Blue & Green Birthday

 Hello friends . . .

Today I've created a card for a fun sketch challenge called Sweet Sketch Wednesday 2.  (ends 6/30)
Here's the sketch for the current challenge (I've used sketch #328) ... love how this turned out! 

      

 I also though it would be fun to tie in another challenge along with the sketch ... it's over at the 
{PIN}spirational challenge blog (ends 6/30) and it's a color challenge (blue & green).

 Here's what I came up with . . .

 

 The designer papers used were purchased at Hobby Lobby.
Other products used:
Hampton Art Stamps - Violets
Endless Creations Stamp - Happy Birthday
Nuvo Crystal Drops

Challenges to share in:

Beautiful Blossoms Challenge #42 - ATG Florals with optional mood board (ends 7/12)
The Crafter's Cafe Challenge - ATG w/optional 'blooms' (ends 7/12)
If You Give a Crafter a Cookie Challenge #217 - June in the Garden (ends 6/30)
 

Allsorts Challenge #851 - Anything Goes from the Garden (ends 6/20)
Craft Rocket Challenge #137 - Birthday (ends 6/30)

 Wishing you a fabulous day ahead!
As always, thanks SO MUCH for taking the time to stop by!

 

Not Older, Just Wiser

 Happy Monday All . . .

 Today I've created a card for the new sketch challenge offered over on the Try A Sketch on Tuesday blog (ends 6/21).   Here's the sketch we're playing with today . . . 

 

 I had some black/white scraps laying on my work station left over from a couple graduation cards I created for my neighbor the other day and thought I could do something with those.  Here's what I came up with . . . 

 Product used:

 zoo animal die cuts from The Paper Studio purchased at Hobby Lobby . . .
design paper is a pack from Altenew called 'Essential Black & White paper pack', 
the circle is a scallop circle die set by Tutti Designs,
sentiment strip is from and OLD Creative Expressions Wordie Birthday sheet purchased at Scrapbook.com.

          

  Inside View

 

 Challenges to share in:

Crafty Animals Challenge #106 - Animals (ends 6/27)
Critter Crazy Challenge #111 - ATG Animals (ends 6/25)
A Cut Above June Challenge - ATG with dies (ends 6/28 - winner's 6/30)

Wishing you a fabulous day and week ahead!
As always, thanks SO MUCH for taking the time to stop by!

 

Do It Again

 Happy Day All . . .

 I saw a fun challenge offered over on the Addicted to CAS   blog (ends 6/26) where the theme is 'Frame' and of course, Clean & Simple design.  After looking at their DT cards I was inspired to play along.

 

 As I was going through the various challenges offered out in blogland I looked up and on my pegboard where these fun fish from Hobby Lobby - The Paper Studio and I thought I could do something with one of them inside a frame.

 Here's what I came up with  . . .

 

 The frame I chose to use is a die set from Paper Rose (#16679), Stitched Rectangle Frames which I die cut twice . . . once from white card stock and once from 'water' designer paper for the inside panel.  The sentiment comes from my Doni collection and is by Funny Bones by Riley & Company.

Here's a close up of this cute fish ... even has some sparkle on his body.

 Challenges to share in:

Creative Knockouts Challenge #572 - Die Cuts/Stencils/Punches (ends 6/17) 
Die Cut Divas June Challenge - ATG (ends 6/30)

Wishing you a fabulous day and week ahead!
As always, thanks SO MUCH for taking the time to stop by!

 

Can You Handle the Pressure - Twist - Boys to Men

 Hello Friends, thanks for stopping by today!

We have a new challenge starting today over on our new Can You Handle The Pressure Challenge Blog and the TWIST theme is ...

Boys to Men

Remember, the twist is optional but you MUST use an embossing folder on your projects to qualify for the prize.  Heat embossing is also permitted but only in conjunction with an embossing folder.

 Here's what I've created to inspire you today ...

 

 This theme was fun to create with.  The embossing folder I've used today is a very old and well loved folder since the guys in my family are all 'car people'!  That folder is the Cuttlebug folder called 'diamond plate'.

 

I've used black/white baker's twinc and the Paper Studio Puffy Stickers as the focus. 

 

 I do hope you'll come check out our challenge blog and play along.

 

Challenges to share in:

Cardz 4 Guyz Challenge #386 - Squash It - Embossing (ends 6/15)
AAA Birthday Challenge #86 - Birthday for the Boys (ends 6/30)



 Sparkles Monthly Challenge #200 - 3 of Anything (ends 6/15)

Simon Says Monday Challenge - Masculine (ends 6/15)

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

As always . . .

Sisterhood Challenge (6/2026) - Fish / Sea Creatures

Hello my friends!

Today I have a card for the new challenge over on The Sisterhood of Crafters!

 

Our theme today is:

 

Fish / Sea Creatures

 

 

 

 I've created this fun card today by beginning with my ink sponged background.  By using a white cardstock panel the same size as my card front, I used a sky stencil and TH distress oxide ink for the sky.  With another ink color I created the water.  I sponged the same blue color to the bottom of my actual card front then tore the bottom of the sky/water panel and glued the entire panel to my card front.  This created my white frothy wave that the sharks are playing in.  

 

 The fish is one from an older Karen Burniston (#1037) Sea Animals die set and the sentiment is from Impression Obsession (Better at the Beach - DIE689-Q).

 

     

  

I hope you'll come join in our challenge fun at The Sisterhood of Crafters!

My 'sistahs' have created some fabulous creations to help inspire you ... 

be sure to pop over and check them out!

 As always, thanks SO MUCH for taking the time to stop by!

The Best Way to Tackle the Day . . .

 

 Hello friends ... welcome back to my blog ... so glad to see you here!

I'm excited today to have been asked to Guest Design for the current challenge over on the Dragonfly Dreams Challenge Blog.   The theme today is 'Masculine' so I cam up with this fun fishing card. 

 The design I've used is a variation of a sketch I spotted a few months back over on the CAS on Friday blog ... they always have some fun sketches to help get me started.

 My background paper comes from the Find-It (Amy Designs) Underwater 6x6 paper pack.  The fish are from a sticker pack by the Paper Studio purchased at Hobby Lobby.  And the sentiment is an old wood block stamp by the Northwood Rubber Stamp Co (circa 2008).

Challenges to share in:

The Paper Players Challenge #789 - Masculine (ends 6/12) ✓

 
The Male Room Challenge #211 - The Outdoors (ends 6/30)



Simon Says Wednesday Challenge - Masculine (ends 6/10) ✓

  Be sure to pop over and check out this fun challenge!

 As always . . .

Peace on Earth Challenge #113

 Hello Friends and welcome back to my blog! 

SO happy you stopped by!

Today I have a card to share for the new challenge over on the PEACE ON EARTH CHRISTMAS CHALLENGE BLOG.  Of course the theme is Anything Christmas and we hope you'll come join in the fun! 

Here's a fun inspiration board we've created to help get you started ...

 

 WOW I really had to dig deep to come up with today's card!

I've used a VERY OLD Spellbinder 'stocking' die for the focus image today and die cut it from kraft card stock.  The little seashells are an OLD set from Memory Box and the frame is Paper Rose #16679. 

  PLEASE be sure to pop over to THE BLOG and check out the amazing designs our design team has created for your inspiration.  What a group of talented ladies!!  Then come join in the fun!!  

Challenges to share in:

Girlz Creative Christmas Challenge #180 - ATG Christmas (ends 6/13)
C.R.A.F.T. Challenge #781 - Christmas (ends 6/10)
 Creative Knockouts Challenge #572 - Die Cuts / Stencils and/or Punches (ends 6/17)

 As always ... thanks again for stopping by!

Love Those Pretty Papers June 2026 Challenge

Hello Dear Friends

It's a new month and that means it's time for a new challenge over on our
LOVE THOSE PRETTY PAPERS blog.

Today, our OPTIONAL theme is

PASTELS

 Diane & I will be sharing a Themed pretty paper card as well as an Anything Goes card.

 Here's my card using today's THEME:

 Using OLD 12x12 designer papers as well as scraps of white card stock for the sentiment panel.  
The sentiment comes from a Simon Says stamp set and I accented the panel with a smaller stamp from the same set and TH distress oxide ink.
I like how adding the little flowers in the corners really added a little 'something' to the otherwise stark panel.  What do you think?

 A 12 x 12 sheet of designer paper will make six A2 size cards so that's what I did then divided them into packs of 3 for my sale boxes.   

I was on a roll so I went through and selected sheets that I've had sitting around for a very long time and made a variety of cards.  Then I decided which ones to use for my four 'card set' categories ... thank you, thinking of you, just a note & sympathy.

 

 

Now for my 2nd card (anything goes) ...  

 

I've had this background paper (the Paper Studio Kirby Teesdale Studio) in my stash for years as well as this image (no idea at this point where it came from ... was hanging on my accessory wall).   The 'wood' panel was in my scrap pile and the sentiment is a Tutti Designs die set.

 

I hope you've enjoyed what I created to inspire you today!  Please come join our fun and show us what you have created using pretty patterned papers.

Thanks for stopping by and as always . . .

Simply Clean & Simple (6/2026) - Nautical

 Hello my friends and welcome to my blog!

Today I have a card to share for our challenge blog using the CAS (clean & simple) design style. 
Our blog is called Simply Clean & Simple and today's OPTIONAL theme is:

 

 Nautical

 

 

 

Product used:

 

Tim Holtz 'Bubbles' stencil
Tim Holtz Distress Oxide Ink
Large sponge dauber
Just Rite 'Anchors Away' stamp set
Spellbinders 'Anchors Away' die
Gold Foil paper 

A quick & easy card for you today ... hope you like it!

Remember, our challenge is Anything Goes CLEAN & SIMPLE but we do offer an OPTIONAL theme.  You have until the 28th to share your CAS design into our challenge blog.

Hope to see you at SIMPLY CLEAN & SIMPLE!

As always . . .

Word Power (6/2026) Challenge

 Hello Friends . . .

It's time for a new challenge over on our WORD POWER challenge blog! 
Have you check it out yet?  If not, please come join us ... inspiration is welcomed!!  

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

 Today I've used a Funny Bones by Riley & Company stamp that I pulled from my 'Doni Collection'.  This gives you an idea of Doni's wonderful sense of humor.  She was such a fun person ... I sure miss her!

I've used wedding roses designer paper for the background, Memory Box square dies for the framing and Impression Obsession 'heart stems' for an accent. 

 You have until the LAST Thursday of the month to enter.
Thanks for stopping by and have a great day ahead!

As always . . .

I'll 'bee' Thinking of You!

 Hello Friends!!

Today I'm thrilled to have been asked to be  the June Guest Designer over on The Paper Funday Challenge Blog!  What a talented group of ladies to be creating with this month!  For the month of June, the challenge is:  Anything Goes with an Optional Twist of  Polka Dots or Stripes. 

 The Prize Sponsors for June are Concord & 9th and Honey Bee Stamps!  

I have had this Honey Bee 'The Bee's Knees' paper pad in my stash for quite some time now and since I only had a few sheets left (such a fun paper pad) I thought I'd use it today.  With not having much left and he fact that it is two sided, I decided to cut it into strips and make a few background panels.  

 

 The colors in the above paper pad image are more true to color than my card photo.  Sorry ... was having trouble with my camera and couldn't seem to get the true colors (even using my photo editor wasn't helping.  But, you get the 'picture' . . .

 My fun bee is from an old Hero Arts kit and I've taken a couple older White Prima flowers and added polka dots to them to tie in with the theme.

You'll want to pop over and see what the rest of the design team has created and then join in this fun challenge at The Paper Funday Challenge Blog.

 Thanks so much for stopping by ... wishing you a FABULOUS day ahead!

As always . . .

Triple B (6/2026) Challenge

Hello Friends!

Have you checkout our challenge blog called TRIPLE B?
It's all about using any of your stash but your project must have at least a BIRD, a BUTTERFLY or BLOOMS (flowers) visible on it.  Hence the title Triple B.

Here's this months inspiration board ...

 

Here's what I've come up with . . .

 

I am having so much fun with border dies lately, and even though I already had a few in my stash, I just felt the need for a few newer ones so a shopping trip to Scrapbook.com was in order.  Today I've used one of my newer dies and it's by Paper Rose ... called Gum Leaf Border. 

       

After die cutting my panel from white card stock, I then added a SCRAP of purple card stock that was laying on the solid color scrap pile (you'll see below I used the remainder of that scrap to do a partial matting on my inside sentiment).   

For my floral accent I've used a topper by Hearty Crafts called Flower Bouquets (HC12891).
The sentiment is from an old Impression Obsession stamp set and I've added a few 'Violet Galaxy' Nuvo crystal drops for the finishing touch.

 Inside View

 I used one of the smaller stamps from the Simon Says 'Vintage Garden' (sss202395c) stamp set and Tim Holtz distress oxide ink 'villainous potion' to adorn the corners.

    

 

 Remember, our challenge begins on the 3rd of each month, ends on the last day of the month and Winner's are announced on the 2nd of each month.

I hope you'll come join in the fun!
Thanks for stopping by today!

As always ...