Busy Hands Crafting Blog

I was inspired by the example cards on this challenge, which is kind of the direction I was thinking about heading anyways at some point. The MFT Design Team must have read my mind! I just adore these sketchy florals -- especially on black and white! Products Used: MFT Painted Petals MFT More Essential Sentiments MFT Rainy Circle MFT Double the Smiles Die-namics MFT Blueprints Die-namics MFT Black & White Dots 6x6 Paper Pack MFT Premium Dye Ink VersaFine Ink

I went out on a limb with this one (pun intended?). I had this idea rolling around in my head for awhile. I just needed the perfect Sketch to use it. :) I really love the soft colors on kraft. They make my heart swoon a little. Products Used: MFT Blueprints Die-namics MFT Branch Freebie Die-namics MFT Filled With Joy Die-namics Hero Arts Many Everyday Messages MFT Wood Plank Background MFT Premium Dye Ink VersaMark Ink WOW Embossing Powder

My youngest son, Drew, is turning nine on Saturday, so I set out to make him a super fun and colorful card, which fits his personality to a T. This card was inspired by Jennifer McGuire's spinner cards  and was a massive labor of love. There were so many elements to it, I had to do each part in steps (i.e. stamp the sentiment, die cut all the many, many pieces, assemble the card, decorate). It was so worth it, though! Doesn't it just want to make you FIESTA?! I just love how crazy it is. Kind of like Drew. Ha! I can't believe he's turning NINE!!! Products Used: MFT More Essential Sentiments MFT Well Connected Alphabet MFT Well Connected Numbers MFT Birthday Balloon Die-namics MFT Fiesta Die-namics MFT Pinata Die-namics MFT Fringed Scallop Borders Die-namics MFT Celebratory Confetti Die-namics MFT Blueprints Die-namics Cottage Cutz Basic Circle Dies MFT Radiating Rays Stencil Distress Ink VersaFine Ink Edit: He LOVED his card!

At first, I was really struggling to make something unique with this design. I didn't have much in my stash that would make it stand out. I opted to purchase the triangle stencil, only to have at least SOMETHING to enter this week. But I admit, once I started inking, I hated it. It was incredibly boring. I kept with it, adding extra triangles and whatnot here and there, and finally I ended up with a card that I'm...okay...with. I was happy was I able to salvage it, when I was really ready just to chuck the whole idea and skip this week. Guess it goes to show that you should never give up on a design until the bitter end. As Sandy Allnock always says, "It's just a piece of paper." Products Used: MFT Basic Shapes - Triangles MFT All About You MFT You Trio Distress Inks VersaFine Ink BasicGray Candy Buttons

I needed a quick, simple appreciation card for someone. This isn't what I envisioned (when is it ever?!), and I was about to trash the whole thing, but I stuck to it and I think it turned out okay. Products Used: Spellbinders March 2019 Small Die Club Dies Unknown Spellbinders Freebie Stamp Set Spellbinders Fancy Edges Rectangle Dies VersaFine Ink

This card went in a COMPLETELY different direction than I originally planned...but I love it! I really wanted something soft and subtle to really highlight the beauty and daintiness of this lovely cluster of flowers (peonies, perhaps?). I first heat embossed the image with gold embossing powder and then colored it in with Zigs and a waterbrush to give me a watercolor feel. I then stamped the image again, using a pink ink that matched (as best as possible), and die cut parts of the image out using a small square die. I thought they might get lost against the white background, so my helpful husband and I came up with the idea to do some light ink blending on that side, before popping the squares up on foam tape. I didn't want to distract from the main image, so I decided to use vellum for the sentiment, also heat embossed with gold embossing powder. The photo really doesn't do it justice, unfortunately. Here's a close up: Swoon. Products Used: MFT Fresh-Cut Flo

I've had this stamp set for sometime now, and I've only used it once. It didn't go well. :\ But MFT's newest release introduced the Rainy Circle Die-namics and it was exactly what I needed to spur me to try this set again! I had fun coloring the images with my Zigs for a change and I love the blue foil behind the rain drops (hard to see in the photo, unfortunately). Made for a pretty sweet little card. Products Used: MFT Rain or Shine MFT Rainy Circle MFT Blueprints Zig Clean Color Real Brush Pens VersaFine Ink

While I'm very partial to My Favorite Things products, I do like to branch out and use items from other companies. We'll just call this card a join effort, because I used a few different companies to make it. Can we talk about how stinkin' cute this set from Avery Elle is?! I love all the different critters in it and all the possibilities for them! Products Used: Avery Elle Peek-a-Boo Pets MFT Anything-but-Basic Encouragement Lawn Fawn Critters at the Dog Park MFT Essential Speech Bubbles MFT Blueprints MFT Dots & Stripes Neutral 6x6 Paper Pack MFT Premium Dye Inks VersaFine Ink WOW Embossing Powder Zig Clean Color Real Brush Pens

When I spotted this gorgeous new floral set from MFT, I HAD TO HAVE IT!!! Sketchy flowers are my favorite! And the sketchiness of the sentiment works perfectly with the sketchiness of the flowers...ah. I'm in love! <3 I used a stamp mirroring technique Jennifer McGuire used in this video , which I found super helpful. I stink at trying to arrange flowers! Made it so much easier! I decided to finish it off with just a touch of gold heat embossing. I really like the way it turned out. Products Used: MFT Painted Petals MFT Deepest Sympathy MFT Dots & Stripes Neutral 6x6 Paper Pack MFT Premium Dye Inks VersaFine Ink VersaMark Ink WOW Embossing Powder

Is it too soon to start making Easter cards? I just wanted to get this one made while I remembered it. This card didn't quite come out how I hoped, but I still like it. I think. Products Used: MFT Painted Prints SSS Some Bunny MFT Cross MFT Blueprints MFT Premium Dye Inks

The biggest challenge about these Sketch Challenges is originality and thinking outside the box (unfortunately, looking at the other entries, I am not as original as I thought). I have to admit, I wasn't too excited by this week's sketch. I was going to go along with the balloon and just give it a cool watercolor background or something, but I really wasn't inspired by it. So, I thought about it all week. Suddenly, today, this came to me. Make it a flower instead of a balloon! I was pretty stoked about it and ran back to my craft room to start on it ASAP. I'm pretty pleased with the way it turned out and I'm so glad I opted to ink the die cuts. It really makes them stand out! Products Used: Honey Bee Stamps Blah Blah Blah MFT Sensational Stitched Flowers MFT Circle Shaker W & F MFT Spring Scene Builder Pinkfresh Studio Enamel Dots Distress Inks VersaFine Ink

This card did not turn out the way I had envisioned, neither did the time making it. I went back to my craft room with good intentions of relaxing and creating. As soon as I started, all heck broke loose (why does that always seem to happen when Mom leaves?!). One child accidentally landed in the middle of my sleeping cat, who proceeded to rip him to bloody pieces. The other child has a terrible case of Man Cold and was wandering around the house like a zombie. The husband doesn't know how to doctor either of them and thinks I'm some sort of medical professional. They're all standing in my doorway, staring at me. One is wailing, one is moaning, and the big one is adorably lost. Sigh. Products Used: MFT Fringed Scallop Borders SSS Taco Party MFT Blueprints 27 VersaMark Ink WOW Embossing Powder