Freshly Made Sketches

**If you are looking for my TCP Sneak Peek, scroll down to the next post**

A quick post for another oily-themed card using the current Freshly Made Sketches layout. These papers from Doodlebug Design's "Hello Sunshine" pad will really wake you up - lol!  Stamps are all by Impression Obsession with the bottles, sentiment and trio of drops from the Essentially stamp set.  The larger group of drops is an individual stamp by IO.  The Stitched Rounded Rectangle Die-Namics is by MFT.

TCP Sneak Peek - Day 4

Are you enjoying the sneak peeks so far? Well, it just keeps getting better and better!  Today we are featuring the Conversation Hearts stamp set along with the Nested Hearts CutUps.

As soon as I saw these stamps, I knew I wanted to make a shaker card.  All of the tiny sentiments reminded me of the popular conversation hearts candy, so my next mission was finding a mason jar for the hearts.  Pinterest came to the rescue when I searched for "mason jar template" and found this image.  After sizing it, I colored with Copics and die cut the "window" using a rounded rectangle die.

Helpful Hint: I saved the image to my desktop then inserted it on a Word document page.  I find it easier to adjust the size of the image this way.

Here are the details for this release...

1. All the new stamps and dies will be released on Tuesday, January 19th. 2. Are you IN IT TO WIN IT? For a chance to win a $10 gift certificate to The Cat's Pajamas store, leave a comment on each of the sneak peek posts, including The Cat's Pajamas blog. A winner will be randomly drawn and will be announced on the TCP Facebook Page the following day. 3. Save the date for the Pajama Party on Monday, January 18th from 5-7 PM PST.

To see all of the Cat Pack samples, head on over to the TCP blog and see them in one place...or...you can click on the links below.

Brenda, Wendy, Deborah, Jessica

TCP Sneak Peek - Day 3

 Are you ready for another sneak peek?  Today, The Cat's Pajamas has a gorgeous Lacey Heart Cutup that will add an element of elegance to your creations! 

I love to do watercolor wash backgrounds by smooshing distress

inks on acrylic blocks or acetate sheets, spritzing twice with water, then picking up color with a brush and adding it to Ranger's
watercolor cardstock. Here I used Spun Sugar, Worn Lipstick and Festive Berries inks.  IRL the colors match perfectly with the DP, but the photo...not so much (insert frown here).  Designer paper is from Echo Park's Blowing Kisses pad.  The sentiment tag is by Recollections.

Helpful tip for cutting out intricate dies...
They can be tricky to remove without tearing UNLESS you take the extra minute to layer up with the following:  Cutting plate, dryer sheet, cardstock, waxed paper, die, cutting plate.  I often add a thin metal shim to the "sandwich" as well.  It also helps to use lighter weight CS (I used SU's Whisper White).

Here are more details you'll need to know...

1. All the new stamps and dies will be released on Tuesday, January 19th.
2. Are you IN IT TO WIN IT? For a chance to win a $10 gift certificate to The Cat's Pajamas store, leave a comment on each of the sneak peek posts, including The Cat's Pajamas blog. A winner will be randomly drawn and will be announced on the TCP Facebook Page the following day.
3. Save the date for the Pajama Party on Monday, January 18th from 5-7 PM PST.

To see all of the Cat Pack samples, head on over to the TCP blog and see them in one place...or...you can click on the links below.

Brenda Nakandakari
Wendy McGaffey
Nancy Thomas
Christine Okken
Jessica Rone
Julie Elak

Color Throwdown

**Scroll on down for the TCP Sneak Peek Post**

Hey, hey, hey! It's hump day and it's a new Color Throwdown Challenge day! The lovely Joan is our hostess this week and she has some fabulous fun colors for us! Here's my take on them...

I went with a variety of stamps from My Favorite Things: Diagonal Stripes BG, Blissful Blooms and Label Maker Sentiments.  Coloring was primarily with Copics though some of the leaves were done with an Aquapainter brush and SU inks.

DIES: Stitched Oval by Lil' Inker Designs; Stitched Fishtail Flags STAX, Blissful Blooms, and Label Maker Sentiments Die-Namics by MFT.
INK: Smoky Slate (SU); Memento Tuxedo Black. 

Congrats to this week's guest star stamper: Gloria Lee of Gloria's Craft Room! Be sure to stop by her blog and say hello.

For more inspiration, check out the design teams' blog links below OR you can go to the Color Throwdown blog for details on how to play along and you can see all the sample entries in one location.
Barbara Anders  
Broni Holcombe   
Joan Ervin
Jodi Collins 
Lisa Henke
Lori Tecler
Lynn Put  
Vickie Zimmer 
Wanda Cullen (you are here) 
Amy Rysary - January Guest Designer

TCP Sneak Peek - Day 2

Whoooo is ready for another sneak peek for The Cat's Pajamas January release (grin)?  Today we're featuring Owl You Need is Love - a punny stamp set for all of you owl lovers! 

Once I chose the designer paper from the Hello Sunshine pad

by Doodlebug Design Inc., I then matched up with Copic marker colors.  I used the Woodland Branch die by Memory box and added the sentiment by stamping with Chocolate Chip ink on a tag die and adhering with a brad.  

Helpful tips with creating this card:
 1. X-Press It Blending Card is my favorite choice in paper when coloring with Copics...so much smoother and blending is more optimal. 
 2.  Choosing Copic colors is made so much easier by using Sandy Allnock's Hex Chart.  You can check it out HERE.  

Here are the details for this release...

1. All the new stamps and dies will be released on Tuesday, January 19th.
2. Are you IN IT TO WIN IT? For a chance to win a $10 gift certificate to The Cat's Pajamas store, leave a comment on each of the sneak peek posts, including The Cat's Pajamas blog.  A winner will be randomly drawn and will be announced on the TCP Facebook Page the following day.
3. Save the date for the Pajama Party on Monday, January 18th from 5-7 PM PST.

Be sure and check out the rest of the Cat Pack's creations by either going to the TCP blog or by clicking on the links below: Christine, Deborah, Julie, Wendy  
Owl bet you'll be glad you did! 

TCP Sneak Peek : Just Let It Happen

I've been sitting on some news for several weeks and can finally spill the beans today! I was asked to be a guest designer for the January release for The Cat's Pajamas and am so excited to share creations with you daily until the release occurs on Tuesday, January 19! You will love these fun designs that are so perfect for the upcoming season of love and valentines!  On this first day, we are showcasing the fun stamp set - Just Let It Happen.  

I started by taking a brass filmstrip stencil and sponged black ink

over Smoky Slate cardstock to create a border.  The main image

was stamped with Memento Tuxedo Black ink on X-Press It Blending Card then colored with Copics.  I added Glossy Accents to the 3D glasses and added Copic Opaque White paint to the popcorn using a fine paintbrush.  The cat's necklace was highlighted with a Clear Star Gelly Roll pen.  Unfortunately, the sparkle and shine do not show up well in the photo.  The nested heart cutups and sentiment just might be another peek...wink, wink...but more about those on another day!

Pssst....This would be a great way to gift someone special with some movie tickets!

So, here's the scoop...

1. All the new stamps and dies will be released on Tuesday, January 19th.

2. Are you IN IT TO WIN IT? For a chance to win a $10 gift certificate to The Cat's Pajamas store, leave a comment on each of the sneak peek posts, including The Cat's Pajamas blog. A winner will be randomly drawn and will be announced on the TCP Facebook Page the following day.

3. Save the date for the Pajama Party on Monday, January 18th from 8-10 PM EST.

Here are the other Cat Pack participants today:
Brenda, Wendy, Deborah, Julie, Christine,  Lori

Mojo Monday

It's Mojo Monday challenge time again and I've got a Valentine card to share for my take on the sketch!  I love to play with heart images and these grunge versions are from Verve's More Than Love set.  The hearts and sentiment were all heat embossed using Stampendous Detail White EP.  



PAPER: Devoted 6x6 pad by Carta Bella; White base CS by PTI.
INK: Versamark.
ACCESSORIES: Wavy Hearts die (Verve), Stitched Square die (Lil' Inker Designs), Fishtail Flags Die-Namics (MFT), Lily white glitter sprinkles (Doodlebug Design Inc.), Martha Stewart tiny heart border punch, Corner chomper, Lace paper doily.

For more inspiration from the rest of the mojomakers, click on their blog links below...or...you can go to the Mojo Monday blog and click on the first nine thumbnails. 
Carole Burrage
Julee Tilman (Owner)
Justin Krieger
Lori Tecler
Marisa Ritzen 
Mary Fish
Sarah Bigelow
Teresa Kline 
Wanda Cullen (you are here)