Classic Design Team Challenge: Surfing Santa

 Welcome back to another fun Classic Design Challenge, I'm glad you're here!

This month, we're featuring digi's from Dr. Digi, himself! Dr. Digi has many fun and quirky designs that appeal to everyone. I chose to keep it simple and use his Surfin' Santa digi. Again, like always, I chose to make it a clean and simple card,  using Christmas reds and keeping the focus on the Santa image.

I don't color Santa's in very often, or that much skin for that matter, but I thought I'd have a little fun with it. Because he's Santa, 

I kept to the Christmas theme as best as I could without being too overt, but also elegant.

I printed off the image onto Gina K paper (it's thicker) and colored it in with Copics. After coloring in the image, I sponged some sand on using Distress Inks Antique Linen and a blue sky with Tumbled Glass. Then I cut out the main image with MFT Stitched Rectangle, then cut out the bottom with another MFT that's been long since retired but I can't remember the name. Then I cut out an A2 rectangle from Spellbinders from Bazzil Ruby Slipper red cardstock, and embossed an edge around it. I finished the card with some black pearls.

I really enjoyed coloring this image in, and if you can tell, I added some subtle pink highlights in some areas to give Santa a "sunburn". I hope Santa enjoyed his vacation. He works so hard all year, so deserved it! :)

Have a great day and I'll see you next month on the next Classic Design Team Challenge! 

July Beautiful Blossoms Challenge : Wishing You a Bright & Beautiful Birthday

Welcome back my crafting Friends! How is it even possible that we're in July... Already?! It seems like January ended a couple of weeks ago!!

Well, as it turns out, it's a start to another monthly Challenge, here at Beautiful Blossoms Challenge. This month's July inspiration photo offers some hot colors that really inspired me.

Gorgeous, isn't it?? I love, love the Hibiscus and the hot, neon colors in that basket. Well, I don't happen to have a Hibiscus stamp, much to my surprise, but I'm getting one soon. In the meantime, I remember those Bird of Paradise flowers really pack a colorful punch, so I broke out my new stamp set from Picket Fence and started watercoloring.

I chose to use Picket Fence's Bird of Paradise stamp set, then colored it in with Azteca Watercolor brush pens, then I fussy cut it out. I chose some very spicy 49 and Market background paper that I cut out with Lawn Fawn's Small Stitched Rounded Rectangles, then Matted that against Bazzil's Cornmeal cardstock that I die cut out with MFT's Stitched Eyelet Lace Rectangle. I then cut out some vellum using a retired MFT die, then added some sparkle with Honey Bee Stamps gem stickers, added a white lace doily, some candy dots, string, and a sentiment from Pink Fresh, diecut & stamped out in Mama Elephant's Apricot ink.

This card is a little more on the "spicy" color side than I usually make, but it's good to shake it up a little and go for it. You never know, you might end up enjoying the process!

Until the next Beautiful Blossom Challenge, have fun crafting, Friends!

Classic Design Team Challenge: The Dancer

 Hi again, Friends! I'm back with another digital stamp challenge with the Classic Design Team!

This month, we are working with SheepSki Designs Digital Images and Art. I had many designs to choose from, but I chose a solo flamenco dancer. The silhouette and the movement just captivated me.

I printed the image out on Gina K paper (with MUCH difficulty, as it's pretty thick), in a 4x6 format.

I chose to color the dancer in pink instead of a red, to give the dancer a real feminine, soft look. My main Copic colors on the dancer were R81, R83, R85, and R89. I cut the main image out with Pinkfresh's Stitched Rectangles, then matted that over some blue 49 & Market paper, just to pop that pink a tad more. I cut a fancy border on the blue design paper with a long since retired MFT die, then matted that on top of popdots over a scalloped backing, cut from Spellbinders Heartfelt Thanks and Scallops die. I did place some white gems from Honey Bee Stamps along the decorative edge for some interest, but otherwise, wanted just the dancer to be the focus of my card.

I really love how it turned out! The pink just sings and I love the simplicity of it all! Until next month, stay Crafty!

June Beautiful Blossoms Challenge : A Little Hello

 Hi Friends! Welcome back to my little blog, I'm glad you're here!

It's actually June, can you believe it?! The year is half over! And it's time for another monthly blog challenge. This month's photo is my favorite so far. So patriotic :)

I was so inspired by the Red, White & Blue, I made so many card attempts. I just couldn't get the right shades of reds and blues for my card without it looking so strongly garish. I really wanted it to be soft but distinctly Red, White & Blue.

I chose a stamp that I picked up at a local scrapbook store's stamping Garage Sale event. After I stamped out my image and colored it in, I diecut out the image with the corresponding die. I cut out some light blue background paper with a stitched rectangle die from MFT, and put it on some white cardstock cut out with MFT's Mini Scalloped die. I put some popdots under the image and placed it over the design paper and base. I cut out an oval piece of white cardstock and stamped out the sentiment.

I like how the card lightly touches on the red, white, and blue color requirements, but without it being so strong. My favorite kind of cards are the clean and simple kind :)

Thank you for joining us at Beautiful Blossoms this month and we can't wait to see you next time for a new challenge!!

Classic Design Team Challenge : Seas the Day

 Hi again, Friends! I am thrilled to announce that I have been accepted onto another monthly design challenge team! I'm so excited!! This Design Team works with various digital stamp creators. I have dabbled once or twice in digi images, but am not very familiar with using them creatively, and it's been an adventure figuring this whole thing out. But as you know, I like a good challenge, and I'm enjoying both the stamps and the process!

This month, we are featuring Angie Blom Digital Designs. Angie a wide assortment of designs to choose from and I couldn't decide which one I wanted to try for a digi card. I decided to start small for my first one.

For my first ever Classic Challenge, I chose Seas the Day, featuring a sea gull, a pillar, and a heart! 

I chose it because as a first foray into digital stamping again, and it's a good place to start. Especially since I don't have a laser printer and need to be careful about how much shading and alcohol ink I use when coloring the image.

I cut out the main image with MFT's Stitched Rectangles, and colored it in with Copics, keeping it simple. I put popdots under the main image just to give it some lift off of the diecut beneath it, for visual interest. I layered my main image over a Penny Black Simple Stackers die cut in Bazzil Navy, then placed popdots under that, over my card base. Again, keeping things Clean and Simple.
 

I think the card turned out pretty good looking for my first digital card attempt in years. Many years ago I received a couple to play with and they were nice, but haven't used them since. So it's like learning it all over again like it's new! 

I hope you check out her designs. She has so many, I'm sure you'll find something you love! 

I'll see you next month for another Classic Design Team Challenge!

Beautiful Blossoms Design Challenge : Congratulations

 Where has the time gone? It's May already!

I haven't been as active on here as I'd like but I had to pick up a second job and that takes most of my crafting time away, sadly.

But this month I have another Beautiful Blossoms Challenge. I love to color in flowers, so I look forward to these monthly challenges! Here is the May 2025 inspiration photo.

So pretty! So many blues, purples, mauves, and peachy-orange flowers! 

I stamped out Honey Bee Stamps "Simply Stated" stamps and colored them in with Copics. I diecut the image out with MFT Double Stitched Rectangle, and placed popdots under it so it will offer a slight 3D look because it's popped out. Then I matted the image with Bazzil's Mauve polka dot design paper diecut with MFT's Stitched Scalloped Rectangles.

I tried to add in some of the colors of the bouquet without it looking too bold with too much color. I think I hit just the right notes, and still have it look simple and uncomplicated. 

Thank you for joining us at Beautiful Blossoms Monthly Challenge! We'll see you next month!

Beautiful Blossoms Blog Challenge : A Happy Hello

Welcome back to my little blog, I'm happy that you visited!

This month, the Beautiful Blossoms Challenge is another beautiful and inspiring bouquet photo.

Isn't it lovely? I know I'd love to receive a bouquet of those cheery, happy flowers!

I chose to use Flourishes Heartfelt Thanks stamp set, colored in with Copics. I stitched along the photos edge, and matted it with some leftover design paper. Then I cut a banner strip with MFT's Skinny Strips die, stamped with a sentiment from Flourishes Taglines stamp set.

I kept it very, very clean and simple so the colors stand out and speak for themselves. I love how it turned out, all colorful and cheery!

Thank you for visiting my blog and I hope you have some inspiration to join us in the BB challenge. I can't wait to see what you create!

Beautiful Blossoms Challenge : Best Birthday Ever

 Hello and welcome back to a Beautiful Blossoms Challenge, where we have a monthly inspiration card challenge. Come along and join us this month for some fun inspiration!

This month's challenge photo is :

Truly a unique photo challenge! 

I chose to use my Altenew stamp set Paint-A-Flower: Lotus set, that I colored in with Copics. I cut out a gold filagree using Spellbinders's A2 Radiant Navette dies, placing them under my image so they barely peaked out. I added a white doily under my image, with some candy dots from Bo Bunny called Willow and Sage. Then I used a decorative piece of cardstock from some packaging that some scrap stuff came in, that I kept because it was so pretty! Lastly, I added my foiled sentiment from Pink Fresh to finish my card.

As you might have read, I used some decorative packaging as my backing cardstock. Don't be afraid to be creative with things that aren't technically actual scrap items. I kept that particular piece of light cardboard for over 6 years, knowing it would be perfect for something, and I love how the card turned out with it! 

I can't wait to see what you and everyone else creates from that inspiration photo!