Sketch Challenge

It has been a long time that I've done a sketch challenge. This one just caught my attention and I loved all the ideas that were submitted for it. You can see what other artists created over at Unscripted Sketches.

Most product is Close To My Heart: Cardstock; sweet leaf, tulip, crystal blue, colonial white, Ink; sweet leaf, tulip, crystal blue, chocolate, Stamps: November Word Puzzle, Weathered Backgrounds, Spot On Backgrounds, Argyle Backgrounds, Fiskars scallop punch, Offray chocolate ribbon {for some reason the ribbon looks black in the photo?}

Coloring Book

I saw this idea and thought it would be a fun gift for a child. Take an outline stamp and leave it in just black ink for the recipient to color in. In my case it was my niece and god~daughter. Her Birthday is soon to arrive and instead of JUST a card I think she will adore coloring her very own mini Birthday book. I used the adorable Nursery Bash stamp set. I can't quite decide which animal I like the best or which page. I will have to ask her which one she liked best!

You will notice that I've also stuck some crayons in the packaging as well. Not just any crayons though! Having school~aged children myself we always have a few crayons laying around. To make them more fun I broke them up, melted them down, then cooled them in fun shaped molds. Ta~Da...brand new crayons.

Here is her gift all packaged up!

The coloring book has a total of 4 pages.

Making the crayons:

~Peel paper from crayons and break into smaller pieces. Place broken crayon in microwave safe dish and microwave for 1 1/2 to 2 minutes {just keep your eye on it}.

~Be very careful when removing from microwave, the dish/glass gets very hot!

~ Pour into a mold. This one is just plastic and it held up fine. I have also used soap molds in the past. Allow time to cool before removing.

~Ta~Da~ New crayons all bundled up!

I already have some ideas for a "boy" version of the coloring book. However, I hope my niece likes her "girly" book though!

Odd Occasion

Ever create a card for an odd occasion? This card certainly does not fit an ordinary or typical occasion. Our friends obtained some chickens this spring and immediately were over-whelmed with an abundant amount of eggs. As long as we save egg crates they continue to fill them up for us. Wow! Nothing better than free organic eggs. My husband makes eggs almost every morning for breakfast and I keep coming up with yummy baked goods to use them in.

So I made this "odd" card. It's just a simple way to make sure they know how much we appreciate their generosity. {I offered to buy a cow so that we can re-pay them in milk!}

Twitterpated

I was so excited {twitterpated} when I received this Workshop on the Go Kit! What a fabulous kit that Close To My Heart has put together. Here is a picture of what you get:

Included in the kit:

An exclusive B~size My Acrylix stamp set called Hello There
My Reflections Twitterpated Level 2 Paper Packet
Designer Ribbon Rounds Chocolate Collection
Workshop Guide

The price for the kit is $29.95. All of the items included normally retail for $35.85. You may also add a few affordable accessories to give the kit an additional punch of pizazz! (dimensional elements, natural hemp and basic brads) Here is a picture of the kit with the projects I created from the Workshop Guide that is included.

The Workshop guide gives you complete instructions to create a 2 page layout. This layout can accommodate some large and small photo's and compliments a range of themes. The instructions are easy to follow, they teach you fun techniques and can be completed in no time at all. {Faster. Simpler. Easier.} Here are my pages. You'll see that I used outdoor pictures with Family as my title.

Not only are you given instructions to complete a two-page layout, but you are also able to create 6 cards. Using a bit more paper and the exclusive stamp set you will make 6 cards in one pattern. How cute are they!

That's not all.... in addition to the fabulous projects in the guide I will also be teaching a class to create another 2 page layout and 3 more cards. I chose a "First Day of School" theme for my pages, but the versatility of these papers are endless.

Look how darling these cards are. The pattern for these unique cards is from Wishes. The center of the card slides out of the sleeve to reveal your personal message. How cool is that? Just a few more bits of paper, some stamped images and embellishments, and you've got 3 beautiful cards.

Would you believe that after all of these projects there is still paper leftover, spools of ribbon, dimensional elements and brads galore left over! Not to mention a darling stamp set!

I am completely Twitterpated for this Workshop on the Go and think you will be too. Please contact me for more information or if you would like to attend my class in November.

Home Sweet Home

Welcome Home is a new stamp set in the Autumn/Winter Idea Book and was definetly on my 'must have' list. I created this two page layout for my club in October. I would have normally created a page filled with fall colors and images, but this time of year also reminds me of gathering with family in our home. Our family time spent at home is always so relaxing and the smallest moments are memorable!

Colors: chocolate, crystal blue, garden green, colonial white, bamboo

September Treasures

This months stamp is so pretty and delicate. I can remember as a child loving to find a dandelion and making a wish before sending the tiny flowers drifting through the air.

Here are few cards I created with this stamp set~

And finally a tag~ After I completed the random stamping on this I noticed that the smaller flower looks like a firework bursting in the air. Perhaps I'll try a 4th of July card in a red, white and blue theme!

Celebrate Everyday ~ Celebrate Childhood

I received the new Everyday Celebration Card Kit. It is really a wonderful card kit filled with everything you need to create 16 beautifully unique cards. I decided to create half on my cards exactly as instructed in the book provided. I then created the other 8 cards using papers from Grace level 2 and the Childhood Portrait stamp. It was very interesting to see that the same cards could look so different.

This is the kit and the cards:

Here are the same cards using the different paper and stamps:

Here are some of the cards side by side. You will notice that some of the smaller details vary from the original, but still uses the same basic design:

HELP!!!

I'm buried in a craft mess! I received just a few goodies in the last shipment and experienced a surge of ideas. Some projects are completed, but most are half way done. It was such a busy weekend that I did not get the opportunity to completely focus on my projects. I plan to finish them up when the kiddo's are back to school this week. Stay tuned for some artwork!

Autumn/Winter Idea Book

The newest Idea Book is here. Don't have a copy of your own? You can click here to see all the fabulous pages within. I have some of the new goodies and hope to start playing with them very soon. There are several wonderful new products and the artwork is gorgeous as usual. Check it out!

From Me to You {with Grace}

This is an older card kit that was offered as a promotion some time ago. I thought I would use it up before receiving the new card kit being offered for National Stamping Month. Instead of using the colors in the kit I used some of the new Grace papers in the Autumn/Winter Idea Book. This is the brochure for the kit and the stamp set that came with it.