Sunflower Studio

ADOBE ILLUSTRATOR

I'm taking a class online through reneepearson.com to learn Adobe Illustrator CS4.  Renee was one of my digital scrapbooking heros...she's amazing.  This class is being taught by Laura Coyle and she's pretty amazing too.  Check out her website....woweeeee!  The class is pretty cool.  What I've learned so far is that almost anything can be made graphically using shapes.  You don't necessarily need to be an artist...at least that's what I'm hoping.  I really need a ton of practice since I'm a firm believer in the fact that you can only get better by "doing".  So, the first week we used the shapes and then this past week we worked with color.  The three graphics above were made using a combo of both lessons.  What I couldn't figure out is how to resize and blah, blah so that I could show you these here on the blog...oh well...that's for another day.  For now, just thought I'd share a little peek with you.

TCP TUESDAY #106 & #107

I almost forgot that I hadn't posted my TCP TUESDAY card this week!  Where-is-my-brain?  I combined the challenge for last week {"Get Corked!" from AMY} and this week's color challenge - TURQUOISE, RED, AND IVORY - from JOANNE.

I'm letting the patterned papers do the job in the color department.  The cloud paper is in the Earth Love collection and the red burst is from the Garden Variety collection - both from Cosmo Cricket.  The silly bunny and sentiment are in the brand new BLOW mini set from THE CAT'S PAJAMAS.  I cut my thin cork sheet using one of the PTI flower die sets.  Worked like a charm.  The red ribbon is also PTI and the buttons are all from TCP.  

YOU HOO {sfytt}

You Hoooooooo!  Morning, SFYTT people.  I wasn't sure that I was gonna get my card made today since I had an unexpected but very welcome guest this weekend...my good friend Mecah from Chicago.  We've been having fun shopping and eating and giggling for a few days.  I did get it done though, thankfully, so here goes...

My card this time started out with the layer that you almost can't even see anymore.  I received the new woodgrain impression plate from PTI yesterday and had to give it a go.  {Hey, has anyone else had the plate sort of curl after going through their machine?  I use a Big Shot Express but just wondering if it's normal that it curls up a bit.}  Works pretty good though.  The patterned papers here are from My Mind's Eye...I just loved the earthy colors.  The background paper had the little owl in it so I dug around in my owl stamps and chose this fun little guy by Kim Hughes.  The sentiment is from a mini set from Hero Arts.  Oh, and remember when we all had-to-have those little Jolee's embellishments?  Glad that I never throw anything away...found these little leaves in my stash to finish off the branch.

Anyhoo...that's me this week.  Off to check in on the other SFYTT girls this week and see what they've done with JEN's sketch.  Here's the list so that you can follow along too...

Susan Liles…taking a break this week due to Eric’s chemo schedule. Please keep her and her family in your thoughts and prayers.
Amy Rohl
Amy Sheffer…taking a break this week
Leigh O’Brien
Kelly Lunceford
Megan Lock
Jenn Diercks
Amber Hight
Sony Christoph

and Jen del Muro with this month's special guest designer, Makeesha Byl.

SALUD! {sfytt}

Here's another little somethin' new from THE CAT'S PAJAMAS using JEN'S Sketch For You To Try this Saturday.  Mr. Penguin with his big sombrero and his gigantic Margarita, along with the sentiment, are from the SALUD mini set that was released this week. (It's also in the KITTY KAT PACK right now!)  I was trying to do my best AMY slash JOANNE impression on this one.  You know how those gals are with the big bows, fun patterns, sewing, etc.  I'm forever trying to capture their style since I do love it.  And don't ya just love that enormous button?  That was in one of my button packs from TCP too!  Anyway, I'll keep my post short and sweet this week.  

Be sure to pop in on the rest of the SFYTT girls to see what they've made with this week's sketch...that's always fun!

Susan Liles
Amy Rohl
Amy Sheffer
Kelly Lunceford
Megan Lock
Jenn Diercks
Amber Hight

Sonja Christoph

and Jen del Muro with this month's special guest designer, Makeesha Byl.

SOME BUNNY SPECIAL

Here's another new release card from THE CAT'S PAJAMAS.  I'm not usually a 'Purple" kinda gal but I had some patterned paper around and I thought it went with TONI's photo for this week's TCP TUESDAY inspiration challenge.  {See my last post.}

This lazy little bunny, lounging on a toadstool, is from the BLOW set that's available today.  The striped paper is from American Crafts and I used one of my new Spellbinders dies - the large Classic Scallop...a tad different than all of those small scallops that we've been using.  I found instructions for the flowers on THIS BLOG.  {You've got to take a peek at how FAB her's look on some bare branches...cool!} I really like how the airbrushed background turned out on this card too...looks like twilight.

CAT'S PAJAMAS NEW RELEASE BLOG HOP

I challenge you to find a better way to celebrate the start of Spring than with brand new Spring image stamps from THE CAT'S PAJAMAS!  Alma's come up with five new sets that you'll have to have and they'll all be available tomorrow.  Are you ready to see more?  Well, the design team is revealing lots of fun new projects tonight so hop along with us, won't you?!

If you've come here first, you'll want to go back and start at the beginning with TONI'S BLOG.  It's Toni's week to be the Hipster Hostess with the Mostess for TCP TUESDAY and she's using the funky and colorful picture to the right as her Inspiration Challenge.  {Don't forget that the next SWANKY STAMPER could be YOU!  Upload your card for this week's challenge to the SLIDE SHOW on ALMA'S BLOG so that you'll be in the running for that.}  If you're arriving here from SUSAN'S BLOG then thanks for coming by!

I created these BUNNY WANDS for a make and take that Alma was doing in Boston at the end of March.  I'm thrilled with the way they turned out...so girly, right?! (Sorry for the terrible photo...I just couldn't get a good one this time!) I would have loved to see a whole room full of stamp and scrapbook store owners carrying these around.  These would be adorable favors for a little girl's party or a ballet class.  The image and sentiment are from a new mini-set called TUTU MUCH and the instructions for these can be found on the TCP site as the APRIL PROJECT OF THE MONTH. {A teensy bit different version but the cool thing is that you can decorate them however you like.}

Where to next?  How about right on over to ALMA'S BLOG and the end of our hop.  Hopefully we've inspired you to "need" some new stamps and to create a little somethin' springy for yourself!

HOLA! {sfytt}

Hey there, stampers!  I'm back from a week of glorious sunshine in St. Pete, Florida.  I should feel well relaxed...hmmm?  Not sure about that part but I am TAN!  That's a good thing...at least for me, it's always a goal.  I missed out on last week's SFYTT sketch and I also missed my own sketch week for TCP, daggonit!  I'm back now and getting ready for a brand new release at The Cat's Pajamas next week.  Wanna little peek?  Here we go...

How about a little fun with Cinco de Mayo!  Alma's created two fun new mini sets featuring her famous penguins.  Here's one of them wearing a gigantic sombrero.  Fun, right?!  I'm definitely trying to find my creative muse after being away from stamping for a few weeks.  Gotta ease back into it.  Thankfully, I'm starting with one of Jen's sketches...that takes care of the layout part of things at least.

The design team for The Cat's Pajamas will be blog hopping on Tuesday, April 13th to show you all of the new images so be sure to stop back and take a look.  In the meantime, check out what all of the other SFYTT girls have done with this week's sketch...the list is below!

Susan Liles
Amy Rohl
Amy Sheffer
Kelly Lunceford
Megan Lock
Jenn Diercks
Amber Hight

and Sonja Christoph who just joined the team.  Also, our leader, Jen del Muro with this month's special guest designer, Makeesha Byl.

So are you gonna play along with us? Just upload your creation to the Slide Guestbook on Jen's blog for today's sketch.  All entries will be considered for a future Designer of the Month position. If you upload to online galleries, please use the keyword SFYTT.