Love - AHSC Sketch 154

For this weeks Atlantic Hearts Sketch challenge I once again brought out Charlotte. I find it funny that I was not at all drawn to Charlotte or Penelope in the idea book or even when I got it, I liked it but it was so not one of my favourites by any means....until I started working with it. Once I got playing with it I found it so easy to work with. 

Products used:

Paper:
- Charlotte
- Slate card stock

Embellishments:
- Gold Sequins
- Black / Gold ribbon

Thanks for stopping by and checking out my work. until next time happy scrapping!
Brandi

Thank You - AHSC #152

I have another card for you this week and once again I brought out the Penelope paper pack. Like I mentioned in Monday's post, once I got playing with it I just fell in love with it and what I really love is that all 3 of the cards I have made this week have a different look and feel to them, different colours and different style making Penelope so very versatile. 

Products used:

Paper:
- Penelope
- White Daisy and Crystal Blue card stock

Stamp:
- Candlelight Garden

Embellishments:
- Playful Puffies
- Extra Thick Twine - Pixie

To join the fun, slide on over to the AHSC blog and join us with your take on the sketch. We would love to see what you come up with!

Thanks for stopping by!
Brandi

You make me happy! AHSC #151

I was stumped on what to do with this sketch this week, I struggled and had no ideas. I just got out a paper pack that I found to be the easiest in the world to work with (Zoe was that way too!) and it just came to me, love when that happens! So this is what I came up with and it came together super quick too!

Products used:

Paper:
- Charlotte

Ink:
- Cocoa

Embellishments:
- Charlotte Compliments
- Treasured puffs

Thanks for stopping by, we would love it if you would join us and play along with us at Atlantic Hearts Sketch Challenge!

Until next time, Happy Scrapping!
Brandi

You got this! - AHSC #148

There is my take on this weeks Sketch for the Atlantic Hearts Sketch Challenge.  I love this sentiment, it can mean so much. It could be words of encouragement, a good luck card, a congratulations card, it could be anything really!

I brought out some retired paper, Blossom, I love this paper and we had very unseasonably warm weather this weekend that I am just so ready for spring and Blossom is just what I need to cure the winter blues!

Products used:

Paper:
- Blossom (retired)
- White Daisy, Sunset, and Glacier card stock

Stamp:
- 1661 Crazy Good

Ink:
- Sunset

Compliments:
- Blossom (retired)

Thanks for stopping in and checking out my project for this weeks H2H challenges. We would really love to see what you come up with and what your take on the "Party Animal" theme!

Until next time! Happy Crafting!
Brandi

Feeling Better! - AHSC Sketch 146

Today I have another Charlotte card for you but I am taking a bit of a break from the birthday cards and bringing you a get well soon card. This is another card for my upcoming Charlotte card workshop. 

Products used:

Paper:
- Charlotte
- Slate, Black, White Daisy

Ribbon:
- Z3197 Black and Gold Ribbon

Stamp:
- B1508 - Kiss it Better

Ink:
- Slate and Sorbet

Embellishment:
- Black glitter gems (retired)

Please join us and play along at AHSC, we would love to see your take on the sketch! 

Until next time, happy scrapping!
Brandi

Shine On! AHSC Sketch #143

Today I have a fun sketch for you from Atlantic Hearts Sketch challenge. This sketch was super easy to come up with fun stuff for and is super versatile for any theme you might need. 

I made this quick card for the daughter of a friend of mine. She has had a rough go of things the last few years and I just want to let her know how proud I am of her for being the amazing young lady she is!

Products used:

Paper:
- Blossom (retired)
- Glacier, White Daisy, and Pear card stock

Ink:
- Cocoa and Pear

Stamp Set:
- C1629 Diamonds are forever

Embellishments:
- Extra Thick Twine Glacier

Cricut:
- Cricut Explore
- Cricut Artistry

Thanks for stopping by. Please swing on over to AHSC and check out what the rest of the design team are up to this week!

Until next time, Happy Scrapping!
Brandi

Little Spooks - AHSC 127

Hello, Happy Wednesday!

I know it is not quite Halloween yet but I just love all things fall and Halloween! I just love these little spooky characters. I followed the basic concept of Sketch 127 from Atlantic Hearts Sketch Challenge. I left a few details off like the paper going across the design, my little spooks took up so much space I did not see the point of it as it would be so limited in what you would see!

Products used:

Paper:
- Spellbound
- Black, Slate and White Daisy card stock

Stamps:
- B1283 Little Spooks

Ink:
- Black, Pear, Honey, Gypsy, and Slate

Misc:
- Water Blending Pen (retired)


Thanks for stopping by, for more design inspiration, check out the rest of the AHSC Design Team here!

Thanks!
Brandi

Mom - AHSC #96

Hello, Happy Tuesday to you! 

Today I bring you a Mother's day card and this is significant in that I have not made a Mother's Day card in years. My mother passed away over 20 years ago and since then I have just had a mental block on Mother's day even though I have the most amazing and wonderful Mother in law who is more like my own mother than my mother in law. I think it is just from not doing anything for Mother's Day in so long I forget and then suddenly it is here and to late for me to do anything about and off I go to buy one. Not this year, I am so ahead of the game that her card is already made, now lets hope I do not loose it!

For this card, I used Sketch 96 from AHSC and I broke into my Blushed supply which is diminishing and used this soft, pretty, and sweet Canary based floral side of the B&T paper. I love everything about Blushed, everything but this paper I have been having a really hard time cutting into as I find it so pretty. I was able to do it because I know I am going to order another pack of this paper, it is just so versatile and I love it!

AHSC #96

As you can see, I flipped my card on the side just to mix things up a bit, there was no real need to, I just did. That is the great thing about sketches, they are road maps and not the rule. 

Products used:

Paper:
- Blushed
- Canary, White Daisy card stock

Ink:
- Juniper
- Black

Embellishments:
- Pixie Extra Thick Twine


Please join us over at Atlantic Hearts Sketch Challenge and share your take on this sketch, we would love to see what you come up with!

Thanks for stopping by!
Brandi

Happy Birthday - AHSC #83

Here we go again with another birthday card for that last month of the year that has so many birthdays in it!

I made this one for one of my two sister in laws, not sure yet which one will get this one but it will fit either of them perfectly!

Products used:

Paper:

- Dotty for you (retired)

- White Daisy card stock

- Sunset card stock

Ink:

- Sunset

Stamp:

- C1429 - Party Pennants (retired)

Ribbon:

- Seam binding ribbon (retired)

Thanks for stopping by, until next time happy crafting!

Brandi

A Country Chrismas

Today I bring you a holiday card! I will be going between birthday and Christmas cards until I got all my birthday cards done, then the focus will probably be purely Christmas until I get those all done. 

Any hoots, I love this barn board paper from the now retired Timberline B & T from CTMH and I just thought it would make a great background for a country Christmas type of card. I think it worked out well, I love how this one came out and I am so glad I got this paper pack in bulk!

Products used:

Paper:

- Timberline (retired)

- Cranberry card stock

- Colonial White card stock

Stamp:

- C1328 Festive Frills (retired)

Ink:

- Chocolate

Non CTMH:

- SU Hemp

- Pop Dots

- Smooch Holiday Red

I hope you enjoyed todays card. You have plenty of time to join us at Atlantic Hearts Sketch Challenge (AHSC) come on over and play along with us!

Thanks for stopping by!

Brandi

Happy Holidays - AHSC #78

For this weeks sketch from Atlantic Hearts Sketch Challenge, I have a holiday card for you. 

While I am SO NOT ready for winter and the white flaky stuff that comes along with it I know that I need to get started on my holiday cards if I hope to have enough to send to everyone this year. I am still a firm believer in the holidays are a time to reflect on those who are important to us and send them a personal note. A friend recently posted on Facebook that her husband is trying to convince her to do a Christmas newsletter via email. What are your thoughts on this debate? I can see his reasoning, it is cheaper, faster, and more convenient, I hear his argument. I feel that the art of letter writing, personal contact, thank you notes, etc are become a lost art form and I am kicking and screaming, I still think we should do these small gestures for those we are closest too. What are your thoughts?

Products Used:

Paper:

- Mistletoe (retired)

- Colonial White and Cranberry

Ink:

- Olive

Embossing:

- Quatrefoil

Misc.

- Stampin Up scallop punch

- Stampin Up hemp

- Brads (retired)

- Mistletoe Level 2 Assortment (retired)

Thanks for stopping by!

Brandi

AHSC 76 - Friends Forever

It is time for another amazing sketch from the Atlantic Hearts Sketch Challenge (AHSC) and wow I loved this one. I have been super short on time and literally had maybe 30 minutes to get my card done as my week has been uber busy. This great sketch literally took me maybe 20 minutes to do and I really needed it. Now it also helps that I had one stamp set that had all the elements in it that I needed to follow the sketch so it was literally two stamps, some colouring and my water blending pen, i inked the edges and matted the card with some barn red card stock. From start to finish....20 minutes. My husband was stunned, I never get out of my scrapbook room that quickly!

Thanks for stopping by!

Brandi

Our Adoption Day! - AHSC #60

Todays card is super special to me. On Friday I will be heading down to the local courthouse to watch our dear friends finalize the adoption of their adorable little guy. We are so super excited to join them for happy court. 

I made todays card to celebrate their happy day and I used this weeks sketch from Atlantic Hearts Sketch Challenge and it made it so easy, this card literally came together in a matter of maybe 20 minutes which is great as I do not have a lot of time this week for much of anything! 

Products Used:

Paper:

- Starburst (retired)

- White Daisy card stock

Ink:

-Topiary

Stamp:

- A1098 Adoption

Thanks for stopping by!

Brandi

Snuggle Time - AHSC #59

It is time for another great sketch from Atlantic Hearts Sketch Challenge! Once again I took the opportunity to get another layout done, YIPPEEE! I just love the feeling when I get pictures out of the box and into the scrapbook and while it is only one picture on this page, it is a layout and a memory preserved. 

This was a great memory, we were doing a family movie night at home one Saturday and one of our daughters climbed into my husbands lap to watch the movie and snuggle and then when things got a bit scary her older sister came over and joined in too. I just love seeing 2 of my 3 girls snuggling so contently watching their movie with their Daddy. It is these every day moments that I just cherish. 

I am so excited to announce that I have been asked to continue on as a member of the Atlantic Hearts Sketch Challenge. I was so thrilled as I was going into my last month of my 2nd 6 month term and I was going to really miss being part of the design team. 

Now, lets talk about this layout and the products used:

Paper:

- Caboodle (retired)

Misc.:

- Colour Seam Binding Ribbon (retired)

- Cricut Artbooking

- Cricut Art Philosophy

- Filigree Charms (retired)

- Moments Alphabet stickers (non CTMH)

Now I have to run, I need to get some sleep, I am on Field Trip duty with my 6 year old all day tomorrow so I need to get some stuff organized! 

Until next time, happy scrapping!

Brandi

AHSC - Cousins

One of my goals when I decided to join some design teams it was to motivate myself to get my work done and this week I was able to get another layout done. I have to admit, I need someone eeping me honest and working on my stash of pictures and when I can get some pictures scrapped it makes me happy. I love making cards but I am a scrapbooker at heart, it is who I am. 

This weeks sketch lent itself to a layout so I took advantage and did another 1 page layout. As I have said before, I typically you do not scrapbook one page layouts but there are a few events that I only have 1-2 pictures for so I am allowing myself to break out of my own biases and did what was right. 

This is a layout from when out girls met her cousins for the second time but really it was the first time. They did meet one other time but the girls were not living with us yet and they were coming over for one of their pre-move in visits and my husbands cousin and his family was visiting from Illinois. Since even being with us, meeting these additional people was a lot and they did not realize the significance of it. So when our family came back up to Canada for Thanksgiving and we got together for a play date it was like the first time they all met. The kids all got along famously and played so well together. In all the catching up and visiting it dawned on me that we did not get any pictures of the kids together and playing so at the last minute I snapped this picture, the one picture from our visit!

Products used:

Paper:
- Colonial White card stock
- Grace (retired)

Cricut:
- Artboooking
- Art Philosophy

Embellishments:
- Burlap ribbon
- Tan opaques

Adhesives:
- Liquid Glass
- Herma Dotto (non CTMH)

Thanks for stopping by! Be sure to check out other great designs from the Atlantic Hearts Sketch Challenge!

Until next time!
Brandi

PS...I am sorry about the quality of the picture, we were in the middle of a storm and I just could not get enough light anywhere to get a good shot to show off the deep rich colours of the papers. If we get a nicer day I will reshoot the picture!

AHSC #55...Life is so good....

with you in it!

That is how I feel about my friend Sherry Lynn. She is absolutely amazing! She has ben through so much in the last year and yet she is always there to let me vent and whine when life is handing me lemons again.

I made this card for her, she is really very selfless and let me vent big time on Mother's day, without her I do not know what I would do, I love you Sherry Lynn!

So onto the card, this is my creation for sketch 55 from Atlantic Herts Sketch Challenge (AHSC). 

For this card I used the following:

Paper / card stock:

• Colonial white
• All the rest are unknown. The patterned paper was a scrap and the flowers were left over from a project I did over a year ago. (sorry)

Ink:

• Ponderosa Pine

Stamp Set:

• B1204 - Life is so good (retired)

Cricut:

• Artiste for the leaf stem
• Art Philosophy for the flowers

Thanks for stopping by and checking out my latest project!

Brandi

Happy Father's Day - AHSC #54

This week at Atlantic Hearts Sketch Challenge we have a very different and unique sketch for you and let me tell you it kind of rocked all of the design team when we saw it but we all agreed to step up to the challenge and out of our comfort zone! I spent quite some time thinking about this one and there are really so many ways you can go with it:

• Layouts - a layout with a picture on it...challenge done!
• Cards - any card with kids to colour or even animals. 
• Cards - put a picture of someone on your card (my initial thought a picture of my MIL and my girls for her Mother's Day Card)

That was just a few ways you could go with this sketch! I chose to be a bit different, I still have people on my sketch but I went with a Father's day card. I used the Artbooking cartridge to cut out the cute couple (representing me and my hubby) and then I cut it out again 3 more times in a smaller size. I surgically removed the men from the couple and added dresses to the girls (3 girls representing our daughters) and blinded them out with some pearls. I used an old tool that has not seen much action lately, my edge distressed. I saw it sitting in my distressing case while I was digging around waiting for the Cricut to finish its work and thought, lets give this bad boy a go and whoola! I used the Holdiay Tags set for the Happy Fathers day and stamped it in Pacifica ink. The paper pack is our retired Dakota (again, using up my scraps stash!)

While I may not be 100% in line with the sketch, that is the awesome thing, you can interpret it how you want...I saw people and added my family, my wonderful family of 5! My poor hubby, as you can see there are a lot of dresses and only one male in this...even our dog (not shown) is female....poor guy in oh about 6 years or so when we hit the tweens and teens

Thanks for stopping by!
Brandi

AHSC #53 - Love

I am on a quest to use up some of my old paper packs, I have about 40 that I still have quite a bit of paper in it but not enough to do full layouts so it is my quest to rid my scrapbook room of this additional pile of paper and since it would go against everything a scrapbooker would believe in to throw it away I need to use it up so it is my goal to use as much as possible before the new CTMH catalog comes out and I add to my pile. Having said that, you might be seeing a bit of retired products over the next few weeks from me. T

We have a new sketch for the Atlantic Hearts Sketch Challenge and this card is rather special to me. I have 3 little girls ages 4, 5, and 6 that we are in the process of adopting and all 3 have shown an interest in scrapbooking since joining our family 2.5 years ago but my oldest and youngest have shown the most interest. While I am scrapbooking my oldest always seems to drift over and watch and she will sit with me for hours just watching me scrapbook or make cards but on this one she actually started moving things around and helping me with the placement of things. She stamped (for the first time) all the leaves in Sweet Leaf ink, she used Grey Wool ink to colour the colour seam binding. Her biggest contribution in my mind is that she suggested I colour in the word Love. I was going to leave it blank, just stamped in the Grey Wool ink but she thought I should colour it in and suggested that I do it with the Orange (Creme Brûlée) and the heart in pink (Blush) and she was right, it looked so much better. 

The best thing is when we were done with this card, she got the left over flowers and leaves (I always cut a few extras) and what did she do with them? She made me a card and told me she wants to scrapbook and make cards with me and for me forever because she loves me forever....how does that not just completely melt your heart? 

So here is my card...The paper is Lucy (retired) the stamp set is Girls Rock (which mine do by the way!), the ribbon is the colour seam binding coloured with Grey Wool ink, card stock is Creme Brûlée and Grey Wool and I used the Cricut Art Philosophy to cut out the flowers. And the love was coloured in with Blush and Creme Brûlée using the water colouring pen. 

Thanks for stopping by!
Brandi

Happy Birthday - AHSC #52

I thought it only fitting to do a birthday card this week to celebrate the one year birthday (or anniversary) of the Atlantic Hearts Sketch Challenge! I am on my second term as part of their design team and let me tell you I am loving every minute of it. First off they have some amazing sketches (wait until you see what is coming soon, it will really challenge you!) and it has kept me somewhat honest in forcing myself to find the time to be creative. I love the challenge of creating something each week and while I started out trying to do all layouts due to a busy schedule I have had to resort to cards, which is A-OK with me because I need to replenish my stock! 

So without further ado....here is this weeks sketch and my card to go with it!

I decided to give a try at some random stamping and I got out an old set called Dreams do come true and went to town. I used the colours Lagoon and Sweet Leaf because one of the challenges over at the Heart 2 Heart challenges was a colour challenge using those and I thought they looked really bold and vibrant with this flower set. I did some inking of the edges of the flowers and such to really give it some depth and visual interest. I used a strip of Sweet Leaf card stock and our new teal shimmer trim to finish it off. The birthday sentiment is from a stamp set called Party Pennants. 

I hope you enjoy this weeks entry for the Atlantic Hearts sketch challenge. I would love to see what you have in you for this sketch, feel free to join us!

Thanks for stopping by!

Brandi

AHSC #50 - Thank you!

Wow, I had an awesomely creative day today, I got my design team work done before the bell rings this week. A bit later than I wanted BUT I also got a head start on some other projects I have coming up!

The bad news is, as the day went on, my creativity began to dissipate and well, it is official I am SICK! I am freezing (house thermostat is set at 75F), bundled up in bed while shivering. All I want to do is lay down, throat is killing me and nose is stuffed up and the worst part of all, it is one of the busiest weeks of the year for me. The fundraiser I organize all year for my daughters school is this Friday, so I hope this leaves as fast as it came!

Anyways, on to the fun stuff...the card!