Freshly Made Sketches Challenge #678

Hello!
Happy Wednesday!  Are you having a great week so far?  Spring is being very tumultuous here.  I can't say I'm surprised.  The mountains are getting snow and we're getting cooler weather but nothing that accumulates.  Avalanche risk is crazy high here and so hiking has to be done at slightly lower elevations.  We have passed on hiking the last few weekends and hit the ski hills instead!  I'm excited to get back on the trails soon!

We have a great new sketch this week at Freshly Made Sketches!  Our hostess this week is our favourite French woman Cecile Ribon!  Cecile's cards always blow my mind so please head over to her blog to check them out!  You won't be disappointed!  

I'll admit when I first saw Cecile's sketch I was a little nervous.  That splotch is very splotchy and I didn't have a clue what to do with that.  Then I remembered that I had some stencils from Stampin Up that would work perfectly for this card!  I grabbed my favourite distress oxide yellows and went to work!  Since the Be Bold Blooms worked so well last week I decided to use them again!   I already had the sentiment on my desk so we put it all together!

Supplies:
Cardstock: Hammermill Coverstock White, Gold (SU)

Ink: Scattered Straw, Fossilized Amber (Distress Oxides)

Dies: Be Bold Blooms (Spellbinders), Happy Parents Day (Spellbinders)

Other: Linked Together Decorative Masks, Gold Foil (Spellbinders), Happy Parent's Day Hot Foil Plate (Spellbinders), Glimmer Hot Foil Machine (Spellbinders)

Thanks so much for stopping by today!  I hope you'll head over to the Freshly Made Sketches blog and join in our challenge this week!  You have until Monday at 1 PM EST to get your card entered into this week's challenge.  If you need some inspiration, you'll definitely find it on the blog!

Have an amazing day!
Jen

Freshly Made Sketches Challenge #677

Hello!
Happy Wednesday!  As much as I have been feeling super tired after the time change, I'm totally loving the extra daylight!  Right now, it gets dark about 7:45!  It's amazing!  The days are getting longer and longer and that has my outside loving heart very happy!

We have a brand new sketch this week at Freshly Made Sketches!  I am your hostess this week!  It's always exciting to come up with a sketch and then see what everyone comes up with!  I love how different each card is!

With the beautiful weather we've been having and all the lovely sunshine, our snow has melted and it's feeling more and more like spring.  Don't get me wrong, I know it won't last and winter isn't gone but with the warmer weather, I feel more like creating springy cards!!!  I pulled out my Be Bold Blooms dies and decided to use those for this card!

Supplies:
Cardstock: Hammermill White Coverstock

Stamps: Itty Bitty Birthday (MFT)
Ink: Detail Black (PinkFresh Studio), Scattered Straw, Fossilized Amber, Shabby Shutters, Mowed Lawn, Rustic Wilderness (All Distress Oxides)
Dies: Be Bold Blooms (Spellbinders), Itty Bitty Strips (MFT)
Other: Softly Sophisticated Embossing Folder (SU), Low Profile Dots (SU)

Thanks so much for stopping by today!  I hope you will join in our challenge this week!  If you need some inspiration, please head on over to the Freshly Made Sketches blog and check out the cards that the Design Team have posted!

You have until Monday at 1 PM EST to get your card entered into this week's challenge!

Have an amazing day!
Jen

 

Freshly Made Sketches Challenge #649

Hello!
Happy Wednesday!  I apologize for being MIA for so long.  We went on vacation for a week and I just was having a hard time getting back into the groove.  I still feel like I'm lacking in the creativity department but we're working on it.  My kids are both working full time and I feel like the summer is flying.  I'm not too sure how we went from April to August but here we are!

We have a brand new sketch at Freshly Made Sketches this week courtesy of our favourite Texan, Amy O'Neill.  Amy's cards are always so sweet and she always uses different pieces so creatively so head over to her blog and check them out!  

I have to admit I struggled with this one a bit.  The lack of creativity is probably affecting me.  I do unfortunately need a sympathy card though so I decided I would tackle that and see what I could do.  My craft cave desk had become quite a disaster so before I even started this card I decided I would clean it and I discovered all these pre-cut white flowers.  They worked perfectly for this card.  I love when you find little treasures that will work for your card!  That being said I'm not too sure what die sets they all came from!

Supplies:
Cardstock: Hammermill White Coverstock, Silver Foil

Stamps:Essential sentiments (MFT)

Ink: Detail Black (PinkFresh Studios)

Dies: Be Bold Blooms, Garden Wreath Add Ons

Other: Dainty Diamonds Textured Embossing Folder

We'd love for you to join in our challenge this week!  You have until 1 PM EST on Monday to get your card loaded onto the Freshly Made Sketches blog!  If you need some inspiration, just head over to the blog and you'll find some pretty amazing examples!

I've included some photos from our hike on Monday.  I've got a stockpile of hike photos to share over the next little while.  This one started from Moraine Lake and was called Wastach Mountain.  It was a grind.  I was almost in tears with frustration.  There were falls and lots of sweat but we did it and the view was incredible.  Definitely worth it but definitely won't be doing this one again!

Thanks so much for stopping by!  I hope you have the most amazing day!

Jen

 

Freshly Made Sketches Challenge #645

Hello! Happy Wednesday!  I hope you're having a great week so far!  Summer has hit hard here!  We are having some crazy heat (which I won't complain about) but our wildfire danger has gone from nothing to extreme in just a few days!  My son works in the maintenance department of our local golf club and he's been roasting!  Looks like at least 2 more weeks of extreme heat for us!  I will remember that I prefer extreme heat to -40!!!  

We've got a brand new sketch at Freshly Made Sketches today!  I have the privilege of being this week's hostess!  I always find it challenging to create a sketch.  My brain just doesn't like to work that way.  I actually made this sketch with this card in mind!  I wanted to use these dies so I worked my sketch around it.  That's not cheating is it?

I love flower dies so when Spellbinders released these I knew I had to have them!  I love the Be Bold Blooms and these new Floral Spray dies are no exception!  The more flowers the merrier!  I think these might be a tad bit easier to work with as well!  I needed a couple of thank you cards and these turned out just how I imagined!

Supplies:
Cardstock: Hammermill White Coverstock, Bermuda Bay, Basic Black, Coastal Cabana, Mango Melody, Highland Heather, Gorgeous Grape, Elegant Eggplant, Granny Apple Green, Gumball Green

Dies: Floral Spray (Spellbinders), Be Bold Blooms (Spellbinders), Bitty Buzzwords Honeycuts (Honey Bee Stamps)

I hope you'll join in our challenge this week so please head over to the Freshly Made Sketches blog and check out the details and find some inspiration!  You have until Monday at 1 PM EST to get your card entered into this week's challenge!  I cannot wait to see what you create!

Here are a few pictures from our hike on Saturday!  This is the Mount Burke Fire Lookout.  It's no longer used and is in pretty rough shape but it was a beautiful, hot day for a hike!

Thanks so much for taking the time to stop by!

Have an amazing day!
Jen

 

Freshly Made Sketches Challenge #641

Hello!
Happy Wednesday!  I'm finally back in business!  We had an action packed few weeks.  It started off with me being super sick.  I hate being sick and this one had me down for the count (and my husband was away).  Then we had our kitchen cupboards repainted so the entire kitchen had to be packed up for that to be done and then quickly unpacked because my parents arrived on Monday night!  Needless to say my creativity hasn't exactly been flowing lately!

We have a brand new sketch at Freshly Made Sketches this week!  Our hostess this week is the wonderful Jen Timko.  Jen is a fantastic card maker and I'm always blown away by her cards so head over to her blog to check them out!  

I wasn't sure what to do with this sketch.  I had just made a 50th anniversary card for my parents using the white and gold flowers and thought they were so pretty I should make another card with them.  This photo didn't quite turn out as nice as I would have liked because of the lighting.  The gold is so pretty in person!

Supplies:
Cardstock: Hammermill White Coverstock, Gold Foil (SU)

Dies: Be Bold Blooms (Spellbinders), 

Other: Dainty Diamonds Textured Embossing Folder (SU), Posh Happy Birthday (Memory Box), Gold Foil (Spellbinders), Glimmer Hot Foil Machine (Spellbinders)

We haven't been doing much hiking lately so I don't have any pictures.  There is still a ton of snow in the mountains and another dumping came on the weekend.  I can't get over how much snow there is.   Hopefully next weekend we'll be able to get out!  This coming Saturday we'll be celebrating my oldest as he graduates from high school!

Thanks so much for stopping by today!  I hope you'll head over to the Freshly Made Sketches blog and check out the amazing cards the Design Team have posted.  If you need some inspiration you'll find it!

You have until Monday at 1PM EST to enter this week's challenge!

Have an amazing day!
Jen

 

Freshly Made Sketches Challenge #631

Hello!
Happy Wednesday!  I hope you're having a great start to the week!  Did you get to see the eclipse this week?  We live on the Western side of Canada so we just saw a partial eclipse.  It didn't last long but it was still neat to see.  We had blue, cloudless skies so it was easy to see (with the special glasses of course!).

We've got a brand new sketch at Freshly Made Sketches!  Our hostess is our favourite airline captain, Jen Timko!  Jen is an incredible card maker so head over to her blog and check them out!  Jen is also a great hiker - I can't wait to take her on our next adventure!!!

I wasn't sure what to do with this card.  I had every intention of using a Lovely Layers flower of some sort but that's not what happened!  I decided to keep it nice and simple!  I really like the flowers in the Spellbinders Garden Wreath Add-Ons set.  They're super easy to use!  I hot foiled a circle, cut it out and added a flower!  I used some rose gold foil to cut some leaves and hot foiled a rose gold sentiment then called it day!

Supplies:
Cardstock: Hammermill White Coverstock

Other: Garden Wreath Add Ons (Spellbinders), Be Bold Blooms (Spellbinders), Be Bold Sentiments (Spellbinders), Nested Circles (PinkFresh Studios), Monoline Stars Embossing Folder. 

We were able to get out for a hike last Wednesday.  The weather forecast wasn't looking good so we made sure we were out there for a 7 am start and we were able to get up to the "peak" and back down before the weather hit!  We had the most beautiful weather.  It was incredible  The sun was shining and air was warm!  It was wonderful.  It felt so good to get back out there.  It's "shoulder" season so the trails are muddy and icy and overall just gross.  We will have a few weeks of this before actual hiking season will begin!

Thank you so much for stopping by today!  I hope you'll head over to the Freshly Made Sketches blog and join in our challenge!  There are some great cards posted that will inspire you!  The Design Team did a great job this week! 

You have until Monday at 1 PM EST to enter into the challenge!

Have an amazing day!

Jen

 

Freshly Made Sketches Challenge #624

Hello!
Happy Wednesday!  Here were are again at another Wednesday!  We've had a beautiful week and it looks like the next week or so will be nice as well!  That being said, we've had so little snow this year.  Everything is dry and I heard (this cannot be confirmed) that the wildfires are already smouldering north of Jasper (Alberta).  As much as I don't really like getting a dumping of snow, we need precipitation desperately.  Maybe it will be a wet spring but I won't hold my breath.

We've got a fabulous new sketch at Freshly Made Sketches this week.  Our hostess is my fellow Rocky Mountain dweller (but in the Colorado area) Kim Singdahlsen!  Kim's cards are always so sweet so make sure to head over to her blog to check them out!  

I hadn't played with my Be Bold Blooms in a while so I decided to use them for this card.  I really do love these blooms so you might seem them for a while now!  I debated between making this a Mother's Day card or an Anniversary card and Anniversary won!  The Mother's Day sentiment just didn't look right!

Supplies:
Cardstock: Hammermill White Coverstock, Daffodil Delight (SU), Gold Foil (SU)

DSP: Gingham 6X6 (SU retired)

Ink: Scattered Straw, Fossilized Amber (Distress Oxides)

Other: Dainty Diamonds Embossing Folder, Be Bold Blooms (Spellbinders), Sentiments for Everyday (Spellbinders), Glimmer Hot Foil Machine (Spellbinders), Gold Foil (Spellbinders), Gilded Gems (SU).

Thanks so much for stopping by today!  I hope you'll head over to the Freshly Made Sketches blog and join in our challenge! If you need some inspiration you will definitely find it there!  

You have until Monday at 3 PM EST to join in our challenge!  

Have an amazing day!

Jen

Freshly Made Sketches Challenge #606

Hello! 

Happy Wednesday!  I hope you're having a great week so far!  Monday was a holiday here - for some people so my days are all mixed up.  My husband was off but my kids were at school.  Trevor and I got a hike in - I'm thinking this might have been our last one for 2023.  Makes me a little sad but that's okay.  The 4:00-4:30 alarms are getting hard!  There is snow on the ground in the mountains which means ski season is right around the corner!

We've got a brand new sketch at Freshly Made Sketches.  Our favourite Aussie is hosting this week - Narelle Farrugia!  I always find Narelle's cards are absolutely gorgeous and just when I think they can't get better, they do!  Head over to her blog and check them out!  

3 circles.  I didn't know what to do with 3 circles.  I had to think on it for a few days before I tackled this one.  I finally decided I would stick to fall coloured flowers with a kraft background!  I hauled out my Be Bold Blooms and went to town.  In the process I discovered that the centre die for the smallest flower is missing. I've turned my craft room apart looking for it to no avail.  These little pieces are so small and you just never know when they get stuck to a certain white paw.  She could track them anywhere.  I also don't know how long it's been missing for.  Oh well. 

Supplies:

Cardstock: Crumb Cake, Crushed Curry, Rich Razzleberry, Cajun Craze, Real Red, Cherry Cobbler, Early Espresso, Mossy Meadow, Copper Foil (All SU)

Ink: Crushed Curry, Rich Razzleberry, Cajun Craze, Cherry Cobbler, Mossy Meadow (all SU)

Other: Mini Everyday Sentiments (Spellbinders), Be Bold Blooms (Spellbinders), Double Stitched Circle Dies (Reverse Confetti), Glimmer Hot Foil Machine (Spellbinders), Copper Foil (Spellbinders)

Here are a few shots from Monday's hike.  Those yellow trees are called Larches (also known as Tamarack in some parts of the land).  Larches are evergreens that don't stay evergreen!  Their needles turn yellow in the fall and then they fall off.  Don't get me wrong, the summit of Mount Fairview was spectacular and Lake Louise looked so small down below!  It was fun to be out in the snow!  This is our first snow of the season - now don't get me wrong, we don't have snow at our house, just some of the higher mountains!  I do like hiking in the snow though as you don't get as hot which is nice and recovery goes faster!

Thanks so much for stopping by today!  I hope you'll head over to the Freshly Made Sketches blog and join in our challenge this week!  We always love to see what you create!  If you need a little inspiration, the Design Team has cooked up some beautiful cards so make sure to check those out!

Have an amazing day!
Jen

 

Freshly Made Sketches Challenge #595

Hello!
Happy Wednesday!  I hope you're having a great start to your week!  I am back from a week in Ontario with my family!  It was such an amazing visit.  We had so much fun with my parents and I was able to see many of my aunts and uncles at a family wedding.  The groom wore a pink tux.  My youngest son (who's almost 15) thought the tux was perfect in pink!  The other's weren't so convinced but I thought pink was a fun choice - how different is pink from the powder blue of the 70's?

We've got a fantastic new sketch this week at Freshly Made Sketches!  Our favourite Texan, Amy O'Neill is hosting and she has come up with a great sketch for us to play with!  Amy makes amazing cards and is always sending the cutest ones to her kids so please head over to her blog to check them out!

I struggled with this sketch to start with.  I haven't felt very creative lately at all.  I don't know if it's because it's summer and I'm out of routine, just want to be outside or that I feel very tired by the end of the day and don't feel like crafting.  Summer always gets me out of whack.

My mom blessed me with the Spellbinders Holiday Blooms die set when I was at her house visiting.  I love all blooms and there are many parts of this die set that would work perfectly on a non-Christmas card so I grabbed it and my Be Bold Blooms and started crafting.  Of course I started with colours and gave up and opted for white and gold.  

Supplies: 

Cardstock: Basic White (SU), Gold (SU)

Other: Holiday Blooms Dies (Spellbinders), Be Bold Blooms (Spellbinders), Be Bold Sentiments (Spellbinders), Gold Foil (Spellbinders), Glimmer Hot Foil Machine (Spellbinders)

I thought I'd include some recent hike photos.  We did this one on Sunday!  Trevor let me have 24 hours to acclimate back to elevation and then we headed out on a smaller hike just in case I was sucking wind!  I wasn't!  It was actually really good!  We hiked at Little Arethusa and Arethusa Cirque.  The day before had been super smoky but we were blessed with clearer skies and the perfect temperature.  It was a little chilly to start but we were hot and sweaty by the end.  We also ended up with a windless and person-less summit!  Two of my favourite things!  We also had a marmot on the summit with us.  If you don't know what a marmot is they're like an alpine groundhog.  This particular creature was a little too curious and I was afraid it was going to bite me so we opted to let it have the summit and we headed back down!

Thanks so much for stopping by today!  I hope you'll join in our challenge this week!  Please head on over to the Freshly Made Sketches blog to get the details and see some of the design team inspiration!  We'd love to see what you come up with this week!

Have an amazing day!
Jen

 

Freshly Made Sketches Challenge #588

Happy Wednesday everyone!  

I hope you're having a great week!  We're having a good week so far.  My husband is in San Fransisco so we've been getting updates and videos of seals (or are they sea lions?) and Alcatraz!  I would have gone with him but my youngest had a track meet today and I was the designated mom driver.  

We have a fantastic new sketch this week at Freshly Made Sketches!  Our hostess this week is the fabulous queen of clean and simple, Jen Mitchell!  Head over to her blog to check out her amazing designs!  Jen has a great sketch for us.  I haven't been feeling overly creative the last few weeks and I truthfully sat and stared at this sketch for the longest time.  I wanted to make a masculine card but I feel like every product I have is for more feminine cards.  Soooo....Be Bold Blooms it is!

I really love that Echo Park Paper that my mom bought me.  It's bee theme and colour scheme is so pretty and I love it!  I hate to use it but I'm trying to use more of what I have!  I grabbed the Be Bold Blooms.  They're just so easy to work with and I knew I could coordinate them to go with this paper!  

Supplies:
Cardstock: Crushed Curry, Basic White, Basic Black, Wild Wasabi (all SU)

Patterned Paper:  Bee Happy (Echo Park)

Other: Be Bold Blooms (Spellbinders), Posh Happy Birthday (Memory Box), Black Foil, Glimmer Hot Foil Machine (Spellbinders)

Thanks so much for stopping by today!  I hope you'll take a moment to head over to the Freshly Made Sketches blog and join in our challenge!  You will find some amazing inspiration while you're over there!  The cards are gorgeous!  

I thought I'd include some photos of our most recent adventure!  My husband and I biked into Moraine Lake, hiked up the Tower of Babel and then biked out!  It was fabulous - except for a little tumble I took down the mountain but I'm okay and healing nicely!!!  We also saw a mama and baby grizzly!  They were beautiful!  

I don't think there's too many places I'd find more beautiful than this!  My heart truly is in the mountains!

Have an amazing day!
Jen