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!!

Rocktrumpet A9 Birthday Card!

Hi crafty friends - I'm here with a card for Craft Roulette Episode #317 with host Mary Gunn and guest Kristina Werner (‪‪@kwernerdesign‬).

Supplies: Paper - Gina K. green;

Neenah Classic Crest Solar White; scraps

Stamps - Memory Box (freebie from a UK magazine);

 Stamps w/stencils - Altenew Rocktrumpet

Dies - Scrapbook.com Heirloom Butterflies

Other - Hero Arts inks;

Memento Tuxedo Black ink;

Memory Box gems 

I was very excited to see Kristina as a guest. She and Jennifer McGuire announced a new Online Card Classes offering the other day - Brighter Days. It will run May 25-29 & the fabulous instructors will use products Kristina designed!! They're offering a reduced price of $26 on the class if you sign up by May 6th. Of course, I signed up right away (love those OCC events) & ordered the kit! Still need to complete the previous class, oh well.... You can read Jennifer's blog post about this event HERE, if desired.

Once again, the crafty roulette wheel was spun four times for the parameters to use on our project.

• Project - A9: The dreaded (by some players) A9 - just an 8.5x11" cardstock folded in half!
• Colors - Florist Shop: I used greens and pinks; very common at a florist! 
• Element - Birthday(s): I stamped a birthday sentiment. 
• Random - Something from Your Mesk!: Mesk is a messy desk; I have tons of stuff on there, including a box with the inks I used and the butterfly die set.  

Such an easy wheel! I pulled out a jumbo Altenew stamp, stamped it & stenciled it with the coordinating stencil. Stamped a freebie sentiment in black ink. Formed an A9 card, trimmed my flower panel and adhered it. Die cut a trio of butterflies from a scrap of patterned paper. Added to the card along with some gems - done!

I'll add my card to Seize the Birthday #325 using the Anything Goes option. I'll also play in the Altenew May 2026 Inspiration Challenge.

That's it for today. Thanks for stopping by & have a crafty weekend!

Final Day for Anniversary or Birthday with Die Cut Divas

Hey everyone - you can still enter a card for Die Cut Divas April Challenge - Anniversary or Birthday. You have until 9pm Pacific Time today; just remember to use a die cut &/or embossing folder along with the theme. The end-of-month team has inspiration here so check it out. I'm sharing card one below but you'll only find details here, plus bonuses.

Supplies: Paper - Paper Studio A2 card and cardstock;

DCWV Pastel Patterns; various scraps

Stamps w/die - Altenew Tiny Sentiments: Wishing bundle

Dies - Altenew Garden Picks &

Layered Plaid Cover Die B

Other - Spellbinders Ephemera (retired);

Stickles; foam tape

Our wonderful sponsor Altenew has given us a $30 gift card for our random April winner. Altenew celebrates their 12th anniversary this month - big congrats!!

My card came together quickly with wonderful Altenew dies. I started by die cutting a plaid coverplate, backing it with a gingham paper and adding it to an A2 card. Next I die cut the Wishing, then stamped one of the sentiment strips and added it to the long strip that cuts below the word. Assembled and added to the card. Then I die cut the large rose and 2 leafy sprigs from the Garden Picks set & assembled then added to the card. I found a couple ephemera bees in an old Spellbinders card kit. Shaded the wings with a grey Copic and added stickles then popped them onto the card with foam tape.

I will add this card to Seize the Birthday #325 using the Anything Goes option.

I have a couple bonuses today. First a quick Clean & Simple, almost one layer, card using a fave Altenew set which is sadly retired:

Supplies: Paper - Spellbinders A2 card &

Betterpress Porcelain

Stamps w/stencils - Altenew Inky Bouquet (c2021 retired)

Press Plates w/Dies - Spellbinders A Little Message Sentiments

Other - various Hero Arts inks & Memento Tuxedo Black ink

I stamped the floral bouquet directly onto a textured white A2 card with Memento ink then stenciled with the coordinating stencil using four inks. I stamped the dots in the same soft blue as the lower left flower. A Betterpressed sentiment finished the card. This one was created earlier this month for Episode #42 of Card Chaos (15 minute cards) where the theme was Clean & Simple (CAS).

Second bonus: I used the third sprig left over from my previous April DCD post; I colored these flowers with pinks. I started with the same textured card as above but, this time, I swiped the soft blue ink onto it for my sprig to land. Also stamped the dots from the Inky Bouquet set, this time in black. A bit stark for my taste so I added a few enamel dots among them.

Supplies: Paper - Spellbinders A2 card &

Betterpress Porcelain; Neenah Classic Crest Solar White

Stamps w/dies - Altenew Floral Sprig (c2016 retired)

Press Plates w/Dies - Spellbinders A Little Message Sentiments

Other - Hero Arts & Memento Tuxedo Black inks;

Copic Markers; foam tape; Hero Arts enamel dots

That's all for today. Thanks for stopping by and, if you can, upload a card (limit four) to the April Diva Challenge by 9p Pacific tonight! As always, happy crafting!!

Merry and Bright Santa!

Hi friends - I'm back as I'd hoped with another card for the April Christmas Kickstart Challenge #109 - Brimming with Style! Jo and her elf Gail want to see people &/or critters in hats. Here's my take 2:

Supplies: Paper - old Spellbinders kit A2 card

& patterned paper;

scrap of brown for "floor"

Dies - AJVD Stitched Dot Rectangle Backdrop Set;

Other - Spellbinders kit ephemera (Oct 23)

I used ephemera from the same Spellbinders card kit as yesterday. Both Santa and elf have hats! Another super quick and easy card!

That's it for today. I'll be back tomorrow with a post for the final day of our April Die Cut Diva Challenge - check it out! 

Thanks for stopping and happy crafting!!

Reindeer Wreath JOY

Hi there - April has almost vanished & I'm behind on Christmas card production! I haven't played yet in the April Christmas Kickstart Challenge #109 - Brimming with Style so I got busy. Jo and her elf Gail, two friends from the Card Chain Challenge, want to see people &/or critters in hats. Here's my take:

Supplies: Paper - old Spellbinders kit A2 card & patterns;

Neenah Classic Crest Solar White

Dies - AJVD Stitched Dot Rectangle Backdrop Set;

Scrapbook.com Nested Vintage Labels;

Spellbinders How Does Your Garden Grow Alphabet (DOML-Jul20)

Other - Spellbinders kit ephemera (Oct 23)

It's been done many times but I used the old JOY sentiment with something round in place of the O. In fact, my friend Joanne in the UK did a cute one with a snowman head (see it HERE). In my case, I found a Spellbinders ephemera wreath and added a chipboard reindeer with Santa hat. Die cut the rest and assembled onto an A2 card. Very quick and easy!

That's it for today, friends. I hope to be back with another card tomorrow so I can at least get two in! Thanks for stopping and have a crafty day!!

Today is Your Day!

Hi crafty friends - I'm back with a card for Craft Roulette Episode #316 with host Mary Gunn and guest Jessica Vasher (‪@Jessicavasher‬).

Supplies: Paper - Hero Arts Ivory A2 card;

scraps

Stamps - Hero Arts Big Words &

Borders+Arrows (both retired)

Dies - Scrapbook.com Treasured Garden 

& Happy Mail

AJVD Stitched Dot Rectangle Backdrop Set

Other - Spellbinders ephemera sentiment;

Hero Arts enamel dots & ink; 

foam tape; white and gold gel pens

As usual, the roulette wheel was spun four times for the parameters to use on our project.

• Project - Diagonal cut: I stamped a border on a diagonal and fussy cut it. 
• Colors - Calm: I used blue, sage green, & lavender.
• Element - Post(Er)(S): I had a mailbox with post, plus a post card to be posted.
• Random - Hexagon: I used a stamp with a row of hexagons. 

I started by Googling calm colors and found the palette of soft blue, soft sage green and pale lavender. Ivory or cream was also mentioned for a neutral so I picked an ivory A2 card and scraps of the other colors. I stamped a row of hexagons at a diagonal on a pale blue panel and fussy cut the right edge. Then I die cut it with a stitched rectangle and added it to the A2 card.

Next, I die cut the mailbox parts and assembled. Stamped and fussy cut the little postcard. Die cut and assembled 3 butterflies. The postcard has a stamped butterfly but I added a die cut one over top. Added everything to the card. Found an ephemera sentiment strip from an old Spellbinders kit. Added it to the card along with some enamel dots for the butterfly heads. The mailbox is embossed but it's hard to see the pattern. Enhanced it with a gold gel pen and added some white gel pen details.

The mailbox die set was newly used today. It was part of SBC Fest but I still haven't done the class that used that set - oops! Since new, I'll add my card to Darnell's April NBUS Challenge #85.

That's it for today. Thanks for stopping by & have a crafty weekend!