Simple Kraft

Welcome.  I had to switch my day off from work this week, and it has really messed-up my week.  I keep getting my days mixed-up, to say the least.  Anyways, enough about me {smile}.
This week over @ Sketch Frenzy Friday, a new sketch is up and ready for you to play along.  But, before we get to that, I hope you find a bit of inspiration from what the design team has created!

here is what I did:

I made this card with a special girl friend in mind, Nichole B.  She, is a great person, and makes me laugh!  Nichole, paper crafts, too, and has an unique style of card making.  She is a 'clean and simple' type of gal.  And her favorite color combo is black and yellow.  

I used a build a background text stamp across the top.  I also added a flourish stamped in black to give her card a little pizzazz.  I added a strip of modern medley dsp to give the card a color scheme.  I also banner ended a strip of yellow pattern paper to give the card a pop of color.  I added a frame stamped in basic black classic ink, added a sprig of black leaves, a yellow flower and a vellum butterfly. 

Let's see what you create! and post your card on the SFF challenge site!

Frames

Oh, where do I begin?  The start of a crazy busy weekend, filled with paper, crafting time, good friends, laughs, snacks, and no chores!  Yahoo!  A dream come true, you ask?  Nope.  Just the Hen House Retreat!  

But, before I place my bags in the car, and load my craft projects, lets look at the challenge over @ Sketch Frenzy Friday.  Robbie, is the designer of this week's sketch.  She is very talented, and really provides you with the elements you need to create a fantastic card, and gives you some freedom to make it your own and beautiful!  Here is Robbie's sketch:

here is what I did:

Let me start with the elements of Robbie's sketch.  She has provided us with 2 basic elements.  An object at the upper left corner and a band along the lower third.  Simple elements.  Alot of room for creativity, personal touches, and tons/little of embellishments.

And I'm sorry if I'm boring you with my color combo.  I have an infinity for pink.  I tried to keep the whole look simple.  Ok, simple for me.  I also have an infinity for polka dots, so that was the pattern that I repeated.  Polka dots embossed on the main panel of cardstock.  Polka dots in the frame.  And polka dots bordering the oval 'frame'.  I used pink pirouette and crumb cake classic inks to distress the edges of the cardstock pieces.  

The butterfly was die cut from the silver glitter paper.  The paper blossom is from the Artisan Embellishment kit.  

I wrapped some crochet trim and crumb cake seam binding around the card front.  I did some machine stitching around the card and along the trims.  I tied the seam binding into a multi-loop bow and tied a clear button to the center with linen thread.  I wanted to add some sparkle in the lower right corner, so I added a lone rhinestone.

I hope you get a chance to play along with us @ SFF.  Show us what you create with Robbie's sketch!

Create Happiness

This week, over @ Nacho Average Challenge have a color challenge for you this week.  I have to admit, when I first saw the colors, I thought, 'what can I make with these colors?'  You see, they are not the typical colors that I work with.  But, it is called a challenge.

Here are the colors:

here is what I made:

I stamped the back ground stamp in VersaMark ink onto the Marina Mist card stock.  I used clear embossing powder and heat set the image.  I placed my embellish pieces over the label portion of the main panel piece.  

For the butterfly cluster:  I used the doily die to cut the small doily under the butterfly.  The paper is actually very vanilla card stock.  I sponged daffodil delight onto the card stock.  I used a piece of First Edition DSP and the butterfly die.  I used real red card stock and the beautiful wings die.  I sponged daffodil delight classic ink onto a paper blossom.  I adhered the paper blossom to the red butterfly with a dimensional.  I tied some white bakers twine through a faceted button and added it to the center of the paper blossom.

I used the Loving Thoughts word stamp set to create the two banners.  I stamped the words in Basic Grey classic ink, and used a 1 1/4" square hand-held punch to create the flagged ends.

For the postage stamps:  I first stamped the images in Marina Mist classic ink.  I then used the postage stamp punch and punched out the images.  I sponged crumb cake classic ink along the edges to distress the stamps.  I then used the Paris postmark stamp, on the Eiffel tower postage stamp, in Basic Grey classic ink.  I rolled the text wheel, over the Travel Post postage stamp, in Basic Grey classic ink.

I hope that we have inspired you to play along with us @ NAC.  You never know, you could be our next Top Nacho!

Blue Skies

Happy Tuesday, folks!  It's hard to believe this week is off to such a roaring start.  But, to help kick off my creativity, I wanted to share with you the card I made for the latest challenge over @ Nacho Average Challenge.  I have to say, the ladies there, are very talented, and I am sure that you will find some inspiration!

This week, it is a sketch challenge.  I have to secretly admit, that I really do prefer sketch challenges.  Here is this week's challenge:

Here is what I created:

Here are hyperlinks to the rest of the design team:

Anne

Jenni

Leilani

Rose

Tammy

When I first saw this sketch, I thought the repeating four squares could be anything!  At first I thought about flowers, then I thought about four 'windows' to showcase any repeating object.  And then, I thought about butterflies.  I don't know why I just love winged things so much.  But I do!  

The card base is not quite navy card stock, then a matt of baja breeze card stock.  The pattern paper is from comfort cafe DSP.  I matted it on a scrap piece of soft suede card stock.  I used four squares of first edition DSP.  To create my butterflies, I first collage stamped three different stamps, then used the beautiful wings emboslit.  To create the flower, I punched out four scallop circles and scrunched them.  For my sentiment piece, I stamped the 'label' and then tore it out.  I added a multi-loop bow made from some baja breeze seam binding.  I added a tiny tag for my sentiment.  

Thank you for looking.  Now, I hope you have been inspired to play along with us @ NAC.

Friday's Blog Hop

Howdy!  I hope (and pray) that this blog post finds you in good spirits and health.  Last week, I got the results from a few tests.  And well, it was a surprise.  I went into the exams thinking it's just another test, so that there wouldn't be any surprises for the surgeon.  And well, I was the one who was surprised.  I spent a few days feeling blue, and couldn't find any joy in the things I love: paper crafting, sewing, baking, canning.  You get the picture, I'm a little Martha Stewart.  I love to create home-made things.  Well, I pulled myself up from my boot straps (so to speak) and I decided, when you are given lemons, make lemonade! Right?  I have a life to live.  I have things I want to accomplish.  I have people who depend on me.  And there just isn't any room for complacency.  So, I apologize if I have been 'off-track'.  Please grab a cup of coffee/tea/soda/energy drink, and have a look at what this amazing design team has created!

It's Friday! It's time for a blog hop from the talented ladies over @ Sketch Frenzy Friday!  Blog hops, allow you to visit each design team member's blog and hopefully we inspire you!  We want to get your creative juices flowing, and we hope you play along with us.  This week Maria V, is our creator of this week's sketch.  Let's take a look at what she has given us:

Well, I didn't rotate the sketch, or flip it.  I created a card that showcases this sketch:

I wanted to make a soft and sweet card, for a wonderful friend, who has been so supportive and willing to listen to me cry.  As you probably know, Crumb Cake has got to be the most popular color I use from Stampin' Up!  I use the color (card stock, ink, and pattern paper) on almost every paper craft item I create.  I just LOVE it!

I started with Wisteria Wonder card stock for my card base.  I thought it looked kinda 'flat', so I added a piece of textured WW to the top of the card.  I edged the textured card stock in white craft ink.  I wrapped a piece of crumb cake DSP around the middle of the textured piece.  I added a piece of crinkled crumb cake seam binding and tied a multi-loop bow.  I tied a 'purple' button form the subtles collection, using some linen thread.

For my main panel.  I stamped the three different flowers from Everything Eleanor, using the masking technique.  I heat embossed the flowers with white embossing powder on white shimmer paper.  I 'colored' the flowers with WW re-inker and lots of water.  I stamped the sentiment in Wisteria Wonder classic ink.  I matted the white shimmer card stock onto very vanilla card stock. Then this whole piece is matted onto a piece of silver glitter paper.  I added some butterflies embossed and cut from the Beautiful Wings embosslit.  I added some rhinestones for their bodies.

Now, please continue on with our blog hop and visit Tammy F.'s blog, to see what she has created.  I know that you will NOT be disappointed!  Come play along with us @ Sketch Frenzy Friday!

I hope that we have inspired you.  And, I am happy to be here, sharing my creations with you {smile}.

Resist Watercolor

I hope all of you have some wonderful plans for this holiday weekend.  Me, whew.  Too many things to get accomplished before I go back to work on Tuesday.  But, then again,  what's new?  

Lisa, over @ Our Creative Corner, has a fabulous challenge for us this week.  She wants us to do some type of resist stamping technique, and include some wings.  Sounds fun, creative, and pretty clever!

So, here is what I came up with:

I used some papers from Melissa Frances.  I wanted something that looked shabby chic.  I also added a kraft polka dot paper and a text paper.  For my resist stamping, I stamped the floral image in versa mark onto some shimmer paper.  I added white embossing powder and heat set it.  To add the color, I sprayed the embossed paper with water and then added water color to the wet paper.  I think this resist technique is called 'watercolor resist'.  but don't quote me.   I love the negative look of this technique.  For my wings, I cut a butterfly from some glitter paper and added a tiny button for it's body.  I made a multi-loop bow with some vintage blue satin ribbon.  I painted a wooden button with some distress paint (picket fence) and added some glitter.  I used some cream twine to tie the button to the front of my bow.  The tag is from Melissa Frances.  I stamped the sentiment on the tag in basic black classic ink.  I added a scrap piece of vintage crochet trim to the tag.  I distressed the edges of my card with a white pigment ink.

Thank you for looking.  I hope that you get a chance to play along with us @ Our Creative Corner.

NAC #6

I hope this week finds all of you in good spirits and in good health.  The ladies over @ Nacho Average Challenge, have a color challenge this week.  I have to admit, this color combo was a bit of a struggle for me.  These are not my 'go-to' colors.  But hey, it's a challenge, right?

This graphic didn't copy too well.  The colors are Rich Razzleberry, Lucky Limeade and Not Quite Navy.  And here is what I created:

The card base is Not Quite Navy.  I used a panel of textured very vanilla card stock.  I made my mini envelope from a floral note envelope.  I stamped a flourish in NQN and the random splatters in LL classic inks.  The 'get well wishes' banner is from Teeny Tiny Wishes.  I stamped it in Early Espresso classic ink and hand cut the strip.  The floral image is colored with markers and I used an oval punch to create the center of the polka dot label.  I tied some linen thread around the main panel piece.  Added some butterflies, and stamped the post mark in basic black classic ink.  

Thank you for stopping by.  Now, lets see what you create!  Don't forget to stop by the rest of the design team blogs to see what they have created.  I hope you find some inspiration, and play along with us.

Anne Hayward - Stamping with Blue Moon Creations

Jenni Hogan - Stampin' in the Son

Leilani McGranahan - Lani Stamps

Rose Alexa - RMA stamps 4 U

Sharon Wheet - Designs by Sharon (you are here)

Tammy Fite - Stamp with Tammy

I will be mailing this card off to a friend.  I hope she likes it.  Take care, and thank you for stopping by!

Springtime Wishes

Happy Friday to you! I hope that you are all well.  It's Friday, so lets play along with the wonderfully talented ladies over @ Sketch Frenzy Friday!  This week's sketch is brought to us by Kim I.  She has done a wonderful job with the sketch.  

the sketch:

this week, I pretty much followed the sketch to a T.  

Here is what I created:

I have to admit, I'm a crumb cake addict.  I must use this card stock/ink on almost every project or paper craft item I create.  Ok, now on with the card!  crumb cake card stock as the card base.  very vanilla card stock was run through the vintage wall paper embossing folder.  A scrap piece of crumb cake dsp was added to the bottom half of the card.  I stamped a flourish stamp in crumb cake along the bottom edge.  The tag was made with the Lots of Tags die.  (another all time favorite).  I stamped the sentiment in basic black classic ink.  I added three half faux pearls, and butterfly made from the silver glitter paper and a paper blossom from real red card stock.   wow, i use butterflies on just about every project or paper craft item, too.

I used the new red taffeta ribbon.  I wrapped the ribbon around the card and tied it in a bow.  I used pink pirouette card stock and first edition dsp to create the 'banner' pieces.  I cut the smaller butterfly from the die, using the silver glitter paper.  I made one of those paper blossoms out of circles.  You cut 3-4 different size circles and off set them.  You can either leave them crisp and new or distress them.  I like to distress, so I sprayed them with my home made shimmer paint, and scrunched them.  I used a basic black brad to hold the blossoms together.  The leaves were made with the blossom punch and pear pizzazz dsp.  

Thank you for stopping by.  I appreciate the company {smiles}.
Now, don't forget, its a blog hop, so stop by Tammy F.'s blog to see what she (and the rest of the design team) have created.

Thank You, #50 + #3

I hope everyone is enjoying this Monday.  Me, I'm surviving.  We had snow again.  Ugh.  I am sooo ready for warm weather.  And I don't mean 80 degrees warm.  Just a nice 70-75 would be absolutely wonderful!

Speaking of wonderful, we know this couple, who live in California.  They have got to be the nicest folks I have ever met.  They are kind, thoughtful, generous, and down right lovely.  Anyways, for my birthday, they sent me a gift package.  Inside was a nice bottle of champagne, along with some Hibiscus in syrup, and the most beautiful set of love birds perched on a branch.  Now, for those who know me, know I have a thing for birds.  (Ok, any creature with wings, but mostly birds.)

So, I wanted to make them a card, to thank them for both thinking of me, and their generosity.  I stopped by one of my favorite challenge blog sites and a new one:  CR84FN Color Challenge  and  retro sketches.

Here is my starting point:

I just love the bright and vibrant colors for this weeks color challenge @ CR84FN.  Pink, Orange, and Yellow.  How pretty!  And they make me think of spring.  The quote is quite lovely, too:  "Of all the things which wisdom provides to make us entirely happy, much the greatest is the possession of friendship. ~ Epicurus"  

So, the card I made is just that, for a friend!  Here is what I created:

I used these beautiful papers from Kaiser crafts.  Aren't they just dreamy.  The yellow pattern paper is from Authentique (my scrap box).  The flowers are from a stash, so no brand, sorry.  The ribbon is from Paper Trey Ink.  The butterflies, and leaves are from Stampin' Up!, the sentiment is from Amuse Studios.  I added dazzling diamond glitter to the buttons, once again.  It's kinda addicting {smiles}.  The half pearls are from my stash, too.

The card was quick and easy to put together.  Thank you for stopping by.  And, I'll have another post for tomorrow morning!  Stay tuned.  

Birthday Bash

One of the things that I really do love about the weekend, is the time to look at other blogs, and to check out different challenges.  And this weekend isn't really any different.  I really do enjoy being on the design team for Our Creative Corner.  The challenges are always different, and most of them really do make me exercise my creative side.  The other designers are super talented and they keep me on my toes.  

This week, is no different.  Anita, would like us 'to make a card or tag with some sort of bingo card on it, and use the color green somewhere on the project'.

The Ribbon Reel Challenge, is having a 'Newsprint' challenge this week.  I am entering my card in this challenge, too.  The requirement is to use news print / book print, and ribbon on your paper craft item.  The pattern paper I am using, has text print on both the background paper and the blossoms.  Here is their inspiration photo:

Sounds pretty fun.  Sounds creative.  So, here is what I came up with:

This card was pretty fun to make.  The floral pattern paper is from Basic Grey.  The yellow polka dot paper is from Cosmo Cricket.  The 'bingo card' I made with a stamp set.  The 'wish' ticket is from Tim Holtz.  The 'Birthday' sentiment is from Stampin' Up!  The flower is made from card stock and a scallop circle punch.  I centered the paper blossom onto a butterfly, that was cut from a die.  I made a double bow, out of some green seam binding.  I also added some bakers twine and a button.

I created a Birthday card, because I also wanted to help another challenge blog celebrate their second birthday, The Shabby Tea Room.  I have found some inspiration there, and have participated in a few of their challenges.  They have helped me 'develop' my favorite style of paper crafting: shabby chic.  

Join us @ Our Creative Corner, to play along with our current challenge: The Luck of the Irish.  Show us what you can do with a Bingo card and green.  And, if you have a chance, stop by the The Shabby Tea Room, to join them in their celebration of their second year!

Happy Saturday!  I hope you enjoy your weekend!

Hello, Butterfly

Howdy to you!  I appreciate the company.   Over at Sketch Frenzy Friday, we share some of the responsibilities, and we each take a turn at providing the sketches.  That way there is a variety of creativity, and no ONE person gets stuck with all that.  So, this week, Deb C. is the master mind behind this weeks sketch.  And I have to admit, I loved the sketch!

The sketch:

You will need to look close, but there are three different size matts: dark pink, white, and a light pink floral.  Also, don't forget the grey circle.  And for those who follow, know that I like to mix things up.  I don't change or disregard the sketch, I 'play' with it.  I'll show you my card, and then explain.

Ok, so to start.  I didn't add the pink floral matt.  I also didn't tie a bow with my ribbon.  But, don't let that throw you.  Pennants are big right now.  And I love that shape.  So, I did the chevron cut at the end of one of my matts - green polka dotted paper.  This new Twitterpated DSP is just sooo gorgeous, so I HAD to use it!  So, the floral pattern paper, the baja breeze pattern paper, and the blushing bride pattern paper are all from the Twitterpated DSP.  Aren't they just soo pretty?  The pear pizzazz polka dot pattern paper and the pear pizzazz pattern paper used for the butterfly are both from subtles DSP.   I wanted to make the butterfly pop, so I clipped on one of those tiny clothes pins for its body.   I used my two-way glue pen to adhere some dazzling diamond glitter to the clothes pin.  But, it still looked too plain, so I added a tiny scallop circle of DSP, a tiny scallop circle clear button, and tied them together with some pool party bakers twine.  

Thank you for looking.  Now continue with our blog hop, and see what Tammy F. has created!

Design Happiness #46

WOW! can you believe that it is already Friday!  Well, I'm having a fun time working with these different challenges, and learning a few things to help my stampin' business.  The wonderful Tina from Sketch Frenzy Friday has designed a wonderfully creative sketch for us and YOU to work with.  The thing that I love the most about these great sketches, is that they allow you some creative freedom and use the wonderful Stampin' Up! products.  I mean how much more great can it be?  So, if you are a super fan of these products, but are either looking for a great challenge, or some inspiration, I encourage you to play along with us and take on the challenge.  We would love to see what you create!

Here is the sketch:

At first when I saw this sketch, I thought, ugh, I'm not a big fan of partial circles on cards.  But, then, I just let the sketch lay around for a few days, and then it occured to me, 'I don't have to make the half circle a piece of paper.  I can make it an image (medallion stamp, or a ring of butterflies, or...)  The rectangle could be a sentiment, or a label, or ...    So, don't be limited by just what you see, but what you 'see'.  Then I was looking for some inspiration, so I headed over to one of my favorite challenge sites, that I find a lot of inspiration; CR84FN color challenge.  This week, the colors are light pink, yellow, and a neutral.  It just sounds pretty and feminine, so that was the look that I was going for.

Here is their inspirational photo and quote:

Here is my card:

For this card I used So Saffron as my 'yellow'. and Pink Pirouette as my 'light pink'.  For the 'neutral' I used both black and white.  I first stamped the floral image in so saffron classic ink, onto so saffron card stock, randomly, and the very vanilla tag.  Then I stamped the 'hello doily' background stamp in versa mark and then poured white embossing powder on it.  Heated this gorgeously detailed image with my heat gun.  I created a flower with pink pirouette and first edition dsp with the bird & bloom die.  I created a tag with the lots of tags die and cut it out of very vanilla cardstock.  I stamped 'for you' in basic black classic ink  Then I a string of half faux pearls along one edge and a silver glitter butterfly to the other side.  I matted this whole piece onto a piece of basic black cardstock.  The card base is Very Vanilla cardstock.

I'm really happy with how this card turned out.  And I hope that you join this Sketch Frenzy Friday blog hop and see what Tammy F. has created.  And join us for a challenge.

I don't know if most of you know this or not, but I also work full-time.  Some weeks are more of a jungling act than anything.  I just got home yesterday, from an extra long weekend with a girlfriend.  It's a bit rough getting everything back in order.  I did make my card and photograph it for this weeks sketch challenge over @ Stampin' Queens Sketch Challenge.  But, I forgot to post it here.  Talk about scatter brain.  So, I apologize for the lateness of this post.

The sketch this week is beautiful.  I didn't have much artistic license to change it up.  So, it pretty much follows the sketch.  Not that, that is a bad thing.  Just a side note.

Here is this weeks sketch:

As for me, tags have been a general focus lately.  But, I did struggle with it a bit.  My mojo was not there.  I couldn't come up with anything that worked, and then kinda did this.  So, don't let my lack of creativity stop you.  Please join us!

Here is my card:

I have to admit, I'm a big fan of this new DSP: Attic Boutique.  And this new stamp set:  Rue Des Fleurs.  Actually, I love this new stamp set sooo much that I have it in English (wood-mount) and French (clear-mount).  And yes, both sets have been inked.  Isn't that just crazy?  Stampin' Up! does sell a 'yellow' taffeta ribbon, but I didn't have any left, so I dyed some white taffeta ribbon with my So Saffron re-inker.  The sketch has a row of buttons across it, and I know how shocking it is not to see a row of buttons across my card.  Just one lonely button brad.  I had to use some of my other all-time favorite DSP: First Edition.  The butterflies were made with a butterfly embosslit: Beautiful Wings.  I'm a super big fan of that little guy, too.  (I'm on my second one, the first one wore out-if there is such a thing.)  I used pool party for the card base to pull all the blue together.

Well, thanks for stopping by.  I hope this new year is starting quite wonderfully for all of you.  It has been going quite nicely for me.

And don't forget to play along with us @ Stampin' Queens Sketch Challenge.

Blessings

Happy Saturday!  Wow, this month is screaming by.  Does anyone else find themselves trying to play 'catch-up' with how fast this year is going by?  

Holly, from Our Creative Corner, has a great challenge for us this week.  I love it, when a design team member gives us a great challenge.  I love to be challenged, but not too crazy.  I love to have some creative freedom and to give the challenge our own sense of 'life'.  And Holly has given us an inspiration photo and some guidelines.  How clever.  How creative.  How wonderful.  So, without boring you any longer, this is the inspiration photo:

This photo has some wonderful colors, textures, designs, and tons of different elements!  Holly tells us to, 'find some inspiration from this fancy table setting and create a Thanksgiving, Holiday, or New Year's paper craft'.  So, take your que from this photo.  And create something wonderful to share with us!  For me, I'm still working on craft fair items, and so, I decided to create a guest blessings book.  When your family and friends share your Thanksgiving meal, instruct them to each write down what they are 'thankful' for.  Here is my Blessings book:

 

The blank journal measures 5 1/4 " x 5 1/4".  The original cover is light blue with this  huge unattractive tea cup on the front.  I kept the back cover original.  So, i worked with the light blue.  I cut a darker blue cardstock to fit the front cover, and then added some newly arrived pattern paper.  I wanted to use pattern paper that reflected the colors and patterns in the inspiration photo.  I used a scallop die to create the scallop trim.  I wrapped scallop trim with a scrap piece quilted ribbon.  The quilted ribbon has the diamond pattern on it, like in the inspiration photo.  I just love the words and font on the larger tag: I am thankful for you.  Love it!  And a seperate stamp created the 'Blessings' stamp at the upper edge of this journal.  I stamped it in a dark brown and heat embossed it.  So it has some presence and some texture.  I just love the shades of yellow and orange in this pattern paper.  I wanted those colors to really pop, so I added a yellow paper flower on top of an orange silk flower.  I felt the flower seemed 'naked' and so I used a die to cut the butterfly shape out of a pressed wood piece.  I inked the edges with some brown ink, to give the wings some definition.  I added the metal tag holder piece, because I thought the journal needed another texture/element.  I added the 'love' tag, to help express my feelings for my family.

So, its now your turn.  Lets see what you create with this wonderful inspiration photo.  Take your time.  Get in your crafting space, and lets see what you have done!  Share your talents with us! 

Belated Birthday Wishes

Happy Thursday!  I like working with sketches, and making something pretty and beautiful.  And, as long as I'm not interupted.  So, I was given that creative freedom last night.  My husband plays ice hockey a few nights a week, so those are my 'golden' crafting times.  

The talented ladies over @ Creative Sketches, has a new sketch for us to work with this week.  I encourage you to play along with us.  

Here is the sketch:

Here is my interputation of this sketch:

My first thought when I saw the sketch, was to make flowers and line them up.  But, that seems too obvious.  So, I quit browsing through my craft room and changed my focus.  And the perfect pennant punch came to mind.  Then, I needed a color(s) to get this card going.  While eating dinner, I had a blue and vanilla color combo running through my mind.  So, that was my platform to start.  I have been on a tangent to use my scraps.  (oh my, if you only knew the extensive collection.)  So, I knew I wanted 'blue' and that was my start.  I used a variation of 'green' and 'pink' based on the colored polka dots in the pattern paper.  

Most of the products used, are from Stampin' Up!, except the colored polka dot pattern paper, the pink plaid pattern paper, the stamped 'blue' pattern paper, and the buttons.

Thank you for looking, and I hope your Thursday is fantastic!

Happy Moments

Hello!  It's Wednesday, and we are half way through the work week.  On the local news of Albuquerque, New Mexico, yesterday, said that the United Postal Service is working over budget, and can't seem to figure out how to control it.  Also, that folks get an average of one hand-written piece of mail every 7 weeks.  WOW!  That story made me almost cry.  And so, I have set a goal for myself to craft some hand-made cards and mail them out to my girl friends.  I will work on creating some 'flat' cards, so I don't exceed the 64 cent postage. :)

Anyways, the wonderfully talented Cristena @ Stampin' Queens Sketch Challenge has a great sketch for us this week.  The sample shows a Christmas themed card, but, you know me... I do the obvious!  So, I created a 'friendship' card.  Probably because that news story made me so sad.

Here is the sketch

Here is the card I created

I used 'happy' colors: Calypso Coral, and Pink Pirouette.  I had a few scraps from Beau Chateau DSP.  I made some 'flowers' with various circle sizes.  I made the two centers different, to add some visual interest.  I punched leaves, using the 2-step bird punch.  The glitter butterfly is made from the silver glitter paper and the Beautiful Wings embosslit die.  I think the shine with all that silver glitter only makes you smile!

I used the Lots of Tags die to create this pretty tag.  I used the You're Cherished stamp set for this simple sentiment.  I stamped it in Soft Suede classic ink, on a scrap from the Beau Chateau DSP.  I think it looks soo appropriate with the First Edition DSP.  And yes, I sponged all the edges with Crumb Cake classic ink.  I used the 2-step owl punch (pupils) to create the faux rhinestones.  And, yeah, it was from the scrap piece that I used from the butterfly die. :)

As always, thank you for stopping by.  For those who are looking for some direction or guidance on how to create a balanced/better card, I am working on a on-line class.

Give Thanks

It's Friday! yahoo!  and you know what that means, its time for another sketch from one of the design team members from Sketch Frenzy Friday challenge.  Please join us for our blog tour.  Tammy F. is the talented member that provided us with this week's sketch.   The only thing we ask, is that you use your Stampin' Up! supplies.

Here's the sketch:

Here is what I created:

This card was alot of fun to create!  I like to add layers to my cards, and sometimes the layers are in ink and not paper.  I took a scrap piece of Pool Party cardstock.  I used the same color classic ink and this wonderful stencil to create that blurry flourish to the left side.  I then inked the En Francais script background stamp in Sahara Sand classic ink.  I layed the pool party cardstock onto of the stamp and tapped with my finger tips.  I didn't want the script to be complete.  I wanted the lettering to be random and faded in some areas.  I stamped 'Give Thanks' in soft suede classic ink towards the bottom right of the card.  I used scrap pieces of Crumb Cake DSP to create the rectangle and scallop circle.  I used Certainly Celery DSP to create the different sized butterflies.  For the large, middle butterfly, I also cut a butterfly with the matching cardstock.  I layered them together.  I also used a dimensional to give this creature some height off the card, and curled the wings.  I added three tiny faux half pearls to the body of the butterfly.

Thank you for spending a few minutes with me.  Now, don't forget, Tammy B. is your next stop on the blog tour!

With Love

The wonderfully talented ladies over @ Stampin' Queens Sketch Challenge, have a new sketch this week, and everyone is invited to play along.  Our only requirement, is that you use Stampin' Up! supplies to make your creation.

This week's sketch is wonderful, but I did have a bit of a struggle with it.  I love layouts with layers and different shapes.  

Here is the sketch this week:

Here is the card I made:

To make this card, I used 4 different stamp sets.  This beautiful script is from a new holiday stamp set: Hand-Penned Holidays.  That gorgeous frame and 'Memories' stamp are from the Frames It stamp set.  The frame for the script is from Creative Elements.  The bee and music sheet are from Nature's Pace stamp set. 

I used Certainly Celery DSP, Baja Breeze DSP, First Edition DSP, Soft Suede cardstock and Very Vanilla cardstock.  I sponged all the edges, and spritz the upper right corner with water to help the paper hold the crumple.  I added some faux stitching, and a few spritz with Lob Cabin and Vanilla Smooch.

Everyone is invited to play along with us.  So, break out your favorite stamp sets, and your favorite DSP.  Cut the shapes, stamp some images, and lets see what you create!

Silent Butterfly #126

First, let me apologize for posting soo late.  For those of you who know me, know this is not like me.  I haven't been home every night this week, and work keeps piling up.  So, I'm super sorry for this delay. 

Now, it's Saturday, and so that means that it's time for our challenge @ Our Creative Corner!  This weeks challenge is brought to us by Kristin, and she always has the funnest challenges! and this week, it  was just that for me.  From our inspiration photo you see a sea of flowers.  The challenge, don't use flowers!  WOW!  I needed alittle help with this one, so I headed over to Card Patterns and found this wonderful layout to help me with my card.  So, I used a fancy chipboard frame, some pretty ribbon, a few rhinestones, and a butterfly!  

Here is our inspiration board:

 Here is my layout challenge:

 Here is what I came up with:

I played with the greens and whites from the inspiration board.  Every time I focused on the pinks and yellows, I kept gravitating to floral.  And I just couldn't not use some kind of flower or floral print.  Sorry.  I don't know if its artist block, working too much, or anxiety for a dead line.  Either way, I couldn't get it to work.  I found some pretty pattern paper. The chipboard frame was in my stash. That beautiful ribbon is from Stampin' Up!, and so is the solid cardstock, butterfly die, rhinestones, glitter, and inks.

Thank you for looking.  Please visit the rest of the cards from the design team, and play along with us, on this creative, and fun challenge!