Happy Blessings

In order to use a couple sketch challenges, I created two cards, one "Blessings" and the other "Happy". 

 First off, I wanted to play along with the Paper Smooches Sparks challenge with their great sketch.  I so love this notebook paper die so I used that as the foundation of my card and the main piece that follows the sketch. 

 This is actually a tiny card.  After I cut the die piece, I took a Distress Stamp pad and "stamped" that directly to the paper, giving me a square piece of color.  I also gave this a small spritz of water that made some of the color run.  I cut out the leaf from a piece of cardstock after I added some color to that paper with a few colors of Distress Stain.  I coated the leaf with some Distress Rock Candy.  I tried to turn the card so you could see a little bit of the sparkle.

 Here is the Paper Smooches Sparks sketch.

 For my "Happy" card, I used the retro sketch.  I picked up some new papers from Echo Park.  It is always fun to use papers that coordinate. 

 I love the little grouping of accents in the corner.

Here is the retro sketch.
Thanks for visiting, Linda (lbpost)

Gotta love sketches

I finally found some play time and so I went to a few online challenges, always great for inspiration.

 First up, I used the retro sketch for this week.  I coupled that with the Cas-ual Friday "She's Krafty" challenge.  The patterned paper is from Echo Park, I used both sides of the paper.

 I love this little chipboard drinking jar and the card is also decorated with a few tiny flowers from the same set. 

 Here is the retro sketch.

 Here is the Cas-ual Fridays challenge.

 For this card I wanted to use the CAS(e) this sketch.  I thought it was a pretty fun and different sketch. 

 The black, chalkboard looking label is from Stampin' Up.  It is from a set with matching dies. 

Here is the CAS(e) this sketch.
Thanks for visiting, Linda (lbpost)

Colors, Sketches and FUN!!!

I have some fun stuff to share...

 I have a hate/love relationship with this card. Ever happen to you? I created the card around the Colour Q combination. I worked one night for some time trying to put something together and as I left it and went to bed, I knew I did not like it at all. I was going to get up and go in a completely different direction. BUT...when I got up and looked at it, I could see the possibilities and so I went with it. The circle pattern is cut with the Paper Lace 2 Cricut cartridge. 

 As I was trying to make this work, I read Cath's challenge on Moxie Fab to use a canning jar. I LOVE canning jars, so this made me happy. I had this adorable digital stamp jar by The Wax Fruit Co and I was pretty sure I could print it out real small.  I could say as I finished the card, I loved it!

 Here is the Colour Q combo.

 Next up, the retro sketch for this last week.  I pulled out a stencil that I hadn't used yet and created the design on white cardstock using a stamp pad from Hero Arts.

 I just purchased a set of stamps from Verve.  I loved this set because it includes several sentiments that are meant to be the spotlight on a card.  My little sun is hand cut.

 Here is the retro sketch.

 And, I also wanted to play along with Freshly Made sketches this week. The fun part is that you are to pick out a sketch from their past sketches and I was so happy to see so many that are fun. 

  I used a piece of digital paper and some digital elements from Echo Park's Everyday Eclectic to create my card.

Here is the Freshly Made sketch that I used, sketch #2.
Thanks for visiting, Linda (lbpost)

A Flower here and a Flower there

A couple cards to share and each of them include a flower. 

 First off, I used the color combination at Colour Q.  It was so much fun to find ways to put these colors together.

 When I saw that great yellow, I knew I wanted to emboss it with a honeycomb embossing pattern.  That also makes this fit the Cas-ual Friday challenge.  This close-up photo doesn't show off the yellow all that well but you get the idea.  The red label and the blue border were pieces that were just sitting on my desk, rejected from some previous projects.

 Here is the yummy Colour Q combo.

Here is the link to the Cas-ual Fridays challenge.

 Next up, I used the retro sketch for this week.

 The little banner pieces, the flower and the label are all stickers by Echo Park.

 Here is the retro sketch I used.
And for a few photos...

 We recently went away for a couple days to celebrate our anniversary.  One of our stops is the pier at Avila Beach.  We were watching the birds and the seals and noticed "us" in shadow form in the water below.

 Look at the notice on the dock, "Work Dock"! Is that hilarious as these guys are doing any but working!!!

 There is a hierachy wherever these guys end up napping. A fight gets started when one seal tries to intrude on another seals "space".  Lots of load barking.

 We saw lots of these guys...

And these guys, they are always hanging around waiting for a fisherman to drop any scraps!

Thanks for visiting, Linda (lbpost)

Sun, Clouds, Crabs, etc

I have a fun mixture to share with you today.

 Cath at Moxie Fab issued a challenge the other day to use the color MINT and I was right there to create something. I used Kimber's Saturday sketch at 2 Peas for the layout of my card. The label shape is cut with my Cricut.  This also fits the Cas-ual Friday challenge for square cards.

 I just received this adorable little stamp set from PaperTrey, Inc and I just had to give these adorable clouds a chance.  I stamped the clouds and the sun with white ink on white cardstock and embossed them with white embossing powder.  Now I took each piece and "colored" them with Distress Stain. I love using the Stains and the white embossed image acts as a resist so the image stays white and the background paper gets colored.

 Here is the sketch I used.

 Next up, I used the Freshly Made sketch

 I printed out some digital elements I had purchased from Echo Park. I love using digital images, I love that you get to pick the size you want them to be.

 Do you just love this guy???

 And, for the Card Positioning Systems sketch for this week.  The Stamps of Life is our sponsor.  I am using her amazing hexagon set. 

 The set includes a number of different hexagons in different sizes and patterns.  I used two of the stamps.

I thought this sketch was just so much fun! I pulled out my Kreaxions circle cutter to cut out my largest circle and then pulled out my various paper punches for my other little circles. These are the kind of punches that you pound with a hammer to cut out the circle.

Thanks for visiting, Linda (lbpost)

Happy Colors

I wanted to play along with a couple color challenges and both are happy, summer colors.

 First off, the Colour Q combo along with some fun Hero Arts stamps.  I also wanted to have it fit the "Hey Girl" challenge at Simon Says.

 This is the Colour Q combo.

 Next up, The Play Date Cafe color combo along with the retro sketch for this week.

 This was oh so easy with some cute Echo Park stickers.

 Here is The Play Date Cafe combo.

And the retro sketch.
Thanks for visiting, Linda (lbpost)