TST #120 Take a Letter...

Today at Try Stampin on Tuesday we have a simple yet challenging card sketch for you to have fun with.  I say simple because at first glance it is a simple sketch.  However, once I started to think about it it became a challenge as to what to do.

I decided, after going through all my stamp sets to use Postage Due.  This set gave me everything that I needed to complete the card front.  

Using markers I inked up the largest stamp from the set and stamped it.  By using the markers you are able to colour different sections without blending the colours.  Using the same technique I made the little stamps as well.

The background stamp was from Classic Borders.  I first cut my green DSP and then marked where the stamp should go.  Using a Stamp-a-ma-jig I stamped the border so that it would go under the DSP as well.

I am hoping that I will be able to take part in the colour challenge over at The Play Date Cafe fingers crossed that I am able to get my card in on time.

Hope you like what I have come up with.  Now it's your turn.  Join in on the fun, and see what the other Great Designers have in store for you at Try Stampin on Tuesday.  

Thanks for stopping by.

Nancy

Your comments mean a lot to me, so please remember to leave one.

Blue Flower Birthday

Todays card started with a sketch from Clean and Simple, just love the sketches they come up with.  Then I always check out the colour combinations over at The Dynamic Duos  and then finally a new one that I found over at Feline Playful Stampin For the Weekend which was to create a Monochromatic card.

  

As soon as I saw the sketch I knew exactly what I wanted to do.  I started by taking a scrap piece of CS and punched out a 1" circle.  I used this as my stencil to create the sponged circles on the card front.  After marking out where the circles were to go I punched a circle part way down the top layer.  Once I had all the circles coloured in with the light blue I took the darker blue and stamped the flower from the Punch Potpourri using the Stamp-a-ma-jig to get my positioning just right.  

Once the card front was complete I positioned it over the card base.  By holding it up to the light I could see where the circles were and I again punched a circle but this time I punched it on the inside of the card front.  

The flower was again stamped inside the punched out area, but with only using the dark blue.  Using a scrap piece of CS I stamped out the sentiment and adhered it using  glue dots to give it a little bit of a wave.

This sketch challenge was a lot of fun and it truly is Clean and Simple.

Thanks for stopping by.

Nancy

Your comments mean a lot to me, so please remember to leave one.

Butterflies Galore!

Today I have a card that was inspired by a sketch over at Inkspirational Challenges, along with a colour challenge over at Party Time Tuesdays.  I have never taken part in the Party Time Tuesday challenges but loved the colour combination that they had going for this week.

       

I wanted to make a card with Butterflies on it and make that my focal point.  Then I found another challenge over at FlourishesTimeless Tuesday that had the subject for the week being Butterflies.  This is another new Challenge site for me.

I had originally thought of doing a white on white card, but once I had the butterflies stamped I knew I needed to take it up a notch so I went with the orange cardstock for my base.  

Starting with the butterfly in the centre I worked my way around the card using the four different colours and a rock-n-roll technique for the stamping.  

 

For the bling portion I didn't want to be too flashy so I went with four small deep red pearls.

 

The inside of the card uses the "Celebrate" stamp from Outlined Occasions and once again I added the little butterflies to accent it.  

Hope you like what I have come up with.  I know it's just a matter of time before I see the real thing in my backyard and can't wait.

Thanks for stopping by.

Nancy

Your comments mean a lot to me so please remember to leave one.

TST #119 "3's a Party!

I hope that everyone enjoyed the Victoria Day weekend in Canada and Memorial Day in the USA.

Today the sketch from Try Stampin on Tuesday leaves itself to lots and lots of ideas, which I'm sure you will see when you visit the site and see what the other Designers have in store for you.

I decided to take the sketch and turn it into a landscape card.  Cutting my CS 4 1/4" x 11" and scoring along the long side at 5 1/2". 

The CS base is Pool Party but I am just not getting the colour right on the camera.  Using the checked DSP I cut the first piece 1/4" smaller and then using the Apothecary Accents die I die cut out the piece that was used for the top.  Waste nothing I say!  Then with a scrap I had from another project I cut you the second accent piece.  The bird was punched using the Two Step Bird punch.  The branches were punched using the Pool Party CS. 

It was not until I photographed the card that I realized I was working in 3's.  Three layers for the background, three layers for the accents, three branches, three gems and three Happy's (one on the inside).

I really love the look of the monochromatic colour of this card (which can really be seen in person).

Now it's your turn.  Give the sketch a try and let us see your creation.  Can't wait to see it!

Thanks for stopping by.

Nancy

Your comments mean a lot to me so please remember to leave one.

Can You See the Forest for the Trees?

My card today was inspired once again my Mynnette Kitchen.  I saw this picture on her web site and decided to check it out.  The original inspiration came from For Your Inspirational Challenge.

Then I went in search of a sketch.  I knew because the picture was busy I wanted something clean and simple...ah yes CAS(e) This Sketch.  Not much simpler than that.  

Now my take on the inspiration picture was that I could see three definite colours, green, yellow and grey.  Those were the colours that I chose for the card. 

The nice thing about making a card like this one, with no sentiment on it until you need it, it allows you to decide if you want to use it in the portrait or landscape form.

To give the focal point a little more umph I stamped and punched out then distressed the edges of the postage circle.

I really like how this card turned out.  I think I got the colours just right and the distressing of the edges goes along with how birch trees shed their bark, even if I did use an oak leaf for the stamp.

Thanks for stopping by.

Nancy

Your comments mean a lot to me so please remember to leave one.

See It, Do it, Make it RED!

This card was inspired by a sketch from Freshly Made Sketches.

Then I saw a card made by Mynnette Kitchen at Inkspirationals.

       

So with both the sketch and the inspiration in mind I came up with my own version of a card.

I started by using the Apothacary Framelits largest die to create the bottom edge on the card.  Then I folded the CS in half.  Next using the same die I cut out the red backing and then the white front piece. To make the white piece I die cut it twice but the second time I moved the die over to remove about 1/4" of the overall piece.  The remaining red section was used on the bottom of the card.  I secured it to the inside front of the card.

Next the filigree from Bliss was used to stamp the centre image.  Securing my triple bow to the front and securing it in the back with snail and tape. 

 

I then die cut 3 sets of butterflies from the Beautiful Wings Sizzlet.  I like to use 3 together to give a 3D effect to the butterflies.  The body was accented with my usual pearls and wire.  I also used some of the other left over butterflies on the inside of the card as well.

Once I had the card made I went looking for another challenge that utilized the colour "Red". Found this one, Ooh-La-La-Creations, another new site to check out each week.

I hope you like what I have come up with.

Thanks for stopping by.

Nancy

Your comments mean a lot to me so please remember to leave one.

TST #118 Float Like a Butterfly

Well the warm weather is finally starting to arrive around here and the flowers are all coming out in bloom.  Loads of birds and yes the bee's as well, but I can't wait for the butterflies.  We get a few different butterflies around our place,  mostly Monarch, but regardless of the type I love watching how they float in the air from bush to bush.  So today I decided to take the sketch challenge from Try Stampin on Tuesday and bring a little bit of the floating butterfly theme to my card.

When I printed out the sketch to start creating my card I didn't realize that I had flipped the image and was half way through the card before I realized something just didn't look right, but I wasn't about to start over.  Mistakes happen...we learn to deal with them.  In my case I make a lot of card mistakes (along with real life mistakes) but the card ones work out just about every time.

I started by taking Post-it notes and masking off areas on the card base.  Then sponged in the masked off areas and stamped a border image along the area to complete it.  At first I left the area open that would have been the upper most crossed over area, then I decided to colour it in as well and use that space to place my butterflies.  

Originally I was going to make this an all white card but once I had the purple butterflies on the front I realized that I needed a little more punch around the edges so I made my card base the same dark purple as the butterflies.

Once I finished the entire card and sat back to look at it, it made me laugh because the background was in the shape of the letter "B" and I used "Butterflies" to accent it.  

I hope you like what I have come up with.  Now it's your turn.  Need a little more inspiration?  Hop over to the TSOT site and see what the other Great Designers have in store for you.

Thanks for stopping by.

Nancy

Your comments mean a lot to me so please remember to leave one.

"LIFE...Live like you mean it"

Wow, I'm on a roll for this week.  Four posts in one week.  Does this mean that I am coming out of my slump?  I sure hope so.

Today I have a card that combines three different challenges.  Maybe it's the challenges that are inspiring me to create more this week. Don't know but I sure am glad to be back at it again.

First I started with the sketch.  I found this one at Cas(e) this Sketch.  I have never used any sketches from this site before so one again I hope I have done them proud.

Next I decided to take a look over at Dynamic Duos.  They always have such great inspiration for colour combinations.  This week the challenge was to use a colour combination from the past year.  I went with DD#41.

Lastly I went with a very clean and simple card once again and turned to Less is More for further inspiration.  This week they want a single layer card with a coloured card base, so I decided to go with Pool Party as my card base.

My plan is to use this card for a co-workers birthday.  The sentiment is truly his way of thinking about life.  So Happy Birthday Izzy.

Thanks for stopping by.

Nancy

Your comments mean a lot to me so please remember to leave one.

"Kindness"

I'm on a roll right now.  With a few days off and needing to switch my focus from looking after my Father to other things I have decided to play along on a couple of different challenges today.

The first challenge is a colour challenge at 4 Crafty Chicks.

The second challenge is from Clean & Simple Stamping.

I found the sketch challenge first and then decided on the colour challenge.  Next came the stamp set to use.  I knew exactly what I wanted to achieve and needed just the right stamp set to accomplish it.  I love clean and simple cards and enjoy making them, but don't do it enough.

Starting with a little math and using Post-it notes I masked off the top and middle where the sentiment would go.  Next, again using the Post-it notes I started with the individual lines.  Each line is 3/4" wide with a small space between them.  I inked up my stamp set starting with the lightest colour first and then randomly added the additional colours.  Once the area had been stamped I then coloured in the area with a sponge.

Once I had all the stamping and sponging done I removed the masked area for the sentiment and using the Stamp-a-ma-jig I stamped the Sentiment.

 

The inside of the card has the same stamp used just across the bottom corner but with no sponging.

I have not taken part in either of these challenge sites before so I hope that I have done them both justice.  

Thanks for stopping by.

Nancy

Your comments mean a lot to me so please remember to leave one.

PCC#41 It's a Girl!

Spring is definitely here and along with the birds and the bee's increasing population the babies are certainly on their way.  One of my husbands co-workers has just had their first baby and yes it's a "Girl".

I received the sketch email this morning from Paper Craft Crew and decided to use it for my card.

Rather than go with pink on pink on pink I decided to through a little more colour in with the DSP, but there is still a Lot of Pink!

Also instead of using ribbon or paper for the accents I punched out 2 white and 1 pink from the Martha Stewart Branch Punch for the accents.  The little duck is a button that I found in my stash along with the ribbon.

For the inside of the card I used the Stamp-a-ma-jig and positioned the hands to form a heart.  In the centre of the heart I punched out the smallest heart from the Heart to Heart Punch.

This is the first time I have taken part in the Paper Craft Crew sketches so I hope that I have done justice to their sketch.  

Thanks for stopping by.

Nancy

Your comments mean a lot to me so please remember to leave one.