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!

August Beautiful Blossoms Challenge : Get Well Soon

 Welcome back, Beautiful Blossom Challenge Friends! This month we have a beautiful challenge photo! I absolutely love this image! It's so pretty and inspiring!

I literally made three cards, just trying to match the beauty and those gorgeous colors. Nothing I made was good enough, I felt. They weren't as pretty as the image was inspiring me. Or so I thought. Sometimes you just get a great inspiration piece that pushes you to try harder and do better!

I stamped out my image from Flourishes "Tulips" stamp set. I cut the main image into a rectangle shape, then used an old Spellbinder border die on the bottom edge, and placed some I placed some thick foam tape under the image to lift it off the background design paper. I used an old piece of scrap design paper for my green background under the tulip image, then cut out a scalloped background edging using Spellbinders "Heartfelt Thanks and Scallops" die set. I chose a sentiment from Say it with Stamps "Get Well" set, then added some dark forest green pearls from Honey Bee Stamps "Pacific Northwest" pearl collection, for beauty and interest.

I love the colors on the flowers. I really tried to keep it light colored because the challenge photo shows light colored flowers. I also decided to feature the image vertically and cut in half using a border die for more visual interest just to see how it looked. I'm glad I tried it!

Thank you for joining me for this month's Beautiful Blossom Challenge, I really enjoy your comments and views! Have a great month and I can't wait to see your submissions for this month's challenge!!

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!

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!

May Beautiful Blossoms Challenge : Birthday Wishes

 Welcome back again to another fun Beautiful Blossoms Challenge! I really do look forward to these every month, and this month is another good one!

Our challenge photo is :

Look at those beautiful flowers and lovely blue color of fine china! So inspiring! I was inspired by the blue and the details on this photo. I love the clean white flowers and on the china, so I left a lot of white space on my card, and added a few hints of blue here and there. I was also inspired by the details of the vessel, so I added a few details to inspire the eye.

I stamped out tulips in a bucket from Flourishes (gone out of business) "Tulips for Friends" stamp set, cut it out, and colored it in with Copics. I cut the main "base" under the tulips in white cardstock that I stamped some decorative edges around (I decided to leave them unconnected because it was more interesting that way, and I wanted the main focus on the tulip bucket) the outer edges. I used Echo Parks "Stitched Squares" die set for my main "base" on top. I stamped a sentiment from Simon Says Stamp from their "Tiny Words" set, on the base after I'd stamped the corner decorative images. Then I cut out a blue cardstock using MFT "Scalloped Squares" die set, after that, I cut out another white square from Echo Parks "Stitched Squares" die set, as my "bottom base". As I added each "layer", I placed 1/8" foam tape under them, to give "lift" and spacing so the card wouldn't seem "flat" and uninteresting. Then I put my main image on last, with more popdots under it to pop it off the card even more.

As you may have noticed the challenge photo is both small and detailed, so I kept the idea of that scale and detail in mind when I created my card. It is both small (3 1/2 x 3 1/2) and detailed. I know there isn't any yellow in the photo, but remember, it's for inspiration only. You can be inspired by the colors, subject, details, size, theme, or anything else you find inspiration in!

I hope this month's photo, and our design team's examples have given you plenty of ideas to create something. We're looking forward to seeing your submissions and lovely inspirations, and I'll see you next month, Crafty Friends!

April Beautiful Blossoms Challenge : Thinking of You

 Hello and welcome back to another wonderful Blossoms Challenge! Have you been enjoying the team's examples and monthly inspiration photos this year? I hope so, it's been truly a fun challenge every month to come up with a card to inspire you!

Speaking of, here is this month's inspiration photo.

So pretty, right?! I enjoy Daisy's and the pretty colors shown in this photo. I don't have any Daisy stamps, but I chose something as close as possible to the look of one.

I stamped out My Favorite Thing's "Flowers in Bloom" stamp and cut it out with the coordinating die, then colored it in with Copics. I cut out a white frame using Papertrey's April die and layered it over MFT's "Orange Sherbet" paper cut out using MFT's A2 Stitched Rectangular Stax Set 1. I stamped out my sentiment from Honey Bee's "Perfect Sentiments" set, then added a dark purple cardstock frame from Core'dinations ColorCore collection. Then I finished the whole look by adding some gems from Spellbinders in their "Orchid" collection.

Honestly, I was trying to find a light purple cardstock to match the flowers and the purple in the cardstock, but I honestly couldn't find anything in my stash!! I'm shocked! I honestly thought I had ALL shades of cardstock in my stash, but it looks like I don't! LOL! Oh well, It still turned out nice.

I hope this card inspired you for this month's challenge. I can't wait to see all of your creations, and until next month, keep crafting and I'll be back with another card inspiration! :)

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!

February Beautiful Blossoms Challenge : Love & Thanks

Happy February fellow "Bloomers"! Welcome back to another Beautiful Blossoms Design Challenge! 

Let's just jump right in, shall we? I'm so excited because this month's challenge photo because I love how cheery and spring-y it looks! I'm so ready for spring and summer to come back around again. This month's photo has purples, yellows, whites, and some blues. 

I didn't want to get too many bold colors going on, but try to create a softer approach while featuring all the colors I could, without making it color chaotic! LOL!

I chose to stamp out my image using Gina K's "Let's Celebrate" and coloring it in with Copics, then die cutting it out with the coordinating die. Then I cut out a decorative "banner" using Studio Light's "Slimline & Label" die so I can put the flower wreath image on it. Then I stamped the sentiment from Power Poppy's "Nice Things To Say" stamp set. I cut out the base of the card using Kat Scrappiness's "Mini Slimline Fancy Scalloped Die" using the 49 & Market's "Tranquility" design paper. Under the decorative middle piece, I placed popdots, to give it some lift and dimension off the design paper, and under the wreath too, to give some depth. Then I added some purple & blue colored gems from Honey Bee Stamps "Perfect Petals" gems.

I try to learn something new with each card that I make and I really love how the sentiment font seems to really go with the wreath. I learned that sometimes you can choose a different sentiment for the card you created, that often goes better than ones that usually goes with the stamp set. I also realized something else, fonts and illustrated image styles matter. Mis-matching the styles often look...odd. That is why some images and sentiments just seem to give off an odd vibe. Have you ever notice that? Am I the only one?

Oh well. Sometimes the things I figure out are only important to me. LOL!

Have a great month and I will see you back here next month for another Beautiful Blossoms Challenge photo and inspiration!

January Beautiful Blossoms Challenge : Thinking of You

 Hello Blossom Friends! It's 2026!! Oh my goodness, 2025 went by so fast!

I'm back with a Beautiful Blossoms Design Challenge inspiration card for you, based on this challenge photo. Isn't it gorgeous?! Love those colors!

I really struggled to decide on what color I wanted to focus on or if I wanted to use all the shades of pink and peach I see. I love all those colors and colored in quite a few images with them all, but ultimately decided to focus on one color for more impact.

I stamped out Gina K's "Single Peony" on thick vellum, and colored the image in with Copics. Then I cut a frame to frame my flower image in, using Spellbinders A2 Filigree Delight. Then I cut my image out using the frame die, then glued the vellum to the frame diecut. I matted that with some design paper from Prima's "With Love" 12x12 paper pad, cutting my matted DP out with Spellbinders A2 Rectangles die, then placed more white cardstock behind the DP to add some weight to the card. to finish my card, I added a few decorative details from Anna Griffin's "Garden Fountain Embellishments" package.

I really enjoyed the process of making my card and it gives me a few other ideas for future cards using vellum, dies and textures. Don't be afraid to try new things, tools, techniques and ideas - you just never know how it might turn out!

 Thank you again for joining me and the rest of the Beautiful Blossoms Challenge team, please join our fun monthly challenges; we can't wait to see what you create with each new theme! Have a great day and see you back here for next month's challenge photo! :)

November Beautiful Blossoms Challenge : Fuchsia Postcard

Happy November, Challenge Friends!! Can you believe the year is almost over! We've had so many challenges and inspirations together. I love it!

This month's November inspiration photo is my absolute favorite of the year!! Look at those deep blues, magentas, golds, and purples! So beautiful and what I'd consider quintessentially traditional fall colors. I love, love them!

As you can tell, I was completely inspired by the colors in the photo. But this time, I wanted to try to capture the color intensity in watercolors. So, I found an old postcard with watercolor paper, and decided I was going to go as intense with my shading as I possibly could.

To start my watercoloring, I taped off the edges of the postcard to create a "frame" for interest. I used Distress Inks and Aqua Markers to color my image in. My image is from Heartfelt Creations, called "Fuchsias". After coloring in my image, I sponged in some Antique Linen and Old Paper Distress Inks along the bottom half and around the image, I painted a blue 'haze' with the Distress Ink, then sponged just a little of the Old Paper Distress Ink around the top half of the card.

I love how it turned out! I just have to seal it so that when I want to send it out to someone, if it rains or gets wet, it won't smear. 

I can't wait to see all the creations submitted this month and see how you all used the colors! Until then, happy Crafting!

October Beautiful Blossoms Challenge : Celebrate You!

 Happy October everyone! This is my favorite month of the year!! Not because it's almost Halloween, But because Autumn is really in full swing by now, everywhere! Growing up in Northern Minnesota, October was very nippy out and either crisp and sunny, or damp & rainy. I loved them both!

This  months Beautiful Blossoms Challenge photo features orange predominantly, and looks very ethereal.

I really looked at this photo and wanted to make an orange card in the worst way possible, because orange is one of my favorite colors. But, I like what looks like a "blue" secondary color in the photo, and I decided to make a card based off of that.

Now, I know you say that this card looks nothing even close to the photo, but I want to remind you that these example photos are purely inspiration to help you. It's how YOU interoperate the design image :) 

I chose to stamp out Honey Bee Stamps On The Line : Succulents onto watercolor paper and lightly watercolor them in then diecut them out. Then I found a white paper doily and a blue doily from Doodlebug Designs and put them under my sentiment from Pretty Pink Posh. I matted some blue paper from Simple Stories "Vintage Berry Fields" over Simple Stories "Warm White" Textured cardstock, using dies from Pink Fresh and My Favorite Things. Then I diecut a Gold Metallic paper from Tim Holtz with their Stitched Eyelet Lace Rectangle and placed all my previous cardstock on top of that to frame it, then the paper doilys, the sentiment and watercolored succulents, and lastly, the blue pearls scattered around the card.

I love how it turned out, though I really fought hard not to make it an orange colored card or overly complicated.

I can't wait to see all of your unique creations and how you were inspired! And until next time, Keep Creating!

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!

August Beautiful Blossoms Challenge: Be Joyful

 Welcome back to another Beautiful Blossoms monthly challenge!! Are you having fun and getting inspired? I know I am!

This month's photo inspiration is so cheery! I love sunflowers! I also love the color of blue this vase has. So pretty!

I chose to use the sunflower colors as my inspiration and play off those cheery yellows they have.

I chose to use a stamp from Flourishes, a company that went out of business years ago, and colored it in with Copics. I matted that over some Kraft Cardstock and rounded the Kraft paper's corners. I paired my image with some yellow design paper (I cannot seem to find it anywhere or I'd name it), and used a corner punch to clip the corners into a decorative design. I added some peachy orange grosgrain ribbon and bow, and then added a sentiment from Simple Stories.

I rather like how it turned out. Clean, simple, and cute. Just the way I like them. I like my cards with minimal fuss so the images can take center stage. But every now and then, I'll fancy it up for fun.

Thank you for stopping by and I'll see you here for next month's Beautiful Blossoms Challenge photo!

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!

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!