Hey There! with CAS(E) this Sketch!

This is my second post today.  If you are here

for The Alley Way Stamps blog hop - it's just a post away!!

It's time for another fun sketch at CAS(E) this Sketch!  I LOVE this one because I saw that I could use my new talk bubbles!!

You will definitely have to click over to the CAS(E) this Sketch! blog - I am always in awe of how many different ideas come out of a simple sketch - butterflies and airplanes and there's even a mustache!

Then play along - I love seeing what everybody creates!!

(I'm also submitting this to the Simon Says Stamps challenge blog: Anything Goes.)

• Stamps: Simon Says Stamp Talk Bubbles 2
• Paper: Echo Park Scoot dsp, Stampin' Up Pacific Point
• Ink: black
• Accessories: Simon Says Stamp Talk Bubbles, misc twine

It's Blog Hop Day for The Alley Way Stamps!!

I love blog hop days - so many fun ideas out of brand new stamp sets!!  If you started with me, be sure to go back to the beginning of the hop at The Alley Way Stamps blog.

There are three new sets this month plus a mini set that is free with a $40 purchase and each is so very different.  Yesterday, I showed you a fun new border set.  There's also a fantastic cartoon super-hero set that I'll be playing with next week.  Today I have a sentiment and an image from the free set.  If you do the whole hop, you will see a little bit of all of it!!


The free set is called Wings of HOPE and it has other images and a number of its own sentiments (see below), but I paired it with a sentiment from Words to Live By because it says what I so often want to say to those dealing with breast cancer.  I have friends who have continued to deal with children and husbands and jobs and church activities - all while undergoing treatment - and they AMAZE me.  
FYI - the fun little dots are Candy Stripers from Queen & Co. I am playing with the colors at Make My Monday.

And I'm adding it to the Simon Says Stamps challenge.  Did you know that they carry TAWS now?!

Next on the hop is: Melissa!
Here are the official words from TAWS:

One person will win ALL 3 NEW SETS!! YEP!! So if you want to be that person.. 
all you have to do is comment on the hop! 
Here are ways you can win.. You can pick and choose which ones you want to do.. 
but the more you comment, the more chances you have to win.. 

1-Comment on The Alley Way Stamps Blog

2-Comment on the DT girls blogs (below)

3-Post about it on facebook or your blog

4-Like us on Facebook

(leave a separate comment for each that you do)

You have until tonight at 9:00PM TAWS time to leave them.. 

This is a fun mini set that is yours FREE when you spend $40.00 or more during the month of March! Nothing to do but shop.. this little guy will be added to your package..

We think it is super important to spread the word of HOPE! 
So we created a new mini called Wings of Hope

What do you think?

Did you see?? We have something new that the amazing Kim created for all of you! A stamp checklist.. how fun is this.. you can download it from the right sidebar.

Now off you go to do the HOP!!! :) You never know which blog random.org will pick!

Here is the lineup.. if you get lost feel free to come back here at anytime :)

 
 
 

Sneak Peek: Pillow Talk from TAWS

The Alley Way Stamps (TAWS) is coming out with a fun border set on March 1st.  There are three borders and each is entirely different.  I went for an elegant look with this border.  And as an added bonus - the sentiment comes from another new March 1 set - Words to Live By!

Here's a close-up so you can see the sparkle!! You will have to check the other sneak peeks of this set on the TAWS blog because each is very different.  And while you are at - look back two days to see the other sneak peek sets - THEN come back tomorrow for a blog hop with all of the sets!! I used the colors from Sunday Stamps.

And the layout from The Paper Players.

And I'm adding it to the Simon Says Stamp challenge.  Did you know that they carry TAWS now!?

There's great prizes from TAWS too.  Here's the official word... It's that time again - SNEAK PEEK TIME!!! And with sneak peeks come giveaways!!! We'll be giving one new set away each day of Sneak Peeks and for our hop on Thursday we'll give away ALL THREE to a lucky duck!  

All the comments posted today will go into a random drawing and one of you will win the new March set - Pillow Talk!  You can have up to 2 entries....

1. One for leaving a comment on this post
2. One for sharing on Facebook

Please leave a SEPARATE COMMENT FOR EACH! Commenting closes at 9:30 pm TAWS time!

• Stamps: The Alley Way Stamps Pillow Talk, Words to Live By
• Paper: Stampin' Up Daffodil Delight CS and dsp, Basic Black
• Ink: Versamark
• Accessories: Stamp 'n Stuff Starry Night embossing powder, Martha Stewart fine crystal glitter (on butterfly), Memory Box dies - Moonlight Butterfly (the solid base) and Kaleidoscope Butterfly (the open top wing)

My Last Week with retrosketches

Sad face...it's my last week as a guest at retrosketches.  What a thrill it has been!!  You should have seen the grin on my face all last week as I saw the sketch that was created from my card popping up on your blogs!!

This week is week #52 at retrosketches - an entire year!!  I play along regularly and I was even there on week 1 with this card.  I am thrilled to be here one year later!  In celebration of one year, the sketch this week is to play along with any of the past sketches.  They are all gathered together on the side bar of their blog.  Not surprisingly, I had a tough time narrowing it down, but finally did it just be flipping through my box of stamps/dies that had not yet been used and then finding a sketch that worked!

I used sketch #4.

• Stamps: Papertrey Ink Heart-2-Heart #6, Framed Out #1 (sentiment)
• Paper: Simple Stories dsp, misc coordinating cardstock
• Ink: Stampin' Up Bermuda Bay, Versamark
• Accessories: The Twinery Caribbean twine, white embossing powder

BE Re-Inspired with The Alley Way Stamps

It's the beginning of the second week for The Alley Way Stamps BE Inspired challenge and it's my job to remind you and to re-inspire you!!

The picture is full of neutrals with an intense flash of green and a few other fun colors!  I focused mainly on the colors - but the freebie stamp set with purchase this month includes a little fence - so with the fence in the background - I had to use it!!

I hope you play along.  If you don't yet own any stamps by The Alley Way Stamps (available at the link or now at Simon Says Stamp - they do have digital freebies for you here!

I particularly like this week's sketch at Crazy 4 Challenges as I thought that angled panel would work perfectly with the fun TAWS stamps!

• Stamps: The Alley Way Stamps Tweet Spot (free with $40 purchase), Background Check (on the green flag) and Doodle Frames ("hello")
• Paper: Stampin' Up Crumb Cake, Soft Suede, Wausau Paper Astrobrights Glow (the green)
• Ink: Memento black, Copics, Versamark (on the green)
• Accessories: Papertrey Ink Hibiscus ribbon, Stampin' Up embossing folders, My Favorite Things fishtail flag die

CAS(E) this Sketch with Fun Angles!!

This week's sketch at CAS(E) this Sketch! is a little bit different with a unique angle.

I used the sketch exactly as is but so many of the design team found that they were making it upright that they actually did the sketch that way too.

I had this diagonally striped embossing folder on my desk and decided it worked perfectly for an angled panel.  I just got the You die and stamp set from Simon Says Stamp and I thought that the embossed panels looked a little like a spotlight - so a little glitter and a gem and I have a special friend card!

I hope you have fun with this sketch.  I found it to be just a little harder than the others - so I really look forward to seeing what you come up with!

• Stamps: Simon Says Stamp You
• Paper: black, white, Papertrey Ink Raspberry Fizz
• Ink: black
• Accessories: Simon Says Stamp You die, May Arts ribbon, Lifestyle Crafts embossing folder, Martha Stewart Crystal Fine Glitter (on "you")
• Challenges: Besides CAS(E) this Sketch, I have to thank CAS-ual Fridays because I was feeling a little lost on this sketch until the idea of black and white plus 1!

Ikat with Avery Elle

I have to admit that have not been 100% sold on the look of ikat that is popping up on so many cards right now, but there is a set at Avery Elle that is quite nice.  One of the three long stamps is clearly ikat - the other two you could build up into a pattern or just use as a jagged chevron or dots.  I got the set because of the various uses and I knew it would come in handy for a fun card - and it has!!!

This card is playing along with the Avery Elle AEIOU challenge.

• Stamps: Avery Elle Ikat and Hello
• Paper: Papertrey Kraft and Raspberry Fizz
• Ink: Papertrey Kraft, Raspberry Fizz and Summer Sunrise
• Accessories: Trendy Twine Krazy for Kraft, Papertrey Summer Sunrise button

Welcome Baby

I don't have any current need for baby cards, but sometimes I just like playing with the "softness" of a baby card so the current challenge at The Paper Players called my name.

I have come a long ways in my card photography skills - but pastels and vanilla are still a huge problem for me.  I want to brighten up this picture, but when I try, it loses its softness so I left it somewhat gray and misty looking!!  (If I had all the time in the world, I would probably manually set the gray scale on my camera and about a million other fussy little things - but I'm learning to let go!!!)  Here's a more defined close-up.
I am playing along with the The Paper Players.

And I used the sketch from this week's CAS(E) this Sketch! (Although the challenge ends in just a few hours!)

• Stamps: Stampin' Up Hearts a Flutter, Short and Sweet
• Paper: Stampin' Up Blushing Bride, Very Vanilla
• Ink: Stampin' Up Going Gray, Versamark
• Accessories: Stampin' Up Antique Ivory Embossing powder, Hearts a Flutter dies, Vanilla Taffeta, Adorning Accents Edgelits and embossing, pearls, misc pink button

WPlus9 Mood Board

WPlus9 Stamps has a new challenge - every Monday, they are going to give us a mood board.  This week's Monday Mood Board is all about texture and bold color.

This thank you card goes out to all of you who take time to comment on my blog. I want to apologize for my commenting absence.  Going back to college is WAY more time-consuming than I ever dreamed it would be.  I love it - I LOVE the challenge - I love thinking about something different for the first time in 15 years.  But it is taking so much more time than I ever thought.  
I still look through all of my favorite blogs every morning over my first cup of coffee and it is wonderful, but as much as I appreciate all of your inspiration, I'm only getting time to comment a couple of times a week.  If you don't happen to post on those days, you haven't heard from me.  I'm still seeing what you have created and I am loving it - thank you for my wake-up boost every morning!

• Stamps: WPlus9 Country Charm
• Paper: Stampin' Up Cherry Cobbler, Confetti Tan
• Ink: Stampin' Up Cherry Cobbler, Marina Mist, Lucky Limeade
• Accessories: WPlus9 Folk Art Florals die, Stampin' Up Cherry button, misc butterfly clip, Jillibean Soup Thank you pennant, Studio Calico wood bird, Stampin' Up Cherry twine

Retrosketches - It's Mine!

I have made it in the world of cardmaking - this week's sketch at retrosketches comes from a card of mine!!!  The good ladies at retrosketches took this card of mine (details here) and turned it into a sketch for everybody to try!

I am absolutely thrilled!!

But I also had to create another card based on the sketch.  I discovered that's hard to do because I felt like I had to live up to the first one!! What do you think?

(It's hard to go wrong with that happy little guy!) I am REALLY looking forward to seeing what you each create with this sketch - hope you have fun!

• Stamps: The Alley Way Stamps Spring Has Sprung
• Paper: Simple Stories dsp
• Ink: Memento Black and Copics
• Accessories: Papertrey Ink button, misc white grosgrain, 

Chevrons for CAS(E) this Sketch!!

Happy Valentine's Day!!

I showed you the last of my Valentines yesterday so there is nothing sweet or loving here!!

I did venture way, WAY out of my comfort zone and wanted to share this card.  It's for this week's CAS(E) this Sketch.


For most designers there is nothing particularly unique about this - but I don't generally just plop on a variety of shapes - I am a mathematician by trade and things have to be organized and balanced and sensible!!??  But...it IS a challenge - and I challenged myself - and I kinda like it!!

I'm looking forward to seeing what you do!!

• Stamps: Avery Elle To the Point
• Ink: Stampin' Up Pumpkin Pie, Marina Mist, Basic Gray, Papertrey Soft Stone (I actually have to credit the pumpkin, blue, gray combo to the good ladies at Merry Mondays who recently used it as a fun Christmas challenge.  Obviously this isn't a Christmas card, but I definitely earmarked the color combo has a fun one!)
• Paper: Stampin' Up Pumpkin Pie, Marina Mist
• Accessories: Papertrey Ink Orange Zest button

Little Girls & Teen Boys

I just finished up my last two Valentines and they are such a fun contrast, I thought I would post them together!!

First, for my sweet little niece - lots of pink and a teddy bear!!


I used the sketch from The Sweet Stop.

Then I still had one more to make - for my 13-year old son.  He couldn't care less about the card - it's just an annoying little thing to open before he gets to the chocolate!!  But I do care - so even though it would have been a waste of time to put a lot of time into it, I still wanted something special.  I think the randomly colored chevron adds the special touch!  And the sentiment is perfect - I'm either saying he's kind of cute or I'm yelling at him - there doesn't seem to be anything in between!

I used the colors from Sunday Stamps.

Hopefully you have Valentines plans.  Sadly, I haven't even thought about it.  I know my husband and I don't have a date because we will be busy get kids back and forth to wrestling, basketball games (the band!), etc.  But I do have big boxes of chocolate for all of my men and that's probably all they really want!

Teddy Bear

• Stamps:  Sweet 'n Sassy Stamps Love from Rhubarb, Avery Elle Lots of Love
• Paper: Papertrey Ink Hibiscus Burst, Doodlebug sugar & spice
• Ink: Memento Rich Cocoa, Copics, Papertrey Hibiscus Burst
• Accessories: Trendy Twine Tickled Pink

Chevrons

• Stamps: Avery Elle Lots of Love, To the Point
• Paper: Stampin' Up Early Espresso
• Ink: Stampin' Up Early Espresso, Marina Mist, More Mustard

You are Really Fabulous

There is a new set from The Alley Way Stamps called all about YOU.  My job as part of the design team is to show you a variety of samples, but for this set, I got totally hung up on one image - here and here - so I thought I had better branch out with a different saying from the same set...


The bird is from another new set - Tiny Treasures.
I haven't used the newest in-colors from Stampin' Up much at all - so I decided that I HAD to play along with this week's challenge at The Paper Players.

• Stamps: The Alley Way Stamps all about YOU, tiny treasures
• Paper: Stampin' Up Summer Starfruit and Primrose Petals CS, Midnight Muse dsp
• Ink: Stampin' Up Midnight Muse
• Accessories: Stampin' Up flowers

PTI Colors and the Rule of Thirds

Yesterday, I played along with a sketch challenge at Papertrey Ink.  I posted my card but told you that if I had time to remake it, I would do a better job of the Rule of Thirds.  So for today's PTI color challenge, I basically made the same card, different colors, but did a better job of the Rule of Thirds!!

Some of you asked about the Rule of Thirds.  Basically it is a design guideline that says a card (or a photo, or any image) will be more interesting to the eye if you place the focus in an area where the card is divided into thirds - the red dots...

A quick google search on "rule of thirds" will bring up tons of photos where the focus is in one of these sweet spots and you quickly see how truly interesting they are.  Various sites refer to it as more lively, interesting and energetic!

An unfortunate side effect of the eye's tendencies to prefer these sweet spots is that it gets quite confused when the focus is slightly off of these points.

First, let me show you today's card - then I'll compare the two.  This is the same layout as I used yesterday, but it uses colors from today's PTI color challenge.  I actually measured to make sure that the butterfly ended up in the sweet spot!

Now look at the two side by side.

I really don't have the words for what exactly is wrong with the star card - I just know that it makes me uncomfortable.  The star isn't in the center and it's also not in the 1/3 sweet spot, so the eye and the brain get confused.  Guess what the difference between the center of the butterfly and the center of the star is.  They are only 1/4" different!  (There's a little optical illusion going on because of the direction the butterfly is facing - but they are truly only 1/4" different!) I am not trained in design and I've never before measured a card to follow the Rule of Thirds, but I can look at that star card and just feel that something is wrong.  Hope this helps you analyze cards that you aren't quite happy with! Here are the details on today's card:

• Stamps: Papertrey Ink Faux Ribbon, Beautiful Butterflies
• Ink: Papertrey Ink New Leaf, Hawaiian Shores, Summer Sunrise, Orange Zest, Raspberry Fizz
• Paper: Papertrey Ink New Leaf
• Accessories: Papertrey Ink butterfly dies and button, Martha Stewart Fine Crystal Glitter