22nd Birthday

Hi all and welcome to the last Freshly Made Sketch Challenge of the year, where our hostess is Amy O'Neill.  And here is Amy's sketch for us:

I had need of a birthday card as my son would have been 22 years old on Tuesday of this week.  I couldn't let the day go by without making him a card - no matter how weird that sounds - so this is the card I came up with.

I used SugarPea Designs You're My Type die set and the sentiment from Yay for You by MFT.  It's really hard finding a birthday sentiment that doesn't mention "Happy" or "Celebrate" so this is a simple statement of fact.  The colors chosen are from Hero Arts - Paradise and Adriatic along with a bit of Cherry Crisp from MFT.

I added clear sparkle pens to the hearts and Nuvo Crystal Glaze to the heart above the "22".

Thanks for visiting.  I'm hoping to spend some time over the next couple of weeks stamping for the fun of it and joining in a few challenges but it will depend how I feel.  Frustratingly, when I'm not stamping, I want to be stamping, but when I can be stamping, I have zero motivation!  I wish you all a peaceful season and to those of you missing someone, I can now truly understand how that feels and I wish I could give you all a hug.

Products used:

Stamps:  Yay for You (MFT)
Ink:  Versamark
Cardstock:  White, Black, Cherry Crisp (MFT), Paradise, Adriatic (Hero Arts), Itsy Bitsy Polka Dots (MFT)
Dies:  You're My Type (SugarPea Designs), Stitched Rectangle Stax (MFT)
Accessories:  Spectrum Noir Clear Sparkle Pen, White EP, Nuvo Crystal Glaze

Leafy Birthday

Hi and welcome.  Here's the latest sketch from the Freshly Made Sketches team where our hostess this week is Narelle Farrugia.

I am in need of a birthday card for DH, whose birthday is on Christmas Eve.

To make this card, I blended some distres inks onto a panel of Bristol Smooth cardstock.  I then added a stencil and went over again, using slightly more pressure.  Finally I added some flicks of water and die-cut the panel with a stitched rectangle die.

The leaves were die-cut from black cardstock and then flicked with Antiqued Bronze Mica Spray and white gouache before being set aside to dry.  I then stamped and die-cut the sentiment.

The card was easy to put together and makes for a nice masculine card.

Thanks for visiting.  I hope you'll check out the rest of the DT as they have some gorgeous cards as always.

Products used:

Stamps:  KIS Birthday (PTI)
Ink:  Versafine Onyx Black, Broken China, Peacock Feathers, Mermaid Lagoon, Chipped Sapphire Distress Oxide Inks
Cardstock:  White, Black, Bristol Smooth
Dies:  Stitched Rectangle Stax (MFT), Skeleton Leaves (Tim Holtz)
Accessories:  White Gouache, Antiqued Bronze Mica Spray (Tim Holtz), Scribble Script Stencil (Donna Downey)

Karren

Stars

Hi and welcome.  I am the hostess today over at Freshly Made Sketches and here is my sketch:

Very simple - just the way I like them!  This is the last card I made to send to a grieving mother. 

I created the night sky background with Distress Oxide inks, Perfect Pearls mist and white gouache.  Once the panel was dry, I silver-embossed some stars and then adhered a silver strip to the left hand side for added interest.

I stamped and die-cut the sentiment and adhered it to the front panel then I added foam tape to the whole panel before attaching it to a white card base.  I finished with some sparkling clear confetti.

Thanks for visiting.  I hope you'll check out the challenge blog and see how the rest of the DT interpreted my sketch.


Products used:

Stamps:  Written in the Stars (MFT)
Ink:  Versafine Onyx Black, Broken China, Chipped Sapphire, Black Soot Distress Oxide Ink
Cardstock:  White, Silver, Bristol Smooth
Dies:  Slanted Sentiment Strips (MFT)
Accessories:  White Gouache, Perfect Pearls, Silver EP (Ranger), Sparkling Clear Confetti (PPP)

Sending Hugs

Hi and welcome.  This is the last Fusion challenge of the year and here is our fun graphic:

As I'm not sending Christmas cards this year, I chose to focus solely on the sketch and made another card to send to a grieving mother.

I masked off a rectangle on a white card base and blended some gray inks, heavier in the bottom right and fading off to the top left.  Before removing the mask, I spritzed the panel with Perfect Pearls spray.

I stamped the roses and leaves using Altenew inks and die-cut them before arranging them in a bouquet to match the sketch.  The sentiment was stamped onto the card base before adhering the roses.  The smallest rose in the centre was popped up on foam tape.  All the roses were painted with clear sparkle pen.

I finished the card with some confetti.

Thanks so much for visiting.  I hope you'll check out the DT cards and have time to play along with us.

Products used:

Stamps:  Rose Builder (WPlus9), Sketched Flowers (SSS)
Ink:  Versafine Onyx Black, Limestone, Silver Stone, Industrial Diamond, Sunray, Chamomile, Snapdragon, Marigold, Green Fields, Shadow Creek (Altenew)
Cardstock:  White
Dies:  Rose Builder (WPlus9)
Accessories:  Perfect Pearls Spray, Spectrum Noir Clear Sparkle Pen, Sparkling Clear Confetti (Pretty Pink Posh)

Legacy Butterfly

Hi all and welcome to my blog.  Today's card uses the latest sketch at Freshly Made Sketches, where Cecile Ribon is our sketch hostess.  And here is her sketch:

As I mentioned last week, I have joined a group of bereaved mothers who are sending cards to other bereaved mothers just to let them know that we understand, we care and we hurt for them as well as for ourselves.  This is one of the cards I made to send.

As soon as I saw Cecile's wonderful sketch I saw ink smooshing for those squiggly lines and that's exactly what I did.  I white-embossed this beautiful butterfly from the Forever in my Heart stamp set and then used acetate and distress inks to smoosh ink over the embossed area.  Once it was dry, I die-cut it with a stitched die and added the sentiment.  I adhered it to a white card base with foam tape and finished off with some black enamel dots.

The inside, which I didn't photograph, has one of the wonderful sentiments from this set, which is perfect for people who have suffered a great loss, especially those who have lost a child.

Thanks for visiting.  I hope you'll check out the wonderful cards from the rest of the DT.

Products used: 

Stamps:  Forever in our Hearts (Pinkfresh Studio)

Ink:  Versamark, Versafine Onyx Black, Carved Pumpkin, Ripe Persimmon, Fossilized Amber, Mustard Seed Distress Ink

Cardstock:  White

Dies:  Stitched Rectangle Stax (MFT)

Accessories:  White EP, Clear EP (for sentiment), Black Enamel Dots

Karren

In My Thoughts

Hi and welcome to another sketch from the Freshly Made Sketches team.  Our hostess this week is Jen Brum and here is her wonderful sketch.

I belong to an online grief group for parents who have lost an adult child and one lovely mother has set up a mini-group of people who are interested in sending cards to other grieving parents, so that we get something in the post that's thoughtful and caring.  I think this is a wonderful idea.  The cards will be either bought ones or hand-made as it's not a card-making group.  We are all hurting the worst, most unimaginable kind of hurt and this is a way of acknowledging that hurt and reaching out across the miles.  It also gives me a purpose as I am not celebrating Christmas this year and won't be sending cards.  

Here is the first card I made.  I'm not sure yet who it is going to as I haven't received my list of recipients but I hope whoever it is feels the care and compassion that went into this.

The background was one I prepared a few weeks ago for another card, that I didn't end up using.  So I  spritzed it with Perfect Pearls spray and adhered it to a white card base and then stamped this beautiful sentiment.   I die-cut a white panel with an opening and adhered that over the top with foam tape.

The flowers were stamped with different pink and green inks and die-cut.  I arranged them in a curve onto the card front.  The flowers were colored with a clear sparkle pen.  I didn't add any embellishments because this is probably heading over to the US and I don't want it to arrive damaged.

Thanks for visiting.  Please head over to the challenge blog and see what the rest of the design team have made - they're all gorgeous, as usual.

Products used:

Stamps:  Painted Flowers (Altenew), Sketched Flowers (SSS)
Ink:  Versafine Onyx Black, Spun Sugar, Bundled Sage, Tumbled Glass, Broken China Distress Oxide Ink, Baby Pink, Fuschia, Pink Diamond, Pinkalicious, Frayed Leaf, Forest Glades (Altenew)
Cardstock:  White
Dies:  Vintage Flowers (Altenew), Stitched Rectangle Stax, Inside/Out Stitched Rectangles (MFT)
Accessories:  Spectrum Noir Clear Sparkle Pen, Perfect Pearls Spray

Frilled Thanks

Welcome to our second-to-last Fusion challenge of the year, where we're going with a gratitude theme and a fun sketch.

I created a fusion of sorts, taking the pink flowers and the black background, as well as the sketch, to create this card.

The flowers were stamped and die-cut and added to a black card base.  I added some foliage for interest and then stamped a simple sentiment onto a white strip of cardstock.  Before adhering it with foam tape, I decided to add a strip of striped patterned paper.

Thanks for visiting.  The DT have some gorgeous cards so I hope you'll check them out.

Products used:

Stamps:  Frilled Petals, Dot Art (Altenew)

Ink:  Versafine Onyx Black, Pink Diamond, Pinkaliciousm, Rubellite, Bamboo, Parrot (Altenew)

Cardstock:  Black, White, Party Patterns (MFT)

Dies:  Frilled Petals (Altenew)

Accessories:  Clear EP for sentiment

Cheers

Karren

Poppy Thanks

Hi.  I'm here with a card using the sketch Kim Singdahlsen designed for the newest challenge at Freshly Made Sketches.

I wasn't feeling the mojo when I made this card and ended up with a very simple one-layer card.

I stamped the card front with the text stamp using Limestone ink.  I then inked up one of the poppy flowers with two shades of pink ink and stamped it before maskingh and stamping tyhe flower behind it.  I also used two ink shades on the leaves and stems.

The sentiment was stamped across the flowers in black ink.  To finish off the card I ran it through my Big Shot with a stitched edge die and added some sequins.

Thanks for visiting.  The DT have some wonderful cards using the sketch so I hope you'll check them out.

Products used:

Stamps:  Pretty Poppies (MFT)

Ink:  Versafine Onyx Black, Limestone, Pink Pearl, Coral Bliss, Olive, Moss (Altenew)

Cardstock:  White

Dies:  Stitched Mats Rectangle (Lil Inkers)

Accessories:  Sparkling Clear Confetti (Pretty Pink Posh)

Cheers

Karren

Strength Butterfly

Hi and welcome to another challenge from the Freshly Made Sketches team.  Our hostess this week is Linda Callahan and here is her sketch:

And here is my card using Linda's sketch.

This was not the card I had in mind when I sat down to create but this is how it ended up.  I didn't make it for anyone, but in looking at it, I think maybe I made it for me.  Losing my son has brought me to my knees and I'm struggling to get back up.  I haven't made any Christmas cards and I won't be sending any this year.  I have no desire to celebrate Christmas.  Matthew's birthday is one week before Christmas and I'm already dreading December.

I used my favourite background stamp to white emboss onto a panel and then sponge with Fog ink.  I also splattered some Fog ink onto the panel.  Onto the background I used Fog ink to stamp multiple butterflies.  The orange butterfly is popped up on foam tape.

Thanks for visiting.  Please check out the wonderful cards made by the rest of the design team.

Products used:

Stamps:  Papillon (Tim Holtz), Essential Sentiments (MFT), Dream Big (Altenew)
Ink:  Versafine Onyx Black, Sunkissed, Orange Cream (Altenew), Fog (SSS)
Cardstock:  White, Black
Dies:  Inside/Out Stitched Squares (MFT)

Cheers
Karren

Mermazing

Hi and welcome to the latest challenge at Fusion

I combined both the sketch and the photo for my card.

I created the background panel with Copics before drawing in the seaweed in the background, also with Copics.  I then used London Fog ink to stamp the plants and fish before die-cutting the top and bottom with a curved stitched die.

I adhered that to a white card base and stamped the sentiment on a curve to mimic the die-cut panel.  The mermaid was colored and die-cut with the co-ordinating die and I liberally added clear sparkle pen before adhering her with foam tape.

Thanks for visiting.  I hope you'll check out the DT cards and have a go yourself.

Products used:

Stamps:  Mermazing (MFT)

Ink:  Amalgam, Versafine Onyx Black

Cardstock:  White, X-Press It

Dies:  Mermazing (MFT), Stitched Based Edges (MFT)

Accessories:  Copics, Spectrum Noir Clear Sparkle Pen, Nuvo Glitter Drops (Aquatic Mist)

Cheers

Karren

Peaceful Flowers

Hi, I'm here with a card for the latest challenge at Freshly Made Sketches, where this week our hostess is Jen Mitchell and she has given us a square sketch to play with.

I used a couple of new to me Altenew sets for my card.

I created my own background panel with Dot Art and light gray inks on gray cardstock.  I then cut it down and matted it onto some teal cardstock before adhering to a square card base.  The flowers were stamped and cut with my Scan n Cut before being added with foam tape.  I finished with a simple sentiment and some enamel dots.

Thanks for visiting.  I hope you'll check out the gorgeous cards made by the rest of the DT.


Products used:

Stamps:  Peaceful Reverie, Dot Art (Altenew) Assorted Greetings (Gina K)
Ink:  Aqualicious, Teal Cave, Morning Frost, Silver Lake, Bamboo, Parrot (Altenew), Versafine Onyx Black
Cardtock:  White, Grout Gray, Tropical Teal (MFT)
Accessories:  Spectrum Noir Clear Sparkle Pen, Teal Dots (CTMH)

Cheers
Karren

Summer Bouquet

Hi all and welcome.  Today's card uses the latest sketch at Freshly Made Sketches, where our hostess is Jennifer Timko.

As part of my recent retail therapy, I bought some stamp sets from The Greetery and used one of them on today's card.

I stamped the images in grays and then again in green/lavender colors.  After die-cutting, I arranged them and held the arrangement together with Press n Seal while I worked on the rest of the card.  Onto a panel of Grout Gray cardstock I dry-embossed the Weathered embossing folder before adhering it to a white top-folding card base.

I then added my floral arrangement, tucking in the white-embossed sentiment.

Thanks for visiting.  The DT have some gorgeous cards so I hope you'll check them out.

Products used:

Stamps:  Summer Sketches (The Greetery), Clean Line Everyday (SSS)
Ink:  Versamark, Bamboo, Wisteria, Hydrangea, Gray Denim, Cloudy Night, Silver Lake, Charcoal Suit (Altenew)
Cardstock:  White, Black, Grout Gray (MFT)
Dies:  Summer Sketches (The Greetery)
Accessories:  White Embossing Powder, Weathered Embossing Folder (Taylored Expressions)

Cheers
Karren

Sparkle Hello

Hi and welcome to a new challenge from the Fusion team. 

I chose to just play along with the sketch this time and came up with this card:

The leaves were made using a technique I saw on a video at Memory Box on using napkins for die-cutting.  I didn't have any white napkins so I used a paper towel instead.  I pulled out my Gansai paints and just slapped on various colors, including gold.

To tie in the gold, I die-cut the sentiment from gold sparkle cardstock.

Thanks for visiting.  Please check out what the rest of the DT have done with this challenge.

Products used:

Cardstock:  White, black, gold sparkle, paper towel

Dies:  Leaves (Impression Obsession), Simply Said Hello & Thank You (MFT), Striped Sentiment Strip (MFT)

Accessories:  Gansai Tambi Paints

Cheers

Karren

Brick Wall Bouquet

Welcome to challenge day at Freshly Made Sketches.  This week our hostess is Lee Ann Barrett and she has a great sketch for us.

I went with a celebration card and came up with this:

If these flowers look familiar, it's because I colored them up at the same time as I did the image I used on this card a few weeks ago.  I added a white brick wall die-cut for added interest in the background and made the sentiment bold to stand out.

Thanks for visiting.  I hope you'll check out the wonderful cards made by the rest of the design team.

Products used:

Stamps:  Hello and Thanks (WPlus9)

Ink:  Amalgam

Cardstock:  Grout Gray, Black Licorice (MFT), X-Press It

Dies:  Brick Wall (MFT), Simply Celebrate (MFT)

Accessories:  Copics, Spectrum Noir Clear Sparkle Pen

Cheers

Karren

Sincere Leaves

Welcome to the latest challenge at Freshly Made Sketches, where this week our sketch hostess is Jacquie Southas.

I changed the dimensions of the sketch elements slightly to fit my card but I hope you can still see the sketch.

The background was embossed with Liquid Platinum embossing powder onto a black card base and then set aside.  I die-cut a white pierced frame and stamped the sentiment in a vertical fashion for something a bit different.  The leaves were die-cut from some previously alcohol-inked Yupo.  I die-cut a further 3 from white cardstock and stacked them for added stability.

Here's a close-up of the leaves.

Thanks for visiting.  The DT have some gorgeous cards so I hope you'll check them out.

Products used:

Stamps:  Brush Splatter BG; Bitty Thanks & Gratitude (MFT)
Ink:  Versamark, Versafine Onyx Black, Alcohol Inks
Cardstock:  Black, White, Yupo
Dies:  Pierced Rectangle Frames (MFT), Eucalyptus Leaves (SSS)
Accessories:  Liquid Platinum EP

Dragonfly Thanks

Hi, I'm back with a card for the latest Fusion challenge.  Check out the graphic below:



I decided to play along with both the sketch and the photo this time and came up with this very simple, CAS card.

I used the Linen cover plate from PTI to add some texture to my Sno Cone card base before adhering a stamped and die-cut white circle using foam tape.  For the dragonfly, I cut the solid image from Summer Splash cardstock and the outline image from silver sparkle paper and only adhered it through the centre so the wings are lifted up from the base.

And that's it.  Pretty simple!  Thanks for visiting.  The DT have some gorgeous cards so I hope you'll check them out.

Products used:

Stamps:  Lots to Say (Reverse Confetti)
Ink:  Versafine Onyx Black
Cardstock:  White, Sno Cone, Summer Splash, Silver Sparkle (MFT)
Dies:  Inside/Out Stitched Circles (MFT), Dragonfly (Clearly Besotted), Canvas/Linen Cover Plate (PTI)
Accessories:  Clear EP

Karren