Thanksgiving cards already?

OK, I know it makes no sense that today I'm sharing 3 cards that are suitable for Thanksgiving but there is actually some logic behind the choice. Earlier this week I visited my LSS (Cherish the Thought) and as usual Jessie had some great grab bags of scraps for sale. I purchased one bag that held an assortment of fall-themed papers (apples, trees, lots of oranges & browns) along with embellishments (flowers, chipboard, die cuts) and I just couldn't wait to make something. I figure I'll put the cards away and donate them in the Fall to Send A Smile 4 Kids - I've already started collecting Halloween and Christmas cards but Thanksgiving often seems to be the forgotten holiday.

I used the current sketch at Sweet Sketch Wednesday for all 3 cards. The fronts are a digi stamp (Pollycraft), colouring page (a freebie off the Dover newsletter) and a die cut (part of the grab bag). The digi and colouring page image have been sitting in my drawer coloured for months so it's good to use them up. Every layer is popped up so these cards have lots of dimension.

Challenges:
Crafts and Me - anything goes
Crafty Creations - buttons
Fab 'n Funky - no stamped images (3rd card only)
Shopping Our Stash - use something new (all the papers & embellies)
Simply Create Too - use it at least twice (I've used the same sketch 3 times
Simon Says Stamp - anything goes
Sweet Sketch Wednesday - sketch  (rotated to the left)

Wedding wishes

One of my least favourite types of cards to make are those for weddings - mainly because the occasion is so special that it seems difficult to make a card that is special enough. My nephew was married this past weekend and I made this card to wish him and his bride all the best. Sorry that the picture is fuzzy - I really have to remember to check the photos before I send the card off.

I used the colours from their wedding invites (purple, black & white) as well as tried to match the style of the invites (which were traditional with a couple of touches of fun). I'm pretty pleased with the result although I really wish I'd re-coloured the digi - the bride's shoes just look way to dark).

The digi stamp was a freebie from Simply Cards & Papercrafts Magazine and it's coloured using Copic markers. The paper is Jodie Lee Designs' (from Prima) Nature Garden pack. The card itself is cut using the square Sizzix Flip-It card die.

Challenges:

• CAS-ual Fridays - use a black card base
• Craft Your Days Away - shades of grey plus 1 other colour
• Creative Card Crew - use black cardstock
• Sparkles Forum - wedding

Welcome baby card

Today's cards is a re-do of a baby card I made a while ago - unfortunately the cat spilled iced tea all over the earlier version of the card. Luckily the image was pretty much unaffected because I really love how the colouring worked out. I chose a sketch from Fetch a Sketch and I'm quite pleased with the new design. The top edge of the image was stained but a handmade flower fixed that flaw (the flower is made from fabric petals pulled off an inexpensive flower stem bought at Walmart last year).

Supplies:

• Scalloped circle, Spellbinders
• Digital stamp, Mo's Digital Pencil Too
• Copic markers
• Patterned paper, Jillybean
• Patterned paper, Basic Grey
• Flower, made from petal stash
• Button, stash

Challenges:

Colour Me Creative - anything goes with girly twist
Cute Card Thursday - fairy inspired
Fab n Funky - make your own flower
Fetch a Sketch - sketch
Mema's Crafts - anything goes
Mo's Digital Challenge - hugs & kisses
Papertake Weekly - girlie
Tuesday Alchemy - buttons

Embellishments can be found anywhere

Are you always looking for interesting (and inexpensive) items to use for embellishments? I know that I always have my eyes open when I'm out & about and I stumbled across a great source of cheap embellies this past week. I was shopping with my 11-year old niece and found myself trapped in Ardene's (for those of you who aren't familiar with this store, it's a mecca for young girls but pretty much irrelevant for anyone over the age of 20). Looking around though I found a great selection of hairbands that could be dissassembled for their individual bits.

Today's card isn't very fancy but I wanted to share it just to show the flowers which cost a grand total of about 40 cents - the hairband was $2 and contained 20 individual flowers. Deal!!!

Challenges:

Cupcake Craftroom - lots of layers
Papertake Weekly - girlie
Sweet Sketch - sketch
Totally Papercrafts - lots of layers
Truly Madly Crafty - animals