Metallic Accents

 Cardz 4 Guyz challenge is Metals.

I used a couple of wood pattern papers and a black with white spatters. The copper metallic accent strip is embossed with an argyle folder from Cuttlebug. The SU sentiment is die cut with a deckle rectangle. I added 2 sprigs from the copper paper.

The Grinch

 Here is the new sketch this week from Tuesday Morning Sketches

On the bandwagon of Christmas in July cards, I made a Grinch theme card. This is my first Christmas card this year. How are you coming with your holiday cards?

I used a snowflake cover stamp and white ink on the solid green. It was so faint I had to trace over the designs with a white gel pen. Do you have a recommendation for a good white ink pad?  I added a green/white polka dot strip to the right and then used punched snowflakes on the edge for the scallop element on the sketch. The rectangle is a shiny gold. The sentiment is a clip art printed and trimmed. A Santa hat at the top for the bow on the sketch. Finally 3 punched glitter heart accents--because "his heart grew three times that day," Each snowflake was coated with clear glitter glue.

Send A Smile 4 Kidz is having that Chrstmas in July challenge. I think kids will like Grinch cards.

I hope you have fun with this sketch and share your creation with us. 

Vegetable Garden

 Another Tuesday rolling around and another of our retro sketches at Tuesday Morning Sketches.

My card this week comes with a story. This one is in memory of my Mother. Today is her birthday, she would have been 100. A few years ago, my son signed me up at MySstory.com.  One of the questions they asked was what advice did your Mother give you. My reply: 1. Marry a Christian man--check. 2. Study for a career in case number 1 does not work out--check (nurse for 40 years). 3. Learn to garden and preserve food--sorry Mom, this one was an utter fail.

And it is true, I have never planted a garden or canned food.  Growing up we had a large garden with lots of tomatoes. We made our own tomato juice, sauce, and even ketchup.

So Mom, this card is for you. The closest I will get to planting a garden.

The papers are from the new To Market DSP from Stampin' Up! The sentiment is an old one in my stash. The gems on the sentiment and upper right are actually shiny bright and red. That didn't photograph well. On the tomato panel, I punched out 4 circles with a hole punch and added clear Stickles to make them shine. Hmmm, I guess that didn't photograph well either. 

Here is my card when the original sketch was posted back in 2014

Go check out the inspiration from the design team. I hope you find some time to join us this week.

Caterpillar

I am totally CASEing my blogger friend Cheryl's card today.  You can see hers here

This one is for the little guyz at Cardz 4 Guyz where the challenge is Animal Magic. I know caterpillars are insects but does that qualify as an animal also?

I don't know if this is a Hungry, Hungry Caterpillar but it sure is a cute one.

I used a  Martha Stewart button punch to make the body in different blue prints  and a 1" punch for the yellow head. In the background is a large circle Cuttlebug E/F for Can You Handle the Pressure with stripes or checks are an added twist.

 I do not have a face stamp like Cheryl's so I drew on a mouth and added googly eyes. The antenna are from a butterfly punch. I tied on a Mossy Green ribbon to anchor the caterpillar. 

Also entering at Let's Craft and Create where the challenge twist is add buttons. 

Adding this card to my stash for Send A Smile 4 Kids. I used the paper punched buttons because small kids might pull off real buttons and put them in their mouth.

Under the Sea

 At Tuesday Morning Sketches, we are celebrating our 15th birthday all month with blast from the past sketches. Here is the one for this week.

You know we always say, the shapes are always changeable as long as the sketch is recognizable.  I took real liberties with the circle element by using a mermaid. 

The sketch shows 2 different patters on the background layer. I didn't have any paper to coordinate with this gorgeous blue paper from the Unbounded Beauty DSP from Stampin' Up! I loved these papers so much I have used them all. This is the last piece. I cut the piece in two and embossed the bottom piece with a wavy E/F. Then I used some succulent stamps on the lower half. I think these succulents look like underwater plants and coral reef. I added a few die cut pieces to bring in  more seaweed. Then I matted both of the blue pieces on a white background and ran a ribbon across the seam. The mermaid is an old stamp from my stash, She is watercolored and fussy cut. Look closely to see a stamped floral shape next to the mermaid, bringing in that flower element of the sketch.

This was so much fun to make. Definitely not quick and simple. I look forward to seeing what you create and share with us.

Celebrate

 Happy Birthday to us, Happy Birthday to us, Happy Birthday Tuesday Morning Sketches, Happy Birthday to us!

TMS turns 15 this month. We will be celebrating all month long with old sketches and I've heard a rumor we will be having prizes along the way.

This is our first celebration sketch.

Of course the occasion calls for a birthday card.

The candle paper is from JoAnn's. I picked up the candle colors for the elements. The balloons are an SU! punch and coated with glossy accents. They have floss strings and are popped up on foam squares. It is so obviously a birthday card, I left off a sentiment on the front to not detract from the balloons.

Inside I have a computer made sentiment and another balloon.

I hope you will join our birthday celebration and share a card to our blog.

Travel the World.

 Thoughts of retirement are often followed by thoughts of travel. So today we are sailing around the world.

The card base is Summer Splash and the background paper is Unbounded Beauty DSP from Stanpin' Up!. Doesn't it just make you think ocean?  The world is Tim Holtz. The compass and sailboat are old stamps in my stash. Sentiment is SU!. 

I am entering this masculine card at Cardz 4 Guyz Anything Goes--Masculine.

Big and Bold

 Today we have a new fun sketch from Melissa at Tuesday Morning Sketches. 

It will be fun to see how you interpret this one.

I went quite literal using the diorama dies from Stampin' Up!

I love water colors and am always glad when I can find paper that does the look for me. This one is from SU's new 6x6 pad of DSP called Full of Life. The big Thank You die is from Sizzix.

Summer is busy but I hope you fine some time in the craft room to join our sketch challenge.

Soaring

The challenge this month at Send A Smile 4 Kids is Tweens/Teens. I know teen boy cards are always needed.

I like making masculine cards but am really challenged when it come to teen boys. This new DSP, Take To The Sky, is perfect for boys. So today I have 2 cards to share using these papers.

Hello

Are you getting into the summer season? Do you have more time for crafting?

It's Tuesday again and time for a new sketch for you to try from Tuesday Morning Sketches.

In an effort to clean my workspace, I made this week's card with the same paper as last week. They are called Blissful Times by Mintay Papers. 

I hope you find the sketch inspiring and will share your creation with us.

Sympathy

 I recently sold all my sympathy cards. I like to have a few on hand so I don't feel pressure to make one when it is needed. For one of my stock, I used the sketch from Sketch Saturday

I did not opt for their twist of using non traditional colors for holiday cards.

The papers are from Stampin' UP! DSP Thoughtful Journey.  The sentiment is an old SU one,

The new challenge at The Paper Players is sympathy or encouraged. Does clean and simple always mean white?  There are minimal layers so I think it qualifies as clean and simple

Beach Time

Summertime means beach time. Unfortunately I live 600 miles from the closest seashore. So I will bring the beach to you via a card.

Surprisingly the background paper is from the new Country Woods DSP from Stampin' UP! It has a slight wood grain with color variations that made me think of a beach. I enhanced that look by sponging on colors. Then I embossed some waves with a Sizzix E/F. The tree is from a sticker set from Happy Memory Keeping from JoAnns. For the sun, I die cut a circle in yellow and sponged on a little orange. The beach ball is from My Favorite Things. 

I used this sketch from Freshly Make Sketches My card is the mirror image.

And adding to challenge at Can You Handle The Pressure Anything goes with a twist of beachy.

Hello

 Time for a new sketch from Tuesday Morning Sketches. This one is a good opportunity to use some of those assorted scraps you have been accumulating.

I have used Blissful Time papers from Mintay Papers. The paper are all double sided. One of the papers has small rectangle cut aparts that show scenes that coordinate with the other papers.  I used one of them in the lower left.

No credits for the Hello stamp. Tag die is from SU!, tied up with a small pink bow.

Check out the inspiration from the design team, make a creation of your own and share it with us.

I am also linking this to Let's Craft and Create challenge: Anything Goes with option of ribbon.

Delicate Die Cut

 First Tuesday in June so it is time for a new sketch at Tuesday Morning Sketches 

It will be fun to see what you all create for those scalloped elements. Check out the blog for inspiration from the design team.

When I went searching for what to do with this card, I came across this delicate die. It was in a package but the label is gone so sorry I can't credit anyone.

I die cut 3 pieces. Doubled up on the main design and then cut apart the third one of the butterflies for a little accent to fill that upper corner. I added tiny rhinestones on the butterfly bodies. The sentiment is an old one also unlabeled.  Paper from the scrap file.

I hope you have time to create something this week and share with us. 

Purple Roses

 Here it is end of May. As I am retired I don't have to think about this but are you ready for your kids to be home for the summer. Have activities planned for them? Maybe you can get them to do some crafts with you and make a card with this new sketch from Tuesday Morning Sketches. It is pretty easy even for new beginners.

I followed the sketch except used flowers instead of a star.

With all the Mother's Day, Father's Day and Graduation cards, I have neglected my stash of thinking of you cards. So I went with that today. The background water color paper is by Paper House. The reverse side has the large rose print. I fussy cut two roses to use as my focal point. I also fussy cut 2 different leaves to tuck in behind. I winked the flowers and leaves and then did outlines on the petals of the flowers with a silver star gel pen. That is a silver strip behind the roses. The light is reflecting a rainbow effect on it. The sentiment is an old unlabled one. I added 3 purple gems for some accent.

Inside I added a fussy cut leave to the inside with my favorite Winnie the Pooh quote.

 

 

Check out the design team cards and then create one of your own. Look forward to seeing your creations.

Sweet Lemons

 Browsing blog's this morning, I found 3 challenges to try today.

The pattern paper and the fussy cut lemon are both from SU's new Mediterranean Blooms The e/f is from Cuttlebug. the sentiment is also SU. The deckle frame die cut is SU.

Inside a did a computer sentiment and added another fussy cut lemon and leaves.

I used the sketch from Ssketch Saturday, using the lemon leaves as the circle elements.

I added a bee to the flowers for Cardz 4 Gslz celebration of World Bee Day.

I used the embossing folder and fruit for the challenge at Can You Handle the Pressure

Father's Day

 I hope you all had fun playing along with our last sketch from Tuesday Morning Sketches in conjunction with Double Trouble Paper Crafting.

So here we are into the second half of May. Thoughts begin to turn to Father's Day cards. I've been busy making some to send to Send A Smile 4 Kids. This is our new sketch for the week

Open to lots of interpretation as to what shape to use. I went with the circle as shown.

This is an offset fold with paper from a couple of different Stampin" Up! collections on the flaps. On the upper flap is a large deckle circle die from SU! The Father's Day die is form Die Versions. The Happy is an old SU! one. I fussy cut a couple of screwdrivers from the DSP to accent the circle. 

Check out the blog and all the design team inspiration and create your own interpretation to share with us. 

I sent this card to Send A Smile 4 Kids. Here are a few more I made from the same papers.

I have loved working with these papers. They make me think a lot about by Dad who has been gone almost 40 years now. He was such a great carpenter. He could make anything I asked for.

Dads Rule

I'm making some Father's Day cards for Send A Smile 4 Kids   They need to be done early to have time to be distributed to the hospitals. 

This is one of the favorites

The ruler paper is from SU'!s Trusty Toolbox DSP. The tape measure is fussy cut from one of the papers in that set. The big letters are SU! The small letters are Tim Holtz. 

Here a 2 more I made for them.