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Freshly Made Sketches #690

Freshly Made Sketches #690 published on 1 Comment on Freshly Made Sketches #690

We have a great sketch this week at Freshly Made Sketches! Our amazing Karren Johnson has given us some great options and I knew just what I wanted to do.

I had a birthday card that I needed to make for one of my boys and he loves foxes. Naturally, I pulled out my Fall Foxes from The Rabbit Hole Designs and got to coloring. Even though it says fall foxes, I colored him as a spring fox. I love him! To shop for him and other cute things from The Rabbit Hole Designs, just click the link to the store above or you can use discount code on their site: STAMPINONTHEFLY

I chose a woodgrain background from Honey Bee Stamps and found a scrap of green paper that matched the leaves to help with the sketch. The sentiment is from the Mini Messages: Birthday set. But what you can’t see in the photo is that the fox is up on a mini action wobbler. These little gadgets are so fun!!

You can see the video here: Fox Wobble Card

And here is the sketch for your reference:

Thanks so much for stopping in today. Hope you like this and will come over to join us too! See you soon!

Freshly Made Sketches #689

Freshly Made Sketches #689 published on 5 Comments on Freshly Made Sketches #689

The unofficial start of summer has arrived! Our weather has still been a bit spring-like and those are the colors I have used for this week’s Freshly Made Sketches card. Our sketch designer, Cécile Ribon, always has the most modern and fabulous cards so naturally her sketch is fabulous.

This card is for a dear friend’s daughter who just graduated from high school. The young women wear all white dresses (an all girls school) for commencement so I thought a more elevated card was in order. I stuck to a “script” and used the beautiful Flowers for the Soul Washi Tape (Pinkfresh Studio) again. Great for so many cards!! I pulled an old card stock from my stash and embossed with the Spring Medley 3D Embossing Folder.

For the center medallion, I chose this pretty shape from the Always and Forever product suite (Honey Bee Stamps). The sentiment is from the same suite. I added some gold pearls to add to the elegance of the gold on the washi.

Hope that you will come over to see the amazing work from the team and join our fun this week. Thanks for stopping in today!

Freshly Made Sketches #687

Freshly Made Sketches #687 published on 4 Comments on Freshly Made Sketches #687

Welcome back to more on the graduation theme! Everything went well over the weekend and we had such fun celebrating all of our oldest’s accomplishments.

One of our newest teammates at Freshly Made Sketches has created her first sketch for us this week and it is fabulous! Verena Shapiro is wildly talented and if you don’t already know her, go take a look at all her gorgeous work!

My youngest started drawing during his second semester in college this year and loves creating dragons. He decided that he wanted to make one that is the dragon version of his brother to turn into a card for graduation. What an awesome idea!! I asked him if he wanted me to color it and he agreed that would be ok. So he drew this dragon (using the work of hyperion_draws on Instagram as his inspiration). I love that he is using other artists as he tries to figure out his own style. AND…that he expressly told me that I had to credit the artist when posting. Let’s face it, understanding intellectual property is such a big deal and I’m glad he does.

After he was done getting his details right, I used Copic markers to create a William and Mary color scheme (under the direction of my son). After all the coloring was complete, I realized this would work for the sketch and we set to choosing a sentiment. This is from an old stamp set by Picket Fence Studios and is a phrase we banter about as a family. I added a bit of texture on the back layer using the Burlap 3D Embossing Folder (Honey Bee Stamps) and added a few sequins to finish.

I hope you’ll come over to join us this week. I see so many options for this sketch and might keep using it for a few more cards myself. Hope you have a great week!

Freshly Made Sketches #686

Freshly Made Sketches #686 published on 5 Comments on Freshly Made Sketches #686

The big week is here and my oldest graduates on Friday from The College of William and Mary! Technically, he already finished in fall semester but they only do one formal ceremony at the college so this is the big week. He is graduating Summa Cum Laude with a degree in Biology and a minor in Biochemistry. So happy to see him get to walk with all his friends as he finishes his time in Williamsburg.

Using the sketch at Freshly Made Sketches designed by the lovely Kim Singdahlsen was perfect to create a shaker card.

Using the green and gold color scheme from the college, I started planning. First, I pulled out an old letter die set from SugarPea Designs to cut the word. I chose some patterned papers from Honey Bee Stamps and played around until I found a version I liked. Next up…sequins and confetti in all the proper colors! Just raided the stash and combined some from different companies.

I got all that done and it was missing something. And that is when things went a little nuts. I was looking at some products that JUST arrived from Honey Bee Stamps sitting on my desk and I saw a cap. I mean, it isn’t a cap but it was just the right size and scale. It is from the Always and Forever set that is in the new release and seriously…not a cap. But I cut it out and started playing around. Next I found a tutorial on how to make tassels and gave that a go. Yep, love it, still not enough. Out came the greenery dies. Lovely Layers: Mini Fall Florals to be exact. I mean, he is a Biology major with an interest in plant studies, after all. Finally, that was the answer. So yeah, a little busier than I expected but I do love it for him.

This sketch is a real gem and I suspect you will have fun using it too. Come over and join the fun. Plus, as always, the team has tons of inspiration. Hoping for clear skies in the outdoor event on Friday (always a roll of the dice in Williamsburg) and I cannot wait to see him celebrate all that he has accomplished. Thanks for stopping in today. See you soon!

Freshly Made Sketches #683

Freshly Made Sketches #683 published on 6 Comments on Freshly Made Sketches #683

Hi everyone! Sorry for the break. We had a lot going on here and sadly, after years of wonderful antics we had to say goodbye to our sweet calico cat, Kate. She has been my coloring muse for many years, the supervisor of all things in my house and a benevolent dictator. I didn’t have any creativity in me, to be honest, but since I’m the sketch designer this week for Freshly Made Sketches, I got down to the craft room to see what I could come up with.

I created my sketch based on a card from the talented Carly Tee and used the same die cut gate fold technique she did.

Using the Good Tidings Stamps, Stencils and Dies from Honey Bee Stamps, I created this holiday greenery. I flipped one and scored the die cuts could wrap around the back of the card. Then I used the Snowy Pines 3D Embossing Folder to create a layer underneath the greenery.

Here is a video to show you how it works:

Die Cut Gate Fold Video

To cover the attachment point on the back of the card, I simply added another plain white panel over that. It does make for a bulkier card but if you are doing a fancy fold, a little extra postage is worth it.

I hope you will come over and play along this week. The team has created all kinds of wonderful cards with the sketch! And we have two new team members to inspire you!

Thanks so much for stopping by today! Hope to see you again soon!

Freshly Made Sketches #681

Freshly Made Sketches #681 published on 5 Comments on Freshly Made Sketches #681

We have another great sketch at Freshly Made Sketches this week. Our designer is Amy O’Neill and she has one that is so clever. I have a friend who lost a sweet kitty suddenly last week so I thought I’d use the sketch to make a card for her.

I pulled out some older products from Newton’s Nook Designs for this one plus a sentiment from Honey Bee Stamps. The kitty is from Furr-Ever Friends and stencil is the Pawprints Stencil. Using some Distress Oxide blue inks I created the partial stenciled panel and a banner.

I added the kitty in black ink and stamped this sentiment from the Rainbow Bridge set and added another sweet one from the same set inside. I thought the clean lines of this were appropriate for such a somber occasion.

I hope you’ll come over and join us. The team has their always great inspiration up and I’d love to see you in the gallery. Thanks for stopping in!

Freshly Made Sketches #678

Freshly Made Sketches #678 published on 7 Comments on Freshly Made Sketches #678

Another week has flown by. I’m teaching out in Denver this week but I was able to get in a little crafting time before heading out here. We have a gorgeous sketch at Freshly Made Sketches courtesy of our lovely Cécile Ribon. I didn’t vary from it too much but I see so many ways to use it (and so many flower options).

I opted for the incredible flower from the Bloom with Grace Stamp Set by Honey Bee Stamps. I know it isn’t really sunflower season but I didn’t think that should stop me from coloring this one. I took a bit of time working on shading and adding some rust colored shading. I love images like this that give room to play a bit and think about shadows and light.

For the background, I thought I’d experiment a little on BetterPress Cotton Card Panels in Bisque. I partially stamped the Vintage Flora Background Stamp in Vintage Photo Distress Ink. Then I added water to smudge and add character. I took my watercolor paints and added some variations on green randomly over the image and then added black splatters. For the flower and leaves, I actually fussy cut the images. I don’t do this often but for this I thought it intensified the effect. To keep the edges of the flower from looking too white, I took a black marker (I do this from behind to help avoid stray accidents) around the edges. Finally a sentiment from the Mini Messages Stamp Set using its coordinating die set.

Hope you like this one and are having a good week. Thanks for stopping by today! See you soon.

Freshly Made Sketches #677

Freshly Made Sketches #677 published on 4 Comments on Freshly Made Sketches #677

Hi all! Sorry it has been a bit. Had some family fun to do and a wonderful family wedding to attend! The weather was perfect for an outside ceremony in Savannah, GA and it was nice to spend time with much our our extended family.

Back to creating this week with a wonderful sketch at Freshly Made Sketches by our fearless Canadian adventurer Jen Brum. I was inspired by the weather and our impending cherry blossom blooming timeline.

I cut the base of the Lovely Layers: Cherry Blossoms out of a dark brown card stock and then cut all the layering flowers and leaves from white. I pulled out my Distress Inks and got to blending. As usual, I got lost in the process and just played with layering colors on the flowers and leaves. Once done, I glued everything in place and added an additional brown layer behind for more stability on the branch.

When the flower branch was completed, I started working on how to layer with the pretty sketch. I thought that some patterned paper designs would work well to make it pop and settled on these gorgeous patterns from the Vintage Love collection. I added a sentiment from the Inside: Birthday Sentiments stamp set and pulled out some pretty pink pearls from the Vintage Pearls collection (Honey Bee Stamps).

Hope you enjoy this card and that you are inspired to create with this new sketch. Thanks for stopping in today. See you soon!

Freshly Made Sketches #673

Freshly Made Sketches #673 published on 6 Comments on Freshly Made Sketches #673

Well, as I type the winter wonderland is returning to northern Virginia. So beautiful (as long as I don’t have to drive around). But when it comes to stamping, I seem to have moved on to spring. I’m the sketch designer this week for Freshly Made Sketches and I had fun getting inky for my card.

I had a couple of ideas about what I was going to use for the decorative element but finally decided this sweet little spring umbrella was perfect for the job. All of the die cuts are from the Lovely Layers: April Showers set from Honey Bee Stamps. Using Distress Inks, I colored all of the flowers, the bird and the umbrella using both the Bitty Bunny Blending Brushes and the Beeluxe Blending Brushes.

I used the Spring Medley 3D Embossing Folder for the background and cut out a circle, inking it in Squeezed Lemonade Distress Oxide Ink. The sentiment is from the Mini Messages Stamp Set cut out with the coordinating Mini Messages Banners dies.

I hope you like my take on the sketch and will find some inspiration in all that the team has created. As always, their work is incredible! Hope to see you in the gallery!

If you’d like to shop with me, you can use the links above or click here (at no extra cost to you):

Scrapbook.com shopping

Simon Says Stamp shopping

Freshly Made Sketches #672

Freshly Made Sketches #672 published on 7 Comments on Freshly Made Sketches #672

Hi all. Before I get into my card, a quick note on the awful week in aviation. Needless to say, my heart is broken by the tragic loss of lives in the midair collision at DCA airport. I fly in and out of that airport often which makes it all the more sobering. As I have asked on social media, I also ask here. Please do not fall prey to those who say they know what happened or start laying blame. Investigations take months and even years. While it is hard to wait, we owe it to those lost to follow every piece of information and put together the entire sequence of events. The news will move on but those families will still be facing unimaginable loss. All of our words should respect those families and their new realities.

I was grateful for this clever and really workable sketch created by our lovely Jacquie Southas for Freshly Made Sketches this week. A little time to color but nothing that taxed my brain too much. Perfect!

The flowers, the hummingbird and the sentiment on this card are all from one set called Grandma’s Garden by Honey Bee Stamps. The stamp set and the coordinating Grandma’s Garden Dies are on clearance if you are interested (links in the bold type). I just pulled out my Copic Markers and had a bit of fun with shading on this.

Something about this sketch lent itself to really clean design so I kept all the white space actually white. The flowers have some layering extras so I added one to match the trio in the sketch design. I could not resist adding on the bird just for fun.

I bet you have some things in your stash that would be fun for this too! Dies, banners or a stamp set like the one I chose. Hope you will come over and join us. Thanks for stopping in today. Wishing you a good week.

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