Freshly Made Sketches: Poinsettia Peace

It's time for a new sketch at Freshly Made Sketches! Today we have a sketch by Cécile and here’s what I did with it. I definitely took some liberties!!

 

I normally stick pretty close to the sketch but I recently sorted my not-yet-used Christmas stash (which is still overflowing and some products date back years) and I pulled out those that I am absolutely definitely for-sure going to use this year. Then I looked at the sketch and realized I hadn't pulled out anything close to a those circles.  But I had pulled out a poinsettia that's roughly circular.  Of course, the leaves aren't close to circles but I got the right number of them in the right directions and even the right sizes!  So I'm going with it.

The die set is a recent addition to my stash, but definitely not new. I hadn't noticed the Seasonal Sketches set before it retired but I'm glad I did. LOVE the look and, retired or not, it will be used over the years.  (Greta's card is what caught my eye - a totally different look with gorgeous results.)

I hope to see you playing along with us this week at Freshly Made Sketches (whether you use circles or not!)

SUPPLY LIST

Dies: Sizzix/Tim Holtz Seasonal Sketches

Paper: Stampin' Up Sweet Sorbet and Flirty Flamingo, Taylored Expressions Peapod and Granny Smith

Other: Stampin' Up Petals a Plenty embossing folder (old), Simon Says Christmas pre-printed strips, Studio Katia Gold Foil Pearls

The Card Concept: Christmas Greetings

 There's a new inspiration challenge at The Card Concept: Christmas Greetings. My Clean and Layered card was inspired by the wreaths, the colors and textures, and the wintery feel.

I thought about using a big wreath with lots of decorations, but I was taken by the simplicity of the wreaths in the photo. So as I looked further in my stash, I found the Joyful Snowman Etched Dies by Photoplay. It includes the "J" and the "Y" plus the simple wreath for the "O" and that sweet little snowman for the center.  

 I love the look of the wreaths against the red door and the pop of the white skates so I tried to recreate that look. I added the brown - although a lighter brown - with a woodgrain paper inspired by the sled. The door in the photo adds a lot of texture and while I didn't do a door on my card, I was inspired to add texture with a gingham embossing folder. Then with the wintery feel of the skates and the sled, I added a variety of snowflakes around my little snowman.

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

SUPPLY LIST

Dies: Photoplay Joyful Snowman Etched Dies

Paper: Taylored Expressions Cilantro, Stampin' Up Poppy Parade and Balmy Blue, Poppystamps Kraft Woodgrain

Other: Stampin' Up Gingham and Winter Snow embossing folders, Hero Arts Snow & Berry sequins

A Magical Christmas

I sorted out all of my Christmas cards yesterday and joy oh joy - I have enough cards!!  BUT, I don't have exactly the right cards for everybody. Am I the only one who makes Christmas cards with no one in mind and then crosses fingers at the end that the stash matches the recipients?? I was really close this year and to me this is a great scenario.  I can totally relax because I do have enough, but I can still stay in Christmas mode and make a few more that are just right!  In this case, I needed cheerful colors.

I had this idea in my head after I used the same die to make this more classic card. I envisioned a rainbow of bright stripes with the icons flipped. It didn't stand out enough after I got it done so I glittered them. I have used shockingly little glitter this Christmas season which I realized when my husband commented for the first time in a long time that I had glitter in my eyebrows!  No matter how careful I think I am, it ends up everywhere!!

This is a retired die from My Favorite Things but I recently noticed that Sizzix/Tim Holtz has words that are equivalent (although in a Tim Holtz style) - the Christmas Cutouts die. It even has a few little houses and trees! For both of my cards using the MFT die, I didn't trim the words apart so that they stayed perfectly aligned.

I have to admit that I am feeling the "magic" already! It's been a very relaxed Thanksgiving since neither of our sons came home and my husband worked. So I took the opportunity to decorate for Christmas.  I don't do it Hallmark movie style (although if anybody ever wants to come over and do it for me - and take it down - you would be welcome!) The simplest but most amazing decoration we do are candles (LED) in all of our windows.  The come on at sunset and once they start twinkling every night - the magic is here!

SUPPLY LIST

Stamps: My Favorite Things Itty Bitty Holiday

Dies: My Favorite Things Joy, Peace, Love (retired)

Paper: Stampin' Up Daffodil Delight, My Favorite Things Pineapple, Papertrey Ink Aqua Mist, SU Coastal Cabana, SU Flirty Flamingo, Sweet Sorbet, Parakeet Party and Granny Apple Green

Poppystamps: Joy Throughout the Year

I'm on the Poppystamps blog today with joy throughout the year!

My card was inspired by this sentiment from the Christmas Sparkle stamp set. I used the inside letters from the Stacked Joy die and then was thrilled to find a variety of die for each season in my stash!

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

Both Poppystamps and their sister company Birch Press Design are having fabulous sales right now - have fun shopping!

If you are celebrating Thanksgiving - hope you have stretchy pants and time for a long nap!!  Here's to Thanksgiving joy!!

SUPPLY LIST

Stamps: Poppystamps Christmas Sparkle

Dies: Poppystamps Stacked Joy, Adelaide Snowflakes, Intricate Cut Butterflies, Fanciful Fall Leaves and Layered Holly Leaf Trio

Paper: Poppystamps/Memory Box Kraft Woodgrain

Freshly Made Sketches: I Regret Nothing

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 already knew that one of my sons was going to get a card with this Santa and this sentiment so when I saw the sketch I knew it was meant to be.  Plus it gave me the extra idea of having him peek from the frame since the circle in the sketch is behind the frame! I struggled a bit with how to use him because he actually doesn't come with a die for the face. I didn't want to put him on a white background because since he's mostly beard, I thought it wouldn't pop.  So I tried a darker cardstock. I like the look.

The sentiment comes from Impression Obsession's Dear Santa.  If you have any older "kids", it's a must-have! I used a different sentiment on this Santa card.

I hope to see you playing along with us this week!  If you celebrate Thanksgiving, enjoy your meal!!  But then make everybody else clean up and hide yourself away to make some cards while they nap.  It's definitely my plan.

SUPPLY LIST

Stamps: Impression Obsession Dear Santa

Dies: Simon Says Stamp Santa Man, Ink to Paper Diagonal Banners

Paper: Concord & 9th Neutral Foils Paper Pack, Photoplay It's a Wonderful Christmas 6x6 pad, Stampin' Up cardstock in Poppy Parade, Evening Evergreen, More Mustard

Other: Stampin' Up Softly Falling Embossing Folder

Freshly Made Sketches: Happy Christmas

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!

This simple little card is a really big deal in my crafting life.  (Not that you could tell by looking at it.) This is the first colored ink that I've used since I broke my wrist two months ago!!!  A lot of my colored ink is from Stampin' Up and they are hard to open even without a broken wrist.  With a broken wrist? Impossible!  I'm not going to say it was easy, thus the reason I have about 2 more months of physical therapy in front of me.  But this is a huge step!!

And on the broken ankle - I started going on short walks last week...and driving!!  So I'm no longer feeling trapped (nor is my husband who was my chauffeur). The driving is better than expected. The doctor advised that I leave extra space between me and the car in front of me. In fact he said enough space so people honked at me.  So I'm being careful but I've always been a cautious driver and I'm not at all concerned (so no worries if you are from Colorado and are reading this.)

I love the whimsical look of this set but it's flexible too.  Here's a more elegant card that I did with just the dies. 

Be sure to check out the rest of the design team on the FMS blog. I had envisioned this sketch with patterned papers on the strips - but there are so many other possibilities that the team came up with! I look forward to seeing what you create.

SUPPLY LIST

Stamps: Stampin' Up Spruced Up

Dies: Stampin' Up Spruced Up Outline dies

Paper: Stampin' Up Sweetest Christmas dsp and Garden Green cardstock

Ink: Stampin' Up Garden Green, Real Red, Sweet Sorbet and Pool Party

The Card Concept: Happy Thanksgiving

 It's a double inspiration week at The Card Concept!!  I am playing along with the inspiration for Happy Thanksgiving but check out the gorgeous Merry Christmas option at the end of this post.

My Clean and Simple card was inspired by the colors, the leaves and the texture in the fireplace. I knew before I even looked at the inspiration that I needed one more Thanksgiving card, specifically for my 26-year old son.  Typically I go humorous, but the colors and the texture in the inspiration took me in a different direction.  I found leaves that were modern and chunky then used the rust and orange colors. Then the fireplace in the background led me to the texture on the card. I'm sure from his point of view, I messed up the masculine vibe with the sequins - but I think a truly lovely part of fall is the brilliant colors with a touch of frost. 

The sentiment is from The Stamp Market. It has multiple ways to layer fall greetings. This card uses "Happy Fall" from the same set. The branch and leaves I think are actually trees - at least that's what it shows on the packaging! They are from the set Windy by Penny Black.

If you aren't inspired by the fall graphic, check out this amazing inspiration for Christmas! You can play with either one this week.

SUPPLY LIST

Stamps: The Stamp Market Filled With Thanks (and dies)

Dies: Penny Black Windy

Paper: Stampin' Up Gray Granite, Cajun Craze, Pumpkin Pie

Ink: Stampin' Up Gray Granite, Cajun Craze

Other: Stampin' Up Brick & Mortar Embossing Folder

Poppystamps: Joy in the Forest

I'm on the Poppystamps blog today with joy in the forest!!

The brand new Christmas products are the Stacked Joy, Sunbeam Frame and Iced Pine Trees.  Then I added some sweet baby whittle to my forest scene.  Be sure to head over to the Poppystamps blog for more pictures and details.

SUPPLY LIST 

Dies: Poppystamps Sunbeam Frame, Stacked Joy, Iced Pine Trees, Whittle Forest Reindeer Kit (just the fawn), Whittle Hedgehog Due and Whittle Birds; Memory Box Star of Wonder

Paper: Memory Box paper pads in Earth Neutrals, Lush Green and Fresh Aqua; Memory Box Glitter Pads in Graceful Garden (the yellow) and Delicate Pastel (the blue)

Other: Memory Box/Open Studio Autumn Fairy Crystals

Freshly Made Sketches: Ho Ho Ho

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

 

I didn't follow the sketch perfectly but I think you can see it. I thought through a number of ideas that differentiated those top two rectangles from the bottom one because it seems to me that that is implied in the sketch with the top two being scalloped.  But as I was thinking through options, the idea of three words came up and then it was an easy leap to "ho ho ho".  So I was definitely inspired by the sketch but put a little bit different twist on it. Once I saw it in my head, I had to do it and I love the results!

The letters and the Santa are all Sizzix/Tim Holtz.  I added a little gray ink to the edges of Santa so he would stand out on the white background. The speech bubbles are random bubbles - all from closed companies - that I selected just because they fit the words. The sentiment is from Impression Obsession that I just had to have because it's full of snarky sayings that are going to be just perfect for my sons for a number of years. 

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

SUPPLY LIST

Stamps: Impression Obsession Dear Santa

Dies: Sizzix/Tim Holtz Cool Yule and Alphanumeric Cutout Lower, various speech bubbles selected because of the direction of the speech part!, 

Paper: Doodlebug Buffalo Check Woodgrain Petite Prints in Lily White, Stampin' Up cardstock in Real Red, Granny Apple Green, Parakeety Party, Basic Gray and Going Gray, My Favorite Things In the Buff cardstock

Freshly Made Sketches: Gobble and Wobble

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!

  

I LOVE this turkey die - it's Tom Turkey by Photoplay. It popped right into my cart when I saw him!  He's cute, especially with wildly colored feathers, but he isn't cutesy and I'm always on the lookout for things that fit that bill. The sentiment is from Taylored Expressions but I wanted something a bit sarcastic as this will probably end up going to one of my sons.

I matched colors from the paper. I got him all done and kind of figured he'd be the "circle" in the sketch but then I thought he got lost on the paper (remember, my eye likes CAS and lots of white so patterns make my eyes a little twitchy!)  I played around with a lot of other paper options like subtle ginghams - but finally the light bulb came on that the circle could be vellum to help him stand out.  

We have a turkey family in our neighborhood this year.  Mom and six children - I was going to type "little ones" but they aren't so little any more.  I've lived in the area over 30 years and these are the first I've seen.  It's been fun watching them grow up.  But not so fun getting to work on time when there's a traffic jam because they have to cross the road.  Happily, there are still seven although lots of morbid jokes on neighborhood websites about the cost of store-bought turkeys. 

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

SUPPLY LIST

Stamps: Taylored Expressions Mini Strips - Harvest

Dies: Photoplay Tom Turkey, Taylored Expressions Mini Strips Asymmetrical (trimmed)

Paper: Photoplay Thankful 6x6 pad, Stampin' Up cardstock in Pumpkin Pie, Island Indigo, Mango Melody, Real Red, Soft Suede, Early Espresso

The Card Concept: Pumpkin Party

There’s a new inspiration challenge at The Card Concept and the theme is Pumpkin Party.  My Clean and Layered card was inspired by the fabulous patterned pumpkins, the woodgrain and the general color scheme.

With those gorgeous patterned pumpkins in the graphic, how could I not use the Honey Bee Stamps Patchwork Pumpkin set?! I was inspired by the suggested color scheme but I didn't use it exactly. My pumpkin is actually gray, not black.  I think it was because I was making this two days ago on Halloween and when I pulled out the black, I could not get past it looking like a Halloween theme! I softened it a bit to deep grays.  I also added a pop of green after I saw it in the scale. There's also woodgrain in the photo with the stems and the scale, so I used woodgrain paper for the stems and for the sentiment.

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

SUPPLY LIST

Stamps: Honey Bee Stamps Patchwork Pumpkin (and dies), Fall (and dies)

Dies: Honey Bee Stamps Scallop A2 Card Frames

Cardstock: Stampin' Up Pumpkin Pie and Basic Gray, Taylored Expressions Candy Corn, Peapod and Poppy Seed, Poppystamps Woodgrain

Other: Sunny Studio Orange Topaz gems