More fun with CAS(E) this Sketch Blog

When I saw my email today from CAS(E) this Sketch Blog I immediately thought of this patterned paper pack I have...in both the small and large 12x12. It's called Simple Elegance, by The Paper Studio. I originally bought it because it matches so much of my house decor that I knew sometime I'd want to come up with a wall hanging of some kind.

Anyway....the sketch was a bit scary...because you know, it looks like a lot of ..... Geometry.
I can do Algebra problems as long as my driveway, but I don't DO Geometry, which is why the sides overlap instead of come out cut just right from the corner of a paper, like one of those ruler that look like an L. There is a pattern to the overlap so I call it....a design element. ;-)

For the sentiment, I had the embossing tinsel out from another project I attempted that ended up in the round file, so I embossed that sentiment so it would pop off the black background.

I can say this was super fun and quick once I simplified the process.

Feeling...frosty?

We had a beautiful weather week, until today. Cloudy, 15-20 or so degrees colder than yesterday...just gray. For some reason labrador who is very convincing when she has to pee/is hungry we were up an hour earlier than normal despite the darkness of the mornings. Consequently I got some things finished around the house early (go figure). My early rising this morning gave me some time to play with another sketch challenge from Freshly Made Sketches Blog, while the dog snores at my feet. Thanks Halle.

This little guy arrived on my doorstep last month when I rejoined The Stamps of Life Monthly Stamp Club and I've been looking forward to using it ever since. Snowman2Build reminds me of the old Stampin' Up 'Frosty', which was always a fun winter set.

I've had some mica flake glitter for years, never used until today. Perfect for that snowman-y look. You may think I'm ready for the white stuff. I'm not. Here's the sketch....head over to the blog linked to see how many others interpret this sketch. Very fun!

Wednesday Crafty Time

Wednesdays are our weekday 'rest day' from our four evenings per week at CrossFit.

While I love the gym time with my husband and daughter, I enjoy not rushing around on Wednesdays and planning my day/evening around the 4-6 pm block..which ends up extending way beyond that by the time showers, dinners, etc get going. I generally keep the errands to a minimum and lately I'm trying to commit to spending time on Wednesdays (and other days!) doing some creative things, reading, and just being at home. Home is my favorite place to be. In PJs. All day.

Today I worked (way too long) on a Sketch from CAS(E) this sketch blog. I say 'way too long' because I thought I'd never get it 'right'. The sketch is pretty clean and seemed pretty easy...hmmm...

I knew I wanted to use the Chrysanthemum stamp I had from The Stamps of Life, mums2stamp. The card was to go in the mail to my grandma today, who is recovering from an injury. Yikes! A deadline!

I tried to combine with a color combo challenge from another site and I just couldn't get it together without adding some green so I bagged that plan. Once I stamped the mums, they called to be cut out using some nestibilities dies I had on hand.

Well, I haven't done much paper craft stuff in several years and that process required doing some research on how to run the dies and stamped images through the die cutting machine...oye! I managed to NOT break the plates to the machine AND get the images cut pretty quickly with the help of 'Google'. I now understand why this Nestibilities Dies thing becomes a sickness among paper crafters.

I chose the pattern paper early on as 'the one'...but pushed it aside and tried at least 10 others when I was trying to make the color combo work without green...and brought it right back once I added the stems to the mums. I just can't do the free floating flower thing. It just seems incomplete. So there it is...and it got in the mail at least an hour ahead of the mail truck.

Thanks for stopping by!

Vintage Christmas

Through one of the other blogs I follow I was introduced to The Paper Players.

This week's challenge was to use something vintage on a card. I don't have a lot to choose from when it comes to Christmas vintage...and I wanted to keep making Christmas cards so my time had purpose! I came across this nutcracker tag punch out from Graphic 45 in my stash.

Nutcrackers are so traditionally Christmas....I added some paper from The Paper Studio Old World Winter stack and this went together so quickly! Keeping with my goal of clean and simple design for Christmas cards, I had three of the images on the sheet so I actually knocked out three cards at once...love that!

Time to start the Christmas Cards.

Good afternoon. While I love Thanksgiving, I'm pretty happy to have my Thanksgiving cards ready to go so I can enjoy the month and the holiday.  I made a few Fall cards this year but I also went back through my stash from previous years and used some of those.

I tried so hard to decide to use some old Christmas cards I made in previous years this year as well so not to waste them, but I just couldn't bring myself to do it. I really like making Christmas cards. So if any of my non-crafty or time crunched friends would like my old hand made Christmas cards (maybe a couple dozen?), just let me know. We can work something out.

I know it's early, but the earlier I start on these, the more fun I have, and the less stress there is involved. I pulled out all my Winter and Holiday themed stamp sets, papers, embellishments, etc and I made my Christmas inspiration basket to put on my table to make it easier to see what I have on hand.

When it comes to Christmas cards, I usually go for simple and clean. I've made cards to sell in the past and these types of designs that lend themselves to mass production are often the most cost effective.

I love sketch challenges, because they allow for some creative interpretation and helps things often go together quickly.  This one from Freshly Made Sketches (#161) is the newest. I plan to do several sketch challenges in coming weeks to build my Christmas card selection to send out this year (or sell if anyone asks). If I don't get enough one of a kind designs, I'll go back later and mass produce some that went together pretty quickly. This is one of them.

Supplies:
Stamp Set: Lace Snowflakes, Stampin' Up.
Cardstock: Off white, red, silver
Papers: Fair Isle Christmas, Deja Vus
Miscellaneous: Silver heat embossing powder, silver cord

New Sketch Challenge

   
The internet is a beautiful thing. I'm amazed how much is out there to inspire. The hardest part about card making, scrapbooking, or really, any paper craft is the layout, especially when you've not been in the habit of creating things. Eventually your own vision takes over and you come up with layouts on your own, but for now, wow it's making things just happen. Sketches have long been a springboard for creativity. It's like a puzzle you assemble, but you make up your own pieces. I came across Freshly Made Sketches Blog yesterday so decided to play along with this week's sketch.

The stamps are from The Stamps of Life, Branches4Flowers and the patterned paper is from Basic Gray, Green at Heart paper stack.

Christmas motivation

For the nearly 4 years since we moved to Virginia from Indiana I had my craft area set up in the basement. It's unfinished so I really had as much space as I wanted or needed. The problem is my previous space in Indiana was full of light and in a more public area of the house. This led to many harmonious hours of creative time without having to hide away from the family in the dark.

I would go downstairs here and there and try to focus and get some things done, but it just never felt right. I've also spent a lot of time the last few years getting healthy, eating right, exercising, reading, etc. I've also gotten away from the cards and paper stuff and into more art journaling and painting...sort of spread my wings a bit. I definitely need the creative outlet though, and always have felt more in balance when I'm doing something with the fun supplies I've hoarded  accumulated over the last 12ish years. 

Last week I made a plan to move my supplies to our office/den right off the family room.  This meant resolving myself to the idea that the dogs' kennels would need to be in an unused area of our formal dining room...they can move the one time a year we actually use that room. It's been a good move thus far. I'm finding I feel like creating again. And that's a good thing for me. 

I've reconnected with Splitcoaststampers and found lots of inspiration and some challenges that are helping me get back my creative vibe. It's overwhelming to look at the vast selection of images I have on hand to work with so I'm focusing on one or two companies which seem to speak to me right now. 

I remember from before that I am more motivated when I have a goal or a purpose in my work. So, with the Christmas season coming up, I may 'practice' a bit with images that I can send out the door when the time comes. Used to be I'd make duplicate cards, one to keep, one to send, but thanks to digital photography....no more. The majority of what I'll be making will be given to someone. Lucky friends and family! 

About this card: Stamps are from The Stamps of Life, set is Holly4Christmas. Papers are from The Paper Studio Old World Winter pack.

Lovely as a tree.... always a classic.

A male friend had an accident a couple weeks ago. I wanted to do something nice for him and his wife as they welcome us to their home always, and I value their friendship a great deal. It is always a challenge to come up with a masculine card for a guy. Well Lovely as a Tree, Stampin Up! is a classic choice. It always works. I used some patterned paper I had in my stash, and coordinating solid papers and inks. The image is stamped on glossy paper. 

Daughter is 14....and likes owls.

This week I brought all my fun creative things upstairs from the basement to the den right off the family room. In the process I found a lot of unused things from The Stamps of Life. My daughter loves owls right now, and her birthday is tomorrow, so it was logical to come up with something in her favorite colors of pink and green. The set is called Owls2Love, it's from a couple years ago. She loved it! I know it's typical to be specific as to what was used in these things, but I have so much stuff that I am trying to use through, I have no idea where most of my things came from. I'll do my best to describe.