Playing Sketch-up!

That's right! I've been playing sketch-up this past weekend. What is 'sketch-up' you ask? Sketch-up is catching up on the sketches that I've been meaning to use. You see, I receive RSS feeds on all my favorite blogs. When I like a sketch challenge or a card I'd like to case, I mark them so that I can quickly return to them. I don't always have the time to play along the same day the post was released. And that certainly has been the case the past couple of weeks. So, I've been playing sketch-up all weekend. I've made a pretty good dent too. So, I'll have plenty to show you this week.

The first up is this awesome sketch by Mercy, MTSC33! Here's my card...

Adam's friend had a birthday party and he loves pirates! So, when I asked Adam what kind of card he wanted me to make, he immediately chose the retired Ahoy, Matey set. Adam wanted a treasure map and treasure chest on the card. I knew immediately what layout I would use! Mercy's sketch allowed for the map to be in the background. Here's a close up...

(You may click on the photo to enlarge it.)

I stamped the map using Sahara Sand on Kraft. We distressed the map by misting it with water and crumpling it up and then flattening it back out to dry. Adam did this step. He couldn't believe that I had even asked for him to mist it and was even more surprised when I told him to ball it all up. He was thrilled and did an excellent job. I then sent him to color the treasure chest using his colored pencils. Meanwhile, I used various inks and a blender pen to color in the pirate image. Both were stamped in StazOn Jet Black ink on Whisper White. Here's the chest, which we adhered to the inside of the card...

Didn't he do awesome?!! He rocks!!

The inside sentiment is the Birthday Wish set.

The card base is the retired Buckaroo Blue. I pierced down the left side of the card. I just felt it needed a little something for balance. Basic Black backs the focal images along with Real Red which highlights them.

This is a great sketch and I may just use it again with a more adult and feminine flair. Perhaps some DSP in place of the map and flowers in place of a pirate.

Be sure to check out Mercy's awesome blog, Lord Have Mercy! She has a great site to browse for inspiration!

Thanks for stopping by today. Come again soon!

Hugs ~Leslee~

Happy 50th!!

Tomorrow is my sister-in-law's 50th birthday! We are celebrating tonight with dinner at Red Lobster (her choice). My mother-in-law said we all need to make a big deal out of her birthday. You know, being the big 5-0 and all. Well, we'll see what we can do.

For starters, here's the card I put together using Mercy's Tuesday Sketch Challenge #35. You can check the sketch out here, MTSC35, and play along while you're at it! Mercy has come up with some fabulous sketches and this one is no exception! I love this layout AND the way my card turned out too!

Of course, I had to make mention of the "50th"...just in case she'd forget that detail! You know what they say, "the mind's the first thing to go"! I used the stamp-a-ma-jig to get perfect placement of the sentiment. I markered the 'Happy', 'th', and 'Birthday' from the Birthday Wish stamp. The "50" is from the retired Classic Alphabet Numbers set. The sentiment is stamped in Old Olive and Soft Suede on Whisper White card stock. I then sponged on some Crushed Curry to give it an "aged" look...hehe (I crack myself up)!

Here's a close up of the flowers.

The large flower in Old Olive is die cut from the Baskets & Blossoms die and the Big Shot. It had been laying on my desk for months...so we can certainly call it 'aged to perfection'! Just seemed the perfect time to use it (finally). The Crushed Curry flowers are all punched from the Boho Blossoms punch. The button is 'vintage', one I pulled out of my personal stash. All the brads were from the local scrapbook store.

The Soft Suede card stock is scalloped using the corner rounder punch and layered with Razzleberry Lemonade DSP. I stamped the Whisper White strip with the striped stamp from the Razzle Dazzle set. It was another scrap that was laying on my desk, already eyelet border punched. I love when I can use up scraps!! My SIL is a scrappy kind of person so it is very fitting for her card. She recycles everything...matter of fact, she's queen of what we call "dumpster diving". I know, ewww!

Anyway...I wrapped a length of Soft Suede Polka Dot ribbon between the DSP and eyelet bordered strip, using the un-dotted side. Mercy's sketch used what looked like stitching but I certainly don't stitch. I think the ribbon will suffice and don't think Mercy will mind...too much.

I know my SIL will love her card! She'll never know it's a scrappy card and won't get the distressed aging and vintage button deal. But I know! And I'm getting a big chuckle out of this card!! I can laugh...she's got 10 years on me! Yet, I know those ten years will go by quickly. And she'll have her revenge somehow. Knowing her, she'll recycle this card and I'll get it back!!

Thanks for stopping by today! Be sure to check out Mercy's sketch and her blog, Lord Have Mercy! It's super awesome!

I hope you've been inspired to use some of those scraps laying at your finger tips!

Hugs ~Leslee~

Plum Scary!!

The card is anyway. The sketch is awesome! I used Mercy's Tuesday Sketch Challenge #32 (MTSC32) which you can find on her blog, Lord Have Mercy. Just click HERE! Mercy has brought back her weekly sketches and she's started them off with a bang!

I knew exactly what stamps I wanted to use...my new From the Crypt set. I've paired it with the awesome new Cast-A-Spell Designer Series paper. I'm loving these two new items. Graphically speaking, they pair will with the Extreme Elements set. I'll show you more of that this week too.

This card is pretty straightforward. I'll spare you the 'gory' details and won't point out the obvious. I will tell you that I used Jet Black StazOn ink on the skull. I used my blender pen to color in the skull with Pale Plum craft ink. If I would have used the craft or classic Basic Black, the ink would have smeared...of course, it might have made this card even scarier...hmmm. The panel of Perfect Plum was stamped using VersaMarker on just a corner of the stamp with the bat in the center. I left any sentiment off of this card, but there is plenty of room to add one (once I decide what I want to put on it).

Thanks for stopping by today! I certainly enjoy sharing with you. I hope you are inspired to check out Mercy's blog and challenges. She has been a huge source of inspiration to me.

Hugs ~Leslee~

Supplies:

Paper - Basic Gray, Basic Black, Perfect Plum, Whisper White, Cast-a-Spell DSP

Ink - Jet Black StazOn, Pale Plum Craft

Accessories - corner rounder, cutter kit (distressing tool), 1" circle punch, paper snips, dimensionals, silver elastic cord