Simply Birthday

I live in the southwest of the United States, and the weather has turned cold again.  We have a 'front' moving in.  So, when I was pulling out of the driveway to get to work, the thermometer showed 35 degrees.  Brrr! Baby it's cold outside.  In fact, we haven't turned our heaters off yet.  Our wood pellet stove still runs everyday.  I always wonder how other folks are doing.

I'm not a fan of cold/cool weather.  If it snows, I want to stay home, start a fire, get cozy and craft.  Other than that, I want it to be warm, light breeze, and the sun shining.  Anything else, I'm pretty miserable.

Deb, over @Sketch Frenzy Friday, has created an absolutely wonderful sketch.  But, I really had a time with it.  I blame the weather, and my extra hours put in at work.  Im sure that you will create something just stunning!

Here is Deb's sketch:

See what I mean?  A great sketch!  Let's create!

I really enjoyed the process of making this card.  I used river rock cardstock as the base.  I used Fan Fair DSP for this card.  I matted the graph paper in not quite navy cardstock.  I used two other patterns from the same package.  I used a square punch to create the flag ends.  I used the first edition DSP to create the paper blossom.  I scrunched them and used a small soda pop top to create the center of the blossom.  I punch a super small circle out of the FF DSP and early espresso bakers twine tied in a bow.  

I opted to add two stacked embellishments to the lower corner.  The ticket was stamped in Not Quite Navy classic ink, and the postage stamp in Soft Suede classic ink.  This card is pretty much Clean and Simple, for me.

I hope that you have found some inspiration.  I'm sure that we would love to see what you create!

~stop by Sunday, May 12th, for your chance to win some blog candy~

Banners of Blue

Happy Friday.   I'm glad you had a chance to stop by and take a look around.  This week over @ Sketch Frenzy Friday, I am the designer of this weeks sketch.  How cool is that?  Anyways, you know me.  Love a challenge, and the whole creative process of it all.

Here is this weeks sketch:

See how much fun this is?  There is alot of potential for this sketch, just take a look.  The arrows can be arrows or some other horizontal piece.  The tag can be a tag, or any other vertical rectangle.  The scallop circle on the tag can be a flower, a star, a butterfly, a circle, or any other shape.  The sentiment placement, well, that's a no brainer.  Put that puppy on the right lower corner of your creation.  To me, easy peasy.  And I hope you don't get stumped or derailed by the arrows.  Remember, this is a sketch.  Play, have fun! and lets create!

Here is what I did with the sketch:

When I went in my craft room, I knew that I wanted to make something vintage.  I have a wonderful girlfriend, who I call my sister, but we aren't blood relatives.  Well, she got some horrible news from her doctor, and her heart is hurting.  As well as her family, and friends.  Anyways, I wanted to make a card for her.  She is very special to ALOT of folks, who only want the very best for her.  So, I made this card with her in mind.  I will be getting this out to her in the mail today.

As you can tell from my sketch, there is alot of horizontal lines.  I wanted to add a little more vertical lines, to give the card a nice balance.  The pattern paper I selected from the Fan Fair DSP collection I cut, so the lines would be running up and down.  I also  made my tag's orientation tall.  To add a bit more vertical, I added a hand-stamped ticket to the left side of the tag.  

I used my square hand held punch to create the flag ends of the horizontal tape measure pattern papers. Also from fan fair dsp.  As is the tag.

I used the first edition DSP for the scallop circle.  I used the silver glimmer paper for the butterfly, and the butterfly die.  I used very vanilla cardstock and the fusion flowers die for the blossom.  I cut one lone blossom from the floral trim, to help build the center portion of the butterfly.

For my' sentiments, I did a double banner.  I stamped the words in basic black classic ink onto very vanilla card stock.  

I used the burlap ribbon for the top of my tag.  I also added some pearl jewels to the card, to help give it a feminine look.  All edges of each paper piece has been distressed with crumb cake classic ink and a sponge.

I hope that we have inspired you to play along with us this week, using my sketch @ SFF.

Antique Pretty

If there was a way to get an extra hour or two out of a day, I'd be all over that! This week  Ok, every week, seems to rush by.  Maybe, if I sleep less.  Well, I'm not sure if I can really function on under 5hrs of sleep.  So, lets cut something out.  Uhm.  I'm still thinking.  But while I'm re-calulating the time in my day, have a look at what the talented ladies over @ Sketch Frenzy Friday have in-store for you this week!   Patrice, has given us a wonderfully workable sketch to work with!  LOVE IT!

This sketch is so easy to work with, you just have to play along with us!  You can rotate or flip the sketch, if you would like more horizontal space.  And don't let the rectangles limit you.  Here is what I created:

I replaced the long vertical rectangle with a banner piece.  I replaced the horizontal rectangle with a circle.  And then, I just jazzed it up!

I used pink pirouette card stock for the card base.  The main panel is very vanilla card stock that I ran through the lacy brocade embossing folder.  I matted this main panel with a piece of soft suede card stock.  The banner is cut from a scrap piece of fan fair DSP.  I wrapped a scrap piece of crochet trim around the top.  I took a wooden button and rubbed it onto a very vanilla craft ink pad.  Then I dunked the wet button into a tub of dazzling diamond glitter.  I used a heat gun to speed up the drying time.  I used a length of linen thread to tie the button to the crochet trim, and then into a bow.  

For the circle, I stamped the sentiment from the blooming with kindness stamp set, in soft suede classic ink.  I used the 1 3/4" circle punch, to punch out the stamped circle.  I added a piece of first edition DSP to the stamped circle, and hand trimmed it.  I used a sanding block to help smooth out the rough edges.  I used a small piece of champagne glitter paper and the delicate doilies die to create the beautifully scalloped circle.  I used dimensionals to pop the sentiment off the glitter paper.  I added three tiny half pearls under the sentiment, to continue the vintage look.

I edged all papers with crumb cake classic ink and a sponge.  I wanted the card to have a vintage feel. 

Now, won't you play along with us @ Sketch Frenzy Friday?  We would love to see what you create!

Thanks, Friend

I'm so happy that it is Friday.  I am really looking forward to Saturday.  Mostly because I'm being selfish.  You see, I don't work, or take call on Saturdays.  So, I can spend my day getting some chores done here at home.  I know that that seems really crazy, but I have been preoccupied at home, and work has been a bear.  This is all due to my little dog.  Sasha.  She had bi-lateral knee replacements done 7 weeks ago, and my husband has been staying home with her, ever since.  Sasha, over did it the other day.  So, we loaded her up (she weights in @ 157#s) and went back into the vet's office.  Sasha is on restricted movement for a week.  I was really looking forward to her being home alone come week 8.
Well, so back to my crafting.  Tina, over @ Sketch Frenzy Friday, has created a great sketch for us to work with this week.  Here is her sketch:

Don't let the simple look of this sketch discourage you from playing along with us.  Because, if you take another look, this time, look at the possibilities!  The circle can be any shape.  A star, a scallop circle, a large butterfly.  And the inside rectangle can be a piece of pattern paper, a top note die cut, or a simple matt.  Here is what I created:

I ran a piece of Primrose Petals cardstock inside the Vintage Wallpaper embossing folder.   I used two strips of pattern paper from the Fan Fair DSP collection to make the pleated rosette.  I added a circle of First Edition DSP.  I stamped the sentiment one word at a time.  I used markers to color the floral image and stamped.  I used my blank rubber stamp, thread cutter, sanding block, and some crumb cake classic ink to distress the different papers.  The bumble bee was fussy cut and adhered to the card front with a dimensional.
Thank you for looking.  I hope that you have a chance to play along with us.  But, don't forget to continue with our blog hop, and see what Tammy F. has done with this sketch.