Creative Sketches Week 21 Holiday Card

 It's time for another Creative Sketch challenge. The 4th week of the month is always a holiday card so I did an Easter card. This week we had a sketch design to follow. I of course had to switch it up, it's what I do best, take a concept and somehow change it to reflect my current creative whim. Like the last couple of weeks I'm still using my Springtime Vintage designer paper. Also used to create this card, Baja Breeze, Very Vanilla and River Rock cardstock, sentiment from All Holidays stamp set, Not Quite Navy ink, Elegant Bouquet embossing folder, Marina Mist 1/8" taffeta ribbon (only because there is no Baja available), Basic Pearls, the 2 3/8" and 1 3/4" scallop circle punches. Very quick and very elegant.

Stay tuned for more creative ideas and don't forget to check out the Creative Sketches site for more inspiration from this weeks design.

Stamp A Stack Sneak Peek

 I'm busy being creative and planning a class here and there. This is a sneak peek for my Stamp a Stack Class Mar. 6th. It's my twist on the 16 card OSW - one sheet wonder. I have a few favorite blogs I follow and when I saw this post on Flowerbug's Inkspot, I thought what a perfect starter class for the year with my new hostess club. A great way to create a nice variety of cards for all occassions and it's been a while since I've made a OSW set myself. When I checked out the link to Pretty Paper Parfait, I realized I had already saved that link too. So Thank-you LeeAnn Greff and Isis Pinero for the tutorials and templates for making 16 wonderful cards :0)

Of course I'm using one of their templates and tutorials but that's about where it ends. I love taking the designs and tweaking them a bit so some of my cards will be similar and some won't. I end up altering the placement of pieces, flip them another direction, adjusting the sizes or whatever works and strikes my fancy. Everyone who uses these templates can do the same and then your set of cards has your unique flavor. My ladies have the choice between 2 designer paper sets for their cards, Sunny Garden and Elegant Soiree. So this sneak peek is just of the first couple of cards in the Sunny Garden set. I will be creating 2 sample sets in both designs.

It's going to be a fun, fun class and some beautiful cards. Check back later for more pictures. I hope you are inspired to visit the above sites and  make a set of fabulous cards.

Another Peek at Feb. Club

 Hi Again! I'm back with our remaining 2 cards from club this month. These were so much fun to design and create.
 Our hostess this month liked blues as her favorite color and she likes fairly simple card designs so that was my challenge in designing for club. We gave our punches and  Big Shot a good workout on this months designs.

Another favorite set of mine from the Occasions Mini Catalog is Thanks for Caring. I have already used this set for several Cards for Troops designs. For this card we used Pear Pizazz, Baja Breeze and Very Vanilla cardstocks, Springtime Vintage designer paper, Very Vanilla Taffeta ribbon, Basic Pearls, Framed Tulips Embossing Folder, Two Step Bird and Designer Label punches, Dimensionals and the Sale-a-bration free set Sweet Summer.

We learned the Inlaid Embossing technique. Everyone loved it! It's definitely magical how the card transforms. We used Baja Breeze and Very Vanilla cardstocks, Springtime Vintage designer paper, Bring on the Cake stamp set, Top Note die, Finial Press Embossing Folder, 5 Petal Flower, Boho Blossoms and Decorative Label punches, Dimensionals and Not Quite Navy Ink.

Beautiful and Elegant card designs suitable for any occasion.

 Hope you enjoyed a peek into this months club designs.

Creative Sketches Week 20 Watercolor Bluebird

Anybody ready for a bit of spring? Sure feels like it with temps in the 70's this week. Certainly beats last weeks sub zero freezing temps. Only in OK can you be freezing to death one day and sunbathing the next. This little birdie looks like he's ready for spring too. I just love the Nature Walk set and this card was actually part of my hostess club this week. We were playing with Water color pencils and crayons. Watercolors are so versatile to use. A bit of water or even a blender pen, pencil or marker and you've got endless possibilities.  He's a fairly simple birdie. I colored him all over with the lighter blue, more of the turquoise in the pencil set and then added the darker blue mainly on his top half. Blended a bit and he was done. I did add just a bit of white to his tummy. He's layered on a Marina Mist background stamped in Marina Mist ink with the birdcage and no. 147 stamps. The background and images are framed with Night of Navy, layered on a whisper white card. I used the large and small tag punches and stamped the sentiment from You're a Gem. A wee bit of baker's twine and dimensionals added the final touch.

I hope you enjoy this week's offering. Be sure to check out the Creative Sketches site for more inspiration.

Check back in a couple of days for the other cards we did in club. The ladies are having lots of fun!

Creative Sketches Week 19 Navy, White, Cherry Cobbler

 Back with another Creative Sketch. This week we are featuring the colors Navy, White and Cherry Cobbler. It's also my "baby's" birthday this week, he is turning 17, so I needed a birthday card for him. And in typical guy fashion, he told me he didn't need a card, just his present. Tough dude, mom still made a card. I have the added advantage of being able to up-cycle it into a new card for From Our Hearts and rescue it from the trash bin where most of my guys send their cards.


Since Sno-klahoma has had yet another mini blizzard of snow  timed perfectly for his birthday, I chose the Extreme Snowboard and Extreme Elements stamp sets for my card. The sentiment is from the new Bring On The Cake set in the Occasions Mini catalog. Quick and simple for the guys. They really do appreciate the thought but don't care how fancy it is. I used Cherry Cobbler, Night of Navy and Whisper White cardstocks, Night of Navy, Marina Mist, Bashful Blue, Riding Hood Red and Cherry Cobbler inks. True Red, White and Blue.

Hoping this next week provides for some creative time since I'm on mini break from designing Cards for the Troops. I can use the time to get more organized and catch up on my card stash.

Be sure to visit the Creative Sketches site for more inspiration.

Creative Sketches Week 18 February Sketch

 It's time for another Creative Sketch Challenge. A small distraction after this weeks fun with the snow. I used my new Nature Walk stamp set from the Occasions Mini catalog, Botanical Gazette DSP, Very Vanilla, Cherry Cobbler and Marina Mist cardstock and Cherry Cobbler 1/2' seam binding and ink, Stampin' Dimensionals and Basic Pearls. A tip if you are not doing it already, save the border of your Stampin' Dimensionals once you've used them all. For the eggs I was able to cut small pieces from this leftover border to pop them for added interest.

Hopefully I'll have more posts shortly including some pictures of cards I recently did with The Ripple Group from my younger son's church, including pictures of the Juniors, Seniors and their Shepherds making the cards for From Our Hearts. But first I'm busy prepping more kits for this Saturday's event. Then I get about a 6 week break before the next Cards for Troops event. Just enough time to work on some of the wedding samples for my oldest son's wedding in June. It is going to be one busy year for me.

Be sure to stop by the Creative Sketches blog and check out the cards the other designers and participants have done.


Happy Chinese New Year!