Friday, November 6, 2015

CAS(E) This Sketch #128

I cannot believe it is Friday already. The first week of November has flown by so fast.

This is my last week off before I start work. I go back next Wednesday. It has been okay being home but I am glad to go back. I am feeling so much better and think I can work a whole day again. I will miss having time to myself but right now I am craving adult company and I really miss the kids that I work with.


I want to give a shout out to my incredible daughter during this recovery. Charlotte has been AWESOME. Every day she asks if I need something or what she can do to help. It has been her and I a lot of the time as Chris has had to travel, so she has had to shoulder a lot.


I could not ask for a better helper. Isn't she cute in her Halloween costume? It was Spirit week last week and on the last day they were able to wear them to school. Thank goodness it was not too warm because this is like wearing a cozy set of winter pajamas. 

Today I am sharing a card that I created using CAS(E) this Sketch #128.


I have slowly been making cards for my friend's birthday so I have been using a lot of sunflower images. (She ADORES them!!) I used sunflowers from Lawn Fawn's "Happy Harvest" set and "Our Friendship Grows" stamp sets. All of them were colored with Copic Markers. 

Card Directions:
  1. I started the card by cutting a piece of patterned paper from American Crafts "Heartland Farm" 6" by 6" paper pad into 5 1/2" by 4 1/4." I inked the edges with Vintage Photo Distress ink and then adhered it to a white card base. 
  2. I then adhered a doily from Doodlebug design onto the middle of the card.
  3. I embossed a piece of Kraft card stock with a honey comb embossing folder and then die cut it into a tag shape using Papertrey Ink's "Tag Sale #6" die. 
  4. I then used some yellow twine from Lawn Fawn to wrap around the top of the tag and tied a small bow.
  5. Next I adhered the tag to the card front using foam adhesive
  6. I layered my leaves and sunflowers that I had colored and cut ahead of time over the front of the tag. 
  7. Using foam adhesive, I adhered the sentiment that I stamped using Simon Says Stamps "Talk Bubble" set. 
  8. The last step was to adhere sequins around the sunflowers using Ranger Multi Matte adhesive.

Here is the Sketch that was my inspiration:


Isn't this a great sketch? I could see using this for so many more cards!!

To end this post, I thought I would post a photo of Zack in his Halloween costume. I know I should have posted this last weekend but as I have been terrible at blogging as of late, I missed the boat.


Doesn't he look so mad? Char made him wear it the whole day and he kept rubbing against the furniture trying to get it off.

Have a fabulous night!! Thank you for stopping by.

Supplies:
Stamps-Lawn Fawn "Our Friendship Grows" and "Happy Harvest," Simon Says Stamp "Talk Bubbles"
Dies-Papertrey Ink-"Tag Sale #6," Lawn Fawn "Our Friendship Grows" and "Happy Harvest"
Paper-white Card stock, kraft Card stock, American Crafts "Heartland Farm" 6" by 6" paper pad, green card stock
Other-Lawn Fawn twine, Memento Tuxedo Black ink, Vintage Photo Distress Ink, Ranger Ink Blending tool, Big Shot, foam adhesive, Copic Markers, White Gel Pen, Doodlebug doily, Honey comb embossing folder

Saturday, October 31, 2015

Stamping Smiles Designs "Tic-Tac-Toe Challenge," MFT Wednesday Sketch Challenge #252 and a "Top-Mow-it-All" winner!!

Happy Halloween everyone!! For those of us in the states, many are getting ready for parties and others for trick or treating. Charlotte is going to a party this year and forgoing trick or treating. Time flies so enjoy it when your children are small!!

Today I am sharing a card that I created using Stamping Smiles Designs "Tic-Tac-Toe Challenge" and My Favorite Things Wednesday Sketch Challenge #252. Stamping Smiling Designs is having a Design Team call and I decided to throw my hat into the ring. 

Here is the card I created:


Isn't he cute? I love the way that mouse for My Favorite Things "Harvest Mouse" set came out!!

Here is the Tic-Tac-Toe Challenge that inspired all the main elements on this card:


I chose to go diagonal from the top left corner to the bottom right corner. I used "Forest Friends" (the mouse), "Embossing" and "Woodgrain" (kraft background) as the main elements for my design on this card. 

I then used the sketch below for the placement of the elements.

I have been using a lot of sketches as of late, as well as challenges, for my card design. It challenges my brain to think outside of the box and use my supplies that I have hoarded. For example, the woodgrain embossing folder that I used for the background. I have had that for YEARS and I think this is one of the first times I have used it. How sad is that? The "Tic-Tac-Toe" challenge is something I have NEVER even seen and it was so much fun!!


I used Copic markers to color in the mouse and accented him with colored pencils and a white gel pen. I added a bit of Stickles to the pumpkins to make them a bit more festive. I chose to leave a sentiment off the card so I could use this whenever.


I created the background in the circle by first stamping and coloring some leaves from the "Harvest Mouse" set. I then used an ink blender and blended Simon Says Stamp "Burnt Orange" ink, and Distress Ink in "Scattered Straw" and "Squeezed Lemonade. "After blending, I used a mister to mist some water onto the top. I die cut the gate die from My Favorite Thing's "Sunflower Sweetheart"out of Kraft card stock and ran it through the woodgrain embossing folder. I then inked it up with Distress Ink in "Vintage Photo" to try to bring out the texture a bit. This card was just so much fun to make!!

A bit of news for me today. I was a "Top-Mow-it All" winner on the Lawnscaping Challenge blog for this card. 


I am going to link it below as well.


It was not the top spot but I will take any recognition I can get these days!!

I thank you for stopping by today. I hope you have a fabulous Halloween. Stay Safe!!

Supplies:


Thursday, October 29, 2015

Playing with Muse Card Challenge #139

Just a quick post today. I have not made a ton of cards this week but have been coloring and die cutting images to create some Christmas cards and tags. I will be revealing these in the next couple weeks.

Today I am posting a card that I created for the Muse Card Challenge #139. The talented Tracey McNeely created a card as inspiration. Here is my take on her card:


I could have copied Tracey's card exactly as I have the beautiful stamp set she used but instead I chose to use Altenew's "Vintage Roses" stamp set to create my card. I always have such a difficult time with multiple step stamping. It is not only stamping on top of each image precisely (though I have a MISTI now, which makes it easier) but choosing what colors to use. 


I was inspired by Tracey's use of gold on her card. I copied her use of gold on the sentiment but chose to make mine into a strip and not stamp it directly onto the background. I also added some gold mist onto the card base, as well as three gold sequins. I thought it went well with the yellow that I used.

Here is the inspiration piece:


I thank you for taking the time to stop by today. Have a wonderful evening!!

Supplies:
Stamps-Altenew "Vintage Roses," Paper Trey Ink "Words of Comfort"
Inks-Versamark, Paper Trey Ink "Harvest Gold," My Favorite Things "Lemon Chiffon" and "Daffodil,"Altenew-"Frayed Leaf,""Forest Glades," and "Evergreen."
Paper-Paper Trey Ink
Other-Heat Gun, Prima "Gold Leaf" spray, Ranger "Liquid Platinum" embossing powder, gold sequins and foam adhesive

Friday, October 23, 2015

Pinterest Inspired Challenge

Happy Friday!! Is every one anticipating a wonderful weekend? There are still leaves on the trees in Connecticut but they are falling fast. I need to get Charlotte's Christmas photo done before the are all gone!!

That said, I had a bit of a set back and have been experiencing a lot of pain. I am now confining myself to rest for the next couple of days. Just when I think I am feeling better too!!

Today I wanted to shared two cards I created using the Pinterest Inspired Challenge image for October. The light colors screamed sympathy cards to me so I created two.


The first one is very simple. I used distress inks to stamp the flowers and leaves in Shaded Lilac and Pumice  Stone. I inked up the stamp, misted it with water and then stamped it on the watercolor paper. When the images dried, I stamped the sentiment and die cut the panel.


I then mounted the panel on gray card stock and added some clear rhinestones.

Here is the inspiration image:


The second card I created I got a bit more adventurous for me.


Again I used Distress ink in the same two colors and stamped the images randomly over the entire panel of water color paper. I let the images dry and then shook mist on in silver and Shaded Lilac. I wanted to mute the stamped images a bit so I die cut a piece of vellum and layered it over the card front.


I then created a silver thread nest, added a sentiment and a few sequins from my stash. I love these pretty colors together, don't you?

I thank you for stopping by today! Have a wonderful weekend!!



Wednesday, October 21, 2015

Sweet Sunday Sketch 291 and Lawn Fawn "Happy Harvest"

I have been crafting and getting a lot more done each day!! My body tells me when to stop, though, and if I listen, I do not hurt. The key is to listen!!

Today I want to show you a card I created using Sweet Sunday Sketch #291.


I used the sunflowers in Lawn Fawn's new "Happy Harvest" set, combined with the smaller sunflower and the leaves from Lawn Fawn's "Friendship Grows" set. The one thing I LOVE about Lawn Fawn is that you often can combine the sets to create cards!!

Here it the sketch I used for the design:


I am actually going to go back and stamp some of my other flower sets to make some more using this sketch. It is so versatile!! 


Not a ton to this card-just paper layering, stamping and coloring. This is the first card I created for a set I am making for my best friend for her November birthday. She LOVES sunflowers and has become a tradition for me to create a set of cards for her each year. She sends out TONS of cards throughout the year so I know she appreciates it!!

I thank you for stopping by!! Have a fabulous night!!