TMS #213

There's another great sketch over at Tuesday Morning Sketches. It was followed closely and no sentiment since I wanted the DSP to be the center of attention. If you want some inspiration or just like to see what other card-makers create, check out the great cards (and sketches, of course) at TMS :)

DSP: "Vintage Blue" 6x6 Paper Pad by Glitz

Brads: my stash

TMS #208

Hey, it's Tuesday, and you know what that means! Another fun Tuesday Morning Sketch. I discovered this adorable pre-colored digital image and couldn't wait to use it. The snowman is warming up in a cup of steaming hot cocoa after a cold winter day. It never really gets cold enough for hot cocoa here in SoCal, but when the temperature drops below 60 degrees, a warm cuppa is definitely in order :)

Because I used the "winter trees" embossing folder that was made for a vertical card, I had to cut the middle section down so everything would go together. Then the printed sentiment was so long, I decided to place it standing on it's side. The center circle is lifted with dimensional adhesive.

Digital Image: Doodle Dragon Studios

CS: Bazzill
Circle Dies: Spellbinders
Sentiment: Printed from Microsoft Word (Bradley Hand font)
Embossing Folder: Cuttlebug

TMS #207

It's Tuesday, and I've spent the last few minutes (closer to an hour!) working on a card for the current Tuesday Morning Sketch with a Twist: Use an Animal Image.
Chloe is my cat. And though she has the coloring of a Siamese in the body of a Domestic Short Hair--and looks nothing like this kitty--I love all cats and really love the collection of cat images including this orange kitty, from Clearly Digi Stamps.
Addendum: Thanks, Tuesday Morning Sketches, for choosing this card as a "Top 5" winner!! Kitty says thanks, too :)

Image and Sentiment: 'Kitties and Things' pre-colored digi collection by Clearly Digi Stamps
Colored CS: Bazzill
Twine: Doodlebug Design
Button Brads: Hobby Lobby
Embossing Folder: Cuttlebug
Cloud Die (w/sentiment): 'Puffy Clouds' by Memory Box

Relaxin' in an Easy Chair

Guess what I bought! A stamp-and-die combo I could not pass up. This easy chair is so sweet! And when I saw it I knew that the pillow could be paper-pieced and that is just what I did. Confession time: I have dies and stamps in my collection that have never been used :(
Which makes me wonder why I bought them. So today I used these while they were new and fresh and I know they will be used often.

DSP: 'Rosy' 6x6 pad by My Mind's Eye

Easy Chair Stamp and Die: 'Small Hayward Chair' by Poppy Stamps

Sentiment: from the 'island2visit' collection by The Stamps of Life

Circles Stamped next to Sentiment: from the 'French Foliage' collection by Stampin' Up!

Ribbon: my stash

Black Ink: Dragonfly Black by Color Box

Challenges:

S & S Midweek Challenge: Masculine Card

Tuesday Morning Sketches #206 (TMS is celebrating 4 years of sketches!!)

Songbird Challenge #24: Ribbon

TMS #205

If it's Tuesday, it must be time for Tuesday Morning Sketches!
This one is so nice and lends itself well to one of my favorite card techniques: mixing and matching patterned papers.

DSP: 'Pink Lemonade' 6x6 Paper Pad by Lawn Fawn

Circle Dies: Spellbinders

Heart Punch: Marvy Uchida

Digital Sentiment: Create with TLC

Challenge:

Tuesday Morning Sketches #205

Sweet Geometric Shapes

Isn't it nice when 2 or more challenges work together? Yes! Today I decided to figure out a way to use some of the pretty paper from a Mary Engelbreit pad I found in the dollar bin at Michael's. The 12 sheets of patterned paper are pretty and very thin. Each one had to be reinforced with white cardstock. I cut the corners off of one 6x6 sheet for the squares and finally had a chance to use one of the cupcake brads I bought ages ago because they were so darn cute. I punched a couple of images from leftover pink paper for the raised circles at the bottom right to complete the sketch.

Challenges:
Shopping Our Stash Challenge 106: Geometric Shapes
Tuesday Morning Sketches #203
HIMCR #102: Die Cuts (Hiding in My Craft Room)
Challenges 4 Everybody #22: Anything Goes
Sister Act Card Challenge #11: Anything Goes
Through the Craftroom Door: Anything Goes

ME Patterned Paper: Michael's
Sentiment: 'Berry Nice Mice' Collection by Doodle Pantry
Circle Dies: Spellbinders
Brad: my stash
Small Circle Punch: Creative Memories

My Oldest Stamp

Thanks to Shopping Our Stash for encouraging me to once again use this sweet little bear stamp on a card.
This stamp was a gift from my best friend in nursing school. She gave it to me at least 25 years ago long before I began paper crafting. It didn't get much use back then and I am glad I saved it.
And a loud shout-out to Tuesday Morning Sketches for the layout! I wanted a contrast to the shades of green so I picked this rather garish orange. It looks more subtle here. Hope you like it and thanks so much for stopping by my little blogspot :)

Challenges:

Shopping Our Stash: SOS # 105 - Oldest Stamp

Tuesday Morning Sketches # 202

Bearly Mine Challenges: Anything Goes

Bear Wood-mounted Stamp: All Night Media
Green Chalk: Inkadinkado
Heart Punch: unk
Brown Ink: Chocolate by TPC Studio
CS: my stash

Tuesday Morning Sketches # 201

This sketch is rather 'busy' to me. Still, I had to give it a go. I used clear stamps from a set I found in a UK paper crafting magazine purchased in London by my daughter-in-law. Many of these type of magazines offer freebies (stencils, stamps, patterned paper) with purchase. They are very expensive if purchased in the states, not so much overseas. The flowers are paper-pieced and outlined in black. I also used my new nestability oval dies received in the mail this week. Yay!!
The stark white background was lightly chalked with green. It can be seen better in person.

Flower Stamp: "The Country Diary of an Edwardian Lady" set by Rowena Stott Designs Ltd. (unable to locate a web site. This set may be exclusive to the magazine)

CS: my stash

Oval Dies: Spellbinders

Chalk: Inkadinkado

Black Pen: 'Vellum Writer' by Kurtake

Tuesday Morning Sketches #200

Just today I discovered this great web site. I enjoy sketch challenges so this is great for me. The Operation Write Home Memorial Day Blog Hop was a blast and I happened to have made a few purchases (!) So, this was a chance to use one of my new colored digital stamps and a couple of old 12x12 patterned papers.

Tuesday Morning Sketches Challenge #200
Colored Digital Stamp: Clear Dollar Stamps
Striped Background DP: Paper White (web link broken)
Polka Dot DP: Recollections at Michael's
Sentiment Stamp: unk
Border Punch: EK Success
Other CS: stash