It's Thursday and you know what that means…it is time for another Pals Paper Art Challenge and this is my kind of sketch! For you "newbies" and I hope that there are "newbies" here let me explain what the Pals Paper Art Challenge is…

First, it is open to everyone and guess what? That means YOU!!! You do not need to be a demonstrator…you just need to tell yourself that YOU are going to have fun and play along!

One week there is a "color challenge" where the design team comes up with 3 colors for you to work with and then next week there is a "sketch challenge" where the team will provide a sketch for you to interpret how ever your heart desires!

I was asked to be on the design team last year, and not only was a flattered to have been asked…I can honestly say that it has helped me grow and stretch myself in trying new ideas! We all start somewhere, so why not start with this clean and simple sketch that we are using today!

Please feel free to email me if you would like me to help you upload a picture to the site…click here and you will see what the Team Designers came up with and then you will also see lots of inspiration from others!

Let's get going as you know me…I make my cards for a purpose and today is no different! This card is for my dear friend Caron…she truly is one in a million to me and even though our paths did not cross until later in life, it has been a joy and a blessing to call her my friend!

She keeps me on my toes and our daughters ride together and boy – do we miss the Horse Shows and the early mornings in the dark drinking our coffee and laughing at how crazy we are to be doing this…sooooo this is a card for Caron…just because!

Ready…set….let's go!

• The card base is Very Vanilla opening from the left!

• Using the Retro Fresh Designer Series Paper, I used this as my POP color on the card and that is 3 3/4" X 4 3/4"

• The sentiment is soooo sweet and sooooo Caron and it is from the Sale-A-Bration Stamp Set called…See You Later (I think that this has been the most popular set)

• I stamped it on a piece of very vanilla that 1 1/2" X 3" but what I did was use the brush end of my markers to give it the 2 tone look…the colors were baked brown sugar and tangerine tango and then I matted it on a piece of Baked Brown Sugar that was 1 3/4" X 3 1/4"

• Now let's put it together! Before I mounted the DSP I put a strip of snail on the back to anchor the Soft Suede ribbon…..(the type A in me comes out) – I do this to keep it nice and flat so as I bring it around – it ties just the way I like it…a smple "Susan knot"!!!

• Stampin' Dimensionals POP the sentiment part and PRESTO…done…..LOVE IT – but I thought that it still needed something! Out came the trusty Owl Punch – love that little guy! I popped a heart out and then placed a single small pearl!

• We know that it would not be a Susan card without a pretty envelope! With the help of the Envelope Liner Framelits….a cinch – this card is ready for my handwriting!

I do hope that I have inspired you today and I hope that you can take a moment out of your busy day to write a special friend a note "just because" like I am going to do for Caron! She fills my heart with joy and makes me laugh…she makes me realize how fortunate we are in life!

Below is a picture of her and her beautiful daughter Catherine! Just seeing this picture makes me smile!

I hope that you have a Caron in your life…I am getting super excited to go see my daughter Hannah for the weekend! Her Godmother is going with me and we are going to have fun!

I deeply thank you for popping on my blog and please subscribe to it if you have not already! I do blog daily and I try to explain not only my love of paper crafting…but give you an outlet to be able to learn techniques that are doable and clean!

Enjoy the day….and PLEASE – think about trying this challenge….you have until next Tuesday at noon!!!

Until tomorrow!!!!