Stampin 411: Saturday Sketch Challenge #237 (SSC237)

It's been a while since I participated in a Saturday Sketch Challenge over at Stampin 411.  Don't ask me why.  I've been hit and miss with this group.  I don't understand it because I absolutely love checking out their blog and all the beautiful cards made by the Design Team and other stampers, plus all the helpful suggestions, tutorials and colour challenges. 

Maybe it's because I'm always too busy with family on Saturdays to pay attention.  But that's going to change.  Starting now, I'm going to be adding more of their challenges to my New Year " Must Try" "Must Do" lists.

I seem to be on a role with Birthday cards this month, so I thought I would adapt this sketch for one that's coming up in mid-January.   I'm featuring stamps and accessories from both the Occasions Mini Catalogue as well as a sneak peak at some neat things from the Sale-A-Bration cattie. 

Bordering on Romance #125480(w) or #125482 (cm) pg. 11 Occasions Mini Catalogue

Edgelits Dies - Adorning Accents #125595 pg. 7 Occasions Mini Catalogue

Isn't this a cheery and colourful card?  Just the thing to brighten a wet and dreary January day!  The 5 1/2 by 4 1/4"  card base is cut from Lucky Limade cardstock. The small floral image from the Bordering on Romance Stamp Set was stamped in Versa Mark Ink to create some background interest. 

To create the decorative edge, I used the brand new Edgelits  Adorning Accents Scalloped Edge Die. What fun!  These new dies are a little tricky to work with but they're not as fragile as they look.  To keep the edge straight while running it through the Big Shot I attached the die with mini glue dots over the card stock edge to the plate and then rolled it through the machine.  Voila a beautiful neat scalloped edge!  

Now the scallop looked really good as it was, but I decided it needed just a little more pop.  To achieve this raised image of the scallop, I embossed about 1/16" behind the scalloped edge using the Adorning Accents Embossing Folder Scalloped Edge.  It's one of three awesome embossing folders made specifically for edges.

Adorning Accents Embossing Folders #125601 pg. 7 Occasions Mini Catalogue.

I hand cut the pointed ends of the banner from Poppy Parade cardstock and then layered it with the same beautiful Designer Series Paper used along the inner edge of the card.  It's called Everyday Enchantment Designer Series Paper and will be available after January 24th when Sale-A-Bration begins. 

I changed my take on this sketch by moving the layered square to the right hand side of the card face, instead of centering it.  Poppy Parade, Lucky Limade and Very Vanilla cardstocks were layered for the square element.  Using Versa Mark Ink and Black Embossing Powders I heat set the larger floral image from Bordering on Romance to the Very Vanilla piece.  Poppy Parade, Calypso Coral and Lucky Limeade inks were added to the floral image with an aqua painter. 

A 3/8" Ruffled Ribbon in Lucky Limade (122977 pg. 194 IB&C) was placed in the corner of the square.  A printed designer brad was added to the center of the bow.  Isn't it cute?  It's from the Everyday Enchantment Ribbon and Brad Pack in the Sale-A-Bration catalogue.  These amazing 3/8" printed designer brads come in 5 different designs and there are 5 of each type in the package.............can you say "Great Deal!!!".   I

And finally, here's the inside of my card.  As you can see I added a 1" strip of the DSP to the right hand side of the card.  The Happy Birthday Sentiment is from a set called Perfect Punches.   I've also restamped the floral image in Poppy Parade ink to the left hand side of the card. 

Perfect Punches (#117022(w) or #120516(cm) paged 140 IB&C) is an inexpensive and must-have stamp set simply for how easy it makes creating accents and focal pieces for your projects. Each image coordinates with a different punch, making stamped creations easy as 1-2-3—stamp, punch, adhere. And with a variety of sentiments, you’ll be set no matter what the occasion.   

Well there you have it.  Hope you enjoyed this card and will come back and visit again. 

Stampin' Queen's Sketch Challenge - SQSC20

Here's another great sketch challenge from Stampin' Queen's Design Team.  These wonderful and creative gals keep coming up with great challenges that allow you room to add your own touches without going over the top. 

I am so loving the beautiful stamp sets in the Occasions Mini catalogue. They have that wonderful romantic vintage look that I adore.  I hope you've had an opportunity to explore them too!  If not just click here or on the Occasions Mini Catalogue button on my sidebar to view the PDF version of the catalogue. 

I couldn't miss this opportunity to create a Thank You card using two of my new "favourite" sets, Tea Shoppe (#125547) from Shelli Gardner's Signature Collection and Take It To Heart (#125522).

Tea Shoppe #125547, from Shelli Gardner's Signature Collection

Take It To Heart #125522

Edgelits Adorning Accents #12522

And here is my card:

I chose a piece of DSP from the now retired Spice Cake papers.  I love the petite flower design and how it lends a more vintage feel to the card.  It must be winter as I'm tending to go to darker colours for my stamping and really find the Crumb Cake, Very Vanilla and Soft Suede cardstocks meet this need.  

These 3 tiny tea cups are from the Tea Shoppe Set.  I stamped them in Soft Suede on a Very Vanilla medium sized framelit and then dry embossed the small hearts on either side of the cups with the new Edgelits Adorning Accents embossing folder.   To add interest I restamped the tea cups, heat embossed them and then fussy cut out just the cup portion and mounted them with dimensionals on the original stamped image.  I sponged Soft Suede ink around the Framelit to give it some depth.

The Crumb Cake Seam Binding ribbon and bow  are punched up a notch with the addition of a Pretties kit hat pin and jewels.  I've also added some basic pearls to the beautiful label from the Take It To Heart set.  I've double cut the label in Soft Suede and in Very Vanilla Cardstock and mounted it with dimensionals.  This has to be my new favourite stamp for displaying sentiments. 

I kept the inside simple so a message can be added .  The only element is a fussy cut of the large tea cup which was stamped in Soft Suede and heat Embossed with Clear Embossing Powder.  It's mounted on Dimensionals.


Hope you like this card, I'd love to hear from you.  If you're interested in purchasing any of the new products shown above just click on my "Shop Now" button on my blog sidebar and it will take you to my Stampin' Up! website and shopping  cart.