Anemone Birthday for The Flower Challenge

Hello friends!  The Flower Challenge returns for 2025 and this month we're looking to feature pink on your floral cards.  

The Flower Challenge

 

I went all in for some vibrant pinks on my card!

I started by coloring the Anemone Wreath from Simon Says Stamp.  It's a large stamp, roughly 5" x 5 1/2", and it does not come with a die, so when I was done coloring, I starting fussy cutting it. There are more leaves that complete circle but they have single line stems, so I omitted them and ended up with two sprays to edge the opposing sides of a white die cut octagon panel.

I then embossed an A7 panel of Dragonfruit cardstock with the Tufted folder (I'm so in love with that one!) then adhered the white panel, florals and the sentiment.  I know the photo makes the bottom half on the panel look less embossed but that's just a trick of the lighting.  The folder is equally embossed on the entire panel.  I had plenty of open space on the octagon so I thought some sparkly gems would be appropriate to complete card.

Won't you come join us this month?  Time to get back to florals!  My lovely and talented teammates have oodles of inspiration for you over on the challenge blog (linked above) and I'll be back on the 15th with a reminder card.  The challenge is open until the 25th of the month and we'd love to see your card in the gallery!

Thanks for stopping by!

Stef

• Simon Says Stamp Anemone Wreath
• Honey Bee Stamps Birthday Wishes stamps and dies
• Pinkfresh Studio Blanket Stitched Octagon die
• Spellbinders Tufted ef
• Concord & 9th Dragonfruit cardstock
• SSS Taffy Dazzling Gems
• Olos - RV1.7, 1.5, 1.3, 1.1, YG1.6, 1.4, 1.2

Hugs & Kisses for The Paper Players

Hello friends! It's Sunday and time for a new challenge at The Paper Players.  This week, the lovely Ann has chosen a theme of love to start off the month of February.

The Paper Players

 

The stamp set I used for this card is not new but it was unused until I was reminded of it and inspired by the lovely and talented Donna Mikasa when she posted this card. I initially used the stamp set for my card posted here yesterday and had so much fun making it that I created another with a slightly different layout for this challenge.

I started with the stamp set, which has three stamps that create different designs on nine hearts.  I then used the matching die to cut them all out.  I did this twice, once with the reds and once with the aquas.  

I thought I would layer them on a panel sprayed with Distress Mica spray but it was too busy.  So I searched through my unused embossed panels and decided on one with a wavy pattern, using the debossed side for adding the hearts.  All the layers were added to the card base with foam tape, including the hearts and sentiment, which is from the same stamp set.  Easy peasy (kind of) and I'll be sending this one off to one of my grandsons.  All three of my grands are adults but they still like getting Vday cards from their grandmother. 😍 

Thanks so much for stopping by. I hope you'll take a moment to visit the challenge blog (linked above) and see all the amazing cards the rest of the DT created.  The challenge remains open until Friday February 7th at 3pm EST and we hope to see your card in the gallery!

Take care!

Stef

• Simon Says Stamp Printmaking Hearts stamps and dies
• Stampin' Up Seaside embossing folder (ret.)
• Spellbinders Postage Edge Rectangle die
• Shiny Bauble Distress Mica Spray
• SSS Guava, Watermelon, Cherry, Seafoam, Surf and Ocean inks

A Valentine for Color Hues

Hello friends!  Did the month of January fly by as quickly for you as it did for me?  Wow!  But the good news is that it's time for a new challenge at Color Hues! The amazing Tracey will be hosting for the next two weeks and has chosen the timely colors of red and pink.

Color Hues

We are also excited to share with you that we are partnering up this challenge with the Inkspirational Challenge!

Inkspirational Challenge

 

Inkspirational is a two-week challenge that features a rotation of: Word Prompt, Designer's Choice, Mood Board, Clean and Simple, Use Stencils and Seasonal.  We are teaming up together in order to perhaps introduce challenge participants of both to another challenge that maybe they weren't familiar with.  We hope you'll play along with us by linking up to both challenges!  

I'm also playing along with the lovelies over at the Time Out Challenge, where they have a fun new challenge called Pick Two.  I've chosen heart and layers.

TOC #281

So, now after all that, let's get on to the card!

A little back story here too...I purchased this stamp set last year but never used it.  I was reminded of it and inspired by the lovely and talented Donna Mikasa where she shared this card for CH101.  And since it was hearts, I knew it would make the perfect Valentine card for Tracey's pink and red challenge.

I started by stamping the hearts with the three layering stamps that create nine hearts with different designs, six of which you can see above.  I just love that!  And then there is a single die that cuts them all out.  

I decided to make a square card, so I cut a white panel that was large enough to include the sentiment in the middle, layered that panel on a black mat, which was added to the pink scallop square and popped up on a white 5"x 5" card base.  Rather than add embellishments, I painted the hearts with a shimmer pen then covered them with glossy accents to make them shiny and pretty!  This card will be heading off to my granddaughter in Oregon (yes, my adult grands still like getting Valentine's from me lol!).

So what are you inspired to create with these colors?  It doesn't have to be a Vday card, just as long as it includes pink, red and neutrals of your choice.  For an abundance of incredible inspiration, please visit both challenge blogs (linked above) to see what our two very talented design teams and guest designer Trina Phan, have created.  

The CH challenge will remain open until 9 am EST February 14th. We hope to see your card in the gallery and don't forget to link up over at Inkspirational too!

Stef

• Simon Says Stamp Printmaking Hearts stamps and dies
• SSS Love You Greetings stamp and die
• Pink and Main Layered Square dies
• Hero Arts Nested Scallop Square dies
• SSS Guava, Watermelon and Cherry inks
• C&9th Pink Lemonade cardstock
• Glossy Accents

Season's Greetings for The Paper Players

Hello friends!  The Paper Players has a new challenge starting today and we welcome you to play along.  The amazing Joanne is hosting our monthly sketch challenge, and she's created a great one.

The Paper Players

 

I took this opportunity to add to my small stash for the 2025 holidays with a quick and easy card.  In fact, so easy that I made two!

I did use some "artistic license" with the layered section in the middle but hopefully Joanne will give me a pass lol!

I started with two panels of white and used the same colors on both to stamp the design using Concord & 9th's Turnabout jib and specifically designed stamps.  After the panels were stamped, I die cut the coordinating layered sentiment and some leaves.  I thought the card needed a little something more, so I used a fluted border die to create the decorative edges.

The panels were added to white card bases, then the sentiment and leaves centered in the middle and added with some foam tape.  To finish things off, I used a shimmer pen to paint sparkle on the leaves, frame and sentiment. Unfortunately, my camera didn't capture the sparkle in the photos.

How are you inspired to use this sketch?  For more inspiration, I encourage you to head over to the challenge blog linked above and see what my talented teammates have created!  The challenge remains open until 3pm EST Friday, January 31st.  

Hope to see your card in the gallery!

Stef

• C&9 Holly Berry Turnabout stamps and dies
• C&9 Turnabout jig
• Spellbinders Fluted Classics Rectangle die
• C&9 Evergreen, Cranberry and Tidepool cardstock

Special Delivery for The Paper Players

Happy Sunday, friends!  We have a new challenge at The Paper Players and this week the lovely Jaydee is hosting our CAS challenge with a postage theme.

The Paper Players

It's a great theme given that postal cards have been trending for a couple of years.  For my card, I used an older stamp from Stamping Bella.

That sweet little owl was stamped then colored with Copic markers. I ended up fussy cutting her so I could place her on the background stenciled with clouds.  The card design was inspired by this recent You Tube video by Jill Foster for Penny Black.  

I cut a panel to roughly 3.25" x 4.25", then stenciled it and added it to the white card base.  I cut a 1/8th inch strip of red cardstock, then adhered it next to the stenciled panel. The sentiment was stamped and die cut, then both the owl and the sentiment were added with thin foam squares.  Lastly, three tiny hearts die cut from the same red cardstock were adhered around the sentiment.  Super quick and easy card!

For more inspiration, please head over to the Paper Players blog and check out what my talented teammates have created!  The challenge remains open until Friday, January 24th at 3pm EST. Hope to see your card in the gallery!

Thanks for stopping by and take care!

Stef

• Stamping Bella Special Delivery stamp
• Hero Arts You're Mine stamps and dies
• Taylored Expressions Hang-On Hearts die
• MFT Rolling Clouds stencil
• Salvaged Patina Distress Ink
• SSS Schoolhouse Red cardstock
• Copics - E29, 37, 33, 31, 30, R46, 14, BG49, 13, 11

There's Snow Buddy Like You

Hello friends!  I'm here to share a card that I made for the current challenge at Just Us Girls.  They have a terrific winter mood board for inspiration. 

And I have a fun little winter card that I made recently using the January 2025 card kit from Simon Says Stamp.

Isn't he the cutest little yeti?  I had so much fun putting this card together.  I started by stamping and Copic coloring the trees, mountains, yeti and the two hearts, one that he's holding and one up by the sentiment.  Everything was die cut with the matching dies and the neat thing is that the yeti die cuts his hands so that you can insert little items like the heart I used.  The sentiment is also from the same set.

Next I used a piece of patterned paper that looks like snow falling for the background, then layered on a "snow hill" that had been die cut with a hillside border.  I left enough room to tuck in the mountains and tree, then added the trees and yeti.  I used Copic markers to add a touch of blue shadow atop the hills and underneath the yeti and two trees.  The sentiment and little heart were added and I called it done.

Thanks for taking a look and I hope you have a great weekend!

Stef

I also invite you to come on by tomorrow when my new Paper Players card goes live.

• SSS Get Yeti stamps and dies
• Honey Bee Stamps Horizon Slimline Borders die
• Photoplay Yeti for Winter Custom patterned paper
• Copics - R39, 37, 35, 20, G29, 17, 05, BG78, 75, 72, 000, 0000, E29, 37, 33

Rupert Says HB2U for Color Hues

Hello friends!  Today I'm sharing my card for the new challenge at Color Hues. I am hosting for the next two weeks and have chosen the color combo navy and lime green.  

Color Hues

I'm also sharing over at Simon Says Stamp Monday Challenge where the theme this week is to add texture and at A Cut Above, where it is always anything goes with dies and this month has an optional theme "New".  This is a new challenge to me, so I think that might fit the theme??  

My card uses Rupert, the cute dragon die set from Tim Holtz.  I first saw this die a year ago when my lovely teammate Carol used it for her CH card linked here.  I was so smitten with her card, and Rupert, that I eventually found the set on sale and he came home to my craft room.  And now he's going to be on a birthday card for one of my two young great nephews.

Rupert is a rather large die so he ended up on an A7 card.  I started by die cutting all the parts of the dragon from navy, lime green and a small amount of gray cardstock.  I cut enough to make two dragons (the other will go on a card for donation), so when I put together the second one, it was much easier than figuring out the first one lol!

For the background I ink blended lime green, dark blue and black inks with a halo effect, then splattered it with white iridescent spray.  While that dried, the balloons, letters and number were all die cut from holographic cardstock.

I added two additional layers of scrap cardstock under Rubert, cutting away a bit of the layers under his neck so the twine would not create a bump under him.  The balloons were added with thin foam tape and the ends of the twine were glued to his hands (I guess that's what they are??? ;-)), then the sentiment was added to the right side to complete the card.

So what are you inspired to create with these colors?  There are so many possibilities, as my incredibly talented teammates and Guest Designer Esther will show you over on the challenge blog, so please pop over and see their fabulous creations!  The challenge will remain open until 9 am Wednesday January 29th, and I hope to see your card in the gallery!

Thanks for visiting and take care!

Stef

• Tim Holtz/Sizzex Rubert and Vault Seasonal Sketches (letters and number) dies
• MFT Balloon Stax dies
• Simon Says Stamp Limelicious and Galaxy inks; Black Soot Distress ink
• Concord & 9th Midnight and Sprout cardstock; SSS Holographic cardstock
• Lawn Fawn Silver Baker's Twine
• Hero Arts White Iridescent Spray

Azalea Bunch for The Paper Players

Hello friends! The team at The Paper Players is all ready to go for 2025 and our first challenge of the year, hosted by the lovely Elizabeth, starts today!  It's color week and she's selected three wonderful colors.  And neutrals are welcome too.

The Paper Players

These colors definitely made me think of flowers and Spring, so that's the direction I took with this challenge.

I used products from many crafty manufacturers to create this.  The flowers were part of the Stamptember 2024 collaboration with Altenew and Simon Says Stamp. I have oodles of floral stamps but no azaleas until this stamp set made its way into my craft room.

I started by stenciling the stamped image with Altenew inks (listed below), then using the matching die to cut it out.  The background panel was die cut from white using a Honey Bee Stamps layering frame die, then I softly ink blended some orange in the middle so that it would highlight the floral arrangement.  It was then layered on a panel of Concord & 9th Clementine cardstock and added to the card base.  The floral image was added onto two additional die cut layers, then arranged on the card, along with fussy cut the sentiment to finish things off.

I hope to see your card in our gallery this week and definitely encourage you to visit the challenge blog for more inspiration and ideas from my talented teammates!  The challenge remains open until Friday 1/17 at 3pm EST.

Thanks for visiting and take care!

Stef

• Simon Says Stamp/Altenew Azalea Bunch stamp, die and stencils
• Stampendous Birthday Messages stamp set
• Honey Bee Stamps Spring Vine Layering Frame die
• Altenew inks - Pink Diamond, Pinkalicious, Rubellite, Snapdragon, Firefly, Green Field, Shadow Creek and Mountain Pine
• White gel pen 

Take Care for Color Hues

Happy New Year, friends!  To start off 2025, we have a new challenge at Color Hues, where the lovely Sheri has chosen a beautiful combination of red and kraft.

Color Hues

I thought I would use an older illlustrated panel by Emily Midgett for this challenge. I don't believe Emily sells these anymore but she has many, many stamps she's illustrated for Simon Says Stamp and other companies, which she shares through her blog posts (blog linked HERE).  At any rate, rather than have these panels continue to collect dust (figuratively - they're stored in a cabinet lol!), I decided I would use them more frequently, when I could, and this color combination was a perfect place to start.

Using three different groups of reds, I colored the two flowers and the grapes with Copic markers and one Olo marker.  I used Olos for the leaves because the light browns are much closer to kraft than I could achieve with my Copics.  I love the drama I can get when coloring with those reds.

After the coloring was complete, I used a rectangle die to trim down the panel.  I added some Latte ink blending around the edges, then followed that by edging with gold then adding splatter.

While that dried, I die cut the sentiment from gold and layered it on a second white layer for just a tiny bit of dimension.  It was adhered to the vellum shadow die cut then added to the now dry panel.  I added two additional panels of scrap cardstock under the colored image for a small amount of lift off the white card base.

Thanks so much for stopping by and I do hope you'll make time to join us for our first challenge of 2025!  I encourage you to visit the challenge blog (linked above) to see the stunning creations by my oh, so talented teammates and our guest designer, Stephanie Severin!  The challenge will remain open until 9 am Tuesday 1/14.

Take care!

Stef

• Emily Midgett Illustrated Panel
• Altenew Stylish Greetings die set
• Simon Says Stamp Latte ink
• SSS Matte Gold cardstock
• Gansi Tambi Starry Colors gold metallic paint
• Copics - (R39, 37, 35, 32), (R59, 46, 27, 14), (R89, 59, 85)
• Olos - YO 4.6, 4.3, 4.1, and RV 1.7 for the grapes