My Sweet Sketch Wednesday and it's Christmas

It's time for me to post a card for one of my new favorite challenge sites.... Sweet Sketch Wednesday but I hope you will not follow my lead and seem to post so late. This is the second week in a row that I haven't gotten my card posted until Tuesday, but promise to try and do better next time. They have some of the most wonderful sketches which make me stretch in my creativity and I am loving playing with all of them. I decided to create another Christmas card,lol wouldn't it be funny if I have enough made ahead and then I will have to make Spring cards in December. I really don't see that happening.
The thing that I love about SSW is that you can use any style, stamps or creative urge you have....just follow the sketch.

I had bought this poinsettia stamp at the stamp show last summer in North Carolina and stamped it twice, once on ivory and then on dp, cutting both images out by hand. The bottom layer I colored with various mediums trying to get a matching red. The top layer I then slightly off set and used foam dots to lift it above. The papers are jovial by Basic Gray and I love the rustic look of these. My sentiments are from Stampin' Up's set Come to Bethlehem and I stamped part of the sentiment on a die cut for the front, adding the remainder on the inside along with Merry Christmas. Hope you like my early holiday card and will check out this wonderful site. A great place to pick up sketches for your stash.

Oh, almost forgot, would like to thank SSW for choosing my card last week as grand prize winner. I do appreciate it so much.

Card Details:
Paper: GinaK Designs ivory, smokey slate, dp Basic Gray jovial
Ink: Versafine onyx black, SU markers, TH distress inks
Images: Sarasota Stamps poinsettia, SU Come to Bethlehem
Other: GKD ribbon, Clear Dollar Stamps designer dies

Midnight Madness Sketch 105

Hey guys, back for post number two today...didn't want to miss the challenge at Priscilla's Midnight Madness where they are having sketch number 105.

And as always the choice is yours, which sketch you use or you can do one of each. It seems that I am using these neutrals a lot lately , but just can't seem to get away from them. Hope you don't mind too much. I am trying to get another card ready to post this evening and I promise that it has more color.

I love this set by Flourishes, called Lilac and although I think it is beautiful when using colors, I loved it in Versafine's Vintage Sepia.

My choice of Basic Gray's cappella paper pad and the brown satin ribbon was simple and quick to do. Hope you can play along this week.....they have awesome prizes and you wouldn't want to miss that.

Well, off to fix some lunch and play some more...hope to see you later on today!

Card Details:
Paper: Gina K Designs Kraft, Basic Gray cappella
Ink: Versafine vintage sepia, Distress ink walnut stain
Images: Flourishes Lilac set
Other: Queen & Co pearls, flowers gift from Carol, Martha Stewart punch, scrap ribbon

Easel Time!!!

As many of you know that follow my blog....I love easel cards and that is what Suzi Mckenzie has challenged us to create this week for Paper Cupcakes at our challenge blog There's Magic in the Air.

I used Nina's image "Cart with Flowers" and a sentiment from her set "Thankful Quotes".

I hope you will come play with us this week, I would love to see what you create....remember you don't have to use a PCC image, but if you do your name will be entered for the prize, twice.

Now, please go to the blog and check out what the rest of the team has created this week. Have a wonderful Monday, Happy Memorial Day and thanks again to all those that have and do serve our country.

Card Details:
Paper: GinaK Designs Sweet Corn and Rocket Red
Image: PCC
Ink: SU markers
Other: SU flower punch and unk sun punch, Spellbinders Labels 18, SU so saffron ribbon

Stock the Pantry Challenge at Doodle Pantry

I hope this finds you all having a wonderful weekend....the weather is gorgeous here with the heat to pick up today and tomorrow. I so enjoyed spending time with my family yesterday and seeing my cousin and his wife from Indiana that I hadn't seen in several years. They are very special to me and I loved catching up some with them.

My card is for Doodle Pantry's stock the pantry challenge which ends tomorrow, so if you have a DP image or want to pick up one of Laurie's freebies (she has several and some cuties) you still have time to enter. This is using a set that I chose a while back when I was picked for their top notch artist award called " Holy land Flowers 3". I love this set and want to get all of the others as well. I think this weekend will be when I do that as Laurie is having a 35% off sale on all digis, papers and templates. So be sure and check this out!

My card is very simple...just colored the almond flowers , after pulling some images online as I was sure what color they were suppose to be, with Stampin' Up markers. The dp is by Basic Gray "Capella" and the ribbon is some retired SU with a flower from my good friend Carol.

Thanks for stopping by, now off to marinate some steaks for later today!! Enjoy your day!

Taking Shape at Sugar Creek Hollow

Happy Memorial Day and a heartfelt thank you to all of those that have given so much in service to our great county of the United States of America!!

I hope you all have wonderful plans for this holiday weekend. We have had one cookout already and I am meeting my family on my Dad's side today for lunch. Out of a family of 9 I only have 3 uncles remaining, I am so looking forward to seeing everyone, and with that let me say.....

Welcome to Sugar Creek Hollow and another Sensational Saturday.  This week we are challenging you to make SHAPED CARDS.  Now everyone will tell you a square or a rectangle is a shape and they are correct but we want you to stretch your creativity and to try making cards in lots of other shapes.  We want to remind you that we are a vintage, shabby chic or primitive inspired challenge blog so lets see your shaped cards in one of those styles.  And one other reminder - our challenges go live on Saturday morning at 8:00 am EST so please do not link to a post prior to that day and time.

This week we have a wonderful sponsor, "priscillastyles" Store.  The random winner will receive $10 worth of digis of their choice from "priscillastyles" Store and a Sugar Creek Hollow winner's badge to display on her blog.

The Design Team will also choose a Card of the Week and that creator will receive a badge to display on her blog and will be in the running for a Guest Designer spot.

The Design Team has created some wonderful cards for your inspiration using images from "priscillastyles" Store. I have used the wash basin and pitcher, which can be found in the store here.

For my card today, I used a 6" paper doilie and then layered digital paper, lace and ribbon along with Priscilla's lovely image. I wanted you to see the inside of my card so that you wouldn't think that I had just decorated a doilie, lol.  Hope you will stop by the SCH blog and see what the other girls have for you this week, such pretty and creative eye candy for you!!

Card Details:
Paper: Wilton doilie, SU white, TLC dp digital
Ink: Tim Holtz distress inks- Antique Linen and Tea Dye, SU markers
Other: Spellbinders- circles and scalloped ovals, SU beachfront ribbon, McMahon Five lace, Studio18 rhinestones, Martha Stewart punch, recollections button
Images: Priscillastyles wash bason and pitcher, SU A word for you



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Designed 2 Delight times 2

Happy Thursday morning and the eve to a wonderful Memorial Day weekend for everyone!!

I am showing two cards this morning that I created using images designed by Faith at Designed 2 Delight. At their challenge blog Card Ideas they have their weekly freebie challenge which is a progressive challenge...for each week you create a card using the free digital image, you receive the next week's free. This week the image is "Summer Days".

I am also entering this card at Sweet Stop Sketches . This is the sketch for this week. I did rotate it, to accommodate my image.
In addition to the sketch, they are also asking us to make it masculine.

Card Ideas has a weekly challenge each Saturday .... last week the recipe was all white + one color.

For this card I used Faith's image "Doodle Cake" along with a sentiment from her set "Simple Valentine".

There is still time to get in on both challenges this week, so if you have a moment....get creative and jump in.

Hope to see you soon!! Have been trying to visit some of you and depending on how the comment section is set up....blogger wouldn't let me in. Hope it is better today.

Card Details:

Card 1
Paper: SU old olive, Basic Gray Offbeat
Ink: Prismas and oms
Other: Spellbinders large and small ovals, Dollar Tree Ribbon
Image" Summer Days

Card 2
Paper:SU white, Making Memories Boho Chic-Lauren
Other: Spellbinders Labels18, Martha Stewart Punch, Studio G glitter glue, Stickles frosted lace, Cuttlebug ef, DT ribbon
Image: Doodle Cake and Simple Valentine

Vintage Collage

Good morning my friends....today I am sharing a card and tag which I have created for two challenges, at Our Creative Corner where they are asking us to Frame It! using whatever medium you want create a frame and make it 3-D or raised up on your card and for Joan's Gardens where for the last challenge before they take a break for the summer they are asking for a matching card and tag.

I am really happy with these and there is no stamping on the outside, none, nada, zip....it is all done with the wonderful digital image sheets that I bought from the lovely Sharon at Plumrose Lane where she has these sheets in a variety of images, bookmarks, blog headers, and much more. Be sure and stop by for a look and to make it even sweeter, she is having a sale and giveaway. See my sidebar for a direct link to her blog and the sale.


Don't you love it when you see a challenge and you know exactly what you want to do?
Well, this is that time....the night before it was posted at OCC I had fussy cut all of these images and was just going to make a card for "fun" which I don't get to do much these days as there is always something else I am creating for, sure you know the feeling. And then when I saw Joan's request I had to just make a tag and combine the two.

My card base is tan leather paper from GinaK Designs with her chocolate brown. It was just a matter of layering the elements the way that I wanted along with some distressing and a couple of rubons.

I just adore the frame that she has in one of her sheets that is ready to go after cutting it out. I added some ribbon from Stampin' Up and a couple of glitter dots that I received in some blog candy and the card is finished.

For the tag....I used the tag that Sharon has in her sheet and attached it to two of the tags from Spellbinders Standard tag set since I wanted it to have a little more room. Don't you love the music score and what looks like a pink brad? Oh yes, almost forgot to give credit where due, the tan distressed paper you see on the right tag and behind my frame is some digital paper that I bought from Paulette at TLC . Be sure and check this out as she is always giving lovely things away as freebies.

Well, now that I have given you lots to think about and two new challenges, I had better get busy around the house. Blue skies and sunshine here and I wish a wonderful day to each of you. Hope to be by later for a visit with you.

Let's make flowers

Monday already? Can you believe how this month is flying by? At Paper Cupcakes this week we are making handmade flowers to adorn our cards. Sheng Yang has challenged us to make our own flowers and to do this I used Sizzix #6 Flower and Little Leaves. Nina's image "Flower Teacup" is one of my favorites which I colored using Stampin' Up watercolor pencils. I also used an inspirational word background that I got from Isabella's ages ago and then sponged old olive and rose red ink across it.
Hope you can visit with the rest of the design team this week and see their creations and please play along if you can. We would love to have you join us. Remember, you can use any image to play, but if you use a PCC's image, your name will be entered for the prize twice.

Card Details:
Paper: Stampin' Up old olive, Prima Sparkling Spring, rose unk
ink: SU old olive, rose red, watercolor pencils
Other: Labels 3 Spellbinders, Sizzix Little Leaves, Flowers #6, unk rose
Images: PCC Flower Teacup, Isabella Inspirational Word Background

Shopping Our Stash!! and my Craft Space!

A little while back a friend sent me a link to a new challenge site coming and they are now having a kick off open house challenge that goes through the 23rd. I had forgotten about it until yesterday and decided to check out the happenings at Shopping Our Stash where the goal is going to be to use what we have or have had for a long time. They have been having a challenge going on from May 10th through May 23rd asking you to show pictures of your crafting space. You don't have to clean up or anything, how cool is that? I had straightened my desk just before checking out this blog again, as my scrapbooking friend came yesterday to play and I wanted her to have space to work.

This picture is taken from just inside the door of my old spare bedroom that I converted to my stamping space. I had two twin beds that I converted to a pseudo daybed that my cats Salem and Sable love to lay on while I work. I started out with a drafting table and have just recently added a 4 foot fold up table to give me more space, especially when I have company to stamp. Most of my furniture in here is converted and repainted from some other use in our home in the past. I painted the chest you see and it holds my ribbon, punches, embellishments, brad and eyelets, tools and extra envelopes and such. The cabinet above has SU wheels, more embellishments such as the hardware hodgepodge and pretties kits along with extra copy paper and notebooks for my notes.
On my desk are some gift certificates and brochures that I am finishing for an order for a local beauty shop and makings for a card that I am starting.

This is a converted TV stand that I use for my Big Shot and below are embossing folders, spellbinders and various other dies. On the bottom are files holding files of scrap paper. I love looking out the window when I am working at my back flower bed and across the street to our field and barn.

These are shelves that Rick installed which hold storage boxes with decorative scissors, my embossing powders and glitters, jars with buttons and flowers and then clear storage boxes with stamps by Gina K, Flourishes, and Stampin' Up along with other companies. On top of the chest of drawers, I have all of my smaller 6x6 books of paper and a paper tray that holds some of the larger scraps. My drawers are all full of wooden SU stamps.

Here is a closer view of my desk.

Here you will see Sable as he watches me wander around the room with my camera....get back to work he says and quit goofing off! The cabinet there was a TV stand for our bedroom that my Dad made for me when I first got married, I didn't want to get rid of it so I repainted and changed  the hardware and now it houses my tools and a guillotine cutter. I hold my latest cards in boxes there until I can sort them and put them in sleeves before storing them in photo boxes. My shelf was also made by my Dad.

A quick peek in one of my closets where I store larger items, books and magazine, alterable items, along with my finished cards.

This is a look behind my door at my paper storage ....on the racks and in plastic 12 x 12 containers that hold large paper packs and one for my scrap pieces. Those two doors have shelves behind them with more alterable items and scrapbooks.

I am so glad you stopped by for a visit and hope you will come again soon. I only wish we could all be together to meet and stamp in person, but this is the next best thing.
Be sure and take your pictures now and sign in for the challenge before it ends. Take care my friends.

It's a Maculine Saturday at Sugar Creek

Happy Saturday morning my friends and I want to issue each and every one of you a warm
welcome to another Sensational Saturday at Sugar Creek Hollow.  This week our challenge to
you is to create a MASCULINE card or
other paper crafted project.  Father's Day is only a month away so
that could be the theme of your vintage, shabby chic or primitive
inspired item.  Of course, there are lots of other reasons to make
something masculine because birthday cards are always in demand and this
time of year graduation cards may also be required. So pull out your
retro images, papers and embellishments and let's see what you come up
with.

This week one random winner will receive a badge to display on her blog
and a digi of our choice.  The Design Team will also choose a Card
(or project) of the Week and the creator will receive a badge to display
and will be in the running for a Guest Designer spot.

All of the designers have created some wonderful masculine projects for
your inspiration and are on display at the SCH blog...to get more details, just click on their name to
be taken directly to their blog.

Last week the Design Team reviewed all the April Cards of the Week and
chose Heide D. to join us as a Guest Designer this week so
please stop by her blog and  give her a warm welcome.

Now for my card....I used some of my BoBunny "Timepiece" papers along with stamps from several Stampin' Up sets: "Travel Post", "Vintage Labels"," Papa's Pocket", and "Well Scripted". I really like the collage look that it achieved and the papers are so lovely with this look, I think. Hope you like it and will stop by and see the rest of the girls and even more than that, I hope you will join us this week in the  challenge. Hope to see your name linked up.

Card Details:
Paper: BoBunny Timepiece, GinaK Designs Tan Leather, SU Black, BasicGray Manila, mulberry
Ink: Versafine Onyx black, Tim Holtz Distress ink
Other: Spellbinders standard tag, SU tag punch, SU hodgepodge hardware, Creative Imaginations Parts and Parcels
Stamp: Stampin' Up Papa's Pocket, Vintage Labels, Travel Post, Well Scripted

It's time for the next challenge at Midnight Madness and I know you will want to play with this week's sketch.



I am so excited to still be showing you some of my new goodies that I am playing with...this image is another one that I picked up at McMahon Five and it is a freebie "Breast Cancer Awareness" along with papers from there --Prima's Sparkling Spring pack. I almost forgot that I also picked up these Spellbinder Labels 18 in that $100 gift pack. So what are you waiting for? You could be next months grand prize winner, just need to play along with Priscilla and the girls.

I took some creative license and colored the flowers with copics T1 as I wanted to keep the pink focus on the ribbon and I tried to make the same swirl in my ribbon at top but not sure it shows so well in the photo. I really like the soft grays with the pinks in this card and I actually used my paper tearing rulers from Plaid that I haven't touched in ions. I tore the bottom piece and the piece that I cut out to match my SB's labels and then used dots to pop it up and give some dimension. My inside was made by using flowers from Stampin' Up's set Simple Friendship, I stamped and colored one as I did the outside flowers and the small flowers I inked with Versafine onyx black and then off stamped once, so that I had a softer gray color to my solid image.
Hope you enjoy seeing this and will come back soon!! I love to have visitors and to read your comments. Hope to see you soon!

I almost forgot....want to thank MMSC for the Remarkable 3 award for last week's card. I really am honored and appreciate it so much.
Card Details'
Paper: GinaK Designs smokey slate, dp Prima Sparkling Spring, watercolor
Ink: Versafine onyx black, prismas and oms, copic
Images: McMahon Five Breast Cancer Awareness, SU Simple Friendship, sentiment Deedee's Digi
Other: Spellbinders Labels 18, pendent, Offrey rhinestones, SU flower punch, Plaid Tearing ruler, scrap ribbon

Sweet Sketch Wednesday with Clear Dollar Stamps

As soon as I saw the sketch this morning at Sweet Sketch Wednesday I knew what I wanted to do. I had printed out this image called "Fall Floral Jug" last week , which is a freebie that I got last fall from Clear Dollar Stamps and cut it out with my Spellbinders peony die. I used some K&Co dp from their "Julianne" collection and the lace is some that I bought with my gift certificate from McMahon Five. This sentiment is in the same set as the jug, I just placed it slightly over the jug before printing. My coloring was done with prismas and oms and then chalked around the base to ground it. Thanks Nancy for the lovely flower and rhinestones on my card, these were from some blog candy that I won from her on the last hop at SSW.

Be sure and take a look, I know you will love this challenge site as much as I do, and plus you will pick up a great stash of sketches. I want to thank the gals at SSW for picking my card last week to be one of their top 3. I am so honored and pleased. Thanks from the bottom of my heart.

Thanks to all of you for stopping by for a visit. Hope you can come back soon.

D2D's Weekly Freebie Skater Boy

This is what I created using my free image from Designed 2 Delight for Faith's progressive challenge that gives you the next week's image free for each week that you participate. This week's image is "Skater Boy". I picked up this gift card holder at the local Dollar Tree and it will be great for our godson's birthday in a couple of weeks as he is to the age where money is "just fine" and he is old enough to want toys that I cannot afford. The colors dictated my colors for the image and I tried using some EK pencils that I had around. The tags are from Paper Cupcakes (you can find the link to the store on my sidebar).
Thanks so much for stopping by.

Almost Late for SSW!

Nothing like cutting a deadline close is there? I am loving the sketch challenges at Sweet Sketch Wednesday and I have almost left getting my card posted until too late as the challenge closes in a little less than 7 hours. This is the lovely sketch for this week....I am getting such a wonderful stash of sketches in my file.

I am also going to enter this card at Our Creative Corner this week where it is Au Naturel with a Twist.
They are asking for all neutrals (and gold/silver or metallics).  The main project must use only pale neutrals (ivory, white, beige, tan, gray) with darker neutrals (dark gray, brown, black) as accents only.  The twist is to include lace and buttons. Doesn't that sound like fun?

And to mix it up even more, I decided to make a Christmas card. I am not getting as many in as I would like but every one will be one less I am stressing over at the holidays. When I saw the natural palette, I immediately thought about my music stamp by Just for Fun stamps and the santa by Rubber Stampede.

I offstamped once before stamping the music paper with Tim Holtz distress ink, the santa was stamped with Versamark and gold embossing powder. I also decided to use another one of my Just For Fun stamps...the tree to stamp on the layer behind my santa while using more of the distress ink to sponge around my layers. My lace is a scrap piece and is layered with holiday ribbon from Walmart.

Stop by these blogs and play along if you can....I appreciate your stopping in to visit.

Card Details:
Paper: Stampin' Up ivory, Recollections caramel, DCWV gold metallic
Ink: Versamark with gold embossing powder, SU creamy caramel
Other: Martha Stewart snowflake punch, GinaK buttons, Walmart lace and holiday ribbon
Images: Rubber Stampede Santa, Just For Fun music and tree, Creative Clear Stamps Holiday Sentiments

CDAC Sketch

I entered a card in the sketch challenge this week at CDAC and as a plus you get this adorable daisy image by Digidrawn as a freebie.

I printed two of the images in the same size so that I could cut out one and pop it over the original and then reduced one and trimmed it out to make it look as if petals were falling. That lovely dp is some more from McMahon Five called breezyblue daisy and breezyblue stripe. I did the coloring with my prismas and oms. Stop on by and pick up this lovely image and play along, the challenge is open throught tomorrow, I believe.

Take care and see you soon!

Freebie Day at Paper Cupcakes

Happy start of the week my friends!! It's time for the Monday challenge at the
Paper Cupcakes blog where Molly Ritterbeck is asking for embossing....your choice!

It is also time for Nina to have a wonderful freebie for us to play with and this week it is "Peony in Bottle", peonies are one of my favorite flowers and I loved making something with this beauty.
This is some more of the stunning paper "Butterfly Garden" by Pink Paislee and I used a Spellbinders peony die to cut out my image. I die cut a tag and then embossed it with a Cuttlebug folder "Script".
I also used a border embossing folder to emboss my inside sentiment.

If you can, I would love to have you join in our challenge this week, you can use any image you would like, but if you use a PCC's image, your name is entered in twice for our prize.

Card Details:
Paper: Stampin' Up old olive
Ink: Copics and SU markers, SU old olive
Images: PCC Peony in Bottle, Flourishes Thank You, SU Elements of Style
Other: Embossing Folder Script and border floral, Dollar Tree sheer ribbon, MM eyelet, DMC floss, Walmart pins, Spellbinders peony die and standard tag

Cherry Blossoms and Butterflies

Don't you just love that title? I do, that is the name of the focal image that I used on my card for Midnight Madness's sketch challenge this week. The digital paper is also called Cherry Blossoms along with Spring Breeze and the cute butterfly in the corner are all part of the goodies that I bought with the gift certificate that I won last month from Midnight Madness  for goodies from McMahon Five where I had a ball picking out my things. All of these things are digital, but I also picked up some paper, spellbinders and embellishments. Be sure and take a look, as I know you will see something that you like. I also used a sentiment from a set in their freebie section called "Poetry of Birds" and put it on the inside of my card.

This is my first experience with digital papers and I am sure that it won't be my last, especially since I have already used some others on my card that I posted yesterday and have some printed for my next card I am making. LOL, Do you think I like them?

Here are the sketches for this week's challenge at Midnight Madness and I am sure you will want to play with one of these.

Card Details:
Paper: Stampin' Up brown,dp McMahon Five, SU ivory
Images: McMahon Five
Ink: Tim Holtz Distress ink Walnut Stain, SU Blue Bayou
Other: Sizzix flower and leaf die, Studio G rhinestone, Spellbinders Scalloped Ovals,

Sensational Saturday with Shelly's Images

It's another sensational and patriotic for me, Saturday at Sugar Creek Hollow and this week we are celebrating with our sponsor Shelly's Images .

Shelly has donated this lovely patriotic, flag waving image to our DT at Sugar Creek Hollow this week and I loved playing with her. We are having a Recipe Challenge this week to create your card:

1. 3 designer papers
2. 2 die cuts
3. 1 charm

and if you are the lucky winner you can choose 3 digital images from Shelly's store. Please stop by and see her lovely work, and you may want to choose something right away!

For my card, I used some digital papers that I bought with my gift certificate from MaMahon Five last week and then a piece of star dp by Colorbok. I paper pieced her dress to get my third piece of dp in on the challenge. Don't you just love those wonky rectangles by Spellbinders? So fun!
My sentiment is a freebie that is from Paulette at Create with TLC . So true. And since it is almost Memorial Day....thought a grill would make for my perfect charm. This is my try at retro inspired and I hope that you like it.

Please stop by the blog at SCH and see what the girls have been up to....you won't be disappointed.  And as always, I invite you to join our challenge this week, I will be looking for your name and creation!

Sketch at Card Ideas

This week I am playing in the sketch challenge at Card Ideas and I had hoped to have it posted before now, but you all know why I didn't...thanks Blogger. Here is the sketch:

I used Faith's set from Designed 2 Delight called "Beautiful Life" and took a single flower image and inserted it three times , turning each one a little differently and then adding a sentiment from the same set. My colors were done with Stampin' Up blue bayou and Tim Holtz distress inks. I took a little creative license with the embellishment at the bottom, hope it's ok. The lovely ephemera is from Pink Paislee and I used my new punch around the page (Martha Stewart) which I love! I even added glitter, which I seldom use. Prettier in real life.

Hope you are all well and wishing you a wonderful weekend. Rick and I are suppose to go shoot in a  tournament tomorrow....here's hoping the rain won't be too bad. We are having rain and storms as I post. I have a new post for SCH in the morning, hoping Blogger will not go down again! See you soon!