Starting the New Year with Color Throwdown

I've been away...in so many ways.  I haven't abandoned card-making:  I created 30 Christmas cards of various designs, but didn't post any on my blog.  I still want to make more Christmas cards because I bought new stamps!  Why, I really don't know. 

Although I don't do very well with color challenges, I was attracted to this new Color Throwdown with its simple color palette.  I even experimented with stacked circle cuts, my first attempt.  The 'leafy branch' die is from Pink Fresh; "happy" is from Simon Says Stamp. 

Freshly Made Sketch 403

This was a Freshly Made sketch that I had to create twice before I was satisfied with the result.  Each time, however, I used a new leafy die from Pink Fresh; the second time I cut it from heavily patterned paper, which resulted in a "sketchy" look.  Each of the strips in the design was cut from paper in an old Authentique paper pad, "Everlasting."  The sentiment is from Technique Junkies.