Halloween and Christmas

 Hello!  As my post title indicates I have cards for Halloween and a card for Christmas.    The Halloween card is one that I actually made back in September using products from the Simon Says Stamp Stamptember release but never shared here on my blog.  The modified version is going to the SSS Wednesday challenge.  The other card is for the PaperTrey Ink monthly challenge, as well as the Sunday Stamps challenge (a sketch).  Let's look at what I made.

Can you believe that Halloween is just a week away?  Time is flying.  I'm not huge on Halloween, but I do like to make cards for my great nieces and great nephew.  I originally made the above card for the Stamptember release, but the card did not have the little pumpkin or the ghost on it.  I thought I had shared it on my blog, but I only shared it on Instagram.  You can see the original card here.  I used the super cute SSS Halloween Collage embossing folder and the Opulent Happy die.  The papers I used are from the 49 and Market Stardust Dreams paper pack.   As I was trying to figure out what to make for the kids I remembered this card and decided to create three more and then added the little ghost and pumpkin.  These are from an older Simon Says Stamp Halloween stamp set.  

For the Happy Halloween cards, I used a different background paper and then used the Halloween sentiment instead of Hauntings.  I think the cards are very cute (my kind of Halloween!) and they were super easy to put together.  This card will be heading to the Simon Says Stamp Wednesday challenge (Halloween).

For the PTI challenge card I used the Rustic Barn Star die set that I have had for about two years now.  I have always wanted to use it but never had the right project.   The PTI challenge colors are dark red, cream and kraft.  Perfect for this die set.  I did add in some gold foiling, gray and a little bit of dark green.  I just love the bow that comes in the die set.  Need to find another way to use it on a card and soon, lol!

Well, that's it for me.  Thanks for stopping by and have a wonderful day!

Simon Says Stamp Sending Cheer Day 2 Blog Hop!

 Hello, hello!!  I'm so excited to be participating in the Simon Says Stamp Sending Cheer day 2 blog hop!   You should have arrived here from Kim Hamilton's blog.  Head to the Simon Says Stamp blog to get the complete list of blogs on the hop.  And since this is a blog hop there are prizes to be won!!  Leave a comment for a chance to win a $25 gift certificate.   Simon Says Stamp also has an opportunity to receive a free stamp set (see graphic) with any purchase from the Sending Cheer release.  This offer ends on Sunday, October 11, 2026, at 11:59 pm EST.   The complete Sending Cheer release can be found here.  (Compensated affiliate link.  Using my link allows me to earn a small commission at no cost to you.)

Isn't that little hedgehog just the cutest thing, ever?  Today I have several cards to share so let's get started.

First up is a card that I made using the new Simple Trees die set and a sentiment from the Christmas Ornaments set.  I will be sharing a card made with that set at the end of this post.  I used patterned paper from the Simple Stories Vintage Old Fashioned Christmas 6x paper pad.  The paper is thin so I did die cut multiple trees and adhered them together to give them a little more weight.  The little bows and stars were die cut from a matte gold cardstock.   I used my favorite Sparkler Scalloped Frames rectangle dies to die cut the background and adhered it to a dark green cardstock base.  The trees were adhered with a combination of glue and various heights of foam squares.  I finished with the sentiment. 

For this card I used more Simple Stories Vintage Old Fashioned Christmas and used the Wild Berry Vines embossing folder.  I put the paper in on the debossed side instead of the embossed side, but I actually ended up liking how this looked!  I finished with one of the extra trees I had from making the first card and sentiments from the CZ Design Christmastime EZ Strips.  

This card uses the Christmas Ornaments stamp set.  Layering up the ornaments is so simple as Simon Says Stamp has numbered all the layers on the stamp set.  I did do a test run of the ornaments just so I could make sure I got everything correct.  I used the Sparkler Scallop Frames dies, again, and stamped two of the ornaments on the panel.  I stamped the third ornament on white cardstock, trimmed it out and adhered it with thin foam squares.  The fussy cutting was quite easy, but I will be getting the matching dies to make it even more so! I used a multi-liner pen and a ruler to draw in the ornament strings and then finished with the sentiment that I stamped on white cardstock, die cut and popped up.  

Well, that is it for me.  The final stop on the hop is Nora Noll.  You can find the complete release right here.  Thanks for stopping by and have a wonderful day.

Birch Press Design Post #2

Hello!  Been missing in action again, lol!  But I'm popping in today to let you know that I have a post up on the Birch Press Design blog today and here is a little peek:

Hope you will head over to the blog to see what I created.  Thanks for stopping by and have a wonderful day!

Congratulations...

 Hello everyone!   I'm popping by today to share a card that I made for my niece.  She is currently in her senior year at the United States Naval Academy.  Along with excelling academically she is an amazing golfer and was name team captain of the USNA woman's golf team!  I am so very proud and excited for her.  So, I had to make a card congratulating her on this huge achievement.  I'm about a month late in getting this card to her as she was named team captain in August, but unfortunately I had to order the Waffle Flower golf dies and then find the time to make the card.  I used the current Freshly Made Sketches layout so I will be sending this off to their gallery.   Let's have a look at what I created. 

I diecut all of the pieces from cardstock using the USNA school colors of white, navy and gold.  Then I assembled the golf bag.  I also die cut the golf clubs from gold metallic cardstock and adhered them behind the bag.  The "golf course" was created using the Birch Press Design Wavy Hills die.  The pieces were then adhered to a light blue cardstock base.   I made the golf ball from white and light gray cardstock and the pennant from light gray and the navy blue.  I adhered all the pieces to the card front and finished with the banner sentiment.  Now to finish the inside of the card with a personal note and get it in the mail!

That's it for me.  Thanks for stopping by and have a wonderful day.

Simon Says Stamp/Memory Box Stamptember 2026 Collaboration - Stay Cozy!

Hello!  I'm popping to share a card that I made with the SSS/Memory Box Stamptember collaboration stamp and die set called Stay Cozy.  This stamp set is so darn cute and it coordinates with the SSS/MB collaboration from last year!  So if you were able to get those stamps and dies you now have more options!!  Here is a look at the stamps and dies:

Isn't it cute?  I just love everything about this set!  I was a little crunched for time when I created my card, so I went very simple.   I also used the current Freshly Made Sketches layout to help me along!  So, I will be sending the card off to their gallery.  Let's look at what I created.

I stamped the image in Tuxedo Black ink and colored it with Copic markers and then die cut it with the matching die.  I also stamped, colored and die cut the ornaments.  I used papers from an older Memory Box pad of plaid Christmas papers for some of the elements from the Freshly Made Sketches layout.  I adhered everything to a kraft cardstock base and then added the kraft circle, the snowman and ornaments.  The sentiment was stamped, die cut with the matching die and adhered to the card front.  Simple, but I like how it turned out.  

Don't forget that once these products are sold out they won't be coming back.  Grab them while you can. You can find the stamp and die set here and the stamp set here.

That's it for me.  Thanks for stopping by and have a wonderful day!

Stamptember 2026 Blog Party!

 Hello and happy Stamptember everyone!   Today there is a big blog party, not a blog hop, going on with Simon Says Stamp offering different codes for deals all day long!   You can find the entire blog party list on the Simon Says Stamp blog.   Simon Says Stamp was so kind and sent me several products from the release.  I'm going to share a couple of cards that I made with those products.  But first up I will be sharing the special code that I have for an exclusive product.  You can get a set of SSS nesting star dies with a purchase of $30 and the code found in the graphic.  See the entire release right here.

Now on to what I created!

This first card features the fun Wavy Rainbow die set, as well as the gorgeous Opulent Happy die set.  I think this card may be going to my pink loving great niece who has a birthday this month.  I used Simon Says Stamp pink and white glitter cardstock for the die cutting of the Wavy Rainbow.  I then alternated the pink and the white and adhered it to a cardstock base.  I die cut the happy from glossy black cardstock and the shadow from heavy weight vellum.  The birthday sentiment is from a CZ Designs/Simon Says Stamp birthday sentiments set.   Very simple, but I think rather impactful.

This next card uses the super fun Layering Christmas Trees stamp set and the A7 Notched Rectangle dies set.  I don't often make A7 sized cards, but I think these dies will come in handy for other sizes of cards.  And maybe this will spur me to make a few A7 sized cards.   There are a whopping 15 dies in this set!  I used three to make this card.  One for the base and then two for the layers.   The Layering Trees can be used with two shades of ink, but for my card I actually just used one.  The first layer was very light and then I stamped the top layer several times to get the darker shade.   The little circles or ornaments come as a single stamp.  I simply cut them apart so I could stamp them randomly around the tree.  I did use a rather dark ink, but for some reason the glossy accents changed the color when it was applied.   I finished with the split sentiment. 

Well, that's it for me.  Enjoy the Stamptember blog party and happy shopping at Simon Says Stamp!  

hello...

 Hello!  Popping in on this second to last day of August (how did it get to the second to last day of August so fast?!) with a card for a few challenges:  PTI monthly inspiration challenge, Freshly Made Sketches, Paper Players (I used the diagonal row of layers, free and bright colors.) and Simon Says Stamp Wednesday challenge.   Let's look at what I made.

The PTI leaf stamps and dies I used are called Lovely Leaves and I think this is the first time I have used them despite having them for a very long time! (I just checked and it appears the stamps and dies are no longer available.)  The sentiment is from the Just Sentiments Summer stamp set.  I used the three required colors (Pure Poppy, Tropical Teal and Green Parakeet).   I stamped the leaves using the three colors and yes, some of them did end up a little muddy in color.  But, I wasn't too upset as that is what happens when leaves start to change colors... things get a little muddy, lol!  To get the colors blended I initially stamped the leaves in the bright green and then added in the other colors using finger daubers. Once that was done I stamped the outline and veining with black ink.  Prior to doing all the stamping I did die cut the leaves, left them in place in the cardstock and then did the stamping.  I think I got a good result.

Using the PTI Rounded Rectangles Pierced dies I die cut rectangles from cardstock in the three colors and layered the red and teal on an off white cardstock panel that was die cut with the largest Rounded Rectangles Pierced dies.  I then adhered the teal and red rectangles to the main panel per the FMS sketch.  The leaves were then layered on top and I finished with the sentiment stamped on the smallest Rounded Rectangles Pierced dies.

I'm glad that PTI brought back their monthly challenge.  Most of my PTI products are old and no longer available on their website, but that doesn't mean I can't use them!  

Well, that's it for me!  Thanks for stopping by and have a lovely day!

Birch Press Design Blog Post #1

 Hello!  Popping in to let you know that I have a post up on the Birch Press Design blog today.  Here is a small peek of what I made. 

Hope you will head over to the BP blog to see what I created.  Thanks for stopping by and have a wonderful day. 

grateful to call you friend...

 Well, hello!  It has been a while since I last posted.  Ten days in fact.  I don't think I have ever gone ten days without posting something.   I had thought I would post the card I'm posting today last week, but I didn't get around to making it until earlier this week.  I will be posting this to Just Us Girls (anything does with dies), Color Hues and Pinkfresh Studio August challenge.  So, here we go, lol!

A few months ago I purchased the Pinkfresh Studio Art Deco Floral Arch stamp, die and stencil set.  It was one of those buy the stamp set and get the stencils and dies free.  Couldn't pass that deal up now could I?  I used the Color Hues combo of navy and teal for arches, stems and flowers.   The challenge for the PFS August challenge is beautiful backgrounds.   The PFS background die I used is no longer available (I think it is called Sparkle Diamond), but I absolutely love it and think it makes a beautiful background for the floral arch.  I used some of the navy blue ink that was left on my blending brush on the top of the panel before adding the die cut arch.  I die cut a second blank arch and adhered to the top one to provide a little more stability.  I stamped and die cut the sentiment (cutting a second blank for the sentiment, as well) and adhered it to the card front.  I finished with some tiny dark blue gems that I had in my stash.  The inks used are from Altenew.  I used navy (appropriately), Galactic Stream (dark teal) and Teal Cave (medium teal).

Well, that's it for me.  Thanks for stopping by and have a lovely day.

bright side...

Hello!  I'm back with two more cards that I made with products from the Simon Says Stamp Every Happiness release.  One card will be heading off to the current Just Us Girls challenge (stencils), as well as the Simon Says Stamp Wednesday challenge.   Let's look at what I created.  (If you haven't yet, please check out my Simon Says Stamp day 2 blog hop post.)

This first card features the new Bellflower Blossoms stencil set, Chunky Ovals dies and a sentiment from the fun Positive Thoughts stamp set.   I stenciled the background using blue, purple and green inks from Altenew.   Once the stenciling was done I die cut the panel with a Chunky Oval die.  I adhered that to a white cardstock base.  Two of the smaller Chunky Oval were used to die cut some polka dot vellum and then the sentiment that was stamped in a dark purple ink.   This is the card that will be heading to the above mentioned challenges. 

For this card I used the new Sunflower Meadow stamp set, as well as the Chunky Ovals.   I also pulled in a die from the Sparkler Scallop frames set from last month's release.  I just love that die set!  I stamped the image on the white panel, die cut it and then used two Chunky Oval dies to create the kraft cardstock frame.  I adhered the frame, added the little twine bow and then finished with the sentiment from the Sunflower Meadow stamps set that was die cut with the smallest Chunky Oval die.

That's it for me.  Thanks for stopping by and have a wonderful day!

Birch Press Design Blog Post #2

Hello, hello!  Can you believe that July is almost over?  Time is flying by way too fast for my liking, lol!  Today I'm on the Birch Press Design blog and here is a little peek of what I made:

I hope you will head over to the blog to let me know what you think.  Thanks for stopping by and have a wonderful day!

I'm So Grateful...

 Hello!   Well, it has been a while, again, since I last posted.  This seems to be my pattern:  Post several cards then disappear for a week or so.  Don't think the pattern will change anytime soon, either.   It isn't that I'm not making things because I am.  I just can't share what I have made yet.  But I'm here today with a "I just want to make something" card.  I will be sending this one off to Color Hues (yellow and black), Freshly Made Sketches and Just Us Girls (moodboard).   So, let's see what I made.

I had been going through some cards that I had made a long time ago and came across a card that I had made using this pretty Memory Box die set called Cottage Flower Stem.  I decided that I need to find that die set and make another card with it.  And here it is, lol!  I die cut just the flower from yellow cardstock and the flower with stem from white cardstock.  I did add a little bit of distress oxide ink in yellow to the flower center and to the bottom layer to provide a little contrast.  For the FMS portion of the card I die cut a piece of patterned paper from the Simple Stories Simple Vintage Indigo Garden using a small rectangle die.  I created the flower and then adhered that to the white flower stem.  The rectangles were layered on a white cardstock panel and then I added the flower.  I thought about having the leaves be black, but decided against that as I felt I had enough black already.  I did add some pale yellow sequins, tho.  Finished with the sentiment from the Simon Says Stamp Thanks, Mom stamp set. I thought about creating a card for JUGs using lots of flowers, but decided that this single yellow flower worked for the challenge.   Let me know what you think.

Well, that's it for me.  Thanks for stopping by and have a wonderful day!

Birch Press Design June Blog Post #1

 Hello, hello!  Can't believe it is already June!  Time is flying by absolutely way too fast!  Today I have a post up on the Birch Press Design blog and here is a little peek at what I created.

I hope you will head over to the Birch Press Design blog to see my card.  Thanks for stopping by and have a wonderful day.

Guest Designing for Not 2 Shabby!

Hello!  Popping in to share my first of four cards I will be sharing this month as a guest designer for Not 2 Shabby Shop.  They have lots of fun and playful branded products in their shop, as well as products from other companies.   You can check them out here.  I was contacted by them a few months ago about guesting for them and said yes!   This month I will be creating with products from their monthly paper pad club, as well as using some of their preprinted sentiment strips.  Let's look at the first card I created.

 Aren't those little turtles just the cutest things?  This card will be going to one of my great nieces for sure!  I did make a bit of a mistake in that I should have put the smallest turtle (the one with the ice cream cone) in the center, but sometimes you can still make a rookie mistake, lol.   The turtles are from the Sweet & Playful Turtles ephemera pack and the papers are from the Cute Sea Critters and Playful Prints 6x6 paper pads.  I used the layout from Freshly Made Sketches (did flip it upside down, tho) for the card.  Finished with the sentiment (from Simon Says Stamp) that I stamped on the same paper I used for the main background.  I will also be posting this over at Seize the Birthday as it does have the topping of sweet treats!  This card just makes me smile.  How about you?

Well, that is it for me today!  Thanks for stopping by and have a wonderful day.

just for you...

 Hello, hello!  I'm popping in to share a card that I made for a few challenges:  Freshly Made Sketches (two weeks in a row... yay me, lol!), Just Us Girls (stencil week) and Simon Says Stamp Wednesday challenge (anything goes).  Let's look at what I made.

I hadn't bought a Simon Says Stamp card kit in several years and decided to purchase the one for May, 2026.  I was intrigued by the stamp set Long Stem Florals and the stencil that went with the stamp set so decided to save up my money and get the kit.   I was disappointed that by the time I got the kit it didn't include the Simple Stories Simple Vintage Junk Drawer papers, but some very unattractive Tim Holtz papers.  One of the patterns actually looks like a cross section of a lung dyed blue!  Yuck!  Anyway, I have lots of Simple Stories papers that will works so all is well.  Anyway, as you can see, I used the stamp set and stencils, but no patterned paper.  I also used the smallest tag from the die set included in the kit.  I had intended on participating in the most recent Color Hues challenge, but knew I wouldn't have it done by the time the challenge closed.   But I liked the color combo so much (violet and lime green) that I decided to use it anyway.  I thought the stamped and stenciled floral image, as well as the little tag were perfect for Cecile's super cool FMS sketch.  I went with vellum for the tag so you can still see some of the stem underneath.   The sentiment was heat embossed.  I finished with the white twine and some iridescent sequins.

Well, that's it for me.  Thanks for stopping by and have a wonderful day!

Simon Says Stamp Always There Release!

 Hello!  It has been a while since the last Simon Says Stamp release, but they are back and better than ever with the Always There release!  I have two cards to share today that I made using products from this release that SSS generously sent to me to create with.  Let's have a look at what I made.

First up is this cutie patootie giraffe die set called Fable Giraffe.  I think this card will be going to my pink loving great niece when she turns five this fall.   I also used another new product from the release: Sparkler Scallop Frames die set.  I LOVE this die set and you will be seeing me use it alot in the future!  I die cut the giraffe from pink cardstock and then inked up pieces with Spun Sugar distress ink.  I adhered the pieces and then added Nuvo drops in black to the eyes.  I found some pretty pink gingham paper and die cut that with one of the Sparkler Scallop Frames.  White cardstock was die cut with a larger Sparkler Scallop Frames die and layered together.  I used the smallest die from the set, die cut it from white cardstock and then stamped it with the happy birthday sentiment that fit perfectly inside.  The balloon cluster is from the new Pawfect Together stamp set and was stamped on pink cardstock, some Spun Sugar was added to the balloons and then I covered that up with Nuvo drops in White Blizzard, lol!  I layered everything on a pink cardstock base.  Going to add this to the Simon Says Stamp Wednesday challenge of anything goes.

This card ended up being my favorite of the four cards that I made.  This card uses the Timeless Thanks die set and the CZ Design Mod Composition background stamp.  I hadn't done emboss/resist in a very long time and thought the Mod Composition stamp would be perfect for that technique.   I stamped the background on white cardstock with watermark ink, applied white embossing powder and then heat set it.  I used Altenew's Soft Lilac ink to bring out the white embossing.  I love the soft subtle color that was achieved.  For the Timeless Thanks I used a fairly new Simon Says Stamp cardstock called Moonflower.  I love this cardstock.  It is absolutely gorgeous.  I die cut the shadow layer from white and adhered them together.  The sentiment is from the CZ Design Thanks, Mom stamp and die set.  I stamped the sentiment on the Moonflower cardstock with VersaFine Clare Morning Mist ink, die cut it plus a couple other layers and adhered both to the background.  The background was die cut with the SSS A2 Frame dies set.  

That's it for now.  I will be back to share the other two cards that I made with products from the release.  Click here to see the full release or use the link on my sidebar.  Thanks for stopping by and have a wonderful day!

JUGS Guest Designer - Die Week - Easter or Spring

Hello everyone!  I'm so excited to be guest designing for Just Us Girls for the month of April!  Thanks so much for the JUGs team for having me.  It is week die week this week with a theme spring and/or Easter.  I went with Easter.  Let's have a look at what I made.

Since Easter is just a few days away I decided to make an Easter card for my pink loving great niece, Mia.  She absolutely loves pink!   You will pretty much always see her wearing something pink.   For the card I pulled out the super cute Bunny Ears die set from Waffle Flower.  This set is no longer available, sadly.  I die cut the majority of the pieces from white cardstock and then the ear fold over piece and the bow from a pink cardstock with little polka dots in it.  I added some Spun Sugar distress oxide ink to the interior piece and then adhered them to the main bunny ears, along with the fold over piece.   There is a little arched piece that covers up the bottom tips of the interior pieces and that was adhered with glue, as well, and then I added the little bow.  I used the Waffle Flower Happy Easter Duo stamp set for the large sentiment that was also stamped in pink ink (don't remember which one).  The sentiment was die cut with the matching die and then layered with two additional die cuts.  I also added two more layers to the bunny ears to give them a bit more substance.   For a little more interest and fun I embossed a white cardstock panel with the Simon Says Stamp Bouncy Bunny embossing folder and added it to a pink cardstock rectangle.  That was adhered to a white card base and then I added the bunny ears and sentiment.  I think Mia will love it!

Well, that is it for me!  I hope you will play along with JUGs this week and actually for the whole entire month of April.  They have a really good line up of challenges!   Thanks for stopping by and have a wonderful day.

More St. Patty's Day

 Hello!  I back with a card for three challenges:  Freshly Made Sketches, Just Us Girls and Color Hues.  It is die week at JUGs and this time the challenge is green/luck so I decided to use the fun Printmaking Clovers stamp set for the card.  I didn't die cut anything from green cardstock, but there is green on the die cut tag so I hope that works for the challenge.  Anyway, let's see what I made.

The Color Hues combo is green and gold.  So pretty together, right?  Sometimes I struggle with this combo, but I think this time around I came up with a good balance for the colors.  I used Altenew Fresh Dye inks in Green Fields and Shadow Creek for two-thirds of the clovers and then VersaMark watermark ink for the final one-third so that I could emboss it with gold embossing powder.  I really like how it turned out.  I die cut the clovers with a Simon Says Stamp rounded top tag.  I die cut a white panel of cardstock, a portion of gold mirror cardstock and then trimmed down a strip of green glitter cardstock.  I adhered everything and then finished with the sentiment that features the word lucky (luck) in the sentiment and a bow made up of metallic gold twine and dark green twine.   I don't often make cards for St. Patrick's Day, but now I have two and so they will be going to a couple of friends. 

Well, that is it for me.  Thanks for stopping by and have a wonderful day!