Freshly Made Sketches #701

 

Jen B brings us Freshly Made Sketches #701. I love a simple sketch!

 

 

At first I saw candles but didn't want to go hunting for the dies, so I went 

with a different set of leaves. And this time I used them as leaves.

 

I cut out three leaves from scrap pieces of card stock, along with the "veins" 

of each leaf. A panel was embossed with Altenew's Arched Foliage 3D

embossing folder and the leaves were adhered on top. I finished off the

card with a white embossed sentiment.

Off to link this up--it's been a while since I've been early! 

Thanks for stopping by!

* * *

Edited to add: My card was chosen as the Queen of Clean this week!

Thanks to Jen B and the rest of the FMS team!

Inspired by Challenge #350 -- FISH

 

I hemmed and hawed about sharing this card for Inspired by Challenge #350.

 

 

 Those fish plates caught my eye--aren't they pretty? Even though IB team member

Amy used The Stamp Market's Fintastic set, I was determined to use it, too. 

Small problem: I couldn't find the set.

On to plan B, something that resembled fish and it was Altenew's leaves to the rescue.

My second favorite set of leaves and I was pleasantly surprised that some of them

actually looked like fish!

 

To add to the fishy experience I used a new embossing folder (Underwater Waltz)

from Spellbinders that was waiting for this moment to be used. I colored the leaves in 

blues and even added some seaweed for good measure. An Altenew sentiment 

finished off the card.

P.S. Eventually I found the Fintastic set but I got attached to the faux fish so I'll 

save it for another challenge.

 

 

Freshly Made Sketches #700

 

It's a celebration over at Freshly Made Sketches as they've reached their milestone

700th challenge in 14 years! I just had to make some time to join the fun.

 

 A super fun sketch, right? Visit Freshly Made Sketches and be inspired by their

design team and take a look back at each past and present member's first project.

Here's how I was inspired.

Spellbinders' Sunflower Die just arrived a few days ago after being OOS for quite

sometime. I die cut several layers from light yellow card stock and inked them

to create multi colored sunflowers. 

I cut a square card base from cream colored card stock and ran the front through

an embossing folder. I wanted to frame the flowers so I cut MFT's Square Frame

then placed the flowers inside.

I added the single leaf, following the sketch, and chose a long script sentiment

to finish off the card.

 

Happy 700th, Freshly Made Sketches! Thanks for all the fun and inspiration

you bring week after week and here's to #800!

 

 

* * * 

Edited to add: Completely surprised and honored that my card was chosen as the

Queen of Clean for the 700th Sketch! Thank you so much, Freshly Made Sketches!

 

 

 

The Flower Challenge #105 -- Add Embellishments

 This month's theme over at The Flower Challenge #105 is to Add Embellishments.

 

I'm not as embellishment crazy as I used to be. I'd buy sequins and enamel dots in 

every color and size--not to mention buttons and ribbons. For my card, I went with 

my favorite clear enamel dots that I like to use, especially on florals.

 

I used the new Honeycomb Cover Plate and was inspired by the colors on a card by 

Kelly Lunceford. Flowers and leaves were cut from Altenew's Zero Waste Chocolate

Flowers Cover Plate and arranged over the panel.

I added the gold embossed sentiment and of course, the clear enamel dots that

remind me of water droplets.

Okay I'm off to link up my card. Thanks so much for stopping by!

JUGS Word Week #788 -- BIRTHDAY

 

It's Word Week over at Just Us Girls Challenge #788 and the word is BIRTHDAY.

 

 

 

Here's how I was inspired.

 

  I thought that the birthday mug with candles inside was the cutest image and 

I know several caffeine drinkers who would appreciate it.

 I cut and colored the mug and candles and added some Stickles to the flames.

I used the new Numbers embossing folder for the background, trimmed to show

the diagonal stripes after adhering the paper to a card base. 

I adhered the mug and a white embossed sentiment. Some glittery enamel dots

finished off the card.

I'm also linking this up to Simon Says Stamp Flickr Challenge--Anything Goes--

since I used several SSS products.

Off to link this up. Thanks for stopping by!

 

 

Freshly Made Sketches #699

 

Verena is hosting the current Freshly Made Sketches $699 with this fun sketch.

 

 Since any shape can be substituted for the circular element, I went with a wood slice.

 

A birch wood slice was assembled and a few blooms were added on the side. 

A panel was embossed then trimmed and adhered to a card base. The wood

slice was adhered to the card and finished off with a script sentiment.

I hope that I haven't strayed too far from Verena's sketch. Thanks so much 

for stopping by!

* * * 

Edited to add: Many thanks to Karren for the Princess status for my card!

JUGS Die Week #787 -- FLORALS

 

It's Die Week over at JUGS Challenge and Elizabeth requests using FLORAL dies

on our project. 

 

 

 

She must have heard me squeal while using Pinkfresh Studio's Floral Field stencil  

and die set. Here's my card.

I don't remember when this set came out but I've had it for a while and finally, after

watching a zillion how to videos, I summoned up the courage to create a card. 

There are SEVEN stencils and having those triangles as guides for cutting out 

the image without any white border is genius! I felt like a fussy cutter!

I embossed a card base with a dotty embossing folder and tripled up the image for

dimension. I splattered white paint and added some clear drops. A PFS ready made 

foiled sentiment finished off the card.

Off to link this up. Thanks, always, for stopping by!

Freshly Made Sketches #698

 

Kim brings us a color blocked Freshly Made Sketches #698.

But I didn't go that route. I got reacquainted with Tim Holtz's Leaf Fragment dies 

this past weekend and was inspired by Tim and some of his makers after watching 

his latest video. 

I was going to get inky and color the leaves but reached for a pad of patterned

paper with autumnal colors. After cutting out several leaves I inked around 

the edges with brown ink and gold watercolor ink and spattered some, too.

I embossed a panel with a 3D embossing folder and placed the leaves on top.

It was a little challenging to follow the sketch with such abstract shapes

but I did my best. An Altenew sentiment finished off the card.

Is it me or does the orange leaf on the right resemble a chunky carrot? 

Maybe I should have used another paper. Oh well....

Thanks for stopping by!

* * *

Edited to add: My card was given a Princess honor by Cécile! Thanks so much!

 

 

Freshly Made Sketches #696

 

Jen M brings us Freshly Made Sketches #696.

I kept seeing a beach towel and sunbather, but I wanted the background piece to be 

a bit more "transparent". In the end I used a Tim Holtz set from the Vault with 

a honeycomb embossing folder plus wildflowers.

My inspiration came from one of Tim's makers--Kulbir Kirkland (@luv2papercraft).

Her card had a "chain link fence" feel with the flowers scattered over top. I tried to

arrange the blooms but in the end it looks like I pulled out a bunch of flowers

from the ground and stuck them on the card. Oh well.

 

I'm off to link this up. Thanks, always, for stopping by!

 

 

 

JUGS Anything Goes Stencil Week#785

 

It's my last week as a Guest Designer over at JUGS Challenge #785 and the challenge

theme is Anything Goes Stencil Week.

 

 

Truthfully, this took me the longest because I couldn't decide on which stencil to use. 

Stencils have come a long way over the past few years and I pored over my 50+ 

inventory (yes, I own a ton of stencils) then decided to use some floral ones from

 Pinkfresh Studio. (This one, Citrus Bloom, is sadly discontinued.)

 

I chose Reverse Wonky Rectangles as the base of the card and ran the front

panel through a dotted embossing folder and scored the back piece to form a hinge.

I stenciled several sets of blooms, die cut them and adhered them to the card.

Pinkfresh gave out some sentiments as a "gift with purchase" and I found one

that fit perfectly in the space on the card. Done!

Grab your stencils and join this week's challenge. Visit the JUGS website for all the

details and deadline and we hope to see you in the gallery!

 

* * *

 

Thanks so much, Vicki, and to the rest of the team for allowing me to join you this

month. It's been a fun ride!

Freshly Made Sketches #695

 

It's a "no fuss" sketch from Jen T this week over at Freshly Made Sketches #695.

After much trial and error, here's my card.

 

   

Since the oval could be substituted with any shape, I was planning to use a

 window and patterned papers from Simon Says Stamp's July 2024 Card Kit.

 

While I was putting the card together, the window panes blocked out most of the

 cityscape so I switched to a regular arch. Much better. I stamped the sentiment 

and at the last minute decided to add a branch that semi resembled cherry 

blossom buds.

 

Off to link this up with a few days to spare. Thanks for stopping by!

 

* * *

Edited to add: My card was given a Princess status by Judy. Thanks so much, Judy!

JUGS Mood Board Week #784

 

I'm having such a fun time guesting over at JUGS Challenge this month.

This week's Mood Board is probably the first time I've tried making a card based 

on the graphic. Because I had to. And I have to admit that it was nerve wracking.

 

 

Here's what I finally came up with.

 

 

When all else fails, postage stamps to the rescue. I found a paper pad of pretty florals 

and cut out a few then adhered them to postage frames.

The background was lightly inked and the stamps were popped up over it. I added 

some greenery and a flower and stamped the sentiment and gave a sigh of relief. 

I rather like how this card turned out. I hope I caught the gist of the mood.

Play along with this week's challenge if you can. Visit the JUGS blog for the all the 

details and deadline. Hope to see you in the gallery!

 

Freshly Made Sketches #694

 

My card for Judy's Freshly Made Sketches #694 came together quickly thanks to

bits and bobs that I found while cleaning up.

 

 

 

Some blooms from Pinkfresh Studio that were stenciled and cut were adhered

to the corners and a hummingbird completed the design.  A sentiment from

a favorite set from Altenew and the card was done. 

I forgot to mention that the embossed card base was also done and waiting 

to be used. For once I am linking up early and I'm not a hot mess! Yay!

Thanks for stopping by!

* * *

Edited to add: So honored to be chosen as the Queen this week!

Thank you, Judy for the honor!

 

 

 

JUGS Word Week #783 -- WATER

 

 It's Word Week over at JUGS Challenge #783 and the cue word is WATER.

 

 

 

Since it's summer, the water that I chose was the ocean. I'm sure I won't be alone 

on that idea. Here's my card with a DIY beach scene.

 

 

I have stamps and stencils of an ocean shoreline, but in the end I decided to create 

one of my own. I inked watercolor card stock in various shades of blue and spritzed 

a good amount of water to mimic splashing waves.

 

The "sand" was created on kraft card stock, torn for an uneven look. I applied 

Versamark ink to the edge and heat embossed with white embossing powder. 

I added a beach umbrella. a pair of flip flops and finished off with the sentiment, 

making sure to show as much ocean water as possible. The panel was then adhered

to a postage frame.

Now it's your turn. What does the word WATER bring to mind? Visit the JUGS 

challenge blog for all the details and deadline. We'd love to see you in the gallery!

 

 

 

Freshly Made Sketches #693

 

It's a new month and week as Amy brings us Freshly Made Sketches #693.

 

 

Here's how I was inspired. For the record, I used three products that are either 

discontinued and/or no longer exist. But I have them, love them, and used them. 

 

I reached for Waffle Flower's Dry Flowers--again. It's pretty forgiving when doing

messy water coloring with Zigs. I chose a Papertrey Ink label that was a favorite

years ago and stamped Hero Arts' Raindrop Background in Versamark ink.

A sentiment from Reverse Confetti that was featured during Simon Says Stamps'

STAMPtember (from 2021!) was white embossed on the label. The flower stems were

trimmed in half then rejoined to form longer stems per the sketch. The label was 

then adhered to the card base.

 

Off to link this up. Thanks so much for stopping by!

 

 

* * *

Edited to add: I'm honored that Verena chose my card with a Princess pick!

Thanks so much, Verena!

 

 

JUGS Die Week #782 -- SUMMER THINGS

 

Vicki Dutcher of JUGS (Just Us Girls) Challenge invited me to guest for the month

of July and it was more than enough time to plan ahead, so I gladly accepted.

 

 

This is DIE Week #782 and the theme is SUMMER THINGS.

 

 What screams summer to me is popsicles and shaved ice, although here in Hawaii,

we gobble them down no matter what the season--and endure "brain freeze."

 

 

I love these ice cream dies from Concord & 9th. They are discontinued

but I think the shapes are relatively easy to DIY to create your own sweets.

 After stenciling details on the popsicles I spattered them with liquid stardust.

A yellow card base was embossed with a Spellbinders folder and the popsicles

were adhered to it. Some clear drops were added and a white embossed

Paper Smooches sentiment finished off the card.

 

So, what does "summer' mean to you? Pull out your dies and come and join 

the challenge! Please visit the JUGS blog for all the details and deadlines.

We hope you can join in the summertime fun!

 

 

The Flower Challenge #103

 

With just hours left before the deadline, I'm linking up this card to 

The Flower Challenge #103 which is to add embossing--either heat or dry--to your 

card, and still keep the focus on flowers.

 

It took me a while to decide whether or not to enter the challenge, hence the

under the wire submission. I just found the embossing folder which I'd misplaced after

it arrived and I decided to finally use it.

I planned to do some ink blending over the entire panel, but it would have covered up 

the beautiful embossing so I left it white and focused on the die cut piece. I've always 

admired those who color their embossed images and since this was a small area, I thought 

I'd give it a go with my Copic markers.

Gosh, that was stressful! Between my bad eyesight (with glasses!) and markers

that needed refilling I barely managed to color all the flowers and leaves.

But if you squint, it looks pretty decent.

I finished off with a sentiment from Altenew and popped up the piece and called

 it done. Have you ever colored an embossed panel? Maybe if I had steadier hands 

and wasn't in such a rush to finish I wouldn't have freaked out.

Thanks for stopping by and listening to my angst!

Freshly Made Sketches #691

 

It's Michele's first post as a Freshly Made Sketches designer! And she's created

a sketch that is "all her". 

 

 

I was tempted to use a flower but resorted to some new Spellbinder goodies

that just arrived.

 

I was smitten with the Frog Prince and assembled him and the toadstool pretty quickly.

Choosing a sentiment was the roadblock for me, as it usually is

 

I recalled the story of The Frog Prince and there are so many versions, as I found

 out on Wikipedia. The premise is that a frog (who is actually a prince) is turned back 

into a prince after he finds a princess who actually gave him a kiss (yuck!) and 

broke the spell. Lucky prince who got his wish!

Alex Syberia's Tiny Dot Cover Plate was layered over kraft card stock and the frog

and sentiment were adhered to it and the card was done. Now off to link it up!

 

Thanks so much for stopping by!

 

 

* * *

 

Edited to add:  Honored with the Princess title from Judy! 

Thank you Judy, and FMS!

 

Freshly Made Sketches #690

Today's card for Freshly Made Sketches #690 gets a prize for the most

remakes and layers, ever.

 

 

I think it's because of the elements on the top portion of the sketch which 

I thought about flipping several times.

 

 

 I've seen the new bird collection from Spellbinders and ordered Oscar which 

I knew would not arrive in time. Then I remembered a Small Die of the Month set

and dug deep to find it.

I watched Tina Smith use a circular element which I liked because it has a 

cage like feel. I assembled the parrot which has a jillion pieces from its tail to 

the wing and those teeny tiny feet.

After choosing the colors for the striped portion of the sketch, I ran the card

 front through an embossing folder. I added the greenery and sentiment to the 

circular element along with the parrot and branch. Done! Finally.....

I'm thinking this card isn't exactly "clean" and I should have simplified the

design but it was crunch time. I'm off to link this up! Thanks for the visit!

* * *

Edited to add: My card received the Princess status from Kim.Thanks so much, Kim!

 

 

Freshly Made Sketches #689

 

Cécile brings us Freshly Made Sketches #689 and I was excited to make a square 

card, although it's not a requirement. It's just been a while since I've made one.

 

 

 

I substituted a wood slice from The Greetery for the square element and added 

some splatters and a few Waffle Flower Dry Flowers that were colored with Zigs 

and a water brush. 

The 5" by 5" card base was embossed before the wood slice was adhered. For the 

sentiment I found an oldie from Right at Home to finish off the card.

Thanks, always, for stopping by! 

* * *

Edited to add:  Honored with the Princess title from Jen B. Thanks so much Jen and

Freshly Made Sketches!

 

Inspired by Challenge #338

 

Squeezing in a card for Inspired by Challenge #338 which is all about

LADYBUGS.  I semi panicked because I looked through my supplies and there

were NO ladybugs except for teeny tiny ones. 

Then I spotted a ladybug on an Alex Syberia set and decided to use it

since it was a nice size. Here's how I was inspired.

I had a wicker basket embossed card base already assembled so it was just

a matter of finding greenery and a sentiment. There were some extra

leafy branches from a previous project and I placed them diagonally

on the card.

The ladybug was cut from C&9th card stock and assembled. I found a bottle

of Glossy Accents and applied one coating on the bug. An MFT sentiment

finished off the card.

Ok, off to link this up. Thanks for stopping by!