Monday, April 30, 2012

Seems A Little Sketchy #12

Welcome to the latest card for Seems A Little Sketchy!  This layout looked clean & simple to me, but once I added all of the elements it seemed more like a beautifully embellished card!  I wasn't sure how I wanted to do my flourish, but I finally decided to pull out my Cricut (it doesn't get enough use!) and use paper instead of a rub-on.  What do you think?  It's small, I know, but I think it works.


Our sponsor for this challenge is Whimsy Stamps.  The image I used is from a Unity Stamps set called Crappy Day - perfect for Operation Write Home cards going to Afghanistan, right?!  I love the humor!

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:
paper - Bazzill Grandma's Feather Bed
border punch - EK
Cricut - Accent Essentials cartridge
Copic marker - V17

Wednesday, April 25, 2012

April's Stampin' Up Stamp Club Cards

Each month I've been posting the cards we make at our Stampin' Up Stamp Club with Christi Beck.  This month I finally learned how to use metal dies to emboss instead of just cut.  I've owned my Big Shot for a year now and have been cutting with metal dies and dry embossing with folders, but the idea of embossing with the metal dies just alluded me and I really hadn't had time to figure it out.  Well, my SU demonstrator Christi is so good about not only teaching us new techniques but providing the cheat sheets as well, so I'll be able to remember how to do it months from now at home!

The other card is a fun ice cream cone card.  It's already in the 90s here in Texas and it's only April - that scares me about what our summer may be like.  After last summer I didn't think it could possibly get any hotter, but now I think it could!  So, just looking at this card helps cool me off.  My Stickles smudged once during the class and I re-applied.  Then it smudged again before it dried - I don't think it was meant to be, so I'm just going with it!  LOL

Last night was my turn to be the Hostess for Stamp Club and reap the benefits and, boy, did I!  Thanks to my friends I invited who came and spent a bit of money and hopefully had a good time, too!



Saturday, April 21, 2012

April SFYTT | Doodle Pantry

Okay, I'm sorry, but I just can't get enough of this cute Pansy Turtle image from Doodle Pantry this month and just HAD to make another card with him!  (You can see the first card HERE.)  This time I used the pre-colored image and a different sentiment from the set along with both digi papers from the set and some Really Reasonable Ribbon from my monthly ribbon club assortment.

I also followed Jen del Muro's April SFYTT sketch.  So far I have kept up every month - I'm on track to be entered in the big drawing at the end of the year to win $20 gift certificates from EVERY sponsor she's had.  I love these sketches because you can keep them simple or fancy them up!

Other Challenges Entered:
Incy Wincy Designs - Use a Digi
Craft Your Passion - Punches and Dies (circles are Spellbinders dies)
Pollycraft Monday Challenge - Cute Critters
Karen's Doodles - Something Spring (pansies, of course)
Lollipop Crafts - Spring Fling
Stamp & Create: April Monthly Challenge - Spring



GREAT NEWS! Laurie of Doodle Pantry extended this month's 25% off special until April 24, just a few more days to shop and save.  Use the code NOFOOLING at checkout to save on Doodle Pantry's awesome sets!  Don't forget to include the "free with purchase" images in your cart, too.


And, that's not all she's giving away this month!  If you play along in this month's Doodle Pantry Digital Challenge that ends on April 24, you will receive the Quirky Parrot set FREE just for entering.  You also have a chance to win a Doodle Pantry gift certificate, too!  All you have to do is create a card using a Doodle Pantry image.

Monday, April 16, 2012

Seems A Little Sketchy #11

Welcome to the latest card for Seems A Little Sketchy!  This was a fun layout for me.  It just all seemed to come together easily.  I really had fun making the little pocket behind the back layer to slide the tag into.  I haven't done that in a long time!

Our sponsor for this challenge is Squigglefly.  There were so many great images from so many talented artists that I had a very difficult time deciding.  I finally chose Upside Down Umbrella which comes with this love sentiment and another one - perfect for Operation Write Home cards!

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:
patterned paper - Paper Loft Morning Rain collection
cardstock, ribbon and ink - Stampin' Up Riding Hood Red
Copic markers - R59, Y15



Sunday, April 15, 2012

OWH Make 'Em Laugh | Unity Stamps

This Unity Stamps set called Crappy Day is perfect for a Make 'Em Laugh challenge!  The first time I saw it I knew I had to have it because it made me laugh so much.  I hope it makes others laugh, too!

Several of the companies participating in the OWH Make 'Em Laugh Blog Hop have challenged us to make funny cards.  Here's mine:





Challenges Entered:
Really Reasonable Ribbon - Black, White, One Color and Ribbon (I used twine)
Operation Write Home - Make 'Em Laugh
Market Street Stamps - Make 'Em Laugh
Lawn Fawn - Make 'Em Laugh
Art Impressions - Make 'Em Laugh

Friday, April 13, 2012

Doodle Pantry | Create with TLC

It's Friday the 13th, but maybe Harold the Duck will bring you luck!  
Hope your day is just ducky!

I'm back with another Doodle Pantry card!  I thought this free image from Doodle Pantry called Harold the Duck was perfect for Spring.  After I saw this free sentiment from Create with TLC, I knew I had to color up ol' Harold and make him into a card.

The patterned paper is from Doodle Pantry's Strawberry Ants set and the yummy ribbon is from Really Reasonable Ribbon's monthly ribbon club.

CHALLENGES ENTERED:
Incy Wincy Designs 141 - Cute Critters
The Pink Elephant 143 - Flowers (Harold loves daisies!)

GREAT NEWS! Laurie of Doodle Pantry decided to extend this month's 25% off special until April 24.  Just use the code NOFOOLING at checkout to save on Doodle Pantry's awesome sets!  Don't forget to include the "free with purchase" images in your cart, too.

And, that's not all she's giving away this month!  If you play along in this month's Doodle Pantry Digital Challenge that ends on April 24, you will receive the Quirky Parrot set FREE just for entering.  You also have a chance to win a Doodle Pantry gift certificate, too!  All you have to do is create a card using a Doodle Pantry image.  Harold, along with some of his friends, are available HERE for free if you'd like to give it a try!

Sunday, April 8, 2012

Tuesday Morning Sketch | Doodle Pantry Pansy Turtle



I've got 4 minutes to post this to the Tuesday Morning Sketch Challenge
This card is also being submitted for the OWH ODBD April Challenge - use an animal.

Added Later:
Whew!  I just made it with probably less than one minute to spare.  Too funny!  I haven't gotten much time to make cards lately, but I really wanted to make this particular card for this challenge because Doodle Pantry sponsored this week's Tuesday Morning Sketch Challenge!

The image, sentiment and digi papers are one of the Doodle Pantry new releases for April called Pansy Turtle.  I used the outline image and colored it with Copic markers, but it also comes in a pre-colored version.  I cheated a little and tried to make mine as close to the pre-colored as I could so that the colors in the image would coordinate well with the digi papers.

Don't forget to also play along in this month's Doodle Pantry Digital Challenge where the only requirement is to use a Doodle Pantry image!  Everyone who plays is a winner.  This month Quirky Parrot (see below) is the free set you will receive just for playing along.



Monday, April 2, 2012

Seems A Little Sketchy #10

Welcome to the latest card for Seems A Little Sketchy!  This was a challenging layout for me.  For some reason, I just couldn't fit all of my elements on my usual 4-1/4 x 5-1/2" card, so I improvised and made a 6x6" card.  This was something completely new for me and I liked it!  Lots more "real estate" to work with.  LOL

Our sponsor for this challenge is Delicious Doodles and Unique Crafters.  I was trying to choose a masculine image since we're already working on Father's Day cards at Operation Write Home so I went with Stargazer Silhouette.  Do you think a guy will mind the red flower?! 

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:
paper: Colorbok Midnight Garden pattern pack
flower: Bazzill white colored with Copic R29
nailhead: Mark Richards

Sunday, April 1, 2012

Doodle Pantry April New Releases

Yippee!  Today is the day Doodle Pantry releases their new digi stamp sets for April.  It's such an exciting day each month to see what Laurie has created with her characters.  You can go HERE to the Doodle Pantry store to see them all in one place.  Don't forget to play the Doodle Pantry Digital Challenge this month where everyone wins a free Doodle Pantry set just for entering!  This month's free set is Quirky Parrot (scroll down to see the image).

There are a two specials from APRIL 1 - 3 ONLY: 
1. Use the coupon code NOFOOLING for 25% off your purchase (excludes gift certificates and watermarks)!
2. ANT PAPER PACK is free with purchase for 3 days only!

From April 1 - 24 the Umbrella Ants set will be free with purchase as well.  So, for the best deals, go shopping no later than APRIL 3!!

Today I have two cards to share with you using a new set called Sombrero Hat.  Living in Texas, I knew I had to use this set to make a few Cinco de Mayo cards - where else in the country is this such a celebrated holiday?  Certainly not in Pennsylvania where I grew up!

On my first card I added the sombrero image to the School Sheep image.  My daughter will give this card to her Spanish teacher.  I used Sketch Inspiration 312 and lots of bling on this card.  The maracas, sentiment and digi papers are part of the Sombrero Hat set as well!



I made a second card using the sombrero hat, sentiment and digi papers.  This one is for my LSS owner who hosts a National Scrapbook Day retreat.  For the second year in a row, it falls on Cinco de Mayo weekend so we will break pinatas again this year.  What fun to watch a bunch of women whacking at pinatas and then scurrying to pick up as many embellishments off the ground as they can!  LOL

For this card I used Operation Write Home Stars & Stamps sketch 98.  Slowly but surely I'm checking sketches off my list as I challenge myself to use every S&S sketch in 2012.  Not sure I'll make it, but I'm having fun trying!



Quirky Parrot - free set just for entering DPDC22 or available for purchase April 25