CAS(E) This Sketch is back!!

This is my second post today.  

Seize the Birthday is just one post down!

After an extended holiday break, CAS(E) This Sketch is back!!

This week's sketch includes so much wonderful white space!

I was trying to get out of the box a little bit and I decided that I absolutely would NOT use a flourish as is seen in the sketch.  (I'm typically a very strict sketch follower!)  I started down that path of a branch with a bird - but I decided that really wasn't a stretch either as the sketch shows leaves like a branch.  But then I found this set in my box-of-stamps-that-won't-be-put-away-until-they-see-ink...

This is a 3 1/4" x 6 1/4" card (Stampin' Up has envelopes this size).  I picked it because it's narrow enough so the cloud and rainbow don't get lost but it's tall so it gives the appearance of a vast sky.
The picture doesn't clearly show that the rainbow is glittered!

I hope you have fun with this sketch!  Link it up over at CAS(E) This Sketch - we love to see what you have done!

• Stamps: Close To My Heart A Rainbow
• Paper: black and white
• Ink: Stampin' Up Tempting Turquoise, Melon Mambo, Daffodil Delight

Treasure Life

There's a big celebration going on over at The Paper Players - it's their 100th challenge!  Their challenge to us is to use our favorite of their past challenges.  I couldn't possibly pick a favorite challenge so I went for a challenge that I had wanted to play and didn't find the time.  It's a color challenge using a wonderful soft and gentle color scheme.

I had the card stamped yesterday morning - with the sentiment on one side and the flowers on the other - but something wasn't quite right - they seemed too separate.  This morning, it hit me.  I also had my folder of vellum on my desk to play along with the CAS-ual Fridays challenge.  I thought that a piece of vellum in the corner would give it a misty look - as if the flowers were rising out of it...this would go along with the sentiment of hope. And if the vellum went over to the sentiment side, they would be more connected.  (OK - maybe I'm overthinking it - but thanks to CAS-ual Fridays for giving me my inspiration!)

• Stamps: Close To My Heart Treasure Life
• Ink: Stampin' Up Crumb Cake, Pool Party, Wisteria Wonder, Pear Pizzazz (the pear does get a little lost under the vellum)
• Paper: Stampin' Up Crumb Cake, Wisteria Wonder, white, Making Memories vellum
• Accessories: misc twine, Recollections (Michaels brand) butterfly punch, Close To My Heart Bitty Sparkles

Merry Monday with Holiday Magic

This is my second post today, it's a short scroll

down if you are here for Dynamic Duos!

I have an amazing morning in front of me - Scott and Erik are in Utah at a lacrosse tournament and Andrew is spending the day doing intake at our local food bank as it is the biggest food drive weekend of the year.  I'm alone!!!  And I don't have any urgent or big projects that I have to do - so I am crafting!  Yeah!!!

For my first card of this morning, I decided to do something just for fun.  Yesterday, I got a fun new Christmas set.  (Hey, Allisa - my stamps got here...thanks for the catalogs!!).  So I decided to play the Merry Monday challenge...

This is a retired Close To My Heart set.  I saw this card by Allisa and then saw that she had a set for sale and I was all over that.  It's nice to play with Close To My Heart again.  My mom was a demo (check out this post about half way down for a remembrance of my mother) so I have TONS of older CTMH sets - but it's nice to play with newer stuff - I have an order coming too!

• Stamps: Close to My Heart Holiday Magic, Papertrey Trey Backgrounds: Text Style (just on the scallops)
• Paper: Stampin' Up Crumb Cake and Tempting Turquoise
• Ink: Versamark, Stampin' Up Crumb Cake, Distress Inks in Broken China and Tumbled Glass
• Accessories: Zing white embossing powder, Papertrey Ink Classic Kraft ribbon and Rustic Jute button twine, miscellaneous "puff balls"