Thursday, October 2, 2025

Floral thanks - C4G #260

 Hello!  It is time for another challenge at Cardz 4 Galz!  Our theme is "purple and green" for this challenge.  (I don't care for purple, so this was really a challenge for me! LOL)

Here's my card...

My flowers are Hero Arts Layering Peonies Bunch Stencil.  I used TH distress oxide inks, then used Versamark on the last layer for some shine and dimension. (See closeup below.)  I fussy cut one side of the flowers then cut with Echo Park Stitched Squares.  And cut the frame with a larger size.  My sentiment is from Honey Bee Stamps Framed Anemones.  


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

Thanks for stopping by and have a blessed day! 


Wednesday, October 1, 2025

Be merry - SCC #177

 Good morning!  It's time for another challenge at Sparkles Christmas Challenge!  This month we want to see your cards made using non-traditional colors.  I love my red and green for Christmas, but it's fun to explore other options.  

Here's my card...


I trimmed my card base so it is a 4-1/2 x 4-1/2 square.  I dry embossed a piece of Hobby Lobby O Holy Night paper with Darice Snowflake Swirl and added a navy border on the sides.  My snowflake is TH Vault Winter Wishes.  I added some TH Snowfall Grit Paste which kind of looks like snow on it.  (See closeup below.)  My sentiment is My Craft Spot Joy to the World and cut out with SSS Tiny Tags and attached to the snowflake with baker's twine from my stash. 


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

Thanks for stopping by and have a blessed day! 

Saturday, September 20, 2025

12 days of Christmas cards 2025

 Last year, Justine Hovey shared wonderful card making ideas in her 12 Days of Christmas cards.  I tried most of them and you can check out my post HERE.  She did it again this year, and here are the cards I made this time.  

I will share her inspiration card then my take on it. 

Day 1 - Justine's inspiration 

My card...  This one is a shaker card. 

  • Hobby Lobby paper
  • Poppystamps Joy die
  • Kraftin' Kimmie Nativity Sentiments "to the world"
  • Echo Park O Holy Night star die
  • Spellbinders sequins
~. ~. ~. ~. ~. ~. ~. ~. ~. ~. ~. ~. ~. ~. ~

Day 2 - Justine's inspiration




My card...  This is so cool!  The card base is vellum!  The front is dry embossed.  It is given strength and stability by adding die cut shapes to all 4 surfaces of the card.  

  • Sizzix 3D Snowflakes embossing folder
  • Kat Scrappiness Wavy Wonky Stitched Rectangles
  • Echo Park O Holy Night
  • Echo Park Snowflake Ornament Trio
  • Snowflake punch
~. ~. ~. ~. ~. ~. ~. ~. ~. ~. ~. ~. ~. ~. ~

Day 3 - Justine's inspiration



My card...  This is a fun hexagon card that stands up.  

  • Cuttlebug Heritage embossing folder
  • Poppystamps Adelaide Snowflakes
  • Spellbinders Snowflakes
  • Pink & Main Merry Christmas 
~. ~. ~. ~. ~. ~. ~. ~. ~. ~. ~. ~. ~. ~. ~

Day 4 - Justine's inspiration


My cards... (matching the above cards from lower left going clockwise)
     #1 - I don't have ink sprays, so I put distress oxide ink on my glass mat, sprayed it with water, and smooshed the cardstock into it to make the backgrounds.  

  • Poppystamps Circling Frame cover plate (since the holes are large, I popped out several pieces then adhered it to another background.  
  • Poppystamps Adelaide Snowflakes
  • Cut Noel mini die (this doesn't have a frame die, so I traced the die with a pencil and cut a frame. Rather than do that with vellum, too, as Justine did, I added a couple of black layers to make the white sentiment stand out against the white. 
  • AND... I realized as I was glueing the front to the card that this sentiment, etc., was supposed to go on the embossed front.  Oops!  LOL 
     #2 - 
  • Cuttlebug Teresa Collins Timeless embossing folder
  • Alphabet from Cheapo Dies
  • Adhesive pearls
#3 - I love, love, love this one!!! 
  • Spellbinders Scenic Poinsettia 3D embossing folder
  • Hero Arts  Merry Stamp & Cut 
#4 - 
  • Darice LG snowflake. (It is silver though it looks brown in the pic.)
  • Pink & Main Merry Christmas 
  • Vellum
  • Adhesive pearls

~. ~. ~. ~. ~. ~. ~. ~. ~. ~. ~. ~. ~. ~. ~

Day 5 - Justine's inspiration


My card...  This card showed me that I need new inks or some re-inkers!  I could not get the color any darker even though I tried 5 different greens! :P 


  • Various green inks blended using mint tape
  • Spellbinders Postage Squares
  • Poppystamps Grosgrain Ribbon
  • Colorado Craft Merry Everything sentiment
~. ~. ~. ~. ~. ~. ~. ~. ~. ~. ~. ~. ~. ~. ~

Day 6 - Justine's inspiration



My card...  I do not like how this one turned out, and I debated about sharing it, but here it is.
 


  • Darice Snow Globe
  • These are from one of the very first sets I bought about 15 yrs ago when I started paper crafting, and I have no idea where I got them... probably a Joann clearance bin. LOL
  • TH Snowfall Grit Paste 
~. ~. ~. ~. ~. ~. ~. ~. ~. ~. ~. ~. ~. ~. ~

Day 7 - Justine's inspiration


My card...  after multiple failed attempts to create a card like this one, I gave up. 

~. ~. ~. ~. ~. ~. ~. ~. ~. ~. ~. ~. ~. ~. ~

Day 8 - Justine's inspiration


My card... same issue as last card.  All attempts at using a border die have failed. 

~. ~. ~. ~. ~. ~. ~. ~. ~. ~. ~. ~. ~. ~. ~


Day 9 - Justine's inspiration


My card ...



  • Snowflakes from Gina K Tiny Wreath Builder Bundle
  • Echo Park Merry Christmas 
~. ~. ~. ~. ~. ~. ~. ~. ~. ~. ~. ~. ~. ~. ~

Day 10 - Justine's inspiration


My card...

  • MFT O Christmas Tree stamps and dies
  • Concord & 9th Yuletide Ornaments sentiment
~. ~. ~. ~. ~. ~. ~. ~. ~. ~. ~. ~. ~. ~. ~

Day 11 - Justine's inspiration


My card...

  • DCWV Hippie Chic glitter paper
  • Echo Park Christmas Lights 
  • Concerned & 9th Yuletide Ornaments sentiment
  • Poppystamps Little Bow and String
~. ~. ~. ~. ~. ~. ~. ~. ~. ~. ~. ~. ~. ~. ~

Day 12 - Justine's inspiration


My card... I do not have any quad stencils, so no card based on this.  
I do like her cards and may attempt something like this by making my own stencils on my Circuit or by using stamps and/or dies with masking sheets. 

If you like what you see, check out "Justine Hovey's Crafty Card Corner" group on Facebook.  It's a great community of talented and encouraging crafters! 

Thanks for stopping by and have a blessed day!! 


Thursday, September 18, 2025

Have a fabulous birthday - C4G #259

Hi!  It is time for another challenge at Cardz 4 Galz!  Our theme is dies or punches.  That's very easy for me... I make very few cards that don't have a die cut on them! :). 

Here is my card...

I created my background by cutting Poppystamps Circling Frame in vellum and using it as a stencil.  I ink blended TH Oxide speckled egg, tumbled glass, and stormy sky.  I then stamped the tree from Fiskars Build a Tree.  (I have had this set for over 10 years, and this is only the 2nd time I've used it!)  I added some leaves with Poppystamps Orchard Leaves.  My van is Honey Bee Stamps Beach Bound.  The sentiment is Poppystamps Art Deco birthday Greetings.  It's such a fun card! 

Challenges:
A Cut Above Sept (2nd entry) - AG with a die cut
613 Avenue Create Sept - AG with opt twist: leaves
Die Cut Divas Sept - AG with a die cut
Sweet Stampin' - use die cuts

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

 Thanks for stopping by and have a blessed day! 

Saturday, September 6, 2025

Warmest wishes

 I have made a lot of design team cards lately, but haven't just played in awhile, so this morning, I perused Paper Playful's list of challenges and found lots of inspiration for a card...

I created the background by smooshing ink on my glass plate, adding water, and dragging the white cardstock through it.  Once it was dry, I randomly rubbed VersaMark and heat embossed with clear EP.  I like the texture and shine it added! (see closeup below) My sentiment is from Simon Says Stamp Build Me a Snowman.  My cup of cocoa is Honey Bee Stamps Love You S'More.  Branches from a MS punch and green cardstock and a PaperTrey Button (cut from extra background) finished it off.  


Here are the challenges I'm entering...

A Cut Above Sept - AG with a die cut
Addicted to Stamps and More #500 - die cuts and/or stencils (I used die cuts)
As You Like It - layered or flat **I chose layers because I just love layers!  I also love CAS/one layer cards, but I am never satisfied with how mine turn out.  I always end up adding layers. :) 
Caffeinated Christmas Card Challenge #45 - coffee, tea, or cocoa
Creative Knockouts #554 - lots of layers 
jingle belles
- cardstock Christmas (no patterned paper) 
Just Us Girls #791 - die week
Merry Little Christmas #64 - AG Christmas and family friendly 
Simon Says Stamp Monday - Stamp It
Simon Says Stamp Wednesday - Stamp It
Word Art Wednesday #714-715 - AG family friendly

 Thanks so much for stopping by and have a blessed day! 

Thursday, September 4, 2025

Sweet friend - C4G #258

 We are ready for another challenge at Cardz 4 Galz!  Our theme is stitching - faux or real.  I attempted to machine stitch on cardstock once and it did not go well.  I'm too impatient to stitch by hand on a card, so I have faux stitching on my card. :)  (With stitched dies, it's so easy!)

I cut out a panel with KatScrappiness Wonky Wavy Stitched Rectangles.  I then ran that through Sizzix Impresslits Sweet Friend embossing folder.  (Unfortunately, it somewhat flattened the stitching from the first die, so it's harder to see, but it's still there.) The sentiment and bees - yes, I know bees aren't brown - are from the same Impresslits set.  I dry embossed the piece peeking through with Sizzix Cloudy Day.  My hexagons are Echo Park Stitched Hexagons. All this stitching and I didn't poke my finger once! ;) 

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

Thanks for stopping by and have a blessed day! 

Wednesday, September 3, 2025

To the one I love - HQCOLCB #9

Hello!  I'm excited that I was asked to be a guest designer at Heart's Quest Celebrations of Love challenge #9.  Their main theme is BEWAS - Birthdays, Engagements, Weddings, Anniversaries, and/or Sympathies, but there is always an optional theme, and this month's is Halloween or Harvest.  

My husband and I are celebrating 37 wonderful years of marriage, so I'm sharing the card I made for him... 

My paper is DCWV Love & Wedding.  The stamped and heat embossed "Happy Anniversary" is from Raisin Boat Formal Phrases.  The die cut sentiment is tonic Studios Partner Sentiments.  I heat embossed the "I LOVE" with Ranger Ultra Thick EP, so it really shines!  


I've enjoyed playing along at HQCOLCB and had fun being guest DT, so I hope you come play along, too! 

Thanks for stopping by and have a blessed day! 

Monday, September 1, 2025

A happy, holly Christmas - SCC #176

Time is flying by!  It will soon be fall!  But there's still lot of time to get your Christmas cards created, and we are trying to help at Sparkles Christmas Challenge!  Our new challenge theme is "Let's see some holly!"  

Here is my holly card...


I could not find any cute holly paper in my stash, nor do I have a holly die, so I pulled out some scraps.  I dry embossed the green polka dot panel with Cuttlebug Holly Ribbons EF, and inked it with white pigment ink.  It's amazing how just a little ink makes it pop!!  My ornament is Echo Park Snowflake Ornament Trio, and the bow is Poppystamps Little Bow and String.  My sentiment is MME Holly Jolly and cut with SSS Tiny Tags. 

Please come and play along at Sparkles Christmas Challenge!  

Thanks for stopping by and have a blessed day! 

Thursday, August 21, 2025

Praying for you - C4G #257

Hi!  It's time for a new challenge at Cardz 4 Galz!  We want to see you use some vellum on your cards (or other craft projects) this time!  

Here is mine...


I cut my vellum to size then added a sheet of adhesive to the back of it. (My new favorite way to adhere vellum!)  I then dry embossed it with Sizzix TH Paper Airplanes and Dotted Lines Set EF.  I cut the solid piece of TH Detailed Butterflies in dotted vellum then added the outline.  My sentiment is Raisin Boat Flourishing Thoughts.  A few Echo Park enamel dots finished it off. 

We'd love to have you join us at Cardz 4 Galz!

Thanks for stopping by and have a blessed day! 


Thursday, August 7, 2025

I miss you - C4G #256

 Happy Thursday!  It's time for a new challenge at Cards 4 Galz!   The theme is "scenic" which means we want you to create a scene or use a scenic paper/topper. 


I ink blended my panel with TH peeled paint, mustard seed, ripe persimmon, and barn door using a circle mask for the moon.  (I need to work on my ink blending1)  Then I stamped DRS Designs Summer's End Tree.  My sentiment is Raisin Boat You Said It!  The button is PaperTrey Ink Buttoned Up #1. 

We'd love you have you come play along at Cards 4 Galz!

Thanks for stopping by and have a blessed day! 

Friday, August 1, 2025

Plaid tree Christmas - SCC #175

Hello!  It is August 1 and time for a new challenge at Sparkles Christmas Challenge!  I got to choose our theme this month and chose "include a tree" which is pretty easy for a Christmas card! :). 

Here is my card...


I inked the Kraft panel through Echo Park Star Bright stencil.  My trees are MFT Cool Christmas cut from random plaid paper from my Christmas paper stash.  The sentiment is from Concord & 9th Yuletide Ornament.  

Challenges:
ABC Christmas N or O - Non-Christmas stash or One layer card (I used a non-Christmas stencil) 
The Holly and the Ivy #188 - AG Christmas 


This year is flying by, so come play along at Sparkles Christmas Challenge and work on your Christmas card stash! 

Thanks for stopping by and have a blessed day! 

Thursday, July 24, 2025

Thinking of you - C4G #255

Hello!  It's time for our new challenge at Cards 4 Galz!  The theme is "fun fold."  I made an easel card a couple of challenges ago (that's my go-to fun fold), so I wanted to make a different fold this time... a slimline gate fold with extra panels...   


I found the instructions for this card on YouTube HERE at about the 10:50 minute mark. 

I used a Kraft base.  My paper is K&Co Julianne.  The 3D flower is TH Tattered Flowers cut from the BG paper.  My sentiment is Scrapbook.com Homemade Essentials. 



The inside.

The view of the back when it's opened.  
(Oops!!  I now see that forgot to add my "made by..." stamp.)

There are so many fun (and easy) folds, so please make your favorite and join us at Cards 4 Galz

Thanks for stopping by and have a blessed day! 

Thursday, July 10, 2025

Happy forevering - C4G #254

 Time for a new challenge at Cardz 4 Galz!  Summertime often means wedding season, so I've been busy creating wedding cards.  "Wedding" (or wedding anniversary) is our theme this challenge, so here is one of the cards I made...


This was pretty simple to make, but it is still very pretty.  My image is Happy Forevering from Colorado Craft Co.  I colored it, added the sentiment, cut it out, and all done.  

Challenges:

Word Art Wednesday #706-707 - AG family friendly
Heart's Quest Celebration of Love #7 - BEWAS (mine is wedding)
Addicted to Stamps and More #496 - Make your mark (I used Spectrum Noir markers)  

Please come play along at Cardz 4 Galz!  

Thanks for stopping by and have a blessed day! 

Tuesday, July 1, 2025

Sparkle & joy - SSC #174

 Happy Canada Day to my family and friends!! 

Being the first day of the month means it’s time for a new challenge at Sparkles Christmas Challenge!  This month, our theme is “Christmas sparkle.” 

Here’s my sparkling card… (you can see the sparkle better in the closeup 3rd pic.)





I am not a fan of glitter, but I do like shimmer and shine and sparkle.  I started by making a top fold card in black.  I cut Poppystamps Pointy Lace Plate in silver and added it to the card. I cut out the Poppystamps Delicate Poinsettias with DCWV Hippie Chic sparkly cardstock.  My sentiment is from a set that I purchased when I started card making in 2011... back when I didn't pay attention to who made it. ;)

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

Thanks for stopping by and have a blessed day! 


Thursday, June 26, 2025

In a tent - C4G #253

Happy Thursday!  It's time for a new challenge at Cardz 4 Galz!  
Our theme is "welcome summer" which includes anything summer related.  I went camping several times in the summer growing up, so when I saw this digi in my stash of images, I knew it was perfect for this challenge...


I believe my image is Doodle Pantry.  (I have a whole box of printed digis waiting to be used!)  My paper is We R Memory Keepers Sunsplashed.  I added greenery from a MS punch and a few Prima flowers. 

Note I said I went camping many times as a child.  As an adult, we tried it a couple of times... it's a LOT or work to get everything ready!! I appreciate all the work my parents put into it!  but I have to say that I now prefer a hotel or timeshare. LOL

Please come play along at Cardz 4 Galz!  

Thanks for stopping by and have a blessed day!! 


Thursday, June 12, 2025

A friendly easel card - C4G #252

It's time for a new challenge at Cardz 4 Galz!  This time, I got to chose the theme, and we are making easel cards! :)  

Here is mine...

It was a fun and very easy card to make.  (Link to instructions below.)  My paper, including the main image/sentiment, is Carta Bella My Favorite Things.  My inside sentiment is Creative Worship Heartfelt Thoughts.  I fussy cut a flower and used a foam dot to raise it so it would hold the folded panel upright. 




 I found the instructions in this Youtube video... Beautiful World Easel Card

Please come play along at Cardz 4 Galz!  I think that easel cards are so pretty yet are very easy to make! 

Thanks for stopping by and have a blessed day!