Check out "Inside My Own Private Idaho"

A wonderful give-away of Japanese Masking Tape and some just luscious Silver Lustre paper from Paper Temptress. Michelle Phillipi has given people three ways to win, so hop on over to Inside My Own Private Idaho now! You won't regret it, you'll LOVE it.

Card Patterns Sketch # 70

Here we go with another nifty sketch by Card Patterns. Lots of layers here. I knew I wanted to use Hero Arts stamp Flower Box (CG127)- it just seemed to sit right there for me. I stamped on a pale yellow dotted paper and I picked up purple Copic markers to color the flowers. So the color scheme just created itself. Searching for background papers was the next job and I liked what I found. Since my central image was so large, this turned out to be quite a large card and needed a large butterfly from Hero Arts Butterflies (CG130) and then a smaller one from a sentiment clear set (CL351). I do like it, but I think I'll go for smaller on the next go-around. I'm sure I'll use this sketch again.

Card Patterns Sketch 69

I hope you visit Card Patterns and check out sketch 69. The samples are just marvelous. I have to say, I actually had something in mind as I dug through my box of Cuttlebug dies looking for a square die. I also wanted to make it in Red, White, and Black. There's a challenge out there at the Pixie Dust Studio Challenge blog. Say that 10 times. You can use red, white, black and/or silver. This seemed like a fantastic color combination. So for both challenges, I made a small note card.

The card is only about 3 inches X 3 inches as I wanted to use the die I had. I liked how it turned out with just those three colors. It'll make a nice little note for a friend.

Too late, but love the sketch

The CardPatterns Sketch # 68 is just such a fantastic sketch, but my allergies were so bad that I couldn't think where I put the camera... and guess what.... the camera was where I usually keep it... sigh. Unfortunately the challenge is closed, but I love the pattern and wanted to share.

But since I really like the card I made, I am definitely going to be using this sketch for more cards. The red background is sponged on Ranger Distress Inks Worn Lipstick and Fired Brick. It gives a cool background - I also sponged the same colors on the back of the card... why, you say? Because some wet distress inks marred the surface. The back is the same rich color red as the front base of this card now. I'm trading this on a Swap-bot group and it's a Receiver's choice (the members who join this swap list what kinds of cards they would like to receive and the sender makes them a card). She listed animals (surprise me) and I hope she likes it.

I sponged Forest Moss (yes, that dark, almost black, green) around the outside of the oval I cut with Nestabilities Large Ovals in my Cuttlebug. You've got to love those Nesties. I colored my sweet deer (Hero Arts Deer with Copic markers Caramel (YR14) and Sepia (E37) with one of the pale pink tones on the ears. I stamped the two birds on red paper and the butterfly on a varigated green pattern, cut out and attached. The sentiment is from Hero Arts Friends.

Time to vote on InLinkz

Be sure to vote for your favorite cards on the first challenge for InLinkz. There are so many wonderful cards to view. Take your time and vote for the one you like. Yes, I do have a submission and it would be fun to win, but if I don't, that's fine. I want you to vote for the one you like best... (I'm the one with the dump truck)... hehehe Jump right on over now!

Challenge at Card Patterns # 67

I just retook my photo for Anne Gaal's challenge and now I am posting a card for Card Patterns.

I had fallen in love with this paper and just had to use it for this challenge. This is a very loose interpretation of the sketch, but I'm pleased with this. I love this digital print-out from Hero Arts "The Art of Style" CD. A few little touches of gems or pearls and the lovely lady is ready to travel. This is one of my favorites. I put paper tape across top and bottom with a paper gold circle crumbpled up and topped with a nailhead and tiny gem.

Up for a challenge? Check out Gaal Creative...

I knew I'd have to look for some stamps to enter the challenge over at Gaal Creative and what did I find? Some very old Hero Arts stamps that have been sitting for ages, uninked, unloved... sigh... So, here's to inking old stamps onto new cards! I found an old Hero Arts Tic Tac Toe stamp and I knew I just had to stamp the squares - yes PREMADE little squares... no judging if the stamp is perfectly straight and in a line.. whew. I used Copic markers for all the images except for yellow, which is a Marvy marker.

Hero Arts Challenge for June includes Summer or Fourth of July and I think I struck gold in this area... what's more like summer than flowers and sitting on the beach and a flag for Fourth of July!!!!

(I retook the photo - didn't realize how really out of focus it was when I put it on).