Sunflower Studio

BEATE'S WEEKEND SKETCH CHALLENGE #42

    I wanted to at least stamp one thing this weekend...it's hard to squeeze it in sometimes with family stuff going on.  So in between baseball practice, dinner with neighbors, a trip to Home Depot, a little straightening here, a little straightening there, and a whole lotta laundry, I tried Beate's Weekend Sketch Challenge...she's up to #42 now!
    This card uses SU!'s Ginger Blossom designer paper.  I think it's just gorgeous.  I've had it forever but I think it's the first time that I've actually cut into it.  I bought this little bird stamp at AC Moore the other day.  It's not a store that I frequent because it's a little bit away from me and I think they're stamps are usually overpriced, but this little guy was on sale and I fell in love with him.  I also had some new Memory Box stamps that I used here:  the thicker branch is called Bird Branch (E1035), the branch with leaves is called Leaf Branch (D1034), and the thin swirly branch is called Verdi Flourish (C987).  I used a few different inks on top of each other so it's hard to make out each branch clearly.  The sentiment stamp is from A Muse.  This is the first time that I've broken out the Primas in a while...maybe the first time this year!  At this rate, when I die they'll have to scatter Primas over me instead of real flowers...I've got a ton of them.  I also splurged and used these tiny little pearls from Kaiser Scrapbook that I bought in Florida.  Pearls seem to be the thing right now.

A NEW NEST

My girlfriend and her brand new hubby closed on their first home together last week.  I'm so excited for them and they are ecstatic that they'll actually have all of their belongings - and each other! - in one place instead of in two townhouses.  We're trying to hook up and have lunch this week so that I can check out their new digs.  I knew that I needed a card to celebrate this big new milestone for them.
    I decided to give another of Beate's Weekend Sketch Challenges a try.  I love doing sketch challenges.  Sometimes using the sketch can free up the other parts of your creativity - colors, embellishments, patterned papers choices, etc. - and help to give you that boost to get your card started.
    I know that Donna and Dave will thoroughly enjoy their happy 'new nest'!
Supplies:  Stamps - birds in nest/sentiment by Savvy Stamps, Dry Brush jumbo wheel by SU! (so sadly retired!); CS - Basic Gray, Brocade Blue, Certainly Celery, White; Ink - Black Versafine, various for watercoloring, Basic Gray, Basic Black Craft ink; Other - Periphery patterned paper from 6x6 pad by Basic Grey - how interesting that the 'bracket' part of that piece of paper was right in the corner and waiting for my sentiment!, brads, sponge, white Signo Gel Pen, black fine tip marker, SU! ribbon, Waterfall Stickles, black EP, SU! scalloped circle punch, Creative Memories circle cutting system.