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~

Postage Due

Happy Friday!  I'm happy its Friday, but I have a busy weekend, so I don't get a break yet!  But for this Friday, we have another blog hop over @ Sketch Frenzy Friday.  Tina, is our hostess this week.  And she has a clever and very user-friendly sketch for you to work with.  We hope you get some inspiration from the blog hop, but don't let us limit you!

Here is Tina's sketch:

here is what I did:

I just love working with sketches that have a lot of potential!  and by potential, I mean super easy to work with, and with a bit of wiggle room.  I don't want a cookie cutter sketch.  Let me get creative!  We want to see you get creative!  And Tina, pretty much has done that, with this sketch.  Love the empty space for me to fill, or leave blank.  Let me select the receptive image!  May it be flowers, tickets, buttons.  The possibilities are endless.  So let me decide what I want to work with.  Or use what I have.

I started with a crumb cake card stock.  I took a scrap piece of textured pool party card stock and used my vintage wall paper embossing folder with it, to give it a design on top of the texture.  I distressed the edges with my white craft pad.  I had a scrap piece of the real red polka dot DSP (summer smooches dsp), so I used the scallop edge punch to create a little flair to that piece.  For my 'row of multiple objects' I used postage stamps.  I inked the stamps with soft suede classic ink and stamped on to very vanilla card stock.  I used the postage stamp punch to create the decorative edge.  I applied foam tape to the back of the postage stamps to give them a little lift off the front of the card.  But, this card was missing something.  A flower, a button, something with pizzazz.  So, why not a multi-loop bow?  Using pool party seam binding.  But, it needed something else.  So, I tied on a real red button with some linen thread and created a bow with the thread.  I used a glue dot to attach the bow to the card front.  My sentiment is stamped in soft suede classic ink, towards the bottom of the card.

Hope this has inspired you!  And, continue on our blog hop and see what Tammy F. has created!

Postage Stamp

This crazy work week is just clipping along.  And now, it's Friday.  Can you believe it?  I think it was rather nice to have a break in the middle of the week. {smile}

This week Jennifer is our designer of this week's sketch @ Sketch Frenzy Friday.  She is really talented and I love her sketches.  She creates very workable sketches.  Here is this week's sketch:

Here is what I did with her sketch:

If you frequent my blog, you know that this is not my typical card.  But, this has been a weird week, and it has messed up my mojo and rhythm.  I used some of the new fabulous DSP from Stampin' Up!, Comfort Cafe.  And one of the new stamp sets from the Fan Fair suite in the new big catalog.   Now to continue with the blog hop and for more inspiration, please stop by Tammy F.'s blog, and see what she has created.  Won't you play along with us @ Sketch Frenzy Friday?

Kraft Postage

The creative ladies over @ Stampin' Queens Sketch Challenge have a wonderful sketch this week.  You are free to flip, rotate, or mirror the sketch.  What I found funny interesting, is that at least three of us used the same stamp set, just differently!  We aren't promoting you to purchase this stamp set, or doing a feature on this stamp set.  Think of it, as more options, if you ever considered purchasing it.  :)

Here is the sketch:

And here is what I created:

The card base is made of crumb cake (kraft) cardstock.  The main panel is very vanilla cs.  I stamped the collage stamp in crumb cake classic ink on the bottom 2/3 of the vanilla panel.  I used the postage stamp punch to cut the first edition dsp.  I cut 1" x 1" square very vanilla cs and stamped various objects and text using crumb cake and early espresso classic inks.  I made my own little collages, to keep with the theme of the larger stamp.  I crinkled some very vanilla seam binding and tied it around the top third of the card.  I tied a clear vintage faceted button onto the seam binding knot with some twine.  

Here is a close-up of the vintage faceted button & tiny tag:

Hope you get a chance to play along with us @ Stampin' Queens Sketch Challenge.  We'd love to see what you create with this fabulous sketch!