Thankful Gilded Autumn

With a new season just around the corner, I decided to use some Autumn paper left in my stash from last year to take on this sketch challenge from Atlantic Hearts #435.

I added a panel of the patterned paper to a brown card base, followed by a stitched vanilla rectangle, and then by a strip of gold metallic cardstock and another of the cinnamon and gold patterned paper. With foam tape, the die-cut, embossed scalloped circle was added to the card, followed by a vanilla banner topped off with a gold metallic die-cut sentiment. The inside was lined with a panel of vanilla cardstock and decorated with coordinating paper. I resisted the urge to add gems or sequins because there were none indicated in the sketch.

Be sure to join the challenge fun at AHSC #435!

Materials

Cardstock: Stampin' Up! Very Vanilla, Mint Macaron, Chocolate Chip & Metallic Gold

DSP: Stampin' Up! "Gilded Autumn"

Dies: RCD (scalloped circle) & Peachy Cheap (word)

Embossing Folder: Stampin' Up!

Misc.: foam tape from stash

Plaid, Dots & Stripes Mix

It's Friday, August 20, and the first day of two of my favorite challenges. These challenges are both biweekly and are scheduled to end on Thursday evening, September 2, 2021.

Double Trouble Challenge #91 has their usual three "Things":

Thing 1 (required): Use the theme "Scrapper's Trail Mix".

Thing 2 (optional): Link your card to our partner, Color My Heart Color Dare #458.

Thing 3 (optional): Use the Color Dare #458 color board. You must select at least three colors from the board but you may add more colors as long as they appear on the color board. Any colors that appear on your project that are not on the board will disqualify your entry so read the instructions carefully.

Double Trouble #91

 Color Dare #458

I selected Sundance, Peacock, Cinnamon, and Glacier, and used white as a neutral. I found a sketch from another challenge that dated back several years and used it for inspiration. I found that the first three colors were so saturated that I needed to add the Glacier and white to "cool" the color combination. The inside of the card is lined with a panel of white cardstock and decorated with coordinating paper. This challenge was a great way to use scraps.

We invite you to join us at these two challenges. Double Trouble always offers a randomly drawn prize and Color Dare selects a Top Four list. Visit the blogs for their guidelines.

Materials

Cardstock: Stampin' Up! Whisper White & Hello Honey (sub for Sundance)

Paper: Stampin' Up! Scraps from stash

Dies: Sizzix #662347 "Circle Sentiments"

Punch: Stampin' Up! (heart)

Misc.: Thin foam tape from stash

A Birthday to Remember

I just realized I will need to get a birthday card in the mail this week to a long-time friend who lives in Florida. The weekly sketch at Atlantic Hearts Sketch Challenge #434 provided the perfect inspiration. This challenge runs from Monday, August 16, through Sunday evening, August 22, 2021.

If you notice claw or teeth marks on my fussy-cut floral image, that is my cat's signature. I found my boy, Sluggo, playing with the image but I managed to rescue it before it was destroyed. 

I think blue and yellow can be pretty in a card design and this paper collection did not disappoint! There is even a tiny bit of green and pink although I did not focus on the pink. 

I added a panel of blue patterned paper, then a die-cut panel of yellow to the white card base. Next came a smaller rectangle of patterned paper matted with pastel green cardstock. Finally, I added a fussy cut blossom with lemons and leaves using thin foam tape. I also supplemented the shading in the image with a light touch using two Copic markers then the pearls were added. As usual, I decorated the inside with coordinating paper and colors.

Don't forget to check out this challenge at AHSC434!

Materials

Stamp Set: Maymay Made It "Wanted You to Know"

Ink: Distress Oxide Blueprint Sketch and Copic Alcohol Markers (C0 & Y00)

Cardstock: Stampin' Up! Basic White, Barely Banana, & Pistachio Pudding

Paper: CTMH "Isabella" Paper Packet

Die: Gina Marie Designs

Misc.: CTMH thin foam tape & pearls from stash

Say Thanks with Flowers

Color My Heart Color Dare Challenge #457 opened on Friday, August 13, and will close on Thursday evening, August 26, 2021. This is a biweekly challenge and we're using a Tictactoe board for our colors. This means that you must select three colors in a row. You may add more colors but they must appear on the Tictactoe board. Projects with colors not on the board will not be considered for the Top Three designation. The only exception is that black and white may be used freely.

I selected the diagonal direction from top left to bottom right - Evergreen, Bluebird, and Sage, then added Ballerina, Lemonade, and Sundance. Because I did not have all of the precise colors I substituted a few colors that were a very close match. Using patterned paper adhered to a white card base, two ovals were die-cut and stacked onto the patterned panel. Onto white cardstock, I stamped a floral design and colored it. The sentiment was added. The image was die-cut using another oval die and adhered with thin foam tape. A few gems were added. The inside was decorated by stamping additional flowers.

We have a new biweekly challenge beginning every Friday morning so there is always an active challenge. If you're reluctant to take on a color challenge, join us at our Color Dare Blog #457 and give it a try.

Materials

Stamps: Stampin' Up! Hand-Penned Petals

Inks: Memento Tuxedo Black, Distress Oxides (Worn Lipstick & Squeezed Lemonade), Copic Alcohol Markers (Sage & Evergreen)

Cardstock: Stampin' Up! Whisper White, Barely Banana, & Ballet Blue

Paper: CTMH "Isabella" Paper Packet

Dies: Hero Arts Infinity Oval Dies

Misc.: Pearls and thin foam tape from stash

Book Inspiration

Try Stampin' on Tuesday Sketch Challenge #519 is up on the blog effective Tuesday, August 10, through Sunday evening, August 22, 2021. The option this time is to use a favorite book or film as inspiration. I am not a big fan of Hollywood films but I love to read. I used to visit the library every week but now with my Kindle, I can download three or four books, return them and check out more, and never leave my home! It was difficult to select a favorite book so I went with a childhood favorite, Anne of Green Gables by Lucy Maud Montgomery. 

I found the sketch a bit tricky to execute and after fiddling with it for a week I finally had a finished product. As you can see, I kept it simple. The setting of this book is Prince Edward Island in the Canadian Maritimes, a beautiful, picturesque part of North America.

To create my scene, I die cut two landscape hills and adhered them onto some striped paper so I could build the card using a blue cardstock base. The clouds were hand-cut and added with thin foam tape. The birds were simply drawn with a pen. The house was stamped, colored with Copic markers and fussy cut, then adhered to the pristine scene. In keeping with the sketch, I added a few gems. I did not add a sentiment since the sketch did not call for one but this card could be used to wish Bon Voyage or to say Hello. The inside was lined with white cardstock and decorated with coordinating paper and clouds. I also added two stamped cottages.

Try Stampin' on Tuesday is a biweekly challenge. We have challenges that begin each Tuesday and last for two weeks, meaning that we always have an active challenge underway. Check us out by visiting the TSOT519 Blog.

Materials

Stamps: Paper Smooches 

Ink: Memento Tuxedo Black & Copic Alcohol Markers

Cardstock: Stampin' Up! Whisper White, Garden Green & Bashful Blue

Paper: Honey Bee "Beach Vibes" & CTMH scraps

Die: Mama Elephant (landscape) 

Misc.: Thin foam tape & gems from stash

Pumpkin Spice and Everything Nice

Here in Arizona, it will be a while before signs of Autumn begin to appear but we still enjoy the seasonal celebrations and holidays of Halloween and Thanksgiving. This week I decided to use the sketch at Atlantic Hearts Sketch Challenge #433 for my first fall card. This challenge began on Monday, August 9, and will end on Sunday evening, August 15, 2021.

In an ongoing, but not enthusiastic, effort to reduce the size of my paper stash, I used paper that I had on hand. Onto a black card base, I cut three rectangles from patterned paper and adhered them vertically. Using thin foam tape, I added the smaller rectangle horizontally. I found the pumpkin image with a sentiment in the paper packet so added it to the card with foam tape after fussy cutting. The inside of the card was lined with a panel of white cardstock and decorated with additional paper cuts. To finish the card, I added Autumn leaves. Wink of Stella was added to the leaves and pumpkin.

Be sure to visit the AHSC433 Blog! 

Materials

Cardstock: SU Whisper White & Basic Black

Paper: CTMH "Hello Pumpkin" Paper Packet

Punch: Stampin' Up! "Autumn Punch Pack" (leaves)

Misc.: ZIG Wink of Stella (clear), thin foam tape from stash

I'm Totally Bananas for You!

A few days ago I was sorting through my patterned paper scraps when I saw the small pink dots on the green tropical paper "sort of coordinated" with the white speckled pink paper. I had not yet made my card for this week's Atlantic Hearts Sketch Challenge #432 so decided to combine the papers to create this card. 

I stamped the images then colored them with Copic markers. I also fussy cut the images. Onto a white card base, I adhered the green tropical patterned paper, followed by a panel of the speckled pink paper. To break up the patterns, I added a scrap of white with narrow charcoal stripes. 

In keeping with the sketch, I cut and matted two rectangles and two squares. The images were added to the shapes and then to the card using thin foam tape. The sentiment was stamped and added with foam tape. The inside of the card was decorated with additional scraps and a few stamped and colored bananas.

If you enjoy challenges, visit the AHSC Blog for great sketches.

Materials

Stamp set: Sunny Studio "Love Monkey"

Inks: Memento Tuxedo Black & Copic Alcohol Markers

Cardstock: Stampin' Up! Whisper White, Basic Gray & Barely Banana

DSP: Stampin' Up! scraps from my stash

Misc.: Foam tape

It's All about... Cattitude!

Double Trouble Challenge #90 is up on the challenge blog one day early! There is a temporary tweak in dates during August so watch our dates carefully as you play along. This challenge started on Sunday, August 1, and ends on Thursday evening, August 19.

The three "Things" for this challenge are:
Thing 1 (required): Trouble Maker would like you to use at least one animal in celebration of International Cat Day.

Thing 2 (optional): Double Dare is hoping you'll link up with our challenge partner, Two Crafty Critter Crazies #53.

Thing 3 (optional): Twisted Sister loves puns. Include a pun related to the critter in your design.

Several years ago I attended a series of Copic classes. My card today is an image I colored in one of the classes. I never turned it into a card until I saw that International Cat Day is on August 8 and the image would work for this challenge.

I have always loved animals, especially cats and dogs, and have enjoyed them throughout my life. The cat I have now, Sluggo, was semi-feral and made his home in a tree in my back yard. During the hot Arizona summer, my husband, Bob, kept a dish of fresh water on the patio. Over the summer, he grew to trust us enough that we took him to the vet for a check-up and shots and had him tagged with a computer chip. He happily became our full-time house cat. He is still afraid of humans in general and loud noisy things like trash trucks and vacuum cleaners but has turned into a sweet, affectionate, playful companion. (He likes to bunt the top of his head against my chin.)

We hope you'll play along with our challenge by visiting the DTC90 Blog. We offer a randomly selected award. And for an extra chance at the random prize, join in at 2CCC53. Double Trouble is also giving away a one-time generous prize valued at $50, so be sure to take a look.

Materials

Stamps: Image is unknown, sentiment on the front is computer generated and the sentiment on the inside is Inkadinkado "Cats".

Inks: Memento Tuxedo Black & Copic Alcohol Markers

Cardstock: Stampin' Up! Whisper White & Ballet Blue

Paper: Doodle Bug

Die: Lawn Fawn

Misc.: Twine and foam tape from stash