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!

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!

Birch Press Design December Post #1

 Hello, hello!  Popping in to let you know that I have a post up on the Birch Press Design blog today.  Here is a little peek at what I created:

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

Papertrey Ink September Release - Part 2

 Hello!  I'm back to share three more cards that I made with products from the Papertrey Ink September release.   With all these beautiful Christmas themed products to work with I'm sure to get most of my Christmas cards made for the season!  Let's have a look at what I made.

This first card was made with the new Into the Blooms: Snowdrops die set, the This is Big Happy Holidays stamps and dies, the Stitched Snowflakes cover plate die, Rounded Rectangle dies and In Frame: Ovals dies.   I die cut the snowdrops from green and white cardstock and then added a little bit of Broken China distress oxide ink to the white pieces.  The stems were die cut from a medium green cardstock.  I adhered all the piece together with liquid adhesive and thin foam squares in a few places.  I then die cut pale blue cardstock with the largest In Frame: Ovals die.  I kept the two pieces together by securing them in place on the back with washi tape.  White cardstock was die cut with the largest Rounded Rectangle die and then run through my die cutting machine with the Stitched Snowflakes die.  I adhered that to a pale blue cardstock base and then layered on the ovals and the snowdrops.  I finished with the Happy Holiday sentiment.   I didn't stamp the sentiment and then die cut it as I wasn't sure I could get the die to line up correctly.  So, I die cut first, left the die cut in place, aligned the sentiment on top and then stamped using black ink.  Worked like a charm.  I die cut additional layers, adhered them together and then adhered the sentiment to the card front with liquid adhesive and thin foam squares.   A little bit of sparkle was added as well using Rock Candy glitter.   Going to add this card to the Simon Says Stamp Wednesday challenge of anything goes.

For this card and the third one I went with a traditional red and green theme with kraft instead of white as the background for a more homespun feel.  This card uses Love to Layer Christmas Tree dies, Fresh Greens hot foil plate, Rounded Rectangle Pierced dies and a sentiment from the Merry Motifs stamp and die set.    I had recently found a sheet of watercolor cardstock that I had used to create this dark green backgound using distress mica sprays.  I decided to use it for my Christmas tree.  I used Memory Box patterned paper from one of their Christmas pads for the garland and little ornaments.  I decided to bring gold into the mix with the star, little sparkle ornaments and the gold hot foiled frame.  The background needed a little something else, so I used one of the smaller pierced Rounded Rectangles to die cut the patterned paper I used for the garland to place behind the tree.  The sentiment was stamped in a dark red and die cut.  I then die cut a second layer from gold foil cardstock and adhered it behind the sentiment slightly off set.  It looks so pretty in real life. 

 I think this final card really has a homespun feel too it.  Again, done in red and green with kraft.  I think I should have maybe embossed the sentiment black, but there it is in white!  This card was made with Build a Christmas Tree dies, This is Big:  Happy Holidays sentiment set and the Rounded Rectangle Stitched dies.  Memory Box plaid cardstock was used for the background.   After die cutting the garland from a red cardstock I decided to jazz things up a bit by using red glitter cardstock for the ornaments.  The kraft bows dial the glitz back a little for a more homespun fell.  After layering everything on the tree and adhering it to the plaid background I stamped the sentiment on vellum and embossed in white.  Again, thinking maybe I should have used black, but what is done is done, right? 

Well, that is it for me.  I have made it through a large portion of the September release, but still have several more products to share.  So, I will be back later in the week with more Christmas cards!  Thanks for stopping by and have a wonderful day!