Two Sketch Challenges

Both of the weekly blog challenges that I have been following have sketches for this week, so I am not able to combine them into a single card.

The Heart 2 Heart challenge this week is H2H25, and I created a Christmas card using the Holiday Trinkets stamp set and Emporium papers.  Texture was added to the Cocoa cardstock using the Cuttlebug - Mesh embossing folder.  When creating Christmas cards, be sure to consider all of your patterned papers, not just ones that are specifically designed for Christmas.

For the Mojo Monday sketch (MOJO157), I used a cute little butterfly and sentiment from the Butterfly Kiss stamp set along with patterned papers from the Sweet Home My Reflections kit. 

50 Years Old!

Last weekend, my husband and my brother both turned 50 years old.  So naturally, I had to make each of them a card.  The cards seem a bit plain, but since they were made for men, I did not think sparkles and glitter and ribbons would be appropriate. 

Both cards came together quickly using the Rustic Numbers stamp set and templates from the Wishes Card Confidence Program.  This 5x7 card uses the extremely versatile Emporium paper packet and the 'Medallion' template. 

 The plaid paper from the Sarsaparilla pack is one of my favorites, and is a great paper for creating a masculine card.  Using the 'Gallery' template from the Wishes book, it only took 15 minutes to create this card.

Even though it is not shown in the photos, both cards were finished on the inside with a lighter color of cardstock and a 'Happy Birthday' stamp.   

A Little Birdie card ... or two

The Bird Basics stamp set from Close To My Heart has some wonderfully cute stamps that you can use to "create your own bird" using different bodies, wings, legs, and tails. This fun card also uses papers from the Sarsaparilla kit. Don't you just love those knobby-kneed, long-legged birds! The extra long legs were stamped by inking only the "leg" portion of the stamp, not the "foot" portion - and then lining up the stamp image to create the long leg. If you look close enough, you can see the 'seam' where the stamp images meet. [Inspired by an original card design created by Laura Bohall]
Another quick and easy card using one of the little birdies. One of my favorite things is to use a variety of ink colors and papers with the same stamp set. Each combination has a very different look and feel. The colors used for this cute bird are Crystal Blue, Sweet Leaf, and Vineyard Berry with papers from the Emporium Creative Basics paper packet.

Another same ... but different. One of my favorite Christmas cards from last year. This uses the same card template - but with the Snow Friends stamp set and Aspen paper packet. Finishing touches for the card include Sparkles for the buttons and Liquid Applique to give dimension to the falling snow.

Hope you are finding time to stamp and create!