Paper Sweeties Sketch Inspiration #11

Note: If you've come here looking for my Guest Designing with ScrapFriends post, please scroll down.

Can you believe we're at the beginning of a new month once again?!  Where does the time go, y'all?  But that also means it's time for another Paper Sweeties challenge.  Woohoo!  Here's how this month's sketch inspired me.

I started this card by piecing together the yellow polka dot, woodgrain, and leaf, patterned papers; framing them with More Mustard cardstock; and machine stitching, with gold-threaded, zig-zag stitches, around their combined edges and between the connection of the first two.  The polka dot strip was then stamped, in Chocolate Chip ink, with the "You're the Pick of the Patch" sentiment.

A length of red, pom-pom trim was then adhered between the connection of the bottom two paper strips and topped with a bit of red, gingham ribbon, tied in a bow, near the right edge of the prepped piece and embellished with a red button, laced with a white, chord bow, before adhering the entire thing, with foam tape, to the Kraft, cardstock, card face.

I then made the pinked square frame, in the top center of the card face, by layering several White, cardstock die cuts one on top of the other, ink distressing their edges, and coating them in a healthy dose of glitter.  The resulting piece was then filled in with the cornstalk, pumpkin, and apple basket images, all of which were stamped on White cardstock, colored in with pencils and mineral spirits, and hand cut out.

Here's your Sketch Inspiration Challenge #11 to get you off and running in the right direction.

You have until the close of the month, on Monday, September 30, 2013, to link up your takes, over at the challenge link above, in order to be in the running to win a $20 gift certificate to the Paper Sweeties Shoppe.  Can't wait to see what you come up with!  Thanks so much for stopping by, and to all my U.S. friends, have a safe and happy Labor Day!

{Supplies & Tools}
Stamps: Sweeties Wagon, Stand Add-On 2, & Stand Add-On 3 (Paper Sweeties) Paper: Kraft & White (Wplus9); More Mustard (SU); yellow polka dot (October Afternoon); woodgrain (Crate Paper); leaf (Paper Studio) Ink: Chocolate Chip (SU); Tea Dye, Antique Linen, & Jet Black (Ranger) Other: gold thread (Coats & Clark); sewing machine (Janome); Clear Cut Stackers: Pinking Squares die (Wplus9); Big Shot (Sizzix); Dazzling Diamonds (SU); white chord & gingham ribbon (Hobby Lobby); red pom-pom trim (The Ribbon Reel); red button (JoAnn Fabrics); colored pencils (Prismacolor); mineral spirits (Inky Antics); foam tape (Scrapbook Adhesives)

Guest Designing with ScrapFriends

I cannot tell you how excited I am to be back guest designing today with the girls over at ScrapFriends!

Y'all, if you haven't stopped by this site, you simply must.  It is packed to the brim with inspiration that's sure to get your creative juices flowing and never fails to deliver fabulous monthly sketch and color challenges to help you use your stash and show off those pictures, but don't take it from me.  Run see for yourself!  But before you do, check out how this week's challenge inspired me.

I started this layout by smudging Tattered Rose Distress Ink, through a lattice stencil, just peeking out from what would be my photo cluster, onto the gray, arithmetic, base page, which I framed with aqua, woodgrain, Washi Tape.  I then hand-cut the arrow strips from a pink and red, circles, patterned paper, using my first sketched design as a template, and anchored them, in their present positions, with red-threaded, straight, machine stitches.

The arrows point to ABC, chipboard letters, which I painted with White, acrylic paint, ink distressed, and glittered, as well as numbers hand-cut from an aqua, chevron, patterned paper, using a template, and ink distressed.

The photos were then matted with Whisper White cardstock and grounded, in their present positions, with a couple bits of color-coordinating, patterned paper and a chevron, vellum strip.  Before securing the photos I stamped the splatter bits, in Jet Black ink, over all previous layers.  A doily anchors their combined left side...

and a gray tag, laced with a Baker's Twine bow, as well as a hand-cut, from patterned paper, heart word bubble, their right.

They were then topped with another, hand-cut, word bubble, before scattering a handful of stamped, in Riding Hood Red, Pool Party, Pumpkin Pie, and Lucky Limeade inks, on White, cardstock die cuts, floral bits throughout the design.

A couple of the latter highlight the "preschool HERE I COME" title, which I created from red alphas and mini, chalkboard letters and grounded with a bit of journaling, which reads, You just couldn't have been any more excited than when your new books arrived in the mail.  April 22, 2013.

A "MEMORIES" arrow was hand-cut from the same patterned paper the word bubbles came from (LOVE them!), anchored pointing to the title itself, and completes the look.

Further inspiration for this layout came from The Studio's August 18th Glitter Challenge and The Memory Nest's Summer Challenge #7.

 

And here's ScrapFriends' Sketch Challenge #17 to get you all off and running in the right direction on your own takes.

Please be sure to stop by the challenge link above to see how the Design Team has interpreted the sketch, as well as to get all your challenge details.  Thanks so much to Angela and the entire ScrapFriends DT for having me this week, and to you all for peeking in!  Enjoy the rest of your weekends!

{Supplies & Tools}
Stamps: Very Vintage Florals (Wplus9); splatter (JBS) Paper: White (Wplus9); gray arithmetic & pink & red circles (JBS); chalkboard elements (Echo Park); turquoise chevron (My Mind's Eye); Whisper White, ivory text, & pink & turquoise designer (SU); chevron vellum (Studio Calico) Ink: Riding Hood Red, Pumpkin Pie, Lucky Limeade, & Pool Party (SU); Jet Black, Tattered Rose, Tea Dye, & Antique Linen (Ranger); Black PITT artist pen (Faber Castell) Other: red thread (Coats & Clark); sewing machine (Janome); Very Vintage Florals die (Wplus9); Big Shot (Sizzix); foam tape (Scrapbook Adhesives); Dazzling Diamonds (SU); red alphas (Jillibean Soup); mini red chalkboard alphas, lattice stencil, & gray tag (JBS); paper doily (Hobby Lobby); chipboard letters (Maya Road); number template (Best Occasions); Baker's Twine (Clean Country Paper Supplies); woodgrain Washi (My Mind's Eye)

Friday Faves

Hey, y'all!  Just popping in, before our scorching hot weekend, to share a handful of things that have really caught my eye this month, beginning with a couple of goodies from JBS Mercantile.  I've had my eye on this Whimsy Silhouette Clear Stamp for quite some time.  There's just something freeing and dreamy about this little, windblown lady hanging on to a star.  Sigh.

I'm also really loving the feather trend and couldn't be any more in love with the variety in their Gold Feather Rub-ons...

or the beauty in Roses and Lemons' Silver Feather Hair Clips.  Swoon!

Speaking of clips, wouldn't these Airplane Paper Clips, from Freckled Fawn, look adorable on a postage-themed creation or a little boy's birthday card or simply bundling up a stack of office papers calling for your attention?

I'm a pretty big fan of The Container Store, as I know are many of you; and I couldn't be any more a fan of these colorful Index Bookends, especially for the way their tabs make it quick and easy to find just what you're looking for.

And finally, my friend Alexandra has made me fall in love with Papertrey Ink's Meadow Greens stamp set with all her amazing scrapbook pages.  LOVE their large scale, perfect detail, and earthy appeal!

You'll all also be happy to know that as far as we can tell, we've been able to recover all our files and whatnot from my old laptop.  Ever so glad my hubby knows his way around a computer!  I'm still getting use to all the differences and trying to make everything work as flawlessly as before, but I'm finally on the road to getting caught up.  Woohoo!  Thank you for your patience!  Have a blessed weekend!

Wplus9 August/September Release: Day 3

It's the third and final day for my August/September Wplus9 Design project reveals, and I have two more stamp sets, as well as two more dies, that you still haven't seen here.  So, let's just dive right in.  Shall we?

I started this card by stamping a piece of Oatmeal cardstock, in London Fog ink, with the connected rings image.  I then masked off their right edge and stamped three different feathers, in Crisp Cantaloupe, Pistachio Pudding, and Pool Party inks, at an angle, down their right side, before anchoring it to the Basic Gray, cardstock, card face with peach-threaded, zig-zag, machine stitches.  The bird was cut, from a peach, designer, patterned paper, using a template; ink distressed; framed with peach-threaded, straight, machine stitches; given a little, black, pearl eye; and grounded with the stamped, in Pistachio Pudding ink, on an Oatmeal, cardstock die cut, banner, which was filled in with the stamped, in Jet Black ink, "A NOTE OF THANKS" sentiment.

It was then dressed up with a couple of white-embossed, on vellum die cuts, feathers, grounded with white, seam binding ribbon, tied in a double bow and embellished with a white, chord bow and large pearl.

The last project that I have to share, with you all, today was designed with my brother in mind.  I just couldn't resist bringing back Dockside to help show off Monogrammed, and I thought they would pair well with the images from Guiding Light, too.  Check it out!

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I started this card by stamping a piece of Oatmeal cardstock, in Night of Navy ink, with the bold, nautical stripes; topped it with a strip of ivory, text, patterned paper; and framed the combined pieces with Nautical Navy cardstock, as well as navy-threaded, zig-zag, machine stitches.

I then wrapped a length of Baker's Twine, horizontally, around the prepped piece, between the connection of the two papers; tied it, in a bow, near its left edge; and adhered the resulting piece, with foam tape, to the Oatmeal, cardstock, card face.

The lighthouse image was then stamped, in Night of Navy ink, on an Oatmeal, cardstock die cut; backed up against the Baker's Twine bow near center of the card face; and clustered amidst a stamped, in Riding Hood Red ink, on an Oatmeal, cardstock, circle die cut, frame, filled in with the stamped, in Jet Black ink, monogram, as well as a Riding Hood Red, cardstock, crab die cut.

This card was duplicated three additional times and paired with our brand new A2 Oatmeal Envelopes, which I stamped, on the bottom front, in Riding Hood Red ink, with a row of crabs to coordinate...

and lined with more of that ivory, text, patterned paper, die-cut with our new A2 Envelope Liner die.

They were then all bundled up with a length of Baker's Twine...

laced through a clear, cardstock, tag die cut, to which I secured, back-to-back, a quartet of Oatmeal, cardstock, envelope seals, stamped, in Riding Hood Red ink with another crab image.  Don't you just love all those little crabs?

That's all for this go around, folks!  Thank you so much for all the sweet comments you've left me!  Wplus9 just flows from my fingertips, but truly, it's only because Dawn makes it so, so easy.  She's simply amazing!  I'll be back, on Friday, with this month's lineup of Friday Faves; and then again, in the days following, with a couple more DT assignments to share.  Until then, be sure to stop by the Wplus9 Design Online Store to see these goodies in their entirety and pick up a few for yourselves.  Happy stamping, friends!

{Supplies & Tools}
Stamps: Fanciful Feathers, Borders & Backgrounds 2, & Basic Banners (Wplus9) Paper: Oatmeal (Wplus9); Basic Gray (SU); vellum (Paper Studio); peach designer (Crate Paper) Ink: Crisp Cantaloupe, Pistachio Pudding, & Pool Party (SU); Tea Dye, Antique Linen, & Jet Black (Ranger); London Fog (Memento) Other: peach thread (Coats & Clark); sewing machine (Janome); Basic Banners & Fanciful Feathers dies (Wplus9); Big Shot (Sizzix); bird template (JBS); white chord (Hobby Lobby); white seam binding ribbon (Zipper Stop); pearl (sei); white embossing powder (Ranger); foam tape (Scrapbook Adhesives); black pearl (Want 2 Scrap)

{Supplies & Tools}
Stamps: Borders & Backgrounds 2, Monogrammed, Dockside Backgrounds, Dockside, & Guiding Light (Wplus9) Paper: Nautical Navy & Oatmeal (Wplus9); Riding Hood Red & text (SU); clear (PTI) Ink: Riding Hood Red & Night of Navy (SU); Jet Black (Ranger) Other: navy thread (Coats & Clark); sewing machine (Janome); foam tape (Scrapbook Adhesives); Clear Cut Stackers: Circles, Nautical Notions, A2 Envelope Liner, Timeless Tags 2, & Guiding Light dies & A2 Oatmeal envelopes (Wplus9); Big Shot (Sizzix); Baker's Twine (Clean Country Paper Supplies)

Wplus9 August/September Release: Day 2

Welcome back to Day 2 of my creations inspired by the Wplus9 Design August/September Release!  On top of that gorgeous, feather set from yesterday, Dawn has also whipped up a fabulous, nautical-themed, stamp set and packed it to the brim with enough images to stamp your way clean through 'til next year.  Here's how I was recently inspired.

I started this card by stamping a piece of Kraft cardstock, in White ink, with the woodgrain background.  I then stamped over it, in Chocolate Chip ink, with the knotted ropes, as well as black-embossed the gulls near the top center.  It was then framed with a piece of our new, Nautical Navy cardstock and navy-threaded, zig-zag, machine stitches.  A length of red, taffeta ribbon was then wrapped, over the center of the stamped rope image, around the prepped piece; tied, in a bow, near the left edge; and embellished with an anchor button, laced with a Baker's Twine bow, before the entire thing was adhered, with foam tape, to the White, cardstock, card face.

The "Happy BIRTHDAY LIL' SKIPPER" title was stamped, in Crumb Cake, Night of Navy, and Riding Hood Red inks respectively, on a White, cardstock, pocket die cut, which I had also machine stitched with a double, white-threaded, straight-stitch frame.

I then adhered it, with foam tape, just to the right of the embellished bow and stuffed it with lots of stamped, in Crumb Cake, Riding Hood Red, Night of Navy, and Jet Black inks, on White, cardstock die cuts, nautical images to complete the look.

Got time for another?

I started this card by stamping a strip of White cardstock, in Coral Calypso ink, with the open x's and little anchor images and framing it with a strip of black, star, patterned paper, as well as an aqua, circles, patterned paper, which I stamped, in Jet Black ink, with the "Thanks FOR BEING MY ANCHOR" sentiment.

I then ink distressed the prepped piece's combined edges; framed it with a piece of Lake House cardstock; and machine stitched, with both black-threaded, straight and zig-zag stitches, around its edges and between its lower, paper connection.  A length of hemp twine was then wrapped, three times, around the card face, between the upper, paper connection; tied, in a bow, near the right edge; and embellished with a black, checkered button.

A bit of cheesecloth, as well as an ink-distressed and die-cut, Coral Calypso, cardstock circle, was tucked under the center of the wrapped twine and topped, over the wrapped twine, with a stamped, in Crumb Cake and Pool Party inks, White, cardstock circle and a Black, cardstock, anchor die cut.

There's still so much more to see.  I hope you'll join me for one more day of release projects tomorrow.  Until then, be blessed!

{Supplies & Tools}

Stamps: Dockside & Dockside Backgrounds (Wplus9) Paper: Nautical Navy, Kraft, & White (Wplus9) Ink: Chocolate Chip, Night of Navy, Riding Hood Red, Crumb Cake, & White (SU); Jet Black (Ranger); watermark (VersaMark) Other: navy thread (Coats & Clark); sewing machine (Janome); A Pocketful & Dockside dies (Wplus9); Big Shot (Sizzix); foam tape (Scrapbook Adhesives); black embossing powder & taffeta ribbon (SU); anchor button (Freckled Fawn); Baker's Twine (Clean Country Paper Supplies)

{Supplies & Tools}
Stamps: Dockside & Dockside Backgrounds (Wplus9) Paper: Kraft, Black, Lake House, & White (Wplus9); Coral Calypso (SU); black star (JBS); aqua circles (Echo Park) Ink: Pool Party, Coral Calypso, & Crumb Cake (SU); Jet Black, Tea Dye, & Antique Linen (Ranger) Other: black thread (Coats & Clark); sewing machine (Janome); Nautical Notions & Clear Cut Stackers: Circles dies (Wplus9); Big Shot (Sizzix); hemp twine (Creative Impressions); checkered button (Freckled Fawn); cheesecloth (Dritz)

Wplus9 August/September Release: Day 1

Hey, y'all!  It feels like forever since I've been here.  I know it's only been four days since my last post, but I haven't been able to visit all of you over the last week, either :(.  One thing after another began to go wrong with my computer, until it completely went caput.  It has now been replaced, but the transfer of documents, files, programs, and whatnot has not been very successful.  Our old laptop keeps overheating before the deed is complete, and the external hard drive doesn't always seem to save everything.  My hubby is working so hard on getting things back up to par, but that doesn't give me a lot of time on here.  So, please forgive me and know that I deeply miss you all and so appreciate those of you who have continued to stop by to leave me some love.  I promise that I'll be by soon.

With that said, over the next few days, I get to share, with you all, a bunch of projects, boasting new goodies from the recent Wplus9 Design August/September Release.  All of the stamps and dies you'll see here are currently available in the Wplus9 Design Online Store.  There was simply a delay in getting them out to the Design Team, so we're all sharing how they've inspired us, on the Design Blog, throughout the months of August and September.  Matter of fact, Dawn, Kerrianne, and Jean have already done so.  So, if you missed any of their amazing work, please be sure to stop by the Design Blog right away.  And now, it's my turn.  All the new product links used can be found in my {Supplies & Tools} sections at the end of this post.  Enjoy!

I started this card by stamping the chevron background, in stamped-off, Tempting Turquoise ink, on a piece of White cardstock; adhering it to the White, cardstock, card base; and machine stitching, with turquoise-threaded, straight, machine stitches, around its edges.

I then smudged Pink Bubblegum, Key Lime, and Patina Glimmer Mists onto three, White, cardstock, feather die cuts; adhered them side-by-side in the center of the card face; and used them to ground a stamped, in Jet Black ink, on a White, cardstock, banner die cut, "Thank You" sentiment.  Wish you could see that shimmer.

How about another?

I started this card by piecing together the hot air balloon and gold, designer, patterned papers; trimming the space between them with a die-cut strip of White cardstock; and framing the combined bits with both White cardstock and double, gold-threaded, straight, machine stitches, before stamping the bottom left corner, in Jet Black ink, with the "So Grateful FOR YOUR KINDNESS" sentiment.

A length of aqua ribbon was then wrapped, between the hot air balloon, patterned paper and die-cut, cardstock strip, around the card face; tied, in a bow, near the top edge; and embellished with an aqua button, laced with a white, chord bow.  A couple of gold-embossed, on vellum die cuts, feathers prep the piece for the Kraft, cardstock, card face to which it was adhered with foam tape.

I cannot tell you how much fun I've had playing with this release!  Don't you just love those uniquely gorgeous feathers and that font?  Swoon!  And that chevron bit is just the beginning of an amazing new background set that's sure to be a must-have for any stamper.  I'll be back tomorrow to share so much more.  Until then, may your work weeks get off to a great start.  Hugs!

{Supplies & Tools}
Stamps: Fanciful Feathers & Borders & Backgrounds 2 (Wplus9) Paper: White (Wplus9) Ink: Tempting Turquoise (SU); Jet Black (Ranger) Other: turquoise thread (Coats & Clark); sewing machine (Janome); Fanciful Feathers & Banner Trio dies (Wplus9); Big Shot (Sizzix); foam tape (Scrapbook Adhesives); Pink Bubblegum, Patina, & Key Lime Glimmer Mists (Tattered Angels)

{Supplies & Tools}

Stamps: Fanciful Feathers (Wplus9) Paper: White & Kraft (Wplus9); hot air balloon & gold designer (My Mind's Eye); vellum (Paper Studio) Ink: Jet Black (Ranger); watermark (VersaMark) Other: gold thread (Coats & Clark); sewing machine (Janome); Fanciful Feathers & Scalloped Border dies (Wplus9); Big Shot (Sizzix); foam tape (Scrapbook Adhesives); ribbon, button, & gold embossing powder (SU); white chord (Hobby Lobby)