A Scenic Card....

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I've had this scene in my head for a couple of weeks and I've finally got the chance to put it on paper. One late evening I saw the prettiest twilight sky. It was going to snow, and it was gray, but the sun was going down and there was an orange glow to the sky. I tried to capture that moment with my scenic stamping.

This card is for the Sketch Challenge (sketch is below) over at Our Creative Corner. We always love it when you play along with the Design Team, and remember to post your creation to Mr. Linky at the bottom of the OCC's blog page.

This scene is done with torn post-it notes. I laid down two post-it notes for to cover my lake and start the base of my mountains. I tore a post-it note for my mountains, then placed it onto my photo paper and with the Colorbox Stylus, added Memento London Fog for my first mountain on the left. I tilted my post-it note a bit for my second mountain (on the right), then added very light London Fog with the Stylus since this was my furthest mountain. I lowered my post-it note for my center mountain, and used a bit of Memento Tuxedo Black to darken that mountain in the foreground. I then added another smaller mountain to the right of the center one.

My shoreline is a ragged torn edge post-it note and I added black ink between my torn paper and the masked lake. I removed the post-it notes from the lake, turned my shoreline note upside down, and sponged gray ink for the reflection in the water. Using the same torn note for my mountains, I added rocks to the foreground.

To add my sky, I masked my mountains, laid down a circle for my sun, then sponged on Marvy Pale Orange and Orange with the Colorbox Stylus. I added more Pale Orange to the lake, then added London Fog to the top of the sky. I removed all masks, then stamped the Pine Tree and Gulls from Stampscapes and added white lines with my Signo gel pen to represent the ripples in the lake.

To finish my card according to the Sketch, I matted my scene to orange cardstock, then to designer paper by Basic Grey (Wassail paper pad). My panel was then mounted to tan cardstock, then to black cardstock. I stamped my sentiment (Stampscapes) onto photo paper, rounded the corners with a punch, then adhered it to a tan panel, and then to the card. I added a orange grosgrain ribbon with a slide, and completed the card with orange and black pearls. Card size: 5 x 6 1/4 inches

Our Creative Corner Sketch Design Team...

Well, it's official! Today they are announcing the new Sketch Design Team for Our Creative Corner, and I was asked to join the team! As you know, I've been doing a lot of the OCC's Sketch and Challenges these past months, and I'm just thrilled to be a part of such great artists! The design Team and their blogs are listed below. Just click on their name to be taken to their respective blogs, and you'll be amazed by their talent! I'm looking forward to working with these ladies and can't wait to get started! We have Sketch Challenges on Thursday's, and Themed Challenges on Saturday. Why don't you come and play with us?

Laurel Seabrook
Gloria Stengel
Iwona Palamountain
Rose Frydrych.
Darsie Bruno (that's me!)
Rose Miller
Jennifer Meyer

Without further fuss and ado, here is my first card as a sketch team designer for OCC. This card is for the Sketch Challenge (sketch is below). Why do I like sketches? Sometimes I can't come up with a fresh idea, or my cards seem to be repeating themselves. With the sketches, it gives me a jump start on an idea, using an image, background papers, and it's just up to me to put it all together.


My image for this darling card is by a new artist on the Digistamp scene. The "Ethereal Forest Designs" website will be up and running soon, and this too, too cute Elephant named "Elmer" is one of the images in their catalog. I will be showing sneak peeks of the designs in the next few weeks. Stay tuned for more information because you'll definitely be wanting these images!

I printed the image on Whisper White cardstock, then cut it out with the Blossom Nestabilities. I dusted Memento Summer Sky ink onto the piece before removing it from the die, then colored it with Copic Markers. I added the cut out to a pink glittery cutout I made using the Inverted Circles Nestabiliites. I stamped the sentiment on a scrap of paper, dusted it with Summer Sky ink, then added pearls to both the image panel and the sentiment panel. I assembled my card with Martha Stewart's new Valentine Paper Stack, added red satin bows, heart rhinestones and adhered it to a red card sized 5 1/2 x 4 1/4 inches.

Image: Ethereal Forest Designs, Studio G
Paper: Martha Stewart, Bazzill, SU!
Embellishments: Satin Ribbon, Pearls and Hearts by Recollections

Don't forget the Sweet 'n Sassy Stamps Release today!! I've been giving you sneak peeks the last few days of the sets available and Korin has a Sweet 'n Sassy bundle for all the sets for a reduce price! I recommend you get them all, AND save money!

Happy New Year!

It's a new year and time for new beginnings! As I said before, I am so excited to be a part of the Sweet n' Sassy Design Team and today is the first official day of Sneak Peeks for the upcoming release of stamps on January 7th! There are four sets being released and I will be showing them to you in the next days before the release! How much fun is this? I get to create cards with the newest stamps on the market before anyone else! Yes, I'm spoiled, and loving it!

On the left side of my blog, you'll see the list of the wonderful Design Team members and their blogs. Please take a moment and browse their sites and just see the creative talent I'll be working with in the next months.

This first card is from the Eskimo Kisses stamp set and how cute are these two? I stamped them on Whisper White cardstock then colored them with Copic Markers. I glittered the fur on their coats and hats, then cut them out and laid them aside. My designer papers are from the Wassail paper pad by Basic Grey! I am really loving their papers! My larger sentiment is a clear sticker by The Paper Studio and "celebrate" (Studio G) is stamped with Memento Tuxedo Black ink. I added a organza bow, nail heads and glittery stars to finish the card. My card is perfect for the Fresh Batch Sketch Challenge and for the OCC Challenge! (Sketch below) Card size: 6 1/4 x 4 1/4 inches

This last card is a digistamp that is available at Sweet 'n Sassy stamps. The Baby New Year is perfect for today's post, and I printed him on Whisper White cardstock, cut him out with the Inverted Square Nestabilities set that my sister got me for Christmas! (Thanks, Robin, I love you!) I colored him with Copic markers, then laid him aside to construct my card.

I found a new paper pad at Michael's I just HAD to have. It is called "Playful Posies" by My Mind's Eye and I just love every single paper in that stack. No doubt, you'll grow bored when I keep using it over and over again! I layered my papers onto a steel blue card, added an orange satin ribbon tied in a knot, and finished it off with a peel-off sticker and rhinestones. I used the new Star border punch by Martha Stewart for the striped paper, though it is hard to see! Card size: 5 1/2 x 4 1/4 inches

More Christmas Cards...

It's less than a week til Christmas! Am I ready? That's just too silly for words! My son still has no idea what he wants for Christmas! Let's wait til the last minute, shall we? But in all fairness to Al, I did get him a new computer in the late fall and that was his present, sort of. Anyhoo, I've got all of my sister's family gifts wrapped and shipped on Thursday, and my daughter's are on the way as well! I do have good news, but can't tell you right now, so please stay tuned for an exciting announcement at the new year!

Because of the shopping, packaging and mailing, I'm a bit behind on the challenges over at Our Creative Corner. I try to keep up with their sketches and themes, and have combined their two latest because of my time crunch! I hope they don't mind! My card for the OCC Weekly Sketch Challenge - SASSC45 (above) works with their newest Holiday Theme Challenge - Let it Snow, as well!

This cutie is a digistamp by Stamps and Smiles and I colored her with Copic markers then mounted her to a Scalloped Square Nestabilities cut out. I used Martha Stewart's Icicle and Snowflake punches for the glittery white strip across the top, added rickrack and aqua pearls. My designer paper is part of a Winter Stack from Die Cuts with a View, and my glittery snowflakes are ornaments for a miniature Christmas tree. (I purchased them at Hobby Lobby) I finished the snowflake with a rhinestone flower, and glued them all together onto my purple card. Card size: 6 x 4 3/4 inches.

My next two cards are made with Christmas wrapping paper. As I was wrapping gifts last week, I noticed how pretty my paper was and how perfect it would work for cards. So, of course, if I can glue it to a card, I will! For this card, the Santa and the background stripes are cut from the wrapping paper. I adhered the Santa to a red cardstock panel, and glued the background paper to a matching red card. I tied a white satin ribbon around the panel, mounted the Santa to the card and finished it off with glittery flourishes, pearls and a red star. A fast and easy card using scraps from your gift wrapping. Card size: 5 1/2 x 4 1/4 inches


This cutie penguin was a square off of the wrapping paper I used for my sister's gifts! She loves penguins, and he's just too adorable not to use for a greeting card. I adhered him to a soft green panel, and added green rhinestones. I enhanced his color with Copics, and mounted him to my designer paper from a Christmas stack from Die Cuts with a View, then to a cream card. I glittered the felt snowflake with Martha Stewart glitter, and added a sentiment sticker to finish the card. Card size: 5 1/2 x 4 1/4 inches.