Sketch It Saturday: Robo Birthday

Hello friends. It's another Sketch It Saturday with Unscripted Sketches. Want to play along? Use the sketch below as inspiration when creating a card, layout, or project. Then head over to Unscripted Sketches to link up with us. You just might be featured the next week!

I added some Distress Ink and faux stitching to the edges of my papers. 

The chipboard buttons were self adhesive: doesn't get any easier than that to add some cute embellishments! The star is a grungeboard piece with embossed harlequin pattern. To add color, I rubbed a brown pigment ink pad along the star. The juicy foam let the ink get into all the flat surfaces. Next, using a flat die pad, I lightly added black ink over the top. The black ink stuck only to the raised pattern. 

In the rearranging of my craft room, I've misplaced my nice Cutter Bee scissors. So this cute image from Market Street Stamps is not as clean as he should be. I'm just not a fan of using an x-acto knife, so I sit and whine with a big, clunky scissors in my hand! We're so spoiled sometimes!

I hope you've enjoyed my take on today's sketch. Make sure to head over to Unscripted Sketches to see what the rest of the design team cooked up! Those girls are crazy talented. I love being apart of such a great team!

CARD SUPPLIES
Stamps: Market Street Stamp (RoboLove), A Muse Studio
Inks: Distress Ink (Vintage Photo), StazOn (Jet Black), A Muse Studio (French Roast)
Ribbon: A Muse Studio (Onyx Dot Sheer)
Star: Tim Holtz Grungeboard Elements Harlequin
Patterned Paper: DCWV
Cardstock Card: Paper Cut (A-7 White)

Key To Your Heart...

Last night I came across the above art journal page. The page, created a few years ago, was inspired by Sondre Lerche's version of Let My Love Open The Door. I wrote the lyrics to the song and added watercolor over them, blurring the words. Next: some tape, paper, gesso, white out, fibers, oil paints, and an illustrated me. My favorite part of journaling is looking back... reliving the emotions of that time. It's great to reflect on how far I've come, changed, and grown. Do you journal your thoughts through words or art? 

Enjoy some Sondre Lerche and enjoy your day!

Renegade Part 2: The Windy City

There's me on the left! With my besties Rach & Anna

I shared some pictures with you last week documenting my recent trip to Chicago for the Renegade Craft Fair. If you missed the post, you can read it here. There were a few more pictures from the great city I couldn't keep from you. We headed to Millennium Park to play around for awhile. 

Love these ladies... and our fun adventures.

Simple Card : Large Smile

Spending tonight creating cards for friends around the country that I haven't seen in awhile. There's nothing like a little snail mail to make your day. 

Layout Tuesday: On Tour

I created a scrapbook page for Layout Tuesdays... You can find the post with more close-ups at the Creations Galore blog. 

A Quick Card...

Happy Monday! I have a quick card to share with you this morning. I love the colors from Doodlebug's new Halloween collection, Haunted Manor. The fun patterns make it easy to transition from Halloween to friendship. 

I made this card 3.5 x 5 inches and made a few extra to send around to close friends. 

Enjoy your week!

-Nicole

CARD SUPPLIES
Cardstock: Paper Cut
Patterned Paper, Bling: Doodlebug (Haunted Manor)
Stamps: Market Street Stamps (Nuts about Nature)
Ink: Memento (Tuxedo Black)
Tag: Inkssentials (#5-cut to fit)

Bottoms Up! A little Green Bay Packers love...

Football is here! We're three weeks into the regular football season, and it's time to celebrate. To do so, I'm sharing a card celebrating my favorite team, the Green Bay Packers. They are, after all, the best. ;)

Let's make this a tradition, shall we? I had the pleasure of coordinating and teaching a Packer-themed card class at Creations Galore. For the next few Sundays, I'll bring a new football card your way. Bears fans beware. 

CARD SUPPLIES 

Cardstock: Paper Cut

Patterned Paper: Custom Spirit Paper

Stamps: Peachy Keen Stamps (Bottoms Up Snowman, Colby and Jack Cheeseheads)

Inks: Copic Markers, Memento (Tuxedo Black)

COPIC COLOR LIST

Yellows (Hat): Y11, Y15, Y17

Greens: G17, G28

Beer: Y21, YR23

Snow: B60

Cheeks: R20

Carrot Nose: YR07

Sketch It Saturdays: Trailblazer

Good morning, and welcome to another Sketch It Saturday with Unscripted Sketches. I'm so happy you've stopped by. Let's take a look at this week's sketch:

Flip it, rotate it, change the shape... Create any card, layout, or other project using this sketch as inspiration, and link up with us at Unscripted Sketches before next week! Here's my take on the sketch:

Don't forget to beautify the inside:

Head over to Unscripted Sketches to see what the rest of our Design Team created!

CARD SUPPLIES

Cardstock: American Crafts

Stamps: Hero Arts (Past Times)

Inks: Memento (Tuxedo Black)

Twill: Creative Imaginations

Renegade Part 1 : The Fair

I was lucky enough to travel to Chicago for the Renegade Craft Fair. As my friend Anna stated, there was "so much facial hair and vintage." I felt right at home. I've wanted to attend Renegade in past years (this was Chicago's 10th annual fair); however, working at a small, independent business with your mom makes taking vacations together quite a challenge. 

How crazy awesome are my mom's photo taking skills?
Not even looking and got all 5 of us! haha

I gathered together (from left to right) my good looking momma, my dear friend Anna, my roomie Rachael, myself (it can be hard getting out of bed), and my pops (he's trying to be a safe driver). I have the greatest support system around. My dad despises big cities, Anna is weirded out by all that facial hair, and Rach still has no idea what the words 'indie artisian' mean. It's all ok. Because they came along for the ride... to experience what I love and adore... and I think they actually enjoyed themselves. 

If you've not heard of Renegade, visit their website now. No seriously. Go. Over 300 vendors selling 100% handmade goods - They even had a large section of vintage booths. I was delighted to run into sellers from my hometown! It was wonderful to network, attend a few workshops, shop, eat, shop, eat, and shop! Here's a few photos of the day:

My mom & dad

My mom saw this alleyway and thought it would make a good picture... good call momma!

A few shops had set up free workshops. We attended one hosted by Lillstreet Art Center and had a private lesson on metalwork and jewelry making. 

My mom created a bracelet that said "You Me" (she's so in love with my dad, crazy cute), mine showed off my initials, and Rach hammered in "Wolfe Pack" (an inside joke making reference to the movie Hangover, only to spell it completely wrong... I adore her).

Come back tomorrow to see part 2 of the Chicago trip!