it's Saturday!  Time for another sketch challenge from Stamping 411.  I must say, I love the sketches that Selene has been doing lately!  If you attend my classes, you'll see some of these as the basis for future cards we will do!  I'm combining this challenge with the Late Night Stampers challenge since the theme is masculine, I thought it fit that criteria.

I can't tell you the last time I used Stampin' Up!'s Lovely As A Tree set.  I know it has been in my stamping arsenal since I first began because I made one of my first swap cards at Convention using it!  It is just a timeless stamp set…good for every occasion!

I started with a base of More Mustard cardstock.  I ran the Really Rust layer thru the Big Shot with the woodgrain texturz plate and then stamped "Thankful Thoughts of You" from Grateful Greetings in the lower right corner.  I added a couple strips of designer paper from Autumn Meadows Designer Pack.  Then I stamped the tree with Chocolate Chip ink on Vanilla Naturals cardtock and used my sponge daubers to add the Really Rust, More Mustard and Garden Green colors to the tree and grass area.  I colored the trunk of the tree with Close to Cocoa Classic Ink and a Blender pen.  This piece was layered onto Chocolate Chip cardstock and placed on the front with Stampin' Dimensionals.

Make sure to check out what the other Stamping 411 Operators did this week!  I'm sure their cards will be awesome!

INKspired Treasures BLOG 

I love this Lovely As A Tree stamp set…one of those go-to sets when you need something quick and you know it will come out the way you intend it to.  SO glad it didn’t retire.  I made this card with Mary during another of our challenge sessions.  As it has been over a month ago (and I have trouble remembering last week!), I can’t remember exactly what the parameters of the challenge were, but I do remember we needed to use some type of grid scoring and used a sketch.  I used the Reverse Grid from the August/September 2006 issue of Technique Junkies Newsletter.

Colors I used were Blue Bayou, Night of Navy, Soft Sky and Always Artichoke…great masculine colors, I think!  I used the Tag Corner punch to make the tag and natural Hemp for the tie.  Note the detail of the piercing in the lower left corner.  I also used 6 brads on this card!  Wow…I never use that many brads!  Life is from Enjoy Every Moment stamp set and stamped in Whisper White Craft on the Night of Navy cardstock.

I’m doing quite well on my swap cards.  At least I’m feeling comfortable with the remaining time and how much I have to do right now.  Tomorrow I hope to knock out some of the 3D projects and roommate gifts I need to finish.  I have the prototypes done. Just need to cut cardstock and make them.  Yeah!