the sweetest thing...: April 2015

April 29, 2015

Big Dreams {CTD340}

Hello again! I cannot believe it's already the last Wednesday in April and my time as a guest designer for Color Throwdown is over. Sigh. I had a blast working with all of these amazing color palettes!

We have another pretty palette for you all this week - pretty pink petals and gorgeous green leaves!

Ever since the My Favorite Things team debuted Modern Blooms, I've had my eye on it! And then once in the store, I had to buy some new colors of ink and card stock too. That's how I work. Like when you go into Target for, oh, I don't know - gum - and you come out with a new stackable organizational cubical system. You all know what I mean. Anyway... I was itching to ink up my new pretty petals and this challenge fit the bill!

I started off by stamping this big beautiful sentiment from Chalkboard Greetings Too in Black Licorice ink and then added the Cotton Candy flowers in a scattered patter. Then I added the Limelight leaves and adding all the darker accents last. I'm telling you, go grab a flower building set - they are SO easy to work with and look ridiculously gorgeous when you're all finished.

I popped the panel up with foam tape on to a Summer Splash card front and then added a few enamel dots for dimension.

Be sure to check out what the rest of the Color Throwdown team created for you today:

Thanks so much for stopping by!

recipe -
stamps: chalkboard greetings too (mft), modern blooms (mft)
paper: smooth white (mft), summer splash (mft)
ink: black licorice (mft), razzle berry (mft), cotton candy (mft), limelight (mft), green room (mft)
accessories: enamel dots (mme), foam tape

April 26, 2015

Love Comforts Like Sunshine {SSSC266}

Hello and happy weekend! I'm back with a card for a new Sweet Sunday Sketch Challenge! Here's a look at the sketch -

As you can see, I flipped the sketch so the sentiment fit the little circle accents better. I started by cutting out the Stitched Circle STAX Die-namics in Smoke card stock and then stamped this beautiful sentiment from Verve's Stronger Love stamp set in black ink. I also stamped the hearts from Borderline in sweet tooth ink and heat embossed them with white embossing powder.

Be sure to stop by the Sweet Sunday Sketch Challenge blog for a peek at all the design team cards and you will be able to link up your challenge card there as well. Have fun!

Thanks so much for stopping by!

recipe -
stamps: stronger love (verve), borderline (verve)
paper: smooth white (mft), smoke (sss), fog (sss), berrylicious (mft)
ink: black licorice (mft), versa mark
accessories: stitched circle stax die-namics (mft), birthday girl enamel dots (doodlebug design), white detail embossing powder (judikins), foam tape

April 22, 2015

Happy Birthday {CTD339}

Hello and happy Wednesday! It's time for another Color Throwdown challenge and this week it a dramatic color palette - take a peek!

Gorgeous, right?! I loved the daisies on the cell phone cover and wanted to use those on my card too. I cut out a few of the Plentiful Petals Die-namics in Smooth White card stock and then added some shimmery yellow card stock in the center (with some black enamel dots too, of course). I stamped the sentiment in Sweet Tooth pigment ink and heat embossed it with white embossing powder. Love the look of the white lettering on black. Yummy!

Be sure to check out what the rest of the Color Throwdown team created for you today:

Thanks so much for stopping by!

recipe -
stamps: big birthday wishes (sss)
paper: smooth white (mft), black licorice (mft), yellow pearl shimmer (crafters companion), sunshine yellow (sss)
ink: sweet tooth pigment (mft)
accessories: plentiful petals die-namics (mft), black enamel dots (doodlebug designs), white embossing powder, foam tape

April 19, 2015

Bloom & Grow {SSSC265}

Hello, hello! It's Sunday! Time for a new Sweet Sunday Sketch Challenge. Here's a look at this week's layout:

As you can see, I changed it up a bit and used the Classy Label Die instead of a rectangle, I thought it would be fun to switch up the straight lines. I added the sentiment from Bloom & Grow and then stamped some of the flower and leaf images from that set as well. Love those leaves!

Please head on over to the Sweet Sunday Sketch Challenge blog for a look at all the design team cards, and you can add your project to the linky there as well.

Thanks so much for stopping by!

recipe -
stamps: bloom & grow (verve), love notes (verve), diagonal stripes background (mft)
paper: smooth white (mft), grout gray (mft), kraft (mft), sno cone (mft)
ink: black licorice (mft), kraft (mft), sweet tooth pigment (mft), jellybean green (mft), blu raspberry (mft), nightshift blue (mft)
accessories: classy label die (verve), elegant leaves die (verve), floral circles dies (verve), fishtail flags stax die-namics (mft), birthday girl enamel dots (doodlebug design), foam tape

April 15, 2015

Hello {CTD338}

Hello there, crafty friends! I'm back with a card for this week's Color Throwdown. This week the team has this beautiful color palette for you:

Doesn't it just scream spring? I have forgotten how much I love using kraft card stock. It's such a delicious neutral and now I'm needing to use it again. Lots.

I went all kinds of flower crazy today - I used Flower Medley Die-namics from MFT in Blu Raspberry and Summer Splash card stock. I added the Leaf-Filled Flourish and some Layered Leaves in Jellybean Green card stock underneath. I really love this leafy vine combo! The sentiment is one of the Happy Hellos Die-namics in Smooth White. I used the negative of the die cut to help me place the letters nice and neat. I also added a few white enamel dots to the flowers to help balance out the white.

Be sure to check out what the rest of the Color Throwdown team created for you today:

Thanks so much for stopping by!

recipe -
paper: smooth white (mft), kraft (mft), jellybean green (mft), blu raspberry (mft), summer splash (mft)
accessories: flower medley die-namics (mft), leaf-filled flourish die-namics (mft), layered leaves die-namics (mft), happy hellos die-namics (mft), white enamel dots (doodlebug design), foam tape

April 12, 2015

Sweet Baby {SSSC264}

Well, hello there! I hope you are enjoying your weekend and staying out of trouble *wink*. I have a very non-traditional baby card for you this week - I just can't do pink and green and blue and all those pastels all the time, so I switched it up.

First, here's a look at the new sketch - I really, REALLY love this one. It's got the wonky panel without being wonky on all 4 sides. You're welcome. Ha ha!

I started with some patterned paper from My Mind's Eye (an oldie!) for all the background elements and then I cut out the stitched circle in Smooth White card stock. The sentiment is from Treasured Words and I added some Dreamy Leaves and Tangy Orange buttons on the side.

That's it for me today.

Hop on over to the Sweet Sunday Sketch Blog to take a peek at all cards from the design team and you can link up your project there as well. Happy stamping!

Thanks so much for stopping by!

recipe -
stamps: treasured words (verve), dream on (verve)
paper: smooth white (mft), tangy orange (mft), the sweetest thing "tangerine" 6x6 (mme)
ink: black licorice (mft), sour apple (mft)
accessories: banner bundle die set (verve), dreamy leaves die set (verve), open scallop doily duo die-namics (mft), stitched circle stay die-namics (mft), tangy orange buttons (mft), white perle thread, foam tape

April 8, 2015

Thank You {CTD337}

Hi friends! I'm back with another card for Color Throwdown - woot! This week's color palette is perfectly spring. Love the pop of orange!

Reflections, from Paper Smooches, is one of my favorite flower building sets I have. For this card, I cut out several of the coordinating dies and stamped and layered and stamped some more. Originally, I had placed all the flowers and leaves across the panel, but I thought it needed a little something more, so I added the little blue flower sticking up in the back - kind of like those wild grey hairs I have. Ha!! I also added a white enamel dot on the center flower and balanced the arrangement with some Mango Pearls as well. Fun stuff!

Be sure to check out what the rest of the Color Throwdown team created for you today:

Thanks so much for stopping by!

recipe -
stamps: reflections (paper smooches), thank you (papertrey ink)
paper: smooth white (mft), kraft (mft)
ink: black licorice (mft), natural (mft), orange fizz (mft), sour apple (mft), spring rain (papertrey ink)
accessories: reflections flowers dies (paper smooches), reflections leaves dies (paper smooches), reflections graphics dies (paper smooches), white enamel dots (freckled fawn), mango pearls (kaisercraft), foam tape

April 5, 2015

Verve Divas Inspiration Hop {April}

It's the 5th of the month and time for the Verve Divas to bring you our monthly Diva Inspirations Challenge and Blog Hop! There are two ways to win Verve prizes: comment on the design team's blog hop posts (linked below) to see their take on the inspiration, then go get inky and link up your take on the challenge to be eligible in our prize drawings!

Our April challenge is Bunnies & Babies

Spring is a time of birth and renewal - celebrate the season by creating a card for Easter or a bouncing new baby. Use the inspiration graphic as a starting point, or head off in your own direction - just show us your sprightly spring creations!

I love, LOVE the colors in this inspiration photo. Delish! I am using two different stamp sets for this card - Framed Florals and Making a Statement.

The card base is Smooth White card stock and I cut out the Bluebells and Rounded Scallop Frame dies in Smooth White as well. The flowers are stamped in Factory Green and Blue Raspberry inks and then I colored some accents with Copic markers. I also added a few Shine Bright Sequin Mix around the frame for a little extra sparkle.

Click here to link up your challenge entries
Challenge deadline: Sunday, Apr. 19.
Prize: $40 gift voucher to the Verve online store!

Need a little inspiration? Check out the blogs linked below to see what the other Divas did with the challenge! It's sure to be a treat, and speaking of treats, we've got a prize for one lucky commenter along the hop! Check out the Verve Blog today for all the prize info and deadlines!


	1. Julee	7. Sankari
	2. Amy	8. Sarah
	3. Anya	9. Susan
	4. Betty	10. Maureen
	5. Jen	11. Stacey
	6. Karen	12. Chaitali

Thanks so much for stopping by!

recipe -
stamps: framed florals (verve), making a statement (verve)
paper: smooth white (mft)
ink: smoke (sss), orange fizz (mft), factory green (mft), blue raspberry (mft), copic markers
accessories: bluebells die (verve), rounded scallop frame die (verve), shine bright sequin mix (verve), foam tape

It's Your Day {SSSC263}

Good morning! You might want to put on your sunglasses for this one - wow, that background paper is crazy bright! I have a new card for the Sweet Sunday Sketch Challenge and this sketch is really great. There are so many possibilities with this one - use die cuts, big sentiments, bold images - it's endless!

Here's a look at the sketch:

I cut out the Smile Die-namics from some Primitive White card stock and then added some Blu Raspberry card stock underneath. The sentiment is from Delicious Birthday and I stamped it in Smoke ink. I also cut out one of the Washi Tape Die-namics from a piece of patterned paper and added it for a little pizzaz. And of course, threw in a few enamel dots.

That's it for me today - please stop by the Sweet Sunday Sketch blog and find out all the details for this sketch and you can add your card to the Inlinkz as well.

Thanks so much for stopping by!

recipe -
stamps: delicious birthday (mft)
paper: primitive white (mft), grout gray (mft), smoke (sss), orange fizz (mft), blu raspberry (mft), snap life 6x6 (simple stories)
ink: smoke (sss)
accessories: smile die-namics (mft), vertical stitched strips die-namics (mft), washi tape die-namics (mft), birthday girl enamel dots (doodlebug designs), birthday boy enamel dots (doodlebug designs), foam tape

April 1, 2015

You Were Missed {CTD336}

Hello there! I'm so excited to be guest designing in April for Color Throwdown!! Here's a look at this week's color palette - so warm and welcoming, right? Love them! Makes me ready for summer -

I rummaged through my paper packs and found the perfect colors and patterns from Simple Stories' 24/7 6x6 pack. I used one of the dies from the Happy Hellos Die-namics set in Smooth White card stock and then heat embossed the sentiment from The Welcome Wagon by Paper Smooches. I had to hunt around my craft space for something light green and found some Lucky Blend sequins from Avery Elle - those did the trick!

Be sure to check out what the rest of the Color Throwdown team created for you today:

Thanks so much for stopping by!

recipe -
stamps: the welcome wagon (paper smooches)
paper: smooth white (mft), persimmon (mft), 24/7 6x6 (simple stories)
ink: versamark
accessories: super fine white embossing powder (sss), happy hellos die-namics (mft), lucky blend sequins (avery elle), foam tape