Sketch Saturday - 66

For those of you that frequent my blog, you will notice something very strange about this card. Not only are there no embellishments, but there is no stitching. NO HAND STITCHING!!! Hard to believe, I know. If you look back through all of my cards on here, there's only one other card that was done in a hurry, that doesn't have stitching. This paper is way too busy for stitching anyway.

However, I literally only had 10 minutes to make this card. I had this sketch printed out from Sketch Saturday to make one of my usual cards and just grabbed it and started cutting paper. My papers aren't even matted as usual. I think I may need therapy after making this card.

I was getting unexpected company and the little girl just had a birthday so I had to be really quick about it.

Anyway, the card is was made using all Close to my Heart products. Day Dream Paper Pack, Doodle Alphabet & Nursery Bash stamp sets.

Sweet 'n Sassy August Blog Hop

Welcome to the August Sweet 'n Sassy Stamps Blog Hop.

If you came here from Connie's blog, then you are on the right track. If you've just started out here, then you may want to go back to The Sweet 'n Sassy Blog to begin from the beginning.
There is also a line-up of the blogs for this hop for each day, listed in the column to the right.

I have two cards posted in this post in case you'd like to check out both. The are both made using the Sweet Spot Card Sketch Challenge for this week. I flipped the second card to get a different look.

The first card is using the theme of this hop which is using Scriptures somewhere on the card.
Sweet 'n Sassy has some of the best Scripture Stamps. Check them out HERE.

I have used "Light of the World" stamp set for my card. The papers, ribbons, glitter brad and half pearls are all from "Close to my Heart".

All stitching, inside and out, is done by hand using matching embroidery floss.

Here is my second card using this great sketch.

This card is for this weeks Sweet Stop Sketch Challenge.

It was made using this weeks NEW Digi release with the squirrel and Sunflower designed by Korin. Isn't he just the cutest.

From Here you want to hop on over to Teresa's Blog and see the wonderful artwork she has for you there.

Don't forget to hop along with us again tomorrow and Friday!

Ya'll come back now, Ya hear!

Happy Harvest - SSS17

Fall is just around the corner whether we are ready for it or not.
And I'm NOT!!
Don't get me wrong, I LOVE Fall, I just don't want the summer over yet.

This stamp set is from Sweet 'n Sassy and is called "Happy Harvest."

The DT is retired paper from Close to my Heart.

The images were stamped several times and colored with Copic Markers. They were then all cut out and layered for a 3D affect.

The flower in the center was made with punches. I'm not sure if I like it there, but the top of the card just looked like it was missing something, so I made a flower!

A cute little sunflower would probably look better, but I don't have any.
The card is hand stitched with my own design using embroidery floss.

Birthday Buddies - SSS16

Here is a great sketch from the Sweet Stop Sketches Challenge with Sweet 'n Sassy Stamps.
This stamp set is called Birthday Buddies. Don't you just love this cute little mouse!
Here is my take on this sketch.
The DP is Close to my Heart "Animal Cookies Creative Basics".
Sunflower Grosgrain ribbon and the flat white pearls is from CTMH.

The Mouse for Birthday Buddies was stamped, colored with Copic Markers and cut out three times and layered for a 3D affect.

The stitching was done by hand with matching embroidery floss.

The border punch if from Martha Stewart. I used that one because it reminded me of Swiss cheese and thought it was perfect with the mouse!

It's Your Day - Mojo98

Today's card was done out of necessity. I needed a birthday card for my granddaughter and haven't had extra time to stamp lately. So, I decided to use the Mojo 98 sketch to make a quick card. The only problem is, when I finished the card, I discovered that the small square that was to go behind the circle way lying on the floor. So, here's my card without it. That's what I get for doing everything last minute.

This card is a standard 4.25 X 5.5. I haven't made a small card like this in quite some time. I prefer larger cards for my own use. The only time I make small cards if for my hostess clubs to make and for people who I know don't keep my creations!!! *Ü*

I used the August Stamp of the Month, It's Your Day, from Close to my Heart.
I also used the Animal Cookies paper pack and the Foam Dir-cut numbers. I used the cuttlebug on the foam "8" and the Swiss dots embossing folder on the background.

Sweet Stop Sketch 15 - Sweet 'n Sassy

Here is this weeks Sweet Shop Sketch 15 with a set from Sweet 'n Sassy called Eye on the Sparrow.

This also qualifies for the Pile It On Challenge to use at least three flowers.

I also used a color challenge from Jeanette Lynton's blog this week. Colors are Sorbet, Sweetleaf and Chocolate.

The images were stamped, colored and cut out three times, then layered and poped for a 3D affect.

All stitching inside and out was done by hand with embroidery floss.

Sheetload of Cards online Publication

For those of you that have never heard of Sheet Load of Cards, it is an online publication which provides you with a new sketch every month. Along with the sketch they provide you with the cutting directions for making 8 identical cards out of the least amount of paper.

They then provide you with loads of samples of cards made using that sketch.

Sweet 'n Sassy stamps is the sponsor there for the month of August. All of us Design Team members were invited to be the guest designer this month. To check this out, go to their website and then to Saturday August 1st and click on the box that says Sheetload of Cards under "August 2009 - Sponsored by Sweet 'n Sassy stamps". This will then open up a PDF file with this months publication.

These cards also qualify for the Stamp Something Challenge Blog, to use paper piecing.

I submitted two cards.
The first card is using Elly & Friends stamp set.
The papers pack I used is called "Expedition" from Close to my Heart.
All stitching is done by hand using embroidery floss.


This second card is form a Sweet 'n Sassy stamp set called "Sweet Dreams".
The paper pack is called "Daydream" from Close to My Heart.
It's hard to see all the glitter on this card. Olivia had purple glitter on her eyelids, pink on the stars of her cap and green on the leaves.
I used two pewter decorative brads and hollyhock Twill ribbon, all from Close to my Heart.
The white half pearls are white solid dew drops.
The owl and branch is stamped and colored with Copic Markers twice. Then cut out and layered for a 3D affect.

All stitching was done by hand using embroidery floss.

Tee Time-CTMH; MMSC12

I needed a card today for my husband's birthday so I used this fantastic sketch from this weeks Midnight Madness Sketch #12. This is one time I can actually say I love this card. That's sometimes not the easiest thing for me to do. I'm my worst critic. It looks much better in person. I couldn't lighten it up enough to look natural. I normally take a picture rather then scan it. I like using natural light and it was dark when I finished it.


Anyway, I followed this sketch to the "TEE". A little late night humor there. I must be overly tired.

I used a paper pack from Close to my Heart called "A Guy Thing", and stamp sets called "Tee Time" & "For Every Occasion."

Colors of ink used were Barn Red, Olive and Black.
The grosgrain ribbon and Big Decorative Brad is also from CTMH.

All stitching on the card was done by hand using embroidery floss.

Baby Blessings_SNSS, The Pink Elephant

Welcome to day two of the Sweet 'n Sassy Blog Hop.

If you just came here from Teresa's blog, you are in the right place.
If not, you may want to go back and start at the beginning with Korin's Blog and work your way from there so you don't miss any of the great eye candy from each of the Design Team members.


The card sketch for this card is from sketch #25 at The Pink Elephant. I just turned it to fit my stamp.

I sometimes find it hard to make masculine cards. With this one, I wanted it to look like it was for a baby boy so I used nontraditional baby colors. This stamp set is called Baby Blessings from Sweet 'n Sassy Stamps.

The other main image in this set is a Giraffe and can be seen a few posts down.
This is a fantastic set with lots of verses to go with it.

The paper is from Close to my Heart.

The stitching is done by hand with two different colors of embroidery floss, olive and dutch blue. It may be hard to see the two different colors in the photo.

From here you want to hop on over to Lori's Blog.

Sweet 'n Sassy sketch14-Wedding Bells Stamp

I just love this weeks sketch over at the Sweet Stop Blog.
Sweet 'n Sassy stamps is still going strong with their Christmas in July sale. But, you only have until Friday to get in on their discounted stamps and FREE Digi's.

For this card, I used their new Digi stamp set called Wedding Day. I wanted to show the versatility of this set. I had something different in mind when I started but changed it to using a punch for the white sprigs around the bell and lower left corner. You probably can't see it on the photo, but they are covered with clear Prisma glitter as is the punch out snowflake on the ribbon. It just adds the right amount of sparkle and glitz.
The Season's Greetings is also from a Digi stamp set called "Do not open till Christmas." This digi set is not for sale. BUT, you can get it FREE with just a $35 purchase. Check it out HERE.

The paper is from The Aspen Paper Pack from Close to My Heart.

The stitching is done by hand with embroidery floss. I've been using this stitch a lot lately for my Christmas cards since it reminds me of snowflakes.

Extreme Happiness-CTMH - MMSC11

I Loved this sketch #11 on Midnight Madness and wanted to play along. This card worked out great in my mind, however, now that I have it on paper, I'm not crazy about it. But, I spent way too much time on it so it will just have to grow on me.

The card size is 5"x7"

I used paper from the Moon Doggie paper pack from Close to my Heart.

Also used the stamp set Extreme Happiness, also from CTMH.

I used a Martha Stewart Border Punch.

The stitching around the three sides was done by hand using embroidery floss. I make up my own stitch designs. Sometimes they work and sometimes they don't. I got lucky with this one.

The yellow part of the flowers has stickles on them for a little added glitz.

Baby Blessings, MMSC10,

This has to be the fastest card I've ever made. Really, I take forever to design one and then to finally say OK, I'm done. I usually just keep adding things.

Well with this one, just a few hours ago, a design team member, Teresa, told us about The Pink Elephant Challenge Blog. This weeks Challenge is to create a card with an animal theme.

I thought the Midnight Madness sketch 10 would be perfect for it. However, the deadline for submitting that sketch was in 1 1/2 hours from then. So, I scrambled to get my thought together and promised myself that I would keep it simple.

So, here is the sketch and the fastest card I've ever made.

The stamps are Sweet 'n Sassy "Baby Blessings"

All papers are from Close to my Heart.

Image is colored in with Copic Markers.

Stitching was done by hand with embroidery Floss.

So, what do you think. Quick and easy!

Do Not OPen Till Christmas, SNSS Sketch #13

I have to tell you, this is the first time EVER that I have made Christmas cards before September. My customers have been bugging me to start on them and I just can't get myself geared towards Christmas now.

However, once I started playing with these Christmas Digis, from Sweet 'n Sassy, I got inspired.

This is another one of the Digi Images that you can get for free with you purchase of Sweet 'n Sassy stamps until July 31st.

If you scroll down, you will see the other two images, Stanley Penguin and Light Up My Life set with the snowman.

For this card, I used all Close to my Heart Papers.

The image was colored with Copic Markers. The hat and package was colored and cut out and layered to add dimension.

The snow, and white on his hat, is white liquid Applique heated to get puffy. When cool, I added a light coating of a wet glue and then sprinkled on Clear fine glitter.

For the polar bear, I covered him with glue and white fun flock.

Red stickles was used for the ornaments on the tree and gold stickles was used for the ribbon on the package.

Punches used were a border punch from Kiskars, a McGill punch for the sprigs behind the flower, and a small snowflake punch.

All stitching on the front and inside of the card is done by hand with embroidery floss. I tried to do a pattern on the front that sort of resembled snow flakes.

So, I think this is my last Christmas Card until I satisfy my CTMH customers with a Christmas in August workshop. Oh Well, if you can't beat them, you may as well join them!!! *Ü*

Shower of Blessings, Sketch Saturday #60

I've been dieing to find time to create with this image and finally did it. I couldn't sleep last night so I was up until 4:00 AM playing. So here is what I came up with.

This is the newest Digi stamp from Sweet 'n Sassy Stamps.

This is just the sweetest image. It's called Shower of Blessings.

I used the Sketch Saturday Sketch #60 for the design of the card.

The paper pack, ribbon, & brads are from Close to my Heart.

Colors used are Juniper, Creme Brulee, & Sorbet. Sounds good enough to eat. Doesn't it!!!

Ink pad is Memento Tuxedo Black.

The image was colored in with Copic Markers.

All stitching, inside and out, was done by hand with embroidery floss. I just LOVE hand stitching. I guess you could tell that from all of my cards.

Sweet Spot Sketch Saturday - SSS12

This is my card using the Sweet Stop Sketch #12.

Here is another example of some great Sweet 'n Sassy Christmas stamps. Get them on sale during the Christmas in July sale. FREE Digi Stamp give-a-way!

This card was made using Owl Occasions and Christmas Owl Add-Ons.

The card base measures 5" x 7".

Hand stitching around the outside of the card and also on the four corners.

The Owl, Hat & Holly was stamped, colored with Copic Markers and cut out twice. Then layered for a 3D affect.

I know it's hard to tell on a photo, but there is red glitter on the holly berries and the hat has white liquid applique heated and clear glitter added for some sparkle.

Red satin ribbon tied on also.