Freshly Made Sketches #755

Hello friends.  Playing along with the current Freshly Made Sketches Challenge hosted by my sweet friend Donna.  She has a wonderful sketch for us to follow, and yes, I did see a TREE and that's the direction I took!

 

I knew right away I wanted to pull out an Altenew set I bought last year and had so much fun with!  It's a very graphic set and not my usual style at all, but for some reason this set just really called to me.  So along with Donna's sketch, here's this year's version of Festive Triangles...

I hope you can see Donna's sketch in my card?  I went with pastel colors (Concord & 9th) and started with the basic triangle stamp for my "A", and then used my MISTI to line up the rest of the letters to spell PEACE. 

 I stamped over the triangle "A" with one of the decorative triangles in the set to make it look more like a Christmas tree and then finished with the sentiment strip and a small star gem for the top of the tree.  After looking at it for a while, I wondered if it was too plain, but then decided I really did like the CAS look of it!

Donna and the DT all have some wonderful inspiration to inspire you to play along that you can find right HERE.  This challenge is open till Monday, Sept. 28 @ 3:00PM.

Thanks for stopping by today ... I love it when you do!

Freshly Made Sketches #754

Hello friends.  Judy's sketch over at the Freshly Made Sketches challenge made me put my thinking cap on, but luckily, the DT had some fantastic inspiration to get the juices flowing again!

It was the blank part at the top half of the sketch that got me, but once the idea came, it was full steam ahead. I came up with an easy AND CAS card that I really liked when finished. Take a look...

It's been a bit cooler here (and wet!!!), so I've had Fall on the brain, and this sweet little line up of pumpkins from Impression Obsession (by Lindsay Ostrom D19277) fit the bottom half of this card

perfectly!  I stamped the image in black and heat set it with clear embossing powder, and then did some paper piecing which I haven't done in quite some time!  I used dsp from PTI in Canyon Clay, Basic Kraft, & Hawaiian Shores and fussy cut out each pumpkin and I really love how this came out.

For the top half of the card I used a piece of kraft cs and embossed it with my SU! Subtle ef.  I finished it quite simply with a piece of narrow seam binding ribbon to cover the center of the card and then added a strip sentiment from Gina K's All At Once Greetings that I embossed in white on black cs. I used foam tape behind the sentiment for a bit of dimension and then told myself to leave it as it really didn't need anything else.  

Nothing like getting in at the last minute, but I craft when I can these days!  This challenge is only open till 3:00PM today, but maybe if you're quick you can still play along.  You can find the DT's fabulous cards right HERE if you need some inspiration!

Thanks for stopping by today ... I love it when you do!

Be Merry!

Hello friends.  Playing along with a couple challenges today with this fun card...

This fun(ny) reindeer is from Stamping Bella's ODDBALL REINDEER set, and I hadn't played with him in quite a while (years??).  He and the other 2 reindeer that come in the set all crack me up...can you tell how excited he is about Christmas?!  I love Christmas, but I still think he is just a hoot!  He was colored with my Copics and fussy cut, then set aside while I worked on the card base.

Don't ya love the mittens on his ears??  And the look on his face?  And I think the sentiment is perfect for this oddball!!

For my background I used Karren's sketch over at the Freshly Made Sketches Challenge and added 2 strips that I embossed with SSS's Snowflake Visions EF, and for the center strip, a piece of DSP from PTI. The frame around this oddball is from PB's Classy Frames set of dies and the sentiment strip is from Gina K's Master Layouts #1.

I am also sharing this card with the current Christmas Kickstart Challenge, who are looking for reindeer, and I thought this oddball guy definitely fit for this challenge!  

Thanks for stopping by today ... I love it when you do!

Freshly Made Sketches #751

Hello friends. Just popping in with a quick card for the current Freshly Made Sketches Challenge...my sweet friend Michele is hosting and has a wonderful sketch for us to follow!

And here's what I came up with...

An easy card to put together as the leaf was already done in the package from last year or maybe even longer...I just knew it would work beautifully with the sketch!  I used a piece of kraft cs that I ran through with SSS's Falling Leaves EF and then lightly ink blended over it with residual ink on my brown blender brush.  I attached it to a rustic cream card base and then added a small rectangle from Pumpkin Pie (SU!) cs on an angle to match the sketch. Next I die cut from the rustic cream cs the frame from PB's Snowflake Stitch Frames (just pretend they're not snowflakes!!) and added it on an angle too per the sketch. Next I added the leaf which is from IO/Dina Kowal (E13817) with foam tape for a bit of added dimension.  

To finish, I added a twine bow to the leaf, a few champagne pearls from PFS, and a sentiment from Clearly Besotted's Autumn Flowers.  

Lots of wonderful inspiration using Michele's sweet sketch that you can find right HERE and then play along.  This challenge is open till Monday, Aug. 31st @ 3:00PM.

Thanks for stopping by today ... I love it when you do!

Freshly Made Sketches #746

Hello friends.  I'm playing along with Freshly Made Sketches where Jen M. has a wonderful sketch for us to follow.

I was so inspired by Michele's Christmas card (HERE) with her beautiful colors, that I CASE'd her a bit.  Here's what I came up with using an older stamp set from The Greetery called Floral Arches...

 ***I thought I was being so clever using one of my Christmas Willow Tree angels for my photo, but after looking at it now...the size proportion of the angel to the card is waaaaaay off!  Oh well, it is what it is!

I stamped and stenciled the floral arch and then die cut it out before attaching it to my smaller card base. (I did remember to measure how far to extend my die cut piece so it would still fit in an A2 size envelope.) I used SU!'s Soft Succulent cs for the card base and a strip of Evening Evergreen that I embossed with Altenew's Organic Linen ef to follow Jen's sketch.  Next I stamped and die cut the center arch from The Greetery's Arched Holiday Set, and then embossed in gold and die cut the coordinating JOY sentiment.

   A few gold pearls (PFS) and this fun fold card was finished and I have one more completed Christmas card for the stash. YAY!!

There is so much BEAUTIFUL inspiration from the DT that you can find right HERE, so check it out and play along if you have time!

Thanks for stopping by today ... I love it when you do!

What's Your Favorite Fruit??

Hello friends.  Playing along with a couple challenges today...Freshly Made Sketches and the Double D.  Jen T at Freshly Made Sketches has a wonderful square card layout for us to follow and the Double D wants to know what our favorite fruit is.  

A fun sketch and yummy looking fruit...a perfect match, right?!  Personally, I love all fruits, but have to admit that STRAWBERRIES are probably my all time favorite!  So of course I have a strawberry card to share...

Yummmmmmm!  I love eating them plain, in shortcake, in pies, and especially in Michele's dessert she makes! (Maybe if you ask real nice, she might print the recipe sometime.)  I started with a 4 1/4" x 4 1/4" white card base and then added the largest die from PFS's Dotted Postage Square also in white cs. Next came a layer of PTI's Pure Poppy plaid dsp, and then another postage square so I had a place to add my bunch of strawberries (The Greetery - BotaniCuts Strawberries). 

My die cut strawberries and leaves were die cut and then ink blended using DOX inks.  I finished with a embossed strip sentiment from Gina K's All At Once Greetings and a few Ruby Red Gems from PFS.

You can find lots of wonderful inspiration from both Design Teams...check HERE for the Double D challenge and HERE for the Freshly Made Sketches challenge. 

Thanks for stopping by today ... I love it when you do!

Freshly Made Sketches #744

Hello friends.  Been on kind of a Christmas (in July) kick lately and when I saw Donna's "Polaroid" sketch over at Freshly Made Sketches, I knew exactly what I wanted to do!

And here's what I came up with...

Doesn't she just make you want to smile?!!  I fell in love with this PB set (sing joy) a couple years ago and it has definitely become a staple in my go to Christmas stash!  There are 3 separate images in the set and believe it or not, this is the first time I've used this image!  (The other two images have seen ink many, many times!!)  I colored her up with my Copics and gave her a bit of a vintage look with the colors and the ink blending around the edges.  I used a polaroid frame die (MFT) to frame her out and stamped my sentiment in the lower portion of the frame (sentiment from the sing joy stamp set).

I added foam tape to the back of the frame before insetting my image and added to an embossed panel using SU!'s Subtle ef and a strip of PTI's Ocean Tides polka dotted dsp.  I added a little twine bow to the strip and called it good.

Lots of wonderful inspiration from Donna and the DT for this sketch that you can find right HERE. This challenge is open till Monday, July 13th @ 3:00PM.

I will also be adding this card to Darnell's NBUS Challenge as I've never used this 3rd image before and she definitely deserves a little bit of recognition!!

 

Thanks for stopping by today ... I love it when you do!

Freshly Made Sketches #742

Hello friends.  Playing along with the gals over at the Freshly Made Sketches challenge where DT member Amy has a sweet and easy sketch for us to follow...

And here's what I came up with...

This card features the stamp and die set from SU! called Spotlight on Nature that I've had for a couple years and never used.  Why??  I honestly don't know.  But I did have fun playing with it and am really happy with how this CAS card turned out.  I started by putting the main flower image in my MISTI and then stamped onto a top folding card base. Next I placed the die cut circle (part of the set) and sentiment strip over top of the stamped image, and then restamped. I hadn't moved the stamp in my MISTI from the 1st stamping, so it stamped right over in the same place and just added the image to the circle and part of the sentiment strip.

 I colored only the smallest bloom and leaves with my Copics and left the other two blooms and leaves black & white.  The sentiment is also from the stamp set and I love that font...so pretty!!  Next I stamped the butterfly from the set on vellum and fussy cut it out and then colored on the back of the vellum with my R83 Copic.  To finish I added a twine bow and a couple PFS pink gems.

Amy and the rest of the DT have some beautiful cards to share using the sketch and you can find them all right HERE.  This challenge is open till Monday, June 29th @ 3:00PM. 

Thanks for stopping by today ... I love it when you do!

Freshly Made Sketches #741

Hello friends.  After seeing a couple cards by friends using SB's Sunflower Serenade, it gave me the inspiration to pull mine out and have a play.  Narelle over at Freshly Made Sketches had a perfect sketch to use the sunflower dies with, and here's what I came up with...

I used Magenta Madness (SU!), Orange Zest & Summer Sunrise (both PTI) cardstocks to cut out my sunflowers and placed them on small rectangles that I ink blended on using the matching inks.

My background looked too plain, so I added a panel that I embossed with Altenew's Organic Linen ef and a better press sentiment from SB's A Little Message Sentiments.  A little WOS was added to the flower centers to finish off the card.  

 Lots of wonderful inspiration from Narelle and the talented DT, and you can check it all out right HERE.  This challenge is open till Monday, June 22nd @ 3:00PM.

Also adding my card to the Just Us Girls Challenge where they have a beautiful and colorful mood board full of blooms...loved it!!

The JUGS challenge is open till Wednesday, June 24th @ 6:00PM.

Thanks for stopping by today ... I love it when you do!

Freshly Made Sketches #740

Hello friends.  Playing along with the gals over at the Freshly Made Sketches Challenge hosted by my sweet friend Michele, and she has a fun scene sketch for us to follow!

CAS and easy to follow, right?!  My card isn't exactly CAS, but I don't think Michele will mind as it really does follow the sketch. Well kinda. Take a look and see what you think...

I made this card quite a while ago but never had a chance to post it.  When I saw Michele's sketch, and Donna's card, I knew this cutie patootie Rooster from PTI would be a perfect fit!!  The background is stenciled using an older set of stencils from The Greetery called Stencil Scapes: Autumn. I used brighter colors to make the background more Summery than Autumn like, and decided it was a bit too bright and busy looking to add the rooster to, so I added a piece of vellum over the background to mute it a bit before adding my rooster.

The Rooster bundle (dies & stencils) comes with 3 stencils, but I used a Gina K stencil called Ornamental Fans and Real Red & Cherry Cobbler inks (SU!) and then used foam tape on the back to give him some dimensions over the vellum background.  The sentiment is from Gina K's So Many Sentiments and fit perfectly in the white space before I added the vellum.  I loved the way this card came out and hope the DT doesn't think I've strayed too far from the sketch!

Check out the marvelous cards from Michele and the rest of the DT right HERE and then play along!  This challenge is open till Monday, June 15th @ 3:00PM.
 

Thanks for stopping by today ... I love it when you do!

Freshly Made Sketches #739

Hello friends.  Been awhile since I've played with the Freshly Made Sketches challenge, but trying to get back into the swing of things and Karren had a fun and easy sketch to follow...

I pulled out The Greetery's BotaniCuts Geranium dies and the Pretty Pot die and came up with a trio of terra cotta pots instead of circles.  Take a look...

I started with a piece of Bitty Big DSP (PTI) to ground my pots on and then assembled the pots, geraniums, and leaves on top of the DSP.  I did a bit of ink blending to the pots, blooms and leaves for a bit of definition.  I don't have much of a green thumb, but I do manage to keep Hostas and Geraniums alive and love having pots of different colored Geraniums on the front porch each Summer! :0)

  My sentiment came from Michele on one of our playdates, but I can't remember who makes it.  I finished with a bit of glitter in the flower centers, a few clear gems and a couple little ladybugs (WF) for a bit of whimsy.

Mom is finally settling in at the retirement home and has even made a few new friends, which makes me so happy!!  Now if we could just get everything lined up right for the sale of her house...too much to go into here, but it's always something, isn't it?!!

Check out all the fabulous cards from the DT over at Freshly Made Sketches and play along if you have time today...challenge ends at 3:00PM.

Thanks so much for stopping by today...I love it when you do!!

 

Freshly Made Sketches #733

Hello friends.  Jen T has a new sketch for us over at Freshly Made Sketches challenge...

This fun sketch gave me an opportunity to use a cut & foil die set from Trinity Stamps that I've had for a few years now and never used.  Here's what I came up with using the Beautiful Betta foiling die...

I used Speckled Prism foil (SB) on the Betta and then used blue and green ink (residual ink from my blending brushes) to ink blend over him.  I added a crimped circle die cut in Spring Rain (PTI) behind the betta per the sketch and then added a small rectangle of Spring Rain DSP behind a portion of the circle & Betta.  The white background was embossed with SB's Splish Splash ef.

I finished with a strip sentiment from Gina K's All At Once Greetings and a few clear iridescent gems (PFS) over the bubble circles on the Betta.  

Make sure you check out all the inspiration from the DT right HERE, and then play along.  This challenge is open till Monday, April 27th @ 3:00PM.

I will also be adding this card to Darnell's NBUS Challenge #85 since this little Betta has been hibernating for almost 3 years!!

Thanks for stopping by today ... I love it when you do!