...Sketch Challenge #165, & Ways To Use It #155

These are my submissions for Tuesday's Sketch Challenge at SCS. This first one is also for yesterday's Ways To Use It Challenge. We were to make a card that was inspired by a song, so I made this first one as a tribute to Bryan Adams' song "Everything I Do (I Do It For You)". This song is actually mine and my husband's song from when we were dating. He even took the time to learn how to play it on his guitar for me.......ain't he sweet?!? I'm such a sucker for romance! Anywhoooo....on to the card.....This first one started with a card base of Ruby Red cardstock that opens at the right. The striped panel consists of Western Sky Designer Series Paper, and Blue Bayou cardstock. The sentiment panel is made up of Spring Showers Designer Series Paper (retired), and Blue Bayou cardstock again. The sentiments are from the set "Always", and were stamped in Staz-On Black Ink using a Stamp-a-ma-jig and Image Sheet for proper placement. The large and small flower on the medallion are from the set "One of a Kind", and the round piece in between the two is from the set "Boho Backgrounds". All of the elements were stamped in Staz-On Black Ink onto Whisper White cardstock, and were watercolored using Blender Pens and the following ink pads: Blue Bayou Classic Ink, Ruby Red Classic Ink, and Soft Sky Classic Ink. Once the ink dried, the large and small flowers were cut out using CutterBee Scissors. The round piece was punched out using the 1-1/4" Circle Punch. Several colors of Stickles were added to all three pieces and allowed to dry, then a White Brad was added to the center of the smallest flower using a Paper Piercer. Each layer was attached to the other using Dimensionals, and then attached to the card base with Dimensionals, too. Blue Bayou cardstock was punched three times using the 1/4" Circle Punch, and White Brads were added to the center of each. The small circles were then attached to the card base, and then held in place by opening the backs of the brads on the back of the card base front.

This second one was a fluke! I was just playing around with the new felt flowers from Accents & Elements "Flower Fusion" Tin when the card popped into my head. I started with a card base of Chocolate Chip cardstock that opens at the bottom, then layered a piece of Pumpkin Pie cardstock on top of it. The center panels consist of Old Olive cardstock and Rose Red cardstock. The edges of all of the panels were faux stitched using a Mat Pack, a Paper Piercer, and the fine tip of a Chocolate Chip Stampin' Write Marker. The flower medallion was attached to the panels using a Pink Jumbo Brad, and the sentiment, from the set "Sweet Sampler", was stamped in Chocolate Chip Classic Ink onto the olive panel using a Stamp-a-ma-jig and Image Sheet for proper placement. How simple was that?

That's it for today, but I hope to have a card for the Limited Supplies Challenge and Inspiration Challenge for you tomorrow. I wanted to leave you with an update on my son, Christian. We went to the cardiologist on Tuesday, and they ran several tests: an EKG, several chest films, and a chest ultrasound. The results from the ultrasound showed that his heart is structurally sound, but the EKG showed extra beats that shouldn't be there. The cardiologist fit him with a Holter Monitor that had to be worn for 24 hours, so we took the monitor back on Wednesday for analysis. We are in "wait mode" now until the results from the monitor come back. If the results come back alright, then we are finished and Christian can return to basketball; but if something shows up from the monitor, then he has to undergo a stress test some time next week. It has been really stressful for everyone, especially Christian, to think that our otherwise healthy 14 year-old son could have a major heart problem...but we are hopeful (and prayerful) that everything will turn out alright. I appreciate all of the prayers and well wishes that have been sent our way! We ask that you continue to mention us in your prayers, and I will keep you all posted when we receive more news.

Hugs ~ Mercy