's trypophobia and it is the fear of shapes!  This is relevant because our sketch hostess this week is the very talented Jen Brum and, as is well documented, she does not like circles.  So what does she do?  She faces those fears head on and designs a sketch with about a billion circles on it!  Way to go Jen!

For my part, I thought bokeh dots were the way to go...

There are love themed challenges all around blogland this week so I was able to play along with a few of them such as The Paper Players, AAA Cards, and Just Us Girls.  I'm not that confidant in my ability to do a decent watercolor background so I used some patterned paper that did the work for me.  I added my bokeh dots with some stencils and stamped a big old sentiment in the middle.  The idea for this card came to me when I was out walking on my lunch hour on Monday.  The temperatures were near 60-degrees which is a nice bonus in what are normally the coldest winter days around here.  I'm pretty sure the warm temperatures and the sunshine inspired my creativity!

Our Freshly Made Sketches design team have made some fantastic cards this week with this sketch.  I'm always amazed at where these sketches take us!  I hope you can play along with us this week!

Supplies
Stamps:  Love (Hero Arts)
Paper:  Solar White (Neenah); Watercolor Wash Brights (My Favorite Things)
Ink:  Frost White (Colorbox); Nocturne (Versafine Clair)
Accessories:  Bokeh Lights stencil (Simon Says Stamp)

The Challenge #60

Happy Monday!  Today is a holiday for me so I'm home from work.  The weather has been uncharacteristically frigid so I haven't really enjoyed my long weekend with any special outdoor activities, but it's nice to be home relaxing all the same.

A few weeks ago one of my cards was chosen as a top pick at The Challenge so today I'm joining the ladies there as a guest designer!  The color challenge inspired a Valentine - a day late and a dollar short!

I actually had no intention of doing another Valentine, but I saw the sketch at CAS Colours & Sketches and thought the word "love" would look pretty good scrawled across the front of my card.  Then the challenge at Just Add Ink was to add a "V" so I had that covered too.  I'm pretty sure that this is the last Valentine that I'll make this year!  Finally it's one layer week at Less is More, where I haven't played along in a while so I'm adding this over there as well.

Thanks so much for stopping by and a big thanks to Lesley and the rest of the Design Team at The Challenge for inviting me along this week!

Supplies
Stamps:  Circles Circles Circles (Whimsy Stamps); The Big the Bold and the Happy (Winnie & Walter)
Paper:  White (Spectrum Noir)
Ink:  Real Red, Pink Pirouette, Basic Gray (SU)

CAS(E) This Sketch 159!

I thought I was all done making Valentines then along came a new challenge at CAS(E) This Sketch  plus a couple of Valentine challenges at CASology and Just Us Girls and this card was born!

I took a little liberty with the sentiment on my card but I think those little hearts are a sentiment all on their own!  I wasn't sure if it was a little weird to make a Valentine with a black base but I thought the criss-cross background would show up better as black on black plus I really liked the contrast of the red and pink hearts on black.  I think it's a little dramatic and kind of cool.

My fellow teamies at CAS(E) This Sketch have really rocked the sketch this week so I hope you have time to check out their cards and join us in the gallery.  We'd love to see you there!

Thanks for stopping by!

Supplies
Paper:  Basic Black, Real Red, Pretty in Pink (SU)
Accessories:  Criss Cross die (Paper Smooches)

Tag You're It 40

Finally it's Friday and it also happens to be the day for a new challenge at Tag You're It!  I am the hostess this week and I hope that my tag inspires you in one way or another!

We are so close to that special holiday on February 14th that I couldn't resist making a tag to celebrate Valentine's Day!  I used a heart stencil to emboss some iridescent embossing paste first then added the scribble heart on top. A hashtag sentiment and I was done.  Easy peasy!

The design team at Tag You're It has created some fun tags to inspire you this week so I hope you will check them out.  And I hope you'll join us in the gallery this week!

Supplies
Stamps: Hashtags (Tim Holtz)
Paper:  Kraft (Papertrey Ink); Pink Pirouette, Real Red (SU); Neenah Solar White
Ink:  Onyx Black (Versafine)
Accessories:  Gift Card Holder die (Reverse  Confetti); Scribble Heart die, Mosaic Heart stencil (Simon Says Stamp); iridescent embossing paste (Dreamweaver); Crumb Cake seam binding ribbon (SU); baker's twine

CAS(E) This Sketch 158

Here I go again with a card using my new, favorite heart die.  This time I'm using it on my CAS(E) This Sketch card!

When I sat down at my desk to make this card I fully intended to use some flowers.  But then I saw the glitter challenge at CASology and the colors at Stamp Ink Paper and got distracted!  Those challenges were a great opportunity to use this scribble heart die cut from some gold glimmer paper and it was easy to add some black embossing paste, a red sentiment, and a few red sequins (yes, they are red even though they look black in the photo) to round out this fabbo sketch.

The CAS(E) This Sketch design team has cooked up some great designs with this sketch so hop on over to check them out.  I hope we'll get to see you in the gallery this week!

Thanks for stopping by!

Supplies
Stamps:  Everyday Mini Sentiments (Whimsy Stamps)
Paper:  Sweet Tooth (My Favorite Things); Champagne Glimmer (SU)
Ink:  Real Red (SU)
Accessories:  Scribble Heart die (Simon Says Stamp); Graph stencil (Sheena Douglass); black embossing paste (Wendy Vecchi); sequins

Freshly Made Sketches 222!

We're halfway through the work week (yay!) and it's time for a new sketch from Freshly Made Sketches.  This week Narelle, our resident layers expert, has provided the sketch!

For one of my layers I used washi tape.  It's been a long time since I've done that and I've got to admit it felt good!  It's fun stuff, looks way cool when the edges are ripped, and it generally makes me smile.  I think I'm going to try and use it more often.  I certainly have enough of it!

The code word this week at Addicted to CAS is RED so I thought I'd play along and make a Valentine.  Apologies if you are sick and tired of seeing this heart die because I've been using it a lot lately and if you stop by here on Thursday (and Friday for that matter) you'll see it again!  I can't help it.  It's a fun die!

Thanks so much for stopping by.  I hope you've got time to play along with us at Freshly Made Sketches this week.  Our amazing design team has got some beautiful cards to share with you this week in order to jump start your creativity, so please check them out!  I hope to see you in the gallery!

Supplies
Paper:  Sweet Tooth (My Favorite Things); Real Red (SU)
Accessories:  Scribble Heart die (Simon Says Stamp); washi tape, Dymo label maker

colourQ 325!

Hello and happy Tuesday!  I'm back with a new card for colourQ.  This week the colors put me in mind of a Valentine so along with the Valentine challenge at The Paper Players and the sketch at retro sketches my card was born!

I was actually having a bit of trouble working the So Saffron in to my Valentine then I got the bright idea to layer it with some white using my new scribble heart die.  I wasn't sure how it would end up looking since these things invariably look better in my head than they do on paper, but I really like how it turned out!  Then instead of using sequins to float around the big hearts I used tiny little hearts.

Be sure to check out the cards from my colourQ teamies.  They are beauties, but you already knew that didn't you?  I hope we get to see you in the gallery this week!

Thanks for stopping by!

Supplies
Stamps: Fancy Word Coordinates (Reverse Confetti)
Paper:  Crumb Cake, So Saffron, Raspberry Ripple, Primrose Petals (SU); Solar White (Neenah)
Ink:  Scarlet Jewel (Papertrey Ink)
Accessories:  Scalloped Heart of Hearts embosslit (SU); Blueprints 13 die (My Favorite Things); Scribble Heart die (Simon Says Stamp)

CAS(E) This Sketch 155!

I'm always the first one to admit when a sketch scares me.  I believe that honesty is the best policy. So when I first saw this week's sketch at CAS(E) This Sketch I wanted to run and hide!  I had no ideas floating around my head, other than a vague idea to use embossing paste, and no amount of puttering around my craft room checking out my supplies was helping.

I had checked out some of the cards my fellow teamies made and was absolutely blown away by their creativity.  You can see them on the CAS(E) This Sketch blog yourself and see what I mean.  I despaired of ever coming up with an idea.  But as sometimes happens to me my panic recedes and an idea somehow manages to take shape.  In this case I happened to look at a new stencil that I recently bought and my embossing paste idea didn't seem so far-fetched anymore.  Here's my card and Chrissy's sketch:

I can't tell you how many times I have had absolutely no idea how I'm going to put a card together when all of a sudden inspiration strikes and I find myself with a good idea in my pocket!  This is one of those times.  I think it's a little hard to see in the picture but I left a big curvy spot between the swirly embossing paste to mimic the sketch.  And as luck would have it the challenge at The Card Concept is a warm heart where the colors and the heart lent themselves quite well to my card.

So thank you for stopping by! And don't forget to join us in the CAS(E) This Sketch gallery this week.  I am on pins and needles waiting to see all the creativity I know will be there!

Supplies
Stamps: Fancy Word Coordinates (Reverse Confetti)
Paper:  Sweet Tooth (My Favorite Things); Solar White (Neenah); Real Red, Vellum (SU)
Ink:  Frost White (Colorbox)
Accessories:  Waves Stencil, Scribble Heart die (Simon Says Stamp); Banner Trio die (WPlus9); white embossing paste (Dreamweaver); white embossing powder

colourQ 278

The new palette at colourQ inspired me to make a Valentine.  No surprise considering the colors were inspired by these adorable treat boxes.

The pumpkin pie was a bit of a stumper for me and I wondered how I was going to add it to my card.  I ended up throwing some orange sequins in my little shaker.  It's subtle but I like how it adds a bit of fun color to the shades of red and pink.

My sketch is based on the newest one at Fusion.  I had seen a few shaker cards recently (including one from the Fusion design team) so I thought I'd make one of those.  I made one before for a baby shower and it was a big hit with the recipient so I thought one for a Valentine would be cute!  And lo and behold, Virginia's View Challenge is to make a shaker card!

Another snow storm hit yesterday and left about a foot of snow behind.  After last week's blizzard I can't seem to catch a break!  I just keep repeating the mantra "spring is coming, spring is coming."  I know it's true but it sure doesn't feel that way right now.

Thanks for stopping by and I hope you take some time to join us at colourQ!  The ladies there have made some beautiful cards for you to see!

Supplies:

Stamp:  The Big, the Bold and the Happy (Winnie & Walter); Splatdrip (Tim Holtz)

Paper:  Classic White (Flourishes); Real Red, Melon Mambo (SU)

Ink:  Pretty in Pink, Real Red (SU)

Accessoires:  Femme Frames (Mama Elephant); Pierced Fishtail Flags STAX (My Favorite Things); Sugar Blend sequins (Avery Elle); Halloween sequins (Studio Calico)

I Heart You!

I've been so focused on Christmas lately that it's nice to take a break every so often.  The other day I was contemplating a few challenges and decided that the colors at Dynamic Duos and the sketch from CAS(E) This Sketch would make a nice Valentine once I added in the wee hearts from True Colors and the sentiment from Mad Gab. 

The horizontal layer is some stripes made with embossing paste.  I can't stop using that stuff!  I wish I had angled the hearts in a more interesting way, but they are stuck fast and not moving now!

I suspect I'll be back to my regular Christmas programming next.  I still can't believe we're only a week away.  All the gifts are bought, they just need wrapping now!

Thanks for stopping by!

Supplies:

Stamps:  True Colors, Mad Gab (The Alley Way Stamps)

Paper:  Neenah Solar White; Kraft (Avery Elle); Marina Mist (SU)

Ink:  Marina Mist

Accessories:  Stripes stencil (Tim Holtz); embossing paste (Dreamweaver Stencils)

Love Potion with PP175 and RS93

I should be working on Christmas cards and Christmas tags but as soon as I saw the new color challenge at The Paper Players I became convinced that a Valentine's Day card was in my future.  Pair that with the totally awesome sketch from retro sketches and I was off and running!

This lab beaker and fun sentiment from the brand new Bubbling Over stamp set from The Alley Way Stamps is just perfect for a Valentine.  Who wouldn't love to be overcome by the smoke emitting from the beaker as it points to the way to their own true love!  

Thanks so much for stopping by today!

Supplies:

Stamps:  Bubbling Over (The Alley Way Stamps)

Paper:  Solar White (Neenah); Raspberry Ripple, Pink Pirouette, Old Olive (SU); X-Press It Blending Card

Ink:  Tuxedo Black (Memento); Copics

Accessories:  Pierced Circle STAX (My Favorite Things)

Happy Valentine's Day!

I just love it when a card comes together fairly quickly with a minimum of fuss!  Such was my experience when I decided that the Unscripted Sketch and the RED challenge at CASology were a match made in heaven!

I had a vague idea of how I wanted this card to look and when sat down to make it and was pleasantly surprised when my combination of red washi tape and a heart punched from red glimmer paper looked as good in person as it did in my head.  (That doesn't always happen for me)!  And although the sketch doesn't specifically call for a sentiment, I added the valentine one because today, of all days, it's appropriate!

Thanks for stopping by!

Supplies:

Stamps:  Teeny Tiny Wishes (SU)

Accessories:  Heart to Heart punch (SU), washi tape, dimensionals

Freshly Made Sketches 71

Happy Wednesday everyone!  Today over at Freshly Made Sketches, we've got a great sketch created by the oh-so talented Linda Callahan!  I decided to do a valentine.

I pretty much followed the sketch to a "T" but added a few little embellishments along the way.  I stitched some Crumb Cake cardstock onto a layer of Pool Party, then crimped the Cherry Cobbler tag with the Chevron embossing folder.  I finished that off with a big eyelet, some seam binding ribbon and a little baker's twine.  The big heart is from an old set called Love You Much and the sentiment is from P.S. I Love You.

I made this card thinking that I was following a particular color challenge only to find out that I was supposed to use Very Vanilla instead of Whisper White.  Rats!  But I still think it looks pretty cute!

So pop on over to Freshly Made Sketches and check out this fab sketch and the cards from the DT.  Rita and I must have been on a subconscious link because our cards are eerily similar!

Thanks for stopping by!