Tuesday Morning Sketches #477

Hello!  Thank you so much for visiting me today. The latest sketch is up at Tuesday Morning Sketches and I think this one is so pretty.  I do think that when I created this one I had a stamp and die set in mind that I later sold.  It's okay though, I found something else to play with.

My card features a super fun hello wreath die cut by Momenta found at Hobby Lobby.  I also used a couple of Spellbinders dies and Wonky Stitch rectangle by Kat Scrapiness.  I tried my hand a watercolor smooshing and I really like this background.  My picture doesn't show it very well, but I did die cut the image from gold foil cardstock and snipped out the hello and glued it over top the brown wreath.

I also covered some cream colored card stock with two different washi tapes and then finished off with some gold dots from a gold gelly roll pen on the flowers.  In real life, this card is shiny and so pretty!  I really thought my lighting was better than it turned out.

Well, we'll see you over at the Tuesday Morning Sketches blog.  Be sure to visit each of the team members, too.  They deserve your attention.

Tuesday Morning Sketches #476

Hello - thank you for stopping by!  This week's sketch is up at Tuesday Morning Sketches and I think it's a fun one.  I actually don't remember what I was picturing in my head when I drew this one, but I when it came time to sitting down and making a card I had one idea in my head that went in all sorts of directions.

My first card ended up in the trash!  I played with the Mandala Maker stamp set which turned out fine but when I started adding elements and it just went downhill from there.  It went bad to worse!  So I my second card first.

I'll still show my card that is a bit closer to the sketch.  I made this sympathy card to send to my former mother-in-law.  Her mother passed away this past Friday.  My card features Stippled Flowers by Gina K.  I got this stamp set a long time ago and never really did a lot with it. So it was time to pull that out.  The prayers sentiment is from Simon Says Stamp.

I love this autumn color palette I chose to work with.  I used these colors with my 1st card and decided since it was all out, I'd continue with it.

Here's my 2nd (my 1st actually) card - this one is a looser version of the sketch.  This card features Beautiful Flowers from Simon Says Stamp. Another one I haven't used a whole lot.  The sentiment is from Mondo Sakura by Ellen Hutson.

The background stamp is from Raisin Boat stamped with Barely Beige ink by SSS.  I stamped the floral spray onto card stock and colored with various Copics.  I only cut the top part of the image and matched the lower left corner of the card base.  I used the Wonky Stitch ovals die from Kat Scrappiness to make the burgundy mat and a stitched oval for the white base. 

I hope you enjoy my cards and that I will see you over at the TMS blog.

Tuesday Morning Sketches #475

Hello!  Thank you so much for stopping by.  The latest sketch is up at Tuesday Morning Sketches and I love this sketch.  It's so much fun.  In fact, so much that I made 3 cards.

Up first is the card I had in mind.  When I designed this sketch, I decided it was time to dust off some very old dies.  These dies came with the Cuttlebug when I got it 15 or so years ago.  So my first card is a literal version of the sketch.

This card also features foil mates from Gina K Design, Smile die and sunshine sentiment from Pink and Main, Wonky Stitch die from Kat Scrappiness and black foil from Heidi Swapp.

Here's a snippet of the card hoping that caught some of the shininess of the foil and the little bit of sparkle I added with the shimmer pen by Nuvo.

This card took hours to make.  I had to die cut a lot of pieces and to a lot of die in-lay work.  But I die cut so many pieces that I made another card in minutes....

This card features the same die cut pieces and the same smile die from Pink and Main.  I embossed the black panel with the candy stripes embossing folder by Cuttlebug.  Before I adhered the smile background piece to the card base I covered it with the shimmer pen.

This picture still doesn't capture all the shine - but trust and believe, in real life it's sooo pretty!

Now for my last card - this one features alcohol inks (yes, I caved and bought 3 more colors), some gold sparkle foil from Gina K that came in the Simon Says Stamp October kit, the Mandala Builder stamp set also from Gina K and Alcohol Lift ink.

I think this background turned out so beautiful.  My son asked me to make him on a way larger scale.  This photo doesn't do it justice.  It's just so cool in person!

Thanks again for your visit.  Head on over to the Tuesday Morning Sketches to join us and to visit the team's blogs.  See you there!

Tuesday Morning Sketches #474

Hello. Thank you for stopping by.  The latest sketch is up at Tuesday Morning Sketches and it's a nice canvas.  You will love it - Debbie did a great job.

My card features the brand new Gina K Designs Mandala Builder stamp set.  I don't usually fall head over hills for new stamps. I tend to ponder them for a little bit.  There was no pondering on this one - I bought it immediately.  This type of set just makes me think of my daughter and my oldest sister.

I used colors by Kelley Purkey and they went together so well.  I also embossed a few of the pieces of the mandala with Platinum embossing powder by WOW!  I love love LOVE now this turned out.  But the mandala was so gorgeous that I couldn't cover it up!  So I cut a frame from vellum and also embossed it with Platinum embossing powder.  I messed it up a little and it's a little cockeyed but hopefully I masked it well with the placement of the corner elements and bringing the sentiment strip up and over.  The sentiment is from Mondo Sakura stamp set by Ellen Hutson.

Take a look at this shine....

Pretty gorgeous, right!?  I love this embossing powder.  I want to turn everything platinum!

Okay - be sure to visit the team and play along with us at Tuesday Morning Sketches.  We'll see you there!

In loving memory....

Hello.  Thank you for stopping.  I'm sharing a card today that was a joy to make but the reason behind it is so sad.

My dear Aunt Nancy lost her long time companion a few days ago.  She and Danny have been together for about 14 years, however, they were friends for a long time before that.  His death was very sudden - he was working on my Aunt's car and collapsed.  Danny was one of my biggest fans.  He loved my cards.  He looked forward to every birthday and holiday just to get one of my cards.  He was so sweet and complimentary.  He also supported my oldest son throughout boot camp because he remembered going through it decades before.  He will be missed.

My card features the stamp set that was in the October Simon Says Stamp kit.  This set is called Sketched Flowers.  This has been a really great kit!  This stamp is huge so it covers a lot of surface area.  My card is definitely inspired by Kristina Werner's mail art project.

I stamped the image with SSS embossing ink that came in September's monthly kit.  I heat embossed it with Glacier White embossing powder by Nuvo.  I then blended on color using Dusty Concord, Peacock Feathers, Scattered Straw, Dried Marigold, Spiced Marmalade, Frayed Burlap and Forest Moss Distress Inks.  I embossed the sentiment, which is also in this set, using gold embossing powder.  It didn't turn out well - but it's embossing powder I've had for 20 years.  No joke.  It went in the trash. 

And then true inspiration from Kristina's project, I made a matching envelope.

I hope it brings comfort to my Aunt.

I am submitting this the Just Us Girls challenge this week - which is to make Sympathy cards.  I hated that I had a reason.

Tuesday Morning Sketches #473

Hello!  Thank you for stopping by.  I appreciate your visit. The sketch is up at Tuesday Morning Sketches - I think you're gonna like it.

My card features all the items received in the October Simon Says Stamp kit plus a couple of extras.  The kit is encouraging a new obsession for me.  I didn't jump on the alcohol ink band wagon before but I think it has me hook, line and sinker.  Look look look....

I am not even a fan of orange but I love this!  The focal point of my card was made with 2 of the colors of alcohol ink that came in the kit - yellow and orange.  I tried to blend it with rubbing alcohol but I wasn't getting the results I wanted.  So off I went to Michaels with a 50% coupon for blending solution.  That looks like fire!  It's soooo cool.  The kit also came with Lift Off ink which is what I used to stamp the image over the alcohol ink.  I also used the leaf stamp to make my base layer.  My diamond pieces are from Gina K foil mates and I foiled them with two of the colors of foil that came in the kit.  My card elements covered the whole card which is the sketch blown up but I am still super happy with how this turned out.

Have a great day and we'll see you over at the TMS blog!