My Favorite Challenge

Yep, you guessed it, sketches are my favorite challenge. And this week at the Fresh Brewed Blog, a fun sketch is what we've got! 

This week I wanted to prove to myself that I could get a DT card done ahead of time, not last minute like I ALWAYS seem to be!! So I found this adorable image, Huckleberry Pie with Almond Bark, already colored and just waiting to be made into a card. Too bad I didn't remember to highlight some of the latest and greatest digis just released at Fresh Brewed Designs!!! You can find them HERE, under the Hot out of the Press Digis heading. I've been on a red, white, and blue kick lately, guess the holiday put me in a patriotic mood. Join in with us this week for our 98th Fresh Brewed Challenge!!!  

Sweet Sundae

I'm confused about what day it is, but I do know it's not Sundae!!!! Hehehe! It's time to show you our new challenge for Sweet Sketch Wednesday. Another fun one, that's for sure. And we have another wonderful sponsor this week...Meljen's Designs.

Meljen's Designs is a lovely stamp company owned and illustrated by Melissa Jenkins. She illustrates whimsical rubber and digital images inspired by her kids and family. Meljen's Designs has new releases along with a new challenge every Thursday, a Guest Designer each month at the Meljen's Designs Blog, and freebies and promos now and then on her Facebook FAN PAGE! Please visit the Meljen's Designs line of stamps at her store HERE and browse through all of Melissa's lovely designs! You can also see Melissa's rubber stamps at her corner of Whimsy Stamps too!

Here is my Sweet Sundae, hot fudge, my favorite! I pulled out some leftover papers from another project, some twine and two die cut flowers, and a card is born!! A great sketch, sure hope you can play with us! We always love to see your creations.

Those Silly Ants

They may be silly, but they sure know how to have fun!!!! Doodle Pantry is sponsoring the Digital Tuesday Challenge this week - Just For Laughs. All I can say is, these adventurous, sometimes mischievous ants from Doodle Pantry make me giggle all the time! The set I used is called Garden Hose Ants Color, and yes, I used the color version. I was torn between this sentiment and the one that says "Wishing fANTastic summer days." This one just made me smile just a little bit more!! And that's what this challenge is all about! Join in for you chance at a wonderful Doodle Pantry prize.

Grillin' All Weekend

That's what we did, grilled Saturday and Sunday. Yesterday we got take out!!! Gotta say, we love to grill. I've already sent poor hubby out in the snow to grill...he says he doesn't mind though!! I had this digital image from Fresh Brewed Designs already printed off so all I did was color him up, pull some dp scraps off my pile, and make this card. This image is called Scooter's BBQ and can be found HERE. Heather has a full line of adorable elephant digis that are so fun to use!! You can find those images HERE. Pick up some of your very own and tell Heather that Linda sent you!! How do you do that you ask? Why in the comment section of your order form, use the code Lfbd2, and that's it!! Easy peasy!! Have a wonderful Tuesday.

Happy Memorial Day

To all the past and present heroes who dedicate themselves to protecting our wonderful country, I say thank you. This card is for you!! Happy Memorial Day everyone. We did our grilling over the weekend, ribs on Saturday and hot dogs yesterday. Today we're having leftovers! Anyway, about my card, I used the digital stamp from Clear Dollar Stamps called Patriotic Charlie. I used the color version as well as the digital paper from this set. A sketch from OWH, #17 to be exact only I turned it to make Charlie fit. Enjoy your day. I will be confused all week as to what day it is with today being a holiday, so if I'm late with some of my posts, you'll know why!!!!!

I wanted to submit this card to a few challenges:
Creative Inspirations Paint -  Memorial Day
One Stitch at a Time - Red, White and Blue
The Crafty Pad - color of your flag and/or sketch (I just did the flag color)
Stamp, Scrap, & Doodle Saturdays - Stars and Stripes
Craft Your Days Away - Red, White and Blue

Snowone Like You

I know what you're saying, what's she doing making a Christmas card at the beginning of summer (well, almost summer)? I already had this image (from Bugaboo called Eggbert Winter) colored from many moons ago, and two challenges came up that made it fit perfectly. First, the awesome current Stella Says Sketch found HERE. You know me and my sketch challenges!!! Second is the Crafty Mess Challenge Blog - a Christmas card using non-traditional colors. I think turquoise and brown fit the bill!!  So fun to make because I LOVE making holiday and event cards in your not so usual colors!!!

Sew Grateful

I was too tired to finish this card last night, but this morning I hit my craft room first thing and five minutes later, it was done. This is for The Outlawz Sketch Challenge - join them, they have fun challenges every day. I used a colored digital from Clear Dollar Stamps called Sew Grateful. Believe it or not, I didn't use the digital papers from this set!! Shocker, I know! But I did use scraps from my never ending pile!!! You know you have too much paper when you haven't bought any paper in over eight months and still don't notice a difference!!! That's sad!!

Ava Dancing

Crazy busy days behind me...and it will only get worse over the next week!!! I finally found some time to sit down and make a card. I had two challenges I wanted to play along with -- the sketch at Catch the Bug and the Dots, Stripes and Ribbon challenge at Quirky Crafts. I used a Bugaboo image called Ava Dancing. She is part of the 12 Days of Christmas set, but she is so darling on her own, don't you think?! We're going to pop a DVD in tonight, I believe Moneyball won out! So I'm off to pop some popcorn. YUM!

Happy Father's Day

It's Thursday and time for our Paper Lovin' Gals challenge. I have a bit of sad news to report, this will be the last week for Paper Lovin' Gals. The direction the challenge blog will take is unknown at this time, but my fingers are crossed that they will return with a bang! With that said, I hope you can join us for this one last photo challenge. What inspires you here?

I liked the black, white and gray colors. I pulled out a very old "Stamp of the Month" set I got from Cornish Heritage Farms years ago with a background stamp and lighthouses. I thought how perfect for a Father's Day card. I used a light gray copic to color in some highlights, and that was it as far as coloring goes (how fabulous for me as I am so not a colorer). This was a fun one to put together. Hope you can join us this week for the last challenge at Paper Lovin' Gals. 

Frame It Up

Welcome to another fun challenge over at the Fresh Brewed Blog. Don't you just love this wall of pictures?! I wish I had the eye to arrange pics in such a fun way on my walls! Anyway, we're asking you to find inspiration from this picture for the making of your next card. 

Here's mine, using the frame idea and running with it!!!! Actually, I started out coloring up this image from Fresh Brewed Designs called Warm & Cozy Latte that I printed off really small three times. My frame is simply a 7/8" square punched out of cardstock then the scallop square punch lined up around it and punched. I used to do it the other way around, punch out the scalloped square then trying to center up the square punch in the middle of it. That hardly ever worked right the first time! I sure hope you can join us this week. Remember, it's all about the fun...and how many cups of coffee you consume while creating something!!!! 

Sweetness

And sweetness it is, such a wonderful sketch we have for you this week at Sweet Sketch Wednesday. I love layers, and this sketch will provide you the opportunity to layer it up!!!!! Our wonderful sponsor this week as A Day for Daisies, and Tammy is offering a $12 gift certificate to the ADFD shop to our grand prize winner!!

A DAY FOR DAISIES provides themed categories of over 1000 fun and whimsical digital images, including fairy tales and magical mermaids, cutie kids, vintage illustrations, sentiments and lovely designs for all occasions!

Here is my card using the image New Things. I was thinking summer when I first started on my card, but after I finished it up, I think it seems more like fall!!! I so love earthy colors and that's what I think happened here. Oh well, guess that means I'm going to have to make another one and use bright summery colors instead! Looking forward to what you create for our newest challenge over at Sweet Sketch Wednesday.

It's My Party

This week, Clear Dollar Stamps is sponsoring Tuesday Morning Sketches. I wanted to share my card that I made using the digital set Birthday Fall Critters Color. You know how I love the colored digis, they are such a time saver. I have a habit of printing these images off for a project then not using them. Well that actually was a good thing for me, because I was able to turn it into this card instead...and I even found a piece of the digital paper from this set that I could use too! It was my lucky day!!! And with a great sketch to follow, this really went together in a snap. Join them at Tuesday Morning Sketches this week and you could win a prize from Clear Dollar Stamps!

Beautiful Bride

Babies and brides, those are two sets of stamps that I don't have many of. So when Fresh Brewed Designs new rubber release for this month were Baby Bump and Beautiful Bride, I knew luck was on my side!! And what wonderful fun it was working with these two stamps too!! You can get your own right HERE at Fresh Brewed Designs and tell 'em Linda sent you (just use the code Lfbd2 in the comments section of your order form). I kept this card simple and clean. Sure, I went with lots of layers that I love so much, but did you notice, no designer papers!!! Quite a shock, I know. Just white and one other color. I want to do one in ivory then go really wild and paper piece her dress in something, just not sure what!! Always thinking outside the proverbial box!!!

Quirky Ostrich

It's late and I really should be in bed, but I wanted to get this card posted. I still have two blog hops going on, one with Fresh Brewed Designs and the other with Clear Dollar Stamps. But today's card makes use of the adorable Quirky Ostrich from the Doodle Pantry. I used the pre-colored one so I could get my card done quickly. I wanted to be sure and remind you about the digital challenge over at the Doodle Pantry Blog. Play along using a Doodle Pantry image and you will receive an adorable set FREE!!! Read all about it HERE, but be aware that the last day to play is May 24th.

Blog Hop at Clear Dollar Stamps

I have two blog hops going on this weekend. After you finish hopping with Clear Dollar Stamps, come back and read about the hop going on at Fresh Brewed Designs. Hopefully you arrived here from Vickie's blog. If not, got to the beginning at the CDS Blog. Our theme this month was "Something With Wings." Yes, I went for a colored digi, and this one is Toucans of Love. And I followed a sketch over at The Deconstructed Sketch...imagine my surprise when I thought I was following the most recent one, but it's not!!! Oh bother, what a slacker am I!!! Be sure and comment on all the blogs, there's a $25 gift certificate up for grabs for the digi store at CDS for one lucky winner. Now finish up the hop at your last stop, Angela's blog.

New Rubber at Fresh Brewed Designs

It is that time again! Time for another Fresh Brewed Designs rubber release and hop! WOOT WOOT!!!

If you are getting here from the Fresh Brewed Blog, then you are right on track. If not, be sure and go to it because that is the first stop in our hop.

Sally and Tommy sitting in a tree

K*I*S*S*I*N*G

First comes love, then comes marriage

Then comes baby in a baby carriage

It's all about Brides and Babies this month! I have heard so many of my friends talk about celebrating new marriages, anniversaries, and just announced pregnancies. We are so excited to release a few stamps to help celebrate these occasions. Our stamps this month are simple and classic. We are releasing Beautiful Bride and Baby Bump. You can purchase these rubber stamps singly in the shop OR for this hop only, get both stamps and four sheets of 4x6 paper {American Craft Letterbox Madam} for an amazing deal of  $10! This deal will end Monday night at midnight.

For my card, I chose to use the stamp Baby Bump. I paper pieced her dress out of the American Craft Letterbox Madam paper that you will receive when you purchase both stamps by Monday night. I even included a chunk of the remaining paper on the card as well. Some ribbon, flowers (a mix of primas and felt) and a few brads and this card is complete. I figured using pink, yellow and blue will make this a perfect pregnancy congrats card. 

Thank you for stopping by and for being a part of this release with us.
Please continue the hop by visiting the lovely Vanessa's blog. You'll be glad that you did!

Here is the hop order for this release:

Freshly Brewed Challenges: http://freshbreweddesigns.blogspot.com/
Linda: http://stamperstouch.blogspot.com/
Vanessa: http://vanessaspapercreations.blogspot.com/
Yolanda: http://www.justyolie.com/
Sheryl: http://butterflykisscards.blogspot.com/
Celeste: http://www.touchedbyabutterfly.com/
Kenzie: http://kraftyhugzz.blogspot.com/
Heather: http://joemamainks.blogspot.com/

Cupcakes...YUM!!

I tend to be a procrastinator and wait till the night before their due to start working on my DT cards. Sometimes it doesn't work out for me, but this time it did. Welcome to our Clearly Inspired Challenge. For the next two weeks, we are having a sketch challenge -- and you know I LOVE a sketch challenge!!!

Here's my card using the Clear Dollar Stamps digital set Yummy Cupcakes. This is why I can't say enough about colored digis, when you're late (like I always am) it helps to have your image all ready to go. And when you have a fabulous sketch to follow, a card can be put together in no time at all!! Sure hope you can join us at the Clearly Inspired Challenge.  

Butterflies and Flowers

It's my week to let you know about our challenge going on over at The Crafter's Cafe Challenge Blog - handmade flowers and butterflies. And our sponsor this month is Unity Stamp Company. This was a good challenge for me because I have several Unity Stamp sets that haven't seen ink in a very long time that I pulled out, dusted off, and got 'em inky!!!

And here's my card, using the stamp set Floral Fantastical. It's so fun using stamps that I haven't in a while. I pulled out some Jillibean paper, Blossom Soup, and used the one with butterflies on. My crocheted flower is handmade...by me learning how to do it on-line. You have all month to join us at The Crafter's Cafe Challenge Blog for your chance to win some really wonderful Unity Stamps. 

Sweet Get Well Wishes

 

 A sweet Wednesday "Hello" to you all. I have a new sketch to share with you from Arlana at Sweet Sketch Wednesday. Yes, it's another fun one! I have a blast working with her sketches!! 

 Our sponsor is a blast too, the wonderful Sally Ann from Digi Stamp Boutique. She is so very generous, offering our winner 6 FREE images of their choice!! How fun, but let me warn you, it's not easy picking just 6 because they are all so wonderful!!!

 Here's my card using the wonderful image Nurse Grace. She is so adorable and sure to put a smile on anyone's face who needs a pick-me-up. I used a ric rak die, scraps of paper, and layered up several felt flowers. The embellishment in the center of the flower is a little button brad (so cute!). Hope you can join us this week at Sweet Sketch Wednesday.  

Tea for Alice

Can I just say YUM?!!! These cupcakes are adorable and ALMOST look too good to eat...notice I said almost!!! Welcome to our new fun challenge at the Fresh Brewed Blog. We're having a photo inspiration challenge. So tell me, what inspires you with this photo?

Talk about good timing, having our digi release Monday of three new Alice in Wonderland images!!! I was immediately inspired by the Alice theme. And what goes better with cupcakes than a nice hot cup of tea with a friend!!! I used the Fresh Brewed Designs image Tea for Alice. I love that the white rabbit was included - one of the few characters from the story I'm okay with!! I'm having a cup of tea while I'm typing this, too bad I didn't have something yummy to go with it. After all, it's all about the cupcake!!!

Weddings and Tractors

What do weddings and tractors have in common? Why they're part of the new digital release from Clear Dollar Stamps this month. So many wonderful sets from the most talented artists! And here's the dear sweet Charlie, getting married to his true love Charliene in the set Charlie Bride and Groom. I used the colored image and papers because it makes such quick and fabulous cards. Love the cowboy theme!

This is from the set Got Tractor, again in the color version. This is beyond words perfect for my brother-in-law whose birthday is coming up in a few days. I used one of the papers that's included plus some scraps that I never seem to run out of!! I used a tractor brad that I got from Clear Dollar Stamps, and you can find it HERE. There are lots more wonderful sets to choose from this month that I know you will enjoy.  

Alice in a Bottle

It's Tuesday and I've got a list a mile long of things to get done this week!! Grocery shopping and house cleaning are on that list, just not near the top!!!!! Anyway, I hope you saw the latest release of digital stamps we debuted yesterday from Fresh Brewed Designs. Heather created three Alice in Wonderland images and they all can be found HERE. Today I used the Alice in a Bottle image, using my Copic markers on her. I'm doing my best to use up my paper scraps, that way when I reach my goal of not buying paper until my birthday in September, I won't feel so guilty when I place a really big order!!!!!  

Just another reminder about our rubber release blog hop happenin' this weekend. You won't want to miss it.

Decisions for Alice

Hope all you Mothers were spoiled yesterday. I asked to wait and celebrate tonight when everyone will be home. I'll order dinner to go from, hmmmm, not sure yet, but I know it will be delish! I do have something fun to share with you today...a new Alice in Wonderland digital stamp release at Fresh Brewed Designs. These images are beyond words fabulous!! Today I'm showing you Decisions for Alice. I would have no trouble making up my mind on this one, the cupcake would win every time!!! To see what else the DT has created, check it out at the Fresh Brewed Blog.  

Just wanted to send out a quick reminder too of our new rubber release blog hop happening this weekend starting on Saturday. You are going to love the new stamps coming this month!!!

Baking Ants?

Yep, it's baking ants, and they are making a mess, and having a good time at it!!!!! I seem to be in need of birthday cards lately so I decided one more wouldn't hurt. These ants belong to Laurie over at Doodle Pantry, and they are always up to something. This set is called Baking Ants and can be found HERE. I know what you're thinking and yes, I colored this one myself!!! I think I have almost all of the Doodle Pantry colored images cause I love 'em so!! Pulled out some scraps and followed the sketch over at the Catch the Bug challenge blog.

The boys have been keeping me hopping the past few days. By the time when evening comes (my usual stamping time) I am way too tired to create. Phillip is at his first prom right now. Boy did he look handsome. The few pictures I got weren't too good so I'm waiting for her parents to email me some they took. I'll post them so you can see my young man in a tux.  

Flower Power

It's Thursday, the weekend is almost here. This weekend is sure to be a crazy busy one here with Phillip going to his first prom! Hopefully you can find some time to join us at Paper Lovin' Gals for another fabulous photo inspiration challenge. What about this picture gets your creative juices flowing?

As you can see by this in your face flower, the handmade flowers are my inspiration!! I went with the colors from my Basic Grey paper for this. The sentiment is a Papertrey Ink set that hasn't seen ink in forever! This is a definite "do not attempt to mail" kind of card!! Be sure and stop by the Paper Lovin' Gals blog to see what the rest of the DT created because it's fabulous.

Enjoy the Sunshine!

Enjoying the sunshine is exactly what I've been doing. Then the other day my husband made a comment..."Boy, we could use some rain." Well, let me tell you, have we been getting the rain!!! Yesterday I went into the grocery store with the sun shining and came out with it pouring, and I mean pouring!! I came home and had to change my clothes and dry my hair, I was that soaked. Anyway, today is Wednesday and time for a new challenge over at Sweet Sketch Wednesday. We are pulling out of the vault a previous sketch that was so fun the first time, we figured you'd enjoy using it again!!!

Our sponsor this week is Deidre Mosher Designs. Such fun and whimsical images, you will love 'em all. Our grand prize winner will receive a $10 gift certificate to pick out their favorite ones. 

I had the opportunity to use Spring Chair. Love the sentiments that come with it! I knew I wanted to use the "enjoy the sunshine" verbage because I wanted to use this die cut and embossed sun. So fun to create, especially when you have a wonderful sketch to help you out! Join us this week at Sweet Sketch Wednesday.  

Warmest Thanks

Time for a new and fun weekly challenge at the Fresh Brewed Blog. Our theme this week is a thank you/appreciation project. I'd like to say mine was quick & easy...okay, easy yes, quick no, and the only reason I'm saying that is because I let myself get distracted with watching the finale of "The Voice." I cheered for the winner because that's who I voted for!!! Anyway, let me give you some details about my card. The image, of course, is from Fresh Brewed Designs, a digital called Love Blooms Vase. Kept the layout simple so this fun and fabulous image would shine. My sentiment banner is curved up in the middle (hard to see on the pic) and I love this dimensional effect. Hope you can join in the fun with us.

Something else that will be loads of fun is our May Rubber Release Blog Hop, slated for May 19 - 21. As you know, we unveil some wonderful rubber stamps and Heather packages 'em up at an incredible price. So be sure to mark your calendar. And on May 14th a new digi release is happenin', so join us then too. Heck, you might as well become a follower of the Fresh Brewed Blog so you don't miss out on a single minute. Have a great Wednesday!

Blessings to You

It's Tuesday, and hard to believe it's May already!! I have two more cards to share from the OWH Virtual Card Making Party. These are for Challenge #8, Patriotic Sister Cards. I found out that "sister cards" are two cards that are similar in design and/or inspiration, but still different in their own way. I used the same image here, a digital from Fresh Brewed Designs called Grace Fireworks. I kept with the red, white and blue color theme but changed up the papers and layout. These were fun to make, and now I have two more cards to put in my box for the troops to mail home to their family and friends. Thanks for stopping by. I hope to get more challenge cards done today along with my DT cards. I love to create!!

Two More

That's right, I have two more cards to share from the weekend's virtual card making party at OWH. This is Challenge #4, use bright colors. I had this adorable image from Doodle Pantry called Strawberry Ants (I used the color version here) printed and cut out for quite some time. It sat on my desk screaming at me to "use me" for this brights challenge!! So I did! The papers are also part of this set. I used another OWH sketch, #35.

Another great thing about these challenges, besides making cards for the troops to send home to family and friends, I get to pull out some stamps that haven't seen ink in a very long time...if ever!!! Case in point is this adorable cowgirl from Hero Arts. This card is for Challenge #5, sponsored by Our Daily Bread, to use 5 elements on your card. At first I thought, impossible, I want to keep these cards as uncluttered as possible. But then I figured it out, everything on a card can be counted as an element!! Okay, I may be stretching it a little bit, but here goes: 1). Designer papers (My Mind's Eye Everyday Flair) 2). Brads 3). Twine 4). Sewing 5). Dimensionals. This sketch, yep, you guessed it, is from OWH, the bonus sketch.

I saw my hummingbird this morning, so food is made and the feeder is washed. Once the sugar water is cooled they'll be fed. I so enjoy to watch these little wonders of nature.