October CSS Alumni Blog Hop

It's time for the October CSS Alumni Blog Hop! Hope you didn't get thrown off by the change in day and time; just trying to keep everyone on their toes! You should have arrived here from Joy's blog (I'm sure she had something spectacular for you!). If you didn't come from Joy's blog and would like to get in on the hop from the beginning, please jump back to Stamp TV where you will find the whole list for the hop.

We are doing a sketch challenge this time based on this sketch from Melissa C. I had fun playing with this sketch and created two very different cards using it.

The first card I made is a sympathy card and I flipped the sketch the other direction for this one.

I used some of the gorgeous Pure Luxury Blue Raspberry card stock from Gina K Designs as the base. The second layer is Pure Luxury White. I stamped the butterfly border from Gina K Designs A Year of Borders three times with Versamark ink. I embossed the butterflies with Stampendous Winter Wonderland EP, which is sparkly in real life, but I couldn't capture it in the photo. I then sponged that layer with Memento Bahama Blue. I stamped the flower from the Gina K Designs set Stately Flowers 1 and the greeting from Heartfelt (also GKD). I cut that out using the Spellbinders long ovals and I sponged the edges with Bahama Blue.  The flower was colored with Copics. The extra butterfly is from the GKD stamp set A Beautiful Life and was also embossed and then sponged. All of the Gina K Designs items for both cards can be found by clicking here.

The second card I made follows the sketch a bit more literally. Here is the Christmas card I made.

I started with Pure Luxury White base weight card stock and layered this fabulous patterned paper from the Gina K Designs Blizzard pack. Isn't it just perfect for making holiday cards? I stamped the ornaments from the GKD set Joyful Holiday onto PL White paper. I used Memento markers direct to the stamps to color the details on the ornaments and stamped the ribbons in silver ink. I cut that out with a Spellbinders oval and layered it onto a scalloped oval of PL Red Hot and then onto another white oval. The poinsettia was made using the Spellbinders Shapeabilities Layered Poinsettia and I added a glittery gold brad to the center. I think the ribbon I used is some old Stampin' Up stuff I had in my stash.

I hope you enjoyed seeing my cards. Be sure to leave a comment at each of the blogs you visit because on Tuesday morning (October 30), we will randomly choose one of the comments from all the blogs and that person will receive a huge grab bag of fabulous Gina K. Designs Stamps! Hop on over to Linda's blog now to see what she has waiting for you.