Brick Wall Flowers

Hi!  Here's a card I made using the gorgeous inspiration card at Muse as well as the tic-tac-toe challenge at Just Us Girls.  I made a card using the center vertical row (die-cuts, stamps and flowers).

I had pondered for a few days how I could take Jenni's gorgeous card at Muse and make it mine.  In the end, I came up with this and I quite like it.

From Jenni's card, I took the layout, the white on black sentiment, the florals and the color down the left hand side of the center panel.

I colored some white embossing paste using Melon ink but deliberately didn't mix it perfectly, so that some of the bricks are darker than others.  I used MFT's English Brick Wall stencil, which has the perfect size bricks for cards.  I layered that onto another white panel and used foam tape to adhere it to a white card base.  The flowers and jug were stamped using various SSS inks and die-cut using the matching dies.

The sentiment banner was stamped in black and when it was dry, I white embossed the sentiment, curving the stamps slightly to follow the lines of the banner.  All of the flowers were painted with Wink of Stella.

Thanks for visiting.

Products used:

Stamps:  Sweet Havana (Mama Elephant)

Ink:  Stone, Jellybean, Audrey Blue, Maliblue, Duckling, Apricot, Sunkist, Melon, Beanstalk Green (SSS) Versamark, Memento Tuxedo Black

Cardstock:  White

Dies:  Sweet Havana (Mama Elephant), Stitched Rectangles (Lil' Inkers)

Accessories:  English Brick Wall Stencil (MFT), embossing paste, white EP, Wink of Stella

Cheers

Karren

Doodlebud Wishes

Hi and welcome!  Today's card was made using the current sketch at Retro Sketches and the Just Add Nature theme at Just Add Ink.  And I need to add that my flowers were heavily inspired by this card made by Shari Carroll.  I saw her card and wanted to try and recreate the loose watercolored look of the flowers.

I started by stamping and coloring the flowers onto watercolor paper, purely for practice.  Once I'd finished, I went looking for a sketch challenge where I could utilise them.  As soon as I saw the Retro Sketches challenge, I knew my flowers would work.  I cut a rectangle and rounded opposite corners and popped it up on foam tape onto a white cardbase onto which I'd adhered a strip of striped paper.

I then spent an inordinate amount of time trying to work out the best shape for the other element in the sketch!  In the end, I settled for a small tag with just the end poking out behind the flower.  This was cut from Summer Sunrise cardstock to match the orange flower at the bottom.

Thanks for visiting.

Products used:

Stamps:  Doodlebuds (WP9), Sending and Wishing (SSS)
Ink:  Versafine Onyx Black
Cardstock:  White, watercolor, Dots & Stripes Neutrals (MFT), Summer Sunrise (PTI)
Dies:  Doodlebuds (WP9), Tag Builder 4 (MFT)
Accessories:  Zig markers, corner chomper

Cheers
Karren

Edited to Add:  This card got a shout out at Retro Sketches.

Blue Hello

Hi and welcome!  This week, I have the fun of being hostess at Freshly Made Sketches and I came up with what I hope is a simple sketch that you can unleash your creativity on :)

For my card, I wanted to have some fun with the background and do some camouflaged die-cutting.

I sponged Shaded Lilac, Faded Jeans and Chipped Sapphire onto a panel of watercolor paper, then flicked some water over top.  Once that was dry, I die-cut the large Hello from the panel and also four pieces of white cardstock.  They were then stacked back into the watercolored panel and the panel was adhered to a white card base.

I die-cut a pierced frame and used foam tape to place that on the watercolored piece.  I finished with a few sequins and called it done!

Thanks for visiting!  The rest of the design team have some fabulous cards using my sketch, so be sure to check them out.

Products used:

Ink:  Shaded Lilac, Faded Jeans, Chipped Sapphire

Cardstock:  White, watercolor

Dies:  Big Hello (SSS), Pierced Rectangle Frame (MFT)

Accessories:  Sequins

Cheers

Karren

Balloon Trio

Hi!  It's time for another fabulous sketch challenge from SugarPea Designs.  Check out this sketch:

For my card, I decided to not use one of the main images in a set, but to focus on one of the smaller images - in this case one of the balloons from Tons of Fun.

I started with a white card base and onto that I adhered some patterned paper layered onto black cardstock.  I stamped the balloon three times and colored them with Copics.  I then cut them out, minus the strings, and tied some silver thread around each one.  I then adhered them with foam tape to circles cut with a Zig Zag Stitched Circle die, making sure the thread was caught by the balloons below.

The sentiment was stamped onto a die-cut banner from Gift Tag and mounted onto the card with foam tape.

Thanks for visiting.  Be sure to check out the amazing cards created by the rest of the design team

Brandi Hall 
Claire Broadwater

Deanne Kay
Jeanne Jachna
Karren Johnson
Laura Jane

Lee Ann Barrett

Lesley Croghan

Mackie Robertson

I hope you give this sketch a go.  Here are the challenge guidelines:

• Create a new card or project using the sketch provided.

• SugarPea Designs stamps are NOT required to play along or to win but would be appreciated 

• You may rotate/flip the sketch & replace shapes – so long as the original sketch layout is recognizable.

• Upload to your blog or other Online Gallery using Keyword: SPDSS38 so that we may check out your beautiful work.

• Add your name and link to your project in the InLinkz on the SugarPea Designs blog.

• One randomly selected winner will receive a $25 Gift Certificate to the SugarPea Designs store. However, if the winning entry features a SugarPea Designs stamp we will increase the prize to $75!

• We will announce our Sweet Picks and our Main Winner at the end of each month.

• The more times you play along during the month, the better chance you have of winning!

Products used:

Stamps:  Tons of Fun
Ink:  Memento Tuxedo Black, Versafine Onyx Black
Cardstock:  White, black, Just Add Cake (SU)
Dies:  Zig Zag Stitched Circles, Gift Tag
Accessories:  Circle Punch, Copics, silver thread, Wink of Stella

Cheers
Karren

Four Hearts

Hi

This is another card I made in the weekend, this time using the Pin Sights Challenge at Ellen Hutson, the sketch at Just Add Ink, the Clear cue word at CASology and the Red challenge at Addicted to CAS.

I made a four-panel shaker card using some red and clear sequins.  I die-cut four hearts from a white card base, covered the back with acetate then laid strips of foam tape around each heart.

I layered some gold foil cardstock across the back and also cut a scalloped frame for the front.

The sentiment was cut apart so I could have it in one line and I finished off the card with some more sequins.

Thanks for visiting.

Products used:

Stamps:  Bold Blooms (Essentials by Ellen)

Ink:  Versafine Onyx Black

Cardstock:  White, gold, acetate

Dies:  Blueprints 22, Frames (SSS)

Accessories:  Sequins

Cheers

Karren

Three Flowers

Hi and welcome!  Today's card uses the inspiration at Muse and the sketch at CAS(E) This Sketch.

I stamped the Demure image onto white cardstock and colored with copics using similar colors to Tracey's card.  I die-cut the panel using a zig zag die and layered it onto Green Apple cardstock.  It was then layered onto the card base using foam tape.

The sentiment was stacked four high before being adhered to the card.  The sentiment and all three flowers were painted in Wink of Stella for some shimmer.

Thanks for visiting.

Products used:

Stamps:  Demure (Penny Black)

Ink:  Memento Tuxedo Black

Cardstock:  White, Green Apple

Dies:  Thanks, Zig Zag Stitched Rectangles (SugarPea Designs)

Accessories:  Copics, Wink of Stella

Cheers

Karren

Edited to Add:  This card got a shout out at Muse.

Maude

Hi, I've got a few cards to post for various challenges, but I'll try and space them out over the next day or so, so as not to bombard you :)  This card I made this morning and when I started my only intention was to do a bit of coloring.

Meet Maude.  Maude is one of my older stamps, I think I bought her in about 2004 and she is from Art Impressions.  At the time I bought her, I also bought two matching sentiments - the one on the card and another which says "I'll rise but I refuse to shine"!  Love them!

As I said above, I just wanted to do some coloring and decided Maude needed a pink dressing gown.  Once I'd done that, I realised if I was careful how I colored the rest of the image, I could enter her in the latest Color Throwdown challenge.  Consequently, Maude got a kraft nightdress and a teal coffee cup :)  I then went looking for a sketch and found the perfect one at Retro Rubber Challenge, where you are required to use your older stamps.

I didn't spend a lot of time on the coloring, which is one of the things I love about AI stamps - they are drawn so that the coloring doesn't have to be perfect!  After coloring Maude onto a panel of X-Press It cardstock, I then cut the sentiment stamp apart as it is actually on two lines.  I used my Misti to line up the words and stamped with Versafine Onyx Black ink.  I then cut a strip of Desert Storm and another strip of Audrey Blue.  The image panel is popped up on foam tape.  Here's Maude in all her morning glory:

Thanks for visiting.

Products used:

Stamps:  Maude, I Don't Do Mornings (Art Impressions)

Ink:  Memento Tuxedo Black, Versafine Onyx Black

Cardstock:  X-Press It, white, Audrey Blue, Desert Storm

Accessories:  Copics

Cheers

Karren

Edited to Add:  This card got a shout out at Retro Rubber Challenge.

Music Notes

Hi!  Here's my first card of the weekend, which I made using the challenge at Friday Mashup, the colors from Cardz for Guys and the sketch from Sunday Stamps.

I started by white embossing the Sheet Music Background onto some white cardstock and then sponging over the top with Tumbled Glass and Stormy Sky ink.  I then cut it with a stitched curved die.  The headphones were die cut out of black cardstock and also some blue cardstock that I made by rubbing Faded Jeans ink onto some white card.  The curved panel and the headphones are popped up on foam tape.

The sentiment comes from the Noted set by SugarPea Designs.

Thanks for visiting.

Products used:

Stamps:  Noted (SugarPea Designs), Sheet Music Background (MFT)
Ink:  Versamark, Versafine Onyx Black, Tumbled Glass, Stormy Sky, Faded Jeans
Cardstock:  White, Black
Dies:  Headphones, Stitched Basic Lines (MFT)
Accessories:  White EP

Cheers
Karren

Edited to Add:  This card got a shout out at Cardz for Guys.

Hang in There

Hi and welcome to another Fusion Challenge!  Wasn't the 2nd Anniversary Challenge amazing?

This time we've gone for a neutral theme for the inspiration pic and a lovely big circle for the sketch.

I decided to combine both the photo and the sketch and came up with this card using the cute Adorable Elephants set.

I started with a piece of watercolor card and I smooshed Hickory Smoke ink onto it.  Once it was dry, I cut it out with a pierced circle die.  The elephant was colored with Copics as were the balloons.

I used the polka dots in the photo as inspiration for the horizontal panel which was adhered to a layer of Slate cardstock, onto which I'd white-embossed the sentiment.  The card base is black.

Thanks for visiting.  Be sure to check out the fabulous inspiration from the rest of the design team.

Products used:

Stamps:  Adorable Elephants (MFT),  Up and Away (Mama Elephant)
Ink:  Memento Tuxedo Black, Hickory Smoke, Versamark
Cardstock:  Black, Slate, watercolor, X-Press It, Dots & Stripes Neutrals (MFT)
Dies:  Blueprints 21, Adorable Elephants, Pierced Circle Stax,Basic Stitch Lines (MFT)
Accessories:  Copics, White EP

Cheers
Karren

Prehistoric Friend

Hi and welcome to another fabulous sketch challenge at SugarPea Designs.

For this sketch, I decided to use the adorable Prehistoric Pals set.

I stamped and colored the little dinosaur and the coconut tree and then die-cut them using an oval die and the Out of the Box technique.  I layered that onto a panel of Green Apple cardstock.  The card base was cut from Fog cardstock and some patterned paper and a black scalloped edge was adhered on the left hand side.

I white embossed the fun sentiment and added some twine and my card was done.

Thanks for visiting.  Be sure to check out the amazing cards created by the rest of the design team

Brandi Hall 
Claire Broadwater

Deanne Kay
Jeanne Jachna
Karren Johnson
Laura Jane

Lee Ann Barrett

Lesley Croghan

Mackie Robertson

I hope you give this sketch a go.  Here are the challenge guidelines:

• Create a new card or project using the sketch provided.

• SugarPea Designs stamps are NOT required to play along or to win but would be appreciated 

• You may rotate/flip the sketch & replace shapes – so long as the original sketch layout is recognizable.

• Upload to your blog or other Online Gallery using Keyword: SPDSS37 so that we may check out your beautiful work.

• Add your name and link to your project in the InLinkz on the SugarPea Designs blog.

• One randomly selected winner will receive a $25 Gift Certificate to the SugarPea Designs store. However, if the winning entry features a SugarPea Designs stamp we will increase the prize to $75!

• We will announce our Sweet Picks and our Main Winner at the end of each month.

• The more times you play along during the month, the better chance you have of winning!

Products used:
Stamps:  Prehistoric Pals 
Ink:  Memento Tuxedo Black, Versamark
Cardstock:  Fog, Green Apply, Black, White, Let's Bokeh in the Snow (Lawn Fawn)
Dies:  Stitched Scalloped die (Lawn Fawn), Pierced Oval Stax (MFT)
Accessories:  Copics, White EP, twine
Cheers
Karren

Seriously

It's time for another fabulous challenge from the team at Freshly Made Sketches and this week our hostess is our talented Canadian friend, Jen Brum.  And this is the fun sketch she has come up with:

I love this sketch and how versatile those circles are!  I chose to interpret them as flowers:

I think the sentiment on this card should be dedicated to Press n Seal as it was a fantastic help in keeping my flower arrangement in place as I adhered it down!  I had bought some months ago and it sat languishing in my craft room until this video by Laurie Willison.  Genius!  I used various red and pink Altenew inks to stamp my peonies and lots of foliage to break up the reds.  The rainstones add a subtle touch and there are three randomly placed within the bouquet as well, which you can't see in the photos.

I'm linking this card to the current Inkspirational challenge (which is #100!) to choose a past color challenge.  I chose #75 - use rose shades of red and/or pink.  You may also use green leaf colors. 

Thanks for visiting.  The rest of the design team have some wonderful and inspiring cards so be sure to check them out.

Products used:

Stamps:  Pretty Little Peonies (WP9), Mon Ami (CASual Fridays)
Ink:  Grapevine, Coral Berry, Ruby Red, Frayed Leaf, Forest Glades, Jet Black (Altenew)
Cardstock:  White, Raspberry Fizz (PTI)
Dies:  Pretty Little Peonies (WP9), Blueprints 20, 21 (MFT)
Accessories:  Rainstones (PTI)

Cheers
Karren

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Mouse Thanks

Hi!  This card was made specifically with someone in mind, which is rare for me :)  Later on today, it will be winging its way across the world to the recipient.

As soon as I saw the sketch at MFT, I loved it and wanted to make a card and this is the result:

I colored the adorable wee mouse from Harvest Mouse with Copics then worked out what colors matched the Copic colors.  I used SU's Island Indigo for the banner and a combination of PTI's Fine Linen and Classic Kraft for the stenciling.

The stencil I used is the Large Grid Stencil - I love the graphic look - and I faded it out at the bottom and sides.  The Thank You is from Adorable Elephants and white embossed onto a stitched banner from Blueprints 20.  The white layer is also die-cut using Blueprints 20.

Thanks for visiting!

Products used:

Stamps:  Harvest Mouse, Adorable Elephants (MFT)
Ink:  Memento Tuxedo Black, Versamark, Fine Linen, Classic Kraft
Cardstock:  White, Island Indigo, X-Press It
Dies:  Harvest Mouse, Blueprints 20 (MFT)
Accessories:  Copics, Large Grid Stencil (MFT), White EP

Cheers
Karren

Ombre Fleur

Hi and welcome!  It's Saturday evening here and I've spent most of the afternoon in my craft room.  This is the last card I made and I'm not that fussed with it, but given the amount of time I spent on it, I'm posting it anyway :)

I made this card for the current Muse challenge, the color portion of the Friday Mashup Challenge and the Ombre Challenge at Simon Says Stamp.  I was immediately drawn to the beautiful colors on the Friday Mashup graphic and tried to incorporate as many as I could into my card.

From Anita's gorgeous card, I took the general layout, the "row" of floral images and the darker strips top and bottom of the image panel.

I watercolored the flowers with my Zig markers after white embossing them onto watercolor paper.  I also watercolored a panel in ombre fashion to layer behind the Soft Stone layer.  All three flowers are popped up on foam tape.  The sentiment is stamped in Enchanted Evening ink.  Here's a close up:

And that's about all there is to say about this card!  Thanks for visiting.

Products used:

Stamps:  Mon Ami (CASual Fridays), Keep It Simple Birthday (PTI)

Ink:  Versamark, Enchanted Evening (PTI)

Cardstock:  White, Soft Stone, watercolor

Dies:  Mon Ami Fleur, Vertical Stitched Stripes (MFT)

Accessories:  Zig markers, White EP

Cheers

Karren

Edited to Add:  This card got a shout out at Friday Mashup.