Freshly Made Sketches Challenge #700

Happy Wednesday!
I hope you're having a great week so far!  The summer weather has finally arrived - let's just hope the snow stays away for another couple of months so we can actually enjoy it.  

We are so excited to be celebrating our 700th sketch at Freshly Made Sketches!  Can you believe that?  We've been creating sketches for you for 14 years!  I started playing along with Freshly Made Sketches at sketch #16!  You can see that card below!  Crazy to think that it was almost right near the beginning that I started to play.  I joined the design team at sketch #38.  I'm so thankful they've kept me around all this time!  

For this special sketch, we've invited back some of the designers that joined us along the way.  I'm so excited to see the cards that they create!  We sure hope you'll join us this week as well!  Our winner this week will get to be a guest designer for a week with us!!!

Since this is our 14th year, we've picked our 14th sketch as the sketch we're using for our challenge this week!  

I needed a more masculine birthday card and I wanted to use the new paper I had sitting on my desk so I went to town.  The mushrooms are actually cut out from paper in the Mintay paper pack.  I just love mushrooms.  We saw so many on our last hike.  They were gorgeous!  This card came together a lot faster than they normally do!! 

Supplies:
Cardstock: Hammermill White Coverstock, Soft Suede, Cajun Craze

Patterned Paper: Lakeside Memories Basics (Paper Rose), Wildwood Secrets (Mintay Papers)

Dies: Happy Fall Sentiments

Thanks for stopping by today!  I hope you'll head over to the Freshly Made Sketches blog and join in our challenge this week!  We can't wait to see what you create!  Feel free to post the first card you ever submitted!  We'd love to see that too!

Have an amazing day!
Jen

 

Freshly Made Sketches Challenge #689

Hello!

Happy Wednesday!  I hope you're having a great start to your week!  We had a great hike on the weekend and I think it was the first one that didn't involve me walking through deep snow in a long time!!!  We did see some snow but I didn't have to walk through it!  We also didn't come across any ticks!  We've seen a huge number of them this year and we even managed to bring one home to our cat Sprite.  She seems okay so far and we'll be keeping an eye on her!

We have a brand new sketch at Freshly Made Sketches this week!  Our hostess this week is the amazing Cecile Ribon!  Cecile creates the most beautiful cards so you'll want to be heading over to her blog to check them out! 

I wasn't too sure what flower I wanted to use with this sketch but the Honey Bee Stamps Lovely Layer Coneflower jumped out at me and I figured that would work.  I opted for a pink one today - especially since we've just been through blossom season and I miss seeing all those beautiful pink blooms all over!  

Supplies:
Cardstock: Hammermill White Cover Stock, Pink Foil

Dies: Bitty Buzzword Honeycuts, Lovely Layers Coneflower (both Honey Bee Stamps)

Ink: Lovely Lipstick (SU), Worn Lipstick, Tattered Rose, Picked Raspberry, Bundled Sage, Mowed Lawn (Distress Oxides)

Other: Woodgrain Embossing Folder (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 this week!  We always love to see what you create!  If you need some inspiration, head to the blog and you'll find some beautiful cards posted by the Design Team!  

You have until 1 PM EST on Monday to get your card entered into our challenge this week!

Thought I'd share a few photos of our hike from the weekend!  Can't wait to get out again!

Have an amazing week!

Jen

Freshly Made Sketches Challenge #688

Hello!
Happy Wednesday!  I hope you've had a great start to your week.  The weather has been beautiful and I think that summer is right around the corner!  I can't wait to spend more time outside!  I have most of the summer off and I'm looking forward to taking advantage of it!!

We've got a brand new sketch at Freshly Made Sketches this week.  I have the privilege of being this week's hostess!  It's always fun to create a sketch and then see what everyone does with it.  I really hope you'll play along with our challenge this week.

So I actually wasn't even sure what I was going to do with my own sketch!  I need a few masculine cards (though with the status of Canada Post I'm not sure I'll be sending any out) so I thought this would be the perfect opportunity.  I dragged out some very old SU DSP for this one!!!

Supplies:
Cardstock: Hammermill Coverstock White, Real Red, Basic Black, Basic Grey, Smoky Slate, Daffodil Delight, Silver

DSP: Retired SU (I can't remember the name)

Stamps: Typewriter Adventure Sentiments, 

Ink: Black (Pink Fresh Studios)

Dies: Guiding Light (Spellbinders), Nesting Postages Die (Waffle Flower)

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 on the blog!

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 #682

Hello!
Happy Wednesday!  I hope you're having a great start to your week!  We are cruising into Easter.  Easter seems so late this year and we are already heading towards the end of April and I feel like it should have just started.  My oldest son is just wrapping up his first year at university.  How did that happen?  He starts work full time as an intern for the summer in just a couple of weeks.  

We have a fantastic new sketch at Freshly Made Sketches this week courtesy of Judy Rozema!  Judy's cards are always delightful so you'll want to head over to her blog and check them out!  I still haven't figured out when she has time to make cards because she is so involved in her local theatre!  

Judy's sketch is super fun and gave me a good challenge trying to figure out what I was going to do with it.  The last time I was at our local craft store I picked up the Landscape Edges dies from Spellbinders.  I thought I could cram them into that circle and make a more masculine card!  It's probably a little tight and I should have used a bigger circle but I'm happy with how it turned out! 

Supplies:
Cardstock:  Hammermill White Cover Stock, Soft Sky (SU), Garden Green (SU), Daffodil Delight (SU), Smoky Slate (SU)

Patterned Paper: Timeless Plaid (SU)

Ink: Rustic Wilderness, Tumbled Glass, Fossilized Amber, Hickory Smoke (All Distress Oxides)

Dies: Landscape Edges (Spellbinders), Double Stitched Circles (Lil Inkers), Shine Bright (Reverse Confetti)

Other: Glimmer Hot Foil Machine (Spellbinders), Curved Everyday Sentiments (Spellbinders), Silver Foil (Spellbinders)

Thank you so much for stopping by today!  

I hope you'll head over to our 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!  We always love to see all the creative ways you use our sketches!  

 Have an amazing day!
Jen

Freshly Made Sketches Challenge #681

Hello!
Happy Wednesday!  I hope you're having a great start to your week!  We've been enjoying some gorgeous spring weather!  I know it will eventually come to an end and winter will probably return for one last hurrah but we will get out and enjoy it while it's here!  I love to be outside in this weather (actually all weather) and find it so hard to stay inside even if it's to craft!!!

We have a great new sketch at Freshly Made Sketches this week!  Our hostess if the amazing Amy O'Neill!  Her cards are always fabulous so please head over to her blog and give her some love!  

I really loved Amy's sketch this week!  It reminded me of a little pocket!  Who doesn't love pockets?! I used the Stitched Nested Labels Dies (SU) and then just cut one in half to make my little pocket!  I cut out some leaves, made a little sunflower and used some texture paste to make the background!  Easy peasy!  

Supplies:
Cardstock: Hammermill White Coverstock

Stamps: Itty Bitty Birthdays (MFT)

Ink: Early Espresso (SU), Daffodil Delight (SU), Scattered Straw, Fossilized Amber, Vintage Photo, Gathered Twigs (Distress Oxides)

Dies: Itty Bitty Strips (MFT), Stitched Nested Labels Dies (SU), Branch Out (Spellbinders), Fall Florals (Spellbinders), 

Other: Linked Together Decorative Masks (SU), Texture Paste (Ranger)

Thanks so much for stopping by today!  

Thought I'd share some photos from our ski adventure on Saturday!  We had such a great time out!  The conditions were fantastic and I even went all the way to the top and took a fun black diamond down!  I'm not an expert skier (or even a mediocre skier) so tackling a black diamond is always something to celebrate!!!

We hope you'll join in our challenge this week!  Please head over to the Freshly Made Sketches blog to get your card entered into this week's challenge!  You have until Monday at 1 PM EST to get your card into the challenge!  If you need some inspiration, please head over to the blog and check out the beautiful cards the Design Team has posted!  

Have an amazing day!

Jen

 

Freshly Made Sketches #680

Hello!
Happy Wednesday!  I hope you're having a great week so far!  We are having our 4th winter right now.  I'm very thankful the mountains have been getting snow so we'll have some nice melt and run off when spring finally decides to come and stay!  We did get out hiking last weekend.  We weren't expecting the amount of snow on the ground but we trudged along and had a great time!  No real elevation gain though.  We're still under severe avalanche risk and we'll be staying at low elevations until that clears!!!  

We have a brand new sketch at Freshly Made Sketches this week courtesy of the amazing Narelle Farrugia!  Narelle's cards are absolutely amazing.  She is the queen of layers and fussy cutting!  Head on over to her blog and give her some love!  One day Narelle and I are going to go on the best hike together!  She's going to love it!!!  

Narelle has such a great sketch for us.  I did miss the bigger mat but I think I got the rest!  I decided to play with some paste and a new die set I picked up last week!  

Supplies:
Cardstock: Hammermill Cover Stock

Stamps: Bitty Birthday Wishes (MFT)

Ink:  Detail Black (Pink Fresh Studios),  Candied Apple, Festive Berries, Lumberjack Plaid, Scattered Straw, Fossilized Amber, Rustic Wilderness, Bundled Sage (Distress Oxides)
Dies: Woodland Tales Floral (Spellbinders), Delightful Wishes Dies (SU)

Other: Texture Paste (Ranger), Pattern Party Decorative Masks (SU Retired)

Thanks so much for stopping by today.  I hope you'll head over to the Freshly Made Sketches blog and join in our challenge!  We love to see what everyone comes up with!  You'll also notice that we have a new design team member!  Verena Shapiro has joined our little team!  We are so excited to have her on board!  Make sure you head over to her IG and welcome her!!!

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

Have an amazing day!
Jen

 

Freshly Made Sketches Challenge #378

Hello!
Happy Wednesday! I hope you're having a great start to your week!  We are having spring like weather this week.  It's the weirdest thing.  At this time last year the ground was buried deep in snow.  It seems so strange to have such warm weather already.  I will enjoy our double digits this week and not complain!

We have a brand new sketch this week at Freshly Made Sketches courtesy of the amazing Karren Johnson!  Karren's cards are fantastic so please head over to her blog to check them out and leave her some love!  

I had stopped at our local paper crafting store and picked up some new goodies that I'm rather excited to use!  The first was this moose stamp!  I checked thoroughly for a bear but since there wasn't one, moose it was!  I did need to use the Misti to get it well stamped.  I paired it with some plaid paper and called it a day!  

Supplies:
Cardstock: Hammermill Coverstock White, Mossy Meadow (SU)
Patterned Paper: The Great Outdoors (Mintay Papers)
Stamps: Oakley (Lavinia Stamps), Itty Bitty Birthday (MFT)
Ink: Detail Black (Pink Fresh Studios)
Dies:  Stitched Circles, Itty Bitty Strips (MFT)

Thanks so much for stopping by today!  I hope you'll 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, please head on over to the Freshly Made Sketches blog and check out the Design Team's cards that are posted!  We can't wait to see what you come up with!

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 #674

Hello!
Happy Wednesday!  I hope your week has started well!  We are early awaiting the arrival of a chinook and with it some warmer temperatures!  It has been soooo cold here lately!  We left the house this morning at 6:15 am for a hike and it was -26C feeling like -36C.  Thankfully the trailhead was warmer because the chinook has already started to blow into the mountains!  We had the most wonderful hike and you can see those pictures at the end of this post!  

We've got a brand new sketch over at Freshly Made Sketches!  Our hostess is the lovely Jen Mitchell!  Jen's cards are so pretty so please head over to her blog and give her some love!  

I had this flower sitting on my desk!  It's the Waffle Flower Aster!  I do love these flowers from Waffle Flower!  They are so easy to use and you can make them whatever colour you want!!!  The picture didn't quite turn out the way I wanted but I was losing daylight!!  Though aren't you super excited that the days are getting longer - at least here in the North they are!!!

Supplies:
Cardstock: Hammermill White Coverstock, Elegant Eggplant (SU)

Stamps: Sketched Aster (Waffle Flower)

Ink: Memento Black, Villainous Potion Distress Oxide, Dusty Concord Distress Oxide, Milled Lavender Distress Oxide, Bundled Sage Distress Oxide, Mowed Lawn Distress Oxide, Scattered Straw Distress Oxide, Mustard Seed Distress Oxide.

Dies: Sketched Aster (Waffle Flower)

Other: Sketched Aster Coloring Stencil (Waffle Flower), Softly Sophisticated Embossing Folder (SU), Basic Rhinestones (SU)

Here's a few photos from our hike to South Lawson!  Beautiful day but man this was a tough grind in the winter!

Thanks so much for stopping by today!  I hope that you'll 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 creative inspiration, please check out the Design Team cards posted on the Freshly Made Sketches blog!

Have an amazing day!
Jen

 

Freshly Made Sketches Challenge #671

  

Hello!  Happy Wednesday! I hope you're having a great start to your week!  We are once again having a chinook!  For those of you who aren't using to living on the eastern side of the rockies, a chinook is when we end up with some really warm air that comes flowing over the mountains.  Our temperatures can swing 20 degrees from one day to the next!  This week it's supposed to hit 10 degrees C!  We will enjoy it while it lasts because by Monday it's supposed to be -20!  

We have a great new sketch this week at Freshly Made Sketches!  Our hostess this week is the lovely Judy Rozema!  Judy's cards are always so beautiful so head over to her blog to check them out!  

I recently received a Stampin' Up order and decided to put a few of those new items to work on this card!  It was really fun to play with some new toys!!!

Supplies:
Cardstock: Hammermill Coverstock White, Daffodil Delight

Stamps: Delightful Wishes (SU)

Ink: Black Detail (Pink Fresh Studios), Fossilized Amber Distress Oxide, Scattered Straw Distress Oxide, Gathered Twigs Distress Oxide

Dies: Delightful Wishes (SU)

Other: Linked Together Decorative Masks (SU), Tiny Bees (SU)

Thanks so much for stopping by today!  

We hope you'll 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 find some amazing cards from the Design Team on the Freshly Made Sketches blog!  

Have an amazing day!

Jen

 

Freshly Made Sketches Challenge #667

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Hello and Happy New Year!  

We are starting the year off with a bang!  Okay, maybe not a bang at our house but we're definitely starting out the year right.  I hope everyone had a wonderful Christmas and got rested up.  The tree and my Christmas village went away yesterday clearing away the last of the Christmas decorations.  The storage room has been cleaned and tidied and there is a massive load for donation and the dump!  I doubt the momentum will continue but we tried!

We have a brand new sketch at Freshly Made Sketches this week!  Our hostess is the amazing Cecile Ribon!  Cecile is a master card maker and I'm always blown away by her creations - both cards and other amazing paper crafts! Please head over to her blog and show her some love!  

I was totally wishing I had some really pretty snowflake dies I could use for this card but alas!  Now that I'm looking at it, I could use heart dies!  That's probably what I should have done.  Gotten a jump start on Valentine's day!  I went with stars instead!  I knew I had some pretty star paper that I managed to locate, I cut out some stars and used a pre-made foiled sentiment since it was just sitting there waiting to be glued onto a card!

Supplies:
Cardstock: Hammermill White Coverstock, Night of Navy, Copper Foil, Copper Sparkle 

DSP: It's an old Christmas one from SU.  I can't remember the name.

Dies: Stars Framelits (SU)

Other: Curved Everyday Sentiments (Spellbinders), Copper Foil (Spellbinders), Tin Tile Embossing Folder (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 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, the design team has created some amazing cards!  Go check them out!

I hope you'll follow along for my 2025 hiking adventures!  Trevor and I wrapped up 2024 with 31 hikes together and I managed to squeeze in another 9 hikes with friends (and without Trevor) to top out at 40 hikes this year!  Not our biggest year for kilometers or elevation but we had such a fantastic year climbing.  I can't wait to see what we tackle this year!

Have an amazing day!

Jen

 

Freshly Made Sketches Challenge #665

Hello!
Happy Wednesday!  I hope you're having a great week so far!  We've got a chinook rolling through so the weather has been lovely!  Some of that crazy snow we had received is melting!  We had some freezing fog this morning so the trees are coated again but that must makes them super pretty!  Are you ready for Christmas?  I think I'm pretty much done!  I have a couple of little things to do and some stocking stuffers to buy but I feel better than I did last week!

We've got a great new sketch today at Freshly Made Sketches!  Our hostess is the lovely Kim Singdahlsen.  Kim makes such beautiful cards so head over to her blog to check them out!  I'm a little behind in getting my card posted!  I actually had it done good and early but I had forgotten to take a picture and by the time I remembered yesterday, it was pitch black out and I take terrible inside pictures when it's dark!  Soooo...here I am a few hours late!

I started with strips.  I tried.  I really did.  I have given up on Christmas cards because Canada Post is on strike so the mail isn't going anywhere anyhow and I figure they'll be so backed up when the strike is over that I might as well move onto a different type of card!   

My husband's birthday is early in February and creeps up on me so I thought I'd get a head start and get that card done!  I started with a different idea and hated it and wanted to incorporate mountains somehow so I threw some trees in for my long strips and away we went!  

Supplies:
Cardstock: Hammermill Coverstock White, Garden Green, Wild Wasabi, Gumball Green, Smoky Slate, Silver Foil

Dies: Pine Woods Dies (SU), A2 Mountain Scene Builder Add-On Honey Cuts (Honey Bee Stamps), Celebrate Script (Taylored Expressions)

Thanks so much for stopping by today!  I hope you'll 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, head over to the Freshly Made Sketches blog and check out what's posted there!  The Design Team has some amazing cards!  

 Have an amazing day!

Jen

Freshly Made Sketches Challenge #653

Hello!
Happy Wednesday!  I hope you're having a great week so far!  We've got a week of school under our belts here!  My oldest started his first year of university and seems to be enjoying it so far.  He is enjoying being able to live at home!  I won't complain having him here.  My youngest just started grade 11.  He's happy and liking his classes so far.  I guess it's been non-eventful.  What more can a mom ask for?

We've got a brand new sketch at Freshly Made Sketches today!  Our hostess this week is the wonderful Kim Singdahlsen.  Kim's cards area so pretty so please head over to her blog and check them out!  

I might have had a little panic when I saw this sketch!  I don't have a lot of super big sentiments and so I had no clue what to do!  I looked through every stamp set and every hot foil plate and thought I was done!  Then I found the Biggest Wish stamp set from Stampin' Up sitting on my shelf and realized I could probably make it work!  But then what to do with the background?  A shaker card to the rescue!  Rhinestones, a border and done!

Supplies:
Cardstock: Hammermill White Coverstock, 

Stamps: Biggest Wish (SU)

Ink: PinkFresh Detail Black

Dies: Border Die (MFT - I think)

Other: Window Sheets (SU), Unicorn Rhinestones (Honey Bee Stamps), Foam tape (SU).

A few photos from a hike up North Crowfoot!  This area of Alberta is one of our favourites.  So much unique beauty out there.  

This is North Crowfoot Mountain along Bow Lake

Bow Lake as seen from the top of North Crowfoot

Iceberg Lake! This little lake is the headwaters of the Bow River.  It's fed from Bow Glacier seen behind.

Just some beautiful peaks.

Bow Lake!

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 some inspiration, head over there and check out all the cards the Design Team members have posted!

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

Have an amazing day!

Jen

Freshly Made Sketches Challenge #652

Hello!
Happy Wednesday!  It's back to school time here and I feel like I'm ready to get back into the swing of things but I'm not quite ready to let summer go yet!  We had such a short summer here with a late spring snow that I feel like summer went by way too fast and I'm not at all ready for fall or winter to come!  My oldest son started post secondary on Tuesday.  He's living at home this year and it doesn't quite feel as real as it would if he have moved out.  My youngest starts grade 11 today!  I am praying they both have the best year!

We have a brand new sketch this week at Freshly Made Sketches!  Our hostess this week is the wonderful Linda Callahan!  Linda's cards are always so sweet so please head over to her blog and check them out! 

I wasn't too sure at first what I wanted to do for my card this week.  I need a thank you card but I wasn't inspired.  Then I saw these cute little birds sitting on my desk that I had cut previously and realized I could make them work.  I grabbed some really old SU DSP and went to town!  I love these birds and need to figure out what other colour combinations I can do them in!!  

Supplies:
Cardstock: Hammermill White Coverstock, Real Red, Early Espresso, Pacific Point, Granny Apple Green, Pumpkin Pie

DSP: SU retired

Ink: Tumbled Glass Distress Oxide (Tim Holtz)

Dies: Perched Birds (Spellbinders), Double Stitched Circles (Lil Inkers)

Other: Sentiments for Everyday Hot Foil Plate (Spellbinders), Champagne Hot Foil (Spellbinders)

I still have quite a few hiking photos to share with you!  This hike is from earlier in August!  We decided we wanted to squeeze a hike in one day but they were calling for a storm.  We hustled up to the top - the last kilometer was such a grind.  We could see the crazy clouds coming and hear the thunder.  We managed to reach the top just in time but we did get caught in a cloud inversion!  It was so fun!  On the race to then get off the mountain, I fell - it wasn't a bad fall, just a cut and some blood but all is well!  Definitely one of our fastest and most exciting hikes!

You can see the runs our our ski hill in the background!

Thanks so much for stopping by!  I hope you'll head over to the Freshly Made Sketches blog and join in our challenge!  We would love to have you!  If you need some inspiration, there are some amazing cards there that our Design Team have posted!

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

Have an amazing day!
Jen