Weekend Sketch Challenge #105

One of my favorite paper crafting artists Beate Johns has a sketch challenge every weekend on her blog Fresh & Fun. This past weekend I decided to swim with the big fish and to participate. This card is the result of that challenge.

I picked a stamp by Memory Box entitled Cardinal Collage as the focal image and the sentiment is from the Stampin' UP! Snow Swirled set. Ink is SU Real Red, markers are SU Real Red and BIC Mark It Rambunctious Red. Cardstock is Real Red By SU and patterned paper is from the brand new SEI Winter Song collection.

As a critique of my own card I'll readily admit my marker coloring skills leave something to be desired. Bare with me please I'm afraid coloring is going to take quite a bit of practice.

Thanks for looking and yes HE stamps!

Tri-Shutter Card ... take two

Here we go again, a second try at the tri-shutter card that's been featured on SCS! This time I had a scoring board the new one by Martha Stewart in fact and it helped out tremendously (and with a coupon was so affordable!)


So, I recently had a phone conversation with my cousin Tammie for the first time in months and months. Tammie and I have always been extremely close but with my move up north all those years ago time and space just gets in the way. I wanted to show her how much she means to me without clobbering her over the head with sentimentality. So I struggled with this card for just about a week. With a drawer full of Basic Grey paper pads that part was simple but the image was a bear. And then I stumbled upon Paper Makeup Stamps, found a wonderful WordArt Digital Stamp and then everything just fell into place.

Now I won't claim for even one second that this card contains the superior stamping or design work that so many stampers seem to possess and display with great pride. But this card has heart and for that reason I am pleased with it.

I stepped out of my comfort zone with this one using the clear Nurture You set by MSE and Broken China Distress Ink by Tim Holtz (based on the recommendation of my stamping guru Beate Johns.) I thought the paper pack Marrakesh by Basic Grey had a few pages that looked remarkably like quilting it worked great on the card. I got the ribbon at Michael's in the Christmas section and it matches almost perfectly to Old Olive. And that's about it.

Thanks for looking and yes HE stamps!

I'm Back ... Part Four

A while back I talked about the pregnancy of my daughter Julie. I offered to make the invitations to the shower and she and the hostess graciously accepted. This was my four or fifth take at the card. As this was my first "BIG" project I learned many things! Most important when supplies are shipping from Utah make sure you order enough ... a week of waiting for cardstock is a long, long time.

This card needed to have space for a LOT Of verbage. Not only was space needed for the party details but also a request to bring a book rather than a card (a small dagger in the heart to a cardmaker.) So I opted for Beate Johns Joy Fold Card I really liked constructing a card within a card (if you will.) I will be the first to admit I could have admitted some more embellishment but with 40 cards I was worried about even finishing. While I'm having a confessional moment I'll freely say what you're all thinking -- my markering skills are sad, not one teddy bear looked like the next and many looked liked they were striped!

Stamps were the retired Something to Celebrate, Bundle of Joy and the retired background Stippled Plaid. Ink was Stampin' Classic Certainly Celery, Bashful Blue, Pretty in Pink (Stampin' Write marker too!) and Stampin' Craft Whisper White. Cardstock used Whisper White, Pretty in Pink, Certainly Celery and So Saffron. Embossing was the retired Sizzzix Textured Impressions Embossed Folder Baby Set. Finally the Stampin' Up Scalloped Oval punch provided the shape for the sentiment and the always useful Scallop Punch.