Freshly Made Sketches: Turnip the Beet

It's time for a new sketch at Freshly Made Sketches! Today we have a sketch by Amy.

I love this sketch because I love detailed little scenes and this sketch has all of the detail in one area!  I have had a stamp set on my desk that seemed just right for this.  I immediately saw the long strip as grass and then decided some root vegetables(!!) would be just right under the ground.

I added some stenciled clouds in the background and some sunny yellow polka dots.  Then I added the inside scallops to keep it sweet and fresh.  

I love these little guys but I did sort of mess up the turnip by coloring him like a radish (and who would have thought I would ever be typing that sentence!)  The set is going to stay on my desk until I use the carrot with "you're old...but I don't carrot all" and the mushroom with "oh shiitake you're old"!!  

You might notice some blue cardstock in the supply list but neither of these photos really show it.  I wanted the top layer to stand up a bit but instead of layering with foam tape or another layer of white cardstock, I added a layer of blue.  On the actual card, it accents the clouds in the sky!
I hope you play along with us this week and I definitely hope you have as much fun with it as I did!!
SUPPLY LIST

New Copic Color Charts for Stampin' Up 2018

I finally got my Stampin' Up order with all of the new colors!!  What an amazing rainbow of fun.  I am a color fanatic and I love every year when they give us five new in-colors.  But this year, Stampin' Up released 5 in-colors, 10 new core colors and 6 colors returned to the line-up!

Before I continue, let me be sure to say that I am in no way affiliated with Stampin' Up.  Every thing in this post is for my personal use that I also choose to share with you.  Please read the footnotes on the chart for further disclaimers.

Click on the photo above or the link on my sidebar to download a complete list of all current and retired Stampin' Up colors with my choice for the matching Copic markers.

NOTE: Besides the new additions, I changed my Copic choices for two colors from previous years.  It's not that the old choices were bad, but sometimes when new colors come out, they change my perspective on other colors.  These colors are Sahara Sand and Calypso Coral.

I was asked recently if the charts were necessary.  Personally, I like quick and easy charts.  Let's say I pull out some Granny Apple Green cardstock and a leaf to color - I can glance at my Copic Color Match charts and reach right for Copic Marker YG03 and I'm ready to go!!  I do admire an artist who can simply visual a color and grab the right one - but that's not me.  I go to my reference.

Freshly Made Sketches: Happy Day

It's time for a new sketch at Freshly Made Sketches! Today we have a sketch by Narelle!

A friend at work has a birthday this week.  She is always wonderfully cheerful, bright and fresh.  So I used her as my inspiration for these sweet flowers - isn't it fun that our hobby allows us to create something that is exactly right for the recipient?!

This is an older Stampin' Up sentiment called Friendly Phrases. It's one of those sets that I won't be letting go of.  It's such a simple look but the hint of script makes it so fun and interesting!  The dies are still around - they are the Flourish Thinlits.  
I'm also playing along with The Paper Players.  I knew as soon as I saw it that the colors were just right for this card.  A fabulous combination of bright colors, yet I think the Crumb Cake tones it down and keeps it natural.  

Thanks to both challenges for helping me put this card together - it's just right for the birthday girl!

SUPPLY LIST

Stamps: Stampin' Up (SU) Friendly Phrases

Dies: SU Flourish Thinlits, Reverse Confetti Tag Me, My Favorite Things Blueprints 13 (the stitched edge)

Cardstock: SU Calypso Coral, Lemon Lime Twist, Crumb Cake dsp (the older set of coordinating carstock)

 

Taylored Expressions: Anniversary Birds

We are continuing on our Staff Selections theme at Taylored Expressions.  This month, we meet Amy H. starting with a full introduction here on the Taylored Expressions blog followed by more card ideas here.  Amy is the Operations Manager and Events Coordinator at Taylored Expressions.  One of her tasks that seems utterly overwhelming to me is maintaining TE's catalog of 2,500 items!!  She's also a wife and a mom with a little 1-year old.  Amy has a full season of wedding and anniversaries coming up and asked the creative team for ideas.

I created a simple card with the help of some fabulous dies!


With our recent release that included a pirate theme, we got the Frayed Edge Stacklets (which are just perfect for pirate maps!)  But I wanted to also use them to get a soft inked edge.  I cut a standard sized piece of scrap cardstock, then cut the Frayed Edge out of the middle to use it ask a mask.  I used Clarity Stencil Brushes to brush on Sprinkles, Cupcake and Mint Julep.  It gave me that nice uneven edge to add some interest.

The birds are from the lovely die set, Beauty Lies Within 2.  I cut three of them out of Shimmer cardstock so it's slightly differentiated from the background.


Also check out the sequins.  I saw that some of the "clear" sequins in the Snow Flurries Sequins set had a slight color cast - and lucky for me(!) - there was a blue, pink and green!!

'Tis the season!  The wedding and anniversary season!!  (Except for me whose anniversary is three days before Halloween.)

SUPPLY LIST

Taylored Expressions: Chevies and Octopi

It's the big day! All the Taylored Expressions products you've seen through sneak peek week are now available - and I have a few more to show you. Be sure to head over to the Taylored Expressions blog for a few more peeks - and to see if you've won a prize.

There's a sentiment in the new O-Fish-Ally Awesome set that made me laugh out loud.  There is a great variety in the set - mostly around being awesome and great job - but one stood out as being different.


I love it!!  It says it just like it is and I dare the recipient to not feel slightly better when they see it!  I used O-Fish-Ally Awesome along with the coordinating dies and I used another new product, the Bubbly Stencil.  It's a full-size stencil so you can do an entire background but I just kept it along the edge.  I masked it off with removable tape and gave it a spritz of a clear glimmer/shimmer mist.


I adhered a bit of paper from the new Hello Sunshine Paper Pack. I just love the colors.  Also, I cut the card front 1/4" narrower than usual so that little guy can stick out and the card will still fit in a standard envelope.

Here's the supply list for this card but keep scrolling down for another peek!

SUPPLY LIST
There's also another fabulous background in this release, the Chevies Background. I love it because it can be so graphic yet still so clean and fresh.


There are so many directions you can go with backgrounds like this.  I chose to just color one strip with Copics to point to the sentiment.  The sentiment is new too!  It's Sending Sunshine along with the Sending Script die.


I'm not going to chat any longer because the store is open!!  Don't forget the special deal...

For a limited time, earn DOUBLE CRAFTY POINTS when you purchase our NEW TE Liquid Watercolor Collection! Included in this exclusive bundle are all 12 bright liquid watercolor hues, our innovative, unique shimmer liquid PLUS a bonus set of 4 mixing palettes to explore your creativity! If you're not a Crafty Points member, it's free and easy to join. Just create an account at the TE webstore and you're automatically enrolled to begin earning crafty points with every purchase. You'll earn 134 Crafty Points on the purchase of our TE Liquid Watercolor Collection! Offer valid on qualifying purchases made between 9am CDT on Thursday, June 7, 2018 and 11:59 pm CDT on Sunday, June 10, 2018 and only while supplies last. Crafty Points are only available on purchases made via our retail site: www.tayloredexpressions.com.

SUPPLY LIST

Taylored Expressions: Thanks and the Brave

It's the third day of sneak peeks for the June release from Taylored Expressions. Today I have some new patriotic products and some more liquid watercolors!  Everything you see today will be available tomorrow - Thursday, June 7th, 2018.  Be sure to check out each of the creative team members' blogs for all of the sneak peeks - starting with the Taylored Expressions blog.

I am amazed on a regular basis how many people around me have a connection to the military.  I routinely supply my church with patriotic cards (or "thank you for your service" etc.) and they are some of the first cards that are used.


The "map" and sentiment are from Land of the Free along with the coordinating die.  I used another new set, Freedom and Fireworks, to add the fireworks.  I first stamped the bottom left fireworks on to the Toffee using Versamark.  I sprinkled Fine Detail Silver embossing powder on the top firework and carefully poured it off without touching the other fireworks.  Then before heating it, I used Fine Detail Gold powder on the next firework and poured it off before doing the next in silver and the final one in gold.  Then I heated them all.  I put the USA down before stamping the two fireworks on the upper right so they were on the map - then applied gold and silver.


I am going to use this particular card.  We recently moved out of our home of 27 years.  We truly love that house but we are soon to be empty-nesters and it was time for a change.  It's a unique property - a little 1960s house on 5 acres with a classic red barn, on a hill, with a view of the entire front range of the Colorado Rockies.  It's a bit of Americana but it's not a style for everybody.  Those who do love it, love it passionately.  We have been lucky enough to find a family that loves it as much as we do.  We picked them out of multiple offers because we learned that he is military with two hard combat tours.  To us that said they are an honorable family and that the journey through the purchase would be trusting (even if not easy!)  They are closing just after the 4th of July, and I plan on leaving this card to greet them in their new home!!

Here's the supply list for this card, but keeping scrolling down for another card with liquid watercolors!

SUPPLY LIST

Taylored Expressions is celebrating Release Week with a giveaway during each day of sneak peeks! Visit the TE blog to answer Taylor's Question of the Day for a chance to win one of the latest products before you can buy it!

Now a simple "thank you" using the new Thanks Script Backer - Mixed Media die and a wash of Cookie Monster Liquid Watercolor.  I created a simple ombre wash with the watercolors. It literally took just a drop of the watercolor, loading a wet paint brush and swiping it across the page going back and forth from top to bottom until the color ran out at the bottom.


I love the backer dies.  I'm a huge fan of word dies and the script dies from TE are fabulous.  The backer dies allow them to be easily framed and highlighted!  Plus they are thicker Mixed Media dies so you could do it with products such as chipboard or felt.


To finish it off, I added a quick line from the previously released In & Out Thanks then just a sprinkling of sequins.  Quick and easy - but the simple watercoloring makes it extra special.


Tomorrow's the big day day - all products are available at this time tomorrow!!  Come back here for two more ideas with new products - and be sure to check out the TE blog and the rest of the creative team members' for lots more inspiration!

SUPPLY LIST

Freshly Made Sketches: More Candles

It's time for a new sketch at Freshly Made Sketches! Today we have a sketch by Karren.

As often is the case, Freshly Made Sketches came to my rescue.  I needed a last minute masculine birthday card. I had a set of candle dies and sentiment on my craft desk that I hadn't put away from a few weeks ago, but I didn't have the time to think beyond that.  I glanced at the upcoming sketch and happily it all worked. In about 10 minutes, I went from panicking that I needed a card to having it made and even photographed!


I delivered the card to a work mate, then about 1/2 an hour later his wonderful family showed up with birthday donuts for all of us! It was a happy day!
I hope to see you playing along this week.  I love our gallery - I am always inspired by the variety of amazing creations! 
SUPPLY LIST
Stamps: Reverse Confetti Birthday Wishes Dies: Reverse Confetti Candles, MFT Fishtail Cardstock: Taylored Expressions Toffee, Oreo, Lime Zest, Cookie Monster, Plum Punch, Lemon Meringue Other: Stampin' Up Embossing Folder, Taylored Expressions Lemon Merinque Enamel Shapes, Versamark, White Embossing Powder