Color Throwdown #844

Amy at Color Throwdown features a photo that had me laughing out loud, alright...

While I was on the road, my longtime friend Neda celebrated her birthday.  Normally, I make it a Halloween themed card - it does fall on the 31st after all.

But this turkey had me reaching for a bird of a different color!

I pulled out a few retired Ellen Hutson sets for the sentiments -

Julie Ebersole always knew how to make me smile!

I dare you to look at this old bird and NOT see a string of pearls! lol

Only the HoneyBee Lovely Layers: Quail and 

Spellbinders Four Petal dies are still available!

Thanks, for the turkey, and fun colors, Amy!

=] Michele

Color Hues #121

I love the cozy colors of Fall - and the Color Hues challenge has two 'must have' colors for the season... I stretched them into Christmas, Sheri!

 

I may be all set for Christmas 2025, but there's always next year, right?  It's never too early to get them started.

Even in the closeup it's hard to tell, but I promise you that my stocking

is indeed brown - in fact it's cut from Altenew's brown woodgrain paper!

The cuff and leaves were cut from watercolor paper and painted with

Distress reinkers.  My sentiment is from PTI's 'Tis the Season and stamped 

in CP's Icing on the Cake.

I adore this Penny Black Stocking Stuffer die set!

=] Michele

Freshly Made Sketches #711 - Kim

I'm baaack!  Tom and I had a wonderful 8-day road trip complete with lots of Autumn color, a dream come true in nature, and one more that we never expected!  

But first, I hadn't had the first load of laundry in the dryer before I got started on making my FMS card using Kim's fantastic sketch this week... 

When reaching for patterned paper, I'm sure you'll agree that lots of time

is consumed choosing patterns that work together - am I right?  Well one of the wonderful friends I visited along the route made quick work of that for me today - I 'upcycled' a bit of the gift bag Birgit blessed me with on Friday morning - our last stop in Maine! Thanks for the gift AND the idea, my friend!

This sweet little piece with fun flora and fauna was the bag topper and the

pretty plaid was just one of a full pad of papers for Memory Box.  

I only wish I'd have thought to make a few acorns like those green ones in the paper...

These acorns are from Altenew and look pretty cute tied up with

a SU linen bow IMHO!

My sentiment is from PTI's Thankful for Fall set.

This one's already in the mail, and I can't wait to see what those talented

DT friends of mine will share over at the Freshly Made Sketches blog!

We hope you all will have fun with this one, too!

=] Michele

Just us Girls #799

It's time to CASE a designer over at Just us Girls!  I seldom play in this one because I really love all of the designers on their team - hard to pick just one!  But when I saw Lisa's darling card, I remembered that I had a certain bear that hadn't played cards yet this Christmas season!

Here's Lisa's creation:

and here is my CASE:

• I kept the scallops but used my favorite grey instead of blue.
• I left off the debossing - however, it does have Lisa's favorite polka dots!  
• I gave the big guy a sweater and a cap instead of a scarf - recreating the pattern of Lisa's scarf on the sweater and nudged him into the center of that space.
• I only added three snowflakes but gave them a dusting of Stickles - much prettier IRL I promise
• Added a sentiment from this Sweet Pea set and stamped it on a die-cut quote bubble.  The Christmas message will be on the inside of this card.

Can you see it?  I sure hope so!!  I'd better get this one delivered before it's too late!  Thanks, Lisa - my 2025 Christmas card season is now complete!

=] Michele

The Flower Challenge #108 - Thanks!

In the USA we celebrate Thanksgiving in November so it is wonderful to have Thanks as our prompt for The Flower Challenge #108!

I'll share my closeup first so you can see the Altenew Ways to say Thank You embossing in the background - it also provided my sentiment!

I adore this sweet HoneyBee Coneflower - one of many in their Lovely Layers

collection of stand-alone die sets to love!

It certainly is lovely enough to deserve a frame - this one from 

Waffle Flower's Nesting Rectangle Frames.

In case you're wondering, my pieces were cut from colored cardstocks

and their color was pumped-up a bit with ink and a sponge dauber.

I am happy to join you in seeing all the wonderful cards of Thanks

from my teammates HERE.

Thanks for stopping by - and in advance for playing along!

=] Michele

The Paper Players #762

Hello, my friends!  Gosh it seems like an age since I've written a post OR made a card!  But we are home and that mountain of laundry is nearly done!  

LeAnne's theme at The Paper Players #762 is a good one to get me back into my studio this morning...

I wonder if she knew I'd jump at the chance to make that 

bottom right corner come to life?  

You'll have to take my word that this card will indeed contain a message

of thanks into the inside! lol

• My 'plate' was created by cutting a circle and then debossing a rim using a smaller circle die and my rubber mat.  Then set the table on woodgrain DSP.
• The 'napkin' is a simple piece of grey that I gave the look of linen using my trusty SU Subtle Texture folder.  
• The sticks, branches, and leaves are from HoneyBee's Winter Greenery with a few 'berries' from my enamel dot stash.
• To finish it off I tied a little SU linen thread [thanks, LeAnne] and added a sentiment from PTI's Thankful for Fall set.

Thanks, LeAnne, for getting me 'back on the horse' so quickly and painlessly!

=] Michele

Freshly Made Sketches #710

Happy Halloween!  I'm on the road but there was NO WAY I could miss out on playing cards with one of my favorite humans and her very fun Freshly Made Sketches #710!  

Yes, this is exactly what Linda sent me last week LOL!

 Inside secret: this is exactly how most of us

create our Sketches with a simple drawing that Jen T. magically

turns into those FMS Sketches that you see each week - btw you'll find

that sketch on our team blog!

Within seconds, I knew just who wanted to come out to play -

a few more of those MFT characters:

Those marshmallows need just a few more seconds, IMHO!

Sadly, MFT is no longer available - nor is the windy debossing or snow hills.

But I just KNOW you have equally wonderful supplies!

By the time you see this, I'll be on my way to Linda's house FOR REALS!

On a sad note, this is Linda's final sketch with our team - we love you, my friend, and I promise to keep coming by your blog as long as you post cards and photos of your darling grandkids - pinky swear!

Be sure you stop by FMS for lots of treats - no tricks!

=] Michele