A Few Sketches

Hello, and Happy Thursday!

I have a few cards to post today, each for a different sketch challenge.

My first card is for this week's Freshly Made Sketches challenge.  Last week, I spent some time going through lots of retired products to make kits for some friends who come by for stamping at my house.  I always include a 6x6 piece of dsp...because I have SO MUCH in my room.  I found this fun and lively print in a pack from years ago...when orchid opulence was still around!  It's called Shades of Spring.  I made up 2 kits for my friends, but decided to make a sample to give them an idea on how to use such a large print.  After I finished my card, I realized my circle and horizontal strips are a bit high...but I still like this.  My card includes the dsp, plus so saffron, regal rose, and whisper white card stock.  Stamps are SU's "Well Scripted" and "Bliss," stamped with black, so saffron,and pretty in pink inks.  The tools I used were the Sizzix circle die, large scallop circle punch, polka dot embossing folder, and dimemsionals.  The candy dots finish it off.


Next, I have a card that also features retired dsp...this time "Pocketful of Posies."  I have a lot of this left over; it has so many weird patterns, I find it hard to use.  But this hexagon pattern with the baja breeze on the reverse works well with this week's SCS sketch challenge.

The card base is crumb cake.  I added a layer of eggplant envy.  You read that correctly.  Eggplant envy, NOT elegant eggplant!  I had half sheets in a pack of rich regal card stock pieces I had hoped to sell ages ago.  At least, it is getting used now!  To coordinate with the dsp, I embossed the eggplant with the honeycomb embossing folder.  Using markers, I colored this sentiment from "Delightful Dozen" in baja breeze and early espresso, then sponged my circle with crumb cake.  My embellishments are bakers twine and candy dots.

My final card features last week's sketch challenge on SCS, plus this week's color challenge: sahara sand, night of navy, and hello honey.  I do not have any of the new in-colors yet (kinda miss my days as a demo!) so I substituted crushed curry for hello honey.

I decided to make a sympathy card, as I only have one in my stash.  I think yellow gives a glimmer of hope, both for emotional healing and for life after death.  My navy panel is embossed with the vintage wallpaper folder.  Again, I paired a sizzix circle die with my large scallop circle punch.  The sentiment is from "Thoughts & Prayers," stamped over a flower from "Thanks for Caring."The horizontal strip is comprised of images from "Bliss."  Lots of sponging, to add a vintage feel.  I paired up navy taffeta ribbon with crochet trim that I had also sponged.  A few tiny pearls add the final touch.

I made all of these yesterday; it felt good to focus on sketches again instead of just colors!  Thanks for stopping by!


Inky {{{HUGS}}}
Kim

More Virtual Stamp Night - Feeling Gray

Hello Again!

I have just a couple of VSN cards to post tonight.  I spent much of the day at a funeral.  Never a fun way to spend the day.  At least I was with many wonderful people...


The first card was for the VSN challenge "Shades of Gray," calling for projects with various shades of gray and one other color.  I needed a sympathy card, so I made 2 that are nearly identical...one has been mailed already, and one is posted here.  The card base is basic gray.  There is a layer of smokey slate, embossed with the SAB vine impressions folder from last year, then sponged with kiwi kiss.  The dsp is Urban Garden, from quite a while back...cut into panels for interest.  The sentiment is from SU's "Thoughts and Prayers" punched in kiwi kiss, set on a scallop oval punch, paired with decorative label punch.  Silver brads tie it all together.

The next card is a bit more cheerful, even though there is rain.  We had a challenge to incorporate an umbrella...this Flopsey image from My Favorite Things fit the bill.  My card base is smokey slate, and the layer of cloudy paper was on my scrap pile.  It comes from the Sunshine & Sprinkles, as does the strip with colorful umbrellas.  I stamped Flopsey with basic black craft ink, then heat embossed.  Using blender pens, I colored him in with smokey slate, daffodil delight, melon mambo, lucky limeade, and marina mist.  Sponging the edges help ground the image.  I had just a few short rhinestone strips from a package, so I cut them up for the rain drops...which kinda looks like sleet!  The sentiment is also heat embossed and matted in melon mambo.

Thanks for stopping by.  It may be a gloomy day, but stamping alays cheers me up!

Inky {{{HUGS}}}
Kim

Last of the DTGD...Finally!

Hello, my patient stamping friends!

FINALLY I am posting the last of my DTGD cards.  I wanted to do all of the challenges, but that did not happen.  As a lifelong Chicago Cubs fan, I can say "There's always next year!"

The first card is quite clean and simple (CAS)...using just basic gray and sage shadow.  The DSP is retired Nouveau Chic from SU, cut out with the Beautiful Wings Sizzix die in my Big Shot, and embellished with a string of rhinestones.  I added white taffeta ribbon and the word window punch with Teeny Tiny Wishes.

The next card has a touch of whimsy.  I sent this to 2 of my volunteers (husband/wife team) who have not been able to come to the ministry lately because of some life changes.  Just wanted the to know I miss them!  The card is riding hood red, with an embossed layer of ruby red.  The plaid DSP is retired (feels so good to be using this stuff!)  I colored the image from For the Birds with markers, and added some sponging.  Brads add the final touch.

The last card today is a color challenge and DTGD challenge.  The colors are sahara sand, wisteria wonder and blushing bride.  The stamps are SU's By the Seashore, with sentiments from You're a Gem and Teeny Tiny Wishes.  I used blender pens and a LOT of sponging.  The sea shells were actually heat embossed before I colored them, then I cut them out to add dimension.  The embellishments include rhinestones, silver cord, and ruffled ribbon.

Thanks for hanging out with me through all of these old cards!  Hope to get some stamping done when we get back home!

Inky {{{HUGS}}}

Kim

More cards from DTGD

Hello again!

I am almost done with my Dare to Get Dirty challenge cards.  Here it is, 2 months after those challenges were held, and many splitcoaststamper fans are in the midst of other challenges.  Oh well!  The dates of these posts are actually when I am on vacation in ITALY!  I hope next month I can get back into my stamping on a regular basis.

The first card was fun to make, because it involved making my own pattern paper...something I love to do.  It's quick, easy, and adds as much color as you want.  My card base is textured bermuda bay, and the other colors are pool party, baked brown sugar, and calypso coral.  The stamps are from Nature Walk, except the ever-present sentiment from Teeny Tiny Wishes.  I also used my scallop trim punch and butterfly embosslit, both from SU.  The accessories are bakers twine and a button both in coral.

Here is another card featuring hearts, like my last post.  The colors are 3 new ones from SU:  baked brown sugar, strawberry slush, and pistachio pudding, all of which matched up with a SCS color challenge.  Love the new ruffled ribbon!  Once again I used the CB embossing folder and heart-to-heart punch, plus the regular heart punch.  I also used sponge daubers to color some of the background hearts.  The sentiment is from SU's Perfect Words.

This next card is probably my favorite from all of the DTGD cards  I made this year!  Love this sketch...and so I *must* use it for a Christmas card design!  The colors came from this retired SU DSP Elegant Soiree: Baja breeze, not quite navy, soft suede, crumb cake, and very vanilla.  I will be so sad when I finally use all of this up!  I cut off the lower portion of the striped piece, and used it inside.  Great way to carry on the design.  The image is from Friends Never Fade, colored with markers, using the "thumping" technique.  The sentiment is from Thoughts and Prayers, with a scallop punch and a touch of sponging.  

Always good to have you stop by!  See you again soon...

Inky {{{HUGS}}}
Kim