Jay's Fire Dog Card

Some of you know what to expect from today's card!!  Yesterday, I took a dog stamp and altered it into a dachshund, and then for this card I used the original dog, added spots and a fire helmet.  I first dressed my monkey for my Talk to a Pirate Day post, since then I have been thinking about dressing other stamps, but this is my first attempt since then:

This card is based on Sketch #57 by Freshly Made Sketches.

It's fun to play along with the Freshly Made Sketch Challenges.  Check out the other cards!!

I'm trying to hurry to get this up on my blog and I'm not giving Jay his props!!  He is my husband's cousin's husband, but I claim him as one of my cousins because he's cool. Jay used to have the coolest hair, but like most of us, it's just a memory (he shaves his head - not bald, but pretty short, maybe it's a fire fighter thing!!)

Jay is the Fire Chief of his town in New Hampshire.  He is Chief Lord - and as my son Will says, "That's a great name!!"  He's a great guy and we don't get to visit with him and his family often enough.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY, JAY!!  Have a great day.  Wishing you a wonderful year!!

Love from all of us,  Drew, Karen, Lisa, Will and Tom

I've got to run off and work on the Scholastic Workshop on the Go Kit at Carolyn's house.  Don't want to be late!!  ;)

Freshly Made Sketch Challenge

Welcome CreatErin to my Blog Family.  I 'm following you on your wonderful blog: imcreaterin.blogspot.com.  Nice to have you here!!  *.*

Yesterday I decided that I wanted to enter into another challenge - which is a bit absurd because I have a lot of projects on my plate.  It's a form of avoidance, really, but I had so much fun with the last few challenges that I was in the mood for another one.  I finished my card this morning, and went to check out the blog with the challenge and it wasn't the same challenge that I had done.  For about five minutes, I thought that I had possibly done an old challenge (Not the end of the world, since I did have a lot of fun making my card and I'm pleased with it, but I was thinking that I had lost my mind!!?!), but it turns out that I had read through several challenge blogs yesterday, and I had just forgotten which one I was working on!!

So, here is my entry for the Freshly Made Sketch Challenge.  This particular challenge is number 55.  One note about how this was really a challenge for me.  It is meant to be CLEAN.  This means no edging.  I love to ink up my edges.  This looks finished and professional to me.  Not doing this was HARD!!  But a great exercise.

The sketch I was working with looks like this:

I made my card in 6"X6" using Close to My Heart Moonlight Paper.  This is a Halloween paper, but is is extremely versatile.  I added Juniper paper for the banner because Sara Batkin said that it was a coordinating color and if Sara says it - it's good enough for me.  Well, look at it, it works.  I realized, (all on my own :) how well Juniper and Avonlea Teal coordinate, so I threw that in to edge the banner.

A sheet of Smokey Plum comes in the Moonlight packet, so I stamped the bird on it with Smokey Plum ink.  Slate paper also comes in this pack, so I stamped the branch in Slate on the Slate paper.

I added the smallest of the Pearl Opaques to the horizontal stripe, but there was still something missing.

I used the. border stamp from the Avonlea Workshop on the Go Cardmaking Kit.  I like to do fine cutting, so I cut each of the little flowers apart, so that I could curve them around my circle.

Challenge Accepted!!