Paper Players Sketch #134

Hello!

Guess what?!  I discovered another challenge site!  This one is called the Paper Players.  Seriously, I don't know how I didn't realize there were so many challenge opportunites out there!  And I just love discovering new finds :)  This week's challenge is #134 and I loved the sketch.  Nice and simple!

Here's the sketch:

And here's my card:

Although I'm not 100% happy with the proportion of the longer strip - I think it should have been cut down a bit vertically so that the distace from the side edge was the same as the distaces from the top and bottom edges.  but I had already stamped the swirl onto both the patterned paper, and the kraft paper to match up, and decided that I was okay with it!

All Paper Smooches on this one :) 

Hope you have a lovely evening!  I'm off to cuddle on the couch with my husband and watch a little TV.  Early to bed tonight as we have a birthday to celebrate tomorrow :)

Shannon :)

Retro Sketches #52 - Wild Card!

Hello!

Today I'm posting the card that I made for the Retro Sketches challenge this week.  It's week 52, which means they are celebrating their one year anniversary.  The challenge is to pick any one of the 51 previous challenge sketches - so I figured I might as well start with #1!  I briefly (obviously too briefly!) studied the sketch and made a mental not - three longer vertical pieces and two panels - one smaller than the other.  And that's what I walked away with as I headed off to make the card.  I was so excited about an idea I had to use tree trunks in place of the three vertical pieces.   A little outside the box!  So I went about making my card, which turned out exactly how I had envisioned it (we all know that doesn't always happen!), and then went back to the sketch.  Well, when I *briefly* looked at the sketch before making the card, I had overlooked...well, a major detail!!  I left out an entire panel - the key panel, which was supposed to overlap the vertical strips!  Uh oh!  Oh well...

Here's the sketch (not the one in my head - the *actual* sketch - ha ha! :

And here's what happened:

It's a little busier than I normally do, but I'm pretty happy with it.  It is all TAWS, and mostly from Trees Company (loooove that set!).  I think I'll still post it on the Retro Sketches blog...hopefully my little oversight will be overlooked!!

Thank you for coming to see me - I really appreciate your visits!
Shannon

Priceless Butterfly!

Hello!

I was just so happy to play along with a challenge today!  But...I'm going to share that with you tomorrow.  Today I have the last of the cards that I made on Saturday.  This one, another free-style, is for another lady at work who asked me to make a "just because" card for a little girl.  I used the butterfly from the TAWS Priceless Joy set, and the clouds are from TAWS Trees Company (they are tree tops that work beautifully as clouds).  The sentiment is Paper Smooches.

And here it is:

That butterfly. I just love it. It is so perfect colouring, paper piecing, anything. I find it's a perfect size as well, and really stands out as the focal point of any card.

Hope you like it!  And thank you so much for looking!
I'll be back tomorrow with my Retro Sketch challenge card that I made today.
Shannon :)

Baby Time

Hello!

Just a quick little hello tonight with the card I promised to share today.  It's another baby card that I made for one of the ladies at work.  As I mentioned yesterday, I was struggling with the challenges - nothing was coming together!  So I free-styled, and today's card resulted!  I was hoping that the challenge-inspired card making would reconvene today, after it went on the blink yesterday.  But unfortunately I just did not have a chance to play today :(  I did take the day off of work tomorrow though so I'm going to sneak a little bit of card making time in for sure!

And now for the card...

Again, it's using the old CHF baby set I mentioned in yesterday's post, as well as the Alphadot, (time) Woofers and Tweeters (heart) and Word Up (baby) sets from Paper Smooches.   Even though that adorable giraffe is from the old set, Paper Smooches does have a similar giraffe in their Zoo Crew set that you could use in it's place.

Hope you like it!  I'll be back tomorrow with another one of the free-style cards that I made yesterday, and hopefully I'll get a few more cards made tomorrow that I can post throughout the week!

Have a really good week!
Shannon

The Challenge that Never Was...

Hello!

I had big plans today.  Big.  I was going to play along with challenges galore.  Unfortunately, my brain had other plans.  Challenges were not to be had.  :(  It was just one of those days where, no matter how hard I tried, I just couldn't seem to pull a card together based on a challenge.  Maybe I tried too hard!  So I decided to free-style instead.  Maybe the challenges will cooperate with me tomorrow!

I had some of the ladies at work ask me to make a few cards for them, so that's what I decided to work on.  I was happy that I got them all done - I'll share them throughout the next few days.  Two of them were requests for baby shower cards.  Whenever I make baby cards, I, without fail, reach for my go-to set.  It is a Kim Hughes set from back when she was designing for Cornish Heritage Farms.  I wish I could remember the name of it off the top of my head, but it is *the* most adorable baby set you will lay your eyes on.  I made the card in a baby-neutral colour scheme using yellow, brown and red.  Not a colour combo I use a lot, but I was happy with how it turned out.  The sentiment is from TAWS Priceless Joy, another baby set you will want to feast your eyes on!

And here it is:

Hope you like it :) 
Be back again tomorrow with the other baby shower card I made.
Thank you as always for looking!
Shannon

The Happy Couple

Hello!

Just a quick little post today.  It's SPARKS challenge time again :)  It's a "Cool Shades" challenge this time around.  I mulled this one over for a bit, but as soon as I spotted one of my absolute favourite images ever from Paper Smooches, it was settled.  I was going to use the chick from Spring Fling.  I don't think this little chick could be any more adorable! 

Here's the colour scheme - called Carnival:

And my card:

After the card was all put together, I realized that the pink I used was a little off from the pink in the colour pallette, but I think they will forgive me ;)

Have a good day!
Shannon

Doodling on my Mind

Hello!

So as my challenge addiction continues to worsen...
I found a few new challenge sites over the weekend that I know are not going to help my...ahem...problem!  One of them is called Unscripted Sketches.  Being that this is challenge #198, I can only ask myself "Where have I been"?!  But I'm glad to have stumbled upon it at last!

I looked at the challenge, and initially thought it was a tricky one - but once I saw the design team samples, I noticed that some had rotated it, and I breathed a sigh of relief.  Top level is a panel, and a two-lined sentiment could represent the boxes.  This was one I could do! 

I really liked the colour choices and theme that one of the design team members, Debbie used, so I went with that.  I used the Paper Smooches Reflections set, and was inspired by Anna to doodle on some of the inked images with my white gel pen.  I added the hearts in the centre of the largest flowers and outlined the little guys.  I doodled on the green leaves as well.  Check out Anna's sweet card too.  The sentiment is from PS Flap Happy - I thought it was perfect for any occasion. 

Here's the sketch:

And the card:

Hope you like the card!
Shannon

Friends in Blogland

Hello!

I can hardly believe it's almost been two months since I've been "a blogger"!  It took me a long time to take the plunge, and now I'm asking myself why I didn't do this sooner.  Blogging has added a little something to my life that is just so heartwarming.  I love being able to share in a community of people who have the same passion as I do.  I have found such kindness and thoughtfulness.  Talent and inspiration.  Fun and encouragement.  And friends - so many good people who take the time to visit me, and leave me such sweet, meaningful little notes that make me smile from ear to ear.  Which brings me to Carol.  I "met" her here in blogland in the very first week I posted.  She is just the sweetest!  Her comments are so thoughtful, kind and endearing.  She is just starting out on this card-making journey herself and recently started a blog as well.  Her posts are charming and you can just tell what a fantastic person she is.  Check her out here!

And just the other day, Carol encouraged me to make a card for the Case Study Challenge this week.  And this is what I came up with - thank you for the encouragement Carol!

The case study is based on a card by Teri Anderson (she is SUCH a talent!):

And here's my take:

Just a little mixture of sweet images from TAWS and Paper Smooches sets.  I thought it would be a good card for maybe a little boy's (toddler age) birthday.  If there's a certain image that you'd like to know which set it came from, just leave me a little note and I'll send the info along.

Thanks for looking - and thank you Carol for being such a sweet friend!
Shannon

Go Boldly

Hello!

I was excited to play along with the CAS(E) this Sketch challenge again this week.  I just loved the sketch - well, I do love them all, but this one in particular really drew me in. 

I wanted to make a card for one of my co-workers who has been very patiently waiting to get official news about her job status - long story.  Very long.  But we just found out this past week, that after all of the waiting, she got the news she had been waiting for.  I am so thrilled for her - she is very talented in what she does, and she is just a fantastic person overall.  The job she has just been confirmed in presents many challenges and frustrations - I know, because I do the same one ;)  But I know she will be a superstar.  So I thought the sentiment and the theme of the card were perfect! 

Here's the sketch:

And here's what I came up with.

All Paper Smooches - Space Cadet set.  Check out Anna's blog too if you haven't already for an out of this world (pun intended) card using the same set.

Hope you like the card (and hope my co-worker does too)!

Thanks for stopping by,
Shannon

A Colour Conundrum

Hello!

It's Saturday.  It's quiet.  It's raining.  It's perfect card making time!   I just want to say how thankful I am to all those ladies who run the challenge blogs week after week.  They have changed my card making world!  They have helped me develop so much as a card maker and always inspire and ignite my creativity.  Honestly, I can't say thank you enough to you all!

Today's card was inspired by the TAWS Be Inspired challenge #22.  I have to admit, it scared me at first.  The pale brown colour with such bright, even neon colours - I had no idea if I was going to be able to pull this one off! 

Here's the inspiration photo:

And here's my take:

I was so happy to get a chance to use my Awesome Blossom set which just arrived the other day.  I was the random winner recently on one of the Be Inspired challenges and couldn't wait to ink it up.  I loved that it worked so well with the challenge photo.  I think I got all the colours in there - I snuck in the pale brown in by threading it into the button.

Hope you like it...and I think I have the perfect recipient of this card in mind ;)

Thanks for coming to see me!
Shannon

The Big 5-0

Hello!

One of my co-workers asked me if I would make a card for her 3 year old niece's birthday.  A perfect excuse to play along with this week's Retro Sketch #50. 

Here's this week's sketch:

And the card:

It's a Paper Smooches and TAWS combo.  The little flowers and the sentiment/font are from Paper Smooches and the adorable butterfly is from TAWS.

Thanks for coming back to see me!
Shannon

You'll {HEART} this Challenge!

Hello!

Did you see that there's a challenge going on over at the Paper Smooches blog this week in honour of Valentine's Day?  The challenge is to make a card using hearts.  And, you don't even have to make a new card - you can enter an older one that's been previously posted if you don't have time to make a new one before the deadline on Friday.  I am going to try my very best to get a new one made sometime this week, but just in case I don't have a chance I and going to enter this card. 

It's one that I made for a SPARKS challenge last August.  It's one of my favourite cards that I've made.  Can't even explain why, I just loved the way it turned out.  It's an anniversary card that I made for my sister and her husband who celebrated 15 years of marriage last year.  Hope you like it!

Have a good night!
Shannon

A Challenging Challenge

Hello!

I have my Paper Smooches SPARKS challenge entry up for you today.  This week's challenge is a sketch.  For whatever reason, stacked squares have always been a challenge for me - but, I guess that's why they call it a challenge! 

Here's the challenge:

And my card...

I decided to make this one a sympathy card.  I used Flap Happy which I find is just so versatile.  The selection of butterflies in this set are perfect for any occasion and any style!   In fact, because of the nature of the card, I swayed from my regular cutesly, whimsical style to a more elegant one.  And the stamps fit the bill just perfectly.  For the design, instead of the banner jutting from the edge, I placed the butterfly so that it's wing could take the place of the banner.   Other than that, I stuck pretty closely to the sketch.

Hope you like it!
Shannon

Think Pink ~ and Happy Chinese New Year!

Hello!

Sneaking a little card into the Play Date Cafe challenge for this week.  Just a little simple guy to go along with the colour story : cranberry, raspberry and petal.  Birds and hearts are Paper Smooches, sentiment is TAWS.  I just love, love the little tiny word sentiments!

Here's the inspiration:

and the card...

We're off to celebrate Chinese New Year with my husband's family.  New Year's was actually yesterday, but from what I understand, the celebration goes on for two weeks.  I really enjoy learning about my husband's culture through the festivities.  Although I must say that I think I enjoy it more than he does.  Growing up here in Canada, he is very much accustomed to the Canadian way of life and tends to gravitate toward that.   For him the New Years celebrations seem less of an experience than for me, but as long as there's a table full of food (and there always is!), he's happy to celebrate!

Gung Hey Fat Choy!
Shannon

Bump

Hello!

I made another card for the Be-Inspired challenge over at The Alley Way Stamps blog.  Check it out and play along if you can - it's an adorable litte inspiration picture - perfect for Valentine's!  I'm all finished up with my Valentine's cards, so I went with a different theme this time around.  I just love the little images from the Cover Ups set and the baby bump is one of my faves.  You can actually get the same image in a larger size in their Reel Time set, which I don't have yet, but it's on my list!  I really just made the card because I couldn't resist trying out the image.  I don't know anyone having a baby at all right now, but I'm sure at some point it will come in handy.

Here again is the inspiration photo:

And my card:

See you again soon!  Thank you so much for looking!
Shannon

CAS(E) this sketch - sort of!

Hello!

I had some time to make cards today.  Haven't done much else, and there is a lot that I need to do around the house, but somehow the card making always seems to jump its way to the front of the priority list!  The house will just have to wait until tomorrow.  Or maybe the next day :)  Ha!

I made a card for the CAS(E) this sketch challenge this week.  I had full intentions of  following the sketch quite literally, but that got away from me.  It's sort of close, but not exactly what the sketch called for.  I guess the fact that it was the inspiration for the card is all that really matters though!  The card is all The Alley Way Stamps.  The sentiment was a labour of love, because that saying doesn't exist in the stamps that I own.  So I did a lot of using letters from other sentiments to create my own.  You can tell that it's kind of piece-mealed together.  At first I was tempted to re-do it, but then I decided there was something maybe a little charming about the imperfection.

Here is the sketch:

And the card it inspired:

Hope you have a good Saturday night!

Shannon

A Little Digi Inspiration

Hello!

Posting my last Valentine's card of the year tonight!  I was very much inspired by a card Kim Hughes from Paper Smooches made way back in April last year.  It the owl and branch are one of the free digis she offered in April.  Here's a link (scroll to the very bottom, but on your way, check out all the other sweet digis available!).  I actually didn't use the digi though - I have the original stamp set from way back when Kim was designing for Cornish Heritage Farms.  It's still one of my faves - although it doesn't get as much love as it used to.  And that's only because they are rubber cling stamps, not the clear polymer ones, so you can't see where you are placing the image.   Sometimes dragging out the stamp positioner (Stampamajig) seems like too much effort - ha ha!

I'm going to bring my Valentine's cards to work tomorrow and see if anyone's interested in purchasing one from the stash of about 12 that I've built up over the past two months.  Hopefully the sale will be a success!  I sell my cards for $2.50 each, so that works out to about 10 cents an hour!  But I do like keeping the prices low, and it just really pays for the supplies, so I can keep on buying more!  I figure that if anyone can buy a handmade card for less than the price of a mass produced one from the drug store, it is an offer they won't want to refuse!

And without further ado, the card!

Before I go, I just wanted to give a shout out to Anthony!  And yes, I left the shout out to the end of the post just to make sure he *really* does read all of the entries like he says he does!

Have a good night!
Shannon

Aliens in Love

Hello!

This week's Paper Smooches SPARKS challenge is up and running.  It's a trend watch challenge and the theme: polka dots!  Although the polka dots are not exactly the focal point on the card, they're in there.  I "dressed" one of the little aliens in them :)  I just think these guys are so adorable.  Perfect for Valentine's!  They are from Paper Smooches Space Cadet and the heart is from Woofers and Tweeters.  The sentiment is from Alley Way Stamps.

Thank you as always for looking!
Shannon

Christmas in...February?!

Hello!

I just updated my Flickr page with all of the cards I've posted to my blog since it came to life on January 1st.  My very first post included two of my Christmas 2012 tags, but in posting to flickr, I realized that I hadn't posted the rest of my Christmas tags.  Thought I would take a second to post them.  They are all Paper Smooches and The Alley Way Stamps combos.  Please pardon the very poor quality photos!

 

Merry February!
Shannon

The Great Escape

Hello!

There's a new Retro Sketches challenge up, and since I'm obsessessed with challenges these days, of course I played along!   I just love the retro sketches - something about those hand drawn sketchs on the torn piece of notebook paper that just draw me in!

Here's this week's sketch:

Any my card:

This card is for one of my co-workers who just found out she's being transfered to another province.  She is so excited because she is going back home.  And I am so excited for her.  Still a few months before she leaves, but I just wanted to give her a little celebratory card while the news is still hot off the press!

Enjoy the card, and enjoy your day even more!
Shannon

Challenge Combo

Hello!

Thanks for coming back to see me!!

I am in love with Saturdays.  In love.  Especially those Saturdays I have all to myself.  This is one of them.  All the chores are done, all the to-do's are crossed off (for the most part!) and that leaves me with an entire day to just do whatever I want.  Eeeek!!  And of course making a card was on the priority list for my "me" day!

For the first time, I combined two challenges!  The Be Inspired #21 just got posted over at the Alley Way stamps and the sketch over at CAS(E) this Sketch. 

BUT, before I get to the cards, I just wanted to share a new blog that's just started up with you.  Now, it's not a card making blog, but it's still full of creativity.  It's a fashion blog - and I truly believe that, just as with card making, fashion is a way of expressing creativity.  It's called Fashion Police and it's by my friend Heather.  Heather is awesome!  She is thoughtful, sweet, funny, beautiful (inside and out) and you will see she has an incredible sense of style.  In fact, each time I go shopping and consider a purchase, I ask myself "what would Heather do"?!!  As I said, she's just getting started, but check back often for some inspiration from my favourite fashionista!

And speaking of inspiration, here are the two challenges and the card they inspired me to make.

The challenges...

 

     

The card...

Hope you like it!  Thanks again for the visit!
Shannon