PSC48 - All Creatures Great and Small

This week at The Perfect Sentiment the challenge is to USE A SENTIMENT FOR THE SEASON OR OCCASION OF YOUR CHOICE. The twist is to incorporate a critter somewhere on your card: teddy bears, mice, frogs, elephants, insects, etc. Our lovely sponsor is Crafty Sentiments Design.

They are offering 3 of their digis as a prize to one lucky, random winner! Today, I used one of their digis for my grandson's birthday card. We love to go exploring together, and recently watched frogs with some lily pads at a nature center.

I used this great sketch, CPS #281, using two blue punched circles topped with orange leaves and flying insect brads in place of the two smaller squares.  After coloring the image with alcohol markers, I cut out each element and glued it on a piece of patterned paper that looked like water and sky. I used dark green waxy flax for some rough stitching that reminded me of things we used to make when I was a Girl Scout at summer camp. The orange and blue patterned papers are from CTMH "Splendor," long retired. The green mat was Basic Grey's "Lemonade."

 

 

I hope you'll join our fun challenge with your project featuring creatures great or small!

 

 

I'm sharing this card with the following challenges:

A Gem of a Challenge #54 - A Boy Thing (bugs and frogs)

Fairy Tale Challenge #49 - Anything with metal (insect brads)

Pattie's Creations Design Challenge #51 - Birthdays

The Craft Garden September Challenge - Inspired by Water

The Secret Crafter Saturday Challenge #201 - Animal Antics

 



 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Christ takes us as we are . . .

After church on Mother's Daymy family and some friends and I are going to celebrate by going to a beautiful arboretum and botanical garden. One of my friends feels sad sometimes because she was a horrible mother when her kids were young. She improved at least in the ten years I've known her. She became a Christian and turned away from so many problems. Now she's a wonderful grandmother, so I want her to know the message of this card - that Christ takes us as we are, buries our sins in the deepest sea, and molds us into His image.

I used a little symbolism in the materials of this card. I used black hemp, a natural product, for me representing the natural man. I wrapped it around the paper on the left and wove it through the outer holes of the frame. Then below the text I used red sparkles, representing rubies, and white satin ribbon, symbolizing purity. Inside I'm including a portion of Proverbs 31 so that she can see how far she's really come. "Who can find a virtuous woman, for her price is far above rubies. . . "

I used a verse from Clear Dollar Stamps, from the digital set "Become New." The sketch was CPS #264. The idea for the hemp was from the Stampin' Sisters in Christ Challenge #138, to use something real or natural. I used the middle panel for the large sentiment so that it would be the focal point, as suggested by Challenge #10 at Creative Card Crew.  Frosted Designs Fabulous Friday Challenge to use Lacing deserves credit for that idea that I incorporated.

I'll add more details after our Mother's Day Celebrations!

Joy to the World with Pure Innocence

I haven't made a Christmas card for a while, so it's about time. There are three challenges that go together really well this week. When I saw that Crimbo Crackers Challenge #14 was ANGELS, I knew it was time to use my Pure Innocence angel from Heather Ellis. Winter Wonderland's challenge this week is Here Come the Girls, so it's perfect for girl angels. Crafty Hazelnut's Christmas Challenge #70 is to use any sentiment without the word "Christmas." So let heaven and nature sing, Joy to the World!

I used the CPS Sketch #263 which provided the extra room my angel needed for her horn and a bird.
I knew some glittery snowflake paper would be great in the middle with white embossed snowflake panels on each side.

I added aqua blue sparkles on each side of the sentiment and bitty clear sparkles on the center of each embossed snow circle. The angel's halo is also glittered with a Sakura glitter gel pen.

Thanks for the inspiritng challenges!! May the message of Christ's birth bring you joy all year long!

Love You Forever

One of my oldest daughter's favorite books that she read to her children when they were young is Robert Munsch's Love You Forever. The stamp set on this card for a young boy has the verse that the mother repeats to her child at each stage of life. When the mother gets old the son goes to her house and repeats it to her, changing the words to indicate "your baby I'll be." It's sort of a tear jerker for those of us who are tender hearted, but it's endearing.

I made this card with Earth Day in mind, using a green leafy pattern, a green and Spring iris striped paper and kraft cardstock. I love the way the color of Kraft cardstock blends with the other two colors. The CPS sketch #262 was perfect for the image and sentiment.

I used paper piecing so that the birds would be Spring Iris color like the sentiment. The ric rac was added instead of ribbon because that seemed appropriate for a young boy.

Challenges:
CPS Card Sketch Challenge #262
The Kraft Journal: Make It Monday, Challenge #68 - Just for Kids
Sentimental Sundays Challenge #99 - Celebrating Earth Day

4.25" x 5.5" Card Recipe:
Paper - Close To My Heart "Emporium" (green),  and stripe (retired), White Daisy and Spring Iris Cardstock; Kraft Cardstock
Stamps - CTMH Love You Forever
Ink - Memento Tuxedo Black
Other - CTMH markers Sweet Leaf, Desert Sand, Bamboo, Cricut Art Philosophy cartridge (scalloped circle); Copic marker BV 04; CTMH White Ric Rac; Reminisce white flower

Fashionable Stamping for a Child

Birthday Sundaes Challenge #45 said to "Get Messy" with inks, sprays, or paints. This challenge combined well with Fashionable Stamping Challenge #16 - for a child. Since I have five grandsons, I seem to regularly need a "boy" card, so the "messy look" is great. I wanted to use a stamp set that had a boy and a tree, so the sketch from CPS #254 had the right dimensions for the tall tree. I made the card 7" x 5."

I used some Basic Grey paper from "Color Me Silly" that already looked painted and I tried a fun technique to make the red and white polka dot paper and the white cardstock look like it matched.  First I wrapped a piece of something used to caulk walls before painting around my rubber brayer. I don't know the name, but it's slightly sticky and has a nice texture. I inked it using Shabby Shutters the first time and Broken China the second time. By rolling it back and forth a couple of times across the red strip, if you don't lift it, the lines stay in the same place. For more lines I reinked and rolled again.

When I rolled it across the white, I had to make sure that the exposed brayer that wasn't covered with texture was outside the boundary each time or I would have gotten a thick dark streak instead of texture in that spot. Here's a closeup of the red spotted paper and the white mat before I added the sentiment.

I used 4 different stamps from this Childhood Portrait set to create the scene. In addition, the red vertical panel was embossed on the cuttlebug. I put two layers of pop dots under the left side of the sentiment.

7" x 5" card recipe:
Paper - Basic Grey "Color Me Silly" and "June Bug;" CTMH White Daisy CS; Black CS
Stamps - CTMH "Childhood Portrait," "Card Chatter-Birthday"
Inks - Ranger Shabby Shutters, Broken China; Memento Tuxedo Black
Other - Cuttlebug Flower Dots(?) embossing folder, brayer, pop dots

CPS 253 Paisley Christmas

Here's another Christmas card for today. I wasn't sure what I'd use at first when I saw the paisley challenge at Christmas Card Challenges Week 12, but a piece of dark green Basic Grey paper from the Boxer collection was the starting point. The sketch from CPS #253 provided the rest. Their sponsor, The Twinery, provided the finishing touches.

I used the Cuttlebug "Paisley" embossing folder to add paisley to the top half of the card, using CTMH Tulip cardstock for more contrast. The Wilton doily is topped by a 3" circle of a Kiwi paisley that's harder to distinguish. Since the star overlaps the darker paisley paper, my sentiment is lower than the sketch. The star was cut on my CTMH Cricut Art Philosophy cartridge. The star stamp came from the CTMH "Holiday Wishes" set that shows what size to cut each image on the Cricut. After cutting, the star was stamped with Versamark ink and heat embossed with CTMH Olive embossing powder.  The design isn't paisley, but it coordinates well with paisley. I sponged edges of some of the papers with CTMH Cranberry, Olive, and New England Ivy inks.

CPS Day 15 Sketch with CR84FN Colors

CPS (Card Positioning System) Card Sketches is celebrating their 5th Anniversary with a challenge to make card using the previous patterns they select over 15 days. This is the last day and it uses Sketch #231. Kim Moreno from Flower Soft made a sample card with a cute image you have to see. I chose to use the color palette from CR84FN Color Challenge #48 - gray, chartreuse, and lavendar. I would never thought of using those colors together, but I certainly will again.

 The butterfly and sentiment were stamped with CTMH Gray Flannel, their lighter gray. The sentiment could have been darker to show up better in a photo. I used a very old CTMH stamp set, "To Love More." The tulip tops were inked with Tim Holtz Milled Lavendar and rock and rolled in Dusty Concord. I used Peeled Paint on the stems thinking it was my lightest green but it was really too dark.  The sentiment is also an old CTMH stamp called Thoughtful Scripts. I added some CTMH Licorice Opaques which look like gray pearls to the butterfly. I'm glad they come in graduated sizes.

CPS Day 14 Treasure Life

CPS (Card Positioning System) Card Sketches is celebrating their 5th Anniversary with a challenge to make card using the previous patterns they select over 15 days. This 14th Day uses Sketch #45. If the horizontal band had gone over the image I could have used a smaller stamp, but I placed the image over the band instead so that I could use one of my stamps that is long vertically. By adding two flower stamps next to the verse I made it wider, too.

The Garden Green background was embossed with Cuttlebug's Stylized Flowers folder. It's only 4" x 5.25" so I embossed two different pieces for my 6.5" x 5" card. Having the middle Goldrush band helped and I placed it on the embossing folder touching the bottom green piece, but most of the image covers it so you can't see the continuation of the design, but it's a good trick to use. The image is from a CTMH stamp called "Treasure Life." I used the rock and roll technique on the upper portion of the flowers. I inked them with Creme Brulee then rolled the edges in Goldrush. The patterned paper is from my new pack of Close To My Heart's "Florentine." It's my favorite piece in the pack. The CTMH Chocolate button is tied with two lengths of Papertrey Ink's thin fuzzy twine.

CPS Day 13 Sketch with Stars

CPS (Card Positioning System) Card Sketches is celebrating their 5th Anniversary with a challenge to make card using the previous patterns they select over 15 days. This was sketch #121.  I combined this sketch with the Little Red Wagon challenge to use 3 stars on your card. I chose a strip of patterned paper that already had a star and I adhered two chipboard stars. I chose a sentiment that went with my intended message for my son to tell him tomorrow how proud I am that he just graduated with honors from Johnson County Community College while working full time, being a dad, and helping to care for his wife. (Of course, he changed his major many times before he found what he wanted to do, but that definitely gave him a well rounded education before he goes on to KU!)

 I used a Cuttlebug star embossing folder on the background. The card is 6.5" x 5" so I needed to add a blue border and cut the piece where the strip goes across so that it appears to fit. This was a great sketch for using the smaller embossing folder on a bigger card. The strip came from a new paper pack from Close To My Heart called "Victory." I outlined the star on the paper with a glitter gel pen but it doesn't show up in the photo. The sentiment is from their February Stamp Of The Month, Thoughtful Tidings. After I made it I realized that the sentiment added a 4th star, but that was the message I needed for tomorrow, so it stayed.

CPS Day 12 Sketch with Psalm 23

CPS (Card Positioning System) Card Sketches is celebrating their 5th Anniversary with a challenge to make card using the previous patterns they select over 15 days. This was the Day 12 sketch, #118 from the past.  I made a 6" x 6" card instead of a horizontal rectangle because I didn't want to cut off any of the decorative edge of the Prima paper. I decided to use a diecut piece of Prima instead of the circle. I wanted another scripture card to give my daughter, so I chose a Close To My Heart stamp set with an image of the Bible stamped in Heavenly Blue and overstamped the 23rd Psalm. Here's the sketch and my card:

CPS Day 4 Sketch with My Favorite Things

CPS (Card Positioning System) Card Sketches is celebrating their 5th Anniversary with a challenge to make card using the previous patterns they select over 15 days. This is the 4th Day's sketch #220 sponsored by My Favorite Things. I did this one out of order because I wanted to find my Sweet as Pie Flopsey stamp set for this design so I could use it with my old stash of CTMH Cherry-O papers.

Flopsy was colored with two Copics then cut out. I restamped the pie on Bamboo cardstock, colored the pan with a Cranberry marker and cut out to reattach over the base pie. The sentiment that comes with that stamp set is actually on one line. I used Scotch tape to cover "as Pie," inked it, pulled off the tape and stamped the first part. Then I had to clean the stamp, cover the "You're Sweet," ink it, pull off the tape on that side and stamp. It sounds complicated, but it's pretty quick and sometimes easier than masking. It has been one of my favorite techniques this past year. I punched the title with a 1 1/4" circle punch, the Tulip CS with 1 3/8" circle punch, and the Chocolate CS with a 1 1/2" circle punch. I mounted it on the Tulip colored pleated ribbon from Close To My Heart. The heart buttons are threaded with my favorite twine from Papertrey Ink. It's thin enough to thread through buttons easily and still has that "hairy" look.

CPS Day 11 for Little Birdie Blessing #16

CPS (Card Positioning System) Card Sketches is celebrating their 5th Anniversary with a challenge to make card using the previous patterns they select over 15 days. This is the 11th sketch, CPS#170.  I decided that the long top layer was perfect for a long scripture verse.

My daughter's birthday is late this month and I know she'd like to have a set of encourgement cards that have scripture verses. (She's been so busy right now with working, church, boys in basketball, etc., that I know she won't read this blog before her birthday.) I'm just so thankful that she values the awesome power of scripture in her life and that of her family. I'm sharing this card with Little Birdie Blessing's Linky Party #16, where I am regularly inspired.

I used My Mind's Eye Stella And Rose collection called "Mabel." The sentiment is from a Papertrey Ink scripture collection. The border of foliage is CTMH "Botanical Borders" and I used Ranger Dried Marigold and Broken China, but they were too stark looking so I sponged CTMH Cocoa ink over the edges to improve the appearance. I thought the Martha Stewart punch was great for this paper pack.

CPS Day 10 Sketch with Play Date Cafe Palette

CPS (Card Positioning System) Card Sketches is celebrating their 5th Anniversary with a challenge to make card using the previous patterns they select over 15 days. This is the 10th sketch, CPS#26.  I decided to use it to make an anniversary card with the classic Black and White color scheme that The Play Date Cafe has in their challenge. They also wanted just a splash of hot pink. I interpreted the hot pink to be an old CTMH color that's been retired: Orchid Bouquet.

The front of my card is embossed with a brocade pattern. The black and white papers come from Bo Bunny's Enchanted collection.  The sentiment stamp is from CTMH, "Love Always." I also used their Just Blooms flower with sparkles from the Red/Pink collection. I did change the design slightly by addin the strip of ribbon all the way around the card front.

CPS Day 9 with Color Create #90 Palette

CPS (Card Positioning System) Card Sketches is celebrating their 5th Anniversary with a challenge to make card using the previous patterns they select over 15 days. This is the 9th sketch, CPS#5 fro 2007.

I saw the Colour Create Challenge #90 and fell in love with the combination of those colors: lilac, blue, kraft, and white, although the paper I found is more of an aqua blue. Even the ribbon from my stash is lilac and aqua. I placed a strip of lilac paper under the ribbon so the lilac color would show up better.

The paper was loose in my scraps so I don't remember its source. The stamped sentiment is from a Papertrey Ink scripture collection. It's one of my favorite verses that can be applied to so may situations in life. Under the scripture I stamped  with a CTMH background from Universal Backgrounds. The flowers are new ones I just got from CTMH that already have script printed on them. I added lavendar sparkles from their Red/Pink collection.

CPS Day 8 and ColourQ #124 Valentine

CPS (Card Positioning System) Card Sketches is celebrating their 5th Anniversary with a challenge to make card using the previous patterns they select over 15 days. This is the 8th sketch, CPS#102.

This sketch is sponsored by The Cat's Pajamas. I absolutely love their bunny, so he was perfect for this card. I used the color challenge #124 at ColourQ, adding the brown for the bunny. I thought it went perfectly with this CPS sketch.

The front of my card is embossed with hearts. I pop-dotted a 2nd red heart on top of my large heart for dimension. I stamped The Cat's Pajamas image on CTMH Colonial White cardstock, colored it with copics, then matted it on White Daisy and a larger piece of aqua My Mind's Eye paper that has an airplane with a message box trailing after it. I added the heart in the bunny's hand. That stamp is so versatile because you can add a lot different things that look like he's holding them. There is a thin cream lace on the bottom from CTMH and the "Sweetheart" sentiment is from Technique Tuesday.

CPS Day 6 for 1 Corinthians 13:7-8 Card

CPS (Card Positioning System) Card Sketches is celebrating their 5th Anniversary with a challenge to make card using the previous patterns they select over 15 days. This is the 6th sketch, CPS#37. I chose to stamp my two sentiments in the upper right corner directly on the card for a change and just add the two rectangles of paper and ribbon and border trim. Such an easy way to make a card!

I think these verses that I memorized when I was 13 are timeless and will be great to give friends on their anniversary! The border punch and  paper were from Martha Stewart and the main verse is from Papertrey Ink. The word "love" is from CTMH retired set "Love Is."

CPS Day 5 Many Blessings Card

CPS (Card Positioning System) Card Sketches is celebrating their 5th Anniversary with a challenge to make card using the previous patterns they select over 15 days. This is the 5th sketch, CPS#38. I skipped day 4 until I can find the My Favorite Things stamp set (I have buried) that I want to use on that card.  Both the 4th and 5th days are being sponsored by My Favorite Things.  Here's the sketch they chose:

I added a few embossed lines on the top as well as the flower and ribbon. I had a flower border stramp that I inked with Versamark clear ink then rubbed with chalk. I wanted them to be bigger, so my chaled areas are bigger. The verse on this card truly expresses how I feel about God's blessings in my life. Tonight one of my friends shared good news with me about a new job. This is for her. That made me realize I should link it to Stampin' Sisters in Christ for their challenge about happy news and rejoicing in life.

5" x 6.5" Card:
Paper - My Mind's Eye  ;CTMH Colonial White, Hollyhock CS
Stamps - Papertrey Ink scripture collection; CTMH Boutique Borders
Ink - CTMH Black, Versamark
Other - Prima flower, CTMH Cocoa ribbon, Pebbles chalk

CPS Day 3 Wishing You Sunshine

CPS (Card Positioning System) Card Sketches is celebrating their 5th Anniversary with a challenge to make card using the previous patterns they select over 15 days. This is the3rdsketch, CPS#54.

Since I chose not to have scalloped edges on my card, I have a square card that's embossed around the edges and with some vertical lines also.  The tree stamp set is rather large and so is the sun, so this design was good for this situation. I used the rock and roll technique on the leaves to make the outer leaves darker.

5.5" square card:

Paper - CTMH White Daisy, Sunny Yellow, Black CS

Stamps - Splendid Day (sun, sentiment), Trees & Things (tree. leaves, swing)

Ink - CTMH Cocoa, black, Sunny Yellow, Garden Green, New England Ivy

Other - CTMH Baker's Twine Neutral

CPS Day 2 Buttoned Birthday Card

CPS (Card Positioning System) Card Sketches is celebrating their 5th Anniversary with a challenge to make card using the previous patterns they select over 15 days. This is the 2nd sketch, CPS#166.

I made this card with my younger grandsons in mind. I placed clear buttons on the balloons to give them shine and dimension and decided the puppy's tummy needed one as well. This button in the middle technique was suggested by the creative challenge at Just Us Girls for this week.

6.5" x 5" Card:
Paper - Basic Grey "Life of the Party;" Close To My Heart Moonstruck, Colonial White, Cranberry CS and back side of Outdoor Denim textured cardstock (puppy and balloons)
Stamps - CTMH "A Birthday Wish"
Inks - CTMH Black, Moonstruck
Other - CTMH buttons, My Mind's Eye Lime Twist twine, 3" and 2.5" circle punches

CPS Day 1 with Crafts 4 Eternity Colors

CPS (Card Positioning System) Card Sketches is celebrating their 5th Anniversary with a challenge to make card using the previous patterns they select over 15 days. This is the first sketch, CPS#136. I chose the color palette from Crafts 4 Eternity to make this card.

6.5" x 5" Card recipe:
Pattern - CPS#136
Paper - My Mind's Eye Lost & Found "Blush;" Basic Grey "Life of the Party;" Close To My Heart White Daisy, Hollyhock cardstock
Stamps - Close To My Heart "One of a Kind," "Charmed" (tiny flowers), True Friends, The Present (foliage)
Inks - Close To My Heart Vineyard Berry, Hollyhock, Baby Pink, Black
Other - Cuttlebug dots embossing 5x7 folder, Close To My Heart white organdy ribbon, clear sparkles, Red/Pink Sparkles