Sales are in Bloom ideas AND using Sketches

Hello Crafty Friends! 

This week I wanted to share some ideas using a few of the bundles that are available in the Sales are in Bloom promotion, AND at the same time show you how I sometimes use sketches in my cardmaking.  I LOVE SKETCHES.

I am on the Build Your Stash Holiday Cardmakers Design Team, and we make holiday cards to share YEAR ROUND.  Every month, I share at least two cards using the Sketch Challenge for that month.  Our design team leader comes up with the sketches every month,  and she does an amazing job.  The biggest point I can make about this week's video is that these sketches can be used year-round, and not just for holiday cards!  Print them out, save them digitally, however you want - but pull them out and use them!

Just a reminder that I am Live on-line every Thursday at 8:00pm ET.  I am streaming to BOTH YouTube and Facebook simultaneously.

If you are not able to catch me live, you can watch over on YouTube.  If the picture does not appear below, you can click HERE to get to it on YouTube.

I started off with Sketch Challenge 14 (from September 2021), and the Seascape Bundle.  I'm going to give you a picture of each sketch challenge.  These sketches and LOTS of amazing holiday card samples are available on their blog HERE.

Here's the sketch, which shows you the paper measurements also.

Then here is the card that I made using the Seascape bundle.  Notice I added the fish (they aren't on the sketch), and I added another layer to the square.  That's all okay!!!  A sketch is just a pattern, or a guide.  You can still change it up if you want to.

I used designer series paper for all of my layers and stamped directly on them.  Calypso Coral and Balmy Blue.  These papers are from the You're a Peach designer series papers (which are ON SALE right now!!)

Notice the 2" square of Balmy Blue has lines on it?  I embossed that with the Bark folder, then touched my ink pad to the raised up bits to make that texture stand out.  To me, the Bark folder looks like waves.

Fish are hand-cut and popped up with Stampin' Dimensionals, and then I finished with three Blue Adhesive-Backed Gems.   I added the greeting after the fact, that comes from the Art Gallery bundle, which I used on my last cards.

Stamps:  Seascape bundle, Art Gallery bundle

Ink:  Calypso Coral, Balmy Blue

Paper:  Magenta Madness, Basic White, In Color designer series papers

Other:  Bark embossing folder, Blue Adhesive-Backed Gems

Next I used Sketch Challenge 20, which is our current sketch (March 2022).  Again...love it!  I really like the "Any shape or size" element to this sketch.  For my Any shape or size, I used a hydrangea.

For most of my layers, I used the Pansy Petals designer series paper (which is ALSO ON SALE right now).  Even though those smaller flowers are pansies, I still used the Hydrangea Haven bundle...because flowers are flowers to me.  Why not mix and match them?

I LOVE all of the checkered prints in the Pansy Petals paper pack.  Checks or plaids can go with anything.

Notice that my 1 1/2" x 3 1/8" piece is embossed?  I used the Bouquet of Hope embossing folder for that - just snugged that little piece of paper in the corner of the embossing folder.

Stamp the hydrangea in Fresh Freesia and Soft Succulent, and then die-cut it.  I decided that I didn't like any white around the edges, so I went back and ink blended those colors around the whole thing.  

Add a teeny tiny tag, a bit of ribbon and some rhinestones!  

Stamps:  Hydrangea Haven bundle

Ink:  Fresh Freesia, Soft Succulent, Highland Heather

Paper:  Fresh Freesia, Basic White, Pansy Petals designer series papers

Other:  Bouquet of Hope embossing folder, Fresh Freesia 3/8" Open Weave ribbon, In Color Gems

Last, but not least, is a two-fer sketch!  I like this one because I cut two different pieces of pattern paper together - so they have the exact same diagonal angle. Then mix and match to make two cards!

See how I switched the pieces of pattern paper.  Stripes on top for one, and on bottom for the other.  Again, I used the Pansy Petals designer series papers for these cards.  I know those leaves don't match the flower that I stamped, but I'm not concerned about it.  :)

I love the Polished Pink and Magenta Madness together for the flower.

I added a Vellum doily behind the flower, because it just looked too plain hanging out by itself.  It needed a little something extra.  Flower and greeting are both popped up with Stampin' Dimensionals.

Stamps:  Art Gallery bundle

Ink:  Polished Pink, Magenta Madness, Evening Evergreen

Paper:  Evening Evergreen, Soft Succulent, Basic White, Pansy Petals designer series papers

Other:  Polished Pink 3/8" Open Weave ribbon, In Color Rhinestone Gems, Gilded Gems

I hope this gives you a new take on sketches, and maybe you'll use them more often.  They really are a great tool to use in your card making.  The design is done for you - you just pick images, colors and papers to create!

Next Thursday, I'll be using the Cactus Cuties bundle for some FUN cards!

Thanks for visiting, and Happy stamping!

Toni

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