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Friday, July 31, 2026

Pop Art for Freshly Made Sketches

 Just when I think I'm finished for the week with card-making and posting, another challenge kicks me into gear and I make just one more! 

I've been waiting patiently for the chance to use my geometric shapes and supplies and today I was inspired to pull them out.


From the SSS April card kit, I used the Pop Art stamps and dies. The printed sentiments and a batch of colorful textured card stock squares were  included. These items made creating with Kim's sketch at Freshly Made so easy. 

When I saw this kit, I thought it would make great cards for our grandson. Nice to have this ready to go. 

Speaking of ready to go - we are heading out to the pool for a little exercise this evening. The weather here was finally a bit cooler today. 

Hope you have a great weekend! It was so good of you to visit.

Be yourself

         Have delight in your craft 

               Make something beautiful!  



I'm adding this to
 Simon Says Stamp Wednesday Challenge - Anything Goes


Supplies: 
The small script sentiment is from Waffle Flower - Oversized Hello

Thursday, July 30, 2026

Better at the Beach

 Waving hello friends! I wish I was packing my bag for a day at the beach, don't you? 

Here's my card to help us dream a little of the beach life. 

I created my beach tote using cut strips of card stock to make stripes, then added the sentiment, sunglasses, a shell and a towel to complete the focal point. Using Crystal effects makes the glass frames shiny IRL and there's a shimmer on the pink hearts. 

It's a center fold pop up card. For the pale blue base, I used an EF for a texture resembling water drops, smooshing a light layer of white ink over it. The scene is complete with patterned paper curving along the bottom, and a few clear gems. 

It's a new challenge for Team X at Tic Tac Toe. Here's our board of options for these next two weeks. 


I used the middle row across - Beach, Free and Fun Fold. My last name is Beach, of course I couldn't resist! 
We hope you will join us!

 Be yourself

         Have delight in your craft 

               Make something beautiful!  





Supplies: 
Stamps: Waffle Flower Beach Tote Stamps and Dies
Spellbinders Splatter EF 

Tuesday, July 28, 2026

Bold Bouquet

 Well here I am again! 

Just had to pop in and give a quick share of the card I made today. I was inspired by the great cards over at Just Us Girls, where they have a stencil week - anything goes! And so many great cards that I wanted to play along. In looking for a stencil, I ended up with a bundle! 

The Bold Bouquet stamp and die bundle (Altenew) includes stencils and an embossing folder. This has been in my stash for years and barely used. That's sad but we got re-acquainted. 



I embossed the bouquet, stenciled it, then die cut it. Now totally in stencil mode I added more color with the SSS stencil Petal Lattice in the bottom right corner. A few tiny dots with pens gave detail to the flower centers in black and gold, and a few sequins in pink made me happy. 

Off to post this now, as the challenge closes soon. I will see you tomorrow! Thanks so much for your visit. 

Be yourself

         Have delight in your craft 

               Make something beautiful!  



Monday, July 27, 2026

Love Blooms

Hello, hi, and welcome! Just when I tell myself I have enough  stamps   (never enough of those!) paper or ink I find this fabulous paper pack that is so different and I LOVE it! It's the main feature on today's card. 

I started by filing through the La La Land Crafts 6x6 pack called Washi, looking for the one that would be easy to design with. These two sided papers are amazing, with bold patterns and striking designs. Swoon worthy!


Also on my desk were the leftover die cuts from another day. I thought two of these would work well to house my focal point and still allow the pretty papers to be visible. I didn't want to cover it up! I stamped and watercolored the rose using distress inks for the bloom and metallic gold for the leaves, and placed them over a strip of gold mirror card stock. 



A bow of gold thread and a simple sentiment and it's done! For dimension, the die cuts are two or three layers stacked together. You will be seeing this paper again as I really enjoyed the challenge of playing with it. 

Wishing you a great day, and happy crafting! 

Be yourself

         Have delight in your craft 

               Make something beautiful!  



Challenges: 

Color Hues - Black and Red 
Love those Pretty Papers 

Supplies:
Penny Black  - Curvature Die, Love Blooms stamps and dies
Sentiment is from Altenew from this pretty set they sent me for free personalized with my name!  Charming Bouquet stamps. Boy, was I surprised!!



Sunday, July 26, 2026

Let's Make Two

Gratefully, we had some much needed rain yesterday and I had time to finish two cards that have been worked on bit by bit this week. No online challenges this time. Just my own goal of using a new to me die. I unwrapped that package and gave it a whirl! 

I began by combining the Curvature Die from Penny Black, and the Garden Party dies from Pinkfresh Studio. When I had a moment, I  randomly cut a bunch of these, a few in color, but mostly from white card stock. 


 Adding Altenew inks to color, I sponged with aqua, teal, pink and green, including the teal in the corner of the card front. These dies are fun to layer, the possibilities are endless! The Curvature die in white makes a soft home base for my focal point. The sentiment from SSS Happy Day is stamped and die cut. 

The fun part came with the leftover bits of flowers on my desk. Here's take 2! 


Even the Blush pink panel was already cut to size sitting there on my desk. Better to use it up! With the very simple layout, I jazzed it up a bit with  a small dot EF and a few clear crystal sequins. The sentiment is from Penny Black called Special Thoughts. My completed cards are overflowing their space, so I'm using generic sentiments in hopes of donating them. 

Thanks for visiting me today! 

I guess I do want to add this to Darnell's NBUS Challenge, the Curvatures Die is my new schtuff. That item is still on my desk, so there is more to come!


Monday, July 20, 2026

For my Dear Friend

 Hi there, hope you are doing well! Are you enjoying happy summer days, even with the heat dome? 

We are having the kind of sunny day that makes you wish you were at the beach. A perfect afternoon to make a  beach-y kind of card.  


I love collecting shells at the beach. Almost as much as I love collecting new stamps! When I saw that the Anchor of Hope stamps from Honeybee were retiring, I placed an order. It's a set filled with beautiful images and sentiments that are different from what I already have in my nautical stash. 

I began with a pale blush card stock for the card front. I swiped a squiggly line of blue Lunar Paste (Clear Skies) and next to it I added Stickles, suggesting a wave on a shore. 


The image was stamped on watercolor card stock, and colored with Distress Ink re-inkers, and metallic watercolors. Sorry, the photo just does not captures the shimmer and shine!  I fussy cut the image, and kept it simple with a sentiment. 

I was truly inspired to make this a clean and simple card for the Paper Players. Other challenges include Just Us Girls, and NBUS because the stamp is brand new to me. SSS Wednesday Challenge calls for Fabulous Florals

I appreciate you spending time with me today! Hope it's been an encouragement to you. 

Be yourself

         Have delight in your craft 

               Make something beautiful!  





Saturday, July 18, 2026

Is it really simple?

 Hello and happy day to you! I began with a question - Is is really simple?

That's my reflection after making a simple clean card with a sketch for the Freshly Made Challenge. Love the sketch! Yes, filling that  small inner square with a focal point should have been simple. Not so for me as I tried many options and configurations. Too many! 



The Delicate Magnolia and Itty Bitty Branches dies from Altenew were featured as I brought this creative session to a close. I added stitched embossing to the base layer with the Allover Stitches folder from Penny Black. 

It's not my favorite card - but hey! It's just paper! There is certainly more for another day! See you soon. 

Be yourself

         Have delight in your craft 

               Make something beautiful!