2 Sketches 4 You - Top 5- Celebrate!

Happy Saturday Everyone - Hope your weekend is off to a great start!

I am still in happy shock to have made it into the Top 5 (what an honor! thank you! so much Laura, Kazan, wonderful judges!) in the Ultimate Card Showdown that 

Kazan and Laura are hosting at 2 Sketches 4 You. This Showdown was created to celebrate the one year anniversary of their sketch challenge blog. So for this last sketch I thought it would be fun to create a celebratory card. To the left is the awesome sketch that Laura has created for us for the last round.

 And as soon as I saw it my head was buzzing with ideas and possibilities but the one that I went with was the "carousel celebration" idea :) Our family has been visiting us this week - and they have included some trips to the carousel and so the image of the line going up and down and the circle element in the middle looked like a carousel horse ride. So I thought I would have fun making a cotton candy dreamy, whimsical merry happy card :)

The half circles on the top and bottom of the sketch looked like the top inside and bottom of the carousel and I sketched a little fun tent top and alternated patterned paper with sponged edges and some ruffling by cutting up some doily punched edges. 

The horse was created in photoshop and I printed her on some green paper and white cardstock. Coloring in the mane, bows, saddle on the white cardstock - I cut it and then paper pieced it onto the green horse which I then sponged on the edges for some dimension. The blingy swirls and clouds seemed kinda fun and whimsy.

This is the inside of the card following the same theme of the sketch: 

I wanted to create a few more things inside - but thought I would keep it simple-ish - so I finished it off with some swirly bling just like on the outside of the card. 

Card details:

Paper: Mostly from the June 20^th Key Ingredient kit from Taylored Expressions (and some from the Spring Splendor pack)

Ink: Adirondack Expresso

Stamps: Year of Sweet Sentiments: Celebrate sentiment and from the Branching Out Accessories stamp set: the cloud – the horse is created from a free photoshop brush and the tent top is handrawn

Accessories: 1 3/4 inch circle punch and 1 inch circle, Say it with Crystals bling, stickles, threading punch, doily punch from Martha, dimensionals, bling from K & Company, mini clear gels, sponger, liquid pearls, ribbon from stash

I can't believe that this is the last round - I am so honored to be with these wonderful ladies who are in the Top 5 - you are all an inspiration as are all of the players from all the rounds of this showdown and all of you wonderful cheerleaders encouraging us on :) 

I have to say that this has been such an amazing journey to be part of this showdown and to meet so many wonderful crafters from around the world has been so special. Big thanks to our wonderful judges and Laura and Kazan for all your hard work - it is very much appreciated! You have brought together crafters from all around the world into a wonderful community! Thank YOU! and happy blogaversary!!!! woo-hoo!!!

Thank you so much for visiting my corner of blogworld :)

Sending you Sunshine :)

Sankari :)

2 Sketches 4 You - Top 10 - Sending you Sunshine

Happy Saturday Everyone,

I can't even express to you how utterly -utterly honored and grateful I am that my card from last week was chosen as one of the Top 10 in the Ultimate Card Showdown that Kazan and Laura are hosting over at 2 Sketches 4 You in celebration of the one year anniversary of their blog. A huge thank you to Laura and Kazan, to the wonderful panel of judges, to all my fellow sketch challenge players in all the rounds and to all of you for your encouraging words and sweet comments - it is truly appreciated from the depths of my heart.

I was psyched when I saw this sketch that Kazan gave us for the Top 10 round. This card is dedicated to all of YOU because you bring sunshine into my life with all of your sweet comments and for coming over to visit - that I wanted to send some sunshine right back to you as a thank you! It is especially dedicated to a good friend of mine "C" ;) - thanks for being my sunshine :).

I had so much fun creating this card - really it was such a joy to sit down and craft this card - its amazing sometimes how much joy you get from creating something from your hands :) (and for this card - I didnot make it in my closet as I have been doing :) - but actually worked on a table!). Here is the front view of the card:

The vertical element in the card I thought could be the sunshine on the ocean - and so I did that with yellow paper with orange waves on the background of the popped out waves with sheer yellow ribbon weaving in and out of the wave like the sun's reflection: Here is a picture of the ribbon being weaved in and out of the waves:

I wanted to decorate the inside of the card also - but still keep it simple enough that you could still write on the top portion of the inside - here is a peek at the inside of the card:

Here is shot of the card lying flat - opened and closed: 

The inside "ocean" is layered and the fishes are jumping in and out of the water too... you can write your message on the space in the top half of the "sky/sun" .

It was fun to decorate both the inside and outside of the card - and still have it kinda lay flat :) 

Here is a close up picture of the sun and the metal clip that is attached to it from which the sentiment hangs. The sun was made with different size circle punches on different colors of orange and yellow papers. 

The sun rays were made from the Fiskars punch: Fleur de Liis - which also has an embossing function. The rays are alternating dark and light yellow, with little Kaiser blings adorning them. The center of the sun has a star punch from Martha Stewart along with a yellow eyelet and is topped off by a soft bling. The metal loop is also attached to one of the layers of the sun so that the sentiment can hang off it (which is tied to a ribbon). 

I love sunshine - and making this sun was pure therapy from this week's busy-ness :)

This is a close up shot of the sentiment: "Sending You Sunshine"

All the fishes in this card were stamped onto different colors of ink and then cut out and glitterized and then stuck in between the

 waves at different angles. The waves are also blinged out a little. This card was so much fun to take pictures off - and I didn't want to overwhelm with too many pictures - so here is a little collage of them: You can click on the photo to see it bigger: or click HERE

Card Details:

Paper: K & Company ( and from stash

Ink: For the fishes: from Stampin Up!: Cameo Coral, Garden Green, Ruby Red, Pumpkin Pie, More Mustard and So Saffron - also for the sentiment: StazOn Black and Adirondack expresso

Stamps: Sentiment: Year of Sweet Sentiments from Taylored Expressions and fish from K & Company

Punches: Martha Stewart Star Punch, Creative Memories circle punches (4 sizes), Stampin Up 1 3/4" punch and Scallop punch, Fiskars: Fleur de Liis embossing punch

Accessories: Sheer yellow ribbon, stickles, Bright Smooth Bling, eyelet, clip from the May Key Ingredients, hole punches, dimensionals

I had so much fun making this card  - I think that is part of the reason that I love doing these lovely sketch challenges - within the elements of the sketch are infinite possibilities waiting. 

Just again wanted to thank you all for your sweetest encouragement and a big thanks to our judges for all the hard work that you have been doing! And of course to Laura and Kazan for creating these lovely sketches for us to dive into our creativity and for bringing us together into a global family :)

Thank you for visiting my little corner :)

Sending you all Sunshine :)

Big hugs!

Sankari :)

2 Sketches 4 You - Top 20 - Round 3

Happy Friday Everyone :)

Before I get to my card - I just wanted to say a big thank you to Laura and Kazan and the wonderful judges and to all of you who left such sweet comments! Thank You So Much!!!! Thank you for allowing me to be part of the Top 20 in the Ultimate Card Showdown that Laura and Kazan are holding to celebrate their first blogaversary over at 2 Sketches 4 You! I am so honored to be part of this amazing event and to be surrounded with such talented artistes from around the world! A big Thank you to you all!!

This week Laura gave us a wonderful sketch - there were so many possibilites that I didn't know which way to go. I love how from one sketch there are endless possibilites for making cards :) I wanted to make a fun little scene and used the circle element as a little owl's home in a tree that could open and close (I have been watching the Adventures of Winne the Pooh with my 4 year old son :) .

The door on the little owl's house says: Knock Knock ....

and from the side:

The little knothole opens up to reveal a little owl-ie who is sitting on a sign that says: Whoo's there? :) I don't know what it is about little owls - but they are just so cute :)

and from the side:

Here is a close up picture of the outside of the knothole door and then it opens up to show the inside of the little owl-ie's nest:

I had so much fun making this! I drew out a tree and then tore some pieces of ribbon in strips to create a bark look. The knot hole was actually a ribbon spool that measures 1 3/4 inches and I took the top part off and put it into a hole that I punched with my 1 3/4 punch into the tree. I created a little “door” to the owls’ home and adhered it with some Tacky super glue on one side to the side of the kothole. Here is a closer look at it:


I was so excited when the ribbon spool that I had actually measured 1 3/4" the same as my punch! I added some green flower soft to the inside of my little owl's nest for a more nest-y-ish sort of look.

I decorated the inside of the card with the same theme of the sketch and left it blank inside so that it can be for any occaision :)

Card Details: Paper: K&Company (for the green and blue DP) and the rest from stash Ink: Chocolate Chip SU! and Martha Stewart brown, Stamps: Branching Out Accessories Accessories: flowers from the Mother’s Day KI, brads, ribbon spool for the knot hole, 1 3/4 circle punch SU!, 1 1/2 circle punch CM, 1 inch circle punch SM, Diamond Stickles, Flower Soft, white gel pen, corner rounder, dimensionals, button from stash.

I had alot of fun making this card - and I can't wait to see what wonderful creations have been created with this lovely sketch! A big thank you to Laura, Kazan and lovely judges and all of you and big hugs and thanks to all of my fellow showdown participants – it is a total honor to be with you!

 I feel so blessed to be part of this global crafting family :)

Thank you for visiting my little corner :)

Big hugs!
Sankari :)

2 Sketches 4 you - Top 30 - Round 2

Good Afternoon Everyone,

As most of you know I have loved playing along with Laura and Kazan at 2 Sketches 4 You and their awesome DT's past and present with their beautiful sketches and their awesome inspiring creations of art and I can't even tell you HOW blown away and completely honored I was to be picked to be in the Top 30 with such amazing paper crafters for the first annual Ultimate Card Showdown in Celebration of their first Blogaversary. Wow - I am still reeling! Thank you so much Kazan, Laura and all the fabulous judges for this honor!

So for round 2 - we have this beautiful sketch to work with - and I had so much fun working on this sketch :)

 I used the sentiment: from Rabindranath Tagore who wrote the national anthem for India and whose visionary works earned him the Nobel Prize in 1913. This sentiment reads: "Faith is the bird that sings when the dawn is still dark." My father used to repeat this quote to me growing up - and I have remembered it during some dark moments in my life - its always taught me to trust, hope and believe.

Here is a close up peek at the stamped sentiment and the cut out bird (the bird is cut out from the designer paper) and I put the little birdie in a nest on paper clip from Spare Parts. 

Here is a closer look at the dimensions of the card. The tree house was stamped and paper pieced, sponged and then "hung" onto the tree with some embroidery thread. The birds are actually on the designer paper (Urban Prairie from Basic Grey) and I cut them out and popped them on dimensionals. The little flowers in the grass are also cut out from one of the papers in the pack, sponged and then popped up on dimensionals.

Here is another close up - facing the front of the card with some of the bling in the tree. I loved popping these flower bling (from my bling stash box) and after putting everything together - I put some liquid pearl (red) on the flowers on the bottom and some Diamond stickles on the little birdies. 

Card Details:

Paper: Basic Grey (Urban Prairie) and the blue/black and white cardstock are from stash

Ink: Stazon Black and Martha Stewart Brown

Stamps: Branching Out stamp set, Branching Out Accessories set and Faith and Hope set from Taylored Expressions

Accessories: Circle cutter from Creative memories, dimensionals, corner rounder, sponger, paper clips from Spare Parts, silver marker, embroidery string, prisma color pencils, ribbon from stash

Technique: Paper piecing (everything from the birds (the birds were images on the paper - that I also cut out and adhered ontop of the same image with dimensionals), the leaves, tree leaves all paper pieced, scalloped grass with corner rounder

This sentiment always brings me hope and deep contentment - and making this card with this sentiment in the back of mind was a really beautiful process :)  I simply loved making this card and feel just completely in awe to be part of this wonderful group of stampers. You can check out the rest of the Top 30 gallery here  - these ladies are simply amazing! I am totally inspired by their creations!

Sending everyone lots of good luck and cheer! Total honor to be with you all!!

Thank you so much for coming over to my little blog :)

Sunny smiles and hugs :)

Sankari