Day 245 - Super Sketchy Sunday

HAPPY HALLOWEEN!!!!!

And welcome to The Angel Company Week, sponsored by Karen Seifert. 

The Angel Company has wonderful paper, stamps, and other accesories that are ideal for cardmaking.  If you aren't familiar with their products, click on Karen's name above and it will take you to her site.

Later this week, I will share a photo of all the goodies that one lucky winner will receive at the end of the week!

Let's kick off the week with today's sketch:

And your 365 Cards Sunday DT cards:

Amy

Rose

Tesa

Sophia

Pam

Have a fun and safe Halloween!

Day 244 - 365 Cards Inspired!

Hello everyone, this is Heidi Stock, the Saturday designer!

I am excited to do the 365 Cards post today and share a card and challenge with you!

Today's challenge is "blog inspired," but specifically 365 Cards Blog inspired!  You may have noticed that the blog has been beautifully redesigned by our wonderful Pam, so I got to use the new design as my inspiration (it wasn't too difficult either :)

Let the new look of the 365 Cards blog inspire your card.

Here's what I came up with today:

I was inspired specifically by the green background with the contrast of the white header.  The stamped frame and sentiment represent the brown scrolls in the header and "A New Card Challenge Every Day."  The flowers are brought about from the fall leaves in the header and I got to use this fantastic Chrysanthemum image from Sweet n' Sassy Stamps for that!

You can check out a full post at my blog to learn more, but start linking up those cards and leave a comment to share how you were inspired by the 365 Cards blog redesign!

Day 243 - Scraplift Yourself

Time to rock your own style by picking two of your favorite cards that you've ever create, and take what you love most about them to create a whole new card!

Sophie really sets a fabulous example with hers.

The first card she chose is this one, and she select the doodle stamp to duplicate on her new card: 

Then she decided to use the tone-on-tone sentiment idea, which she grabbed from this card:

And then she created this beauty, using that wreath stamp from Sweet 'n Sassy:

Great choices, Sophie!  I'm especially fond of the way the sentiment turned out - very cool!!

No doubt you have cards you've made in the past that you are especially proud of, and now you can celebrate them as you complete this challenge...

Day 242 - Wonderful Watercolors

How do you feel about painting?  Well that's what this challenge calls for.  Pull out a paintbrush, some water, and some paints and get ready to color in an image.

And that's the challenge: Take an image (or two, if you would like) and use ONLY watercolor paints to color in the image.  If you have them, and you would prefer to use them, watercolor pencils would work as well.

Hannah did a wonderful job painting on this Sweet 'n Sassy image:

And the overall look of the card is beautiful!

I love the effect that watercolors create on a card, and I can't wait to see what you do with them...

Day 241 - Scavenger Hunt

  Here's the challenge: Find 3 items around your house that are not typically used in card making, but would work on a card. Get creative - it may be a tool, or a trinket off something else. They don't have to be different items - you could use 3 of the same thing.

Kim's is so cool, take a look:

Now take a closer look at those hearts...they're actually die cuts from a mat that Kim uses under her puppy's food and water dishes.  She says that when she bought it, they were not completely punched out, so she popped those little guys outta there, and there you have it!  Now that's clever - and like nothing I've ever seen on a card before!!

There's a lot of room for creativity here, so have fun with it and head out on a scavenger hunt...

Day 240 - I've Got it Covered

We have a winner from Stampin' Up week...

Congrats to Doreen!!!!

Email me here for all the details.

There were some truly creative and gorgeous cards in the gallery this week.  We selected the following 7 designers to be in the Spotlight this week for truly inspiring us with their fabulous card creations:

Congratulations - you are all welcome to grab the Spotlight Designer badge for your blogs! 

Here's that amazing group of designers who made up the Weekly Challenge All-Stars for the week for completing all challenges from Sunday to Saturday:

Anita, Doreen, Paula M., Christina S., Linda B., Christel, and The Navy Wife

You've all got a special blinkie available to you over in the sidebar.

Now it's time to get back to the business of sharing challenges.  Today's challenge is called

I've got it covered because you need to cover the entire card, inside and out with patterned paper.  The inside has to be different from the outside (so it doesn't count to fold a piece of double-sided paper in half), and you can put anything else on the card that you want.

Here's Audrey's card:

Wow, I love that patterned paper, and check out that adorable mouse image from Sweet 'n Sassy Stamps!

Get those cards covered and link them up...

Day 239 - All That Glitters

In this case, all that glitters on your card should be an image.  Select an image (rubber stamp or digi) and color it in using ONLY glitter.  Glitter glue and glitter pens count, as long as the entire image is glittery!

Gloria managed this one beautifully, using a wreath from Sweet 'n Sassy stamps as her image:

Here's a close-up of the glittery goodness:

As Gloria discovered, photographing the glitter is difficult to do, but if you tell us it's glittered we'll believe ya!

Yikes - I used some form of the word "glitter" (8 times - 9 if you count the last one and 10 if you count the title)!!  I think the purpose of this challenge is clear, lol!

Tomorrow I'll be back with some winners as we move that post to Tuesdays now...

Day 238 - Super Sketchy Sunday

We are thrilled to welcome back Sweet 'n Sassy Stamps as our sponsor of the week!!!

Sweet 'n Sassy Stamps is a Christian digi stamp company offering a wide variety of hand drawn digital stamp designs and sentiments for the digital stamper or scrapbooker.  We started out as a clear stamp company back in November 2007 and made the change over to all digital in February 2010.  We have hundreds of fabulous digis to choose from starting at just $.99. Check us out at http://sweetnsassystamps.com/.

All week long we'll be featuring digital images from Sweet 'n Sassy on our cards!

Here's the Sunday sketch:

And your fabulous Design Team cards:

Rose

Amy

Sophia

Tesa

Wow - amazing job, Ladies!!

It's going to be a great week of challenges, 365ers, so stick around...

Day 237 - Stampin' Saturday

Time for some stamping! 

Here is the specific challenge - Stamp on a card and stamp an envelope to match.

The card need not be exclusively stamped, but the envelope should be to fit the challenge.

Here's Heidi's fabulous creation:

With a close-up shot of the card:

And the envelope:

That wood grain stamp is the coolest!  Well done, Heidi :)

Tomorrow we'll be back with a sketch and a new sponsor...

Day 236 - Friday Five

I'm in the mood to throw out an easy challenge - hmmmm, is that an oxymoron?  Well anyway, I'm calling it the Friday Five.

Here are the specifics:  Select any five items to put on your card, and aside from the cardstock, there can only be five items on your card (that includes patterned paper).

Think you can do it?  Well Sophie sure did, check it out:

Wow - I love that gorgeous yellow paper, and Sophie is definitely rockin' the CAS style!

So pick 5, any 5, and show us what you've got...

Day 235 - Pick 3

There are some strict guidelines for this challenge, but still plenty of room for freedom.

I challenge you to:

1) Select any 3 patterns

2) Select any 3 colors, and

3) Select any 3 embellishments to include on your card.

Stick to only those items, except for the sentiment (anything goes for that).

Here's what Hannah did with the challenge:

Such an elegant card!  Hannah's 3 colors are green, yellow and white, she has 3 patterned papers and her 3 embellishments are the flower brad, ribbon, and the gems. 

This challenge should get those creative juices flowing, and I can't wait to see what you come up with!

Day 234 - Imagine This

Here's an Image This challenge that should be fun, maybe even easy, and it's perfect for Kim.

For this one, all you need to think about are Palm Trees.  You can use the item itself, a feature of the item (color, texture, shape), or just what it makes you think of.

As the weather gets cooler where I live, and the leaves are changing color, I'm thinking I'd like to see some warm sunshine and maybe a white sandy beach by the ocean.  So I was definitely in the mood to throw out this type of challenge.

Here's what Kim came up with:

Love those colors, and I'd love to be sipping on that yummy beverage right now :)  And check out the palm trees in that background paper - very cool!!

By the way, we're going to be changing the way we do things around here.  I'll be moving the "winners" announcements to Tuesdays to give the DT an extra day to look at your cards.  Although I look at all the cards that are posted right up until the deadline, other DT members may not see those that are posted late on Sundays, what with all our different time zones, and they want to be able to give everyone a fair chance to be a Spotlight Designer.  I'll be updating the Rules for Participation, and I will make this change to that as well.

Okay, back to the challenge - start scrapping!

Day 233 - White Space

It's about time for another White Space challenge dontcha think?

Here's the sketch:

The goal for the challenge is to limit your decorations (including patterned paper) to the blacked out areas on the sketch.  The background should be kept free of embellishments, stamping, etc.

Audrey created a "pretty in pink" card:

Wow, I'm lovin' those blossoms.  And the great thing about a white space challenge is it forces us to keep it simple, and those beautiful embellies really stand out!

Another challenge coming up tomorrow...

Day 232 - Bounty of Buttons

We have a winner from Prickley Pear Rubber Stamps Week...

Congrats to Paula M.!!!

Please email me here so we can arrange for you to receive your prize

Here is a huge and exciting change at 365 Cards.  Instead of a Top Trio, we are going to put SEVEN designers in the Spotlight for their wonderful card creations.  If we're going to have a challenge every day of the week, then we'd like to give credit to a designer for each challenge.

So here is our first official set of Spotlight Designers:

I want you to be able to share this acknowledgments on your blogs, so I've created a special badge just for the occasion.  This is what it looks like, and you can find it over in the sidebar as well:

One thing that won't change is that we must recognize those card makers who complete every challenge from Sunday to Saturday by the deadline.

Congrats to

Doreen, Paula M., Studio Sara, and Linda B.

And now you've got a very special blinkie, which you can also find over on the sidebar. 

And anyone who has been listed among the Weekly Challenge All-Stars during previous weeks may also add it to your blogs.

Whew, I think that's all the big changes for now.  November will also bring some exciting news, but it's still October, and Gloria has a card to share with you today.

The specific challenge is to put FIFTEEN buttons on your card.  If you have a lot in your stash, now's the time to use a bunch of them up.

Here's Gloria's super clever design:

Here's a close-up on that jar of buttons:

Isn't that the cutest?  And such a great way to incorporate the buttons.  And the inside reads: "It's all about the treat".

We were so excited to see all the new participants last week.  Everyone is welcome to participate and you can jump in anytime - you never know, you just might end up in the spotlight :)

Day 231 - Super Sketchy Sunday

 Welcome to Stampin' Up Week!!!!

I'll give you more details, but first let's start off with a sketch:

And some DT cards:

Andrea

Pam

 Tesa

Sophia

Rose

 Amy

And now I'd like to tell you a bit about our sponsor...

Her name is Catherine Pooler, and you might recognize her name among the participants in the gallery each week.  Not only did she sponsor the DT with product, but she created a card to share with us today (not to mention that she's offering a prize to one lucky winner this week)!

Here's her card:

I love this - those bats are a fabulous touch! 

Click on Catherine's name up above and it will take you directly to her site so you can see more of her gorgeous cards and find out about all the latest Stampin' Up products.

Tomorrow I'll be back with some winners, and a big change that you won't want to miss...

Day 230 - Last, But Not Least

With this challenge, it's time to pull out a technique that you don't often do (maybe even prefer not to), but one you would like to try again.  Maybe you've wanted to try stitching on cards (or you have and rejected it).  Maybe there's a coloring technique or an aging technique.  Whatever it is, it's time to give it a fair chance.

For me, it would be embossing on cards - I keep thinking I'm going to pull out my embossing machine and folders, but I haven't in a long time!

For Heidi, it's masking - she loves the look, but doesn't always have the patience to do it.  Here's her card with the technique, using a fabulous Prickley Pear tree stamp:

Here's a close-up so you can see how she got the white polka dots around the trees in the background:

It doesn't have to be a technique that you don't like, but rather one that you've just been hesitant to use. 

Tomorrow brings a new week and a new sponsor!