Waltzingmouse Sketch Challenge #50 ~ Thank You Kindly

It has been a difficult adjustment for me in the last week or two, because one of my kiddos has been finished with school, and the other is in her last week...with the little one not going to preschool for 7.5 hours a week, when am I to craft? :) If my posts are dropping off somewhat, that is why. I guess I'll have to figure this out because I have 2-1/2 more months before school starts again! ;)

But still I have managed to make a card for the Waltzingmouse sketch challenge. I was eager to use some new stamps that arrived in the mail last week. With the last day of school for my 1st grader being next Tuesday, I'm in need of some teacher thank you cards...so I pulled out some wonderful paper from Bo Bunny's Learning Curve line...I'm head over heels for this paper! Specifically, I used the Date Due paper, front & back.

And here's the sketch:



I was just dying to use my new Doily stamps! They are so beautiful, and stamp up really nicely.

And as this is a thank you card, I also want to take the opportunity to say thank you to each and every one of you who takes the time to look at my little blog each week and make a comment on my creations. I'm very new to this game of blog posting and challenge participation, but as an aspiring professional paper craft designer, I'm encouraged each week when I read the thoughtful comments...they are all much appreciated! So thank you! :)



Supply list:

Cardstock: Wild Wasabi (SU); Red, Black (scrap stash); Almond Dot, Dark Denim Journal (Bo Bunny)
Patterned Paper: Date Due from Learning Curve Collection (Bo Bunny)
Stamp Set(s): Dainty Doilies & Dainty Doilies 2, Fancy Phrases (Waltzingmouse)
Ink/Colorants: Fired Brick, Faded Jeans, Brushed Corduroy Distress Ink (Ranger); Soft Suede (SU)
Embellishments: Twill ribbon (SU)
Tools: Fancy Tags die (Spellbinders)

Waltzingmouse Sketch Challenge #49

Hello, I'm back with another stab at the Waltzingmouse Sketch Challenge for this week...and this time I used all my wonderful Waltzingmouse goodies instead of forgetting them like a ninny last week! :) I'm anxiously awaiting my new Doily sets as well as a cool Text-It background set and another wonderful sentiment set (Fancy Phrases) to arrive in the mail any day now...then I'll have even more selection to choose from each week for my sketch challenge card! Yay!

Here is this week's sketch:



I needed another graduation card, but how to use my WM stamps effectively for a graduation card, being that I have no graduation sentiments? Well, lucky for me, I have the awesome Words of Wisdom set, which has such great encouragement-type sentiments, and the one from Henry Ford seemed to fit perfectly. I had to rotate the sketch to make it work, but I think it all came out dandy!



I don't know if it can be seen very well, but in addition to the background stamp on the white from Pic-Nic Patterns, I also stamped the scalloped edge with a Pic-Nic Patterns stamp to give it a bit more interest.

That's it for this week! Happy Graduation to all the upcoming grads!

Supply list:

Cardstock: Scarlet Jewel, Black (PTI); White (DCWV)
Patterned Paper:
Stamp Set(s): Words of Wisdom, Pic-Nic Patterns, Holiday Labels No. 14 (WMS); For the Graduate (PTI)
Ink/Colorants: Bravo Burgundy (SU); Black, Grey Flannel (CTMH)
Embellishments: Border stickers (OT)
Tools: Large scallop border die (PTI)

Graduation Cards

Just a quick share to post some graduation cards I've made lately...these were made specifically at the request of some friends whose "kids" are graduating college in a week! Yay! A big congratulations to all.









Supply list:

Cardstock: Scarlet Jewel, Black (PTI); Gray, White (CTMH)
Patterned Paper:
Stamp Set(s): For the Graduate (PTI); Great Expectations (Verve); Pic-Nic Patterns (Waltzingmouse)
Ink/Colorants: Black, Grey Flannel (CTMH); Bravo Burgundy (SU)
Embellishments: Grad stickers + jewels (Jolee's and Oriental Trading)
Tools: Take Three die, Mat Stack 1 die, Limitless Layers lacey circle die (PTI)

PDCC83 and CAS-ual Friday Challenge #4

Another week, another challenge with the Play Date Cafe!

This week's colors worked out perfectly for the cards that I need: graduation cards! Plus, as luck would have it, the CAS-ual Friday challenge this week was GRADUATION cards too! Yay! I love it when things come together like this.

So, on to clean and simple with black & white with a splash of green:



Here's my card:



Once again, I look at it and am not sure if it qualifies as "clean", but for me, this is definitely simple! I put it together in about 20 minutes. Love that! I guess I'll have to think even "clean-er" next week! ;)

Supply list:

Cardstock: White, Black (PTI); Green (HOTP)
Patterned Paper:
Stamp Set(s): For the Graduate, Fillable Frames #4, 2008 Holiday Tag Collection, Background Basics: Text Style (PTI)
Ink/Colorants: Black, Grey Flannel, Ponderosa Pine (CTMH)
Embellishments: White button; Black hemp (CTMH)
Tools: Simple Circles border die, Fillable Frames #4 die (PTI)

Masculine or gender neutral birthday card

I made this card for the My Mind's Eye monthly card challenge on their blog, but got so busy that I forgot to post it in time! Bummer! Oh well, I can still post it here, just for fun. I used their sketch:



I used all My Mind's Eye patterned papers from their Stella & Rose line. Very cute and nice for both masculine & feminine cards. I had bought Enjoy the Ride stamp set from Papertrey awhile back and hadn't had the chance to use it yet, so I pulled it out for this. I just love the little car! Some paper piecing on the car was about the most complicated thing about this card. The rest is pretty simple & straightforward.



Supply list:

Cardstock: Dark Chocolate (PTI);
Patterned Paper: all from Stella & Rose Gertie collection (My Mind's Eye)
Stamp Set(s): Enjoy the Ride (PTI)
Ink/Colorants: Dark Chocolate (PTI); Dark Brown (Colorbox Chalk); Copic Markers (C1, C3, 0)
Embellishments: Brown Baker's Twine (PTI); Epoxy clip (CTMH); Black buttons, coaster board
Tools: Big scalloped circles LG (Spellbinders); Enjoy the Ride car die (PTI)

Papertrey May Blog Hop

This month's blog hop challenge for Papertrey involves doing something special with flowers...I will admit that there's nothing exceptional about the flowers on my card...but I was incredibly limited on time...I had to whip up this card in about 20 minutes! (that's super fast for me...I'm usually a slow card maker)

Anyway, I was going for fast, clean & simple because I really wanted to participate in the blog hop this month and this was all I had time to come up with (going out to dinner tonight with my hubby for our 9th anniversary!! :)

I also did something that was a first for me...using Papertrey felt to make a flower, with my brand new Sizzix 3D flower die. Fun stuff. Well, I've got to run and get dressed up for an evening at a fancy restaurant overlooking Seattle and some great food!

Here's my simple, quickie card:



Supply list:

Cardstock: Stamper's Select White (PTI)
Patterned Paper:
Stamp Set(s): Sending You (PTI)
Ink/Colorants: Real Red (SU); Sorbet, Garden Green, Black (CTMH)
Embellishments: Melon Berry felt (PTI); Brown pearls (Basic Grey)
Tools: 3D Flower die (Sizzix)

CFC #3

Well, before I go any further I must admit that Clean & Simple is not a style that I'm naturally good at, but I like it very much and want to get better at it; hence, my participation in the fun CAS-ual Friday challenges. I realized after I read this week's post that I clearly missed the boat on my last CF challenge...though I did add lots of text (per the directive), I forgot to keep it "clean & simple"! And I think that I have not exactly kept it clean for this week's challenge either...I used a Clean & Simple sketch, but I just love patterned paper, so I think that maybe these cards don't qualify either, but I'll post them anyway because I love them! And I'll keep on trying next week to keep it clean! ;)

Yesterday was my daughter's last day of preschool, so I wanted some teacher thank you cards for her 2 teachers. I have some really cute patterned papers from October Afternoon, the Schoolhouse collection. I found them to be perfect for my teacher thank yous! I added just a little bit of bling for this week's CAS-ual Friday challenge. I had such fun with these...and my other daughter has two teachers also so I get to make two more next week! :)









Supply list:

Cardstock: Beige (stash)
Patterned Paper: Flashcards from Schoolhouse collection (October Afternoon); Stella & Rose Gertie Delightful Sweet Stripe, Stella & Rose Gertie Little One Darling Dots (My Mind's Eye)
Stamp Set(s): Teacher's Apple (PTI); School Rock Star (Unity Stamp Co)
Ink/Colorants: Real Red, Riding Hood Red, Old Olive (SU); Dark Chocolate (PTI); Black (CTMH)
Embellishments: Bitty Sparkles, Circle frame sparkles (CTMH)
Tools: 1-3/4" scallop circle punch (EK Success); Limitless Layers 1-3/4" pinking circle die, Edgers #1 die (PTI)