Freshly made sketches

 At Freshly Made sketches they have this

 I have had a sticker of a taxi hanging around on my desk for ages. I couldn't think what to use it on.

I mounted it on brownish paper then framed it in yellow.. Another scrap of black and white gave the image the movement it needed. Then I unearthed a sentiment that said "cut loose". 

It makes a good retirement card or perhaps for someone leaving home. 

Lost coast portal to creativity and others.

 I found some new card challenge sites.

One is Lost coast portal to creativity. This current challenge is steampunk.

I have a set of Kaisercraft stamps featuring steampunk images and as this is a small narrow card I decided to use the hot air balloon. 

I inked the background with Tim Holtz "old paper" distress ink. It ages the papers. Then I stamped 2 balloons using "black soot". 

card measures 3 inches by 5 and a half inches.

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My next card is for Shopping our stash where they want a congratulatory card and a hand.

I made another steampunk style card because I had a stamp of a hand in the same Kaisercraft set.

I also included a bottle of champagne opening,implying a celebration. Again not much room on the card for Congratulations or well done but the thought is there.

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We love stamping has anything goes. So I made yet another card featuring a stamp. This one is a key, but has been inked in the same way to age it.

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Next is a card for Just add ink.

 I'm also entering this at The Male room
For this card ,I chose layers plus patterned papers. I've stamped a pocket watch in the centre piece. Again I rubbed over the card with Tim Holtz Distress ink "old paper" to age the card.

On this one I was pleased to use up some scraps of patterned paper.

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Last card for this bundle is for We love to create 

They asked for mixed media. I started by splodging red mist across the page. (Does it l,look like blood?). Next I stamped using the pocket watch stamp again. When that dried, I used Old paper ink through a mask . Again it has aged the card. I added my sentiment and here it is.

This makes a set of 5 cards which I will package up and sell. 

Tic tac toe challenges and Li'l Red wagon.

 

Here's the grid at Tic tac toe challenges

I've gone down the middle column. The hexagon paper is Fancy Pants I think. The white flocked paper is Christina Re. I finished up a set of alphas with the word Joy. My spring flowers are from Kaisercrat and my ribbon bow I tied myself then glued to the card.

I can visualise this for any happy occasion such as birthday, new house, exam passing, etc.

Another general card featuring the word "Now" has been made for Li'l red wagon. 

They want stitching. Another chance to use that old embroidery cotton!

I reversed the background paper and cut a strip to adhere on the left hand side. I stitched in place using yellow cotton. Next I tucked a half a large flower under the strip and added a brad. I used the Xyron to attach the sentiment.  (Another set of alphas used up!). 

This card has been about using small leftovers. :) 

As you like it challenge.

 Another card this time for As you like it challenge where they want to know what occasion we like making cards for. 

I've always enjoyed making baby cards. They're a happy celebration of a new life.

On this one I used a border punch down the right hand side and adhered the cardstock so that it just overlaps the background paper. My sentiment stands out and I added a few enamel dots to highlight it.

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Two card challenges had a similar colour palette so I decided to combine them.

Fusion card challenge is the above one.

The 2nd one is for Through the purple Haze.

I started with a dark teal cardstock which has a shimmery finish. I found matching patterned paper.

I do not own circle punches so hand cut 2 circles in orange then 2 smaller in yellow/gold.

On these I stamped a bird image from Kaisercraft.

I've added a maroon coloured heart as an extra embellishment.

The card "strobed" in the scanner,it is greener than it looks here. 

Cousins at Sketch'n'scrap

 Sketch 'n'scrap on Facebook has a monthly sketch challenge.

I've decided to scrap one special photo instead of two. One of my cousins took this of 2 of their children.

With all that greenery in the background, I opted for a green palette. The 2 papers are from Kaisercraft.

The round tag with the stamp of a bird has been dipped in walnut ink. The other embellishments are from a set of chipboard.

Paper minutes and Cardz 4 Galz

 At Paper Minutes they want a card for a man.

I went very formal and used black and white. 

The 2 background papers are textural. velvet flock and an embossed stone pattern. It feels lovely on the fingertips.

I made a tag using a sticker then a photo of Sydney Harbour Bridge from Darkroom Door. The sentiment is also from Darkroom Door. The silver brad goes with the flocked paper.

This could be used as a retirement card or to send to someone in another state or country.

At Cardz 4 galz I've made a Kraft card using mixed media.

I misted using green through a mask of a brick wall. Next I painted a chipboard bicycle in yellow.

The sentiment was a dymo word stencil.

It's very mixed media but I enjoy that occasionally.

Try it on Tuesday and Tuesday morning sketches.

 At Try it on Tuesday they want texture.

I've recycled a sentiment because it matches my background paper so well. The flowers have glitter on them. I've also used blue grossgrain ribbon and enamel dots on this card.

It's pouring rain here all this week. (We've had flooding), so I'm staying indoors making cards.

Another Tuesday challenge is Tuesday Morning Sketches.

This sketch is a good one for using smaller pieces of offcuts.

I started with paper featuring balloons and a matching shiny card.

I've used pale yellow spots as my angled piece then a chipboard rectangle behind my sentiment.

TWO years old cards always come in handy with so many of my friends having grandchildren.

The dream factory and Crazy critters.

 The Dream Factory has a bugs challenge.

I've used vellum as my background then a large sentiment with flowers. My bugs are the washi tape butterflies I have added top and bottom.

At Critter crazy challenges they of course wanted a critter.

I'm using a penguin on this card. I layered up some yellow toned scraps and wound embroidery cotton around the rectangle for texture. I tucked the bottom of the circle featuring the penguin into the cotton. To me it looks like a straw nest. (over active imagination,maybe).

I've made it a birthday card for a 6 year old. 

Daring Cardmakers

 The challenge at Daring Cardmakers is "time".

I've decided to cover a notebook I had here. Found a background paper using clocks and time so started there. I  misted the chipboard pennant in turquoise. Over that I stamped using a clock face stamp I've had for years on the chipboard.

Next I cut up an old doiley in half and added 2 old safety pins. The angel pendant is a final touch.

I think it looks ok. I have been writing daily totals for Covid numbers so the notebook will be used for that.  An open view...

Here's a close up of the front cover only

I'm also entering this at The Male Room where clocks are the theme.

Freshly made sketches

 

Here's the latest sketch at Freshly made sketches.

I'm stocking up on Friends cards, so used this design to make one. I chose purples and blues and my sentiment says "You've got great taste". I glued 3 buttons on where the circles are.

Sketch 'n'scrap card challenges.

 I've made 2 Easter cards for Sketch 'n'scraps monthly challenge. Both are sketches.

and this one

       

I'm also adding these at House mouse where they want animal friends.

Also at Send a smile for kids   

Lasting Memories 2 photo sketch challenge

 

This is the sketch at Lasting Memories.

My photos are rustic and also much bigger, so I put my own spin on this using layers and torn papers. There are 2 photos and a big circle, which in my case is on the right (so I flipped the sketch).

Using Kaisercraft's heirloom collection, I used 2 papers,one as my background, the second torn and inked to look old. I layered it across the other. Next I painted through a clock mask to get my circle. I liked that effect so much I did a second clock on the left of the photos.

I stamped smaller clock faces also layered those and added 2 twine circles. Instead of a tag I used wood veneer frame at the bottom.At the top I added a wood veneer "smile" inside a torn piece.

Mystical Scrapbooks sketch challenge (cybercrop)

 I can't reproduce the sketch for copyright reasons but here is my layout.

I've used the last of my alternate kit plus some blue paper and 3 chipboard stickers from Heidi Grace. We had to include gold so that was the lacy piece on top of the smaller picture.

My alphas are a combination as I only had certain letters in each case.

Crafty Girl's corner and others.

 I've made another card from my Stash Bash kit.

It is for a male on Valentines Day or it could be anniversary card too.

I've used the background striped paper plus the printed top paper from the kit.

The wooden heart is the final touch.

I'm entering it at Crafty Girl's corner - Hearts.

My next card is for Freshly made sketches

I've had the telephone part on my desk for a week because I was sure I had a die cut phone, but can't locate it. 

Instead I used a sticker saying "Age isn't important" plus a chipboard rectangle.

Paper Issues sketch

 At Paper Issues friends and fans page they had 31 days of sketches for January. 

Here is day 29

Using 2 papers from my  kit I did this layout. The dragonflies were fussy cut and adhered later.

Photo shows some friends I used to teach with....30 years ago! That's me in white blouse.

Lasting memories 3 photos

 

Here's the 3 photo sketch at Lasting Memories.

This time I featured 3 photos from New York. I was at the top of The Empire state building and my friend said "Stay away from the edge".

I didn't need to be told as I'm afraid of heights!!!!

I've used some floral paper as my circles then went around the edge using a dottarific pen.

The orange vellum strip connects the top 2 photos.

Lasting Memories

 2 photo layout is based on this sketch at Lasting memories.

I've used a variety of patterned papers on my layout. The squares don't exactly match the original but it was to use what I had.

The background paper was good because it was a grid.My photos are in a different arrangement because I couldn't trim the lower photo so put the smaller one on top. Similarly my journaling had to move left to fit in the space.

The statue of Nike was at the Louvre placed right at the top of the main staircase. We visited in 2009.

Scraproom February jumpstart sketch

 

This is the February Jumpstart sketch at The scraproom.

I decided to use my alternate kit yet again. This has lots of smaller layering pieces, so a chance to use those offcuts I included.

The photos are from Vanuatu. We had a holiday there back in 2006. It was my first holiday after retirement. The resort we stayed at is down near the water. This is the view from the hill behind it.

Scraproom Freaky fast formula

 

This is the February recipe for Freaky Fast formula on The Scraproom group.

I used my alternate kit again. The paintings on the water tank are of native animals and birds. I didn't want to clutter my layout so kept embellishments to a minimum. I'm also using up alphas hence the mixture of 2 kinds.

February Counterfeit kit Challenge- Mini Kit.

 I've opted to do the mini kit this month.

Here's the original kit

I searched my stash and didn't have much,which is why I mainly opted to do the mini. 

I've managed to put together this.

I'm not happy about the alphas but they were all I had that matched (sort of)

                         Here's a close up of smaller components. The brads are very on point.

For my layout I used most of it.

I covered 5 small credit card size cards with the yellow floral then made a banner using those, plus several of the smaller tags, wood veneers,brads and enamel dots.The title is cut from another paper I had which featured borders.The anchor paper inspired the Venice idea.

I've also made this card

and this one

Overall I was happy with what I got out of that mini kit.