*Rainbow Connection Instagram Hop*

 I am combing the Rainbow Connection Instagram Hop with a card for the BYSHCardmakers Linky Party today...  What's better that some rainbow snowflakes?!  I cut the snowflakes out of pattern paper and am in love with how they turned out.

Card Info

*Cardstock:  Stampin' Up! Granny Apple Green

*Paper:  Paper Rose Studio Rainbow Twirl 2.0

*Stamps:  Lawn Fawn Simply Winter Sentiments

*Ink:  Verafine Clair Nocturne

*Dies:  Impression Obsession Small Snowflakes, Snowflakes

*Tools:  Perfect Layers

*Challenges:  BYSHCardmakers Christmas in July

*One Layer Instagram Hop*

 I'm here with my card for the Just One Layer Instagram Hop...  we are challenged each month to make a card that is just one layer following a common theme.  This month, our theme is stencil.

I grabbed this fabulous ink splatter stencil and created a rainbow through a portion of the stencil directly on the front of my card.  I then stamped my sentiment right on top.

Card Info
*Stamps:  Concord & 9th Big Day Birthday Stamps
*Ink:  Versafine Clair Nocturne; Tim Holtz Picked Raspberry, Mustard Seed, Salty Ocean
*Stencil:  Lawn Fawn Paint Splatter

*Rediscover Your Supplies Instagram Hop*

 This month, we are playing with the idea of funny or snarky for the Rediscover Your Supplies Instagram Hop.  While I have some stamps and dies that fit this theme, I was going to pass... but then I realized that this was exactly the reason I joined this hop!  I NEED to use my stash!

So, here's a card made completely from things that have been buried a little too deeply in my stash for too long..

Card Info

*Paper:  MFT Bundles of Blossoms

*Stamp:  MFT Sassy Pants Birthday Greetings 2

*Ink:  Versafine Clair Nocturne

*Dies:  Lawn Fawn Everyday Sentiment Banners

*CAS Colours & Sketches #586*

 It's time for a new colour challenge at CAS Colours and Sketches...

I had an idea for this card when I saw the colours and then ended up going a different way... sort of.  I was going to do a few die cut balloons using the two shades of blue (with the grey as the tail) and then thought some clouds might be nice.  So I used the lighter shade of blue to stencil my clouds and then the balloon in that colour didn't look right.  So one balloon it is.

Card Info

*Cardstock:  Stampin' Up! Night of Navy, Gray Granite

*Stamps:  The Ton Easy Expressions

*Ink:  Stampin' Up! Balmy Blue; Versafine Clair Nocturne

*Dies:  Lawn Fawn Party Balloons; The Ton Easy Expressions
*Stencils:  Lawn Fawn Slimline Cloudy

*Tools:  Perfect Layers

*Challenges:  CAS Colours & Sketches #586

*Rainbow Connection Instagram Hop*

 Every month, a group of us play together on Instagram, sharing relatively clean and simple cards using the colours of the rainbow.

For today, I used three colours of Distress Ink through a stencil to create my rainbow.

Card Info

*Stamps:  Waffle Flower Sweet Birthday Sentiments

*Ink:  Versafine Clair Nocturne; Tim Holtz Mustard Seed, Picked Raspberry, Salty Ocean

*Stencil:  Lawn Fawn Pait Splatter

*Dies:  MFT Stitched Rectangles

*Crushing Christmas Instagram Hop*

 Our theme for this month for the Crushing Christmas Instagram Hop is Jolly Gingerbread.  I pulled out some cute papers from my stash as well as a fun stamp that I coloured quickly with my Copics

Card Info

*Cardstock:  Stampin' Up! Basic Black

*Paper:  Doodlebug Milk & Cookies
*Stamps:  Lawn Fawn Simply Celebrate Winter; Penguin Palace Magical Christmas Sentiments

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

*Dies:  Lawn Fawn Simply Celebrate Winter; Penguin Palace Magical Christmas Sentiments

*Etc:  foam adhesive

*Tools:  Perfect Layers

*CAS Colours & Sketches #581*

 What a fun sketch for us to play with for the current challenge at CAS Colours & Sketches!  Joanne did a great job with this one!

I had a few ideas in my head for this one... but when this one popped in to my mind, I knew I had to go for it!

Card Info

*Cardstock:  Stampin' Up! Crumb Cake, Lovely Lipstick

*Stamps:  Taylored Expressions Simple Strips Birthday

*Ink:  Versafine Clair Nocturne; Tim Holtz Salty Ocean

*Dies:  Lawn Fawn Party Balloons; Taylored Expressions Simple Strips

*Stencil:  Lawn Fawn Slimline Cloudy

*Challenges:  CAS Colours & Sketches #581

*Crushing Christmas Instagram Hop*

 Of course I had to play with the Crushing Christmas Instagram Hop this month... it combines two of my favourite things!  First, a Christmas card, second a clean and simple design!

I started by die cutting two of these fabulous snowflakes, adding them to a panel and letting them fall off the edge of the panel.  I trimmed them off and then matted that panel in black before adding it to a white card.

Card Info

*Cardstock:  Stampin' Up! Basic Black; Lawn Fawn Holographic

*Stamps: The Ton Easy Expressions Holiday

*Ink: Versafine Clair Nocturne

*Dies:  Simon Says Stamp Marie Snowflake; The Ton Easy Expressions Holiday

*Tools:  Perfect Layers

*Paper Crafters United Against Racism Instagram Hop*

 Today I am joining many of my papercrafting friends in an Anti-Racism Instagram Hop.  I saw the opportunity and with the state of the world right now, I jumped in with both feet to participate.  But then it came time to create my card and I froze.  I'm an white woman in Canada who has never experienced racism first hand.  Sure, I've heard comments and seen stuff directed at others, but I've never had to live that life for myself.  

I finally came up with a card idea and then I started to panic about what to say in my post about the hop.  How can I know what to say?  How can I know what to tell others.  But then I realized, my silence wouldn't help anyone...  but just showing up and letting others know that I stand for humanity might just make a small difference in the world.

I love my neighbours and the people in my world... no matter where they came here from, what languange they speak at home, what colour their skin might be.  I accept others as I expect them to accept me.  I am a safe spot if someone needs it.  And I hope that by standing up and declaring these things that I can help make a difference.  Racism is never OK...

So... on to my card.  I am in love with the shape of this double heart that's part of an alphabet die set from Concord & 9th.  I dug through my stash and found several shades of cream and brown and cut the heart(s) out of all of those shades.  I glued the outside of the hearts directly on to my card, overlapping them slightly... and then used foam adhesive for the insides of the hearts, also overlapping them.  I hope it conveys the idea of love and holding hands with our neighbours and friends...

Card Info

*Cardstock:  Stampin' Up! Very Vanilla, Early Espresso, Close to Cocoa, Crumb Cake, Pecan Pie, Sahara Sand

*Stamps:  MFT Anything But Basic Friendship
*Ink:  Versafine Clair Nocturne

*Dies:  Concord & 9th Tall Type Alphabet; Lawn Fawn Everyday Sentiment Banners

*Challenges:  Just Us Girls #809

*Embossing Folder Instagram Hop*

 Yup, I've joined another Instagram Hop!  These things are keeping me busy and creative!  Today I am playing with the Embossing Folder Instagram Hop and we are working with the common theme of Love.

I chose to cut a deep red heart and emboss it with a wavy lines embossing folder.  I did some ink spatter on a small panel and added it to the front of the card and then used foam adhesive to pop up the heart.  I added a banner sentiment across the centre to finish it off...

Card Info

*Cardstock:  Stampin' Up! Cherry Cobbler

*Stamps:  MFT Essential Sentiments

*Ink:  Versafine Clair Nocturne

*Dies:  Hero Arts Nesting Hearts; Lawn Fawn Everyday Sentiment Banners

*Embossing:  Stampin' Up! Soft Waves

*Etc:  foam adhesive

*CAS on Friday #325*

 Happy Friday!  It's time for the first clean and simple challenge at CAS on Friday!  We are playing with the prompt of SNOWMAN for this challenge!

You all know that I LOVE snowflakes and snowmen.  I pulled out all of my snowman stamps and dies and narrowed it down to a few different things.  This die set from Spellbinders won out because I haven't used it yet!

Card Info

*Cardstock:  Stampin' Up! Basic Black, Granny Apple Green, Bashful Blue

*Stamps:  Lawn Fawn Frosty Family Add-On

*Ink:  Versafine Clair Nocturne; Copics

*Dies:  Spellbinders Frankie Goes to the North Pole; unknown stitched border

*Challenges:  CAS on Friday #325

*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

*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.  

*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

*Sending Sunshine Instagram Hop*

 Today, I am participating in the Sending Sunshine Instagram Hop.  Each month, we share cards of encouragement that we could send to someone who needs a little extra sunshine.   As I'm still deep in Christmas card mode, I made a Christmas card that might bring a little extra love to the person who gets it.  I used mirror cardstock for my light bulbs to make it extra cheery!

Card Info

*Cardstock:  assorted mirror carddstock:  Stampin' Up! Basic Black

*Stamps:  MFT Merry & Bright

*Ink:  Versafine Clair Nocturne

*Dies:  MFT Christmas Lights

*Tools:  Perfect Layers

*CAS on Friday #324*

 We are here today with the last challenge of 2025 with CAS on Friday...  you have a few weeks to play along with our SNOWFLAKE theme!

I used some super skinny glitter paper strips and some holographic cardstock to create my card for this challenge...

Card Info

*Cardstock;  Lawn Fawn Holographic, unknown silver sparkle

*Stamps:  MFT Christmas Wishes

*Ink:  Versafine Clair Nocturne

*Dies:  unknown snowflake

*Embellishments:  Pinkfresh Studio Iridescent Clear Drops
*Challenges:  CAS on Friday #324

*This or That Instagram Hop*

 For the month of December, the This or That Instagram Hop has one theme...  Holiday Treats or Holiday Drinks.  My card this week looks an awful lot like one someone else shared last week (but I made it before I saw hers).  I used this fabulous sugar cookie embossing folder from Simon Says Stamp and highlighted the raised icing with some white ink.  

Card Info

*Cardstock: Stampin' Up! Crumb Cake

*Stamps:  Lawn Fawn Merry Messages

*Ink:  Versafine Clair Nocturne; Hero Arts Unicorn Pigment Ink

*Embossing:  Simon Says Stamp Christmas Cookies

*Embellishments:  Glossy Accents

*This or That Instagram Hop*

 For the entire month of December, the choice on the This or That Instagram Hop is Holiday Treats or Holiday Drinks.  This will be a tough one for me as I don't have a lot of food or drink stamps... I think most of mine will be Holiday Treats... or at least todays is!

Card Info

*Stamps:  Lawn Fawn Simply Celebrate Winter; The Ton Easy Expressions Holiday

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

*Dies:  Lawn Fawn Simply Celebrate Winter

*Embossing:  Spellbinders Peppermint Stripes

*Embellishments:  Liquid Pearls

*Addicted to CAS #297*

 This week, I am hosting the challenge at Addicted to CAS....  this is the prompt that I chose...

Of course, metallics, to me, are perfect at Christmas, but I know that some of my design team friends went a completely different way!  I can't wait to see what you create!

I decided on a metallic snowflake... backed with a little black to make it pop!

Card Info

*Cardstock:  Stampin' Up Basic Black; Lawn Fawn Holographic

*Stamps:  Penguin Palace Magical Christmas Sentiments

*Dies:  Impression Obsession Snowflakes; Penguin Palace Magical Christmas Sentiments

*Tools:  Perfect Layers

*Challenges:  Addicted to CAS #297

*The Paper Players #764*

 I actually created three cards in the last two days just for the sake of playing,  I struggle to make cards other than my design team requirements because I seem to rely on a prompt of some sort.  And with a design team obligation, I can't just say "nah, doesn't speak to me" so I have to force myself to figure out that prompt.  And when I'm behind on design team duties, I don't even have time to look at other challenges.  Christmas cards come easily to me so my design team obligations for this month were knocked out pretty darn quickly!

So I decided to play with a clean and simple challenge at The Paper Players... Their prompt is your favourite holiday image so I pulled out my favourite snowflake to make my card.

Card Info

*Cardstock:  Stampin' Up! Night of Navy; Lawn Fawn Holographic

*Stamps:  The Ton Easy Expressions Holiday

*Ink:  Versafine Clair Nocturne

*Dies:  Impression Obsession Snowflakes; The Ton Easy Expressions Holiday
*Embossing:  Sizzix

*Embellishments:  Pinkfresh Studio Iridescent Clear Drops

*Challenges:  The Paper Players #764