SSSC 58

Welcome to Karen's Sweet Sunday Sketch Challenge for this week! I was so excited to see SQUARES on this sketch, as all the cards I've made for the last wee while have circles on them, and I'm looking for a change of scenery. However. I managed to make these lovely squares look more like circles anyhow :( HA!

Please, don't be scared :) I know, these flowers are BIG, BROWN and there are THREE of them!! I was actually feeling tad nauseas when I went to bed last night, and I'm sure it was all that brown and guava! So I apologise, but if you can get past the colour and size, don't you think they're kinda cool? I had fun making all sorts of ribbon flowers yesterday, as I was inspired by these beauties and had to have a go.

I started off with the little guava florets, using the 'string pulling' technique, then thought why not have a go with non-stitched ribbon, thus making my own tacking. (If you are thoroughly confused, I will be happy to post a simple tutorial - just let me know!) I was on a roll! Watch out, there will likely be big ol' ugly flowers on all my cards for then next wee while ;P

Recipe :

Stamps - Occasional Greetings

Ink - Chocolate Chip

Cardstock & Paper - Afternoon Tea DSP (retired), Groovy Guava c/s (retired - thank goodness!), Chocolate Chip c/s

Accessories & Tools - Chocolate Chip satin ribbon (retired), Groovy Guava double stitched grosgrain ribbon (retired), clear rhinestone brads from pretties kit, Latte button, Linen Thread, Fiskars Apron lace punch

All materials Stampin' Up! unless otherwise noted.

Lee x

Just Add Ink #6

Welcome to my 1st ever JAI challenge entry! I have wanted to join in ever since this awesome site launched 6 weeks ago, but life often gets in the way of 'craft time' :)

Ok, so having a mum and a MIL, I thought the next couple of challenges I did, would be Mothers' Day cards. See my next post for my card using the same colours, different layout.

I have taken a bit of creative licence with this sketch, flipping it over, and using only spiral punches as the 3 accents. I hope this qualifies!

Recipe :

Stamps - Baroque Motifs, Occasional Greetings

Cardstock & Paper - Afternoon Tea DSP (retired), Chocolate Chip c/s, Groovy Guava c/s (retired)

Ink - Chocolate Chip

Tools & Accessories - Choc Chip satin ribbon (retired), Groovy Guava double stitched grosgrain ribbon (retired), Clear rhinestone brads from Petties Kit, spiral punch, scalloped oval punch, large oval punch

All materials Stampin' Up! unless noted.

Lee x

Inspiration Challenge #18

Isn't this little girls' room gorgeous? Thanks Makeesha for the great 'Inkspiration!' I've taken inspiration from the lovely bright colours, and chosen to colour wee Maisy Ketto to match. She has wings, right? So I thought she'd be perfect for the job!

Recipe :

Stamps - So Many Sayings, Maisy Ketto (from Stampingbella)

Cardstock & Paper - Cameo Coral c/s, Real Red c/s, Whisper White c/s, Pink Flamingo DSP

Ink - Stampin' Write markers in real red, tempting turquoise, summer sun, cameo coral, gable green (1st time I've ever touched THAT colour!), creamy caramel and basic black

Tools & accessories - tempting turquoise grosgrain ribbon, real red 'fire' rhinestone, Fiskars apron lace border punch, round tab punch (to make that clever little bracket), 1/2" circle punch (to make the scalloped border), mat pack, dazzling diamonds

All materials Stampin' Up! unless otherwise noted.

Lee x

Sweet Treats

I have had a couple of special occasions recently, being my Sister-in-love's 30th birthday, and another lovely friend added a beautiful baby boy to their family. I bought a pack of Sweet Treat cups from the Summer Mini, and have been looking at them longingly for quite some time. FINALLY I have pulled them out of their drawer and had great fun making these little lovelies. I have used M&M's minis to fill them, with handy little 'trapdoors' inside the card to get to the loot without destroying the card :)

Recipe:

Stamps - Something Sweet, Birthday Wish

Cardstock & Paper - Chocolate Chip c/s, Regal Rose c/s, Whisper White c/s and Sweet Always DSP.

Ink - Regal Rose, Summer Sun, Wild Wasabi (retired)

Accessories & Tools - Sweet Treat Cups, Regal Rose 5/8" grosgrain ribbon, Antique Brass Jumbo Eyelets, Round tab Punch, 1 3/4" circle punch, Crop-a-Dile,

Recipe :

Stamps - Something Sweet, Curvy Verses

Cardstock & Paper - Bashful Blue c/s, Pacific Point c/s, Whisper White c/s, Good Morning sunshine DSP

Ink - Pacific Point

Accessories & Tools - Eyelet Border Punch, 1 3/4 circle punch, 1/2" circle punch, CM cutting system for larger circle, White Taffeta ribbon, Versamark, white embossing powder

All materials Stampin' Up! unless stated

Lee x

Sweet Sunday Sketch Challenge 57

Welcome to another fabulous challenge by the fabulous Karen! This sketch had me scratching my head for quite a while, but once I'd had a play with it and turned it on its side, it suddenly wasn't as scary anymore! (sorry Karen!) And maybe I shouldn't point it out, in case you didn't already notice, but I have only made 4 panels on the background, not 5!!! That's what I get for not having the sketch right in front of me while slicin' & dicin'. So just imagine there's 5 panels ok?

I have to add at this point that I was also challenged by my dear friend Sarah-Jane (of http://www.sarah-janekale.blogspot.com ).. (ok, so I haven't figured out how to do that neat little linky thing yet!) well, as I was saying, Sarah was agast that my Razzle had done NO dazzling before now, and was desperately in need of some ink! So there you go, two challenges in one!

Recipe:

Stamps - Razzle Dazzle, On Your Birthday

Cardstock & Paper - river rock c/s, purely pomegranate c/s, groovy guava c/s (used for the scolloped circle, which is actually made up of 1/2" circles adhered to the back of the pp circle), Ginger Blossom DSP (retired), very vanilla c/s.

Ink - purely pomegranate (sentiment), mellow moss, groovy guava (sponging) and the following markers.. mellow moss, rose red & cameo coral (they were supposed to be river rock, pomegranate & guava, but we don't have markers for the In Colours, but I bet you couldn't tell the difference!)

Embellishments - Purely Pomegranate satin ribbon (retired), Fiskars Apron Lace punch, CM cutting system for circles.

All materials Stampin' Up! unless specified.

Happy Birthday Larissa!

Lee x

Praying for... Inkspiration! Colour Challenge 18

Hello! I'm sneaking anothe challenge in at the last minute.. and almost wasn't going to submit this card as it is only a wee little love note, and it's sooo simple! I had to restrain myself from paper piercing, or adding a few more buttons! And if there'd been room, I'm sure there would have been brocade blue ribbon as well!

Here is our gorgeous colour palette from Makeesha

And here is the finished product. I had a tricky time with the lighting coming out a shade of blue, but there was no getting around that :( But hopefully the Vanilla DSP in the background helps to discern the vanilla from white.

I have cut an oval using my CM cutting system out of a piece of scrap, and laid it over my vanilla lovenote (the card is actually 3.5x3.5"). I stamped the seaweed in mellow moss, then the fish in ruby red. With the mask still in place, I have sponged around the edges in brocade blue. I've then removed the mask, leaving a frame-like edge on my ocean scene. I've stamped the fish again on vanilla c/stock, cut him out and popped him up on dimensionals, to give him depth. I've chosen ruby red to be my focus colour, so I've embellished with a ruby red button (retired) and tied a bow with linen thread. My sentiment is from So Many Sayings (retired hostess) and I have stamped it on a little pennant flag. I've finished off with a little sponging around the edges of the card, just to frame it.

All materials Stampin Up! unless otherwise stated.

Lee x

Sweet Sunday Sketch Challenge 56

I Love this sketch by the talented Karen Giron, and had a wonderful time layering up my card. I have to confess to loving this DSP soooooo much that I couldn't bear to slice 'n' dice it before now. I am also a bit excited how my ruffley, eyelet borderey bit came out, and it was so easy to do! As well as therapeutic with all that crumpling :)

I have a couple of special birthdays this week, so hopefully this little baby will make it's recipient just as happy as I have been making it.

Recipe:

Stamps - Best Yet (hostess)

Paper - Parisian Breeze DSP (retired *sob*), baja breeze c/stock, whisper white c/stock

Ink - baja breeze, close to cocoa

Embellishments - Chocolate Chip satin ribbon (retired), button bouquet, linen thread, eyelet border punch.

All materials Stampin' Up! unless otherwise stated.

Lee x