I made this card for Jen’s March 28 SFYTT. I wasn’t sure what I was going to do at first, but when I looked through my stamp index and saw the Bella image, I knew I should use it to make the Easter cards for my girls. I wasn’t sure what I was going to put as the accent (the star in the sketch), but I knew I didn’t want a flower (I wanted a flower on the sentiment panel), so I ended up inking just a few chicks on an image from SU’s Best of Cluck set.

This card was so fun to put together! I used Jen’s sketch (sfytt 3-7-09). I wanted to do something different for the top-most layer and that is how I ended up choosing to use PTI’s It’s a Celebration – that and I really want to try to use my PTI sets more! I tend to get them, make a card or two and forget them (cuz the next month’s release is here!) Actually, I do that with all my new stamps!

I like to use PTI colors when I stamp with PTI images, so I checked my paper stash and realized I hadn’t even opened my Polka Dot Parade pack! I liked the purple/green combo, so I went with that.

I had fun stamping the banner – that is such a fun image to play with! I popped a few layers and added some Glossy Accents (CE-like stuff) to the dots on the present. The final touch was the bow made with the PTI twill.

On the inside, I used the same paper, added a cupcake, and embellished with more CE dots. The dots are very subtle, but I wanted to keep the dot theme going without taking over the inside.

Spellbinders is having a contest (check it out)! Most of the Spellbinder dies I have are nesties, but I wanted to do something different. One die I do have is from the Spirellabilities collection. I really love spirellis – I’m not much of a fiber artist, but these I can do I checked out the Spellbinder thread that I have and decided on purple. I don’t have much in the way of purple paper, but the Guidelines stack from PTI was perfect.

I’m still working on purchasing a good collection of “focal” sentiments. I only have one and it didn’t really work here (the font was wrong). So I improvised. I liked the scripty font used in the PTI Spiral Bouquet set. To fill up the other space on the white panel, I stamped a old background I have from ScrapGoods – it is a listing of flowers in latin. I topped off the spirelli flower with a metal flower embellishment from K & Co.

This layout fit perfect with the spirelli flower I created! The layout is a Sketch For You To Try (from i{heart}2stamp). Jen is also giving away blog candy this week – so check it out!.

The first night of VSN is over – though there is still time to play (you have until Sunday, August 24 10pm CT to upload your images to SCS). Here is a group shot of the cards I made for Friday’s challenges:

I always try to make cards that I know I can use when I’m done with the fun of the challenge. There are two challenges that got me to do something new – scratch-n-sniff and flocking. I had always wanted to try scratch-n-sniff but just never took the time. When I first read this challenge I wanted to do something different…eventually the idea of baby powder came to mind. While I had a few hurdles with that one, I do like how it turned out. The other challenge, flocking, had me digging into my stash for long-ago purchased items that I just never took the time to try. This was SO EASY – a little inking in my glue pad and a little shake of flock and voila. I will definitely be doing that one again soon!

Notes about the other cards:

The Gnome Bookmark card is 8 1/2 x 5 1/2, fold in half. From the front, trim 1 1/2″; from the back, perforate at 1 1/2″.

The Sketch Book has about 6 pages from my sketch book in it. I used Japanese Stab Binding (SCS TLC142) and twine to do the binding along the spine. The flower is stamped directly on the Kraft paper then colored with pencils.

Thanks to all the hostesses for such great challenges!