September Beautiful Blossoms Challenge: You Are On My Mind

 Happy September everyone! We are heading into cooler weather, and I'm looking forward to all the fall activities! Bring it on!

This month the challenge photo offered so many colors to showcase and choose from. I love it when the challenge photos offer so many different ways to be inspired, don't you?

I stamped Gina K's Geranium on watercolor paper and used water colors to paint it in. I cut out my image using Papertrey Ink's "Scalloped Ovals", then added thick foam squares behind it and matted the image over Spellbinders "Infinity Punch & Pierce Plate" I used Bazzil's "Celtic Green" Swiss Dot cardstock under the Spellbinder plate background, and used some Gina K white cardstock as my base, under the green matting cardstock. And to finish my card, I added green jewels from Honey Bee Stamps, to elevate the card and offer some pizzaz.

Thank you for joining me and the Beautiful Blossoms Design Team this month. We are looking forward to seeing how you were inspired and what you've created! See you next month!

Congrats

 Hello Crafty Friends! I'm just popping in because I randomly had a few extra minutes to toss a card together! Yay me! I love it when I get to do that :)

I challenged myself to create a card, using a challenge or two to jump start my ideas, and created something that I love.

I used quite a few items and dies to create this card. I cut a lacy rectangle base in Bazzil's "Peach Cream" with Lawn Fawn's "Lacy Rectangle" die, and layered Carta Bella's "Cowgirl" design papers over that, cut out with The Greetery's  "The Frame". I placed MFT's "Congrats" die over the lower half of my top base, and die cut it out, then placed more Carta Bella's "Cowgirl" design papers under it. After that, I cut a knit heart with Concord and 9th's "Knitted with Care" die set in the same "Cowgirl" papers. Then I layered a silhouette couple using Picket Fence Studio's "A2 She Said Yes", and added some burnished gold pearls from Honey Bee Stamps "Warm Pearls" collection. To complete my card, I randomly added some sponged "Crackling Campfire" Distress Oxide ink on parts of my card, for interest.

I'm submitting this card to the following challenges :

Simon Says Stamp - Get In Shape

Addicted to CAS - Anniversary 

Shopping Our Stash - Let's Get Sketchy

AAA Birthday - Use Patterned Paper

July Classic Design Challenge : Rachelle Anne Miller

 Hello July Crafty Friends!

This month, the Classic Design Team Challenge is featuring challenge designs from none other than the amazingly talented : Rachelle Anne Miller. Her images is absolutely cuter than a button and just as fabulous to color in! I chose to feature her Unicorn digital stamp, because why not?

I printed off the image and colored it in with a mixture of Copics and Altenew alcohol markers. I used a  diecut to cut out the main image, then, while the image was still in the die, I sponged on Tattered Rose, Shabby Shutters, Salt Water Taffy, and Carved Pumpkin Distress Dioxide inks to give it a light pinky-orange sky and green grass. The sentiment is from Pink Fresh's Hibiscus stamp set, stamped in Versafine Onyx Black ink. After stamping the sentiment, I matted the main image with Simple Stories Textured Cardstock in Mint, and layered Bazzil's Aqua cardstock cut out with MFT's Stitched Rectangles under it. Then, placed my layered stack over my Brutus Munroe Thick Cardstock in White, just for a tiny white border around the card.

Isn't she the cutest image? Who wouldn't love to color in that image or receive such a whimsical card? It definitely brings a smile to my face when I see it.

Thank you for stopping by and please join the Classic Design team in this month's Anything Goes challenge! We love to see what inspires you and what you upload to submit to the challenge! I know I do! Have a great July and I'll see you in August!

July Beautiful Blossoms Challenge : Just A Note

 Hi again, Friends! It's time for another monthly Blossoms Challenge. I just love them, don't you? I love how inspiring the challenge photos and examples are! I just keep getting inspired every month!

Speaking of challenge photos and getting inspired, let's take a look at July's inspiration photo.

This was a tough one. I love bold and sassy flowers! But how do you go so color bold without looking garish? That's the hard part.

I chose to use Flourishes "Orchids" set, using the Iris flower. I stamped it out on Gina K paper and colored it in with Copics. I chose to frame the image to centralize your eye on the bold flowers and coloring. I used Spellbinders A2 Rectangles and a Spellbinders Oval shape to frame the image. I chpse to use Simple Stories "Front Porch" design papers, and matted under that with a Bazzil cardstock in "Aqua", then added one more cardstock layer in white under that to highlight the clean white background behind the image. To finish my card, I added a sentiment banner from Anna Griffin's "Garden Fountain Embellishments" collection, and enamel dots from My Minds Eye, in their "Sweet" collection.

I genuinely enjoy the clean and simple look on cards and this card is no different. The only difficulty I had was deciding what papers I wanted to use to showcase the image and the sapphire blues in the flower! LOL!

I hope you enjoyed seeing our Blossom team's inspiration examples as much as we enjoyed making them! We always look forward to inspiring you each month! And, speaking of, until next month, I'll see you all back here for another monthly inspiration photo. Meanwhile, I look forward to seeing all your creations this month!

Classic Design Team Challenge : LeAnn's World 101

 Hello crafty Friends! Welcome back to June's Classic Design Team Challenge, and I'm so excited to share with you a new-to-me digital creator. This month we're featuring LeAnn's World 101. I haven't ever used her images, but I am certainly looking forward to using more of her cute images!

I chose to feature Azalea's New Dress as my first image from LeAnn's World.

I printed the image off and colored her in with a combination of Copics, Ohuhu, and Altenew alcohol markers. Then I cut out it out using Pink Main's Stitched Rectangles, then added a neon green cardstock from Bazzil under that, then cut out a pink gingham patterned paper from 49 & Market, using a scalloped rectangle die. I stamped my sentiment in Momento "Bamboo Green" from a sentiment stamp set that I found at a second hand store, long ago, then I added some pearls from Honey Bee Stamps, and left it as clean and simple as I could.

I wanted a vibrant party goer that just popped off the card. Her hair is inspired by my oldest daughter's "Unicorn Hair" that I love. She dyed her hair various muted shades of pinks, mauves, blues, violets, with silvery lavender grays. It truly gets all kinds of second glances, it's so pretty and unique. So I thought this little party goer might have the same kind of vibe and look, too.

I truly enjoyed coloring this image in and as you can see, I used, and was inspired by one of the Color Cube's color cards. Handy for those times when you can't decide what colors work best, or just want some ideas.

Thank you for joining us in this month's challenge. We look forward to seeing what inspired you and to see what you created! 

June Beautiful Blossoms Challenge : You Are My Shield

 Welcome back, stamping Friends! We're already into our June challenge! WOW!  This challenge I am really excited about, because the inspiration image is just So Beautiful!! I mean, how could you not just fall in love with a bouquet like that?!

Look at those beautiful colors and textures! Whew! What a bouquet!

I stamped out Colorado Craft's "Thinking of You Magnolias" and cut it out with the coordinating die, then colored it in with Copics. I cut out a "base" for my image and sentiment, using Papertrey Ink's "Scalloped Ovals" in Ivory cardstock, then stamped out my sentiment, also from Papertrey Ink called "Psalm 3:3". I cut out some design paper from Simple Stories "Front Porch", using Pink Fresh's "Stitched Rectangles", then more Ivory cardstock under the Stitched Rectangle diecut. I placed some foam popdots under the double matted Stitched Rectangles diecut to give it some lift off of the Bazzil "Aqua" cardstock base, and foam popdots under my Magnolia branch to lift it off the paper for dimension. I added some light green Pearls from Honey Bee Stamps "Pastel" collection to finish the look.

Thank you for joining us this month at Beautiful Blossoms Challenge. I hope you are as inspired as I am by this month's inspiration photo! We can't wait to see your inspired creations!

March Beautiful Blossoms Challenge : I Am Here For You

 It's March. No way, it's March already! Hopefully winter will be over soon... I hope!

Until then, it's more days inside for us to craft... right?! LOL! 

Well then, lets see this months Beautiful Blossoms Challenge photo and you can play along with us!

Pretty yellows and greens, right?! I love how springy it looks! It makes me excited for Easter to arrive!

I stamped out my image from Flourishes (store closed) "Botanical Bookplates" stamp collection, and colored it in using Copics. I cut out the image using MFT "Stitched Rectangles", and stamped my sentiment from Say It With Stamps "Thinking of You" stamp set. I cut a yellow piece of cardstock in Bazzil's "Cornmeal", again using MFT's "Stitched Rectangles" dies. Then I cut out my bottom "base" using MFT's "Double Stitched Rectangles" in Simple Stories "Warm White" design paper (it has little light yellow polka dots all over it).

I deliberately kept my card simple and pretty, like the image evokes. Uncomplicated, unfussy, and pretty. Just clean and simple like the bouquet. 

I hope the challenge photo and the team's examples inspire you as much as they did for me! I can't wait to see all of your creations, and until next month, keep crafting, Friends!

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 :)