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

Bellariffic Friday - Sketch 18

Finally Friday and this week's Stamping Bella Bellariffic Friday was another great sketch from Ebru.  I changed it ever so slightly - making the main rectangle a circle and leaving off the sentiment.  This is for one of my cousins in England - he's not quite this small any more but I'm sure he still loves a party!

I stamped The Birthday Boy (Tiddly Inks) in Memento Tuxedo black ink and coloured him with copics.

The paper and ribbon is from a TE KI kit.  I used a couple of nesties and embossed the circle one with my Perfect Polka Dots embossing folder.  The stars are MFT Stacking Stars and I added a big blue Bella Dot in the middle.  His shoes are super shiny thanks to several coats of clear glaze pen and I added just a bit of sparkle to his party hat and presents with my glitter pen.  Happy Birthday!!

Cheerio.....Leslie  

Puppy Love - MFTWSC88

"Abby" is a new little puppy my neighbours just got.  She is cute as a button and all black except for one tiny white mark on her front paw!  I hadn't inked up PI Puppy Girl yet so this was the perfect opportunity.  I used today's MFTWSC88.  I've said it before but I'll say it again....these PI girls make me so happy :)

I stamped PI Puppy Girl in Memento Tuxedo black ink and coloured her with copics.  I was careful when colouring Abby to leave a tiny bit of white on her front paw

Basic Gray Max & Whiskers is the pattern paper and I free-hand cut the pennant out which wasn't as hard as I thought it would be to get it perfect.  Polka Dots embossing folder gave it a bit of texture and I added some zig-zag sewing on the edges.  The sweet little PI girl is cut out and popped up and I added a few coats of clear glaze pen to her shoes.  Abby really does have a red collar and I added a little bit of sparkle to it - 'cause a girl has to have a bit of bling!  The flower is made with the Pretty Posies die-namic and I wet all the pieces, crumpled them and then dried them and added a big brown button in the middle.  I think the best bit though is that cute little dog bone clip I found and tied to the button - love that!

The inside is done too, using the Fishtail Flags Stax die-namic.

I'm pretty sure Abby's owners will like the card - not sure Abby will think much of it, but I'm sure she's going to like the dog treats I attach to it!

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

Bellariffic Friday - Back to School

Aaaah, a long weekend and an interesting take on this week's Bellariffic Friday theme of "Back to School"!  I don't have any Stamping Bella images that typically makes one think of school so I thought "outside the box" and made a card for all the Mums out there who are sending their children back to school.  I envision them that first morning with their children back in school.....sitting quietly in their house with a nice cup of coffee or tea...and no-one clamoring for their attention,or something to do or something to eat!

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

The layout is one of my "go to" sketches - easy and simple.  I used SU Sahara Sand and So Saffron paired with a pattern paper from MME Miss Caroline Dolled Up.  I layered her onto a second oval nestie and added a button bow in SU Regal Rose.  The embossing folder is swiss dots - another "go to" of mine.  I used a couple of Atyou Spica pens for a touch of sparkle and a tiny twinkle in her hair elastic finished her off. 

Have a great long weekend!

Cheerio.....Leslie

Bellariffic Friday - Sketch 17

It's wedding season and this week's Bellariffic Friday sketch was a super one.  It worked perfectly with the card I needed to make.

I stamped Sposabella in Memento Tuxedo black ink and coloured her with copics.  I used so few copics it was hardly worth taking a photo (skin: E00, E21, hair: E31, E35).  I used R01 for the slight bit of colour on her dress and then used my glue stick to apply tiny dots of glitter on her gown - because every wedding gown sparkles!  I added a tiny rhinestone in each flower at the bottom of her dress and three along the Best Wishes sentiment.  Can you believe the pale pink paper is SU Blushing Bride? How perfect is that?!  I used my Textile Texture embossing folder on the white to "pretty" it up a bit and sprayed it with Perfect Pearls Mists for some shimmer.

Honestly, if you need to make wedding cards this is the image to buy from Stamping Bella!  It colours up SO quickly and looks so pretty.

Cheerio.....Leslie

Bellariffic Friday - Happy Birthday Christal

The theme for this week's Bellariffic Friday is "Birthday Wishes".  Now, this is not your typical birthday image but was perfect for Christal's birthday card - she loves sushi and that is totally what she looks like...short black hair, gorgeous skin and cute as can be!

I stamped Chelsea and Lauren in Memento Tuxedo Black ink and coloured them with copics.  The paper is MME Lime Twist Happy Go Lucky.  I kept the layout really simple, just adding the sentiment with a couple of rhinestones on either side.  

I did the inside too, stamping some of the same image and adding some Fishtail Flags - oh how I love those Fishtail Flags - they just seem to finish off a card.

Happy Birthday Christal!

Cheerio.....Leslie

Happy Birthday - MFTWSC84

Yesterday was my FIL birthday and I knew he'd be expecting a homemade card!  He's not a fuss and bother man so this week's MFTWSC84 was a great sketch, although I left off the little banner :)

I stamped the sentiment from Big Greetings on a panel that I cut out using the Vertical Greetings die-namic.  I love the big font on this greeting set - it's perfect for masculine cards (which I struggle with), oh and I stamped Happy Birthday inside.  The papers are from a TE KI kit and the ink is SU Early Espresso.  The buttons are from my trip to the gorgeous MFT store.  That's pretty much it - very simple, no frills or lace or bows but I couldn't resist adding three rhinestones at the top of the sentiment!

Cheerio.....Leslie

Sprinkler Girl - MFTWSC83

I'm a bit late with this card - it was actually last week's MFTWSC83 but I've only managed to finish it now.  I really loved the sketch but struggled with it - I think I should have made the card bigger or the circle smaller :)

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

Her swimsuit as so easy to paper piece - the hardest bit was choosing the pattern!  I settled on papers from MME Miss Caroline Dolled Up and matched them with SU Baja Breeze and Certainly Celery.  The First Place Award Ribbon die-namic was used for the trio of banners.  I used the Botanical Beauty die-namic for the flower and I added a little button in the middle. One teeny tiny twinkle on the flower in her hair finished this card off.

I did the inside too - adding two rows made with the Notched Border die-namic. This would have been perfect timing had I finished it on time as we have had some serious heat here in the last few weeks but today, the rain and cool temps arrived and it actually feels quite nice!

Cheerio.....Leslie

Bellariffic Friday - Sum Sum Summertime

Today's a good day - it's Bellariffic Friday and a long weekend too!  Today's challenge was Summertime and Scarlett the Teacup Girl looked very summery to me with her hair up in ponytails and all those little flowers.

The sketch is one from last month, SSSC162 and I flipped it, of course :-).  I stamped her in Memento Tuxedo black ink and coloured her with copics.  October Afternoon Seaside sounded and was perfect for a summertime card and I paired it with So Saffron, Wild Cherry and Orange Fizz cardstock.  I used a few MFT dies, the Wonky Scallop border on the outside and the Small Scallop border on the inside.  The three flowers were from MFT Flower and Leaf Trio.  I cut Scarlett out using MFT Circle 1 and 2 Stax.  I added a few felt leaves and a dot to the center of each of the flowers.  I popped up the flower on her teacup for a bit of dimension with a rhinestone in the center.  I did the inside of the card too and love the way she's peeking over the top of the red border.

Happy looooong weekend!

Cheerio.....Leslie