March SU Stamp Club

Last night was my Stampin' Up monthly Stamp Club.  We got to heat emboss the image on the first card - something I'm not very good at, but somehow everything turned out perfectly last night.  Go me!  And we stamped and punched out the pretty flower on the second card.

Check out my cards!

(Sorry for the shadows on the cards - it was late and I used my Ott Lite to take the photos.)

Thank You | Create with TLC

This card was made with some pieces I started with to make another card that didn't work out the way I expected!  LOL  The "Thank You" image is from Paulette at Create with TLC.  She offers daily free images and sentiments as well as tons of other items in her store so check out the link!

Card Supplies:
patterned paper - Colorbok Midnight Garden pattern pack
dies - Nestabilities scalloped rectangle
cardstock - from JoAnn's

Doodle Pantry | Mojo Monday

I'm back again with another great image from Doodle Pantry!  On this card I used a re-released image called Branch Birds that is now available in COLOR - woohoo!  Okay, before you get your panties in a wad, I like to color with my Copics as much as the next gal, but sometimes I just don't have the time or the inclination.  That's why I *LOVE* to use Laurie's pre-colored digis.  Many of her sets are available in outlines AND pre-colored so you can decide if you are in the mood to color or not!

I paired the Doodle Pantry image, sentiment and digital papers with a Mojo Monday sketch from September 19, 2011.  I didn't adhere exactly to the sketch but used it more as an inspiration - that's allowed, you know!  :-)

You have 3 more days to get your entry in for the Doodle Pantry Digital Challenge #21 - what are you waiting for?!  You will receive the Quirky Bunny set free just for playing along.  And, it won't be long now until we see the April releases - yipee!

The cardstock base is yellow in real life.  The photo makes it look kind of green though - sorry!

Seems A Little Sketchy #9

Welcome to the latest card for Seems A Little Sketchy!  I love this layout, but I had never worked with pennants before.  Quite some time ago I bought the Banner Builder stamp set and matching dies from Papertrey Ink, but I was intimidated to even break them in.  Well, thanks to Jenn's sketch this time, I got out of my comfort zone and tried something I had been wanting to for a while.  I obviously have not perfected the technique yet (still trying to figure out how to get more of the twine to show!), but at least I've taken the first step!

Our sponsor for this challenge is My Grafico.  Don't you just love this spunky gal?  There are more Superhero Girls just like her in the set you can find here along with tons of other great images.

Remember, the only rule for the Seems A Little Sketchy challenge is to follow the sketch. You may enter up to three times with different cards and you have two weeks before the challenge closes.

What are you waiting for?  Go get sketchy with it!

Card Supplies:
stamps/dies - Papertrey Ink Banner Builder and matching die set
paper/twine/soft charm - We R Memory Keepers Yankee Doodle collection (one of my faves!)
ink - Memento Dew Drop (ladybug)
markers - Copic (E00, E33, E35) and Bic (red, blue, yellow)
glue - Zip Dry paper glue (I couldn't figure out how else to hold the twine down!)

Doodle Pantry | S&S #52

I just love being on the Doodle Pantry Design Team.  Laurie creates the cutest characters and never seems to be at a loss for more cute images and sentiments.  Frankly, I don't know how she does it!  She must have a mojo goddess on her side.  LOL

This month's releases were as spectacular as ever.  I've used Strawberry Ants this time and paired it with OWH Stars & Stamps sketch #52 and some beautiful ribbon from Reasonable Ribbon's February ribbon club selection.  I love going to my mailbox each month to see what goodies Bonnie has selected for us!

It's still not too late to play along in Doodle Pantry's Digital Challenge #21.  The only rule is you have to use a Doodle Pantry image.  There are plenty of freebies in the store to play with.  I'm sure you will be hooked like I was as soon as you start looking around at all of her great selections.  The best thing about Doodle Pantry Digital Challenges is that you are a winner just for entering.  Everyone receives a free set and this month it's the adorable Quirky Bunny set, so go check it out!

Hambo Hoedown | S&S 111

It's time for another Hambo Hoedown challenge.  In an effort to meet my goal of using every S&S sketch during 2012, I have chosen to pair this cute Hambo digi called Bailey Hug with sketch #111.  The challenge this week at the hoedown was to use stripes.  I wanted to make a more masculine-looking card, so I pulled out my very old Making Memories paper that has blues and browns in it.  What do you think?  Masculine enough?!

Card Supplies:
image and sentiment - Hambo Stamps Bailey Hug digi
patterned paper - Making Memories
cardstock - Bazzill
Copic markers - E01, E35 E37, B91, R27
punch - EK Success (this is an ancient punch of mine that makes the photo corner slits)
sketch - Stars & Stamps 111

Sympathy Card | Really Reasonable Ribbon

Unfortunately, I had the occasion to make a sympathy card.  These are not easy cards to make or to find the right thing to say to convey all that you feel.  When I do make one, I tend to make monochromatic white cards.  They just seem very classy to me for such a solemn occasion. 

This sympathy image is from The Sherlocks Home (which I can no longer find a link to-sorry), and I colored the calla lilies with Copic markers (Y15, YG03, YG06).  I used my Textile embossing folder from Cuttlebug and an oval Nestabilities die.  To finish it off, I added the last little piece of this beautiful ribbon from Really Reasonable Ribbon that came in my December ribbon club packet.  I will DEFINITELY be buying more of this!

Doodle Pantry | SFYTT March 2012

Here's another of the new releases from Doodle Pantry for this month - Quirky Possum.  The set comes with pre-colored and outline images, 5 different sentiments and the two digi papers I used on my card - all for only $2.50!  Laurie always offers you a very good value.  Most companies only give you an image for that much.  Plus, she always offers a free set with purchase along with other freebies that are available.  What are you waiting for?  Go shopping!  You won't regret it!!

Once you've been shopping, why not use your new purchases to enter this month's Doodle Pantry Digital Challenge.  The only requirement is to use a Doodle Pantry image by March 24.  Everyone who enters wins a free set plus the chance to win even more.  This month's free set is Quirky Bunny - just in time for some really cute Easter cards!

Here's my card using the pre-colored Quirky Possum which was the perfect image for this month's SFYTT challenge at iheart2stamp.com.  Everything on the card is from Doodle Pantry, except the cardstock which is from Bazzill.  I used a Stampin' Up circle punch as well.

Sketch Inspiration 311 | Bazzill & Hampton Art

I'm officially caught up with the Sketch Inspiration challenges, and on time to enter the actual challenge for sketch 311!  It's only the second time this year that has happened - LOL!!  I bought this stamp some time ago because I thought it was a great sentiment for Operation Write Home cards.  It says:

"A friendship can weather most things and thrive in thin soil; but it needs a little mulch of letters and phone calls, and small, silly presents every so often - just to save it from drying out completely."

   - Pam Brown

I figure being deployed overseas for months at a time qualifies as "thin soil!"  Everything else on this card is from Bazzill.  The paper is from Grandma's Feather Bed collection, another of my favorites that I am close to running out of.  Even the bling is Bazzill!

Mother's Day the Basic Grey Way

I have been making lots of cards for Operation Write Home and then Sandy challenged us to a 1/2 Mother's Day and 1/2 general cards box, so I had to get busy on my Mother's Day cards.  I printed off this free pre-colored image from Paula S. (another OWH'er) and grabbed some Basic Grey Euphoria collection scraps and cardstock scraps and went to town.  I didn't even use any sketches - can you believe it?!  Unheard of for me!!  I made 10 cards and here they are!

Sketch Inspiration 310 | Echo Park Splash

Woohoo!  It's Spring Break week, so I am trying to catch up on some of my card making obligations as well as goals I've set.  One of my goals is to complete every Sketch Inspiration sketch this year (well, at least for the first six months of the year - gotta make it an achievable goal, right?!).  So, here is Sketch Inspiration 310 using paper from the Echo Park Splash collection which is one of my favorites.  You will notice that a few of the elements are missing.  That's what I find most challenging about using scrapbooking sketches for cards - not as much real estate!

Card Supplies:
sketch - Sketch Inspiration 310
paper - Echo Park Splash collection
sentiment - Stampin' Up Three Little Words
punches - Stampin' Up Word Window and Modern Label punches

Hambo Hoedown | Solemates digi

This week at the Hambo Hoedown we received a cute pair of fish with several punny sentiments called Solemates digi.  I started out using the tic-tac-toe challenge along the diagonal of stripes, blue and dots when I was choosing my papers.  Then as I went on, I realized I had also used the vertical row of ribbon, blue and green.  Tic-Tac-Toe challenges are really fun for me because they get me thinking of all kinds of elements that I could combine together and, obviously, give me lots of options to choose from.  Sometimes I keep the tic-tac-toe charts to use again when my mojo takes a vacation!

Congratulations to Hambo Stamps on their 10th anniversary!  Maybe I should have used the "Anniversary Fishes" sentiment?!

Card Supplies:
image and sentiment - Hambo Stamps Solemates digi (I didn't use the hearts that came with the image because I was fussy cutting and lost one because it was so small!)
Copic markers - B02, B04, YG11, YG13
patterned paper - Echo Park Splash collection
ribbon - from stash
tools - Fiskars heart punch, Nestabilities scalloped oval, Memento tuxedo black ink
sketch - Mojo Monday #224 (see above)

Sketch Inspiration 309 | Mother: Queen of the Castle

First off, let me say, "WOOHOO, Spring Break starts at the end of the day today!"  I know, if you have children and are NOT a teacher, you aren't so excited.  But, as a substitute teacher, I'm VERY excited to get a vacation.  It will help me to return to school with more energy and motivation as we head toward the end of the school year!

Now, on to the card for today.  I'm still doing a good job of keeping up with the Sketch Inspiration challenges.  While I missed the "real" challenge by one day on the Sketch Inspiration blog (I had this card done on time but didn't post it on time), I'm still in the running with the challenge from Cat's Creations Scrapbooks to do every challenge!  Operation Write Home is still working toward a March 20 deadline for the Mother's Day Half and Half Challenge (click the button on the right side bar for more information) so here's another addition for my box.

This card uses an image and a sentiment from two of my most favorite and most generous artists - Nikki at Melonheadz Illustrating and Paulette at TLC Creations.  They both give away tons of their work so I love to recognize them and thank them for contributing so much to card makers in blog land!  Thank you, ladies.

Card Supplies:
image - Melonheadz Illustrating
sentiment - TLC Creations
patterned paper - Basic Grey Bittersweet collection
cardstock - Bazzill
dies - Nestabilities circles

Melonheadz Illustrating | S&S #35

I'm still making Mother's Day cards for Operation Write Home.  There is a special challenge to send in 1/2 Mother's Day cards and 1/2 General-themed cards this month (click on the icon on the sidebar for more information).  Even though they are Mother's Day cards, I still try to make them "generic" enough for Mom so that they have a longer shelf life - just in case they don't make it in time or OWH gets inundated with specific "Happy Mother's Day" cards that have to go out in time to make it overseas and back again before the holiday.  If you are interested in making cards for Operation Write Home or even making a cash donation to cover shipping costs, you can check out their web page or Facebook page for more information - it's a great cause! 

If you are a regular follower, I warned you that you would be seeing this awesome poem from Melonheadz Illustrating again, and here it is!  This time I used Operation Write Home S&S sketch #35 (trying to use some of the older ones) along with paper and buttons from Basic Grey's Lemonade collection.  EDIT: Today's OWH Midweek Throwdown Challenge just happens to be Mother's Day, so I entered my card in that challenge as well!

The poem says:
Gentle words I hear you say
Your kind hands help me each day
You're my mother, kind and true
Dearest Mother, I love you

Seems A Little Sketchy #8

Today I have a new card for the latest Seems A Little Sketchy challenge.  Have you played yet?  Well, why not?!  You have 2 weeks to link up your creation (up to 3 entries are allowed) for a chance to win digital stamps from our sponsors.  All you have to do is follow the sketch!

For this challenge our image sponsor is Sew Many Cards.  I chose an image called Harley in the Spring.  Are you ready for Spring to arrive?  I certainly am!  Also sponsoring this challenge is Pizzazz A Plenty.

What are you waiting for?  Go get sketchy with it!

Card Supplies:

image - Sew Many Cards

Copic markers - RV000, RV21, RV23, BV00, BV02, C3, C5, B00, YG13, YG15, YG17, YG19

patterned paper - Basic Grey

green cardstock - WorldWin

blue cardstock - Bazzill

tools - We R Corner Chomper

bracket - Cricut Alphalicious cartridge

doily - from my stash

Hambo Hoedown | Monster Weights Digi

Wow, have you ever made a card with a weight lifting monster?!  I have!  I just love the sentiment I used that came with this week's image from the Hambo Hoedown Challenge.  It's called Monster Weights digi and comes with not one but three humorous sentiments.  The challenge this week was one of my favorite kind - A SKETCH - Woohoo!  So, what are you "weighting" for?  Join us at the Hoedown!

I'm also submitting this card for the monthly Our Daily Bread Designs (ODBD) Challenge over at Operation Write Home's blog.  This month the challenge is tic-tac-toe which is another one of my favorites.  Tic-tac-toe challenges always get me to use more on a card that I normally would, which is a good thing!  I used the center horizontal row of digi stamp, layers and embossing.  Go check it out and submit a card before April 2.  You'll be entered to win a prize from ODBD AND you'll help OWH by getting ODBD to sponsor the postage on up to 2 flat rate boxes full of cards for our deployed troops.

Card Supplies:
image/sentiment - Hambo Stamps (Monster Weights digi)
Copics - YG11, YG13, C3, C5
paper - Echo Park Little Boy collection
dies - Nestabilities circle and scalloped circle
embossing folder - Cuttlebug swiss dots
ink - Memento dew drop (ladybug)

February Stamp Club Cards

On February 28, I attended the Stamp Club where I am a member.  Christi Beck, Stampin' Up Demonstrator, hosts the club.  We make 2 cards every month.  Here's what we made this time:

Doodle Pantry | Sweet Sketch Wednesday

Hello and Happy March!  I love the first of the month because it is new release day at Doodle Pantry!  The set I used today is called Detective Sheep and comes with outline and pre-colored images, sentiments and digi papers that match the pre-colored image.  I just love all of Laurie's cute characters and this adorable sheep dressed like Sherlock Holmes is no different.  I thought the sentiment "I'm clueless when I'm you-less" would be perfect for my Operation Write Home cards.  What do you think?

Don't forget that everyone receives a free digi stamp set from Doodle Pantry just for playing along in this month's challenge.  Don't have a Doodle Pantry image yet?!  No worries - you can either use one of Laurie's awesome freebies OR go shopping.  All of the Doodle Pantry sets are very reasonably priced - usually around $3 for everything you see used on my card and more!

Right now Doodle Pantry is also sponsoring the Sweet Sketch Wednesday Challenge #143, so hop over there for another chance to win more awesome Doodle Pantry sets!  My card uses the sketch and I've posted it below as well.