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!

More Dahlias

Hi all - Happy weekend & International Scrapbooking Day! It's been quite a while since I've done any scrapbooking so I'm not planning to celebrate.

It's also been a while since I've been able to play at Just Us Girls so I wanted to get in on Challenge #773 where it's Die Week - use a flower. No problem! I combined this with my Craft Roulette card for Episode #265 which aired last night.

Supplies: Paper - Neenah Solar White;

Recollections A2 card; Authentique wood plank;

Spellbinders Betterpress Pebble

Stamps w/Dies - Altenew Dear Dahlias 

Press Plates w/Dies - Spellbinders A Little Messages Sentiments

Other - Copic Markers; foam tape;

Memory Box Fairy Jewels; gift card

When I made the stamped dahlia card for my April 30th post, I stamped an extra image. This one I die cut with the coordinating outline die. Once the CR colors were announced, I colored the image during the show using Copic Markers. That's as far as I got in terms of crafting last night - was trying to watch the Twins game (Red Sox beat us - darn it) at the same time which doesn't work very well...

Mary Gunn Funn, host of Craft Roulette, had a mother/daughter team as guests. This is in honor of Mother's Day which she did last year too. This week Alison Heikkila (@Alison Heikkila) & her daughter Rhiannon guested; next week it's Gina and Rina K which should be funn too. Alison appeared on Episode #259 so I won't repeated her bio. Here's what the wheel spun for us:

• Project - Gift Card: I tucked a gift card under my flowers. Other people decided to call the card a gift, like some cards state on the inside, meaning no gift with it - LOL.
• Colors - Train: I used Thomas the Train colors - blue, green, red, yellow, orange.
• Element - Science: The viewers felt that flowers = botany, a science, so I used it.
• Random - Add A Flower: My floral spray has multiple flowers, which is ok.

After coloring my floral image, I went looking for paper with black & silver, two other colors prominent on trains. Found a wonderful wood plank piece in an Authentique 6x6" collection. I wanted to make a Mother's Day card but didn't have such a sentiment at the satellite studio. Decided to get a gift card that has the sentiment on it - great idea, eh? This one will go to our Queen Mum Mary who recently celebrated her 90th birthday. I thought it was a great way to slip a gift to her since we weren't supposed to bring gifts to her bday party! I really wanted a Starbucks card since Queen Mum loves her coffee but do you think any store around here had the card with Happy Mother's Day?? NO! So I settled for the one from Target. Works fine since there's a purple train in the Thomas set! Added a couple Betterpressed sentiments which also help to hold the gift card on the front. Some gems finished the card.

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

Happy Mother's Day!

Hi there - we're celebrating Mother's Day in the USA today. Still a sad day for me since my mom passed away just over a year ago - may she rest in peace!

I have a couple people left for whom I make a Mother's Day card. My mom's sister Carol (called Tia) and Queen Mum Mary (my friend & the mom to my former quartet's lead singer). I made the card below first, then made a very similar one for my second (won't share that one).

Supplies: Paper - Paper Studio pastel A2 card; various scraps, including

some ancient woodgrain papers from Target

Stencils - Taylored Expressions Set the Scene - Clouds Stencil Strips

Dies - Spellbinders Build a Spring Birdhouse &

Sweet Birds on a Branch

Stamps - Hero Arts Holiday Planner Icons &

It's Your Day (both retired)

Inks - Memento Tuxedo Black, London Fog & Summer Sky

Other - Copics for shading bird and leaves; black gem

I love Vicki Papaioannou's (clips-n-cuts) style and was excited to get some of her Spellbinders dies when released. Am just using two of the sets for the first time - typical me...but I had fun with them! I used the TE cloud stencils for the first time too - no idea how long I've had them. I used a TE brush and blended some Memento inks for a dreamy sky on my pastel blue card base.

I will add my card to Darnell's May NBUS Challenge since the birdhouse and bird with branch/leaves dies and cloud stencil finally made it off my Mount NBUS.

Thanks for stopping and Happy Mother's Day to all mothers out there!!

Happy Mother's Day USA!

Hey crafty friends - Happy Mother's Day if you're celebrating in the USA! It's a sad one for me, just having lost my mom last month. Yesterday would've been my parents' 67th wedding anniversary so that was another sad occasion. But we keep keepin' on and celebrating those still with us like Queen Mum Mary, dear friend and the mom of my former quartet lead singer. Here's the card I sent Mary; I previously shared the card I sent to my auntie, my second mom.

Supplies: Paper - Park Lane A2 Card; Spellbinders

Digi print - Joy Clair Designs Count Me In

Stamp - Paper Smooches All Year Cheer (NIB)

Other - Copic Markers

Who says you can't use paper from a Christmas pad for another holiday? On Friday I shared a card with papers from the 2021 Spellbinders Limited Edition Christmas kit and I've used an A2 layer of the plaid here. It's so pretty with the ombre lilac to grey. I had a digi print left from last month's Die Cut Diva sponsor Joy Clair Designs - decided to use it with the plaid for a simple card. The print has flowers top and bottom but I trimmed the top off for future use. Colored the panel with Copics, stamped the sentiment & done!

Here's a photo of my mom from last year's Mother's Day. She's holding a large flower pot I bought her which she enjoyed all the way til it froze last fall. She just about drove my dad nuts asking him if he watered it! Amazing what can happen in a year.

Take care all and enjoy time with your family - so precious!! Thanks for stopping!

Poppies for Mother's Day

Hello friends - sorry I've been missing in action! My April 21st post was scheduled ahead of time, thankfully. That's the day my sweet mom passed from this world to the next - may she rest in peace. Mom won't be here for Mother's Day but I was thinking of her while making this card. It'll go to her sister, my second mom.

Supplies: Paper - Anchor Paper grey linen; Neenah Solar White;

Poptone Black; Paper Studio glitter; Momenta Watercolor print

Dies - Spellbinders Christmas Foliage Strip & Borders and

Asters and Poppies (retired) but available HERE;

A Jillian Vance Design Stitched Dot Rectangle Backdrop Set; 

Hero Arts Christmas Trimmings (retired)

Stamps - Taylored Expressions Many Minis - Holidays (retired)

I die cut the poppy after spotting the April Day of the Month Card Club challenge. It was California Poppy Day on April 6th so the team decided to celebrate that flower all month long. I thought their inspiration photo & cards were so beautiful! I found the bow made up in my UFO box & had just die cut a white test piece with a new Spellbinders border die. It's a large slimline die but I cut the panel with a stitched rectangle to layer onto my watercolor print panel. Thought it would all work together.

The border die is from the Spellbinders November 2021 Large Die of the Month Club. I have way too many club sets that haven't even been opened but I managed to try this one. Since it got first play here, I'm also adding my card to Darnell's April NBUS Challenge.

Thanks for stopping and have a wonderful day!

Happy Mother's Day!!

Happy Mother's Day to all celebrating!!

Just popping in with a quick trio of Mother's Day cards. Lacking time, I changed up the colors and a few details but kept to the same design. These went to my mom, her sister (my second mom) and the Queen Mum - my former lead singer's mom & our quartet (retired now) coach.

Supplies: Paper - Momenta Watercolor Prints;

Paper Studio A2 cards & black cardstock

Stamps - Hero Arts Celebrate Everyday

Dies - Sunny Studio Botanical Backdrop

Other - Michaels gems

I'm celebrating with my parents - our typical Sunday of take-out Chinese food. Hope you have a wonderful day and thanks for stopping!!

Out of the Box with a Mother's Day card

Hi all - I'm back with another "Out of the Box" card for the current Stay Crafty with Hero challenge. I realized when I went looking for a new challenge last Friday that #6 runs through May 7th. Yay - more chances to play! Here's my card:

Supplies: Paper - DCWV A2 card; Neenah black and white

Stamps - Hero Arts My Monthly Hero January 2019 (sold out);

Avery Elle Seasonal Simple Sentiments

Dies - Hero Arts Trellis & My Monthly Hero January 2019 

Other - Copic Markers; Memento Tuxedo Black and Rosebud inks;

Hero Arts Crystal Clear Lacquer pen

I used another old out of the box technique of using a die to dry emboss paper. Just use your rubber mat and embossing plate instead of a cutting pad and presto - an embossed image. After I embossed the trellis gate into my paper, I used it to cut a mask out of printer paper so I could color the bits that would be open to the "sky". I made this into a Mother's Day card, plus made a few others. This one will go to my mom as she liked it the best of the ones I showed her - no surprises, oh well....

I'm also adding this card to the latest NBUS challenge since I've not used the trellis die before, nor the My Monthly Hero Kit containing the bicycle die and flowers. There's plenty more in the kit needing some love; I can't believe I waited this long to use it!

Thanks for stopping and have a wonderful week!!

Happy Mother's Day!

Hey everyone - if you're celebrating Mother's Day today, hope you have a wonderful one!! Popping in for a quick post of the Mother's Day cards I made - just three this year: Mom, Aunt Carol (Mom's sister), and Mother Mary, the remaining Queen Mum (the other one passed away last summer).

Supplies: Paper - Poptone Snow Cone & Black, Tim Holtz Metallic Kraft; blue vellum;

various Bazzill colors; Authentique Wintery (stone pattern); BoBunny woodgrain
DCWV A2 and A7 blue cards

Stamps - Hero Arts (retired) & Paper Smooches All Year Cheer; 
Stampendous Fresh Peony

Die - Hunkydory Crafts Box Collection 3 Hanging Basket
My Favorite Things Flutter of Butterflies Solid and Lace and Blueprints 13

Other - foam tape; Michaels gems; Ranger Seafoam white embossing powder;
washi tape by unknown; punched butterfly; Crayola pencils

When I posted Heather's birthday card last Sunday, I mentioned thinking the basket diecut would be pretty on a Mother's Day card - yes, indeed! Made slightly different versions & was really happy with both of them. Then I masked the large peony and leaves for card 2 - colored with pencils and blended with Copics. It's such a large flower that I made the panel into an A7 card. Mailed cards 2 and 3 but card one is being delivered to my mom in person today. I also got her a basket of flowers for her front steps - she'll have fun making Dad water it all summer - LOL.

Thanks for stopping and I hope you'll be back tomorrow for another Merry Monday challenge!

Happy Mother's Day!

Wishing everyone celebrating in the USA a Happy Mother's Day! I'm sharing four cards to honor my mother, her sister who's like a second mom to me, and the two Queen Mum friends from my Sweet Adelines world.

Supplies: Paper - Neenah Parchment folded A2 card and Classic Crest Solar White; BoBunny dotted, 
Graphic 45 Botanical Tea Collection, Pop tone Black, Michael's green
Stamps - Hero Arts CL980 Happy Mother's Day and January 2017 My Monthly Hero kit, plus matching dies
Dies - Dee's Distinctively Wreath Builder
Other - Michael's gems, Copic Markers, white gel pen, and foam tape

I hadn't done much with the Hero Arts Mother's Day stamp set I bought last year so I pulled it out for this year. Mom got the card at left with the large flower from the set; on the inside I used one of the set's sentiments: "I'm so lucky to have you as my mom". Both my mom and my aunt have supported me all my life and I'm grateful for their love!

Supplies: Paper - Neenah Parchment folded A2 card and Classic Crest Solar White; Pop tone Black; 
Bo Bunny Love & Lace Collection 6x6 pad, scrap of music paper from unknown

Stamps - Hero Arts CL980 Happy Mother's Day, DC182 Butterfly Pair Stamp & Cut, and 
April 2017 My Monthly Hero kit, plus matching dies
Dies - My Favorite Things Die-Namics Blueprints 20 and Blueprints 26
Other - Michael's gems, foam tape, ink from various MMH kits & Memento Tuxedo Black; colored pencils

I had so much fun playing with the April 2017 My Monthly Hero Kit to create the elegant Queen Mum on the left for Mother Mary, voice teacher and friend extraordinaire. My other Queen Mum and friend Lou got the card at right. I just love the soft pink rose paper from the BoBunny pad - wish I had more!!

Thanks for stopping by and hope you're having a wonderful day!

An inspiring Scramble!

Hi all - hope you're having a crafty weekend! I'm back home from AZ with all my crafty supplies around me, plus some new additions I brought home.

Today we had another Scramble over on the Hero Arts Flickr group. Kanan hosted and she had three lovely sample cards to provide inspiration. I chose the card where she made her own background with flower stamps, then added a sentiment label. Here's my card:

I started with a Shallows folded card by Hero Arts, then stamped all over the front using flowers and foliage from a Stamp & Cut set called Flowers - love this one! The label is from a Hero Arts for Archiver's exclusive Stamp & Cut set called Happy Greetings. It includes the label stamp, plus die, the word HAPPY and a few finishing phrases. I was working on Mother's Day cards today, so this worked perfectly! Oooo - and I got to use the April Tim Holtz Distress ink, Fossilized Amber, which arrived while I was in AZ. I used all the other new colors, plus some old faves too.

Hey Virginia - I got my MISTI finally!!!! What a fun product - I just LOOOOOVE it! It really made creating this background easy!

Thanks for stopping by and enjoy the rest of the weekend!!