Freshly Made Sketches: Cloudy Day, Go Away

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!

This is definitely the kind of card many people need right now.  It seems like the "cloudy days" just keep coming. I feel quite blessed in that my husband and I are both still working - and most days, I get to do it from home in sweats!!  We are both homebodies so the opening and closing of shopping/restaurants doesn't impact us too greatly, although Amazon Prime loves me.  Our children are in college so we don't have the incredible anxiety of dealing with younger children out of school. I do have two orders of face masks coming because I've finally decided that this is going to be long-term and I need a stash.  Our grocery stores just began requiring masks and then our state did.

I hope your days aren't too cloudy and that you can see the sparkling rainbow at the end! 

SUPPLIES
Stamps: Simon Says Stamp Very Special (retired)
Dies: Memory Box Small Circle Burst, My Favorite Things Flat Bottomed Clouds

Perfectly CAS: I Can't Adult Today

My oldest son recently got elected as president of a club on his college campus.  Sadly, he's managed to go through his entire life without being aware of how hard it can be to work with people, especially volunteers!  It's killing him that he has big goals, everybody agrees, and then nothing happens. I knew someday he'd face situations like this. I have funny "adulting" sentiments, so I recently got this sleepy fox who I think has a look of resignation - you can almost see the heavy sigh.  Then I looked through challenges and was inspired by the Perfectly CAS (using only one third) challenge to use animals.

Also, the current challenge at Poppystamps is Clean & Simple.  Last month I won the random drawing for a gift card and I have new Poppystamps products on their way to me!!  Today's card doesn't use newer products, but it is definitely clean & simple.  I have some fun dies coming so probably more from me later for this challenge!

SUPPLY LIST
Stamps: Poppystamps Whittle Everyday
Dies: Poppystamps Whittle Sleep Fox and Whittle Mounds, cloud dies are unknown although clearly I'm going to have to add the Whittle Clouds to my collection!
Paper: Honey Bee Stamps Over the Rainbow (the grass), Taylored Expressions Peapod and Honey, Simon Says Fog and Smoke
Other: Stampin' Up Glitter and Clear Epoxy Shapes

CAS(E) this Sketch: Hang In There

Yesterday morning, I wanted to make a quick card of encouragement for my youngest son. I went to a great source of inspiration - the sketches at CAS(E) this Sketch - and  realized the sketch would be a fun way to use some new stamps and dies that I recently added to my stash.


The new stamps and dies are the Poppy Stamps Busy Squirrel Trio and their Whittle Everyday sentiment set (plus I got a number of other Whittle animals to go with many of the stamps in the set!)  I knew I would be using the squirrel for my youngest son.  He's in his freshman year at a college multiple states away and even with all the big new experiences he's having - somehow he was quite thrilled with the squirrels there - "Mom...the squirrels are black!"  I think my "hanging" squirrel is actually just climbing a tree, but I thought if I put him off-kilter, he would definitely look like he needed to hang in there!

 (Poppy Stamps also has a Birch Stitched Frame die which is perfect for the squirrels and was in and out of my cart a number of times - but I looked at the sheer volume of tree dies in my stash and just couldn't justify it.)

Here is my inspiration!

I also want to credit the challenge at Poppy Stamps - Animal Menagerie.  Three squirrels may not be a menagerie, but if you saw all the other Whittle animal dies on my desk right now, you'll see I purchased the full menagerie!!

SUPPLY LIST
Stamps: Poppy Stamps Whittle Everyday
Dies: Poppy Stamps Busy Busy Squirrel Trio, Taylored Expressions Birch Tree Border, The Greetery Sentiment Suite Basics die, Lil Inkers Stitched Woodgrain
Paper: Avery Elle Spring Collection

Taylored Expressions: Chevies and Octopi

It's the big day! All the Taylored Expressions products you've seen through sneak peek week are now available - and I have a few more to show you. Be sure to head over to the Taylored Expressions blog for a few more peeks - and to see if you've won a prize.

There's a sentiment in the new O-Fish-Ally Awesome set that made me laugh out loud.  There is a great variety in the set - mostly around being awesome and great job - but one stood out as being different.


I love it!!  It says it just like it is and I dare the recipient to not feel slightly better when they see it!  I used O-Fish-Ally Awesome along with the coordinating dies and I used another new product, the Bubbly Stencil.  It's a full-size stencil so you can do an entire background but I just kept it along the edge.  I masked it off with removable tape and gave it a spritz of a clear glimmer/shimmer mist.


I adhered a bit of paper from the new Hello Sunshine Paper Pack. I just love the colors.  Also, I cut the card front 1/4" narrower than usual so that little guy can stick out and the card will still fit in a standard envelope.

Here's the supply list for this card but keep scrolling down for another peek!

SUPPLY LIST
There's also another fabulous background in this release, the Chevies Background. I love it because it can be so graphic yet still so clean and fresh.


There are so many directions you can go with backgrounds like this.  I chose to just color one strip with Copics to point to the sentiment.  The sentiment is new too!  It's Sending Sunshine along with the Sending Script die.


I'm not going to chat any longer because the store is open!!  Don't forget the special deal...

For a limited time, earn DOUBLE CRAFTY POINTS when you purchase our NEW TE Liquid Watercolor Collection! Included in this exclusive bundle are all 12 bright liquid watercolor hues, our innovative, unique shimmer liquid PLUS a bonus set of 4 mixing palettes to explore your creativity! If you're not a Crafty Points member, it's free and easy to join. Just create an account at the TE webstore and you're automatically enrolled to begin earning crafty points with every purchase. You'll earn 134 Crafty Points on the purchase of our TE Liquid Watercolor Collection! Offer valid on qualifying purchases made between 9am CDT on Thursday, June 7, 2018 and 11:59 pm CDT on Sunday, June 10, 2018 and only while supplies last. Crafty Points are only available on purchases made via our retail site: www.tayloredexpressions.com.

SUPPLY LIST

TE Sneak Peeks Day 1: Warm and Fluffy

It's the first day of sneak peeks for the March release from Taylored Expressions!  This is fun month with a few new concepts, some dies for 3D projects and great additions to some favorite product lines!  Today I'll be warm and fluffy!  Everything you see in the next four days of sneak peeks will be available on Thursday, March 9th, 2017. Be sure to check out each of the creative team members' blogs for all of the sneak peeks - starting with the Taylored Expressions blog.

I am in love with Spin Cycle and all of its associated stamps and dies!  It's not like anything I've seen before and it is totally cute!


I made the little dryer out of the Spin Cycle dies, then I popped it up for a shaker and added Little Bits-Clothing Confetti. I put the Little Bits-Laundry Basket next to it - and did you notice the dirty little sock that didn't make it into the wash?!  The Little Bits Clothing die has socks and underwear and T-shirts and onesies and more - SO cute!!  The sentiment is from Spin Cycle Sentiments and the sentiment in the frame is part of a sentiment from that same set.  I love the "warm and fluffy" sentiment!


The frame and the jars on the dryer are from the new dies Sitting Pretty and Sitting Pretty Accessories. See more of these sets on my next card!  Behind the dryer is the Subway Tile Embossing Folder - it's a great look - adding interest without distracting.

Here's what is on this card - be be sure keep reading for a chance at prices and another sneak peek.

SUPPLY LIST

Spin Cycle	Spin Cycle Sentiments	Little Bits - Laundry Basket	Little Bits - Clothing Confetti
Sitting Pretty	Sitting Pretty Accessories	Embossing Folder - Subway Tiles	TE 6x6 Paper Pack - Build a Scene
TE Premium Cardstock - Sugar Cube	TE Premium Cardstock - Metallic Neutrals	TE Premium Cardstock - Sprinkles	TE Premium Cardstock - Salt Water Taffy
TE Premium Cardstock - Lemon Meringue	TE Premium Cardstock - Potato Chip

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Before I share a peek at another product, I'm excited to tell you that Taylored Expressions is celebrating Release Week with some fabulous giveaways! Visit the TE blog to answer Taylor's Question of the Day for a chance to win a prize from the latest release!

And where else are you warm??  A fireplace!  (Although hopefully you aren't fluffy!!)  And especially a fireplace that is decorated with Sitting Pretty frames and Sitting Pretty Accessories.  (The fireplace is the previously released By the Fireside die set.)


Check out the Sitting Pretty series in the supply list below and see the amazing variety of pieces.  So many frames and frame shapes plus jars and an "&" and vases and birdcages.  You definitely want to check out all of the creative team on this one to see all the options (and I have another card coming on Thursday.)


I used the previously released Mini Caps Alpha & #s to add the word "Faith" to my fireplace. I was going to put one letter in each frame but five frames didn't leave me room for my flowerpots and I really wanted those pops of color.  I like the way it turned out with letters bunched into a frame.

Tomorrow will be all about new homes, opening doors, and hostesses! Be sure to head over to the TE blog for links to the rest of the creative team and to enter the question of the day question.

SUPPLY LIST

Sitting Pretty	Sitting Pretty Accessories	By the Fireside	Mini Caps Alpha & #'s
Embossing Folder - Bead Board	Embossing Folder - Brick	TE Premium Cardstock - Sweet Basil	TE Premium Cardstock - Toffee
TE Premium Cardstock - Oreo	TE Premium Cardstock - Poppy Seed	TE Premium Cardstock - Earl Grey	TE Premium Cardstock - Sugar Cube
TE Premium Cardstock - Candy Corn	TE Premium Cardstock - Potato Chip	TE Premium Cardstock - Lemon Meringue	TE Premium Cardstock - Granny Smith
TE Premium Cardstock - Cherry Pop

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