Freshly Made Sketches Challenge #699

Happy Wednesday!  

I hope you're having a fantastic start to your week!  The summer is flying by!  I am wondering how we're almost at the middle of August already!  We still haven't had a lot of summery weather yet but we're trying to make the best of what we have had.  

We've got a brand new sketch this week at Freshly Made Sketches!  Our hostess this week is the amazing Verena Shapiro!  Verena's cards are spectacular so make sure you head over to her Instagram to check them all out!  

I needed a couple of sympathy cards this week and I thought this sketch worked perfectly for them!  So I'm not so great at background blending but I gave it my best.  I added some trees and some blooms and called it a day. I kept the cards simple.  Sometimes I start off simple and then it spirals into complicated!!!  

Supplies:
Cardstock: Hammermill Coverstock, Basic Black

Stamps: Essential Sentiments (MFT), With Sympathy Duo (Waffle Flower)

Ink: Detail Black (Pink Fresh Studio), Twisted Citron, Salvaged Patina, Tumbled Glass, Broken China, Uncharted Mariner, Scattered Straw, Fossilized Amber, Carved Pumpkin (Distress Oxides)

Dies: With Sympathy Duo (Waffle Flower), Harvest Dies (SU), Scenic Adventure Dies (SU), Circle Dies

Other:  Black Rhinestone Jewels (SU), Neutral Matte Dots (SU)

Thought I'd include a few photos from our adventure on the weekend.  

Our adventure started by seeing 5 Grizzlies!  A big male bear ran across the road in front of us and then we came across these three little ones and their mom.  Mom was grumpy (I would be too if I had triplets).  

A gorgeous paddle on Upper Kananaskis Lake.  It was so calm and the weather was perfect!  It was 8 degrees C when we started!!!  But it warmed up fast!

Our first paddle this year which is quite shameful!

This picture just doesn't do the water colour justice!

Thanks so much for stopping by today.  I hope you'll head over to the Freshly Made Sketches blog and join in our challenge this week.  

You have until 1 PM EST to get your card entered into this week's challenge!

Next week we're celebrating our 700th sketch!  I can't believe we're at 700!!!  I joined the Design Team at Sketch #31!!  That was a really long time ago!  I can't believe they've kept me all this time!!  You won't want to miss out on our challenge next week so be sure to mark it on your calendars!!!

Have an amazing day!
Jen

 

Freshly Made Sketches Challenge #649

Hello!
Happy Wednesday!  I apologize for being MIA for so long.  We went on vacation for a week and I just was having a hard time getting back into the groove.  I still feel like I'm lacking in the creativity department but we're working on it.  My kids are both working full time and I feel like the summer is flying.  I'm not too sure how we went from April to August but here we are!

We have a brand new sketch at Freshly Made Sketches this week courtesy of our favourite Texan, Amy O'Neill.  Amy's cards are always so sweet and she always uses different pieces so creatively so head over to her blog and check them out!  

I have to admit I struggled with this one a bit.  The lack of creativity is probably affecting me.  I do unfortunately need a sympathy card though so I decided I would tackle that and see what I could do.  My craft cave desk had become quite a disaster so before I even started this card I decided I would clean it and I discovered all these pre-cut white flowers.  They worked perfectly for this card.  I love when you find little treasures that will work for your card!  That being said I'm not too sure what die sets they all came from!

Supplies:
Cardstock: Hammermill White Coverstock, Silver Foil

Stamps:Essential sentiments (MFT)

Ink: Detail Black (PinkFresh Studios)

Dies: Be Bold Blooms, Garden Wreath Add Ons

Other: Dainty Diamonds Textured Embossing Folder

We'd love for you to join in our challenge this week!  You have until 1 PM EST on Monday to get your card loaded onto the Freshly Made Sketches blog!  If you need some inspiration, just head over to the blog and you'll find some pretty amazing examples!

I've included some photos from our hike on Monday.  I've got a stockpile of hike photos to share over the next little while.  This one started from Moraine Lake and was called Wastach Mountain.  It was a grind.  I was almost in tears with frustration.  There were falls and lots of sweat but we did it and the view was incredible.  Definitely worth it but definitely won't be doing this one again!

Thanks so much for stopping by!  I hope you have the most amazing day!

Jen

 

Freshly Made Sketches Challenge #618

Hello!
Happy Wednesday!  I hope you had a great week!  I started work yesterday and am excited to see how this will go!  I'll have to share a bit more next week when I have a few more days under my belt!

The polar vortex is almost upon us.  I can't believe how cold it's going to be.  Not as cold as it has been in previous winters but we've had such mild temperatures up until now.  I'm not looking forward to lows of -36C!!!  That seems soooo cold!  I don't think we'll be doing much hiking or skiing this weekend if it doesn't significantly warm up!  We did get a hike in last weekend and I'll attach some pictures at the bottom of this post.  What a brute.  I totally was ready to give up halfway through.  We managed to make it to the ridge and get to see some mountain sheep!  Always a plus!

Being a Wednesday we've got a new sketch at Freshly Made Sketches!  Our hostess this week is our favourite French designer Cecile Ribon!  Cecile's cards are always amazing.  You need to head over to her blog and check them out!  

So this one threw me for a loop.  I wasn't too sure what to do with it.  I actually made one card and thought it was okay but after a while decided I wasn't thrilled with it.  Back to the drawing board.  I have found myself in need of sympathy cards so I thought I would add some to my collection.  

Supplies:
Cardstock: Hammermill Coverstock (White), Basic Black

Stamps: Essential Sentiments

Ink: Black (Pink Fresh Studios)

Other: Lovely Layers Spring Greenery (Honey Bee Stamps), Give Thanks Dies (Concord & 9th), Wax Seal (Spellbinders), Black Thread (SU), Basic Rhinestones (SU), Subtle Texture Embossing Folder (SU)

Thanks so much for stopping by today!  I hope you'll head over to the Freshly Made Sketches blog and join in our challenge!  The Design Team has posted some incredible cards that will definitely give you some inspiration!  We can't wait to see what you make this week!

Three Sisters in Canmore

Lougheed and Wind Tower (on the left) Rimwall and the Orphan (on the right)

We took pictures as fast as we could - it was soooo cold!  

Thanks for stopping by this week!  I hope you have an amazing day!
Jen

 

Freshly Made Sketches Challenge #466

Hello!

Happy Wednesday!  I am a tad bit late getting this post out!  I totally forgot to get it ready to go last night.  I was confused on what day it was.  Our youngest is done school for the Christmas break now so I thought it was Friday instead of Tuesday.  My brain just doesn't work the way it used to!  I can't wait to see what it will be like when I'm 60!!!

We have a great new sketch at Freshly Made Sketches!  Our hostess if the truly amazing and talented Jennifer Timko!  Jen is an incredible card maker and her creativity always astounds me!  Head over to her blog to check out her beautiful cards!

I needed a sympathy card for one of my best friends.  Her father-in-law recently passed away after a battle with cancer. The area he lived in is currently in a lockdown due to Covid-19 and so they can't even really have a funeral.  I feel so badly for them.  I wanted a wintery sympathy card and knew my "In the Pines" would work perfectly!

Supplies;

Cardstock: Whisper White, Smoky Slate, Silver

Stamps: In the Pines, Essential Sentiments (MFT)

Ink: Smoky Slate

Other: Softly Falling Embossing Folder, Pine Woods Dies, Dimensionals

Thanks so much for stopping by - even if it's later than usual!

Our Design Team has created some amazing cards so head over to the Freshly Made Sketches blog and check them out!

We hope you'll join our challenge!  You have a bit of extra time for this challenge as we're taking a break for Christmas!

Merry Christmas!

Jen

Freshly Made Sketches Challenge #416

Hello!
Happy Wednesday!  I hope you're all having a great week!  It's hard to believe that Christmas is only a week away!  Eek!  Are you ready?  I had been doing really well but my bronchitis came back with a vengeance and I am back on some antibiotics, an inhaler and some rest.  Hoping this clears up quickly!

We have a great new sketch this week at Freshly Made Sketches!  Our challenge this week is a three week challenge so you have some extra time to work on your cards!  Our hostess this week is the amazing Amy O'Neill!  Amy is a colour and texture queen!  I just love her cards!  Head over to her blog to check them out!

I apologize for the dark picture and I'm going to attempt to take a better one tomorrow.  I was waiting for a bright, sunny day to take the picture but was resting yesterday afternoon and missed my window of opportunity.  Anyhow, I'll try and update it at some point!!!

I used the dot paper from the brights 6X6 DSP pack.  I originally didn't have an embossed panel but decided after the fact that it needed a little something so took the card apart and embossed the panel with the hammered metal embossing folder.

Supplies:
Cardstock: Whisper White, Gorgeous Grape
DSP: Brights 6X6 Paper Stack
Stamps: Essential Sentiments (MFT)
Ink: Basic Black
Other: Hammered Metal Embossing Folder, Botanical Builders Framelits, Basic Rhinestones

Thanks so much for stopping by today!  I hope you'll take a few minutes to hop on over to the Freshly Made Sketches blog and check out the gorgeous cards the Design Team ladies have created!

Have a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!

Jen

Freshly Made Sketches Challenge #407

Hello!
Happy Wednesday!  I can't believe it's Wednesday already!  We had an amazing Thanksgiving weekend!  I love turkey and thoroughly enjoyed stuffing myself full of that juicy goodness!!  We had an extra long weekend since the kids and Trevor were off on Friday.  It was perfect! Nice and relaxing and we had amazing weather!  The fall leaves look so pretty when the sun shines on them!  I wish they could last forever!

We have a great new sketch this week at Freshly Made Sketches!  Our hostess this week is the super creative Lee Ann Barrett!  Lee Ann makes such lovely cards.  You need to head over to her blog to check them out!!

Okay so this card didn't quite come together as quickly as I had wanted it to and this of course isn't the first card I made but that's okay!  I needed an anniversary card for my husband.  We celebrated our 17th anniversary on Saturday!  I can't believe it's been 17 years.  I'm not sure who deserves the medal more!!!

Supplies:
Cardstock: Whisper White, Red Foil
Stamps: Essential Sentiments (MFT),  So You
Ink: Stazon Black
Other: Heart to Heart Punch, Dimensionals

Thanks so much for stopping by today!  I hope you'll head over to the Freshly Made Sketches blog and check out the gorgeous cards the Design Team has created!  You will definitely feel inspired!  We can't wait to see what you create!

Have an amazing week!

Jen

Freshly Made Sketches Challenge #404

Happy Wednesday!  It's Wednesday already!!!  Yay!!!  I actually love Wednesdays!  They're my "at home" day!  I usually spent the morning cleaning the bathrooms and vacuuming.  I know, really exciting!!!  I actually have to hit a grocery store today because we are out of cucumbers and Jacob LOVES cucumbers.  He would eat a cucumber a day if you let him!  I guess I can't complain!  We're heading to our first (and probably last) Toronto Maple Leaf's game tonight!  It's a pre-season game and we decided this would be our one big winter treat - in September!!!  The kids are super excited!!

Okay, so we have a brand new sketch this week at Freshly Made Sketches! Our hostess this week our our Texan friend Amy O'Neill!  Amy is our colour-matching, element placing queen!  Head over to her blog to check out her gorgeous creations!

So shockingly, I knew what I wanted to do with this sketch right away!  I needed a wedding card for the wedding we attended last Friday evening and this was going to be it!  I love the Modern Heart Stamp Set from Stampin' Up so that was my go to for that massive oval (which is almost as bad as a massive circle!).

I used some silver embossing powder, threw on some bling and I was good to go!  That pretty much never happens so I was impressed!

Supplies:
Cardstock: Basic Black, Silver Foil
Stamps: Modern Heart (SU), Essential Sentiments (MFT)
Ink: Versamark
Other: Silver Embossing Powder, Frosted Epoxy Drops, Dimensionals

Thanks so much for stopping by today!  I hope you'll head over to the Freshly Made Sketches blog and check out the gorgeous cards the Design Team has created for your inspiration!

Have an amazing day!

Jen

Freshly Made Sketches Challenge #402

Hello!
Happy Wednesday!  I hope you're week has started well!  Our kids are transitioning well into school. They seem to like their teachers and classes.  The homework and projects have started already.  I'm not sure I'm quite ready for that yet!

We have a great new sketch this week at Freshly Made Sketches!  Our hostess this week is the amazing Karren Johnson!  Karren is the queen of colouring and I love the cards she creates!  Head over to her blog to check them out!

As soon as I saw Karren's sketch I knew the card that I wanted to make!  I had the Reverse Confetti Fall Foliage stamp set on my desk from another project so I knew I wanted to use it for this card too! I love fall cards!  I could make them all year long.  It's really the colours I love.  Those browns, rusts, deep yellows and oranges!  They make me happy!  I kinda think tomorrow my fall decorations might come out for the season!!

Supplies:
Cardstock: Crumb Cake, Mango Medley, Early Espresso, Kraft
Patterned Paper: Pumpkin Spice from Michaels
Stamps: Fall Foliage (Reverse Confetti), Essential Sentiments (MFT)
Ink: Early Espresso
Other: Fall Foliage Confetti Cuts (Reverse Confetti), Sequins (Taylored Expressions), Dimensionals

Thanks again for stopping by and saying hi!
I hope you'll take the time to head over to the Freshly Made Sketches Blog so you can be wowed by the cards the Design Team created!

Have an amazing day!

Jen

Freshly Made Sketches Challenge #380

Hello
Happy Wednesday!  I hope you're having a great start to your week!  We are coming off of our March Break here!  We had a great week with my parents!  It was nice and relaxing.  The boys were able to play a ton of driveway hockey on their huge driveway!  We also took in the War Museum in Ottawa.  Such a great museum.  The kids really liked it and it's very well done.  I highly recommend it if you're ever in the National Capital!

We have a great new sketch at Freshly Made Sketches this week courtesy of one of our brand new designers Jacquie Southas!  Jacquie's cards are gorgeous and super creative!  Head over to her blog to check them out!  

As soon as I saw the sketch I knew that I didn't have any squares that would work but knew I had some sweet little butterflies that would work perfectly!  I decided to do all black with one shimmery blue!

Supplies:
Cardstock: Whisper White, Basic Black, Blue Shimmer
Stamps: Essential Sentiments (MFT)
Ink: Memorex Black
Other: In Flight Overlays (Taylored Expressions), Subtle Texture Embossing Folder, Dimensionals

Thanks so much for stopping by today!  I hope you'll head over to the Freshly Made Sketches blog and check out the gorgeous cards the Design Team has created for your inspiration!

Have a fabulous day!
Jen

Freshly Made Sketches Challenge #375

Hello!
Happy Wednesday!  I hope you're having a great start to your week!  We ended up with another snow day yesterday and the schools were closed.  I figured it might be a snow day so advised my kids to sleep in.  Nope.  Wasn't going to happen.  Both of them up at 7:15!!  They're both praying that school is cancelled again today!  Too funny!

We have a great new sketch at Freshly Made Sketches this week!  Our hostess is our favourite French designer Cecile Ribon!  Cecile's cards are just gorgeous!  She has the most intriguing die cuts and I always love to see how she uses them!

I started out not knowing what I would do with this sketch!  I had something in mind and tried several times to make it work but had to start over.  I went through my dies and found some dual stitched triangles that I figured would work perfectly.  I threw in some circle garlands and I was off to the races!

Supplies: 
Cardstock: Whisper White, Lemon Lime Twist, Midnight Muse
Stamps: Essential Sentiments (MFT)
Ink: Midnight Muse
Other: Circle Garland Die (Reverse Confetti), Dual Stitched Triangle Dies (Lil Inkers), Subtle Texture Embossing Folder, Dimensionals

Thanks so much for stopping by today!  I hope you'll head over to the Freshly Made Sketches blog and check out the gorgeous cards the Design Team has created for you!

We can't wait to see what you come up with this week!

Have a fabulous day!
Jen

Freshly Made Sketches Challenge #353

Hello!
Happy Wednesday!  I hope you're having a great start to your week.  If your kids started school yesterday (like mine did), I hope they had a wonderful first day!  My boys had a good start.  They both like their teachers and look like they'll have challenging years...in a good way!

Speaking of challenges, we have a brand new challenge this week at Freshly Made Sketches!  Our hostess this week is the amazing Jen Mitchell!  Jen makes the most gorgeous cards and she is totally the queen of Clean and Simple - yet totally elegant!!! Head over to her blog to check her cards out!

So I have totally yet unintentionally veered from the sketch just a little as I may have gotten a tiny bit carried away with the flowers.  I couldn't help myself.  I truly love these flowers.  I know they're retired but they're my favourite and probably always will be!

Two friends of mine recently got engaged.  I am so excited for them so wanted to congratulate them with a card.  I figured this sketch would work perfectly...until of course I really changed it up!  One of these days the design team is totally going to disown me!!

Supplies:
Cardstock: Basic Black, Whisper White, Gold Foil
Stamps: Essential Sentiments (MFT)
Ink: Basic Black
Other: Botanical Builders Framelits, Softly Falling TIEF, Dimensionals, gold pearls

Thanks for stopping by today!  I hope you'll head over to the Freshly Made Sketches blog and check out the amazing cards that the Design Team has created!  You won't be disappointed!

Have a fabulous day!

Jen

Freshly Made Sketches Challenge #351

Hello!
Happy Wednesday!  I hope you're having a great week!  We are in our second last week of summer holidays and it makes me sad.  We've had a wonderful summer and I've enjoyed each part of it and I am so sad that it's soon over.  Yesterday was my youngest's 10th birthday!  I cannot believe my baby is 10!  Seems like it was just yesterday that he rushed into the world!  Time flies by too quickly!

We have a great new sketch this week at Freshly Made Sketches!  Our hostess this week is one of our amazing Texan design team members - Amy O'Neill!  Amy is our colour specialist!  She can combine any colour with a ton of different elements and make the card look spectacular!  Head over to her blog and check out her gorgeous cards!

As I'm posting this I realize that I put my sentiment in the wrong spot.  I don't know why I thought it was supposed to go on the banner!  I hope the girls don't fire me!!

I love the little flowers from the Beautiful Bouquet so I decided to use those for this card!  I opted to use Kraft paper as the background to keep everything neutral.  Of course I threw on some gold sequins!!!  Why not?!

Supplies:
Cardstock: Kraft, Whisper White
Stamps: Beautiful Bouquet,  Essential Sentiments
Ink: Basic Black, Versamark
Other: Bouquet Bunch Framelit Dies, White Embossing Powder, Gold Sequins, Dimensioanls

Thanks again for stopping by!  I hope you'll head over to the Freshly Made Sketches blog and check out the gorgeous cards the Design Team has created for your inspiration!

Have a fabulous week!
Jen

Freshly Made Sketches Challenge #350

Hello!
Happy Wednesday!  I'm so sorry that this post is late!  We were away at the beginning of the week and I totally forgot to write this post beforehand and schedule it to post!  Our family just spent a few days exploring Tobermory which is a beautiful town in Ontario!  The water is amazingly clear and there are even some cool shipwrecks you can see under the water!  It was nice to get away but it's always nice to get home too!

We have a great new sketch this week at Freshly Made Sketches!  Our hostess is the amazing Narelle Farrugia!  Narelle is our amazing fussy cutter and flower stamper supreme!  Head on over to her blog to check out here beautiful cards!

I needed a birthday card for my dad and unfortunately masculine cards are not my specialty.  I had purchased this new embossing folder and stamp set from the little scrapbook store in my parents town.  Of course I love the Night of Navy/Lucky Limeade combination and I can't stop using it!!!

Supplies:
Cardstock: Whisper White, Night of Navy, Lucky Limeade
DSP: Tutti Frutti (Retired)
Stamps: Essential Sentments (MFT)
Ink: Night of Navy
Other: Weathered Embossing Folder (Tailored Expressions), 2.5" Circle Punch, Dimensionals

Thanks again for stopping by!  I hope you'll head over to the Freshly Made Sketches blog and check out the gorgeous cards the Design Team has created for your inspiration!

Have a fabulous day!

Jen