Poinsettia on Elegant Frame

Hey friends - I'm providing inspiration at Die Cut Divas today. For our July Challenge we're celebrating Christmas in July - right up my alley!! 

Supplies: Paper - Neenah Classic Crest Solar White;

Authentique Joyous; scraps

Stamps with dies - Waffle Flower Elegant Christmas 2 (dies)

Dies - Waffle Flower Poinsettia Cluster,

Elegant Oval Frame & Dashed Snowflake Panel

Other - foam tape; Copic Markers; white & orange pens;

SSS Starshine dots

We have the amazing Waffle Flower as our sponsor.

They've furnished a $15 gift card to their online store as our prize. Thanks!!

Bunches of die cutting for this one! I grabbed an Authentique paper pad I've had since 2013 and used papers from it for almost everything. I die cut a texty paper with the snowflake coverplate and added to an A2 card. Next I die cut the two layers of the frame and adhered to the background. 

I die cut the larger poinsettia layer from a pattern, plus from a solid green. The smaller poinsettia layer was cut from a solid red. I grabbed some yellow scraps for the flower center & assembled. I cut apart the green layer to add the leaves wherever I wanted them. Next I die cut a berry sprig and the pine cones & shaded with Copics. Die cut a couple pine branches and tucked everything around the poinsettia. Added a stamped sentiment from the stash along with some crystal dots.

Here's a close-up of the snowflake texture which is hard to see on the texty paper - very subtle but so pretty:

I'll add this card to Merry Little Christmas Challenge #69 where Anything Goes.

How about a bonus with more die cutting? I bought the open book die when Waffle Flower released it (if desired, go HERE to see another play with it). I later bought the poinsettia stencil for the open book set. Hadn't had a chance to try the stencil until now.

Supplies: Paper - Neenah Classic Crest Solar White;

Recollections A2 card; Paper Studio red & green cardstock

Dies - Waffle Flower Open Book, Open Book Bookmark,

Sweet Plaid Texture & Poinsettia Cluster;

AJVD Stitched Dot Rectangle Backdrop Set

Stencils - Waffle Flower Open Book Poinsettia

& Open Book Coloring Stencil

Other - Waffle Flower Fa La La Sentiment Strip;

white & black pens; Gina K cranberry trio & spruce inks;

Altenew bamboo ink; grey pencil

I die cut the book and placed on a WF sticky mat to stencil the poinsettia design and the book edging. Added some pen and pencil details, then die cut with the scripty die that comes with the book set. Added a sentiment strip with foam tape.

Next I die cut a stitched rectangle from red cardstock and die cut the plaid texture into it. Added to an A2 card along with the book. Die cut a couple pines from the poinsettia set I used on card one and added them behind the book. Die cut and assembled a bookmark and adhered to the book.

Since my poinsettia stencil got first play here, I'll add my card to Darnell's July NBUS Challenge #88.

That's all for today - hope to see you in the July Diva Gallery!! Thanks for visiting and happy crafting!!

Reindeer with Gift!

Hey crafty friends - I'm not blogging too much lately as I've had a sister visiting. Had to do some intense crafty cleanup before she arrived too!!

I watched Craft Roulette Episode #328 tonight, featuring host Mary Gunn and guest, Caitlin Anthony (‪@CaitlinAnnaleeCards‬) making her 8th appearance. Caitlin is on the team at Pink & Main, among other things. Plus she'll be the host for Craft Roulette Live 2026's virtual option. Such a talented lady! Show is still going on at this moment but I had done some die cutting in advance in hopes I could fit it into the parameters!! Here's my card:

Supplies: Paper - Park Lane Ivory A2 card;

Paper Studio cardstock; Authentique & BoBunny paper 

Dies - AJVD Stitched Dot Rectangle Backdrop Set;

Spellbinders Sweater Weather Friend (DOMST-Jul26)

Embossing Folders - Spellbinders

Festive Greetings (3EOM-Jul26) &

Snuggly Knit (EOM-Jul26)

Other - printed sentiment strip (brand unk);

Brown, green & white gel pens

As usual, the roulette wheel was spun four times for the necessary parameters. Mary and Caitlin created their cards on camera & I crafted along. Again, I was able to complete & upload my card before they finished.

• Project - A2: - I used a packed ivory A2 card.
• Colors - Tutti Fruiti: I used cherry red/lemon yellow/lime green, plus neutrals.
• Element - Container(s): I used a gift box.
• Random - Unusual Color: I used bright yellow on the scarf which isn't a common Christmas color.

I made this card with the July Christmas Kickstart Challenge #112 in mind. Jo and Elf Linby have "Grace us with your Presents" as the theme - gifts being the idea! I just received my July Spellbinders box and the cute stitching die of the month had a reindeer who could hold a gift box - perfect!!

I die cut and assembled the reindeer and gifts, doing faux stitching where the dies called for it. Oh & I skipped the stitching die piece on the scarf. I don't recommend stitching if you want to finish quickly, so I didn't! Members have until the following Thursday (general public til Sunday) to submit a card at CR but I like to get it done b4 I forget!! 

I used the July 3D embossing folder of the month, a texty design, to serve as a background & the regular ef, a sweater knit to create a strip to ground my reindeer. A printed sentiment strip and some gel pen details finished the card.

I will also share at Darnell's July NBUS Challenge #88 since my die set got first play today. And at the July Creative Crafters #102 where Anything Goes.

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

A Wedding Slider!

Happy Saturday - I'm here with a wedding card today, made for Craft Roulette Episode #327 which aired live last night. I crafted along and finished during the show which I enjoy doing.

Supplies: Paper - Neenah Classic Crest Solar White;

Park Lane A2 card

Stamps w/dies - Colorado Craft Happily Ever After (retired)

Dies - AJVD Stitched Dot Rectangle Backdrop Set;

Lawn Fawn Slide On Over

Other - Copic Markers; foam tape; white gel pen;

Robin's Egg and Key Lime inks

Host Mary Gunn had Brennan Keane (‪@bdk_creations‬) as a guest, making his 2nd appearance. Last time he was on the show, he was only 17 and still in high school. Now he has graduated and will attend college with less time for crafting. 

The roulette wheel was spun four times for our parameters; Brennan even got one of his picks!

• Project - Interactive Card: I made a slider. 
• Colors - Summer: Blue, green & pink say summer to me. 
• Element - Here Comes The Bride: I made a wedding card w/bride & groom.
• Random - Ink Edging: I edged the white background panel with blue & green inks. 

Given the bride element, I pulled out a stamp set I got at Paperganza last year - first time using it! I stamped the mouse couple, colored with Copics and die cut the image. Added some white gel pen details. Next I stamped the tree image directly onto an A2 panel of Neenah, then colored with Copics. I die cut the panel with a stitched rectangle & inked the edges. Die cut the slider and reserved the cut piece. Stamped the sentiment.

Added foam tape to the back of my panel, figured out (badly) where to add the cut-out piece. Adhered the cut-out piece directly to the A2 card. Put the mouse couple in the slider and adhered the panel to the card. Given the height of the image, this probably needed two sliders - they tend to tip and spin a bit - lol. Notice anything else? I forgot to color the tree below the mice children - oh well, I fixed that this morning! 

Here's another view with the couple slid over:

Thats it for today. Since my wedding set got first play, I'll add my card to Darnell's July NBUS Challenge #88.

Thanks for stopping by and have a crafty weekend!!

Party Donkey!

Hey crafty friends - TGIF and I hope you have a wonderful holiday weekend if you're celebrating in the USA!! Two hundred fifty years - quite a milestone!!

I watched Craft Roulette Episode #326 tonight, featuring host Mary Gunn and guest, Jay Thomas (‪@craftbyjay‬) making his 3rd appearance. Jay is live on YouTube on Sunday nights and he loves cats!!

Here's my card (sorry Jay, no cat):

Supplies: Paper - Neenah Classic Crest Solar White;

Recollections A2 card & black cardstock; dotted by unk

Stamps - Unity Still Kickin'

Dies - AJVD Stitched Dot Rectangle Backdrop Set

Other - printed sentiment strip (brand unk);

Copic Markers; TH Black Soot Distress Ink;

Black and white gel pens

As usual, the roulette wheel was spun four times for the necessary parameters. Mary and Jay created their cards on camera - so fun to listen to their banter while I was crafting along. Like last week, I was able to complete & upload my card before they finished.

• Project - A Dude's Card: - I made a card for a man, a former coworker.
• Colors - Sleigh Ride: I used red/black/grey.
• Element - Farm Critter(s): I used a donkey image.
• Random - Pen: I used both black and white gel pens.

You may remember I ordered a bunch of Unity stamps recently. The donkey image was another fun find - I thought it would make a great birthday card for a man friend with whom I worked in two different offices over the years. Isn't Party Donkey just the cutest?!

I stamped the image, colored with Copics and cut the panel with a stitched rectangle. Inked around the edges with Black Soot DI. Matted the panel in black and added to a dotted paper & a red A2 card. Added details with a white and a black gel pen - done!

I will add my card to Seize the Birthday #329 using the Anything Goes option. I will also share at Darnell's July NBUS Challenge #88 since my donkey stamp got first play today. Oh and btw - Darnell has some sponsors this month and Unity is one of them!!

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

June 2026 Card Chain Reveal

Hi everyone - time again to reveal the cards we sent round the world in June for the Card Chain! Twenty-five people participated and you can see the full reveal HERE. And by the way, we have exchanged over 5,000 cards in this exchange - what a milestone!!

My card went way to the East to Majda in Slovenija.

Supplies: Paper - Neenah Classic Crest Solar White;

Spellbinders & Tim Holtz Kraft Classic cardstock;

My Mind's Eye The Sweetest Thing patterned

Dies - Poppystamps Nordic Cozy Cup

& Nordic Border Set;

AJVD Stitched Dot Rectangle Backdrop Set

Other - Hero Arts Enamel dots; 

Creative Expressions Wordies - Friendship

We had the following options in creating our cards:

Color Palette Option

Sketch Option

Theme Options: Tea or Coffee / Safari / Friendship

Product / Technique Options: Embossing / Shaped Card

Clearly I skipped the color palette and embraced the sketch, plus the tea/coffee theme. I modified the sketch to an A2 card since since square cards aren't easy to mail from here. I die cut the cup and lace panels, plus a stitched rectangle, then assembled. Added a printed friendship sentiment and some enamel dots.

I received this beautiful card from dear friend Hilary in the UK. It's been four years since I had her as my sender in the Chain and I was very happy! I also shamelessly begged for some cuts of the sweet lilies of the valley that Hilary used for her March card. Thanks Hilary!!

That's it for today, friends. Want to join in for July? You only have to make & send one card. Go here for details by July 6th.