Freshly Made Sketches #702 and JUGS Challenge #791

 

 Cécile introduces a brand new sketch at this week's Freshly Made Sketches #702. 

 

 

Here's my take on it and I'm proud to say that, except for the gold topper, I used

scraps of alcohol ink papers for the entire ornament, greenery, and tag!

 

A panel of white card stock was embossed with a folder that had a "flat" area 

on which I wanted to adhere the ornament. The details of the folder are a little off 

but I was able to stick the ornament on better than if it were fully embossed.

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I'm also linking this up to this week's JUGS Challenge #791--Anything Goes with Dies

because it's the first time in a while that I've used ALL dies, including the sentiment.

That was the quickest card I've made in a while, thanks to alcohol ink scraps.

Off to link this up to both challenges. 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!

 

 

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!

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!

 

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!

 

 

 

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!

 

 

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!

 

 

JUGS Anything Goes Stencil Week

 

It was not my intention to enter JUGS Anything Goes Stencil Week #768

but while cleaning and organizing my stencils and dies I came upon some that

have never made it out of the packaging. Oh my.
 

 I watched Carissa Wiley's YouTube tutorial on using Concord & 9th's

Cottage Garden Stencil Pack (in my favorite colors!) I decided to give it a try. 

I used the exact same colors as she did because, lo and behold, my inks were

unopened, too. I'd  been using the minis but since the images are larger, I used

the larger pads. Now I'm thinking they need a bit of reinking. 

After stenciling the image I ran it through a dotty embossing folder and 

finished off with a sentiment from Spring Print Sentiments and Die. Clear

drops finished off the card.

I think I have a day or two before the deadline so I'll link this up and get back

to organizing. Thanks for stopping by!

Time Out Challenges + JUGS Collaboration Challenge

 

Blogging friend Michele directed me to a collaborative challenge between

Time Out Challenges and (new to me) JUGS, the acronym for Just Us Girls.

 

And the cue word for both challenges is BIRDS.  I'm a huge fan of birds and I feel that I was 

destined to enter the challenge. Here's my rather busy entry.

I just received Papertrey Ink's Into the Blooms Spring Nest Die and quickly put one together. 

I have several of their Feathered Friends cut, colored, and assembled in a "bird box" and chose

 a blue one that matched the eggs.

 

I unsuccessfully researched birds' egg colors and I believe blue colored birds don't lay 

blue eggs. I don't even know what species of bird this is but I was short on time to color 

a beige/brown bird. 

The nest and eggs were assembled and flowers and leaves were added, together with

the bird and a white embossed sentiment. Yes, it's the same sentiment that I used a 

few cards back that's a fave.

Ok, off to link this up! Thanks so much for stopping by and to Michele for

introducing me to the challenge.

* * *

 

Edited to add: I've just returned from an overseas trip a few days ago and feeling a bit 

jet lagged when I read in some comments that I won the collaborative challenge!

 Many thanks to the gals at Time Out Challenges and JUGS for the honor!