A Fly By ~ Weekend Sketch Challenge #79

I procrastinated by one day on a swap that I'm in. I only need to make one card, but I was a slow poke. Tiffany, if you're reading this, it's in the mail today to you. :)

I did a workshop with this great butterfly set, and when I woke up I wanted to play. I buzzed over to Beate's blog, and saw the weekend sketch challenge and decided to play with that. The sketch came courtousy of Jenn Balcer, and if you want to play along, make sure you post a link there! I stamped with color on the Apricot panel, which I wouldn't normally do. Then i took some versamark and irridecent ice embossing powder and embossed a piece of regal rose cardstock, which I then cut into a butterfly with my sizzix. Then, I was bored.... I tried ribbon for the butterfly body and it just wasnt cutting it. So, I took a piece of celery cardstock and cut a hairline piece, then I just rolled it up, folded it in half, and kept rolling. I pulled out a pretties kit, and added 3 beads. (that took a minute and a stick pin to pull it through the end). Once I had the butterfly body done, i used crystal effects to stick it to my butterfly and glue dots to stick that on my scallop circle layers.

I finished it off with some dazzling diamonds "edging" around the celery cardstock and in the "dots" of the background butterflies. This is very sparkly in real life.

I hope you all have a great weekend. We're getting the camper ready!
Selene~

Weekend Sketch Challenge #67

Nothing like waiting till the last minute to do this sketch challenge. I actually cased my own card a bit. I made this card (further down on my blog) and thought it needed a little something. I really think I like the new version better. I had a blast with this and used it for my marker class tonight. Another terrific sketch from Beate Johns.

Weekend Sketch Challenge #66

Just playing along with Beate John's weekend sketch challenge. There is a BOAT LOAD going on with this card. What a terrific and simple sketch! My base layer is Old Olive.

Layered on that is real red Stamped with some whisper white craft snowflakes. This looks just like the DSP from the I wish simply scrappin kit, doesn't it?? I tied a red ribbon around another piece of old olive, then rubbed a snowflake right on the ribbon. I love this set with the "word images" I inked most of the stamp in real red marker, and although you cant see it that well, the ornament topper, is painted with dazzling diamonds and crystal effects and is super sparkly. I was thinking that I would like this to be a workshop card and I didn't have a whole lot of "bling bling" brads, so I tried making faux brads with reinker, crystal effects, and dazzling diamonds. That's the ONLY part that I'm not really crazy about. I'll have to find a different way

Awesome sketch Beate! Lovin it!

WSC #65 ~ Glittering Snowflakes

I've been home feeling under the weather all day. I really took my time and had some fun with Beate Johns weekly weekend sketch challenge.

Now, I have a ton to write about! I guess I'll start with the base layer and work my way up. I started with pink pirouette base layer and stamped the same color as a background with the stamp set from the country living promotion, Holiday Collection. to make the circle pattern in the top left hand corner, I added a rubon from Word Flurries rubons. I used a two way glue pen and added some dazzling diamonds.

For the main element of the card, I used the faux shaving cream technique. Perhaps that technique should be called reverse faux shaving cream because it looks very different to the actual technique. it's very simple. you ink up your stamp in a light colored ink, then run a wheel across to make a swirl like pattern. I did this for each snowflake, cleaning my stamps in between. Then, I used another image from word flurries for the main element and rubbed it on the shimmer white cardstock. This card is much more sparkly in real life. On top of all of that, I did more two way glue pen and glitter work.

Next, I used a chipboard circle from the country living ornament kit. I added white craft ink, and white embossing powder, multiple times. I got it super smooth. Then, I put a rubon right on top of the embossed circle, and yes, added more glitter! I didn't have a scalloped circle that fit the outside of my circle, so I got a little creative. I punched out a bunch of flowers from my trio flower punch and used glue dots to attach them to the back of the chipboard. You know what's coming next right?? I used a two way glue pen to add dots on the top of each flower top. I really like the pattern it made! I just wanted to add one more touch of bling.. SO, I took one of the crystal brads that came with the ornament kit and took the bling out of the brad. To do this, just flip your brad over, open the prongs. Then, grab your pliers from the crafters tool kit and open one of the little notches holding the brad together. Your stone will pop out and you can either attach it with a glue dot, or for the smaller stones I use crystal effects to attach it to my project!

Have a terrific rest of the weekend, and thanks for another AWESOME sketch Beate! I had fun with this one!

A card for Carol H. ~ WSC 63

I got this weekend sketch challenge from Beate John's blog and wanted to give it a try.

Sunday night at the end of my monthly team meet up my fellow SU! demonstrator, and friend, got a distressing call about a family member and ran out of here very quickly. Since ~ she has not been on email and is not accepting calls on her cell phone. I'm guessing something is very wrong, and I'm concerned. Carol H., if you are reading this, know that I have heard from many of my team members wanting to know if everything is okay with you. Check in with us and pop an email to the group, okay?

Anyway, I felt compelled to stamp something, but sometimes when you need a good design, the feeling just doesn't come. In step's Beate's sketch challenge, and I thought I would try to put something together. I stamped this for carol today, and used the chit chat rub on's. I'll put it in the mail with a prayer that everything will turn out okay for her and her family.

The ribbon was WAY too bright for my taste, so I gave it a bit of color with a more mustard marker. Maybe I should have used chocolate taffeta! It's so hard to stamp for another stamper!

There's some pressure there! I don't normally stamp with retired sets very often, but this one fits my mood at the moment (and the scallop square punch) so well, I decided "what the heck" and went for it.

So, Carol, it's not just me. Of course, I'm thinking of you and here for you. But so are about 15 other people! Hugs my friend. I hope to hear from you soon.

Time to Play! WSC61

So happy that I had time to play tonight, and that Beate Johns is keeping the fun open until Wednesday morning with her sketch challenge. I also wanted to do something for the challenge on soshelly.com to create something for Halloween. Brian and I took miss Alexis camping this weekend. Being the last weekend out, I didn't bring any stamping goodies (which is highly irregular).

It's also good to take a break once in a while. I really dislike my coluzzle... I'm coluzzle challenged ~~ That being said, I found some scalloped circles for my sizzix machine and decided to use those to to make my circles for this sketch challenge. I only purchased 1 package of the Halloween DSP this season, so I'm trying to figure out what to do with my technique junkies for this month that will let me use the DSP, but not going over what I have in stock! I may just use it all for myself now, since I'm really having fun with the Halloween theme. I don't usually do Halloween cards, I typically skip right over to Christmas. Boy, I feel like I've been missing out! This was so fun!

I embossed my skull and crossbones and used crystal effects to put glitter on the heart shaped eyes. I used the same glitter with heat and stick powder for the "you rock" sentiment. I originally did it on the grey DSP and it didn't show up.. So, when in doubt add a layer of card stock and keep going. I think it looks much better on the whisper white. I sponged a little black around the purple layer, and added some pumpkin pie color around the focal image with a marker to make him pop a bit. Great weekend sketch. I'm happy that after a 3 day weekend away, I could still play! Thanks for another great sketch.

Hallween Fun!

This card came from Beate John's weekend sketch challenge.

To be perfectly honest, I dont own many halloween stamps and I always seem to struggle on what to do with my little circle stamps.

This adorable little spider fits this sketch so well! For the white background, I pulled out my spritzer tool and spritzed some color on the white background so it wasn't so "white". I also added some white to the spider's eyes with a uniball pen. This is a terrific sketch! If you're so inclined, check out Beate's blog and see what the other talented artists have posted. Happy Monday!

Always a beautiful sketch ~~ Sketch Challenge ~ WSC57

Beate Johns had this terrific sketch posted to her blog on Friday. I ran across it today and thought that I would give it a whirl!

I started with embossing on the light pink layer with clear embossing powder. I thought it didnt show up that good, so I did some sponging with chocolate chip classic ink, then some craft when I wasnt' getting the effect I wanted. Still not there, but what can you do! :)

I love that the top note bigZ sizzix die, is the same shape as our new punch, which fit the always sentiment pretty well. It was missing something still, so I punched out a flower and used a build a brad to add some dimension. I embossed the 1/2" circle/flower then stuck that on the build a brad with a glue dot. Then, I pulled an orange bling brad out of it's casing and applied that with crystal effects.

I embossed the bird with chocolate craft ink and clear embossing powder, the same goes for the branch and letter "A" and word always. In order to omit the circle that goes around the "a" on the original stamp, i just used a blender pen to pick up the craft ink and paint it onto my stamp like a marker, instead of getting messy with craft ink.

I used regular markers to color the bird. What a terrific sketch!

I can post that I think this will be my anniversary card to my hubby in November. It's pretty safe, I don't think he reads the ol' blog.. (wink wink).

Have a great weekend!