Some Ombré Cards

Hey there - hope you're having a great week! Last night I watched Card Chaos Episode #32 where Irene Smith and a guest took turns making a card in 15 minutes. The theme was ombré & I had to play along! Here's my first card - made it in just under 15:

Supplies: Paper - Neenah Classic Crest Solar White;

Paper Studio pastel A2 card

Stamps w/dies - Inky Stamper Dragonfly & Butterfly;

Stamps - Spellbinders 2024 Advent Calendar Day 2

Dies - Hero Arts Tag Frames Infinity Dies

Other - foam tape; Copic Markers;

Memento Tuxedo Black Ink;

Broken China & Faded Jeans Distress Inks

I started with a pale blue A2 card and applied a medium and a darker blue ink to form an ombré background. I already had the dragonfly and butterfly stamped in the stash. Same with the sentiment label which, by the way, is from the 2024 Spellbinders Advent calendar. I'm making each daily item from 12/2024 during February & had stamped it earlier in the day yesterday. I'm really trying to use that NBUS!! The bugs are also used for the first time here.

I colored the previously stamped images very quickly since I was under the time crunch. After deciding where the bugs would go, I stamped the dashed trails & popped the bugs onto the card with foam tape, then added the sentiment.

Card two went a lot quicker:

Supplies: Paper - Paper Studio A2 card; scraps

Stamps - Hero Arts CL402 Valentine Sayings (retired)

Stencil - TCW Texture Love (retired)

Dies - Hero Arts Nesting Hearts Infinity Dies;

Poppystamps Vintage Scalloped Heart

(retired at PS but still HERE at Frantic Stamper)

Other - foam tape; Worn Lipstick, Barn Door 

& Fired Brick Distress Inks; EKSuccess puffy hearts

For this one, I started with a pink ombré card base, then stenciled over it with ombré reds. Next I die cut an ombré pink heart and a dark pink scalloped heart and layered them. Stamped the sentiment in red and added some red puffy hearts. Popped the heart onto the card with foam tape and trimmed the overhang. Only took 10 minutes to create!

Card one will go Darnell's February NBUS Challenge #83 & also followed her IDEAS project (I for inks this week) since I made the inky background. Card two was made with Color Hues Challenge #126 in mind - Red and Pink.

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

A Great Pair and a Spaceship

Yikes - Day 6 of Spellbinders Advent Calendar posts! Today I'm sharing a card that features the die set from Day 10 (see Crafty Al's short video HERE).

Supplies: Paper - Neenah Classic Crest Solar White;

Paper Studio cardstock; Lawn Fawn patterned;

Betterpress Porcelain; Recollections A2 card

Stamps - Spellbinders 2025 Advent Calendar Day 11

Dies - Spellbinders 2025 Advent Calendar Day 10;

AJVD Stitched Dot Rectangle Backdrop Set

Press Plates w/dies - Spellbinders You Are Everything Sentiments

Other - foam tape

Die cut and assembled two bread slices and made one covered with jelly & the other with peanut butter. Added them to a heart patterned paper die cut with a stitched rectangle. Adhered to a purple mat, then to an A2 card. Took another of the Day 11 sentiments I had stamped and cut it into 3 pieces. Added to the card along with a Betterpressed anniversary sentiment from the stash.

I'll add this card to Darnell's January NBUS Challenge #82 since the bread dies were newly used. She will get a kick out of that since she & her hubby got this card for their anniversary (she says he's the jelly).

Next, I have a card using the space ship from Day 20 (Crafty Al's video HERE) & a sentiment from Day 19 (Crafty Al's video HERE).

Supplies: Paper - Neenah Classic Crest Solar White;

scraps

Stamps - Spellbinders 2025 Advent Calendar Day 19

Dies - Spellbinders 2025 Advent Calendar Day 20;

Trinity Stamps Tiny Alien

Stencil - Hero Arts Star Cluster

Other - foam tape; inks as in photo;

Hero Arts shimmer spray

First I die cut the spaceship from scraps and assembled. I had stamped all the sentiments from Day 19 - chose the one to match the spaceship. Next I die cut an alien; isn't he cute?! 

Ink blended a background and then spritzed with shimmer spray. Then I stenciled the galaxy in a couple colors. Assembled onto an A2 card. I'll be stamping a Valentine sentiment inside and sending this to my brother who loves science fiction.

That's it for today. I still have the rest of the elements created from the calendar - just haven't turned them into cards yet. I'll try to remember to share when I do. I'm still participating today at Justine Hovey's card summit - very inspiring! Then I'll be posting tomorrow for the last day of the Die Cut Divas January Challenge. Hope to see you there! 

Thanks for visiting & have a crafty weekend!!

Call Me!

Sick of me yet? I'm on Day 5 of consecutive posting using the 2025 Spellbinders Advent calendar items. Today I have two cards made with the cute old fashioned telephone die set from Day 12 & a sentiment from Day 11 (see Crafty Al's short videos HERE & HERE).

Supplies: Paper - Neenah Classic Crest Solar White;

Recollections A2 card; scrap of gray;

BoBunny Black Tie Affair

Stamps - Spellbinders 2025 Advent Calendar Day 11

Dies - Spellbinders 2025 Advent Calendar Day 12;

AJVD Stitched Dot Rectangle Backdrop Set

Other - foam tape

I die cut the telephone pieces from black/white/silver cardstock and assembled. Added it to a small stitched rectangle then to a larger patterned mat, then to an A2 card. I had stamped all of the sentiments from Day 11 and used one of them here. This one will go to a guy so I kept it simple.

I'll send this card to Darnell's January NBUS Challenge #82 since the telephone dies were newly used.

Next I did a girlier version for my friend Linda. She, another friend Lynn & I all get together for lunch to celebrate our February birthdays. Patterned paper is from Doodlebug Designs & ombre card is Paper Studio (Hobby Lobby). Some SSS printed sentiment strips finished this card.

That's it for today. It's a busy day today with friends, plus I'm signed up for Justine Hovey's Card Making Stash Summit. The summit runs today through Saturday; get a free ticket HERE. Note that the free ticket only gives access for 24 hours so Thursday's classes go away on Friday, etc. You can get a paid ticket which gives longer access; I got the paid since I couldn't possibly do all the great classes in that short a time!

I have finished a couple more Advent Calendar projects that I'll post tomorrow. Thanks for stopping & Happy crafting!!

Thanks and Hello with Spellbinders 2025 Advent Calendar

Hey there, friends! Crazy, I know - I'm back for a fourth consecutive day with items from the 2025 Spellbinders Advent calendar. I've been having a lot of fun with the items behind the calendar windows! Here's a thanks card using two of the stamps in the Day 2 mini stamp set:

Supplies: Paper - Neenah Classic Crest Solar White;

Paper Studio A2 card; scraps

Stamps - Spellbinders 2025 Advent Calendar (Day 2)

Dies - Poppystamps Flower and Leaf Sprinkles;

AJVD Stitched Dot Rectangle Backdrop Set

Other - Copic Markers; Sharpie fineliner;

Hero Arts inks

I'm very accustomed to stamping with a MISTI and these Advent calendar stamps don't do well with it. I tried stamping later using a stamping block and the impression was much better. On this one, after I colored the image with Copics, I did a lot of outlining with a fineliner. The bitty stamped flowers didn't fare so well with that so I covered them up with various bitty die cut flowers. I ink blended the ground and sky then die cut the panel with a stitched rectangle. Added it to an A2 card - done! You can see Crafty Al's short video on this set HERE.

I'll send this card to Darnell's January NBUS Challenge #82 since the stamps were newly used.

Next, I made a hello card with the strip embossing folder from Day 6 (Crafty Al's video HERE).

Supplies: Paper - Paper Studio ombre card;

Spellbinders Terracotta card stock; scraps

Embossing strip - Spellbinders 2025 Advent Calendar (Day 6)

Dies - Spellbinders Faux Stitched Sentiments & Floss (DOM-Apr24 retired)

Other - SSS printed sentiment strip & Starshine dots

I embossed a scrap of orange cardstock. Added to an A2 ombre card along with some scrap patterned strips. I had a HELLO die cut sitting on the table so die cut a white shadow and layered them for dimension. Added to the card along with a printed subsentiment strip and some Starshine dots.

That's it for today, my friends. Thanks for continuing to stop by & for commenting when you can! Have a crafty day!!

A Birthday Duo with Spellbinders 2025 Advent Calendar

Hey there friends - I'm not usually one to post multiple days so three days in a row, especially twice in the same month, is quite a feat! Anyway - I have two more projects from the items I used daily from Jan 1-24 using the Spellbinders 2025 Advent calendar. Although I stuck to my goal of using the item from each December day on the corresponding January day, I didn't always finish a card with it that day. I'm definitely going out of order! 

Oh, and I meant to give a shout out to sister Diva Cindy (Escape to Stamping) who shared tags she made from Day 1-15 items (see them HERE and HERE), plus a gorgeous Lunar New Year card with the Day 24 die set. She was much more timely using the calendar and posting projects than I am!!

First up - a card using the Day 3 die set; you can see Crafty Al's short video with it HERE.

Supplies: Paper - Neenah Classic Crest Solar White;

Doodlebug Design Hats Off; scraps; 

Betterpress Porcelain; Recollections A2 card

Dies - Spellbinders 2025 Advent Calendar (Day3);

AJVD Stitched Dot Rectangle Backdrop Set

Press Plates w/dies - Spellbinders You Are Everything Sentiments

Other - foam tape

After die cutting and assembling the bunny, hat & wand, I added them to a stitched rectangle cut from a scrap of MFT pastel paper. Die cut the stars from scraps of glitter cardstock & added them coming out of the wand. Found a 2017 black/white/gray grad paper that had star prints. Die cut the white print with a stitched rectangle and added to an A2 card along with a strip of the black print. Added the pastel rectangle & finished with a Betterpressed sentiment popped up with foam tape.

I'll send this card to Darnell's January NBUS Challenge #82 since the dies were newly used.

Next, another birthday card using the Day 5 die set (Crafty Al's short video):

Supplies: Paper - Neenah Classic Crest Solar White;

Authentique patterned; scraps;

Lawn Fawn Petite Watercolor Wishes;

Spellbinders Betterpress Porcelain

Dies - Spellbinders 2025 Advent Calendar Day 5;

AJVD Stitched Dot Rectangle Backdrop Set;

Lawn Fawn Scalloped Treat Box Spring House Add-on

Press Plate w/die - Spellbinders La Dolce Vita Sentiments

Other - foam tape

As you can see, I kept to the same sketch which I often use to make quick cards. The Advent calendar dies are small so this format suits them. I die cut the flowers from scraps and assembled onto a small stitched rectangle. Die cut a couple clumps of grass from a Lawn Fawn set & added to the scene. Matted it with another stitched rectangle and rest was done as for card one (just a different Betterpress sentiment).

These cards went to Craft Roulette members with January birthdays. CR has a bday card exchange program members can join. They require no specific number of cards you have to send, so I'm starting small by sending three per month. The third one I sent was a card I shared previously HERE.

That's it for today. Thanks for stopping by & happy crafting!!

More Spellbinders Advent Calendar Projects

Hey there - I'm back with a couple more cards I made from items in the 2025 Spellbinders Advent Calendar. Today I'm sharing a stenciled project, way out of order for the reveals because I made it for Just Us Girls Challenge #807 to use a stencil.

Supplies: Paper - Neenah Classic Crest Solar White;

Paper Studio A2 card; Lawn Fawn Petite Watercolor Wishes;

Spellbinders Betterpress Porcelain

Stencils - Spellbinders 2025 Advent Calendar (Day 22)

Dies - Hero Arts Nesting Circle Infinity Dies;

AJVD Stitched Dot Rectangle Backdrop Set

Press Plates w/dies - Spellbinders You Are Everything Sentiments

Other - SSS Starshine embellishments; 

Hero Arts inks & ephemera; foam tape

Last Thursday afternoon (I was using the Dec 22nd calendar item), I stenciled the mandala using the 3 piece layering stencil. I stenciled the layers in Hero Arts Stone Wash (blue) & Peony (dark pink) and Altenew Bamboo (green). Since the newly announced JUGS theme was stencils, I decided to make a card right away.

Next I cut the stenciled mandala with a circle die and matted it a larger circle die cut in white. I grabbed a couple blue clouds from an old Hero Arts kit ephemera pack (can't remember which & HA no longer sells it). I added a stitched rectangle in green to a blue A2 card. Popped the mandala atop and tucked the clouds under it. A Betterpressed sentiment popped up with foam tape and some SSS dots finished the card. If interested, go HERE to see Crafty Al open her window and create a polaroid with it.

Since my stencils are newly used, I'll also add this card to Darnell's January NBUS Challenge #82. 

The Advent calendar also had another stencil set (Day 7) - this one with butterflies. Here's my take:

There were three stencils with 4 different butterflies. On Jan 7th I stenciled all four (some more than once) in different Hero Arts ink colors around an A2 panel of Neenah. Next I die cut the panel with a stitched rectangle and doodled flight lines with a black fineliner. On the 19th I finally adhered it to an A2 card (Michael's brand) along with a pre-printed SSS sentiment strip. You can see Crafty Al's short video on this stencil HERE.

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

Spellbinders 2025 Advent Calendar projects

Hi all - I mentioned in a previous post that I've been busy crafting in January using Spellbinders 2025 Advent Calendar. I had opened the 24 windows in December but hadn't had a chance to make a thing with the items inside. I decided to make a goal of using the daily December items on the corresponding January day - I did it!! I didn't always complete a full card with the item on the same day but I made sure to use it. 

So, I'm starting today to share cards I've completed. First up, an anniversary card I made with Day 1's cute doggy die set (if interested, watch Crafty Al opening the window and making a polaroid HERE):

Supplies: Paper - Neenah Classic Crest Solar White;

Recollections A2 card; Paper Studio cardstock;

My Mind's Eye Lost & Found 3 patterned;

Spellbinders Betterpress Porcelain

Dies - Spellbinders 2025 Advent Calendar (Day 1);

Hero Arts Nesting Hearts Infinity Dies;

AJVD Stitched Dot Rectangle Backdrop Set

Press Plates w/dies - Spellbinders You Are Everything Sentiments

Other - EKSuccess puffy hearts; foam tape

Normally on New Year's Day I'd take down my Christmas decorations. Instead, I decided to leave them up longer since I went to AZ for the holidays. So, I had plenty of time to craft & started making cards for January occasions. The dog die inspired me to make an anniversary card for my neighbors across the street. Greg and Therese have two dogs so I thought they'd get a chuckle out of this (they did!).

I die cut the dog pieces twice and assembled. Next I cut a stitched rectangle from a collage print paper & added it to an A2 card. Then I die cut a large heart and adhered to the card along the doggy pair. Popped a sentiment and some puffy hearts onto the card to finish.

Did I tell this story yet? I had my infinity hearts die set out to cut the big heart and decided to die cut the bittiest heart for embellishments. When it came out of my Vagabond, the die when flying off into the room. I searched for an hour but couldn't find it (even used a magnet sheet taped onto my Swiffer!). Checked the little trash bin in the area - not there but I did find a Spellbinders "the" die with outline still taped to the packaging! Must've fallen off the table & into the trash when I was putting the other words on a magnet. Whew - glad I found it!!

I'll add this card to Darnell's January NBUS Challenge #82 since the doggy die is newly used.

Here's another card with the doggy die set and a different sentiment from the same Betterpress set. The cloud paper is from an ancient calendar stack by DCWV. I made "wings" by taking a different sized heart from the HA set and hand cutting the bottom edge into scallops. I shaded the wings with a B000 Copic.

This card went to the producer of Craft Roulette, host Mary's son; sadly, his dog Furgus died. During the episode on the 9th, they raised over $2000 for a Kansas City dog rescue. Always sad to lose a furry family member!

That's it for today, friends. I'll be back tomorrow to share a few more advent calendar creations. Thanks for stopping by and have a crafty day!