Hello

 Hey Crafty Friends! Welcome back to my little corner of crafting paradise. 

Today, I'm submitting a card for Altenew's blog challenge, for January 2025, which you can find HERE.

Here is the challenge photo.

What beautiful colors, right?! I Love the color depths, but decided to keep my image colors lighter than the shades shown.

I chose to use Altenew's Timeless Tulips stamp set, coloring them in with Copics, and the sentiment from Altenew's Gracious Peonies set. I cut out the image with a die from Momenta, but I don't have a name of the die shape. Then I put popdots under the image and added that over some polka dot design paper from Bazzil called "Mint", diecut into a scalloped rectangle shape using the Taylored Expressions "Petite Scallop Mini Stacklets" die. I placed more popdots under the polka dot design paper to pop it off of the white cardstock from Brutus Monroe called "Not Your Momma's Cardstock".

I love how the dies really show off the image without distracting from it, but still adding to the overall look. I really enjoyed layering everything together and how clean and simple it is.

I look forward to seeing you again on my little blog, and until then, have a great crafting day!

Love You Very Much

 Hello again Crafty Friends! I'm back again with a new Card Challenge that I found online. This weeks challenge is from My Favorite Things. Their challenge this week is a Sketch, and here it is.

I Love, Love this sketch and I got so many ideas from it! Without further adieu, here is my submission.

I chose MFT's "Wish You Were Hare" stamp & die set, colored it in with Copics, and set it aside. I cut out and embossed the background with Taylored Expressions Diamonds Piercing Plate, then I cut out the Stitched Mini Scalloped Square to frame the background. I chose to use Bazzil'z Blush Polkadot pink background, cut into scallops using Simon Says Stamp's "Slim Line Borders", sponged in with "Tattered Rose" Distress Inks. I cut the Sentiment out using a retired die set from MFT called "Blue Prints 2", and finished the card using some blush pink Zva Pearls.

I absolutely love how cute the card turned out and non-fussy it looks. The only difficulty I had was choosing what design papers I wanted to use! :)

Well, that's it Friends! I'll see you the next time I post my challenge creations. Until then, stay Crafty! :)

Let's Celebrate!

 Good morning Craft Friends! I'm back with another blog challenge from Lawn Fawn (my first!). This week, their challenge is : Let's Celebrate!

As crafty as I am, I thought I had more Lawn Fawn stamp sets. But alas, I searched my stash, and I actually only have one, long since retired set, called "Blue Skies".

So I decided that my card would be great for a recent graduate, and that's still a great reason to celebrate!

I stamped out my hot air balloon from 'Blue Skies" and lightly colored it in with Copics, then fussy cut it out and around the image. I stitched around the design paper from Lawn Fawn, called "Daisy", and adhered it to some Kraft cardstock, then backed that with Bazzil cardstock called "Chiffon". Then I added some clouds from a random die from my stash that I have no idea where I got it. Then I used Lawn Fawn's Stitched Sentiment Banner die to cut a banner out and stamped out the sentiment from the Blue Skies set.

I really love how this card turned out! I won't lie, it was difficult since I only have one stamp set, one die, and one DP from Lawn Fawn, but I'm still proud of how it looks. Once again, a blog challenge really made me think and I love the results!

Thank you again, Crafty Friends! Join me again when I post another craft challenge to my blog :)

Baby Blue

 Hello again Crafty Friends! I'm back again with another crafty card for this weeks blog challenge from Addicted to CAS. 

This week's challenge is : BLUE

I chose to use Nellie's Choice "Elephant with Star" stamp, colored in with a few of the lightest blue Copics, then cut out the image with MFT's Double Stitched Rectangle Stack. I matted the main image with Bazzil's Polka Dot "Teal" papers with MFT's Stitched Mini Scallop Rectangle. 

I actually enjoyed this challenge and obviously kept it super simple. I love the way it turned out, though I do feel like it's lacking a little something somewhere. I always look forward to these CAS challenges though, because I Do feel like less is always more!

Thank you again for joining me, Craft Friends! Until next time :)

Sprinkled with Love

 Hello again crafty Friends! I'm back with another fun card created from two blog challenges that I found online.  The first blog is : Inspired By with their "Inspired By ... Gnomes". Though I wasn't inspired by the gnomes or the colors themselves, I was definitely inspired by the Sketch they offered. The second blog challenge I am combining with my card is : Simon Says Stamp Monday Challenge. This is also a new blog challenge that I found recently that I wanted to try out. This weeks challenge is : "Something New".

As you remember, this year I am challenging myself to create and participate more. And though we're only 11 days into the new year, I've found a few challenges and really enjoyed the crafting push.

I created this card using some new stamps that I bought.

I stamped my image from Kokorosa using their stamp set & dies, called "Cake Making", and a sentiment from MFT, called "Sugar Coated Sentiments", stamped on a MFT "Skinny Strips" pennant die. I cut out an oval with Spellbinders "Oval" and sponged "Old Paper" Distress Ink gently around the edges to help bring the focus on the main stamped image. Then I die cut a scalloped rectangle with a buff colored cardstock and an old piece of Cosmo Cricket "Sofie" DP, using Taylored Expressions "Petite Scalloped Mini Slim Stacklets" & Stitched Mini Slim Stacklets" dies. I added a unique Spellbinders decorative element cut from Tim Holtz's Metallic Paper collection, in Gold, and added some Nuvo Pure Sheen Sequin in "Cannoli Cream" with gem stickers from Honey Bee Stamps from their "Farm Fresh Holiday" collection.

Peace on Earth

 Ok, I'm back again with a new card I made from a challenge I found online that I'm pretty excited about! I have never heard of this challenge, but I stumbled across it while looking for online paper craft shops. It's called Addicted to CAS. CAS means Clean And Simple. I love that!

So the theme is : BRRR!

I chose a stamp set that I found at a crafter's Garage Sale. It's a cute stamp without a name, but I think it's from a UK company called Lily of the Valley. I watercolored it in with Letraset Watercolor markers.

Then I used Spellbinders "Scalloped Symphony Notecard" die set to create the card base, with Kraft paper. I cut out a banner for my sentiment with MFT's "Skinny Strips", and stamped a sentiment from Power Poppy's "Heavenly Peace Dove" stamp set.

I kept everything CAS and though the card feels a little naked, it's nice to keep the focal point on the stamped images and the message.

I'm looking forward to their next challenge! :)

You've Been On My Mind

 Ever had a card that you had all these great ideas for but nothing actually worked? Yep. That's this card, for me. I must have remade this card 3 times before it actually came together smoothly! 

Splitcoast Stampers Monday CAS challenge this week is : What brings you JOY?

For me, it's Family, Friends, Coffee/Tea, and Crafting.

I stamped out my image using MFT's "Latte Love" set and used the coordinating MFT die. Then I colored the image in, keeping it very light. Then I created a background using Taylored Expressions Fanfare Cutting Plate and MFT's Stitched Rectangles. I used scrap pieces of Kraft and Bazzil "Teal" design paper. I used the discard piece of Teal paper I had used MFT's Stitched Pinking Rectangle on, stitching it with my sewing machine, to the Kraft cardstock. Then I used some scrap black cardstock to cut a banner out with MFT's "Skinny Strips", and stamped it with Honey Bee Stamps sentiment from their "Latte" set.

I love how fresh, clean, and uncluttered it looks. Sometimes I think I add too much to cards, so it's nice to see a clean and streamlined card, even if it did take some effort! 

Happy New Year 2025!!!

 Welcome back and Happy New Year to my erratically posted, blog 😆 

You know, I could really try harder to post more often, so I will. My goal is to post 2 cards a month, this 2025 year. So lets begin. 

I decided to participate in Color Throw Down's color challenge : Black, White & Gray. 

Super simple, right? But it's actually tricky to do cards in monotones without getting bored or challenged by the lack of pizzaz or color pops. A master or intermediate card maker would enjoy this challenge and blow it away, but for little more than an amateur card maker like myself, I struggled. I ended up making two cards because I felt the first one was way too simple, so I went back to the drawing board and tried harder.

I stamped Altenew's "Enjoy Your Journey" on Neena Solar cardstock, and cut it out with MFT's Selfie Square & MFT's Stitched Mini Scallop Rectangle in Black cardstock. Then I added Gem Stickers from Honey Bee Stamps from the "Farm Fresh Holiday" collection.

Then, I decided to try another card, and really challenge myself again.

I stamped out Avery Elle's "Look For Rainbows" bunny, out on Lawn Fawn's "Narwal" gray cardstock, and fussy cut it out. Then I masked off the face of the bunny, and sponged a pattern from Gina K's "Leafy" stencil, in Distress Ink "Weathered Wood", to add some texture on the umbrella. I created a background by stamping out MFT's "Scene Builder" on some more Narwal cardstock, in Memento " London Fog" ink.  After that, I used popdots placed for dimension on the back of the bunny, and placed it in the scene on my card.

Then, I diecut a pennant out for my sentiment by using MFT's "Skinny Strips" dies, and stamping out the sentiment from Penny Black's "Rain or Shine" set, in white ink from Pink Fresh, called "Calico White". To add just a touch of sparkle, I added some Gem Stickers, from Honey Bee Stamps, from their "Farm Fresh Holiday" collection.

This was quite the challenge, and one that I want to challenge myself with again, because I enjoy the effort to think outside the creative box! I still wish I could add some pink to the nose and ears, but those are the rules! 😄

Until I post again, Enjoy your crafting day!