Today is YOUR Day for Freshly Made Sketches and 365 Cards

There are so many challenges!  I love having options, but it can be overwhelming.  I follow 100+ blogs.  I was following more.  The past couple of days, I was doing some paring down.  I find that I doubt if I will ever do a digi stamp.  At least not for a while.  So I let those go.  I also found that the year that I've been away, there have been many challenges that are no longer open "on sabbatical" or just called it quits.  I can see how this can be exhausting.

Okay, back to the card and the challenges I chose.  On 365 Cards, Day 334 challenge is to make a card with a gift on it, any theme!  That's perfect.  I don't have to make a Christmas card, thank goodness.  Freshly Made Sketches #114 has a lovely, simple, elegant sketch to play with.

I used the swirl embossing folder on the gorgeous green cardstock.  The sentiment, gift, gift lid and bow are from Stamps of Life birthday2celebrate.  I stamped them in Momento Dew Drops in Potter's Clay on another lovely shade of green.  That same color is sponged around the edges too.  I used foam tape under the lid and doubled the thickness of the foam tape for the bow.  I pulled out my Martha Stewart circle cutter.  I find it doesn't take as much pressure on the blade as I was used to.  And the Spellbinder Scalloped edged circle, I used the middle size.  Now at my daughter's suggestion, I am decorating the inside like this:

The stamp is a oldie but a goodie from Close to My Heart.  It's a wooden one.  I know, ancient, right?  I kept a few from the days when I was a demonstrator.  I look forward to using the other stamps too.  Who else have stamps that are 10+ years?

Clean and Simple #268

Christmas is less than a month away and I'm 'tired' of making Christmas cards for now.  I ran across this Sketch Challenge from Clean and Simple.  Doing the unordinary (the rebel in me is showing) and making a non-seasonal card.

And speaking of trees, tonight there will be the 21st Anniversary of Mission Inn Festival of Lights.  The flip the switch at 4:30pm.  Three and a half million lights will illuminate downtown Riverside that includes an outdoor ice rink.  This last for 5 weeks.  I've lived here for 6 years and have never heard of this, amazing!  I will certainly add this event to my holiday schedule since there will be vendors and entertainment.  Even though it's southern CA, it does get cold at night. The southern CA definition of cold is anything below 50 degrees.  Okay, that's this girl's definition.  I wear my scarf and gloves a lot.  I could never survive where there might be snow.

Scrap Tree with Buttons

My inspiration came from the great cyberworld.  It was a glance, not even sure who made the original card...so sorry.  I thought I was done making my Christmas cards this year until my daughter came to look at my latest creations and starting makings sounds that resembled "I can't wait to send these to my friends".  My daughter is not a scrapper/cardmaker and it's my pleasure to make her some cards.  She loved it!  And look at all that stash! 

Many Thanks today

Today is Thanksgiving.  Everyone can find something to be thankful for even in the worst of times, right? This card shows some of the ways to say thanks.  For one, I am thankful for the opportunity to deplete more of my stash.

I started with brown CS that is top folded (4.24x5.5). The tag is a #5 manilla shipping tag that I've had for a while.  I used my distressed inks (Wild Honey and Peeled Paint).  I found three different ways to stamp Thanks in black.  I colored in 'thanks'  with brown Prismacolor pencil.  Found a cute button and the square is a cardstock sticker.  I used Martha Stewart's permanent glue on that button.  Digging through my stash I found this yellow paper that is cut with the largest Spellbinder Scalloped circle that I used those delicious distressed inks on. The paper on top was on my table that is cut the next smaller size scalloped circle.  The fall ribbon is from Target $1 bin several years ago.  All  of that on green marbled paper.  To be honest, I've haven't thought too much in the past about decorating the inside, but it does use up more stash-so I'm all for that!

I've linked this to a challenge at 365 Cards Blog #331.  Our word for the day is Thanks.  This is one of my favorite places to look for inspiration.  Actually, it's been the first place I looked when I started back to creating.  In the year I've been away, they have changed their blog design.  Very nice!

Happy Thoughts

I am certainly having happy thoughts...thoughts of getting back to making cards and using up my stash.  I still have so much after making 100+ cards.  My goals is the same, no purchase of ribbons, embellishments, stickers.  That is anything that is consumable.  I am trying to use up my card stock, but am running out of a few must have colors, like white.

I have found the best inspiration from card blog challenges and videos that I have stumbled upon.  I found this intriguing challenge on Cardabilities: Sketch #87.  I was able to use up this gorgeous patterned paper I received in a kit that I received a few years ago when I belonged to The ScrapRoom monthly kit club.  I received the whole collection and loved every piece of it.  The red circled paper is on one side the the solid tan paper on the other.  I know it looks green because I am using my brand new distressed inks.  Ok, I'm addicted!

Something about Fall

Most people re-evaluate their life in January, the new year.  For some reason, I do it in the fall.  It's my favorite time of year, I am the most comfortable, usually the least stressed out giving me time to look back on the year, what changes I need to make.

Most people don't start a diet right before Thanksgiving, but I did three years ago and was the most successful in losing 20 lbs in 12 weeks.  I was so proud of myself.  Even though I gained the weight back, I proved to myself that I can lose weight without outrageous change in diet.  I found for me, it was all about portions.  So, this is a goal for me, to watch my portions and be committed to doing yoga.  Yoga, is, well, the best exercise ever!  I don't go to classes.  I am way too self conscious for that.  I did go once to a class to make sure I was doing it right, and well, I am.  I have DVDs and a resource online to spice up my routine.  I've been waking up super early (4:30am is super early to me).  This morning I got up and dusted off my favorite yoga DVD. It felt so good to stretch out again.

Another change that I will be doing this fall is look for a new apartment.  It's time to move on.  I've lived in my quaint 1000 sq apt for 3 years.  So next week, I have some time off and will be searching for a new place to live.  The move won't happen until January when my lease it up.  Not sure why, but I get itchy feet every three years.  As a kid we seemed to move every three years, so that might have something to do with it.

One more change, I am going to get back to the things I love, to do what makes me happy.  And that is card making.  I started this venture almost 20 years ago.  I fell in love with stamping and embossing.  I am still in love with that but there are SO many new products out there.  I haven't stamped in over a year until this past weekend.  I have to give credit to Jennifer McGuire for her great videos of her favorite crafty things for making it easy to decide what products are worth getting.  I've never owned Tim Holtz's Distress Dye Inks.  I wasn't sure how to use them.  Jennifer made it so easy.  I bought my first distress stamp pads with the applicator as well as the nifty craft mat by Ranger.

I haven't made Christmas cards in years.  These are going to some very special people.  It felt good to start doing what I love again.