Floral Sketch

Playing along at the "Where Creativity Meets C9 Challenge Blog" and they had a fun sketch!

I used Concord & 9th's "Flower Turnabout" stamp set...

I colored the flowers with Tim Holtz Distress Markers, then afterward, "flicked" Tattered Angels gold "Glimmer Mist" on it to blend the colors and add some sparkle (which unfortunately you can't see in the pictures)!  I ran out of room for the sentiment, so moved it up to my circle :)!

Added some red strips embossed with a woodgrain impression plate, clear sequins, gold Liquid Pearls, and Glossy Accents and to pick up the sparkle.  The Concord & 9th's turnabout sets are SO much fun to use!

Sunshine Sketch

The snow has stopped (for now) and it's brilliantly sunny here today... even the (winter) birds are chirping!  Decided to make a card to match the weather, using Linda's sketch at Freshly Made Sketches!



I used Papertrey Ink's "Hello Sunshine" stamps and dies...

I sponged the diamond pattern using a stencil and added the sunrays over the top.

I had this leftover white flower and some little yellow ones cut with a Memory Box die and added those because they were decidedly sunny, too!

Happy St. Patrick's Day!  Hope that it's sunny for the parade and festivities near you :)!

Grapes Throwdown

Some fun colors with a St. Patrick's Day theme for the Color Throwdown Challenge Blog this week.  I actually don't have any shamrock images, so I went with some "grapes..."

Used PTI's "Beautiful Berries" set to make my "grapes."  The sponged background was created by using PTI's "Brushed Rectangles" die, cutting it out, then using the negative image as a stencil. 

Stamped a main branch that I die cut, then added some berries to the cardfront itself, and dotted on some Glossy Accents.  The sentiment is from a Hero Arts clear set called "You're So Lovely."

I should stamp with purple ink more often, it's so pretty!  It's not a color I reach for, which is weird because my childhood room was purple and yellow (my fave colors :)).

St. Paddy's Day at Fusion

What a fun centerpiece for our inspiration at the Fusion Challenge Blog, and an equally unique sketch!

I didn't have a fun little hat, but for some reason, this little house from PTI's "Tinsel and Tags" Make it Market Kit reminded me of one...

The starting point was this sentiment and label image from Waltzingmouse Stamps "Country Labels 4," as my much loved WMS stamps are always my first stop for any IRISH inspiration ! 

It's a little difficult to see, but the background is a gingham background stamped in a light ink called "Pebble" from A Muse Studio.

Added a little sunshine from Lawn Fawn, over the layered label that was cut with the coordinating Nestabilities, another WMS stamp from the "Bitty Banners" set, and some fun white and yellow flowers to match the photo.

Happy St. Patrick's Day!

Pastel Houndstooth Sketch

I loved Jen Mitchell's simple sketch at Freshly Made Sketches this week...so many possibilities!

I was inspired by Laura Bassen's lovely pastel blended Easter egg background that she posted HERE for SSS today, so I created an Easter card, too!

I stamped the Houndstooth Backgrounder from Cornish Heritage Farms in Versamark on white paper, then clear embossed it.  I ink blended using the emboss resist technique with Tim Holtz Distress inks in Squeezed Lemonade, Spun Sugar, and Tumbled Glass.  For the bottom sketch panel, I used a bit of vellum because I didn't want to cover up those pretty colors!

I stamped the eggs from a Waltzingmouse Stamps set called "Nestie Eggs" and cut them with the "Nested Eggs" Nestabilities.  The banner is from a different WMS set called "A Good Egg," and the little bunny is cut using a Memory Box die :)!

Some little pearls, Glossy Accents, iridescent sequins and teeny Memory Box flowers for the bunny's collar :).

This picture is a little more "true" color-wise, it's really light and airy in real life!  Always inspired by Laura Bassen's techiques, cards, and her fun videos :)!

Thanks for stopping by!

A Happy Hello

This week, Broni chose some lovely colors at the Color Throwdown Challenge Blog, and I thought they would be perfect to use with Reverse Confetti's beautiful new set, "Tall Blooms."

Here is my card...

I stamped the bottom using a mini branch from Reverse Confetti's "Fall for You" set in Versamark ink, heat embossed with clear powder, then sponged Abandoned Coral Distress Ink over the top.  I splattered it with water to soften the color, then colored the leaves with a light green Copic marker.

I cut a frame using two stitched rectangle dies from Simon Says Stamp, embossed it with PTI's Woodgrain Impression Plate, then inked it in white.  Also used Woodgrain on the white background, too, then distressed the edges.

I stamped and die cut a branch from "Tall Blooms" from kraft paper, heat embossed in white, then colored with the same green Copic marker.  Added some coral and white adhesive pearls, too.  The sentiment is also from "Tall Blooms," such a lovely font!

Reverse Confetti's shipping is lightening fast, and I want everything from their new release!  Had to start somewhere, but there is more on my list :). 

Thanks for stopping by!

Inspired by the Color Wheel

This week at Papertrey Ink, Lexi Daly's Make it Monday feature was to make a project inspired by the color wheel!  I heard wheel, and immediately thought of Betsy's "County Fair" Make it Market Kit!

My colors might not match up like the wheel, but I got shades of the rainbow in there!

I splattered a piece of black cardstock with watered down white acrylic paint for my night sky.

Die cut my ferris wheel, stamped the little seats in an array of colors, added some Wink of Stella pen, and then some fun rhinestone "stars."  The "Enjoy" die cut sentiment is also from "County Fair," and the bottom sentiment is from the new set, "Sentiment Staples: Birthday."

What a fun challenge! Thanks for stopping by!

Sunshine Floral Sketch

A fun layered sketch by Jen Timko for Freshly Made Sketches this week!

I chose to use the folk art flowers from the new Corner Adorner: February set from Papertrey Ink for this sketch...

I found some sunny paper from My Mind's Eye and made my flowers and leaves to match.

I stamped the sentiment from the set on vellum, and heat embossed it, then placed a bit of patterned paper underneath to set it off a bit.

Added some little wooden adhesive dots to the centers of the red flowers, and white Liquid Pearls and Glossy Accents to the little dots and flowers.  Another striped piece of paper was added for the side of the sketch, but my "Corner Adorner" is hiding it a bit :).

Finding some fun inspiration in my patterned paper basket lately!  Thanks for stopping by!

Reverse Confetti's Sketch for You to Try for March!

I really love "circles" in a sketch!  So this month's Sketch for You to Try at Reverse Confetti caught my eye right away!

I got out a favorite of mine, "Blooms 'N Buds," and began to make my own paper version of spring!

That little snippet of floral patterned paper was my inspiration.  I stamped flowers to match it, then got out my much loved denim paper from Crate Paper.  I have quite a few sheets, and save every little bit.  It's my favorite!

Added a sentiment banner using "Bitty Banners" layered over the "Blooms 'N Buds" flowers.

Added some little "cloudy" adhesive centers to the flowers.  Almost got this card done without any gingham...but some managed to sneak in.  Can you see it peeking? :)

Thanks so much for stopping by today!

PTI's Transformation Tuesday Challenge

I am playing along with my first "Transformation Tuesday" Challenge at Papertrey Ink!  This week, Lexi Daly showed an example of transforming an "old" card that she wasn't quite happy with, into something new and spectacular!

I remembered this card right away from last March, 2017. I really disliked the end result, especially the layout with the big berries "floating" at the top.  Also,it looked so "pale" and flat!  I really loved the elements of the card, yet I couldn't make it all work out...so I just said,"Time to be done!" and posted it.

For my new card, I focused on brightening up the blueberries, adding dimension, and having a better "grounded" end product!

I stamped the berries in a darker shade of blue so that the navy details weren't such a stark contrast...plus they look more authentic now (because nobody wants to eat pale blue blueberries :)).  I also darkened the kraft colors on the leaves.

I kept the big berries at the top but had them peeking through the top of the circle instead of just slapped on, hee!  Kept the Woodgrain top layer, but changed the sentiment.  The first sentiment placement was weird, too small, and did not mirror the elegance of the berries.  Betsy included this lovely sentiment in the Beautiful Berries set, so I decided, the designer knows best!

I am so much happier with the end result!  This was such a fun challenge that really made me think!

Soft and Sweet

Some soft and lovely colors at the Color Throwdown Challenge Blog this week... 

pink, kraft, and gray!

We had a snow day!  So I decided to bring bits of spring into my craft room with Papertrey Ink's new stamp and die set "Forest Floor: Spring."

I used a woodgrain background from Heidi Swapp, stamped in mix of A Muse "Latte" ink and "Birch" Fresh ink (using my MISTI) on white paper for the background.

I little strip of vellum embossed with a Cuttlebug plaid folder...

Some Glossy Accents to add dew drops to the flowers, a few "cloudy" adhesive pearls in the background, and some twine to wrap it up!  These soft colors with the sweet images from Forest Floor: Spring made for a little bit of Easter on this Nor'Easter kind of day!

Thanks for stopping by today!