Stencil Fun Challenge (6/2026) - Butterflies

 Hello Everyone!

It's time for another fun challenge over on our Stencil Fun Challenge!

Remember, this challenge is all about using your STENCILS.
We are a MONTHLY challenge that begins on the FIRST TUESDAY of each month.
Theme will always be ANYTHING GOES USING STENCILS but we will also offer an OPTIONAL theme.

Here is the OPTIONAL theme chosen for this month:

 

 Butterflies

 

 

 A clean & simple design using butterflies is what I have to share with you today.  I thought it would work perfectly for a sympathy card so I once again went to my Doni Collection and found this beautiful sentiment stamp set by Paper Smooches.

 

 

 

I've used the Creative Expressions Mini Stencil called 'Butterflies in Flight' for the main focus of this card.  They were inked using TH 'spiced marmalade' distress oxide ink and I've drawn the body/antennas using a fine tip black marker.   Orange and Black markers along with a metal ruler were used for the accent lines.

 

  

For my second card (Anything Goes)

 

 

 

 Awhile back, I belonged to the Spellbinder's Stencil of the Month club and the stencil used today came from the club.  It's called 'Spring Stencil Backgrounds' and there are actually FOUR stencils in this pack.  This is the first time opening this pack and using so needless to say, you'll be seeing the other 3 stencils along the way here on our challenge blog lol.  (I just noticed this pack is from February 2024 ... yikes!)

 

 

  

 Hopefully you'll get those stencils out and have some fun with us.
We won't always have a prize but periodically we will, you just never know!
We do have a Top 3 and a Top winner and it could be YOU!

 

Please come join us and GOOD LUCK!!
As always . . .

 

 

TOB June 2026 Challenge

 Hello friends and thanks for stopping by today!

It's time once again for a new monthly challenge over on the
Two Old Bats Halloween Blog!

Just wait until you see what the team has created ... OMG!!  And to help us get our mojo going, Diane (yep, my Old Bat partner) has created this fabulous inspiration board. . .

 

 Here's what I've created for you today . . .

 

 June is WEDDING MONTH so that's the direction I went today
and of course I was inspired by Diane's amazing mood board!

I found this image online and after printing I decided to fussy cut and use just the bride image.  I've colored the roses/leaves with Tombow markers.  My beautiful background paper is from the Brutus Monroe 'EVERafter' paper pack.  My 'FUN' sentiment was created using letters from the Scrapbook.com 'Alphabet Capital Letter' dies.

   

 

 Will she say 'I DO?' ... or ... 'I DON'T'?  
LOL

 Just to refresh your memory ... here's a recap of how things are done on our blog.

Monthly Challenge

• Start on the 2nd of the month
• Ends on the 28th of the month
• Badge Winners chosen by the DT
• Badge Winners announced on the 1st of the month prior to start of next new challenge.

I hope you've enjoyed today's share and thanks so much for stopping by!

REMEMBER ...

You have until the 28th to enter.
Hope to see you there!

Have a SPOOKTACULAR DAY
and PLEASE be sure to tell your friends about this challenge!!

As always . . . 

June 2026 - First Cup Challenge

It's time once again for a new challenge over on the First Cup Challenge Blog!

 Remember to check out the rules for this fun challenge in the TAB under the header over on the First Cup Challenge Blog titled 'But first ... some rules'.

Here's what I came up with for today's card . . .

 Product used:

Stampin' Up card stock

P13 - Coffee Break designer paper
Your Next Stamp designer paper

Hearty Crafts 'Coffee Cups' 3D topper

Sentiment - Morning Star wood block stamp 

 If you haven't yet checked out this new challenge owned/hosted by Deanne, you'll want to be sure to pop over and then play along!  I'm sure you have some goodies in your stash to create  with.

Thanks for stopping by and as always . . .

 

Four Seasons Challenge - Summer (6/2026)

  

Hello Friends

Over at the Four Seasons Challenge Blog, we are ready for a change in seasons! 
This months theme is:

Anything Goes - Summer

check out this fabulous inspiration board we have created to help inspire you . . .

 

Today's card was inspired by the beach chairs & umbrella.

I started by creating my background using TH distress oxide inks for the beach, sea & sky.  I then die cut my chairs from scraps of card stock using an older Impression Obsession die set called 'Adirondack chairs' (DIE177K).  I die cut the umbrella from white card stock and the two color panels using the same paper as I used for the chairs.  This was done with another older die set from Impression Obsession called 'Beach Umbrella' (DIE181-I). 

 The sentiment is also an Impression Obsession die #DIE689.

 Please be sure to check out our other fun challenge blogs. 
All the links can be found on the side bar. 

Thanks so much for stopping by today!

As always . . .

 

Neglected Stuff (6/2026)

 Hello friends!

Today I have a project to share that was created for our newest
NEGLECTED STUFF CHALLENGE. 

Click on the link then come join in the fun!

 

 

 

 Today's NEGLECTED item is my collection of border PUNCHES!  
And shamefully, they are truly neglected!

Once I started using the MANY dies I own, my punches were forgotten.

 

For today's card I started out with some (also neglected) Ken Oliver 6x6 'watercolored memories' designer paper.  After cutting two strips, I punched each strip using the Martha Stewart 'floral vine' punch and added a Simon Says Stamps sympathy sentiment in the center.  VIOLA!

 

 

 

Doesn't get much easier than that and look how pretty!!! 

  

Be sure to pop over and check us out then play along!
If you're a crafter, I'm sure you have some 'Neglected' goodies in your stash
that are just waiting to be loved!

You  have until the 28th to play along!

Thanks for taking the time to stop by today!

As always . . .

Celebrate!

 Happy Sunday ... LAST day of May!  

 I have a fun sketch challenge card to share with you today!
This is the sketch I'm inspired by today which is from the
Atlantic Hearts Sketch Challenge Blog.

 

 At first I was a little stumped but after looking through some of my older stash, it all came together.
Here's what I've created . . .

The product used on this card has literally been sitting on the shelf since my scrapbooking days and I'm so happy I reached for that container today!

I hope you like it!! 

 Challenges to share in:

Ellibelle's Garden Party #15 - Anything in or from a Garden (ends 6/15)
Crafty Catz Challenge #714 - ATG (ends 6/4)
Simon Says Wednesday Challenge - ATG (6/3)

  Thanks so much for taking the time to stop by today,
I appreciate it more than you'll ever know!

As always . . . 

50th Birthday

 Hello Friends!

Well, here we are on the LAST weekend of MAY 2026 ... the time is certainly zipping by!!

I had a request for a couple personalized birthday cards from my weekly luncheon friend Sue so I thought I share one of those cards with you today.  

 

 

(Inside) 

 I spotted the card design out on FB awhile back and saved it for future inspiration and today's the day!  Here's the reel that inspired me:  https://www.facebook.com/reel/3059207407802557.  Even though the 'inside' card base looks more red, it is really pink like the front cover photo shows  as are the words/numbers.

The decorative panel was from my scrap box and the coordinating 1/2" strips are also from scraps.  The Heartfelt Creations stamped & die cut flowers are 'left overs' from several years ago when I demo'd for Heartfelt Creations at the local Adventures in Stamping convention held here in Akron every Spring.  Little by little I'm using them up lol ...   Tombow markers were used to color my flowers and I used a circle die to cut out my circle.

  Challenges to share in:

 Addicted to Stamps & More #518 - Birthdays (ends 6/9)

 

 Passion for Markers #839 - Happy Birthday (ends 6/2)
Sweet Stampin' - Flowers (ends 6/5)

  Thanks so much for taking the time to stop by today,
I appreciate it more than you'll ever know!

As always . . . 

Fun technique for your birthday card . . .

 Happy End of May Weekend All . . .

I spotted a fun technique called 'Split Card Design' over on the Group of Seven Cardmakers blog the other day and thought I'd give it a whirl ...hopefully I can share this card over there before their current challenge ends. 

 

I've used the Altenew Build-A-Garden: Rosa Gallica stamp & die for my floral focus.

 

 Coloring was done with Tombow Markers.  
What a fun technique ... I'll be doing this again!!

 Challenges to share in:

 Addicted to Stamps & More #518 - Birthdays (ends 6/9)

 

 Passion for Markers #839 - Happy Birthday (ends 6/2)
Sweet Stampin' - Flowers (ends 6/5)

 Thanks so much for taking the time to stop by today,
I appreciate it more than you'll ever know!

As always . . . 

Wood Block Wednesday Challenge

 

  Hello Friends

Amy Tsuruta has her Woodblock Wednesday challenge up and running and I've been trying to join in each month as it gives me the opportunity to play with all my old wooden block stamps which don't get the love they deserve since clear stamps came about.

  

 The wood block stamp I've used today is by Inkadinkado.   

 

The background paper used for my card is from Crafter's Companion called 'Nature's Garden ... Kingfisher Collection'.   This is 2-sided paper so I've used the 'flip side' of one of the panels.

 

  Why not pop over and check out her blog and play along ... you know you have wood block stamps that need some love just like I do!  LOL

Thanks so much for stopping by and have a wonderful day ahead!!

As always . . .

Tag:  #Woodblockwednesday #woodblockstamps