Shellibrate, 365 Cards Day341 and Techo Stamper 292

Aren't these turtles cute? These are by Stamps of Life by Stephanie Bernard.  There are cute designs you can stamp for their shells, but I decided to paper piece it, for a 365 Cards Challenge.  And the Sketch is from Techno Stamper: Monday Lunchtime Sketch 292.

I wish I had a plain oval die(s).  Looks like I will add it to my wishlist.  So I used my scalloped edged oval, that I sponged Momento Dew Drop in Bamboo Leaves.  I colored the legs and head with prismacolor pencils.  The paper piecing I did put Glossy accents all over the little turtle's shell and the dots on the bigger turtle's shell.  The solid orange paper is some beautiful origami paper and you can see the polka dot dark orange scrap that I had.  For the banner, I stamped the sentiment that comes with the stamp set in black and cut a long rectangle.  I used my scoreboard to score the fold lines 1/8" apart from each other and the ends were hand cut.  I've seen videos where they use a square punch on an angle to cut the ends, but I haven't mastered that yet.

Thanks for stopping by!  I would love to hear from you, please leave a comment.

Traci

Turtle and Day 342 Super Sketchy Sunday

Pardon my photography and cropping.  I am using a new program and am trying to fine tune it, I guess one picture at a time.  As I have mentioned before, I love the color green.  The dominate color of my stash is green.  I've made 150+ cards with my stash and I still have so much to play with.

My inspiration for this card came from 365 Cards: Day 342 Super Sketchy Sunday.  Whenever I start a card, I like to find a sketch that speaks to me, one that is clean and simple.  This example has holly/berries, very Christmasy.  But I am thinking outside the box here.  I call this a generic card.  This turtle is so darn cute.  I was in a paper piecing swaps 5-10 years ago and I got this little guy. I added Glossy Accents to his shell and the little glitter spots on the paper piecing that I had from a kit.  And he seemed to fit perfect here.  The sentiment is a ribbon with the words printed on it.  I do like the monarch die from My Favorite Things.  I had already punched this out and it was in my 'ready to use' stash.  How lucky was that!

You know my new commitment to decorate the inside too, so here it is.  

For the embellishment, I used a felt green flower and the die cut that I purchased in a kit.

Thanks for stopping by.  I love to hear from you, so please leave a comment.  

Traci

Thank You Fusion Card Challenge

 Today, as I was perusing the internet for any card challenges, I happened to find Fusion Card Challenge.  It appears that they were closing down their challenge but changed their minds when they received many emails asking them not to.  I am so glad they did!  Not only are they continuing on with the challenge, they are looking for DT members.  As much as I would love to put my name in the hat for a DT position, I don't think I can commit to this.  But one of you might...hint, hint.

The challenge is to use just the sketch (which is what I did) or use just the photo (which I am thinking is red and white Christmas) or do both.  Now how cool is that?  I love having options!

Of course, I don't want to make another Christmas card, but I do like Christmas colors. And there is no such thing as too many Thank You cards, right?  For this card I went digging a bit in my stash.  The green circle patterned paper really called my name today.  I love green!  So I have many shades of green scrap paper.  I like the little pop of red.  The round button is actually from an old Basic Grey kit.

There is foam tape under the red solid and the red pattered paper.  I love how it really stands out. I inked the edges of the "ribbons' and adhered foam tape to them to make them stand up a bit.  The sentiment is from Stamps of Life Mums2stamp.
Be sure to check out her website.

Of course, I cannot say this card is complete if I don't decorate the inside.

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Hugs & Kisses

I received some good news today and in a way to celebrate, I went shopping.  I bought a new stamp set from Hero Arts (You & Me).  I knew it would be perfect for Valentine's Day cards.  I try to think ahead.  One thing most know about me, I am not a procrastinator.  I used to have tons of embossing powder, but for the life of me, I don't know why I got rid of it.  So, I looked at Michaels for black and white embossing powder.  Luckily I do have embossing ink even with a refill.  I haven't used them in forever and the pads are looking a bit funky.  So I think I may be needing some new embossing pads too.  But, back to my buying spree today, I purchased some embossing powder and not sure what the heck I bought.  It's clear powder, but it's sticky even when I heat set it.  It's nice that I can add more powder to give more texture, but I think it's for adding glitter.  That is one thing I am NOT a fan of: GLITTER!!  So, I guess I will be ordering some embossing powders online soon.

The sketch is from Clean & Simple #269. Their example used snowflakes and was absolutely gorgeous.  As much as I would have loved to copy that, I couldn't.  But I do have hearts.  Only stamps right now.  I used the khaki CS as the base that is lightly inked around the edges in hot pink.  I stamped the words in the same color ink.  I embossed about 24 hearts in different sizes and different colors and cut them out.  Of course I didn't use very many.  For the final touch, I put glossy accents on the two hearts that are on the sentiment section.  This super clean and simple.

Congrats and Retro Sketches #92

Retro Sketches have a sketch this week that was certainly a challenge to me.  I don't want all cards this time of year to be Christmas themed.  So I chose a color that I am not that confident with: peach.  Actually, it didn't start that way.  I started with the circle and how to embellish it.  I love these flowers from Prima.  In my stash I had this blue fabric strip.  I have NO idea where that came from.  Remember I've been doing this for 20 years and there are some memory lapses.  I pulled the other colors from the strips on the blue fabric and that's where the peach comes in.  Of course I used an embossing folder on the lighter peach.  I sponged orange Momento Dew Drops onto the green.  The sentiment is from a stamp set from My Favorite Things.  Don't you love that huge button?    Normally I would show the inside, but it's late and I haven't completed that yet. 

I miss you! and FMS 115

Today was my first day of my vacation.  My travel plans were changed so I am staying home and doing things I enjoy.  And Card Making is near the top.  I love the simplistic elegance of the Freshly Made Sketches 115.  This sketch can be used 100's of times and never get old.

I dusted off my dies that I haven't used in a year.  The flowers
and the border are by Sizzix.  The patterned paper is paper I
purchased to make scrapbooks pages for my girls.  That was
several years ago and I don't recall the maker.  But I love the
pink/green/yellow combo.  I inked the flowers and stamped the sentiment with Momento Dew Drops in Pear Tart.  I used foam tape under each layer of the flower to make it stand out and topped with a pale yellow button.  The leaves I had cut with my circle punch and then cut again with my circle punch to make
it marquis shaped, used my score board to score down center.

And of course, the inside:

Hello Super Sketchy Sunday

The picture of this card kinda has the colors off.  The flower looks purple, but it's actually pink vellum on black.  I had punched several flowers last year and put them in a baggie.  I emptied that baggie tonight and it was like Christmas!  What fun!  I am such a tactile person, I just love touching all the die cuts.

I used the sketch from 365 Cards.  Every Sunday they have Super Sketchy Sunday.  This is my entry, of course.  I really enjoy playing with this challenge.  They have a new challenge every day.  Amazing!

Oh yea, almost forgot to show the inside of the card.  Another die put to good use!