Warm Wishes

 I hope everyone had a fun celebration ringing in the new year, and along with the new year comes a cold snap in our weather. As the cold winds start blowing, it's time to share a card sending you some warm wishes. The background was embossed with a Darice Snowflake Swirl ef while the mug of warm cocoa was made with a Penny Black "What's in your Cup" set of dies. The warm wishes sentiment was double cut with a Sweet 'n Sassy set of ticket dies. I added a few drops of pale blue Nuvo drops randomly on the card to match the little blue heart on the cup.

I'm sharing this with -

Can You Handle the Pressure? - A/G embossing with a twist of "winter"

Word Power January2025 Challenge - showcase the sentiment

I'm taking a break from blogging while I try to sort through a lot of tech issues with my camera and computer. I've also collected a massive amount of crafting supplies through my blogging years since 2009 and it's time to step away from it for a while and clear the clutter.

I don't know when or if I'll be back to blogging cards again, but I never say never. Thanks for all your support and friendship through the years. I appreciate each and every one of you.

I guess I'll see you when I see you, so have a great day and take good care of yourselves in the meantime.

Keep smiling 😊

Carol

Christmas Poinsettia

I used an older Spellbinders Poinsettia die to create this card. While the pieces were still in the die, I took a gold paint pen and drew through the lines on the petals which gave the poinsettia a more festive look. Unfortunately the paint pen malfunctioned on one of those leaves and leaked all over it, but I managed to hide most of the blotch of gold ink under another petal. I decided to use it instead of creating another one. I curled each petal around a pencil to shape them and then popped the flower up on dimensionals, along with the leaf. The embossing folder is a poinsettia design by Taylored Expressions. The sentiment is a pre-printed one by Simon Says Stamp. I added a ancient gemstone to the center of the flower and called this one done.

I'll enter this card into the following challenges:

The Peace on Earth Challenge #78 - A/G Christmas

Can You Handle the Pressure? Dec 14, 2024 - A/G with a twist of Poinsettias

(must use an embossing folder)

The Triple B December 2024 Challenge - Birds, blooms, or Butterflies

(or use all 3)

the Christmas Kickstart Challenge #93 - A/G Christmas

the Allsorts Challenge Week #811 - Lots of White or A/G

Thanks for stopping by and have a great Monday.

Carol

 

Merry Christmas

 I've had this Tim Holtz embossing folder for quite some time and never really knew what to do with it, so I finally sat down and made a card that I'm happy with. After embossing, I swiped it with a platinum ink pad which made the really large greeting stand out from the white. I adorned it with tiny dots of platinum stickles to indicate snow, placed it on a green card base and called it done!

I'm sharing this card with the following challenges:

the Christmas Kickstart challenge #93 - if it's Christmassy, link it up!

The Peace on Earth challenge #77 - A/G Christmas

Can You Handle the Pressure? - A/G embossing with a twist of winter fun

the Allsorts Challenge #809 - Winter Flowers & Fauna or A/G

Thanks for stopping by and as always, make it a great day!

Carol

Birthday Clock

 Some time ago I cut leftover bits of pink, black, and grey snippets into strips, and put them all together into a herringbone pattern and used half of it for this card, and today's card makes use of the other half. I die-cut it with a Lil Inker stitched rectangle and laid it on top of an embossed panel done with a Sizzix embossing folder. The clock is a die from I.O and I die cut it from silver mirror paper, black, pink, and grey snippets and inlaid all the bits into the clock design. The sentiment panel was done with a SU! Chalk Talk die and another snippet of black, and I added a SSS pre-printed sentiment panel and called this one done.

I'm entering this into the following challenges:

The Snippets Playground #494 Challenge - must use snippets

the Simon Says Stamp Wednesday Challenge - A/G

Can You Handle the Pressure? challenge - must use wet or dry embossing

with an optional twist of "winter fun." 

Thanks for stopping by and thanks for the many Thanksgiving good wishes too. Have yourselves a fabulous weekend!

Carol

Joyous Christmas

 I used a CTMH embossing folder and a pre-printed Simon Says Stamp sentiment to put this card together. After embossing, I lightly sponged color on the trees, deer and house in the background. I added tiny gold die-cut stars to the tops of a couple trees, and added a few more to the sky. This was quick and easy to make and even though the photo doesn't pick up the colors, it looks pretty IRL.

Sharing this with the following challenges:

Rudolph Days Challenge for November - A/G Christmas

Peace on Earth Challenge #76 - A/G Christmas

Can You Handle the Pressure - A/G using an embossing folder
with a twist of winter fun

The Sisterhood of Crafters November 27 Challenge - A/G

Thanks for stopping by and I wish you all a great Thanksgiving day tomorrow if you celebrate.

 I spotted this sign when I was out yesterday and had to share -

Never play leapfrog with a unicorn. 

That might be hazardous to your health! LOL

Carol

Christmas Snowflake

 It's that time of the year to get serious about building the Christmas stash, so quick and easy is how it's going to be this year. I used this retired SU! embossing folder to create the snowflake on white, then added silver Stickles to the tiny outer circles for some sparkle. I used an older Martha Stewart punch to create the smaller red snowflake and added a silver Candi dot to the center. The pre-printed sentiment is from SimonSaysStamp and I fishtailed the ends with a hexagon punch. I placed it on a red card base and called this one done.

Sharing with the following challenges:

The Allsorts Challenge #806 - Christmas or A/G

Can You Handle the Pressure? Nov 9th - A/G using an embossing folder

with an optional twist of coffee-cocoa-warm drinks

the Peace on Earth Christmas Challenge#75 - A/G Christmas

Thanks for stopping by and I wish everyone a great weekend.

Carol

Snarky Christmas Cat

 I have a friend who is a cat mom, and her cat is a handful sometimes with his finicky behavior and antics, so I made this card for her just for laughs.

The background was embossed with a Crafters Companion 3D Christmas Magic ef, and the cat, Santa hat, and bowtie are all from the the Tim Holtz crazy cat stamp collection. The Bah Humbug sentiment is a die from Die'sire Designs. I used a fine red marker to add red lines to the cat's eyes because this cat is usually awake all night long tormenting her while she tries to sleep. 😫

Entering this card into the following challenges

The Rudolph Days August Challenge - A/G Christmas

The Allsorts Challenge week #795 - delightful animals or A/G

The Peace on Earth Christmas Challenge #70 - A/G Christmas

Can You Handle the Pressure?  - A/G using an EF *opt twist of "leaves"

That's a wrap for me, but thanks for stopping by and have yourself a fantastic day today.

Carol

Praying for You

 A very thoughtful friend sent me 2 new SU! embossing folders recently since she accidentally bought 2 of them. Lucky me! I pulled out a Creative Expressions mini Daisy Doo stencil and some distress ink and put this card together. The stenciled flowers look like the embossed flowers and I thought they were a good match. The embossed panel was a snippet and I matched the ink color to that panel. I found a snippet of matching ribbon and attached it to the panel, tying a piece of twine into a bow to anchor the ribbon. I added some Aqua Stickle dots to the center of each stenciled flower; used a Sweet 'n Sassy stamped sentiment and called this one done.

I'm sharing this with the following challenges:

Simon Says Stamp Wednesday Challenge - add a sentiment - they're featuring Lawn Fawn but you don't have to use them.

the Little Red Wagon challenge #769 - Sparkle and shine

the August Stencil Fun Challenge - A/G using a stencil *opt - Summertime

Can You Handle the Pressure? August 10, 2024 - A/G use a stencil

*Optional  theme - wheels

Thanks for stopping by and I hope your day is a good one!

Carol

Encouragement Card

 I used some pretty paper snippets from the Paper Studio and SU! along with snippets of vanilla and light green cardstock to put this card together. I followed a fun sketch to design this card adding some dark green cardstock for the base. I used a Cuttlebug EF with leaves on the vanilla panel to mirror the designer paper panel, then used a Stampendous sentiment on some pastel green cardstock adding some dark green candy dots for the finishing touch. 

You just can't miss with pretty papers and a good sketch!

Sharing this with the following challenges:

The Freshly Made Sketches Challenge #647

The Four Seasons August 2024 Challenge - A/G Summer

Can You Handle the Pressure? - A/G Embossing (Cuttlebug ef)

with an optional twist of "things with wings"

the Simon Says Stamp Wednesday Challenge - A/G

Thanks for stopping by. Wishing everyone a safe and happy Thursday on this first day of August.

Carol

A Summery Thank You Card

 A generous friend recently gifted me with 2 new small SU! embossing folders and I used one of them on this card. I had an old 12x12 piece of double sided Scenic Route Paper and used it to put this card together. I had a strip of red polka dot paper on my table that was a perfect match so I added that to separate the panels. I used a Nestabilities die set to cut the red and white flower panels, and added a punched SU! mini flower with a gemstone in the center. I added a die-cut fern behind it done with a Precious Maricke die and a snippet of green. The thank-you panel was done with a SU! die cut from the Chalk Talk Framelit set and stamped with a Unity sentiment. I added 5 green candy dots and called this one done.

Sharing with these challenges:

Allsorts Challenge Week #791 & 2 - Season's Delights or A/G (flowers are seasonal for summer)

the NBUS challenge #64 - Never Before Used Schtuff (the EF)

Can You Handle the Pressure? July 2024 - A/G Embossing with an optional twist of wings and things

Thanks as always for stopping by and my wish is always for the best possible day for everyone.

Carol

Birthday Balloons

 Recently a very thoughtful friend surprised me with these heart-shaped balloon dies (thank you again) and I just love them! I had some snippets of polka dot papers on my table so I just used them to add some fun, colorful balloons to this birthday card. I used some purple cardstock along with a GMD set of dies to create the sentiment and used a CB birthday embossing folder. I added small bits of colored twines and some random gemstones to add a little festive sparkle to this card.

Sharing with these challenges:

the Sisterhood of Crafters July 24 challenge - Balloons

Can you Handle the Pressure? - A/G using an embossing folder

with an optional twist of Things with Wings

Thanks for the visit and I wish you a wonderful weekend.

Carol

A Flag Maker's Birthday Card

 A friend of mine asked me to make her a birthday card for someone we both used to work with at the Flag Factory years ago. I didn't have any flag images, so I went with the red, white, and blue color theme of our US flag, and added stars and stripes. The background paper was bought at Tuesday Morning years ago before they closed. It's double sided with the stripes on one side and the blue panel with white stars on the reverse side. I die cut 3 different sized circles from cardstock, split them in half and placed them on the white panel which was embossed with a Darice tiny star ef. I added some tiny mirror paper punched stars done with a retired SU! mini star punch, along with stamping her age on 2 tiny die-cut circles. The base and image panels were both die cut with Lil Inker Stitched rectangles, and I added some red and blue gemstones to add a bit more sparkle to this card.

Sharing with these challenges:

Can You Handle the Pressure Challenge - A/G using embossing with a twist of stripes and/or checks

The Allsorts Challenge Blog #790 - Flowers or A/G

Simon Says Stamp Wednesday Challenge - Add some Sparkle

A Cut Above - Use Die cuts and Start this Challenge with a Bang!

Thanks for the visit and I wish you all a fantastic weekend!

Keep smiling 😉

Carol

Love Ya!

 I was really feeling the love when I made this card! LOL The big Love Ya die is from Lawn Fawn and I cut it with a mix of black & white cardstock bits along with some red polka dot papers, and some red glitter card for the 3 hearts. The background was done with an ancient Sizzix Curlique Hearts embossing folder and that cute little mouse is from Gerda Steiner Designs. I stamped, colored and fussy cut him, adding red glaze pen accents to the little heart he's holding.

Sharing this card with the following challenges:

The Allsorts Challenge week 788 - Romantic Occasions or A/G

Word Power Challenge #7 - make the sentiment the focus of your card

Critter Crazy Challenge #88 - A/G with a featured critter

Can You Handle the Pressure? - A/G embossing *optional twist "sports"

A Cut Above Die Cut Challenge - use a die cut and start off with a bang

Cut it Up Challenge #307 - Critters (real or fantasy)

Wishing you all a wonderful day and remember to spread the love. Thanks for stopping by!

Carol

Christmas in June

 Today I have a Christmas card that I made with traditional colors. I used a Sizzix Snow Globe embossing folder to emboss a piece of white cardstock, and I colored the raised portions with Copic markers. The Kaiser Craft sentiment was die cut with mirror gold and placed on red and green panels cut with Gina Marie Designs Venetian Label dies, and placed on a matching green card base.

Sharing this with the following challenges:

The Rudolph Days June Challenge  - Christmas

https://rudolphdayschallenges.blogspot.com/2024/06/rudolph-days-june-challenge.html

Can You Handle the Pressure?  - A/G using an embossing folder with an optional twist of sports

https://cyhtp.blogspot.com/2024/06/anything-goes-embossing-with-twist-of.html

Peace on Earth Christmas Challenge #66 - A/G Christmas

https://peaceonearthchristmas.blogspot.com/2024/06/peace-on-earth-challenge-66.html

That's going to be it for me today, but thanks for stopping by and make it a great day! Keep smiling 😉

Carol

Encouragement

I made this card with 3 snippets of pastel cardstock and a WeRMemory Keepers gemstone embossing folder. I placed each embossed piece on a white card base and then added a die-cut MB Arborscello tree and added a few tiny bluebirds done with an IO set of bird dies. The sentiment is by SU! 

I will share this with the following challenges:

The Alphabet Challenge- E is for Embossing wet or Dry

https://alphabetchallengeblog.blogspot.com/2024/05/e-is-for-embossing-wet-or-dry.html

Can You Handle the Pressure? - Use an embossing folder

with an optional twist of using fruits or vegetables

https://cyhtp.blogspot.com/2024/05/anything-goes-embossing-with-twist-of.html

 the Allsorts Challenge #783- Lots of layers or anything goes

https://allsortschallenge.blogspot.com/2024/06/week-783.html

I have no clue why I can no longer link the blog post directly on the text from each challenge, but when I try to do it as I've always done it, it adds a 2nd link, so I've had to put the links underneath the descriptions. I've had a lot of issues with my computer in the previous day and clearly it's still not all resolved. 

Thanks for stopping by and make it a great weekend too!

Carol

Birthday Butterfly

 I found a sketch I wanted to play along with and brought out my Memory Box Vivienne and Darla Butterfly dies along with some polka dot papers to make this card. I die-cut the butterfly from white as well as all the polka dot paper colors and swapped the negatives for a colorful butterfly. I've learned that I'm not as good with swapping those tiny pieces anymore like I once was, and had a difficult time with doing my favorite technique, but I'm OK with the results and hopefully no one will look too closely to see the oopsies! LOL

I used a Cuttlebug Swiss Dots embossing folder for the center panel in keeping with the polka-dot theme and added a pre-printed Simon Says Stamp sentiment and called this one finished.

I'll share this card with the following challenges:

Freshly Made Sketches #636

the Double D challenges - Polka Dots

the Triple B May 2024 challenge - use birds, blooms and/or butterflies

(use one, two, or all three)

Can You Handle the Pressure? May 11, 2024 - A/G using an embossing folder with an optional twist of using flowers.

The Simon Says Stamp Wednesday Challenge - use Patterned Paper

Thanks for stopping by and make it a great day whatever you're doing.

Carol

A Herringbone Birthday Card

 I had quite a few strips of pink and grey cardstock on my desk, so I decided to make a herringbone panel with them. I made an A2 panel and cut it in half to make 2 cards. I'll post the other one in the future.

I die-cut the herringbone panel with a Stitched rectangle die, and then embossed a white panel with a Cuttlebug Cape Cod EF, adding an assortment of die-cut butterflies left over from those strips of pink cardstock. I added some black and grey diamond dots to those butterflies that were left over from a wall hanging project. The sentiment is a pre-printed one from Simon Says Stamp and that's my card for today.

I'll share this card with the following challenges:

The Snippets Playground Challenge #480 - must use snippets

Can You Handle the Pressure May 11th, 2024 Challenge -

A/G using an ef with an optional twist of "flowers."

Wishing all the moms out there a great Mother's day today.

Have a great day and thanks for stopping by.

Carol

Mother's Day Card

We celebrate Mother's day here in the US on May 12th so I made a few cards to send to my friends for the occasion. This one was done with a silver heat-embossed image panel using some very old Verve stamps that I've had for years. I added a tiny pink paper flower and put a rhinestone gem in the center for a little sparkle. The background was done with a Cuttlebug Geometric Rings embossing folder and I dotted the centers with some silver Stickles dots. The pink panel was die-cut with a Gina Marie Designs Venetian Label die.

I'm sharing this card with these challenges:

Simon Says Stamp Wednesday Challenge - make it feminine

The Double D challenge - Pretty Florals for Mom

Shopping our Stash SOS520 - Make a Mother's day Card

Can you Handle the Pressure? Embossing Challenge - A/G using an embossing folder with an optional twist of "feminine."

I need to get my Mother's day cards addressed and mailed as this notable day for Mom is right around the corner! Thanks for the visit and have a fabulous day!

Carol

Black Magic Birthday Card

 I have a friend who is celebrating a milestone birthday today and her favorite color is pink, so I made this card for her. I used some Black Magic cardstock for this. It's black on one side and pale pink on the other. I embossed a piece of the pink side for the card front and embossed another piece of the black side for the sentiment panel and then sanded it so the pink shows through. I used an Anna Griffin embossing folder along with a Gina Marie Designs Venetian label die as well as a Gina Marie Designs sentiment done with pre-embossed white cardstock. I recently completely a candy dots project and had quite a few of the dots left over, so I used several of the pink and black ones on this card instead of gemstones. 

I will share this with

  the Embossing Challenge -

Can you Handle the Pressure? - 

must use an embossing folder with a twist of "feminine."

Thanks for the visit and may you enjoy a crafty and fun-filled day.

Carol

You Amaze Me

Through the kindness and generosity of two wonderful friends, I received this beautiful die-cut image along with the fantastic embossing folder that I used to make this card. I sponged this intricate image lightly with some chalks to add just a touch of color to the eyes and lips and the flowers in her hair, adding some crystal Nuvo drops to the centers. I covered the entire image with clear Wink of Stella and added a tiny eye to the bird with a marker. The SB hand-drawn scallops EF was done on an old blank notecard that belonged to my mother. It was printed with her name at the top so I cut that portion off with a Lil Inker stitched rectangle die.  It has a neutral color and a subtle texture that seemed to work well with everything. The stitched sentiment die is by Gina K Designs and has an Altenew sentiment stamped in chocolate brown. I put everything on a brown cardstock base and called this one done. Thanks to everyone for sharing your wonderful crafting items with me - I'm always grateful for everything!

I'll share this with the Allsorts Challenge Week #775 - the theme is "For the Love of Animals" or - the A/G option. 

the Can You Handle the Pressure? challenge - A/G  embossing

with a twist of "birds." (There is a bird in her hair 😉)

NBUS Challenge for April #61 - never before used schtuff 

(This is the first time I used this EF)

I hope things are well in your corner of the world. I'm patiently waiting for Spring to arrive so that I can start complaining about how hot it is after this long stretch of rainy, gloomy, cold weather! 😏

Keep smiling, and thanks for stopping by!

Carol