Sunday, June 1, 2025

Merry - SCC #173

 It's June!!  Time for a new challenge at Sparkles Christmas Challenge!  Our theme for this month asks that you "include the word merry" which is pretty easy when making Christmas cards! :)

Here's my card...


Ardyth - a wonderful card maker - has developed a technique for card making called LIMES.  It's a great way to use the inspiration of another's card without CASEing it.  (I've had this card pinned for along time and used it as my inspiration.  It's the second card in this post.

I trimmed down the musical paper and inked the edges.  My "merry" is Her Arts Merry Stamp & Cut.  My trees are Poppystamps Evergreen Trio, and I inked the branches with white pigment ink.  "Christmas" is from a "Happy Christmas" die that I use often.  At that point I felt it needed a little more, so I added the punched snowflakes. 

We'd love to have you come play along with us at Sparkles Christmas Challenge!

Thanks for stopping by and have a blessed day! 

Thursday, May 29, 2025

Dimensional birthday - C4G #251

Time again for a new challenge at Cardz 4 Galz!  Our them is "floral frenzy"!  

Here's my card... It's actually my daughter in law's birthday card. :)


The flowers on my background are Altenew Sweet Spring Stencil.  I splashed some watercolor on the panel.  I then cut out the letters for "happy" and layered them over some fun foam for dimension.  The pic below shows what it looks like IRL better.  "birthday" is from Penny Black Your Day that I trimmed the "happy" off of.  




Please come play along with us and show off your floral stamps or dies or papers!

Thanks for stopping by and have a blessed day! 

Thursday, May 15, 2025

You are in my thoughts & prayers - C4G #250

It's time for a new challenge at Cardz 4 Galz!  Our theme is "things with wings - real or fantasy" for this challenge.  Here are my winged things... ;)


I started with a piece of paper from my "leftovers" (random sheets from paper pads) and inked the edge with black ink.  I heat embossed my sentiment from Sweet n Sassy Heartfelt Thoughts.  My butterflies are Sizzix Thinlits TH Detailed Butterflies.  

We'd love to have you come play along with us at Cardz 4 Galz

Thanks for stopping by and have a blessed day! 

Thursday, May 1, 2025

A tulip bouquet - C4G #249

 It is time for a new challenge at Cardz 4 Galz!  For this challenge, our theme is "flowers."   That's a very easy theme!  I don't create many cards that don't have at least a small flower. :) 

Here are my flowers...


I have made few trips to Joann to see what deals are to be had as they are closing, and these tulips are one of my finds.  It's Hero Arts Layering Tulip Bouquet Stencil.  (Now the matching stamp and die set are on my wish list!)  I ink blended with TH Distress Oxide Inks.  The panels are cut out with Stitched Scalloped Rectangles, and my sentiment is Creative Worship Stamps (formerly Sweet n Sassy Stamps) Script Sentiments. 

Grab your flower stamps or dies or embellishments and come play along with us at Cardz 4 Galz

Thanks for stopping by and have a blessed day!!

Fill your stocking - SCC #172

 A new month and a new challenge at Sparkles Christmas Challenge!  Our theme is "Christmas stocking."  

Here is my stocking...


I realized that I don't have a stocking die or stamps, so I hand cut this one.  My paper is Carta Bella A Wonderful Christmas.  I put a piece of vellum behind the stocking so it would stand out better against the plaid.  My sentiment is Hero Arts Merry Stamp & Cut.  A couple of branches from a MS punch and a few adhesive dots finished it off.  

We'd love to have you come play along with us at Sparkles Christmas Challenge!

Thanks for stopping by and have a blessed day! 


Thursday, April 17, 2025

Art deco happy birthday - C4G #248

 Happy Thursday to you!  It's time for our new challenge at Cardz 4 Galz!  Our theme for this challenge is "Art Deco."  

Here's my card...


I was wondering how/what to make for this theme when I remembered that I had Poppystamps Art Deco Birthday Greetings stamp set.  I started by making the BG using Paper Rose Abstract Trees stencil as a stamp with VersaMark and gold embossing powder.  I heat embossed the sentiment is gold and added a strip of gold behind the top and bottom.  I put a layer of foam behind it for some dimension.  I liked it, but it didn't necessarily look like it was for a gal, so I added Cheapo Dies Clover Flourish die cut in gold.  

Challenges:
Word Power Apr 2025 - sentiment as focus
Allsorts Challenge #821 - stencils. masks, or anything goes (I used a stencil as a stamp, but if that's not ok, this is anything goes)
Aud Sentiments #324 - embossing and/or flowers + a sentiment (I heat embossed my background and sentiment) 
A Cut Above: April - anything goes but must use die cut 

We'd love to have you join us for this challenge at Cardz 4 Galz

Thanks for stopping by and have a blessed day! 

Thursday, April 3, 2025

Butterfly hello - C4G #247

 Happy Thursday to you!  It's time for a new challenge at Cardz 4 Galz!  Our theme is "stripes."  Here is my card...

The striped paper is MME Breeze Fun Day Today.  My butterflies are Tim Holtz Detailed Butterflies.  The branch they are sitting on is from Sizzix TH Small Tattered Flowers.  The "hello" is Memory Box Hello Banner Script.  

We'd love to see what you create with stripes, so come play along at Cardz 4 Galz

Thanks for stopping by and have a blessed day! 

Tuesday, April 1, 2025

A green Christmas - SCC #171

It's April 1st, and I'm not fooling! :)  

It's time for a new challenge at Sparkles Christmas Challenge!  Unfortunately, I've had many green Christmases, but that's not what I'm talking about... our challenge theme this month is Christmas foliage.  (I have to admit that I had to look up to see if flowers were considered to be foliage.  Sadly, they are not.)  So we want to see your greenery. 

Here's my card...

My BG paper is a scrap that was sitting on my desk.  My wreath is made from a MS branch punch and Poppystamps Orchard Leaves cut from a variety of green papers.  The "berries" are the leftover dots from a die.  The bow is Poppystamps Grosgrain Ribbon Bos and the sentiment is Poppystamps Small Freestyle Merry Christmas. 

We hope you find time to come play along with us this month at Sparkles Christmas Challenge!  

Thanks for stopping by and have a blessed day! 

Sunday, March 23, 2025

Minibus, Bulli, Kombi, or hippie van?

What do you call  a WV van?  They've had many nicknames over the years.  We say "Kombi" because that's what they call it in Brazil, and we saw them everywhere on our trip there a few years ago. :)   Anyway, my daughter loved them, and I found this die set and made her birthday card...  


My "Kombi" is Honey Bee Stamps Lovely Layers: Beach Bound.  It was a little fussy to make, but such a fun outcome! I inked my cardstock with TH before cutting the main part of the vehicle.  I tried to make the BG panel look like a road and sunset.  I inked blended with TH brushed corduroy, mustard seed, ripe persimmon, and barn door Distress Oxide inks.  The tree is Die-versions Four Seasons.  My sentiment is Penny Black Your Day. I cut it twice in black and glued them together then cut it is silver and adhered it slightly offset to make it pop. 

Challenges entered:
Simon Says Stamp Monday - transport it 
Shopping our Stash #543 - Think Ink (inking but no coloring) 
Seize the Birthday #301 - Anything that Flies or Anything Goes (I did Anything Goes)

Thanks for stopping by and have a blessed day! 

Thursday, March 20, 2025

Spring always comes - C4G #246

Spring is technically here, and our new challenge at Cardz 4 Galz is here!   You may have guessed that our theme is "springtime."  :)  

Our tulips have popped up through the ground but aren't in full bloom yet, so I had to color some for you...


I used Sweet n Sassy Stamps Spring Blossoms for the tulips and the sentiment... 
"No matter how long the winter, Spring is sure to follow"
I cut the panel with Spellbinders A2 Fancy Postage and inked it with TH stormy sky Distress Oxide ink before removing it from the die. I popped up a second flower and added a bow of baker's twine.   

We'd love to have you come play along with us at Cardz 4 Galz

Thanks for stopping by and have a blessed day! 

Thursday, March 6, 2025

Happy Mother's Day - C4G #245

It is time for another challenge at Cardz 4 Galz!  Our theme is "Mother's Day or For a Special Friend or Lady."  In the UK (where this challenge is based), Mother's Day is Sunday, March 30.  It's not until May 11 here in North America, but I've got to mail my card to Canada, so I thought I'd get a head start! ;)  

Here is my card...


This was so fun to make!  I recently got this cover plate die.  I wanted to keep the card simple but pretty, so I cut it out of white then heat embossed it with Stampendous Kaleidoscope.  It sparkles as you can see below.  My flowers are Honey Bee Stamps Darling Dahlias which I colored with my Spectrum Noir markers. (I know i used them in the last challenge, but I just got the set and really LOVE them!!) My sentiment is from Raisin Boat Marvelous Mom.
It's so pretty IRL, but it will still be easy to mail.  :)  


I know you have a special lady in your life, so whether it be your mother or sister or friend or mentor or coworker, please make a card to show them your love, and be sure to share it with us at Cardz 4 Galz

Thanks for stopping by and have a blessed day!