Freshly Made Sketches #5

You know when you make a card and you think to yourself, "I need to remake this or start again!"  Well that was my plan with my Freshly Made Sketches card this week but I just ran out of time. But I do love this little snowman...he is so cute!  This is an exciting week at Freshly Made Sketches because we have Anne Marie Hile as our Featured Designer, and are welcoming Cindy Hall and Jennifer Timko to the team for a 6 month rotation. Welcome ladies!

I started with a Naturals Ivory Card base and then used a layer of Pear Pizzazz cardstock.  The Cherry Cobbler cardstock was embossed using my Big Shot and the Stripes Embossing folder.  The piece of DSP is a piece from the Frostwood Lodge DSP pack.  The image is coloured with my Stampin' Write Markers and then outlined with a blender pen and some Crumb Cake ink.  The sentiment is from the retired set called "All Holidays" and the card was finished off with a snowflake from the snowflake punch.

We hope you have the chance this week to join us at Freshly Made Sketches!

Thanks for stopping by!!!

Colour Dare #104 and Stamping 411

It is Wednesday which means another great colour challenge from Colour Dare!  I also decided to play along with Stamping 411 which I have not had the chance to play along with in such a long time!!  I loved their sketch this week and knew I had to play along, I hope they do not mind I combined these two challenges!!!

This week at the Colour Dare, Riley has put together three beautiful colours!!!

Baja Breeze

Not Quite Navy

Cajun Craze

I decided to ink up a retiring set called "All Holidays".  The sentiment comes from that set and it is one of my favourites!  I also inked up the "Charming" set.  I used a Baja "Glimmer brad" in the centre of my circle.

Thanks for stopping by!!!  I hope you get the chance to play with us this week at the Colour Dare!!

Smiles,

Lesley

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Colour Dare #102- Crushing on Pansies

This week at the Colour Dare, Riley has asked us to use some gorgeous colours perfect for Springtime!  This week I struggled with the colours and then I found inspiration on Kathy Schweinfurth's Blog "The Paper Stamper".  She is a fellow design team member for the Friday Mashup and I just adore her creative style!

 

The Colour Dare colours this week are:

Concord Crush

So Saffron
and a Neutral

 

 

On Kathy's blog is a terrific tutorial on how to make Paper Pansies using the Butterfly Punch.  I have wanted to try this technique for a long time and was excited that the colours this week were perfect for Pansies! 

1. I punched out 4 Whisper White Butterflies
2. I sponged each one with Concord Crush Ink
3. I left the centre of each butterfly clear and then sponged So Saffron into that space
4. Then I layered the butterflies as Kathy said to do, and then I followed the rest of her instructions, including rolling the sides of the butterfly to make the flower seem more 3D.

 

Thanks for stopping by!  I hope you get the chance to join us at the Colour Dare this week.

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Picture Perfect Creations #59- For A Friend

Good morning and happy Victoria Day!  This weekend is a long weekend and I have put it to good use, painting my Guest Room and getting some major deep house cleaning done!  I have purged some clothing and old sheets, tossed out lots of old condiments from the fridge and even cleaned my oven!  Yes, I was motivated!

But you didn't stop by to read about my crazy weekend of cleaning!  I hope you came by to see what the newest colour challenge is over at Picture Perfect Creations this week!!!  Here it is!

 

I love the colours Marina Mist, Old Olive and Early Espresso.  I inked up the wonderful set called "Strength and Hope" which has such a gorgeous butterfly in it!! I love how it stamps!!!  I used my crimper AGAIN and added some little details like the satin ribbon and the few sprays of green leaves on the side. 

No Stampin' Up did not get a new die for the Big Shot, that circle die is a Nestie and was a Christmas Gift from my wonderful Mother-in-Law.  This is the first time I have used it and I love how it looks on this card!

Thanks for stopping by!!!  I sure hope you get the chance to join us this week at Picture Perfect Creations!!!

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Picture Perfect Creations #58

This week at the Picture Perfect Creations, we are using some deep autumn colours that I absolutely love!  The colours may be Fall "ish" but I am a sucker for these vibrant colours and decided to use the Fabulous Florets stamp set once again.

This time I used the "other" flowers from the set and inked them up in Chocolate Chip Ink, then I stamped the flowers onto So Saffron Cardstock and snipped them out!  I really wanted the flowers to look vibrant!

The Music Notes Wheel was used to create a subtle background on the Tangerine Tango Cardstock, and I was excited to use my new "Chocolate Chip" Striped Ribbon which is avaliable in the Clearance Rack online!  Oh I love this ribbon!!!

I hope you get the chance to join us at the Picture Perfect Creations Challenge Blog!!!

Thanks for stopping by!

Smiles,

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Picture Perfect Creations #56

This week at the Picture Perfect Creations our colours are SO pretty!  I love blues and these colours influenced me to get out some watercolour paper and to use my aqua painter!  I inked up my daisy from Fifth Avenue Floral and stamped in Stazon on Watercolour Paper.  Then using markers and my aqua painter, I coloured them with Baja Breeze and Not Quite Navy Inks.

I wanted to created some leaves out of the Pear Pizazz Paper and used my Bird Punch!  I love how quick and easy the punches are to use!  I also had a Baja Button and added to the side with a wee bit of Victoria Lace Ribbon.  The sentiment is from All Holidays.

I used my FAVOURITE background stamp set En Francais and sponged all the corners of the Baja Breeze paper with Baja Ink.  Also used the Scallop Edge Border Punch for the main strip going across the card!!!

Stop on by the Picture Perfect Creations Challenge blog and join us for this week's Colour Challenge!!

Thanks for stopping by!

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Colour Q

This week I am determined to make some more cards and to play along with challenges I haven't played with for a long time!

This card below is what I created for the Colour Q Challenge.  I found these colours to be really challenging, although I don't know why? I love these neutral colours together and should have taken more inspiration from the photo Arielle provided.  I may have to try another card!!  But for now, here is my creation based on these gorgeous colours. Yep, I created a square card once again!!!  I seem to be on a square kick!!

Thanks for stopping by!!
Smiles,
Lesley

Catching up on my Favourite Challenges

I have been running on empty these days.  I am just so pooped after work! But tonight I finally had the chance to play along with some of my favourite challenges.  I am going to list them all together here in one post which is not my usual style...but life has been busy.  It is only two cards but for 3 challenges!

Okay...here goes...

This first card is for the current Pals Paper Arts Challenge which is a "Fall Themed" Challenge.  I used a few new items from my stash.  I started with the Naturals White, Basic Gray and Crumb Cake Cardstock.  Then I inked the leaves in Really Rust.  The brads are from the Neutrals Collection and the ribbon is the Early Espresso 1/8".  I also used the French Foliage, Seasonal Sentiments and Sanded Background Stamp Sets.

The next card is for the current SCS sketch challenge and the Colour Dare Challenge which was to use Poppy Parade, Pear Pizzazz, Chocolate Chip and Very Vanilla.  I used the Awash with Flowers set for my friend Shellie because she asked me last night to make a card with this set.  I hope you like it Shellie!!

Thank you for stopping by!  I always appreciate your thoughts and comments.  I hope you have a great Friday!

Smiles,

Lesley

Stampin' Royalty, Curtain Call Colour Challenge and the Sweet Stop Sketch

Last night, while I was up way too late, I visited my pal Jaydee's blog and saw her amazing card you can find by clicking HERE.  I saw that she was using a sketch from the Sweet Stop and I really was drawn to that sketch!  So I started to make a card, using that sketch and a couple of other challenges.  I used the pretty colours from Stacey's Curtain Call Colour Challenge and I played along with Stampin' Royalty which was to make my own Designer Paper.  This card also qualified for the Paper Players challenge to make a Vintage Card...so I decided to add it! 

This is what I came up with, I had a hard time photographing it...it is a little dark...

I used the Vintage Vogue set and stamped some flowers and flourishes on the white piece of cardstock...I actually inked up each stamp, stamped them on a scrap piece of paper and then stamped them onto my cardstock...to give a softer look.  I sponged the edges in Crumb Cake...I stamped and cut out the flowers on the side of the card and popped them up on dimensionals. 

Thanks for stopping by!

Smiles,

Lesley :)

Colour Dare and Cards for Mum

This card uses the "Elements of Style" set and I wanted to make a card for the current Colour Dare which was to use Yellow, Green and a Lighter Green. I covered the flowers in Dazzling Diamonds and it is all glittery!!  What mom wouldn't love a little glam and glitter!

I absolutely LOVE the "Elements of Style" set, can you tell?  Geez, I can't stop using it and I am ok with that!  I used Rich Razzlebery and Mellow Moss.  I also must tell you, I finally broke down and bought the Word Window Punch!  I LOVE IT!!!  I am so silly sometimes, thinking I don't need something and just making do with what I have.  But the Word Window Punch goes beautifully with the Modern Label Punch and my Teeny Tiny Wishes Set!  Now my options seem endless!

For this card I pulled out my Vintage Vogue Set and inked it up in the Plum colours from the Soft Subtles colours.  This is one of my favourite colour combos and I need to remember to use it more.  I made some other cards with these colours last week and since then, I have been looking to use them more.  This card measures 5x5.  The pretty Mother's Day Sentiment is from "All Holidays".

Thanks for stopping by!

Smiles, Lesley :)

20 minutes or less Scrapbook Challenge

I played along with Carole'Anne and Sandi today with their 20 minute Scrapbook Sketch Challenge. I wanted to create my own DSP so I used the Fifth Avenue Florals set to stamp the background in Pretty in Pink, Melon Mambo and Chocolate Chip. I used some DSP from the Sweet Pea Pack in the Mini Occasions Catalogue and some pink satin ribbon. The journaling I did was more of a title "My Dear Kind and Wonderful Friend" from the stamp set called "All Holidays".This page was meant to be simple. I thought this could be a cute page for a Spring Friendship theme. I did this as a 81/2 x 11" page and it took me awhile to design but less than 20 minutes to put together! Does that count?!! LOL!

Thanks for stopping by!
Smiles,
Lesley :)

Playing with Eastern Blooms

I decided to get out one of my favourite sets called "Eastern Blooms"(111626). I bought it originally for the cherry blossom stamp but have realized that I love the other flowers that come with this set too. They stamp so well.

I had some scraps in a bin and pulled out some Really Rust and some Old Olive. The cards just came together. I love the "For You" sentiment from the "All Holidays" set...such pretty scripty writing.Thanks for stopping by!

Smiles,

Lesley ;)

A Cool Discovery!

There I was tonight, creating my card for the current Splitcoast Stamper's Sketch and Colour Challenge. I pulled out my favourite set, For All You Do. I love using the Stamp-A-Ma-Jig with this set, so I can line up the flowers with the stems.

Well I decided to stamp my flower...

...and using the Stamp-a-ma-jig again, I stamped another flower on top of the flower I just stamped! Whoa! I am out of control here! LOL! And the effect was very cool...at least...I think it was!

When I stamped the flower in the ink and then stamped the first time, I then did not reink for the second layer to the flower, so it looked kinda wispy...(it does look wispy right?)...anyway, I LOVED the effect and decided to create my whole card using this technique... "The Lesley Overlay"! (Hehehe!)

There are lots of talented ladies out there who probably discovered this way before me...but I was so excited about my discovery, I just had to share!

Thanks for stopping by!

Smiles,

Lesley ;)

Mojo Sketch and DIVA's (DCBD) Colour Challenge

I hope I made it in time! This card is for the Diva Coffee Break Designs to use Black, Basic Gray, Going Gray and Whisper White. I wanted to make a clean and crisp card and so I took out the Big Shot and played with some of the new dies I just received. I am loving the Daisy Flower die (113442), in fact, I ordered the Daisies #2 die (114520) and it will be here this Thursday, can't wait! I love these colours together. This is such a fun challenge!This card also uses the newest Mojo Sketch. The Design Team sample cards were amazing and so inspirational. I used the Big Shot and the Texture Plates Perfect Details (115962) for the white background.The sentiment is from All Holidays (114916). I love this saying and think it is such a nice thing to put on a card to a friend. Thank you for stopping by!
Happy Stamping!
Lesley ;)

Just Us Girls #14 Sketch Challenge

This card and the "Sour Cream Container" combo were made for the "Just Us Girl's" Sketch Challenge #14.I wanted to create a Valentine Card with the SU! Stamp Set called Always. This is such a pretty set and lends itself to Anniversary Cards. Wedding Cards, Valentine's Card or even Thinking of You Cards. I also used the All Holidays set...again...why didn't I buy this set sooner! LOL! I angled the main rectangle on the front of the card which is a little different from the sketch.I also used a Crimper to make the Sour Cream Container which holds some Hershey Kisses. I have never made these containers before but I followed the instructions found on Splitcoast Stampers and found that making these is really easy and fun! I thought the "Hugs and Kisses" sentiment from All Holidays was perfect for my little container which is filled with Hersey's Hugs and Kisses!

Thanks for stopping by!

Smiles,

**Lesley**

Supplies Used:

Stamps: All Holidays (114916), Always (113620)

Ink: Real Red, Chocolate Chip

Paper: Real Red DSP (retired), Choclate Chip, Real Red and Whisper White

Tools: Scallop Circle and Scallop Border Punches, 1/4" White Grosgrain Ribbon, Sticky Strip adhesive, Sponge