Saturday, August 31, 2013

Deconstructed Sketch 116

I work for a large optometry practice and decided to make a card for one of our
employees who has been placed in a brand new position created in our company
as Frame Inventory and Sales Director.  So I decided to use  Deconstructed Sketch
116.

Here's the sketch...


and what I did with it.



I used the Spectacular! stamp set with coordinating dies from Taylored Expressions and
made my own designer paper with pink and black ink.  The black frame on the pink panel
was die cut. Added the sentiment and a few gems. Thanks for taking a look!

Mojo Monday 308


A new day, a new Christmas card.  This time I'm using sketch  308 at Mojo Monday.  This
week they're giving the choice of a round or square version of the sketch.


I decided to go with square




The printed card stock is from a My Minds Eye Christmas paper pad.  I stamped the music
image, which is once again, "Composer's Dream" from Stampabilities, with black ink on
white card stock. The red frame was cut from Cricut's  Elegant Edges cartridge and I added
 a poinsettia which is a K & Company layered accent.  Added the Merry Christmas
 sentiment  in the upper left corner and red gems in the lower right corner.  I think this
makes 14 cards for Christmas so far.  Thanks for taking a look!






Friday, August 30, 2013

TSTR #181/ Cardabilities #82

Tonight I made a card combining 2 challenges.  The Shabby Tea Room challenge # 181
theme is "tea party picnic".  The idea is to use the colors in the photo and include flowers
and a tea theme.



So here's what I did...



using Cardabilites Sketch #82.


The printed card stock I used is from DCWV Spring Fling matstack.  I added a paper
 doily and Dazzles doily corner stickers.  The tea cup and sentiment are also Dazzles
 stickers. Placed a pink flower with a tiny rose centered on it on the tea cup and finished
 with some pearls.  I rather like the way it turned out.  Hope you do too!














I'm usually not home on Fridays but decided to make my 3 day weekend, for Labor Day,
a 4 day weekend.  So of course I have to try and satisfy my addiction to card making
 by creating some new ones.  I'm using sketch # 101 from Freshly Made Sketches for
this one and I made it a Sympathy card.  Luckily I don't need those very often but
thought I could add it to my stash of other cards.

Here is the sketch -



and my version




I had this stamp which is part of a Stampendous set called Orchid Greetings that I
found on clearance and decided to give it a try.  After stamping it on the beige card stock
with  Dew Drop Brilliance coffee bean ink, I used Smooch inks to color the image.  I love
those as they give just a little shimmer.  The printed paper is from DCWV 8x8 Linen Closet
Stack.  I used a Martha Stewart border punch for the brown and beige strips under
the sentiment rather than using banners.  The gold sentiment is from Tiny Words and
Phrases Dazzles from Paper Wishes.  I added 3 green pearls to finish it off.  Thanks for
taking a look!


Sunday, August 25, 2013

Retro Sketches #78

It took me a little while to figure out what direction to go with this weeks challenge
at Retro Sketches.   I knew I was going to do another Christmas card but it took
several tries before I came up with something I was happy with.

Here's  the sketch...



And what I finally ended up with!



Initially, I used a border stamp which I heat embossed and cut into strips, but just could
not make everything come together the way I wanted.  So I scrapped that idea and 
decided to pull out a Fiskars holly border punch.  I used 2 strips of the punched  border
on each row and added the white strip on top of them.  The next issue I had was with the 
candy cane die cut.  This was done with the Sizzix Sizzlets Christmas Set #6.  I started 
with a base done in the white card stock and then cut it again in red and green in order to
 layer for the final product.  Then I realized I had to put the candy cane on a background
 so that it would pop. I knew I wanted to use the scallop circle punch but had a hard
time figuring out what color worked best and ended up with the white one.  Next I
cut a strip of white card stock and made it into a banner and stamped the greeting in gold.
I inked the edges of the scallop circle with the gold ink as well.  Lastly I added some
jewel dazzles to the holly berries on the punched strips and dazzles jewel borders to
finish off! Ta Da!  Hope you like it -

I am entering this card in the Holiday Card Challenge in the Moxie Fab World.


Saturday, August 24, 2013

DD #67 / SSS225


For a second post today I decided to combine 2 challenges.  Dynamic Duos #67 and






Here's my card.



I decided to stamp the floral image and heat embossed it.  Cut out the image with 
Spellbinders lacey ovals die set.  Punched the border on the right side with the
Martha Stewart vintage floral border punch. Used a Dazzles border behind the oval,
to which I added a very narrow strip of card stock.  Punched the butterfly with 
Fiskars squeeze punch.  And added some pearls to the butterfly, stamped flower and
border punch to finish up.  Thanks for taking a look!


Cardabilities Sketch #81

I'm back with another Christmas card.  This time I'm using Cardabilites Sketch #81.


Here's the sketch...


and what I chose to do with it



The Christmas tree is a K & Company layered accent.  I did some die cutting with 
Spellbinders Lacey Ovals and Sizzix Banner #2 sets.  The printed papers are from
a couple DCWV Christmas Stacks.  My Merry Christmas greeting is from a
Dazzles repeated greetings set and I added some red pearls to finish.  Hope you
like it! Thanks for stopping by.

I'm also entering this card in the Holiday Card Challenge in the Moxie Fab World.

Thursday, August 22, 2013

Freshly Made Sketches #100

Today a co-worker asked me if I had any wedding cards.  Of course I have a few
already made but when I saw Freshly Made Sketches is celebrating their 100th
sketch challenge I decided to make a new card.

This sketch was actually their first ever sketch.

 

Here's what I decided to do with it.



I pulled out my Cricut Wrap It Up cartridge for the bells and used the Cricut Solutions
Home Decor cartridge for the sentiment.  The solid card stock is from a couple of
DCWV shimmer stacks and the printed papers are from Recollections Garden
Florals paper pad.  I did some dry embossing with a Sizzix Texturz plate from the starter
set and used a Fiskars lace border punch.  I added some pearls to finish it off.  Thanks for
taking a look!



Monday, August 19, 2013

Seize the Birthday - Anything Goes

I hopped over to Seize the Birthday challenge and decided to enter a card I made
for a co-worker who has a birthday this week.




Here's my card




I used a Martha Stewart punch around the page corner and border punch for the
 background. Added a printed paper panel, a doily, a Recollections butterfly.  Made a
banner for the Happy Birthday sticker and added some gems.  I like the way it turned
 out.  Hope you do too! Thanks for taking a look - 

Sunday, August 18, 2013

DD #66 - Pool Party and Basic Black

Dynamic Duos challenge this week is to use the colors pool party and basic black with
an option for embossing.


My card for the challenge:



I decided to use this White Truffle 3-D papier tole for a birthday card.  Since the papier
tole is Parisian themed I pulled out my Spellbinders Parisian Accents die set. I did dry
embossing on the card stock panel and heat embossed the sentiment.  The Parisian
accents are embossed also, although it's hard to tell on the black card stock. To finish
I added some tiny white pearls.

52 CCT - Theme/Recipe Challenge #20

So I decided to do a second post today as I created a card for the August Theme
Challenge over at 52 {Christmas} Card Throwdown.  You only need to have holly
somewhere on your card.




Here's what I came up with...



Part of me thinks I may have been on "holly" overload!  I used a holly background paper,
a holly border punch and a K & Company die-cut with 2 cute little birds sitting on holly.
I guess I met the criteria.

I am entering this card in the Holiday Card Challenge in the Moxie Fab World.

Mojo Monday 306 - Merry Christmas

I'm loving all these sketch challenges as they're motivating me to get all my Christmas
cards done early this year, instead of waiting until tne last moment.  This time I used
the sketch from Mojo Monday 306.

The sketch - 



and my take on it.



I recently bought some K & Company Christmas Tag Die-cuts and thought they would be
good components for this years cards.  I really like this little rocking horse one.  There
were 2 of those in the package so I fussy cut the rocking horse on the second tag and
 layered it on the other with foam adhesive.  I cut my red scallop circle & the printed circle
 with Sizzix framelits.  I also die cut 2 banners from the Sizzix Banner #2 set. The printed
 and solid green card stock are from an old DCWV Christmas Stack.  I added a K &
Company layered accents poinsettia and finished with a Dazzles sticker sentiment.  TFL.










Saturday, August 17, 2013

SSS 224 - Hello Sunshine

So, today The Sweet Stop has a new sketch but with a spin.  The spin is to use sunflowers.


Here is the sketch


and my card


I decided to rotate the sketch for my version.  I used a dazzles sunflower sticker.  I backed 
the sunflower with gold card stock, the leaves with green card stock and the pot with a
tera cotta colored embossed card stock.  Added the little butterfly and bee stickers and
finished off with some pearls. 

Friday, August 16, 2013

FMS 99 - Happy Birthday

I made a card to enter in the Freshly Made Sketches #99 challenge.  I'm finding I really
like the sketches on that blog.  I don't think my style is typically "clean" because I
sometimes have issue with knowing when to stop adding things to my cards.  Anyway-

Here's the sketch



and what I came up with.



I usually don't do a lot of stamping, but decided to stamp the flowers, heat emboss
them and cut them out.  Embossed the white card stock with a Sizzix Texturz plate,
used a Martha Stewart border punch, stamped and die cut the sentiment with the
Sizzix Banner #2 set and added a few pearls.  I like the way it turned out and hope
you do too!

DS 114 - Wishing You Sunshine

Today I decided to make a card using the Deconstructed Sketch challenge 114.

Here is the sketch - 


And my version



I used a new paper pad I bought recently from Michaels called Garden Florals for all the
printed papers on this card. The" Wishing you Sunshine" is a dazzles sticker.  I punched the
flower and layered it with foam tape. Cut a banner from the Sizzix Banner 2 die and stamp 
set and added the "Happy Birthday" sticker.  I'm happy with the way it turned out!
Thanks for stopping by.

Wednesday, August 14, 2013

SSS 223 - Noel

I'm continuing to work on my Christmas cards so I decided to do one using The Sweet Stop
 Sketch 223 and enter it in the challenge.

Here is the sketch -



And what I did with it




I used my Stampabilities "Composer's Dream" stamp once again.  This time stamping
 with black ink on white card stock.  Tore the edges and inked them with the black ink 
and matted on red.  The printed black and white card stock is from a DCWV Holiday 
Stack that I've had for about 4 years.  I used the Spellbinders poinsettia die again, as I
seem to have a poinsettia theme going on this year.  Cut a tag from an old Sizzix tag
set and added a Noel sticker.  Used a piece of black ribbon and added some bling.
Thanks for looking!

Sunday, August 11, 2013

DD #65  & retrosketches #76


Ok, so I decided I just had to do one more card today when I saw the Dynamic Duos
 and retrosketches challenges and thought I would combine them.

Here are the Dynamic Duo colors - 


And here is how I used them...


with this retrosketches sketch



Yes, I made another Christmas card, even though these colors are not traditionally
Christmas colors I think the card came out okay. I embossed the white card stock
with a Sizzix embossing folder, die cut the pink label with a Lifestyle Crafts die,
die cut the poinsettias, once again, with my Spellbinders die and used a Martha
Stewart punch for the greenery. I added a pearl flourish and stamped the Joy
sentiment.  Waalaa - another Christmas card done!

I'm entering this card in the Holiday Card Challenge in the Moxie Fab World.


52CCCT August Color Challenge


The color challenge at 52 {Christmas} Card Throwdown for this month is Red &
Metallic Gold.  I don't know about you but only using 2 colors is quite a
challenge for me.  But I thought I would give it a try.


Here's what I came up with -



Although we are able to use black or white with the red and gold, I opted not to, well
except for the black Merry Christmas sticker.  I embossed the 3 panels with a
Cuttlebug border embossing folder.  I thought a little texture would be better than
just the flat red.  Used one of my favorite border punches from EK Success and
the Spellbinders Picot Edge Circle die and Poinsettia die.  I added some jewell
border dazzles and regular jewell dazzles to finish it off.  I think it turned out okay!?!

I'm also entering this card in the Holiday Card Challenge in the Moxie Fab World.

Saturday, August 10, 2013

TSTR #178

Today I decided to give The Shabby Tea Room #178 Challenge a try.  The picture
below is to be used as inspiration and we are to include a metal object.




Here is my card.



I had this Grand Adhesions Sticker from K & Company's Merryweather collection
and decided to go with it!  I found the printed paper in the Prima Madeline 
Collection stack and thought the colors worked well with the sticker.  Thinking the
printed paper and the blue and pink card stock I used were a little bright, I "white washed"
them with moonlight white ink. Then I embossed the cream colored card stock with
a Cuttlebug embossing folder. I punched two borders with a Martha Stewart lace punch,
die cut a label with a Lifestyle Crafts Nesting Frames die and added the sticker to it.
Finished with a die cut banner, hello sticker and added the metal filigree corners and pearl
accents.

  


Friday, August 9, 2013

Deconstructed Sketch 113 - Noel

When I saw the new sketch for this week at Deconstructed Sketch I knew I wanted
to pull out my Stampabilites "Composer's Dream" stamp and my Spellbinders
Poinsettia dies.


Here is the sketch - 



- and what I did with it.



The gray printed paper is from Hot off the Press.  The dark gray is from one of
 DCWV's Shimmer Stacks.  I pulled out an EK Success border punch.  Added
some pearls and silver stickers.

Thanks for taking a look.

I am entering this card in the Holiday Card Challenge in the Moxie Fab World.

Thursday, August 8, 2013

FMS 98 - Thinking of You

After spending the last 3 days moving 32 ton of rock with my husband I decided it was time to
make a new card with this weeks sketch from Freshly Made Sketches.

Here is the sketch.

And here is my version of the sketch.





The cardstock is from the DCWV Linen Closet Stack.  I stamped and heat embossed the
flowers on vellum.  Punched a butterfly using a Fiskars squeeze punch.  Added a border
using the Martha Stewart doily lace edge punch.  Used some dazzles stickers for the
sentiment and small butterfly and added some gems.

Wednesday, August 7, 2013

52 CCCT


A new day, a new sketch challenge.  I'm still in the Christmas card mode so I decided to
check out the 52 {Christmas} Card Throwdown Sketch Challenge for August.


This is what I came up with.  I had these K & Company layered accents left from last year's
Christmas stash and thought they would work really well.  I'm pretty pleased with the way
it turned out.



Thanks for stopping by and have a great day!

I've decided to enter this card in the Holiday Card Challenge in the Moxie Fab World.

Tuesday, August 6, 2013

Mojo 305

Decided to use the Mojo Monday sketch 305 for another Christmas card.  I have a  new
papier tole set and thought it would work great.




The printed cardstock is from a DCWV Holiday Collection, the Christmas Stack, that I have
had for years but keep going back to. I embossed the green card stock with a Sizzix texturz
 plate, added the papier tole piece and stamped the greeting.

Monday, August 5, 2013

DS112



Celebrate the Season

I decided I should get an early start on my Christmas cards this year so I used DS 112 as inspiration for this card.  The printed papers are from the DCWV Christmas Stack.  The die cuts are from K & Company.  Then I found just a little bit of bling to add.