Isabella's Sketchbook

Hi everyone... are you having a terrific day?  Is it hotter than Haiti in your neck of the woods?  Whew.. the mid-West is being bombarded with temps well over 100 and a 'feels-like temp' at 108+.  That brings me to my knees and I fold like a cheap beach chair.

It's challenge time at Isabella's Sketchbook.. and I've created this card for our challenge of 'buttons and bows'... luscious strawberries! Sadly, the season for local strawberries has come to an end and it's back to the mass produced type. Bummer dudettes!

I'm getting some cards together for my Aunt, for her upcoming birthday...and I know she will enjoy this one to pass on to her friends. My image was colored with Prismacolor pencils.. the arsenal of choice in my craft grotto.

Hope you can join us at Isabella's challenge this week - you might be the lucky winner of some of her darling digital images... Please check out the work of our design team. The inspiration is amazing.

Have a fantastic day.. and stay cool!

Challenge at Isabella's Sketchbook

Happy Hump Day, friends! The week is just flying by and it's hard to believe that August is merely days away.

It's challenge time at Isabella's and this week our hostess is looking for green and blue.. .I had to do this darling image from Isabella's Sketchbook. It begged for a white on white background and made a gorgeous Christmas card.

Hope you will play along in our challenge this week. You could be the winner of two images from Isabella's Sketchbook.. and there's so many great items to pick from.

I'm also entering this in these challenges...

Little Paper Shop - celery, lt blue and pink
Cupcake Craft Challenge - Christmas in pastels
Practical Scrappers - 7 or more items
Create4Fun - Use Flowers
Cowgirls Sunday - anything goes
Creative Inspiration - Anything Goes

Thanks for stopping by today.. hope you liked my card. Have a fantastic day and I'll see you manana!!

You're Special

Hi everyone... Happy hump day! Thanks for stopping by to see my card for our challenge at Isabella's Sketchbook. This week our challenge is quite simple.. just use a punch on your project.

I was in a 'girly-girl' mood and had to create something light and feminine.

I love this color combination. I've even decorated one of our guest rooms in this light, airy color combination.. and it's such a great little, very relaxing place to escape with a good book.

Today's challenges.

Stamp Challenges - 1 DP, 1 Ribbon, 1 Image
Ann's Creative Nook: Anything Goes
Speedy the Cat's Friends' Challenge: Use a punch
Your Next Stamp: Flower Power

Thanks so much for stopping by.. I hope you have a fantastic day!

When Cows Fly!

If you haven't yet discovered digital images from Isabella's Sketchbook, I encourage you to check them out. She's got some lovely images that make up the most delightful cards and we have a new weekly challenge each Wednesday so you can play along.

This image is called "When Cows Fly".. isn't it cute? I love this combo of brown and turquoise and the simplicity of this card.. nothing too frilly, just clean and fairly simple. Take a look at what the design team has put together this week in our "Anything Goes" challenge. I hope you'll play along with us as I'd love to see your creations.

Today's challenges:
Crazy Challenge - Up in the air
Crafty Angels - Circles and squares
Caardvarks - Birthday Card

Sending huge thanks to all of you.. and hoping you have a terrific day. Be safe in all you do. See you manana!

Blog Hop at Isabella's Sketchbook

Hi friends.. Today we're having a circular blog hop at Isabella's Sketchbook.... our very first blog hop. A 'circular' hop means you get to start wherever you would like (it's new to me too!). If you go through the entire hop to check out all of the lovely projects the design team has put together, you will wind up right back here with me.  All of us are using this fabulous design that Isabella created just for the hop.  I think you will find it amazing to see how one image can be used in so many different ways as evidenced by the talented design team.

I chose to create a clean and simple card.. and paper pieced the basket of lemons, as well as used several coats of  Crystal Lacquer on the lemons themselves for a dimensional look. This darling image is now available at Isabella's shop.

Have fun and enjoy the hop! Your next stop on the hop is Peri... talk about one VERY talented lady. We are so pleased to have her at Isabella's team. 

Make sure you keep hopping along and leave comments along the way. The more comments you leave, the more chances you have of winning.  Our challenge continues until Friday, July 2nd at 8:00 EST and winners will be announced on Saturday, July 3rd. There will be 9 winners chosen from comments left during the hop. Each of the nine winners will receive 1 free Isabella image. How cool is that?

Today's challenges:

Delightful Sketches - It's all about summer
Digi Doodles - Anything goes


Thanks so much for stopping by.. have a fantastic day.  See you manana!!

Follow Your Heart

Hi friends and happy hump day. Wednesday's are challenge days at Isabella's Sketchbook. This week our challenge hostess has us celebrating Summer which is perfect since yesterday was the first day of summer here in the Northern Hemisphere. Not that we need an excuse to celebrate fantastic weather.. right?

This image is called "Saturday in the Garden" that you can find at Isabella's shop. For coloring, I used Copic markers and a bit of Prismacolor pencils.

Today's Challenges:

Caardvarks - Embossing
Crafty Ann's - Embossing
Treehouse Thursday Challenge - Tool time (used the Big Shot for embossing)
Diedrich Dare - Summertime



Hope you have a fantastic day.. thanks so much for stopping by. See you manana!

Isabella's Sketchbook

Welcome to Wednesday... and another challenge at Isabella's Sketchbook. This week our challenge is to use this sketch and turn it into a card or paper project...

The image is called "Hummingbirds" and you can find it at Isabella's Sketchbook online shop where you will find some darling images just perfect for coloring.

As you can see, you can flip or rotate the sketch to suit your needs. I don't usually make sympathy cards to keep on hand, but let's face it... it's inevitable that we'll need one. With these darling birds as the main part of the image, this could be used for any occasion.  Hope you will play along with us for the chance to win some free digis from her shop.

I'm also entering this in these challenges.

Crazy 4 Challenges - Create pleats (ribbon)

Corrosive Challenges - Use die cuts

Oooh-la-la - Use colors from challenge blog

Craft Your Passion - 1 DP and 3 brads

Everybody Art - Summer

A Fine Looking Cockerel

Happy Wednesday friends.. and happy June... doesn't time just fly by? 

Today my card is for this week's challenge at Isabella's Sketchbook. Our challenge is to use black and white with only color being used on the image. I've had this image of Isabella's for a while now just waiting for the right time and the right challenge. I think he looks so regal in these very untraditional jewel colors against the black and white papers.

I colored him with Prisma color pencils using Gamsol. The designer paper is from my stash.. the rest is pretty self-explanatory.

We have so much talent at Isabella's design team.. I do hope that you will stop by and check out the lovely creations Isabella has created as well as what the design team has put together...then play along in the challenges.  Hope to see you there - you might be the lucky winner of free digis from Isabella's shop.

Our Challenge at Isabella's Sketchbook

Hi everyone...

This week our challenge at Isabella's Sketchbook is to create a card or 3-D project to celebrate our country's colors, and with Memorial Day approaching here in the States, it's another opportunity for me to use red, white and blue! I love this image that Isabella Joy created.... it has such a homey, Americana look.

For my card, I used copics first, then highlighted with Prisma pencils. The napkin is paper pieced to match the background designer paper. The accents are a gun-metal button, white and red ribbons, and some hemp as an added touch. The sentiment was computer-generated.

The theme of the challenge is to create a card using the colors of your country's flag - so that leaves this wide open. 'Can't wait to see what you create. Hope you will check out Isabella's fine images and play along with us. There's a prize of two of Isabella's digi images for one lucky person.

I'm also entering this in these challenges:

Challenge up your life - recycling (metal button is from Lee Jeans)

Stamp Challenges - Two of something (ribbons)

Hedgehogsandladybirds - Anything digital

No Time To Stamp - Gone askew

Papercutz - Buttons and ribbons

Sketch and Stash Challenge - New, unused or neglected stash (papers and button)

Ooh-la-la creations Challenge - Bright and Cheerful

Daisy Doodles Creative Challenges - Anything goes

Thanks so much for stopping by. I hope you gleened a bit of inspiration from today's card. I'll see you here again tomorrow. Have a fantastic day friends!

Our Challenge at Isabella's Sketchbook

Happy Hump Day everyone... Wednesday is that day that gives us hope that the weekend isn't far away. It's all downhill from here!

Today I've got a card for our challenge at Isabella's Sketchbook. This week our challenge is about Birthdays, and I've created this card with a little girl's birthday in mind. This digi is "Garden Girl" and she has the most adorable, angelic face. The talented Design Team has some remarkable work that you can see here.

This week our random winner will receive:

•  two images from Isabella's Sketchbook,
•  the "I Won" badge that they can proudly display on their blog and
•  the Cuttlebug Embossing Folder "Lace Tree" 

Lots of great stuff! So I hope you will join us this week.

For this image, I used copic markers, made the fence using the Cricut cartridge "Walk In My Garden", and the butterflies were made with a Nestabilities die. Papers are from my scrap pile (it felt good not to open any new packages).

I'm also entering this in the following challenges:

Paper Take Weekly - Say it with flowers
Pile It On - Photo inspiration
Easy Craft Projects - Spring
All Sorts Challenge - Birthday (made this for a young lady)
Catch The Bug - Flower Power
One Stop Craft Challenge - Summer Breeze

I'm hoping you have a terrific day filled with lots of coloring and crafting. Thanks for stopping by.. I appreciate your comments very much. 'Til next time - have fun and be safe in all you do.

Isabella's Sketchbook Challenge

Hello and happy Wednesday friends! Today my post is for the newest challenge at Isabella's Sketchbook. and this week we are to prepare a card (or project) using the colors from Isabella's blog logo along with one of her digital images. The colors of her logo are really beautifully done.. don't you think?

Using these colors (and some touches of yellow), I created this card using Spring Has Sprung from Isabella's digital stamps.

Check out what the talented design team has put together as inspiration and join us.

Each week there's free images from Isabella's for someone lucky. With so many great images to select from I hope you will jump in and give this challenge a whirl.  The Design Team would love to see you there!
See you manana!  Thanks for stopping by.

This one's for you...

Mother's Day is a difficult day for me to celebrate since I lost my Mom a few years back..so I decided to change the way I think of how to celebrate special Moms.. (not to say that we all aren't special).  I've made special cards for my aunt...and sister.. and friends. Yet, it's time to move on in some other way. Does this pertain to you too?

My card today (for Isabella'sSketchbook challenge) is for all moms of soldiers past and present...and wives of soldiers. I think there's a terrific sacrifice that they make each and every day, especially when their loved ones are deployed. Don't you agree?

This is my virtual card for them.. so for all of special moms of troops, wives of troops, cousins, sisters, in-laws.. nieces.. friends of troops... this one is for you....

I hope you will join us as we celebrate all Moms at Isabella's Sketchbook.  The design team has put together some fantastic cards for Mother's Day. You can find more information here as we celebrate Moms! Please feel free to jump in to join our challenges. We'd love to have you join.

And you know what???.. there's nothing else to say... except

Happy Mother's Day to a wonderful bunch of ladies. Thank you sweet fans and followers. Hugs, P x

Happy Pink Saturday Friends!

Happy Pink Saturday everyone!

Today is my second post for Bev's Pink Saturday, and one for which I've been preparing since last week. And, I have the cutest little things to show you. 'Sure hope you like them.

These baby booties are just perfect for a little gift to meet a new baby and bring to the new Mom. The pattern is from my former mother-in-law who was an exceptional knitter. She taught me how to make these "kick-off-proof" booties, and many members of my family were recipients over the years. I've made these in several baby colors including blue, mint green, yellow... but for Pink Saturday, these had to be (what else but) pink. The card is made using a digital image from Isabella's Sketchbook... and lots of pink, of course. I'm always in the mood for something French...isn't this the cutest image?? (p.s...  if you don't see posts from me for a while it's probably because I ran away to France...don't put it past me!).

I'm thinking that these need to go to my Etsy shop so I can spread a little baby love around.  Whatcha think?

Hope you like them... I'd love to know.

Happy Pink Saturday...  and until next time.. be safe in all you do.

Isabella's Sketchbook Design Team

Hello faithful friends. Today I have some really great news to share with you.  I feel very fortunate to say that I have been selected to be part of the charter design team at Isabella's Sketchbook.

Isabella is a recent entrant to the digi market and has had a nice following and a great group at Paper Craft Planet. Followers get freebies, of course!  The design team that she has put together is a very talented group of ladies. I hope that you will check out all of the fantastic things they've created using Isabella's creations.

Heading up our team is design team leader, Linda Payne, and she has asked us to post one of our favorite images from Isabella's as we announce this great news. This one has to be my favorite so far... I love this digi and the way it turned out. Since creating this card, I've had this matted and framed. It's a great addition to my decor.

We are starting weekly challenges every Wednesday, so there's lot of stuff in the works right now.  If you would like to meet the design team.. have a look at all of their lovely creations. We would love to have you join us each week.

See you tomorrow!!  'Til then, be safe in all you do.

Monday Musings

Hi everyone... and happy Monday.

I spent a leisurely weekend enjoying Spring, some time at the KC Zoo to meet Spiderman (now I know you are jealous!)... am now sporting a sunburn and a stiff knee.  Rather than get out and about, I should just stay in my Craft Grotto where I can't get hurt!!  Do you have days like that?

I made this card using a digital image from Isabella's Sketchbook and had a lot of challenges in mind doing so. Still life art is one of my favs and I was able to capture the homey feeling that I was looking for with these papers and embellishments.

I'm entering this into these challenges:

Corrosive Challenge - Paper piercing
The Crafty Pad - Stitching
Rosie Dee's - Red and white
http://lexiscreations.blogspot.com/ - Recipe
Quixotic Paperie - metal
dareu2digistamp - metal
Artful Linkables - paint swatches
all that scraps - distressing
http://allsortschallenge.blogspot.com/ - Stitching
http://drunkenstampers.wordpress.com/ - Junk Drawer (paint swatches)
Lucy's Cards - Stitching
Isabella's Sketchbook - Sketch

Thanks so much for stopping by today. I hope your day is filled with lots of good things.

Sweet Treats & Easter Projects

Hi everyone.. I'm just trying to catch up on some posting... these are things left over from Easter and the last few weeks that I didn't get to post. 

These little darling chocolate bars were a result of inspiration from my friend Judy (Jaydekay on PCP).. she made something similar for a Sassy Cheryl's challenge. I quickly remembered the chocolate I bought for Easter that I hid so my family wouldn't help themselves before Easter.. problem was that I hid them so well even I couldn't find them! Using inspiration from Judy, I CASEd it up a bit.

This cute little bunny image is a digital image from Isabella's Sketchbook.

Here's just a few more of my last minute Easter cards and paper projects that I haven't had the chance to get posted.

Some House Mouse images for Easter baskets for the dinner table...(sans the chocolate)

A darling Easter card that never got mailed.. .(yikes!!)

Another Easter card (image from Sassy Cheryl's) that never got mailed... (super yikes!)

Made 25 of these little purses for a wedding shower for a friend...

and my Sis and I decoupaged eggs for the mantel...

Whew... 'glad that's finally done.

AND... if you need something to celebrate, tomorrow is Blame Someone Else Day... you know I'm not making this up. You can read all about it at the link. So, if you are into finger-pointing you have a great excuse!

Thanks so much for stopping by.. 'til next time, happy coloring and be safe in all you do.

Wednesday Musings

One card... many challenges.... you gotta love it! How's that for time management?

This is "Mary, Mary", a digi from Isabella's Sketchbook, a new digital company on the scene. She was colored with Prismacolor pencils and there's a bit of Spica glitter pen in her bow and flowers.  Designer paper is from my stash.

I'm linking this up to these challenges..

Isabella's Sketchbook - use a circle, floral/garden theme and digi from Isabella's.
Lord Have Mercy -Sketch
My Time to Craft - Spots/dots
Flutterby Wednesdays - Butterflies & sparkle
For Fun Challenge - Flowers/Spring
The Pixie Challenge - Embossing
Stampin Royalty - Color Challenge
Quixotic Cards - Joys of Spring
Stamptacular Sunday - Sugar and Spice
Colour Create - Pastels & Spring
Trimmies Craft Challenge - Turquoise and Purple

Thanks so much for stopping by... see you again tomorrow! 'Til then, be safe in all you do.

Asian Influence from Isabella's Sketchbook

Digital artist Isabella of Isabella's Sketchbook is hosting her very first challenge today. It's a sketch that she created while she's waiting to put together her first design team. She's so excited she just can't wait to get started. Can't say I blame her!

I absolutely love the convenience of digital images and purchased a few images from her shop a few days ago.. they are all terrific, but some in particular really caught my eye and they were perfect for a project I had in mind. So I quickly got busy making up this card for the challenge.  I enlarged the digital image to make it the central focus of my card.

By the way, in celebration of her first challenge, Isabella has a sale going on... all images are 20% off at her shop today through Friday. We all love sales, right? So hop over there to check it out.  And you might want to check out the DT requirements on her blog.. she's looking for some talented people to join her team.

I'm linking this up to her challenge.. she's got some great prizes this week to celebrate kicking off her challenges. Random winners will have a shot at...

First Place: a $15 gift certificate to Isabella's

Second Place: $9 gift certificate to Isabella's

Third Place: $6 gift certificate to Isabella's

This was a really fun project to work on. After coloring with Prismacolor pencils and OMS, I heat-set Ranger's Ultra Thick Embossing Enamel, (gave it five coats allowing it to dry in between) then popped it into the freezer for about 15 minutes before cracking it. I used Ranger's tea dye to give it an antique/distressed look.  I'll be doing this technique again in the near future... it was a lot of time spent doing it, but I love the outcome. Even the men in my house approved!

So thanks so much for stopping by and saying hello. I'm wishing you a wonderful Spring day..
'Til next time happy coloring and be safe in all you do.

Digi Images from Isabella's Sketchbook

Happy Monday everyone!

I've got a card to show you using an image from a new digital artist to the papercraft scene. Her name is Isabella Molina, owner of Isabella's Sketchbook. Isabella has recently started a new group at Paper Craft Planet that you have to check out.. there's even freebies for her members. Her images are perfect for coloring. Right now she's putting together a design team, so go check it out!

This still life shot was colored with Prismacolor pencils using Gamsol. I love my markers, but really enjoy pencil coloring. I can sometimes work hours creating a pencil image as is the case with this one.

I purchased an old dictionary (circa 1962) from my local used-book shop just for paper-crafting. 'Doesn't quite qualify as an antique or relic, does it? It was all of $1 but perfect for my repurposed projects. I selected the page that describes peaches... kind of nifty, don't you think?

I'm entering this in the One Stop Craft Challenge where the theme is fruit.

Thanks so much for stopping by.. I hope you are enjoying a beautiful Spring Day. I'll be back tomorrow with my Sassy Cheryl's challenge item, so until then, happy crafting and be safe in all you do.