Happy Thursday!!

.....looks like I'm going to have some more free time today which is awesome, because free time to me is time I can spend in my craft room working on new cards or practicing new techniques.  

     I had a blast yesterday in my room and on top of doing some more organizing, I also completed three new cards, which I now have ready to share with you this morning.   As is often the case, these cards were created with challenges in mind and my first card was inspired by the new "Sketch" over at the "Cas(E) This Sketch" blog.  I am sharing a copy with you hear and hope you'll play along too!!

CTS #76

My Card

   This card all started with the butterfly which I had cut a couple of days ago from a background sheet that I had color washed with my new watercolors, one of those fun new techniques I learned in the fabulous Watercolor Class.  I knew that what what I wanted to use for my focal point and next I chose my other colors which are based on the purple hue in the butterfly.  I first cut a second butterfly, in lilac and then cut my SSS "Apothecary Label" from Heros' Aubergine Layering paper.   I added the lavender one glued flat first, and then added my water-colored version on top and cut a her antenna to match.  I used the same "Aubergine" cardstock for my sentiment, which I heat embossed in White.  This sentiment is from one of my older sets of Lawn Fawn stamps and I love the saying and the font. I then layered all the pieces onto a piece of Simon Says Stamp's fabulous Woodgrain cardstock (love this Stuff) which then was added to a matching Lavender card, I created with Hero's Layering Paper.   I plan to add a second sentiment "Happy Birthday" to the inside and give it to one a dear childhood friend, when we go out for her Birthday Dinner this weekend.  I the though "Forever Friends" on front, was perfect for her, since we've been friends, for over 50 years!  It's amazing!

   Next, is another challenge inspired card, this one being for the "May Color Challenge" being hosted over at Reverse Confetti.  I am sharing a copy of the current color themes below and think they are really pretty for Spring or Summer.

Reverse Confetti - May Color Challenge

My Card

   I started off this one by pulling out some of my favorite patterned papers, these ones are from Lawn Fawn and I totally LOVE the adorable stripes and polka dots.  I love that the striped paper was perfect for this challenge since it has both dark and light pink stripes.  The dark orange polka dots were also just right and I created my little orange heart, by coloring a white punched heart with my Copics and then added a layer of 3D Crystal Lacquer.  My sentiment and the white die-cut tag are both from Reverse Confetti, and they are two favorites, which I've used often.  I created also added on a little light pink bow, that I clipped to my tag with an orange mini clothespin!    I think it's a perfect card for your hubby, your children or anyone is you love...always and forever!

    And next is the last card that I finished up yesterday and this one was created for fun and also as a way to use up some of the scraps of paper that were left on my desk.  I also have a new love for funky geometric shapes and thought this card turned out to be a fun example of that.  I'm sure you'll quickly recognize the Woodgrain SSS cardstock that I used for my circle shape, along with left over pieces of the fabulous "Lets Polka" paper from Lawn Fawn.  I loved this set so much, that I bought three 6x6 Pads  to keep in my stash, hoping I'll be well stocked for a long time.   My "Hello" I'll bet you'll also now recognize as one of the fabulous stamps from Winnie and Walter and was heat embossed in that gorgeous Liquid Platinum Embossing Powder that Jennifer McGuire is always sharing on her blog.  I love it and can see why it's become her favorite, it's such a cool color...and very unique!    If you are like me and have fallen in LOVE with Winnie and Walter's BIG and BOLD stamp sets, be sure to check out their new release coming out this weekend.  I'm especially excited to add the new set and lucky because I won a gift card to the store, that I've been holding on to, just for the new release!  Yippee!!

     Did you notice the cute bling on this card, well that's all new too and the silver 'trinket" is actually from Prima and I found my set at my LSS!   The  adorable Pink and White "Flair" is from "Bossy Joscie", who's store is full of wonderful  and adorable crafting goodies.  Be sure to check out her stamps too, I have this one and this one too, which is customized with my name and blog address!   Cute or what??

     That is it for now, but I do hope to get some more cards created today and if so, I'll be back with an afternoon update.  I have a busy weekend coming up, like many others I'm sure since it's a nice long Holiday Weekend, as we celebrate "Memorial Day", which is also pretty much the first summer weekend, at least here in Massachusetts.    Hubby is also on vacation all of next week and I have a class on Tuesday, plus we'll be doing some more car shopping, this time for him.  I can tell already, that we'll be very busy and that probably won't leave me with lots of time to "create", but I know we'll have lots of fun with our friends and I'm looking forward to spending lots of time outside enjoying what I hope will be a gorgeous weekend!