With Sympathy for PP787

Hello friends!  We have a new sketch challenge over at the Paper Players and this week LeAnne is hosting.  She's created a fun one to work with.

Paper Players

I decided to use a die set from Honey Bee Stamps that I bought two, maybe three years ago, and never used it, so I'll be sending it over to Darnell's NBUS challenge as well.

NBUS

Here's what I came up with.

When I was young, my parents planted a beautiful Dogwood tree in our front yard.  It was my mother's favorite, which was enjoyable to think about as I was making this card.  

The branch and leaves were die cut from colored cardstock and the flowers from white.  I added ink blending to all the die cuts, including the extra flower, leaves and the circle. Since the sentiment was gold foiled, the flower centers were die cut from gold as well to bring more gold into the design. 

For the background I used a rectangle die with the same design as the circle to cut a panel of white and attach it to the card base.  The lattice was also cut from white and turned out to be the perfect size for the rectangle in LeAnne's sketch.  There were a few foiled sentiments from the same set already made and the sympathy one seemed to fit best.  Fortunately, I have no immediate need for a sympathy card, but it is always good to have extra on hand.  

Thanks for stopping by and I encourage you to visit the challenge blog, where the other DT members have some wonderful cards to inspire you!  The challenge will remain open until 3pm EDT on Friday May 29th.  I hope you'll join us this week!

Stef

• Honey Bee Stamps Lovely Layers: Dogwood dies
• Spellbinders Woven Lattice Texture die
• Pinkfresh Studio Folk Edge Circle and Rectangle dies
• Spellbinders You Are Everything BetterPress plate and die

Fall Wreath for Color Hues

Hello friends!  Another month has rolled around and therefore it's time for a new challenge at Color Hues.  The lovely Marcia is our host, and she's chosen some perfect fall colors for this challenge.

 

Color Hues

Yep, I went with leaves, these colors were too perfect not to.  

The leaves were all die cut from white cardstock, then I used Copic markers to color them in a variety of yellows, light reddish brown and rust.  Coloring wasn't anything fancy but when the colors are all blended, they look so nice.

A panel of C & 9th Sunflower cardstock was die cut with a postage edge die, then stamped in a similar color with a plaid, creating a subtle, tone-on-tone background.  The panel was added to an ivory card base, then the wreath was assembled, layered on two additional wreaths cut from SU Cajun Craze.  A few extra leaves were die cut, colored, then mounted slightly askew on top of the same leaves.  The sentiment was die cut and added, along with a few gems, and that completed the card.

That's it!  Please spend a minute visiting the challenge blog, my talented teammates have some amazing cards to inspire you.  The challenge will remain open until October 14th at 9am EDT.  I hope to see your card in the gallery!

Thanks for stopping by!

Stef

• Simon Says Stamp Fall Wreath dies
• SSS Autumn Leaves dies
• SSS Postage Edge die
• SSS Soft Plaid Background stamp
• Honey Bee Stamps Birthday Wishes stamp and dies
• HBS Vintage Love gems
• C & 9 Cayenne ink
• SSS Honey ink
• Copics - Brown - E99, 97, 95; Rust - E19, YR18, 14; Yellow #1 - YR24, 19, 15, 13; Yellow #2 YR27, 24, 23, 31

Good Day for The Flower Challenge

Hello friends!  The fourth of September brings us to a new month for The Flower Challenge.  This time we have a sketch to inspire you!

The Flower Challenge

 

Great sketch with lots of potential, don't you think?  For my card, I pulled out an older favorite floral die and a newer sentiment die. 

I'm also joining in with my friends over at Just Us Girls since it is die week and my card is loaded with them.

JUGS 791

Let's take a look!

After I chose the floral and sentiment dies, I looked through my collection of cardstock and settled on a couple from Concord and 9th for the flower and one from Spellbinders (one of my new favs!).  After die cutting, I ink blended some shading on both the flower petal layers and the leaves, although that's mostly hidden.  The flower was put together then set aside as I worked on the sentiment and background.

An A2 panel of Blue Spruce was die cut with an Altenew frame die, ink blended with a dark blue and a dark teal around the edges, then adhered it to an A2 kraft panel.  After die cutting the sentiment and flower center from matte gold, all the elements were added to the card front.  I found some gold sequins that matched the metallic paper, and that finished things off.

What are you inspired to create with our sketch?  For more inspiration, I encourage you to visit the challenge blog, where my talented teammates have some amazing cards to share.  The challenge remains open until the 25th of the month; I hope to see your card in the gallery!

Thanks for stopping by!

Stef

• Honey Bee Stamps Lovely Layers:  Coneflower
• Altenew Timeless Sentiments 2 and Mix & Match Frames dies
• C&9 Sprout and Nectar cardstock and Nectar and Grapefruit ink
• Spellbinders Blue Spruce cardstock
• Altenew Brushed Gold cardstock and gold sequins
• Simon Says Stamp Limelicious, Pearfection, Ocean and Galaxy inks

Warm and Merry Christmas for the Paper Players

Hello friends!  For the final Sunday of the month, the Paper Players brings you a sketch challenge!  This time the lovely Claire has created a highly versatile sketch.

I decided to add to my holiday card stash using this sketch and a cute die set that I bought and never used last year.  Time to change that!

I started by putting together the Old Fashioned Rocking Horse die from Honey Bee Stamps.  It has multiple little layers, but my handy reverse tweezers helped me when attaching them.  The rocking horse was added to the white scallop circle, which was then matted on a gold circle before adding to the card.  Here's a close up of the rocking horse:

I love all the embossed texture and the well though-out details.  The patterned papers are also from Honey Bee and the sentiment is from a retired packet of pre-foiled holiday sentiments.  The card ended up being A7 because it was more proportional to the rocking horse and circles.

Thanks so much for visiting!  I hope you'll join us this week and show what you're inspired to make with this great sketch.  In the meantime, for more ideas, head over to the challenge where my talented teammates have some great examples to share!  The challenge remains open until Friday, May 2nd at 3pm EDT.  

Take care!

Stef

• HBS Old Fashioned Rocking Horse die set
• Hero Arts Nested Circle and Scallop Circle dies
• Spellbinders A7 Matting die
• HBS Gingerbread Village patterned paper