January Classic Design Challenge : Patties Creations

 Happy New Year, Crafting Friends!! Can you believe it's another year down?? I feel like every year just blitzes by even faster than the year before!!

This month we're featuring digi's from Patties Creations. I had so many great images to choose from!! In fact, I bought a few other images along with the one I am featuring today! The image I chose to feature is Flamingo Happy Hour. It's just so happy, vibrant, and quirky that I HAD to play with the image! LOL!

I printed off the image and colored it in with Copic markers, then cut out a border at the bottom of my image with a long since retired Spellbinders borders combinations dies. After cutting out the border and trimmed my image sides, I sponged some Distress Oxide ink lightly around the image in various areas, in Carved Pumpkin. I didn't want it dark, just a highlight around the image. I put popdots under my main image and placed that over Bazzil's "Mint" cardstock. Then I placed the image & polka dot Bazzil cardstock over some A2 card-backs from Mintay Papers. Then, I placed a "Celebrate" rub-on from 49 & Market and some clear enamel candy dots from Bo Bunny.

I had SO Much FUN coloring this image in!! So easy and effortlessly fun! I hope it inspires you to color in a fun and quirky image for a card, even if it's just for the fun of it! :)

Have a great day, and I'll see you next month for another Classic Design Challenge!

December Beautiful Blossoms Challenge : Thinking of You

 Happy December!! We made it another year!! I can't tell you enough just how this year blew by me! And in a few days, we'll start 2026... 😬!

But enough about 2026. Let's talk about this month's photo inspiration challenge. I was surprised to see purple so predominantly featured, but I ended up enjoying the color switch up (I'm used to reds, greens, golds, etc.).

So, with that being said, I really started to think about which flowers can be purple. It's not like I have that many in my stash that could be purple. But then I found an old stamp from a company that has long since shut their doors, that I just knew would look spectacular in purple!

I chose Flourishes "Chrysanthemums" set and colored it in with Copics. I hit the flower with a few pink 'highlights' here and there, just to liven it up with a lighter color in it. Otherwise the purple was so dark, it was almost "black" in some areas. Then I die cut out the image with MFT's Stitched Rectangle die, then matted that on top of Bazzil's Admiral blue cardstock, then cut out a Scalloped Rectangle with MFT's dies again, to cut Tim Holtz's Silver Metallic Cardstock, to mat the whole card.

I have really enjoyed our year of creating together and I look forward to creating with you all next year! But until then, I'll be appreciating your inspired creations from this month's photo!

Happy New Year and I'll see you next year for some more challenges!!

Sweet Birthday Wishes

 Hello, Friends! I'm back with a card I made during Thanksgiving vacation, that I'm going to submit to a few online challenges. I Miss joining online challenges, but you know, working two jobs really takes all my extra free time away. So this is a nice and welcome bit of extra time I had to just play around with my little crafty treasures for a bit.

I created this card out of a "new-to-me" stamp set from Momma Elephant.

I stamped out Momma Elephant's "Yay A Party" and colored it in with Copics, then cut it out the main image with a stitched die from Paper Trey that has been long retired. I matted a yellow cardstock from Bazzil under it, called "French Vanilla", then matted that with a yellow chevron design paper, again cut from the Paper Trey dies from the same stitched rectangle set, but this one has scallops on the edges. There is no name on the Paper Trey dies, so I cannot name the set.

I kept everything simple and clean. I wish the lighting caught how soft the colors on the bunnies and the rest of the scene, are.

I'm submitting my card to the following online blog challenges :

Simon Says Stamp Wednesday Challenge - Anything Goes

Word Art Wednesday - Anything Goes

Pattie's Creations Challenge - Anything Goes

Just Add Ink - Add Dies

Lil' Patch of Crafty Friends - Anything Goes

All Sorts Challenge - Anything Goes

Polkadoodles - Anything Goes

Sweet Stampin Challenge - Birthday

Color Throwdown - Color Challenge (chose to feature only Yellow)

Classic Design Challenge : Santa

 Welcome back again to this month's Classic Design Team Challenge! It's that time of year again where we start thinking about Christmas and making or sending out our Christmas cards. 

I have a great image from Dr. Digi featuring Santa himself, checking the naughty and nice list. Have you checked to see if your name is on his "nice" list? I'm sure it is! Here is a link to his digi store Dr. Digi and here is a link to my Santa image : Naughty or Nice. Dr. Digi has some great quality digi stamps in his store, and I hope you go check them out!

I colored my image in with Copic markers, then used MFT's Double Stitched Rectangles to cut it out with a decorative border around it. I then sponged some Distress Inks around the image to "age" it and tone down the white cardstock, as my design papers and lace panel is off white/cream. After sponging, I matted my image with a red cardstock from Bazzil. I layered a cream lace panel cut from a die by Stampin Up, then matted that under my image, over some design papers from The Paper Studio's "Old World Winter" collection. I completed the matting by adding one more cardstock layer of a reflective gold from Tim Holtz's Metallic Cardstock collection, then I added a few holly diecuts from Tim Holtz's Ideology "Christmas Botanicals" collection. My sentiment is from Fresh Pink's "Foiled Holiday Sentiments".

And there you have it. My take on Dr. Digi's Santa inspired digi stamp. I really love how it turned out. I'm not the greatest at coloring in people, but how can you mess up Santa?! LOL!

Thank you for joining us this month in our Classic Design Challenge! I'll see you here for next month's inspiration! And don't forget! Santa Claus is coming to town .... !

September Beautiful Blossoms Challenge : Birthday Greetings

 Good morning fellow crafters, I've missed you! 

Another month, another design challenge! How are you enjoying them so far? Have you been feeling the challenge? Have you enjoyed the beautiful inspiration photos? I know I have.

I definitely love the rusty red and the soft oranges, so perfect for my favorite time of the year. Such beautiful fall colors!

I chose to use Honey Bee Stamps Love is a Rose stamp set and the dies to cut it out. I colored it in with my Copic markers. Then I chose a Doodlebug Design blue doily to place under the image. I found some blue-green coordinating paper that I cut out with Pink Fresh's Slim Ornate Banner die, then rounded the corners with a corner punch. Then I placed Popdots under that, and placed it over some design paper with Pink Fresh's Fancy Rectangle Frame over Bazzil's Cornmeal cardstock, then added some yellow enamel dots.

As busy as this looks, it was pretty simple to make and layer. I just love it when a card comes together so quick, don't you?!

Thank you for your follows and kind comments, it means the world to me! Until next month, thank you for joining us at Beautiful Blossoms Challenge!

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!

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!

Thinking of You

 Hello and welcome back, Friends! I'm back with another creation.

I created this card out of combining a few online challenges. And as always as of late, keeping it simple, choosing to focus on the image instead of accessories.

I stamped out my image and colored it in with Copics, and cut it down to my desired size. Then, I ran a metallic gold sharpie pen along my edges, just to make them pop a little off my background and stand out a bit. It's barely noticeable but it creates depth so the images stands out and the edges don't get lost in the background matting.
I chose my favorite MFT Dienamic matting die, Stitched Scalloped Rectangles and cut out some Bazzil cardstock in Pale Rose; offering a breath of color but still a neutral enough to be a subtle background note.
I placed some popdots under my floral image so it would pop off the scalloped edge Bazzil cardstock, and placed it in the center of the card.

I truly love how it turned out! So simple, clean and pretty! Love it!

I'm entering it in the following Blog Challenges :

Color Throwdown - Teal, Pink & Lime

Polkadoodles - Anything Goes

Inspired By... - Spring Colors

Just Add Ink - Pick Two (Colors & Thinking of You)

Father's Day

 Hello and welcome back, Friends!

I have another blog challenged card to share with you, and as you can see, it's a Father's Day card. I know it is rather early to even think about Father's Day, but it fit in so well with some other blog challenges, it was too perfect to pass up.

I chose Flourishes "In Nature" stamp set that I colored in with Copics - choosing to predominantly use mainly blues and greens to keep it masculine. I cut out the image with My Favorite Thing's Double Stitched Rectangles, and then cut the paper under it with the same die. I added a small die cut and stamped out my sentiment from Crafter's Companion called "Sentiments" set. I then took Simple Stories "Teal" and used my Scor-Pal and embossed a "frame" a 1/4" from the edge, all around my cardstock. Then I put popdots under my darker green paper with my image, and centered it over my blue Simple Stories cardstock, for added interest and dimension. 

I love how this turned out. I kept it as CAS and masculine as I possibly could. My only wish is that I had a "Father's Day" stamp with a little less "fuss and frill" to it, so it really would be completely masculine.

I created this card for the following blog challenges :

~ A Cherry on Top (using their Card Sketch) : Card Sketch

~ Freshly Made Sketches : Card Sketch

~ Inspired By : Boys Room (Masculine/Blues/Greens)

~ Word Art Wednesday : Anything Goes

~ Krafty Chicks : Masculine

~ DL.Art : Anything Goes

~ Paper Funday Challenges : Anything Goes w/ Optional Monochrome Twist

That's all I have today Friends, but I hope to see you for another card post from blog challenges, soon!

Have a great Crafting Day!

Let's Chill

 Ok Friends, I'm back with a fun card that's my new favorite! I just love Anita Jeram's images of the cute cat's holding ice cream!

I stamped out the images from Colorado Craft Company, called "Ice Cream Day" diecut them out and colored in with Copics. I cut out a frame with Stitched Scalloped Rectangles from MFT, in Bazzil "Chiffon" cardstock. I matted the scalloped rectangle with Echo Park's DP called "Kitty Plaid", and laid a Doodlebug Design "Mint" doily on top. After adding my doily, I put extra thick popdots under one of my images and thinner popdots under another image, for depth. I added a diecut tag from Momma Elephant's "Framed Tags", and stamped my sentiment from Colorado Craft's "Slimline Ice Cream" set, and added some candy dots from Bo Bunny's "Willow & Sage". 

I love the fun colors and images and how they turned out! Every time I look at it, it makes me smile :)

I created this card for the following Challenges.

Polkadoodles Card & Crafting : Anything Goes

The Outlawz Challenges : Use Blue

Stamping Sensations : Anything Goes

Lil' Patch of Crafty Friends : Anything Goes

Love to Scrap : Anything Goes

Word Art Wednesday : Anything Goes

Ok, Crafty Friends, that's it for me today. Have a great crafting day!

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!

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 :)

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! 

Creating

 I'm back. But where has the time gone? Where has the creativity gone? I don't know about you, but I used to have endless creative ideas. But then life takes over and when you finally have a minute, you're creatively done. Nothing. Toast. 

It used to bother me until I realized, that's life. There's an ebb and flow to everything. It's been a year or more since I have had the energy to create. And that's ok. I re-joined my favorite craft site, SplitCoastStampers, and I'm using their weekly challenges to inspire some new ideas in me.

This week's CAS (Clean And Simple) challenge is : Recycle. You can recycle anything to use on your card.

A couple weeks ago, I attended a store that was closing and found a badly damaged hymnal with many loose pages. This was the perfect way to reuse them in a way that they would be appreciated again.

So, I created the following card from the challenge.

I stamped out my image and colored it in with Copics, fussy cutting it out.
I cut down my music sheet to what size I needed. Then, I matted it against some Chiffon Bazzil Cardstock, that I matted over some Kraft cardstock, making them the base of my card.

I Cut out a frame, using Avery Elle's Pierced Birthday Frame die, and put PopDots under the frame to pop it up a hair off the card, for some small form of depth. After that, I glued my chipboard down, and placed the colored in image of the Cross on top of it, and added a few pearls for some interest.

I'm not certain if I can actually call it a CAS card anymore, but I love how it turned out!!

So, if you're ever finding yourself stuck in a crafting rut, or feeling uninspired, don't let it get to you. Eventually, it'll come to you! Until then, don't be too hard on yourself, it's all just the ebb and flow of life :)

Lift Up My Eyes

Hello again Friends! Today I have a Clean And Simple card to share.  

A few weeks ago I got a message from a friend I'd lost touch with, telling me that he was in the hospital and his body was essentially breaking down to the point of paralysis. My heart broke for him and I created this no frills, simple card, to be and encouragement.

I used a leafy stamp from an Altenew set called "Rosy Blooms" and watercolored it with a combination of Aqua Markers and Arteza watercolor brushes. I paired the image with a verse from Verve Stamps I've had for years, to offer encouragement.

I matted it with Bazzil "Jade" green cardstock and cut a decorative edged bottom with a Spellbinders die. Then added a watercolored butterfly I put Popdots under it to give it lift and dimension so it looks like it just landed on the leaf, and some pearl gems to finish the card.

I kept it clean, simple, and as masculine as I could, keeping the focus on the message and not the image, for once.

I hope it brings the encouragement and comfort, that I'd try to give if I was able to see him in person.

Especially For You

 My grandma loved Iris flowers so much that she was always giving them away every fall when she would separate them out, and buying or trading in for new ones. When she went to sell her house she asked if I wanted any of her precious Iris plants, but living in the California desert, I knew they'd absolutely wither and burn in the heat. So I passed up the opportunity to have some heirloom flowers. I wish I had taken a few anyway, since she passed away within 4 months of her moving out. 

I don't have any pictures of her many gardens or of her beautiful Iris flowers, so I had to remember them from memories as a child and of the ones she gave my Mom.

I chose a stamped image that'd I stamped out a few years ago. I can't remember if it's from Flourishes (a stamp company that closed years ago) or if it's from Power Poppy. I matted it on some 4x6 Paper Studio patterned paper. I stamped my sentiment from Penny Black's "Treasured Sentiments" set. Then I mounted the image and the patterned paper on Bazzil's "Aspen" cardstock and cut out a decorative edge at the bottom using a retired die from MFT (I can't remember the die name).

I kept everything pretty clean and simple. I was going to stitch around the card but my sewing machine kept eating up the paper, so I cut it down and decided I'll work on the sewing machine later and cut away the chewed up paper before I lose it all and I have no card left! Oh well. Things happen.

I'll be back next week with another card, and until then, take care!

Happy Birthday!

 Of all the kinds of cards I create, I love making Birthday cards the most! 

I realized I haven't made a nice, bold card with colors that POP! I wanted a card that just said summer, using some of my favorite "tart" vivid shades that invoke those summer vibes. 

So I created this card for my daughter's birthday last week, and she LOVED it.

I stamped out half of my (large!) image from Colorado Craft Company, called "Sweet Friend Cupcake" and colored it in with Copics, using some strong colors that would Pop off the card. Then I stamped my sentiment with a stamp set from Spellbinders called "Birthday Pennants". Then I matted my image using Doodle Bug Company's "Pistachio" cardstock, layering that over some really vivid patterned paper (no designer given on it). I placed the PP over some "Buttercup" yellow cardstock from Simple Stories and added some white cardstock under that that I punched out a "lace" edge using Fiskars "Swiss Dots" edger. I placed more Pistachio cardstock under the white Swiss Dot punched edge paper, but I popped that off the Pistachio using PopDots to offer depth and keep it from feeling "flat". I then added the image over the PP using more PopDots so there'd be some "lift" and life to the image.

This has to be one of my favorite cards I have made of recent. I love all the bright, bold and sassy colors! They just make me squeal with delight! I could make a hundred cards using these colors and they'd still make me smile. I don't know about you, but I'm just not ready for summer to end!

Have A Sweet Day

 I've been sick for the past week, but I finally felt well enough to sit down and create a card last night. Fascinatingly, it came together in about an hour. I don't know about you, but cards usually take a day or two for me to create from start to finish. But this one was just so easy breasy.

I stamped out the image in Versafine and heat set it, then colored it in with Copics. I very, very lightly sponged the background behind the girl with Broken Glass and Speckled Egg Distress Inks and matted the image over some Bazzil polka dotted blue paper. After that I cut the back of the card using MFT's Stitched Rectangle Scallop Edge Frames Die-namics, then added the sentiment stamped on an old Spellbinders pennant die.

I'd decided to break out the stamp set and practice coloring skin and hair while I recovered and suddenly a card was spontaneously created. Sometimes you just never know when things will gel and just come together with little to no effort!