Gifts of Fall

 It's been a low key Saturday and I've had some crafty fun with assorted elements for fall. I'm here to share! 

I've assembled lots of my old and new fall supplies in a box nearby, so hopefully I create with many of them before the next season and Christmas card making is in full swing. 

For today's card, I began with the sketch from Freshly Made. Choosing soft peach card stock, I made the triple panel from the sketch by using two colors and the same embossing folder. The large leaf as the focal point works well, and is backed with a vellum circle. I wish the photo could show the maple leaf's true color - more pink than orange. I had trouble getting a good picture!

I added a few small leaf dies and softly inked the edges. A  rose gold embossed sentiment and liquid pearls are the simple embellishments. 

Hope you have a great day and enjoy the gifts it brings you. Thanks for your visit! 

Be yourself

         Have delight in your craft 

               Make something beautiful!     

Supplies:
cards stocks are from Spellbinders and Concord & 9
EF - Penny Black, Variegated
The large leaf - The Greetery, small leaves are from C9 Leafy Layers Die
Sentiment is Altenew - Build A Garden Elegant Tulips

Also added to:
SSS Wednesday Challenge  - add texture
The Four Season Challenge 
TicTacToe Challenge 
I chose the middle row: Ink blending ( on the small leaves), free, leaves

What I love....

 It's Monday, time for a quick post. Hello friends!

I used to regularly post a series called "What I love..." on my blog. It's still a category listed in the sidebar if you want to see some oldie versions. But today 's post is all about currently what I love and here's the card! 

Below I've listed "What I love..." from yesterday's crafty time:

• PLAYING!  Just playing around. Specifically playing with new stamping goodies. I didn't begin with the intention of completing a card. 
• Bright colors, pink! 
• Sunshine
• New techniques 
• polka dots and stripes.
• a bit of sparkle

My playing involved stenciling the rainbow with Altenew inks in light and bright pink, yellow and orange. I learned the technique of stamping over stencils from the latest Online Card Class called Brighter Days. I love these classes too! I've you've never taken one, or it's been awhile, I highly recommend them for the value and inspiration.

Entering this to **NBUS #87** Never Been Used Stuff and
Stencil Fun Challenge ATG
Supplies are listed below. 

Thanks so much for coming by!

Be yourself

         Have delight in your craft 

               Make something beautiful!  

Supplies: 

Hammermill white card stock

Altenew inks: Blush Rose, Pinkalicious, Fresh Lemon, Orange Cream

**Kristina Werner for Concord & 9th: Rainbow Rays Stencil Pack, Weather Together Stamps and Dies**

Through the Window Day 1

 Hi there! I am checking in to say hello. Stamping has taken a bit of a back seat for me this month, and that is OK! Truthfully, my focus has changed a bit from creating just for fun. I taught a class in April and will teach again in July in the community where I live. Each class involves designing 3 cards and prepping kits for 20 ladies. I also have the opportunity to sell many of my cards. Instead of having hours to create and play with my own designs, I'm beginning to streamline the process and spend less time per card. (at $3/card, that's a steal!)

What that means for this week is using one of the Simon Says Card kits that I've bought in the past, and making multiple cards. Most of these aren't original to me as there is a gallery of cards others have made and a CASE is often the prettiest way to go. I think you will enjoy seeing them.

Here are my first couple of cards using the July 2025 card kit featuring Through the Window stamps and coordinating dies.

Above, I enjoyed adding inks in ombre effect from the bottom to the top of the panel, then adding a light layer of white craft ink to the stenciled panel. 

For this one, I added just a few gold Nuvo drops and a pre-made foil sentiment. 

Aren't the In the City papers gorgeous? A simple shaker card with a sentiment from Tim Holz (Tiny Text Rubber stamp.) The tiny stars as shaker bits were included in the kit.  I love those so much I ordered more. 

My friend's Mother lives in the city and she sends her a card with a handwritten note every week. I'm happy to picture her finding joy with these creations.

I hope you've enjoyed your visit too! I will be back with more tomorrow and the next day. 

No challenges right now. See you soon!

Be yourself

         Have delight in your craft 

               Make something beautiful!  

Beautiful Butterfly Escapades

Hello there! I hope you're having a great day!

I have a card to share today using the brand new to me Butterfly Escapades Embossing Folder and Dies from Simon Says Stamp. Deciding to order this came as a bit of delayed reaction. Apparently I'm not the only one as it is now sold out. In the order with it came many goodies from the Artsy Butterflies card kit that Simon Says Stamp offered last month. I didn't think I needed it but changed my mind after seeing so many beautiful butterfly creations! 

Delicate pastel card stock with rich embossing, a bit of inking and layered butterflies came together so nicely! Using an arched die cut, I used the Spotlight technique adding a white panel for the focal point. The sentiment is from Honeybee stamps, cut in gold mirror card stock to match the butterfly body.

 I'd like to try this card again, and I will hope the photos better show how really soft the colors are. I absolutely love the new card stock colors of the In My Heart I Want It All collection. I'm not known to use purple hues often, but I am a fan of this soft shade used in the card front. 

Be forewarned, there will be an abundance of butterfly creations coming. 

I will add this to the challenges listed:

NBUS Challenge #85
Just Us Girls - Die Cutting, the Spotlight Technique
Triple B - Birds, Butterflies, or Blossoms

A Cut Above ATG
Let's Craft and Create Challenge: Beautiful Butterflies

Thanks so much for your kind visit. Take care!

Be yourself

         Have delight in your craft 

               Make something beautiful!  

 

He will sing!

 How are you on this Monday? It's pouring rain here with lots of wind. I'm staying in!

I wanted to encourage a dear friend going though a tough time and was so glad to find my favorite Scripture verse available in digi form at Word Art Wednesday. 

One of my newer stamps is Blossoms and Butterflies from Pinkfresh Studio, it's fast becoming my favorite! I ordered just the stamp but next order included the dies and stencil. This bouquet of flowers is so versatile and I know that it could be one of those images that I grab often. 

Stenciling is a technique that has grown on me over this year. You may know that I love to watercolor, and slowly add layers of shading and color.  But you can't beat a good stencil or two for coloring an image quickly. 

Speaking of quickly, I need to run this card out to the mailbox. I'm wishing you a wonderful day! Adding this to the Word Art Wednesday Challenge.  Besides inspiring Scripture and beautiful artwork, they have some great prizes if you want to check it out!

Be yourself

         Have delight in your craft 

               Make something beautiful!  

Happiness for You

Happy Friday to you! A while back when I got my Zigs out I did some coloring for future cards. This is one of them. I began with stamping the images from Butterflies and Blooms (a new-to-me stamp from PinkFreshStudio) onto white card stock. 

After cutting it out, I layered it onto aqua card stock, placing a vellum gingham panel (SU) behind it. Here's what I love - my favorite  EF from Altenew (Piped Floral Lace). I just keep choosing this one! It's the debossed side that forms the card base layer. 

Tiny silver dots are the only embellishment. Entering this in Tic Tac Toe challenge #287 middle row across: Layering, Encouragement, Enamel Dots/Sequins. 

 Team O has some wonderful samples and it is so easy to play along! I also love to play at Word Art Wednesday  NBUS and Simon Says Stamp. I hope your weekend is wonderful and I want to say a heartfelt thanks for your visit. 

Be yourself

         Have delight in your craft 

               Make something beautiful! 

 It's me! Just a quick share today. At JUGS it's word week, and they're looking for cards for encouragement. I'm sending this one out today to my dear cousin battling cancer. The supplies are from my stash and they've been there so long - I don't remember their origins. 

I loved these papers from Echo Park and probably went way overboard in using them. I ended with the heart and then thought it needed a bit more so I added the sentiment. Her heart full of faith in spite of adversity does make me smile! The sentiment is from a wonderful collection from Waffle Flower called "Sweet Lattice Sentiments." Love the fonts, I'll be using this often. 

Besides Just Us Girls

I'm linking this to Word Art Wednesday - ATG. 

Thanks so much for your visit! See you soon! 

Be yourself

         Have delight in your craft 

               Make something beautiful!  

Fabulous Flower

After making and mailing a slew of Christmas cards, I brought out a new-to-me flower for my card today. I know many of you around the country and Canada are having snow and I am so dreaming of snow. However. It's warm enough where I live today to actually try sun bathing.The air conditioner is on.

I might as well take a break from making winter cards, even if only for today. Here's a fabulous bloom creation made with the Lovely Layers Coneflower Dies from Honey Bee stamps. 

The  etched dies cut four layers for this flower and the dimension is amazing. I used two shades of pink card stock, and added sponged ink to vary the color a bit for each layer. When it was assembled I added more detail with flicking with Copic markers near the base of the flower. 

The sentiment is also from Honey Bee (Riding By) stamps. 

I know it seems early to get back to card making and posting but you may know how it is - the craft space is a happy place to relax and it requires no cooking or wrapping. Taking a mid-holiday crafty breather is good! 

Thanks so much for your visit. Hope you're having a great day! I'm sending this over to NBUS and Simon Says Stamp Wednesday challenge to add a sentiment.

Be yourself

         Have delight in your craft 

               Make something beautiful!  

A Taste of Fall

 I'm breathing some happy sighs this morning as it has been a while since I've been here on my blog and I'm pleased to have something to share! I did some coloring just for fun on these pretty sunflowers! 

Using my Copics this time, I kept it simple and light for an airy feel. I stamped the florals on the lower edge of the white card stock using Archival ink in Watering Can. 

After coloring the flowers I did some masking and ink blending for the background followed by adding a bit of white spatters. Tiny gems from Gina K (Micro Disco Ball Sequins) are very small but add just the sparkly look I love!

The Flower Challenge Sketch gave the creative kick I needed. Thank you so much for being here to visit with me today. Hope it's a good one!

Be yourself

         Have delight in your craft 

               Make something beautiful!  

Penny Black supplies: 
Pure Sunshine Cling Stamp, Enchantingly Clear Stamps (sentiment) ; Background Basics Stencils

Inks: Tumbled Glass, Peacock Geathers

Adding to: Penny Black Saturday Challenge, The Flower Challenge, Stencil Fun Challenge , FourSeasons

A Sketch for the Paper Players

Hello friends! I'm back with a quick post today. I wanted to watercolor so I pulled out the images from this older set called "Just Breathe" from WPlus9. I love the image of the bird perched on the pretty peony that you see as my focal point. For this card, I created a background panel by randomly stamping only the flowers and leaves onto watercolor paper.

I stamped with Memento Toffee Crunch ink, and used Distress ink re-inkers to watercolor. I left this as a work in progress for a day or two. Then, inspired to join The Paper Players Sketch Challenge, I cut my panel in half and layered the focal image on the All-in-One Hexagon Die (Penny Black.)   

 Here's the sketch I followed. I really like the way cutting the panel worked out.

That's it for me today! Hope your day is going well. 

Be yourself

         Have delight in your craft 

               Make something beautiful! 

Tweet-est Friend!

 A new day and a new month and I am GLAD! Hopefully our high heat and stormy afternoons will give way to more pleasant weather soon.  In the meantime, while I had all the Tweet Friend supplies out, I gave it another go. Hope you enjoy my shaker card. You know I love them! 

I love the versatility of the sentiments and being able to die cut them and mix the smaller phrases in is a plus. I think the mailbox will be what I grab for often, but the flowers are pretty in their own right and the bird bath is great for any season. 

Copics were used for coloring and the stencil (Gina K Cropped Circles) was sponged over with Ranger inks on two corners. I'm happy these two feathered friends are having a bit of fun in the sun! 

No challenges today, just a quick share! Thanks for coming by!

Be yourself

         Have delight in your craft 

               Make something beautiful!  

Coastal Escape

 Hey there! I realized that a week had gone by without a post so I'm here to rectify that! I had a bit of time to pull out another not used yet set to make this card before summer is over. Here's the beach scene!

I've been doing some watercolor landscapes, and this scene began with a scrap I'd painted practicing clouds. . 

Blended inks were used to color the pretty cuts from Spellbinders Coastal Escape View Etched dies, providing the palm trees, waves and shells. For embellishments, I added pearls, a twine bow, and white Nuvo drops to accent the portholes. I cut those with gold card stock here's a closer look. 

I am so glad you made time to visit today. Wishing you sunshine and smiles!

Be yourself

         Have delight in your craft 

               Make something beautiful!  

For challenges, I'm joining Tic Tac Toe  where I chose: Beach, Blue and Ink Blending

and the challenge at NBUS where I'm using Spellbinders dies and Sending Sunshine Sentiments stamps. 

Happy Summer to you

 Hello crafty friends! I'm stopping in to post a quick share on this hot summer day. It's good to be back after a busy holiday week. I have another week busy with family visiting and there's nothing I'd rather do than spend time with loved ones. 

The first card I posted (HERE) using the Eclectic Garden dies (Concord & 9th) was a CASE. Today's card is my original design.

Instead of die cutting the florals from colored card stock, I used white and sponged on color using Distress Inks to create a softer look. I will really enjoy using these florals.

An embossed layer was also inked lightly for the background. The sentiment is formed by the Happy Edger Die and the text from Penny Black. It makes a bold statement. Finishing the card off only needed a few pearls for embellishment. 

 I'm playing in the Tic Tac Toe challenge using the left vertical row: Foliage, Layers, Flowers, or the middle horizontal row: Layers, Free, Summer Colors. I really love the options in the grid challenges!

Also adding to SSS Weekly challenge: Sending Flowers

That's all for today! I'll keep staying cool. Take care. See you soon. 

Be yourself

         Have delight in your craft 

               Make something beautiful!  

Gentle Thoughts with Pinkfresh

 Hello, happy June! It sure has been a while since my last post. I'm on again and off again with stamping as we're having gorgeous weather and quite a few activities. I did pull out the Magnificent Magnolia suite from Pinkfresh Studio and inks from Altenew for a creative session  this weekend. 

I am smitten with these gorgeous florals. I stamped in pale gray ink and used the stencils to fill in pastel shades of yellow, pink and green. The die cut bouquet is a lovely size for a focal point on a card. I layered foam tape behind it for dimension and mounted it on The Classy Frames die from Penny Black. For the card base I used the stand alone cut Sparkling Diamonds (PF) on C&9th card stock. Nectar. It's my favorite of their colors, although it's sure hard to pick just ONE. 

That's it for me today. I'm entering several challenges, listed below. Thanks so much for coming round to visit me!

Be yourself

         Have delight in your craft 

               Make something beautiful!  

Challenges: 
NBUS where we use our new stuff!
Tic Tac Toe - I used the bottom row; Ink Blending, Floral, Sequins
 Double D - asked for Frames 
Just Us Girls - Layers
Pinkfresh Studio  - Monthly Challenge for June

The Flower Challenge - Count Your Blessings!

 Welcome to The Flower Challenge! Our theme for Challenge #95 is to use a stamped flower on your card.  So pull out those pretties and put some ink to paper! 

I've been going for the less is more vibe lately, and Penny Black's tulips from the Overflowing clear stamp (31-062) gave me a kickstart to a clean card. 

I watercolored using re-inkers from my Distress Inks. Adding TWO pearls (colored with Copic markers) seemed a good way to emphasize the "twice" in the sentiment. Am I the only one that thinks of these things?

Thanks so much for your visit today! Please come and visit us at the challenge blog where fabulous floral designs await to inspire you! 

I'm adding this to these challenges: The Penny Black Saturday Challenge,  and NBUS where I'm using the stamp and die for the first time. Time Out Challenges asks for cards of encouragement/friendship.

Be yourself

          Have delight in your craft 

               Make something beautiful!  

Other Supplies from Penny Black:
Blessed Builder Clear set (30-996)
Berry Basket Dies (51-796)

Flowers for You at Penny Black

 Hi there friends.

 I couldn't be more delighted to share this news! I've been chosen as the monthly Guest Designer for The Penny Black Saturday Challenge,  so of course I said, "Yes!" I've been loving my Penny Black stamps and supplies, new and old. Actually, the "new" products have been multiplying quickly in my craft area, so I'm glad to use them!

You'll find their challenge to be fun as it's often 'Anything Goes' and this month the optional theme is Flowers. Who'd have thought ????

My very simple card uses the Charisma Transparent stamps and dies. With the addition of circle dies, I cut a framed window and placed the bouquet on top. Using versa mark and one of the floral stamps, I created a subtle background, topping it all off with a sentiment circle. I found it refreshing to use only one stamp set for this card. The floral image was stamped in pale gray and colored with Distress Oxide re-inkers and a brush.

I sure hope you will check out the inspiration at the challenge and play along! I'm so happy that you've visited today. Thanks so much! 

Be yourself

          Have delight in your craft 

               Make something beautiful!