Inspired by Challenge #350 -- FISH

 

I hemmed and hawed about sharing this card for Inspired by Challenge #350.

 

 

 Those fish plates caught my eye--aren't they pretty? Even though IB team member

Amy used The Stamp Market's Fintastic set, I was determined to use it, too. 

Small problem: I couldn't find the set.

On to plan B, something that resembled fish and it was Altenew's leaves to the rescue.

My second favorite set of leaves and I was pleasantly surprised that some of them

actually looked like fish!

 

To add to the fishy experience I used a new embossing folder (Underwater Waltz)

from Spellbinders that was waiting for this moment to be used. I colored the leaves in 

blues and even added some seaweed for good measure. An Altenew sentiment 

finished off the card.

P.S. Eventually I found the Fintastic set but I got attached to the faux fish so I'll 

save it for another challenge.

 

 

Freshly Made Sketches #700

 

It's a celebration over at Freshly Made Sketches as they've reached their milestone

700th challenge in 14 years! I just had to make some time to join the fun.

 

 A super fun sketch, right? Visit Freshly Made Sketches and be inspired by their

design team and take a look back at each past and present member's first project.

Here's how I was inspired.

Spellbinders' Sunflower Die just arrived a few days ago after being OOS for quite

sometime. I die cut several layers from light yellow card stock and inked them

to create multi colored sunflowers. 

I cut a square card base from cream colored card stock and ran the front through

an embossing folder. I wanted to frame the flowers so I cut MFT's Square Frame

then placed the flowers inside.

I added the single leaf, following the sketch, and chose a long script sentiment

to finish off the card.

 

Happy 700th, Freshly Made Sketches! Thanks for all the fun and inspiration

you bring week after week and here's to #800!

 

 

The Flower Challenge #105 -- Add Embellishments

 This month's theme over at The Flower Challenge #105 is to Add Embellishments.

 

I'm not as embellishment crazy as I used to be. I'd buy sequins and enamel dots in 

every color and size--not to mention buttons and ribbons. For my card, I went with 

my favorite clear enamel dots that I like to use, especially on florals.

 

I used the new Honeycomb Cover Plate and was inspired by the colors on a card by 

Kelly Lunceford. Flowers and leaves were cut from Altenew's Zero Waste Chocolate

Flowers Cover Plate and arranged over the panel.

I added the gold embossed sentiment and of course, the clear enamel dots that

remind me of water droplets.

Okay I'm off to link up my card. Thanks so much for stopping by!

JUGS Word Week #788 -- BIRTHDAY

 

It's Word Week over at Just Us Girls Challenge #788 and the word is BIRTHDAY.

 

 

 

Here's how I was inspired.

 

  I thought that the birthday mug with candles inside was the cutest image and 

I know several caffeine drinkers who would appreciate it.

 I cut and colored the mug and candles and added some Stickles to the flames.

I used the new Numbers embossing folder for the background, trimmed to show

the diagonal stripes after adhering the paper to a card base. 

I adhered the mug and a white embossed sentiment. Some glittery enamel dots

finished off the card.

I'm also linking this up to Simon Says Stamp Flickr Challenge--Anything Goes--

since I used several SSS products.

Off to link this up. Thanks for stopping by!

 

 

Freshly Made Sketches #699

 

Verena is hosting the current Freshly Made Sketches $699 with this fun sketch.

 

 Since any shape can be substituted for the circular element, I went with a wood slice.

 

A birch wood slice was assembled and a few blooms were added on the side. 

A panel was embossed then trimmed and adhered to a card base. The wood

slice was adhered to the card and finished off with a script sentiment.

I hope that I haven't strayed too far from Verena's sketch. Thanks so much 

for stopping by!

* * * 

Edited to add: Many thanks to Karren for the Princess status for my card!

JUGS Die Week #787 -- FLORALS

 

It's Die Week over at JUGS Challenge and Elizabeth requests using FLORAL dies

on our project. 

 

 

 

She must have heard me squeal while using Pinkfresh Studio's Floral Field stencil  

and die set. Here's my card.

I don't remember when this set came out but I've had it for a while and finally, after

watching a zillion how to videos, I summoned up the courage to create a card. 

There are SEVEN stencils and having those triangles as guides for cutting out 

the image without any white border is genius! I felt like a fussy cutter!

I embossed a card base with a dotty embossing folder and tripled up the image for

dimension. I splattered white paint and added some clear drops. A PFS ready made 

foiled sentiment finished off the card.

Off to link this up. Thanks, always, for stopping by!

Freshly Made Sketches #698

 

Kim brings us a color blocked Freshly Made Sketches #698.

But I didn't go that route. I got reacquainted with Tim Holtz's Leaf Fragment dies 

this past weekend and was inspired by Tim and some of his makers after watching 

his latest video. 

I was going to get inky and color the leaves but reached for a pad of patterned

paper with autumnal colors. After cutting out several leaves I inked around 

the edges with brown ink and gold watercolor ink and spattered some, too.

I embossed a panel with a 3D embossing folder and placed the leaves on top.

It was a little challenging to follow the sketch with such abstract shapes

but I did my best. An Altenew sentiment finished off the card.

Is it me or does the orange leaf on the right resemble a chunky carrot? 

Maybe I should have used another paper. Oh well....

Thanks for stopping by!

* * *

Edited to add: My card was given a Princess honor by Cécile! Thanks so much!

 

 

Freshly Made Sketches #696

 

Jen M brings us Freshly Made Sketches #696.

I kept seeing a beach towel and sunbather, but I wanted the background piece to be 

a bit more "transparent". In the end I used a Tim Holtz set from the Vault with 

a honeycomb embossing folder plus wildflowers.

My inspiration came from one of Tim's makers--Kulbir Kirkland (@luv2papercraft).

Her card had a "chain link fence" feel with the flowers scattered over top. I tried to

arrange the blooms but in the end it looks like I pulled out a bunch of flowers

from the ground and stuck them on the card. Oh well.

 

I'm off to link this up. Thanks, always, for stopping by!

 

 

 

JUGS Anything Goes Stencil Week#785

 

It's my last week as a Guest Designer over at JUGS Challenge #785 and the challenge

theme is Anything Goes Stencil Week.

 

 

Truthfully, this took me the longest because I couldn't decide on which stencil to use. 

Stencils have come a long way over the past few years and I pored over my 50+ 

inventory (yes, I own a ton of stencils) then decided to use some floral ones from

 Pinkfresh Studio. (This one, Citrus Bloom, is sadly discontinued.)

 

I chose Reverse Wonky Rectangles as the base of the card and ran the front

panel through a dotted embossing folder and scored the back piece to form a hinge.

I stenciled several sets of blooms, die cut them and adhered them to the card.

Pinkfresh gave out some sentiments as a "gift with purchase" and I found one

that fit perfectly in the space on the card. Done!

Grab your stencils and join this week's challenge. Visit the JUGS website for all the

details and deadline and we hope to see you in the gallery!

 

* * *

 

Thanks so much, Vicki, and to the rest of the team for allowing me to join you this

month. It's been a fun ride!

Freshly Made Sketches #695

 

It's a "no fuss" sketch from Jen T this week over at Freshly Made Sketches #695.

After much trial and error, here's my card.

 

   

Since the oval could be substituted with any shape, I was planning to use a

 window and patterned papers from Simon Says Stamp's July 2024 Card Kit.

 

While I was putting the card together, the window panes blocked out most of the

 cityscape so I switched to a regular arch. Much better. I stamped the sentiment 

and at the last minute decided to add a branch that semi resembled cherry 

blossom buds.

 

Off to link this up with a few days to spare. Thanks for stopping by!

 

* * *

Edited to add: My card was given a Princess status by Judy. Thanks so much, Judy!