Freshly Made Sketches: Hello

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

I recently received my April Small Die of the Month Club from Spellbinders and what do you know... fun layered flowers that are perfect for this sketch!!

There are a lot of layers on each flower - luckily I have enough cardstock to layer up in the same color families!  There was even one more layer in the die set - but I used enamel dots for a bit of sparkle and shine instead of the top layer.  The "hello" is also from the set.  I added the solid black strip to help it stand out more.  The leaves have another detailed layer on top but I wanted to keep the focus on the flowers so I left them at the base layer.  
I hope to see you playing along this week!
SUPPLY LIST
Dies: April 2019 Small Die of the Month (Layered Colorful Blooms) Cardstock: Flowers are all Stampin' Up: Blush Blossom (retired), Petal Pink, Grapefruit Grove, Calypso Coral, Soft Sky (retired), Pool Party, Coastal Cabana, Bermuda Bay. Leaves are Taylored Expressions Granny Smith Patterned Paper: My Favorite Things Black & White Stripes

Taylored Expressions: A Boo-Boo

My son who is away at college called a month ago and started the conversation with "Are you sitting down? I don't want you to panic."  That's never good.  The next sentence was "I was riding my bike and was hit by a car." I realized immediately he was in good enough shape to be calling me so I did not panic.  And as it turns out, he had a minor case of road rash and the bike was totaled - but otherwise, all is well.  After being a good, sympathetic mother - I did end the call by explaining why he should never start a conversation that way ever again!!

Interestingly, he and the driver of the car were moving very slowly - but both had looked over to a severe crash that was happening on the other side of the median.  I think he was more shaken up by seeing the other crash up close and personal.  I wanted to send a card but I wanted it to be a bit silly - just to bring a smile.  I knew I had a sentiment that had just the right tone in Taylored Expressions Listen to Your Heart, then I flipped through my Taylored Expressions collection and found a "grumpling" in Grouchy Grumpling that had just the right expression.


For the background, I used the Triangle Toss stencil.  I masked off a square area, then I lightly brushed on Granny Smith, Salt Water Taffy and Confetti Cake.  I put the stencil on top and put a heavier layer over it of the same colors. It gave my little goat some ground and sky but with a quirky look.

He's OK.  I visited him a few weeks ago.  I could still see the scrapes on his legs - but he's already purchased a new bike.  I picked him up for lunch, then dropped him off at a friend's house where he had left his bike the day before and I last saw him pedaling back to his apartment!
SUPPLY LIST

Freshly Made Sketches: Sharing in Your Sorrow

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

I had intended to follow the sketch exactly with banners.  I love the celebratory look.  But at the last minute, I needed a sympathy card for the death of a friend's mother.  I didn't know her and it was expected, but it doesn't matter what age or the reason, the loss of a mother is difficult. I was flipping through my stash and found this bird die with three little birds and knew it would be my sympathy card and work for the sketch with the three little tails!


The sketch inspired me to add a leafy branch in a soft green. Then I decided to go monochromatic using the soft green in the background also. I 'floated' the die cut with some dimensional adhesive to keep it very dainty.  Usually I layer up dies to give it the dimension because it's sturdier that way, but I'll be hand-delivering this one so figured I could just add a few pieces of adhesive and let it float.

I hope to see you playing along this week.  I always browse that gallery and I am always inspired!

SUPPLY LIST
Stamps: Hero Arts Remember
Dies: Cutplorations For the Birds (Stamplorations), Verve Sprightly Sprigs
Cardstock: Stampin' Up Mint Macaron
Ink: Stampin' Up Mint Macaron and Tranquil Tide
Accessories: Cartwright Pale Leaf Sequins.

Taylored Expressions: Dadisms

Taylored Expressions is having a May Mini Release just for Dad!  Everything is available right now - you can find it all here.

I fell in love with the set Dadisms.  I seriously did not know that my husband was so much like other dads that an entire sentiment set could be devoted to their quirks!!   Here's what I did with Dadisms and the previously release die set Caps Lock - Dad.


I figured with the steak and potatoes reference, I should add a grill - so I substituted the "A" in "DAD" with a grill. To add dimension on the grill I rubbed the center edges with Poppy Seed  ink.  Then I brushed on a little sky above the Wispy Grass Border die.


I cannot believe how perfect this sentiment is. After laughing hysterically, my 19-year old son has already claimed this card to give to dad! 

My other favorite sentiment is says "He likes starry skies, the glow of a campfire, and stories told without emojis".  This might even be more perfect for my husband, except that I wasn't entirely certain he's understand the reference to emojis!  He still mourns the fact that his flip phone finally died a few years ago.

There are two more sets perfect for dads coming out - check out the Taylored Expressions blog tomorrow to get a peek at those!

SUPPLY LIST

Freshly Made Sketches: Thinking of You

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

I flipped through my not-yet-used stash looking for inspiration and it occurred to me that a new flower that I had was in a somewhat triangular shape which would work for that corner.


I played around with adding a butterfly for the circle in the corner. I liked it (maybe even a bit better than what I ended up with) but to get it big enough to show up on the lovely flower, I thought it hid too much.  So I decided to keep the full floral and spotlight it.  

Jen has given us a wonderful sketch - wide open for your creativity!  I look forward to see what you create.

SUPPLY LIST
Stamps: STAMPlorations Best Mom Ever by dee's Arsty Imprssions
Dies: CUTplorations Thinking of You, Stampin' Up Layering Circles Framelits
Cardstock: Taylored Expressions Pineapple
Patterned Paper: Sunny Studio Dots & Stripes Pastels

Color Throwdown and Simon Says: Hugs

I'm playing along with two challenges that I thought worked perfectly together!  First is the Simon Says Stamp Wednesday Challenge - it's "anything goes" but they are showcasing Concord & 9th products.  Then I saw the colors at the Color Throwdown and knew they would be wonderful with Concord & 9th's Wreath Turnabout.


I absolutely adore the Turnabouts!  It does take a bit of time to line it all up and stamp in multiple colors although the Jig and the Alignment Aids are an amazing help.  Don't get me wrong - it's so much easier than the old fashioned way!!  But when I got this wreath all done - then stamped the word "hugs" (and only the word "hugs") - I realized it was just too high.  I tried a bunch of ways to fill in the space (instead of just restamping everything which might have been easier). I even added a big bow (I can't remember the last time I tied a bow - I even had to find instructions to relearn how to use my Bow-Easy to tie it!)  I finally realized that the stamp set with "hugs" also had a stamp that said "your way" - that clearly filled in the space.  But then the next challenge was that the die (which comes from the Season of Cheer set) actually said "sending you" and "sending you hugs your way" didn't make sense.  So a little fussy-work with only the edge of the die going in to cut off the "you" and, even though "sending" is a bit off-center, I decided I was done!


I'm not sure this card was worth my struggles - but I love the wreath and especially in those fresh colors.  Thanks to both challenges for the inspiration and to Concord & 9th for the brilliant concept!

SUPPLY LIST
Stamps: Concord & 9th Wreath Turnabout, Hugs
Dies: Concord & 9th Season of Cheer
Cardstock: Stampin' Up Not Quite Navy with coordinating patterned paper (both retired)
Ink: Stampin' Up Not Quite Navy, Taylored Expressions Lime Zest, My Favorite Things Pineapple, Papertrey Ink Harvest Gold
Accessories: Hero Arts Ombre Sunshine Sequins, Stampin' Up retired ribbon

Taylored Expressions: Fresh Florals Three Ways

Sometimes with my card-making purchases, I seem to have squirrel-syndrome moving from shiny object to shiny object.  I have to have this set and before it even arrives in my mailbox - I've seen the next set I have to have.  It's all led to a fairly massive stash - many of which I haven't used and may never use.  It was starting to become overwhelming so I've gotten much better over the last few years at requiring a "waiting-period" for all of my purchases.  If I still love it a week or a month later, it'll end up in my stash.  I've also seriously de-stashed although take that with a grain of salt.  We moved a year ago and instead of a craft corner, I actually have a craft room - and it's still full - vaulted ceilings with built-ins - and there's no decorations, it's all filled with stash!!  Not to mention the 5 Elfa drawer stacks, a few IKEA Raskog carts and the two large work spaces, one of which has shelves underneath.

Given all of that, I am also making a huge effort at trying to use every set in multiple ways.  In the past, if a set was ever used - it was probably used once and stashed away.  That's just silly.  There are such wonderful products available.  Today - I'm going to focus on one of those - Fresh Florals by Taylored Expressions.

Fresh Florals is full of fun, bold flowers but it can take on so many looks, styles and techniques.  It's one of those sets that makes sense to have in your stash.  As proof, I have three cards today - but it's not the first time the set has been out on my desk - check out here and here.

My first card is clean and simple, bright and modern.  

The bold flowers work well with the graphic sentiment.  Some subway tile in the background and it's a quick and easy encouragement card.

My second card is also clean and simple, but uses an easy technique.

I laid out most of the images on my Misti - I had to fill in a couple later because they didn't all fit at the same time - but it was easy to tuck them in at that point.  Stamp the images tone on tone.  Then very slightly move your cardstock and stamp again in Sugar Cube.  This gives it a carved look that works nicely with these bold images.

I didn't want to hide any of it - so I layered a vellum panel with a simple Hello.

My last card is sweet and soft and also very clean (but perhaps not so simple).  

I stamped and cut a variety of the Freshly Floral images and created an entire bouquet.  I laid it out and then pressed down on it with Press 'n Seal so I could pick it all up and adhere it all at once.  The sentiment on this one is cuter and lighter than the first card, but still works beautifully with the solid flowers.

I added a simple frame for the flowers to cluster around then a few floral sequins to soften the entire look.

I am very happy with this trio of cards.  The stamps are interesting enough for just a few of them to work on a simple card - but you can create full bouquets.  And I love the technique - it's not new, but I hadn't done it in awhile and was thrilled at how well it works with this set.

SUPPLY LISTS

I Know It's Tough...

Hello

Bouquet for a Friend