SU Stippled Roses Sympathy...

 

I haven't used a Freshly Made Sketch in a very long time,  but I do go there often to see the beautiful cards.  To be honest I haven't made a card in quite awhile.  I've struggled with my eyes for a couple of years now, and have had three surgeries.  I also have multiple myeloma, which is uncurable only manageable so there are ups and downs with that, but I am starting to see the light at the end of the tunnel so to speak these days.   My energy level and eye sight are good right now.  In my browsing around for a sketch to make cards for the ladies in my local swap group I came upon the current sketch at Freshly Made and it caught my eye (pun not intended).   From time to time my SU demonstrator and special friend  (her family-my family) was clearing out her stash and I fell in love with the Stippled Roses (so vintage).  Immediately I knew it would be perfect for this sketch.   I tweaked it a bit, but you can still see the intended design.   Everything is SU and the sentiment strip is from the current "Happy Hibiscus" collection.   The sentiment was created in a label program on the computer.   My card really speaks to my heart and although, if you're like me you don't want to ever need a sympathy card, you want to send one that will perhaps comfort and encourage the recipient.    Thanks for looking and may you seek Jesus' comfort in your times of sorrow and pain.   He cares about you!    Smiles,   Kathy

A special "thank you"

 

My daughter asked me to make a "special" thank you card for her nurse manager who has gotten a promotion.   She has been her manager over ten years and my daughter has grown professionally under her leadership.   It was good for me to have something to do to take my mind off the surgery I'm having this afternoon.    I had cataract surgeries back in Sept and Oct and they both went well.   But I have a strand and bubble at the back of the left eye that is getting fixed today.  Dear daughter is taking me for this.    My far vision is fine, but I have to use a lighted magnifying glass for up close.    So needless to say my card isn't perfect,  I rotated the sketch.   The sentiment is SU retired "So Sentimental."  I  also used 2 retired sets of SU DSP   Happiness Abounds and Beautifully Penned.  I Stamped the Flowers on the paper with permanent black, glued them to white cs and then die cut them.  (I saw this idea on Pinterest).  I decided to use the Freshly Made sketch for this week.   I haven't played there in a very long time!  Thanks for stopping in.   Comments are always welcome.   Hugs and Smiles,  Kathy

Hearts baby Card....

As I thought about the sketch at  Freshly Made Sketches,  this heart die came to mind to make a baby card.  It's a smaller card 3 1/2 by 5 and I used odds and ends from  my stash,  I tried not to agonize over it too much (as I am prone to do.)  I used my dotted swiss embossing folder, which is showing a lot of wear since it is my all time favorite folder.  My mother used to sew dotted swiss dresses for me and it just makes the perfect backdrop for the hearts and sentiment.  Just a sweet and simple card!   Although I'm not doing the optional bird twist I am linking to Can You Hndle the Pressure "anything goes."   Thanks for stopping by!   Smiles,  Kathy

 

Pg. 108 (new SU Catalog)

Who doesn't love real flowers, I've been piddlin in my garden flowers and vegetables, it's very refreshing!  My take on this picture is colorful flowers and so that's just what I did--make a colorful flower card.

(layers)

I bought the entire suite "Hues of Happiness,"  it's more colorful and busy than I am use to--but hey I have purposed to be "more adventurous" this year...It's pretty straight forward ...it's a fussy floral card.   I fussy cut even though I have the dies.   I used my xyron to back the flowers with cs before cutting around them and I popped the rose on the card to add some dimension.   I'm linking to the above challenges and you just click on the pictures to go the websites.   The mini rhinestones are CTMH (not sure if they are current) and the vertical Happy Birthday is from SU (retired) Celebrate with Flowers.       Thanks for looking and let me know what you honestly think!     Smiles,   Kathy

 

Driving By...

My older sister actually owned a blue VW bus when I was a junior in high school.   The memories of it, are mostly good.   So when I saw this stamp set in Sale a Bration I knew I had to have it.   I've been waiting until the right time to use it and the sketch at Freshly Made Sketches and color scheme at Sunday Stamps seem to pair up for a fun card!   I ended up paper piecing for the VW bus image which I don't recall ever doing.  But what to put behind it for the sketch was somewhat of a challenge.   I have a tire track image from a CTMH stamp set that I have probably owned for over 10 years, but when I tried that it just didn't work out.  So,  I ended up printing an outline of my state to use as a background image.  It is the same state my sister and I lived in during the "VW bus era."    For the color scheme at  Sunday Stamps I used two browns and two blues.   For the embossed panel I turned it upside down, as a nod to wheelies in the sand, not that my sister would ever have done that !  I could send this to my sister as a birthday card or I could send itto a guy---who lives in SC.  It works for either.  Anyway thanks for dropping by today,  now I'm off to vacuum and mop the kitchen/dining area and living room/entry while Hubby and dog Sydney are at the park, so much easier when they aren't here! .   Smiles,   Kathy

 

He First Loved US...

 

What a beautiful and encouraging verse (John 4.19)  that WordArt Wednesday is featuring this week and the sketch at Freshly Made Sketches showcases it beautifully!    Clean and Simple.   The papers are from Sunshine and Rainbows an SU saleabration freebie right now.  The heart die came from Hobby Lobby, can't remember what company, but I'm thinking Lawn Fawn.   The sequins are Mango Melody and in the current SU catalog!      Thanks for stopping by,  comments are always welcome.   The challenges with links are below!      Smiles,   Kathy

"Koality" valentine...

Just a fun card with CTMH Smitten stamp set (current now).   Not wanting to do the usual pink/red I used Playing with Patterns from last years SU catalog.   I stamped the kaola and colored with pencils then with brush to watercolor pencil tip and then die cut the little guy, stamped mostly the balloon part on one of the bubble circles paper...going mostly for the calypso coral circle.  For the design I used the sketch at Freshly Made Sketches this week.   I die cut hearts from other circles that were similar in color.     The sentiment came with the smitten set.  As some of you can tell when I was using the brush on the tip of the pencil some of it was flying over on the card background ...I decided to leave it!   Anyway, thanks for stopping by, have a good week!   Kathy

PS  other links include:

where the challenge is to create a "whimsical" valentine!

Anything Goes at 

and for the First time at

where the theme is "Stamp Act"

Joy of the Lord...

The Bible Verse is a download from Digi Doodles Studio. a link along with the challenges I am entering will be listed below.  I stamped buds from the retired SU Hope Blooms set onto the current SU marble DSP papers, using the pink and the gray sheets, and fussy cut them.  My SU friend and supplier gave me a pack of the marble papers, along with my last order.  I had said I probably wouldn't use them, but now that I have them I think I am going to like and use them. At Christmas I told her I wouldn't use the Penguin Playmates but she pointed out the neutrality of at least one side, so I got them free in Sale A Bration and I love and use them a lot.  The CS is Smokey Slate (SU) and is one of my favorites in the neutrals.   It really is a fairly straightforward card.    I followed the sketch and made a square card (which I don't do often) at Freshly Made Sketches and yesterday their link said it would be open 6 moe days, but evidently that is a mistake they have chosen the winners today.  The link was still open so I linked my card.  They have always closed the link at 3:00 PM on Mondays.  Anyway, I let them know so they could fix it and it's not a problem,  they have an awesome sketch each week and  you can click on the sketch below and go to their site to check them out.  Tomorrow they will have a new sketch!   At tic tac toe I completed the top row,  and used a sweet pink plaid that was a download for Just Us Girls..  I just tried to make it fun by addding textures.   Thanks for stopping by and comments are so appreciated!      Kathy

DIGI DOODLES STUDIO

REBECCA POWEL DESIGNS 

Christmas Trees Card....

I just loved this card, made by Jen Timko, so much so that I ordered the Pine Tree Honey Cuts and the Vintage Holiday paper pad along with some other goodies from the Honey Bee Company.    So of course, I've just been dying to play with it all, and today I did just that!  I also used a sentiment from the vintage SU set Joy Christmas.   It's simple and clean and I like it!   I hope you do too!     Thanks so much for stopping in have a great and safe week!       Kathy

 

All is Bright....

 

It's been a cold day here in SC and I haven't wanted to do anything much, so I decided to play around with my card making toys.  For the last couple of months I just couldn't seem to find time to play much!  This photo of Westminster Bridge  at the Inspiration Station Challenge Blog transported me back to Sept of 2019.   My adult kids accompanied me to London and other places in England for a ten day trip.  We were on the go from the crack of dawn to well after dark and the bridges with all the lights were so pretty.  We had such a wonderful time.  When I saw the sketch at Freshly Made Sketches,  I just kept thinking Christmas tree lights.  So combining the challenges this is what I came up with.  I used SU Poppy Parade, Daffadil, Granny Apple Green, Pacific Point and Mango Melody.       Thanks for stopping in...Kathy

Fishy Greetings Card...

 

 

My husband gave me "stamp" money for Christmas and this card uses "Fishy Greetings" from CTMH.  One of my goals for this year is to do some FUN cards for all ages.     I think this fits the bill...The sketch is from Freshly Made Sketches and I am also linking it to Tuesday Morning Sketches where anything goes this week!   Happy and Safe New Year to all of you!       Kathy

Peaceful Season Christmas...

 

When I first started stamping and making cards, we did not have beautiful DSP.  There was scrapbook paper, but we thought of that as just for scrapbooking.   I just love all the beautiful papers.

Today's card features Peaceful Place SU DSP.    The sketch is Freshly Made Sketches.  It took me awhile to get the look that I liked, but here it is!   If I make more to send to friends, I will probably leave the cherry cobbler matting off,  it would make it easier and I think I would like it better.   Have a safe week and thanks for stopping in!     Kathy

I made another one!  The good news is, I have a lot of DSP to work with!

Playful Penguins family Christmas card...

Making a slimline card and making a card with Playful penguins for the Inspired By challenge were two things on my card to do list.   When I saw the Freshly Made Sketch today I realized I could combine the slimline with the DSP and create a sweet Christmas card.    The sentiment is a retired CTMH but all the rest is current SU.    I fussy cut the critters, ran them through the xyron and then placed them on the green trees background then cut that with a sizzix square die and ran them back through the xyron.   I call it their family Christmas Card.   I'm sure their mom is so proud of all her fellers!           Thanks for stopping by,   Kathy
 

Lots of lines Birthday Card....

The challenge at Seize the Birthday is "Use a stencil."   I usually just do the anything goes, but I decided to use a stencil, only problem, I didn't have one, so  I ordered a collection from Amazon. To be honest,  I really was clueless about what to do until I made the stenciled panel and remembered this SU set Celebrating with flowers, and because my stenciled piece had curvy vertical lines Idecided that the panel needed horizontal straight lines.   I followed the sketch  from  Freshly Made Sketches.   I don't use purple or variations of it very often in my art work, but today I decided to be adventurous, and in addition to SU granite gray, I grabbed fresh freesia and soft succulent (from this years in-colors.)  The flower in this set doesn't stamp very well,  but maybe that's actually part of it's allure, definitely has that handmade look!  I finished it off with soft succulent enamels.  The way my MOJO has been this week, I'm just happy to get something made!         Thanks for stopping in!         Kathy