Card Patterns Sketch # 86

While blog-surfing this weekend I found a great new {to me} sketch challenge ...Card Patterns

I love sketch challenges because I feel like my layouts get in a faster /deeper rut than anything else about my card making.

Here is the card I made for this weeks challenge:

I needed a simple fall card for my SILs birthday.  I like how this one came out.  Inside I added a single tree to continue the theme

Thanks for stopping by!

{Supplies}
Stamps: Trendy Trees[SU!]; Birthday Bash Sentiments[PTI]
Ink: Soft Suede, Pumpkin Pie, Tangerine Tango [SU!]
Paper: Soft Suede, Whisper White, Tangerine Tango [SU!]
Tools: Circle punch, Scalloped border punch [SU!]
Other: Twine [My Garage]

Paper Crafts Magazine sketch challenge

I submitted a few cards this month to Paper Crafts magazine.  None were chosen for publication, but this is one of my faves ... my youngest and I worked on it together ... she did the colors, we used a layout provided by the magazine and I sort of put it all together

The card base is Concorde Crush, one of the new In Colors from SU! for 2010-2011.  Other colors used are Melon Mambo and Tempting Turquoise.  I used a Nestability square and debossed the frame ... it makes them that much more versatile (cut, emboss, deboss oh my)

Thanks for stopping by!

{Supplies}

Stamps" Mega Mixed Messages, Background Basics: text Style [PTI] Dot Dot Dot [SU!]

Ink: True Black, Fresh Snow [PTI], Tempting Turquoise [SU!]

Paper: Concorde Crush, Melon Mambo, Tempting Turquoise, White [SU!]

Other: Small heart punch [PTI], Square nestie [Spellbinders]

Felt Mountains

When I saw this sketch for PaperCrafts magazine, I immediately thought mountains ...

Ok turn your head sideways ... see it now?

Here is the card I made for the sketch

Thanks for stopping by!

Supplies:
Stamps: Up Up and Away, Fillable Frames #2 [Papertrey Ink]

Ink: Smokey Shadow, Fresh Snow [Papertrey Ink]
Paper: Baja Breeze, White [Stampin' up!]
Other: Cloud die, Chocolate Felt [Papertrey Ink]; Big Shot [Sizzix]

Directions:
Cut card base (8.5 x 5.5)
Cut felt to fit card front (5.5 x 3), then cut mountain shape
Paint mountain tops with fresh snow ink. Allow to dry
Stamp sentiment in Fresh Snow on the felt
Using cloud cutout as a template and sponge clouds along top of card base at the crease
When dry, adhere felt mountains to card front, leaving loose at the top.
Sponge clouds with smokey shadow and adhere to card base behind mountain tops

SFYTT Saturday

I've looked at Jen del Muro's Sketch For You To Try on many a Saturday, but have never had a free day to actually try it until today.

The girls are with their dad this weekend, I am actually in town and have nothing on the calendar!! That is a rarity in my life this summer. So I am taking full advantage of it, and doing what I want - which is to play with paper (and my dog - Happy birthday to Abby - she is 3 today!

isnt she adorable!  She is a lab mix that our family has been fostering for the last year.  I found out a couple of months ago that we get to keep her so we are all extremely happy and this birthday and the "gotcha" day - when we got her last year -  which is July 20 are going to parties at our house!)

But I digress ...

Cards ... thats why you are here.  Here is my attempt at the SFYTT for today:

I used a Baha Breeze card base played around with text backgrounds to get ready for the blog hop at Papertrey Ink this month. 

On the chocolate layer I used my Friends definition Texture plate from SU! Kit #4.  I had heard that if you spritz the paper you get a better impression so I tried it out - spritzing both sides.  I did get a good impression, but because I so love the distressed look, i dragged my PTI Vintage Cream ink over the impression to bring it out even more.  Added a little Tim Holtz Distress Ink in Vintage Photo to age it some more.

For the focal layer I stamped the solid coffee cup from Warm Happiness along with the saucer, using the Baha Breeeze ink.  I added the outline in chocolate then masked and stamped Background Basics: Textstyle over that in Creamy Caramel.  Again with the Tim Holtz distress ink - it matched the caramel amazingly well, and the text behind the mug really makes it pop, don't ya think.

I finished off with a piece of Soho Hardware that says "fabulous"! 

I will use this card to invite my dear friend Dee to coffee.  We meet once a month before I go off to volunteer at a residential facility for at risk kids leading a scrapbook class and she goes off to Toastmasters to astound and amaze the masters with her speaking prowess :o)

Thanks for stopping by!

{Coffee Card supplies}
Stamps: (All PTI) Background Basics: Textstyle, Warm Happiness
Paper: (SU! and PTI) Dark Chocolate, Baha Breezer, Old Olive, vanilla, white
Ink:(SU!) Creamy Caramel, Chocolate Cip, Baha Breeze, (PTI) VIntage Cream, (Tim Holtz) Distress Ink Vintage Photo
Tools: Texture Plates Kit#4, circle punch, Big Shot
Embellies: Soho designer hardware

CPS Sketch and Kristina Werner Color Challenge

I tried to combine color and sketch challenges again this week.

CPS Sketch Challenge #117

... and Kristina Werner's color inspiration challenge #53

It was a little difficult because I wanted to get all elaborate but 5 colors just doesn't make it easy. I like what I came up with though.

The red was throwing me until I decided to make it just a bit of an accent instead a primary color in the design.

Thanks for looking!

{Congratulations card supplies - all Stampin' Up! unless noted}
Stamps: Around and About Sentiments (PTI), By Definition (SU! retired)
Ink:Pacific Point, Summer Sun, Real Red
Paper:Pacific Point, Summer Sun, Real Red, Basic Black
Tools:Top Note Sizzix die, Big Shot
Embellies: Red Gingham ribbon (SU Retired), Black vintage button (PTI)

Color And Sketch Challenge

For today's card I combined the latest Raspberry Suite Color Challenge

and the latest CPS sketch challenge.

I love making stripes with baby wipes especially in those luscious sherbet summer colors (OK, the aqua may not be a real sherbet color, but it certainly is in the same family :o). I used that for the larger background layer. I mixed up my own batch of a pseudo aqua mist and also mixed cameo coral with regal rose to better approximate the berry sorbet color.

I used the flip flops from my Sparkling Summer stamp set, since they are as summery as the colors. I wanted to color them aqua but my Copic order hasn't come yet to match the PTI colors, so I decided to play mad scientist and mix up a batch of my own. I mixed about 10 parts Cool Caribbean with 1 part Kiwi Kiss and diluted it with some drips of water. I think it came out pretty darn close.

For the dotted strip I used my Crop-A Dial to punch the white strip and then layered it over the berry sorbet. Then I realized that I had buttons in the challenge colors (or awfully close) so I added those to get some height on the card.

Thanks for stopping by!

{Thanks card supplies}

Stamps: Mega Mixed Messages (PTI), Sparkling Summer (SU! retired)

Paper: (All PTI) Aqua Mist, Berry Sorbet, Dark Chocolate, white

Ink (All SU!): Cool Caribbean (retired), Kiwi Kiss, Chocolate Chip, Cameo Coral, Regal Rose

Technique: Baby Wipe Stripes

Embellies: PTI vintage buttons in melon berry, dark chocolate and aqua mist

Stamps & Smiles Sketch Challenge

Wow - There are a LOT of challenges that go on out on the 'net. I'm just stumbling across so many. I like the sketch & color challenges the best because I think that's where my biggest weaknesses are in paper crafting (that and bold patterns and mixing patterns, and ... I guess the list is not exactly short :o)

This week I found the Stamps and Smiles weekly sketch challenge.

I really was intrigued by the sketch so I grabbed my supplies and my 16 yr old daughter and we got to play together (I'm supposed to be hanging out with the girls for spring break so if I can get them to do stuff I want that counts, right?)

I really like the background piece on the upper right. Nicole said she thought it would be cool to do the circles then dots inside, but it might be "too much work" ... BAH - its stamping not work and is there such a thing as too much stamping!? I think not. I added the little dots in between the circles. I thought they just added a nice touch.

Nicole & I struggled with the sentiment layer, but after much messing around, I think it works.

Thanks for looking. Have a great day!

{One of a Kind Friend Supplies}
Stamps:Friends til the End, Background Basics: Retro, Polka Dot Basics (PTI)
Paper: Raspberry Fizz, Raspberry FIzz Bitty Dots, True Black, White (PTI), Gable Green (SU!)
Ink: Basic Black, Pink Passion (SU!)
Accessories: Black Dotted Swiss ribbon (PTI)
Tools: Square and Scalloped Square Nestabilities