Sketch challenge

Freshly Made Sketches has a fun sketch challenge this week.

I'm still plugging away on my Christmas cards.  So here is my card:

I started with red cardstock as the base.

Next layer is branch patterned paper.  Then an olive colored green strip.

The tag:  I stamped snowflakes in SU! Whisper White craft ink.  Love this stuff.  Added red ribbon.

The penguin is recycled from an old Christmas card that I cut out with a punch.  

I printed "Merry Christmas from the Newmans" on my computer and used a punch to cut it out.

ta da!

Thanks for swinging by!

Christmas sketch challenge

A la card Monkey has a Christmas sketch challenge that I played along with today.  I like the sketch challenges cause that proves I was inspired by them!  

Started with red card stock.  Added a layer of branchy patterned paper.
I made the red tag with the same paper as the base of the card.  I stamped swirls in SU! Old Olive to coordinate with the swirls in the star.
The star is a sticker from my stash.
Added the ribbon and stamped Merry Christmas in Old Olive ink.

Thanks for swinging by!

Male birthday card

The Paper Players have a sketch challenge.

Annabelle Stamps wants to see male cards this week.
Do You Stack Up has a fun "Duo" theme challenge.

So I made this card for my husband's uncle whose birthday is coming up.

Started with blue cardstock.
Layered three strips of patterned paper.  My paper cutter blade is a little dull so the edges look distressed which I like for this card.
I made the gift with patterned paper and a stencil.  I thought it looked like wrapping paper.  I edged it in white ink to help it pop a little.  I made a bow out of silver glittery ribbon.  Clearly I need to look up how to make a bow next time!
Balloons were in a little package of die cuts.  I added the embroidery floss for the strings.
Finished with a little happy birthday stamped sentiment from Leisure Arts.

Thanks for swinging by!

New home

We are going to a housewarming party next weekend so I made this Fall card for the first time homeowners!

I am playing along with Allsorts this week.  They want us to keep it clean and simple.  

I stamped the door from a set given to me.  Not sure of the company.  The pumpkin is in the same set. I colored it with watercolor pencils.
Congratulations if from a clear wedding set from AC Moore.
Corner punched the orange layer.  And simply layered that on happy Fall paper.

Thanks for swinging by!

Monochromatic birthday

I must confess I had to look up the definition of monochromatic!  Sentimental Sundays is having a challenge for monochromatic cards and I had no idea what that meant.  Sounded like a metal!  Well anyway I now understand that it's all about using one color and from the samples they showed, it can be different shades of that color.  I decide to go PINK for an upcoming birthday for a cousin who is turning 10.  I make kids cards one layer or pretty simple because I have seen a few of my cards get ripped when kids open them.  So here it is:

I stamped the gift background in Purely Pomegranate Stampin Up! ink with a Hampton Art clear stamp.
Added a little square of pink glitter tissue paper.
Stamped the gift again and Happy Birthday on light purple paper.
Added the birthday girl's initial and age with glittery stickers.
Finished with a little pink ribbon.

Thanks for swinging by!

Zebra butterflies

The Paper Players had a challenge to use an animal or plant on a clean and simple card.  That was easy since my sister put in a request for her birthday card this year.  She said she liked fluorescent colors and zebra print so I came up with this:

Butterflies: Used my SU! butterfly punch.  Added jewels for the body.  (I googled zebra print and just printed out my search result on textured paper.)
Lace border punch on the green layer.  Topped with black and white border sticker.
I stamped the text with my new clear stamps from AC Moore, Hampton Art brand.
Layered on orange than pink paper.

Thanks for swinging by.

Wedding card

I made a wedding card this past week and it fits into two challenges!  I didn't use them, as I normally do, to draw inspiration this time around.  Just came up with this myself.  Happy to play along and enter my card to these two sites:

Allsorts:  use flowers and swirls
(EDIT:  I missed the deadline by 8hrs so nevermind!)

Do You Stack Up:  use silver

The wedding colors are deep purple, grey and silver.
The main piece of the card is grey.  I added a purple layer, which has some shimmer to it.
The white layer has embossed swirls on it.  (Done with my Big Shot.)
I printed the names from my computer.
Flowers made with a Martha Stewart flower punch, topped with Stampin Up! jewels.
Silver ribbon is the final touch.

Nice and personal.  The way I like it!
Thanks for swinging by!

DYSU win!

Thanks to a random drawing, my card won at Do You Stack Up.  I got a month membership at digidarla.com.  I haven't used her images before but I'm curious to see them!  Now that we are back online after a week post Irene, it's time to find a moment to craft!