SC768 – Sketch Challenge Design Inspiration

Current and past sketch challenges, as well as all of the details, can be found here.  Past sketch challenge design team samples I have created can be found here and also in my gallery on SplitCoast.

 

Wow.  Time flies, doesn’t it?  Sometimes not so much. And more often, it’s more of a combination of the two – parts of something seem like only yesterday (like when I was asked to be a part of the Sketch Challenge Design team) while others seem like forever ago (like those first few cards I made for it!).

But today, I proudly, humbly, somewhat sadly, and somewhat triumphantly, present to you my last card in my six months of the Sketch Challenge Design Team!

Alley had a good one for us, too:

The inspiration for the card came from the lovely autumn we’ve been having, as well as a mismatch of other recent challenges:

• CC756 – Crushed Curry/Poppy Parade/Pumpkin Pie
• CAS551 – Happy Fall
• F4A450 – Spice It Up – because pumpkin spice is all the colors of pumpkin 🙂

The card I wanted to create for today is for my still-relatively-new-to-her-position boss, who seems to be a bit heavy-hearted, stressed, and less-cheerful-than-she-came-to-us as of late.   I wanted to bring her some cheer, and to let her know that despite how she might feel, she is doing a stellar job, and our team is the happiest we have ever been in the four years I’ve been here – hands-down, she’s the best boss we’ve known!

I wanted to get a little unique and make this card as clean and simple as possible, so I decided to give the background panel (the shutter-looking part 3 from the sketch) a score board treatment.

When I first “completed” the card last night, it looked like the above, but after seeing it in the morning, I decided the fire and our little friend needed a little dirt to sit on, so watercolored in some creamy caramel beneath them.

 

And of course… the sparkle.  Between the mutlicolored sequins reminiscent of those little embers that float away at your campfire, and the added heat of some red fire flames in the middle of it. 🙂 Looking at it now, I may just have to go back and add some clear sparkle to those tiny little marshmallows too! 🙂

Thank you so much for visiting my blog today – you make my day when you do! 🙂

Blessings,

Chrissy

Title: SC768

Keywords: SC768, CAS551, CC756, F4A450, Sunny Studio, sunnystudio, CAS

Stamps: Critter Campout (Sunny Studio)

Ink: Crushed Curry, Poppy Parade, Pumpkin Pie, Creamy Caramel, Close to Cocoa, Early Espresso, Versafine Onyx Black

Paper: White

Paper Size:   A2

Technique: Clean and Simple, Dry embossing/scoring, watercoloring, sparkle/glitter

Accessories: Martha Stewart scoring board, watercolor brush pen, foam mounting tape, glitter glue, sequins

SC766 “Love & Cheer for Judy” – Sketch Challenge Design Inspiration

Here it is – my last month as a member of the Splitcoast Stampers Sketch Challenge Guest Design Team!  This has been an incredible opportunity to contribute a card to the weekly inspiration roundup that goes along with it!

Current and past sketch challenges, as well as all of the details, can be found here.  Past sketch challenge design team samples I have created can be found here and also in my gallery on SplitCoast.

Without further ado, here is my card for this week’s sketch challenge at SCS!

Sometimes when you least expect it, inspiration comes through.

Diane has a GREAT sketch for us this week, one you want to be sure not to miss! But if it wasn’t for the nonstop downpour Monday, I would have had to miss out as I was all out of time after working all weekend on laundry, our property, and a super quick run down to get some work in with Mr. Dreamer (of which I may have surpassed the speed limit at times returning home from 🤫).  Frankly, I almost didn’t have the day off but a change in the forecast Monday morning resulted in me keeping it off, and getting down to Dreamer just in time for some short work bareback before the Heavens opened and saturated the atmosphere for the remainder of the day.  But at least I got a card made! 🤗

I decided to turn to the Teapotter Challenge for a starting point for the card as my next family-circle card need is a ways out yet and I sure enjoy the chance to participate in Teapotter challenges and sending to someone I’ve never met, but when I read that last week’s destination station went to none other than the Jennifer McGuire’s beloved mother-in-law, I nearly chickened out entirely. Because How On Earth could I ever make something that a close family member of the Jennifer McGuire could ever consider nice when she’s likely used to Jennifer’s incredible work?!

 

However, the Lord stirred my heart to give it a try anyway, and after learning miss Judy loves the color blue and picking out a blue-inspired autumnal color scheme, I just got lost in the process.

I pray Judy feels the love and encouragement and support of a group so blessed to be able to create for her when she opens this along with what are sure to be countless other Teapotter creations. 💜

An extra surprise when the card is opened is the “birch bark” lining I added in order to bring some interest to the Plain Jane craft envelope I had:

Judy, we’re praying for you. May God not only bring you healing (and swiftly at that), but while He works, may He envelope you in a undeniable, clearly tangible, comforting embrace.  May God bless you!

Thank you so much for visiting my blog today – you make my day when you do! 🙂

Blessings,

Chrissy

Title: SC766 MMTPT580, Love & Cheer for Judy

Keywords: SC766, MMTPT580, Stamping Up, SU, autumn, fall, leaves

Stamps: Lighthearted Leaves, Birch

Ink: Early Espresso, Island Indigo, Old Olive, Crushed Curry

Paper: white, Island Indigo, Crushed Curry, pearl/champagne vellum

Paper Size:   A2

Technique: heat embossing, fussy cutting, second generation stamping, watercolor

Accessories: white embossing powder, jute string (Hobby Lobby), foam mounting tape, gold leaf pen, watercolor brush pen/aqua painter

SC765 Oh Baby! – Sketch Challenge Design Inspiration

Here it is – my last month as a member of the Splitcoast Stampers Sketch Challenge Guest Design Team!  This has been an incredible opportunity to contribute a card to the weekly inspiration roundup that goes along with it!

Current and past sketch challenges, as well as all of the details, can be found here.  Past sketch challenge design team samples I have created can be found here and also in my gallery on SplitCoast.

Without further ado, here is my card for this week’s sketch challenge at SCS!

It’s baby season!  At work, we have recently had several mothers welcome newborns into their families, and two ladies in particular I work with fairly closely – so of course I want to celebrate their new arrivals!

However, babies… well, I don’t have any of them myself (human ones at least!), and baby cards aren’t the most natural thing for me to come up with.  But forest animals are, and I remember the forest animals that decorated my own room from infancy to early grade school days, and animals are something I can work with… so with that, I got busy! 🙂

One boy and one girl to craft cards for, and I got to meet the little girl (Olivia) on Tuesday!  (She’s TINY – she was a little early, but oh goodness she’s tiny!)

 

It’s been a rainy, dreary last three days – but I’m not complaining, because cozy indoor weather this time of year is perfect for crafting.  And baking.  And cooking. And reading. And…. (sorry.  I just really love fall. 🙂   In fact, I think I’d like to go make a fall-themed card right now.  Too bad I have to get up and go to work tomorrow. 😉 )  But it was a perfect excuse to spend a little extra time pretty-ing these up with my beloved colored pencils.  The best kind of therapy, in my opinion.  Aside from one-on-one time with my horse of course. 😉

Anyway, to bring a little fun and life to the cards, I popped the little hot air balloon passengers up with a Stampin’ dimensional:

 

 

And then of course added glitter accents to each to round them out. 🙂

Where has the time gone?  With this card, I’m embarking on my last month as a part of the Splitcoast Sketch Challenge Design Team.  It has been a whirlwind but an opportunity I am deeply grateful to have been a part of.

Blessings,

Chrissy

Title: SC765 Oh Baby!

Keywords: SC765

Stamps: Lia Griffith by Fiskars

Ink: Gray Granite, Versafine Onyx Black

Paper: Misc white, gray, and patterned (various ‘generic’ brands)

Paper Size:   A2

Technique: coloring with pencils, dry embossing, second generation stamping, dimension, distressing, sparkle

Accessories: colored pencils, SU by Sizzix embossing folders, Crayola glitter glue, sponge, Stampin dimensionals

SC764 For Your Retirement, Jane! – Sketch Challenge Design Inspiration

Another design sample as part of the Splitcoast Stampers Sketch Challenge Guest Design Team!  I have participated in these challenges basically since I found SCS, and to have been given the amazing opportunity to contribute a card to the weekly inspiration roundup that goes along with it is humbling and I am incredibly grateful, excited, and, well… nervous!

Current and past sketch challenges, as well as all of the details, can be found here.  Past sketch challenge design team samples I have created can be found here and also in my gallery on SplitCoast.

Without further ado, here is my card for this week’s sketch challenge at SCS!

For those of us in the working world, we have the opportunity to work with others, get to know others, laugh with others, sometimes cry with others, and, best of all, celebrate with others.  In the field I am in, many of the “others” I work with are hundreds of miles away, and some I never get to meet face to face nor even speak with on the phone!

Though I have spoken to this special lady by phone for some of our work, most of our communication over the past few years has been via email – she sends me something that needs to be processed and I do so, back and forth, a time or two or more each week.  She’s one of those folks who when I see an email pop in from her, though I expect it to contain more work, I actually smile – because more often than not, it contains something cheerful to go along with it, a kind word, or simply a how-do-you-do.  Jane and I hoped to meet earlier this year when I was in her neck of the woods for a horse event, but due to an unforeseen circumstance, that fell through.  And now, after her talking about it for quite some time, I am excited for Jane that she has just a few days of work left before she heads off into an exciting next chapter of life – retirement!

Though I originally started off to use this week’s sketch for something else entirely, as I got in my craft room Monday night I had a sudden inspiration instead to create for Jane, something autumn-inspired because of the lovely autumn-like weather we were experiencing and because her retirement takes place in September, and something with the beauty of trees within it, because Jane just so happens to work for our forestry division.  So off I went!

After reading this week’s Technique Lover’s Challege – Recessed Panel cards – I knew just what I wanted to do.  That, combined with one of my favorite purchases from last holiday season, I set off to create the perfect card for my dear colleague.

I learned some things along the way while making this card, that I hope will help anyone else hoping to complete the two challenges concurrently like I did:

1. First, plan.  Make sure you’ve left enough edge to accommodate whatever foam mounting product you own.  I struggled to cut my dimensionals down to a size that would fit the ever-so-narrow strips I left at the edges.
2. Pre-mark your corners with holes from a pin or other such tool – this gives a perfect “stop” to your craft knife to prevent you from accidentally over-reaching where you intended to end your cut.
3. Have fun!  Whatever happens, roll with it – if there’s an oops, it just opens up the opportunity to get a little extra creative. 🙂

And, as always, is any project actually complete without a little sparkle? 🙂  Just a hint on the tree trunks and primary branches to catch the light and draw the eye in to this pretty stand of trees.

Thankfully for me, Jane and I do have plans to finally meet up over dinner next month, post-retirement, when I’m in her area for work-related travel.  I can’t wait, and I pray God allows it to work out as planned this time around! 🙂

Thanks so much for stopping by today, and I sure hope you enjoyed my card!

Blessings,

Chrissy

Title: SC764 TLC757 For Your Retirement, Jane!

Keywords: SC764, TLC757, stampin up, SU, Recessed Panel, tree, nature, autumn

Stamps: Winter Woods, Let It Ride, Birch (all Stampin’ Up)

Ink: Gray Granite, Tranquil Tide

Paper: More Mustard (SU!), 80# Solar White (Neenah)

Paper Size:   A2

Technique: Recessed Panel Card, faux framing, distressing, glitter, dimension, second generation stamping (on the “ground”)

Accessories: Tranquil Tide marker, sanding block, gold cord, Gelly Roll glitter pen, Stampin’ dimensionals, Everyday Label Punch

Sketch Challenge Design Inspiration – SC763 – Happy Birthday, Mom!

Another design sample as part of the Splitcoast Stampers Sketch Challenge Guest Design Team!  I have participated in these challenges basically since I found SCS, and to have been given the amazing opportunity to contribute a card to the weekly inspiration roundup that goes along with it is humbling and I am incredibly grateful, excited, and, well… nervous!

Current and past sketch challenges, as well as all of the details, can be found here.  Past sketch challenge design team samples I have created can be found here and also in my gallery on SplitCoast.

Without further ado, here is my card for this week’s sketch challenge at SCS!

“In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths.” — Proverbs 3:6 

One of my favorite people to make a card for is my mom – a fellow cardmaker and the person who got me started in the hobby!  I get a lot of joy creating cards, but when I have a specific person in mind while I make it, it reallllly takes what is an enjoyable activity that feeds my introvert qualities and turns it more personal, purposeful, and powerful – into an activity I am doing for someone, vs. something that I enjoy doing just for me.    Bringing good into the world is something I strongly feel that God has asked us all to do, and I truthfully think these “handmade hugs” are one of the ways He wants me personally to do that.  (That may sound kind of lofty, I get it, but Matthew 25:21 is just one of the many references in Scripture that tell us that the small stuff matters – sometimes a lot more than the big stuff!)

Carey had a pretty sweet sketch for us this week – my cup of tea for a sketch challenge, because it’s pretty “plain” which for me is a lot more straightforward to take and make my own!

Mom has always called yellow a “happy color,” and on the occasions she has decided to send me a little cheer during rough patches in life, whether it be with flowers or a card, she always includes some yellow.  Naturally, I wanted yellow to be an element in her card design, and what better way that to combine it with something else she also enjoys – flowers!  (Mom has the most beautiful display of plantings each year, comprised of all sorts of bright colors – including yellow of course when she can find them at her favorite nursery!)

I decided to try a new technique with this card, and test out no-line watercoloring.  I love love love to use watercolors when I’m creating, and I have seen some absolutely stunning works using this technique (both with colored pencils and watercolors alike) by some of my favorite crafters like Yana Smakula, Jennifer McGuire, and May Sukyong Park. (Splitcoast Stampers also has an excellent step-by-step tutorial to guide you through the process if you are new to it and want to learn more!) I think it was recalling some of the lovely designs I have seen by these lovely ladies that I came up with the idea to include a striking contrast to the bright sunny yellow and make navy another feature element of this card.

And of course, is any card complete without a little sparkle?  Just a touch is sometimes all it needs… 😊

Finally, to finish off the card, I stamped the inside with the “happy birthday” sentiment in Night of Navy ink to match the base, and accented the greeting panel with a flower used on the front of the card with Fog ink.

THANKS so much for dropping by!  I hope you’ll take the time to say hello!

Blessings,

Chrissy

Title: SC763 Happy Birthday Mom!

Keywords: SC763, birthday, flower, feminine, SSS, SimonSaysStamp, simon says stamp, Altenew, HeroArts, hero arts

Stamps: Delicate Flowers (SSS), Beautiful Quotes (Altenew), Happy Stamp & Cut (Hero Arts)

Ink: Fog (Simon Says Stamp), Night of Navy (SU!)

Paper: White, Night of Navy, Glam Glitter Gold (The Paper Studio)

Paper Size:   A2

Technique: Watercoloring, no-line watercoloring, dry embossing, fussy cutting, dimension, sparkle

Accessories: watercolor pencils, watercolor brush, Darice embossing folder, Wink of Stella glitter brush pen in “clear,” adhesive pearls (Walmart), foam mounting tape