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}.

'for you' {CR84FN #30 & CP sketch #117}

There are a few challenge sites that I just go to; like a habit.  Cupcake Creations color challenge, and Card Patterns sketch challenge, just to name a few.  And this past weekend, was no exception.  So, the colors are: light blue, light yellow, and kraft.  The sketch calls for a center object with an object above and below.  Sounds easy enough, huh?  Here are their inspiration boards and sketch:

This past weekend, was a nice break.   It gave me time to catch up on some household chores, and some time to do nothing.  So, I feel a bit revived, and want to sit and create!  So, here is what I created with the inspiration and guidelines from these two wonderful challenge blogs:

My card base is Crumb Cake (Kraft).  I layered a scrap piece of Daisy D's pattern paper as my main paper.  I had a piece of Very Vanilla Satin ribbon that I wrapped around the card front.  I cut a strip of the lace pattern paper into a banner.  The blue is the other side - 2 sided paper!  I collected two Kraft buttons out of my 'jar o'buttons', threaded some 1/8" Very Vanilla taffeta ribbon through the button holes and cinched the satin ribbon, tying the skinny ribbon into a bow.  I found a doily tag, from Martha Stewart, and layered two circles on top of it.  The largest circle is punched from a piece of Crumb Cake DSP (1 3/4") and the smaller circle is punched from a scrap piece from the Bella Blue DSP (1 3/8").  I stamped the 'for you' in Crumb Cake classic ink, using my stamp-a-ma-jig.  I wanted it to be off-center and high.  The flower I made myself.  I used Shimmer White card stock and sponged the edges with So Saffron classic ink.  I used two different dies and a hand-held punch to create the three different flowers, and then stacked them.  I added a light yellow button to the center.  The leaves were made with a die and the other side of the Crumb Cake DSP.  I used glue dots to hold the leaves on. (the leaves are actually one piece.  I cut it into two pieces so that I could have leaves at the top and bottom of the flower.)  The butterfly was made with a butterfly die and Soft Suede card stock.  I added two faux half-pearls for the body.

I really like how my card turned-out.  I did have a few concerns about the flower.  At first I put it right smack in the middle of the doily.  But, then changed my mind to an off-center look.  I balanced the flower by adding a dark butterfly to the opposite corner of the middle circle.  I really wanted to add a faux half-pearl flourish on my card, but I didn't 'see' a good spot.  The button in the middle of the flower looks 'naked' to me, but I couldn't come up with a solution that didn't look yukky.  Any suggestions?

So, if you have a free moment, please stop by both challenge sites and enter!  Its fun!