If Mother Goose Had a Cat

 

In my spare time (you know, waiting in the doctor's office, trying to get back to sleep at 3am, sitting on the toilet, etc.,), I like to sketch. I'm not great, but I think I have good ideas. Today I'm showing you my not-great-but-funny-idea sketch. It's an addendum on an old nursery rhyme.

Please let me know if you think the idea behind this is funny. I usually create cards that are funny, punny or have a punchline. I mostly use stamped and digital images but thought I would poke out of my creative box little, so comments appreciated...

Conflicted

Second shift today so I had a free morning to create several cards today! This one is for Ike's World Challenges Blog, whose NEW CHALLENGE is to create a project using the sketch located in this post.
I used an image called Cognitive Thoughts, one of my fave images from Ike's Art. After coloring her with Copics, I popped her onto a frame of patterned paper. The sketch called for a strip of papers behind the image, as well as a set of three embellishments in the left upper corner.
I wanted to reach out to all those who feel conflicted with their identity or their responsibilities. The girly part of personalities may conflict with the sporty, edgy side of them. The pink and blue contrast brings out the conflicting thoughts that can war in a young adult's mind.
I'm conflicted right now. My gram is 104 years old. I love her, and she has been the matriarch of my family, and a role model to me while growing up. She taught me how to sew, crochet, needle craft, play cards, bake bread, and other worthwhile hobbies and habits. She took care of me and my sisters and cousins at times throughout our lives.
It's our turn now. A nursing home is not an option. She'll receive the care I know she deserves, but from previous experience, we know it will cause her dementia to take over her personality.
The conflict lies with time. The unrelenting schedule of evenings and weekends to visit her, feed her and take care of her needs is wearing down on all three of us. I share a dose of self-pity and self-loathing. I am a granddaughter, but I am also a mom and wife. We are now doing the things she did for us when we were babies. I cry out my stress on the way to her house, yet her smile upon seeing me lights up the room.
But...It's getting to the point where I almost resent the time taken up to care for her.
So, I am conflicted.

Other Challenges I am Entering:

Aud Sentiments Challenge blog - Anything Goes

Scrap & Craft Inspiration - Anything Goes

Happy Birthday Bugaboo!

Today I created a birthday card for one of my fave digital image companies--Bugaboo is celebrating its 5th birthday in business! There's a huge celebration on her blog-you don't want to miss it!
Meanwhile, I created my card for the Birthday Bash Sketch Challenge. After using my Epic Six to cut out an oval frame, I used a white gel pen to make a Bugaboo background before popping my Copic-colored image, Cookie Dottie. You can't see the shimmer I gave her, but it's there. After all, she's working up quite a sweat getting refreshments ready for the party!
I stamped the sentiment onto a vellum tag, adding the butterfly (just 'cause). A few jeweled flowers float over her shoulder, and my card is complete.
Make sure to check out the celebration over at Catch the Bug challenge blog, and leave a birthday wish for her!

New Challenge with a Twist at SBP Challenge Blog

Today SBP Challenge Blog offers crafters a Sketch with a Twist challenge.  One random winner will receive their choice of digi images at Creative Bug Digis.
I got to play with Bed Jumping Sock Monkeys along with this sketch:

Before I show you my interpretation of the challenge, the TWIST is to use a tag(s) on your project, something in addition to the elements you see in the sketch! Here's what I came up with:

I diecut the image with a flower die from Spellbinders Nestabilities!! The tag slips behind the sentiment. All papers used were leftovers from my not-so-secret stash, as in the elephant in the room!

I had so much fun making a card with this sketch and using a CBD digi image that I made a second one using an image called "Twigs."

Here, I placed a snowflake in the flower's center, tilted the image the other way, and stamped my sentiment onto a duo of tiny tags. Again, I used leftovers from my infamous file drawer of leftovers.

I hope you've been inspired to try creating with a sketch. I rarely start my projects with a sketch or plan. I usually get an a-ha moment and dash off to my craft room to see if it would work.

Now it's your turn to check out the fabulous images at Creative Bug Digis, and create something that could win you a few free digis over there!! Challenge is open until the end of the month.

Crafter's Companion Sketch Challenge

What fun it is to be a guest designer for Crafter's Companion Challenge Blog!  Their challenge for July is to use this sketch.

This month's fabulous prize is every single stamp set from Crafter's Companion's brand new Humphrey's Corner collection. That's 6 separate stamp sets!!! These images are so fabulous, you will absolutely love them. I won a secondary contest in June with a prize of two stamp sets of my choice, and one of them is from the new Humphrey collection. You can see more of the stamp sets HERE.

I decided to switch up the sketch used for this Challenge a bit for my second project.  I kept the main theme of ever-widening circles, but decided on making a bookmark instead of a card.

The design of this bookmark lets you place it in the corner of a page (as shown) since the two straight edges are adhered together. I took some creative license with the sketch and placed the sentiment inside the first circle, along with the image. Both are from the Crafter's Companion stamp set by Sheena Douglas called Faith, from the A Little Bit Sketchy collection. I colored the image with Copics: E35,71; Y17 & YR02,61. I used my leftover stash of patterned and cardstock papers to make the bookmark, stamped the sentiment and image with CTMH Black ink (it is very Copic-friendly) and cut the circles first with my Creative Memories circle cutter, then edged them with Fiskars edging scissors. The main thing to remember in making bookmarks is to keep them as flat as possible so they don't mess up the pages of the book you are reading.
I would love to hear what everyone thinks is a good summer read, as I am always on the prowl for new books to read. Currently, I am in love with mysteries from Joanne Fluke (great recipes included) and Carol Higgins Clark (awesome sense of humor and timing).
Meanwhile, check out Crafter's Companion Challenge Blog for their July challenge and you could be a winner!!