CAS(E) this Sketch! #5

I'm excited to have found another Sketch challenge blog. And, I love working toward the more CAS designs so this is fun for me.

I have a brief post for this week's entry. I've already given away one set of Christmas cards for a birthday gift this week and have one more to go. :) This card was made to go with the second set.

 

 

Originally, I had an image I intended to use in place of the three scalloped edges. But after stamping it, coloring it, and trimming it (that's right ALL THREE steps were complete), I just didn't like how it turned out. I knocked it down and use the sentiment there instead. I used 3 mini-adhesive pearls to give homage to the 3 scallops, but without busying it up. I also intended to only use the red paper strip, but really loved having that pop of green stick out. I love this pattern and plan to repeat it in the future. It's quick and easy but with a lot of "zazz" -- Sheldon Cooper fans --> "It's ZAZZY!".

 

Thanks for visiting my blog -- please check out the amazing entries and DT work over at CAS(E) this Sketch! challenge blog. 

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Dynamic Duos #27

Good afternoon.

I'm splurging with my time management today and posting mid-day! An activity usually reserved for night-time when I have energy levels that don't get me very far.

I played with Dynamic Duos this week because I had this (what-I-thought-was-a) great idea for the colors and one of my favorite floral stamps from CTMH, Trellis. It turned out pretty, but for some reason, just not exactly what I pictured.

 

 

 

I cut a window out of my card base using my Cricut Art Philosophy cartridge. I stamped the rose and sentiment on the inside of the card. Then, stamped the rose and leaves on scrap paper, trimmed, and adhered to the card front, lining up the rose so that it was over the stamped image peeking through the window from the inside of the card. I lined it up so well, you can't even tell there is an inside image in my picture. :) (FOR ONCE, I line something up perfectly. Whatever.)

 

I broke open a tube of  Colonial White ribbon and used it to give more dimension to my card. (In reality it seemed much plainer than I had imagined.) Those are mocha pearls in a light tan in the center of my rose.

 

Thanks for stopping by. Hope you are having a great week! 

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Play Date Cafe #156 and Retro Sketches #36

Good evening -- another post -- 2 in one night. I'll have to go to sleep now!


This week I combined Play Date Cafe's color challenge with the sketch from Retro Sketches.

 



I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE the Play Date inspiration photos and colors. They scream fall and natural tones/textures.

I used Kraft paper and an Olive kraft paper for the base of my card. The stickers are "vintage" CTMH from the Enchanged set (GREAT colors in it). I stamped and trimmed the leaves and acorn from my stamp set Many Thanks, also using the sentiment from that set. The burlap ribbon, autumn terracota colored twine are also CTMH. Ivy Green Stick pins from Little Yellow Bicycle and dark cocoa pearls from Recollections (Michael's) finished it off.

Thank you for visiting - hurry back now!

Please remember to check out tons of inspiring artwork at both challenge blogs: Retro Sketches and Play Date Cafe.
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Merry Monday #40

Good evening!

I'm excited as a first time Merry Monday challenge poster. I've played along for several weeks, but never managed to post.

I loved this week's sketch and prioritized since I'm using a stack of handmade Christmas cards for an upcoming birthday gift.



I turned the sketch sideways and shortened the main image to suit my patterned paper. This piece is retired Jingle paper that I love, but it's busy enough that I didn't want it covering the base of the entire card.

The patterned paper has its own strips and it's a timesaver. I opted not to trim them seperately but to use a solid piece and break it up with ribbon and bow. (I don't feel any project is complete without a bow and some hardware. Squee! That's always my favorite part!)

I backed the patterned paper piece and the sentiment label with coordinating Jingle cardstock (Tulip) and rounded the corners. The ribbon is from my CTMH Cranberry collection, but it's close enough, I wasn't worried about the color difference. Those two mix pretty well, actually. (For future reference) The stentiment stamp is from my Holiday Trinkets stamp set. The ADORABLE red bling is Doodlebug Designs. I snatched up off a Christmas display at a nearby scrapbook supply store. (One of those run-in-for-one-thing raids.....It's NEVER just one thing!)

Very simple, but one of my favorites.

Thanks for visiting my blog - please visit again soon. Hope you have a great week! Don't forget to check out the beautiful Christmas cards and inspiration over at Merry Monday.



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Colour Q #161

Good evening!

Nothing like pushing one in close to the wire. In my typical fashion, I made a card for the Colour Q color challenge DAYS ago, but here I am posting it right before I go to bed on the night of the deadline! I almost forgot about it! (Which would be even MORE typical.)



Since I made my card after I had mailed out my Halloween cards, I decided to ink up a new stamp and try something different.

I used PaperTrey Ink's Happy Harlequin set.  I couldn't resist buying this set because I loved my Happy Hexagons set I purchased several months ago. Technically, it might be categorized as a somewhat-frivolous purchase since I really could do the same things with the Hexagon set... Not like it's that different. But in the words of my Papaw(-in-law), "I didn't need it. But I wanted it."

So I made sure that I'm putting it to good use already!

 

 

I "lifted" my card sketch idea from something I've seen recently on Pinterest. (I'm a recently converted junkie. TONS of inspiration out there - It's like a continuous free magazine subscription!)

 

The harlequin shapes are stamped in Sunset, Autumn Terracota, and Creme Brulee CTMH colors. Matted in black cardstock with a black accent piece on top. Sentiment is from Paper Smooches. (Oh yeah. That was another one. I've gotten stamp happy lately. I'd give my recent behavior a "yellow light" --- but it's SO fun.) The twine is CTMH Autumn Terracota also. Black Bitty Brads are used on the top corner.

 

 

Thank you for visiting my blog - please come back often and please check out Colour Q for tons of inspiring artwork!

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CASual Fridays #76

Last post of the day! (unless I get wild and crazy this afternoon -- there's still time for that to happen)

CASual Friday this week is to create a clean and simple project using Kraft paper. (one of my go-to supplies) I knocked out another November (Family) Birthday Marathon card.





I used PaperTrey ink Kraft, Botanical Silhouettes stamp set, and Think Big Favorites # 16 stamp set.

I embossed the flowers using Stampendous Lupis colored powders. The stems are stamped in CTMH Olive ink and embellished with the same color twine. The Lilac Mist cardstock panel is also CTMH.

Thank you for visiting! Hope you enjoy visiting other blogs from CASual Friday's challenge blog. Pin It

CASE Study #114

Three down - one more to go!

....on my way to finishing the challenge marathon. :) Sometimes, it's better to just sit down and knock it all out at once. The kids are playing quietly behind me, so I'm tackling it now while I can. (I'm sure no one else has to worry about such timing magic!)

My first CASE Study challenge in a while. This one was great fun for me because it actually inspired me to pull out my felt. I'm surprised I even remembered where it was. Once I got it out, it was like Christmas -- "I didn't know all of this was in here!" Yikes. Both exciting and sad. But, positive that I'm continuing on my personal journey to "use my stash and get results"! (And, yes, I've been totally cheating and eBaying some stuff - too impatient and wanting to buy new goodies!)

If you're noticing a pattern and getting the vibe that I get as excited about hoarding the goodies as I am about using the goodies, you would be 100% correct. I am a self-diagnosed "papercrafting goodie hoarder". Those closest to me have learned to laugh about it and shake their head. I have more stuff than I can use, yet I'll still have trouble cutting into a new pack of CTMH paper ("But it's too pretty to cut!") or attaching an adorable new embellishment ("but what if I need that later, for a REALLY special project?") .. but alas, I am working on it!

And case in point, as seen below, you get results when you actually use what your hard earned money has purchased! This card is one of my favorites and I've decided it will be perfect for my great aunt. It's time to send her more pictures of my kiddos. She keeps up with all of them and knows what's going on -- on top of having scads of her own grandchildren. Since she's 3 hours away, I don't get to visit as often as I like so she gets homemade cards with pictures.

Here is the inspiration piece from the CASE study challenge:



And here is my card using that "newly discovered" felt:

 

 

All products are CTMH with the exception of the Kraft Cardstock (PaperTrey Ink) and the stamped sentiment (Skipping Stones Design).

 

Thanks for visiting -- don't forget to say "hello" over at the CASE Study Challenge blog.

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