Let It Snow

 

I made this snowy card when I had my a binder with holiday stencils on my craft desk.  I picked a Brass & Bliss stencil called Snowflake.  I ink blended 3 blue shades of Taylored Expressions colors, though it really does not photograph with the variety colors.  The sentiment is Lawn Fawn's Giant Let It Snow die, which was cut from The Paper Cut's Stardream Metallic Blue.  I added some Pinkfresh Studio Glacier Jewels in the middle of some of the snowflakes.  

I like this snowy card and hope you do too.  Soon, it will be winter and time to send Christmas cards...............................

Image/Sentiment:  Lawn Fawn Giant Let It Snow Die

Cardstock/Patterned Paper:  The Paper Cut 100# Cougar Opaque White, Stardream Blue Metallic; 

Ink:  Taylored Expressions Salt Water Taffy, Bleu Cheese, Gumball

Accessories:  Pinkfresh Studio Glacier Jewels; Brass & Bliss Snowflake Stencil

Nice List

 

Today is the 9th of the month and here is my card for another The Three Musketeers post. This round, Kelly was the hostess and sent out a sweet elf image and 2 sentiments from Avery Elle called Nice List.  For August, this is card #144 and we are now in year #12!  I cannot believe this trio has been going strong coming up on 13 years! 

I colored the sweet elf that Kelly had already die cut for us with my Copic Sketch Markers.  I also colored the ornament Kelly included in the kit and each of us got a different small Christmas image.  I decided to use one of my newer Newton's Nook dies called Card Layout 7.  Jen, the owner and designer for Newton's Nook, came to my retreat in April for a make & take and showed us many of these fun Layout Dies!  I used a 6x6 Christmas Party patterned paper pack, also from Newton's Nook for 2 of the stitched panel.  I used a lime green metallic for the middle panel.  The sentiment is from the same set.  I did not add any bling at all to this card.  I hope Jeanette and Kelly along with you enjoy my card!  

Please check out the other Musketeer's cards.  Here is the link to Jeanette's blog along with Kelly's blog.  I am sure you will not be disappointed and will see a couple of fun Christmas cards!  I will be for our September challenge, so please be sure to join us again next month!  I had better decide what image to send! 

Image/Sentiment:  Avery Elle Nice List

Cardstock/Patterned Paper:  White; Taylored Expressions Cherry Pop; The Paper Cut Lime Green Metallic; Newton's Nook Christmas Party

Ink:   Memento Black 

Accessories:  Copic Sketch Markers; Newton's Nook Card Layout 7

Today I am Thankful

 

Today is the day I post my cards for our challenge called Unused No More!  This is a monthly challenge to be posted on the 6th with a group of friends from my No Foolin' Retreat.  Some may post on their blog and I will note those with blogs at the end of this post.  And, some might post on other social media.  Those that participate each month will send a picture in the text thread we have between us, showing our creation.  The premise is to use a stamp set, stencil die, hot foil plate or press plate that is new and has never been used.  So--Unused No More!  

My plan is to pick a different company each month to highlight and maybe even a different product than the month before.  For August, I picked a set from Unity called Today, I am Thankful, that includes some wonderful sentiments.   I do make about 30 Thanksgiving cards each year that our church uses to send grocery gift cards to members of our sister church in Milwaukee--so these 2 cards are a good start!

For my cards, I stamped the sentiment with Taylored Expressions Chocolate Truffle ink.  I die cut the sentiment with an older Spellbinders die called Labels 7--one of my favorite as it looks like a open book!  The background patterned paper is from a Carta Bella 6x6 paper pack called Americana.  

 

I am not sure who will post each month on their blog, but this is a list of the other ladies who do have blogs.  Links to the blogs of Jeanette, Terry, and Darlene.  Be sure to come back on September 6th to see another fun card from a set Unused No More. 

Image/Sentiment:  Unity Stamps Today I am Thankful

Cardstock:  The Paper Cut Ivory Metallic; Stampin' Up Early Espresso; Carta Bella Americana 6x6 patterned paper

Ink:  Taylored Expressions Chocolate Truffle

Accessories:  Spellbinders Labels 7 Die; Stampin' Up Soft Suede Ribbon

Thank You

 

Today is the day I am posting my card for our One Plus Twelve challenge in 2026.  This is year number 8.  For this challenge, we are to use just one stamp, to make a card every month and post on the 3rd of each month.  For this year, I picked a Pinkfresh Studio set called Amazing Things.  The set includes a stamp set, matching dies, a 5-piece stencil set and a better press set. I am excited that I get to use this set every month for all of 2026 and have so many options.   

For my card this month, I used the press plate with hot foil for the image.  I then brush blended the image with the stencil set using shades of pinks and greens with Taylored Expression inks.    I then die cut the floral image with the matching die and layered twice. The background is a Simon Says Stamp Embossing Folder called Dotted Spiral. The sentiment is foiled from the same set.  I added some green Taylored Expressions Bits & Pieces Confetti Dots around the leaves.

 

Please be sure to check out the other One plus Twelve posts to see the sweet cards that Kelly and Jeanette have created for July!  Here is a link to both Jeanette's  and Kelly's blog.  Be sure to come back on September 3rd to see another fun card. 

Image/Sentiment: Pinkfresh Studio Amazing Things press plate, stencil and die set

Cardstock:  The Paper Cut 100# Cougar Opaque White; 

Ink:  Pink Hot Foil; Taylored Expressions Key Lime, Mint Julep, Strawberry Milkshake, Pink Champagne, Rose Water

Accessories:  Simon Says Stamp Dotted Spiral Embossing Folder; Taylored Expressions Bits & Pieces Confetti Dots

Christmas in July

 

Today is the last day of July and I am posting a group of cards for our challenge-The Catch-up Club!  A few of my stamping friends, Darlene, Jeanette and Terry along with myself, have signed up for a number of virtual stamping events in the past 4+ years.  One of the benefits of these events are that they are available to rewatch or even watch for the first time at a later date as they are all recorded. The 4 of us "try" to watch live and chat by texting during the event.  But, life steps in and there are times when one or more of us are not participating during the live.  Then, the kits from sponsors sits in our stamping area until we are ready to watch the video and create.  During one of the events, we decided we needed to push ourselves (and each other) to get some of these events done!   So--we all decided to devote one day a month, the last day of the month for the somewhat procrastinators that we are, to post cards we missed making. 

 So--here we are in our 38th month of The Catch Up Club!  So, we are now on year #4

Reminder--these are not my own designs!  The cards are the designs of the other instructors from these classes.  I am just recreating the cards from the class. This month the creations are again from Sarah and The Paper Cut.

These Christmas cards from a Gold Trees parts & pieces kit that I recently bought at one of their Comment Sold Sales.  There were enough pieces for 15 cards and I also added a die cut tree in the inside of all of the cards.  There were 3 full kits, minus the sentiment, which was to be a gold embossed Christmas saying.  Then, there were enough parts to make 12 more cards--all of the background pieces, the trees and the gold strip.  I have many pieces left over that was die cut for the arch.  I used Christmas Sentiment pack from Pinkfresh Studio that were all gold foiled.    So, I finished the month with Christmas in July!

 

Sarah offers many different kinds of classes through the year and kits can be ordered from their website.  I have a few other virtual classes from The Paper Cut that need to be completed.   And, I also have parts of other virtual events and classes from many previous classes!

On a side note, this past weekend was the final sale at The Paper Cut in Appleton.  Sarah has sold the business to Brass & Bliss, so everything is moving to Tennessee.  Sarah still hopes to offer monthly classes with kits, but is not sure yet how everything will go.  It is good that I still have a number of full kits still to complete and I recently got maybe a dozen parts and pieces kits to make also!  I will be busy for a few months and I do hope that Sarah will continue to create kits!

I hope you enjoyed my cards!  Here are the links to the other of the Catch Up Club.  Please be sure to check out Jeanette's, Terry's, and Darlene's blogs.  They may post tomorrow or in the next few days but we have all promised to post cards that we have missed the making along the way!  Come back in August to see what else I am behind on!

Image/Sentiment:  Pinkfresh Studio Christmas  Sentiment Pack

Cardstock:  All included in kit--all are available from The Paper Cut

Ink:  None

Accessories:  Brass & Bliss Evergreen Trees Dies, Arch Die Set

Glory Bee

 

Today as it is the 28th and the day I am posting my cards for our Challenge Your Stash group on SCS. This is our 115th month of de-stash, so we are into our 9th year of challenges.  I cannot believe my thought about using what we have is now 9+ years old! I really like these challenges and know they will continue as I know I have many, many items in my stash that I can use and love the fun challenges!  

The premise is to create a card or something else that uses only items that are in your own stamp room--nothing new is to be purchased.  The hostess each month posts their challenge to the group. Each person in the group creates their card with their own image, their own papers, their own embellishments with their own supplies--using up items from their own stash!  The card can be for any occasion and each person is encouraged to send the card on its way to someone so it can be admired.  It is a way for us to step out of the box a bit and create something that follows a challenge--isn't that what a challenge is supposed to be.  And--no money is spent as all items are to be already available in each of own stamping spaces.

I was the one posting our July challenge--Create a card or project using the colors Red, White and Blue--any theme or holiday, does not need to be 4th of July

I picked a favorite Whipper Snapper Designs wood mounted stamp set called Glory Bee.  I stamped the image and colored it with my Copic Markers.  I sure miss not using my MISTI with wood mounted stamps as I had to stamp it 4 times to get a good image!  I die cut the image with a Brass & Bliss Stacked Arches die and the Blueberry backer with a Brass & Bliss Stitched Dot Arched Die.  The background is from a Carta Bella 6x6 patterned paper pack called God Bless America. I added some Taylored Expressions Holographic Stars around the image.

 

If you check some of the blogs on my sidebar, you may find others who have posted their cards in the next few days. They will all probably have chickens on their card!  There may be more posted in the thread on SCS, so you might want to check out the link here.  We also have a keyword for the SCS Gallery--it is CYSJUN.  You might see many cards there if you do a search.  They probably will be posted today or in the next few days.

I hope you enjoyed my card and I know I am excited to check out what my other hoarders, I mean stash reducers have made!  Thanks for stopping by today!  For August, Jeanette is up for our challenge.  Be sure to check back to see what we create then!

Image/Sentiment:  Whipper Snapper Designs Glory Bee

Cardstock:  Taylored Expressions Blueberry; The Paper Cut 100# Cougar Opaque White; Carta Bella God Bless America 6x6 Patterned Paper

Ink:  Hero Arts Intense Black

Accessories:   Copic Sketch Markers; Brass & Bliss Stacked Arches, Stitched Dot Arches; Taylored Expressions Holographic Stars

New Fun Folds

 

I am here with a few more cards from kits from The Paper Cut.  These 3 cards are from a kit called New Fun Folds!  This was a kit that was in Fun Time Thursday Craftalong class from a few months ago. 

The kit included all of the items to make all 3 cards. They are very fun, interactive cards with various ways to open.All three are various birthday cards.   The duck card is from a Finger Card Kit.  The elephant birthday card is a Pinwheel Card. And, the bunny card is a Pop Out Card. 

The first picture below shows all three of the cards closed, as they would be when taken out of an envelope.  The next pictures show each of them open!

I hope you enjoyed my cards!

Image/Sentiment:  Brass & Bliss sentiments and dies--all included in the kit

Cardstock:  All included in the kit

Ink:  None

Accessories:   None

Seasonal Sprig

 

Today is the 25th and I am posting 4 cards for the The Encore Challenge!  This is a monthly challenge with a group of friends from my April Retreat.  Some may post on their blog and I will note those with blogs at the end of this post.  And, some might post on other social media. Darlene came up with this challenge and these are her words:  Go and grab a stamp set, stencil or dies--your choice, that you have used once before and have always wanted to revisit it and use it again.  However, despite your best intentions, you have yet to use it!  Now's your chance! Go dig it out and have fun with it once again.  Create anything you like, a card, gift card holder, decorate a gift bag, make a refrigerator magnet...whatever lights up your creative juices! So--Encore Challenge! 

My plan is to pick a different company each month to highlight and maybe even a different product than the month before.  For July,  I picked a bundle from Taylored Expressions called Seasonal Sprig. I used this set a few years ago for my swap cards at Stamp Joy--the event TE sponsors in the fall in Des Moines.  The set includes a stamp set, matching stencils, a set of dies and a coordinating cutting plate.

I decided to make 4 cards since I had the set out on my desk.  I first stamped the berry image and ink blended with Cherry Pop and Jalapeno.  I also stamped 3 of the sentiments a few times. I die cut two of the images with the matching die and the other two with the cutting plate, which made the frame too.  

For the white card below, the background is an Altenew embossing folder called Natural Wicker.  I also added some Glossy Accents over the red berries.  I added some green enamel dots around the image.  On the green card,  I added some TE silver glitter dots.   Both cards are glued flat.

For the Cherry Pop card below, the background is an Taylored Expressions embossing folder called Tweed. The frame has dimensionals for depth and I added some TE gold glitter dots.  The Peace on Earth card has a background embossed with Sizzix Pinewood Planks and some Pinkfresh Studio Glacier Jewels.

I am not sure who will post each month on their blog, but this is a list of the other ladies who do have blogs.  Jeanette, Terry, Darlene.  Be sure to come back on August 25th to see another fun card for The Encore Challenge!


Image/Sentiment:  Taylored Expressions Seasonal Spring Stamp Set, Stencil Set, Matching Dies and the coordinating Cutting Plate.

Cardstock/Patterned Paper: The Paper Cut 100# Cougar Opaque White; Taylored Expressions Cherry Pop, Japapeno

Ink:  Taylored Expressions Cherry Pop, Japapeno; Hero Arts Intense Black

Accessories:  Sizzix Pinewood Planks Embossing Folder; Altenew Natural Wicker Embossing Folder; Taylored Expressions Tweed Embossing Folder, Gold and Silver Glitter Dots; Pinkfresh Studio Glacier Jewels; Green Enamel Dots, Glossy Accents

Interactive Cards

 

I am back with a few more cards from kits from The Paper Cut.  These 3 cards are from a kit called Black & White Sliding, Folding & Flipping!  This was a kit that was in Fun Time Thursday Craftalong class from a few months ago. 

The kit included all of the items to make all 3 cards. They are very fun, interactive cards with various ways to open.  The butterfly card on the left is called a Pocket Slider.  The middle card is a Slider card.  The birthday card on the right is called a Gatefold Accordian card. 

The first picture below shows all three of the cards closed, as they would be when taken out of an envelope.  The second picture shows each of them opened up!

I hope you enjoyed my cards!

Image/Sentiment:  Brass & Bliss sentiments and dies--all included in the kit

Cardstock:  All included in the kit

Ink:  None

Accessories:   None

Pinkfresh Studio Christmas

 

Today is the 22nd and it is Double Duty Day! This is the 66th month, so we are in the middle our 6th year!  More Doubling Up!

Each month, we get to pick a stamp set from a predetermined company. Then, we will use that one stamp set and make two cards from the set.  Different images and sentiments from the same set can be used, or use the same image two different ways—Double Duty either way!  But, as an added challenge, one item must be used on both cards—same color cardstock, same ribbon, same stencil, same something.  Double Duty Again!  We will post both cards on our blog on the the 22nd of each month.  See-Double Duty again!  We will be sure to have fun getting doubly inky each month with a different stamp company.  Let’s have fun!

For July we are going with a Christmas in July theme  Pick any company and make 2 Christmas cards.  I picked Pinkfresh Studio set to use this month!

The set is called Happy Holidays Circle Frame.  There is a stamp set, matching dies and stencils.  I stamped the holly images and then ink blending with Taylored Expression inks.  I die cut the image and the two sentiments with the coordinating dies.  I layered both the frame and sentiment three times.  I added some green enamel dots on both cards.

For the Happy Holidays card, I used Cilantro, Cherry Pop and Brussels Sprout for the ink blending with the 3-piece stencil set.  The colors of the cardstock backgrounds are Cherry Pop and Cilantro, on a white cardstock base.

For the Merriest Moments card, the background is Mulled Wine, cut with a Picket Fence Studio A2 Vintage Rectangle Die.  The image is ink blended with Mulled Wine, Key Lime and Granny Smith.  

Please be sure to check out the other Double Duty cards. Here is a link to Jeanette's,  Darlene’s,  and Terry's blogs. I am sure you will not be disappointed and will see a couple of sets of great cards. 

Next month we are going to use Altenew as our featured company.  So be sure to check out our cards on August 22nd!    

Image/Sentiment: Pinkfresh Studio Happy Holidays Circle Frame Stamp Set, 3-Piece Stencil Set and Coordinating Dies

Cardstock/Patterned Paper:  The Paper Cut 100# Cougar Opaque White; Taylored Expressions Mulled Wine, Cherry Pop, Cilantro 

Ink:  Hero Arts Intense Black; Taylored Expressions Mulled Wine, Key Lime, Granny Smith, Cherry Pop, Cilantro, Brussels Sprout

Accessories: Picket Fence Studio A2 Vintage Rectangle; Green Enamel Dots