Sketch Inspiration 316 & 318 - A Scrapbook Layout

Oh my gosh, can you believe it?  I've never ever posted one of my scrapbook layouts on my blog before!  Because I was at the scrapbook retreat last weekend and trying to catch up on my Sketch Inspiration challenges, I decided to try to use a few for actual scrapbook pages.  I was working on Christmas 2011 photos.  These photos were taken at Pappadeaux's when my mom's cousins came for a visit just before Christmas.

Sketch Inspiration 315 | Echo Park Pt. 2

More Echo Park paper for Sketch Inspiration #315.  I am pennant/banner-challenged, so I decided to cheat and use some banner paper from the Echo Park 6x6 paper pad.  I fussy cut around the bottom edge of each strip so it would look more like a banner.  The sentiment is an SRM Sticker - someone gifted them to me at the retreat when I was away from my workspace.  I guess it was the card making angel!

Sketch Inspiration 314 | Echo Park - Pt. 1

At the scrapbook retreat this past weekend, I bought lots of 6x6 paper pads to make cards with.  This is one of my favorites that I bought.  It's by Echo Park and you will see it again and again this week!

This is Sketch Inspiration #314 and the sentiment stamp is by Stampin' Up.

Sketch Inspiration 313 | Doodle Pantry papers

Surprise, surprise, surprise, I have finally posted another Sketch Inspiration card!  Now, cardmakers, these are not your normal sketches - these are scrapbook sketches that I use for cards, so it's a bit of a challenge which I think is why I have fallen so far behind.  I have to REALLY dig deep to find the mojo for these designs! 

Okay, excuses aside, during my 4-day scrapbook retreat weekend I "caught up" on the Sketch Inspiration sketches - so I'm dubbing this week SKETCH INSPIRATION WEEK.  Enjoy!

All of the digital patterned paper is from Doodle Pantry from either the Cowboy Birdie set or the Western digi paper pack.  The zig zag is paper I punched with a border punch.  I used circle punches from Stampin' Up, square punches from Creative Memories and a Spellbinders circle die for the largest circle.  The bling is from Bazzill.  The sentiment is cut from a Hambo Stamps digi set called Camouflage Bear - the whole sentiment was "I miss you beary much."

Be a Rebel for NSD!

In "celebration" of National Scrapbook Day/Weekend, our fearless leader Sandy decided to have a Rebel Challenge  - Make CARDS for our heroes instead of scrapbook pages.  Well, I guess I get the best of both worlds because right now I'm at a 4-day scrapbook retreat - I'm making and collecting cards for OWH AND catching up on my scrapbook pages and making mini albums, too!

So, being a Texan (not by birth myself but my mother is a Texan and I got here as fast as I could and produced a Texan offspring!) and the wife of a former Civil War reenactor, when you say "Rebel," I think Civil War which brings to mind BLUE and GRAY.  My challenge, should you choose to accept it, is to create a card using the colors BLUE and GRAY.  If it happens to be a masculine card, well, that's all the better!

I used the Rebel digi image from Hambo Stamps (a huge fan and big supporter of OWH, by the way) and the S&S Sketch #110 to create my card for you today.  I hope you like it and it inspires you to create some awesome BLUE and GRAY cards for our REBEL CHALLENGE!  And, if you follow me but not the OWH Stars & Stamps blog, click on the Be A Rebel badge on the right sidebar to check out the other challenges this weekend.

If you think this is fun, click on the Memorial Day SKETCH Blog Hop badge on the right sidebar to sign up for the mother of all blog hops!

I am sorry to say Mr. Linky doesn't like me :(  Please leave a link to your  blog post in the comment section* and we will  hop on over and leave you some love! 

Happy Stamping!

*Note: to see the cards made by other card makers just highlight their link, copy it, then paste it in your address bar and hit enter.

OWH Memorial Day SKETCH Blog Hop

Sign-ups are now open for the mother of all blog hops with Operation Write Home.  All you have to do is create a card using an Operation Write Home Stars & Stamps blog sketch and then prepare to hop your hiney off over Memorial Day weekend.  Be sure to take breaks to swim, bar-b-q and enjoy your family - your bottom will thank you and so will your overworked chair!  LOL

Click on the badge on the right side bar or click HERE to link to the sign-up page.  Be sure to sign up BEFORE the deadline on May 23.  Happy Hopping!

Doodle Pantry May Release - Bass Fish

Today marks the Doodle Pantry new release date for May.  Release days are such an exciting day as we get to see Laurie's critters come to life.  There are some great ones, as usual, so be sure to check them out at the STORE.

Today also marks the beginning of a new Doodle Pantry Digital Challenge where EVERYONE is a winner just for participating.  Just use any Doodle Pantry image (not just a sentiment) to enter and this month you will receive the Scuba Sheep set.  How cute is this one?!

And, free with a purchase this month is a set of sentiments called Man Stuff - just in time for your Father's Day cards!  To make the deal even sweeter, Laurie is offering a second image free with purchase - Dizzy Dachsund.  Can you believe it?!

But, wait, that's not all!  (Don't I sound like I'm selling something on TV?!)  In honor of National Pet Week, Laurie has put together a digi grab bag of 14 animal image sets you can purchase from May 1-13 for 30% OFF!

And FINALLY, here is my Bass Fish Father's Day card for my step-father who LOVES to fish!  I used the pre-colored image and digi papers from the Bass Fish set and the sentiment from the Reel 'Em In set.  It's simple, but perfect for him - very manly, don't you think?!