happy father's day in blue and red

made a Father's Day card for a friend, with the centrepiece of the card being a wonderful black & white photo of the family mounted onto a scalloped square die-cut in white card stock (from Spellbinders Nestabilities - Lacy Squares range)

the card design was based on Seize the Sketch Challenge #22 (sketch by Lori Tecler), whilst the colour combination of red, blue and white was inspired by The Paper Players - Colour Challenge #199

the card base is white, on top of which is blue card stock mounted onto red card stock  - on the blue card stock, I had stamped in VersaMark using Impression Obsession's Cover-a-Card - Distressed Lines stamp, and then heat-embossed the same with white and glitter powders ... I loved the effect created (this would actually be a great Christmas card design!)

card was decorated with Hero Arts - Spring Branch die-cuts in red and white card stock (with embossed glitter), and finished off with a red bow and ribbon strip

now and forever my cup of coffee

card was inspired by the aroma in my coffee cup as I was contemplating this design in CAS(E) this Sketch #78

this was so much fun with lots and lots of gold embossing, first on the coffee cup from Hero Arts - Need Caffeine stamp set, and on the swirly design from IO-Cover-a-Card - Swirls stamp

the curvy 'steam' was cut using Paper Smooches - Borders 1 dies, and card was finished off with a sentiment from Paper Smooches - Simply Said stamp set.

final close-up shot of that 'luxe' cup of coffee!

happy birthday in red, yellow and green

card design was based on CAS(E) this Sketch #75 (which again, I was too late for submission ... this is getting to be a bad habit!) and inspired by the lovely colours scheme in the Paper Players Color Challenge #195 (which submission I made just in time)

*the card base - yellow cardstock which was stamped with Impression Obsession Cover-a-Card - Tapestry 2 stamp in watermark ink, clear-embossed with heat, and then sponged lightly over with Distress Inks - Barn Door red and Mowed Lawn green

*the corner tag - green cardstock embossed with a flourish design with the raised portions lightly sponged with Versacolor White ink, and then mounted on red card stock

*the embellishment - flower die-cut from Hero Arts - Chrysanthemum Fancy Die on coral red card stock, and heat embossed with embossing glitter, and finished off with a Hero Arts - Go Out and Play stamp - using only the Happy Birthday sentiment, again lightly sponged over with the same Distress Inks colours

a close-up of the card to show off the glitter on the flower die cut

my cup of coffee

sometimes, I can stare at a sketch for a long time and then suddenly, 'click' - the light bulb comes on and I know exactly what I want to see on the card

this happened with this week's CAS(E) this Sketch #73, which was paired together with Runway Inspired Challenge #58 (love the dramatic combination of red against black)

for this card, I thought the CTS sketch of the semi-circle was perfect to depict a checkered-tablecloth with cups of coffee on the table... 

the coffee cups and latte glass stamps are from Hero Arts - Need Caffeine stamp set whilst the checked gingham stamp is from Impression Obsession - Cover-a-Card Gingham