Tuesday Morning Sketches #779

 Hello! Thank you for stopping by.  I appreciate your visit - please leave me a comment so I know you were here.  The latest sketch is up at Tuesday Morning Sketches and it's another easy sketch.  This one is from Debbie.

My card features a foilable card panel from Brutus Monroe, an embossing folder from Tonic Studios as well as sentiment.  This is such an easy card that you make so many for your card stash.  Leave the sentiment off so you can customize the occasion when one arises.

I started of by cutting a panel of this hot pink card, I think it's Craft Perfect card but I'm not certain of the color.  I ran it through my die cut machine with the beautiful floral 3D embossing folder.  I then took this card panel from Brutus Monroe (no longer available but there are other choices) and foiled with some pretty gold foil.  After the foiling I did some very simple coloring with ink and blender brushes.  I die cut the oval out and then added a sentiment.  I had some ribbon on my table so I just thought I'd use it with my sentiment.

Here I'm hoping you can see the foil.  Foiled cards are so hard to photograph.  It's subtle and so pretty.

I do hope you'll join us at Tuesday Morning Sketches.  It'll be fun!!

Tuesday Morning Sketches #778

 Hello everyone!  I survived another hurricane and 4 day power outage.  My refrigerator is nice and cleaned out as everything had to be thrown away and I get to start over with groceries.  Oh well, that's the most of my damage and I'm counting my blessings.

The latest sketch is up at Tuesday Morning Sketches and this is a nice and easy one.  This was good, too, because I had to craft with no lights.  My room is very shadowy. But my card features papers and ephemera from a Spellbinders card kit from a couple of years ago.  You might even recognize it - I still have so much.

I actually really enjoy this paper collection, it's really very pretty and I don't think it's possible to use up all the ephemera.  There's so much of it!

I do hope you'll join us at Tuesday Morning Sketches and be sure to leave the team some love.  See you there!

Tuesday Morning Sketches #777

 Hello TMS friends! Thank you for stopping by my blog.  I do appreciate your visit.  The latest sketch is up at Tuesday Morning Sketches and it's really fun.  Here's my take on it...

My card features cute little owls from Brutus Monroe, a fall background made from stencils from Kat Scrapiness and rick-rack border from an old die from MFT.

This card was so easy to make, I made two!

I do hope you like this card and you find inspiration.  Please join us over at the Tuesday Morning Sketches blog to join the fun.

Tuesday Morning Sketches #776

 Hello friends!  Thank you for stopping by, I appreciate your visit.  The latest sketch is up at Tuesday Morning Sketches and it's another simple sketch.  Of course, I thought last week's was really easy but we only had 2 players.

My card features a glimmer plate from Spellbinders that I hot foiled with gold fold and lightly touched a few areas with metallic ink.

Then I mounted the focal piece on a matte gold frame using the Essential Ovals dies.  The base card was decorated by placing down a beautiful stencil from Pink & Main down and then using a couple of sprays.  This card turned out so elegant.

I do hope you'll join us at the TMS blog to play along.

Tuesday Morning Sketches #775

 Hello my friends.  So happy that you stopped by.  The latest sketch is up at Tuesday Morning Sketches and it's great for busting that scrap stash.

My cards feature the August card kit from Echo Park.

As I said, this is a great sketch for scraps stash busting and that's exactly what I did!  I used the stitched rounded corner die from Pink & Main to cut a yellow panel and then laid down scraps of the patterned paper.  I had enough to make two cards without having to cut into another sheet of paper.

I used the ephemera that came in the kit to add the focal points and sentiments.  These cards went together so easily and so quickly!  The Echo Park card kit is a great way to build your stash of notecards with a price point that is very reasonable!  There are stamps but I just didn't need them.

Please head on over to the TMS blog and join us.  Leave the team some love!

Tuesday Morning Sketches #774

 Hello!  Thank you for stopping by.  The latest sketch is up at Tuesday Morning Sketches and it's a great one by Debbie.  Such easy going elements!

For my card, I kept it clean and simple.  Green and gold and minimal elements...

I embossed a panel Sea Salt Green Craft Perfect card stock with a foliage folder from Pink & Main.  Then I die cut a couple leafy elements using gold shimmer card. The flower is from Avocado green Craft Perfect card stock.  I added some Dream Drops - color is Fairy Wings.  The sentiment is from Boots and Bouquets TCK. 

I do hope you'll join us at the TMS - it'll be fun!

Tuesday Morning Sketches #773

 Hello!  Thank you for stopping by.  The latest sketch is up at Tuesday Morning Sketches and it's a little more challenging but remember, a shape is a shape and it takes on many forms.

For my card, honestly I let the paper do the work and then added a little bit of die cutting.

I started off with a 5x5 square card base.  Then I added a dark purple matting layer that I embossed using a 3D embossing folder from Tonic Studios.  I die cut out the hexies from different pattered papers and then made the frame.  The sentiment was even in this pretty paper pack.  Then using the Bouquets and Buttermilk die set from Tonic Studios I made the bouquet of flowers.

I hope this card inspires you to play along and we'll see you over at the TMS blog! 

Tuesday Morning Sketches #722

 Hello! Thank you for stopping by.  The latest sketch is up at Tuesday Morning Sketches and it's brought to us by Donna.  She said this is a go to layout for her and I can see why! 

My card features products from Kat Scrappiness - I am on their Influencer Team and I just had to share!  This is the beautiful wreath die and Fall papers.

I started with a panel of the patterned paper.  Look at that rich, gorgeous color!  Then I brought in a panel from Tonic Studios that gave me a trellis vibe to hang my wreath on.  I probably should have contrasted it more.  Oh well.  Hind sight.  Anyway, then I put the wreath together.  It was really very simple.  I started by spraying some watercolor paper with some different colors from Brutus Monroe.  Actually the darker leaves are from Mint, Merlot and Creamy Orange Chroma Mists and the brighter leaves were made from Red, Orange and Yellow Aqua Pigments.  They turned out so pretty!!

I do hope you'll join us at Tuesday Morning Sketches.  See you there!

Birthstone Challenge September-October

 Hello!  It's time for another challenge at Birthstone Challenge.  This challenge will run until October15th.  The birthstones are Sapphire and Opal and the twist is Friendship.  And for some added fun, the challenge is also sponsored by Polkadoodles. 

My card is a really simple, easy going card.  I didn't use the sponsor images because I don't have a printer that won't smear when coloring.  So I am featuring a stamp set from Pink and Main and background stamp from Raisin Boat.  I dug into my stash to make this card.  

This is such an easy card to mass produce with some navy card stock and these stamps.  This is my sapphire.  But I had to added a bit of opalescence. 

The shine on that butterfly is opal embossing powder!

I do hope you'll join us for challenge.  See you there.

Color My Heart Color Dare #616

 Hello!  Thank you for stopping by.  Color My Heart Color Dare #616 is up and ready for your fun and creativity!

This challenge this week....

This was truly a challenge for me.  I never put brown with white.   You'll see my second project first.  I made myself do this - and I didn't use brown, I used Kraft which is a shade of brown.  But I LOVE how this card turned out.

It does start off with a white base and white panel that I embossed using a 3D folder from Tonic Studios.  I then die cut the burlap from Kraft, also a Tonic Studios and adhered to the embossed piece.  The daisy is from also from Tonic Studios.  Here's where I added the 1 other color, just a touch of yellow.  I finished off the card with tag dies and sentiment from Brutus Monroe and twine that I don't remember where I got because I've had it for more than 5 years.  Maybe MFT, but I'm not positive.

I originally started out with this project which is the Tiny Twist Box from a Tonic Studios Craft Kit, brown, pink and white card stock.

I didn't use a lot of white.  The little "give it a twist" sentiment and the inside of the box. 

I also used white pearl Nuvo drops.  

I hope to see you join us for this color challenge.

Tuesday Morning Sketches #771

 Hello!  Thank you for stopping by.  The latest sketch is up at Tuesday Morning Sketches and it's a fun one.  Pretty easy going.

I recently signed up for the Echo Park semi-monthly card kit subscription.  I thought this would be a great idea to make some quick notecards using pretty papers and ephemera.  This also included a very nice stamp set.

This is truly sunshine on a card!  I used 3, well actually only 2, papers from the pad.  The little flowers is the reverse side of the green gingham.  I then punched out 3 little envelopes and lined them and decorated them with the stamps.  Added a bit of twine and heated embossed a sentiment in white on a black strip.  I added a few gems to finish it off.

I hope to see you over at the TMS blog - come on by, leave some love for the team and while you're there you may as well play along!

Tuesday Morning Sketches #770

 Hello friends.  Thank you for stopping by.  The latest sketch is up at Tuesday Morning Sketches and I really had fun with this sketch.  Probably because while I making it I was chatting with friends while we all crafted. 

My card features an older Tonic Craft Kit - one of the first I got when I subscribed.  I did this technique before and I re-read my post that made about it.  In that post I said that sometimes Tonic Studios' dies just aren't me - frilly and ornate.  That is still true today, but I also said that I got the kit for everything else and not necessarily the dies.  But sometimes if you just push yourself a little and use something that may be out of your comfort zone or that isn't really your cup of tea, you may surprise yourself.  I've actually used this die set quite a bit.

I like that my ink blending makes it look like the ocean is moving a bit.  Smearing white AquaSplash from Brutus Monroe helped, too.  I did die cut everything from white card and used ink and blending brushes to color.  This helps give a natural highlight to images.  

Overall, I'm pretty happy with this card.  I hope it inspires you to step out of your normal crafting box and try something new.  Please join us at the TMS blog, you will be inspired by the other team members and be sure to leave them love.  They deserve it.

Brutus Monroe - Fun Floating Hexie Card

 Hi friends.  I recently posted a card on Brutus Monroe Fan Page and Crafting with Paul page on Facebook.  Paul Ford is a very talented papercrafter in Wales.  He's an ambassador for Graphic45 and on a design team for NitWit Collections.  Recently he posted a video on how to make a Floating Hexagonal card that he created.  Well, it took Facebook by storm and I have to say, it is a pretty cool card that can be displayed.  Some of the cards I've seen are nothing less than incredible!!

Here is my take on his card, but mine is an A2 size (his is 5x7) featuring the beautiful Fly Away collection from Brutus Monroe (you can find it here).

Isn't this cool?!  I love this card.  Here are the measurements to my card:

The base of the card is 4 1/4 x 5 1/2 and scored at 1 1/4 and 4 1/4

Cut 2 strips at 1 1/4 x 6 1/2 and score at 1/2, 2 1/2, 4 and 6. 

For your decorative card panels, measure the sections and then go down however you wish.  For example on the strips I cut them 1 x 1 3/4.  If you want less of border decrease by 1/8 instead of 1/4.

Have fun!

Color My Heart Color Dare #614

Hello!  Thank you for stopping by.  Color My Heart Color Dare #614 is up and ready for your fun and creativity!

This challenge this week....

So we're playing along with Double Trouble and Color Dare says to use at least 3 colors.  Here's my card featuring dies from Tonic Studios and Brutus Monroe.

Double Trouble says 3 layers, well that's the base, the liner and the stopper for this easel card - but this easel card is a lovely summer sun hat.  The hat was made using the Egg and Chick die set from Tonic Studios and the brim from the Vintage Doily set from Brutus Monroe.  2 embellishments which I used ribbon and crystal drops.  1 image - which are all my flowers.  I'm kind of exaggerating the 3-2-1 challenge a bit but you have to admit - this easel card is pretty darn cute!

We'll see you at the challenge blog!

Tuesday Morning Sketches #769

 Hello friends!  The latest sketch is up at Tuesday Morning Sketches and this one is a good one by Debbie.  Nice and easy elements - it's a great place to start. 

My card features a background stamp that I got from Brutus Monroe a month or so ago and just haven't used it!  It was time.  

I did heat emboss the background stamp onto some watercolor card stock and used a few different of Aqua Pigments to watercolor the the flowers.  The stamp does have that empty spot for the sentiment, so I cut it out and used a 3D embossing folder from Tonic Studios to emboss a piece of orange card stock.  I had some orange and yellow watercolor on my glass mat so I smooshed a strip of watercolor paper into the color to make my fishtail banner.  Then sentiment was also heat embossed and die cut using the Essential Ovals from Spellbinders.  It slid down a little when I was die cutting so it isn't quite centered but I went with it anyway.

I do hope you'll join us and do head on over to the TMS blog and leave some love for the team and say hello to newest member, Walter.

Tuesday Morning Sketches #768

 Hello!  Thank you for stopping by and celebrating along with us at TMS for our 15th birthday.  The latest sketch is up at Tuesday Morning Sketches and this one is an easy going sketch.  But remember a shape is a shape and it takes on many forms.

My card features a die set that speaks to the fiber artist in me.  I've stopping crocheting again, but it's time to pick it up again.  This die set is from Tonic Studios, I don't think it's available anymore, I couldn't find it on their site.

All card stock used is Craft Perfect card stock.  The base is chocolate brown and then ivory that I embossed with a 3D folder from Spellbinders.  Then I die cut the basket from chocolate brown and "lined" it with buttermilk yellow.  I finished the "lining" with a marigold yellow and then filled the basket with coral and ivory yarn and a classic blue metal crochet hook.  The next ball of yarn is teal.  Can you imagine what a lovely project these colors will make!  Then topped with a beautiful pair of scissors.  

This, of course, is a larger scale take on the sketch!  I love how this turned out and I hope it inspires you to take a look at what you have in your crafty collection and how it can work with this sketch.  We'll see you over at the TMS blog and be sure to leave some love for the team!

Color My Heart Color Dare #612

Hello!  Thank you for stopping by.  Color My Heart Color Dare #612 is up and ready for your fun and creativity!

This challenge is....

I chose Sundance, Lagoon and Sapphire.  My card is a really simple card using a hot foil plate from Crafty Meraki, some ink and a hot foiled sentiment from Spellbinders....

I'm not sure where the sprigs come from, they were in my stash box.  

Look at all that shine!  This sparkle is gorgeous!!

I do hope you'll join us - see you over on that blog!

Tuesday Morning Sketches #767

 Hello!  Thank you for stopping by.  The latest revisited sketch is up at Tuesday Morning Sketches and it's another great one from Debbie.  

My card is for a very special little girl who just turned two.  She is my close friend's granddaughter and so sweet and sassy.  I made this using an svg cut from Silhouette Design Studio and papers from Pink and Main.  Square cards are so much fun - such a nice big canvas and I needed it for this little bear...

I love paper piecing - it's therapeutic.  I cut the whole design out of white card stock and colored using inks and blending brushes.  This gives the bear texture.  The balloons, the blue one I used a stencil first and then filled in the color.  The pink one I applied the ink first and then used a stencil from Simon Says Stamp and some Glacier Paste (Shooting Stars - appropriate) to add the sparkle.  Once that was dry I added the baker's twine to the balloons and popped on dimensionals.  I die cut the name from glitter card stock and popped that up, too.  I meant to die cut this flower image I have that would be perfect for the pompom on his hat, but I forgot.  

Although not pictured, I did use the negative piece of the balloons as a stencil to decorate the envelope.  Turned out fabulous.

I hope to see you over at the TMS blog to join us.  Leave some love for the team. 

Tuesday Morning Sketches #766

 Hello TMS friends!  Thank you for stopping by.  The latest revisited sketch is up at Tuesday Morning Sketches and this one was originally posted May 2014.

Card features foil and flowers.  Well, flower.  

My decorative panel is a Gina K Poly Glaze foiling sheet from ThermoWeb that I foiled with Deco Foil Color Harmony - Shades of Gold available from Brutus Monroe.  This piece of foil I picked is so holographic, it's amazing!!  I used Midnight card stock also from Brutus Monroe.  The sentiment is from Tonic Studios as well as the daisy.  I used pollen powder from Spellbinders for the center.  Talk about making this daisy look real!  The border die cut has been in my collection for decades!  So long that I don't remember if it's from Sweet n Sassy or Papertrey Ink.

Hopefully you can see the amazing shine in this picture and the texture of the daisy.

I do hope you'll join us at the TMS blog, please leave some love for the team and have loads of fun!

Color My Heart Color Dare #610

 Hello!  Thank you for stopping by.  Color My Heart Color Dare #610 is up and ready for your fun and creativity!

This challenge is....

I chose Lagoon, Flamingo and Peach.  I did take a bit of liberty with these shades opting for more vibrant colors.

This card is simple but I think turned out so cool!  Firstly, I took a piece of Not Your Mama's card stock from Brutus Monroe.  This card stock is 130# and, although not watercolor card, can stand up to the moisture that is added when using Chroma Glazes that are also Brutus Monroe.  I chose the pastel shades but when they dry their color is not so much pastel as it is vibrant and gorgeous!  While the glaze was drying I die cut the cross hatch design using a die from a die set Tonic Studios released a month or so ago.  I pushed the die cut pieces into the glaze.  No need for glue!  Then when completely dry I added the sentiment which was also part of the recent release from Tonic Studios.  Originally my intention was only to impress the pattern into the glaze but I liked it so much that I just left it there.

I hope you'll join us at Color My Heart Color Dare.  See you there!

Tuesday Morning Sketches #765

 Hello, hello, hello!  So happy you decided to drop by.  The latest revisited sketch is up at Tuesday Morning Sketches and this one is a good one by Debbie.

My card features a collection from Stamperia called Welcome Home (I think).  It's been sitting in the corner of my craft room for so long, it was high time to pull it out.  I got to make art journal pages, but I don't think I've even made one with it so far but this probably my 2nd or 3rd card.

No stamping, no coloring - just me and a pair of scissors.  I cut out all the elements  and just put my card together.  It was that easy!  It still took a long time to make, but only because I was listening to a thrilling audiobook and stopped to just listen.  LOL!  

I do hope you like the card and it inspires you to pull out supplies you may have forgotten or been hoarding.  Please come on over to Tuesday Morning Sketches and leave the girls some love, too!

Tuesday Morning Sketches #764

 Hello friends!  Thank you for stopping by.  The next celebration sketch is posted and we're ready to have some fun.

My card features dies and paper from Brutus Monroe.  I saw this really cute card in a recent edition of the newsletter from 12x12 Cardstock - this is a great shop.  If you've never purchased from them, I highly recommend them.  I placed an order and it was shipped the very same day!  Wonderful service and selection.  Anyway, the card idea is by their design team member Kate.  I thought it would be perfect for this sketch.  What do you think?

This is a fun, interactive fold.  Reminds me of dutch doors.  

It's kind of fun, but honestly, I just felt it uses too much card stock.  The top opens to the right and the bottom to the left.  It would be really cute to make the bottom a pocket and slip in a gift card.

I hope you join us - see you at the Tuesday Morning Sketches blog.

Color My Heart Color Dare #608

Hello!  Thank you for stopping by.  Color My Heart Color Dare #608 is up and ready for your fun and creativity!

This challenge is....

For my card I am using Royal, Honey Butter and Mulberry with a hint of Seabrook.  My card features a layering stencil from Brutus Monroe and dies from Concord and 9th.  Gems are from Brutus Monroe as well.  This was the easiest card to put together with the super cute layering stencils and inks from Tonic Studios.

There's shine, color and dimension. Everything a card should be!  I hope you join us!

Tuesday Morning Sketches #763

 Hello friends!  Thank you for stopping by.  It's a special month at Tuesday Morning Sketches - we're 15 years old.  I cannot believe I started this blog 15 years ago - time has just flown by.  We're going to celebrate this whole month by revisiting sketches from 2014.  I know, I should have picked 2015 - but I did this for a reason.  

My card features the June Tonic Craft Kit.  There's just something about citrus that makes me really happy.  Now why did I pick 2014?  It's because we still had the very talented Jessi Fogan with us.  I miss her dearly.  If you've followed TMS for a long time you'll remember her creativity and... ahem... sense of humor.  Still she was so kind and loved her family so much, raising an autistic son.  So we're starting off this celebration by remembering Jessi.

This picture isn't the greatest, but I had to take it outside early in the morning - which has been the only time we've had sunshine.  Every day by mid-morning it's cloudy and by late afternoon the thunderstorms start. 

I stamped the different citrus stamps that came in the kit on the base panel, matting to a piece of orange glitter card.  Then I made the flags using scraps of paper, including the same orange glitter card.  Then I made the orange using a larger circle die and then layering the dies that came in the kit to create a cut open orange.  I added the leaves because I think it looks pretty.

I do hope you'll join us for the challenge and because it's our birthday - there's presents all month long!

Tuesday Morning Sketches #762

 Hello friends.  Thank you for stopping by.  I appreciate your visit.  The latest sketch is up at Tuesday Morning Sketch and I think you might find this one rather fun!  

My card features svg cuts that I got from the Silhouette Design Store, foils from Brutus Monroe and card and wave die from Tonic Studios.  Check this cutie out....

I admit when I drew this sketch I had something else in mind.  But when I couldn't remember what exactly I was thinking my head went right to a jelly fish and I couldn't let it go and do something else!  So I pulled out my Silhouette Cameo and cut out a jelly fish.  I then covered the pieces with Duo Gel by ThermoWeb.  Let that dry and then foiled using Lapis Watercolor foil from ThermoWeb and Purple Sketch foil from Brutus Monroe.  I designed the tongue-in-cheek sentiment myself.  I colored it with black marker and then using embellishment mousse from Tonic Studios I colored that a bit.  I finished it off with some Glitter Gloss Aqua Shimmer also from Tonic Studios. 

Here you can see the shine of the foil and a bit of glittery goodness on the sentiment.  This card was a joy to create!  I hope it inspires you to have some fun with stuff in your stash as it did me!

Color My Heart Color Dare #606

  Hello!  Thank you for stopping by.  Color My Heart Color Dare #606 is up and ready for your fun and creativity!

This challenge is....

I used Journey, Royal and Capri.

My card features a stencil and texture paste from Brutus Monroe, the new Foil Fusion images from Tonic Studios as well as sentiments.  

Hope you join us!

Tuesday Morning Sketches #761

 Hello friends.  Thank you so much for stopping by - the latest sketch is up at Tuesday Morning Sketches and it's a great one from Debbie.  I used it 3 times.  You will absolutely recognize it when you see the cards posted here or on Facebook and/or Instagram.

But first....

I hate making sympathy cards but they tend to be the prettiest.  This one features the new Foil Fusion images from Tonic Studios as well as their new embossing folder called Botanical Beauty.  The sentiment is from Simon Says Stamp. 

I hope to see you over at the Tuesday Morning Sketches blog - come join us!

Tuesday Morning Sketches #760

 Hello!  Thank you for stopping by.  The latest sketch is up at Tuesday Morning Sketches and it's a fun one.  But honestly, I cheated.  I created this sketch based on last month's Tonic Studios craft kit.

Check out my candy box card...

What could be better than chocolates!  I wished these were real while I made this card! I would have loved to nibbled on a few of these while making this card.

And here's this little shaker bit I made...

Isn't this cute!?  I love how this turned out.  I hope you love it, too.  Please join us in the fun.  We'll see you over at the TMS blog!

Color My Heart Color Dare #604

 Hello!  Thank you for stopping by.  Color My Heart Color Dare #604 is up and ready for your fun and creativity!

This challenge is....

I'm using Flamingo, Ballerina, Clover and Limeade.  I am also featuring foilable stickers from Brutus Monroe and flower/sentiment images from Crafty Meraki.  This is a simple, single layer (basically) card that will only take a single stamp to mail.

I also recently purchased a Minc machine, so I pulled out some Poly-something card panels from GinaK.  It's so hard to photograph the silver foil that I used on the butterfly and the background.  It's there though and looks great in person!