A Gem of a Challenge Sketch

I have to admit I entered this challenge because I'm greedy--I think the prize is absolutely wonderful. But, I also entered it because the sketch was perfect to make this birthday card for my BIL, and I'm happy with how it turned out. I really struggle with masculine cards, but think I did okay. I flocked the flowers and I'm not sure why, but doing so took the frilliness out of them, if that makes any sense. It was my first flocking attempt, and I loved it. I will definitely be doing more in the future.

I also LOVE this color combination. I have wanted to use it for a while, but never could find papers that worked, until I found these. I think they'll be perfect for Valentine's Day Cards.

Recipe:

My Mind's Eye papers--Bohemia Collection
Inkadinkado stamp
Inkadinkado flocking blue
Stampin' Up "Birthday Wishes" stamp
Stampendous embossing powder--white opaque
Making Memories eyelets

I'm entering it in the following challenges:

A Gem of a Challenge -- sketch
I Did It Creations Blog -- blue
Let's Ink it Up -- anything goes
Pile it On Challenges -- anything goes
Aud Sentiments Challenge Blog -- sentiment can only have two words
Totally Paper Crafts -- birthday
The Sisterhood of Craftsers -- birthday
Two Sisters Challenge Blog -- flowers
Stamp Something -- anything goes
Meljen's Designs -- square card
Creative Cottage Challenge -- use something new (My flowers stamp is new.)
My Partner in Crafting Crime -- use something new

Screwed up the sketch--love the card.

I made this card following a sketch, but accidentally turned it upside down when I put all the pieces together. Even though I can't enter it in the sketch challenge, I'm looking at it as a happy accident, because it's one of my absolute favorites. 

I purposely made it 4.25" x 5.5" to send to the troops via Operation Write Home. It really is one of the few cards I've totally satisfied with, and the thought of a soldier using it to send his/her loved one a note makes me very happy.

Ingredients:

Basic Grey "Cappella" papers (LOVE these)
Stampin' Up "Thinking of You"
Inkadinkado butterfly
Maya Road pins
Flat-back pearls from stash
Stampendous white opaque embossing powder
Stampendous black embossing powder

I'm entering it in the following challenges:

CES Challenge Blog -- anything but a Christmas card
Stamp, Scrap and Doodle Saturdays -- monochromatic
Sweet Stampin Challenge Blog -- three dp, two embellishments, one image
Delicious Doodles -- one image, two designer papers, three embellishments
Mami Doodles -- anything goes

I won the blog candy at One Stop Card Craft Challenge!

Wow! Yay! Wow! Yay! I won!

I about fell out of my chair when I saw my name--I'm so excited! Thank you so much!

Scrapcollecter's Fabulous Blog Candy

This is just a note to mention the fabulous blog candy Scrapcollector is giving away. A pic of the candy is on my sidebar.

Sweet Sketch Wednesday



My family has a tradition of meeting for breakfast on Thanksgiving so that everyone can go on to other Thanksgiving feasts for the day. My birthday was the 14th of November and at breakfast my brother and sister gave me some beautiful presents. When I saw the "Sweet Sketch Wednesday" sketch, I immediately thought of giving them both a thank you card. So far I've only made this one, but I'm really happy with it.

Recipe:

Basic Grey "Oliver" and "Olivia" papers

My Mimd's Eye "So Sophie" paper

Inkadinkado "thank you swirls" stamp

Label No. 2 Nestabilities

Stampendous black embossing powder

ribbon from stash

I'm entering it in the following challenges:

Sweet Sketch Wednesday -- sketch

Craft your Days Away -- texture

Stamp Something Challenge -- thanks

Inktegrity -- anything goes

Artful Inkables -- die cuts
The Corrosive Challenge -- Something that Moves

Papertake Weekly Challenge -- Cut it out

Midnight Madness!

As soon as I saw the Midnight Madness sketch I knew what I was going to do with it. I love it because it easily translates into a 4.25" x 5.5" card, which I can now send on to Operation Write Home. 

I got to use one of my favorite stamps, which is actually quite large because it's really a background stamp. I masked off most of it to stamp the two flowers in the background, and felt really lucky that I didn't ruin any paper as it worked the first time. I love it when I get to try different techniques.

You can't see it in the photo, but I used a Sakura Stardust clear pen to color in the background flowers. Well, "color" is the wrong word, as there's no color, but they're sparkly now, which makes them pop out a bit more.

Recipe:

Creative Imaginations papers

Rubber Stampede background stamp

Label #2 Nestabilities

Colorbox black pigment ink

Stampendous clear embossing powder

Sakura Stardust pens

ribbon from stash

I'm entering it in the following challenges:

priscillastyles -- sketch
A Spoon Full of Sugar -- anything goes

Thanks for stopping by!

I love Basic Grey Challenges!

Basic Grey is one of my absolute  favorite papers on the market, and I pick some up as often as I can. In fact, just this last week I bought the 12X12 sets of both "Olivia," and "Oliver," something I've wanted for a very long time now--on e-bay!! I couldn't believe I won them, and since they've arrived I can't stop looking at them!!

Anyway, since I love Basic Grey paper it's only natural that I love Basic Grey Challenges--and I do. Tbis challenge calls for wings on the project, which I did with my inkadinkado rubber stamp. That dang bird is hard to color! I'm not wanting to be  Monet or anything, but there are just too many places to put in different colors, and when I do, it just looks SOOOOO wrong. I finally decided to stick with one color, in this case blue for the bird, but using different shades of blue. That seems to have worked much better.

I also followed a sketch by "Friday Sketchers," and was really pleased with it because it was fairly easy to adapt it to a 4.25" x 5.5" card so I can send it on to the troops via "Operation Write Home."

The recipe is as follows:

Basic Grey "Kioshi" DP
Basic Grey "Olivia" DP
Inkadinkado bird stamp
tag stamp
Cuttlebug and Nesties
Crayola glitter glue
Sakura Stardust pens

I'm entering it into the following challenges:

Crazy for Challenges -- circles
Basic Grey Challenge -- wings
Friday Sketches -- sketch
I Did it Creations Challenge Blog -- wings
Digi Doodle Challenge -- anything goes