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.

Happy WCMD!

I started a card yesterday and finished it up today.  Hope you had some crafting time.  I'm not big on Halloween, but I do like to send a few cards.  Couldn't resist Poppystamps Witches Shoe die for $1, but took me awhile to decide how to use it.  Here's what I came up with.  

The background was made by ink blending Distress Oxides crackling campfire, abandoned coral and spiced marmalade.  I brushed the edges with Distress Ink black soot which made a huge difference!  I splattered black ink and sprayed with Distress Spritz spiced marmalade.  Oh my goodness--so gorgeous in person!  Even the video I posted in IG doesn't do it justice.

I used Altenew purple glitter cardstock for the shoe and Memory Box Parker Lowercase Alphabet.  The old MFT pumpkins were colored with the ink left in my brushes and I used a purple Copic for the stems.  The shoe trim and Poppystamps cats (a freebie) were die cut from Memory Box black glossy cardstock.  I'm entering Poppystamps October challenge, Color Hues, DCD, WAW and SSS WCMD.

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

Time Out Challenge #264

We challenge you to be...Magical for Time Out Challenge #264.  Our wonderful sponsor, Picket Fence, is giving the winner a $25 gift card.  That person also gets a chance to guest design for a future challenge.  

My stash does not include fairies, mermaids or gnomes.  But it dawned on me that I do have a darling old Hero Arts deer stamp.  If you know me, you know I love to make Christmas cards, so here's Rudolph!  Actually, he might be Rudolph's sister with those beautiful antlers and long eyelashes--haha!

Anyway, I had such fun making this card.  I seldom color, but did my best using Copics E53 and E35.  I purposely tried to give some texture to indicate fur, which you can see if you use your imagination!  I added tiny clear gems and Christmas Red Stickles.  

Haven't used Spellbinders Big Scalloped Rectangles Large in years, but I'm moving them to the front of my old dies.  Really love the look.  I found the perfect sentiment in Winnie and Walter's Yetitide Greetings.  Be sure to check out the blog to see all the inspiration from my teammates and our guest designer.  I'm 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.

Couple Cards

I've participated in the monthly CCC for many years, sending and receiving cards from all over the world.  For April my card stayed in the US, which was good, since being sick delayed my getting it in the mail.  I loved the color combo of silver, evergreen, lilac.  You don't have to use the exact colors.  

The bouquet from Alex Syberia Spring Garden was silver embossed and I used the stencils to add the color.  My inks were CN9 Grape Soda & Lilac, Altenew Forest Glades & Frayed Leaf and a light and dark gray.  I added silver splatters and Taylored Expressions glitter dots.  

Someone gave me the diecut sentiment which I brushed lightly with gray.  There's a short video in my IG post.  Nancy suggested I add this card to Color Hues Lilac and Lime challenge.

Ever since I saw the blackout techique with embossing folders, I wanted to try it with blue ink.  A reel on IG inspired me to do it now.  

I colored some of the images on the debossed side of a panel using SSS Vine Canopy folder.  This time I used alcohol markers.  Then I rubbed over the entire panel with Versafine Clair Blue Belle and splattered with white gauche.  Really love how PTI Skinny Diagonals Frame made the perfect border without covering up too much of the design.  I used PTI Dark Indigo for the mat.  SSS Stitching Butterflies were die cut from vellum twice to make 2 layered butterflies.  I attached the pieces only in the center and then added the bodies colored with the same marker as the berries. 

SSS Painted Hugs diecuts were stacked and covered with glaze.  Hard to tell, but there's just a bit of sparkle from the Stickles on the bodies.  Not everyone's cup of tea, but I really like the look.  I'm entering SSS Monday, SSS Wednesday and Word Art Wednesday. 

I'm happy to say I'm doing much better.  I'd feel 100% if only my ears weren't still plugged!  Thanks so much for taking time to stop by.  If your blog address is in your profile or comment, I will visit you.

Time Out Challenge #258

We have a Photo Inspiration for Time Out Challenges #258.  Since today is Leap Day, we have a fun photo of a frog!  You can see a larger picture with more detail on the challenge blog.   

Our challenge winner will receive a $25.00 Lawn Fawn store credit and an offer to Guest Design at Time Out for a future challenge. 

My inspiration was the color combo of red and green along with images from the animal kingdom.  No frogs, but I did go for cute! 

A sweet friend gave me Lawn Fawn's Winter Sparrows stamp set & matching dies a long time ago.  I'm not much for coloring, but these are little and not so intimidating.  I covered them with glaze and glitter on the wings.  The vellum circle worked great to make them stand out from the embossed background. 

Great to have another Christmas card ready to go.  I'm looking forward to seeing the variety of cards in our gallery and hope you'll join in.

Edited to Add: I'm entering Christmas Kickstart 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.

Caffeinated Christmas Guest Designer

I'm delighted to be one of the July Guest Designers for the Caffeinated Christmas Challenge.  This month's theme is Stars to use with coffee, tea or cocoa.  Don't forget, we want to see a Christmas card, not just one for winter.

I had so much fun stamping the background for my coffee cup that is probably filled with a peppermint mocha!  The stamp sets I used are all from Precious Remembrance Shop & the inks are Memento.  

I stamped the tree from Oh Christmas in Cottage Ivy, the date from Sketchy Christmas & dots from Fall Colors in Rhubarb Stalk and the sentiment from Oh Christmas in Rich Cocoa.  Then I embossed the panel with Tim Holtz Tiny Stars Texture Fade folder.  The travel cup from Coffee Love was stamped in Espresso Truffle & then Versamark so I could use clear embossing powder.  I colored it with Copics G07 & R29, purposely not blending away the horizontal lines.  The top was colored with Rich Cocoa & the image was fussy cut.  The big star from CAS-ual Fridays & the little stars from Jillibean Soup were colored with the Copics.  I added an extra cardstock layer behind the cup & inked the card front with Espresso Truffle.  Always good to have another Christmas card ready ahead of time!  Hope you'll join the challenge which is sponsored by A Colorful Life Designs. 

Edited to add: I'm entering Inkspirational's Christmas in July challenge, SSS Wednesday & WAW.

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

End of the Month

Challenges are about to end with July just around the corner!

First is my entry for the Sunshine theme challenge at Pinkfresh Studio.  Unfortunately, I missed the deadline.  They included "bright, summery colors" when talking about what would qualify for the challenge.  I used Copics for my bright rainbow of colors along with some beautiful flowers that bloom with the summer sun.

My favorite PFS Dainty Blossoms were die cut from white scraps & brushed with shimmer.  Love the font of PFS Perfect Sentiments & this cute little black embossed "hi" was just right for this card.  I added a crochet thread bow & some white sequins.

Next is my entry for the Just Add Foil challenge at Poppystamps.  My good friend, Rosemary, inspired me to emboss watercolor paper with BirchPress Prem Layer C die & to add a flower to Poppystamps Dream Butterfly.  

The butterfly was die cut from PTI Dark Indigo cardstock & I used the matching ink to stamp the sentiment from Altenew Painted Greetings.  I restamped in Versamark so I could add clear embossing powder.  I die cut Poppystamps Layered Lovely Flowers from a gorgeous blue foil cardstock in an old paper pad.  Just seemed like too much white, so I splattered Hero Arts blue metallic watercolor which happened to exactly match the blue foil cardstock. 

I lifted up the petals & added a tiny gem in the center.  My sister's favorite color is blue & she loves butterflies, so this one is being saved for her. 

My last card is for the Memory Box challenge to use dies for the focal point of a card.  One of my latest MB purchases was Floral Bud and Stems die set.  I'm trying to use up some of my old single cardstock sheets kept in a plastic tub.  I found the orange & teal that made for a summery bouquet.  

The background was made with Memento Dandelion ink brushed through SSS 2013 Moroccan stencil.  The frame is Poppystamps Double Stitch Scalloped Rectangle Frame stacked 2 high.  I stamped the sentiment from Poppystamps Grateful Heart in Versafine Clair Nocturne. 

Orange Stickles add a bit of sparkle to the petals & I brushed Poppystamps Grosgrain bow with shimmer.  Finished off with 3 Memory Box yellow Fairy Jewels.

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