Freshly Made Sketches: Sweet Tulip

It's time for a new sketch at Freshly Made Sketches and I created it!

I came up with this sketch because of a die that I had just gotten.  It feels a little like cheating to have a head start!! But I actually get a little nervous when it's my turn to come up with the sketch because I want everybody to enjoy it - so I have to have some sort of plan as to whether the sketch will work.  Having the die in front of me told me I could make it work!


I think this little tulip is just charming.  I layered it up three times, then I used a couple of different Doodlebug 6x6 pads so I had coordinating colors in a variety of different patterns.  With all of the patterns, I put the sentiment on black so it would stand out.  I have a tough time using black just for the sentiment because I feel like it's not balanced, so I added a few Doodlebug Sprinkles and a baker's twine bow.  The sentiment is also Simon Says - I thought the encouraging words worked with the sweet tulip and cheery colors.
I hope to see you playing along - I look forward to browsing the gallery and being inspired by all the entirely different cards that are based on the same sketch.
SUPPLY LIST
Stamps: Simon Says Stamp You Got This Die: Simon Says Stamp Sweet Tulip Cardstock: Doodlebug Designs Gingham-Linen Rainbow Petite Prints and Dot-Grid-Daisy-Stripe Rainbow Petite Prints Other: Doodlebug Beetle Black Glitter Sprinkles

Taylored Expressions: Birthday Raccoon

I had my two young nieces over this past weekend for a joint celebration of their upcoming birthdays.  They love spending the day with "Auntie Kim" although it has much less to do with me and much more to do with their love of my craft room.  We made Valentines - they did dozens for their friends modeled after the mini cards (at the end of the post) and then they spent hours working on special cards for their mom and dad.  We had a wonderful time!

Plus, I got to make a cute birthday card for the 11-year old.  She loves animals, so I used a little raccoon and an owl from Woodsy Wishes.


I love bold letters with something substituted.  "LOVE" with a heart for the "O".  At Christmas, use "JOY" with a snowflake for the "O".  So I figured why not use the raccoon?  He doesn't look like an "A" but you can tell exactly what it says.  Then for a little more interest, I colored the owl with bright wings then perched him on top. 
FYI - the Caps Lock - Happy die comes with coordinating stamp sets for the words such as "birthday": the Caps Lock Companion - Happy Occasions and Caps Lock Companion - Happy Holidays.  But I was looking for something a little scripty and frilly for my niece, so I used part of a birthday sentiment from the balloons set linked below.
Also, if you haven't seen them, Taylored Expressions has some very handy charts for using Copics.  I used the Copic Fur Color Chart to pick colors for these guys.  There's also a wonderful Copic Skin & Hair Color Chart.  And if you are just getting started, Taylor has a chart of her favorite colors so you don't have to get all 350 markers at once!
Here they are again - I used various dimensional adhesives to get everything at a slightly different level.

With Valentines Day just around the corner, TE also has Caps Lock - Love.  I'm thinking there are multiple cute things to substitute in that word.  Hmmm....
SUPPLY LIST
 

Freshly Made Sketches: Birthday Balloons

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

I have a couple of birthdays coming up.  One is my niece who will be 14.  Different 14-year olds can be so different - some act so grown-up (and often defiant and obnoxious!) and some are still so young and sweet.  That's my niece - charming and sweet.  She's a little too old for cutesy so I stuck with colorful balloons.  She also loves to draw and I thought the dimension in these balloons would catch her attention.  

Her little sister's birthday is just 2 weeks later.  She'll be 11 - I think I can still go cutesy for her - so watch for it!!

I hope to see you playing along with us this week!

SUPPLY LIST
Stamps: Sugar Pea Designs Birthday Balloons
Dies: Sugar Pea Designs Balloon
Cardstock: Taylored Expressions Confetti Cake
Ink: Taylored Expression Confetti Cake, Distress Oxide Mustard Seed and Spiced Marmalade
Stencil: Taylored Expressions Set the Scene - Clouds Stencil Stripes
Other: Pretty Pink Posh Buttercream Jewels

Taylored Expressions: Celebrate with Rosettes

I often create cards and stash them away, but it's funny how rarely I dive into that stash because when it's for a special friend or occasion, I want to think of them while I create a unique card with just them in mind.  That's today's card.

My friend loves cardmaking - so I wanted the card to showcase something special and unique.  I quickly settled on the Rosette Cutting Plate.  I love the fresh and clean look of this die.  Then I stared at it for quite awhile trying to decide what I could do that might be unique for my fellow cardmaker.  One of the many ideas that ran through my mind was to fill in the dies with paper - then I realized what would be fresh and clean would be to just fill in one flower!

I love how this turned out.  After I filled the single flower, it needed something bold for the sentiment - so settled on the Celebrate Script and added the black banner.  I played around with watercoloring or sponging the background.  I liked the attempts but wanted to keep the fresh, white look so just added some embossed polka dots.

I found the perfect inside sentiment in The Inside Scoop - Birthday then actually got a little giddy when I remembered that there was a Bloomers die that matched the Rosette flowers.  I don't often decorate my insides - I don't know why, it's extra special when I see other people do it.  But I definitely wanted an extra special card so I added the flower plus an open leaf from another Bloomers set. A simple little touch that made a big difference!

Hey friend - I know you watch my blog.  I hope you have received this card already.  I miss our coffee time, let me know next time you are in Parker!!
SUPPLY LIST

Freshly Made Sketches: Birthday Wishes

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

I look at the sketch and right next to my computer keyboard were some new dies that I had to index and put away.  (Yes - I index all of my dies on my computer - that should tell you that I have a few too many!)  One of those was my monthly Small Die of the Month Club set from Spellbinders - sketch on the screen, the die on my desk - perfect!!


The set came with three circular die cut sentiments and a couple of ways to cut the outside of the sentiments (I used scallops) - plus a flower and leaves.  I knew I wanted to surround the sentiment with the flowers so I found a scrap of floral paper that would coordinate.  Then I found the gray stripe - I love the way colors pop on gray. 

I hope to see you playing along with us this week!

SUPPLY LIST
Dies: Spellbinders December Small Die of the Month (Warm Wishes)
Cardstock: Taylored Expressions Pink Champagne, Guava and Fruit Punch, and a throwback - Stampin' Up Kiwi Kiss (still one of my favorites!)
Embellishments: Pretty Pink Posh Sparkling Clear

Freshly Made Sketches: How Old?

Happy New Year!!  Welcome 2019!

It's a great way to start the year for two reasons.  Did you see the announcement at Freshly Made Sketches about the new design team members - they are amazing!!  And after taking the holidays off, it's time for a new sketch. Today we have a sketch by Amy

My youngest son turned 19 right after Christmas, my other son turns 23 in two days.  So I have had a definite need for masculine birthday cards.


I hadn't used the background die before and decided it was close enough to the rectangle on the sketch.  I put the sentiment strip on top of the circle. But other than those things, I stuck quite close to the sketch.  To be totally annoying, I added three little sequins.  All of my guys have a long tradition of walking by my craft table and saying "too much bling" even though you all know I'm not at all heavy on the bling!  So out of spite - I plopped on some bling.  This card was for the son's birthday last weekend so I can report that either he didn't notice, or he grew up overnight and decided to be polite.  I'm betting on the first!
SUPPLY LIST Stamps: Reverse Confetti Fancy Word Coordinates (without the Fancy Word!!) Dies: Simon Says Stamp Stacked Diamonds, Taylored Expressions Birthday Treat Toppers, Tag Stacklets 3, Double-Ended Flag Stacklets (I cut the yellow one in half to extend it behind the tag) Cardstock: Taylored Expressions Cookie Monster, Pineapple Patterned Paper: My Favorite Things Painted Prints Smitten