Let's Celebrate!!

Hi crafty friends! I'm posting at Die Cut Divas today with inspiration for our May Challenge:

 🎉 🎉 🎉CELEBRATIONS 🎉 🎉 🎉

We celebrate so many things - Birthdays, Anniversarys, Weddings, many holidays - I could go on forever! For my first card, I chose birthday as my celebration. I always need birthday cards, especially since I joined the Craft Roulette birthday card exchange!

Supplies: Paper - Neenah Classic Crest Solar White;

Scrapbook.com Jellybean A2 layers

scraps of black

Dies - Poppystamps Brilliant Birthday Balloons

& Happy Birthday Streamer Script

Other - white gel pen; foam tape

We have the wonderful Poppystamps as this month's sponsor. They will be giving our randomly selected winner a $20 gift card (sorry - only those with US addresses are eligible).

Simple die cutting on this one! I love Poppy's streamer scripts because you can get multiple sentiments quickly. I popped up just the green balloon, the others were adhered right to the blue panel & excess trimmed off. Added to an A2 card base along with the sentiment. I doodled some lines with a white gel pen and left off any further embellishments.

For my first bonus, I celebrated Christmas:

Supplies: Paper - Spellbinders A2 card; 

various cardstock scraps and Paper Studio Vintage Christmas

Dies - Poppystamps Nordic Bird Bunch

Other - white & black gel pens; foam tape;

Spellbinders ephemers (retired)

I grabbed more of the Nordic birds I crafted while making a previous card. This time I drew a "wire" across the card then popped a quintet of birdies on it. Because I only used 2 birds of the 18 I made (die set makes 6 birds and I mixed/matched three cardstocks), I went ahead and made two more of this design. Each had a different sentiment from an old Spellbinders kit. Still have one birdie left for a future project...

Update - thanks to Joanne for the reminder; I meant to add this to Christmas Kickstart #110 Season's Tweetings. I've added it now.

Second bonus - back to birthdays:

Supplies: Paper - Neenah Classic Crest Solar White;

Scrapbook.com Jellybean A2 layers

scraps of black; Spellbinders A2 card;

Pink and Main Birthday Bash rainbow paper

Dies - Poppystamps Brilliant Birthday Balloons

& Happy Birthday Streamer Script;

Emily Moore Shaker Frame - The Doily

Other - white gel pen; foam tape

I had die cut a frame from the rainbow paper for a previous card. Decided to cut a second one from the green paper, then inlay the rainbow window piece. Die cut the balloons and added to the card along with the sentiment. This sentiment has the black outline portion that cut when I made the first sentiment. Just cut a second outline and it frames the white - very easy! Added some white gel pen details to the balloons & black to the sentiment - done!

We Divas hope to see you in our May Gallery by 9pm Pacific Time on May 31st. Be sure to use the Celebrations theme, plus include a die cut &/or embossing folder in your design. All brands are welcome but the team is loving our Poppystamps!!

Thanks for stopping by & have a crafty day!!

4 Bar Happy Birthday

Hey there, crafty friends - hope you're having a great weekend! I watched Craft Roulette Episode #319 live tonight & crafted along.

Supplies: Paper - Neenah Classic Crest Solar White

BoBunny; scraps

Dies - Emily Moore Short & Sweet - Happy Birthday

& Decorative Sentiment Die

Scrapbook.com Meghann Andrew SBC Fest kit

Other - foam tape; Hero Arts enamel dots

Host Mary Gunn had Carrie Rhodes (‪@CarrieRhoades‬) as her guest. Carrie was making her 7th appearance on the show & is known for making shaker cards. I did not follow suit! As usual, the wheel was spun four times for the necessary parameters:

• Project - 4 Bar: - I formed a 4 Bar (3.5x4 7/8") from cardstock.
• Colors - x: Wedding: I used colors from a wedding I was in - White/Blue/Yellow
• Element - Sweet(S): I added a die cut cupcake.
• Random - A Touch of Gray: The shadow on the HAPPY was cut from gray cardstock (although it looks kraft in the photo...) 

I still had Emily Moore products out on the table from Tuesday's post so I went with the birthday dies plus a label die set. For the sweet element, I found a bitty cupcake die in a set from SBC Fest. Simple die cutting and assembling - very quick and easy!! I sort of enjoyed the 4 Bar size, especially since one of the Emily Moore labels was perfect for it!

That's it for today, friends. Happy crafting and thanks for visiting!!

Explosions of Color!

Hey there, crafty friends - I'm back with the two cards I made last night during Card Chaos Episode #46. Host Irene Smith had Walter Zemrock as her guest; Walter is on the Brutus Monroe Design Team, among other things. The theme was Explosion of Color, as voted on by Irene's Facebook group. Since we only have 15 minutes to create, I let patterned paper do the heavy lifting.

Supplies: Paper - Neenah Classic Crest Solar White;

Paper Studio glitter cardstock;

Pink and Main Birthday Bash kit;

Gina K. Designs cardstock from an old kit

Dies - Emily Moore Short &Sweet - Merry Christmas

& Nested Ornament Die Set

Other - foam tape

I started with an easy ornament shaped Christmas card using some new Emily Moore items I'd ordered online after Emily appeared on Craft Roulette. Simple die cutting, basically. The Merry didn't come with an outline die so I fussy cut one to coordinate with the Christmas part of the sentiment (does have an outline die). I cut a plain red cardstock layer for the back, scored along the bottom of the ornament hanger. This one only took 10 minutes to assemble from scratch. I later added a few embellishments.

I'm adding this to Merry Little Christmas #68 (Anything Christmas Goes); this is my second entry.

There are two rounds for Card Chaos & I was ready for a second card. This time I made a birthday card for a friend's upcoming birthday, combining some Emily Moore with Pink & Main items.

Supplies: Paper - Neenah Classic Crest Solar White;

Pink & Main Birthday Bash kit Rainbow patterned;

Gina K. Designs cardstock from an old kit

Stamps - Emily Moore Birthday Sentiments

Dies - Emily Moore Short & Sweet - Happy Birthday &

Shaker Frame - The Doily

Pink and Main Birthday Bash kit

(see a photo of it HERE)

Other - foam tape; white gel pen

I formed an A2 card from Gina K. cardstock. Next I die cut the doily shaker frame from rainbow patterned paper, then popped it onto the card with foam tape. Next I die cut the HAPPY and added it over the scalloped window, putting foam tape under the parts in the open area. For the row of candles I used a Pink and Main die that would cut around a stamped candle image. Instead, I die cut it from white cardstock and colored the candles, then detailed them with a white gel pen. This piece was sitting in the bits box but needed the flames. The die set has one lonely flame die so I had to quickly cut it 8 times and add a flame to each candle. I used some yellow portions of the rainbow paper. While that ate into my 15 minutes, the rest was quick! Simple die cutting & the sentiment strip was already stamped. I adhered the strip directly to the HAPPY. This seemed busy enough with the marbled paper and candles so I left off any additional embellishments.

That's it for today, friends. Thanks for visiting and happy crafting!!

Happy Mother's Day 2026!

Hey there - I'm here to post cards I sent for Mother's Day in the US. If you're a mom, congrats and happy celebrating! My own mom passed four years ago but I still have her sister (my "second mother") and a friend (and former voice coach) aka Mother Mary who get Mother's Day cards from me.

Supplies: Paper - Paper Studio A2 card; Authentique patterns;

Neenah Classic Crest Solar White

Stamps - Hero Arts Celebrate Every Day (retired);

Altenew freebie - Evergreen Beauty

Dies - Scrapbook.com Nested Vintage Labels;

AJVD Stitched Dot Rectangle Backdrop Set

Other - Altenew enamel dots; Copic Markers;

foam tape

I stamped, colored and fussy cut the rose image. This was a freebie from Altenew that included a "created by" stamp with my name for the back of my cards - woo hoo! So lovely of Altenew to send those to customers! You can see what my friend Dawn did with hers HERE.

Next I cut two labels and layered. Added to a die cut rectangle and added to an A2 card. Stamped a sentiment from a fave Hero Arts set. Popped the rose onto it and added some enamel dots - done! This one went to my aunt that we call Tia.

I also used this rose stamp on an ATC for Monday's Card Chaos Episode #45. You only get 15 minutes so my pencil coloring was very hasty (Copics unavailable at the time...). That prompted me to use the stamp set again when I had Copics available; I have better luck shading with those.

Additional Supplies: Whimsy Slimline ATC Windows

& ATC Frames and Signatures

Sentiment from SSS I believe; set unk

Other - colored pencils; TH Distress Inks

I die cut the ATC and inked the edges. Next I stamped the rose, masked it and stamped the lines and sentiment. Colored with pencils, badly, oh well. I had stamped the rose once, then it shifted a little in the MISTI during the second stamping - I was afraid to stamp a third time so the image is fairly light.

The next card went to Mother Mary:

Supplies: Decoupage sheet - Katy Sue Designs Birds in Blossom

Other - Printed sentiment from Gina K Spring Sayings; Pearls from kit

I used the card kit we got for Inky Stamper Saturday Morning Crafting March 21 2026. It included one of those printed sheets that have come back into vogue in some markets; you punch out elements and layer them so they appear 3D. This one was by Katy Sue Designs (link above is direct to the sheet on her site); Inky Stamper still has a few kits left HERE which included the decoupage sheet, card bases and embellishments. We also made a second card:

Supplies: kit as above

Dies - Poppystamps Scalloped Pinpoint Frames

Rather than use the black card base included in the SMC kit, I die cut two scalloped frames and scored the back one & adhered to the front one to form an A2 card. The printed decopage elements for this one didn't have any layers for the 3D effect that the previous card did.

That's it for today, friends. Thanks for visiting and I hope you have a wonderful Mother's Day if you're celebrating!

A Square Rose card for Craft Roulette!

Hey friends - I created a card last night during Craft Roulette Episode #318.

Supplies: Paper - Neenah Classic Crest Solar White;

Paper Studio A2 card; Authentique and Scrapbook.com papers

Stamps - Altenew freebie - Evergreen Beauty

Dies - Pink and Main Birthday Bash event labels

Other - Doodlebug Designs Cupcake sequins;

sentiment from the stash - maybe Altenew?;

foam tape

Host Mary Gunn had Kelly Marie Alvarez (‪@lawnfawn‬) as her guest, making her first appearance. What a thrill for one of the owners of Lawn Fawn to be on the show! They are one of our lovely Die Cut Divas sponsors and we appreciate them so much!! Kelly Marie did an amazing job, of course, and used LF's bunny die with the flower frame - so cute!

The wheel, spun four times for our needed parameters, was very kind:

• Project - Ardyth Square: This is a 4.25" square card favored by Ardyth Percy-Robb, a frequent guest on Craft Roulette. I trimmed the long edge of an A2 card to be square. 
• Colors - May Garden: Google said soft blues, vibrant greens and pinks would do. 
• Element - 3 Layers: Card base and two mat layers. 
• Random - Textile: I used some wire ribbon.

Unfortunately I was at my dad's and all my Lawn Fawn was at home so I made a card using an Altenew stamp. You'll see more of this stamp on Mother's Day... I trimmed down an A2 card to be a square. Die cut two label layers and added to the card, after I'd looped the ribbon around the pink layer. The flower was already stamped and colored so I just fussy cut it and added it to the card with foam tape. Found a sentiment in the stash and added with foam tape then adhered some sequins - done!

Thanks for stopping by & have a crafty weekend! I will be back tomorrow, posting my Mother's Day cards...

Nordic Birdies with Birdhouse

Hey everyone - I'm here with a card for the May Christmas Kickstart Challenge #110 - Season's Tweetings. Jo and her elf Joanne need to see birds on handmade Christmas cards! I decided to combine two Poppystamps sets on my card:

Supplies: Paper - Neenah Classic Crest Solar White;

various cardstocks &  Paper Studio Vintage Christmas

Dies - Poppystamps Bird House Pop Up Easel Set

& Nordic Bird Bunch

Other - old Spellbinders kit ephemera; 

white gel pen; foam tape

I die cut all the elements and assembled - very fun! I cut the Nordic Bird Bunch die set's birdies from multiple cardstocks so I could mix and match colors. I included a patterned paper, inspired by Cindy's Nordic Spectacular Butterfly.

The birdhouse pop-up is one of my fave Poppystamps sets & aren't those birdies the cutest?! Oh, and btw, Poppystamps is our May Diva sponsor! Check out our Celebrations challenge HERE. 

I decorated the house with ephemera from an old Spellbinders card kit that I'd left at Dad's house. The sentiments are from there too. Here's a view of the card popped up:

I'm also adding my card to Merry Little Christmas #68 where Anything Goes and to Poppystamps Challenge #138 - Inspired by Nature.

That's it for today. Thanks to Jo and Joanne, to MLC, & to Poppystamps for fun challenges & thanks to you for visiting. Have a crafty day!!

April 2026 Card Chain Reveal

Hey everyone - it's time again for the Card Chain reveal; this time we're sharing cards that went around the world in April 2026. Twenty-two people participated & you can see the full reveal HERE. My card went to Gail in Norway. I mailed it extra early, hoping she'd get it close to Easter - nope, not til the 17th of April. It took the scenic route!

Supplies: Paper - Neenah Classic Crest Solar White;

Paper Studio Cardstock;

Lawn Fawn Petite Watercolor Wishes

Dies - Spellbinders Simon Hurley Bunny Buddies;

Gina K. Designs Spring Forest;

Scrapbook.com Nested Stitched Clouds;

Lawn Fawn Grassy Border;

AJVD Stitched Dot Rectangle Backdrop Set;

Poppystamps Folk Decorated Eggs (retired)

Other - Recollections puffy word stickers;

foam tape

We had the following options when creating our April cards:

Color Palette Option

Sketch Option

Theme Options: Long Ears / Spring / Friendship

Product / Technique Options:  Bookpaper / Fancy Edges (ripped, die cut, embossed etc)

As usual, I chose the theme of friendship and added the long ears and Spring themes too! This time I also tackled the rather unusual sketch, deciding the party hat/Christmas tree-ish element could be a bunny on an egg pile. What do you think?

All I had to do was die cut and assemble all the elements & add to an A2 card. Lots of little bits but so fun to do while watching tv! I made this bunny at the same time as the ones I shared on my Easter post - love these little cuties!! And the Poppystamps eggs are longtime faves of mine; I used four of them for the sentiment element.

I received a wonderful card from Joanne in the UK. I just love the ray background and the sweet duck with the long earred pup!! Many thanks, Joanne!!

That's it for today, friends. Want to play along? May sign-ups run until 5/6/26 - go HERE for details! You simply make and mail one card & then get one - so much fun!!