Numbers and Embossing

Hi everyone - almost summer! We had a nice warm, sunny day today after some heavy rain yesterday. I'm here sharing a card with numbers for Just Us Girls Challenge #779. It's also E equals Embossing week for Darnell's IDEAS program (see her gorgeous inspiration HERE) so I did some dry embossing too.

Supplies: Paper - Recollections Green;

Neenah Solar White; scraps

Stamps - Hero Arts Number Pattern 

(retired but HERE at Frantic Stamper)

Embossing Folder - Pink and Main Birthday Wishes 

Dies - Poppystamps Happy Birthday Streamer Script & 

Brilliant Birthday Balloons;

AJVD Stitched Dot Rectangle Backdrop Set 

Other - foam tape; thread; white gel pen

I was doing some crafty clean up & found a stamped numbers panel from last year. Blended ink on it and die cut with a stitched rectangle, then embossed with a texty birthday background. Ran a green ink pad over top but the numbers still dominate. I also embossed a solid green panel so you could better see the embossing. Added some left over balloons from a recent Craft Roulette card & a sentiment that's the negative of the one I used one another previous card.

The embossing folder is one I ordered recently from Pink & Main; it's getting first play here. I'll add my card to Darnell's June NBUS Challenge 75 & also to Seize the Birthday #307 using the Anything Goes option.

Here's a bonus card with dry embossing. 

Supplies: Paper - Tim Holtz Distress Watercolor;

Hero Arts Bermuda; MFT Summer Splash;

scrap of black glitter; Neenah Solar White

3D Embossing Folder - Spellbinders Joyful Candy Canes

Dies - Simon Says Stamp - CZ Design Merry Christmas

AJVD Stitched Dot Rectangle Backdrop Set;

My Favorite Things Winter Poinsettias

(retired but HERE at Frantic Stamper)

Other - Park Lane gems; foam tape;

iridescent shimmer spray

I started this panel last month when Darnell had E for Embossing. I first die cut watercolor paper with a stitched rectangle and embossed it, then tried to paint it - ugh; it looked terrible! Into the scrap bin it went! Reconsidered & tried adding Iced Spruce Distress Ink. Still not great so into the scrap bin it went again. Reconsidered & I ran a red ink pad over it and spritzed with shimmer spray - deemed it useable. What do you think - was I wrong?

Added the panel to an A2 card along with a poinsettia left over from a previous card. Popped on a sentiment die cut with a new to me SSS die set. Some gems in the flower center finished the card.

Do you like color challenges? Die Cut Divas has one going for June and it hasn't seemed very popular yet. There's a chance to win a Poppystamps gift card if you're interested - check it out HERE.

That's it for today. Thanks for visiting and have a crafty day!

Sweet critters and more cocoa!

Happy Monday! I'm sharing a card for Christmas Kickstart #99 where Jo and elf Dani have chosen Christmas Critters as the theme. Here's my take:

Supplies: Paper - Neenah Solar White;

Paper Studio A2 card; scraps of green;

Spellbinders Betterpress Porcelain

Stamps w/dies - Art Impressions Woodland Critters

Dies - Lawn Fawn Stitched Hillside Borders;

Memory Box Pine Tree Grove (retired)

Press Plates w/dies - Spellbinders Merry & Bright Sentiment Strips

Other - Copic Markers; foam tape

In May Die Cut Divas had Art Impressions as our sponsor - one I arranged, being a lover of their stamps & dies. Many sets come with coordinating dies included and for a reasonable price. I recently ordered a few critter sets & was excited to see a challenge where I could use them right away! 

First, I stamped & die cut all the critters in the set. I chose three for this card & colored them with Copics. Next I die cut a couple stitched snow hills and added them to an A2 card. Die cut the pine grove with its snow layer and added to the topmost hill. Added the trio of critters and two pressed sentiments that I cut into pieces. Done!

I'll also add my card to Darnell's June NBUS Challenge #75 since my critters are getting first play here. Love these little sweeties!! And to the June We Love Stamping Challenge where the theme is Nature - a winter scene with critters works there too!

With me for a bonus? I made another card with gingerbread in a cocoa cup. 

Supplies: Paper - Neenah Classic Crest Solar White;

Spellbinders A2 card & Oh What Fun papers (green plaid);

Doodlebug Frosty Friends 6x6"

Stamps w/dies - Simon Says Stamp Merry and Sweet Festive Fun;

Taylored Expressions Seasons Sweetings (dies)

Dies - AJVD Stitched Dot Rectangle Backdrop Set;

Sunny Studio freebie snowflake

Other - Copic Markers; foam tape; 

Stamped, die cut and colored the image. Added a die cut snowflake. Then I went searching for papers, luckily finding a few bits left of Doodlebug. The scalloped layer was stuffed in with the papers - no idea what I cut it with. A TE sentiment finished the card. You can see my previous version here. Let me know in the comments, if desired, which one you prefer. Of course, I love purple so I like this one! 

Oh - and here's a Christmas card count: I'm up to 36 cards already!! So exciting, especially since I've finished the insides on every one of them - usually I'm scrambling to do that when it time for mailing! Do you make Christmas cards all year long? Let me know how you're doing on your stash.

Thanks for stopping by and have a wonderful, crafty day!

Happy Father's Day!

Happy Father's Day to everyone celebrating today! I'm here to share the card I made for my Dad; we'll be heading to his favorite restaurant, Hubbell House in Mantorville MN for lunch. We just dined there for Easter but, hey, it's his special day!

Supplies: Paper Wishes Steampunk Surprise Workshop

Paper - Spellbinders A2 card; Paper Studio glitter

Stamps - Taylored Expressions Many Minis - Holiday (retired)

Dies - AJVD Stitched Dot Rectangle Backdrop Set;

Hero Arts Nesting Oval Infinity Dies

Other - Black Soot Distress ink

Dad loves trains so I die cut one of the Steampunk workshop panels with a stitched rectangle & added some of the other paper, along with some gears die cut from glitter paper. A sentiment oval completed the card.

While I was at it, I used a motorcycle panel and made a card for a friend's hubby who had surgery. He loves riding his motorcycle and will soon be cleared to ride again! I added the Steampunk panel to a blue A2 card along with some distressed gold gears & a sentiment flag from the stash.

That's it for today. Hope you're having a lovely day and thanks for visiting!

Summer Splash Poinsettia & a Matchbook Card!

Hello and happy weekend! While waiting for Craft Roulette to start yesterday, I made a card for My Favorite Things Color Challenge #12 which began June 11th. When I saw the colors I did a happy dance because I love, love, love their Summer Splash cardstock. Recently got a new package of it (now on notify, sorry)! Here's my take:

Supplies: Paper - My Favorite Things Summer Splash

& Kraft; Hero Arts Bermuda, BoBunny Snowfall,

scraps of chocolate by unk; Spellbinders Porcelain

Dies - My Favorite Things Winter Poinsettias

(retired but found HERE at Frantic Stamper)

Stitched Oval Scallop Frames (retired) &

Blueprints 20 (retired)

Press Plate w/die - Spellbinders Merry & Bright Sentiment Strips

Other - gems by unk; foam tape; HA sparkle lacquer

Sorry, their challenge banner has a lot of white space I can't seem to edit out! Oh well... I started by die cutting the poinsettia & assembling. I added sparkle lacquer to the dots in the center. Next I covered a kraft A2 card with chocolate card stock. Then I used a fave MFT Blueprints set & die cut the scalloped layer from kraft and the stitched rectangle from a BoBunny dotted pattern.

Next I die cut a scalloped oval frame from the rest of my chocolate scrap - not sure what brand but might be Core'dinations. Backed the frame with a texty pattern from the same BoBunny 6x6" pad. Assembled and added a pressed banner & some gems. I love how this turned out!

I'll also add my card to Merry Little Christmas #62 where Anything Goes Christmas; this is my 6th entry (of 8 max). And to Darnell's IDEAS where she's doing DIES this week, plus her June NBUS #75 since my MFT poinsettias are newly used. They came in a card kit that's been sitting around for quite a while - so long, they're retired! Luckily, the dies are still available at Frantic Stamper!

Still with me? Here's my project for Craft Roulette #271 - we had loads of fun last night with host Mary Gunn & guests Amy Wares (‪@amyswares‬) & her daughter Ry! Amy was ill in May during Mother/Daughter month so was taking her raincheck. Both Amy & her daughter are talented artists - Ry's only 15 & draws most of her designs!

• Project - Matchbook card: I used a die to create one.
• Colors - Park: I called it Amusement Park which basically has every color!
• Element - Key(s): I stamped a couple keys in Key Lime ink on my sentiment panel.
• Random - Curved and Straight: The matchbook has scalloped (curved) & straight edges.

Here are more views and a supply list:

Supplies: Paper - Neenah white; 

Recollections green

Stamps - SSS Art Impressions exclusive Christmas Town;

Hero Arts Key to My Heart

Dies - Art Impressions Matchbook Template

Other - Copic Markers; Hero Arts ink;

printed sentiment panel from fall 2024 SCT

You probably need to use a lighter card stock that I used! It stood up nicely when open but I got a lot of wrinkles when I squished it closed. My thumb conveniently covers up the worst of it in the photo - LOL.

That's it for today, friends! Thanks for stopping by & have a crafty day!!

Watercolored Morning Glories

Hi all - I've been doing some crafty clean-up and, of course, started playing with things I found! Isn't that why we never truly finish our clean-ups??!

Here's a card I made this morning using Darnell's IDEAS program - this week D is for Dies. You can see her gorgeous inspiration HERE. I also designed my card around my friend Betty's (created by bjk) Tic-Tac-Toe board for TTTC272.

Supplies: Paper - Spellbinders A2 card;

Tim Holtz Distress Watercolor Paper;

My Favorite Things Colorful Canvas (on

notify at MFT but HERE at Frantic Stamper)

Dies - Hero Arts Morning Glory Fancy Die &

Trellis Window (sold out);

Simon Says Stamp Whirl Bay Leaves;

AJVD Stitched Dot Rectangle Backdrop Set

Other - Altenew 24 Pan Watercolors; foam tape

I used the bottom horizontal row - Ink Blending, Floral/Foliage, & Enamel Dots/Sequins - as well as the bottom left to upper right diagonal row - Ink Blending, Free, Die Cuts.

First I die cut a soft blue rectangle & ink blended the bottom with green and the upper portion with blue. Added this to a white A2 card. Next I die cut the trellis and the green leaves. Then I die cut the morning glories and watercolored them with Altenew's 24 pan watercolors, then spritzed with shimmer spray. Dried with a heat tool and stacked with a plain white die cut for stability. Assembled on the card, popping up some flowers with foam tape.

I took a sentiment out of the bits box; I think it's from a Hero Studio kit but can't be sure. Since I'm doing some crafty clean-up, all my Hero Arts kits went to the satellite studio at my Dad's house to give me some breathing room. I tried tucking the sentiment among the flowers but it got a bit lost. Since I didn't have the die here to cut a shadow, I simply glued the die cut sentiment to a scrap piece of pink and fussy cut it. Shows up much better that way!

Some Altenew enamel dots finished the card. This one is going to a chorus friend who's battling breast cancer - too much of that happening within the chorus! The morning glory die, the trellis and the whirl leaves are all getting first play here so I'll also add my card to Darnell's June NBUS Challenge #75.

That's all for today, friends! Thanks for stopping by and have a crafty day!!

Flower Cart Mouse

Hi all - I'm back with a quick card for the June We Love Stamping challenge where they're doing Nature, as well as Anything Goes. Thought I'd do a sweet mouse with a flower cart. Besides flowers, the image has butterflies so I'm well covered with the nature theme!

Supplies: Paper - Art Impressions Birthday Journal;

Neenah Solar White; scraps; Paper Studio A2 card

Stamps with Dies - Pink & Main Mice Spring (dies)

Dies - Birch Press Design Happy Birthday Vintage Sentiment;

AJVD Stitched Dot Rectangle Backdrop Set;

My Favorite Things Blueprints 26 (out of stock 

at MFT but one left HERE at Frantic Stamper)

Stencil - Lawn Fawn Cloudy

Other - Copic Markers, Hero Arts &

Memento inks; sentiment strip (SSS maybe);

white gel pen; foam tape

I'm using an adorable spring stamp set from Pink & Main. Libby from P&M presented a segment at the recent BellaCon I attended & I ordered a few things. This is the first outing for the mouse with flower cart. I stamped, colored with Copics & die cut the image. Added a few white gel details.

Next I cut a stitched rectangle from Neenah and ink the bottom edge green for grass, then stenciled the clouds. Die cut a large stitched rectangle from plaid and added to an A2 card. Matted the smaller rectangle and popped onto the plaid with foam tape. Die cut a small banner. The sentiment and sub-sentiment strip were from my bits box. Assembled and done!

I'll also add my card to Darnell's June NBUS Challenge #75 since my mouse is newly used. I colored the mouse while I was at a Craft Roulette after show party on Zoom Friday night. Gave me something to work on since my CR card was already done!! I finished the card yesterday afternoon before I headed to the western suburbs for a chorus party. That little mouse really makes me smile!

That's it for today. Thanks for stopping by and have a crafty day!

Yippee!

Happy weekend everyone! We've been experiencing Internet issues in the neighborhood so I get online when I can. Tough for me to blog, etc. from a phone so I don't! Anyway, I managed to watch Craft Roulette #270 last night (mostly on my phone) and made my card during the show. 

Supplies: Paper - Michael's Recollections;

Momenta Watercolor Print; scraps

Stamps - Hero Arts Yay! (retired)

Dies - Hero Arts Arches Infinity Dies

(sold out at HA but HERE at Frantic Stamper);

My Favorite Things Die Cuts & Shapes (retired)

Ink - Hero Arts Blue Hawaii Reactive

Other - Foam tape

Host Mary Gunn Funn had Sue Small-Kreider (‪@SSKUllyCatDesigns‬) as her guest. Sue is a Design Team member at Karen Burniston, plus a Craft Roulette member. Sue routinely does process videos of her CR cards along with her KB projects on her YouTube channel.

As usual, the roulette wheel was spun four times to see what parameters we had to use for our card:

• Project - A7: I formed a 5x7" card from pink cardstock.
• Color - 1980s: I googled & found a palette on Color Hex.
• Element - Interjection: I used yippee, an interjection per a Part of Speech website.
• Random - Include an Arch: I layered several die cut arches.

When I saw Arch on the wheel, I immediately thought of the Hero Arts arches infinity set. I've mentioned before that I do better at creating quickly when I can use dies. Not that you have to create quickly for Craft Roulette - you can actually take until Sunday to submit a card (longer if a member). I just like to play like we did for the old HA Scrambles! 

The '80s color palette I found had 5 colors so I decided to make one the card base and then cut layers of arches for the rest. I used a mat layer of a watercolor print paper to tie all the colors together.

For the interjection, I found an old HA stamp set with yippee. Decided to loosely use the sketch I used on my bonus card from Sunday's post & stamped three horizontal sentiments. Then I added three MFT die cut stars using arch colors. Popped the arches and the stars with foam tape. I'm sending this card to the person we honored with our Sweet Adeline Region's Shining Star award this year, probably with the addition of some glitter lacquer on the stars.

I'm adding my card to Just Us Girls Challenge #778 where it's die week with layers!

That's it for today, friends! I'm running one last donation to the Book 'Em book drive in Bloomington MN (home of Mall of America & a suburb of Minneapolis). I gathered 20 Banker's boxes full of books to donate this year! I had so many books around the house that I needed to purge some - making room for more craft supplies, right?! I still haven't finished my Spellbinders Weekender cards but I'll get there...

Thanks for stopping by & happy crafting!!

May 2025 Card Chain Reveal

Hello everyone - I'm sharing the card I sent for the May 2025 Card Chain. Twenty-one people played along for May and you can see the full reveal HERE. My card traveled across the Pond to the super talented Brenda (Floral Fantasies) in the UK:

Supplies: Paper - American Crafts;

BoBunny Cottontail Collection;

Neenah Classic Crest Solar White

Stamps w/dies - Art Impressions Hen House Cubbies 

Dies - Sizzix  Intricate Floral Easter Egg

Other - Copic Markers; Recollections stickers

We had the following options for creating our cards:

Color Palette Option

Sketch Option

Theme Options: Chickens / Smiles and Laughter / Friendship

Product / Technique Options: Ribbon or Lace / Lacé

This time I went with the sketch option, plus themes of chickens and friendship. I bought the adorable Hen House set by Art Impressions last November & had stamped/die cut a bunch of the elements. They had been sitting in the set's package ever since! When I saw the theme of chickens, I just had to get them out!! Colored them with Copics and arranged the hen & chicks on the cubby.

On the craft table was an egg (thanks again, Gundi, for this set!) that I'd die cut for an Easter card (not finished yet). I thought the egg shape would be perfect for the focal point in the sketch & the chicken theme. I cut a different colored egg, though, to better contrast with my hen house colors. I chose an ombre peach A2 card from a boxed set and cut the egg from it. Added the hen house to the egg. It seemed too large to fit with all the sketch elements on an A2 card so I formed an A7 from Neenah white.

Luckily, I had the perfect peach plaid in a 12x12" size, purchased with a bunch of other papers at a JoAnn going-out-of-business visit. I still had a BoBunny 6x6" Easter paper pad on the table & found three coordinating pieces to go behind the egg. I used a paper trimmer to cut thin strips of white for that element of the sketch. Two puffy sentiment stickers completed the sketch. I really loved how this turned out and was glad Brenda enjoyed it!

I received this amazing card from Dagmara in Poland. She likes doing flat slimline cards & they are so special. She loves Mary Poppins and so do I - isn't this a great scene?! She also sent some fun images for me to color - thanks, Dagmara!! 

Want to join us? Please go HERE for details & to sign up for the June chain by June 6th.

I'll add my card to Darnell's June NBUS Challenge #75 since my chickens are new.

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

Birthday Balloons and a bonus!

Hey friends - hope you're enjoying your day! Crazy week last week so, other than yesterday's prescheduled post, I've been missing. More on that later... I watched Craft Roulette Episode #269 on replay this morning and quickly created a simple card for my 60th contribution:

Supplies: Paper - Neenah Classic Crest Solar White;

Paper Studio A2 card (trimmed down);

various scraps

Stamp/Die - Hero Arts May 2025 Card Kit

Dies - Poppystamps Brilliant Birthday Balloons

Stencil - Lawn Fawn Cloudy

Other - White gel pen, black heavyweight thread;

Memento & Hero Arts inks; foam tape

Host Mary Gunn FUNN had Amanda Stevens (‪@PearBlossomPress‬), an owner of Pear Blossom Press (known for light-up elements) and her daughter Kelly as guests. As usual, the craft wheel was spun four times for the things we had to use:

I remembered to download my contribution banner which includes the parameters - so much easier than trying to grab a screen shot!

• Project - Square Card: Trimmed an A2 card down to a 4.25" square.
• Color - Butterfly(ies): Found on Gardens with Wings website.
• Element - Cloud(s)/Cloudy: Stenciled clouds for the background.
• Random -Tied: Tied strings on the balloons & tied together.

I started with an A2 card and cut the 5.5" side to 4.25" to create a square card. This way I can use an A2 envelope! Next, I stenciled a mat layer of white using LF clouds. I die cut some balloons and tied them with a heavyweight thread. Added white gel pen to each balloon. Stamped and die cut a sentiment from the May '25 Hero Arts kit. Assembled and done!

I'll add my card to Seize the Birthday #306 using the Anything Goes option.

For my bonus card, I added to my Christmas card stash! Remember me telling about Bellacon? I recently attended their online event & shared one card from it HERE. I created this card based on a sketch class taught by Meg Daves. 

Supplies: Paper - Paper Studio A2 card;

scraps of white and glitter;

Hot Off the Press Cutsie Christmas Artful Card Kit

Dies - Memory Box Bello Joy;

AJVD Stitched Dot Rectangle Backdrop Set;

Simon Says Stamp EZ Strips Rectangles

Other - SSS EZ Strips Reverse Joy

The sketch is basically three horizontal elements. I used two EZ strips sentiments and a die cut JOY. The penguin is a bit of ephemera from the cutsie paper pack where I got the snowflake paper. Very quick and easy! I'll add my card to Merry Little Christmas #62 where Anything Goes (contribution #5).

So, Friday I went to a chorus friend's dance show and had to miss both Craft Roulette and the Spellbinders Weekender online sessions that night. Came home and watched one Weekender class and actually made that card (will share later with the others). Yesterday was spent with the Weekender classes. Loooong day and I was so tired (and hadn't done all the homework) that I didn't create the cards for the last two. Hopefully I can catch up and share those soon. Oh, and I signed up for the latest Online Card Class offering and didn't even start that yet - oops!

That's it for today! Thanks for stopping by!