*Atlantic Hearts Sketch Challenge #677*

 There's a fabulous new sketch at Atlantic Hearts this morning... I hope you'll play along!

I will admit that this sketch intimidated me.  How on earth would I figure out what size squares to make?!  But then I had an a-ha moment!  I have a DIE that basically does this!  I cut it out of white cardstock to create the framing and then cut it again out of a floral paper and inlaid those pieces in to the grid on my card.

Card Info

*Cardstock:  Stampin' Up! Basic Black

*Paper:  Stampin' Up! Pattern Party

*Stamps:  Gina K Where Flowers Bloom
*Ink:  Versafine Clair Nocturne

*Dies:  MFT Horizontal Collage Cover; Waffle Flower Nesting Circles; Spellbinders Floral Spray

*Embellishments:  Kaiser Pearls
*Challenges:  Atlantic Hearts #677

*Freshly Made Sketches #730*

 With a few extra days off this week, I was able to play along with the sketch at Freshly Made Sketches.  When I saw the sketch, this black and white card popped in to my head...

Card Info

*Cardstock:  Stampin' Up! Basic Black

*Paper:  MFT Black & White Stripes

*Stamps:  MFT Something for Everything

*Ink:  Versafine Clair Nocturne

*Dies:  Spellbinders Floral Spray

*Embossing:  Stampin' Up! Soft Waves
*Embellishments:  Soft Pearls

*Challenges:  FMS #730

*AAA Colourful #21*

Happy Day, creative friends!  It's the 15th of the month and time for a new colourboard challenge at AAA Colourful!  We are asking you to be inspired by the colours in the graphic to create a card this month

I chose the red, green and a dusty blue to highlight in my card today...  a simple wreath of flowers and some added colourful mats

Card Info

*Cardstock:  Stampin' Up! Real Red, Wild Wasabi, Misty Moonlight

*Stamps:   Honey Bee Stamps Best of Everything

*Ink:  Versafine Clair Nocturne

*Dies:  Essentials by Ellen Essential Circles; Spellbinders Floral Spray, Be Bold Blooms

*Embellishments:  Kaiser Pearls

*Tool:  Perfect Layers

*Challenges:  AAA Colourful #21; Freshly Made Sketches #708

*AAA Colourful #19*

It's the middle of the month which means there is a new colourboard challenge at AAA Colourful!  I feel like it's too soon for such fall-looking colours, but they sure are pretty!

I had some fun with some colourblocking for my card today... I chose some of the colours from the colourboard photo and cut some small squares out.  I added a bright white pierced flower to the centre.

Card Info

*Cardstock:  Stampin' Up! Cherry Cobbler, Dusty Durango, Peach Parfait, Rose Red

*Stamps:  Uniko Wonderful Day

*Ink:  Versafine Clair Nocturne

*Dies:  Stampin' Up! Pierced Blooms; Waffle Flower Nesting Squares; MFT Stitched Rectangles

*Challenges:  AAA Colourful #19

*Sending Sunshine Instagram Hop*

 Each month, a group of us gather together on Instagram to post cards meant to encourage or lift someone up... we call it the Sending Sunshine Hop.  I played with some scraps of patterned paper to create my card for today...

Card Info

*Cardstock:  Stampin' Up! Basic Black
*Paper:  MFT Bundle of Blossoms Brights

*Stamps:  Pinkfresh Studio Vines & Roses

*Ink:  Versafine Clair Nocturne

*Dies:  Pinkfresh Studio Slim Strips

*Embellishments:  Michael's Bridal Flowers; Kaiser Pearls

*Tools:  Perfect Layers

*Challenges:  Freshly Made Sketches #694

*AAA Colourful #16*

 It's time for a new colourboard challenge at AAA Colourful.  This one was fun for me as I love cards with just a hint of colour.  

When I look at this colourboard, I see black, white, purple and a little bit of gold... I had some fun with some concentric circles and a pop of purple!  Although I will admit, my purple is a little too bright and maybe a little too prominent.

Card Info

*Cardstock:  Stampin' Up! Basic Black; Spellbinders gold foil
*Stamps:  The Ton Easy Expressions

*Ink: Versafine Clair Nocturne; Copics

*Dies:  Essentials By Ellen Essentials Circles; A Jillian Vance Design Daisies; The Ton Easy Expressions
*Tools:  Perfect Layers

*Embellishments:  Kaiser Pearls

*Challenges:  AAAColourful #16; Simply Clean and Simple

*Sending Sunshine Instagram Hop*

 Each month, a group of us posts as part of an Instagram Hop.  We make cards meant to be sent to someone who might be struggling, who might need an encouraging word, who might just need a piece of mail to brighten their day.

I know that my card today isn't bright and shiny.  It isn't colourful and fun.  But I think the simplicity of it packs a punch... 

Card Info

*Paper:  MFT Black & White Stripes
*Stamps:  The Ton Easy Expressions

*Ink:  Versafine Clair Nocturne
*Dies:  Spellbinders Floral Spray; The Ton Easy Expressions

*Embellishments:  Kaiser Pearls

*Spring Into Christmas 2025 {BYSHC} Linky Party Take 2*

 Usually the Build Your Stash Holiday Cardmakers Linky Parties catch me somewhat off guard... this time I decided to make a different card for each day of the hop!  (and to tell the truth, I made an extra one!).

For today's card, I chose a super simple design with some sparkly snowflakes (I LOVE this iridescent cardstock) and a large sentiment.

Card Info

*Cardstock:  Lawn Fawn Iridescent

*Stamps:  Kaisercraft Yuletide

*Ink:  Versafine Clair Nocturne

*Dies:  Picket Fence Studio Winter Snowflakes; unknown dotted rectangle

*Challenges:  BYSH Cardmakers Spring Into Christmas Holiday Linky Party

*CAS Colours & Sketches #557*

There's a brand new colour challenge at CAS Colours and Sketches that starts today and runs for the next two weeks.  Colour challenges force me to use colours I wouldn't necessarily reach for, which helps me grow and discover things that I actually might like.  This colour challenge did just that. I love how these colours look together!  I had never cut in to any Pebbled Path or Moody Mauve cardstock before this!

I went for a simple floral die cut card for today.   I love how the Blackberry Bliss and Moody Mauve work together.  And the Pebbled Path is a surprise in there for me!

Card Info

*Cardstock:  Stampin' Up! Moody Mauve, Pebbled Path, Blackberry Bliss, Basic Black

*Stamps:  Honeybee Best of Everything

*Ink:  Versafine Clair Nocturne

*Dies:  Spellbinders Be Bold Blooms

*Embellishments:  Kaiser Pearls

*Tools:  Perfect Layers

*Challenges:  CAS Colours & Sketches #557

*CAS Colours & Sketches #555*

 It's time for the first challenge with the team at CAS Colours & Sketches... and I'm the host!  Today we are playing with the colours I put together.  I was dreaming of spring when I put these three colours together...

When I put the colours together, I was so excited to play with them.  And then it came to play and I didn't know what I wanted to do!  I knew I wanted something floral, but nothing I was doing was feeling quite right.  I went with some beautiful pink flowers and some two toned green strips for my clean and simple card today.

Card Info

*Cardstock:  Stampin' Up! Granny Apple Green, Lemon Lime Twist, Berry Burst

*Stamps:  The Ton Easy Expressions

*Ink:  Versafine Clair Nocturne

*Dies:  Spellbinders Floral Spray, Pinkfresh Studio Slim Strips, The Ton Easy Expressions
*Embellishments:  Kaiser Pearls
*Challenges:  CAS Colours & Sketches #555

*{BYSHC} Sketch #55*

Happy March, creative friends!  So far, these traditionally cold months are really flying by!  I am LOVING that the sun is up earlier and going to bed a little later.  In a just a few weeks I'll be heading to and from work in daylight again!

Now that it's a new month, there's a new sketch at Build Your Stash Holiday Cardmakers!  I made both of my design team cards while crafting at a friends house.  They both are using my favourite patterned paper pack since I had limited supplies with me.

For my first card, dark and bold with lots of colour!

Card Info

*Cardstock:  Stampin' Up! Crumb Cake, Evening Evergreen, Cherry Cobbler

*Paper:  Stampin' Up! Tidings of Christmas

*Stamps:  Gina K Designs Wreath Builder

*Ink:  Versafine Clair Nocturne

*Dies:  Spellbinders Christmas Blooms

*Embellishments:  Kaiser Pearls

*Tools:  Perfect Layers
*Challenges:  BYSHC #55; Addicted to Stamps & More #487

*CASE It Hop*

 It's time for another CASE It Hop on Instagram.  Even more creators have joined this hop this month so I hope you'll head over to Instagram to see what everyone was inspired by!

This hop has been a lot of fun for me... I often get inspiration from cards I see online and I love that I get to highlight another creator while showing how I took their original and made it my own.

First, the card I was inspired by...  I was inspired by this gorgeous card by Jennifer Ingle.  I loved how crisp and clean it was (even with the embossed background), how the colour popped on the black strip and how the focal element was not contained by that black strip.  I even loved that she used a small mat of colour behind her black panel.

So, the point of CASE-ing isn't to copy the card completely... it's to take elements of it and be inspired to make something that is your own.  I kept my card very similar to Jennifers card.  But I changed a few things.  I decided to emboss the black panel instead of the full background, I changed up the colours and I made a birthday card instead of a thinking of you card.

Card Info
*Cardstock:  Stampin' Up! Basic Black, Azure Afternoon
*Stamps:  Altenew A Perfect Gift; MFT Something for Everything
*Ink:  Versafine Clair Nocturne; Tim Holtz Twisted Citron, Salty Ocean
*Stencil:  Altenew A Perfect Gift
*Dies:  Altenew A Perfect Gift; MFT Something for Everything
*Embossing:  Stampin' Up! Brick & Mortar
*Embellishments:  Kaiser Pearls
*Tools:  Perfect Layers

*{BYSHC} Christmas In July Linky Party*

I decided to play along with the Christmas in July Linky Party at Build Your Stash...  ya, I'm a designer too, but I had another idea in my head that I wanted to play with!  You all know how much I love making Christmas cards!

Card Info

*Cardstock:  Stampin' Up! Cherry Cobbler, Evening Evergreen

*Paper:  Stampin' Up! Tidings of Christmas

*Images:  Kasiercraft Yuletide

*Ink:  Versafine Clair Nocturne

*Dies:  Waffler Flower A2 Layers Dies; Spellbinders Christmas Blooms

*Tools:  Perfect Layers

*Challenges:  BYSHC Christmas in July; Addicted to Stamps and More, Pretty Paper Challenge; Word Power #7

*CAS Colours & Sketches #541*

It's time for the monthly sketch challenge at CAS Colours and Sketches...

I love a pretty frame on a card so I created a black frame by using two rectangle dies together.  I once again used some ink blending on white cardstock flowers instead of cutting the pieces out of coloured cardstock.  I like how subtle the colours are when you do it this way.

Card Info

*Cardstock:  Stampin' Up! Basic Black

*Images:  The Ton Easy Expressions

*Ink:  Versafine Clair Nocturne; Tim Holtz Scattered Straw, Kitsch Flamingo, Twisted Citron

*Dies: Spellbinders Floral Spray, Be Bold Blooms; MFT Stitched rectangles; The Ton Easy Expressions

*Embellishments:  black Kaiser Pearl

*Challenges:  CAS Colours & Sketches #541

*Atlantic Hearts Sketch Challenge #579*

It's time for a new sketch with Atlantic Hearts.... and this one will challenge you!

 I will admit that this sketch is WAY outside my comfort zone. And I'm not honestly sure I like this card all that much.  I like the idea of it, but I think I should have chosen different papers or something for my pattern.  I also think I missed at least one strip of the blue in the pattern (even though I was truly going random).. I should have used one down in the bottom left.  Anyway, that being said, I hope you get some inspiration from the sketch and my card...and I can't wait to see what YOU create!!

Card Info
*Paper:  MFT Bundles of Blooms Brights
*Dies:  MFT Flower Bouquet; Pink Fresh Studio Slim Strips
*Etc:  Pink Fresh Studio Foiled Sentiments
*Embellishments:  Kaiser Pearls
*Challenges:  Atlantic Hearts #579
 

*Atlantic Hearts #573*

It's time for a fun new sketch at Atlantic Hearts Sketch Challenge...  I'm having a lot of fun mixing up some patterns for these challenges!

Mixing patterns is easier to do thanks to companies that sell their papers in pads or packs... you know that the colours to go together and often the patterns complement each other well.  I hope I succeeded with this card!

Card Info

*Cardstock:  Stampin' Up! Poppy Parade, Crushed Curry, Flirty Flamingo

*Paper:  Stampin' Up! Pattern Paper

*Images:  Honey Bee Stamps Best of Everything

*Ink:  Versafine Clair Nocturne

*Dies:  MFT FLower Bouquet

*Tools:  Perfect Layers

*Embellilshments:  black Kaiser Pearls

*Challenges:  Atlantic Hearts Sketch Challenge #573

*{BYSHC} Sketch #33 take 2*

I'm back with another card using the Build Your Stash Holiday Card Makers sketch for May... I just love how this sketch can be made relatively clean and simple!  One of my favourite things about this sketch challenge is that there is no guess-work.  Crystal always provides measurements for you!

I have decided to try to do one of my cards each month using my favourite holiday papers by Stampin' Up!  Of course, this is a discontinued pattern but I have quite a bit of it at the moment.

Card Info

*Cardstock:  Stampin' Up! Cherry Cobbler

*Paper:  Stampin' Up! Tidings of Christmas

*Images:  Kaisercraft Yuletide

*Ink:  Versafine Clair Nocturne

*Tools:  Perfect Layers

*Challenges:  {BYSHC}Makers #33

*BYSHCMakers #31*

Today is the last day for the March challenge over at Build Your Stash Holiday Card Makers... this is a wonderful monthly sketch to help you make some Christmas cards throughout the year.  I already have about 1/4 of the Christmas cards I'll need for Christmas 2023 made!

I sometimes struggle with doing Christmas cards in the beginning months of the year... I think it's because I use up so many of my ideas from October to December.  I love these sketches to help get me started... but they're also tough since I'm a clean and simple gal and there are a lot of layers in these sketches.

I went to my stash and of course wanted to play with these wonderful (retired) Stampin' Up! papers....  And I am in love with this card!

Card Info

*Cardstock:  Stampin' Up! Cherry Cobbler

*Paper:  Stampin' Up!  Tidings of Christmas

*Images:  Kaiser Crafts Yuletide

*Ink:  Verafine Clair Nocturne

*Dies:  Waffle Flower Nesting Circles, Additional Circles

*Tools:  Perfect Layers

*Challenges:  BYSHCMakers #31