Celebrating YOU, Time Out Challenges!

Hello friends!  Today's post is very, very special because Time Out Challenges is celebrating their 12th birthday!  Woot woot!  And I am truly honored to join in as the muse for their Case the Designer challenge as part of the birthday celebration. 

TOC #308

Time Out Challenges was started 12 years ago by Sandie Munro and Nonni Niskanen who love to take "time out" to craft and have others join them.  The challenge has continued to have wonderfully creative challenges all these years, along with amazing design team members.  

I had to spend some time thinking about what type of card to make for everyone to CASE.  I love a variety of styles, but I decided to use the elements I love the most - Copic/OLO coloring, florals (especially BIG florals lol!), embossing, text (although it's hard to see on the kraft cardstock), a minor bit of distressing, splatter and having a metallic in some fashion. Hopefully that gives everyone lots of design options. Here's what I ended up with...

One of my favorite flowers is a peony, so that's what I chose for the floral image.  I used a combination of Olo and Copic markers to color it, and because I'd left the stamp in my positioner, I was able to stamp it a second time and gold heat emboss it, along with the sentiment.  This image is quite large, so my card size ended up being 4.5" x 6" because I didn't have the heart to chop off any of it lol!

I cut a kraft panel to fit the card base, then used a text background stamp before distressing around the edges.  The next layer is a piece of embossed watercolor paper, and I used an Old Paper Distress ink pad to lightly swipe across the raised areas, then distressed it as well.  Splatter was added in gold and white, then I used hemp twine to create a bow.  

The last step was to add the flowers and sentiment with thin foam tape.

Thanks to Stephanie and the rest of the design team for offering me the privilege of celebrating along with you!  

I hope you'll join in the celebration with your CASE and have a chance to win a $25 store credit to Waffle Flower!

Thanks for visiting and take care!

Stef

• Altenew Lovely Rose Peony stamps and dies
• Simon Says Stamp Old Letter 1878 background stamp
• Altenew Arched Foliage Bundle 3D embossing folder
• Tim Holtz Heavystock Kraft cardstock
• Canson Monteval watercolor paper
• Altenew Metallic paints
• Olos - RV0.6, 0.4, 0.2, 0.1, YG1.6, 1.4, 1.2
• Copics - YG67, YR23, Y15

Holiday Knits Noel for Color Hues

Hello friends!  We're back with a new challenge at Color Hues and this time the amazing Carol is hosting.  She has chosen a lovely winter combo of blue and white.

Color Hues

I'm also sharing this card with my friends over at Time Out Challenges, where this fortnight the theme is All That Glitters, and I do have glittery stuff on my card!

TOC #304

When initially thinking about this color combo, my first thought was to use navy or a dark blue.  But when I saw the prompt, the blue color made me think of one of my favorite cardstock colors, so I opted to go lighter.

And of course, you are welcome to use any hue of blue for your project.

I started with a panel of the dreamy Island Blue cardstock from Simon. Isn't it amazing that it's nearly the same color as the prompt?  The stamp is from a package of 2 red rubber stamps called Holiday Knits from Tim Holtz/Stampers Anonymous.  Love the crisp detail one gets with red rubber.  The image was inked up in white pigment ink and then white heat embossed.  The stamp measures 4" x 6" and after embossing, I trimmed it down to that size, then used foam tape to add it to a 4.5" x 6.5" card base.

The sentiment and snowflakes are from the Tim Holtz Sizzix Big Tidings die set and were cut from Altenew Moonstone glitter cardstock along with scraps of Island blue for the shadow and to layer beneath the snowflakes.  I added two additional white shadow die cuts to the sentiment for more dimension, then everything was adhered to the card front.  I knew it needed a little something more, so I searched my embellishments and found an almost perfect match in the Altenew Deep Sea Sapphire Gem Sparkles pack.  

This design was inspired by the blog post here from Kath Stewart, which I found on Pinterest.  She used the embossing folder rather than the stamp and darker blues with ink blending for her gorgeous card.  I think this card is a good candidate for making multiples, it came together so quickly. 

Won't you come join us and show how you choose to use this color combo?  For more inspiration, my oh, so talented teammates and our wonderful guest designer Bobby have some beautiful cards to share over at the challenge blog here.  The challenge will last until 9 am EST on Thursday January 29th.  Hope you'll play along!

Thanks for stopping by!

Stef

Grand Poinsettia for Color Hues

Hello friends!  Here it is, the first day of the last month of 2025.  My, my time seems to pass so quickly.  Do you feel the same?  Anyway, the good news is that the first of the month brings a new challenge at Color Hues.  The lovely Tracey is hosting our final challenge of the year and has chosen a wonderful color combination and it's a perfect combo for any time of the year.

Color Hues

I'm also joining in over at the Time Out Challenge, where this time we are to "Pick 2" and I chose nature (flowers/pine branches), emboss and sparkle.

TOC #302

And I'm playing along with Just Us Girls, where it is Anything Goes Stencil Week.

JUGS #803

How about one more poinsettia?  This one is unique in that it was made exclusively for the Simon Says Stamp/Gina K class kit sold earlier this fall, so there weren't any made available outside the kit, and it is sold out.  However, it's too pretty not to share and other components on my card are currently available.

The beautiful Grand Poinsettia was die cut from white cardstock then embossed in the coordinating folder, after which I used the matching stencils to color it in three shades of pink.  The pine sprigs were die cut from two shades of green cardstock.  All that was set aside to create the background.

The SSS/Gina K Merry & Bright stamp set (this one IS available) has a number of snowflake stamps, so I used them to create the background on a 4.75" x 6.75" panel.  A clear block was used to stamp them in Gina K's Medium Spruce ink, followed by a large blending brush to lightly blend the same color to soften the edges.  

The sentiment can be found in the same stamp set or, as I used, in a matching Polyglaze sheet, which I foiled, one each of gold and silver, then die cut.  The 4" x 6" panel was matted with silver glitter cardstock, added to the snowflake panel then all the other elements adhered.  I finished things off by adding SSS Prism Dazzling Gems to the flower center and up around the sentiment.

And of course I couldn't make just one, so here's the same design with gold.

Both of these cards were inspired by one we made in class from Gina K's design.  We used her new ink colors of light, medium and dark Cranberry, along with the spruce. 

So where will these colors take you?  For more inspiration, I encourage you to visit the challenge blog, where my amazing teammates have some gorgeous creations.  

Since this is the final challenge of the year, it will be open until December 29th at 9:00 am EST, so I hope that gives you time to sneak away from the holiday goings-on and play along with us!

Thanks for stopping by!

Stef

P.S. If you like today's card, come by on Tuesday when I use the same poinsettia ef to create two CAS cards.

• Gina K Grand Poinsettia ef, stencils and dies
• SSS/Gina K Merry & Bright stamps, dies and Polyglaze sheet
• Altenew Baby Pink, Fuchsia and Magenta inks
• Gina K Medium Spruce ink
• SSS Prism Dazzling Gems

Holiday Cheer for Time Out Challenges

Hello friends!  I'm so thrilled to share that I am the guest designer for Time Out Challenges for the next fortnight!  My card here was chosen as the winner of TOC #296.

For this challenge, we are to create a card for our favorite holiday to celebrate.  I chose Christmas because I think I'm still a kid at heart, loving all sparkle, decorations and family gatherings.  

We look forward to seeing which holiday your favorite is to celebrate!

Time Out Challenges

Challenge #301 is sponsored by  Angie Blom Digital Designs.  The challenge winner as chosen by the Design Team will receive a $25.00 store credit. The winner will also receive an invitation to join them as Guest Designer for a future challenge.

ETA:  I saw that my friends at Just Us Girls are celebrating their 800th (!) challenge and wanted to join in during their special week.  And it's easy since the theme is Anything Goes.  Be sure to go check it out - the DT cards are amazing and there are even prizes to be won!

JUGS #800

I once again decided to use one of the sweet Bundle Girl images from Stamping Bella for my card.  This time she's sending correspondence to Santa.  I wonder, what could it be?

I started with a panel of white that had been cut with a Postage Edge die.  Next the image was stamped on the panel, then stamped again on a piece of Gina K Masking Magic.  From different piece of masking paper I cut a small hillside to mask off the horizon line while I ink blended the sky.  

With the ink blending done, the masks came off and I used Copic markers to color everything.  White polka dots were added to her scarf, then I went over them in the shaded areas with my mid-tone red marker.  The sentiment was then stamped on the card panel. 

The last step was to use Glossy Accents for adding dots to the sky and squiggles to the snow, then cover them with Distress Clear Rock Candy Glitter.  I know it doesn't usually snow on a clear day, but I did create a few clouds in the sky. Plus, I've been skiing many a time when we'd get a little light snow shower in the midst of an otherwise nice day on the slopes. So that's what I imagined for this scene, plus it was a fun excuse to add more glitter! 

As I was writing this post, I realized I forgot to add "snow" to the mailbox.  That will be remedied before sending.

Thanks for taking time to stop by!  I hope you'll take time to play along with the lovely crew at Time Out Challenge - share what you love to celebrate!

Take care!

Stef

• Stamping Bella Bundle Girl Sending a Letter to Santa
• Poppystamps Christmas Sparkle Stamp set
• Simon Says Stamp Postage Edge rectangle die
• Distress Clear Rock Candy Glitter
• Copics - R39, 37, 35, E47, 44, 43, 04, 21, 00, B02, 00, 000, T4, 2, 0

Trick or Treat

Hello friends!  I'm popping in with a card to share with the lovelies over at the Time Out Challenge.  It's the "Pick 2" challenge, which is always a fun one to play along with.  This time I chose spatter and season.

TOC #298

 

I love making Halloween cards, so my season choice is fall.  I have to admit this one is a bit more on the creepy side, but I had a blast making it because I love getting inky.

I started with the background using a panel of Distress watercolor paper.  After masking off the moon, I used Distress Spray Stains to cover the panel.  It was a lot of water, spray, dry to get what I wanted. I dried, that, removed the mask then sprayed water on the moon so the spray stains around the edges would seep across the moon and create that spooky atmosphere. 

I learned out this technique from watching a video by Amy R. who credited it to Stacy Hutchinson here. I used it on a couple other Halloween cards I'll be posting in the next couple of weeks.

In the end, the background turned out much darker than I originally planned because I ink blended Black Soot on the foreground so the pumpkins looked less like they were floating in space.  They still do a little bit, ha ha - spooky floating pumpkins!

The pumpkins were colored with Copic markers, die cut, then I used gray markers to color in the white from the die cut.  The sentiment is from the same stamp set and the bats from another TH die set.

Thanks for stopping by, I appreciate it!

Stef

• Tim Holtz/Stampers Anonymous Pumpkinhead stamps
• TH/Sizzix Vault Coffin bat dies
• Simon Says Stamp Pumpkinhead dies
• Distress Spray Stains - Black Soot, Fossilized Amber, Rusty Hinge, Cracklin' Campfire
• Distress Inks - Black Soot, Scorched Timber, Antique Linen

So Sweet for the Paper Players

Hello friends!  It's time for a new challenge at The Paper Players and this week the lovely Ann is hosting.  It's Theme week and Ann has chosen a great one that has loads of options for creating.  Let's take a look!

Paper Players

I'm also joining in with the lovelies at TOC, with their friendship/encouragement/support challenge.  My card, while a bit punny, is letting the recipient know they are appreciated.

TOC #296

Before getting to my card, I want to take a moment to congratulate Christy Stanford for being our newest member of the Paper Players Design Team!  Christy was a year-long guest designer a few years ago and has been joining us each week on a regular basis with her delightful and charming cards.  Welcome to the team, Christy!

For our latest PP challenge, and since we're heading into fall, I chose to use a little cutie eating her caramel apple.  I remember loving them when I was young. 

To start, I stamped the girl and the apples, then masked them off so I could create the scene using stencils for the sky and ground.  Once that was complete, the masks were removed and I colored her in fall colors using Copic markers.  

I decided to cut out and pop up the center of the panel using an arch die, then stamped the sentiment.  I added the outside to a white card base then popped up the center portion.  I finished off the apple with some Glossy Accents to make it shiny and when that was dry, also used a white gel pen to create highlights.

What are you inspired to create using this theme?  For more ideas, please head over to the challenge blog where my talented teammates have loads of great design to inspire you.  The challenge remains open until 3pm EDT, Friday September 12th. I hope you'll join us this week!

Thanks for stopping by!

Stef

• Stamping Bella Caramel Apple Bundle Girl stamp
• Altenew Sweet Jasmine sentiment stamp
• Simon Says Stamp Landscapes and MFT Mini Cloud Edges stencils
• Altenew Sea Breeze and SSS Fairway and Field inks
• SSS A2 Arches die
• Copics - YR18, 09, 07, 15, 21, 27, 23, R59, 37, 35, G29, 17, 03, E29, 27, 23, 21, 11, 00

Butterfly Blossoms for the Paper Players

Hello friends!  It's color week over at the Paper Players and I'm hosting.  I chose some Spring-like colors.

Paper Players

I'm also joining in over at the Time Out Challenge.  This time we are to Pick Two, so I'm choosing floral and stencil.

TOC #286

As you could tell from the blog title, I chose to use flowers. I debated about making an Easter card because I think the colors would work equally well for that occasion, but the flowers won out.

The stamp set has three dainty flower stamps and four butterflies, so lots of variety.  I used the coordinating stencils to color the images and the dies to cut them out as well as the sentiment.

I lightly ink blended Salvage Patina Distress ink on a white panel the cut it down with a postage edge rectangle die.  The shorter flowers were adhered directly to the panel except for the largest flower in the group to which I added thin foam squares.  The remaining floral image along with the sentiment and large butterfly were layered on two additional die cuts before adding to the panel.  The right wing of the wee little butterfly was glued down and a small piece of foam tape added a little dimension to the left wing.  It's not visible in the photos but I used an aqua shimmer pen to add glitter to all the images, then finished things off using a white gel pen for the flower stamen.

What do these colors inspire you to create?  I hope you'll show us this week, we'd love to see what you come up with.  Do take a moment to pop over to the PP blog as my teammates have some lovely cards to provide further inspiration.  The challenge remains open until Friday, April 18th at 3pm EDT.  

Thanks for visiting and take care!

Stef

• Simon Says Stamp Butterfly Blossoms stamps, dies and stencils
• SSS Postage Edge die
• Altenew Lemon Ice, Honeydew Glow and Lemonade Stand inks
• SSS Sprout, Fairway, Field, Lilac, Orchid, Amethyst and Mocha 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

So Sweet for Time Out Challenges

Hello friends!  I'm so very pleased to be the Guest Designer at Time Out Challenges #270 for the next two weeks!  They have a wonderful photo to inspire in so many ways.

Time Out Challenges

  

I was literally inspired by the berries and in retrospect, wish I had used a heart too.

Just prior to being asked to GD, I purchased the cute House-Mouse Berry Good stamp, so it was a perfect match.  The image (which is bigger than you see here - more on than in a minute) was stamped then colored with Copic and Olo markers. I had trimmed it down to a rectangle and was getting ready to put together my card when I dropped an ink pad on a portion of the colored image!  AAWWWKK.  I'd had a hold of the lid, thinking it was secure but nope, it wasn't.  So I went to Plan B.

I was inspired by a card on the Spellbinders website (where they now sell the House-Mouse products) that spotlighted a portion of the image in a circle, so that is what I did.  I had a white woodgrain panel already trimmed down with a rounded rectangle die, so I used a circle die to cut a hole then layered the colored panel beneath.  Here is where I wish I'd used a heart rather than a circle but, you know, hindsight.  Everything was added to a plum card base, then I decided to create a frame around the window and that really made things pop.  Last came the sentiment which is also from the same stamp set.

Thanks for taking time to stop by and I encourage you to check out the challenge, where the DT have fabulous cards to further inspire you plus there are prizes to be won if you play along!

Take care!

Stef

• Spellbinders House-Mouse Designs stamp set
• Hero Arts Infinity Circle and Rounded Rectangle dies
• Copics:  Sky - B00, 000, 0000; Berries - RV69, 66, 55, 52; Basket - W5, 3, 1, 0; Mice - E37, 35, 33, 31, 30; Leaves - G29, 21, YG45
• Olos - Grass - YG 1.6, 1.4, 1.2

Beach Time for The Paper Players

Hello friends!  Today at The Paper Players we have an appropriate theme - Beach Time!  I'm hosting this week and would love to see your beautiful cards depicting time at the beach.

The Paper Players

I'm also playing along with Time Out Challenges and their words of inspiration "It's always summer somewhere"

TOC #269

I love the beach on the Oregon Coast, where I've spent lots of time, but today my card has a more tropical vibe and I would love to spend time on this beach too!

Isn't that little beach house the cutest?  It's one of three beach houses included in Honey Bee Stamp's Lovely Layers: Beach House die set. It also includes to two smaller palm trees; the larger one is from the Lovely Layers: Hammock set.

To start, every piece was die cut from white cardstock, then I used my Copic and Olo markers to color everything.  It's a bit more work but I find I get more texture in things such as the palm trunks and fronds.  Plus, many of the pieces are so small I find it easier to color than ink blend.  With the coloring complete, everything was assembled and I moved onto the background.

I kept the background very simple to keep the focus on the die cut images, just ink blending what might be perhaps a little lagoon away from the main beach, then adding the sand and the sky. I used a white gel pen to create the gentle waves and add a bit of detail to the flag.  The sentiment was stamped and then the scene was created.  I had created a second beach house but the scene just seemed to busy to I will hold onto it for another card, maybe on a 5" x 7" size - this one is 6" x 4.5".

So what do you enjoy when you're at the beach?  We would love to have you share your beach-y themed card this week.  The challenge stays open until noon Friday 8/9.  In the meantime, my teammates have some fabulous cards to inspire you at the challenge blog, so I encourage you to pop over and take a look.

Also, if check back later, I'll have a second post with my card for The Flower Challenge.

Take care!

Stef

• Honey Bee Stamps Lovely Layers: Beach House and Lovely Layers: Hammock
• HB Sunkissed Summer Stamp Set
• Altenew Sea Glass, Sea Breeze and Turquoise inks
• Simon Says Stap Latte Ink
• Sakura White Gelly Roll pen
• Olo markers - R2.4, 2.2
• Copic markers - BG07, E75, 55, 37, 33, 31, 30 YR23, Y13

Joyful Day for Color Hues

Hello friends!  Mid-month brings a new challenge over at Color Hues and this time the lovely Marcia has chosen pink and sage.

Color Hues

I'm also sharing with the Time Out Challenge, where the theme is based on this wonderful quote by one of the great Impressionist painters, Henri Matisse. 

 "There are always flowers, for those that want to see them."

TOC 265

And I'm sharing my card at Seize the Birthday for the Anything Goes choice.

STB 285

No surprise, with the CH colors, I went with leafy branches and flowers, which also worked perfectly with the TOC challenge.

Pinkfresh Studio's new release included those pretty leafy branches, which I couldn't resist (wink, wink).  They were stamped, stenciled with three muted greens, then die cut with the coordinating die.  The sentiment and matching die are from the same set.  One additional die cut was added to the leaf branches and two were added to the die cut sentiment, nice for a bit of dimension and also stability on the die cut background.

Next I die cut several tiny flowers from a Memory Box and Poppystamps die sets and ink blended them in pink.  I used the same pink on the front of the card base, then added the die cut trellis over which I adhered to branches, leaving room for the sentiment.  At first, I just had a few flowers on the branches but kept adding more and more until I'd used almost all of them, and liked how it looked much better.  After they were adhered, I curled up the petals a bit, then added a sparkly gem to the middle of each.  After adding the sentiment, I decided to finish things off with a couple more flowers - why not lol?

What are you inspired to create with these colors?  For more inspiration, be sure to visit the challenge blog, where my wonderful teammates have some fabulous cards to share with you.  The challenge will remain open until 9 am EDT June 29th - hope to see your card in the gallery!

Take care!

Stef

• Pinkfresh Studio Joyful Day stamps, dies and stencils
• Memory Box Layered Impatiens
• Poppystamps Petite Blooms Flower set
• Altenew Garden Trellis Cover die
• Altenew Blush Rose, Silver Sage, Jade and Eucalyptus Fresh Dye Inks
• Honeybee Stamps Aurora Borealis Gem Stickers

Thank You for The Flower Challenge

Hello friends!  We at The Flower Challenge are back with our mid-month reminder, where we have a great sketch to inspire your creativity!

TFC 92R

I'm also sharing with the Time Out Challenge, where the theme is based on this wonderful quote by one of the great Impressionist painters, Henri Matisse. 

 "There are always flowers, for those that want to see them."

TOC 265

My first card for TFC92 used mostly new products so this time I decided to use some older products to create my card.

This beautiful flower is from Altenew's Build-A-Flower: Tree Peony stamp and die set.  The stamps are layering stamps, which I usually struggle with but the ones for the flower lined up really well.  I tried with the leaf a few times and gave up lol!  Since everything else, including the sweet sprigs behind the flower were in black and white, I decided the leaf could be too!

Next the Reflections Cover die was cut from white, as I initially thought I'd have a black card base.  But it just didn't come together, so I cut a strip of black per the sketch, added the die cut then popped up the floral images along with the sentiment, and a bit of bling topped things off.

Thanks for stopping by and I encourage you to do so over at the challenge blog as well, you will love seeing all the gorgeous inspiration my wonderful teammates are sharing over there!  If you haven't joined us yet or want to add another card to the gallery, the challenge remains open until Tuesday, June 25th.

Take care!

Stef

• Altenew BAF: Tree Peony stamps and dies
• Altenew Elegant Sayings stamp and die
• Altenew Reflections die
• Altenew Dew Drops, Aqualicious, Teal Cave, Honeydew Glow and Lemonade Stand Fresh Dye inks
• Simon Says Stamp Surf Dazzling Gems