Sneak Peek and 2 cards!!

German Phrase of the Day: In der Ruhe liegt die Kraft. - In calmness lies strength. I guess in December the calendar got all philosophical on us...huh! I like that the word Kraft in German means strength in English. So, when you use Kraft paper for your projects, you are imbuing some strength into your project! :-)

Today I have lots of fun for you all. First...sneak peak!
This is just a tiny bit of one of the new stamps we're releasing over at Paper Pretties on Monday. I've been having lots of fun playing with the 2 I have so far (the 3rd will hopefully be here today!) You won't want to miss this release...and be sure to check the other Prettie Girl blogs (links right there on the right side) for more peeks at the great new sets coming your way! And don't forget about my giveaway on THIS POST. You could win one of these new sets just by linking up your card using light blue, light yellow and apricot!!

I made 2 cards for today's sketch challenge. I really liked this sketch, and remember the card of Jen's that it's based on. So, it was no hardship to come up with 2 cards. The first here has been percolating in my little head for almost a month. The day we drove to Nurnberg I was up early and running errands before we left. The previous night had been VERY cold, with lots of fog coming in off the river (we live just a few miles from the Rhine) and we had the most incredible frost on everything. Driving to the next village over I go past some fields and forested areas, and the view with the sun just starting to show up (at 8:30am!!) was breathtaking. I actually wish I had Nichole's new set so I could use that sentiment for this card - I think that was the hardest part - finding a sentiment I liked!!

I started by inking up the trees with versamark, then I went over the ground and some branches with the dark gray marker, and then the trunks with the black marker before stamping it on glossy cs. I then embossed it with iridescent ice ep. Then, I brayered on the color for the early morning lighting. I masked the bottom with a torn piece of eclipse masking tape. That stuff is totally awesome, and you can get it in the Pretties Boutique!! First I added the pretty in pink, then Going Gray, then Basic Gray, and lastly Night of Navy. Then, I sponged a little gray onto the bottom and removed the mask.

I trimmed this piece down and then cut it into 3rds to layer onto the card. I used Night of Navy, Pretty in Pink and Basic Gray cardstocks for the various layers. The sentiment is from Touch of Nature, and the trees of course are from Lovely as a Tree.

The second sketch challenge card I did was with Sophia. I mean...it had been like 3 whole days since I had made a card with her...can't have that now, can we?? I bought this wonderful SEI paper at Pipoos over the weekend specifically to use for paper piecing. I liked the small floral pattern and thought it would work well with various stamps I have that need dressing.

I stamped Sophia in Palette Noir on watercolor paper, and then onto teh SEI paper. I colored her in with an aquapainter and watercolor crayons, giving her a slight yellow "glow" a la Debbie Olson (did you see her Wedding card today? OHMYGOSH!) I like the effect that gives. It's very subtle so you can't see it very well in these photos - sorry!

After Sohpia was colored and dressed I went ahead and finished up the rest of the card. Looking at it now, I wish I had punched tiny holes in each scallop...maybe I an still do it now. I think that will add a little. And I like the flowers, they are from my SU! Pretties kit. I added some Guava with my aquapainter to the center, then I used a sponge to add the Pixie Pink. Normally, I do NOT use Pixie Pink, but it matched this paper so well I had to. I love the bright colors here!

Anyway...I hope you enjoy the results of my stamping morning. Tomorrow is a cleaning morning (dh gets home tomorrow night, can't have him thinking ALL I do is stamp, even if it is!) so I'll share the card I did yesterday for Julee's Mojo Monday. I think you all will like it...I know I do!!

Card #1 Supplies: (all supplies are SU! unless otherwise noted)
Stamps: Touch of Nature, Lovely as a Tree
CS: Glossy White, Pretty in Pink, Basic Gray, Night of Navy
Ink: Pretty in Pink, Basic Gray, Night of Navy, going gray, basic black
Acc: sponge, brayer, may arts polka dot ribbon, iridescent ice ep, corner rounder punch

Supplies: (all supplies are SU! unless otherwise noted)
Stamps: Cuddle Me from Paper Pretties
CS: watercolor paper, Pixie Pink, Certainly Celery, Tempting Turquoise, Ally's Wonderland Queen's Lace by SEI
Ink: Palette Noir
Acc: aquapainter, WWC, corner rounder punch, pretties kit

TFL!
-Jana