Freshly Made Sketches #751

 Hello friends, another free day.
After I got home today from working on our downtown fall
decorations I decided to create another card for my blog for today!

I chose the Freshly Made Sketches challenge as it looked like a fun challenge.
Also it took me outside my comfort zone of not only
doing sketches but adding those papers 'ajar' on my card front,
everything has to be straight with my OCD!!
But all that being said , I love the looks of it!!!
I used my already made Spellbinders Bold Blooms,
I have a bunch of them pre-made for when ever I want a quick card.

All papers, including the flowers came from my purple/lavender
bag of scraps and the sentiment is from my bag of pre-made
from The Ton.

That's it for me today....have a great day and weekend!!

Fractured Card

 Hello there, I have no DT cards to share today since we are
nearing the end of the month and decided to do a few challenges
as long as I had the free time.

For today I saw the challenge at 52 Christmas Card Throwdown
and the theme was: a technique challenge:

There is a video to watch and I have to admit I had to watch it
as it's been a long while since I created one of these.
It's a great technique as it lets you show off your pretty design papers.

Products Used:

Echo Park Have A Holly Jolly Christmas Paper (2023)
Spellbinders Holiday Blooms
Tutti Designs  Nested Dotted Square
Kaisercraft Xmas Quotes Sentiment 

I am now working on another fractured card
that is more summery, using up some older papers!

It was a fun challenge, give it a try!!

Also entering the following challenges:
Craft #787 .... Christmas
Rudolph Days Challenge ..... Christmas

Jump For Joy

 It's the last Wednesday of the month and that means it's
Amy Tsuruta's Woodblock Wednesday challenge!

The challenge that is all about using your woodblock stamps.
How fun is that??

Edited to add:  Looks as though there is no WBW this month, sigh,

just my luck as I was finally able to join...oh well, maybe next month!!

I know I  love it as I have lots and lots of woodblock stamps and pulled out a cute
Penny Black (2007) Jump For Joy stamp.
I used a paper scrap for the background and Cottage Cutz
Nested Wacky Stitched Rectangles.

I know, hard to believe that August is almost over isn't it!
But it is and at least we can go out with a 'bang' using
our fun woodblocks!!

I'm sure Amy would love to have YOU come on over
to her fun Woodblock Wednesday challenge!

Entering the following challenges:
Simon Says Wednesday ....ATG
Penny Black Saturday Challenge ....ATG

Hap-Bee Birthday

 Today at Can You Handle The Pressure we have an OPTIONAL
theme of BEES but you can create anything using an
embossing folder.  

For my 'bee' card I had to use a floral embossing folder
after all those bees need flowers right (?) or is it that the
flowers need bees?

The folder is one I love, it's so pretty from Simon Says Stamps
Dainty Dotted Daisy that I embossed on a pretty
yellow cardstock. 
Other products used:
Tutti Designs Cross Stitched Nesting Hexagon
Cottage Cutz Bee Gnome
Brutus Monroe Sett Honeybee paper
Doodlebug Stamps Bee Happy

I am not usually a huge gnome fan but when Cottage Cutz had
one of their 85% off sales, he was just too cute to resist
and he was only $2.19!

We would love to have you join us at Can You Handle The Pressure
but remember we are an embossing folder challenge and one must be used.

Entering the following challenges:
Allsorts .... Embossing
Alphabet .... 'I' is for Insects (Bees)
Ellibelle's Garden Party #18 .... Anything In or From A Garden
Seize The Birthday #332 .... Funny Pun-ny

Always And Forever

Welcome to challenge #8 at Pick 3,
the challenge that requires you to pick three of the elements below! 

My pick three are:
Polka Dots~Insects~Stamping (sentiment)

Products Used:

Cottage Cutz Mr. Love Bug
SU designer paper
Cottage Cutz Nested Stitched Wacky Rectangle

Spellbinders Betterpress Sentiment

Round Corner Punch
Scraps of white card stock and vellum (for wings)

This is the second Mr. Love Bug I have made, he actually looks 'girlie' to me!
He really goes together pretty fast with a few 'picky' pieces.

I hope I have inspired YOU with my Love Bug to join us,

plenty of inspiration from the team at Pick 3!!

Entering the following challenges:

Elliebelle's Garden Party #18 .... Anything In or From a Garden
Creative Moments #285 .... Make It Cute
A Cut Above .... ATG
Send A Smile For Kids .... ATG

Fresh Start Day

It's time for a new challenge at Double D with a theme of
When Life Hands You Lemons (use the colors, lemons, beverage)
with a colorful inspiration board below.

 

When PinkFresh Studio had one of their sales I picked up a fun
stamp/die set Lemons and Blueberries.  It was a set I had been wanting a
long time so I was excited to get it.  The stamp is one long piece and
stamps seven different images and die cuts them all out at once.
There was also a washi tape that also worked with the die but it
was unfortunately out of stock by the time I saw the sale.
I stamped then die cut all the pieces out, I still have 6 more images
I can color and use on other cards. 
The wreath was colored with various Copic, Olo, and Altenew alcohol markers.
I used a Waffle Flower Lacy Flower 2 to cut the background paper
from Lawn Fawn Fruit Salad paper.  I added a few PinkFresh gems for a bit of sparkle.

Come and join our fun challenge at Double D.

Entering the following challenges:
Word Art Wednesday .... ATG
Crafty Gals Corner #279 .... Summer Vibes
I Spy With My Little Eye ....Sunflowers or Something Yellow
Simon Says Wednesday challenge .... Going Round In Circles

Just Add Ink ..... Choose Two or More~Gingham~Circle~Flowers

 

A Sketch Challenge

 I saw a fun sketch challenge that I thought looked pretty
simple so thought I'd give it a try.  

It is Freshly Made Sketches

I also saw a challenge at Just Add Ink that I thought would also
work for my card, so I entering it there too.
My picks are gingham~Circles and Flowers

I had these Prima rub-on flowers sitting on my desk so I die cut a few
Tutti Design Circles and rubbed them on.  A few scraps were taken
from my 'brown' bag of scraps, then I finished with a
My Favorite Things sentiment, very easy peasy!!

That's it for today, I am having cataract surgery today so I can SEE again

hopefully!!

Beachy Christmas

It's Christmas in August at Peace On Earth
and we have a somewhat summery Christmas mood board for you
but you can create anything Christmas themed!

I have to admit I was a bit stumped myself with this board as
I had absolutely nothing remotely even close to use for it

until I saw that Paper Rose Studios had a Tropical Christmas embossed

die cut ephemera pack, so I purchased that, now I am well stocked for anymore

'tropical' Christmas themes LOL!

I used a Waffle Flower postage die to place my tropical
ephemera pieces on, this is definitely a card to be sent to

someone is the warmer states at Christmas time.

You don't have to go 'tropical' to join us at
Peace On Earth, any Christmas themed card will do!!

Entering the following challenges:

Krafty Chicks #833 .... Christmas

If You Gave A Crafter A Cookie #219.... At The Beach

52 Christmas Card Throwdown ..... Christmas Without Snow

 

Boo

We are halfway thru our challenge at Two Old Bats 
and hope you will join in with us for some year round Halloween fun!
As always we have a fun and spooky mood board for inspiration!

I let the upper left corner inspire me with the ghost and his 'BOO'!

Last summer my sister's neighborhood had a garage sale and there  was a lady
that had a computer paper box full of stamps and dies.  I bought lots of them
but none had packaging and were in clear bags.  So am not sure of the maker.

But I die cut from lots of colorful paper scraps and had fun putting it all together.

See the dots on the B?  Those are all die cut and glued on, a bit 3D in person!  I had a couple pieces I wasn't sure where they went and
also had a couple missing pieces, but it still came out cute!
The striped paper is Pink & Main Not Too Spooky.  I added a few sequins
as I have a ton and am trying to use them up!!

We hope you will come and join our FUN at Two Old Bats!!

Poppies

 It's time for a new challenge at Beautiful Blossoms and we have a pretty
board for inspiration, but you can create anything as long as it's a floral!

I kept my card very clean adding nothing more then the stamped image itself,

I like it though, it appeals to me 'clean!

The image is a VERY old JustRite stamp set 'Poppies'. 
I never 'purge' my stuff unless I know I will never use it again
so I was happy to ink this one up again.  I just wished I had moved the
poppies sentiment down a bit lower, but once stamped it was too late!!

After stamping and coloring I die cut it with a Cottage Cutz 
Nested Stitched Rectangle.

I grow poppies in in my own gardens, here are a few pictures of them:

So, get out your flowers and come on over to Beautiful Blossoms

and join in our floral fun!!

Entering the following challenges:
We Love Stamping ..... Summer Blooms

Inkspirational # 374 .... Gardens
Elliebelle's Garden Party #18 .... Anything From A Garden
Time Out .... Cas~Floral are my Pick 2

Cheers

 Time for a new challenge at The Sisterhood of Crafters and the theme is
SPORTS!

I had to really give this a lot of thought as I rarely ever create
a 'sports' type card.
We have 2 granddaughters and a great granddaughter that 
are in volleyball so that was my sport of choice for today's card.

I started with a Brutus Monroe Retro Rewind paper for the background.
The volleyball image I found on Pinterest, a free printable.
After printing I used a Tutti Designs dotted rectangle to cut it out.
Since we are always cheering them on, I thought a CHEERS
Karen Burniston die cut sentiment that I cut 3 times and stacked
would be the sentiment of choice.

Two of our volleyball players, (2025-2026) both on Varsity, sisters
one was  a freshman, the other a senior (was, college now).

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Come on over to The Sisterhood and bring your 'sports' with you!

Birthday Hugs

Hello friends, I finally have a FREE day today and decided to enter this fun sketch! 

Atlantic Heart Sketch

I actually had a die I purchased from Amazon then fir right into this sketch.
The colors on both cards, the solids are a darker navy blue, but lately I have been
having so much trouble capturing the true colors for some reason which
gives me anxiety!!

Anyhow, the print on this card has a very WHITE background with the
pretty blue flowers.  I also used an old Sizzix or Cuttlebug embossing folder on the
solid color.  The sentiment die cut is from Tonic.

The second card uses the same die with a Spellbinders Betterpress
sentiment, once again I'm not capturing the true darkness of the
sentiment.  

Both cards have much more deeper, darker colors then shown,
so frustrating!!  Sometimes these days just make me
want to 'throw in the towel' and forget it
and find a different hobby LOL!!
These two cards are much, much prettier IRL!!

Tie It Up Challenge

At Can You Handle The Pressure we have an OPTIONAL
theme of Tie It Up
meaning we want to see some sort of ribbon, twine, cord on
you card if you choose our optional theme. 

I used a Simon Says Stamp Floral Wreath embossing folder
embossed on Cord-inations paper that I sanded to let some color
show through.  I added a silver bow for my 'tie it up' and a 
few pearls.  

I also created a second card using a Find It Trading die,
a die I purchased when I was on the Dies R Us DT.
I die cut from a white card stock scrap, colored in with Copics
then wasn't quite satisfied with it so added some
lavender 'Flower Soft', remember when that was so popular?
Well, I certainly have lots and lots of it so it felt good to pull it out and use it.
The EB folder is from Elizabeth Craft Designs.  I embossed it a second
time on a Spellbinders Essential Floral Reflection die.
I tied a wax cord wrapped twice and finished with a
Spellbinders Betterpress sentiment.

Lots of great inspiration at the Can You Handle The Pressure
challenge blog, we would love to have you join us!

Entering the following challenges:

Cut It Up  #362.... Add A Sentiment

It's Your Day

I have a super cute card today I created for our challenge at
Simply Clean & Simple
where our OPTIONAL theme is NATURE! 

I had fun with this card stamping with Lisa Horton's 
Cloud Nine Solid Black ink then coloring in with Copics.
I used a Colorado Craft Finally Spring stamp
but because as we all know it is NOT Spring I chose to use a
Spellbinders Betterpress sentiment rather then the Spring
sentiments that came with this stamp.
I thought it was the perfect stamp for our Nature theme.
I mean look at the cuteness of the bunny, birds and flower branch,
it all 'screams' NATURE!!

 We hope you will join us at Simply Clean & Simple
and as always our nature theme is OPTIONAL!

Entering the following challenges:
Critter Crazy #113 .... Critter
Daisy Chain #110 ,,,, Animals
Send a Smile For Kids .... ATG for kids

BIG Wishes

 It's once again a new month and that means a new monthly
challenge at Word Power
the challenge that is about having your sentiment take center stage!
You know, those sentiments that draw your eye to it first thing!

I used a couple new to me things for my BIG sentiment card.
Last summer my sister's neighborhood had a neighborhood garage sale, my niece went and came back and told me a lady there had a ton of stamps and dies.  I certainly couldn't resist and had to go and look for myself.  To my surprise she had a computer box FULL of stamps and dies, the only downside was she had them all in a separate plastic sleeve with no name on any of them, this BIG die and stamp set was one of them, so I have about 20 stamps/dies I
haven't a clue of whose they are, I paid $20 for all, wish I could
of bought them all.  But, the set has lots of sentiments and a couple dies for the 'big' sentiment.

The fun elephant is Mama Elephant Fly With Me stamp and dies,
I never could resist a cute elephant stamp.  The back die cut is Cottage Cutz
and the background paper is from my basket of papers to use up!

Bring YOUR big sentiments to Word Power and have some fun with us!!

Entering the following challenges:
Sunbird Spark .... Make Sentiment the Star
Addicted To Stamps & More #523 .... Birthdays
Krafty Chicks #832  .... Birthday
Sisterhood of Snarky Stampers  .... 'A is For Animals

Just Us Girls #835 .... Die Week

You're Fabulous

A new challenge starts today at Double D and the theme is
FEATHERS!

We have a fun mood board for inspiration and also plenty
more from the DT, be sure to check it out!

I had this Spellbinders Betterpress plate set Fabulous Feathers
that I hadn't yet used and decided to try it out.  I did use the SB cotton/linen paper
and SB inks Cosmic Sky and Mulberry.  You can't tell in the photo but there is a
nice 'imprint' into the cotton paper .  I also used the sentiment and die that was

part of the set.  It seemed a bit plain to me so I added some PFS gems.

Sound fun?  Then get your 'tail' feathers over  to the Double D challenge
and have some fun with us!!

Entering the following challenges:
Word Art Wednesday .... ATG

Thinking of You

It's time for our new challenge to start today at
Stencil Fun and we have an OPTIONAL Theme of CAS.

I pulled out three different stencils to use and finally
decided on this Spellbinders corner floral one (no longer available)
stenciled with Altenew inks.  The sentiment is Spellbinders.

For my ANYTHING GOES card I used for the first time a
Picket Fence Cat stencil, stenciled with Distress Scattered Straw ink.
The sentiment for this card is also from Spellbinders.

Come on over to Stencil Fun and join us for some fun stenciling!!

Entering the following challenges:
Cats Only Challenge #126
AAA Birthday .... Flowers

Gift Tags

 New challenge starts today at The Neglected Stuff,
the challenge where we ask you to pull out and use all
that 'stuff' you have had for a very long time and have never used
OR haven't used for a very long time.

I decided to make a few gift tags, nothing special but just a few fun
tie on tags using a very much neglected Sizzix Brush Stroke die set (2007)
for the first time.  I also used a TH Alterations Tag & Tie die.
I added pretty scraps of designer paper to each tag, then the die cut
brush strokes, then added various SP flowers I had on hand and
bits and pieces of old ephemera along with some ribbon pieces.
Just some fun tags to 'beef up' a gift bag!

Tag #1

Tag #2

Tag #3

Tag #4

We would LOVE to see your neglected stuff at our challenge.

Entering the following challenges:
The Little Things ..... With OPTIONAL Anything Goes
Tag Along .... Anything Goes