Monochromatic Blackberry

This morning I was a bit stumped as to what to do for a card and I decided to check out Freshly Made Sketches.  I haven't done a sketch challenge in years, and it was nice to check out the sketch and then work it into my own.  I thought I'd go with the monochromatic look too with this gorgeous Frosted Floral Specialty paper.  This card was so quick and easy I think I'll use it for next month's coffee and cards.

If you are ever stumped for a card layout, check out this blog.  They always have great sketches and it's fun to see how people interpret them differently.

 

Have a great day.

 Thanks for stopping by,

Joan

Butterfly Thanks and a Cover

Happy Thursday - Just about done the week - hope it's been a good one for you.  I've been busy, but I've had my share of lazy moments too.

Today I'm sharing a card created with a sketch from Freshly Made Sketches....I can't believe I used these two pieces of DSP, but I do like them together.  My father would be scolding me right now though - because the patterns aren't matched up to flow properly from one into the other.  (That brings back sewing memories!!!! Yeup - my dad taught me to sew)

I embossed the framelit pieces just to add a bit of texture, and of course the butterflies are "flying" off the page.

I'm also sharing my 1st Altered Book Cover that I finished the other night.  I had a lot of fun with it.  

1) I added an expired strip of DSP along the spine

2) I added Marina Mist reinker to Gesso to paint the cover and get rid of the original yeuky colour.  I painted over some of the DSP, but left the spine free of paint.

3)  I created a "gel skin" with Self Levelling Clear Gel and used some of our retired beads mircrobeads and glitter.

This is the piece I created and I've only torn off chunks to use on this cover.  That much glittery goodness needs to be spread around!

Here is a side view of the book - it's full of the Mandalas and Zendoodles that I've been doing over the past couple months.

Have a fantabulous day - Thanks for stopping by.

Joan

Umbrella Thoughts

Well - considering I was challenged outside my comfort zone, I'm pretty happy with the end result.  This week at Friday Mashup! half of Amy's challenge was to use different patterns.  Because I'm a GenX gal, this goes against how I was brought up - but a challenge is a challenge and I was up for it!

I took DSP from Patio Party, Summer Smooches, and the new Sycamore Street.   I guess I really didn't follow the guidelines I learned from Carrie Cudney in the "I'm a Pattern Mixing Pro" session at Convention this summer - one of her RULES was to stay with the same package collection.    But then she also said that rules were made to be broken.

The sketch comes from Freshly Made Sketches.

So here are the challenges

1. Make a project using "Different Patterns".
2. Or Make a project with the three or more colors from "Summer Starfruit, Tangerine Tango, Island Indigo, Early Espresso and Sahara Sand".
3. Or "Mash it Up" and create a "Patterned Project with the Challenge Colors".

If you want to join the Friday Mashup you'll still have time, but I've just sneaked in under the wire for the Freshly Made Sketch challenge.

Hope you are having a marvelous day.

Thanks for stopping by.

Joan

Inspired by Spring

It's a bit drizzly today - so hopefully we will get blossoms soon.  Hand Stamped Sentiments is looking for Spring inspired projects this week.   When I arrived in Vancouver last Thursday afternoon, I loved seeing all the trees in blossom - a smile came to my face when I saw a row of trees with pink blossoms covering the branches as well as a blanket of pink below, on the ground.  It was a beautiful scene.  Our day will come in Alberta - we just need patience.

The sketch for today's card comes from Freshly Made Sketches.  I moved the arc of embellishments to the upper section of the circle so that they didn't interfere with the branch that I "pulled" off the circle.

Off to cut paper for my tea party on Sunday.  I'm excited because my daughter has offered to bake goodies for the event.  The house is going to be filled with warm smells on Saturday!  I'm just hoping for some self control!

Hope spring has blossomed where you are - thanks for visiting.
Joan

Fresh Adventure

A very quick post for a very quick card - I've been on the run all day and creating a card for the Freshly Made Sketches challenge was the last thing before I head to bed.  This was an easy sketch to work with and I haven't used this set enough - Helen Keller was one of my first heroines as a young girl.

I've weeded out all the retiring sets from my cupboard, so I'm trying to focus on the ones that I haven't used much that are staying around for a while longer.  Like I've said before, I need to become a more savvy stamp purchaser.  I'm taking a "savvy" class at convention - so that will probably help me.

WoooHooo!  I can't wait for convention.  I haven't been for two years.  But right now, it's off to bed.  I'm flying to Vancouver tomorrow afternoon to attend a National Orff Conference.  I'm really looking forward to it.  I'm bringing along my laptop - so I'm hoping that MAYBE I can do some of the upcoming challenges using My Digital Studio.  We'll see how that pans out.

Ta ta for now - hope you have some awesome - and daring - adventures on your horizon!  Thanks for stopping here for a bit.
Joan

Tangerine Lime Garden

Aha - I got a challenge in before heading to the city - challenge done and posted!  I'm on a roll!

The sketch for this card comes from this weeks' Freshly Made Sketches.  I changed it up a bit....where the leaves are overlapping the white there was a long thin piece - paper, ribbon....whatever....so I incorporated the leaves coming from the lower layer.

The colours are based on the picture inspiration from over at Stampin' Royalty.  Bold, bright, sun shiny flowers.  Full of the promise of spring - even though we are under a winter storm warning for tonight.  It was a beautiful sunny morning, but the clouds are starting to gather.  The nice thing about this time of year is that snow can't really stick around that long.

So, I'm off to the city.  Hope your are having your own sunny shiny day - thanks for the visit!

Joan

Easter Crosses

This card went through a bit of an evolution  through it's design.  I've used the sketch from Freshly Made Sketches, colours are from Color Throwdown - (Regal Rose, Lucky Limeade, Basic Black, Basic Grey) and the Easter theme is from Hand Stamped Sentiments.

I struggled with the sketch a bit, just because I was trying to add two pieces of coloured DSP in the background, and it just wasn't working - so I opted for simplicity.  The two background crosses were initially stamped grey on white.  I like this effect much better - white craft ink stamped on black.

Today holds bag prep for stampers and movie watching.  Later, I'll do some sweater knitting, and movie watching.  It's just that kind of day.

Hope your day pans out the way you like!  Thanks for stopping here for a visit.

Joan

Final Spritzing

I had a fantastic day yesterday stamping with friends at the Extravaganza.  Lots of wonderful projects I'll share over the next few days - but today I'm showing the last two projects from my demonstration.  I used the Blushing Bride Smooch Spritz using the sketch from Freshly Made Sketches for both examples.

For the card above, I took two of the paper daisies and "painted" the Smooch Spritz onto them with the Aquapainter.  What a wonderful effect - the petals take on the shimmer of the spritz.

Finally - I used the last "technique" suggested in the January Stampin' Success Magazine - "Direct and Deliberate".  That's exactly what I did - spritzed the piece of Blushing Bride card stock until there was no original card stock unspritzed.  Glorious Shimmer!  I  also painted the flowers, from the Bordering on Romance set, with the smooch.

So that's it for spritzing - I'm excited to see what's coming up for the Summer Smooches Suite later this spring.  Now I turn my attention to preparing for a booth at an upcoming Teacher's convention.  

Fun, fun, fun!  Can't wait!

Hope you have things to look forward to in your near or distant future!  Thanks for stopping for a visit.

Joan

A New Chapter -

I've missed an entire week of completing and posting challenges - but that's because I became a Grandma on January 8 for the first time - so things have been pretty exciting around here!  

The challenge I completed tonight uses the colours from Create with Connie and Mary and the sketch is from Freshly Made Sketches.  The colours are Peach Parfait, Calypso Coral and Lucky Limeade - I've used a piece of the upcoming Sale-a-Bration Everyday Enchantment DSP, and the Fresh Vintage stamp set.  I took one of the stamps and  stamped onto a piece of Whisper White Taffeta Ribbon with the Calypso Coral ink.

Here is a picture of me with Elliot Alan James Jeffery - such a sweet bundle of joy, producing emotions in me I never thought could be so strong.

Hope you are having a wonderful week - thanks for stopping by - Joan

Cajun Flowers

Today's card is fairly clean and simple - although I'm not that happy with how it photographed.  I was inspired by Lee Conrey yesterday with her  Vanilla Seam Binding Ribbon which she coloured to go with her card.  I tried it today - but I had to use the Crumb Cake Ribbon instead.  It matches well on the card, but the photo made it a bit darker. 

These colours - Basic Gray, Old Olive and Cajun Craze - are from Create with Connie and Mary and the sketch is from Freshly Made Sketches.

I'm yawning my face off right now, so I'll probably be calling it an early night.  There are too many fun things coming up in the near future for me to be tired for.  Hope your day is going well and you are enjoying the fall colours in your area.  Thanks for stopping by.