CCMC237 Sketch Challenge

Hi and welcome back to another sketch challenge hosted by Create with Connie & Mary.

My card is a lot bolder than I'm used to.  I chose the color combo from the Color Coach and went with a Valentine's theme.

The scalloped edge was created using the Large Scallop Edgelit on both edges then the Adorning Accents folder for the heart embossing.

Thanks for looking.  Head on over to Create with Connie & Mary and check out the rest of the DT cards.  And while you're there, give the sketch a go.

Products used (all Stampin' Up!):

Stamps:  Teeny Tiny Wishes

Cardstock:  Whisper White; Melon Mambo; Elegant Eggplant; Old Olive

Ink:  Melon Mambo

Accessories:  Adorning Accents Folder; Scalloped Heart of Hearts Embosslit; Large Scallop Edgelit; Basic Jewels; White Bakers Twine

Cheers

Karren

Dynamic Foliage

The colors at Dynamic Duos this week are great.  I love neutrals and Soft Suede and Crumb Cake are fantastic together!  With these colors, it's easy to go with a masculine card and that's what I did:

I went with a collage look for this card using multiple images in varying ink generations.  I first inked up the Netting background then placed my cardstock on top and "walked" my fingers across the card so that not all the card was inked.  Then I stamped various images from Nature Walk and French Foliage in Crumb Cake and Soft Suede ink.  For all but the postmark images, I stamped off the Soft Suede ink to give a lighter impression.

The banners were made using First Edition DSP and sponging the edges with Crumb Cake.  I then curled the edges slightly.  The die-cut foliage is from a PTI set called Larger Than Life with matching die.  I would have liked to use the Secret Garden foliage from the upcoming mini, but I don't have that set so had to make do.

All in all, I'm quite happy with this card.  I didn't put a sentiment on it which makes it suitable for many different occasions.

Thanks for looking.  I'm glad I had time to play along with this challenge.  Most challenges posted on Sunday or Monday (NZ time) I can't join in on because of work and other commitments, but having this week off work means lots of card-making, hopefully!

Products used (all Stampin' Up! unless otherwise noted):

Stamps:  Nature Walk; French Foliage; Netting; Larger Than Life (PTI)
Cardstock:  Crumb Cake; Soft Suede; Very Vanilla; First Edition DSP
Ink:  Crumb Cake; Soft Suede
Accessories:  Naturals Designer Buttons; Linen Thread; sponges; Larger Than Life die (PTI)

Edited to Add:  This card was chosen for an Honorable Mention at Dynamic Duos.  Thanks, guys!

Cheers
Karren

Thanks a Million

I had a fun day today.  My boys came home after a week at their grandparents and my mum, who brought them home, stayed to make some cards with me.  This card was one I was part-way through when she arrived and I wasn't happy with it, so left it for a few hours and just finished it off now.

This card uses this week's sketch at Freshly Made Sketches.

I had the idea to sponge a panel using Daffodil Delight; Calypso Coral and Old Olive but as I was sponging, I bent the cardstock and consequently got a line right across the middle.  To "fix" my mistake I screwed up the whole panel then sponged over the top to make the marks look deliberate!

I used the Stippled Blossoms set again for my main image and the Honeycomb EF to give some interest to the Vanilla background.

Thanks for looking.

Products used (all Stampin' Up!):

Stamps:  Stippled Blossoms; Word Play
Cardstock:  Very Vanilla; Calypso Coral
Ink:  Calypso Coral; Daffodil Delight; Old Olive
Accessories:  Old Olive marker; Dotted Scallop Ribbon Border Punch; Honeycomb EF; Sponges

Cheers
Karren

Oh Happy Day

I've got the next week off work so of course I have planned to do some card-making (along with getting the boys ready for back to school in a week).

Anyway, I thought I'd try my hand at the following challenges:  Color Throwdown; Seize the Birthday and Still AddInktive.

I decided to use Bloomin' Marvelous, which is a SAB set (Still AddInktive challenge) with the sketch at Seize the Birthday and the colors from Color Throwdown and here's the somewhat average result.

This is a notecard-sized card at 5" x 3.5".  The oval is the wide oval punch which gives some idea of the size of this card.

I stamped a few flowers in Wisteria Wonder and Perfect Plum, along with some leaves in Certainly Celery and Garden Green (stamped off).  After I'd cut them out I arranged them around the oval.  The DSP is Perfect Plum and Certainly Celery.  A few pearls finish of the card.

Thanks for looking.

Products used (all Stampin' Up!):

Stamps:  Bloomin' Marvelous
Cardstock:  Whisper White; Subtles DSP
Ink:  Basic Black; Wisteria Wonder; Perfect Plum; Certainly Celery; Garden Green
Accessories:  Wide Oval Punch; Adorning Accents Edgelits and EF; Basic Pearls

Cheers
Karren

CCMC236 Color Challenge

Hi all, we have another color challenge this week at Create with Connie & Mary.

Deciding to go for a floral card was a pretty easy decision given these colors.  I chose Stippled Blossoms and did lots of 1st, 2nd and 3rd generation stamping and fussy cutting to come up with this card:

The two darker roses were stamped using Raspberry Ripple stamped off twice for the background and full strength for the highlights.  The lighter rose was stamped using Pretty in Pink full strength for the background and Raspberry Ripple stamped off twice for the highlights.

Thanks for looking.  Head on over to Create with Connie & Mary to see what the rest of the challenge team has come up with.

Products used (all Stampin' Up!):

Stamps:  Stippled Blossoms; Made for You

Cardstock:  Very Vanilla; Lucky Limeade; 2012-14 In Color DSP; 2011-13 In Color DSP; Subtles DSP

Ink:  Pretty in Pink; Raspberry Ripple Lucky Limeade

Accessories:  Apothecary Accents Framelits; Lacy Brocade EF; Basic Pearls

Cheers

Karren

Rose Wall

The sketch challenge this week at Freshly Made Sketches threw me for a bit.  I normally don't make cards with angles other than right angles, so this bold sketch with a diagonal made me want to run for the hills LOL.  However, I slept on it and came up with the idea to disguise the diagonal a bit which appealed to the right-angled part of my brain!

I'm also entering this card into the challenge at SUO Challenges which is to use something new.  This is the first time I've used my Honeycomb Embossing Folder.

Here's my card:

I didn't stick totally faithfully to the sketch but I did stick to the concept.  I cut pieces of cardstock in varying lengths and then run them through my new honeycomb embossing folder.  I then disguised the diagonal look with lots and lots of punched branches from the bird punch.  Three rolled roses made using the 1 3/8" circle punch were placed in conjunction with the sketch.  If I made this card again (and let's be honest, I most likely won't!) I would like to see a row of cascading roses rather than just three.

Thanks for looking.

Products used (all Stampin' Up!):

Stamps:  Made for You
Cardstock:  Whisper White; Raspberry Ripple; Primrose Petals; Rose Red; Old Olive
Ink:  Raspberry Ripple
Accessories:  Honeycomb EF; 1 3/8" circle punch; bird punch

Cheers
Karren

CCMC235 Sketch Challenge

This week at Create with Connie & Mary we have a sketch challenge.

I decided to go masculine with this card, using the new By the Tide set in the upcoming mini.  

My card base is Crumb Cake, stamped with the Netting background and sponged in Crumb Cake and Soft Suede ink.  The main image is clear embossed with Soft Suede ink then masked and overstamped with the text stamp from the By the Tide set.  I then sponged around the edges using Crumb Cake and Soft Suede ink.

A neutrals button tied with a sliver of cardstock finishes off the card.

Thanks for looking.  Head on over to Create with Connie & Mary to check out the rest of the challenge team's submissions.

Products used (all Stampin' Up!):

Stamps:  By the Tide; Netting

Cardstock:  Crumb Cake; Soft Suede; Neutrals DSP

Ink:  Versamark; Soft Suede; Crumb Cake

Accessories:  Sponges; Clear EP; Linen Thread; Neutrals Button

Cheers

Karren

White on White Music

I made some time to make another card today - this time for the sketch at CAS(E) This Sketch.

For this card, I went with a white on white look with the music notes die cut.  I layered this onto Real Red for some contrast.

This card was really simple and came together quickly.

Thanks for looking.

Products used (all Stampin' Up! unless otherwise noted):

Stamps:  Curls & Swirls Verses

Cardstock:  Whisper White; Real Red

Ink:  Real Red

Accessories:  Memory Box die

Cheers

Karren

So Sweet...

It's way too hot here in Christchurch to do much of anything, so it took me over a day to get one little card finished.  I know our temps are nowhere near those in Australia at the moment or most places in the US in their summer, but for us, it's HOT!  There is absolutely no breeze and it's so hot and dry.  We traditionally have a very mild climate year round, which is why I like living here.

Anyway, enough whining.  Here's my card for this week's challenges at Freshly Made Sketches and The Friday Mashup.

This is not a favorite card of mine.  I do like the color combo of Island Indigo; Sahara Sand and Early Espresso though.

Thanks for looking.

Products Used (Stampin' Up! unless otherwise noted):

Stamps:  Creative Elements; Signature Greetings (PTI)

Cardstock:  Whisper White; Sahara Sand; Early Espresso; 2011-13 In Color DSP; Neutrals DSP

Ink:  Sahara Sand; Early Espresso

Accessories:  Memory Box Die; Neutrals Brads

CCMC234 Color Challenge

This week at Create with Connie & Mary we have a color challenge:

These colors threw me for a bit - Pink Pirouette is not my friend LOL.  But I persevered and ended up with this:

For this card I cut a doily in Pink Pirouette and positioned it partly off the card base.  I used the Adorning Accents die and EF for the side of the card base and filled the gap with a Pink Pirouette strip and a sliver of Midnight Muse.

The sentiment banner is curved and lots and lots of pearls were added in an attempt to lift the paleness of the Pink Pirouette.

Thanks for looking.  Check out the rest of the design team's samples and give these colors a go yourself.

Products used (all Stampin' Up!):

Stamps:  Sweet Essentials

Cardstock:  Whisper White; Midnight Muse; Pink Pirouette

Ink:  Midnight Muse

Accessories:  Paper Doily Sizzlet; Adorning Accents die and EF; Basic Pearls

Cheers

Karren

Freshly Made Sketches Take 2

As I said yesterday, the sketch this week at Freshly Made Sketches is very versatile.  I had this idea swirling round in my head all last night so when I got time today, I had to make it.

Today I paired Basic Black and Basic Gray with Lucky Limeade.  I made three Floral Fusion flowers and placed a faux brad in the center of each.  The DSP is Basic Gray from the Neutrals stack.

Here's another look at the sketch:

Thanks for looking.

Products used (all Stampin' Up!):

Stamps:  Sweet Essentials

Cardstock:  Basic Black; Lucky Limeade; Neutrals DSP Stack

Ink:  Versamark

Accessories:  Floral Fusion Sizzlet; 1/4" circle punch; Crystal Effects; Lucky Limeade ruffled ribbon; Large Scallop Edgelit; White EP

Cheers

Karren

Pre-Teen Birthday

Both the sketch challenge at Freshly Made Sketches and the color challenge at Pals Paper Arts were too good to miss this week.  The sketch is so versatile and it was hard narrowing down my options for the embellishments.  This'll be fun to use over and over again.  As for the colors, I never used to like Melon Mambo but it goes so well with black and gray I just had to use these colors for my card today.  I think this card will go to my niece on her 12th birthday in a few months.

For this card I used the retired large and small star punches - love these punches!  For the large black stars, I first punched with the small punch then went over with the large punch to create a frame.  The sentiment is black embossed and the scallops are paper pierced.

Here are the challenge graphics:

Thanks for looking.

Products used (all Stampin' Up!):

Stamps:  It's Your Birthday

Cardstock:  Basic Gray; Basic Black; Melon Mambo; Brights DSP

Ink:  Versamark

Accessories:  Large and small star punches; Basic Rhinestones; Large Scallop Edgelit; Essentials Paper Piercing Pack

Edited to Add:  This card was chosen as a Perfect Princess card at Freshly Made Sketches.  Thanks guys!

Cheers

Karren

CCMC233 - Sketch Challenge

This week at Create with Connie & Mary, we have a sketch challenge.

I struggled with how to use the three horizontal elements until I decided to flip the sketch on its side and use one image cut into three panels.

I used the Countryside set and stamped the truck onto watercolor paper, then colored it using reinkers and blender pen.  I sponged around the outside lightly with Crumb Cake ink before cutting into three equal panels.  This was then layered onto Not Quite Navy cardstock.  The First Edition layer has been distressed and over-stamped with some of the smaller images from the set.  The Riding Hood Red banner has been run through the Woodgrain EF.

The color combo came from the Color Coach - love that thing!

Thanks for looking.  Head on over to Create with Connie & Mary to see what the rest of the challenge team have come up with.

Products used (all Stampin' Up!):

Stamps:  Countryside

Cardstock:  Crumb Cake; Not Quite Navy; Riding Hood Red; First Edition DSP

Ink:  Not Quite Navy; Riding Hood Red; Crumb Cake; Soft Suede; Old Olive; Basic Gray; Black Stazon

Accessories:  Blender Pen; Woodgrain EF; Linen Thread; Brights Button

Cheers

Karren

Flower in Pool Party

I love the colors in the challenge at Hand Stamped Sentiments this week - Pool Party; Primrose Petals and Basic Black.  I matched these colors with the sketch challenge at Retro Sketches and came up with this:

My flower has been spritzed with shimmer mist which makes it all sparkly IRL.  My branches are black, which is a bit odd in nature, but hey we'll just pretend it's normal LOL.  The flower is one I've seen around the internet a few times.  Not sure who came up with the original idea but it uses the Fancy Flower Punch; the 5-Petal Punch and the Boho Blossoms Punch.

Thanks for looking.  It's back to work for me tomorrow, so I'll be back to only being able to stamp on the weekends - boo hoo.

Products used (all Stampin' Up! unless otherwise stated):

Stamps:  Sweet Essentials

Cardstock:  Crumb Cake; Basic Black; Primrose Petals; Pool Party; 2011-13 In Color DSP; 2012-14 In Color DSP

Ink:  Basic Black

Accessories:  Fancy Flower Punch; 5-Petal Punch; Boho Blossoms Punch; Fancy Fan EF; McGill Branch Punch; Corner Rounder; In Color Brads

Cheers

Karren

Button Ornaments

Well, I didn't think I'd be making a Christmas card quite so soon in the new year, but when I saw the sketch challenge at Still AddINKtive, the idea popped into my head to make an ornament Christmas card.

Here are the challenge details:

And here is my card:

While my card doesn't stick 100% to the sketch, the elements are there.  The buttons in Baja Breeze and Wild Wasabi have centers punched from the Ornament Keepsakes set.  The sentiment is stamped in Perfect Plum and the card has a framed scored around the outside.  This is just a little baby card, weighing in at 4" square LOL.

Thanks for looking and good luck to the Still AddINKtive team on their new venture.

Products used (all Stampin' Up!):

Stamps:  Ornament Keepsakes; Tree Trimmings; More Merry Messages

Cardstock:  Very Vanilla

Ink:  Baja Breeze; Wild Wasabi; Perfect Plum

Accessories:  Really big buttons from the US; Simply Scored; 1/2" circle punch

Cheers

Karren

50th Wedding Anniversary

A couple of weeks ago my parents celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary - a huge accomplishment in anyone's eyes!  Here is the card I made for them:

The stamped image is from Penny Black and called "Tom & Tilly".  As soon as I saw it, I knew it would be perfect for my parents.  I colored it using Prismacolor pencils and Gamsol.  Because the image was so big, I was a bit limited in my layout.

Thanks for looking and congratulations Mum and Dad!

Product used (all Stampin' Up! unless otherwise stated):

Stamps:  Tom & Tilly (Penny Black)

Cardstock:  Early Espresso; Lucky Limeade; Whisper White; Festival of Prints DSP

Ink:  Black; Lucky Limeade

Accessories:  Prismacolor Pencils; Gamsol; PTI Numbers Dies; Fancy Fan EF; Corner Rounder

Cheers

Karren

Just Believe in Blue

I'm nearly at the end of my Christmas holiday and head back to work on Thursday for financial month end.  Before then, though, I hope to do a bit more stamping.  Here's a card I made for the current challenge at SUO Challenges, which is to use blues.

This is a CAS one-layer card involving lots of sponging.  I masked off a strip of the card and sponged four different blue inks from light to dark down the strip.  Once that was done, I removed the masks and stamped the silhouette image from Just Believe in Stazon, along with the 'thank you' sentiment from Made for You.  A couple of tiny pearls and some Midnight Muse ribbon finishes off the card.

Before I go, I want to post a message here to Pat from North Carolina who sent me a lovely email yesterday.  Pat - I tried to reply but your email provider rejected my email for some reason.  I don't want you to think I ignored your email.  Thanks so much for the lovely words.  It really is a small world!

Thanks for looking.

Products used (all Stampin' Up!):

Stamps:  Just Believe; Made for You

Cardstock:  Whisper White

Ink:  Baja Breeze; Marina Mist; Not Quite Navy; Midnight Muse; Black Stazon

Accessories:  Midnight Muse ribbon; Basic Pearls; sponges

Cheers

Karren