Freshly Made Sketches #366, Color Throwdown #522, Mojo Monday #506 and Paper Players #422

Happy Sunday everyone!! I am sure you are all busy getting things done for the upcoming holiday season as I am. I finished decorating yesterday and need to wrap today for my daughter. It is so much easier to shop for her when she is not around!!

Today am popping in to show you two cards I created for some challenges. Yes, I am still making Christmas cards-and have yet to send ANY out. That is on my list for this week.

My first card is for Freshly Made Sketches #366. I knew what I wanted to do with the background the minute I saw it.

I originally wanted to do the stitching in ribbon but did not have the color I needed. I chose to use the gray twine so I could join in the Color Throwdown #522 Challenge. Rarely do I do more then one challenge at a time!!

In place of the tree, I added some holly from a PTI stamp set. I also added a sentiment strip because my card needed a little more. The sentiment is from MFT's "Snow Globe Sentiment" set. I am hoping that I am not breaking the rules by adding the strip.

Again, the colors were inspired by the swatch from the Color Throwdown.

I like how this turned out and am saving the sketch to do some non Christmas card with.

For my next card, I was inspired by the Paper Players Color Challenge #422 and Mojo Mondays sketch #506.

Instead of making a square card like the Mojo Monday sketch, I decided to shrink it down and use it as the decorative panel on my card. I LOVE the look of square cards but rarely send them.

I added yellow as my color of choice. The flowers and stems are from Altenew. I know the flowers are not poinsettias but they kind of reminded me of them so I decided to use them as such.

The sentiment is from Mama Elephant "Jingle Greetings" stamp set.

That is all for me today. Now I am off to wrap and then make some Whoopie Pies for a co-worker's birthday. The work never ends, does it?

Have a FABULOUS afternoon!!

A CAS-ual Friday Stamps Sneak Peek and a Happy 18th Birthday to my Daughter

Happy Friday everyone!! Today it is my turn on the CAS-ual Fridays Stamps Blog with a snowy Christmas card. Below is a sneak peek.

Hop on over to see the entire card and how I created it!! CAS-Fridays is also having a fun promotion that you won't want to miss.

All the information is on the blog!!

On another note, today my baby turns EIGHTEEN!! (below is one of our Christmas card photo rejects from Thanksgiving!!)

It seems like yesterday that she was this little tiny baby that we had no idea what to do with. I am so proud of the young woman she has become.

I created the card below especially for her and sent it out to her at the beginning of the week. I am TERRIBLE at sending cards out and she had to BEG me to make one for her.

The puppy is from Avery Elle and I attempted to color him in like my dog, Zack. Not great but he is cute.

The hat is from Hello Bluebird, the Happy from Simon Says Stamp and the birthday sentiment is from My Favorite Things. The whole card was basically a mish mash of things that I had colored in at a previous date and then added some sparkle and shine to for a little more oomph.

Happy Birthday to you, Charlotte. You are by far the BEST THING that has ever happened to me!!

I thank you all for stopping by!! Have a FABULOUS day!!

Supplies:

(Affiliate links used when possible at no extra cost to you.)

CAS-ual Fridays Card:
Dies-CAS-ual Fridays Stamps Funky Flakes and Merry Christmas Fri-Dies
Paper-Neenah Solar White
Ink-Ranger Distress Ink- Salty Ocean, Blueprint Sketch, Faded Jeans
Other-Ranger Ink Blending Tool, Diamond Stickles, Ranger Multi Matte Adhesive, Imagine Crafts Sheer Shimmer Spray, Sizzix Big Shot

Birthday Card-
Stamps-Avery Elle Furry Friends, Hello Bluebird Pig Day, Simon Says Stamp Stained Glass Love, MFT More Essential Sentiments
Paper-Stampin Up! Coastal Cabana, Neenah Solar White, Paper Trey Ink Aqua Mist
Dies-Avery Elle Furry Friends, Simon Says Stamps Stained Glass Love, Hello Bluebird Pig Day, MFT Blueprints 13
Ink-Memento Tuxedo Black
Other-Sizzix Big Shot, Copic Markers, Frozen Stickles, We R Memory Keepers Dotted Embossing Folder

More Birthday Cards

Happy Tuesday!! Today I am popping in with a couple of birthday cards I created from some odds and ends.

I often color in front of the television so I can spend the time with my husband so I often have a pile of different stamped, colored and die cut images to use to make a card.

I chose my images from this pile to make my cards for this post. It is sometimes fun just to pick through the pile and pair things together you wouldn't normally pair!!

My first card I used images from three different Hello Bluebird sets-Silly Birds (balloon), Pig Day (hat) and Puddle Play (elephant and mouse), as well as Simon Says Stamps Stained Glass Love (happy), My Favorite Things More Essential Sentiments (birthday) and Bitty Bears (present) stamp sets.

I layered all the images over a piece of Lily Bee Design patterned paper and a Stampin Up! Coastal Cabana card base.

Aren't they so cute layered all together? I have to admit that I LOVE how this turned out!!

It is so freeing sometimes to just put images together that are not from the same stamp set or even the same company.

My next card was also from the mish mash BUT it does use the same My Favorite Things Celebrate with Cake (retired) stamp and die set. This is one of my FAVORITE sets of all times to use for birthdays.

The design was inspired by a private challenge board I belong to on FB. I actually picked out the cake and then found pattern papers to match the colors of the cake.

I used some Nuvo Crystal Drops in white for the polka dots and some yellow Stickles for the flames of the candles.

This card took me about a half hour to complete because I had to die cut the cake stand and stamp the sentiment.

Well that is all from me today. I thank you for taking the time to stop by and hope you all have a FABULOUS day!!

A Birthday Card for a Couple of Challenges

Hello everyone!! Just popping in today to show you a super quick card I created using pattern paper and a couple CAS-ual Fridays Stamps. I am not on the blog or anything, just using some odds and ends to get things done.

The inspiration for my card was the sketch #166 from the Global Design Project.

I have needed birthday cards up the wazoo this month so this was a fabulous sketch to use for my card.

I started off by layering a pattern paper scrap over a teal card base. The paper is from Scenic Route-a company that is no longer around. I have been attempting to use pattern paper more on my cards as I have a TON and it can really make a card easier to make.

Over the pattern paper, I added some embossed paper that Michele Ferguson had sent me eons ago.

I used an old PTI die to create the orange border and stamped the sentient with Ranger Archival Jet Black ink using the Whole Shebang stamp set from CAS-ual Fridays Stamps.

The orange present was stamped awhile ago with CAS-Fridays Partridge in a Pear Tree and fussy cut out. I had colored it in with Copics and added some Nuvo Ripened Pumpkin Crystal Dots for some interest. I popped it up on the card using adhesive foam.

This whole card took me about ten minutes to complete because I used the patterned paper and only really had to stamp the sentiment. Everything else was scraps or in my stash.

Just wanted to let you know that CAS-ual Fridays Stamps is having a retirement sale going on right now.

There are some FABULOUS sets still available. Hop on over and snap them up before they are gone!!

I am also entering this card into the Seize the Birthday Challenge-no toppings.

I thank you for taking the time to stop by today. Have a FABULOUS night!!

(Some Affiliate Links have been used in this blog post at no extra cost to you)

CAS-ual Friday BLACK FRIDAY Sale

Hello everyone!! I just want to post that CAS-ual Friday Stamps is having an AWESOME Black Friday sale.

There are some great sets on SALE and you can use my code NORASENTME to get an extra 15% off everything-including sale items!!!

When you spend $50 or more, you get a FREE stamp set-no code needed!!!

Have a fun time shopping!!

25 Days of Christmas Tags Day 20-CAS-ual Fridays Stamps

Hi everyone!! I am so excited to be here today to be a part of the 25 Days of Christmas Tags event organized by Tracey McNeely from In My Creative Opinion Blog. 

I created my tags using CAS-ual Fridays Stamps Mistletoe and Holly stamp set and matching Mistletoe Fri-Dies.

Each tag was die cut using the CAS-ual Fridays Stamps Tag Buddies Fri-Dies. I die cut one tag from patterned paper and used white card stock for the other two.

On the white tags I did an ink smooshing technique using Distress Ink in two different colors. While they were drying, I stamped, die cut and colored the images using Copic Markers. I then added Nuvo Crystal Drops in white or red for the berries and covered the bows with a clear sparkle marker and Glossy Accents.

When the tags were dry, I stamped each with a black sentiment from the Mistletoe and Holly set.

Next I used foam adhesive to adhere each of the mistletoe sprigs to the tags.

I added some ribbon to each at the top and they were done!! Make sure to check out all the fabulous tags from all the other designers.

And to let you know, CAS-ual Fridays Stamps is having a Black Friday special. If you place an order on that day, you will get a FREE mini-stamp set!!!

Use my code NORASENTME to get an extra 15% off your total order-including sale items!!

I thank you for stopping by today. Have a FABULOUS Thanksgiving and fun shopping on Black Friday!!

Clean and Simple Holiday 2018

Happy Monday!! Today I am here with THREE cards I created for the Clean and Simple Holiday 2018 online card class. I took this on a whim and am so glad that I did. I had SO MUCH FUN!!

My first card I completed for Day 2 of the class. Cathy Zielske had a video making a layered card with die cut snowflakes. I used hers as my inspiration and came up with the card below.

Now I am not sure that MY card would be considered clean and simple because I used patterned paper. Hers was mainly cardstock-which I LOVED. However, I can never use the same stuff as someone else because that is me.

I also found this buffalo plaid paper in my stash and just HAD to use it. The fun thing about this card was going through and cutting out the snowflakes. I don't think you can ever have enough snowflake dies to choose from!!

My next two cards I created as homework for Day 4. The first was inspired by Jessica Frostballa's technique of dipping her snowflake in glitter.

Like my first card, her card design inspired me as well. I did not have the same dies she used so I improvised with what I had. I also chose to use a light purple with silver on this card. Purple is unconventional for a Christmas card but I am a bit obsessed with it of late so I decided to go with it.

My third card was inspired by Dawn Woleslagle's class. I went WAY OUT of my comfort zone for this card. Foiling is not something I would do every day!!

Again, I was inspired by Dawn's card that she created but I didn't have any of the snowflakes she used so once again, I improvised. I also used purple foil on this card-and the photo does not do it justice.

I would have matched the sentiment with the purple but I didn't have the right match of purple embossing powder. I thought using silver was a good compromise. I tried to mimic the silver by adding gray jewels on the snowflake.

I think out of all the techniques I was taught this week, the foil one was the most fun. Can't say I would make a ton of cards like this BUT I could do this for "special" people in my life.

Well, that is all from me today. Thank you for taking the time to stop by.

Supplies

Affiliate links used when possible at no extra cost to you

Paper: Neenah Solar White, Bazzill Lilac Swirl, Echo Park-A Perfect Winter Collection-Snowflake Swirls and Floral Flurries, My Minds Eye Aqua Tones Cardstock

Foil: Therm O Web Lilac, 

Adhesive-Tombow Mono Multi Liquid Glue,  Scotch ATG Gun, Ranger Multi Matte Medium, Foam Adhesive

Ink-Tsukineko Versamark Clear Ink

Dies-Simon Says Stamp Stitched Flakes Dies, Nadine Snowflake, CAS-ual Fridays Stamps Funky Flakes and Merry Christmas, Paper Trey Ink Damask Snowflakes, MFT Let it Snowflake (retired), Pierced Circle Die-namics (retired) and Blueprints 13

Stamps: MFT Snowglobe Sentiments

Other: Pretty Pink Posh sequins, purple and gray rhinestones, Doodlebug Lily White Rhinestones, Sizzix Big Shot,  Wagner Heat Tool, Ranger Silver Embossing Powder, Nuvo Aqua Shimmer Glitter Gloss, Nuvo Glitter White