Freshly Made Sketches 370

Hello!  It's Wednesday so that means it's time for a new challenge from Freshly Made Sketches.  This week our sketch is designed by our frequent flyer Jen Timko.  As soon as I saw it I knew exactly what stamp set I wanted to use!

I knew that I wanted to use these confetti corners in place of the snowflakes but I didn't know what kind of sentiment I wanted in the center.  I chose this Mr & Mrs for no reason other than it was small enough to not take up too much space and still allow the corners to be the star!  I have no particular need for a wedding card, but when I do I'll be all set!  After I made this I saw that the challenge at Time Out Challenges is Loving so I call that serendipity!

Thanks for stopping by!  I hope we'll see you in the gallery at Freshly Made Sketches!  Just pop on over there for all the details plus some amazing inspiration from our design team.

Supplies
Stamps:  Holiday Confetti (The Ton); Congratulations (Simon Says Stamp)
Paper:  Classic Ivory (Flourishes)
Ink:  Versamark
Accessories:  gold embossing powder

Happy Birthday

I LOVE the color combo at Color Throwdown so I set aside some time to play along.  I always seem to be drawn to these challenges when there is black and a couple of other bright colors thrown in.  In this case the yellow was calling to me to make a floral card.

I used a turnabout stamp to create the dotted background.  I really love those stamps.  I have a few now in my stash and I like how easy it is to create a fun background with them.  Then I simply cut a few leafy sprigs and stamped a couple of layered flowers in a few shades of yellow and I was done.  Easy peasy!

Thanks for stopping by!

Supplies
Stamps:  Bitty Burst Turnabout (Concord & 9th); Beautiful Blooms III (Uniko)
Paper:  Solar White (Neenah); Simply Chartreuse (Papertrey Ink)
Ink:  Nocturne (Versafine Clair); Daffodil Delight, Crushed Curry (Stampin' Up!)
Accessories:  Sprightly Sprig die (Verve)

CAS(E) This Sketch 303

We've got a retro sketch for you this week at CAS(E) This Sketch.  I have to admit the card that I made the first time around for this sketch was not one my favorites, so as I was contemplating my redux (over several days I might add) thoughts of that card were haunting me and thwarting new ideas.  But simultaneously I was also plotting and planning a giant head start on my 2019 Christmas card stash and had some cards pinned that I was going to CASE.  One of those cards inspired this card.  So using a brand new set I set to work.

I just love this Santa!  He comes with multiple facial expressions but I think this angry one is my favorite.  That look is especially great with these naughty and nice sentiments! 

At CASology the cue word for their first challenge of 2019 is Fresh.  That words means many things to me as I start 2019.  It's a fresh perspective on my card designs, a fresh desire to try new things, and as for this card a sincere, fresh desire to use stamps sets that I've had and have remained un-inked for a while!  I have a few other fresh ideas that I want to accomplish in 2019 but they will remain silent for now.  I have found, oddly, that once I mention something here on my blog that I want to accomplish the exact opposite happens.  I think I jinx myself!  So in order to preserve my goals, they will remain close to my heart for now!

So how will our CAS(E) This Sketch inspire you?  Our design team has created some fantastic cards so you can check them out for ideas.  I highly recommend that you do and then join us in the gallery!

Supplies
Stamps:  Moody Santa (Lil' Inker Designs)
Paper:  Desert Storm, Solar White (Neenah); Jungle (Avery Elle); Bristol Smooth (Strathmore)
Ink:  Black Licorice (My Favorite Things); Nocturne (Versafine Clair); Copics
Accessories:  Wonky Stitched Rectangle STAX (My Favorite Things)

Freshly Made Sketches 369

Happy new year everyone!  I am back after a bit of a blogging hiatus to kick off the new year with a new sketch from your friends at Freshly Made Sketches!  We closed out the year with a design team call and we are so happy to announce that we've got three new design team members to welcome to our challenge.  So please hop over to the blogs of Lee Ann Barrett, Judy Rozema, and Jacquie Southas to give them a hearty welcome!  This week our sketch is designed by Amy so let's get to it!

It had been a while since I used a butterfly on a card of mine so I was happy to dig out an old butterfly from my stash.  The colors that I used are inspired by the latest challenge at Sunday Stamps.  I created those vertical layers by using some ancient ribbons in my stash.  Hooray for using up old supplies!

Thanks for stopping by!  I hope we'll see you in the gallery at Freshly Made Sketches this week.  Our design team has created some great cards to inspire you!

Supplies
Paper:  So Saffron, Calypso Coral (Papertrey Ink); Smokey Shadow (Papertrey Ink); Vellum (Graphix);Watercolor Wash (My Favorite Things)
Accessories:  Vivienne Butterfly die, Darla Butterfly die (Memory Box); Natural ribbon, Victoria ribbon (Stampin' Up!); Winter Wonderland sequins (Neat & Tangled)

CAS(E) This Sketch 302

The countdown to Christmas is on!  Are you ready?  For some reason Christmas seems to have crept up on me this year.  And while I'm done with my shopping I've got a bit more wrapping to do and gift tags to make.  And I've only got a few days to do that as well as the limited amount of baking I need to do.  And let's not forget the Christmas cocktails I need to whip up!

Today we've got a new challenge for you at CAS(E) This Sketch and we are being joined for this challenge by our guest Cindy Beach, who makes fabulous cards!  I was a little stumped by the two vertical layers until I had some to think of a different way I could interpret them.  Sometimes I spend a lot of time mentally composing a card before I actually sit at my desk with the paper, stamps, and ink.  This one took longer than most!

I'm continuing my post-Christmas card needs with another thank you theme.  I think the bright yellow is attention grabbing, especially with that bold sentiment in black stamped right in the middle!

Thanks for stopping by!  Our challenge this week at CAS(E) This Sketch is a two-week one so be sure to check out all the details on the CAS(E) This Sketch blog.  I hope you can find some time to join us!

Supplies
Stamps:  Halftone Circles (Altenew)
Paper:  White (Catherine Pooler)
Ink:  Daffodil Delight (Stampin' Up!); Nocturne (Versafine Clair)

Freshly Made Sketches 368

I'm back after a bit of a card-making/blogging break!  I had a sick kitty in the house and between the guilt I was feeling for not calling the vet sooner and the time spent giving her warm compresses I was not in a very creative mood.  But I'm happy to say she's on the mend!

Today, of course, is the day when we reveal a new sketch at Freshly Made Sketches.  Our hostess is Narelle and I love those tilty layers she's given us.  This is our last challenge for 2018 and we'll be back on January 2nd with a brand new sketch.  In the meantime....

After weeks and weeks of making Christmas cards I took a much needed break and made a thank you card.  After all, the gifts we receive at Christmas need a thank you card sent to the giver, right?  At Challenge Up Your Life they are looking for thank you themes so that was a big part of the inspiration for my card! 

I went bold with my colors using Melon Mambo as my background and added some contrast with Basic Gray and an old favorite Kiwi Kiss.  Maybe someday Stampin' Up! will make my dreams come true and bring that color (and Baja Breeze) back!  I'd buy reams of those colors if they did, lol!

Our Freshly Made Sketches challenge will stay open until December 31st so if you need a little inspiration after the Christmas craziness winds down then come on over and join us!  There's plenty of inspiration to be had with our amazing design team creations!

Thanks for stopping by!

Supplies
Stamps:  Best Blossoms (Stampin' Up!); Tiny Words (Simon Says Stamp)
Paper:  Solar White (Neenah); Melon Mambo, Basic Gray, Kiwi Kiss, Walk in the Park DSP (Stampin' Up!)
Ink:  Melon Mambo (Stampin' Up!); Nocturne (Versafine Clair)

CAS(E) This Sketch 300 Meets Fusion

Well hello there and welcome to my Christmas channel! Don't be shocked but today I've got a Christmas card to show you which is combination of the sketch at CAS(E) This Sketch and the inspiration photo at Fusion.

I really wanted to do a Santa flying his sleigh across the sky on my card but I didn't have one stamp or die in my stash that fit the bill.  Etsy to the rescue!  I bought a cut file then cut it with my Scan N Cut and layered it on a sponged night sky.  Santa is coming my friends! 

There are a lot of Christmas themed challenges out there so I'm playing along with the Anything Christmas challenge at Inkspirational as well as the Holiday Free For All at Muse Christmas Visions.

Thanks for stopping by!  We've got some great challenges going on at CAS(E) This Sketch and Fusion and our design teams will really knock your socks off with their fantastic cards!  I hope you can join us!

Supplies
Stamps:  Fa La La (Simon Says Stamp)
Paper:  Solar White (Neenah); Bristol Smooth (Strathmore)
Ink:  Broken China, Faded Jeans, Chipped Sapphire (Distress Oxide); Onyx Black (Versafine)
Accessories:  Christmas Sleigh cut file (MagicSVGArt)

Freshly Made Sketches 366 and a DT Call

It's an exciting day at Freshly Made Sketches!  Not only do we have a fantastic new sketch designed by Cécile but we are also looking to add some designers to our merry band of card makers!

You'll find all the details over at Freshly Made Sketches but I'll give you a little teaser.  If you want to join us on the design team just play along with this challenge and/or next week's challenge and when you enter your project in our gallery simply put DT Call after your name!  Simple, right?  I'm so excited to see who wants to join our fun group!

Now let's get on to that fabulous challenge I mentioned earlier.  Cécile's sketch is so clever and I love how each member of the design team interpreted it.  I suspect the gallery is going to be full of eye candy this week!  Here's my card...

I wanted to do something a little unexpected with that striped background and luckily I just had gotten this new diagonal cover up die so I put two die cuts (layered in opposing ways) together and got this cool background.  Then I added a glittery tree and a tiny sentiment.  This went together so quickly - it is literally as easy as it sounds!  Over at Global Design Project they've got a 'Tis the Season challenge going on so I think my little sparkly tree fits in nicely there.

Thanks for stopping by!  I hope to see you in our Freshly Made Sketches gallery!

Supplies
Stamps:  Tiny Words Christmas (Simon Says Stamp)
Paper:  Solar White (Neenah); Champagne Glimmer (Stampin' Up!)
Ink:  Celestial Copper (Delicata)
Accessories:  Cover Up Die Diagonal ('Lil Inker Designs); Sketch Tree die (Memory Box); Skinny Mini Banners die (Papertrey Ink)