March 2025 Card Chain Reveal

Hey there - I'm sharing the card I sent for the March 2025 Card Chain; twenty-four people played & you can see the full reveal HERE!

Supplies: Paper - Recollections grey A2 card;

Neenah white; BoBunny patterns;

Recollections black glitter

Die - Divinity Designs Stitched Sunburst;

Trinity Stamps - Simply Sentimental Friend;

Hero Arts Window on Love Confetti

Other - Tim Holtz Ideology Sentiment Label Stickers

We had the following possibilities when creating our cards:

Color Palette Option

Sketch Option

Theme Options: Stripes / Africa / Friendship

Product / Technique Options:  Felt / Layers

I used the color palette - black, white & grey. Grey is a neutral but it was a prominent part of the papers I was combining so went with it. I used a quilt die that reproduced the sketch pretty nicely. And, of course, I used the theme of friendship.

First I die cut the sunray quilt four times, glued the glittery black frame to a white cardstock panel just a bit bigger & inlaid the patterned pieces. Adhered to an A2 grey card. Note: If you wanted a less fussy sunray quilt pattern, check out the one Frantic Stamper carries HERE. It has only 8 ray sections & doesn't include the tiny bits on the edges (lower left and right of the sun section). I often lose those bits if I don't inlay them right away!

The delicate "friend" die cut I used for the sentiment actually says "friendship" but I trimmed away the "ship" from the word & outline. I die cut the outline from a deconstructed envelope from the grey card/envelope set. I prefer to use white envelopes for mailing so I often repurpose any colored envelopes in this way. The "hello" is a TH label sticker. To finish the card, I added a little heart die cut from the stash. The Hero Arts coverplate cuts a bunch of them which comes in handy for a quick embellishment. 

I received this fabulous card from the very talented Julia (Create with Me) in MA. Such a beauty with the string wreath, pretty flowers & striped paper behind!! And coincidentally, she also used a TH sentiment sticker - love that! She also sent me some overlays from Kawaii Pen Store - fabulous; thanks, Julia!!

Want to play along? You only need to make and mail one card! Go HERE for details and to sign up by April 6th for the April exchange.

Thanks for stopping and have a crafty day!!

Stenciled Snowflakes!

Hi all - Happy April Fool's Day! Did anyone have tricks played on them? For me, right away, the game Wordle had an ancient country for the solution. I didn't get it! Oh well, on to cards!

This week, Darnell's IDEAS program (see her inspiration HERE) is doing S for Stenciling. Thought I'd have a go:

Supplies: Paper - Paper Studio A2 card; Neenah Solar White

Stencil - Simon Says Stamp Snow Flurries 

Dies - My Favorite Things Blueprint 20 (retired)

Other - gifted die cut; printed sentiment strip;

Park Lane gems

I was doing some crafty clean-up and came upon the Simon Says Stamp 2023 Wintermas Wonder Box. Poor thing - still unopened! Pulled out the contents to find a little stencil, blending tool & silver ink among them. Perfect for this week's IDEAS, plus Just Us Girls has a stencil week too with Anything Goes Stencil Week #768. I'll also share at Darnell's April NBUS Challenge #73 since the stencil was newly used.

Simply stenciled the upper left and lower right corners of a Neenah panel, then die cut with a stitched rectangle. Added to an A2 card. I looked through my bits box and found a jumbo SEASON die cut gifted from a friend (sorry, can't remember which one but thanks again!) along with the "Tis The" flag. Also added a subsentiment strip so I could play along at Inkspirational #338 where you need two or more sentiments on your card. Some pink gems finished the card.

Here's a twofer with the same stencil, this time inspired by Darnell to stencil down the left edge:

Additional supplies:

Paper - Spellbinders A2 card; scrap of black;

Recollections grey A2 card cut in half

Stamps - SSS Winter Wonderland

Other - printed ephemera (sweater) free from SCT magazine;

various snowflakes from the bits box; Hero Arts gems

The sentiment came from another Wintermas stamp set. A lot of the box items are available for individual purchase now so I've linked to them where possible. After stenciling down the side, I die cut the panel with the same stitched MFT rectangle. Die cut the scalloped mat using another die from the same Blueprints set. This time I gave the white panel a narrow black mat before adhering to the scalloped one. Added the fussy cut ephemera with foam tape, plus a couple die cut snowflakes. Stamped the sentiment and gave the white snowflakes some gems - done.

That's it for today, friends! I'll be back tomorrow early with our March Card Chain reveal. Thanks for visiting!!

 

Last Day for the Diva Critter Challenge

Hi everyone - I have some last minute inspiration for the March Die Cut Diva Challenge to use Critters. You can see the team reminder post HERE. Entries due by 9pm Pacific time today!

Supplies: Paper - Neenah Classic Crest Solar White;

Sunny Studio Stamps Joyful Holiday & All is Bright 

Stamps w/dies - Sunny Studio Stamps Christmas Critters

(coordinating dies HERE)

Dies - Sunny Studio Stamps Wonky Windows 

Other - Copic Markers; foam tape;

Taylored Expressions sentiment strip

Sunny Studio Stamps sponsored us this month. We thank them for the $30 gift card to their online shop which we'll award on April 3rd by random draw.

For my inspiration card I used the same critter set as I did for my March 21st bonus card (go HERE if you missed it). This time I stamped, die cut and colored three stockings for the critters to peek from. I formed a mini slimline card and added a snowflake paper. Next I die cut the wonky windows from a dotted paper & added it to the card with foam tape. Shaded the dotted paper edges and around the windows with a BG01 Copic. Added a stocking to each window with foam tape. A printed sentiment strip completed my card.

For my bonus, I revisited the penguins from my March 21st post. This time I used two of them along with a snowflake frame set. I used the sentiment die from that set in a previous post.

Supplies: Paper - Neenah Classic Crest Solar White;

My Favorite Things Colorful Christmas Text

Stamps w/dies - Sunny Studio Stamps Roly Poly Penguins

(coordinating dies) 

Dies - Sunny Studio Stamps Layered Snowflake Frame

(sold out at Sunny but still HERE at Frantic Stamper);

trio of snowflakes from stash

Other - Copic Markers; foam tape;

Spellbinders Joyful Christmas word sticker

When I made my other penguin card, I stamped extra penguins so this card came together quickly! I die cut the frame in Arizona when I bought the set to keep at my sister's house. Thought it worked well with the penguins! Some snowflakes from the stash - brands unknown - and a puffy sticker sentiment completed the card.

I'll share my card at Merry Little Christmas #61 where Anything Christmas Goes.

Thanks for visiting and we hope to see you in the March Diva gallery!

All I Want for Christmas Envelope Card

Hey there - glad you stopped by! I'm here with a card for Craft Roulette Episode #260 which aired tonight. Once again I was able to submit my card during the LIVE:

Supplies: Paper - Neenah Classic Crest Solar White;

Paper Studio red

Stamps w/dies - Sunny Studio Stamps Roly Poly Penguins;

(coordinating dies HERE);

Taylored Expressions - Seasons Sweetings

(coordinating dies HERE);

Hero Arts Christmas List Stamp & Cut (retired);

Simon Says Stamp Ornamental Christmas 

Dies - Envelope from the SCT With Love set

Other - Copic Markers; foam tape

Host Mary Gunn FUNN had Libby Hickson (@stampinlibby) as her guest. Like many, Libby got her start in card making with Stampin' Up. I got to know her years ago via the Hero Arts group; she worked there at the time. Now she works for Pink & Main. The wheel spun some fun parameters for us:

• Project - Envelope: I created a card using an envelope die.
• Colors - Toys: I used Pick-up-Sticks colors - black, red & blue (plus white as neutral).
• Element - Children's story: I found an All I Want for Christmas story featuring penguins.
• Random - List(s): I used a die cut and stamps to create a scroll list.

I relied on some stuff from the bits box that was already prepared (penguin left over from my March 21st post & a Be Merry sentiment). All the rest I did during the show. First I die cut two envelopes and scored the back one near the top, then glued together. There's a slit in them so I glued a white panel over it on the insides, leaving the one on the front's inside open to having the list be able to slide in.

Next I die cut the scroll list and stamped on it with items from the Stamp & Cut set, plus the "Peace, Love & Joy" from a Cathy Zielske Stamptember set. Added some blue Copic for shading on the scroll and then the check marks using a fineliner. Slid it into the front slot. Added the penguin and sentiment with foam tape - done! Here's a standing view:

That's it for tonight. I'll add my card to Merry Little Christmas #61 where Anything Christmas Goes. Thanks for visiting and have a crafty weekend!

Another Easter card

Hi everyone - I have a quick post today. I wanted to play at a few challenges and made an Easter card before chorus last night. Just didn't have a chance to blog it until now.

Supplies: Paper - Neenah Solar White;

Lawn Fawn Perfectly Plaid Spring; scraps

Stamps - Hero Arts Easter Set for Archivers (retired);

My Favorite Things August 2018 Freebie

Dies - Hero Arts Happy Easter Stamp Cut XL;

AJVD Stitched Dot Rectangle Backdrop Set

Other - Copic Markers; Park Lane gem;

flowers from the bits box

It's been a while since I've played at Just Us Girls and Lisa (My Paper Tales) is hosting; thought I'd have a go at her gorgeous moodboard:

I purchased the new Hero Arts Easter Stamp & Cut from their February release - just using it here for the first time. I die cut the Happy Easter words twice and layered with one as a shadow. Next I cut the outline twice. Used one outline for the words and the other as a shadow. Adhered them overlapping a bit onto a stitched rectangle cut from a green plaid & added to an A2 card. Next I stamped and fussy cut a bunny and a lamb from old Hero Arts and MFT. Colored them with neutral Copics. Grabbed some bitty flowers (probably from Poppystamps &/or Spellbinders) from my bits box & layered them. Added those three elements, evoking some of the inspiration photo squares, around the sentiment. A small gem to the flower center finished the card.

I'm linking up to Just Us Girls Challenge #767 and to Color Hues #106 Lemon and Lime (was thinking of them when I die cut my sentiment). Also joining at Darnell's March IDEAS project where Anything Goes this week and to NBUS Challenge #72 since my sentiment dies were newly used.

Thanks for stopping by! Hope you're having a crafty week!!

 

 

Z-fold Birthday Card

Happy weekend everyone! I'm here with the card I made for last night's Craft Roulette Episode 259 - my 50th!

Supplies: Paper - Neenah Solar White;

Paper Studio A2 card; scraps

Dies - Poppystamps Brilliant Birthday Balloons

& Happy Birthday Streamer Script;

My Favorite Things Blueprints 26 (out of stock

but available HERE at Frantic Stamper);

AJVD Stitched Dot Rectangle Backdrop Set

Stencil - Taylored Expressions Sprinkles Rotating Stencil

Other - Copic Markers; foam tape;

various Hero Arts inks

I forgot to mention on my previous Craft Roulette post that the show was celebrating 5 years on March 14th - wow & congrats! Just think of television shows that don't last that long!! Anyway, I've been playing for nearly a year but missed a couple of weeks after I first started. That means card 52 hasn't arrived yet, oh well.

Host Mary Gunn FUNN had Alison Heikkila (‪@AlisonHeikkila) as her guest. Alison focuses on paper crafting with techniques over specific products. She loves mixed media, but also has a silversmithing and sculpting degree. How cool is that?! 

Here's what the wheel spun for us:

• Project - Card with 2 Folds: I made a Z-fold.
• Colors - Jelly Beans: I used the Classics - Red, Orange, Yellow, White, Pink, Purple, Green, Blue & Black
• Element - Math: Sprinkles are minus signs for subtraction!
• Random - Marker(s): I colored my sentiment with Copic Markers.

I must say, the element threw me at first. I thought I had an embossing folder with math stuff - no luck finding it. Then I thought of using the plus sign or an X for multiplication. Couldn't find that set either (turned up later by my Vagabond!). Next I thought of a Tim Holtz stencil with plus signs - didn't own that one but I found a TE sprinkle set. Minus signs, right? And my birthday card was launched.

Created a Z-fold card by scoring half of an A2 card at 2 1/8", then folding back over. I reversed a colored card with white insides. Next I stenciled a white panel using the sprinkles, rotating it for 4 different colors, then repositioned it randomly to get a 5th color in. Die cut the panel with a stitched rectangle & adhered to the card.

I wanted to use a couple new Poppystamps die sets I bought recently. First, I die cut a balloon and string & added to the front Z panel so it extended over the sprinkles panel. Then I die cut the sentiment and outline from white cardstock and colored the words into a rainbow pattern using Copic Markers (R46/YR04/ Y15/G05/B04/B63/V17). Tip - I left them in the negative so I could see better where I wanted to color; I did no blending. Assembled and added to the balloon with foam tape. Die cut a little bow from the MFT set and added it - done! Here's a view of the card standing up:

Since my Poppystamps dies got first play here, I'll add my card to Darnell's March NBUS Challenge #72. My card also works at the current Seize the Birthday Challenge #301 using their "topping" since I have a balloon (something that flies!).

Finally, I realized I didn't photograph the birthday cards that arrived just after my birthday back in February. So here they are & thanks again to everyone who sent a card!

Thanks for stopping by & I hope you have a crafty day!!

Roly Poly Penguin Trio

Hi friends - I have an inspiration post up today at Die Cut Divas. We have a fun theme for our March Challenge - Critters. You can use real or imaginary ones; I chose penguins!

Supplies: Paper - Sunny Studio Stamps Joyful Holiday 6x6;

Neenah Solar White; Hero Arts Glitter Basics; scrap of black

Stamps w/dies - Sunny Studio Stamps Roly Poly Penguins

(coordinating dies) 

Stamps - Sunny Studio Stamps Inside Greetings Holiday

Dies - Sunny Studio Stamps Icing Border Dies & 

Slimline Scalloped Frame (word die)

Other - Copic Markers; foam tape; Versamark ink;

Ranger Sea Foam White embossing powder

We're delighted to have Sunny Studio Stamps as our March sponsor. They generously donated a $30 gift certificate to their online store for our random winner - thanks!

I love penguin stuff & picked up the Roly Poly Penguins last year. I'm using them for the first time here. I stamped, die cut & colored 3 of the penguins, plus a couple of wrapped gifts & a Santa hat. The hat on the right hand penguin was part of the image. 

Next I trimmed a snowflake patterned paper to A2 size and adhered to an A2 card. Added a panel of white to the bottom, trimmed with glitter "icing". Added the penguins and gifts using foam tape. 

Next I die cut a glittery "greetings" plus a black shadow layer. Stamped and white embossed the word "holiday" and fussy cut. Added both to the card - done! Note - the stamp was "holidays" plural - I masked off the S to get the word I needed.

Since my penguins are newly used, I'll add my card to Darnell's March NBUS Challenge #72. I'll also play at Merry Little Christmas #61 where Anything Christmas Goes.

Ready for a bonus? Here's another Christmas card - this time featuring some peeking critters! Very quick and easy.

Supplies: Paper - Sunny Studio Stamps Joyful Holiday 6x6;

Neenah Solar White; MFT pink

Stamps w/dies - Sunny Studio Stamps Christmas Critters

(coordinating dies) 

Dies - Sunny Studio Stamps Frilly Frames Eyelet Lace &

Santa's Stocking (bow);

AJVD Stitched Dot Rectangle Backdrop Set

Other - Copic Markers; foam tape; Hero Arts ink

I used a different patterned paper from the same pad - love the bright colors. I die cut just the scalloped outline of the frilly frame set, plus some AJVD rectangles to go on top. Stamped, die cut & colored the kitties, plus the box with lid. Added the critters & box to the A2 panel with a "ground" of grey Copics. Stamped a sentiment from the critter stamp set. Die cut & assembled the bow & added everything to an A2 card.

That's it for today. Thanks for visiting & I hope you'll add your critters to our March Diva gallery!