Quite the Leap....FMS292

I love "behind the scenes" stories that tell what really happened...........like the making of this card for example......

I can't envision a card totally in my head.....I have to play around with paper, colors and images a bit on scrap paper before I start the real thing.  I loved Cecile's circles this week and decided to try a one layer card and recreate the sketch with just stamping.  I planned a light wash in the background with my design stamped on top of it.  I pulled out Eastern Elegance and started playing with circles and patterns (as you can see below) while my watercolor dried.....just trying to figure out how I would do it "for real."  

But my watercolor wash ended up being very dark and I thought to myself.....wow that looks like a frog pond.......and before I knew I had frogs playing leap frog across the pool!

Cecile my oh so talented friend from across the big pond has a delightful sketch for us this week at Freshly Made Sketches!

I am also adding this card to the CAS Summer watercolour gallery.

Stamp Sets:  Ribbit Ribbit (Avery Elle), Hoppy Days (Newton's Nook)

Ink:  Black, Zig Watercoloring

Fusion: Tulips on a Bike

Nothing like a bouquet of tulips to brighten up a spring day......and nothing like a new hairdo to put a spring in your step even when you are 92!

Gram missed her little partner in crime who had school today.......so no squabbling or fighting over munchkins in the back seat!

Such a sweet spring photo this week at Fusion!  Love the tulips!  Hope you play along!

Stamp Sets: Tranquil Tulips, Delightful Daisy

Ink:  Pool Party, Peekaboo Peach, Basic Gray, Black

Paper:  Whisper White, Smoky Slate

Loads of Fun..........FMS291

Try to imagine this card with no sentiment on it.  I thought the washer and the shelf represented the elements of the sketch just fine.  And then I stamped the words and POOF the sketch just disappeared in front of my eyes - much harder to see the basic elements of the sketch now so look carefully!  Anyway that got me thinking......and wondering.....when do you stamp your sentiment? I always stamp mine last.  Sometimes I change my mind about what sentiment to use as the card comes together and then of course space is a factor as well.  But once that sentiment is stamped there is no going back!  I admit to starting a card over more than once due to a smudgy or crooked sentiment.  And sometimes I have covered it up with a banner ;)  So what are your secrets for well placed sentiments?

Jen Brum designed such a fun sketch for us this week at Freshly Made Sketches!  You can let your imagination run wild with this one!

                                           

Stamps: Loads of Fun (Lawn Fawn)
Paper:  Whisper White, Cool Treats DSP
Ink: Black, Copics






                                                                       

Stamp Review Crew: Colorful Seasons

All four seasons are represented in Colorful Seasons and  I picked summer!  We are having a cool, rainy spring and I am dreaming of a camp chair, flowers and lemonade!  

We got our boat out of storage and into the lake over Memorial Day weekend - without the Big Guy!  Our launch was almost cancelled because he had to work a rescheduled ball game.  But the Big Guy said we could do it and gave each one of us specific instructions.  Mine were very simple:

"When the boat slides off the trailer and Mike yells go, drive the car and trailer up out of the water and don't stop until you get back to camp......and take the corner wide to get into the driveway.  Don't worry that you have never pulled a boat trailer before.....just keep driving and don't get into a situation where you have to back up!"

Seriously?  Did you catch the "never pulled a boat trailer" part?  (My usual job is to sit in the back of the boat as it is being launched because extra weight makes it slide off the trailer easier....sigh.....) But you know the big guy was right and I made it back to camp no problem while the rest of the sailors cruised to the dock.  

Such a proud crew!

My fellow New Yorker Heidi Baks knows all about this rainy spring we have had!  If you missed her wonderful work head back there!

Otherwise your next stop is with Twila Davis - enjoy her creations!!

I used the fun sketch at Cas(e) this Sketch for the layout of my card!

Stamp Set:  Colorful Seasons

Paper:  Whisper White, Delightful Daisy DSP

Ink:  Smoky Slate, Daffodil Delight, Calypso Coral, Tranquil Tide, Basic Gray