CAS-ual Fridays 4x9 challenge

This week's challenge @ CAS-ual Fridays is to make a 4x9 card.   This is fun size to work with - it's a little different yet it fits in a standard business size envelope, so it's easy to mail.   I cut some green patterned paper scraps into triangles, cut the star with my Cricut, and then added a brown cardstock trunk and some twine and a button for this Christmas tree card.  If you have a few minutes, check out the DT examples and the entries for this challenge - there are some VERY cute cards posted!

Lily Pad card sketch challenge

Lily Pad Cards has another sketch challenge from Lucy's Lovely Lines.   I this sketch is so versatile and could be adapted for many different occasions, but I decided to use it for a Halloween card.   These little "Boo Crew" stamps are from Unity Stamps.  I stamped them with Memento black ink and colored them with Copics.  The twine is actually white cotton crochet thread that I colored with Copics since I didn't have any bakers' twine in Halloween colors.   The edges were sponged with Shabby Shutters Distress Ink and then I added some penwork around the edges.

This week's challenge @ iCopic - anything but a card!

This week's challenge at iCopic was to create anything but a card. I experimented with a few things and ended up making this Christmas ornament. The wreath & sentiment image was stamped with Memento Rich Cocoa ink, and then colored with Copics. (I also used my Copic sepia marker to color the ribbon, since it was a red & white checked and I wanted a more vintage look.) I dabbed some Antique Linen Distress stain over the image, and then used Vintage Photo Distress ink around the edges. The base of the ornament is two layers of chipboard, with pp on the back and sticky back canvas on the front. The canvas was inked with Fired Brick and Vintage Photo Distress inks. I brushed two layers of matte finish Mod Podge over the stamped image and then sprinkled a few mica flakes around the edges for a little bit of sparkle.

The last Sassy Lil Card Sketch for July!

Here's the last Sassy Lil card sketch for July. It's a simple sketch, but such fun with the circle/scallop area and layers!

I did something a little different this time around - no stamping! I used some Christmas papers and some Bella Blvd. stickers for the house image and sentiment, and then just added some tiny crystals and a bow. Getting a head start on my Christmas cards this year!
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Don't forget to link your card from this sketch to the Sassy Lil Card Sketch blog for a chance to win a prize from this month's sponsor - CupCards To Go!

Be sure to check out Sassy Lil Sketches and Sassy Lil Card Sketches in August, as we welcome new DT members and a new sketch schedule - lots of fun and inspiration to be found!

Jingle Belles "reindeer games" challenge

This week's challenge @ Jingle Belles was to create a Christmas card with a reindeer or some other animal featured. I used my Cricut and the 3 Birds on Parade cartridge to make this little gift-giving bird. I added some alpha stickers from Lily Bee, some funny google eyes, and a little bit of bakers' twine. The card base was embossed and inked for a little added texture.

One layer cards over @ Practical Scrappers

Today's post @ Practical Scrappers spotlights one-layer cards. So many cards we see on scrappy blogs and sites are made up of many layers of pp, cardstock and embellishments. They definitely are gorgeous works of art, but sometimes you just want something a little more streamlined. However, that doesn't mean that single layer cards can't be gorgeous, too! Just look at the examples over at Practical Scrappers. Some of the cards done with stamps and masking techniques look like they are made of layers of patterned paper.

The cards I made for this challenge are pretty simple. For this first card, I stamped the flower image and then sponged some Distress Ink on the flowers to give a more rustic look. To get the sentiment shaped over the flower image, I placed the acrylic sentiment stamp on my acrylic stamping block in a curved shape (that's one nice thing acrylic stamps - they're flexible!) I added a wavy doodled border with a fine tip brown pen.

For the second card, I colored the tree stamp with Tombow markers to get the multicolored image. The sentiment was stamped in brown ink, and then I stitched a border with gold tinsel thread for a little sparkle, and inked the edges with Distress Ink for some extra color.

I hope you'll be inspired to try a single layer card soon!

Lily Pad Themed card challenge for July

Lily Pad Cards' current challenge is a patriotic theme, using the colors of your country's flag or your school colors - something you're loyal to. I colored this digi image with Copics and then added some hand stitching and little Fired Brick Distress Ink around the edges.

"Fashionista" challenge @ Getting Cricky

This week's challenge at Getting Cricky was to create something with a "fashionista" theme.

I had these photos that I took right after my DGD was born; a closet and drawers just full of sleepers, bibs, dresses, and all kinds of other cute outfits. DD definitely was prepared for a stylin' little baby girl! The little onesie was cut from the Life's a Party cartridge, at 2.25".

July 14th - time for a new Sassy Lil Card Sketch!

This week's sketch at Sassy Lil Card Sketches was a simple but stylish one. I really loved the extra touch of the shaped border on the right.

Here's my card from the sketch. For a change, there's no stamping on this one. I used a Santa image cut from a sheet of Pink Paislee's Christmas line last year, and a rub-on sentiment. I used a holly leaf border punch for the trim strip, and then added a little green glitter pen to the leaves and some tiny red pearls for the berries.

This month's sponsor is CupCards To Go. Be sure to link up your card from this week's sketch (or any of the July sketches) to the Sassy Lil Card Sketch blog for a chance to win a prize!

A taste of summer

Today's challenge @ Practical Scrappers was to create a fruit inspired project. I used some October Afternoon papers and stickers for this photo of my DGD eating strawberries. She loves any kind of berries, especially if they're on top of ice cream!

Cricut 360 challenge #1

There's a new Cricut challenge blog, Cricut 360, and their first challenge was posted on Friday. This week's challenge was to create an invitation. I used the 3 Birds on Parade cartridge to make this invitation to a summer cookout.

I cut the bird and BBQ grill image @ 4", and then used a circle punch and pinking shears to make the little sun in the corner.