Miles the Mouse - September SFYTT

Well it's the last Saturday in September and that brings to an end my job as the September Guest Designer for Jen's Sketch For You To Try.  I have loved my job and I took it very seriously, managing 4 out of the 5 weeks!

For my last card I used the simply adorable Stocking Miles from Kraftin' Kimmie - the sponsor for this month.  He is stamped in Memento Tuxedo black ink and coloured with copics.

The paper is Authentique Wonder and I paper pieced his little stocking adding lots of glitter around the trim.

I used the Fishtail Flags Stax in several sizes and the "Noel" is from the sentiment set called Merry and Bright.  Here's the rest of the fabulous SFYTT Sisters for more inspiration:

Amber Hight
Amy Sheffer
Becky Carafa
Carole Burrage
Jen Tapler
Jodi Collins
Kerry Johnson
Megan Lock
Susan Liles
Tracy Schultz

Thank you again for the wonderful opportunity to be your Guest Designer this month.

Cheerio.....Leslie

Moaning Moira - September SFYTT

It's my third week as Jen's September Guest Designer for her Sketch For You To Try and I'm having so much fun with the Kraftin' Kimmies images - the sponsor this month.  For today's card I used Moaning Moira - don't you just love her name?!

I stamped Moira in Memento Tuxedo black ink and coloured her with copics. 

I knew I wanted her face either green or a ghostly gray and I settled on green.  The pattern paper is Basic Gray Eerie and I used some purple and orange to mat it - two of my "go to" colours for Halloween.  Her dress has a bit of sparkle from my Atyou Spica pens and I added some MS glitter to her wings.  I had a lot of fun with the embellishments - a bat brad (sheesh, try and say that fast!), MS spider web border and that oh so sparkly black ribbon.  I love that the sentiment comes with the image and I cut it out using the Oval Stax 1 & 2.

On the inside I used the Fishtail Flags Stax and just stamped the top portion of Moira, leaving room for my spooky greeting.

Have a great weekend and I hope you can play along with Jen's SFYTT!

Cheerio.....Leslie

Meet the Punkins - September SFYTT

It's Saturday and for me, (this month only), that means another card as Jen's Guest Designer for her September Sketch For You To Try!

Halloween is my second favourite time of year.  I absolutely LOVE everything about it - the costumes, the decorations, the colours, the treats (mmm) and of course the pumpkins - all sizes, shapes and colours. Let me introduce The Punkin Family from Kraftin' Kimmie, our sponsor this month!

I stamped the image in Memento Tuxedo black ink, coloured the pumpkins with copics and then added some extra shading with OMS and pencil crayons.  I used a green and orange Atyou Spica pens for a touch of glitter on the pumpkins.

I rotated the sketch this time and for a little texture used the swiss dots embossing folder on the largest polka dot paper.  The image seemed a bit stark so I added some clouds I made with the MFT Wonky Scallop Border die-namic.  I cut out a border and placed it randomly, sponging the edge and voila...clouds!  I added some grass but got a little carried away I think!

The paper is perfectly named Happy Halloween from Echo Park and the ribbon and the papers came from TE Fright Night Project Pantry.  I added three dots in the corner and popped up the littlest Punkin for a little dimension.

Of course I had to do the inside and the Open ZigZag die-namic seemed to imitate the pumpkin carvings.

For more inspiration here are the rest of the fabulous SFYTT Sisters:

Amber Hight
Amy Sheffer
Becky Carafa
Carole Burrage
Jen Tapler
Jodi Collins
Kerry Johnson
Megan Lock
Susan Liles
Tracy Schultz

I hope you've had time to play along with Jen's sketch this month. 

Cheerio.....Leslie

BIG news!

Finally, I can share my exciting news!  Last month I received a comment on one of my cards and then an email from Susan Liles.  Yes, THAT Susan!  She asked me to be the "September Guest Designer of the Month" for "Jen's Sketch For You To Try" (SFYTT)!!!  At first I thought she must be mistaken - me?  A guest designer?  Fortunately she (and Jen) didn't reconsider after all my questions :) and here I am....excited, delighted and honoured to be asked.  As a Canadian, I'm even more excited that the sponsor this month is also Canadian - Kraftin' Kimmie stamps!

This is Jen's Sketch For You To Try for September and there are five Saturdays this month so plenty of time for you to play along.

I love a sketch - I almost can't make a card now without one.  I do like to flip or rotate a sketch but for my first card this month I left it exactly as it was - can't promise that for next week - LOL.

I stamped the oh so classy Lana in Memento Tuxedo black ink and coloured her with copics.

The pattern paper is MME Lost & Found Madison Avenue paired with some Pretty in Pink and Early Espresso.  I added a crown border layered over some Pretty in Pink satin ribbon and topped each tip with a sparkly rhinestone.  For a bit of texture on the Pretty in Pink layer, I used my Sizzix Flourish Texture plate.  The finishing touch for Lana was lots of glitter on her wrap.

I'm loving doing the insides of cards too, matching up the image and papers.

Here's the rest of the fabulous SFYTT Sisters for more inspiration:

Amber Hight
Amy Sheffer
Becky Carafa
Carole Burrage
Jen Tapler
Jodi Collins
Kerry Johnson
Megan Lock
Susan Liles
Tracy Schultz

I had so much fun with this sketch - I hope you'll play along too.

Cheerio.....Leslie

Batter up!

Nothing says summer like baseball and this little guy could possibly be a Toronto Blue Jay in training!  The sketch is Jen's Sketch For You To Try for July - I haven't used one of hers in ages so was long overdue.

I stamped MFT PI Baseball Boy in Memento Tuxedo black ink and coloured him with copics. The pattern paper is Echo Park Little Boy Collection and I used some SU Pumpkin Pie for the base.  I had fun using lots of MFT die-namics: the Circle Stax 1 & 2, the Fishtail Flags (which I can't get enough of right now!), the Stacking Stars and the Star Stax.  All Star Stamp and die-namic was perfect for the baseball - it looks like he's ready to hit a home run!

I did the inside of my card too - stamping the little PI boy again and adding a Jumbo Squiggle border. Play ball!

Cheerio.....Leslie

Happy Birthday Loz!

We have a new doctor who started with us in January - she's here for a year doing extra specialty training.  Wednesday was her birthday and as her family and friends are across the world, I wanted her to feel part of our team and welcome.  My PI Girl Doctor was the perfect image, but she's MIA at the moment - probably in the OR! :)  I know she's somewhere in my stamp room - does that ever happen to you?  Do you lose a stamp completely?  Anyhow, I wanted to use a PI so chose the sweet Out on a Limb instead.

I stamped the image in Memento Tuxedo black ink and coloured her with copics.

I used Jen's January Sketch For You To Try and am squeaking this in before the end of January!  The pattern paper is Crate Paper Emma's Shoppe and SU wild wasabi.  The scallop circle nestie is embossed with the SU Perfect Polkadots embossing folder.  I added a tiny twinkle to her shoe and of course some red stickles on her little heart hair barrette.  The double scallop border added a dainty touch under the yellow ribbon.  I found the perfect embellishment - a "Doctor" bag charm!  I couldn't decide how to attach the bag and now wish I had tucked it under her hand a bit. 

Here's hoping Loz had a lovely birthday. 

Cheerio.....Leslie

Christal's Christmas card

My co-worker, Christal, is a big fan of my cards and so I knew I had to make a special one for her this year.  When I saw the new Uptown girl "Eve under the mistletoe" I knew this was the image to use.  I think I created a wonderful likeness of Christal with this Bella image.  Not only is Eve's haircut similar to Christals but the dress and especially the shoes are SO Christal - she LOVES shoes!

I stamped the image in Memento Tuxedo Black ink and coloured it with copics.  The paper is some retired SU Christmas paper.  Now Christal is always encouraging me to try and match her gorgeous skin tone and I gave it my best shot on this card.  I used E33 for her skin and N8 and 9 for her hair.  I paper pieced her cute little dress and the belt has a couple of coats of black glaze pen with a coat of silver Atyou Spica on the buckle.  I added some liquid applique with glitter on it to the dress trim and red stickles on her shoes and bracelets.  I adore ghost snowflakes (so much so that I hate to use them-just like to look at them!) but this card had to have one.  I added another white snowflake with a silver donut and red bonbon on top to finish it off.  The sentiment is from Holly Girl and the banner is the First Place Award Ribbon.  This card started off as the sketch for December's SFYTT but ended up being a very "loose" interpretation :)

I'm happy to say Christal loved her card - so much so that she asked me to take a photo of her with her card to show you!

Cheerio.....Leslie

Bellariffic Friday - Huggabuggs

Is it Friday already?  Yikes this week went by fast.  I combined two challenges today - Bellariffic Friday and Jen's Sketch for You to Try for August.  I struggle with little boy cards but this one was really fun to make.

I stamped Miles Huggabugg in Memento Tuxedo Black ink and coloured him with a combination of copics and SU markers.

I got him almost completely coloured and realized that I no longer have SU Taken With Teal marker (retired)!  Now how was I going to get that perfect colour?  Paper piecing!  So now his shorts and his cute little cap match the cardstock.

The pattern paper is Scenic Route Grafton Tyson Street and I added some crystal effects to his glasses and a bit of glitter on his wings.  I know just the boy this card will go to!

Cheerio.....Leslie

Bellariffic Friday - Monochromatic

It's Bellariffic Friday!  This week the challenge was to make a monochromatic card.  I started out really well and determined to do a white card because I LOVED this card that LindaBella made - it's stunning!  Well I started on Tuesday and it just wasn't working - I was getting really frustrated.  I was stamping/skyping with Dana and told her I was struggling with a sketch and she suggested Jen's Sketch For You To Try - I'd never done one of her sketches before and it turns out April's sketch was perfect for my image!

I used Kenya Ketto from Stamping Bella.  The patterned paper and the cardstock is Regal Rose from Stampin' Up.  I used copics to colour her but, oops,  forgot to take a photo of them (the usual E000, E00, R01 for her skin, 100 for her hair and R81, 83 and 85 for the pinks).  I was quite pleased with my shading on this card.  A little sparkle on her wand, some baubles and Kenya was done.  Monochromatic cards are super fast to do!

Cheerio.....Leslie