First Challenge for Freshly Made Sketches

When it rains it pours. . . is how the saying goes and I have been encouraging people in our team, The Paper Belles, to do more blogging and a way of forcing themselves to do this is to enter challenges and linking parties on different paper crafting websites. Of course I always try to practice what I preach so this means that I have been trying to partake in some challenges and linky parties too. That's why you have seen so many posts this past week revolving around challenges.

The lovely ladies over at Freshly Made Sketches are amazingly productive and host the best challenges each week.  Check them out, leave a comment or two and consider taking part. Make sure that you check out their requirements. . .no distressing or torn elements just simple neat and clean cards and projects. . .I know this week I have been really challenging my comfort zone boundaries.

This is this week's sketch FMS 130:

And this is my creation:

The base card is Whisper White and I mounted a piece of Baked Brown Sugar cardstock on this.  I stamped the beautiful new Hardwood background stamp in the same coloured ink on Whisper White cardstock.

For texture and to comply with the challnge sketch I used Baked Brown Sugar and Pistachio Pudding Ruffle Stretch Trim.  

Another piece of Whisper White for the sentiment from Million & One although I stamped the greeting in Soft Suede as I wanted it to pop a little more than the background ~ I love how Stampin' Up! inks can be matched by tone!

The leaves are cut from Pistachio Pudding with the Secret Garden Framelit Dies; awesome that you don't even need to stamp for these trusty tools to make an impact.

The flowers are from the Petite Petals set in the Occasions Mini and of course they were punched with the matching Petite Petals Punch. I stamped Tangerine Tango on the same coloured cardstock to add some additional colour. The Rhinestone Jewels were the finishing touch.

Hope that you get some extra inspiration from the entry.

Cheers
Shanni