Freshly Made Sketches #420

It's Wednesday, and that means a new sketch at Freshly Made Sketches! Today's hostess is Jen T. with a classic circle. 

I had intended to do something totally different with this sketch, and had made my ink blended stencil for the circle (which you will see down the road!). I was looking for a sentiment to put with it, and pulled out my little drawer of "unfinished cards and pieces." As I was going through it all, I noticed several elements that would fit together! Everything I needed for today's sketch was already cut or colored, included the checked background and the separate circle. So all I had to do was arrange it and make a card base! Kind of a fun way to go off in a different direction, while using things right on my desk.

Another fun part was seeing all of these different products from different companies coming together to make a fun, mailable greeting for a friend:
Card base and circle: Core'dinations Canvas CS (American Crafts)
Patterned paper: Echo Park Coffee 6x6 Pad
Flowers: Picket Fence Studios Flowers for Picking
Sentiment: Taylored Expressions Simple Strips/Die 
Whimsy Stamps Honeycomb Pattern Die
The little bees are from some die cuts I had in the drawer, but from an unknown company.

I think I would like to add some sparkle in the flower centers with rhinestones, so I may add a few of those later. What do you think?

I hope you will join us with your take on the sketch this week! Our challenge is open until 3 PM EST on Monday, February 3. Click on the links on the FMS blog by each photo to see what lovely things my teammates have created on their blogs!

Other challenges:

• Use Your Stuff - #390 FRIENDSHIP 
• SheepSki Designs Challenges - Square Cards
• Sweet Stampin - Use Your Scraps

What is Creativity?

Hello everyone! For once in a January, I feel like this month has flown by! I clearly remember last January being more than 31 days! But here we are at the end of the first month of 2020 - already. I will say, I have had a good amount of creative time, and that's always fun. 

Today's share comes from Visible Image Stamps. I am using one of Helen's amazing sentiments, and one of Mark's awesome stencil designs. They are the creative duo behind the scenes, and I adore them. 

The stencil is called TWO TONE, because the other half is circles! I used my Life Changing Blender Brushes (Picket Fence Studios) and Broken China DOX to ink up my stencil. I love that I have some teeny tiny brushes to get into those little squares and ink them up well! I stamped my sentiment from BRIGHTEN THE WORLD with VersaFine Clair Nocturne ink.

"Creativity is sharing a little bit of your soul with the world." Yes.

I love the CAS look, and the contrast of the blue and black against the stark white (Hammermill CS).

Be sure to check out the Visible Image Facebook page - the February release is in preview now, and there are some AWESOME new stencils and stamp sets! 

Freshly Made Sketches #419

It's Wednesday, and that means a new sketch at Freshly Made Sketches! Today's hostess is my sweet friend, Lee Ann, and she has given us some angled edges to work with. I love this sketch!

I used some gorgeous papers from Teresa Collins to begin my card. I knew with the large panel I wanted to highlight some of the paper that I hoard, and also use a big word die. Once I decided on the paper, I chose the Hello die from Simon Says Stamp, and cut it from some beautiful shimmery silver cardstock, which was a perfect complement to the designer paper. I decided to leave in all the "middles" of the letters to show more of the beauty of this cardstock. I added some Champagne pearls from Kaiser to complete the card. As you can see, I flipped the sketch, just to follow the direction of the word.

I hope you will join us with your take on the sketch this week! Our challenge is open until 3 PM EST on Monday, January 27. Click on the links on the FMS blog by each photo to see what lovely things my teammates have created on their blogs!

Other challenges: 
Dragonfly Dreams  – (January) Anything Goes

January Release at Picket Fence Studios!

It's an exciting day for Picket Fence Studios - the January CREATIVATION Release! There are so MANY amazing products in this release - new stencils, stamps, and coordinating dies - plus foiling plates! 

Today I am sharing two of the new stencils: Artsy Sun and Flourish Circle. My first card uses a perfect sentiment from You Are My Sunshine. I used my Life Changing Brushes and Squeezed Lemonade DOX for the sun. The sentiment is stamped with VersaFine Clair Nocturne. 

My second card uses the elegant Flourish Circle and a sentiment from the new stamp set, Seriously Literally. What a perfect card for an anniversary or wedding.

Broken China Distress Oxide Ink was blended in with Life Changing Brushes. I again used Nocturne ink for the sentiment. A few pearls for a little bling, and it's finished!

It's a simply fabulous release, so head over to Picket Fence Studios to see it all! There is so MUCH MORE to check out! And I will see you back tomorrow for more cardmaking ideas!