Friday Favorites

Good Friday Morning All!

We made it to the long weekend!  Today I don't have my own creation to share with you, but I am going to share some of my favorite challenge blogs to get some inspiration from, I hope you find something here that you want to try, too.

Also, there is a new promotion going on at Stampin' Up!  I know we all love those bundles they are doing, here's the latest one.  You get the Itty Bitty Butterfly punch and the Papillion Potpourri stamp set for 15% off

Here's the new September Best Of stamp set, too.  Some great Fall images in this one.  Remember, there is a new one out each month.  You can get them until March 31, 2014.  If you collect 6 of the 12 you can choose any stamp set valued at $14.95 or less out of the Idea Book and Catalog FREE!  Who doesn't love FREE?!

Do you ever find that you have a hard time trying to figure out what to create when you actually have time to do so?  Do you want to make time to create each week, but don't no where to start?  Do you like a little friendly competition and the chance to win?  You should check out some of the great challenge blogs there are out there.  It's a great way to try new things, meet some fun and fabulous people, and "craft with a purpose in mind"(as if we need a purpose, right?)  Here are my top 5 (plus a bonus one I just tried this week) favorite challenge blogs out there right now.

1. Clean and Simple Challenge- the name says it all. I love a card with a ton of layers and embellishments, but the style I gravitate towards when it's time to create is Clean and Simple.  I love to have a simple background with just one or two "wow" touches.  Here is the current sketch over there:

2. Color Q- There have been some GREAT color challenges that have come out of this blog.  It pushes me out of my norm for color combos and I love that.  Here is their current sketch:

3.) The Friday Mashup-2 challenges in one, do one or both--the results are fun!  Here's this week's challenge:

4.) Freshly Made Sketches: this is a new one (to me) I've really started to like.  I love a sketch as a starting point and they have great ones!  Here is this week's sketch:

5.) Retro Sketches: The ladies that bring you Color Q also do Retro Sketches.  Here's this week's:

And a bonus one---I just started playing along with this one this week, Fab Friday.  This group has a few of my demonstrator friends on the design team.  They are a group of talented crafters and this one was fun to try this week.  (Thanks Guys!)  I will definitely be joining them again.  Here is the sketch if you want to try it, too.

I hope you enjoyed my top 5 +1 favorite challenge blogs.  I know there are lots of them out there and I would LOVE to hear yours! Leave me a comment with your favorites, I always like to check out new ones.  Have a great Friday.  Thanks for stopping in.