I managed to eek out a few minutes this afternoon and make a thank you card. I’ll need a couple while we’re away, and this one meets the requirements for two challenges. Completing two challenges a week is a 2013 intention, and although I meant that there would be two cards, this will do under the circumstances.

The first challenge is CASual Friday:  create a Thank You card, and I used the new RetroSketch that was posted this morning. It would have met last week’s CASual Friday’s challenge as well as it took under 10 minutes to make. Love the RetroSketches! Here’s the sketch:

And here’s my interpretation:

I started with Neenah White cardstock, used a scrap of Dear Lizzy Neopolitan patterned paper that was laying on my desk and die cut it with Spellbinders Small Labels. Two pieces of Washi tape, a Basic Grey “Small Details” embellishment, and “thanks” (AMuse), and it was complete.

It’s time for the December Blog Hop at Papertrey Ink, and the inspiration piece is lovely.

White on white always appeals to me, and with our first snow cover of the year, and a winter storm watch for tonight and tomorrow, it’s most appropriate. In addition to the white on white, I kept with the snow image as well.

I started with Select White cardstock, and embossed a background paenel with the Diamonds Impression Plate. For the focal point, I die cut one of the Doily Details, punched two snowflakes with my Marvy punches, and added a Hero Arts pearl. The sentiment is from Happy Trails, a set I don’t use often enough, stamped onto one of the  Double Ended Banner die cuts. There’s sure to be lots of inspiration here!

Last week I missed linking my card to CAS(E) This Sketch by just two hours, so I wanted to be sure to get this card done in time to post it for that challenge as well as the CAS-ual Friday Challenge to use kraft paper. Oops! Missed the CAS(E) This Sketch challenge again, by a whole day. Goes to show when you have a baby around, you can’t even keep track of the days. Oh well, I enjoyed the challenge anyway. These are two of my favorite challenge blogs, and they’ve worked very well together. Here’s the sketch:

And here’s my card. This one is for my niece, Stephanie.

The kraft cardstock, sentiment (Birthday Basics), and die (Bloom Builders #3) are all Papertrey Ink. The patterned paper came from a MME’s 6X6 pad, “Stella Rose.” The button in the middle of the flower is from La-Di-Dah, and the pearl from Queen and Company. Both the patterned paper and the button have been in my stash for quite a while.

I’ll be back later with some Halloween fun.

It’s a rare day that I put up two posts (my Papertrey Ink Blog hop post is below), but one of the challenges for this card ends tonight. I missed one of the challenges on Tuesday by two hours because I wasn’t paying good attention. When I saw the new CASE Study challenge this morning I had an idea that I thought would work for the Embellish Paint Color Trends challenge. Here’s the card to case:

And here’s the Embellish challenge:

I have to admit I don’t think I’ve ever used paint on a card, but when I saw Julia’s card on CASE Study, I thought I could apply some paint to a piece of black corrugated cardstock and go from there. I had a new bottle of Dick Blick Brown acrylic paint so I randomly applied it to the black cardstock and then distressed it a bit more with a file. I adhered that to a card of Soft Stone which I distressed around the edges. I cut a thin piece of burlap and die cut the leaves from New Leaf Patterned paper (which just arrived this week.) I also painted the sentiment banner. I had a white one laying on the desk, and decided I could just paint it. I was a bit surprised at how easily the Vintage Cream ink stamped on the painted surface. I added a New Leaf button and was done. 

Here’s a closer look at the painted corrugated cardstock:

I think paint may show up again on a card or two! I’m posting this on the Moxie Fab canvas, cork, and burlap challenge, too. 

This month’s blog hop challenge was to use nontraditional colors to create a holiday card. I started off with a totally different color combination and made six cards with slight variations. Then I realized I’d substituted Select White for the Soft Stone since I got a sharper image on the white. You won’t see those here because some of you are sure to receive one of them in the mail. When I started over, I chose a totally different color scheme, one I definitely wouldn’t have chosen for a Christmas card, but I rather like the results. Here’s the color palette:

Although the color’s not listed, there’s clearly some cream in the inspiration post, and I added a Vintage Cream tag. Everything on the card is Papertrey:  Sweet Blush, Scarlet Jewel, Dark Chocolate, and Avocado Green cardstocks, and  Sweet Blush ribbon. I used the Herringbone Impression plate, the chevron dies, Block Alpha, and Tag Sale #3. For some reason the Scarlet Jewel isn’t showing up particularly well in either photo.

It was fun to break out of the Christmas red and green box for awhile. 

I’m trying to get all the birthday and anniversary cards that I need for the rest of October and November done before Sarah and Caleb arrive later this week. I wanted to participate in the CAS(E) this Sketch challenge again as well as the CAS-ual Friday challenge. CAS-ual Friday is about to release their first sets of stamps later this month. They’ve had lots of great sneak peeks this week. You can check it out here.

Here’s the sketch:

And the CAS-ual Friday challenge is to have an element hang off the edge of your card. Once again these challenges worked well together, and CAS is definitely my preferred style.

Here’s what I came up with. I’m trying to use some stamps I haven’t used in a while, so pulled the Modern Wood Mats set off the shelf and stamped it onto a Mat Stack 1 die. Then I die cut Bloom Builders #3 in two different colors and used the smaller dies to create this flower. The center is an old Making Memories brad, and the leaves are Tender Leaves by Memory Box. The sentiment (stamped on a Double Ended Banner die) is from Round and Round. Everything except the leaves and brad are by Papertrey Ink.

I’m thinking this will be heading to one of my nieces for their November birthday. Thanks for your nice comments on the new profile photo. My son-in-law took this when we were in Hilton Head. He was looking for some new head shots and I surely needed one, so it was a great trade. Just took me two months to get it changed!

It’s not often that I can combine a group of challenges with cards I need to make. I had a few Flair for Buttons badges laying on my desk thinking I’d use them to make some anniversary cards that need to go into the mail in the next few weeks. Then late last week, up popped several challenges that all worked together. I started with a new sketch challenge: CAS(E) this sketch!

I punched hearts and a circle which qualified the cards for the Simon Says Challenge: Use Dies or Punches. 

And finally the CAS-UAL Fridays challenge:  Put Your Heart Into It.

Here are the three cards. I started with the Flair button and chose the patterned paper and cardstock based on the colors in the button.

All three cards also qualify for a challenge on Moxie Fab for “love” cards.

(Cardstock:  Neenah & Color Mates; patterned paper:  MME: Stella Rose & Happy Go Lucky, October Afternoon: Cherry Hill; buttons:  A Flair for Buttons; and sentiment stamp: Savvy; Punches: McGill)

I’m getting this card into the Embellish Challenge just under the wire,but it’s been on my to-do list since I first saw it.

Once I saw this week’s Retro Sketch I thought they’d go together nicely.

Here’s my take on the challenges. I think this card would work for a guy, a gal, or a teen.

Cardstock:  Select White & Enchanted Evening (PTI); patterned paper: Bitty Stars (PTI); foil paper & glitter twine: Paper Source; gem:  Mark Richards; star punch: McGill; stamp: Think Big Favorites #1 (PTI)

It’s a beautiful fall day here, but very chilly. Tracy left to golf. I think his fingers may be frozen by the third hole! I’m happy to have nothing on my schedule but the gym.