*Card Clubhouse Instagram Hop*

 I joined a new cardmaking Instagram hop... this one is called Card Clubhouse.  We will be hopping every second week, playing with a different common theme.  Our theme for this week is Warm Welcome!  We are using new supplies, tools or techniques to make a card to make someone feel welcomed or at home.

I went a little off the rails with my card... my stamp set is new but I went with a literal "warm" as the stamp I chose to use was warm hats (or toques up here in Canada)

Card Info

*Stamps:  Kraftin' Kimmie Stamps Warm Winter Wishes; MFT Polar Penguins

*Ink:  Memento Tuxedo Black; Versafine Clair Nocturne; Copics

*Dies:  MFT Stitched Rectangles

*Tools:  Brother Scan 'n Cut

*Embellishments:  Twinkle Stickles

*Mini Slimline Instagram Hop*

 It's time to share my card for the Mini Slimline Instagram Hop.  We have no themes or rules, other than our cards must be a mini slimline... I just LOVE playing with this size!

I went super simple with just stamping and colouring...

Card Info

*Stamps:  Julie Hickie Floral Happiness

*Ink:  Memento Tuxedo Black; Versafine Clair Nocturne; Copics

*CAS Colours & Sketches #576*

 Welcome to the first challenge of 2026 at CAS Colours & Sketches!  I am your host for this month so I hope you like what I've come up with!

This week, we have a colour challenge...

I was inspired by a card I saw by alaskastamper on Instagram to play with these colours.  They made a fabulous Christmas card with these colours so it was a challenge to come up with something else.  I decided that they made a great masculine colour pallette.

Card Info

*Cardstock:  Stampin' Up! Cherry Cobbler, Secret Sea, Old Olive; Bazzill gold mirror

*Dies:  MFT Stitched Rectangles, Cheers

*Challenges:  CAS Colours & Sketches #576

*Atlantic Hearts Sketch Challenge #663*

 Good morning!  There is a fantastic new sketch at Atlantic Hearts this week... I hope you'll play along!

I have been finding it tough to get back in to the swing of every day card making... I used some items from my die cut stash to create my card today, making the sketch in to something that is relatively clean and simple.

Card Info

*Cardstock:  Stampin' Up! Basic Black

*Stamps:  LDRS My Wish For You

*Ink:  Versafine Clair Nocturne

*Washi:  Pinkfresh Studio Fluttering Butterflies
*Dies:  Pinkfresh Studio Fluttering Butterflies

*Embossing:  Stampin' Up! Brick & Mortar

*Tools:  Perfect Layers

*Challenges:  Atlantic Hearts #663

*My Favourite Instagram Hop*

 Good morning... this morning I am sharing a card that highlights my favourite silhouette stamp for the My Favorite Instagram Hop.  I had a few things to choose from, but I decided to go with this super old wood mounted stamp from my stash!  I stamped it on a white panel and added a little ink blending with a splatter stencil.  

Card Info

*Stamps:  Penny Black Fantasy; MFT Something for Everything

*Ink:  Versafine Clair Nocturne; Tim Holtz Distress Oxide Peeled Paint Stormy Sky

*Stencil:  Lawn Fawn Paint Splatter

*Everyday Occasions Instagram Hop*

 I feel like I have no idea what day it is any more.  I don't usually struggle this much over Christmas, but this year I have been lost in terms of the days of the week.  I managed to get these cards up on Instagram in time for the hop yesterday but I wasn't able to post here on my blog.  

I just can't keep it all straight all of a sudden!

Anyway... this month we are making 1-4 cards to build up our stash of cards to send to family.  I chose to do some cards for Mom... one for Mother's Day and one for a birthday.

This one is super clean a nd simple...  and I love that mixed font sentiment stamp!

Card Info

*Cardstock: Stampin' Up! Purely Pomegranate, Basic Black

*Stamps:  MFT Something for Everything

*Ink:  Versafine Clair Nocturne

*Dies:  Concord & 9th Tall Type Alphabet

*Tools:  Perfect Layers

I had some fun with this second card with some pattern paper and an embossing folder.

Card Info

*Cardstock:  Stampin' Up! Pool Party, Basic Black

*Stamps:  MFT All About Mom

*Ink:  Versafine Clair Nocturne

*Dies:  MFT Impact Alphabet;  Stampin' Up! Around the Bend

*Embossing:  Spellbinders Leafy

*This or That Instagram Hop*

I'm back with a second post today... this time for the This or That Instagram Hop.  For the month of January, just to make things a little easier, we are hopping with the same theme all month.  Our two choices are Old or New.

I chose to play with an old die set in my stash, that I bought probably 2 years ago and then never used!  So while it's old, it's brand spakin' new!

Card Info

*Cardstock:  Stampin' Up! Basic Black

*Stamps:  Uniko Wonderful Day

*Ink:  Versafine Clair Nocturne

*Dies:  Stampin' Up! Around the Corner; Waffler Flower Nesting circles; MFT Stitched Circles

*Happy 2026!*

 Happy New Year, my creative friends!  It's January 1st and if time doesn't slow down a little bit, it will be Christmas 2026 in the blink of an eye LOL!

Since it's a new month, there's a new sketch to inspire you to create some Christmas cards over at Build Your Stash Holiday Cardmakers.  This is such a wonderful sketch!  You could make it as busy or simple as you want to do... and it's the perfect way to use up some scraps!

First, the sketch!

I chose to use some slim scraps of this gorgeous pattern paper.  To make the strips the same size, I used the Pinkfresh Studio Slim Strips dies to cut them.  I also added a piece of the pattern paper die cut with a circle die for the focal point before adding a simple die cut sentiment.

Card Info

*Cardstock:  Stampin' Up! Basic Black

*Paper:  Stampin' Up! Modern Christmas

*Stamps:  The Ton Easy Expressions Holiday

*Ink:  Versafine Clair Nocturne

*Dies:  Pinkfresh Studio Slim Strips; Waffle Flower Nesting Circles

*Tools:  Perfect Layers

*Challenges:  BYSHCardmakers Sketch #65

*Rainbow Connection Instagram Hop

What a wonderfully creative year I have had!  Thanks for multiple blog based challenges that I design for as well as a multitude of Instagram Hops I've participated in, this year I made a whopping 411 cards!  That is a record for me... one I'm not sure I even want to try to beat!  Some of been duds, but there have been so many creations I've just loved!  I hope you have enjoyed seeing them as well.

Today is the last of the cards for 2025... and it's for the Rainbow Connection Instagram Hop.

I started with a scrap of rainbow striped pattern paper that I matted with a 1/16" black layer.  I die cut this beautiful snowflake from Simon Says Stamp and centred it on the panel.  I then cut the word "peace" out of both black and holographic cardstocks and decided that it looked best using the black as a bit of an off-set shadow to the holographic.  

*Rediscover Your Supplies Instagram Hop*

 I feel so bad!  I forgot to share this card with you last week!  This was my card for the Rediscover Your Supplies Instagram Hop. Each month, we play with items from our stash that we haven't had out in a while.  Our theme for December was Christmas.

For my card, I played with mostly the backsides of the papers from my most favourite paper pack.  These are the ones that get the least amount of use, just because I don't love them as much.  I cut various sizes of strips and placed them on a cardstock panel and then cut it with a stitched rectangle die.  I added a pop of mirror gold and some more pattern paper to create the focal point.

*Happy Birthday Kim!*

 Today, I am excited to be celebrating Kim's birthday on Instagram!  We are doing a hop of birthday cards to help her celebrate her birthday!  Go check out her Instagram and give her a follow... she's a talented card maker and I'm happy to call her my friend!

She told us what her favourite colours are so I thought I'd use them in my card.  I really like how these colours pop on the black cardstock!

Card Info

*Cardstock:  Stampin' Up! Basic Black; Spellbinders Waterfall and Lavender

*Stamps:  MFT Something for Everything

*Ink:  Versafine Clair Nocturne

*Dies:  Spellbinders Floral Spray

*Embossing:  Lisa Horton Layered Bubbles

*Embellishments:  clear flat backed bling

*{BYSHC} Sketch #64 Take 2*

I'm back with my second card following the current sketch at Build Your Stash Holiday Card Makers.  This challenge encourages you to make one or two Christmas cards each month so that you aren't panicked when the time comes that you need to have them done.  I've LOVED making Christmas cards all year long.

Once again, I chose papers from one paper pack, including the centre image that was part of a cut sheet in that paper pack.

Card Info

*Cardstock:  Stampin' Up! Garden Green

*Paper:  Echo Park My Favorite Christmas

*Tools:  Perfect Layers

*Challenges:  BYSHCardmakers #64

*This or That Instagram Hop*

 Merry Christmas, Creative Friends!  Today is the last This or That Instagram Hop for 2025... all month long we've been playing with Holiday Drinks or Holiday Treats.  I've done three cards of treats and decided to play with a holiday drink for today.  I stamped it and coloured it with Copics before cutting it out with my Brother Scan 'n Cut.  I chose an old sketch from Build Your Stash to create this card.

Card Info

*Paper:  Doodlebug Milk & Cookies
*Stamps:  Lawn Fawn Love You A Latte

*Ink:  Memento Tuxedo Black; Versafine Clair Nocturne; Copics

*Tools:  Brother Scan 'n Cut

*Birthday Bounce Instagram Hop*

 This month on the Birthday Bounce Instagram Hop, we are creating birthday cards using balloons!  I picked this fun balloon embossing folder out of my stash and decided to add a little a colour on some of the balloons.  To do that, I used the leftover ink on my small blending brushes.  I wasn't sure how it was going to look, but I'm glad I took the chance.  It added a little soft colour to the balloons.

*Atlantic Hearts Sketch Challenge #661*

 Happy Monday, creative friends... it's time for a fabulous new sketch at Atlantic Hearts...

I hope that I caught the essence of the sketch in my card today... I don't know why, but I struggled with this sketch.  I thought I knew what I wanted to do and when I tried it, it wasn't feeling right.  So I switched gears and went to this instead...  I like it, but I'm not sure it's quite right.

Card Info

*Cardstock: Bazzill gold mirror

*Stamps:  Simon Says Stamp Christmas Blessings

*Ink:  Versafine Clair Nocturne

*Dies:  unknown snowflake; Simon Says Stamp Holly & Pine Frame, Christmas Blessings

*Challenges:  Atlantic Hearts #661

*Create It 3-Ways Instagram Hop*

 The December theme for the Create It 3-Ways Instagram Hop is "Winter Holidays".  I chose to play with some new to me Christmas stuff. I used the exact same (gorgeous) die on all three of  my cards...

Card Info

*Cardstock:  Stampin' Up Basic Black Buckaroo Blue, unknown shimmer and silver
*Stamps:  Simon Says Stamp Christmas Blessings; The Ton Easy Expressions Holiday; unknown

*Ink:  Versafine Clair Nocturne
*Dies:  Tutti Designs Snowflake Corner

*Tools:  Perfect Layers

*Pattern Paper Instagram Hop*

This month, the theme for the Pattern Paper Party Instagram Hop is Christmas.  As you all know, I fell in love with this new Stampin' Up! paper this year.  I paired the tree theme with a fun Sizzix embossing folder and some extra gold accents to finish it off.

Card Info

*Cardstock:  Bazzill gold mirror

*Paper;  Stampin' Up! Modern Christmas

*Stamps:  The Ton Easy Expressions Holiday

*Ink: Versafine Clair Nocturne

*Embossing:  Sizzix Christmas Tree Pattern

*Dies:  Waffle Flower Nesting Circles, Additional Circles; The Ton Easy Expressions Holiday

*Crushing Christmas Instagram Hop*

 The theme for December for the Crushing Christmas Instagram Hop is FREE STYLE... so no theme at all!

I used some of the snowflakes I had foiled a few wees ago with a simple die cut sentiment to make my card that I'm sharing with you today.

Card Info

*Stamps:  Alex Syberia Christmas Sentiments

*Ink:  Versafine Clair Nocturne

*Dies:  Pinkfresh Studio Snowflakes; Alex Syberia Christmas Sentiments; MFT Stitched Rectangles

*Hot Foil Plate:  Pinkfresh Studio Snowflakes;
*Foil  Spellbinders

*Etc:  foam adhesive

*Challenges:  AAA#305; Inkspirational #357