Tuesday Sketches Meet Saturated Canary

This week our challenge is sponsored by Krista Smith of Saturated Canary. Krista was gracious enough to provide images for the design team, and I have used the lovely Sabrina for my card. Before I tell you what all I did, let me share this week's fabulous sketch with you.

Sabrina was colored with Copic markers on X-Press It brand card (my go-to medium on my go-to card). I seem to be on a pink and green kick of late, and I've colored this lovely in those colors, adding a bit of khaki   and yellow for accents. My DP is from a 12 x 12" pad by K&Company. Sabrina's pocket is filled with yellow flowers (per me), so I carried the yellow to the paper flowers (Recollections by Michael's) that I added to the corner. The sentiment is a digi circle sentiment.

Join us this week in our challenge at Tuesday Morning Sketches. You know you just adore those SC beauties, so don't turn down the chance to possibly add a new one to your collection. Our randomly picked winner will have a hard time choosing which new image they might want. In the mean time, drop by the Tuesday Morning Sketches blog and have a look at all the beautiful cards the DT has made using other SC images.

Challenges:
Challenges 4 Everybody - Anything Goes
QKR Stampede - Favorite Things
Sisterhood of Crafters - Anything Goes
Wags and Whiskers - Flowers
Copic Marker Europe - Girl Images Only
Saturated Canary - All Things Bright and Beautiful

Legend of the Dogwood

This week's Twist of Faith #35 challenge theme is:

TREES!

We want to see trees in your creation.

Your creation should also include a scripture, uplifting verse or positive words/quote

"But blessed are those who trust in the  LORD and have made the  LORD their hope and confidence.  They are like trees planted along a riverbank, with root that reach deep into the water.  Such trees are not bothered by the heat or worried by long months of drought.  Their leaves stay green, and they never stop producing fruit."

 ~ Jeremiah 17:7-8 NLT ~

This week's scripture share is a reminder to us all that we should put our roots deep into the spiritual waters and not worry about worldly things. The more we allow ourselves to be nourished with spiritual knowledge, the more our faith will produce in our lives... as always, you are free to use whatever scripture, verse/passage or uplifting saying will suit your creation in our theme.

We are excited to welcome our sponsor for this week, Eureka Stamps! Our randomly drawn winner will receive their choice of five (5) digital images from  Eureka Stamps. We thank Eureka Stamps for their generosity.

I have used the Legend of the Dogwood image which I printed off and matted with pink card. In addition, I have used a beautiful picture showing delicate Dogwood blossoms which I also matted with pink. Each spring, we look forward to the blossoming of the Dogwood trees here in Georgia (USA). The trees grow wild, as well as being a favorite for many personal gardens, and the delicate white or pink flowers abundantly adorn the landscape usually around Easter time. For some unknown reason, though, the blossoms were terribly skimpy this year across the state. Our state horticultural researchers were left totally baffled as to why. It was rather disappointing (sigh)!

My card base is white card topped with green card and then pink patterned paper (very OLD Basic Gray). Because the photo and the legend were rather large, I've kept the embellishments to a minimum so as not to over crowd the card. My green satin ribbon and bow and a few pearls were (in my opinion) all that were needed to complete this lovely card.

Please visit our Twist of Faith blog and look at the lovely tree inspired cards by the other DT members. Then, join us this week by sharing your tree card (hey, it can even be a Christmas tree if you are already working on your Christmas cards). Just remember to add our Twist of Faith by including a scripture, uplifting verse or phrase or encouraging, positive words.

Challenges:
Craft Your Passion - Use Text

Tinker Bell and Flutter By Wednesday

It's time for another Flutter By Wednesday Challenge!! Be sure to visit the blog to see how you can play along and to see what the other fabulous Flutter By Team members have created!!

This week we have a wonderful sketch by the talented Kathy!

I started my card with a white base and covered both sections with coordinating DP (actually, the reverse sides of one 6x6" piece). I then used a matching piece of blue card and for my doily (LifeStyle Crafts die), I used a matching yellow card (there are actually yellow lines in the stripe piece, but they aren't showing up well in the photo).

I colored Tinker Bell with Copic markers and added Stickles to her wing and the "pom-pom" on her shoes. I then fussy cut her and adhered her with foam dots over the yellow doily. I added my sentiment and three rhinestones and voile, a beautiful little card!

Twist of Faith Sketch

"God can bring peace to your past, purpose to your present, and hope to your future."
John 14:27

This week's Twist of Faith #34 challenge theme is a:

SKETCH CHALLENGE

We are happy to welcome back as our sponsor ... the fabulous Bugaboo Stamps!  This week our challenge prize for our random winner is a wonderful prize of SEVEN DIGITAL IMAGES... winner's choice!

I've used Bugaboo's image Jessie Angel Bear for my card. Now I have to confess something before I go on. I have a hard time coloring animals. There is just something about coloring them that my brain is not grasping. However, I keep TRYING. I am bound and determined to "get" it. I was thinking I hadn't done too badly on little Jesse Angel and then I looked at my card when I posted it here and thought, "the "highlight" on his tummy would have looked better if I'd made it round. OK, so where am I going with this confession? Usually I don't openly point out the "flaws" in my creative works. However, I've made up my mind to keep trying, to practice more and (hopefully) to finally be able to skillfully color animals. 

Sometimes I feel the same about my spiritual life. I recognize the flaws, but I keep trying, and (hopefully) on judgement day, the Lord will allow me to "master" perfection. I can believe that He forgives me my past, is with me in my present and thus, gives me hope for the future.

I colored my image using Copic markers and a Sukura glitter pen (halo and star). I cut it into a square shape and matted it with orange card. My card base is 5.5 x 5.5 inches square, and I've added a layer of Co'ordinations card on which I've put a layer of dotty paper (My Mind's Eye). The two strips (stripy and yellow) are from the same My Mind's Eye pad, and I've matted both pieces with the same Co'ordinations card that I used for the first layer. My star circle/wreath and the ones by the sentiment were cut with a Memory Box die.

Please stop by the Twist of Faith blog and have a look at the inspiration from the other DT members. Then, if time permits, visit their individual blogs and leave them some love. We'd very much like to have you join us this week for the weekly challenge. Just REMEMBER what our challenge is all about.... our 'twist of faith' ... your creation should include a scripture, quote or an uplifiting verse!

Tuesday Morning Sketches #105

Good Morning friends, I'm so happy that you're here.  We have a fun sketch this week at Tuesday Morning Sketches and we're sponsored by Clear Dollar Stamps.  If you've not visited this store, you simply must check it out.  It's home to some of the most adorable digital stamps and papers and sometimes they're combined into one fantastic set.

So here's our super fun sketch we're playing with this week.  It was designed by TMS DT Coordinator, Debbie Foster.

I've used a sweet little stamp by hAngler for my card. It is on X-Press It brand card and colored with Copic markers. I then cut the design using a Spellbinder oval die. My card base is white card then I've used another  Spellbinder die to cut out the center shape. I cut it once in solid pink and then a second time out of the pink dotty paper. My ribbon is green gingham. I also cut the pink dotty paper using a Joy Crafts die to create the two corner pieces.

Alright friends, it's your turn to play.  We can't wait to see what you create with Debbie's sketch.  Be sure to drop by the team's blogs to thank them for their beautiful inspiration and to tell them what a great job they're doing.

Wednesday Flutterings

Good morning people! Wednesday, once again, almost eluded me. I've been trying to pre-schedule my posts due to my work schedule, and I thought I had my Flutter By Wednesday post already done. Just now dawned on me that I had failed to be a good scout this week (be prepared) and my blog entry wasn't there. Yikes! So, a bit tardy today, but here is my Flutter By post.

This week our challenge is to use a sentiment with your butterfly or fairy. The sentiment needs to be on the front of your creation, please! 

For my card, I've used this sweet little Magnolia stamp. Doesn't little Tilda look so coy and innocent in that pose? I smile every time I see this stamp because it reminds me of my granddaughter -- a mixture of a little imp and a wonderful little angel. I stamped Tilda onto X-Press It brand card and colored her with my Copic markers.

My card base is dark blue with a layer of of white and then the butterfly paper. I've inked all pieces with Colorbox brown ink so they stand out a bit more against each other. I then cut a strip of pink gingham (also inked) and a strip of green sheer ribbon. With all the pink and blue, I thought the card needed just a small break from the somewhat monotone pink and blue; thus, the touch of green via the ribbon. 

Once again I fussy cut my image and layered it onto two Spellbinder scalloped ovals which I offset from each other. The punched butterflies are Martha Stewart, and my sentiment stamp is an old Personal Stamp Exchange (PSX) rubber stamp.

Please stop by the Flutter By Wednesday blog and have a look at the BEAUTIFUL creations by the FBW design team members. So much lovely inspiration there that you will not want to miss. Then join us in this week's challenge.

Challenges:
Penny's Paper-Crafty - Birthday
Nutcrafters - Anything Goes
Craft-room Challenge - Sentiment

Tuesday Morning Sketches

We have another great sketch for you this week at Tuesday Morning Sketches, and here it is:

Our sponsor this week at Tuesday Morning Sketches is "There She Goes":

For my card, I have used a little Magnolia Tilda image that I especially like. I think this is one of my "favorites" (if one can have a favorite Magnolia stamp because they are all so charming). I just think this little darling is so cute in her "bubble" sunsuit, and her long, flowing hair is so fun to color. I even fussy cut her! You don't see that from me very often, eh?

I also have a confession to make. I made this entire card (except for the white base) using scraps from my scrap bags. Now how nifty is that? Unfortunately, because they came from the scrap bags (I have a different bag for each color family; thus, the plural ending on bag), I am unable to tell you which paper pad they originally came from and the manufacturer. 

As you notice, I flipped the sketch. I have this "thing" about the images looking toward the center of the card and not off into the air outside the card. Consequently, in order for my little Tilda to work, I had to flip the sketch -- worked fine, though. That is one of the nice things about the sketches from Tuesday Morning, they are very versatile and adaptable. After creating my layers, I popped Tilda up using foam dots, then I added lots of pearls (two sizes) to give the appearance of fairy dust coming down from her hand. My ribbon is by Offray, and my sentiment is computer generated.

I hope our sketch this week tickles your fancy and that you will join in our challenge. We always enjoy seeing the lovely cards that our participants share.

Challenges:

Crafty Bloggers Network Anything Goes

Mema's Crafts Anything Goes
My Grafico Anything Goes 
The Paper Nest Dolls Challenge Birthdays
613 Avenue Anything Goes
Dream Valley Birthday
Paper Makeup Stamps - Make it Girly
Addicted to Stamps - Birthday
Challenges4Everybody - Anything Goes
Inky Chicks - Birthday for Girl

Twist of Faith - Birthdays

This week's #33 challenge theme is:

BIRTHDAYS!

Your creation should also include a scripture,

uplifting verse or positive words/quote

"For through wisdom your days will be many, and years will be added to your life."
(NIV) Proverbs 9:11

Our sponsor for this week is Beccy's Place. Beccy has lovely designs from which to pick, and this week she is generously offering our randomly drawn prize winner their choice of three images from the Beccy's Place collection!

The image I used is Beccy's Shabby Chic Birdhouse. Isn't it beautiful? I decided to use that lovely image for our birthday theme because I often find I have plenty of cards appropriate for children, but few for adults. I also decided to try my hand at this tri-fold design that has alternating "flaps."  I went with a simple red and white color theme to compliment the roses in my image and to make my beautiful image POP. I printed my image on X-Press It brand card and colored it with my Copic markers. That was my first time coloring "wood" so I do hope I gave it the proper look.

I dry embossed my white panels (inside, too) using a Sizzix embossing folder (sorry, I don't have the name nor number for it). Everything else is simple cutting, matting and adhering the various pieces to the tri-folded base. I adhered the birdhouse by placing all my tape on the right hand side only (or the left side when the image is turned face down), and I placed the adhesive on the left side only (right when face down) of the sentiment, careful not to extend the adhesive over the center of the card so that the two flaps would open.

Please go have a look at the other beautiful cards from the Twist of Faith DT members, and then please join us in the challenge this week. Everyone needs birthday cards! Remember, though, to add your uplifting message either through a scripture passage or an inspirational verse, poem, quote to be eligible for the prize images from Beccy's Place.

Challenges:

Crafty Bloggers Network Anything Goes

Mema's Crafts Anything Goes
My Grafico Anything Goes 
The Paper Nest Dolls Challenge Birthdays
613 Avenue Anything Goes
Dream Valley Birthday

Daisy Fairy

Hello there fluttery friends! 

This week our Flutter By Wednesday challenge is being sponsored by Beccy's Place. Beccy's Place is offering a prize of 3 digis from her store to one random winner, and they generously provided some members of the Flutter By Team with digis to use so be sure to check out the inspiration on the Flutter By blog! Our challenge this week is one of your favorites! Open Challenge~ anything goes as long as it has a butterfly or fairy on it!

I was one of the lucky DT members who received an image from Beccy's Place to use this week. My image is called Daisy Fairy, and isn't he a charmer? I've printed him off onto X-Press It brand card and colored him up with Copic markers. Daisy happens to be my younger daughter's favorite flower, and we not only have the white daisy but tons of colored Gerbera Daisy planted in our yard. It is too early for them to bloom as yet, so this little guy will have to do in the mean time.

I left the daisy portion white by lightly coloring it with warm gray marker. (Does sound contradictory, doesn't it? However, white needs a little bit of shadow to truly show.) His tunic and tights represent the leaves and stem, so I used a lively green color for them. His little boots are brown (earth), and his fluttery little fairy wings are a nice yellow gold (sunshine). I did go around my image with light blue so he would stand out more, but the photo did not pick up the blue. (I'm still working on various techniques with both my camera and my lighting in order to get pictures that will show the details better and not be quite so bright in color.)

I've used greens, gold and brown for the layers of my card (My Mind's Eye), and matted each layer with black to set them off and make them pop more. My fairy is matted in both green and black, and my card base is brown kraft paper. I've kept the embellishments to a simple gold bow and the three pearls. He didn't need much embellishing as the image is fab all by itself.

Challenges:
7Kids College Fund - Anything Goes
Bearly-Mine - Anything Goes
Marker Pop - Anything Goes

Sketch That Birthday Challenge

This week, our Tuesday Morning Sketches challenge is a JUDGED CHALLENGE. This means there is a nice price for some lucky card crafter, and it may very well be YOU. Bugaboo is graciously sponsoring our challenge this week, and you know how cute those images are, so you'll definitely want to be adding some of their images to your collection.  However, you first must create a lovely card using the sketch below and then enter your card in our TMS challenge -- easy!

Sketch:

Well, you didn't think I was going to let you off quite that easy did you? Those of you who participate in our TMS challenges know that when there is a judged challenge, there is also a twist -- but don't panic, because this is also easy. Our twist: this time is to make a birthday card (for anyone, any age) using our lovely sketch.

I've used Bugaboo's Birthday Boy image -- isn't he cute -- which I've colored with my Copic markers. Despite not being overly fond of fussy cutting, I seem to be on that trend this week. I fussy cut the little guy with his huge birthday cupcake and adhered him using foam dots. My DP is from My Mind's Eye. The card base is white, layered with the banner paper and then complimented with two more DPs from the same pad. I printed the sentiment from my computer and cut it with a Spellbinder label die. I inked the edges of the sentiment piece (although you can't quite tell in the photo above) with Tim Holtz Antique Linen distress ink.

There you have it -- a cute card that would work for any guy regardless of age (although I'm not sure my three teen grandsons would really appreciate "cute" unless I tucked some pieces of green paper inside, and then they wouldn't care if the card was "cute" or not - smile). Anyway, do stop over to the Tuesday Morning Sketches blog and have a look at all the wonderful inspiration cards (and if you have the time and are so inclined, we'd love for you to visit the DT blogs. We always enjoy visits, and we especially enjoy it when you  leave us a little "love"). 

Happy Tuesday everyone. Go craft something and then share it with us!

Get In Shape

This week's #32 challenge theme at Twist of Faith is:

SHAPED CARDS!
(Not our normal square or rectangle cards please!)

Your creation should also include a scripture,

uplifting verse or positive words/quote

"O LORD, you are our Father. We are the clay, you are the potter; we are all the work of your hand" (Isaiah 64:8). 

We are happy to welcome back our sponsor ... Digi Darla's Designs! Our random prize winner will receive their choice of  FIVE images!

I chose to make a circle card this week for my DT inspiration card. I don't do "construction" well, so keeping my shape "simple" was the best route for me. I used the Spellbinder scalloped circle die and cut my folded cardstock so that just the tips of the upper part of the scallops would not cut, giving me folded, scalloped card. The base is a piece of white card. I then cut a second single layer scallop from DP and adhered it over the top of the front of the white card. This not only gave me a decorative background, but it also covered the small portion at the top where the scallops are not fully cut. 

I then cut a circle from yellow, dotty  DP using the Spellbinder heart circle die and adhered it on top of the blue and white DP. I colored my angel girl using Copic markers, and I fussy cut her. I then adhered her to the yellow using foam dots so that she is raised, giving more dimension to the card. I cut the leaf swirls using a Cheery Lynn die and adhered it to the lower portion of my yellow circle.

My flowers are hand made. The two little "roses" were made using a La La Land small swirled roses die, and the blue flower is three layers of a small 5-petal flower with a rhinestone in the center. I used a bit of pink dotty paper for my sentiment (which I printed off on my computer), and I cut the two v-shaped ends for a banner effect.

I do hope some of you will give the Twist of Faith challenge a try this week. You may use whatever image or theme you want as long as your card base is a shape other than the usual square or rectangle. Even if you don't participate (and we hope you do), please drop by the Twist of Faith blog and have a look at the wonderful cards the DT have made for you this week.

Butterflies All in a Row

It's time for another Flutter By Wednesday Challenge!! We're so happy you're here and hope you'll join us in this week's challenge!

This week we have a sponsor~~ Whimsy Stamps!

Whimsy Stamps is generously giving away 5 digis from their store to the one random winner!


I made my card based on one that I saw on Pinterest. I changed the colors and swapped out flowers for my butterflies. The original card was done in black and white with a row of red flowers. I don't know who originally made the card, so I cannot give her credit, but I liked the clean look of the card and decided to give it a try. All of my cards this week have been fairly CAS cards due to getting ready last week for Easter as well as a couple of unexpected work days.

Anyhoo, I started with a white card base and dry embossed the top portion using a Life Style Crafts embossing folder (EF0006, Floret). I then dry embossed a piece of green card using The Paper Studio folder (749770, Stripes). I cut the green piece in a wave shape and adhered it to the white base. I used a Martha Stewart butterfly punch and punched six butterflies from pink dotty paper. I adhered just the body of the butterflies along the wave so that the wings can be folded upward for dimension. I adhered three pearls (2 small and 1 slightly larger) to the body of each butterfly. I printed my sentiment onto white card and cut one end to give a banner appearance. There you have it. CAS but lovely.

Do have a look at the Flutter By Wednesday blog. The DT have done an exceptional job this week providing beautiful inspiration cards. We have a wonderful team of creative ladies, and it is always a delight to see what each has made each week -- always beautiful variety.

Happy fluttering, ya'll!

Challenges:
CAS-ology - Up

A Glittery Tuesday

Happy Tuesday Morning. Today we have another wonderful sketch for you, and lots of beautiful inspiration for using it over at our Tuesday Morning Sketches blog. This is our sketch:

Isn't it a nice one? Lends itself well for both CAS cards and more embellished ones. I seldom do CAS cards (well, there are times I think all of my cards are rather simple, but not always clean - smile), so I decided to see what I could do with keeping the card a single layer! I keep looking at this card and am not sure I am "in love" with it, but . . .

I've also wanted to try the technique of embossing the background using just my score board. Every time I see the idea on a card, I tell myself I need to give it a try, but then I never do it. This time I did (HA)! My card base is white with the background lines made with my stylis. I've turned my card to the side, but left the design of the card the same as the up and down design. The two DP strips were made from paper in my scrap bag. The oval was cut from a piece I made about a year ago while learning a new technique using glitter. The glitter is applied to a wide piece of Scor-tape with the design portions masked off. Then each masked area is peeled off and a different color of glitter is applied to those areas. The butterfly was punched from matching glitter paper using a Martha Stewart punch.

There you have it -- a nice clean, colorful little card that would work for most any occasion. Just add whatever sentiment fits (birthday, thinking of you, anniversary, get well), and send it off!

Hope you will join us this week in the Tuesday Morning Sketches challenge, but even if you can't, do hope over to our blog and have a look at what the DT has done. We even have a wonderful guest designer this week, Mary J.

New Life

This week's #31 challenge theme is:

NEW LIFE!
(Think Spring, New Baby, or a renewal for you!)

Your creation should also include a scripture,

uplifting verse or positive words/quote

"We were therefore buried with him through baptism into death in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, we too may live a new life."
Romans 6:4

We are so happy to have the Michelle Perkett Studio as our sponsor this week! Michelle hand draws the most beautiful and character filled images, with a special love for fairies, and mermaids!  There are beautiful Christian images and sentiments to be found at the MPS Etsy Store.  Sign up for the newsletter and blog updates, at the Michelle Perkett Studio blog, so you know when the new images are released, and watch out for wonderful freebies!  Oh, and if you love rubber stamps, you can find some of Michelle's designs in rubber at Sparkle N Sprinkle!

Our random prize winner will receive their choice of one of the images we have showcase for you!

When I received my lovely image from Michelle, I wondered at how this fit our new life theme for this week. Then I found a beautiful piece on the internet about the Lotus flower. The little story tells how the lotus blossom grows in muddy water and rises above the surface to bloom with remarkable beauty. The story goes on to tell how the Chinese use the lotus flowers to inspire people to continue to strive through difficulties and to show their best to the outside world. Each night, the lotus flower closes up and sinks back into the murky waters, to rise again the next morning. WOW! How many of us have the ability to rise above our negative situations and to bloom with extraordinary beauty? The answer is that by being born again in Christ and with God's every lasting love, we all can rise above whatever muddy situations we may be in.

I have created my card using my grand labels dies from Spellbinder. I took the largest of the dies and cut the shape from black card. I then folded the card in half. I then cut a gold card using half of the next size die and then a third piece from red with the next size smaller die. I embossed the red piece with a Cuttlebug embossing folder (Wicker Weave 2001269). I then cut my image (which I colored using Copic markers) into a square and matted it with a dark purple mat. I adhered that to a frame that I cut using Marianne die (CR1203). I adhered the Marianne die so that it stands slightly above the fold of the black card. Lastly, I added tiny pearls to the image and larger pearls all around the sides and bottom of the red label.

On the inside, I typed part of the legend of the lotus blossom and printed it off on red, cutting it with the label die. I cut a larger purple label and adhered the red to it, then both to the black card. The portion of the legend I used for the inside reads:

The lotus flower grows in muddy water and rises above the surface to bloom with remarkable beauty. At night the flower closes and sinks underwater, at dawn it rises and opens again. Chinese poets use lotus flowers to inspire people to continue striving through difficulties and to show their best part to the outside world, no matter how bad the circumstance may be. This is as being like the lotus flower, bringing beauty and light from the murky darkness at the bottom of the pond.

There is room for me to add a personal note to the recipient, and I very much see this card as one of encouragement for someone having a difficult time.

Now, if you are still with me (smile), please hop over to the Twist of Faith blog and have a look at the lovely cards the other DT members have made this week for your inspiration. Then, consider joining in this week's challenge. We'd love to see your artwork. Remember, though, in order to qualify for the prize, your card must contain a scripture or inspirational poem, song or verse.