A fun mix

I wanted to use the Seize the Sketch for this week so I pulled out some rather unexpected accents and put them together!

First off, I had been playing around with my Distress Stains and created this strip with the splashes of color.  The tops of the stains are round and I just hit the paper rather hard so that the ink splashed.  This was just sitting on my desk asking to be used and I could see it fitting the sketch.  

 That great striped paper is from Crate Paper, the word, "kisses" is a stamp from Paper Smooches, the star is from Heidi Swapp and I added some red Liquid Pearl dots.  

Here is the Seize the Sketch sketch.
Thanks for visiting, Linda (lbpost)

Flowers and Castles

I wanted to share my Card Postioning Systems card for this last week with you.

 Sweet 'n Sassy stamps is our sponsor. It was fun to pick out a set to use because their selection of images is so wide. 

 I am partial to Dogwood, so it was fun to color these.  This set comes with a rather large bird sitting on them but I just didn't use him this time.

 I love sets of stamps with Scripture verses in them so this was the perfect set for me.

 Our granddaughter was going to Disneyland for her birthday and we were giving her a gift card for the trip so I quickly used my Cricut Expression to create this little card. I folded it so I had a little pocket on this inside for the card.

 Chunky glitter accents the towers.

And for a photo...

I stopped at the beach the other day at sunset to watch the big waves. I loved capturing the waves crashing and bouncing in the air.

Thanks for visiting, Linda (lbpost)

SKETCH 251 – STRENGTH AND SHIELD card

Materials:

Stamp set courtesy of Sweet ‘n Sassy

Cardstock – Core’dinations

X-Press Blending Cardstock – Copic

Copic markers

Patterned paper – Cupboard/Farmhouse Collection/Crate Paper

Black stamp pad – Clearsnap

Clear embossing powder

Self adhesive pearls – Queen & Co.

Corner rounder punch - Fiskars

Paper Smooches SPARKS challenge

If you enjoy challenges like I do, today is the time for another SPARKS challenge at Paper Smooches. 

 This is the SPARKS challenge, is it cute!!!

I realize that the SPARKS challenge photo is rather Christmas related and I was going to go in that direction but then I created this card and it so fit! The colors are exact.

 I used some Crate Papers for this, I couldn't believe how fitting they are to a DAD theme and to go along wtih this adorable card stamp by Paper Smooches. 

I have another card I want to share too using Paper Smooches stamps. I used some digital Cosmo Cricket papers for the card.  I just printed out small pieces of these two patterns.  I cut around some of the swirls to look like swirling snow.  The card base is cut with my Art Philosophy Close to My Heart Cricut cartridge.  I love that I could cut the card base and then two label shapes that are a perfect fit and matted just right.  

 I love this little snowman stamp.  I used mini buttons on him. 

And, to share some photos...

 Our family took a couple days to go find snow.  We are all Southern Californian's so we had to drive to play in the snow.  We went up to Big Bear Lake. Of course, we had to build a snowman!

 This is our youngest grandsons first "snow" experience. Talk about excited!

This is the finished guy.  Kind of a bear with a mohawk!

Thanks for visiting, Linda (lbpost)

School Buses and a Promotion

Most often when I start working with a new sketch, I feel a bit of a challenge in how I will interpret it, but it doesn't take too long for a card to start forming. 

The same goes for this weeks Unscripted sketch. It started out as a challenge and I ended up loving it.

 I did turn the sketch on it's side, but that is what sketches are for! They are to be a launching pad. 

 The sketch shows three different shaped pieces on the side and so I picked out a few punch out die cuts from a sheet by Crate paper to create a little collage.  Is that school bus too cute?!

 Did you notice my little circle accent peeking out from underneath the other pieces? I used my Kreaxions circle cutter to cut two circles. I have never been a fan of circle cutters but I have to shout it from the rooftops how much I love this one! It is SOOOO compact and so easy and fast to use.  I have lots of circle punches and there always still seems to be a size missing and no more, with this cutter, there are an infinite number of sizes that can be cut.  I only have a small cutting pad that I use because you turn the paper so you don't need a whole lot of room. 

Gotta share some PROUD moment photos...

 Our son had his ceremony to celebrate his promotion to Fire Captain! He asked his dad to pin on his new badge. 

Here is an offical pose with his new helmet, etc. 

Thanks for visiting, Linda (lbpost)

SKETCH 104 – YOU ARE A GEM card

Materials list:
Cardstock – Core Expressions/Core’dinations
Patterned papers – SchoolHouse/October Afternoon
Punch out die cuts – Crate Paper
Circle cutter - Kreaxions
Self adhesive rhinestones – Recollections
Rub-on sentiment – EAD Designs/Paper Smooches
Corner rounder punch – Fiskars
Divine Twine
Sand It Gadget – Core’dinations

The sentiments takes center stage

The sentiment on a card is what sets the theme usually.  You can tell a friend HI or "I care".  Happy Birthday or Merry Christmas.  The list is a mile long. 

This is my Unscripted sketch card for this week.  I used a Bible verse stamp by Our Daily Bread for my sentiment. I can't think of a better way to send a card to a friend then with a verse on it.  Something that says "Just Thinking of You", "I Care".  This one is just plain encouraging.

I used an Artisan Elements piece from Pink Paislee for my corner accent. The help it blend into the style of my card better, I lightly rubbed some Distress Ink over it. 

The sentiment was stamped on plain white cardstock and I gave it an "aged"  or "vintage" look by rubbing it with a Distress Ink stamp pad as well as on the edges of the patterned papers I used. 

For this card I used a Cornish Heritage Farms stamp.  Another great way to tell a friend "HI"!  I used some of my most favorite papers by Crate Paper. 

The chipboard butterfly is by Maya Road.  I painted it with Crackle paint.  The sheer flower is also by Maya Road and I colored it with alcohol inks. I just dropped some inks right onto the flower. 

And for a few photos...

We visited the Santa Barbara zoo on Saturday.  The weather was outstanding, making for a great little trip.  Does this guy just crack you up???? He was just sitting there looking at the people like he owned the world.  LOVE that stylin' mustache. 

My favorite is always the giraffes. It was fun to watch this one get in position to take a drink out of the pond.  Gotta love what it took for him to get down there.

And, can you touch your nose with your tongue???

Thanks for visiting, Linda (lbpost)

SKETCH 96 – GOD WORKS… card

Materials list:
Cardstock – Core Impressions/Core’dinations
Copic X-press cardstock
Patterned Papers and die cuts – Love Blooms/Sweetness/Pink Paislee
Artisan Elements – Pink Paislee
Black Versafine stamp pad
Detail Clear embossing powder – Stampendous
Distress Ink stamp pad - Ranger
Sentiment stamp – Our Daily Bread stamps
Self adhesive pearls - Recollections
Sanding block – Core’dinations

WRITE IT ON YOUR HEART…EVERY DAY… card

Materials list:
Patterned paper – Crate Paper
Cuttlebug embossing plate – Provo Craft
Label shape – Nestabilities/Spellbinder
Corner rounder punch
Music background stamp and sentiment stamp – Cornish Heritage Farms
Brown Distress Ink – Ranger
Alcohol Inks
Crackle paint - Ranger
Black Versafine stamp pad
Corner rounder punch – Papershapers
Powder Puff chalk stamp pad – Quick Quotes
Gingham flowers, sheer flower and chipboard butterfly – Maya Road

Hooray! It is a holiday

Happy CardMaking Day! 

How does it get better, an entire day to celebrate creating cards!

Since we are celebrating, I want to share a few cards with you.  This first one is my Unscripted sketch card for this week. Since Unscripted Sketches puts up the new sketch for each week on Saturday, here is a great reason to pull out some supplies and make a card.  For my card I pulled out my brand new Crate Paper, I love this collection.

The patterned leaf and this cute little girl are both part of a Digital set that I recently purchased at 2 Peas in a Bucket.  I printed them out on my good matte photo paper and then cut each one of them out.  The circle piece behind them is a piece of Jenni Bowlin Core Impressions cardstock by Core'dinations.  It has the leaf design embossed in it and when I sanded it, the red core was exposed. 

My next card is created around the Moxie Fab Tuesday Trigger.  I want to cuddle up in that quilt!

I remembered this Crate Paper collection that I just purchased.  The top patterned piece looks like it is made from the inspiration of that quilt.  I made my card base turquoise to go with the bench in the photo.

I did some machine sewing to go along with the feel of the quilt being sewn.  The scallops are part of one of the patterned papers.

Next, I created a couple cards for Nikki Sivils, Scrapbooker for their part in World CardMaking Day.  Here are the links to those cards for you to see, thanks for taking a peek.

Anniversary card

Purse card

And my last card to share on this special occasion...

A card I created with BRAND NEW Stacy Julian Core Impressions Core'dinations cardstock.  The red, embossed piece is part of this package.  I cut out one of the blocks of words on the piece of cardstock.  This block of words is repeated several times on the paper so you could actually make a few cards, all the same. 

I slightly sanded the red cardstock to help the words show up more.  The white cardstock for the card base is from this collection, it comes with that embossed edge.  I rubbed a brown stamp pad over that a little bit so the embossing stands out more. The sentiment is a stamp by Printworks.

Thanks for visiting today, Linda (lbpost)

SKETCH 75 – FALL LEAVES card

Materials:

Cardstock – Core Expressions and Core Impressions/Core’dinations

Patterned paper – Grade Card/School Spirit Collection/Crate Paper

Leaf and little girl images – Digital set/2 Peas in a Bucket

Circle template – Coluzzle

Foam tape – 3M

Sandpaper

GO NOW…AND HAVE A HAPPY BIRTHDAY card

Materials list:

Cardstock – Core Expressions/Core’dinations

Patterned paper – School Spirit collection/Crate Paper

Flower – Recollections

Rub-on sentiment – BasicGrey

Machine sewing

Sandpaper

SAY I LOVE YOU OFTEN card

Materials list:

Cardstock – Stacey Julian Core Impressions/Core’dinations

Foam tape – 3M

Sentiment stamp – Printworks

Black Versafine stamp pad

Clear embossing powder - Stampendous

Heart brad - Recollections

Corner rounder punch – Fiskars

Fluid Chalk stamp pad - Clearsnap

Sandpaper

Card Patterns card and rain photos

Card Patterns is having an anniversary celebration this week. I love to play along with their sketch #53 and the celebration.

I am finding myself reaching for yellow right now - maybe it is because spring is around the corner. For this card I also reached for some of my all time favorite papers from my stash. Crate Paper came out with this amazing black and cream collection and I still love it.

Behind the flower is a piece of Core Impressions from the Jenni Bowlin collection and also a flower shape that was cut from an old dictionary. I love the text print as a little addition to a project.

***

Gotta share some photos!

We have had more rain days lately then I can ever remember for Southern California and it has been fun to introduce our youngest grandson to the fun that can come from some puddles!!! Do you see that big splash?

The umbrella doesn't always stay OVER the head but he still loves it.

***

Stay tuned for tomorrow with the Blog Crawl sponsored by Bella Blvd, Nikki Sivils and Jillibean Soup!

Thanks for visiting, Linda (lbpost)

THANK YOU – YELLOW card/RED flower card
Materials:
Cardstock – Jenni Bowlin embossed collection and Core Essentials/Core’dinations

Patterned paper – Crate Paper

Pearl brad – Doodlebug

Apron Lace border punch – Fiskars

Red flower – Prima

Old Dictionary print flower

Rub-on sentiment – Making Memories

Sandpaper