It's been a while...

I decided that I would use the Tuesday Morning Sketch to make a sweet little notecard set this week. You'll see this set of cards again next week because I'm going to use the next sketch to make a sweet box for this card set.
That's all for now, I'm grossly involved right now in my thesis. It's like housework, I need to do it while I'm motivated!

Attempt number two...

I realized something as I was making this condolence card. I don't actually know if my co-worker's mother died. For all I know, I could have made "the wrong" card again. *Sigh* Guess I'll find out today at work.

Anyway, I decided that I would make another challenge card. I like having sketches to work with and I like being a part of something. It makes me feel like less of a nerd in a basement. (Even though, deep down, I know that I'm a nerd in the basement.)

Here's the list 'o challenges that I did this card for.
 - Raise The Bar's Debut Day Challenge
 - Get Sketchy #21 (Ok, this is a little bit of a stretch, but the Papertake and Get Sketchy sketches were SO close, I had to try it!)
 - Cute Card Thursday - Pink & Grey Color Challenge
 - Papertake's Weekly Challenge Sketch #32

I am hoping that it will be lovely enough to convince Mr. Randomizer to pick me as the guest designer for Papertake's design team. *crosses fingers* Wish me luck!

On to the card, I used 2 new stamps the butterfly is from the Martha Stewart clear butterfly stamp set and the sentiment is from Stampology's Remember stamp set. I used silver ink (generic) and stamped both pieces onto pink vellum from Making Memories. (Yay, clearance bin!) I used gray metallic (Yes, it's gray metallic and not silver; I also have silver in this set. :) )  embossing powder from Al A Mode on both stamps and then colored in the back of my butterfly with pink Sharpies and Vellum Writers. The cardstock that the elements rest on is from an unbranded "mulberry" pack that I got at Ben Franklin's in Havre, MT. Why is it that Havre has a BF but Butte doesn't? Lame. Back to the card, the pink glitter dotted paper is from Target's $1 deals and the gray cardstock (the small one that the butterfly is on) is from DCWV. I think that about covers what I did and where I got it from. Oh, if you want to check out a really awesome tutorial for "stain glassing" stamps check out Erin's Inky Smiles blog where she shows a multicolored butterfly! Thanks, Erin!

Oops! My major card faux pas!

Monday, I was called into work because a co-worker's mother had fallen ill. I, in my own special way, assumed that the illness was standard "elderly parent needs care". Unfortunately, her mother had been given only a few hours to live. Something I learned after making this card. So, I brought the card back home with me. As you can see, it's a bit too whimsical for a condolence card. I think I might send it as part of the cards that I'm planning to send for Jennifer McGuire's latest Cards For Kids drive.

Anywho, the card is intended for two card challenges
- Sketch and Stash's Sketch 26 (I tweaked it a little bit, the sentiment and cloud make the little rectangles in the top right corner.)
- Lucy's Monochromatic challenge (A very slight deviation with the ear and cheese, these were pre-colored.)

Oh, there are some new bits in my card - a new image (thanks to a Creative Commons search) and a new stamp (Sweet n' Sassy sentiment stamp from Owl Occasions). Also, the paper and the brads are all SEI Moravia leftovers from the Swappin' Sistahs' latest card swap. A great way for me to use some scraps...wait, I think I saw a scrap challenge recently. Hold please...nevermind, I can't find it now. But now, I'm determined to find it! Expect an update soon!

Two two-challenge cards in two days! How two-riffic!

(Wow! Talk about FAIL blogging. Earlier today I updated to say that this card was meant for 3 challenges. But, in my hurry to get to work, I updated the wrong card. Now, I'm at work and looking at a very un-embossed card and asking myself "does that look like an embossed beer mug? I don't think so. If you're looking for the the actual YNS #7 - Embossing challenge card, click here, otherwise, read on!)

Well, I have to go back to school on Wednesday. *Sigh* Unfortunately, all of my crafty time will be obliterated with the start of my LAST SEMESTER! (This is my last semester though, that deserves a big WOO HOO!)

In the meantime - I present to you another multi-challenge card! This card is my entry for 2 challenges

 - Get Sketchy's Card Challenge #20 - sketch

 - SPCC Color Challenge #29

I just found out about Stampin' UP and I am kind of sad that I had to scrounge through my Bazzil and DCWV cardstock instead of using the SU colors. I tried my hardest to find something close to Melon Mambo and Rose Red. Honestly though, I just scrounged through my stack o' paper and said "Melon Mambo, Mambo Melon" over and over because it was fun to say aloud. ;)

This image is from Pollycraft Designs and it was last week's freebie. So, if you want it for free you'd better move fast! It won't be free much longer. I actually pre-colored the image while at work this weekend (now you know why I have the job I have!) before I decided to do the challenges. I love how the color combo and the sketch worked well to pull out the colors from the image. Not sure if you can tell, but the flower and hearts are popped up and all of the hearts and the flower have "Glossy Accents" over them. Oh, and the hearts along the bottom are pretty close to matching the color combo. I love it when things come together like that. Also, please note that my glitter addiction is alive and well, I outlined the hearts and sentiment with my glitter pen. It's not a boy card, therfore, it's ok!

Card Details
Paper: Cream (The Paper Company); Melon, Red, Blue (DCWV Adhesive Matstacks), Lavender (Bazzill Basics)
Stamp: Digital Image from Pollycraft Designs
Embellishments & Tools: Glossy Accents by Ranger, Glitter Pen by Gelly Roll, and Rub-on hearts and sentiment by Colorbok, 3-D foam by 3L Adhesives, Loew-Cornell watercolor pencils, waterbrush by Zig, Xyron Make-a-sticker 250

And now I'm even double dipping!

(Edit: After learning of the amazingness of Your Next Stamp, this card is now for 3 challenges! w00t!)
This frosty birthday card is for three challenges. (That's pretty big for me!) The first challenge is the Pollycraft Monday Challenge. The challenge this week is to use winter/christmas stamps on a birthday card. So, I pulled out my DCWV Holiday matstack and my trusty Inkadinkadoo Snowflake stamps and made my own patterned paper (under the beer glass). I colored the beer glass with colored pencils and popped up the beer foam. I used light blue shading and some clear embossing powder to make it look a bit more enticing. Yum-o! Fantabulous embossing on the foam makes this card YNS #7 - Embossing worthy! Score!
 I then used my making memoried magnetic stamp set (and the Rummage Alphabet) to make my sentiment. After I decided what I wanted to make, I decided I needed a sketch. I'm a little predictable with my layouts! So, I headed over to Tuesday Morning Sketches and found the perfect sketch. To make the sketch fit my bubbly beverage I pulled another piece of patterned paper from the Holiday matstack and cut out some equal sized snowflakes.
I think I've finally made a card for a guy without using glitter, ribbons, pink, or flowers. I'm beaming with pride now! And it worked for three challenges. Lovely!
Card details
Paper: All from DCWV Holiday Collection
Sketch: Tuesday Morning Sketches
Stamps: Magnetic stamp set by making memories, Grunge Alphabet
Embellishments: Clear embossing powder from A la card, Snowflakes cut from DCWV Holiday Collection paper, 3-D foam from 3L adhesives, colored pencils by Crayola, image from stash