Rubber Soul Sketch Book Cards

I've got a ton of work on my plate right now so I needed some quick ideas. I reached for my handy dandy sketch notebook and these four cards came together very quickly, indeed. With each card, I've also shown my sketch layout that inspired the card. I highly suggest you create an idea notebook so that you can have some *go to* layouts for when you're pressed for time, need inspiration or just want to remember those layouts that you think are awesome. Would you be interested in a kit to make your own idea notebook? Let me know your thoughts.......

Now on to the cards. All of the images used on these cards are from Rubber Soul. Be sure to check out all the stamps in the Valentine/love section as there are some darling images and sentiments. I love this layout below because it uses two pattern paper designs. With all of the fun coordinating papers that companies are coming out with now, I love to mix and match papers from the same line. The paper for all these cards is from Cosmo Cricket. And aren't the bees just too cute? And I knew I just had to have this cake stand stamp and cupcake stamp. Cupcakes are all the rage, you see them everywhere! The cupcake on the right is cut out and raised up with a pop dot. The inside sentiment is shown on the wood stamp and says *have a delicious birthday*. That's a must have stamp for cupcake cards!
This is a favorite go to layout of mine because I love that you can add some type of embellishment at the top part of the card. I usually use buttons but the possibilities are endless. The two hearts on this card are separate wood stamps. I used Eclipse Masking Tape to mask the pink heart, then stamped the second yellow heart on top to create a layered look. Notice that I store my masks right on the wood stamp front. No need to cut a new mask each time.
This little honeybee is so darling! I kept the image and matting small and then used lots of patterned paper to add some vibrant color. Again, another layout that lets you use two paper patterns. Two gold brads secure the horizontal band in place.
For all the colored images, I used my Copic markers......have you seen that Ellen has new colors????? Heaven!! Well I hope you enjoy today's cards and my sketches. Where do I get my ideas for my sketches? I get ideas from card magazines such as CARDS and Paper Crafts, scrapbooking magazines such as Creating Keepsakes, idea books from companies like Stampin' Up!, Splitcoast and from my stamper friends. Many of my ideas are also my own originals. I like to keep my sketch book by my side or actually make sticky note sketches, then transfer them to my idea sketch book later. If you're like me, I know you have lots of ideas jotted down here and there and on the back of grocery receipts. But I bet when it comes time to stamp, you can't find 'em right? Create your own idea sketch book so that your ideas can be kept in one place. You'll love it, I guarantee. If you are interested in creating your own sketch book, I'm thinking of designing a kit for Ellen's store.......anyone interested?