Some Sketches

Here are a pair of sketch challenge cards I've been working on this week. This first one is for Beate's weekend sketch challenge, which is returning from a summer "vacation." I used one of the images from my Unity August Kit of the Month for the main image here. I colored the image with markers so that I could get the heart in red ink.

I went with a non-traditional "love" card color combo here, based on the colors in the fun, bold heart patterned paper from American Crafts. I picked this up in a scrapbook store in Madison, WI earlier this year (thanks, Dad, for patiently waiting for me while I shopped!). I paired the heart pattern with a scrap of Real Red Prints Series paper.

I added a few embellishments. I placed a small chipboard heart, covered in red craft ink and embossed with Iridescent Ice embossing powder at the base of the sentiment. And, I used a piece of dotted satin ribbon, picking up the dots in the patterned paper and in the brackets of the sentiment.

Materials Used:

Remember Happiness stamp kit (Unity Stamp Co.); Real Red Craft ink, Real Red and Chocolate Chip markers, River Rock, Kiwi Kiss, and Whisper White cardstock, Real Red Prints Series designer paper, On Board chipboard heart, Iridescent Ice embossing powder, pop up glue dot, dimensionals (Stampin' Up!); Dark Chocolate cardstock, Pure Poppy Swiss dot satin ribbon (Papertrey Ink); circle and petite scalloped circle dies (Nestabilities); patterned paper (American Crafts)

This one is for Mary Jo's sketch challenge. As soon as I saw this sketch, I knew I wanted to use the new SU! Crazy for Cupcakes set for it.

All of the cardstock colors I used here are from the Bold Brights color family. The combination of these very bright colors was inspired by the patterned paper panel at the left side of the card. The cupcake is stamped on a piece of white cardstock and colored in with Copic markers to coordinate with the paper's colors. I added some Stickles to the cupcake's sprinkles, too.

I used the new Cupcakes wheel to cover the strip of Pink Passion paper across the cardfront. I love the Jumbo Wheels, but I'm not as skilled with the regular size ones, so I was pleased when I found this one really easy to use.

I stamped the sentiment tone on tone at the bottom right corner of the card and added a trio of sparkly pink Stamping Bella dots under it. Cute! My sister celebrated a birthday yesterday and this just might become her birthday card . . .

Materials Used:
Crazy for Cupcakes stamp set, Cupcakes wheel, Green Galore, Yoyo Yellow, and Pink Passion cardstock, Pink Passion and Green Galore Classic inks, scallop edge punch, dimensionals (Stampin' Up!); patterned paper (K & Company's Berry Sweet line ); Fruit Punch and Yellow Stickles (Ranger); circle and petite scalloped circle dies (Nestabilities); pink dots (Stamping Bella)

And if you're still with me after all of that, yes, the shoebox swap earlier today was lots of fun. It was great to catch up with some of my stamping buddies and make a bunch of beautiful cards, too.

I got home late this afternoon and found that Cosmo the crazy dog had had some sort of adventure while I was gone. He has a big scrape on his nose and I can't figure out how he got it. I've looked through every room in my house for some kind of evidence (broken, knocked over, or out of place items), but there's nothing to be found, other than the dog food he threw up at some point during the day. I guess the antibiotics he's taking aren't agreeing with him. There's never a dull moment when Cosmo's around!