Your Country Theme for AHSC #259

Hello again, crafty friends!  This isn't my design team's week on the Atlantic Hearts Sketch Challenge blog but our hostess Michelle Stewart came up with such a fun sketch idea for this week, to create a sketch for each of our country of origin, that almost all of us are playing along.   How awesome is that?  Let's get started!

If you have visited my blog before, this project might seem familiar because I have used the USA stamp and a different camper image from the same set as another project I did based on this same paper pack.  I had planned to use my Hello USA Cricut cartridge from CTMH but I couldn't find the paper I had in mind for that project so I dig out the last of this lovely Juniper-colored grain patterned paper and this whimsical forest patterned paper, both from the recently retired JACK kit.  I used black Memento ink to stamp the USA image from a retired set called Adventure USA, and the camper and sentiment from another retired set called Camper Crazy.  I also used the Warm Grey 4, Warm Grey 7, Turquoise Blue, and Carmine ShinHan alcohol markers as well as the metallic silver marker to add some touches of color to the camper image.  I plan for this to be a retirement card and while I don't have anyone in particular in mind for this card just yet, camping is very popular in our area so I should have no problem finding someone to give it to.

And that's all there is to my project for today.  I hope you will take time to check out the rest of the design team's creations and we would also love to see your take on this week's sketches too.  As always, you have until 10:55 pm Eastern/9:55 pm Central time to link your projects HERE.  Thanks for stopping by and happy crafting!  ~~  Annette

Camping Fun for AHSC #216

Hello, crafty friends!  I hope your summer is off to a great start.  We're in a hot, stormy weather pattern here in the midwest so I've been very appreciative of air conditioning while I craft.  Once again, Michelle Stewart has brought us a fabulous sketch to work with this week at Atlantic Hearts Sketch Challenge.  I admit, I found this one a bit of a challenge at first but once I got started the ideas were flowing and I kept changing my mind as to what theme I wanted to go with.  Ultimately, though, I couldn't resist making this camping themed piece to serve as a cover page for one of those inexpensive, clear pocket 4 x 6" photo books you can pick up just about anywhere.  I have collected almost everything camping related that CTMH has put out, even though we don't go camping.... yet. I'm trying to talk my husband into getting a small camper someday as I'd like to do some traveling when he retires in 10 years or so,  but I'm already partially disabled and I think having a camper will make it easier for us to take trips.

At any rate, I hope this sketch gets your creativity going and that you find time to share your creations with us.  As always, you have until 10:55 pm Eastern/9:55 pm Central on Sunday, 6/18/17, to link your projects, which you can do HERE.

Thanks for stopping by and happy crafting! ~~  Annette

cardstock:  Slate, black, and watercolor paper
inks;  Memento black ink
markers:  warm grey 7, turquoise blue, cherry pink, metallic silver
patterned paper:  all 3 papers used were from the Jack kit
stamps:  Adventure USA and Camper Crazy (both are retired)
embellishments:  Slate Twist Ties, Enamel Hearts (red), and Timberline Assortment (all retired)

patriotic card for "Less Is More" challenge

Hello!  I have had such a lazy and relaxing day reading and napping, and I have to admit this little break was greatly needed.  I had planned to do a little reorganizing in my craft area after I finished reading my book but then inspiration struck so I have had a little fun creating first.  This card was inspired by a friend's family; she is an Army wife and she and her husband just went on a trip to DC as he was the recipient of a prestigious (and no doubt well deserved) leadership award.  I have always admired this family as they are such a great example of service, values, and teamwork so I wanted to do a little something to say "thanks" and help them celebrate this achievement.  As I used multiple stamps, I will also be entering this in this week's "Less Is More" challenge.

details:  All products used were from Close To My Heart.  I used a spare piece of CS and made my own striped background using the backside of one of the border stamps from the Stitch Wonder set in Cranberry and the stars background is from a retired set called Vintage USA in Outdoor Denim.  I then used the USA outline border stamp from the Adventure USA set (also retired) in black and then fussy cut the image and adhered it to the center of a 6 x 6" card base.  The sentiments "Land of the Free" and "of the Brave" are from one of last year's promotional sets called "Home of the Brave."  The second sentiment actually reads "Home of the Brave" but I used decorative tape to mask off "home" and the used the Keyboard Uppercase alpha to spell "because."  On the inside of the card is a sentiment that reads, "Thank you for your dedication and sacrifice." which is from the "Courage" stamp set that was also part of last's summer's promotion.  By my count, that's 6 stamp sets so I think that will qualify for the challenge.  :-)

Happy crafting!  Annette