Christmas Snowflakes

This week's sketch is a bit different and at first may seem a bit challenging. However, it isn't as daunting as you may first think. Let me show you the sketch and then break it down for you a little so that you will see just how easy it really is. Here is the sketch:

You will notice that my card is not a literal version of the sketch. In place of the paisley shapes, I've substituted snowflakes. After I created my card, I learned that one of the other DT members had also used snowflakes in place of the paisley shapes. Two of the DT members used actual paisley shapes, and one of us very creatively used leaf sprigs. The point I am making is that you can take creative liberties with this sketch and use a variety of shapes in place of the paisley shapes. You may use leaves, flowers, stars, hearts, or even tea cups -- in other words, you are only limited by your own creativity and imagination.

I used a white 5 x 7" card base. I placed a piece of red snowflake paper, from an Imaginations Christmas pad, on top of the card base. The snowflakes are a combination of two different type pre-cut snowflakes that I got in packages from Michael's Crafts several years ago. The dimensional one is plastic whereas the flat ones are a silky type material. Since they were larger than the paisley images on the sketch, I only used four of them. The sentiment is from a card kit that I bought 7-8 years ago.

This was one very quick and easy card. The paper and the pre-made embellishments made quick work of this card. However, I think you will find that whatever theme you pick, this sketch is going to work up quickly. You really need to run over to the Tuesday Morning Sketches blog and have a look at what the other team members have created!!

If you still need more incentive to play along with us this week, here is a look at the super prize that some lucky person is going to win:

Show us what you come up with and post it to the TMS blog to have a chance to win that lovely stamp set!

Bird House and Flowers

Somehow I completely skipped last week -- oh, not in reality, but in terms of posting my Tuesday Morning Sketches DT card. I made the card. I even photographed it, but then I guess I went through a mind-warp and that's where my routine stopped! Anyway, I wanted to share my last week's card with you. This card was used as a birthday card for a very sweet lady's 82nd birthday. She is so kind and thinks my cards are lovely, so I enjoy creating something for her.

I used a 5 x 7" burgundy base. I placed a piece of floral DP from the Heartfelt Creations peony collection on top as a background. I then cut the image piece from the same peony pad. The oval and the pink background are actually one piece. It is matted with the burgundy. The sentiment is also from that peony pad. I cut a burgundy fishtail and adhered the sentiment to it so that the wording would stand out more. Lastly, I adhered some dainty flowers from Wild Orchid Crafts and some punched green leaves to the lower right edge of the image.

Once again, Heartfelt Creations has pretty much done all the work for me. Between Tuesday Morning Sketches and Heartfelt Creations, I can create some beautiful cards that makes my friends feel very special.

Anyway, thank you for letting me share (albeit late) my Tuesday Morning Sketches DT card. Stay tuned for this week's card in just a few hours from now (smile)!

Day Filled With Love

I was ready to write this post last night when my internet went out. Actually, my entire Xfinity went out because I not only didn't have internet, but I didn't have television service, either. Anyway, I hope you will forgive my tardiness.

This week's sketch is by Melissa, and it is a wonderfully classic design that you will be able to use in a variety of ways. Just a hint: those three turned squares can be a plethora of things such as hearts, song notes, other images, candy pieces, spiders, webs, etc. (think Halloween). Are you getting the picture?

I stayed pretty true to the exact design (minus a bow) for my card. I have been having to replenish my stash of adult birthday cards, so the original design fit my needs. The carnation image is colored with pencil and then I added a light coating of glitter shimmer to different petals (not all of them) and the center.

I started with a light pink 5 x 7" card base. All of the other papers (except the image) are from my scrap pile. Yes, you read that correctly. Other than the card base, I did not use any new paper for this card. I layered the image with dark pink to set it off from the multi-colored background paper. I punched three squares (using a Creative Memories punch), and I stamped the sentiment. The two gems that I used in place of the bow are dark green and match the green in the background. (Yes, I know they look a bit bluish in the picture, but they are green.)

Have a good week. Here's hoping that will include some crafting time! See you again next Tuesday, if not before.

Smile in Metal!

I don't know why I cannot seem to be organized any more (or any less -- wait, no, I don't want to be any less). The days are just flying by, and I can't seem to keep them straight. Just discovered that I failed to post this week's Tuesday Morning Sketches card here on my blog (hanging my head).

This is the new sketch. It is provided by Carol and is really much prettier and easier than it looks in the sketch. I know you are going to have fun with this one. The DT all came up with something entirely different from each other.

We also have a fun-tastic prize for this week's challenge, and here it is:

OK, so I went steam punk with my card. I have used one of Sherry Baldie's steam punk images and a variety of dies to create a "metal" look. The bear has been fussy cut and is sitting on a circle that has been topped with a clock face die cut. I ran my "cogs" die through a number of times to get enough pieces to create the elements coming out from behind the circle. Lastly, I moved the sentiment to the side of the card in order to have enough room and used a metal word from my stash. Didn't it turn out adorable?

Despite my being a couple of days behind posting my card, I hope you will still have time to possibly create your own and submit it to the Tuesday Morning Blog challenge. That die sure is pretty and would be a wonderful addition to anyone's collection. They can be used, not only for Christmas, but for wedding and anniversary cards, too. Don't you just love multi-functional tools?

Blue Birds of Happiness

Melissa said that I was either still clinging to spring or looking forward to it with my little image. I actually had not thought about it being a spring image. I thought of it more as a pretty summer image, and I admit that I am clinging to summer for a little while longer. After all, fall doesn't officially come until this weekend (22nd September)! I so like the images painted by Carolyn Shores Wright. I actually own five of her framed prints (2 birdie prints and three kitty prints).

I have combined pink, blue and green for my papers, picking up the colors in the print. The card, itself, is a 5" x 7" pink card. The blue print background is matted with green. My image is matted with the same pink as the card, and my embellishment is cut from the green. I have finished the front off with the three pink pearls in the upper right corner.

Since this card is all a matter of cutting and gluing, it made up very quickly, but I think it looks quite lovely; how about you?

This week we have a fun stamp set for our challenge prize. This is the CC Design set:

                                               

Wouldn't you like a chance to win that lovely background stamp? It could be yours. All you have to do is create a card using our sketch, post it to your own blog and then link it to the Tuesday Morning Sketches blog. You may be our random winner of the Autumn Leaves background stamp. There is one thing for sure. If you don't enter, you definitely will not win!

Have fun with this week's sketch, and I'll be back next week with another wonderful sketch to share with you.

Happy Birthday

Are you ready for anothr lovely sketch? I have to say that this one is another "quicky" that doesn't look like it. Depending on what you use for your papers and your image, this sketch can have a plethera of looks! 

I started with a pink card base (a 5" x 7" turned horizontal). I put a layer of blue DP on top (that's where you really set the "tone" of this sketch depending on your background paper). Card, DP and image. It doesn't get any simplier than that! I picked a lovely vintage image of pink flowers for my focal point. I cut the circle and then layered it on the solid pink. I used the same piece of solid but cut an even larger circle from the edge to use across the front. 

A Happy Birthday die cut from the blue DP gives me my sentiment, and I topped it off with pink pearls (simply because I like my bling - smile). I think the whole look is one of simple sophistication, and I'm rather pleased with the overall effect. 

If you haven't given the Tuesday Morning Sketches a try, I think you should. The sketches are so much fun and a real creative boost. We have been having some wonderful participation, but we'd love to have even more. All it takes is a few minutes of your time. Create a card following the sketch, take a picture, then post it to your blog linking it to the Tuesday Morning Sketches blog. 

Have a good week. When you read my blog next Tuesday (not today, but next week), I will be another year old (smile). Yuppers, I have a birthday coming up on the 17th. Someone asked me to name something good about having another birthday. I replied, "Having another birthday!" 

One other thing before I go. Today (11 September) is the anniversary of the attack on the Twin Towers and the Pentagon by terriorists here in the United States. Please, if you would, take a minute this morning and just remember all the people who lost their lives.

Thank you and God bless!

N is for Nice

Once in a blue moon (in other words, not very often), we will have a challenge that makes me struggle a bit. They are, after all, called challenges, so if every one was easy where would the challenge be? This was one of the sketches that left me scratching my head.  I knew that I could use ribbon, baker's twine, even wire, to create the element beside the image, but then I really couldn't really figure out a sentiment or image to combine with the decorative element. I pondered my dilemma for quite a bit and decided to change out that funky shape for a letter. September is filled with birthdays that I need to acknowledge, so I settled on a birthday theme and a play on the word "nice." 

Originally I had cut a capital N to use, but it turned out not only to be just a tad too big, but rather lack-luster, so while searching my embellishments and my drawer of letters, I foundthe green glitter n that I used. It is a tad smaller than I would have liked, but the glitter works in a fun way to call attention to it. 

I used a piece of paper with different colored "jelly bean" shapes as my background. I matched the dark, rose pink with a solid from my stash to create the punched border piece that goes across the middle of the card. (I used a Martha Steward border punch.) I used three green brads below the border, and I typed my sentiment onto a lighter pink. 

Since I wasn't really sure how I felt about the card (it really is quite different from my usual style), I put a fun verse on the inside about birthdays being good for you because the more you have the longer you live. Despite being a bit different, it did turn out kind of cute, and the person who will receive it has a sense of humor, so perfect for her.

I've alreasy seen a couple of my teammate's cards for this challenge, and as always, we have come up with totally different ideas. I think you are going to find them all to be quite wonderful, and I hope they will inspire you to try your hand with this sketch.

Happy crafting; have a great week!