Sketch Girl #15

Hi there!

The latest sketch from Sketch Girl, Leigh Ann, is perfect for cards and layouts.  I was in need of a quick LO, so I went the scrapbook route this time around.  I have so much fun making cards that I put scrapbooking to the side.  Sometimes it just takes so much more work since I either have to print out photos or search thru photos to use (I guess if I have to search thru tons of photos I am a little behind on scrapbooking, LOL!).  So anyway, here it is... 

That cute little bunny tossing eggs is "Easter Joy" from Phindy's Place!, the sponsor for this sketch over at SG!  Phindy was sweet enough to give all the designers a chance to work with him!

A little about Phindy's Place:

Phindy's Place digital stamps is a new venture for children's book illustrator Philomena O'Neill (aka Phindy).  For someone who has always drawn a lot of young children and animals, drawing digi stamps has felt like a natural fit for her.  As a professional illustrator, Phindy draws her stamps as detailed and fully realized images.  She sees her digital images as a collaboration between two artists - her own imaginative line work art and the crafter's talent and vision in coloring and embellishing that art to create a finished card!

Check out these links to the store and blog.  

You could pick up this cute bunny just by playing along with Sketch Girl!  This time around one random person will win a $10 gift certificate to Phindy's Place!   To win, all you need to do is play along with sketch #15 from Leigh Ann!  You have until April 14th at 9 pm EST to link up your creation over at the Sketch Girl blog!

Here is the sketch to play along:

 Feel free to flip

and substitute any shapes you would like.  We are hoping to inspire you and give you a little bit of a challenge at the same time.  

Check out these links to all the other Sketch Girls:

Our guest designer for March - Deanne Kuntz

Annie

Alyssa

Amber

Bonnie

Harriet

Jennie

Jessica

Katie

Randee

Sara

Tiffany

Smiles and have a great day!

Julie

A Fairy Sweet Hump Day

Here it is, my project for Inktegrity's Hump Day sketch challenge :>). Yes, I know I am a little late!

This sweet little Ladybug Fairy from Inktegrity is sitting on the top of a photo holder block.  I pulled the wire out of the block and then created a nest of leaves.  The leaves were cut freehand out of old olive CS, I drew on some veins, punched a hole in each and then curled the leaves by wrapping each around a pen.  The fairy is paper pieced and I cut out an extra image from vanilla CS, I then layered the fairy on the CS with the photo holder wire in between.  The matching card is based on this week's Inktegrity challenge sketch.

I may be a little late for hump day, but it is not too late for you to join in the fun and make a project based on this sketch!

The Inktegrity weekly sketch challenge has moved to it's own blog.  Be sure to check it out HERE.  This week's sketch is a goodie so be sure to play along for the chance to win images from Inktegrity.  Plus, just for playing along you will get a free image.

My Ladybug set also qualifies for the following challenges :>)
Allsorts - Spring
Frosted Designs - Flower
Crazy 4 Challenges - Spring
Quirky Crafts Challenges - Flower with cute theme
Lots to Do - Spring
Craft Calendar Challenge - Flower
Paper Sundaes - Paper Piecing
Wow!  There are so many great challenge blogs out there!!!


Smiles,
Julie
Details:  Stamp - Ladybug Fairy (Inktegrity), PP - Early Bird (Cosmo Cricket), CS - Old Olive and  Very Vanilla (SU), Embossing Folder - Swirls (CB), Button (PTI), and embroidery floss.

Looking for a Challenge?

The Inktegrity weekly sketch challenge has moved to it's own blog.  Be sure to check it out HERE.  This week's sketch is a goodie so be sure to play along for the chance to win images from Inktegrity.  Plus, just for playing along you will get a free image.

Now you may be asking where is my card, LOL!  I promise, I will have something to share tomorrow :>)
Smiles,
Julie

LPS Double Challenge

The sketch this week on the Card Patterns blog is sponsored by Little Paper Shop - double the reason to play along!  I always enjoy the Card Patterns sketches and I love LPS stamps. 
This little chick is a digi from LPS.  I went sweet again!  I am in an Easter kind of mood, but I also think this image is perfect for a new baby card too!

This is a double LPS challenge because it also qualifies for the challenge this week on the LPS blog is to "Make Something Old New Again".   I am sure that is one challenge that we should all do more often!  I have a ton of stuff that I never use, including my crimper!  It was such a hot item years ago, but now embossing folders have taken over.  My crimper was hidden away in a drawer so I pulled it out and added a few simple strips. 
Plus, my card meets the challenge on Paper Cutz is to use 1 ribbon and 3 buttons!

I created an envelope to go with my card too...

I got the idea for this envelope from my LSS, from a project my 6 year old daughter did :>).  This envelope is perfect for those times that you do not have an envelope the right size.  Steps:  Seal the envelope.  Cut the envelope the length of your card plus 1/4".  Run this part of the envelope thru a crimper. Take the trimmed off part of the envelope and trim it to the desired size to make a "cap" that will go over the crimped portion.  The crimper makes the envelope shrink up enough so that it is easy to get the "cap" on. 

Happy Happy Weekend - we have been blessed with wonderful weather the past few days and it will be continuing into the weekend - yay!!!!
Smiles,
Julie
Details - Stamp - LPS Digi Chick Egg, CS - SU Whisper White and PTI, Buttons - PTI, stash ribbon and my crimper :>)!

Would You Like to Win?

Fairy Week continues at Inktegrity and there are lots of ways to win a fairy!  Be sure to read through to the end...


Today I am sharing with you "Ladybug Fairy".  She is the sweetest of all the fairies (according to me!).

I layered her wings and added dimensionals to give more of a 3-D effect.  
The layout is based on Diane's sketch challenge this week on the Inktegrity Blog.  Play along with the sketch and link up your creation here - you may just win 3 images of your choice!

My card uses a fun fold, the "flap fold", which is the technique challenge this week on the JUGS blog.  I added floral paper inside, along with one of the sentiments that comes with the Ladybug Fairy.  This sentiment is perfect for a Birthday or Congrats card.

Want another chance to win a fairy image?  Go on over to the Inktegrity blog today and take a guess at what type of fairy is being released on Friday for a chance to win!

Smiles, Julie
Details:  Stamp - Inktegrity Ladybug Fairy, CS - SU, PP - K&Co., Ribbon - stash and CB embossing folder.

Happy St. Patrick's Day!

I actually forgot that today is St. Patty’s Day...I meant to post this LO of my 2 little leprechauns this morning.  The layout is super simple, but it is the pics that I LOVE! 

Sometimes you catch the sweetest moments and I smile every time I look at these pics from last Spring.  At 2 ½, my sons both already know how to bug and instigate one another and their older sister, so these moments of pure love need to be preserved, LOL!   
Enjoy the rest of your day and I will see you tomorrow with a fairy!
Smiles,
Julie
Details:  PP - My Mind's Eye Photo Mat Blue, title computer generated, clovers made with CB kids Heart Dies, and stash brads.

Fairy Week

Did you notice the fairy blinkie on my sidebar?  It's fairy week at Inktegrity!  



Each day this week a new fairy is being released.  Bop on over to the Inktegrity blog and you have a chance to win a fairy image everyday thru Thursday.   Just take a guess at what type of fairy is being released the next day!

Don't forget that tomorrow is hump day, which means there is a new sketch from Diane to play along with too.

Plus, I will be back here on Thursday with the sweetest little fairy for you.

Smiles,
Julie 

Sketch Girl #14

I had so much fun with sketch #14 from Sketch Girl!  I decided to make a gift set once inspiration struck.

The tea cup images and sentiments are all available at 

Frenzified is the sponsor for Sketch #14 and the owner, Morgaine, was sweet enough to give the Sketch Girl Designers the opportunity to work with her images.  Would you like to play with her images too??  One random participant of sketch #14 will receive a $15 shopping spree in the Frenzified store and a special not yet released image (link up your creation using sketch #14 HERE)!  Frenzified sells unique digital images and sentiments, that are available individually or as a set. Check out all the images available at www.Frenzified.com.

Here is the sketch and more pics of my set:

I have to thank Rhonda Gale who participated in sketch #13.  She made a card with a coffee cup on it and my first reaction was that it would look so cute with a little tea bag hanging out of it!  Then I saw the images from Frenzified and knew immediately what I wanted to do - perfect timing!

I kept true to the sketch and stitched away!  The little tea bag is just a piece of paper with string attached to it that I stuck on with a dimensional.  I cut a slit in the "tea" and stuck the string thru.

I am a tea drinker, but I am the boring kind - no flavors, just the basic decaffeinated Lipton or Tetley (I know that is probably not considered real tea).  I do enjoy picking out fun flavors for others that love tea and this little set will make a great gift.  The box in this gift set is "Treat Box", a recent release from Perfect Presentation!  The box is the perfect size for a couple Mrs. Field's cookies and tea bags of course!

This box has a great way to open, I like the curve and the slants on the sides.  Plus, that little tab on the main box helps keep the box shut - Leigh Ann thinks of everything with her Perfect Presentation line!!!
Plus, see that belly band?  That is one reason why digis are great - I took the large tea cup, reduced it in size and then copied away to make a string of them to print out.  One digi is like having hundreds of stamps.

Check out these links to all the other Sketch Girls:
Our guest designer for March - Deanne Kuntz
Annie
Alyssa
Amber
Bonnie
Harriet
Jennie - taking a break
Jessica
Katie - taking a break
Randee
Sara
Tiffany

Besides the sketch, here are a couple more challenges that I am entering with this set:
Paper Cutz Challenge - Anything Goes (how easy is that :>) )
and For Fun challenges - Green

May you have a wonderful day - relax with a cup of tea and enjoy!
Smiles,
Julie
Details:  Stamps - Frenzified Digis (tea cups and sentiments) SU Best Blossoms (flowers), CS - PTI Aqua Mist and Ocean Tides, SU Certainly Celery and Very Vanilla, PP- Cosmo Cricket Early Bird, Die - Nestabilities Peony, Ink - Versa Mark, CB Swirl Embossing Folder, Template - Perfect Presentation Treat Box.

Mail on the Way

I kept it clean and simple today for LPS's latest blog challenge, to use the colors white, dark purple and turquoise.  Yes, I cheated a bit, I did not have any turquoise buttons (and I really wanted to use a button) so I went with PTI Ocean Mist instead of turquoise (same color family, right?!).

The mailbox image from Little Paper Shop's "Lily and Lucy Messages" is perfect for so many occasions...I am sure I have told you that before!  Plus, there are a bunch of sentiments included in the set (found here).

Well, the weekend flew by!  Tomorrow is the 15th, which means Sketch Girl!  Be sure to stop back and check out the new sketch and my fun project (yes, it is not just a card)!  See you tomorrow!

Smiles,
Julie
Details:  Stamp Set - LPS Lily and Lucy Messages, CS - SU, Ink - SU, and Button - PTI.

Nothing Shouts out Easter...

like pastels!  I normally do not use a lot of pastels, but the bunny on today’s card is so hopping cute and I have had this SU PP forever.  I did attempt to offset the pastel with a bit of kraft cs, which I really like against the blue and yellow.  There is a bit of green in there, but I intentionally did not pull in more green LOL.  I guess I can’t post a green card every day, maybe every other day :>)  (Warning:  I will have more green on St. Patty’s Day!)

The bunnies are actually a single bunny digi stamp from Little Paper Shop.  When I printed the bunnies out, I printed one as a mirror image.  I then took a little liberty when I put the bunnies back together after paper piecing, by attaching the heads at an angle, to make each look a little different.  This idea would be great for rubber/clear stamps too.  

The layout is based on CPS’s sketch #157.

The idea to fold the paper strips was inspired by Joanne B…I did not post this in time for her paper folding challenge, but I like the idea and it was so easy to do.  A great way to add a little bit of texture.

Enjoy your weekend!  I hope to fit in more stamping time now that all the Girl Scout cookies are sorted.  All my free time last weekend went to sorting cookies and then when I did have time I was too tired to craft :>) 

Smiles,
Julie
Details: Stamp – LPS Bunny (image) and Lily and Lucy Messages (sentiment), CS – SU Kraft and Blue, PP – SU Dots, PTI Button and Twine.

 

Guess what color? Again...

GO GREEN!  Ok, I hid the buttons, but I still pulled out green paper! 

All this green is based on Inktegrity's sketch challenge this week.  Play along and feel free to use any color you would like with this sketch :>)!

I decided to use only sentiments on this one.  The Happy St. Patrick's Day circles and "Go Green" are part of the Inktegrity Peeking Leprechaun digi. I made the circles 3/4" and punched them out to layer over the ribbon.  You have got to love the ability to change the size of digis to match any punch!

My inspiration to paper pierce the shamrock came from the Crazy 4 Challenges blog.  The challenge over there this week is paper piercing, so I pierced away.  To make the shamrock I printed shamrock clip art on white copy paper, laid it over my green CS and then pierced through both layers - such an easy way to make the image and I think it would be a great way to pierce a stamped image too.
May the luck of the Irish be with you today (and Go Green)!
Smiles,
Julie
Details:  Stamps - Inktergrity Peeking Leprechaun sentiments (circles and "go green"), CS - SU Wild Wasabi, Ink - SU Basic Black, stash brads and ribbon, and Sizzix Argyle 2 embossing folder.

Quick CAS

Sometimes you just need a quick card - if you are like me, you think you have a card made for a gift, but then minutes before you are to leave you realize ooops, I need a card!
This one is super fast.  I only had minutes to spare. 
I am using the CPS sketch #157 and combining it with the Verve Spring Fling release challenge #1 to make a CAS card with a flower on it.  I created my own flower using Verve's Thankful Accents. 

No, your eyes are not seeing things, I am using green and orange again.   I think I need to take the bag of green & orange buttons and hide it from myself.  I see that bag and want to use every button in it!
Oh, and that is real sunshine in this photo.  I have never been so happy to see the sun :>)  Today, my daughter's GS troop was doing a cookie booth sale and the thought of standing outside for hours in 20 degree weather was not appealing!!!  It was over 40 degrees today - hooray!

Smiles,
Julie
Details:  Stamp Set - Verve Thankful Accents, CS - SU Whisper White, Ink - SU Old Olive, Really Rust and Blue Bayou, Foof-a-la button and embroidery floss.

Tanzanite Bag

A friend recently e-mailed and asked if I could make a box to put a pair of earrings in.  My response, of course!  What template did I immediately think of?  Perfect Presentation's My Little Bag.  It is my fave, but Leigh Ann has come out with a couple more that may be contender's for #1.  Be sure to check out all the templates available at the Wild Flower Patch Shop.  Plus the JUGS challenge this week is to use a template!

The earrings that will be nestled in this box are tanzanite and were my inspiration.

I just love the way the bag opens!

Now when my friend received the "bag" she e-mailed me that it would make the perfect presentation!!!  Then she asked if I could make a matching card :>)

 

Regardless of what this photo is showing, the colors are the same (promise)!  I have given up on natural light here in Connecticut!


Smiles,
Julie
Details:  Stamp Set - SU, CS - SU Lovely Lilac & Almost Amethyst, Ink - Lovely Lilac, stash buttons, ribbon and rhinestones, Template - My Little Bag, and CB Swiss Dots embossing folder.

Hopping Down the Bunny Trail

I love Easter (isn't the candy this time of year the best?!) and this bunny may not be chocolate, but he is so sweet. 

This is the other new image released this week from Inktegrity - "Some Bunny". Awww...such a cutie!   How could I not paper piece him?!?!  I toned down the PP colors a bit by sponging on some brown ink.
The Inktegrity Blog has a new feature - Sketch Challenges!  The layout on my card is based on this sketch by Diane:

Plus, you will receive this free digi just for playing along and one random participant will win 3 single images!

So hop on over to Inktegrity and play along with us - I can't wait to see all your sweet creations! 

Smiles,
Julie

Details:  Stamp - Inktegrity Some Bunny, CS - SU Very Vanilla and , PP - DCWV Nana's Nursery, Ink - SU Chocolate Chip and Close to Cocoa, CB Swiss Dots Embossing Folder, and stash ribbon.

An Inktegrity Peek at St. Patty's Day

Today Inktegrity is releasing 2 new digi stamps, Bunny Gift and Peeking Leprechaun, hop on over to the store and take a peek at the full digi stamps, because each stamp comes with several sentiments.  I was instantly drawn to the adorable "Peeking Leprechaun"...

 

My card combines a few challenges...

The layout is based on Card Patterns' sketch #53.  Card Patterns is celebrating their 1 year anniversary {congrats}!  In addition to a prize for participating in the sketch challenge, they are also giving away prizes for participating in daily blog hops thru Thursday.  

Crazy for Challenges is challenging everyone to use 3 types of texture this week - my card uses, sewing and 2 different embossing folders, along with a button and twine.

Last but not least, Joanne B is celebrating her 3rd Blogaversary with weekly challenges.  This week the challenge is to use kraft cs and sewing.

Be sure to check out what the rest of the Inktegrity design team made with the new images.  I know there are a couple of cute bunnies and leprechauns to be found as you hop around their blogs...
Ashley Scheffler
Kelly Santi

Jacquie Pfeifer

Rhonda Miller

Diane Ulitsch

Publish Post

Lelia Pierce

Jackie Randolph

Joni Wilson (owner)

What are you waiting for??  Get hopping!  (Okay, I know I used a ton of puns today, I could not resist, I am in a goofy mood!)
Smiles,
Julie
Details: Stamp - Inktegrity Peeking Leprechaun, CS - SU Kraft, Ink - SU Chocolate Chip, Close to Cocoa and Blush (for watercoloring image), PP - My Mind's Eye Photo Mat Blue, PTI Button and Twine.