Simon Says... Time for a Sketch!

This week's challenge at Simon Says Stamp is a fun sketch designed by Dawny.

I needed to make a birthday card for my father-in-law, so I decided to use the muted, vintage colors in the Bo Bunny "Timepiece" papers and pair them with the "Time" set from Our Daily Bread Designs.

Supplies:
Stamps:  Our Daily Bread Designs "Time" (image and sentiment)
Papers:  Ivory, brown, dps from Bo Bunny's "Timepiece" collection
Ink:  SU! "Basic Brown" and Vintage Photo Distress Ink for sponging
Other:  Cuttlebug embossing folder "Clockworks" used on kraft mat, MFT scallop border die, sponge

Thanks for stopping by!
Blessings,
Sarah

Fun Challenge Combo

I'm back tonight with a card I made for 6 challenges.  It's a fun challenge to combine challenges!  :)

I used the week #170 sketch from Sketch Saturday (I loved working with this sketch!)
At Basic Grey Challenges, this week Anything Goes!  I used Basic Grey "Porcelain" paper.
This week's Shining the Light Challenge #74 at Our Daily Bread Designs is to use a doily.
The Stamping in Time Challenge #42 at Our Daily Bread Designs is to use lace.
At Papertake Weekly, the challenge is to use a die cut.
I didn't make the deadline for CR84FN36 to use yellow, kraft, and a neutral (I used ivory), but I already had this card started, so I decided to stick with those colors.

Here's my card.

I took a closeup so you could see the center panel a bit more clearly. 

I also took a side angle photo so you can see a bit of the dimension and the other Basic Grey "Porcelain" paper on the inside of the card.

Supplies:
Stamps:  ODBD "Serve the Lord" (image and sentiment)
Ink:  Vintage Photo Distress Ink (sentiment) and SU! "Basic Brown" (image)
Paper:  Ivory, pale yellow, kraft
Other:  ODBD coordinating die, MFT doily die, lace and ivory satin ribbon from stash,  Recollections pearls, Prismacolor pencils, odorless mineral spirts, blending stumps
Technique:  Gamsol magic


Thanks for stopping by!
Blessings!
Sarah

Sweet Summer Colors

Hi again!  I wasn't intending to take over a week off from crafting, but we had a death in the family.  My great uncle died on the 20th at age 99.  Ray had been in good health and had such a clear mind. He had been hospitalized on the 16th but had improved by Friday. When the news came that he had died Saturday night, we were surprised to hear that he died.  We will miss Uncle Ray so much.  He was a dear, sweet, kind man.   I went home to sing for the funeral and to spend some time with my Dad. 

I wanted to make a card for TSTR's "The Sweet Days of Summer" challenge.  We were challenged to use the colors in the inspiration photo (pink, peach, green, and neutrals) and create our own flower.  I used Charmaine's VLV sketch as the basis of my layout.

Here's my card.

I kept it pretty simple and not too flowery as I wanted to make a card to send to Ray's only child, Donald using this sentiment.  I stamped a flower along the border and then stamped again without reinking to give it a little more depth.

Here's a closeup of my crocheted flower.  I used a round button for the center after cutting off the shank so it could be easily glued in place.  The flower is a little more light orange than a pale peach, but it's what I had for yarn in my stash!  I used Cotton Classic yarn from Tahki to make the flower.

Supplies:
Stamps:  Verve "Sunny Days" for flowers and Plain Jane "Where Flowers Bloom"
Papers:  White, SU! Pretty in Pink, dps from K & Co. Susan Winget
Ink:  Versafine Onyx Black, SU! "Pretty in Pink"
Other:  Tahki Cotton Classic yarn, crochet hook, pink button from stash, MS pansy border punch

Thanks for stopping by!
Blessings!
Sarah

Mojo 204

I needed to make one more graduation card, and I turned to this week's Mojo Monday sketch for my layout. 

The photo was taken at a bit of an odd angle, lighting wasn't the best at the time, but I think you get the general idea of the card.

Then on the back, I used a teeny little scrap along with my personalized stamp.

Supplies:
Stamps:  Verve "Dare to be You"
Papers:  Ivory, black, dps all from Graphic 45's "A Proper Gentleman" collection
Ink:  Versafine Onyx Black
Other:  SU! Photo corners punch, Nesties circle dies


Thanks for stopping by!
Blessings!
Sarah

Summer Fun

Today I made a card for 5 challenges.  At Basic Grey, the challenge was to use summery images and papers for the "Sizzing Summer" challenge.  I used papers from Basic Grey's "Lauderdale" collection.  Just Magnolia & Hanglar Stanglar challenged us to "Holiday Fun" which could include summer vacation/summer holidays.  An Oldie but a Goodie challenged us to use "Outdoor Fun."  The Shabby Tea Room provided us with an inspiration photo (which we could elect to use or not) along with "Polka Dots."  Finally, at The Beary Scrap, the challenge was a tic tac toe board.   I used the diagonal:  pearl, charm, and glitter.

My layout comes from the last Beary Scrap Challenge (#31, sketch) which I just didn't have time to use.  I loved the sketch though and had it sitting out on my work table, so I thought why not use it now?

Here's my very bright summery card!  (the brown on the left is from the table - whoops!)

I colored Tilda using Copics, cut her out, and placed her on top of the inner tube.  The glitter is added to the edge of her swimsuit ruffle and to the ripples.  I used Copics and Prismacolor pencils to color the water.  The sky is sponged SU! "Bashful Blue."  The charm says "Love."

Supplies:
Stamps:  Magnolia Stamps - Tilda, inner tube
Ink:  Memento Tuxedo Black, SU! "Bashful Blue" for sponged sky
Papers:  White, black, all dps from Basic Grey "Lauderdale"
Other:  Copic markers, sponge, Stickles crystal glitter, Recollections flower and mini roses, knitting needle to curl wire ends, Recollections pearls, Love charm from Jo Ann's bridal section


Thanks for stopping by!
Blessings!
Sarah

Hello Pumpkin!

Over on Splitcoaststampers, in the Verve Forum, Jackie is hosting the August Get Your Diva On challenge.  Her challenge involves using a tag on a card or making a set of tags.  One of the challenge participants will get to be a Guest Diva!  I'm hoping that some of the release party Diva dust rubbed off on me {giggle!}.   A girl can hope, can't she?!

I started with Shannan's VLV sketch for August week 3.  I loved all of the layers in the sketch!

I decided that I would somehow incorporate a tag into this sketch, but truly, I think I'm just about the only person out there that isn't completely in love with tags!  They are just really hard for me to do and have it look like the tag is a part of the design and not just a tag added on top (or to the side or behind or whatever).  The other challenge I had was that while I do have a bunch of different Nestie labels that I could use to make a tag, I really wanted to use the tag in the Verve set "Glad Tidings."  I'm kicking myself a bit for not purchasing the Verve tag stamp and coordinating scallop die previously, but so it goes.

Enough chatter and on to the card!

I used dps from My Mind's Eye "Stella Rose Mabel Collection." 

**Warning:  The following pictures are horribly blurry.  I took them on my cell phone and it just wouldn't focus.  Next time I will know that I have to get the "real camera" to take more desirable photos!  Sorry!**

The tag was the most challenging element of this card. I stamped the pumpkin image from "Bountiful Harvest" and colored it using Copics. Then I made a mask of the little pumpkin using a green post it note.  I carefully cut out the pumpkin image by hand.

Next, I positioned the mask over the colored pumpkin and then stamped my tag from "Glad Tidings."  I LOVE clear stamps for the ability to position them exactly so!  I left the post it note mask in place so you can see what a mess it appears to be at this point.

Then when the post it mask is removed, you have the colored image with the tag border and a little bit of what was supposed to be a snowflake, but I think it works as pumpkin leaves and tendrils.

Here's a closeup of the embellished tag.

On the inside of the card, I used the remainder of the sheet that I'd previously used to cut the circle for the front of the card.  I added the brown mat to help "fill" the hole. 

I used my scraps to finish the back of the card along with my personalized stamp framed in a scalloped circle Nestie.

Supplies
Stamps:  Verve "Glad Tidings" tag and "Bountiful Harvest" sentiment and pumpkin
Ink:  Versafine Onyx Black, Memento Tuxedo Black, Vintage Photo Distress Ink (sponged around edges of tag), and SU! Always Artichoke
Papers:  white, kraft for base and mats, and dps from My Mind's Eye "Stella Rose Mabel Collection"
Other:  scissors, post it note, button and seam binding from stash, Bow Easy, Jewelry Designer hemp cord, Grand Nesties circle die, sponge
Technique:  Coloring with Copics, sponging, and masking

Thanks for stopping by!
Blessings!
Sarah

Time to Emboss

The current Stamping in Time challenge at Our Daily Bread Designs is to use embossing (dry and/or heat) in our project.  I knew I wanted to use the Coredinations paper I just bought last weekend, so this was the perfect challenge to try something new!

I used Andrea's VLV sketch for week 2 as the basis of my layout.

My Coredinations paper dictated the color scheme since it was brown with pink exposed once embossed and sanded.  I used a Cuttlebug embossing folder with a clock theme as I thought it related well to the verse.  The oval sentiment is attached using foam tape as that crocheted trim is surprisingly thick!

You can see the sanded embossed detail a bit better along with some pretty flowers in this closeup.

Supplies: 
Stamps:  ODBD "Time"
Papers:  White, dark brown (for mat), Coredinations cardstock in "Hazelnut"
Ink:  Versafine Onyx Black, Vintage Photo Distress Ink (sponging)
Other:  Nestie oval die and scalloped oval die, pink crocheted trim from The Girls' Paperie "Kitch" market trims, Prima flower, Recollections roses, knitting needle to curl wire ends, foam tape, sponge, sanding block, Cuttlebug embossing folder "Clockworks"

Thanks for stopping by!
Blessings!
Sarah

Happy Anniversary!

Today is our 16th wedding anniversary!  Hard to believe it was really that long ago that we were married on a VERY hot and humid August afternoon.

I made a card for my hubby using Amber's sketch for VLV week 1.

I think I managed to make a decent masculine card!  (Notice that there are no ribbons or roses on this card!)  The papers are a wildlife line from Bo Bunny.  I know hubby likes green, so I used the one that is supposed to look like alligator skin (see the gator printed on the paper under the sentiment?) along with some other coordinating papers from this 6 x 6 pad.  A bit of a departure from my usual style, hmm?  :)
 

In the closeup, you can see the tiger in the orange dot of the heart die cut.

Supplies:
Stamps:  Verve "Love Story"
Papers:  kraft for base and mats, dps from Bo Bunny's "Zoology Collection"
Ink:  Versafine Onyx Black
Other:  Nestie heart die

Thanks for stopping by!
Blessings!
Sarah

Faith

Hi!  Tonight I'm back to share a card that I made for 5 challenges.  I started with Our Daily Bread Designs Shining the Light Challenge 70 which is a sketch challenge and added ODBD Stamping in Time Challenge 40 to use a doily.  Then I turned to CR84FN for color inspiration, The Shabby Tea Room #73 requires us to use at least 3 dps, and at Papertake Weekly, anything goes! 

Here's my card.  My gray (Bazzill "flintstone") is maybe a little bit too dark, but the only other gray I had was so pale that it almost appeared a pale lavender.

I started with a 6" square white cardstock base and then added a 5 7/8" square green panel on top of it.  I stitched around the edge of that base green panel as well as the individual squares.  The squares are cut at 1 3/4" square which leaves about 1/8" borders.

I was thinking a lot about my Mom as I made this card.  As those of you who regularly read my blog know, she died the day after my birthday back in April due to a pulmonary embolism (blood clot in the lung).  It is still just unbelievable to me that she is gone.  I was using my trusty old Elna sewing machine to do the stitching on this card and agonizing about trying to get the stitching to be exactly straight and uniform.  I remembered Mom's lessons in sewing (she was a home ec teacher for over 30 years) about using the edge of the presser foot to keep the stitches straight and so on.  I'm definitely moving forward in the grieving process, but I just have to remember to have faith.  I just was entirely unprepared to suddenly lose my Mom at age 66.  She would have been 67 in July, and it would have been my parents' 40th wedding anniversary on July 24th.  So those days were harder ones for us.

I used the gray to make a doily with 2 different Shapeabilities dies.  The doily I left as it was, but the other parts layered below were cut apart and layered from the other dies in that set.  Here's a closer look.

Supplies:
Stamps:  ODBD "Faith"
Ink:  Versafine Onyx Black
Papers:  white cardstock base, all 3 dps (speckly green, lavender with small print, lilac print) are from K & Co.'s "Watercolor" collection, gray is Bazzill Basics "Flintstone"
Other:  MS butterflies punch, Recollections pearls, sewing machine, Nestabilities circle die, Spellbinders Shapeabilities "Parisian Motifs"

Thanks for stopping by!
Blessings!
Sarah