September 2025 Card Chain Reveal

Hey crafty friends - today we're revealing cards that went around the world for the September Card Chain Challenge. Twenty-eight people participated and you can see the full reveal HERE. My card went to the talented Ashwini (Experiments in Card Making Etc) in India, a newer player. I was excited to send a card to her!

Supplies: Paper - Spellbinders A2 card, 

Authentique patterned; Paper Studio pink; black scrap

Dies - My Favorite Things Stitched Mini Scallop Square STAX (retired);

Birch Press Design Big Hello Sugar Script;

AJVD Stitched Dot Rectangle Backdrop Set

Stamps - Altenew Fresh Bouquet (gift)

Other - printed friend word (SSS); Copic Markers

We had the following options when creating our cards - only one needed, luckily! That's all I could manage this time - theme of friendship...

Color Palette Option

Sketch Option

Theme Options: Flamingos / Fish / Friendship

Product / Technique Options:  Foil / Silhouette

I recently managed to get a scalloped square die set in a closeout of My Favorite Things products. I did some test cuts in a few colors and they were looking for a home. In August I used the flower image on a Diva inspiration card & had stamped an extra image. Decided it worked perfectly with the scalloped squares and colored it accordingly for my CCC card. I also had a new HELLO die picked up in an exclusive bundle from Simple Pleasures (a store in Colorado that will ship orders that I call in). If you know me, you know I love the BPD Sugar Script font!! This bundle was such a great deal that I ordered it knowing it contained two dies I already owed (gifted them to a friend)!

Thinking that mail to India might be slow, I got Ashwini's address early. I was so eager to get the card into the outgoing mail that I forgot to photograph it!! So thanks to Ashwini for sending a photo once the card arrived - well in time, I might add!! But had I waited for the normal mail time, it would've taken far into October for arrival...

I received this darling card from Linda in Michigan - haven't received from her in a couple of years so that was nice. I love her stunning flower atop the pretty pattern!

Want to play along for October? Go HERE for details by October 6th.

Thanks for stopping by and have a crafty day!!

Last Day for September Die Cut Diva Challenge!

Hey everyone - I'm posting inspiration at Die Cut Divas with the end-of-month team. You can still upload to our September Anything Goes Challenge (using a die or embossing folder) until 9pm Pacific time today! 

We're creating with products by our fabulous sponsor Birch Press Design but you can use any brand. First up - a fish tank:

Supplies: Paper - Recollections A2 card;

Neenah Classic Crest Solar White;

Paper Studio Assorted Cardstock

Stamps - Hero Arts Color Layering Goldfish (retired)

Dies - Birch Press Design Sea Kelp and Mini Fish,

Block Print Striped Fish, Foliage Bunch, & Corner Waves

Other - Versamark, Hero Arts & Memento inks; 

Sand Embossing Powder; foam tape;

Copic Markers B00 and B12

I mentioned on my September 21st post that I went overboard on the latest BPD release - love, love, love the fish! Didn't buy all the sets but still might sneak back for more... I started with a blue shimmery card that I sponged with blue ink part way up from the bottom. This time I used the kelp dies as intended, plus the mini fish in the set. 

I also connected pairs of leafy sprigs (plus one left single) from the foliage die set for more variety. Then I added a striped fish plus some waves. A sand colored strip of paper embossed with sand powder (left chunky in spots) served as the "floor" of my fish tank. I curved a sentiment stamp to mimic the waves, then stamped & fussy cut. Shaded the edges with Copics & added to the card with foam tape.

I'll add this card to Darnell's September NBUS Challenge #78 since the waves and striped fish are newly used.

For my bonus, I have a thank you card:

I covered an A2 card with four different green leafy stems die cut with the dies in the same foliage set as on card one, but not using the sprig die cut. I trimmed off any excess, then added a sentiment (Simon Says Stamp Showboat Thank You) with foam tape. This technique has been used many times, mainly because it's so easy & effective - love this look!

That's it for today, friends. Hope to see any last minute cards in our September Diva Gallery by 9P Pacific Time today! Happy crafting!!

Another Santa and a Good Luck Card!

Hi everyone - happy Monday! I'm popping in today with a couple of cards. First up - a different version of the vintage Santa I posted earlier this month. I'm sharing it as card #2 for Christmas Kickstart #102 - Santa in September.

Supplies: Paper - Paper Studio A2 card;

Neenah Classic Crest Solar White;

Christmas plaid by unk

Stamps - Stampendous Jolly Santa

Dies - AJVD Stitched Dot Rectangle Backdrop Set

Other - Copic Markers; foam tape;

Tim Holtz Christmas Snippets ephemera; 

Stamped the Santa on Neenah and colored with Copics. Fussy cut and added with foam tape to a plaid paper die cut with a stitched rectangle. Adhered the panel to an A2 card & added Tim Holtz ephemera. I like this version better than the earlier one I did. What do you think?

Next I have a good luck card for my friends in Spice Quartet who are heading to Sweet Adelines competition in Columbus Ohio next month:

Supplies: Paper - Recollections A2 card;

Neenah Classic Crest Solar White;

Tim Holtz nature patterned paper; scrap of kraft cardstock

Stamps - Lawn Fawn Sophie's Sentiments

Stamps with Dies - Colorado Craft Company Spice of Life Bundle

Dies - AJVD Stitched Dot Rectangle Backdrop Set

Other - Copic Markers; foam tape;

Star Dust Stickles

Because of the quartet name, I ordered a Colorado Craft Company set with drying spices on it. It also has some spice related sentiments, one of which I used on the inside. Simply stamped four spices and the drying rod & colored with Copics, die cut and adhered to a stitched rectangle. Added to an A2 card and stamped "good luck" with a Lawn Fawn sentiment set. Quick and easy!

Since my spices are new, I'll add this card to Darnell's September NBUS Challenge 78.

That's it for today, friends. If you missed the first of my Tim Holtz Stamptember Festive Workshop posts, go HERE.

Thanks for visiting and have a crafty day!

A Card and some tags with Tim Holtz!

Hey everyone - hope you're having a great weekend!! I just finished doing the Tim Holtz STAMPtember Festive Workshop with Tim and Simon Says Stamps' Heidi both creating live. It was so fun crafting along with them!! The class ran about 3.5 hours & focused more on techniques but we still ended up with a completed card and two tags.

I had ordered the class kit & received it well in time for today's class.

Kit contents included:

• Simon Says Stamp STAMPtember® Limited Edition Festive Watercolor Stamps (bundle)
• Simon Says Stamp STAMPtember® Limited Edition Festive Watercolor Coordinating Dies
• Simon Says Stamp STAMPtember® Limited Edition Festive Sentiments Stamps
• Simon Says Stamp STAMPtember® Limited Edition Festive Sentiments Dies (sold out)
• Simon Says Stamp STAMPtember® Limited Edition Festive Tags Dies (sold out)
• Simon Says Stamp STAMPtember® Limited Edition Festive Words Dies (sold out)
• 1 Full Set of Tim Holtz Distress Watercolor Pencils (sets varied - I got #5)
• 1 bottle mini glossy accents
• 1 SPECIAL vial of Ranger Tim Holtz Rock Candy Glitter
• 1 Glitter Fat Brush
• 1 Glitter Glue Brush
• 1 Tim Holtz Ranger Distress Black Soot Archival Ink Pad
• 5 Sheets of Ranger Distress Watercolor 8.5 x 5.5 Inch Cardstock
• 1 Sheet of Neenah 110 LB 3.75 x 5 Inch Cardstock
• 1 bottle of Tim Holtz Ranger Distress Spritz in Hickory Smoke
• 1 Simon Says Stamp Sea Glass A2 Notecard
• 1 Simon Says Stamp Sage A2 Notecard
• 1 Simon Says Stamp Schoolhouse Red A2 Notecard
• 1 Simon Says Stamp A2 Metallic Silver Envelope
• 1 Gina K Designs 2.5 x 2.5 Inch Acrylic Block
• 1 6x10 Inch sheet of Tim Holtz idea-ology Kraft Metallic Cardstock in Gold Foil
• 1 6x10 Inch sheet of Tim Holtz idea-ology Kraft Metallic Cardstock in Silver Foil
• 1 Small Ranger Spray Bottle
• 1/4 sheet of Simon Says Stamp Foam Adhesive Strips
• 1/2 sheet of Simon Says Stamp Foam Thin Squares
• 1/3 sheet of Simon Says Stamp Foam Squares
• 72 inches of Simon Says Stamp Silver Metallic Cord
• 1 sheet of Tim Holtz Distress Black Heavystock 5x7 Inch Cardstock
• Simon Says Stamp Starshine Embellishments
• 1 Simon Says Stamp Fine Tip Waterbrush
• 1/2 sheet Simon Says Stamp Acetate

The kit was such an incredible value! The class on YouTube is free to all & is available on replay. Some individual kit items are still available but the class kit has sold out. Heidi put the watercolor pencils on a special sale but they were already out of stock by the time I started writing this! 

Tim used the Festive Watercolor Stamps (poinsettias, snowflakes & foliage) and demonstrated a watercoloring technique using his pencils. We stamped bunches of whichever stamps we wanted, including doing second & third generation using this technique. Here's a photo of some of my stamped elements:

Next we die cut the images, then added some glitter using glossy accents applied with a paintbrush with glitter sprinkled on. I didn't have time in the class to die cut nor glitter all my elements. Then we created a water color background which we spritzed with the Hickory Smoke Distress Spritz. Sorry, I don't have a process photo for that. We cut two tags from that panel. On the tags, we stamped words from the Festive Sentiments set & added some of our elements.

For the card we spritzed a white panel with Hickory Smoke then die cut the outline of a word from the die set (sadly, sold out). We created a shaker with that panel, some acetate, foam strips & Starshine embellishments. I also added some glitter snowflakes from Tim's summer class kit. Next, we die cut the word from silver (or gold) and added it in the opening atop the acetate. Matted in silver and adhered to a card, then added some more of our stamped/die cut/glittered elements.

I enjoyed the class very much and will continue working to finish my elements for future projects. Tim emphasized the efficiency of doing these steps multiple times so you can create projects quickly.

Thanks for stopping by & happy crafting!!

Birthday card for a dude!

Hi all - I watched Craft Roulette #286 tonight and created along. In fact it was still going in the background when I wrote this - lol. Here's my card:

Supplies: Paper - Recollections A2 card;

Tim Holtz patterned paper; Neenah white;

Authentique Collection (blue wood plank)

Stamps - Hero Arts Happy Birthday Scroll &

What a Guy (both retired);

Waffle Flower Postage Collage

Dies - Waffle Flower Postage Collage;

AJVD Stitched Dot Rectangle Backdrop Set

Other - Black Soot DOI; foam tape; 

Copics for shading; Hero Arts enamel dots

Host Mary had Chelsea Comer (‪@InkyStamper‬) as her guest for the 4th time. I remember her previous appearance because I created my first Dutch door card for that episode. They spun the wheel four times for the parameters to use:

• Project - A Dude's Card: I made a birthday card for my nephew. 
• Colors - Sunflower Field: Blue for sky; yellow, green & brown for the flower. 
• Element - Bird(s): Two postage stamps have birds.
• Random - Soot: I inked the edges of all patterned paper with Black Soot Distress Oxide ink. 

I pulled out some Tim Holtz patterned paper that had a nature theme & found some birds. Die cut the paper with a Waffle Flower postage collage. Cut the stamps apart and stamped on them, then inked the edges. Stamped sentiments from two different HA sets and trimmed. Added everything to an A2 card, plus some enamel dots - done!

I will share my card at Seize the Birthday #314 using the Anything Goes option.

Speaking of Tim Holtz, I'm doing his Stamptember online class with SSS on Sunday - can't wait!

That's it for today - thanks for stopping by & have a crafty weekend!!

Many Halloween cards!

Hi all - Warning - photo heavy post ahead!

I mentioned in last Friday's post that I was doing an online event (Sweet Spells) with Scrapbook & Cards Today on Saturday. This event sold out but do check out future events - always a fabulous value in the kit with quality instructors! The kit included a 6x8" stamp set, 44 dies, 5 stencils plus some basic cardstock. The remaining cardstock was recommended by each instructor but I just used stuff from the stash.

I crafted along for the first class and part of the second, then I had to take a break but continued watching the lives. I worked on the rest of the cards this week & finally finished last night. 

The first class was taught by Cathy Zielske who leaned in to pink for her cards!

Supplies - Class kit; Paper Studio colored cardstock;

Versamark, Hero Arts & Memento inks; white ep

I especially love the witch legs sticking out of the cauldron! The candy corn 3-layer stencil set was fun to work with & the ghost & pumpkin make me smile!!

I decided to make a pumpkin card with traditional Halloween colors for my friend Denise who has a Halloween birthday:

Meghann Andrew taught the second class & we made this trio of cards:

The web coverplate is a fabulous die that cuts beautifully using a metal shim. I love the detailed mansion die set and the fun stencils to create a graveyard scene! Funny story about the moon on bottom right card. It was supposed to have stencil paste but mine was very gummy & started tearing the paper. I saved it by scraping off the paste carefully and adhering a circle over top.

Meghann also shared a bonus card; my version has different colors (her web & card were both black) but I love how it turned out! 

Class three was taught by Mindy Eggen, resulting in two cards and a "spellbook" that I used on an A7 card & added a ghost:

We used a web die cut as a stencil on the righthand card and the spellbook. When I was done with it, I used it on Meghann's bonus witch hat card after liberally spraying it with shimmer mist. Mindy's second card didn't have the witch hat but I thought it made a cute addition.

As usual, Jennifer McGuire did her "Mix It Up" video where she takes the class kit and uses it creatively. She made two Halloween cards and two non-Halloween cards - so fun! For example, she took the witch hat die cut and turned it into a Christmas tree. I haven't tried to make any cards with her ideas yet.

Thanks for stopping by! Let me know if you have a fave from this fun event. Happy crafting!!

Not Older but Wiser Fish!

Hey crafty friends - I'm posting the card below at Die Cut Divas today - details & a bonus only found here:

Supplies: Paper - Paper Studio A2 card;

various scraps

Dies - Birch Press Design Block Print Swift Fish

Other - foam tape; printed sentiment strip; 

Hero Arts clear enamel dots

We have Birch Press Design as our sponsor this month and I took advantage of the BPD Labor Day sale to go a bit overboard on their new release. Really, really love the fish sets & I got a bunch! Funny story - I placed an order and looking it over, spotted that I missed adding something I wanted (kelp with more fish!). So I placed a second order and added even more - LOL. Such great service from BDP; I had my - ahem - large box within days!!

Die cut three "swift fish" using various scraps. Soooo fun to put these together!! Added them to a watercolor printed A2 card from Hobby Lobby with foam tape. Picked through the sentiment stash and pulled out a printed sentiment strip (probably from Simon Says Stamp). Some clear enamel dots for bubbles finished the card. This card will make a perfect masculine card for a fisherman I know. Thought the sentiment would bring a smile, not just for the birthday idea but that the fish were wise enough not to get caught!!

My brother and sister-in-law were visiting last weekend. Donna spotted this card & loved it so much, she wanted to CASE it. She die cut a bunch of fish parts, then found a bunch more crafty supplies to play with. She embossed 49 panels using some of my cardstock & Spellbinders Club folders!! Meanwhile, my brother and I were working on some home projects - he installed a new light fixture and bathroom faucet, plus fixed some other pesky issues. 

I will add my card to Darnell's September NBUS Challenge #78 since my fish are newly used.

Now for a bonus - I'll save more fish for later and give you a heron this time. I love him so much!! Rosemary (Hey There....rosigrl!) enabled me with a card she posted last month.

Supplies: Paper - Neenah Classic Crest Solar White;

My Favorite Things Sweet Summer Color Blends;

scraps of green & Momenta Watercolor print;

Spellbinders Betterpress Porcelain

Dies - Birch Press Design Block Print Majestic Heron

& Sea Kelp and Mini Fish

Press Plate w/die - Spellbinders You Are Everything Sentiments

Other - foam tape

I just used Neenah white to die cut the heron - I often do this for a "test" run of a new die set. Then I simply colored and shaded with various Copic markers, trying to get a realistic looking heron. Next, I thought the kelp set would give me some nice reedy-looking foliage for my pond - always nice to find an alternate use for a die set! A pressed sentiment from the stash finished the card.

Thanks for stopping by and I'd love to see your creation in the September Diva gallery where Anything Goes (with die cuts &/or an embossing folder included)!

A Stamptember Sunflower for Craft Roulette!

Hi everyone - I've been MIA most of the week but I managed to watch Craft Roulette #285 live tonight & make/submit a card during the show:

Supplies: Paper - Neenah Classic Crest Solar White;

Paper Studio A2 card; scrap of patterned paper (brand unk)

Stamps w/dies - Simon Says Stamp Sunflower Dance (dies)

Dies - My Favorite Things Blueprints 26 (retired, NIB)

Other - printed sentiment from SSS; Copic Markers;

Simple Stories Full Bloom enamel dots

Host Mary Gunn FUNN had Tracy Fear (‪@NotAfraidofColor‬) who was making her second appearance. As usual, the roulette wheel was spun four times for the parameters we need to use on our cards.

• Project - Square Card: I trimmed an A2 card down to a 4.25" square. 
• Colors - Dairy Aisle: I used yellow/orange/white; rest of colors can be found on packaging. 
• Element - Leaves: Sunflower stem has leaves.
• Random - Hexagon: Patterned paper has hexagons on it. 

I stamped, die cut & colored the cute sunflower I got as a free gift from Simon Says Stamp with an order. They offered the die effective with Stamptember so I had to jump in there and order it right away, along with some other stuff! Since the sunflower is getting first play here, I'll add my card to Darnell's September NBUS Challenge #78.

Tomorrow I'm doing an online event Sweet Spells with Scrapbook and Cards Today. There will be three instructors - Cathy Zielske, Meghann Andrew & Mindy Eggen with a special session at the end with Jennifer McGuire. I'll try to share some of the projects if I get a chance, otherwise I'll be back Sunday with my regular Diva post.

Thanks for stopping by & for your kind comments! Happy crafting!!

A Cat with a Castle & a Bonus!

Hey crafty friends - hope you're having a great week! Today I've given a kitty some luxury accommodations in a castle for Craft Roulette #284.

Supplies: Paper - Neenah Classic Crest Solar White;

Recollections & Paper Studio colored card stock;

Doodlebug Hip Hip Hooray pattern;

Spellbinders Betterpress Porcelain

Stamps - Simon Says Stamp Creepy Cutie (retired)

Stencil - Elizabeth Craft Designs Waves

Press Plate w/dies - Spellbinders A Little Messages Sentiments

Dies - Hero Arts Paper Layering Castle

Other - Hero Arts Unicorn ink; foam tape; 

Spellbinders Betterpress Coastal ink;

Copics for shading and a fine-liner

Mary Gunn FUNN had Christie Daugherty (‪@CreatewithChristie‬) as her guest. Christie taught a hand-lettering class at the BellaCon online event I attended earlier this year. She also teaches Procreate, an iPad app for drawing & used it to create a tea party scene during the show! Check it out at the show link above.

This is a special entry for me - my 75th! Hard to believe I've been playing there for so long! Here's what the wheel spun:

• Project - FUNN Fold Card: Since we recently did Z-folds at Die Cut Divas, I went that route.
• Colors - Birthday Party: I was inspired by the Doodlebug birthday paper pad I showed in the photo. Only had the green patterned paper left of the pad so I used it for my ground. 
• Element - Maggie Smith: A bunch of people went Downton Abbey but I did Harry Potter.
• Random - Spiral(S)/(ing): I stenciled some spirals for clouds.

Can you tell my card is an homage to Maggie Smith's Harry Potter character, Professor McGonagall, who could turn into a cat? Of course Hogwart's castle wasn't orange but I was staying in my color palette! I even put a bitty flying dragon (also in the HA castle die set) up in the sky. 

I stamped, colored & fussy cut the kitty. Die cut the castle and dragon. Formed an A7 Z-fold & added a 1.25 inch pattern across the bottom of the front panel and inside panel. Stenciled some clouds for the sky using a wave stencil that fit the spiral parameter. Here's a standing view:

I'll share my card at Creative Crafters #92 where Anything Goes - the challenge just started in the wee hours & I made my card later this morning.

My bonus card uses Spellbinders  paper, stickers and ephemera from the August 2023 Card Kit - The Fun Life. I enjoyed putting it together! It has a stamped encouragement message inside. Very colorful but I hope the guy friend likes it!

That's it for today - thanks for visiting & happy crafting!

More Christmas Cards!

Hi all - I'm industriously working on my Christmas card stash & have a couple for you today. First up - a quick and easy card using a prepared card base, patterned papers & a couple dies.

Supplies: Paper - Archivers (defunct) A2 card ;

American Crafts & BoBunny patterned; scraps

Dies - Memory Box Petite Poinsettias (retired

but a few still HERE at Frantic Stamper);

Birch Press Design Merry Christmas Confection Script

Other - foam tape

If you're a collector/hoarder of patterned paper pads like I am, you know that sometimes you have to force yourself to dig in and use them. I bought a bunch of fall & Christmas ones by American Crafts in the Target "Hot Spot" many years ago. While doing crafty clean-up, I found some old Archivers top fold card bases with a scalloped front. Decided to pair these with a sentiment die and poinsettia that were leftovers from August cards. 

To show off the scalloped card front, I put a mat layer of patterned paper on the inside of the card. I trimmed down a Taylored Expressions Insider for my inside message. A coordinating striped paper on the front lets the scallop stand out even more. A layered sentiment and poinsettia finished the card.

Bonus - a very quick and easy card! I'm trying to use up the many packets of ephemera and stickers I have in the  stash from old Spellbinders card kits. I got very behind using them when I cared for Mom before she passed (over 3 years ago already!). This card uses paper and ephemera from the October 2109 kit - Sparkling Holidays. I'm glad Spellbinders doesn't include them anymore - it was a lot every month - but I do enjoy using them! The A2 card base is a navy one from Michael's.

I'll link to Merry Little Christmas #64 where Anything Christmas Goes. This is my second entry of a possible eight.

That's it for today, friends. Take care and enjoy your day - thanks for stopping!

A Bee Pair for an Anniversary!

Hi everyone - hope you're having a great week! For Darnell's IDEAS program this week, it's D for Dies. I went all in with a mostly die cut creation!

Supplies: Paper - Neenah Classic Crest Solar White;

Authentique (collection name unk); scraps

Stamps - Hero Arts Bring on the Merry (retired)

Dies - Birch Press Design Large Cosmos Contour Layers

(retired but still HERE at Frantic Stamper) 

 & Lush Leaves Contour Layers;

Spellbinders 2024 Advent Calendar (Day 6);

AJVD Stitched Dot Rectangle Backdrop Set

Press Plate w/dies - Spellbinders A Little Messages Sentiments

Other - Foam tape; Copics; white gel pen

I needed an anniversary card for my friend & her hubby who love bees. I'm trying to dip into more of the 2024 Advent calendar items & remembered the sweet bee die set from Day 6. I also had more Memory Box from a recent sale bundle. I die cut everything yesterday and finished assembling today; also shaded & detailed with Copics & a white gel pen. I wanted to make one bee look like a little girl so stamped and fussy cut a bow. Oh - a note on the leaves - the veins cut as negatives w/an outline, leaving the positive veins as waste. I preferred those so trimmed them and added to the solid leaves. Arranged two stitched rectangle onto a white A2 card and added the rest of the elements.

Note on the sentiment. I had one pressed with yellow ink all layered up with shadows. Decided the yellow script didn't show up well so I topped it with one pressed in black that also had a shadow layer adhered. Turned out coordinating with the bees - a happy accident!!

It's still Die Week at Just Us Girls Challenge #791 so I'm playing there for the second time.

I'll also add my card to Darnell's September NBUS #78 since the bees, flower & leaves are all newly used.

That's it for today, friends. Thanks for visiting & have a crafty day!!

Dahlia Sympathy Card plus a Card for a Nerd!

Hi everyone - welcome! I wanted to play at Just Us Girls #791 where it's Anything Goes w/Dies Week. Sadly, I needed a sympathy card for my friend Linda (another February birthday girl) who's mom passed this week. I crafted the card below this morning using some wonderful floral dies:

Supplies: Paper - Paper Studio patterned A2 card;

Neenah Classic Crest Solar White;

Momenta watercolor print; scraps

Stamps with Dies - Hero Arts Friendly Messages Bundle

(sold out at HA but one left HERE at Frantic Stamper)

Dies - Altenew Dear Dahlia Bundle;

Memory Box Small Anemone Bud Duo;

AJVD Stitched Dot Rectangle Backdrop Set

Other - Foam tape; enamel dots

I still had my dahlia bundle out from making my Altenew Diva card last month. This time I used the included die set that creates a dahlia - so beautiful. I enhanced the pieces a bit with inks & a Copic before assembling - super simple to line up with their keyhole system! If interested, I also used the dahlia die on a card back in April.

I got a Memory Box bundle recently with all sorts of goodies, including the anemone buds which are getting first play here. Just cut the flowers and stem from some scraps; shaded the buds with a Copic. I had die cut the big veined leaves last month to try for another project and didn't use them - can't remember which brand/set I used... 

The sentiment came from the bits box but I do remember that fave Hero Arts set! Assembled everything on a watercolor swash printed card from Hobby Lobby & added some clear enamel dots, plus a bitty heart on the dahlia.

Next up, my card for last night's Craft Roulette Episode #283. I made it during the live but didn't have enough time to photograph it & upload before the show ended.

Supplies: Paper - Paper Studio patterned A2 card;

Neenah Classic Crest Solar White;

Sunny Studio Critter Country; scraps

Stamps - Hero Arts Yay! (retired)

Dies - Spellbinders Wise Owl (DOM-Mar24)

Other - Foam tape; enamel dots

Host Mary had Katharina Tarta (‪@katharina_tarta_crafts‬) from Germany, making her second appearance as guest. As usual, they spun the wheel 4 times for the parameters we had to use:

• Project - Card for a Nerd Or Nerdy Card: I made a card for a book nerd.
• Colors - Beach Colors: I used blues and browns (water/sand), plus neutrals & a few colors (yellow & orange) which could be the sun or in a bathing suit. 
• Element - Hip: I used a sentiment with HIP in it. 
• Random - Animal Print: Stretching it, I used a patterned paper with printed animals. 

Ugh - my mind was having a hard time with these so I was slow to get started! Then I remembered a sweet owl set from Spellbinders that I hadn't used yet - more NBUS getting off the mountain! Perfect with his little glasses and book for a nerd card!

I used a card base from the same set as today's card & stacked the elements once die cut and stamped. The owl was a bit putzy - I skipped his scarf to save time but still didn't get uploaded before the live ended, oh well. General public has until tomorrow to upload if you'd like to have a go (Craft Roulette.live). Members get until Thursday so that's why I became a member after missing a couple entries last spring!

I'll add my owl card to Darnell's September NBUS #78 since Mr. Owl is newly used.

That's it for today, friends. Thanks for visiting & have a crafty weekend!!

Adding to Christmas Stash!

Hi everyone - hope you're having a great week! I'm popping in today with a couple of cards. First up - something for Christmas Kickstart #102 - Santa in September. I always need a vintage Santa in my stash:

Supplies: Paper - Recollections A2 card;

Tim Holtz Distress Watercolor;

American Crafts Christmas plaid

Stamps - Stampendous Jolly Santa

Dies - AJVD Stitched Dot Rectangle Backdrop Set

Other - Distress Inks; Glossy Accents; foam tape;

printed sentiment strip (SSS, I think);

Tim Holtz Christmas Snippets ephemera; 

stars are EK Success, I think

Stamped the Santa on watercolor paper and watercolored with Distress inks. Fussy cut and added to a buffalo plaid paper (yes, Betty - from our hoarded Target paper pad). Adhered the sentiment strips. What to add to finish the card? It look bare with just the Santa. Since vintage, I dug through my Tim Holtz stash and found some ephemera to add, plus some stars. Yay, that did it!! I'm not really happy with the watercoloring I did (some of the black ink smeared a bit) - oh well...

Next I have another winter wreath card, this time 4.25" square. I wanted to play along at Darnell's IDEAS - this week: Inks.

Supplies: Paper - Neenah Solar White;

scraps of silver, red glitter & green

Stamps - Recollections Mini Bows

Stamps with Dies - MFT Winter Wreath 

& Winter Songbird (retired/NIB)

Dies - Poppystamps Merry Christmas Moonlight Script

(retired but found HERE at Frantic Stamper)

Other - foam tape; Copics; Hero Arts inks

Stamped, die cut and colored the birds & wreath. Stamped, colored and fussy cut the bow. Trimmed an A2 card down to a 4.25" square and inked in from the edges, leaving the center palest. Die cut the sentiment, including a second outline in silver as a shadow. Assembled the card using foam tape on the sentiment and behind the bird heads. Sort of a lame use of inks to just ink the background but that's what I was feeling... I'll also share this card at Merry Little Christmas #64 where Anything Goes.

Two more cards for the Christmas stash - I'm up to 51 which isn't too shabby! Thanks for stopping by today and I hope you have a crafty week!!