Monday, December 24, 2012

New Cards with Old Sketches

I love, love, LOVE to use sketches when I make cards.  I have been attempting to clean/organize my crafting area over the past few days, and one of the jobs I needed to do was sort through the sketches I'd been meaning to use ...... someday.  I decided to take a little break from organizing and make a card with two of my "someday" sketches.

Card #1 uses Amy's sketch and some very bright K & Co. papers.


Supplies:
Stamps:  SU! "Very Punny" (SAB set from several years ago)
Ink:  Memento Tuxedo Black
Paper:  white, bright pink, dps from K & Co. "Berry Sweet"
Other:  Copic markers, Bow Easy, organdy ribbon (Jo Ann's), circle Nestabilities

Card #2 follows Jackie's sketch and more scraps from the same paper collection as the first card.




Supplies:
Stamps:  Verve "Carpe Cupcake"
Ink:  Memento Tuxedo Black
Papers:  K & Co. "Berry Sweet"
Other:  Nestabilities circle, scalloped circle, and labels 5 dies, organdy ribbon from Jo Ann's, Bow Easy, Copic markers, Stickles "Crystal" glitter


I'm embarrassed to say that the house has become a disaster zone while I've been in school full-time this fall.  When push came to shove as finals approached, I just let it all go so I could spend time studying (which did pay off in my final grades!).  I've managed to get some more general cleaning done in the house today which really feels good when you can look back and really see a difference as you move from room to room and get the clutter put away/thrown out/recycled.  I need to get myself removed from a bunch of mailing lists!  Good thing I tackled that task before recycling pickup!  I really wanted the living room especially to look nice so that we have a good background for the Christmas pictures tomorrow!  Ariel was a big help in picking up her various Littlest Pet Shop figures and helping me with the floors.  Choir sings for church tonight, and I hope our two songs go smoothly!

Merry Christmas and thanks for stopping by! 
Blessings,
Sarah

Saturday, December 22, 2012

Christmas Snow!

This week's Shining the Light Challenge at Our Daily Bread Designs (snow or snowflakes) was certainly appropriate for the wintry weather we've had in Wisconsin over the past few days.   We picked up about 15" of snow from Wednesday through Friday, so it will definitely be a white Christmas for us this year!

Here's Ariel measuring the snow on the deck.  The tape measure isn't quite level with the table top, but I think you can see it's a lot of snow!


Our 2 malamutes were also pretty happy to see a lot of snow!  They were not at all happy with the hot, dry summer we had.  They are finding this weather much more to their liking!  I took this picture while it was snowing on Thursday.  As you can see, there are 2 perfectly good dog houses, but these dogs would much rather enjoy the snow. 


OK, on to my card for today!  I used a combination of Our Daily Bread Design stamps for the outside and inside of my card.



I combined these challenges: 
Our Daily Bread Designs Shining the Light 135:  Snow or snowflakes
Simon Says Stamp:  Anything Christmassy
Papertake Weekly:  Pick of the Year (Anything Goes is my favorite!)
Basic Grey Challenges #84:  Anything Goes (I used Basic Grey "Jovial" papers)
Pile it On:  Embellishments

Supplies:
Stamps:  Our Daily Bread Designs "Ornaments 2" and "Christmas Blessings" inside sentiment
Papers:  White, ivory, dps from Basic Grey "Jovial"
Ink:  SU! Wild Wasabi and Versafine Onyx Black
Other:  Spellbinders oval, scalloped oval big scalloped oval, and create-a-flake 4 dies, May Arts 1.25" ivory silk ribbon, Favorite Findings snowflakes, Bow Easy, ivory ribbon with gold edge from stash
Card size:  6" square

Thanks for stopping by!
Blessings,
Sarah

ETA:  Thank you to Our Daily Bread Designs for selecting my card as one of the Shining the Light Award cards for this challenge!  Merry Christmas!







Thursday, December 20, 2012

CIC blog hop winner

So the winner of the $25 Clearly Digi Stamps gift certificate was one of the commenters on my blog.  Congratulations to An'Jenic of AJ Scrapbooking and Cards!  Enjoy your shopping spree!  :)


Wishing you all a blessed holiday season!
Sarah

Sunday, December 16, 2012

Come Hop Along!

As promised, today is the Clearly Digi Blog Hop!  One lucky commenter (randomly chosen) will win a $25 gift certficate from Clearly Digi Stamps good on their fabulous array of digital images.  The hop starts at the Clearly iStamp blog HERE.  Our theme today is Anything Christmas.

Here's today's hop order:
Sarah N. (you are here)


For my card, I decided to use this cute snowman image that was just released last month in "Baby It's Cold Outside."


I used sketch #237 from Sketch Saturday as the basis of my layout.  I want to use this layout again sometime with flowers in the lower left hand corner!  :)


Supplies:
Image:  by Clearly Digi Stamps (Clear Dollar Stamps)
Papers: white, red, dps from DCWV "Everyday stack"
Other:  Spellbinders circle and scalloped circle dies, May Arts 1.25" red silk ribbon, Bow Easy, snowflake from Favorite Findings, Copics, MS snowflakes border punch
Card size:  6" square

Your next stop on the hop is the lovely Lisa!

Thanks for stopping by!
Blessings,
Sarah

Saturday, December 15, 2012

New Release Day at CDS!

Today there is a new release at CDS!  There are new flower images, new animal images, a fun coffee themed set, and much more!  You can see all of the sets being released at the Clearly Digi Stamps blog HERE.

For the new release, I'm featuring two sets today, Flower Garden and Animal Mania.

I decided to use a single flower fom Flower Garden and print it three times close together to make a little flower garden.  I used SC378 for my layout, but I rotated the sketch so I could use up a few scraps of paper. 

 
 
 
Supplies:
Image:  Flower Garden from Clearly Digi Stamps
Papers:  white, pink, dps from Basic Grey "Gypsy"
Other:  Copic markers, Martha Stewart butterfly punch, Spellbinders oval and scalloped oval dies, Recollections rhinestones for flower centers
Card size:  A2

I decided to use the elephant from Animal Mania along with SC339 for my layout.  I rotated the sketch and oriented it "the long way" to fit my elephant image.




Supplies:
Image:  Animal Mania from Clearly Digi Stamps
Papers:  black, white, dps from DCWV "Everyday Stack"
Other:  Copic markers, Recollections mini rose
Card size:  A2

Remember to stop back tomorrow for the CDS blog hop!  Commenters will be entered into a random drawing to win a $25 gift certificate from Clearly Digi Stamps. 

Thanks for stopping by!
Blessings,
Sarah

Saturday, December 8, 2012

From All of Us

I have had more problems with scheduled posting on Blogger than I thought was possible!  This card was supposed to go live yesterday, and it didn't.  As I re-read my post, it turns out that was a good thing because I forgot to mention an upcoming blog hop, and I also got a chance to take a better picture of my card.  :)

First of all, mark your calendars for Sunday, December 16th. Clearly Digi Stamps (Clear Dollar Stamps) will be having a blog hop.  When you leave comments on the participants' blogs, you will be entered into a random drawing to win a $25 gift certificate for digital images from Clearly Digi Stamps.  With a new release coming up on the 15th, you will have even more awesome images from which to choose!  The hop will start from the Clearly Digi Stamps blog HERE.

Another fun thing from Clearly Digi Stamps is their Clearly Inspired Challenge.  You can read all of the challenge guidelines and prize details HERE and see the DT samples HERE.  The current challenge is a sketch challenge, and you have until midnight on January 3, 2013 to enter (challenge was extended from 2 weeks to 1 month for December).

Here's my card that I wanted to share.  I have been wanting to use these cute little birdies for a while, and it was finally their turn to be colored!  I used SC383 from Splitcoaststampers for my layout.





Image:  Tweet Houses from Clearly Digi Stamps (Clear Dollar Stamps)
Papers:  white, black, dps from DCWV "Everyday Stack"
Other:  Copic markers, Nestabilities circle dies
Card size:  6" square

I probably won't have another post until the CDS new images for December are released on the 15th.  I have final exams all of next week, and then I am going to clean my house and stamp, well, maybe not in that order!  (wink)

Thanks for stopping by!
Blessings,
Sarah

Wednesday, December 5, 2012

Happy Birthday!

Today I have a masculine birthday card to share with you.  I struggle with masculine cards as there always seems to be a perfect place to add a nice bow or some flowers, but I left them off and just did some sponging and edge distressing instead!  I like how the sentiment has a screwdriver for the letter i in birthday as it helps with the masculine theme. 

This image is available as a digi from Clear Dollar Stamps.  The digi set also includes 2 patterned papers.  I was going to print them and use them on my card except that I need to get more ink for the printer, so I used a tape measure patterned paper and some others that coordinated.



Supplies:
Image from Clear Dollar Stamps digi "Classic Tools"
Papers:  white, dps from DCWV "Everyday Stack"
Ink:  Vintage Photo Distress Ink
Other:  Copics, Tim Holtz distressing tool, Spellbinders oval die, Recollections screw head brads, sponge
Card size:  6" square

I used SC346 for my layout.


Thanks for stopping by!
Blessings,
Sarah

Monday, December 3, 2012

Hello Friend

Sorry for such a long absence from posting.  School has been keeping me quite busy, and I just haven't had time to do any cards lately!  Today I wanted to share this cute turtle image from Clear Dollar Stamps.  It's one of several turtles in a digital set called "Turtle Greetings."



Supplies:
Image:  "Turtle Greetings" from Clear Dollar Stamps digis
Papers:  white, dps from Basic Grey "Euphoria"
Other:  Copic markers, Nestabilities scalloped circle and circle dies, EK Success scroll punch, flowers from stash, pink pearl from Hero Arts
Card size:  6" square

I used one of Dawny's lovely sketches from Paperake Weekly for my layout.  I'm also entering my card in their challenge for this week which is a free for all using any of the PTW sketches.



Thanks for stopping by!
Blessings,
Sarah