Tuesday, March 11, 2025

Hang in there

 I have something fun for you today!  I've been working on using up some of those bits and pieces that you end up with after making a bunch of cards--those die cuts that didn't work on the card, or extra pieces that you didn't need, small pieces of card stock that were left after die cutting, etc.  This card idea started with the "hello" die cut piece.  I had die cut the letters for a previous card (which you can find here) and as I was looking at it, I thought it would be really fun to turn it into a shaker card.  So, I did!  And here it is:

Thankfully, the letter are all connected in the "hello" die.  So, I laid the pink die cut piece on top of the blue layer and slide the die into place underneath so I could cut the blue piece in the same place.  I stamped the sentiment onto the patterned paper and stamped, colored and fussy cut the bunny image on a white card stock piece.  I attempted to ink some clouds with a stencil and white craft ink, but it didn't show up very well on the photo.  So, I die cut some clouds out of another scrap of white card stock and adhered them to the "sky".  I added some die cut grass to the bottom of the card and then turned the main panel into a shaker card with some blue and gold sequins.  Super fun and cute!  AND I got to use up that scrap that was lying on my desk.

Here's a close up of the cute little bunny and the shaker element:


Supplies:
Stamps: CAS-ual Fridays
Dies; My Favorite Things 'hello"; Paper Smooches "Cute Clouds"; YNS grass border die

Challenges:
Word Art Wednesday #690--anything goes with uplifting sentiment
Die Cut Divas--critters
Creative Inspirations--anything goes
Paper Funday #74--anything goes with the optional twist: weather related (clouds??  Does that count as weather?)
A Gem of a Challenge--anything goes
C.R.A.F.T. #750--spring/weather/anything goes
Crafty Catz #689--anything goes with the optional twist: add a sentiment
Creative Fingers #296--anything goes
Make My Monday #247--use a die cut or punch
Cupcake Inspirations #613--sky blue, pink, green

















Friday, March 7, 2025

Blue Skies

 Hello, everyone!  It's time for a new challenge from the Creative Moments Challenge blog.  The theme is: For a Special Woman.  I used an image from our fabulous sponsor: Mirtillamente.

 Here is my card:
The sentiment played off the image, but the rest of the card, including color was inspired by the sentiment.  Every once in a while, I end up printing out two of an image or maybe printing out two different images from a sponsor, not being sure which one I might use.  So, this image was a leftover from a while ago and saved me some time in not having to go find it and go through the process of printing it out.  The blue satin ribbon was just a small piece (I think I used just under half of it on this card, so there is a tiny bit left.  It matched the paper I chose perfectly.  After coloring the image and adhering the panel to the card, I added some clear dewdrops to look like rain drops.  The blue skies are coming but aren't here yet.
You have all month to play along.  So, get inky and link up your creation; I can't wait to see what you create!

Supplies:
Stamps: Mirtillamente "Phoebe Rain" digi; Verve "Blue Skies" sentiment
Dies: unbranded stitched label die from Amazon

Challenges:
Word Art Wednesday #689--anything goes with uplifting sentiment
Penny's Challenge #591--anything goes
Sweet Stampin'--special women
Creative Inspirations--anything goes
Paper Funday Challenge #74--anything goes with the optional twist: weather related
A Gem of a Challenge--anything goes
C.R.A.F.T. Challenge #750--spring/weather/anything goes (I went with weather related)
As You Like It Challenge--Favorite: monochromatic or colorful and why (I like color in my images, but when it comes to the embellishments and papers, I tend to go monochromatic because I have a hard time matching colors.  I can use various shades of one color, such as the blues on this card, but using multiple colors is very challenging for me)

Hey There

Happy Friday!!!  It's time for a new challenge from the Cut It Up Challenge Blog.  This week, the challenge is: Happy Birthday

Here is my card for your inspiration:
I have a little behind the scenes look for you today.  This card was inspired by a bunch of scraps that were left on my desk after making some other cards.  A lot of them looked like they could go together, so I pulled them all together and this is what I started with:
The rectangle of plaid paper and the bit of red ribbon were turned into my tag.  I added the silver star and the two connected black circles.  They are the base of a Western themed die cut set, so I die cut another small section out of black and then cut the second layer out of silver card stock and glued the two pieces onto the back and you will never know.  They created the star border that is underneath my sentiment banner.
Now, I NEVER throw away scraps of white card stock unless they are really, really tiny.  So, I took my little pile from the photo above and found two pieces that were large enough to stamp my little critters on.  Those little scraps are always perfect for little images that you are either going to die cut or fussy cut.
I also used on of the longer strips of white to die cut and stamp my sentiment on:
The strips of red card stock behind the tag were scraps, too.  The top one I didn't even need to do anything other than trim it a little shorter.  The bottom one was the same width as the top piece but quite short, so I just cut it almost in half and pieced it together behind the tag.  The middle strip needed a little trimming both in width and length.  The little silver stars were either left overs from the border die cut (2) or in my bits and pieces stash (2).

Not wanting the inside to feel lonely, I used a few more scraps to decorate it.  The plaid strip was in the first picture and the strip of red was just in my red scraps.  I finished it all off with a sentiment and the cute little piggie!
I definitely put a good dent in my scraps on this one.  Still have a lot of white (but I always do) and I wasn't able to use the gray ribbon or brown arrow from the first picture, but never fear, they will make it onto a card soon.
Thanks so much for stopping by!  I hope you will hop over to the Cut It Up blog for the full details of the challenge and to see what the rest of the Design Team has created. 

Supplies:
Stamps: My Favorite Things "The Whole Herd"
Dies: MFT "Blueprints 13" tag and sentiment banner; western border die and small stars; Verve large star
SU! 3D Woodgrain embossing folder

Challenges:
Cupcake Inspirations #612--for the love of pigs













Penny's Challenge #591--anything goes
Snippet's Playground #501--anything goes with snippets (I used a lot of snippets)
Die Cut Divas--critters













613 Avenue Create--anything goes with the optional twist: any occasion (birthday)
Little Red Wagon #797--B is for Birthday

Saturday, March 1, 2025

Cured?

Happy March 1st!!  It's time for a new challenge on the Critter Crazy Challenge blog!  As always, it is a month long challenge: Anything Goes as long as you feature a creature.  Here is my card for your inspiration:

We have a man at our church that has been struggling with different health issues for quite a while so, I thought I would make (and send) him a "get well" card.  I know he's not going to be "cured", but I thought he might get a little chuckle out of this cute card.  It took a bit of time to create the little scene as I die cut all the different layers with the same torn edge die and had to make sure the pieces were lined up properly before die cutting them.  I stenciled some clouds in the sky and added some mud at the bottom for the little piggies to play in.

Thanks for stopping by!  Hop on over to the Critter Crazy blog and check out the details and the rest of the projects from the Design Team.

Supplies:
Stamps: My Favorite Things "The Whole Herd"
Dies: Kat Scrappiness "Distressed Edge" slimline die; Lawn Fawn "Stitched Snowbank" die; Sweet n' Sassy Stamps fence
Taylored Expressions "Create a Scene: Clouds" stencil

Challenges:
Double D--the color red













Creative Fingers #295--anything goes
Sketch Saturday #770--sketch with the optional twist: thinking of you













Cupcake Inspirations #612--for the love of pigs













Penny's Challenge #591--anything goes

Tuesday, February 25, 2025

Winter Blues

Still working on "cleaning up" my craft desk and trying to use up some bits and pieces that are hanging around.  The little house scene was actually a piece leftover from the snowman card I showed in my last post.  It was just a little piece but I thought it was cut and worked perfectly for the focal point of this sketch.  All of the patterned papers and card stock pieces were scraps and the die cut snowflake border piece is something that I have had for years and years and years!!  Someone sent me a very sweet gift of a whole bunch of the die cut snowflake borders --several different styles.  I now have one border left to use.


Supplies:
Stamps: PaperTrey Ink "Just Sentiments: Be Merry"
Dies: My Favorite Things "Blueprints 14" stitched circle

Challenges:
ABC Christmas--C is for cute and D is for die cuts (I used die cuts)













C.R.A.F.T. #749--Christmas
Make My Monday #246--faux or real stitching

 

Saturday, February 22, 2025

Brrr . . . .

 After finally finishing up all My Valentine's Day cards, I was "cleaning" up my desk and playing with a few things that were on there before I put them away.    This little snowman was cut out from a commercial Christmas card that we received this year (I think, it could have been last year).  I die cut is with a rectangle die and then used a small dessert plate to trace the rounded edge.  Then I die cut another of the stitched rectangles out of light blue card stock and ran it through my die cutting machine with a snowflake embossing folder.  I blended and swiped on white pigment ink on top of the snowflakes so help them stand out more.  The silver letters were from a pack I bought about 18 years after my first child was born and I thought I was going to get into scrapbooking.  Turns out, I didn't get into it and I have a bunch of the letter left.  They are supposed to be stickers, but the adhesive is long gone so I have to glue them on.

I used a bit of red ribbon that was on my desk and is now almost finished.  I die cut some snowflakes from white glitter paper to add a bit of sparkle and shine.  You can see a little of the sparkle in the photo below and you can also see the shine from the foil on the scarf and you can see how the raised edges of the embossing have been brought out with the white ink.  



Supplies:
Dies: My Favorite Things "Blueprints 14" stitched rectangle and "Sweet Snowflakes" 
Cuttlebug snowflake embossing folder

Challenges:
ABC Christmas--C is for cute and D is for die cuts
Can You Handle the Pressure--anything goes with the optional twist: something that starts with "F" (this may be a little stretching it, but I have "F"rosty the snowman.  I also used frosty colors.













Little Red Wagon #795--winter blues
C.R.A.F.T. # 749--Christmas
Creative Fingers #295--anything goes

Friday, February 21, 2025

The whole herd

Happy Friday!!!  It's time for a new challenge from the Cut It Up Challenge Blog.  This week, the challenge is: Tie It Up (use twine, ribbon, etc.)

Here is my card for your inspiration:

This card was made from a bunch of bits and pieces that were left over from other projects.  While I was making Valentine's Day cards, the pieces were sitting on my desk and a sketch design really sparked a creative thought on how to use them all up together.  The white piece with the embossed horses was left over from a commercial Christmas card that I had cut apart to use other pieces of on a different card and thought this piece was too fun to throw away.  The top silver star border is actually two small pieces that were just long enough to hide behind the main panel.  I did have to die cut a second border to go along the bottom.  The two gray pieces are actually ribbon and I only had to trim off a bit from each piece to make them the correct length for the card (I don't know why I had two pieces cut from the same ribbon?)  And last but not least, the two silver "charms" and the tiny bit of twine were also in the bits and pieces stash.  And the three silver stars were the stars left behind when the border was cut out.

Thanks so much for stopping by!  I hope you will hop over to the Cut It Up blog for the full details of the challenge and to see what the rest of the Design Team has created. 

Supplies:
Stamps: My Favorite Things "The Whole Herd"
Dies: unbranded label die from Amazon; My Favorite Things star border and Western charms (both are OLD sets no longer available)

Challenges:
CRAFT Rocket #122--Happy Birthday
Cupcake Inspiration #611--red, black and white













Fab n' Funky #610--stitching, real or faux (stitching on my die cut)
Sweet Stampin'--masculine makes
Snippets Playground #500--Celebration with snippets 
Cardz 4 Guyz #366--sketch (took a little liberty with it, but I think the basics are still there)













Double D--the color red


 

Hello, love you lots

 Hello, everyone!  It's time for the mid-month reminder for the challenge from the Creative Moments Challenge blog.  The theme is: Make it Cute.  I am using an image from our fabulous sponsor: All Dressed Up.

 Here is my card:
I had some fun using up some items that were in my bits and pieces stash or sitting out on my desk.  The patterned papers were ones I used on almost all of my Valentine's Day cards this year.  The plaid "hello" was cut from a scrap of that paper.  The gray "hello" mat was left over from a previous card; the color just didn't quite go, but it was perfect for this.  The black heart border and the little black hearts the came out of the border were also left overs and provided a nice pop of accent for all the sweet pinkness!  I had a few pink hearts in my bits and pieces stash and they finished everything off perfectly.  Even the image was a left over!  She is part of an image of three girls together and I had used the other two back in November and she was just hanging around waiting to be colored up and put on a card.  Basically, the only things that were not left over were the card base and the background paper piece.
I used my mini MISTI to get the sentiment stamped perfectly, I started by putting the "hello" mat in the MISTI and stamping the sentiment where I wanted it to go.  Then, I adhered the plaid piece in place, put it back in the MISTI and stamped the sentiment again (actually several times to get the best coverage).  Thanks to the MISTI it was lined up perfectly and looks like one continuous sentiment even though it covers both the main layer and the mat layer.



You have all month to play along.  So, get inky and link up your creation; I can't wait to see what you create!

Supplies:
Stamps: All Dressed Up "Best Frocks" digi (I used one of the three girls); My Favorite Things "Something for Everything" sentiment
Dies: My Favorite Things "Essential Hello"

Challenges: 
Crafter's Cafe #316--anything goes with the optional twist: spots AND/OR stripes
Crafty Gals Corner #264--fill in the blank: pink . . . (pink everything!!!  papers, card stock, markers)
Word Art Wednesday #688--anything goes with uplifting sentiment
Penny's Challenge #590--anything goes
Di's Digis--circles everywhere

Saturday, February 15, 2025

Two more

 I thought my previous post had my last Valentine's Day cards, but then I got thinking and realized I still had two more I hadn't posted yet.  So, I went looking and found the photos and here they are:

The first one was for one of my three girls.  I made them all similar but different.  Each of them had the same focal panel and elements, but the scarves are different and the layout for the rest of the card.

The second card was for my cousin.  Since he is a guy, I decided to steer clear of the pinks and used some blues and greens.  

Card #1:
Supplies:
Stamps: My Favorite Things "YUZU North Pole Pals"; PaperTrey Ink "Kid Kuddos" sentiment
Dies: unbranded label die from Amazon; My Favorite Things "Tag Builders #5" heart

Challenges:
Crafty Gals Corner #264--fill in the blank-pink . . . (I used pink card stock, papers and twine)
Crafty Catz #687--anything goes with the optional twist: use a die
Creative Fingers #294--anything goes













Fab n Funky Challenge #610--stitching, real or faux (stitched label die)


Card #2:
Supplies:
Stamps: My Favorite Things "YUZU North Pole Pals" 
Dies: Sweet n' Sassy Stamps heart

Challenges:
Creatalicious Challenge #286--anything goes with the optional twist: use green

Shopping Our Stash #541--thrice as nice (at least three patterned papers)
Word Art Wednesday #687--anything goes with uplifting sentiment
Penny's Challenge #590--anything goes
Sweet Stampin'--masculine makes

Friday, February 14, 2025

Final batch

I managed to finish up my Valentine's Day cards yesterday (the day before Valentine's Day).  I really thought I got an early start and was going to be finished in plenty of time, but as always I was finishing up at the last minute.  This first one is for my husband's brother.
I had a really great time using this adorable bear set!  It's designed to be a Christmas/winter set, but since Valentine's Day is in February, I think it worked perfectly!  I added a little red tag and some black die cut hearts that have been sitting in my bits and pieces stash for a while.

 The second card is for a sweet older lady from our church.  She has been in an assisted living facility since December, so a friend and I went to visit her on Valentine's Day and I decided to make her a little card.


And the final one is for one of my daughters.  I used the same image/sentiment combo for all three girls, but changed up the layout and the combination of patterned papers for each one, so they are similar but different.


Card #1:
Supplies:
Stamps: My Favorite Things "YUZU North Pole Pals"; Verve "Take Note" sentiment
Dies: unbranded label die from Amazon; Verve "Scalloped Trim Trio" little hearts left over from die cutting a scalloped border

Challenges:
Creative Inspirations--Love is in the air
Crafty Catz #687--anything goes with the optional twist: use a die
Cupcake Challenge #611--red, black & white














Card #2:
Supplies:
Stamps: My Favorite Things "YUZU North Pole Pals" sentiment
Dies: Sweet n' Sassy small hearts

Challenges:
Unicorn Challenge #106--dots AND/OR stripes
Double D--hearts













Creative Fingers #294--anything goes
Shopping Our Stash #541--Thrice as nice (use 3+ patterned papers)
Word Art Wednesday #687--anything goes with uplifting sentiment













Card #3:
Supplies:
Stamps: My Favorite Things "YUZU North Pole Pals"; PaperTrey Ink "Kid Kudos" sentiment
Dies: unbranded label die from Amazon; My Favorite Things "Tag Builders #5" heart

Challenges:








Fab n Funky #610--stitching, real or faux (stitched label die)
Penny's Challenge #590--anything goes



Tuesday, February 11, 2025

A few more

 I've had a chance to create a few more Valentine's Day cards this week.  This first one is for my husband.  I didn't want it to be all girly, so I used some blue and greens, but there are still hearts in the stenciled background!  I stamped the bear on the card base and used a previously created mask so I could stencil in the background.  I also stamped the scarf portion on a scrap of patterned paper and adhered it in place.  

The second card is for one of my kiddos.  They are all teenagers, but they are still my kiddos.  For this one I used both the cutie bear and one of the adorable penguins from the same set.  I also paper pieced their scarves as it is the perfect way to dress these little guys up!


Card #1:
Supplies:
Stamps: My Favorite Things "YUZU North Pole Pals" and "Everyday Sentiments"
Stencil: My Favorite Things heart stencil

Challenges:
Creative Inspirations--love is in the air
613 Avenue Create--anything goes with the optional twist: lots of love
Aud Sentiments #321--love/anniversary/wedding AND/OR shimmer
Creative Knockouts #540--love/anniversary/wedding/Valentine's Day

Card #2:
Supplies:
Stamps: My Favorite Things "YUZU North Pole Pals"; PaperTrey Ink sentiment set
Dies: Sweet n' Sassy Stamps small hearts; unbranded label die

Challenges:
Colorful Options--pinks or rainbow











A Gem of a Challenge--anything goes
Simon Says Stamp Wednesday--love is in the air
Double D--hearts













C.R.A.F.T. #748--love/anything goes
As You Like It--favorite? stamping or digital imagers (I definitely prefer stamping.  It allows me to combine images like this bear and penguin and make them hold hands!  Also, I can change the color of ink in the sentiments)
Crafty Catz #687--anything goes with the optional twist: use a die






Friday, February 7, 2025

I mean it

 Happy Friday!!!  It's time for a new challenge from the Cut It Up Challenge Blog.  This week, the challenge is: Makes Me Smile

Here is my card for your inspiration:
Still working with these super cute bears and having so much fun paper piecing the little scarves!  This is what makes me smile: the bear and his little scarf!!  The pink ribbon was left over from some packaging and between this card and another I was able to use it all up (which also makes me smile!).

Thanks so much for stopping by!  I hope you will hop over to the Cut It Up blog for the full details of the challenge and to see what the rest of the Design Team has created. 

Supplies:
Stamps: My Favorite Things "YUZU North Pole Pals" and "Essential Sentiments"
Dies: My Favorite Things "Stitched Heart STAX" and "Blueprints 13" banner

Challenges:
Di's Digis--have a heart
Cards Galore #132--anything goes
Unicorn Challenge #106--dots AND/OR stripes













Colorful Options--Pinks or rainbow
Creative Knockouts #540--love/anniversary/wedding/Valentine's Day

Because

 Hello, everyone!  It's time for a new challenge from the Creative Moments Challenge blog.  The theme is: Make It Cute.  I am using an image from our fabulous sponsor: All Dressed Up.

 Here is my card:
I had some fun with these cute little llamas and some patterned paper.  I thought the blue was a fun and slightly unexpected addition to the traditional pinks of Valentine's Day.  I was able to use some blue rhinestones with an oily type coating that give them a nice color changing quality.  I have had them forever and was so glad to be able to pull at least some of them in on this card.

You have all month to play along.  So, get inky and link up your creation; I can't wait to see what you create!

Supplies:
Stamps: All Dressed Up "Llama" digi; Verve "Take Note" sentiments
Dies: Spellbinders "Classic Circles, large"; Sweet n' Sassy Stamps heart

Challenges:
Di's Digis--have a heart
Cards Galore #132--anything goes













613 Avenue Create--anything goes with the optional twist: lots of love
Aud Sentiments #322--Love/Anniversary/wedding AND/OR shimmer
A Gem of a Challenge--anything goes
Double Trouble #184--Love is in the air (Thing #1: 3 patterned papers, 2 shapes {circle and heart}, 1 image or sentiment; Thing #3: one or more hearts; Thing #2: Try a Sketch on Tuesday--sketch)


Thursday, February 6, 2025

Having fun

I'm still having a lot of fun making Valentine's Day cards and playing with different items that are either lying on my desk or in my bits and pieces stash.    This first card uses a tag that was made from left over pieces from a card you can see here.  I added the final, last bit of hot pink ribbon and added a few more left over die cut hearts.  It seemed to need just a little bit of something, so I added pink nuvo enamel to the hearts to give them a puffed up, shiny look.
This second card is a bit different.  My oldest daughter has her first boyfriend and he has just moved to the area and is staying with my in-laws.  They live right across the street from us, so we have him over for dinner every night.  I wanted to make a Valentine's Day card for him, as well, but I didn't think pinks and "I love yous" would work for him.  So, since I had the dark blue card stock sitting on my desk, I went with blue and greens.  I just LOVE this adorable little bear and I am having such a great time paper piecing these scarves!!
The third card uses up some more of those bits and pieces from my stash--the hot pink rectangle on the tag, the stitched banner and all the little black hearts.  They really pop against all the pink and pull in the black from the penguin.  It's hard to tell because it's so tiny, but I did paper piece his little scarf as well.


Card #1:
Supplies:
Stamps: Verve "Text Objects"
Dies: My Favorite Things "Tag Builders #5"

Challenges:
Shopping Our Stash #540--crafty remnants
Unicorn #106--dots AND/OR stripes
Creative Inspirations--love is in the air
613 Avenue Create--anything goes with the optional twist: lots of love
Colorful Options--shades of pink OR rainbow











Simon Says Stamp Wednesday--love is in the air
Double D--hearts













Creative Knockouts #540--love/anniversary/wedding/Valentine's Day

Card #2:
Supplies:
Stamps: My Favorite Things "YUZU North Pole Pals"; Verve "Take Note"
Dies: unbranded Amazon die

Challenges:
Word Art Wednesday #686--anything goes with uplifting sentiment
Cards Galore #132--anything goes
Aud Sentiments #322--Love/anniversary/wedding AND/OR shimmer
A Gem of a Challenge--anything goes













As You Like It--favorite: stamping or digital image (I have a LOT of digital images and while I do like the ability to resize, I am definitely a rubber/clear stamp girl!  I'm not super tech skilled, so I love that you can stamp your physical stamp anywhere you want.  Case in point, I was able to stamp my sentiments after I put the rest of my card together.  I also like the fact that you can use a different ink color as I have with the sentiment.  And, I can paper piece much easier with physical stamps.)

Card #3:
Supplies:
Stamps: My Favorite Things "YUZU North Pole Pals" and "Essential Sentiments"
Dies: My Favorite Things "Tag Builders #5" and "Blueprints 13"

Challenges:
Di's Digis--have a heart












Snippets Playground #499--anything goes with snippets (the hot pink rectangle, stitched banner and little black hearts were all in my bits and pieces stash.  The little penguin was stamped on a scrap of white card stock and the patterned papers other than the base panel were scraps)
C.R.A.F.T. #748--love/anything goes