Black

I don't usually use black cardstock for a card base. The challenge at Make the Cards Challenge is use black background. So black card it is.

The vellum layer is from SU called Lovely Layers andis pre-printed with the black dots creating a perfect frame for the patterned paper which is from SU's retired Hand Penned DSP. It is originally b/w and I colored the flowers with Calypso Coral SU blends, then framed that with black cardstock and adhered it to a Calyso Coral card. That is all adhered to the black card base. The sentiment is an old SU one, stamped and fussy cut.

This is the banner from Make the Cards Challenge

Summer Ferns

 Tuesday again already. How does time go so fast? 

Another fun design from Tuesday Morning Sketches

Ferns are so beautiful and abundant in the summer. 

The background is an unbranded E/F with ferns. The patterned paper is retired from SU. A scrap of vellum is  stamped with a sentiment from SU. I found 2 fern die cuts from a card pack by SU.

I hope you will check out Tuesday Morning Sketches to see some inspiration from the design team and join in with your own creation.

Retirement

I am so enjoying being retired so I am always happy with friends who finally retire. And of course, retirement offers more opportunities to travel to fun places. Here is a fun card to celebrate the event.

I used a Tim Holtz E/F for the background.  I used a white gel pen to make the black stripes look like a highway. The car is an old unlabled stamp colored with SU blends and fussy cut. The sentiment is done on the computer. 

I used this sketch from Make The Cards Challenge 

A Study in Greens

 Back with another Tuesday Morning Sketches. 

I have used SU's Evening Evergreen, Pool Party, and a green moody sky paper from the scrap bin. My three elements are butterflies from a scrap of Pool Party with a die from SU. I sponged on some Evening Evergreen to darken the edges so they would stand out from the background. I could not find either the dark green or light aqua in my huge stash of ribbons--isn't that often the case. So I made a "ribbon with a strip of the Evening Evergreen and die cut a matching bow from a retired SU wreath set. I sponged some white highlights on the ribbon. And used black Nuvo drops as butterfly bodies. I don't see anywhere to put a sentiment so it stays without one. I can then use it for any occasion. 

Check out the sketch

and join us with your own creation,

Amendment:

I said I didn't see anywhere for a sentiment. But when I saw our designer Debi's cute card with the tiny tag, I decided to go back and add one to mine. It was just the finishing touch it needed.

Here is the amended version

Get Well

 Several people in my church are ill or had surgery. I went to my stash of cards and found it lacking in get well cards. 

Using this sketch from Sketch Saturday

I made 2 cards--one feminine

One masculine

The feminine one has retired paper from SU. The patterns are the reverse sides of the same sheet. I used SU's curvy die to make the curve. Then I colored flowers from the b/w print and fussy cut them. I added a couple of punched sprigs of green behind the flowers.The sentiment is an old SU one white embossed on black.

The frog and specs is a digi from Sami Stamps, colored with SU blends. The sentiment is my own done on the computer. Same curvy die. And of course he needed large googly eyes.

I am sending both of these out so I guess I will be working on my get well stash this week.

Best "Witches"

 He there, welcome to another Tuesday Morning Sketches

I know, I know, I am rushing seasons. I have my Halloween papers and stamps down making cards for Send A Smile 4 Kids for the children's  hospitals. A lot of sites are having Christmas in July challenges. I decided on Halloween in July.

The green polka dot paper is from BoBunny. The purple is from the scrap box. The image is Craft Smart for Michael's. Isn't she the cutest little witch? I did 3 punched bats for my embellisments The sentiment is done on the computer. 

Come on over to Tuesday Morning Sketches and share your creations.

Winnie and Piglet

 Thanks for stopping by for another Tuesday Morning Sketches

I am a big fan of Winnie the Pooh and all of his great sentiments. Because the image was too big for portrait, I rotated the sketch.

The image is from The Unity Company, colored with SU Blends. I typed the sentiment on the computer but was sure to give credit to Winnie. The background is a Sizzix hexagon E/F. I thinks it looks like a honeycomb. I hit the highlights with some brown ink.

Inside is blank. I stamped some dandelion stems from SU's retired Dandelion Wishes. I think this will be good for a birthday or just to cheer someone.

I hope you check out all the design team at Tuesday Morning Sketches and play along..

Since this is the first outing for this Winnie the Pool stamp, I am adding it to NBUS.

Beach Themes

 I am not close to the ocean and beach so I have to settle for cards with beach theme.

Using this sketch from Sketch Saturday

I had the folder with seashells (unlabeled) still on my workspace and saw that as the side elements on the sketch. I stamped one large one on vellum and die cut it into a circle. Then stamped the smaller shells on white and fussy cut them. The sentiment is SU. All of this went on a Pool Party mat with the SU wavy E/F. Doesn't that remind you of ocean waves? Then onto a Kraft card base for the sand portion of the beach. For a little glimmer, I ran a Wink of Stella pen across the waves. Then 5 clear sequins to reflect the water. I went searching my stash for shell stickers to put inside and found a set of flip flops so had to make this one:

This E/F is Painted Texture from SU. I think it looks like sand dunes. I reversed the background so the sandcastle would be sitting on "sand" and the Pool Party in the background.