Atlantic Hearts Koi Pond

Today's card was made for my dear, kind friend Karen, who graciously mailed me a pile of wonderful dies that she was finished using. My heart was so happy when I opened the envelope. I love all of them, but the one that intrigued me the most was the Koi Fish die. I would have never chosen to buy this one on my own, but after using it today, I absolutely love it. 

Wanting to make a "thank you" card for her, I gathered the dies pictured below (just a few of the ones she sent) and headed over to Atlantic Hearts Sketch Challenge blog for some inspiration.

Their Sketch #700 is one that I love for a fun reason; it features three flowers! I like to make fun of myself sometimes because making a card with three flowers is definitely my "go to" design. However, for this challenge, I instantly thought that the Koi Fish would make a good substitute, as their tails resemble the leaves.

I had to Google the markings of Koi Fish and was surprised that there are so many kinds. The one I made here is the most recognized, and they're the Kohaku variety. I studied their patterns and made several others before feeling like these three were a good representation. 

In addition to the dies pictured above, here is my supply list:

• Stampin' Up! Night of Navy Card Stock
• SU! Tangerine Tango Card Stock
• SU! So Saffron Card Stock
• SU! Azure Afternoon Card Stock
• SU! Pacific Point Card Stock
• Papertrey Spring Rain Card Stock
• Michaels Off White Card Stock
• Michaels Patterned Paper Pack
• Copics Y21, YR09
• Black Micron Pen

It was so much fun making this card! I felt the love that came with the free dies, and it was great to get away from my traditional three flowers and use something new and different. And I learned a bit about Koi Fish along the way!

Thanks again to Karen, and thank you for stopping by. I wish you a wonderful day!

Flowery Birthday For Three Challenges

Today I was inspired by three different challenges and out of that came this sweet, and kind of summer-y, card.

First, I went over to Poppystamps (#psc142) to play along with them, and I found that their challenge this month is "Anything Goes." The only thing you have to do is to include at least one of their products. Easy peasy! Then I check in on Time Out Challenges #322 and found that their theme was "Seasonal Colors Where You Live." Since I'm in Florida, it's still very sunny and green here and the flowers are still in bloom in my yard. And the skies are blue, which is why I added blue in the background.  Lastly, I wanted to play along with Retro Rubber#280 (#rrcb280) and found that they have a sketch challenge, which was perfect to tie all of this together. You always have to use a stamp that's older than a year, and my "celebrate" stamp is one that I picked up at a yard sale over 5 years ago. It's part of a set of many birthday greetings, although I don't know the brand.

The whole idea for this card started when I found the two half-circles (green dots and yellow scallop) in my stash. For the shape in Retro Rubber I thought that a split circle would be nice, and it's a great way to use with flowers from Poppystamps.

Here's my supply list:

• Poppystamps Nordic Flower Bunch Die Set
• Stampin' Up! Lemon Lolly Card Stock
• SU! Daffodil Delight Card Stock
• SU! Cucumber Crush Card Stock
• Michaels 60# White Card Stock
• Unknown Red Rubber Stamp (bought 5 years ago)
• Big Box Blue Dotted Paper
• Papertrey Blueberry Sky Card Stock
• Unknown Green Patterned Paper
• Sizzix Scallop Die
• Newton's Nook Green Dotted Paper
• Versamark Ink
• Michaels Yellow Glitter Embossing Powder

This was a bit of a tedious card to make, but it was a lot of fun. Thanks so much to all of the great challenges out there that really inspire me! And thank you for stopping by! I hope you have a wonderful day! 

Word Art Wednesday 770 & 771 with Gina K. Giveaway!

Hello stamping friends! It's time for another round of fun over at Word Art Wednesday, and this time our $25.00 prize is from a great company called Gina K! I don't have any of her stamps (due to unfortunate financial limitations 😅) but I've seen her on YouTube and not only are her products really great, she has amazing ways of using them. If you get a chance, check out her channel HERE.

And by all means, come over and play along with us! You can use any products that you have, and you are free to use our Word Art like I did here, but you're not obligated to in order to play along. We are always "anything goes!"

When I first saw the scripture for this round, I immediately thought, once again, of making some offering envelopes. On the 5th Sunday of the month, our church collects money for ministries that help the poor, and I thought this would be a great way to save a little and make a donation.

I created three 4" x 7"  envelopes, starting with some 12 x 12 patterned paper. It was a lot of fun doing these because I could use thick pop up dots and lots of embellishments without having to worry about them making it through the mail.

Here is my starting paper:

And here's my supply list:

• Word Art Wednesday Scripture (above)
• Michael's Patterned Paper
• Stampin' Up! Envelope Board Maker
• Forest Green Card Stock (Amazon)*
• Michaels Light Purple Card Stock
• Papertrey Spring Rain Card Stock
• Sizzix Border Dies (559200)
• SU! Faceted Dots
• SU! Gold Thread
• SU! Blushing Bride Card Stock
• Misc. Gold Elastic Twine
• SU! Brushed Brass Butterflies
• Gold Paper from Michaels
• Sizzix Nesting Dies

*I've had the hardest time finding the exact shade of forest green card stock and I finally found some that I love HERE on Amazon. Usually their card stock is on the thin side, but this is great!

I'm really happy to have made these. It's nice to have a special envelope for those times when a special offering comes up!

And here are close-ups of each envelope:

This one has some very fine gold thread behind the scripture. It's hard to see but it's a really fun look!

This one features a gold piece of elastic twine with is good for giving the envelope extra security.

This one is my favorite with the thick embellishments and the little bow.

And before I go, I want to give a shout out to Michaels. I've gotten some amazing deals this year. this 12 x 12 paper pack was on sale for just $5.00. I bought about five others as well. It's so nice to have paper on hand rather than having to run to the store.

We'd love to have you play along with us, so hop on over to Word Art Wednesday and join the fun!

Autumn Birthday Greetings

Here's a quick card I made using Stampin' Up!'s Happy Birthday Gorgeous Stamp Set. I'm working my way through some of my older sets to see if I want to keep them or if I'm ready to pass them on. I'm on the fence with this one. I'm not crazy about the flowers. They're cute, but tedious to cut out. However, the sentiments are stunning. I'm thinking of hanging on to this one just for them.

I used various patterned papers, card stocks and Copic markers on this. What I really love about it is the bow. It's always so fun to add something unexpected like that on a card, even if it does cost a little more to send.

I really like being able to make seasonal cards as well. It's hard to find an Autumn Birthday card in the store, so I'm grateful to be able to create things like this!

Thanks so much for stopping by and have a wonderful day!

Simple Crochet Lap Blanket

Today I just finished a very simple lap blanket. That will be perfect for a gentleman in a nursing home. Despite how easy it was to make, I really love how the finished product turned out.

I started by choosing three different kinds of yarn that went well together. They were yarns that I had in my stash, so it cost virtually nothing to make this.

The pattern begins with a simple chain stitch, and then I double crocheted straight back across. I didn’t count my rose, and the number was a little off, but I was able to fix it and make it square when I put the border on.

After my foundation, chain and double crocheting, I simply did. Three double crochets, chain 2, then three double crochets all the way across. The next row, I did a row of solid double crochets all the way across. That was using the yellow yarn.

For the repeat pattern, I simply double crocheted all the way across in the taupe colored yarn. Then I came back across with a single crochet in the off-white, and finished that section with an another row of double crochets all the way across.

Super simple! And yet choosing the colors gives you so much flexibility to mix and match and make a blanket for any season.

I did the border with the off-white yarn. Unfortunately, it was Red  Heart’s cheapest yarn. The border was so hard and stiff with this yarn that I stopped at just a few rows. If it was soft, I would’ve put a thicker border on.

It's my hope that this will make a nice blanket for someone who needs a little extra warmth and love this season.

Thanks so much for stopping by and have a wonderful day!

Lawn Fawn Giveaway at Word Art Wednesday

Welcome to another round of wonderful prizes over at Word Art Wednesday! This time our sponsor is none other than the wonderful Lawn Fawn! If you've been stamping for even a short while, you'll not doubt recognize their adorable little critters and whimsical scenes. They're giving away a $25.00 gift certificate to anything in their store, so grab some stamps (thety don't have to be the Lawn Fawn brand) and join in the fun! Our challenges are always anything goes! 

One of my favorite sets from Lawn Fawn is called Making Frosty Friends. I have so much fun each time I use these adorable snowmen. What makes this set special is all the fun components that there are to work with. The mittens and top hat are my favorites.

I created two cards with this set. The pink will be perfect for one of those times when you need to send a wintery card past Christmas because the sentiment is perfect for anytime in the winter.

Here's my supply list for these:

• Lawn Fawn Making Frosty Friends Stamp Set
• Lawn Fawn All That Sparkles Background Paper (Pink Card)
• Lawn Fawn Merry Messages Stamp Set
• Lawn Fawn 
• Memento Black Ink
• Copic Markers
• Michaels Card Stock
• Stampin Up! Patterned Paper
• SU! Real Red Card Stock
• Washi Tape
• White Embossing Powder 

And of course, we always have a beautiful scripture for you to use if you would like. Here is the one for this round:

We would love to have you join us and hopefully you’ll even win the $25 prize! Thanks so much for stopping by, and have a wonderful day!

A Quick Cross Stitch Butterfly

Today I finally finished a project that I have been working on for just about 10 days. It all started at the Dollar Tree when I bought this frame. It’s cute enough by itself, but I thought why not put a cross stitch piece inside of it. I went searching on Etsy for the pattern that seemed best to fit it. I chose an inexpensive one and you can find it HERE. However, I only loosely followed it. I did the main flower and then spun the other flowers around. Then I free stitched the leaves to make them fill in the spaces that I needed them to. Lastly, I added some background stitches to give it a little more dimension.

I really felt in a way like I was stamping a card when I made this. Of course it took a lot longer, but the creative process felt very much the same.

If anyone is interested, here is the process that I used:

After finding the frame and choosing the Aida cloth, I traced the outside of the frame on the fabric so that I could see where to stitch. I knew I had about 3/4 of an inch leeway around the edges.

Then, after finding the pattern on Etsy, I downloaded it and then uploaded it to Canva, roughly guessing the size that it was. I then took a picture of the butterfly, uploaded that to Canva, and then did a background remover and laid the two photos over top of one another. I was pretty close, although not perfect with my sizing.

When I was finished the stitching, I trimmed the fabric just inside the tracing line that I did. I then use the button hole maker stitch on my sewing machine to secure the edges.

Lastly, I placed the finished piece on the back of the butterfly. Using a staple gun, I stapled the fabric directly into the frame. It was really easy to do this. I wasn’t sure about it until I tried. Sometimes frames like this are made with resin and it’s very difficult to staple. But this seems to be a wood composite and it worked well.

It was a fun piece to stitch, and even though it was a bit of a challenge getting the flowers just right, I think it looks really good. It’s a great little addition to my wall.

Thanks so much for stopping by, and have a wonderful day!

Word Art Wednesday With Pink & Main

Welcome back to another addition of Word Art Wednesday! This round we have an amazing sponsor: Pink  & Main! This company is very near and dear to my heart, as their headquarters are less than an hour from my home. I’ve been there several times and the place is an absolute Disneyland for paper crafters. However, if you’re not close, their website is just as good! And this time they’re offering $25.00 Gift card to spend anywhere in their store!

Before I go any further, I also would really encourage you to get on their mailing list. The card that I made today is an Easter card because I wanted to use current products in the catalog. However, I have so many wonderful stamps and dies from them that are for autumn. The reason I didn’t use them for this project is because they are discontinued and for that reason I would encourage you to get on their mailing list, is that I got amazing deals from them! In fact, the scalloped frame die that I did use for this project is still available on clearance for just $6.00. They are truly a wonderful company!

In fact, if you're looking for some amazing deals, click HERE and it should take you to some of their other great die deals. (I'm such a sucker for a bargain!) I do believe I'll have to pick up a few more before they're gone!

Now onto the card…

Like I said, I chose this card because it is a stamp and die set that is still in their lineup. I also really like how big and bold the sentiments are. It was really fun coloring in these delightful floral images as well.

Here’s my complete supply list:Michaels Card Stock

• Pink & Main Easter Joy Stamp Set
• Pink & Main Easter Joy Dies
• Pink & Main Dotted Cover Die (ON CLEARANCE NOW)
• Copic Markers
• Stampin’ Up! Patterned Paper

This was a really fun and easy card to make. Pink and Main products are just like that! So grab your crafting supplies and hop on over to Word Art Wednesday and join us for this round!

And one last picture of me and my mom. It was taken a few years ago down at. Pink & Main’s store. This was such a fun day!

Hang In There, Sweetie

Today's card is a quickie that was made by the "grab a set" process. That is, I blindly grab a set from my stash and create a card from it.

The set I grabbed is a Stampin' Up! set that goes way back, but it's one I still love. Coloring in these flowers is so much fun!

Here's my complete supply list:

• White Card Stock
• Michaels Pink Card Stock
• Stampin' Up! Bordering on Romance Stamp Set
• Memento Tuxedo Black Ink
• Copics
• SU! Patterned Paper
• Sizzix Round and Scalloped Dies
• My Favorite Things Oval Die
• Sentiment from Warm Fuzzies (Impression Obsession)

I kept this card flat without any dimensionals or gems to try to save a little money on postage. It's a quickie that's simple, but it's still fun to make something that will hopefully make someone smile.

I'm starting to do this "grab a set" process because so often I overlook sets and I want to challenge myself to use something out of the ordinary.

Thanks so much for stopping by and have a wonderful day! 

Happy Gotcha Day, Maggie!

It may seem impossible to imagine, but I have actually discovered a theme that I am totally unable to find a rubber stamp for. I have looked high and low for a “gotcha day” sentiment for a dog or cat. With all of the rubber stamps out there, and there are tens of thousands, I could not locate the first one to celebrate Maggie’s special day on the 30th of this month.

Thankfully, I was able to use a few resources that I had and come up with a pretty cool card to celebrate the occasion.

I started by asking ChatGPT to create a cartoon image of a photo of Maggie that I uploaded. I love how that turned out. I used an oval die to cut out her image, then I framed it by cutting a larger green oval for the mat. Choosing from the colors of the image, I used Stampin’ Up!’s Early Espresso card stock for the background and Bazzill orange paper for the letters. The dies used to cut. The letters are from stamping up also.

I know that I had the sentiments “Happy” and “Day” somewhere in my stash, but I was unable to easily find them, so I simply printed out those words on Speckletone Oatmeal card stock. To tie it all together, I used strips of plaid paper and finished it off with some gold Stickles. 

If you have a Golden Retriever in your life and would like to use this image, feel free to snag it below. I made a few changes and put it on a cute background. I’m sure Maggie won’t mind! 

Here's the free digi. As always:

1. Snag it to your desktop or photos.
2. Put it in a Word or Pages Document.
3. Resize it to the size card you want to make.
4. Print it out, either at home or at a copy center. 

I hope you enjoy the freebie! Remember that all images are for personal use only, please! Thanks for stopping by my blog today and have a wonderful day!

A Tropical Card for Two Challenges

I was inspired by two challenges today. First, over at Retro Rubber #278 (#rrcb278) their theme is to make a tropical card. And today is a perfect day for that. Right now it's 92 degrees out with a "feels like" temp of 95. Thankfully it's cool in my craft room. I was also inspired by the sketch challenge over at Sunday Stamps #392 (ssc392) they have a sketch challenge featuring a frame. Perfect combo!

When I saw the word "tropical" I immediately thought of the old stamp set called Tropical Chic from 2018. It's such a fun set and I have the dies and matching paper too. It was fun to pull it all out. The ounly disappointing thing is that I didn't have any Blushing Bride ink. And after die cutting the center and mounting it on Blushing Bride DSP, I feel like the flowers don't match like I had hoped. Oh well. It's still a fun and festive card.

Here's my complete supply list:

• Michaels White Card Stock
• Stampin' Up! Tropical Chic Stamp Set (2018)
• SU! Tropical Thinlit Dies
• SU! Tropical Escape Paper
• SU! Pineapple Punch Ink
• Memento Orange Ink
• SU! Calypso Coral Ink
• SU! Polished Pink Ink'
• SU! Shaded Spruce Ink & Card Stock
• SU! Parakeet Party Card Stock & Ink

It was great to use this set again, as it's really been too long. Thanks to everyone for putting these great challenges together. And thanks so much for stopping by. I hope you have a wonderful day!

Vintage West Rindge Pie Basket

One thing it seems that I can't have too many of is vintage baskets. So when I was browsing around the Salvation Army this morning, this one definitely caught my eye. And after snagging it for just $5.99 and doing some digging online, it turns out it was a fantastic buy. 

The company that made this was called West Rindge Baskets, Inc. in Rindge, New Hampshire. They were in business from 1925 to 2005. In 1976 the company produced about 30,000 baskets a year. Despite the large number, they're still somewhat valuable today. After looking on eBay and Etsy they run around 40.00 plus shipping. I don't buy them for resale, but it's still nice to know that I got a good deal!

Once home, I simply used a slightly damp washcloth and some Murphy's Oil Soap Spray. It cleaned up the wood slats beautifully, especially on the top where dust had settled over so many years.

This is just one of several basket companies in the New England area that have since closed down. Basketville in Putney, Vermont was one of my favorites.  It's wonderful to think of the contribution that these weavers brought to our lives. In fact, this basket was much cherished by what was probably its original owner, L. Frakes, as she or he carved their name prominently on the top of the basket. In the past, I've tried to sand down the name of the original owner, especially if it was written in pen, but this carving seem to make this piece more special.

My bonus basket is the round one. It was only $3.99, not a steal, but I liked it enough to pick it up too. There is something about the small vines or branches that it's woven with that fascinates me. I like picking up baskets like this even if I don't have an immediate use for them. They often come in handy for gift baskets or for giving a dozen muffins to someone. A basket and a homemade card just seem to make it so much more special.

I really love this bonus basket too. In fact, it would probably be perfect to hold a pie plate
after it has cooled down from the oven. It was definitely pie day for me!

Inside the basket.

The West Rindge basket is a pie carrier because there is a stand inside so that you can take 2 pies along with you. I would be doing an amazing job if I took one homemade pie to a potluck, but perhaps times were different back then.

I'm not going to be using it for pies, for I'd much rather bring cookies or cake to an event, but it's a perfect addition to my greeting card shelf. In fact, I've been wanting to redo my card storage area, and this was a perfect reason to get busy with the. In the picture below it's on the bottom shelf on the left. Inside are a bunch of Christmas cards that all too soon I'll be pulling out to send. Until then, I love knowing that this little bit of Americana is now at home with me!

Here's the basket on my shelf. I keep my cards organized in them and since
it's right next to my computer and Rolodex (yes, I still love and use that) it's 
really easy to reach for a card when I need one!

Thanks so much for stopping by and have a wonderful day!

{PIN}spirational Challenge #340

This challenge over at {PIN}spirational Challenges was so perfect for me right now. First of all, instead of only accepting cards and paper crafts, Deanne and her team open the challenge to all kinds of creations, including crochet! 

When I saw the challenge pin with the wavy peach and jade stripes, I knew exactly what I wanted to make, even though I've never done this crochet stitch before. I've seen it around and have always wanted to try it, so this was my perfect opportunity. It's called the Rolling Waves pattern and I followed the YouTube Video by Bella Crochet. 

The really cool thing is that I had all the yarn in my stash so I didn't need to buy anything for this project.

I have to say, while looking at the picture, it looks like I did a good job, but the truth is, I didn't. It was so difficult getting the rows to line up and any times I was really off. Then oddly enough, other times I felt like I was off, but wasn't. I really need a lot more practice here!

The Inspiration from Pinterest.

After finishing the project, I looked at the Pinterest Inspiration Picture and decided it needed a bit more sparkle. I didn't have any sparkly yarn, so I added some white Caron Latte Cake Yarn that has a bit of fuzziness to it. Then I decided to add a ruffle around the edges and I used a skein of Caron Simply Soft that I picked up at the thrift store.

I got the Red Heart yarn at the
Dollar Tree for just $5.00. The blue
was a leftover that I never thought
I'd use. 

I'm so glad to have stumbled upon this challenge, especially this month. If you've never played over at {PIN}spirational Challenges, you're in for a treat, especially if you like to make a variety of things. Be sure to them them out!

Thanks so much for stopping by and have a wonderful day!

I added a little sparkle by crocheting right on top of the blanket after it was made by using a technique
called Surface Crocheting. It was the first time I tried it and it's pretty easy. The link I followed on YouTube is HERE.

Turn Junk Mail Into Snail Mail

When I reached in the mailbox this morning and grabbed this lone piece of mail (pictured below), my first thought was "trashcan." But after looking at the picture, I couldn't let that happen. It's a great photo from some rural place, although now you never know if it was AI generated or nor. Either way, I was holding in my hand a really nice photo that someone else would love to get in their mailbox. So off to my craft room I went.

After trimming the words away, I mounted the picture on Stampin' Up!'s Cherry Cobbler card stock. Using a Sizzix die, I cut out two borders and glued them on the back. Then I glued the piece down on SU!'s Night of Navy card stock. I made sure to leave room for the sentiment, which I stamped using a Tim Holtz stamp and SU! Night of Navy ink.

If you don't have any fancy supplies, not worries. You can pick up a couple of sheets of paper from your local craft store and hand write your sentiments in. Making a handmade card is more about the love and time that goes into it than perfection. 

I really think that a Veteran would love getting this on his or her birthday. I'm waiting for just the right person to send it to.

From now on, I'm going to think twice before I step on the lever to open the trash can. Perhaps there's a card just waiting to be made.

Thanks so much for stopping by and have a wonderful (and crafty) day!

Sunflower Season For Word Art Wednesday

It's Wednesday again, and over at Word Art Wednesday for weeks 764 and 765 we have another great challenge going on. This time our sponsor is Stamp Simply and they're giving away a $25.00 gift to their shop! But you don't have to use their products to play along with us for this challenge. It's always "anything goes," so grab your stamps and join in the fun!

For my card this round I used the Stamp Simply Sunflower Season Stamps and colored them with Copic Markers. Fussy cutting them out was fun for me! Then I mounted them on Papertrey's Spring Rain card stock. The sentiment is from the same set, and the bird is from Stampin' Up!'s Everything Eleanor stamp set. The burlap was in my miscellaneous stash box. It's fairly wide, so I folded and ironed it flat. It just seemed fitting for sunflowers!

We'd love to have you join us over at Word Art Wednesday, and maybe you'll even win some free stuff!

Thanks so much for stopping by, and have a wonderful day!

Big Butterfly for Two Challenges

Today's card was made for two challenges. First, over at Tic Tac Toe Challenge #298, Felicita has a lot of great choices on the board. I chose the diagonal column from right to left, which includes a butterfly, free space and a border. Then over at Triple B's August Challenge, Darlene and Diane have a mood board that you can follow, or you can just make a card with a bird, bloom or butterfly. Those are always good choices for sure!

Here's my supply list:

• Michaels Black Card Stock
• Stampin' Up! Delightful Dijon Card Stock
• SU! Swallowtail Butterfly Stamp
• Bo Bunny Patterned Paper
• SU! Square Scalloped Die
• Simon Says Stamp Preprinted Sentiment
• Copics Y11, Y13, Y21, YR15, YR23

I was going to make this a sympathy card, but hubby said he really liked it so I changed the sentiment and it's going to be hanging in his office. That always makes me feel good! Plus, this is a 5 x 7 card and the butterfly is still hanging over the edges, so not having to mail it is a plus.

Thanks so much for stopping buy today, and be sure to check out these great challenges! Happy crafting! 

Cross Stitch Quilt Blocks for Independence Day

I created this project because I wanted a larger cross stitch  piece for the Fourth of July to hang on the wall. I love stitching quilt blocks, and when I found THIS ONE ON ETSY, I knew it was perfect. What I really like about it is that it only has four colors.

I had high hopes of finishing this by the 4th of July, but here we are on August 2nd. That's not too bad! 

The frame and matting is from Michaels. The mats were a set that were on clearance for just $4.00, and they matched the size and colors perfectly. The frame was just $14.00. I would love to have my stuff professionally framed, but right now that seems like too great of an expense. Perhaps someday!

I'll have one more 4th of July cross stitch finish to share before the end of the summer. 

I hope you're doing well and that you have a wonderful day. Thanks so much for stopping by!

Guest Designing at Poppy Stamps

Hi there card making friends! I'm excited today to be guest designing over at the Poppy Stamps Challenge Blog. I'm new to their products, but am so excited to share with you the cute things I've recently discovered.

The theme this time is "Let's Go. Travel," and that's just what my little penguin is doing. He's on his way to his brother's house to deliver some really fun balloons!

Here are the items I've used to create this fun scene:

Poppy Stamps Joyride Car Die

Poppy Stamps Fancy Party Penguin Die

Poppy Stamps Brilliant Birthday Balloons Die

Poppy Stamps Happy Birthday Tender Script Die

For my papers, I've used Michaels and Stampin' Up! brand card stock. The chrome paper is from Joann's. The balloons are embossed with a Darice folder.

I have to say that I really thing this is the cutest card that I've ever made. The penguins (I have another that isn't on the front here) and other products are so versatile. I'm planning on using them not only for birthdays but for Christmas too. 

If you're not familiar with Poppy Stamps, you'll love seeing all of the wonderful things that they offer. So much cuteness in one place! Be sure to check them out!

Thanks so much for stopping by and I hope you have a wonderful day!

Flower Salad For 3 Challenges

Today's card turned out quite a bit busier than I had hoped. You know when you go to a salad bar and get a little of this and a little of that and before you know it your plate is way too full. That's kind of what happened with this card.

I started by trying to case the Atlantic Hearts Sketch Challenge #692. Needing more inspiration, I jumped over to Retro Rubber to play along with their Tic-Tac-Toe Board (#rrcb277) and puling it all together I chose the colors to go along with the Color Dare Challenge #714. 

Since it's so heavy on die cuts, I wanted to use an official "retro rubber" stamp set for this rather than just stamping on any sentiment, so I chose a really fun favorite called "Wonderful Favorites" from 2008. Looking at the photo, the words could be a little darker. But that's one thing that I don't miss about wood block stamps-you can't use them on a Misti to get a darker image unless you peel them off and that seems like a sticky mess. I used Memento Black ink, but it still seems like it could have benefited from a couple more layers of ink.

Anyway, here's my supply list:

• White Card Stock Base
• Bo Bunny Patterned Paper
• Big Box Patterned Paper
• Spellbinders Bold Blooms Dies
• Stampin' Up! Wonderful Favorites Stamp Set (2008)
• Stampin' Up! Flirty Flamingo Card Stock
• SU! Calypso Coral Card Stock
• SU! Pool Party Card Stock
• SU! Pretty Peacock Card Stock
• Black Card Stock
• SU! Brushed Brass Butterfly Dies

Even though I got a crazy card from this, I'm pretty happy with it. Experience is the best teacher! Next time I'll use about half of the flowers that I cut! Thanks so much for stopping by and have a wonderful day!

Color Dare Challenge #713

Happy Friday to all you stampers out there! Today's card was made especially for the Color Dare Challenge #713. Even though it's not an amazing card, I absolutely love it because it's definitely one that I would have never created without a challenge.

The colors I chose for my project are Stampin' Up!'s Fresh Freesia, Soft Seafoam and Lemon Lolly. I used both ink and card stock. For the ink, I dabbed each color in a row on an acrylic block, gave it a spritz of water and stamped it on white card stock. It's amazing how different each one looks.

The one in this card wasn't my first choice, but here's what happened. I had to stamp the swirl twice, one on the tri-colored paper and one on the background. However, you have to line them up perfectly or else your top colored piece will be crooked, which is what happened to me. I still like how it all looks.

Here's my complete supply list:

• Stampin' Up! Falling Flowers Stamp Set & Dies
  
• SU! Fresh Freesia Card Stock & Ink
• SU! Lemon Lolly Card Stock & Ink
• SU! Soft Seafoam Card Stock & Ink
• Memento Tuxedo Black Ink
• Michael's Black Card Stock
• Black Gems (unknown brand)
• Birthday Sentiment (gifted unknown brand)

The Color Dare has so many fun challenges and usually has two going on at one time, so if you're looking for a challenge, be sure to check them out!

Thanks so much for stopping by and have a wonderful day!