Fresh Made Sketches#500 - Halloween Inspired

 Today's card is going into 2 different challenges.  First off it's the 500th (what an accomplishment) sketch challenge on Freshly Made Sketches  Here is the sketch:

I'm also entering this on the NBUS blog - Challenge #29 because I used several new items on my card. 

 

I had planned on entering it for the Two Old Bats Halloween challenge but just noticed that the deadline was yesterday (bummer) - Oh well check out their blog just for the fun of it. 

 

Here is my card celebrating the 500 sketch for Freshly Made Sketches.

 

I went fairly CAS on this card, which is hard for me to do.

All new items for NUBS will be starred*

Card Stock: Basic Black, Pumpkin Pie & White - SU

Designer Paper* - From Echo Park Halloween Party

Stamp Set: Echo Park - Something Wicked*

Sequins* - Picket Fence Studios Witches Brew mix

Ink Memento Tuxedo Black

Embossing Powder - White SU

Versamark Pad  

 

That's it for this card.  Simple but fun.

Be sure to check the blog out for more inspiration.                                                                                        

 

Color Throwdown #657

 

Welcome. - Well it's been a few days since I last posted due to just general everyday life happening.  I finally had some time to stamp and decided to join in this weeks Color Throwdown #657

 Colors: Red, Turquoise, Green and Gray.

Such fun colors. 

 

While the inspiration photo is more of a back to school photo I needed a birthday card so I'm going with the colors but a birthday theme.

 

Card Base: Basic Gray layered with a piece of Granny Apple Green.

I stenciled the diamonds with a combination of Tempting Turquoise*retired ink and Coastal Cabana on Whisper White* card stock. The stencil was actually a die Tim Holtz Mixed Media1 that I cut out and then used as a stencil.

I cut the poppies (Taylored Expressions-Silhouette Stems 1) twice.  Once in Poppy Parade & once in Granny Apple Green.  Then I cut the flowers off and glued them onto the green piece.  I added clear glitter (Art Institute) to the flowers.

The sentiment is from Sizzix - Which I purchased at Hobby Lobby. It was stamped with Basic Gray ink.  

I added some red and green sequins and a small baker's twine bow.  The flower were mounted with foam tape.

Here is another view of the card.  This shows the colors a little better.  Hard to photograph the glitter and have it look right.

 

Color Throwdown#654 & NBUS#29

 Hello and Welcome.  - Every now & then I like to join the Color Throwdown #654 challenge.  This weeks colors were: Kraft, Grey and White.  

 

I must say that this had me stumped a little.  I tried working on a card yesterday and nothing was working for me.  I ended up just putting things down and stepping away for the day.  Then this morning I got up and tried again and before I knew it my card had come together and I was happy with how it turned out.

 

Since I'm using several new products I'm also going to submit for the NBUS#29 challenge as well.  New Items will be *

 

Here is my card: 

 

Card Details:

Card Base: Kraft (Crumb Cake-SU)

Basic Gray (SU)

Ink: Memento Tuxedo Black and Basic Gray

Designer Paper* - Paper Studio which I purchased at Hobby Lobby

Stamp Set: Class Act Owl* - Unity

Burlap Texture Die* - Altenew

Other: Brads - Queen and Company which I've had forever in my stash. - Prisma Colored Pencils and Gamsol, Foam Mounting Tape.

 

So all 3 of the new items I purchased last year and finally decided to use them.  -  It was hard trying to color with such a neutral color scheme but I think I pulled it off.

 

NBUS#29

Paper Players#552 - Beside The Sea and NBUS#29

 Hello & Welcome.

This week the Paper Players have a theme challenge: #552 Beside the Seaside.

 

I love the beach and though I haven't been in a several years I just had to play along with this challenge. 

I'll also be entering this for the NBUS#29 challenge.

Here is my card:

Card Details:

Stamp Set: Seas The Day (Hero Arts).

Card Stock:  Gorgeous Grape, Bermuda Bay, Pool Party, Whisper White*-retired. SU

Designer Paper: Purchased at Hobby Lobby and used HERE last year on a non-traditional Christmas card.

Vellum

Ink: Memento Tuxedo Black, Bermuda Bay

Other: Various Copic Markers, Circle Dies, Glitter and foam tape.

 

I'm also sharing a "bonus" card today just because it's beach themed.  This card was done with absolutely no stamping whatsoever.

 

 

Card Base is Crumb Cake, Small Punched Stars are More Mustard

The rest of the card was made using, Stickers!  I've had them in my stash for years and thought they would make a fun card.  The sticker set came with one long strip that I used for the left portion of the card.  I also used some Mics Spray (Tim Holtz) to spritz on the stars and the right hand side of the card to look a bit like sand sparkling on the beach although it's hard to see it in the photo.

The sticker set also had several tag stickers so I picked one of them and looped some blue gingham ribbon through it and mounted it with foam tape.  A quick, simple but fun little card.  

 

Do any of you ever use items like stickers or ephemera to create cards instead of stamping?  Do you think it's still creative?  I always feel as if I'm "cheating" a little when I do that but I still like the cards.

 

That's it for today's cards.  I hope you have enjoyed your visit.