Sketch Challenge

This is the first time I've joined a sketch challenge, and I've had a lot of fun giving it a try! My card is based on Makeesha's sketch here.

My card ended up with a bit of a country feel.

Using the A Little Bit of Happiness hostess set, I stamped and embossed the image, then coloured it with the Watercolour Wonder Crayons, in the Rich Regal colours. Then I matched the image with cardstock in Close to Cocoa, Rose Red, Night of Navy, Brocade Blue and Old Olive, most of them distressed on the edges with their matching ink colours. I stamped the polkadots from the Polka Dots & Paisley set on the Brocade Blue piece.

But my favourite part was making the cute scallop frame. First I punched a 1 1/4" circle on a piece of Old Olive card, then punched the Scallop Circle punch over that, centering it over the circle I had already punched. I adhered it with scraps of dimensionals.

In the top right corner it was looking a little empty, so I sprinkled some hearts from the Sprinkles set!

Finding Joy in the Little Things

Today I played for the first time with the Polka Dots and Paisley set, it was one of the ones I chose in my Starter Kit so I was sorry to find out it will be retired soon. It's a cute little set.

It's been a miserable grey day so I wanted to make something quick and cheery. So out came the bold colours, I had to go for Real Red and white for the first play with the polkadots! And the Green Galore makes the red really pop.

In making it I did "find joy in the little things" - the ability to play with new stamps, a roof over my head and relief from the hot weather last week. After watching events in Victoria this week I am so thankful for all the little things we have and usually take for granted, and my sympathy goes to all those who have lost so many "little things" as well as the big ones.

So I was happy to read that Stampin Up! have just announced a Bushfire Appeal. You can read all about it HERE. They are donating 50% of the retail value of all sales from a select group of 10 stamp sets.
I was disappointed the Bodacious Bouquet set and Polka Dots and Paisley sets will be retired (when I am just getting to know them LOL) but if they have to go, this is the best way to do it! Please email me if you'd like to order any of the sets in this appeal:
Priceless pg105 $48.95
Seeing Spots pg89 $29.95
Baroque Motifs pg98 $39.95
Live Your Dream pg3 (Summer Mini)
Looks Like Spring* pg76$58.95
The Snowflake Spot* pg27 $39.95
Bodacious Bouquet* pg80 $58.95
Polka Dots & Paisley* pg46 $35.95
G'day Mate* pg115 $35.95
Be Happy* pg51 $39.95

*These sets will appear on the upcoming list of retiring products, so they will only be available for the Bushfire Appeal--while supplies last.