Freshly Made Sketches #718

Hello, and Happy New Year!

Are you refreshed and ready for another year of Freshly Made Sketches? 

Amy brings us Sketch #718 and it looks like this.

 

I had several ideas in mind and settled on an embossed background technique that 

I learned from the talented Therese Calvird on YouTube.

 

Basically, you use a 3D embossing folder on patterned paper then swipe white pigment

 ink over the raised areas. And that's it. Adding glitter to the wet ink is optional but 

you can do without and the results are still amazing!

My folder of choice was Altenew's Magnolia Dreams and I made sure to use a pigment

ink pad with a firm, flat surface. I used a pad of Craft Consortium paper and my

sentiment is from CZ Designs. 

Be sure to check out Therese's tutorial and give this technique a try, and join the

challenge if you can. You have until Monday, January 12th at 3PM EST to link up

 your card

 

Freshly Made Sketches #717

 

Freshly Made Sketches #717 by Narelle will be the last sketch for 2025

so that all of you, as well as the design team, can enjoy the holidays.

 

 Here is my simplified take on it.

 

The Backyard Wren is typically facing to the right but I wanted it facing inwards 

to the left. After die cutting the pieces, I colored the reverse side and assembled 

the bird. A cream colored panel was embossed and adhered to a kraft card 

base. The wren and greenery were adhered per the sketch and I added a 

simple one word sentiment.

 

Come and join our last challenge of the year. You have until Monday, 

January 5th, 2026 to link up your card for this sketch.

Happy Holidays and see you in the new year!

The Flower Challenge #109

 

 It was a sad day in blog land when The Flower Challenge announced it will

close its doors at the end of the year. Kudos to Karren for taking over running

the challenges after pioneers Aileen and Vi "retired" and prevented us from 

going through floral withdrawal.

 

I'm entering the last challenge with the theme to Use Christmas Florals.

 

 

I know we think of poinsettias as a Christmas flower and I own a few poinsettia 

stamps and dies but couldn't decide on which one to use. So I went with snowdrops 

after Googling to see if they were considered a winter flower and was quite pleased
to read that they are.

 

 

I own two sets of snowdrops and I'll have to admit that the one by Papertrey Ink 

was much easier and faster to assemble. As luck would have it, I had an inked

and spattered panel that I was probably going to use in landscape format.

I turned the panel and adhered the flowers and leaves on top and spattered

more "snow" over the panel. I finished off the card with the sentiment and

iridescent sequins.

So here's to The Flower Challenge and their design team members, old and

new, for all the inspiration you provided. We'll miss you!

Freshly Made Sketches #716

 

 Michele brings us this week's Freshly Made Sketches #716 and there are

countless possibilities for the circular element.

 

 

Here's how I was inspired.

 

I put together leaves, berries, and branches, and adhered them to an embossed circle.

A dark green card base was embossed with tiny dots and the circle was adhered

to it. A simple sentiment was stamped on a banner shape and adhered to the

card per the sketch.

Visit the Freshly Made Sketches blog for all the details and deadline as well as

inspiration from the team, then come and join the challenge! You have until

Monday, December 15th at 3:00pm EST to link up your card(s).

Simon Says Stamp DieCember® 2025

 

By now you've seen the fantastic DieCember® Release from none other than

Simon Says Stamp. 

 

 

 

 

They graciously sent me the Jewel Heart wafer die and I created a couple of projects

with it. I tried to think "out of the box" and paired it with older products.

 

After shading the top piece I assembled the heart and adhered it to a Spellbinders

arch that was cut from patterned paper from Whimsy Stamps. The sentiment was

white embossed on vellum and cut with the outline, then adhered to the card base.

A sub sentiment was white embossed on the bottom.

 

For my second card I envisioned a wedding or anniversary card and went with

a white on white color theme.

 

The heart was cut from cream card stock and vellum and assembled. An older

SSS set--Clustered Leaves--was also cut from vellum. I chose a CZ Designs 

sentiment and finished off the card with iridescent sequins.

Visit Simon Says Stamp and to view and shop the new release. I'm sure you'll find

new goodies to enjoy!

Freshly Made Sketches #715

 

Today's a special day with a special post!  I can finally announce that I am officially

a design team member for Freshly Made Sketches!  I love working with sketches 

and could not refuse the invitation from Jennifer Timko to work with the

ladies I've long admired for their weekly creativity. 

I'm also back together with my former CASE this Sketch buddy, Michele Ferguson

and another former teammate, Jen Mitchell! Oh happy day!

Now that I've gushed long enough, here's this week's sketch by Karren.

 

 

And here's my take on the sketch using another Memory Box cutie.

After assembling  the Snowy Owl I added a bit of Stickles on the hat's band and 

pompom. I ran an aqua strip through a snowflake embossing folder and a Kristina 

Werner snowflake was cut from specialty paper from my stash. 

 

I adhered all the pieces per the sketch and added a white embossed sentiment. 

I rounded off the two bottom corners and my first DT card was done.

 

 Visit the Freshly Made Sketches blog for more inspiration and join us if you can.

You have until Monday, December 8th at 3:00PM EST to link up your card(s).

 

Thanks, always, for stopping by!

 

 

Freshly Made Sketches #713

 

Now that company has left, I'm finishing up a card I started

and entering it just under the wire for Freshly Made Sketches #713.

 

 

I've simplified the sketch by omitting the frame, focusing more on the focal point.

 

 

I've had Gina K Designs Jolly Holly bundle for a while now and finally pulled

it out for Jen B's sketch. I love stencil and emboss sets and if there's a

matching die included, then that's a bonus. 

I added a bit of Stickles on the berries and white embossed a sentiment

and called it done. Off to link this up with hours to spare!

Thanks so much for stopping by!

JUGS Week #800 -- Anything Goes

 

Just Us Girls (JUGS) Challenge #800 is a special one as it marks their 800th

challenge! What a milestone! I consider myself a "newbie" to their challenges,

and I started playing along thanks to blogging pal Michele.

 

 I wanted to join the celebration and squeezed in a card, just under the wire.

 

I fell in love with that Memory Box bird doing its happy dance, another enabled

purchase from Michele. Doesn't he just evoke joy? After inking him I spattered

a bit of water for texture. I ran an arched piece partially through a snow 

embossed folder then stamped the sentiment.

 

A red card base was embossed and inked around the edges and topped with

the arch piece and bird. 

Here's a better pic of the sentiment which is an old (c.2012) set from

Simon Says Stamp that I wish they would remake. It has some of my

favorite holiday sentiments on it.

Ok, now I'd better run and link this up. Thanks, always, for stopping by!

  

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Edited to add: I'm honored to receive a SHOUT OUT from JUGS!

Now I'm really doing a happy dance! Thanks so much, ladies!

 

Freshly Made Sketches #711

 

Hey there! It's good to be back, crafting again! I had several ideas for

Kim's Freshly Made Sketches #711 and when Papertrey Ink's order arrived,

it sealed the deal on what to use as the focal point.

 

 I used the new Timeless Ornaments Die Set and topped it with some greenery, 

also from PTI.

 

 

 I colored the orb with Crimson Cheer Interference ink then ran it through an

embossing folder for added texture. I ran the card base through an old,

discontinued embossing folder (remember Cuttlebug?) and adhered

the ornament. I finished off the card with a Mama Elephant sentiment.

I'm linking this up, then plan to visit blogs and Instagram. I've missed so much! 

Thanks for stopping by!

Freshly Made Sketches #709

Jen M is the sketch designer for Freshly Made Sketches #709 and here it is.

 

 

I was excited to see a square design, although I'm sure it didn't have to be a square card.

Since my order from Brass and Bliss just arrived, I put them to work for the sketch.

But you might see it differently...

 

I opted for a white pumpkin to make the florals stand out. I tried to do Tina Smith's

"die cut dipping" on all the pieces but ended up ink blending the ginkgo leaves.

I gave the pieces a good spatter with white ink then adhered them to an

embossed panel. I finished off with the Stamp Market sentiment.

 

How did I do? A little far fetched? It's pretty much what I had in mind and I

wanted a white pumpkin because an orange one wouldn't stand out as much.

 

This is when I tell you that this will be my last blog post for a while. We leave

soon for the land of sushi and sumo and I'm so excited!

Thanks, always, for stopping by!

 

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Edited to add: So honored that Narelle "saw" the sketch on my card and

chose to give me a Princess pick! Thanks so much!