The Shabby Tea Room #123

I'm super excited, and so honored to be this weeks guest designer at The Shabby Tea Room!  This week the theme is "Sew Crafty" and we needed to create a card or project  that includes buttons, ribbon/twine, and stitching (machine or faux), also we needed to be inspired by the colors of this drool worthy craft room in this photo:

I opted to make a criss cross card.  As you can see, the colors inspired me:

I was searching for the perfect paper for the base of this card, and after hunting high and low, I finally found this beautiful blue and white paper at Crafts Direct in St. Cloud.  I had the orange paper in my stash, and decided that I wanted to play off of the pink and orange in the photo.  I also love that color green, so I just had to have some in my card.  I used some pretty pink lace and topped it off with some divine twine.  For the pull out, I thought it would be cute to machine stitch the tab to the card.  I found the button in my stash.  The big medallion has been floating around in my "Found Objects" box, I have no idea where it came from or how it got there, but I did know that I had to use it on here.  Here's a peek at the pull out:

Supplies Used:

Paper: Fresh Collection - Authentique; Delightful Collection - Little Yellow Bicycle

Cardstock:  Pear, White Daisy - Close to My Heart (CTMH)

Ink:  Heavenly Blue, Grey Wool - CTMH

Stampsets:  Find Your Style - CTMH, Savvy Sayings - The Angel Company

Orange Divine Twine

Bubblegum Lace - American Crafts

Double Loops Punch - Martha Stewart

Label Punch - Stampin' Up!

Corner Rounder, 2" Scallop Circle Punch - CTMH

With Love

I just received my order from the last stamping club I'm in, this stampset was on it.  So, when I saw this weeks sketch from Feeling Sketchy, I just had to try this with the flowers.  I'm happy with how they turned out, I did add a touch of stickles for some sparkle.  I also added the stitching for some added interest and popped the top sentiment up with foam tape.  I wish I had left more room at the top for some ribbon to fancy it up further.  Here's the sketch, I was happy with how quickly it went together:

Also, it's a color challenge at Our Creative Corner, navy, pink, and a color of my choice was the challenge.  I selected green for my choice color. 

Supplies Used:
Cardstock:  Pacifica, Colonial White, Sweet Leaf, Blush - Close to My Heart (CTMH)
Ink:  Pacifica, Sweet Leaf, Blush, Chocolate - CTMH
Stampset: Field Flowers - Stampin' Up!
Diamond Stickles - Ranger
Circle and Scallop Circle - Spellbinders

Mojo Monday 249

I can't believe how fast summer is going, it's already almost the middle of July.  Next week is our county fair, I spend a lot of time there.  One day I scoop ice cream for the county Farm Bureau, another I serve milk shakes for the county dairy farmers, and two other days there are dairy shows (we lease heifers to a 4-H member).  I'm hoping to put a collection of my cards together to enter in open class along with entering some baked goods.  Last Saturday was our district Holstein Show, my oldest daughter, Briana, was excited to show her calf "Celinda" in the novice class.  I went with her into the showring, just in case she needed help handling her calf, we've been working very hard on training her calf, but you just never know.  It quickly became apparent to me that I didn't need to be there, she showed her calf all by herself.  So I took the time to stand off to the side and snap some pictures of her, here's one of my favorites:

I did take some time for some crafting therapy, I've missed my craft room. 

I used this weeks Mojo Monday sketch for the blueprint:

Supplies Used:
Stampset:  Baby Love - Close to My Heart (CTMH)
Ink: Lagoon - CTMH
Paper:  Dotty for You - CTMH
Cardstock:  Sweet Leaf, Colonial White - CTMH
Sparkles - CTMH
Lagoon Scallop Velvet Ribbon - American Crafts
Very Vanilla Velvet Ribbon - Stampin' Up!
Butterfly Punch - Martha Stewart
Embosslits Beautiful Wings - Stampin' Up!

Dad

I really need to get to work on creating some Father's Day cards.  I finally made myself sit down and work on one today.  Our county Farm Bureau is putting together their third Breakfast on the Farm, it's this Saturday, so I've been really busy working on preparing for that.  Right now I can't wait for Sunday.  I used this weeks Card Patterns sketch for the blueprint:

I rotated it so that the banner would work with the sketch.  Also, I stitched around the patterned panel to add some more interest.  I stamped the star in second generation so that it wouldn't overpower the sentiment.

I'm also entering it in this weeks 52 Card Pickup.

Supplies Used:
Cardstock:  White Daisy, Kraft, Pacifica - Close to My Heart (CTMH)
Paper:  Fanfare - CTMH
Ink:  Pacifica, Cranberry - CTMH
Stampsets:  Wishing Star, June Word Puzzle - CTMH
Durables, Cranberry Grosgrain, Twill Ribbon - CTMH
Circle, Petite Scallop Circle - Spellbinders
Canvas Banner - Canvas Home Basics

One Final Graduation Card

This is the last graduation card I needed for this year.  I used this weeks Card Patterns as the blue print:

I changed it a little, my card is 4 1/4" x 4 1/4".  My biggest circle die wasn't big enough to do a 4 1/4" x 5 1/2".   I wanted to use the school colors - orange and black - in my card. 

Supplies Used:
Cardstock:  Colonial White, Black - Close to My Heart (CTMH)
Ink:  Orange - CTMH; Tuxedo Memento Black
Paper:  Orange pattern - Doodlebug Design; Kraft Everyday Fun - My Mind's Eye
Corner Rounder, Ribbon, Hemp, Buttons - CTMH
Circle and Petite Scallop Circle - CTMH

Celebrate Graduation

Holy mackerel, I can't believe it's been two weeks since I've posted.  How time flies.  We have two graduation parties to attend this weekend, so I worked on a card for the first one that's this afternoon.   I've been wanting to join in with the Dynamic Duos, this week the colors are Real Red and Island Indigo.   I did have to adapt them using Close to My Heart Colors, so I used Cranberry and Pacifica, they were as close as I could get.  I used this week's Mojo Monday sketch for the blue print:

I opted to go square with it.  This week the challenge at the 2 Sisters Challenge Blog is "Inside & Out", so I did something that I'm starting to do more of with my cards, decorating the inside.  Here's what this one looks like:

I'm also going to add this to this weeks 52 Card Pickup at the Old Back Porch.

Supplies Used:
Cardstock:  Kraft, White Daisy, Pacifica - Close to My Heart (CTMH)
Ink:  Cranberry, Pacifica - CTMH
Paper:  Fanfare - CTMH
Stampset:  D1400 (Promo with no name) - CTMH
Burlap Mini Shape Flag - Canvas Home Basics
Round Durables - CTMH
Circles and Petite Scalloped Circles - Spellbinders



Spread Your Wings

My oldest daughter graduated from pre-school this week.  She loves to "craft" with me, and is always asking me to make her a "special" card.  I thought she would love to receive a "special" card from me on her graduation.  I used this weeks Mojo Monday sketch:

Supplies Used:
Paper:  Dotty For You - Close to My Heart (CTMH)
Cardstock:  Colonial White, Sweet Leaf - CTMH
Ink:  Smoothie - CTMH
Stamp:  Fly Free - The Craft's Meow
Ribbon - Maya Rd.
Sparkles - CTMH
Persian Motifs, Circles - Spellbinders
Embosslit Beautiful Wings - Stampin' Up!

How Many Fingers Are You?

I created this for my brother's birthday using the May Viva la Verve week 3 sketch.  I used two different stamp sets on this card, one from Verve and one not.  The sentiment is from Inkadinkado, I love their Kid Quotes sets, they are so cute!  However, they don't like to stamp as clear as I would like them to.  The solution?  I ink the stamps first in Versamark, and then in the color I want to stamp it in, then I stamp on my paper. 

Supplies Used:
Cardstock:  Pacifica, Colonial White - Close to My Heart (CTMH)
Kraft Funday Everyday Fun - My Minds Eye
Ink:  Pacifica - CTMH, Memento Tuxedo Black
Stampsets:  Blue Skies - Verve;  Friendly Advice - Inkadinkado
Circle Punch - Creative Memories
Canvas Mini's - Canvas Home Basics

One Final Mother's Day Card

I'm finishing up some final preparations for Mother's Day tomorrow.  After I get this posted, I need to go wrap some gifts and write out some cards.  I based this (what I hope is my final Mother's Day card for this year) on The Shabby Tea Room's inspiration photo:

We also needed to use the colors in the photo, and a rose.  I was really inspired by the pitcher, I wanted to include something like that in my card.  I decided to use a doily that I spritzed with gold glimmer mist and then stamped a flourish stamp in Hollyhock.  I also was inspired by the blue magazines, so I used a pretty blue patterned paper that also picked up on the touches of brown.  The green seam binding is my nod at the green in the foliage, so I opted to tuck my rose in the bow. 

I used this week's Mojo Monday sketch for the blue print for my card:

Also, this week at the Ribbon Carousel, the challenge is "Word to Your Mother".

Supplies Used:
Cardstock:  Colonial White - Close to My Heart (CTMH)
Paper:  Linen Closet Stack - DCWV
Inks:  Chocolate, Hollyhock - CTMH
Stampsets:  Say it in Style - CTMH, Bliss - Stampin' Up!
Bling Assortment - CTMH
Pink Pin - Prima Flowers
Gold Glimmer Mist - Tattered Angels
Flowers - Wild Orchid Crafts
Chipboard Banner - Jenni Bowlin
Doily - Royal Lace
Vintage Seam Binding

Shabby Heart

I used this weeks Mojo Monday sketch for this card, it's taken me all week of working on it (in between other commitments) to finish it.  I just couldn't get the flowers right.  Finally this morning I went to try again, and they just fell together.

I used The Shabby Tea Room's challenge - "Spring is Love" - for the inspiration.  They challenged us to use colors from a gorgeous photo, and include flowers, polka dots, and a heart.  I'm a member of a Stampin' Up! card club, a few months ago my consultant showed us how to do the Iris Folding Pattern using one of their embosslits.  I was excited to give it a try for the heart in this card.  It took me a few false starts on it before I remembered the technique correctly.  I'm so happy with how my heart turned out (and very glad that I purchased the embosslit that night).

Supplies Used:
Paper:  Uncommon - Authentique
Cardstock:  Sweet Leaf, Colonial White - Close to My Heart (CTMH)
Ink:  Hollyhock, Desert Sand - CTMH
Stampset:  Say it in Style - CTMH
Punch - Fiskers
Lace Tape - decollections
Flowers - Wild Orchid Crafts
Pearl Flourish - Zva Creative
Perfect Polka Dots embossing folder, Embosslits Scalloped Heart of Hearts - Stampin' Up!
Vintage Seam Binding

Dance in the Rain

This is my final card for the April Viva la Verve sketch challenge, this sketch is actually from week 1, but I did them out of order.

Also, this week at Use it Tuesday, the theme is "April Showers Bring May Flowers".  I used some left over adorable paper from an old workshop kit from Close to My Heart.  Let's just say I've had it a while, I've been hoarding it because I love it and only have a few scraps left.  I also used a sentiment from Verve, it says "Life isn't about waiting for the storm to pass, it's about learning to dance in the rain" (shower theme).  I used tape to mask "dance" and stamped the rest in blue, and then used tape to mask the rest of the sentiment to stamp "dance" in pink. 

Supplies Used:
Paper and Cardstock: Tickled Pink - Close to My Heart (CTMH)
Ink:  Blush, Crystal Blue - CTMH
Stampset:  Blue Skies - Verve
Sparkles - CTMH
Circle and Scalloped Circle Dies - Spellbinders

A Verve Mother's Day

I created this card using the Viva la Verve April week 4 sketch.  I was a little concerned about the arrows at first, it took me a few days to have a vision for them.  After pondering them for a few days, I remembered that I had some chip board corners stashed away, I figured I could turn them on the side and call them arrows (after I spritzed them with glimmer mist of course).  I made the flower - it's another coffee filter flower, I just love how they look. 

I'm entering this in my very first Verve Diva Dare challenge.  The theme is All Aboard - we needed to use chip board (my arrows), corrugated card board, or kraft (my card base). 

Supplies Used:
Cardstock:  Blush - Close to My Heart (CTMH), Kraft - Stampin' Up!
Ink:  Desert Sand, Chocolate - CTMH
Stampset:  Simple Beauty - CTMH
Paper:  Sun Kiss Collection - Prima
Rhinestone Designer Brads - CTMH
Rock Candy Distress Paint, Platinum Stickles - Ranger
Glimmer Mist - Tattered Angels

Beautiful Roses

This weeks challenge at The Shabby Tea Room is "Beautiful Roses".  We needed to use Aqua, Pink, Neutrals, and Flowers in our creation.  

I used the Viva la Verve April week 3 sketch for the blue print.  I have a confession about the doily,  it was at my spot last weekend for a Girl Scout fundraising crop.  I just couldn't leave it behind, I could picture it on a card.  When I pulled this sketch out, I knew I had found just the card for my doily. 

I'm also entering this in this week's Word Art Wednesday.

Supplies Used:
Cardstock:  Blush, White Daisy - Close to My Heart (CTMH)
Paper:  Linen Closet - DCWV
Ink:  Blush - CTMH
Stampset:  Beautiful You - Verve
Roses - Wild Orchid Crafts
Pearl Flourish - Zva Creative

The Sweetest Gift

A friend of mine from high school is having a baby girl in the next few weeks.  I wanted to create her a special card, when I saw this weeks sketch at Mojo Monday, I knew it was perfect for a baby's card.  I did have to stretch the sketch out, my card is 3 1/2 x 8 inches. 

This week at The Play Date Cafe, the color challenge is White, Flamingo Pink, and Bright Orange.  I just love that color combo, it's one that I don't use, but wanted to play with.  This was my time.  I had the perfect papers from Little Yellow Bicycle that I combined with some white cardstock and orange Bazzil Bling cardstock.

The Ribbon Carousel's challenge this week is "Color-a-licious".  I was originally going to make paper rosette's for behind the letters, but started thinking about it and thought that some bright pink lace would be perfect for a baby girl's card.  So I cut 6" pieces of the lace and ran a basting stitch along the bottom and gathered and tied the ends to create lace rosette's. 

Other challenges I would like to enter this in:
Lili's Little Fairies - Diamonds and Pearls
Crafts 4 Eternity - Something New
Stampin' For the Weekend - Sparkle and Shine
Simon Says Stamp and Show - Anything Goes
Pile it On - Sparkle and Shine
Paper Pretties - Card for Girl


Supplies Used:
Cardstock:  White - Close to My Heart (CTMH), Orange - Bazzil Bling
Paper - Little Yellow Bicycle
Ink - Cotton Candy - CTMH
Stampsets:  Baby Love, Chocolate Alphabet Small - CTMH
Circle Punch - Creative Memories
Pink Lace - American Crafts
Pink Sparkles - CTMH

Flowers

I created this for the 2 Sisters Challenge Blog challenge.  Which to bad the link is now closed.  I hate it when the internet is slow, one of the drawbacks of living in the boondocks.  Anyhow, the challenge was to use a flower in the main image.  I stamped this and colored it with my watercolor pencils, then I did two coats of a crackle distress paint. 

I used the Viva la Verve April week 2 sketch.  I've been wanting to sew randomly on my cards, instead of in my usual straight line, I thought this would be the perfect sketch to do it with.  I dipped the little paper butterfly in a solution of Blush re-inker and rubbing alcohol to give it some color. 

Supplies Used:
Cardstock:  Colonial White, Crystal Blue - Close to My Heart (CTMH), Kraft - Stampin' Up!
Ink:  Memento Tuxedo Black
Stampset:  Enjoy Every Moment - CTMH
Watercolor Pencils and Blending Pen - CTMH
Flutter Paper Shapes, Colonial White Safety Pin - CTMH
Baja Breeze Ribbon - Stampin' Up!
Ovals and Scalloped Ovals - Spellbinders
Rock Candy Distress Paint - Ranger
Blush Re-Inker - CTMH

Deepest Sympathy

A friend recently lost her sister, I want to send her a card, here it is.  I used the current fabulous Cardabilities sketch.  I rotated it so I could fit the sentiment on it. 

Also, this week it's Anything Goes at Use it Tuesday.  I've had this stampset for almost a year and I finally used it.  Also, I purchased this lace a few weeks ago and hadn't found the perfect paper to pair it with.  The flower is a coffee filter flower that I made last week for The Shabby Tea Room's challenge to make handmade flowers.  I didn't use this particular one, I just love the glitter on it.

Supplies Used:
Sunkiss Paper Collection - Prima
Cardstock:  Colonial White, Chocolate - Close to My Heart (CTMH)
Ink:  Chocolate - CTMH
Stampset:  Thanks for Caring - Stampin' Up!
Embosslits Beautiful Wings - Stampin' Up!
Lace - Girls Paperie
Mocha Opaques, Rhinestone Brad - CTMH
Cinnamon Stickles, Rock Candy Distress Paint - Ranger
Glimmer Mist - Tattered Angels

Psalm 18:2

This week at The Shabby Tea Room, the challenge is "Homegrown Flowers".  At my favorite local scrapbooking store (which for me is a 40 minute drive), they had a tutorial board about how to make coffee filter flowers, I've had the instructions in my things to try pile for a while.  So, since we needed to make our own flowers, I decided to give it a whirl.  After I cut out two circles from the coffee filters, I spritzed them with three different colors of glimmer mist.  Then I did a basting stitch along the bottom, gathered them, and tied a knot, so I had four ruffled circles.  Then I glued the two smaller circles into the two larger circles.  After that I applied Rock Candy Crackle paint (the directions said liberally), after that dried, I added stickles around the edges.  Once the flowers were dry, I added jeweled brads for the flower center.  Once I started putting my board together, I did have to add some of my favorite roses from Wild Orchid Crafts, but the two larger flowers are coffee filter flowers.

I used this weeks Word Art Wednesday verse.  I love to surround myself with inspirational things while I'm in my craft room, so I decided to make something that I could display in there with this verse.  I highlighted some of the key words with some soft pink chalk.

This week at The Ribbon Carousel, it's "Spring is in the Air".  For some reason the flowers aren't as pink in the photo as they are in person.  However, I used a lot of spring colors like buttercup and sky in my canvas.  I mixed re-inker with pearl finish white paint to create my own colors and painted the green chipboard in the corner, and the main color of the canvas sky blue.  Underneath the sky blue, I brushed some darker blue and brown just for some depth.  My Bow-Easy made it easy to create the double bow from some satin ribbon. 

Supplies Used:
Cardstock:  Colonial White, Buttercup - Close to My Heart (CTMH)
Verse from Word Art Wednesday
Reinkers:  Sky, Sweet Leaf - CTMH
Paint:  Pearl Finish, Spice Brown, Cape Cod Blue - Delta Creative
Lace - Hero Arts
Antique White Ribbon - Offray
Pearl Flourishes - Zva Creative
Spring Soft Chalks and Rhinestone Brads - CTMH
Cricut Art Philosophy - CTMH
Platinum Stickles, Rock Candy Distress Paint - Ranger
Suede, Vintage Pink, Iridescent Gold Glimmer Mists - Tattered Angels
Regal Glimmer Chips - Tattered Angels
Roses - Wild Orchid Crafts
8x8 Canvas Panel - Art Alternatives

Mojo Birthday Card

I found this sentiment stamp at my favorite local store - The Pine City Scrapbooking Company.  I just had to buy it to use on some birthday cards.  I've been working on this card on and off all week, I just can't seem to get the colors right (it also didn't help that I was out of town at meetings for 3 days).  I finished it today.  Here's this weeks great Mojo Monday sketch:

At Fairy Fun Fridays, it's Anything Goes this week.

Supplies Used:
Paper:  Boom-di-Ada - Close to My Heart (CTMH)
Cardstock:  Colonial White, Sweet Leaf - CTMH
Ink:  Memento Tuxedo Black
Stamps:  Not So Seriously - Stampin' Up!, Happy Birthday - Art Impressions
Copic Markers:  E00, E02, E33, E35, E37, R02, R37, W0
Rhinestone Designer Brads, Ric Rac, Sparkles - CTMH

Beautiful Butterfly

I used this weeks Mojo Monday sketch as the blue print for this card.  I was originally planning on zig zag stitching between the 3 columns of paper.  Then last night while I was studying the cover of the paper pack (they have smaller pictures of the patterned included on it), I realized they had a white strip "sewn" between them, I thought aha, I'm going to do that instead.  Here's a picture of the cover:

I cut two strips of cardstock at 1/4" by 5.5" (the card is 6x6 total) distressed the edges with Desert Sand ink and sewed them on top of the seam of the paper.  Then I used my fingernail to run along the edges to further distress it. 

I've been wanting to join in the fun with the Stampin' Sisters in Christ challenges, but always run out of week before I get there.  This week is my week, Challenge 132 - Romans 8:31b-32 - the challenge is create a card or project that uses everything, while I didn't use everything, I tried hard. 

This week, the challenge for Free for All Fridays at Split Coast Stampers is 'Caught a Bug', so we needed to include a bug or get well wish in our card.  I thought and thought about it, I don't really have many stamps that have a bug in them.  I've been wanting to join in the challenges at SCS, so I was determined to figure it out.  Then, bam it hit me, a butterfly is a bug and I have them (lots of choices there).   I stamped it in Crystal Blue ink, then rolled the edges in Desert Sand, and lastly dabbed Sweetleaf ink on using a finger dauber then stamped it.  It took a few practice tries before I perfected the look I wanted.  After I stamped it, I cut it out, then used Distress Crackle Paint on it before gluing it on the front of my card. 

Supplies Used:
Paper:  Linen Closet - DCWV
Cardstock:  Colonial White - Close to My Heart (CTMH)
Ink:  Chocolate, Desert Sand, Sweet Leaf, Crystal Blue - CTMH
Stampset:  Find Your Style - CTMH
Pearl Flourish - Zva Creative
Ivory Decorative Hat Pin and Flowers - Wild Orchid Crafts
Clear Rock Candy Distress Crackle Paint - Ranger
Pearl Opaques - CTMH
Vintage Button - Antique Store in Stillwater, MN

Beauty-Full Viva la Verve

I used the sketch from the Viva la Verve sketch challenge found on Split Coast Stampers, this is from March 2012, week #2. 

Also, this week at Use it Tuesday, the challenge is to use an un-inked stamp.  I've had this beautiful stampset from The Craft's Meow for a few weeks, and decided to put some ink to it.  Have you ever had an idea in your head, that you just had to put to paper?  That's what happened here.  I had it in my head that I needed to heat emboss the birdcage image in white embossing powder, and then sponge over it with different colors of ink.  So, here's what I came up with:

Supplies Used:
Paper:  Fairest of them All - Imaginisce
Cardstock:  Blush, Colonial White, Crystal Blue - Close to My Heart (CTMH)
Ink:  Blush, Sweet Leaf, Buttercup - CTMH, Versamark
Stampset:  Fly Free - The Craft's Meow
White Embossing Powder - CTMH
Cricut Art Philosophy Cartridge - CTMH
Cream Pearl Pen - Viva Decor
Embosslit Beautiful Wings - Stampin' Up!

Easter Pennant

This week, the theme at the 2 Sisters Challenge Blog is Spring is in the Air, we needed to use anything that reminded us of spring.  For me, one of the big marks of spring is Easter, so I wanted to create something to decorate my home for Easter.  This banner is really small, I used the Banners Dimensional Elements from Close to My Heart as the base.  The patterned paper was cut out using the Cricut Art Philosophy cartridge that's complementary to the Banners Dimensional Elements.  The banner is about 14 inches from the tip to tip of the Divine Twine, each pennant is about 2 inches tall.

Speaking of Divine Twine, this week at The Ribbon Carousel, the challenge is Anything Goes with Party Time Tuesday.  

Here's a close up of the first two pennants, I stamped "Happy" first.  On another sheet of cardstock, I stamped the Easter Basket, colored it with watercolor pencils, and cut it out.  I decided to use the handle to frame "Happy".   Since I didn't have a lot of space to work with on each pennant, I decided to go make rosette's to frame some of the letters.  Each rosette I cut one strip of paper 1/2 inch by 6 inches and then just accordion folded them (free hand because they are so small), glued the ends together, and made the rosette. 

I stamped some cute little Easter eggs on cardstock, colored them, cut them out, covered them with glitter, and used foam tape to adhere them.

Sorry about this last close up, it's pretty bad.  In my defense, I took the initial picture of my banner during the day, and when I sat down to type up my blog post, the picture didn't show the detail.  So I took some close up pictures, this one didn't work out so well.

Supplies Used:
Paper:  Lucy - Close to My Heart (CTMH)
Ink:  Memento Tuxedo Black
Stampsets:  Card Word Puzzle, Sensational Season - CTMH
Banners Dimensional Elements, Cricut Art Philosophy Cartridge - CTMH
Prisma Glitter and Watercolor Pencils - CTMH
Cotton Candy Divine Twine
Keepsake Felt Alphabet - CTMH
Circle Punch - Creative Memories

Whimsical Greetings

I used The Greeting Farm SCS Sketch Challenge #9 as the jumping off point for this spring themed card.  When I first saw this sketch, it reminded me of the rays of the sun, so of course I had to use yellow (or in this case Close to My Heart's Creme Brulee) patterned paper.  Here's a close up of the rose with the smaller butterfly, I included the others in this picture just because I like them. 

I have to confess that this is actually take #2 on this sketch for me.  My first try had the same Creme Brulee "sun", but had a different matting.  I had added some stickles to the stamped butterfly "trail" (I used Close to My Heart's Tulip to stamp it), and then I had to run down to the farm.  When I came home a few hours later, the stickles had turned it orange.  So I started all over, again.  I decided to use the challenge from The Shabby Tea Room - 'Bright & Beautiful Spring'.  I needed to use the colors lilac, blue, yellow, kraft, and a butterfly.  They had this absolutely beautiful photo as inspiration:

Supplies Used:
Cardstock - Kraft - Stampin' Up!
Paper - Key to My Heart, Life Delights - Close to My Heart (CTMH)
Inks - Cocoa, Lilac Mist - CTMH
Stamps - Butterfly Wishes - The Greeting Farm
Pearl Opaques - CTMH
Embosslits Beautiful Wings - Stampin' Up!
Ribbon - unknown
Rose - Wild Orchid Crafts

Proverbs 3:5

I created this card using the Viva la Verve March Week #4 sketch found at Split Coast Stampers.  It's supposed to be a Clean and Simple (CAS) sketch challenge this week, I tried. 

I'm planning on sharing this card at Word Art Wednesday, they have a great free Word Art this week.  However,  I had my little heart set on using a Plain Jane scripture verse from Verve.  So, since I can use another scripture or encouraging quote in my project, I decided to run with it.  I consider Proverbs 3:5-6 my life verse. 

Supplies Used:
Paper:  Perfect Day - Close to My Heart (CTMH)
Ink:  Cocoa, Sorbet - CTMH
Stamp:  Proverbs 3:5 - Verve
Double Loops Punch - Martha Stewart
Mocha Opaques - CTMH
Early Espresso Bakers Twine - Stampin' Up!
Oval and Scallop Oval Dies - Spellbinders

Mojo Monday #233

I created this card using the Mojo Monday sketch #233.  I used a brand new stampset from the Stampin' Up! Sale-A-Bration called Elementary Elegance.  I inked the frame with Crystal Blue and ran the brush tip of my Rich Razzleberry marker around the edge of the stamp before I stamped it.  Here's the sketch:

This week at The Ribbon Carousel it's Baking with the Twinery.  So we needed to use baker's twine, one of my favorite ways is to wrap it twice and tie it in a bow on a button, like I've done. 

I also used the colors - Raspberry, Harbor, and Honey Mustard - from this weeks The Play Date Cafe.  I used some patterned paper from My Minds Eye for the Raspberry.  Close to My Heart's Crystal Blue for Harbor and Stampin' Up!'s Crushed Curry for the Honey Mustard.

Supplies Used:
Paper - My Mind's Eye
Cardstock:  Crystal Blue, Colonial White - Close to My Heart (CTMH), Crushed Curry - Stampin' Up!
Ink:  Crystal Blue - CTMH
Marker:  Rich Razzleberry - Stampin' Up!
Stampset:  Elementary Elegance - Stampin' Up!
Diamond Stickles - Ranger
Divine Twine
Double Ruffle Ribbon - Morex Corp.
Button - Bling Assortment - CTMH

Merry Monday Challenge #12

I had this stampset sitting on my work space from last week's Merry Monday Challenge.  I decided not to use it last week, and when I saw this week's sketch, I just had to use the snowmen along the bottom.  I made two cards, one I colored the hats with water color pencils, the other I used stickles on the hats.  The stickles won, they added that little something extra.  Here's this week's Merry Monday sketch:

Supplies Used: 
Glitter Paper - DCWV
Cardstock - White Daisy, Outdoor Denim - Close to My Heart (CTMH)
Ink - Outdoor Denim - CTMH, Memento Tuxedo Black
Stampsets - Peace on Earth, Snow Friends - CTMH
Stickles - Waterfall, Platinum, Xmas Red, Lime Green, Diamond - Ranger
Blue Sparkles - CTMH
Deep Double Edge Punch, Snowflake - Martha Stewart
Orange Watercolor Pencil - CTMH