Year End

2026 is almost here.  I'm thinking about how to more consistently blog my cards.  I find posting on IG to be quicker, but I don't like not being able to search my cards like I can on my blog.  Maybe I'll finally just write very short descriptions. 

I'll start with the 2 cards I made for my Altenew Christmas Card Exchange Partners.  Unfortunately, I didn't get great pictures.  Once again they look better on IG.  I used the same Altenew Products for both: Poinsettia 3D Die Set, Perfect Poinsettia 3D Embossing Folder and fancy Peace Die.

I rubbed the raised edges of the green panel with Versamark and embossed with Sparkle Powder.  I brushed some darker red ink on the poinsettia petals and used the same ep on the tips and center.  The word was also ink blended to be darker across the top before embossing with the ep.  I'm entering SSS Wednesday.

For the other card, I used the folder with SSS Rich Red Metallic cardstock--so beautiful in person! 

I rubbed the edges with a black ink pad.  The poinsettia was cut from vellum and the word and flower center were cut from glossy black cardstock.  

I've wanted a cardinal die for a long time and finally have one just in time for hubby's Christmas card. 

SSS Cute Cardinal was actually colored with Copics R29, R59, YR04 and black.  I don't have confidence coloring, so was really pleased it turned out good.  Poppystamps Pine Needle Shoots die was cut from 3 MB green cardstocks.  I attached the shoots to MB Woodland Branch.  The blended background was done with Altenew Caribbean Sky.  Love my very old Savvy Stamps sentiment which I stamped in Versafine Clair Nocturne.  The snow is white gouache splatters.  I'm entering Christmas Kickstart.

My last card is for the Altenew Year in Review Challenge. 

I was inspired by the April challenge photo of beautiful pink flowers against a backdrop of green leaves.  

I used these Altenew products:  Fresh Flowers die set, Sweet Bouquet sentiment stamp, ink colors Rose Quartz, Puffy Heart, Purple Wine, Citrus Burst, Shadow Creek and Mountain Pine plus Versafine Clair Nocturne.  I couldn't resist adding sparkle with Lindy's Gang Fairy Fluff spray.  You can see it in my IG post.  I'm also entering SSS Monday and Word Art Wednesday.  

Thanks so much for taking time to stop by.  If your blog address is in your profile or comment, I will visit you.

Poppystamps and Pinkfresh

Here are a couple cards for monthly challenges.  First up is my entry for Poppystamps Pockets Please Challenge.  Really had to put on my thinking cap!  I looked through my dies and pulled out 3 from Poppystamps plus the Memory Box Blooming embossing folder.   

The beautiful folder was embossed on pink cardstock and I rubbed over the raised edges with white pigment ink.  Sparkle embossing powder was added and heated for a lovely sheen and sparkle.  I layered 2 Tunnel Tags and die cut Grograin Bow for the top.  The Luscious Script Hello word and the center of the bow were also embossed with the Sparkle powder.  Simple and fun way to give a gift card. 

The Pinkfresh December Challenge Theme is Very Merry and I used it for my entry.  It's been a long time since I made a card with PFS Wintry Forest stencil set. 

There are 6 stencils, but I just used 3 blue Altenew inks plus Versamark on the final layer.  The snow is Stampendous Sparkle Puff ep.  Not sure I've ever used Season's Greetings from the PFS Classic Holiday Words die set, but it fit perfectly on this card.  The mat and sentiment shadow were die cut from silver metallic cardstock.  I layered the white die cut words 2 high.  I've now begun my 2026 cards that won't need extra postage!  Think I'll make a couple more cards using different colors and at least one will be a birthday card.  I'm also entering SSS Monday and WAW.

Thanks so much for taking time to stop by.   I've gotten way behind on reading blogs, but I'm working on catching up.  Wishing everyone joy and peace this holiday season.

Catching Up

I've been making cards, but just haven't blogged them.  I'm finally done mailing Christmas cards, so I'll start catching up on blog reading.  Love having my Christmas decorations up with lots of lights.  It's been so dark, I have the lights plugged in all day!  Lots of terrible flooding in the Pacific Northwest, but no problems here.  We are expecting heavy rain this week, so I'm glad our river isn't high before it hits.

Here's a Thanksgiving card I made using PTI Text and Texture Leaves which I don't think I'd ever used. 

I stamped in brown Versafine Clair.  Then I brushed on the colors and finished by restamping in brown.  The sentiment is from the same set.  Really love the PTI frame.

So happy Shery of Stamplorations is able to reopen her shop!  I pulled out my nativity die that I've used many times.  

This year I die cut it from Alex Syberia black glitter cardstock.  I mounted it to the MFT square diecut that I ink blended with Altenew Persian Blue and Sapphire.  The white edge was done with a gel pen.  The background was made by debossing a panel I had lightly inked in blue with SSS Dimensional Stars folder.  Then I brushed more blue ink over the stars and tapped the edges on the ink pad.  Looked through all my Joy to the World sentiments and this one was what I had in mind.  Pretty sure my sister and brother-in-law will love this card.  I'm entering Die Cut Divas through Flickr.

One more card for this post and no surprise, it's another Christmas card. 

I white embossed SSS Poinsettia Background and sprayed with Peppermint Distress Mica Stain, I think.  Forgot to write it down.  I spritzed and brushed the Stain until the panel was completely covered.  The shimmer is gorgeous in person and you can get an idea from my IG post.  Really love this SSS sentiment die I got in January.  The card sat for days--needed something.  Finally I finished it with the tiny poinsettia on sprigs and the PTI sub-sentiment.  I'm entering Die Cut Divas and SSS Wednesday.

Thanks so much for taking time to stop by.  If your blog address is in your profile or comment, I will visit you.

Merry Christmas Stenciled Card

Quick post so I can enter the last JUGS challenge for 2025--Anything Goes Stencil Week.  Finally sat down and stenciled this fun neighborhood using Altenew Crimson, Minty Mint and Hunter Green inks.

I embossed the snowflakes, star and red tree balls with Sparkle embossing powder.  I used a larger panel for the stenciling, so I could use the corner guides.  Then I got it to A2 size with a die.  The beautiful Birch Press Handwritten Merry Christmas and Outline dies were cut from heavy weight vellum and white cardstock.  I inked the words with Hunter Green, stacked them 2 high and brushed them with a shimmer pen.  Will be fun to see what other color combos I can use.  I'm also entering SSS Monday, SSS Wednesday and WAW.

Edited to add:  Also entering DCD.

Thanks so much for taking time to stop by.  If your blog address is in your profile or comment, I will visit you.  It may be awhile, as I'm once again behind on reading blogs.

Exchange Card

Here's the card I sent to Dee in Kenya for the November CCC.  It was actually the first card I made inspired by Brenda who also participates in the monthly exchange.  

I inked a maple leaf with Distress Oxides Crackling Campfire and Spiced Marmalade, spritzed with water, laid the cardstock panel on top and rubbed over it to transfer the ink.  I stamped the trees from Unity's Serene Silhouettes in Versafine Clair Pinecone.  The Mama Elephant die cut sentiment and the Gina K Master Layouts die cut mat were colored to match with the Pinecone ink pad.  The sentiment was stacked 2 high and clear embossed.  I added brown splatters using a Zig watercolor marker.

I'm entering SSS Monday and SSS Wednesday.

Edited to add: Also entering WAW.

Thanks so much for taking time to stop by.  If your blog address is in your profile or comment, I will visit you.  

Couple Challenges

I made a second wreath card using teal, silver, white and gray.  This time I specifically made it for Color Hues #122.  I like teal, but can't say I use it that often.  Considering this is one of my favorite cards, that may change!

I die cut a TH wreath from gray cardstock.  The little poinsettias were die cut from teal cardstock and the holly leaves from Your Paper Insider non-shedding silver glitter cardstock.  The PFS bow was die cut from the same.  All the teal cardstock pieces, including the mat, were covered with Turquoise Stickles.  The sparkle is absolutely gorgeous in person!  You can get an idea from my IG post.  I used an old TH brick embossing folder for the background.  The sentiment from PFS Folk Snowflake was stamped in Versafine Clair Morning Mist.  Love using this sentiment on the outside of a card and Merry Christmas on the inside.  

Next is my entry for Altenew's November Inspiration Challenge.  This is one of those cards that was completed over several days. 

I knew I wanted to use the Delicate Magnolia die set for the first time, so I started by inking 3 blooms using Altenew Baby Pink, Fuchsia and Magenta.  I added Stickles to the centers for a touch of sparkle.  I looked through lots of leaf dies and finally decided to use the leafy branch from Sweet Bouquet inked with Altenew Firefly and Grass Field.  I die cut Altenew Branches and Berries from white cardstock and ended up using all but one.  Love what they add to my bouquet which is mounted to a panel inked with Baby Pink.  I've certainly got my money's worth from Altenew Essential Sentiment Strips die set.  I cut Happy Birthday from white and from black cardstock.  Decided for this card it looked best to use the black one backed with white.  I'm also entering SSS Wednesday and WAW.

Thanks so much for taking time to stop by.  If your blog address is in your profile or comment, I will visit you.

Woodblock Wednesday Guest Designer

I'm delighted to be a guest designer for Amy's Woodblock Wednesday November Challenge.  I still have a lot of my old wood mounted stamps.  If you've been stamping for over 25 years, you might recognize this wonderful 1998 DeNami stamp.  I used Versafine Clair Green Oasis and embossed with clear powder.

I love the design of the trees and that the sentiment is included.  Can't really remember the cards I made with it years ago, but I know they weren't watercolored!  I used green and brown Zigs and the Zig blender pen for the trees.  The background wash was done with blue Prima Confections watercolor.  Can't see in the photo, but I also added white gouache splatters.  I really like the look of using thin mats, so my Gina K Master Layouts 1 and 2 are getting a lot of use these days. 

I've seen a lot of colored card fronts lately and I do like them.  This one was made by brushing the green ink on the white card edges. Leftover red die cut dots covered in Christmas Red Stickles add some bling and tie in with the red mat.  If you have woodmounted stamps, why not join in the challenge?  It's always fun to see the variety in the gallery.  I'm entering Time Out (emboss, nature) and WAW.

Edited to add:  Also entering SSS Wednesday.

Thanks so much for taking time to stop by. If your blog address is in your profile or comment, I will visit you.