Saturday, June 21, 2025

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!
 
 
 

Sunday, June 15, 2025

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!
 
 

Thursday, June 5, 2025

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!
 


Monday, June 2, 2025

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!


Friday, May 30, 2025

Freshly Made Sketches #688

 
I went way off course with Freshly Made Sketches #688. I blame my time on
the CAS(E) this Sketch design team for that. Often times I'd squint at the sketch
and then have an "ah-ha!" moment.
 
 Here's this week's sketch, courtesy of Jen B.
 
 
And here's my take on it. I must have had graduation and lei on my mind although 
there are no graduates that we know of this year.
 

I ran a gray panel through a Spellbinder's embossing folder and it them per the sketch.
The flowers from a Stamp Market Cover Die were inked lightly in pastel colors and my first
thought was to adhere them to an oval shape but in the end I went rogue and just  adhered
 them to the card. 
 

A CZ Design sentiment was cut from white card stock and adhered to a vellum shadow 
before being adhered to the card. I'm forever grateful to the inventor of vellum. Being 
able to adhere a word sentiment and still have that transparency makes me so happy.

Thanks so much for stopping by! Have a great weekend!

* * *

 Edited to add: I'm thrilled that Cécile gave my card a Princess honor! Thank you, Cécile!
 
 

Thursday, May 22, 2025

Freshly Made Sketches #687

 
Freshly Made Sketches newest team member, Verena, introduces her first 
sketch design this week. So many possibilities using that crescent shape.

 
Here's how I was inspired by her sketch.

 
I knew that I was going to use Altenew's Zero Waste Chocolate Flowers Dies and 
let the foliage to create the crescent shape. The beauty of the Zero Waste Die 
is you can cut out a ton of blooms from white card stock and use inks to
color them as you wish.


I decided to use the embossing folder which resembles a chocolate candy bar 
and can also stand on its own. I finished off the card with a sentiment from
My Favorite Things.

I'm feeling so organized this week, linking up way earlier than usual. Yay, me!
Thanks so much for stopping by!

    P.S. If you're interested in the Zero Waste Chocolate Flowers Kit, it is now back 
in stock after being OOS for months. Out of all their Zero Waste dies, this one 
is my fave and you'll need to purchase the entire kit, but it's worth every penny!
 
* * *
 
Honored that my card was chosen as a Princess for the challenge.
Thanks so much, Kim!  



 

Tuesday, May 20, 2025

Inspired by Challenge #336

 
I'm near the deadline for Inspired by Challenge #336 which is all about LEMONS.
Here's the cool graphic for the challenge.


 
And here's how I was inspired--the lemons, of course, and the blues and touch of gingham.


The Concord & 9th lemons, greenery and flowers were cut and assembled and I
even added some antique Stickles that thankfully, wasn't dried up. All the pieces
were assembled on a Reverse Wonky Rectangle die that was covered with
turquoise gingham plaid.

I cut another piece and adhered it to the front with a hinge so the card could
stand on its own. The stamped sentiment finished off the card.
 
I'm off to link up this card with about a day left--whew!
Thanks, always, for stopping by!
 
 


Friday, May 16, 2025

Freshly Made Sketches #686

 
Kim brings us Freshly Made Sketches #686 that I initially thought looked "friendly" 
 then struggled with measurements. I was never a star pupil in Math.



I cut a panel of the forest green card stock, then a kraft panel with a circle cut
through the center. I then ran the kraft panel through an embossing folder and 
assembled the flowers through the opening. A Waffle Flower sentiment
finished off the card.

 
I wanted to showcase the flowers from Waffle Flower that Shauna Todd colored on
the Foiled Fox blog. I used my faithful Zigs and a water brush whereas she used
Distress reinkers. It was a fun, stress free coloring session that I'll be doing again..

Thanks for stopping by!

* * *

Edited to add: Narelle gave my card a Princess status! Thank you so much!



Monday, May 12, 2025

Inspired by Challenge #335

 
A belated Happy Mother's Day to all the wonderful Moms, Moms to be,
and anyone who's a Mommy figure--and that includes Dads! 
 
I had a few mechanical issues (my Big Shot's handle slid off) and while I managed to 
put it back together, I needed a tiny screwdriver to tighten it.

And the only person who knew what I needed and where it was.....
was at the golf course. Long story short, hubby helped tighten the tiny screw
and I was back in business. Yay!

* * *
 
 
 
The challenge theme for Inspired by #335 is Basket of Flowers and here's 
how I was inspired.
 

Initially I was going to use a basket but changed to a basket weave panel. I cut the panel 
on a diagonal for interest and swiped white pigment ink over it to bring out the texture. 
I filled in the area with assorted flowers and leaves and stamped the sentiment
from Pinkfresh Studio. I rounded off the bottom corners to further mimic a basket.

Thanks so much for stopping by!



Friday, May 9, 2025

JUGS Word Week #774 -- FRUIT

 
The graphic for JUGS Word Week #774 caught my eye. FRUIT! I happened to be
looking through my Waffle Flower inventory and spotted some products that
have never been opened. I seem to be finding that a lot lately.
 
 

 I watched the talented Caly Person make a couple of fruity cards and decided 
on a watermelon card.
 
 

 Watermelon happens to be a favorite in our household and we are lucky
to have some locally grown ones that will make their debut soon.

I inked up some Watermelon card stock from C&9th with Poppy ink that
faded to the rind. I followed Caly's idea of a two toned rind and adhered some
black seeds. I finished off the card with a white embossed sentiment.
 

 I do wish it read "you make my TUMMY smile", but HEART was close enough.
I was also going to trim the card into a pie shaped "slice" as Caly mentioned
but it was an afterthought that would have had me splitting seeds.
Maybe next time.

Thanks for stopping by!

* * *


Edited to add: My card was chosen as the Winner of the Week! I'm so
honored! Thank you JUGS!