You're Brilliant

Here's my card for the current My Favorite Things Wednesday Sketch Challenge. I shrunk the layout from standard to a mini slimline size, but still managed to fit in all of the bones of the sketch. The layout's round panel is represented by the fun light bulb die cut. I cut the bulb from bright yellow cardstock and the filament and base from sparkly silver. The assembled piece was adhered to a black cardstock panel over a strip of striped yellow patterned paper using foam tape for dimension. I stamped the "you're brilliant" sentiment from the Watt's Up set in watermark ink on a white cardstock strip, then heat embossed the text in silver to match the details on the bulb. After trimming around the words, I used more foam tape to place the sentiment on the panel. The finished panel was adhered to a yellow card base matching the bright light bulb.

Materials Used:
Watt's Up stamp set, Lemon Drop cardstock, Lightbulb dies (My Favorite Things); Basic Black cardstock, Sterling Silver embossing powder (Stampin' Up!); Lemon Tart patterned paper (Papertrey Ink); Silver cardstock (Recollections); foam tape

I'm So Hoppy for You

Here's my card for the current My Favorite Things Wednesday Sketch Challenge and color challenge, too. I used the Toad-ally Awesome stamp set for this fun design. 

I colored up one of the set's toad images using Copic markers, then cut it out with the matching die. For a background, I adhered an angle of aqua patterned paper to the top of a Summer Splash cardstock panel. I used foam tape to add the toad to the panel, positioned on a die cut lily pad. A second die cut lily pad was added to the left side of the card. I dressed it up with a small paper flower that I colored with a marker to coordinate with the color challenge palette. I stamped the set's "I'm so hoppy for you" sentiment on a coral fishtail flag strip and placed it on an angle extending from the left edge of the panel. The finished panel was adhered to a lime green card base.

Materials Used:
Toad-ally Awesome stamp set, Summer Splash cardstock, Toad-ally Awesome and Fishtail Flag STAX dies (My Favorite Things); Memento Tuxedo Black ink (Tsukineko/IMAGINE Crafts); markers (Copic); Limeade Ice, and Kraft cardstock, Aqua Mist patterned paper (Papertrey Ink); paper flower (Prima); foam tape

Thanks for Always Perking Me Up

Here's my card for the current My Favorite Things Wednesday Sketch Challenge. I created a coffee-themed thank you card using the Pure Innocence Grande-Sized Love set. The PI cutie was colored with Copic markers, then since I was too lazy to set up my Scan 'n Cut, carefully cut out with a sharp pair of scissors. I used foam tape to adhere the image to a white pierced rectangle panel, then matted the image panel on contrasting blue cardstock before I positioned it on the lower right side of a red card base. the set's "thanks for always perking me up" sentiment was stamped on two narrow kraft cardstock strips. The strips were placed at the left side of the cardfront, overlapping the left side of the image panel, to finish the design.

Materials Used:
Grande-Sized Love stamp set, Pierced Rectangle STAX dies (My Favorite Things); Memento Tuxedo Black ink (Tsukineko/IMAGINE Crafts); markers (Copic); Riding Hood Red and Blue Bayou cardstock (Stampin' Up!); Kraft cardstock (Papertrey Ink); foam tape

I Pick You

 

Here's my card for the current My Favorite Things Wednesday Sketch Challenge and and color challenge. The mix of colors seemed fall-like to me, so I went with one of my favorite fall MFT sets, Harvest Mouse. I colored the pumpkin-toting mouse with Copic markers in the challenge colors, then set the image aside to put together the background panel. For the background I mixed and matched a variety of fishtail flag strips in different widths, colors, and patterns. This was a great way to use up some scraps! The flags were arranged on an orange cardstock panel with a gray strip at the top. A narrow strip of green cardstock at the top of the panel hides all of the straight ends and gives the panel a clean look. I adhered the panel on a coordinating cheery yellow card base, then added the mouse image in the lower right corner using foam tape for dimension. The set's "I pick you" sentiment was stamped in the lower left corner of the orange panel to complete the card.

Materials Used:
Harvest Mouse stamp set, Steel Grey cardstock, Harvest Mouse and Fishtail Flag STAX dies (My Favorite Things);  Memento Tuxedo Black ink (Tsukineko/IMAGINE Crafts); markers (Copic); Pumpkin Pie cardstock (Stampin' Up!); Bright Buttercup and Simply Chartreuse cardstock, Simply Chartreuse, Smokey Shadow, and Orange Zest patterned paper (Papertrey Ink); foam tape

Hey, Sunshine

Here's my card for the current My Favorite Things Wednesday Sketch Challenge. My mini slimline design is a watery scene featuring the cutie from the Drink Up the Sunshine stamp set. The image was colored with Copic markers, then fussy cut with super sharp scissors. I created a background for the image with some aqua grid patterned paper and darker aqua "waves" cut with MFT's Hit the Slopes dies. The image was added on top with foam tape for dimension. I stamped the "hey, sunshine" sentiment from the Hey, Sunshine stamp set on an orange fishtail flag strip. The strip was adhered to the patterned paper panel over a contrasting hot pink fishtail flag strip. I centered the card on a teal card base to finish the design.

Materials Used:
Drink Up the Sunshine and Hey, Sunshine stamp set, Hit the Slopes and Fishtail Flag STAX dies (My Favorite Things); Memento Tuxedo Black ink (Tsukineko/IMAGINE Crafts); marker (Copic); Hawaiian Shores and Raspberry Fizz cardstock (Papertrey Ink); Pumpkin Pie cardstock (Stampin' Up!); Ocean cardstock, Aqua Grid designer paper (Recollections); foam tape

You're the Coolest

Here's my card for the current My Favorite Things Wednesday Sketch Challenge and color challenge. I used one of my favorite MFT summer images, the penguin with a popsicle from the Penguins in Paradise set, for this card. I colored up the penguin with Copic markers, then cut out the colored image with the matching die. For an icy look, I coated the top of the popsicle with some glitter. It's been a while since I've used glitter and I'd forgotten how messy it is...The penguin was adhered to a cream pierced circle die cut using foam tape for dimension, then layered on to a blue card base over a pair of diagonal teal and coral cardstock stripes. The set's "you're the coolest" sentiment was stamped on a strip of coral cardstock and tucked beneath the penguin's feet to finish the card.

Materials Used:
Penguins in Paradise stamp set, Summer Splash cardstock, Penguins in Paradise and Pierced Circle STAX dies (My Favorite Things); Memento Tuxedo Black ink (Tsukineko/IMAGINE Crafts); markers (Copic); Cameo Coral and Taken with Teal cardstock, Dazzling Diamonds glitter (Stampin' Up!); foam tape

Thanks for Being My Lifesaver

Here's my card for the current My Favorite Things Wednesday Sketch Challenge. My version is a summery take on the sketch using the Pure Innocence Sunny Days Ahead stamp set. I colored up the girl and her unicorn floatie with Copic markers, then used my Scan 'n Cut to cut out the colored image. The image was adhered to an aqua pierced circle die cut using foam tape for dimension. I layered the circle on to a light blue card base over a piece of dotted light blue patterned paper and an contrasting wide strip of orange cardstock. The dots kind of reminded me of water droplets, so they seemed to work on a card with a swimming themed image. The set's "thanks for being my lifesaver" sentiment was stamped on a narrow pink fishtail flag strip in black ink. The strip was adhered beneath the image panel to finish the design.

Materials Used:
Sunny Days Ahead stamp set, Sno Cone cardstock, Pierced Circle STAX and Fishtail Flag STAX dies (My Favorite Things); Memento Tuxedo Black ink (Tsukineko/IMAGINE Crafts); markers (Copic);Pixie Pink and Pumpkin Pie cardstock (Stampin' Up!); Hawaiian Shores cardstock (Papertrey Ink); Springdesigner paper (Echo Park); foam tape

Beary Special Day

Here's my card for the current My Favorite Things Wednesday Sketch Challenge and current color challenge, too. I created a birthday card using one of the bears from the Birdie Brown Birthday Bears stamp set. The bear was colored with Copic markers to match the colors from the color challenge, then cut out with the matching die. I used foam tape to adhere the bear image to the rosy pink cardstock panel. The panel was placed at the left side of a pale pink card base. For the sentiment, I cut a trio of rosy pink strips and stamped the set's "have a beary special day" sentiment across the three strips. They were arranged beneath the image panel to finish the design.

Materials Used:
Birthday Bears stamp set , Birthday Bears dies (Lawn Fawn); Memento Tuxedo Black ink (Tsukineko/IMAGINE Crafts); markers (Copic); Regal Rose cardstock (Stampin' Up!); Red Punch cardstock (Recollections); foam tape

Just Bee-Cause

Here's my card for the current My Favorite Things Wednesday Sketch Challenge. I used the layout for a simple just because design using MFT's Meant to Bee stamps and dies. I stamped up a bunch of the set's bee images and colored them with Copic markers before cutting out the colored images with the matching dies. To create the round openings in the aqua panel, I used a circle punch. So that I could be sure the holes were spaced evenly, I used sticky notes to figure out the placement of the circles before using the punch. After using foam tape to place the aqua panel over an aqua dotted patterned paper square I added a bee inside each opening. The "just bee-cause" sentiment was stamped on a yellow fishtail flag strip to coordinate with the bees. I used more foam tape to put the sentiment in place to finish the card. 

Materials Used:
Meant to Bee stamp set, Meant to Bee and Essential Fishtail Flag Strips dies (My Favorite Things); Memento Tuxedo Black ink (Tsukineko/IMAGINE Crafts); markers (Copic); Aqua Mist and Harvest Gold cardstock, Aqua Mist patterned paper (Papertrey Ink); circle punch (EK Success); foam tape

How've You Bean?

Here's my card for the current My Favorite Things Wednesday Sketch Challenge. I paired the layout with the current MFT color challenge for this coffee themed greeting card. The mini to go cup from the Mini Cafe All Day die set is my focal image. The die cut piece was adhered to a blue pierced circle die cut using foam tape for dimension. I layered the circle, off center, onto a darker aqua pierced circle die cut at the right side of a card base the same color as the smaller pierced circle. For contrast, I tucked a green fishtail flag strip with a narrower aqua strip down the center between the layered circles. The "how've you bean?" sentiment from the Coffee Break stamp set was stamped at the bottom right of the cardfront in coordinating dark aqua ink to finish the design.

Materials Used:
Coffee Break stamp set, Sour Apple cardstock, Mini Cafe All Day, Pierced Circle STAX, and Fishtail Flag STAX dies (My Favorite Things); Cookie Monster ink (Taylored Expressions); Cool Caribbean cardstock (Stampin' Up!); Hawaiian Shores and Kraft cardstock (Papertrey Ink); foam tape

You're a Superstar

Here's my card for the current My Favorite Things Wednesday Sketch Challenge. I shrunk the layout to a mini slimline size and represented the five round elements with various sizes of silver stars made with the Lucky Stars dies and shimmery silver paper. The stars were arranged on a galaxy-like background panel created by blending some distress oxides and splattering the panel with water. I adhered the panel to a coordinating purple card base. For the sentiment I stamped the "you're a superstar" sentiment from the Friendship Rocks stamp set in silver ink on a blue cardstock strip. The strip was adhered to the panel with foam tape. I accented it with a trio of silver sequins to add one more fun sparkly element to the out of this world design.

Materials Used:
Friendship Rocks stamp set, Lucky Stars dies (My Favorite Things); Encore Silver ink (Tsukineko/IMAGINE Crafts); Broken China, Faded Jeans, and Wilted Violet distress oxides (Ranger); Very Violet, Ocean, and Silver cardstock (Recollections); silver sequins; foam tape

Sending You Love

Here's my card for the current My Favorite Things Wednesday Sketch Challenge. I paired the sketch with MFT's current color challenge for this simple and sweet love themed design. The layout's balloon shaped element was replaced with a pierced heart die cut that I adhered to a blue panel with embossed diagonal lines. I turned the heart die cut into a balloon by adding a gray baker's twine bow and a gray baker's twine "string" that hangs down from the bottom of the balloon. The "sending you love" sentiment from the Bitty Hugs and Kisses set was stamped in gray ink on a light purple fishtail flag strip. The stamped strip was adhered directly to the heart die cut. I added a pale purple panel matching the sentiment strip along the bottom of the card. A strip of gray cardstock was tucked beneath the top edge of the purple panel for contrast. The finished panel was adhered to a purple card base matching the heart "balloon."

Materials Used:
Bitty Hugs and Kisses stamp set, Blu Raspberry and Steel Grey cardstock, Pierced Heart STAX and Essential Fishtail Flag Sentiment Strips dies (My Favorite Things); Memento Gray Flannel ink (Tsukineko/IMAGINE Crafts); Very Violet cardstock (Recollections); Linear embossing folder (Lifestyle Crafts); gray baker's twine; foam tape

Thanks for Being You

Here's my card for the current My Favorite Things Wednesday Sketch Challenge. I stretched the layout vertically, using a mini slimline sized card to fit the trio of cheery Gerbera daisies that I used to represent the three round elements on the layout. The daisies were cut with an older MFT die and arranged at the left side of a pink dotted patterned paper panel. The panel was adhered to a coordinating pink card base. For the sentiment, I stamped "thanks for being you" from the versatile Bitty Thanks and Gratitude stamp set on a pink fishtail flag strip matching the card base. The sentiment strip was placed across the card's largest daisy image to finish the design.

Materials Used:
Bitty Thanks and Gratitude stamp sets, Gerbera Daisy and Essential Fishtail Flag Sentiment Strips dies (My Favorite Things); Memento Tuxedo Black ink (Tsukineko/IMAGINE Crafts); Lovely Lady and Bright Buttercup cardstock (Papertrey Ink);Tiny Polka-Pink Tonal designer paper (The Paper Studio); foam tape

I Love You More Than Cupcakes

Here's my card for the current My Favorite Things Wednesday Sketch Challenge. This sweet design features die cut cupcakes created with MFT's Cupcakes and Sprinkles die set. The cupcake wrapper was cut from gold foil cardstock to mimic the look of those shiny cupcake wrappers. The top was cut from cream cardstock for a buttercream frosting-like look. I assembled the cupcakes on brown paper with a pink polka dot pattern using foam tape for dimension. The panels were matted on coordinating brown cardstock before I adhered them to a pink card base. The "I love you more than cupcakes" sentiment from the Sugar Coated Sentiments stamp set was stamped beneath the panels in brown ink. For a finishing touch, I added a die cut cherry to each cupcake, coating it with Glossy Accents for a shiny look.

Materials Used:
Sugar Coated Sentiments stamp set, Cupcakes and Sprinkles dies (My Favorite Things); Rich Cocoa ink (Tsukineko/IMAGINE Crafts); Close to Cocoa cardstock (Stampin' Up!); Lovely Lady cardstock (Papertrey Ink); Gold Foil and Red Punch cardstock (Recollections); Cool Summer 6x6 paper pad (Carta Bella); Glossy Accents (Ranger); foam tape

Yay! It's Your Birthday

Here's my card for the current My Favorite Things Wednesday Sketch Challenge. This is a super simple one that would be easy to reproduce in a number of color schemes.

I used the "celebrate" die from MFT's Celebrate die set to cut the word from four different colors of cardstock for an ombre effect. The palest blue green was adhered at the bottom of the panel, with each word above it a shade darker. I left room beneath the bottom die cut to stamp a small sentiment. I went with one from the Bitty Birthday Wishes set. The "Yay! It's your birthday" sentiment was stamped just below the die cut using Summer Splash ink. I did the stamping with my MISTI so that I could be sure that the word was straight and that I got a solid impression. The finished panel was adhered to a teal card base. Since it's nice and flat, this one would be great to make up in multiples in a few different color schemes to have some easy to mail birthday cards on hand.

Materials Used:
Bitty Birthday Wishes stamp set, Summer Splash ink, Celebrate dies (My Favorite Things); Aqua Mist, Hawaiian Shores, and Tropical Teal cardstock (Papertrey Ink); Ocean cardstock (Recollections)

Beary Special Friend

Here's my card for the current My Favorite Things Wednesday Sketch Challenge. I used the layout for a mostly monochromatic mini slimline design.

For my focal image, I colored the balloon and gift toting bear image from the Beary Special Birthday stamp set with Copic markers. After cutting out the colored image with the matching die, I used foam tape to adhere it to a pale pink pierced rectangle die cut. The rectangle was matted on rose cardstock, then adhered to the right side of a pink patterned paper panel. The image panel was set off from the background with a pair of pale pink slanted sentiment strip die cuts. The "for a beary special friend" sentiment was stamped on the wider bottom strip. The finished panel was adhered to a rose card base to match the mat beneath the image panel.

Materials Used:
Beary Special Birthday stamp set, Beary Special Birthday, Pierced Rectangle STAX and Slanted Sentiment Strips dies (My Favorite Things); Memento Tuxedo Black ink (Tsukineko/IMAGINE Crafts);  markers (Copic); Pink Pirouette and Regal Rose cardstock (Stampin' Up!); Country Drive-Flutter By designer paper (Echo Park); foam tape

Just Bee-cause

Here's my card for the current My Favorite Things Wednesday Sketch Challenge. I  used the square layout for a simple all-occasion design featuring MFT's Meant to Bee stamp set.

I colored up the set's hive image and two of the tiny bees. The images were cut out with the matching dies, then set aside while I assembled the rest of the card. My base was made from teal cardstock. I added a wide strip of bright yellow cardstock along the left side of the cardfront, then placed an aqua dotted die cut circle on top. The hive was added to the cardfront using foam tape for dimension. I positioned the bees around the hive, then stamped the "just bee-cause" sentiment at the bottom right of the cardfront to finish the card.

Materials Used:
Meant to Bee stamp set, Meant to Bee dies (My Favorite Things); Memento Tuxedo Black ink (Tsukineko/IMAGINE Crafts); markers (Copic); Ocean cardstock (Recollections); Bright Buttercup cardstock, Aqua Mist patterned paper (Papertrey Ink); circle dies (Spellbinders); foam tape

So Sorry for Your Loss

Here's my card for the current My Favorite Things Wednesday Sketch Challenge.  I used the layout to create a monochromatic sympathy card in soothing, earthy shades of green. One of the images from the Flower Silhouettes stamp set was stamped repeatedly on a pale green panel in a darker shade of green ink. For interest, I stamped the flowers at varying heights. The stamped oval was adhered to the right side of a darker green card base over a green gingham cardstock panel and trimmed along the right edge so that it was even with the edge of the card. The "so sorry for your loss" sentiment from the More Essential Sentiments stamp set was stamped in white pigment ink on a narrow slanted sentiment strip die cut then heat embossed in white to stand out. I adhered the strip over the image panel to complete the design.

Materials Used:
Flower Silhouettes and More Essential Sentiments stamp sets, Slanted Sentiment Strips (My Favorite Things); Memento Bamboo Leaves and Memento Luxe Wedding Dress inks (Tsukineko/IMAGINE Crafts); Ripe Avocado and Spring Moss cardstock, Simply Chartreuse patterned paper (Papertrey Ink); petite oval dies (Spellbinders); Snow embossing powder (Recollections)

Under the Weather?

Here's my card for the current My Favorite Things Wednesday Sketch Challenge. I used the layout and some "vintage" MFT stamps and dies for this get well design. The five elements on the light blue round pierced panel were represented by a die cut umbrella, a pair of die cut shimmery white clouds and two silver sequin "raindrops."  I adhered the panel to a darker blue card base over a red paper panel with a round pattern echoing the shape of the image panel and the raindrops. The "under the weather?" sentiment from the Umbrella stamp set was stamped beneath the image panel to finish the design.

Materials Used:
Umbrella stamp set, Pierced Circle STAX, Umbrella and Cute Cloud Outlines dies (My Favorite Things); Memento Tuxedo Black ink (Tsukineko/IMAGINE Crafts); Soft Sky and Pacific Point cardstock (Stampin' Up!); Men of Life patterned paper (Papertrey Ink); Red Punch cardstock (Recollections); Crystal Stardream metallic cardstock (The Paper Cut); silver sequins; foam tape

Thanks a Ton

Here's my card for both the current My Favorite Things Wednesday Sketch Challenge and Color Challenge. I paired the fun colors with the simple sketch for this cute thank you card design. My focal panel is an elephant created with die cuts from the Jungle Friends die set. For interest, I used pale pink for the elephant's ear and a black enamel dot for the eye. The image was adhered to a white panel usign foam tape for dimension. This allowed me to tuck some greenery beneath the die cut piece to ground it. I adhered the panel to a bright pink pierced rectangle die cut, angling it for interest. The panels were adhered to a green card base over a narrow strip of bright pink gingham patterned paper edged with a narrower strip of pale pink cardstock. The "thanks a ton" sentiment from the coordinating Jungle Friends stamp set was stamped on a pale pink fishtail flag strip. I adhered it to the cardfront, tucking one end under the image panel to finish the design.

Materials Used:
Jungle Friends stamp set, Cement Gray cardstock, Jungle Friends, Pierced Rectangle STAX, and Fishtail Flag STAX dies (My Favorite Things); Kiwi Kiss and Blushing Bride cardstock (Stampin' Up!); Razzleberry Fizz cardstock (Papertrey Ink); Hello 6x6 paper pad (Doodlebug Design); black enamel dot (My Mind's Eye); foam tape