Poppystamps: Lovely Layered Flowers

 I'm on the Poppystamps blog today with this card using the gorgeous Layered Lovely Flowers.

This was a quick and simple card but it still has gorgeous detail due to that flower.  It's a single die that cuts four layers so a quick swipe through the die cutting machine, a drop of adhesive in the centers, a light bend to pop up the petals and it's ready to send "hugs"!

There are many more pictures and details on the Poppystamps blog.

SUPPLY LIST

Dies: Poppystamps Freestyle Hugs, Layered Lovely Flowers

Paper: Memory Box Garden Folly, Berry Red, Sunny Orange and Earth Neutral

Other: Treasure Chest Fairy Gemstones

Freshly Made Sketches: Celebrate Your Special Day

It's time for a new sketch at Freshly Made Sketches! Today we have a sketch by me and here’s what I did with it!

Creating sketches can be scary.  Like what if I did a sketch and even I couldn't come up with a card for it that I liked!! So when it's my turn to do a sketch, I often work in reverse. My card is created months ahead of the challenge, then I draw the sketch.  At least then I know that I'll have something to show. The weekend that I needed to do the sketch, I didn't have time to create a new card so I flipped through my own blog and found a card that I particularly liked from a few months ago - and that card became my sketch.  It's the Panda Hugs card from April. Months later, I created today's card and I am only now realizing that it is a total copy of that panda card. I must have a "style'! (Or maybe I am totally stuck in my comfort zone!!!)

Today's card uses a die set from Gina K. I love the details in it. Originally I cut it from black mirrored paper as a silhouette, but when I finally settled on that oversized sentiment (by Papertrey), all of the black just got too heavy. Then I was afraid the white would get lost, so I only adhered a small portion in the center and let it the rest of it curl up for dimension.  Hmmm...I think part of my "style" involves overthinking everything!

I do hope to see you playing along with us this week at Freshly Made Sketches.  It is amazing to study all the ways that a sketch is handled in everybody else's style!

SUPPLY LIST

Stamps: Papertrey Ink Perfect Pairs: Essentials (and dies)

Dies: Gina K Designs Botanical Duo

Freshly Made Sketches: Whatcha Doin'?

It's time for a new sketch at Freshly Made Sketches! Today we have a sketch by Jen Brum and here’s what I did with it!

 

I've been looking for a reason to use those charming birdhouse dies with the cute little birds.  It's a set by Paper Rose and has SO many different options - different houses and stands and roofs and birds - even a weather vane! I used two little birds that seemed to be talking to each other then found this perfect sentiment in my stash!

I pulled the colors from the paper. Obviously the yellow, but the flower centers were kind of an olive green. I hadn't used olive in a very long time and it used to be my favorite so I happily pulled it out for my accents. 

I hope to see you playing along with us this week at Freshly Made Sketches!

SUPPLY LIST

Stamps: Simon Says Stamp Messages for Everyday

Dies: Paper Rose Bird Houses

Paper: Honey Bee Stamps Spring Fling, My Favorite Things Pineapple, Stampin' Up Daffodil Delight, Mossy Meadow, Balmy Blue, Smoky Slate and Sweet Sorbet

Other: Pretty Pink Posh Marigold gems

The Card Concept: By the Sea

There’s a new inspiration challenge at The Card Concept: By the Sea! My Clean and Simple card was inspired by the colors and by the soft and gentle feel of the inspiration photo. 

I know the title of this challenge is "By the Sea" and I really did start in that direction.  I was going with the colors, then I went digging in my stash for a big sand dollar that I have. It's a die by Reverse Confetti and as I was looking for it, I saw these flowers, also by Reverse Confetti, that I had not yet used. I immediately envisioned them in the soft blue and soft green - so I let go of the theme! Although I do think that the color scheme still gives it a soft beachy look.

Other subtle things on my card are pulled from the inspiration.  It really is amazing what ideas a photo can give you. I angled the sentiment panel because of the slight angle of the table. Then I added the background "stripes" because of the slats of wood. 

The other reason for the change in direction is that I simply don't have much in my stash for ocean themes.  I was born and raised in South Dakota and have spent my adult life in Colorado - not so many beaches nor seas in those states! We have done some ocean vacations with my very favorites being twice to the Outer Banks of North Carolina and some time in Maine. Both were quiet and peaceful and stunningly gorgeous with the same soft colors as are in the inspiration photo. I thoroughly enjoyed reminiscing as I was creating this card!

I hope to see you playing along with us at The Card Concept.

SUPPLY LIST

Stamps: Reverse Confetti Whole Lotta Happy, Sending Smiles (and dies)

Dies: Reverse Confetti Happy, Along the Dotted Lines Cover Panel

Paper: Stampin' Up Soft Suede, Papertrey Ink Spring Rain, Taylored Expressions Toffee

Ink: Papertrey Ink Spring Rain, Stampin' Up Mint Macaron (stamped off once) and Soft Suede, Taylored Expressions Toffee

Poppystamps: You Can Do It

 I'm on the Poppystamps blog today with this quick and easy card using one of the fabulous new butterflies!

This is the Large Stained Glass  Butterfly and Background (although I didn't use the background because I wanted the stripes to show through).  I added a rainbow of 1/2" stripes and framed it all with the largest frame from the Double Scalloped Stitched Frames. The sentiment seemed just right for the bold butterfly and cheerful stripes - it's from the Art Deco Inspiration stamp set.

There are many more pictures and details on the Poppystamps blog - check it out!

SUPPLY LIST

Stamps: Poppystamps Art Deco Inspiration clear stamp set

Dies: Poppystamps Large Stained Glass Butterfly and Background craft die, Double Scalloped Stitched Frames

Paper: Memory Box 6x6 cardstock packs in Berry Red, Sunny Orange and Fresh Aqua, Memory Box Polished Foil Pad

Freshly Made Sketches: Oh Happy Day

It's time for a new sketch at Freshly Made Sketches! Today we have a sketch by Jen Mitchell and here’s what I did with it!

Nothing immediately came to my mind for this sketch. It's funny how sketch challenges work.  Sometimes the idea is in my mind as soon as I see it and the sketch gives me an easy starting point for a card.  Other times it's a struggle but these are the cards that I often love the most at the end. They push me into directions I don't normally go and, at least for me, the results are unique. I don't know why I struggled with this one - but now I'm very happy with the results.

I used two different sets from Concord & 9th to get the flower and the stem. I added a small rectangle of yellow woodgrain at the base, then softened it with some gingham at the top.  I left the stem white to keep the fresh look. 

I hope to see you playing along with us this week at Freshly Made Sketches.

SUPPLY LIST

Stamps: Concord & 9th Thinking of You

Dies: Concord & 9th Fresh Cut Florals 3 (the flower) and Fresh Cut Florals 2 (stem and flowers)

Paper: Honey Bee Stamps Gingham Galore Spring and Hot Tropics (yellow wood), My Favorite Things Pineapple, Stampin' Up Wild Wasabi, Taylored Expressions Toffee

Hand Stamped Sentiments: Here for You

The current challenge at Hand Stamped Sentiments includes the new Stampin' Up In Colors which I really like so I just had to play along!

I really do like these colors.  I already used all five of them on this card. But I think I might be even more excited looking forward to winter and Christmas.  Orchid Oasis and Starry Sky are going to make fabulous winter cards.  And a softer red makes me giddy.  My eye sees most reds as harsh - I truly struggle with red and green Christmas cards. I think this softer red is going to show up on most of my Christmas cards!

Thank you to Hand Stamped Sentiments for the challenge!

SUPPLY LIST

Stamps: Stampin' Up And Many More

Dies: Stampin' Up Build a Butterfly

Paper: Stampin' Up Cardstock in Orchid Oasis, Starry Sky and Tahitian Tide, In-Color dsp in Orchid Oasis, Sweet Sorbet and Parakeet Party

Other: Kat Scrappiness Majestic Blue pearls

The Card Concept: Make It Masculine

 It's time for a new challenge at The Card Concept: Make it Masculine. My Clean and Layered card was inspired by the theme and the colors, and also by the block layout with the various plaids.

I bought this Stampin' Up set with the bear just for the sentiments - I loved the mix of fonts in each sentiment (none of which I used on this card!) But when I saw the inspiration and remembered the gorgeous, detailed bear in the set, I figured he deserved to be on a card!

I found a neutral plaid and framed the bear image. Then I used strips of cardstock in the various colors to give it some pops of color. The "Happy Father's Day" comes from a long-retired Stampin' Up set - I wanted the long thin sentiment to decorate part of my frame.  Then just a few metallic dots. It's all very quick and easy but I like the mix of very detailed bear and the simple frame. 

I hope to see you playing along with us at Make It Masculine!

SUPPLY LIST

Stamps: Stampin' Up Wildlife Wonder, Teeny Tiny Wishes (long retired)

Dies: Stampin' Up Stitched Rectangle

Paper: Stampin' Up Plaid Tidings 6x6 (retired), cardstock in Early Espresso, Soft Suede, Cajun Craze and Crushed Curry

Other: Stampin' Up Brushed Metallic Adhesive-Backed Dots

Freshly Made Sketches: Fringe Flower Hello

It's time for a new sketch at Freshly Made Sketches! Today we have a sketch by Jen Timko and here’s what I did with it!

I decided the "any shape" needed to be a flower because I wanted to use my new Poppystamps die called Layered Fringe Flowers. I used all three layers on my card. To keep it simple, I pulled out the Sunny Orange paper pad by Memory Box that has trios of coordinating colors so I could easily go from light to dark. Then just for fun (and since their cardstock as a white core), I sanded off the edges of each so the color fades out to white on the edges. Then a couple of soft blue butterflies for contrast.

I don't often splatter my background. I have control issues and flicking on paint is the very definition of letting go of control! But I felt the background needed some texture and with the white edges on the flower and the pretty white sentiment, white splatter felt right. I think I did OK and, even more amazingly, this was my first attempt on this card.  I didn't like the blob of white to the right of the flower as you are looking at it but as I was putting a second piece of kraft cardstock in my splatter box to try again, I decided to embrace the lack of control and use my first attempt. I notice the blog - but I bet no one else did until I pointed it out!!!

I hope to see you playing along with us at Freshly Made Sketches!

SUPPLY LIST

Dies: Poppystamps Layered Fringe Flowers, Intricate Cut Butterflies and Hello Poe Script, Memory Box/Open Studio Stitched Rectangle Trimmings

Paper: Memory Box Sunny Orange and Fresh Aqua

Other: White Acrylic Paint

Poppystamps: Moose Hugs

This month's challenge at Poppystamps is My Guy. I first came to Poppystamps because of the wonderful Whittles - and especially those that could be used for the guys in my life. The Whittle animals are cute but not cutesy and just perfect for fun masculine cards. So my favorite Whittle Moose just had to come out and play on my challenge card.

I adhered my 1/4" stripes on scrap paper then cut out the "hugs". I tucked the Whittle Moose into the sentiment then framed the whole thing with the stitched frame.  There are many more pictures and details on today's post on Poppystamps

I hope to see you playing along at the My Guy challenge!

SUPPLY LIST

Dies: Poppystamps Playful Hugs, Whittle Moose, Scalloped Stitch Frames, Double Diamond Lattice Plate

Paper: Memory Box Earth Neutral, Ocean Blue and Lush Green

Freshly Made Sketches: Celebrate

It's time for a new sketch at Freshly Made Sketches! Today we have a sketch by Jacquie and here’s what I did with it!

 

I started this card by figuring out what I wanted to use in the open space. I decided to go with a big and bold "celebrate"! This is the Celebrate Tag by Reverse Confetti (but I didn't use that tag part). It comes with the background that has all the letters together. I did it in white, but popped it to differentiate from the background. Then each letter is cut separately. I pulled out a pad of stripes and dots from Sunny Studio and just randomly started cutting. LOVE the look!

Then I picked three colors and cut the stripes. I did go with a narrow stripe otherwise my "celebrate" just didn't fit. Just to make it more of a celebration, I added a few polka dot stars.

I LOVE this sketch.  Be sure to check out what the rest of the design team did with it - and as always, I look forward to browsing the ideas in the gallery! I hope to see you playing along with us this week at Freshly Made Sketches.

SUPPLY LIST

Dies: Reverse Confetti Celebrate Tag, Pretty Pink Posh Stitched Stripes

Paper: Sunny Studio Dots & Stripes Pastels Paper