Working on DOING sketch challenges

I've always struggled with sketch challenges so I have challenged myself to do more "sketches" and if you get them working out it actually makes making your card easier. Going down my wee fav challenge sites on the RHS of my blog this morning I didn't get very far and decided that Color Throwdown's lime, blue and brown challenge would pair nicely with Freshly Made Sketches "sketch" plus Just Add Ink has a Choose Two challenge (stitching and sequins : so I hope my diagonal stripes count as stitching, as I really wanted to play with my new Spellbinder's arched dies)

Looking through my background stash  I found some left overs from my Distress Watercolor pencil class with Jenn Shurkus which you can read about HERE.

So I thought that was a great place to start and today I would make a blue coneflower. I also decided to make it a Sympathy Card as I was unfortunately running low on them in the stash.

I also did some splatters with my no. 2 brush from the Vintage Photo and Peacock Feathers pencil. I love lime green it would be one of my most favourite colours and C9's Sprout is a fab base for the teal blue flower to pop on.

Supply List:

Stamps: Sketchbook Florals (TE), Sketchbook Bouquet (TE), Rough Draft Background (TE), Branching Out (Dylusions)

Ink: Pinecone (Versafine), Nutmeg (C9), Versamark

Distress Watercolor pencils (RNG): Peacock Feathers, Salvaged Patina, Peeled Paint, Twisted Citron, Vintage Photo, Walnut Stain

Paper: Distress Watercolor (RNG), Nutmeg (C9), Sprout (C9)

Dies: Make a Wish Arch Labels (SP)

Other: White and clear embossing powders, no 2 and 4 round brushes, Sparkling Crystal Mix (SK)

Challenges: CTD #779, FMS #622, JAI #688

Well that wasn't so scary after all so I'll have to try and do some more sketch challenges, instead of going into "the too hard basket".

Thanks for popping in.

EDITED 14/2/24: Well I wasn't Queen of Clean at Freshly Made Sketches but my card caught Amy's eyes, so a nice surprise for V-day for me, nearly as good as chocolate ;)
4. Amys Choice: Karen has created such a pretty sympathy card! I love the muted bright colors for this type of card, and that background is fabulous!

EDITED 15/2/24: Wow it just goes to show the power of combining challenges I have been nominated as the top pick at Just Add Ink for this challenge. 

Lovely comments from the DT too:

Beautiful card with sweet, delicate details.

Such a beautiful coneflower amongst the elegant and soft details.

Beautiful card. Beautifully coloured and lovely design!

Being noticed in two out of three challenges isn't bad in my opinion ;)

✿Karen✿

The Gnomies are Sharing some Love

This hopefully is the last love/Valentine's card for this year from me and it was pretty quick and simple apart from letting the Crystal Glaze dry. I wanted to play along with CAS on Friday's Valentine Challenge (CAS and Valentine), The Paper Player's Love theme and Tic Toe Toe's challenge board (today I'm using the diagonal: enamel dots, die cut, dry or heat embossing). I'm also going to play along with Simon Say's Stamp's Wednesday Challenge (Anything Goes).

I've had this wee set in my stash for a while and haven't used the gnomies before, I do love the size of them small but not too small. 

Looking on the MFT site I saw a fab colour combo from Rachael Alvarado and really liked how bright her pink was and that she had added green to the blue-green combo. I think I may need to practice some more to even slightly emulate her but they are fun and vibrant colours. I'm laughing today I can see what I thought was a face she's coloured as a beard!! I also discovered that if you have a few bubbles in your glaze don't add more to it, it may make it worse. I only used the Crystal Glaze as in the end I thought the RVs were too bright but liked her BG combo and will definitely do that one again. I added clear embossing powder to my stamped sentiment so it's nice and shiny and black. I added Rock Candy glitter to the cap stripes and Prisma Glitter to the pom pom. I also die cut out 2 more gnome shapes and glued them all together to give him a bit more dimension but otherwise a one-layer card.

Copic Colours used (darkest > lightest):

Bright pink: RV66/55/52/00

Teal blue: BG18/23/11 G00

Pom pom: C2/0

Skin: E13/21 RV10

Supply List:

Stamps: Love to my Gnomies (MFT)

Ink: Jet Black (LF), Versafine Clair Nocturne, Salvaged Patina distress oxide (RNG)

Paper: Xpress IT blending, Neenah Solar White #110

Other: Copics, Fine sparkle adhesive backed gems (SU!), Crystal Glaze (Nuvo), Prisma glitter (LF), Rock Candy distress glitter (RNG), clear embossing powder, blending brush

Challenges: CAS on Friday #276, PP#675,  TTTC #240, SSS Wednesday Challenge #113

Well this was a really quick Valentine/love card to come together, so another one for my Galentine's cards which I'd better get in the mail today so they could arrive by the 14th. Have a fab day and thanks for popping in.

✿Karen✿

Let's Celebrate with Cake

It's obviously the month of February, a lot of my favourite challenge sites want hearts and/or pink and red. As one of those sites was AAA Birthday I had to include birthday in the mix too, and to be honest I have too many Valentine Cards in my stash at the mo, though I have decided to send out my V-cards to my girlfriends  this year (plus Pete can also have one), rather than my wee nieces with a simple sentiment inside saying Happy Galentine's day and that I appreciate them being part of my life. 

I used an old Penny Black stamp set which is called Furry Hugs, most of the images seem to have hearts on them but I thought the one I chose was appropriate with a wee cake for the "birthday".

I ended up stamping it directly onto my XpressIt card stock and colouring in with my Copics as it is old school and doesn't have a matching die. I didn't like my original colours I chose so it ended up getting a second blend on top. These are a guesstimate of what I used in the end:

Hedgehog body: E43/E50/R11

Hedgehog quills: I started off using T8/6/4/2 and then decided it needed some brown in the mix so also added E59/57 and the E43 again as they were sitting on my desk.

Cupcake pink icing: RV29/ R35/R32/R30

Heart: R35/RV13/RV21

Cupcake wrapper: RV13/21/10

Wee sprinkles: R35

I added Prisma glitter to the wee hearts and Crystal Glaze to the big heart, so it's lovely and shiny IRL.

Supply List:
Stamps: Furry Hugs (PB), Itty Bitty Celebrations (MFT)

Ink: Jet Black (LF), Versafine Nocturne Clair

Paper: Xpress IT blending, Neenah Solar White #110, Poppy Parade (SU!), Stripes n' Sprinkles DSP (LF)

Dies: Small Stitched Rectangle stackable (LF), Party Banners (MFT)

Other: Copics, Prisma glitter (LF), Crystal Glaze (Nuvo), white Gelli roll pen #8 (Sakura), black glaze pen (Sakura), Quickie glue pen (Sakura)

Challenges: AAA Birthday #58, Addicted to CAS #251, Color Hues #80, Just Us Girls #712

Well I enjoyed playing along with the 4 challenges and it's always good to have another birthday card in your stash. I know I've had a lot of birthdays lately and my stash was getting low.

Thanks for popping in.

EDITED: 15/3/24: My card was chosen to be in the Top Four at AAA Birthday which is always a lovely surprise to be noted.

✿Karen✿