Tuesday Morning Sketches #57

Good Morning Friends!  I hope you're all doing well.  I've posted a new sketch on Tuesday Morning Sketches and it's a fun and easy one.  We also have a great sponsor joining us.  Robyn's Fetish Digi Stamps and More is sponsoring and offering 5 digis to the winner.  Great prize!

Robyn was very generous in giving us some images to work with, I chose Birdie's Nest.

I actually had a hard time with my sketch.  Sometimes I draw stuff, I go wherever my mood takes me.  I forget that we have to work with it later!  LOL  But this one was fun... and no decorative paper.  I think I achieved the earthy feel I was working towards.

Supplies:
Card stock:  Neenah Classic Crest, Always Artichoke, So Saffron, Whisper White
Ink:  More Mustard, Chocolate Chip, Rich Cocoa
Stamps:  Sentiment from Out on Limb (PTI)
Copics:  E33, E37, E53, E57, Y17, YG03, YG63, YR20, YR23
Tools:  Scallop punch, 1 3/8" circle punch, Cuttlebug, Floral Fantasy & Paisley embossing folders
Embellishments:  dark yellow grosgrain ribbon (Offray)

I hope you like my card and that it inspires you to play along.  Head on over to Tuesday Morning Sketches to get more inspiration from my fantastic design team.  Thanks for stopping by!

Sweet Baby

Good Morning Everyone!  I have a quick post for you today - I'm still playing with my stamps.  Actually, I decided that I needed to play with my new There She Goes Stamps even though I'm behind a couple of releases.

I just couldn't get my lighting correct with card, no matter what I tried.  The base is white, but the next color is Chocolate Chip and it still looks black to me.  Anyway, I made this card for the TSG Monday challenge which is a 1, 2, 3 challenge: 1 decorative paper, 2 card stock colors and 3 embellishments.  I also used a sweet and simple sketch from Unscripted Sketches.

I created my own digi stamp for this card.  I made the little platform train that the animals are in.  It was really very easy to draw in a drawing program with some basic shapes.  Then I masked it off so that I could stamp the little animals so it appears they are in the wagon-type platforms.

Supplies:
Stamps/Ink:  Polka Dot Pals (TSG), Mini-Messages sentiment (PTI), Tuxedo Black, Rich Cocoa (Memento), Pretty in Pink, Apricot Appeal (SU!)
Card Stock:  Neenah Classic Crest, Chocolate Chip, Bashful Blue, Whisper White (SU!)
Paper:  Me & My Big Ideas
Copics:  B00, B02, B05, C8, E53, E57, RV10, W-3, Y11, Y15, Y17
Tools:  white gel pen
Embellishments:  buttons (Michaels)

I hope you like my card.  Thanks for stopping by and I hope your Monday is good to you.

Stamps Only Sunday

Good Morning!  I hope your weekend is going really well.  I have a really fun card to share with you today that I made to participate with The Crafty Pad challenge which was to use pearls and Sunday Sketch and Stamp which was to use their great sketch.

This was a really fun card to make.  I pulled out some hoarded decorative paper from SU!.  Yay me!  I'm digging in the stash.

I also created the flowers by using Penny Duncan's roses SVG except that I only used the base of the petals in two different sizes to create these flowers.  They were really easy to make.  Penny, I hope I did you proud.  I added the pearls for the center - they are white, but using a Copic marker I "stained" them a bit.

Supplies:
Stamps/Ink:  Swiss Pixies Nora on a Swing, Amy R Spring Stamps Sentiments, Tuxedo Black (Memento)
Card Stock: Neenah Classic Crest, White & Cream (Recollections)
Paper:  Soft Sky decorative paper (SU!)
Copics:  B000, B60, B63, B97, B99, BV00, BV02, E00, E02, E33, E37, E53, E57, Y15, Y17,
  YR20, YR23, YG95
Tools:  Cricut/SCAL, SVG by Penny Duncan, Oval cutters (CM)
Embellishments:  Pearls (Recollections)

I hope you enjoy my card and that your Sunday is a blessed one.  Thanks for stopping by!

Bee Crafty #37 - Anything Goes

Hi again!  If you're here to see my card for The Sweet Stop, please scroll down.  But if you're here for Bee Crafty, then you're in the right spot.  This week's challenge is an easy one... Anything Goes!  How fun is that?  I chose a clean and simple Back to School theme.

Lots of clean white space with a little embossing really showcases the adorable Fluffy Bunny {and book} image.  Doesn't he look like nothin' can tear him away from that book?  He must be reading The Tortoise and the Hare.

Supplies:
Card stock:  Neenah Classic Crest
Paper:  School Papers by Becki Kress (ACOT)
Copics:  B000, RV02, YG63, YG67
Tools:  Scor-Pal

This was a really easy card to put together and could easily be mass produced in very little time.  I think this would be a perfect card for a teacher to give to her students to encourage them to read or as recognition for reading accomplishments.

Not only does this card work for Bee Crafty, but I am also submitting it for Fussy and Fancy Friday Challenge who has a Back to School theme.

Thanks for stopping by again today.  I love it when you visit more than once a day!  Enjoy your Saturday.

The Sweet Stop Saturday

Good Morning!  I hope your weekend is off to a great start!  I can't believe we're at the end of August already - time sure flies.  This is also my last post for my Guest Designer spot for The Sweet Stop.  It has been an absolute pleasure to included amongst Korin's talented team.

So the sketch for this week is...

I am really excited to share this card with you.  I am so pleased with how it turned out.

I used the Poppies set which I absolutely love!  I am also very pleased with how all the earthy colors that I chose worked so well together.

Supplies:
Card stock:  Neenah Classic Crest, Chocolate Chip (SU)
Paper:  Cosmo Cricket
Copics:  C8, C10, R02, R27, YG03, YG63, YR16
Tools:  Oval cutters (CM)
Embellishments:  olive grosgrain ribbon (Offray)

I hope you join us this week at The Sweet Stop.  And a great big thanks to Korin and Nancy for allowing me this priviledge this past month to be a Guest Sugar Baby.

Fabulous Friday

Good Morning!  Happy Friday!

I have a card to share with you today that I created using Deedee's Digis and other stamps.  This is for the Crafts 4 Eternity challenge - which is a great sketch, your favorite color and your favorite image.  Since every image I own whether digi or rubber stamp are my favorites, that part of the challenge was easy.  My favorite color is purple (just not royal purple) and the sketch was great to work with.

I had a little trouble with my favorite color - I love purple but its funny that I don't have any dp in purple shades so I set out to create my own.  First I embossed a background and hit it lightly with ink and a sponge.  Next for the two strips I stamped polka dots and for those of you who know me, know that I consider polka dots a color.  The other strip I stamped some words across it that you can't see, but I think it adds a really nice texture.

Supplies:
Card stock:  Neenah Classic Crest, Lavender Lace, White (Recollections)
Stamps/Ink:  Polka Dot cross-hatch (unk), CTMH, Poppies (SNSS), Lavender Lace
Copics:  BV00, BV02, BV04, C8, C10, R27, R29, Y06, Y11, YG63, YG67
Tools:  Cuttlebug, Birds & Swirls embossing folder, Circle cutters (CM), sponge
Embellishments:  white grosgrain ribbon (Offray)

I hope you enjoy my card and I hope it brings a smile to the face of the person I am sending it to.  Enjoy your Friday.  Thank you for visiting me.

Sweet Sketch Wednesday #64

Good Morning!  It's mid-week so that means it's time for another fun sketch over at Sweet Sketch Wednesday.  Arlana always has really great sketches to work with and sponsors, too.  This week we're joined by Digi Stamp Characters and the prize being offered is 3 digis.  What fun!  They have super adorable images that are great to work with.

So here's the sketch...

And here's my card...

I had a lot of fun with this card because I was able to pull out my Cricut and great SVG files from my friend Penny Duncan.  I used her Scallop Frame file and her brand new file for these gorgeous paper roses.  You can find her files on her blog, Penny Duncan Creations.  I also played along with my friend Katie Skiff's Back to School blog party.  This one is for her color challenge to use Soft Suede, Bashful Blue and Real Red.

Supplies:
Card stock:  Neenah Classic Crest, Soft Suede, Real Red, Bashful Blue
Paper:  Woodland Collection (Martha Stewart)
Copics:  B00, B000, B02, BV02, C8, E33, E37, R27, R29, RV000, W-3, Y06, Y11, YG63,
  YG67, YR16, YR20
Tools:  Cricut, SCAL, Empressor, hot glue gun, white gel pen

My card is changed a little from the sketch.  I couldn't run the ribbon across the center focal point or it would cut the adorable mouse in half, so I shifted it to the back panel.  I am very happy with how this card turned out and I love love love Penny's rose.  Thanks so much for stopping by, now head on over to SSW for details on how to play along and more inspiration from Arlana and the team.  Have a super Sweet sketch Wednesday!

Tuesday Morning Sketches #56

Good Morning!  Yesterday ended up being a very busy day - I didn't get a chance to do much of anything except run around.  I did drive into Downtown Orlando.  That was an experience, let me tell ya'!  I felt like I was driving in Downtown Denver, it was just as confusing.  I knew there was a reason why I avoided going downtown anywhere.

Anyway, this week over at Tuesday Morning Sketches we have a fun sketch, a great sponsor and it's a judged challenge week.  So head on over there and get the details and join us in the fun!!

Here's my card and trust me, in real life, this is super adorable!  This picture is a product of "taken at 5:30 in the morning."  Anyway, our sponsor is Bella Digi Studio and she provided images for me and my team to play with.  I used Pickle Loves Sunflower and this is such a sweet image.  I think Pickle is very adorable, she has a sweet little fact and the cutest little nose.  And I was super excited because I used some flowers that I won from the Magnolia Challenge.

Supplies:
Card stock:  Neenah Classic Crest, Golden Yellow (Recollections), Mellow Moss (SU)
Paper:  Ambrosia (Basic Grey)
Copics:  B000, E00, E02, E33, E37, E53, Y06, Y15, Y17, YG63, YG67, YR16, YR20
Tools:  Leaf punch, Oval cutters (CM)
Embellishments:  Flowers (Creative Treasures), satin ribbon (Offray), diamond Stickles

I hope you head on over to TMS to play along with us.  It's going to be fun!!  Thanks for stopping by, enjoy your day.

Stamps Only Sunday

Good Afternoon everyone!  I hope you've had an enjoyable weekend so far.  I have a quick post for you for today.  My friend Katie Skiff is having a Back to School blog party and her first challenge (and 2nd) has been issued.  The first one is a great sketch created by Katie.  So here's my card....

I had a lot of fun with this one.  It's very clean and simple... lots of white space.  I used one of the Spring Pixies by CC Designs.  I also have discovered that I really love this faux suede technique where the card stock is distressed and pulled apart.  I did that to create the grass.  I also found a cool tutorial to create the flower using a button, red-line sticky tape and glitter.

Supplies:
Card stock:  Neenah Classic Crest, Pretty in Pink
Paper:  Just Chillin' collection (Making Memories)
Stamps/Ink:  Sweet Pixie (CC Designs), Tuxedo Black (Memento)
Copics:  B00, B000, E00, E02, E33, E37, RV000, RV02, RV10, RV13, YR20
Embellishments:  button (my stash), green glitter, red-sticky tape

I hope you join the party over at Katie's blog.  She's got some really great prizes.  I will be back later with the 2nd challenge she issued.  Have a great rest of your weekend and thank you for stopping by.

The Sweet Stop Saturday

Good Morning!  I hope you had a really great week.  I can't believe it's already the 3rd Saturday of August!  Time is just flying by.  But you know what the 3rd week of the month means?  It means that this week's challenge at The Sweet Stop has a twist.  Think Back to School!  So appropriate for this time of year.

So here's the sketch...

Eeek!  Isn't it fabulous!?  I loved working with this sketch.  Here's my Back to School card featuring Cocoa.  Of course.

Now you all remember Rubber Stamping 101 when we were all taught how to color on stamp before stamping in order to omit an element or add color without coloring inside the image.  Well, this can be done with digi stamps.  (WARNING:  Do not alter a digi stamp, call it your own and try to sell it.)  I imported Write Soon Cocoa into my photo editing software and erased the envelope behind the letter.  Then I printed it and colored.

One thing that made such a huge impression on me when I started school was the grades in red.  In Kindergarten I remember Mrs. Jensen either drawing a happy face or a sad face.  Then I remember a certain 1st grade teacher that drew the cutest happy faces and I wanted to draw them just like her.  So I added my own "A+" to the letter-now-turned-homework.

Supplies:
Card stock:  Neenah Classic Crest, Black (Recollections)
Paper:  School Days digi paper (Becki Kress - ACOT)
Copics:  B000, C8, R27, RV000, RV10, W-3, Y15, Y17
Embellishments:  red brads (unk)

I hope that you like my card and remember that if you do alter a digi, respect the artist and don't share it... well, except when you make a lovely card with it and give it away.  Thanks for stopping by!

Fabulous Friday (part 2)

Good Afternoon everyone!  As promised, I'm back with another version of faux suede.  This time its the version that can be found almost everywhere.  You basically distress a piece of card stock with a bone folder to the point where you can pull it apart into two pieces.  I decided to make flowers with all these pieces I started playing with.

I made this for my friend Deb's birthday - she's also my partner for the suede challenge for the monthly card traders group and I hope she likes this.  Tell me what you think....

I made everything on this card (except the card stock).  The carnations or mums, depending on your interpretation are purple even though they look blue in this photo.  I made those from a scallop punch, the little blue flowers are made from a small flower punch and the peach flowers from a 5 petal punch.  I glued them onto a green oval piece of card stock with ribbon leaves and finished it with a bow.  I created a recessed window card that is an A2 card, but trust me, this has a 1/2" depth, it won't fit in an A2 envelope.

Here's a close up of my paper flower arrangement....

These flowers were so easy to make!

Supplies:
Card stock:  Neenah Classic Crest, Black (Recollections), Mellow Moss, Lavender Lace, Night of Navy,
  Apricot Appeal (SU)
Stamps/Ink:  Poppies (Sweet n Sassy), Tuxedo Black (Memento)
Tools:  Scallop, 5-petal, Spring Blossoms, large Oval, Label punches (SU), Scallop circle Nestabilities,
  Cuttlebug, bone folder, Scor-Pal, water spritzer
Embellishments:  ribbon (offray), brads (Making Memories)

I hope you like this card.  But most of all I hope Deb is happy with her birthday card.  Thanks for coming by again.  I hope your day is going well.

Fabulous Friday

Good Morning!  I am off to a rough start this morning.  My head hurts and I am tired!  But who really wants to hear me whine?  Let's talk about technique and cards.

For my monthly card traders group the challenge was to try a technique for Faux Suede.  It doesn't require a whole lot of supplies and it's pretty easy.  You need Liquid Applique, a re-inker, a brayer and some card stock.  You mix the liquid applique with the ink color and then brayer it onto your card stock and then heat it with your embossing gun.  I'm sorry, I don't remember what the You Tube video is where this technique was picked up.

Here's my card...

Now, I didn't have any Liquid Applique but I got to thinking that my Puffy paint is pretty much the same thing, so I figured this work.  I mixed white paint with Creamy Caramel ink.  Does this look brown to you?  Me either.  But it did work!

In this view you can see all my layers and a bit of the texture.  This is really hard to share via pictures.  I thought the feel of the card stock was more like suede than the look.

In this picture you can really see the texture.  It's pretty cool - but definitely not the color I thought I'd get with this.  Fun technique.  You should give it a try!

Supplies:
Card stock:  Neenah Milled Ivory, Chocolate Chip
Stamps/Ink:  The Journey by Chris Dark (TSG), Tuxedo Black (Memento), Creamy Caramel (SU)
Copics:  E33, E37, YG03, YG63, YR23
Tools:  Puffy paint (white) (Tulip), brayer, ticket punch (SU)

Let me know what you think of this and if you try out the technique.  I think it would really cool to do both sides of the paper and then punch it out to create hand-made flowers.  I'll be back with another variation of faux suede later.  Have a great day and happy Friday!

Thursdays with Lindsay

Good Morning!  We're on the downhill slide of this week.  I have a really fun card to share with you today.  Warning:  This card is for adults 21 and over.  LOL

Lindsay's Stamp Stuff introduced a new set last week called Vintage Halloween Label stamps and it's awesome!!  And since we're nearing September, Halloween isn't too far away.  It's time to start thinking of tricks and treats and parties.  Now I am not into the scary stuff that Halloween can bring, so when I chose this image to work with, I thought of the Wicked Witch of the West from Wizard of Oz.  And on a more ecclectic note, more like Elphaba from the book Wicked.  What an interesting take in this novel of a childhood favorite.  Anyway, here's the card...

I created a gatefold card and decorated the side panels with some fun paper that I had only a few scraps left.  You might remember almost a year ago I created a frame for the kids' Halloween pictures for my Mom using this same paper and Lindsay's Stamp Stuff images.  If not, you can find it here.

Here's a close up of the image.  It took some playing around with it before I actually got it sized nearly right to use my Labels nestabilities with this image.  I sized it to 2.80" and it worked pretty well.  The image is so great that it needed very little color.  But I thought of the scene where Dorothy was locked in the witch's castle and her crystral ball filled with smoke.  So with my very old chalks I colored the ball to look like the swirling smoke.

Supplies:
Card stock:  Neenah Classic Crest, Old Olive, Black (Recollections)
Paper:  Halloween paper (??) (Michaels)
Copics:  YG03
Tools:  Chalks (SU), Scor-Pal, Cuttlebug, Labels Nestabilities
Embellishments:  brads (SU)

And here's the 21 and over part...

I found this fun martini recipe on a website called Drink of the Week.  Now I'm not a big drinker by any means, but I enjoy a fun martini or yummy margarita every once in awhile.  My thought was this would be fun at a party to give as favors to guests.  Of course you could switch it out for a non-alcoholic punch that is kid friendly.

I hope you enjoyed my card today and that I inspired you to look at your regular A2 sized cards a little differently.  Head on over to Lindsay's blog to see what sort of tips and treats she has for you.  Then it's time to shop because everything in Lindsay's Stamp Stuff store is on sale - 40% off!!  But you have to hurry, this sale ends tonight at midnight.  Thank you for stopping by!

Sweet Sketch Wednesday #63

Good Morning!  Happy Wednesday!  Arlana has another great sketch for us this week and this week we have one of our favorite returning sponsors with us.  Digi Stamp Boutique is sponsoring and is offering 10 free digis to the randomly drawn winner.  What a deal - you get to have fun and have a chance to build up your digi collection.

So here's the sketch we're working with this week...

And here's what I did with it...

I had a lot of fun with this image.  I'm not sure what struck me to go with baby colors, but I guess I was in the mood.  Actually, I should be working on baby announcements for a friend of mine, but...

Supplies:
Card Stock:  Neenah Classic Crest, Bashful Blue, Pink Pirouette
Paper:  Gingham digi paper (ACOT)
Copics:  B00, B02, R11, RV10, Y11, Y15, YG00, YG03
Tools:  Cuttlebug, Swiss Dots embossing folder, Scallop circle (Nestabilities)
Embellishments:  mulberry flowers (unk), dew drops (Michaels)

Head on over to Sweet Sketch Wednesday for the details on how to play and see a whole line-up of inspiration.  Thanks for stopping by.

Tuesday Morning Sketches #55

Good Morning!  I hope your week is off to a great start.  I have to say that I had completely forgotten what it was like to get up at 5:30 in the morning.  But my oldest son has to catch his bus at 6:05 so I make sure he's up and moving around and then I drive him down to his bus stop.  I won't let him walk - it takes him 8 minutes to walk to the stop and it's completely dark outside.  I'm afraid a driver wouldn't see him before it was too late.  Besides, as it turns out he needs every precious minute he has to get ready to go.

Alright, on to this week's card.  We have a great sponsor this week, like we do every week, Paper Pretties is joining and she's offering a great prize package to the winner and she's also offering TMS readers a 10% discount on their order.  You have to visit the TMS blog for the coupon code.

This week's challenge is to create a Diagonal Double Pocket card.  Here's mine...

Isn't that baby cute!?  Oh my goodness, I just love him!  And do you all recognize that paper?  Yep, it's from the Petal Patch (SU) collection from years ago.  I am still digging into my stash.  I love SU designer papers, I like that they are a bit heavier than some other papers so it made this card nice and sturdy.

Supplies:
Card stock:  Neenah Classic Crest, Bashful Blue
Paper:  Petal Patch (SU)
Copics:  B000, B02, BG05, E00, E02, E33, E37, E53, W-3, Y11, YR20
Tools:  Scor-Pal, Cuttlebug, Scallop circles (Nestabilities), Circle cutters (CM), straight-edge punch (SU),
  paper piercing tool (SU)
Embellishments:  satin ribbon (Offray), mulberry flower (unk), flower brad (Making Memories)

I hope you'll join us this week.  Thanks for stopping by.

Back to School Monday

Good Morning!  I hope you all had a great weekend.  With it being my last weekend with the kids, I took yesterday off.  I didn't get on the computer at all until the evening.  So with that said, I have a little catching up to do.

The first card I have to share with you is my card I made for Deedee's Digis.  This was so fun to make!  I followed a sketch (#292) from the Splitcoast Stampers sketch challenge.  And I made it an even bigger challenge by using the Bloom Where You're Planted digi stamp set.  I am not a gardener - by any stretch of the imagination, so it's harder for me to relate to those kinds of images.  But I think I pulled it off really well.

Isn't that a fun card?  I loved this sketch!  Now, on SCS, it was recommended to print the sketch and use it as pattern pieces.  I didn't go to that much trouble.  I made it free-handed.  First I cut the card stock to 4 1/4" by 11 and scored at 5 1/2".  Then I put it into my paper cutter and trimmed off the side 3/4" on the front to a little bit of the back and chopped that part off.  Using the back of the card that measured the full 4 1/4" as a guide, I placed the fan pieces so that it met that measurement, then cut the remaining 3/4" off the back.  I hope that makes sense.

Supplies:
Card stock:  Neenah Classic Crest, Chocolate Chip, Apricot Appeal
Paper:  Laundry Line Collection (My Minds Eye)
Copics:  E33, E37, R00, R02, YG03, YG63, YG67, YR16, YR20
Tools:  1 3/8" circle punch, Scallop Nestabilities, Cuttlebug

The next card I have to share with you is what I made for my Stamps Only Sunday post - that of course, didn't get posted yesterday.  I made this for the Crafts 4 Eternity challenge which was the sketch, use pastels and say 'hello.'

I started to also incorporate stamps from CC Designs, but when I started coloring it I realized that the colors were too bold for pastels.  So I set it aside and started over.  I went with one of the adorable snowmen in the Keep Cozy set from The Greeting Farm.  I had also cut out an extra frame that Penny Duncan created for me, but only used a portion of it.  I think it turned out sweet.

Supplies:
Card stock:  Neenah Classic Crest
Paper:  Digi paper from My Time Made Easy
Stamps/Ink:  Keep Cozy (TGF), Borders & Corners Circles (PTI), Just Saying (Inkadinkadoo),
  Tuxedo Black (Memento), Bashful Blue (SU)
Copics:  B000, B00, R11, RV000, RV10, YR16
Tools:  SVG by Penny Duncan, SCAL/Cricut
Embellishments:  felt snowflake (unknown), satin ribbon (Offray)

I hope you enjoy both my cards and that they give you some inspiration.  Thank you for stopping by and enjoy your day!

Bee Crafty #36 - Ribbons and Bows

Hi there!  If you're here for The Sweet Stop challenge, please scroll down.  This is my second post today.

This week's Bee Crafty challenge is Ribbon and Bows.  You all know how I LOVE my ribbon, so this challenge was really fun for me and I am certain it will be for you, too.  You also have two weeks to participate so that's plenty of time to really find your inner ribbon artist.

Here's what I made...

A few nights ago, as I was drifting off to sleep I start envisioning a SVG frame that I could weave ribbon in.  But, of course, I don't know how to create SVG files so I emailed the very sweet Penny Duncan and she made my dream come true.  Isn't that a great frame!  Well, it's a nested Shaplie, so it comes in all sorts of sizes.  This was just what I was looking for.

Then the corners looked unfinished to me so I started playing with my ribbon to try to make roses.  Well, I failed miserably so I found a great tutorial for the easiest roses ever!  You can find this tutorial here.  The more I made, the better they started looking.

I think I made a card that is pretty worthy of the adorable Whimsical Girl Heart Garden.  She's so sweet.

Supplies:
Card stock:  Neenah Classic Crest, Pink Pirouette (SU)
Copics:  BV00, BV02, E00, E02, E33, E37, E53, E57, RV02, RV10, YG00, YG03, YR20
Embellishments:  satin ribbon (Offray)
Tools:  SCAL, Cricut, SVG by Penny Duncan

I hope that you join us at Bee Crafty!  Again, have a great weekend and thank you for stopping by.

The Sweet Stop Saturday

Good Morning!  Happy Saturday!  This is the last weekend the kids have before heading back to school on Monday.  We had quite an enlightening orientation at both schools.  They are certainly different here.

Anyway, this is my 2nd week as August Guest Designer for The Sweet Stop and there's another really great sketch for you to use.  Here's the sketch...

Great sketch, right?!  I loved playing with this sketch with one the newest digi's available at Sweet n Sassy.

This is Harvest Cocoa - Cocoa is one of my favorite mice, ever.  He's so adorable!!  And with all this heat we've been having lately, I went with Fall hues to help me cool off - even though it's only my imagination.  I am also proud that I dug into the hoarded paper stash.

Supplies:
Card stock:  Neenah Classic Crest, Neenah Milled Ivory, Ruby Red (SU)
Paper:  First Fruits collection (Papertry Ink)
Copics:  BV04, E29, E33, E37, E53, Y11, Y15, Y17, YG63, YR23, W-3, RV000, RV10, YR16, YR68
Prismacolor Markers:  Cream
Tools:  Apron Lace border punch (Fiskars)
Embellishments:  grosgrain ribbon (Offray), leaves (Prima)

Be sure to join us at The Sweet Stop! There's plenty of inspiration and lots of fun!  Thanks for stopping by.  I hope your weekend is great.

Thursdays with Lindsay

Good Morning everyone!  Just a quick post here, I've got to get the kids and myself moving.  Brendan's school orientation is this morning.

I found sketch that I really liked, so that's what I chose as my foundation for this week's card.  It's from a challenge blog called The Wild Flower Patch and it's a super sketch!  I did tweak it a little to fit my images.  What do you think?

I used the an image from the Birds and Branches set and created my own sentiment.  I used the great border punch my sister sent me, but I haven't used my Studio in a Box yet.  I still need to read the directions and figure out where I'll put it.

Supplies:
Card stock:  Neenah Milled Ivory, Chocolate Chip, More Mustard
Paper:  Recollections
Copics:  E33, E37, YR16, YR23, YR20
Tools:  1 1/4, 1 3/8 circle punchs, Arch Lattice border punch (Martha Stewart)

I hope you like the card.  Head on over to Lindsay's blog to see what she has in store for you!  Have a super day!

Sweet Sketch Wednesday #62

Good Morning friends!  I hope you're having a great week so far.  I have to say that mine started out really bad.  I was an emotional mess on Monday!  But yesterday was such a fabulous day for me.  My sister Karin sent me some birthday money and I had decided I was going to use that to get some much needed new dishes.  I didn't find anything on Monday, but when I went out yesterday, I found the most beautiful dishes on clearance for $14.70 for each box.  So I got an 8 piece setting for less than $35!!  Then I found glasses that matched perfectly for $10.  Then I when I got back home, I had an email from the job I had interviewed for... I really thought I hadn't got it.  I still don't have it, but they've delayed their decision, so I may still have a chance!!  AND THEN the nice UPS man showed up with my birthday present from my sister Theresa.  She sent a Studio-in-a-Box.  Something I've wanted for a really long time.  She also sent me a Martha Stewart punch I wanted and the Cricut deep-cut housing and blade.  What a great birthday... what a great day!!

And now I have a great sketch to share with you.  This week we have the Pixie Dust Studio sponsoring, offering a prize of two digis to the winner.  So here's the sketch Arlana has for us this week....

Fun, huh!  And here's what I did with it...

Isn't that a cute image?!  I love it.  I so rarely do boy cards, so this was a really great opportunity.  I used some of stash of decorative paper that I've been hoarding, so that earns me a gold star.

Supplies:
Card stock:  Kraft, Chocolate Chip (SU), Neenah Classic Crest
Paper:  Springs Flowers (SU)
Copics:  B95, B97, E00, E02, E33, E37, E53, E57, RV10, W-3, Y17, YG03, YG67, YR16,
  YR20, YR23, YR61
Tools:  Oval cutters (CM)
Embellishments:  grosgrain ribbon (Offray), buttons (American Crafts), hemp (SU)

Head on over to Sweet Sketch Wednesday to see an amazing line up from Arlana and the team and find out how you can play along.  Thanks for stopping by.