You're My InFUSION...

Over 50 gorgeous FUSION cards in the gallery again last week!  I can't wait to see what this week brings - be inspired by this fab sketch or graphic or both!  Will you be inspired by the colours, the patterns, the cups, the calendar, or even that funky little bird?!

I'll be the first to admit that I struggled with the colour combo this week - I have realised that given the choice I pick cooler (blue-based) colours over warmer (yellow-based) colours - but hey, that's why it's called a Challenge right!!  I thought this weeks FUSION Challenge photo was the perfect time to have a play with my Skipping Stones Design coffee cup and "Happy Birthday (a little latte)" sentiment, inked in Cup O Joe - of course!  I chose a range of patterned papers from Studio Calico and MME, in graphic checks, spots and even little hearts.

I hope you get a chance to stop by and grab some inspiration from the rest of the Design Team - and experiment with FUSION today!

Allyson  Anderson  / Amy Tsuruta / Deanna Jean / Kelly Griglione / Stacey Schafer

Caffeine Deprivation...

Inspired by this weeks CASology cue, the perfectly drinkable Dynamic Duos monochromatic palette and this fabulously versatile Retro Sketch, especially Kasia's interpretation.  I broke out my coffee washi tape (hoping nobody will notice the splash of red there!) and paired it with these gorgeous Skipping Stones Design stamps and My Favourite Things sentiment, stamped in Espresso ink (of course LOL!) backed onto cafe style checks from MME.  I pop-dotted and used dimensional magic to highlight the coffee in the cup - which got me thinking these would make a great design if you sealed them and created a set of coffee coasters!

Getting Lucky...

Inside the card

"You know you're getting old when...getting lucky means finding your car in the parking lot"  Hope hubby gets lucky this weekend - otherwise we won't be able to go away for the long-weekend LOL!

Inspired by this weeks CAS-ual Fridays Sweet Spot Challenge, this gorgeous bright Colour Q palette, a fantastically versatile Freshly Made Sketch and Ribbon Carousel's Birthday Bash.  I love this cute bubble car stamp from The Alley Way Priceless Joy, and humourous sentiment by Skipping Stones Design.  Papers are Kaisercraft Christmas Carnival Collection - I even managed to line up the spots with the hub caps - and the road is Ribbon Carousel Twill.

Hope you are having a FABULOUS weekend!

Skipping Stones in Our Creative Corner...

Our Creative Corner Inspiration Photo

Skipping Stones Design Sketch

Inspired by this weeks Skipping Stones Design Sketch the blues and oranges of Our Creative Corner Inspiration Photo, and CAS-ual Fridays Punchy Challenge.  I love the simplicity, comfort and homeliness of this weeks inspiration photo, and to me nothing says simple, comfortable and home more than a pair of jeans!  I sewed denim paper to resemble a pair of almost impossible to button-up jeans, perfect to accompany these gorgeous coffee cup stain and sentiment stamps from Skipping Stones Design Funny Coffee Vol #1, and I couldn't resist adding buttons when taking my photos!

Papers are from My Minds Eye Bright Side One, scalloped circle punch from Spellbinders and stamped in Stampin' Up Chocolate Chip.

In case you can't read the sentiment it says:

"Some things are just better strong:

coffee, men and the button on my jeans!"

Hope your buttons are holding strong today!!!

Skipping Stones Colour Q ...

Second post of the day.  Hope you are enjoying your Mother's Day :)

This card is inspired by this weeks Colour Q challenge of lovely clear autumn hues, and this fun Skipping Stones sketch. The sentiment from Skipping Stones Butterfly Kisses in stamped in Always Artichoke, and the pear from Stampin' Up Faith in Nature is stamped in Pear Pizzaz, Daffodil Delight and Tangerine Tango, then glossed using Dimensional Magic.  The gorgeous wide ribbon from Ribbon Carousel matches the Tangerine Tango (believe it or not lol!), and the paper is Cosmo Cricket Baby Jane.

Less Is More... It's Easy Being Green

I saw so many gorgeous creations over at the Less is More Three Shades of Green Challenge this week that I had to join in!  Being an all green theme, I couldn't help but use this gorgeous froggy stamp from Skipping Stones Design (minus his usual crown).  I created my "new pad" lily pad with a few helpful hints from the "How to draw a cartoon frog" lessons I found on the How to Draw and Paint Smart site.  The frog and lily pad are coloured using Copics Yellow Green (YG03), Grass Green (YG17) and Moss (YG67).  All pop-dotted for depth.  The sentiment is created using Paper Smooches Alphadots and Party Posse.

Hope you have a fantastic weekend!

CAS-ual Paper Players Skipping Stones...

This card was inspired by CAS-ual Fridays Name That Tune, The Paper Players Tickle Your Funnybone, and this gorgeous sketch from Skipping Stones Design.  I loved that the sketch offered the opportunity to create two arrows heading in opposite directions - perfect for the theme of this hilarious stamp set from Skipping Stones Design.  I chose purple for its royal connections and the frog prince is coloured using Copics Yellow Green (YG03) and Grass Green (YG17), and his crown is coloured using a Uni-ball Signo Gold pen. And of course the Name That Tune is none other than "Prince Charming", an 80s song by Adam and the Ants.

Colour Q Retro Sketch Handbag...

Wow two posts in one afternoon!

I knew as soon as I saw this weeks Retro Sketch Challenge that I wanted to rotate the sketch 90 degrees and make a handbag style card - then when I saw this weeks colours at Colour Q with the cute Easter Basket inspiration, I just had to combine the two!

I have used some of this gorgeous paper from My Little Shoebox which combines all the colours from the challenge!  The rosette was created from teal cardstock and SEI paper using a Spellbinders diecut and Fiskars circle punch, then pop-dotted to the card - with the added bonus of the top flap of the handbag being able to be tucked securely in place behind the rosette.  I love this sentiment from Skipping Stones Design.

I decided that the end of my pennant needed more definition and backed that section with the teal cardstock too (see the third photo) - works a treat!

Let me know if you would like more details about how I cut the shape - mine was just make it up as you go, but there are plenty of great patterns on the web and I think there may even be special die cuts available.

Hope you have a wonderful day!

Freshly Made... in Pursen

I love this sentiment stamp I was lucky enough to win from Skipping Stones Design, and couldn't wait to use it.  This weeks Freshly Made Sketch was the perfect inspiration :)  The lovely purse images are from Crate Paper, and the background papers are from Basic Grey and MME. The purses and the top two layers of the card are pop-dotted, just a bit difficult to see when photographing at night!  

Wishing you a wonderful Purseday, whenever it may be!



A CAS-ual Easter with There She Goes and Skipping Stones

I've joined in this weeks There She Goes Easter Animal Challenge again - this time featuring these cute chick and sun images from There She Goes Under The Weather stamps with Paper Smooches sentiment (which I triple masked to change from a square sentiment to a rectangle one to suit the card).  The sketch for this card was based on this fantastically versatile sketch from Skipping Stones Design.  Believe it or not the yellow polka dot paper from Carolees Creations is actually lemon - so fits in perfectly with The Bold and The Beautiful Challenge this week over at CAS-ual Fridays.  The paper punch I have used is a cute scalloped edge from EK Success.

Hope you have a wonderful day in your corner of the world :)

"Count Your Rainbows...

... not your thunderstorms", the perfect sentiment for this card and wise words from a 12 year old!

I could not go past using a rainbow for this weeks gorgeous sketch from Skipping Stones Design. Rainbow is made from strips of cardstock, adhered to white cardstock then pop dotted to create a bit of depth, I stamped each of the rainbow letters by inking them using Steadler thin markers.

I love that when I took the photo you can just make out the reflection of the rainbow colours on the floor - and choosing to ignore the bit of dust LOL!

Hope your year is full of rainbows :)

New Year, New Start...

Wishing all of you the very best of health and happiness for this New Year.  I am very glad to have 2011 behind me and am looking forward to the challenges of the year ahead!

I didn't get a chance to load this little guy up yesterday, so here is to a bright start to this New Year, with colour inspiration from Scrapbook Boutique, and sketch inspiration from Skipping Stones Design :)