Tuesday Morning Sketch 183

 

 

This is a wonderful sketch to use, and I've since used it for another card. I wasn't overly happy with my DT card this week. The image is darling, and the sketch is great, but my execution just isn't working for me (pastels are just so not me). I think I'll be redoing this card with some brighter colors. The background paper matches nicely, and the middle strip is actually pink (looks brownish in the photo), and the little flower is pretty, but combined I'm viewing the card as a bit washed out.

 

First of all, our sponsor this week at Tuesday Morning is Lil Inker Designs. Her stamp designs are fabulous and I am loving her dies selection, too.  She is offering a $10 store credit for a prize. She sent each of us an image, and mine is the cute little balloon girls -- perfect for a birthday card, right?

 

I am going to leave now and go see if I can't come up with something I like a wee bit better than my DT sample. Will be back shortly and show you the remake. In the mean time, hope you will also visit your craft room and whip up a lovely to enter in this week's challenge.

 

See ya' soon!

I'm back with my revised card. This one is a bit better -- a little more color -- but I think I threw myself "off" with the Copic colors I used to color up my image. This still isn't where I'd like it to be, but think it is better than the dull pastels of my first card. I'll let you be the judge as to whether or not I improved the look (smile). I just think birthdays should be more fun and vibrant, so don't know where my mind happened to be when I made the first card (grin). Without further ado, here is the revision

 

Over all, I think I am a little off my game on this one. However, my DT sisters are NOT off their game, so take a few minutes and visit the Tuesday Morning Sketch blog and feast your eyes on some really pretty inspiration cards. Today I definitely stand in the shadows next to them (smile). Have a good week, and hopefully I'll see you back again next Tuesday!

Yellow and Green

I was so caught off guard with this card. I colored up the image early on and had it in my mind that I had actually made the card and was "ahead" of my game. Last night, when I went to prepare my posting, I discovered that yes, I had colored the image, but no, I had not made my card! As much as I like the spring season (and yellow and green is definitely spring-ish), the combination in my crafting is just so NOT me! I really seldom use yellow at all (green lots, but yellow not), so I did struggle a bit with this card.

Yellow and green is this week's theme for the Card Crafter's Circle challenge. We (and especially I) want to see what you do with this color combination (as you can tell, I need enlightening)! We are happy to have Milk Coffee Stamps joining us again with their sponsorship for you! Our random prize winner will receive their choice of FIVE Milk Coffee images!  I know that will be a fun prize to choose!

Now, I really, really like this little image (Milk Coffee's Fairy Princess). I think she is adorable and perfect for any little girl card. Look at her sweet little face -- a bit of a Mona Lisa smile. I colored her up with Copic markers. The cardstock I used is from my stash, and the patterned paper is from Kraft. I started with a green base which is layered with the yellow and then the DP. At this point, I felt my poor eyes and brain needed a bit of a "rest," so I added a white doily which is made from a Cheery Lynn die (FRM135, Swedish Spring Oval Frame). I then layered my image onto a piece of the yellow, punching one side with a Fiskar's scallop punch.

I added small pearls around my doily as the flower centers, and I used pearls in each corner cut from a strand of scalloped pearls (all by Recollections). My yellow ribbon and bow (Offray) is topped off with a yellow open tea rose (Recollection) which I adhered with dimension foam dots. My sentiment is computer generated using a font called Marnie and is layered with the green card.

Despite my lack of fondness for this color combination, the card actually turned out very pretty. IRL, the colors aren't quite as bright looking as they are in the photo I'm having to use. The yellows and greens are "softer" and     look quite nice together. My teamies over at Card Crafter's Circle have all come up with their own combinations. Take a look! Then get busy creating your own spring card with our color combo and enter it in this week's challenge.We want to see you there!

Challenges:
http://copicmarkereurope.blogspot.com/p/challenge-page.html - Anything goes
http://dutchdare-cardchallenges.blogspot.com/ - Anything with wings
http://foreverfriendschallengeblog.blogspot.com/ - Favorite embellishment (Ribbons, flower & pearls)
http://paper-craftingjourney.blogspot.co.uk/ - For a Girl
http://digistamps4joy-sa.blogspot.com/ - Anything Goes
http://thepapershelter.blogspot.com/ - Anything Goes

Little Flower Fairy

Good morning dear followers. Today is another Wednesday, so that means another challenge at Flutter By Wednesday. This week we have another great layout sketch for you by our own wonderful Kathy Curry, and here it is:

Each week I am totally blown away by the beautiful cards that the Flutter By DT create for your inspiration. This week is no exception. You really MUST visit the FBW site and partake of all the lovely eye candy that is there. Really, if they don't tickle your Muses, then nothing will.

 

I've chosen to make my card a 5.5 x 5.5" square rather than the rectangular shape. My little fairy image is colored up with Copic markers -- isn't she adorable? The patterned papers are from a little packet I picked up at Michael's and are designed by Paula Deen -- yes, "that" Paula Deen who left the kitchen long enough to create equally yummy papers for us crafters. The white lace is by Jolee, and the flowers are by Wild Orchid Crafts. I hand punched the leaves and molded them with my stylis tool to give them a wee bit more dimension.

 

This is a wonderful sketch -- very versatile. I know you will have no trouble at all using the sketch -- over and over and over again. Do give it a try. Then add a butterfly or fairy and enter this week's challenge.

 

Take care and have a great day!

 

Challenges:
http://creativecardcrew.blogspot.com/ - Girly
http://www.craftdoormagazine.com/ - Anything Goes
http://toptiptuesday.blogspot.com/ - Layers
http://www.ladyanneschallenges.com/vickie-challenges.html - Anything Goes

Friendship

Hello again! It is also time for another new challenge at the Twist of Faith card challenge.This week our sponsor is Milk Coffee Stamps. Our random prize winner will receive their choice of FIVE  Milk Coffee images! Milk Coffee consists of two artists who love to draw cute illustrations! They offer cute, quality digital stamps, which are perfect for all forms of paper crafting.  They make cute images for cute creations!


This week's challenge is themed:

FRIENDSHIP

AND a scripture, or uplifting verse/quote or positive words of healing, encouragement, or support

Grrr, Blogger seems to be eating my posts lately. I had written more beyond this point and "published" the entry. I just now have come back to check on something only to find the rest of the blog is missing! I have to laugh despite the irritation because this little card evidently was destined to be my bane from the "git go." I started by coloring two WRONG images. Milk Coffee is also the sponsor this week for another challenge for which I'm on the DT, so I colored images from that group instead of the ones that were sent to be used for this group. OK, so why two before I got it right, you ask? We are assigned images, but Milk Coffee is kind enough to send all the images to every DT member. The first image I colored up was not the one I was supposed to use, so I colored the second image. Yuppers, that's when I discovered I'd colored the image for a different assignment.

Finally got the "right" image colored up and started making my card. Well, Murphy's Law prevailed in the construction work, too, and after several mishaps (of which I won't detail), I finally got this little card finished up (Shew!!).

My image is the cute little girl reading, and the sentiment I used is "Having you as a friend is like curling up with a good book." Now, I am an avid reader (well, I used to be much more so before card making came along - grin), and there is nothing better than curling up with a good book -- especially in front of a fire on a cold day -- yum! Going a step further, there is no better book to curl up with than the Bible. Have you ever stopped to consider the Bible contains every literary genre there is. Whether you are looking for romance, poetry, mystery, adventure, law, short story, biography, you'll find it in the Bible. (OK, you won't find fiction there, but everything else is included.)

Oh, I think I've gotten side tracked. I am supposed to be writing about my card. I colored my image with Copic markers on X-Press It brand card. After coloring the "pillows" behind the little girl and making a mess of them, I ended up paper piecing them using a double sided piece of scrap from my scrap bag. I think they turned out rather cute, and I was much happier with them than the colored attempt (smile). My card is a white base with a layer of blue card. The DPs used are by We R Memory Keepers, and the ribbon is Offray. The little corner punches are by EK Success hand punch.

I hope you will spend a few minutes going over to the Twist of Faith blog. The design team does lovely cards that are truly inspirational (both creatively and emotionally). Our blog mom has worked hard to make this blog and her concept of challenges that provide uplifting message a reality. Unlike other Christian based challenges, Pauline has tried to keep the requirements fairly "open," by allowing you to use uplifting sentiments and not restricting you to only Bible verses. Who doesn't want to receive or send an uplifting message to a friend? We really would like to see more participating in our wonderful challenges. We have great sponsors who generously offer free prizes each week -- a definite plus -- so do please give Twist of Faith consideration as you are working on those lovely creations that you enjoy making. Thanks!

Challenges:
http://www.ladyanneschallenges.com/anything-goes.html - Anything Goes
http://createdwithlovechallenges.blogspot.com/ - Anything Goes
http://papermakeupstamps.blogspot.com/ - Warm thoughts
http://eurekastamps.blogspot.com/ - Anything Goes
http://kaboodledoodles.blogspot.com/ - Ribbon
http://cutedaisymay.blogspot.com/ - Use a Digi
http://sirstampalotchallenge.blogspot.com/ - Friendship

Tuesday Morning Sketch 182

Good morning my blogger friends. Today is another Tuesday, so a new sketch is being offered at Tuesday Morning Sketches. This week's sponsor is Doodle Pantry!  Laurie's image are so cute and fun to work with!  Play along and you could win!!

This is the sketch for this week: 

I turned the sketch vertical for my card. The card base is white with a layer of DP. I then used orange dotty DP and yellow card before adding my little Magnolia image. I used green gingham ribbon and orange roses (Wild Orchid Crafts) and a larger orange flower (Recollections) for my embellishments. The sentiment was computer generated and then hand cut into a banner shape. I rolled the banner and adhered it with glue dots.

There you have it. Hope you will get inspired to join us this week in our new challenge. If you need more inspiration, then do hop over to Tuesday Morning Sketches and have a look at the other FAB cards the design team is sharing. They are all super great!

Challenges:
http://toptiptuesday.blogspot.com/ - Lavish Layers
http://pennyblackatallsorts.blogspot.com/ - Love is in the Air
http://pileitonchallenge.blogspot.com/ - Heart

A Layered Valentine

A happy Friday to you all. This week at Card Crafter's Circle, we are challenging you all to use LAYERS on your card. You may, as I have, used different layers of paper, you may decide to make your image 3-D and layer it, or you may decide to layer on lots of embellishments and bling. The choice is yours, as long as we can see layers of something on your card.

Our sponsor this week is, once again,  STAMP ART DESIGN BY KATHRYNE! We are thankful to have Kathryne as one of our regular sponsors and always enjoy working with her designs. Kathryne has a variety of images and is always working on new ones, so we know you will always be able to find  something great to use   for your crafting needs.

My image is this cute little Raggedy boy. You may remember that I have previously used one of Kathryne's adorable Raggedy girls (she has several), so it was only fair I give the guys equal time (smile). I've colored my image using my Copic markers (you've come to expect that, right?). Then using various DPs from Crate Paper (Toy Box Collection) and Kaiser Craft (Save the Date), and black card, I built up my colorful layers. The little ribbon is from my stash, as well as the hearts. I used a Martha Stewart punch on the stripy piece.

Hope you will have a little time to visit the Card Crafter's Circle blog and that you will be able to join us this week in our new challenge. Have a great weekend and week. 

Challenges:
http://craftingbydesigns.blogspot.com/ -- alcohol ink
http://cardsgalorechallenges.blogspot.co.uk/ - Anything goes
http://pinandtack.blogspot.com/2013/01/spark-your-creativity-now-challenge-5.html - Anything Goes
http://reasonableribbon.blogspot.com/search/label/challenges - Valentine and ribbon
http://glitternsparklechallengeblog.blogspot.co.uk/ - Use a Digi

Not Really Late

I'm not really late with this post; you just can't see the one that was on time. Well, it was partially on time because I posted it last night rather than yesterday morning. I came home from work last night after getting off at 9:00 pm and spent about 40-45 minutes writing a very clever and creative post for this week's Twist of Faith challenge card. Did you see it? No? Well neither did I! After clicking the publish button, the entire post disappeared! Did I cry? Well, no. Did I want to? You betcha!

Our theme this week at Twist of Faith is For the Men, and our sponsor is new here at Twist of Faith. We are so very fortunate to welcome Melonheadz!

Melonheadz images are a fun and whimsical style, hand drawn by Nikki.  At the Melonheadz Blog you will find newly released sets which you can purchase at the Melonheadz etsy store. You will also find staggering selection of freebies (so who doesn't like freebies?). Pop along to the Melonheadz blog and see what you might find! At Melonheadz Exclusives you will find exclusive sets, and previous freebie bundles.  At Melonheadz LDS you will find LDS and Christian illustrations (primary hand outs).

Football (American style) season is almost over here in the US (thank goodness). The college games have finished up, and the pro teams are just playing elimination games to get to the two teams who will compete in the big show known as Super Bowl! The Hubs is not a die-hard, avid armchair quarterback, but it does seem as if football dominates the small screen during the period between Christmas and Super Bowl Sunday! With that picture in my head (and the Hub's 29 Jan. birthday coming up), I thought this little image provided by Melonheadz perfect!

Alas, I am ashamed to say that my Muses evidently didn't get the message and took off (as they often do during winter months) to more temperate parts, leaving me staring at this adorable image and no creative juices flowing. Finally a wee voice in my head said, "If you can't dazzle with creativity; dazzle with color!" Yes, that little voice is NOT very philosophically "deep," but it was the only option presented to me, and as the deadline for my DT card loomed closer and closer, I went with it!

After coloring my image, I matted it with black card. The patterned papers and the blue card are (again) from my scrap bag (really happy to be using so many of the scraps I've collected from this past year's cards). The little red buttons are from my growing collection (something I didn't previously have). The sentiment (alas, not Biblical nor inspirational -- my bad) is computer generated and cut with a Spellbinder labels die.

So there you have it -- simple but colorful -- and perfect for the Hubs! Do run on over to the Twist of Faith blog and have a look at the very creative cards that my team mates have made. You will enjoy the versatility and creativity. Now, keep your fingers crossed for me that the cyber-crooks don't decide to steal this post, too, and I can finally get this entry posted!