Tuesday Morning Sketches #74

Only one more day left of 2010!  What a year it has been. I wanted to end the year with some stamping and spent the day, on and off, creating some cards with some of the scraps of paper I have in a bin.  I actually have a HUGE tub from IKEA into which I load my small pieces of this and that paper!  It is OVERFLOWING and so I decided to try to limit myself to building cards with scraps from that bin!  Does anyone else have that bin in their craft room too? 

So I decided to play along with Melissa Craig and her awesome DT on this cute sketch she created for the Tuesday Morning Sketches Challenge Blog!!  I changed the circle to an oval but used my scissors to create the fun wave in the paper that she designed.  Using some of the Deck the Halls DSP that I had left over, I decided to make a Thank You card for my stash.  I used the colours in the DSP to help me choose the colours for colouring my image.  In the end I went with Pear Pizzazz, Cherry Cobbler and Crumb Cake.

I added some of the Pearls at the top left hand side of the card and a little of the Cherry Cobbler Seam Binding ribbon at the bottom.  The sentiment comes from Fabulous Phrases once again!!  I used my Oval Nesties for the main image.  That image comes from a retired SU! set  called "Music Expressions" that I got last year and it is one of my most favourite sets that SU! has ever put out!!!

Thanks for stopping by and I hope you get the chance to play along with this great sketch this week too!!
Smiles,
Lesley

CPS Sketch Challenge #194-In Stitches....

I was surfing around yesterday and stumbled upon this open ended sketch at the Card Positioning Systems.  I wanted to make something vintage and tried some faux stitching...my stitching needs some serious practice and believe me, it would look worse if I actually tried to use a sewing machine, although at this point, it really would be a toss up.  The card was coming together nicely until I added the stitching...sigh...why didn't I resist the urge to stitch.

I used the Bells and Boughs set (my favourite) and added some of the Deck the Halls DSP.

Yesterday was a busy day! I finished my Report Cards on Saturday and so spent yesterday, re-reading them...to make sure everything was in order.  On Friday we had our first snowfall and it is so pretty outside but cold!  This morning is crisp and pretty, the sky is full of grayness and I think there maybe more snow on the way for us!  Lots on the ground right now.

Only 32 days until Christmas Eve!  Eek!  I am seriously behind on my Christmas Shopping.  My husband's family is in Ontario and I need to get my shopping done so I can send their gifties out in the mail.  Last year we spent Christmas with them and had a lovely time.  My mother-in-law Linda is Mrs. Claus!  She dresses up and has lots of fun making Christmas special!  It was awesome!  I need to get myself in gear and get my own Mrs. Claus outfit ready...it really adds to the Spirit of Christmas!

Thanks for stopping by!  Please leave me a comment and let me know what you think of my sideways stitching...maybe it is endearing somehow....maybe?!!!

Smiles,

Stampin' Up Supplies Used:
Stamps: Bells and Boughs, All Holidays (sentiment) and En Francais
Paper: Deck the Halls DSP, Cherry Cobbler, Always Artichoke and Naturals Ivory
Ink: Pear Pizzazz, Cherry Cobbler, Black, Crumb Cake, Stampin' Write Marker in Cherry
Tools: Big Shot, Petals a Plenty Embossing Folder, Cherry Cobbler Seam Binding Ribbon, Mat Pack, Piercing Tool, Sponges

Paper Players Challenge #24-Ann's Colour Challenge

It's time for another Colour Challenge over at the Paper Players Challenge Blog.  Today Ann is our hostess and she is challenging us to use Cherry Cobbler, Always Artichoke and any Neutral.  I was so excited when she chose these colours because I wanted to use my Deck the Halls Designer Paper!!



I made my own handmade poinsettia on this 5x5 square card!  I made the poinsettia using the "French Foliage" stamp set.  I got the idea from Vicki Burdick and Connie Babert.  Please see THIS POST for links to their blogs.  I inked the small leaf stamp 8 times in Cherry Cobbler and then cut each leaf out by hand.  Then I layered the leaves to create a poinsettia, adhering the leaves together with glue dots.

I used many tools to create this card!! I hope you like it and play along with our Colour Challenge this week!!  To play along simply click HERE to link up your card!!!  As always, please email me if you have any questions and I love to hear from you in my comment box...hint, hint!!

Be sure to check out the Design Team Creations:
Ann Schach
Jaydee
Nance Leedy
Anne Marie Hile



Smiles,

Stampin' Up Supplies Used
Stamps:  Seasonal Sentiments 121130, French Foliage 121166
Inks: Cherry Cobbler, Always Artichoke and Early Espresso
Paper: Always Artichoke, Very Vanilla, Deck the Halls Designer Paper 120810
Tools: Scallop Corner Punch, Scallop Edge Punch, Paper Snips
Extras: Pearls, Cherry Cobbler Seam Binding Ribbon 120992

Pals Paper Arts Sketch Challenge #61

I finally got the chance to stamp today with my good friend Glenda.  We have not stamped together forever and it was nice to sit and chat and share all the tips and things we have found on the internet and from other stampers.

I wanted to use the Bells and Boughs set today.  It was the first thing I ordered for Christmas and I LOVE the way it stamps, it has a lot of fine detail and those are the kind of stamps I love.  Today I used the Pals Paper Arts Sketch and stamped the Holly Stamp from the Bells and Boughs set onto Very Vanilla Paper.  I inked it up in Early Espresso and coloured it with my Old Olive and Real Red Markers.  The card base is Cherry Cobbler.  This sketch is perfect for mass producing a Christmas Card and I think I will use this sketch again!!  I sponged all the edges in Espresso.  The Ribbon is from the Holiday Mini and it called "Cherry Cobbler Seam Binding".  I LOVE the way it ties!!!

Here is the sketch...

And here is my card...

The best thing about Stampin' Up is that everything matches...so I used the beautiful new designer paper in the Holiday Mini called Deck the Halls.  The Bells and Boughs stamp set matches the images in the Designer Paper perfectly.

Thank you for stopping by!

Smiles,

Lesley

Stamp-A-Holics Sketch 133

This week's Stamp-A-Holics Challenge is a sketch created by ME!!  I love creating sketches, it is so much fun!  So I was pleased to be able to have a turn at creating one for the Stamp-A-Holic Challenge! Recently I took a little break from my DT duties at the Stamp-A-Holics Challenge, I just needed a long break...and spent July traveling with my husband and August getting a new Challenge Blog up and running of my own!  Carole'Anne and Sandi are just the best!  They supported me while I was off and I appreciated it!!!  Thanks ladies!!

Now, onto the sketch.  I wanted to create something clean and simple that could be added to!  The circle that is there can be any shape...and doesn't need to hide...it was just an idea...of course any sketch can be intrepreted!

This is my 10 minute card turned into 27 minutes....I was rushing!!!  I used my new Music Notes Wheel and wheeled in Cherry Cobbler all over the Cherry Cobbler cardstock.  Then I inked up a new set called "Bells and Boughs" from the upcoming Holiday Mini Catalogue in Early Espresso and stamped on top of the Cherry Music Notes...I created my own DSP. 

Then I cut a piece of Very Vanilla...2 1/4" x 4" for the strip...and stamped the main image in Espresso, sponging the edges with Crumb Cake.  Then I rubbed my versamark pad all over that piece, poured some Clear Embossing Powder on it and heated it up with my Heat Gun.  I was left with a shiny, vintage looking piece.  I decided to make an A2 box to hold a set of these cards.  This was not a part of the 10 minutes!!The front of the box is created the same way as the with the music wheel and the stamp set.  The main image in the middle of the box is from the new "Deck the Halls" Designer Paper...I cut out one image from it...isn't it pretty paper!

Okay, you are up!  Go on by Carole'Anne's Blog and link up your STUNNING creation with the sketch. I can't wait to see what you create!

Smiles,
Lesley :)

Stamping 411 Sketch Challenge & a Sneak Peak

The sketch at Stamping 411 was the perfect excuse to ink up a new stamp set "Bells & Boughs"and to cut into some new Christmas Designer Paper "Deck the Halls" from the upcoming Holiday Mini Catalogue.  The sketch stumped me at first but as I starting playing with the sketch, I realized that I could use two different patterned paper on this card.  I also am so used to creating a square or a circle for the centre...this sketch really forced me to try something new!

I usually sponge or make a frame for the Wide Oval punch that I used for the sentiment...but this time I liked that is was stark Very Vanilla paper and against the lace ribbon.  The poinsettia is from the new stamp "Bells & Boughs" set as is the sentiment.  I watercoloured the poinsettia with my Cherry Cobbler Marker and my Aqua Painter and then, after all that hard work, I covered it with a Vanilla coloured Poinsettia...to add some interest.  It is hard to tell in the photo, but I covered the centre of the flower with glitter.  'Tis the season for glitter!!

I echoed the sketch again on the inside of the card, then inked up one of my stamps from the "Many, Merry Messages" Set in Cherry Cobbler and stamped another image from the new set of holly in Crumb Cake over top...my inspiring friend LeAnne always does that on the inside of her cards, I have always wanted to try it!

Thanks for stopping by!
Smiles,
Lesley :)