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!  

Stencils, Clouds, and Sunshine!

 It always takes me some trial and error and rummaging through my stash to come up with an idea to make new supplies my own. That's what happened today when I went to try out the stencils included in Kristina Werner's Weather Together Bundle. It has been on my desk for a couple of weeks now. 

Wanting a card for general encouragement, I searched for the sentiment first. Among my Penny Black stamps, I came upon just what I wanted in the Love Big stamps. I wanted my sky to suggest a sunrise. 

I used Distress Oxide inks to color the scene, using only 2 of the cloud stencils, and inking lightly. Another sentiment carries the sunshine theme to the card inside. 

I have to be honest and say that I had doubts about the usefulness of the Weathered Together stamp set at first. I'm happy that I now have a few ideas and a few more sentiments lined up to be able to create with it. I got help also from The Paper Players Challenge this week! 

I may have to get going on anther entry! Also entering the Stencil Fun Challenge.  and the Penny Black Saturday Challenge.

Thanks for stopping by to visit. FInishing this card and getting it posted has given me a nice sense of being productive this morning. Have a great day! 

Be yourself

         Have delight in your craft 

               Make something beautiful!  

Other challenges include:
Word Art Wednesday
Sweet Stampin Challenge Blog 
Shopping Our Stash Weekly Challenge Blog - Summer
The Four Seasons - Summer 
Simon Says Stamp Wednesday Challenge - Anything Goes (Penny Black stamps)

 

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!  

Honeybell Floral WIth Sympathy

Just a note to say hello. 

I know none of us really like to make sympathy cards, but there comes a time to send them. I don't usually like to keep them on hand. It seems more meaningful to me to make one that can be personalized and made special for the recipient when I get the sad news.  Now today, I need to send two! Here's the first one. 

I prefer light colors and simple layouts for sympathy cards. 

Choosing three shades of rose/pink I used the Honeybell Floral Wafer Die, cutting the images twice, and adding inking to the edges of the pieces. 

I found a fence die that's been camped out in my stash for a few years. It holds the flowers nicely!

I debated inking a cloud-filled sky versus keeping a white background. I decided to go very very light with the sponging, and I'm glad I did. Altenew Blue Horizon ink is my new favorite for clouds. 

A very light swipe of yellow for the butterfly completes the scene. 

I will wish you a happy weekend, enjoy sunshine and special times with the ones you love! See you next week. 

Be yourself

         Have delight in your craft 

               Make something beautiful!  

Playing at:
NBUS  Never-been-used-stuff 

Triple B - Birds, Butterflies, and Blooms 

Supplies: 

from my stash - sentiment, MFT prairie fence, MFT cloud stencil

New - first time use - Honeybell Floral Die - SSS

Butterfly is from Butterfly Escapade EF, dies, and stencils - SSS

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. 

October is Couch Time!

 Fall is a cozy time and it is extra nice enjoying some COUCH time!

Welcome to our new challenge at the Color Hues Card Challenge where I got to select the colors of Coral and Blue for our projects over the next two weeks. At the mention of couch time I surely had to bring out my Couch Potato stamps and dies (MFT) to create a warm scene. 

 Our daughter came for a visit and this sentiment came to mind after she'd returned home and I missed our couch conversations. 

There are so many decor elements included with this set. When it came out I bought some of them. all of them. I kept trying to fit the window behind the sofa but it's true in this case, less is more. I love how real the throw looks over the arm of the chair.

Can't wait to see what you will create for us this month! Please join in and give these colors a go, won't you? 

Be yourself

          Have delight in your craft 

               Make something beautiful!  

Do you love your four-legged friends?

 Hello! Thanks for stopping in for a visit today. For those in the US, it's a day to take a break from our labors. That's a great reason for me to spend time in the craft room. I appreciate that you spend a bit of your valuable time here on my blog. I am grateful for every one of you! 

I do love my four-legged friends. We are without a dog now, but I hug lots of other people's dogs! We also have deer that come by our back yard every day to enjoy. The Paper Players asked for us to play along with the theme of four-legged friends this week and I did just that. 

I have quite a few new sets from Penny Back that I bought to encourage myself in two ways. First, I want to practice my watercolor skills with paints, and they have so many pretty and cute (like this bear!) line art images. I will practice, and practice some more! 

I stamped the image with Warm Wool ink (WPlus9). This is my favorite ink for a soft outline that looks black. I stamped onto Canson Water color paper, and used Distress re-inkers to color, adding some sponging for the sky, and a few details with Prismacolor watercolor pencils. I did a bit of masking when adding the sky. 

Secondly, I want to try to simplify my stamping processes. I can stamp images in batches, and color them when I have a short span of time, not needing to complete a card in one sitting. I'd LIKE to go more to a clean and simple style, but we will need to wait and see if that happens! 

Entering these challenges:

The Paper Players 

NBUS  Critter Crazy Challenge SSSWednesday Challenge  AAA Birthday - animals and 
PBS Saturday Challenge 

That's it from me for now, have a wonderful day! 

Be yourself

          Have delight in your craft!
                 Make something beautiful!  

Penny Black supplies used: Stamp - Showered in love, includes sentiment; Background Basics stencils

Bring Joy

 Hello, and welcome to a new day! It makes me smile to know you're stopping by.

I saw the fabulous samples at The Paper Players and was inspired to play along! It's been awhile since I've made a slimline card, I had fun creating this one. 

I stamped the bear image in black ink and added clear embossing powder. Using my zigs I added color and fussy cut her out. To create the scene, I lightly sponged blue ink over a clouds stencil and used die cuts to add borders of green grass and stitched clouds. 

The Players featured a tic-tac-toe board. I followed the diagonal row: flowers, die cuts, slimline. Wishing you a wonderful day. Until next time! 

Be yourself

          Have delight in your craft 

               Make something beautiful!  

The stamps I used are: Meadow 40-900, Happy Builder 40-474, Bring Joy 30-978 

Adding this also to the Penny Black Saturday Challenge 

Reflections of Nature

 Hello everyone! Having a few rainy days in a row was restful and I got some stamp time in over the long weekend. 

I finally inked up a few stamps that've been in my "new things" pile for way too long. The Greetery Reflections layering stamps and die create pretty trees bordering a lake. Very much like the natural surroundings where I live. 

I sponged a sky for the background using Salvaged Patina and Chipped Sapphire Distress Oxide inks. Other inks were used with sponge daubers for the trees, trunks, sand and lake images. 

I really look forward to changing the colors and making different combos for the sky with this set. It's so easy to use!

This is a slimline card, made on purpose so that I could play along with Tic Tac Toe, using the top horizontal line: slimline, trees, green. 

It's great playing with challenges because I find myself reaching for that never-been used-stuff, so I'll add this also to NBUS. 

Thanks so much for joining me today, I will be back tomorrow!

 Be yourself

          Have delight in your craft 

               Make something beautiful!  

s

Other supplies: Sentiment from Penny Black - Carefree Wishes 

Brother - from SU Family Reunion (retired); SU Cucumber Crush card stock

Black thread.  Dies - Honey Bee Slimline Dies. White embossing powder

Stand Tall

 Stand tall is a good reminder, especially if you are short like I am at 5'1 and 1/2" or if you are a flamingo that stands on one leg! I made this card for one of my favorite people who's going to Florida to celebrate a special birthday. I thought these two flamingoes would be fun for her card!

The images and sentiment are from WPlus9 Designs.   I created a stenciled background for my scene, and colored with Copic markers. 

I'm adding this card to these challenges: 

NBUS because the stamps are never used until now. 

Tic Tac Toe using the row Colouring, Critters, Scene

Double D - Things that fly - yes, I looked it up, flamingoes do fly! Thank you so much for your visit today, hope you have a really good weekend.

Having just returned from a road trip to Florida, I'm looking forward to taking it easy myself! Am I the only one who comes home from vacation and needs to rest, lol? 

Be yourself

          Have delight in your craft 

               Make something beautiful!  

Supply List 

Stamps: Flock Yeah and dies, Birthday Wishes  from WPlus9

Love Flurries

Hello , I have a wintry scene for you today using old and new items, just for fun! I enjoy pulling out this PI girl in winter as I love her sweet expressions and the sentiments. I used a new-to-me stencil and sponged DOX inks to make the background. 

Two of the stencils are for small and larger snowflakes. I filled them with white paste for added interest and texture. 

My friend Leslie at Running with Scissors always colors images with mastery (if you visit her blog you'll realize words are inadequate to describe her talent!) and she's been using Tombow markers, so I got mine out to give them a try on the girl.  It's been a while but I liked the ease of using them. Then I fussy cut her out, adding the die cut trees and purple hearts. 

That's all from me today, I hope it's going well for you! We have had beautiful sunshine and warm-ish temps so the snow is only in my imagination, lol! 

I will be posting this at NBUS and Time Out Challenges. 

Be yourself

          Have delight in your craft 

               Make something beautiful!  

Supply List:

Stamps - mftstamps (retired) 
Ink
Other - Honey Bee stamps - Winter Wonder Scene Builder is a set of 6 stencils. 

Trees dies - Elizabeth Craft Dies

I love Christmas!

 It's absolutely true that Christmas is my favorite time for making cards! Here's another one for you using Say It With Stamps I love Christmas set.  Actually I like this sweet image so much I colored it a few times and made two cards to share. 

I combined it with a cover-plate die also from Say It With Stamps! called A2 Knit. I took inspiration from the product package and used the plate as a background. Have a look! 

Using a favorite non-traditional color combo makes me happy! I placed aqua card stock behind the white piece. I love the look and texture this die gives! Dressing it up was easy with snowflakes, gems, and glitter along the snow. 

For the second card I used traditional red and green with a background of a night sky inked in blues and dotted with snowflakes using white acrylic paint. 

I used the sentiment included with the set and added an arched window and red mat. You know what's so special about the set? There are a few different options to place in the girls hands. Instead of candy canes she can hold gifts, a tree, a stocking or a steaming cup of hot cocoa. How fun is that! When coloring with Copic markers I gave her a nose, mouth and pink cheeks.

I'm playing with some challenges at: 

Hand Stamped Sentiments 

Krafty Chicks  

SSSWednesday Challenge   add some sparkle

I've really enjoyed sharing with you today and I appreciate the time you took to spend here. Much thanks. 

Be yourself

          Have delight in your craft 

               Make something beautiful!  

Cozy Birthday for Color Hues

Welcome to a new month, yaay for September, it's one of my favorites. In the US, we're beginning a holiday weekend. Maybe you're traveling, or just maybe you're having a bit more time to craft. Either way you will love Sheri's color picks for us this month at Color Hues #48.

I put them to use designing a living room scene! I'm generally not fond of small dies, but I kept seeing these and just had to try them.  Turns out, they are so much fun. I love them! 

They inspired me to take a peek at my patterned papers. I just knew the navy floral was meant for curtains and matching pillows. 

I layered two die cuts for the plant image for added texture and accented with colored pencils for depth. Isn't the cozy birthday sentiment cute? 

This challenge is special because we are celebrating our 2nd birthday. We're asking you not only to use the colors, but to make a birthday card. Helping us to celebrate are our friends at Seize the Birthday! 

We hope you will join the party and create with us. 

 Be yourself

          Have delight in your craft
                  Make something beautiful!
                

Interactive Cards: Slimline Shadowbox

 How are you doing on this Tuesday morning? My past week allowed some wonderful family time, as my husband and I were out of town and able to help with the big sisters of the new baby! 

I had a few cards ready to go on the hopper that explore some special folds and interactive features. First up, the slimline shadowbox! 

I used an old favorite from Papertrey Ink - Fenceline: summer to create both cards. 

The first card measures, 4-1/4" by 8". The folds for the base are so easy, I got help from Jennifer's wonderful video HERE. I began by inking a simple scene of sand ocean and sky using Altenew inks. The fence was stamped on the bottom layer, other images were stamped and fussy cut to add depth to the front and the outer layer of the card. 

I used textured card stock in bermuda bay, adding a white frame over the top. 

For the second card - I will show you my mistake! THe first card is what I learned from it! 

Do you see what's missing?  The shadow box! OOPS. I glued the scene panel just behind the front of the card, instead of placing it onto the INSIDE of the box. Now you know what NOT to do, lol! 

Creating multiple cards with a set or a theme is helpful to me, as I learn and get better as I go. Learning from my mistakes may turn out to be helpful for you. Maybe not! This card measures 4" by 9". 

I've enjoyed pulling this set out to use again, I have only inked it up once before, HERE if you missed it. Oh, HERE is one more. 

The sentiment is from Altenew Craft Your Life Kit - Fragrant Florals.

Thanks for hanging on through this long post. Hope you caught some happy thoughts/vibes from your visit with me today!

Be yourself.

     Find delight in your craft.

             Make something beautiful!