Sketch Saturday #345 - Dreaming of warmer climes

It's Saturday and time for another great sketch at

Sketch Saturday

and we are pleased to be sponsored by
Sami Stamps

My delightful and beautiful Goddaughter is travelling to Australia having "done Europe" last year.   She also celebrates a birthday and I chose this lovely image called "Nadia Daydreaming" from Mo Manning which you can find here for a card for her.   I added some pictures of Australia to Nadia's magazine. 

I have, in my usual style, flipped the sketch.  I sometimes think that my brain sees things as if through a mirror as I rarely manage to get the sketch elements the right way round for my cards. 

I love these "Something for All Seasons" papers from Authentique.   My birthday sentiment and the frame for it are by Papertrey Ink (I'm not sure which set my Bon Voyage sentiment is from) and the leaves on my flowers are from a Marianne die.  

Why not scooch some space on your craft table and come and play along with us. We'd love to see you join in!

Given that whilst we Brits are freezing my Goddaughter is going to be  experiencing (and Nadia on my card is daydreaming) of fabulous winter warmth and sunshine down under, I am entering my card into the following challenges and I hope to get away with it!
Mo's DP2 Challenge - Anything Goes with optional warm
Deep Ocean - Winter dreams 

Sketch Saturday #344

It's Saturday and time for another great sketch at

Sketch Saturday

and we are delighted to be sponsored by
Bunny Zoe's Crafts

I have been really miserable for the last couple of weeks.   I am still flooded with cold and gloopiness on my chest and I'm well and truly fed up with it.  Worse than that, my dearest and most treasured friend moved away and I'm gutted although of course I wish her and her family every happiness in their new home.

I have to confess to stretching the sketch a little with my make this week. You can definitely see that I followed it here using this entirely WordProcessed and Photoshopped sentiment (I had to Photoshop the white letters on to the green banner because I don't know how to do that in Word) and some papers from MME "Bloom" and 5th & Frolic "Dear Lizzy"

I also made a version using a central rectangle instead of an oval with my Poppy Stamps small window die and Memory Box village.  My papers here are a scrap of Graphics 45 for the stripes and "Seasons" from Authentique.

But both of these photos are just panels in a bigger project.   I have seen several of these types of boxes on blogs and this isn't the first one I've made but gosh I find them tricky.   The box bit is okay although there is rather a lot of it to decorate inside and out but I find fixing the "bouquet" of items inside really difficult.  I like all my waving elements

 but I failed in the engineering and they are all a bit jumbled and floppy.  If anyone out there has a way of arranging them more easily I would love to learn about it.  Here is one more shot showing some of the more hidden elements.  My bouquet includes Marianne dies, Hero Arts and PTI dies too.    

We would love it if you would share some love with all of the Saturdays and then why not scooch some space on your craft table and come and play along with us.

I am entering my card into the following challenges:
Creative Inspirations and Aud Sentiments - Anything Goes;
and a photo inspiration from Curtain Call from which I drew on the colours and the wrap around theme of their scarves.

Bethlehem Inn - No Vacancies - Christmas at Sweet Stampin' January Challenge

It's the second Wednesday of the month and time for our new challenge at
Christmas at Sweet Stampin'

where our January theme is
Nativity
and we are delighted to be sponsored by
Funky Kits

Sadly, my bose (that's "nose" to all you people out there who don't have a horrible cold) is still completely yukky and all that gloop has dropped down to the top of my chest where it is whistling and bubbling and making breathing even more difficult.  I have some antibiotics now so hopefully I will soon be on the mend.  In the meantime though I have had to make a card for our Nativity theme at Christmas at Sweet Stampin' and I'm afraid I don't like it at all!

I picked this cute stamp from Stamposaurus called Bethlehem by Andrea Neville as my main feature and I really liked the idea of teaming it up with this great Waltzing Mouse Seasonal Remedies  sentiment stamp.  When it came to making the finished card, I thought it needed an actual nativity scene (outside of Bethlehem because of course Joseph and Mary were unable to stay at the town Inn) so I put this Die-sire Nativity die cut on a stepped panel at the front of my card.  I don't much like the mix of modern and traditional but I have been feeling too poorly to have another go so it is what it is.
My fellow teamies have done very much better and there is a splendid selection of cards to see over at Christmas at Sweet Stampin'.   We'd love you to join in with us too!

Sketch Saturday #343

It's Saturday and time for another great sketch at

Sketch Saturday

and we are delighted to be sponsored by
Simon Says Stamp

I have the cold from Hell.  Seriously - I can't ever remember a worse one.  I am either completely stuffed up so that my head is pounding, my teeth are throbbing and my mouth is permanently open in order to breathe (which makes eating and even talking kind of tricky) or my nose, and astonishingly - my eyes, are streaming like I have a cartoon tap over the bridge of my nose and it's on full burst.   There doesn't seem to be a transition between the two states - I just go from stuffed up to pouring. The Hubster keeps telling me I don't look like me.   Gee - thanks!

Anyway... I used this fun Mo Manning image of The Tin Man from The Wizard of Oz which you can find here.  He is coloured with Copics and teamed with papers from Graphic 45.     I struggled a bit trying to work out how to use my image with Debra's delightfully trendy sketch so I just used it behind my image.  My rather lame sentiment was Wordprocessed.   Forgive me.  I'm sick!

Why not scooch some space on your craft table and come and play along with us. We'd love to see you join in!

I am entering my card into the following challenges:
Creative Inspirations - Finished with a Bow
and of course
Mo's Digital Pencil - Anything Goes

Sketch Saturday #342

HAPPY NEW YEAR!
It's Saturday and time for another great sketch at

Sketch Saturday

and we are delighted to be sponsored by
Bugaboo

But first I need to apologise for my absence last week.  Christmas sure was busy with lots of visits to our new baby grandson and his 2 year old brother PLUS a home invasion from our Greek 5 year old grandson and his mum who stayed with us for pretty much the whole last two weeks.  The Hubster and I are exhausted and whereas I have not managed to do much blog visiting and (so far) I have failed to enter a couple of "Favourites from 2014" challenges I wanted to, I did manage to make a card for today.  

I used some new Theresa Collins papers I picked up at The Maxx with this cute Flower Teapot from Bugaboo which you can find here.  The image is coloured with Copics and Promarkers.  The petals and the main part of the teapot have been popped up with silicone and I glazed the teapot too so it's a darn shame that you can't see it.  For sure my card looks better IRL.  The additional ladybugs are Memory Box (or perhaps Poppy) dies.

Now we would like you to scooch some space on your craft table and come and play along with us.  Don't forget to share some love with my lovely teamies too.

I am entering my card into the following challenges:
Anything Goes at
Simon Says, Creative Card Crew, Cute Card Thursday and (A is for Anything Goes) at ABC
and
Something Old (my MB ladybug dies) and Something New (my image and design papers) at
Loves Rubber Stamps

Sketch Saturday #340

It's Saturday and time for another great sketch at

Sketch Saturday

and we are delighted to be sponsored by
Simon Says Stamp

It will come as no surprise that I rotated Debra's wonderful sketch this week when making this card for a dear friend of ours. I appear to have placed my hanging basket (the star in the sketch) on the wrong side of the window too!  My image is by the fabulously talented Maurie J Manning and is called Max at Hanukkah. You can find him here.  

I used two Spellbinder's banner dies (one for the wording and a different one for the ends) and a Word processed sentiment  with my Memory Box/Poppy Stamps window and hanging basket.  The flowers are cut with a little Fiskars punch I have and the leaves are from a Memory Box tree.  Fiddly little wotsits they were too!  My brick wall is an embossing folder by Design Objectives and I coloured my image in Copics. I did it well too so it's a bit of a shame that most of Max is obscured behind the window. Darn it but I didn't think to use the   window on the actual base card opened through to the inside and have Max inside the card.  Hey ho...next time. 

Why not scooch some space on your craft table and come and play along with us.
Sketch Saturday is taking a Christmas Break so you have two weeks to enter.
 We'd love to see you!

I am entering my card into the following challenges:
Mo's Digital Challenge - Gettog Krafty
Crafty Creations - Something to Die For
Creative Inspirations - Anything Goes
The Ribbon Girl - Anything Goes
Papertake Weekly - Paper Play

Christmas at Sweet Stampin' December Challenge

It's the second Wednesday of the month and time for our new challenge at
Christmas at Sweet Stampin'

where our December theme is
Winter Sports
and we are delighted to be sponsored by 
Iva Nova Chest

I'm sorry (AGAIN) for the poor photo quality.  I take good pictures on my camera when I'm not trying to photograph my cards.  I just don't understand why my card photography is so rubbish.

I have used some old papers from my stash and Spellbinders Labels 18 to frame this pretty winter scene using the Cheery Lynn Winter Neighborhood Border B323 die and Marianne's ice skates. What will you use if you decide to participate in our challenge this month?  Sleds, skis, a snowball fight or something else?   My fellow CASSettes and I would love to see you! 

I am entering my card into the following Anything Goes challenges at

The Ribbon Girl,  Creative Inspirations, A Creative Romance and 

Winter Wonderland at Stamping Sensations and 

Christmas/Holidays at Simon Says Stamp

I am thinking of making some more of these in an all white theme so you may see something similar again on my blog in future.  

Sketch Saturday #339

It's Saturday and time for another great sketch at

Sketch Saturday

and we are delighted to be sponsored by
Art by MiRan

I am as pleased as punch with my make this week.  That's quite rare for me but I just loved this image called Lola Cabaret by Mi Ran Jung which you can find here.  She looks like the recipient of my card, she was a delight to colour and she worked perfectly with Vannessa's great sketch.  I'm particularly happy with her nose - Lola's that is, not Vannessa's - (although Vannessa's nose is lovely too!).   It was a complete fluke and I daresay I am unlikely to be able to repeat it but it's one of the best noses I've ever coloured!

I used Copics for my colouring medium and added Spica sparkle and a little white gel pen to Lola's hair ornament.  Her feather boa has been lightly fun flocked.  My sentiment (including the "YOU") is by Papertrey Ink and the die cut corner and zip are by Marianne.  I drew an open zip last year and sent it to Marianne suggesting it would make a good die.  She agreed and I received one of the first ones off the press.  My design papers are K&Co and Farm House. I've added some DCWV corrugated card, a couple of feathers and some netting behind the open section of the zip.

Now we would like you to scooch some space on your craft table and come and play along with us.  Don't forget to share some love with my lovely teamies too.

I am entering my card into the following "Anything Goes" challenges:
ArtbyMiRan and Whimsy Inspires -and Papertake Weekly 

Sketch Saturday #338 Pick-A-Sketch

It's Saturday and time for another great sketch at

Sketch Saturday

and we are delighted to be sponsored by
Drawn with Character

As November is one of those months with five Saturdays in it - this week you can Pick-A-Sketch from any of Sketch Saturday's previous sketches between #215 and #337.  You can find our past sketches here.  You just need to let us know which one you used by including a copy of the sketch in your post.   I played fast and loose with our challenge this week as my finished card is very much an interpretation of the sketch rather than a replica.

We have a dear friend who entertains at a posh dining establishment we frequent and my card is for him.    He is a great singer and wonderful pianist and he plays at a grand piano with a bar shelf all around it and little tealights on the top.  The hubster and I have spent many a lovely evening sipping a cocktail around his piano and he and his family have welcomed us into their lovely home too.
So I was inspired by this sketch 

and this piano (you can just see the reflection of The Hubster and me in the corner) using memory box dies for the keyboard and music and upside down craft works candy with some gems for the tealights.  

Why not scooch some space on your craft table and come and play along with us. We'd love to see you join in!

I am entering my card into the following challenges:
Creative Card Crew - stripes (my keys are stripes!) and
Anything goes at Simon Says

Sketch Saturday #337

It's Saturday and time for another great sketch at

Sketch Saturday

and we are delighted to be sponsored by
Bugaboo Stamps

I so enjoy the humour of Bugaboos.  This week I have used JJ Coffee to Go for my sentiment and image, coloured in Copics, and I decided to have a go at making a coffee shop cup card. having been inspired by a number of similar ones I spotted on Pinterest recently.    I cut the shape on my Cricut using one flower pot which I elongated for the cup and another which I squished (and flipped upside down) for the lid. It sounds easy but it actually took me a long time. I really struggle with my Cricut Studio and I couldn't get the "lid" and the "cup" to merge for the base.  I then embossed the cup section with my Couture Creations Tied Together embossing folder and added some dimension to the lid.  My corrugated papers are by DCWV and I see that I mounted them the wrong way round so that my vertical is the longest strip whereas the horizontal is the longest in the sketch.  Oops!  I added some twine for the Bugaboo challenge and a Stampin Up tiny tag.  I think I might add a coffee shop gift card to the inside.  And here is our lovely Debra's fabulous sketch.

Now we would like you to scooch some space on your craft table and come and play along with us.  Don't forget to share some love with my lovely teamies too.

I am entering my card into the Bingo challenge at Catch the Bug
I used embossing, twine and a Bugaboo image

Sketch Saturday #336 - Cocoa is for mugs!

It's Saturday and time for another great sketch at

Sketch Saturday

and we are delighted to be sponsored by
A Day for Daisies

Cathy created this week's fabulous sketch and I so enjoyed colouring up this cute A Day for Daisies image called Hot Cocoa Fairy and teaming her with these pretty Dovecraft Curiosity Corner papers.

Now we would like you to scooch some space on your craft table and come and play along with us.  Don't forget to share some love with my lovely teamies too.

I am entering my card into the following challenges:
Papertake Weekly 2 or 4 legs and
A Creative Romance winter warmers (cocoa)

Christmas at Sweet Stampin' November Challenge

It's the second Wednesday of the month and time for our new challenge at
Christmas at Sweet Stampin'

where our November theme is
Snowpeople
and we have a great goody bag to give to one lucky winner.


I had no access to my craft room for the whole of October and I am very behind in my Christmas cards.  I'll probably be sending out more shop bought ones again this year which is a crime given how much Christmas stash I own.  But here is one more in the bag.

I used an oldie snowman image by Sassy Cheryl
I can't remember the paper design.  I suspect it was from a pack shared with my best matey, Julie, and I don't have the cover.  I used a couple of Sizzix dies for my snowflake.

We would love it if you would share some love with my fellow CASSettes and join in the fun with our challenge this month.

I am entering my card into the following challenges:
Anything Goes at Sassy Cheryl's Facebook Page
 and
A Recipe at Crafty Creations.

Sketch Saturday #335

It's Saturday and time for another great sketch at

Sketch Saturday

and we are delighted to be sponsored by our generous friends at
Simon Says Stamp

I really enjoyed Debra's fun sketch this week using this cute Totally Stampalicious Bugaboo stamp of Scarlette for a belated birthday card.  My papers are Park Bench by Fancy Pants.  The "oopsy daisy" was part of the Bugaboo stamp set and I added a Stampin Up tiny tag punch hanging from the flower centre with the word processed apology.

Now we would like you to scooch some space on your craft table and come and play along with us.  Don't forget to share some love with my lovely teamies too.

I am entering my card into the following challenges:
Anything Goes at Catch the Bug (I hope I'm just in time); and
Aud Sentiments - put sentiment on a tag (attached to my flower centre)

Sketch Saturday #334 - CAS Happy Anniversary

It's Saturday and time for another great sketch at

Sketch Saturday
and we are delighted to be sponsored by
Inspired by Stamping

Our fabulous teamie, Marzena, always produces absolutely stunning interpretations of our sketches and this week she has come up with a stunning sketch for us all.    ...And surprise surprise I have followed it REALLY closely!!!   Sadly I photographed it in horrible light in the dark but I'm very pleased with it in real life.     I used a Papertrey Ink die and stamp set and a variety of Stampin' Up inks to create my honeycomb.  The sentiment is a PTI stamp from a completely different set but I thought it went well and I added a little bee from a wooden stamp I picked up in a charity store.  I almost never make CAS cards and when I do I am usually unhappy with them but I like this one which reads "Happy Anniversary" on the inside.  

Now we would like you to scooch some space on your craft table and come and play along with us.

 I am entering my card into the following challenges.
Aud Sentiments - "two or three word sentiment" and
Simon Says - "Anything Goes"

A late running Sketch Saturday #333

I didn't actually make my project in time for this week's
Sketch Saturday

challenge, sponsored by the fabulous
Sir Stampalot

But I was very keen to use Vannessa's great sketch (which I rotated) to produce...

My take on Vannessa's sketch is in fact a little Halloween carton filled with cute Lindor pumpkin and ghost chocolates.

  I used some DCWV 12x12 papers for the carton with Martha Stewart web and railing punches for the trim, a little spider stamp on a Nestie label and some store bought embellishments and ribbon.

And I made three in total which is why I'm so late...

I am entering my projects into the challenges at
Sweet Stampin' - Anything but a card;
Creative Inspirations - Happy Halloween;
Sir Stampalot - Warm Autumn Colours;
Cute Card Thursday - Trick or Treat; and
Charisma Cardz - Anything but a card

and we would love for you to play along with us too.