Winter Woods for As You See It Challenge #225

I love having sketches to start my card designs with. It gets me out of design ruts that I so easily fall into. If it weren't for the odd sketch challenge that I play, I'm afraid my card designs would quickly degenerate into one of two plain, generic arrangements. 

This week, starting today, As You See It Challenges has a sketch for its 225th challenge. It was designed by Design Team member LeAnne Pugliese and it's simple yet challenging enough to get you thinking a bit:

As with all As You See It Sketch Challenges, you can take some artistic license with the sketch, as long as it is recognizable in the final project. The challenge is called Windows on the World and I decided that my window would look out on an orchard of blossoms, which is what I often see at this time of year in my corner of the world. I used Winter Woods and added the bokeh effects from Beauty Abounds for the blossoms and background. Here's a close-up:

• I love the palette I ended up using: Merry Merlot, Basic Gray, Smoky Slate and Blushing Bride with Whisper White. The white, Smoky Slate and Blushing Bride softens the Basic Gray and Merry Merlot into a calming combination.

Merry Merlot

Basic Gray

Whisper White

Blushing Bride

Smoky Slate

• The trees are actually stamped in Early Espresso, not black, just to soften the effect more.
• I added some texture with the Blushing Bride background panel, by embossing it with the Scripty 3D Embossing folder.
• The designer paper on the vertical background panel is from the Pressed Petals Designer Series Paper package.
• I used the smaller of the bokeh dot image from Beauty Abounds with Blushing Bride in for the blossoms around the trees. The larger image was used with Smoky Slate for the background in the stamped image. 
• Smoky Slate ink was also used for the sentiment from Beauty Abounds on the small flag below the main image panel and it is backed with Smoky Slate cardstock cut just a tiny bit larger than it is.
• The ribbon was some retired Powder Pink Shimmer Ribbon that I had in my stash and I added some Champagne Rhinestone Basic Jewels as points of light in my trees.

I hope you can find some time this weekend to play along with us at As You See It Challenges.

Although you wouldn't receive your package in time for the Facebook live event, you can still register for my Seaside Notions Online Class, because I will be uploading the Facebook Live videos to YouTube on a private link and if you register, you will be given unlimited access to that link to help you assemble your cards in your own time. To find out what you would get with the class fee and how to register, click here:  May Online Class.

If you live in Canada, and don't have a Stampin' Up! demonstrator, I'd love to be yours. I can help you with ideas, get you catalogues and provide you with Stampin' Up products. You can leave a message in the comments or contact me using any of the methods listed in the right side bar at the top of the page. You can shop with me from anywhere in Canada by clicking on the SHOP NOW button in the top menu or clicking on any of products below from my Online Store.


Product List

Winter Woods Cling-Mount Stamp Set [151359] $31.00	Beauty Abounds Cling Stamp Set [148726] $31.00	*Pressed Petals Specialty Designer Series Paper [149500] $20.00	Merry Merlot 8-1/2" X 11" Cardstock [146979] $12.00	Basic Gray 8-1/2" X 11" Cardstock [121044] $12.00
Blushing Bride 8-1/2" X 11" Cardstock [131198] $12.00	Smoky Slate 8-1/2" X 11" Cardstock [131202] $12.00	Whisper White 8-1/2" X 11" Cardstock [100730] $13.25	Smoky Slate Classic Stampin' Pad [147113] $10.25	Blushing Bride Classic Stampin' Pad [147100] $10.25
Early Espresso Classic Stampin' Pad [147114] $10.25	**Powder Pink 3/8" Shimmer Ribbon [144151] $9.50	Champagne Rhinestone Basic Jewels [151193] $8.25	Scripty 3D Embossing Folder [149634] $14.00	Paper Snips [103579] $13.50
Multipurpose Liquid Glue [110755] $5.50	Mini Glue Dots [103683] $7.25	*Snail Adhesive [104332] $9.50	Stampin' Dimensionals [104430] $5.50

*Retiring Products - available while supplies last until June 2, 2020

**Discontinued Products - no longer available from Stampin' Up!