Charming Delight Birthday

Hello everyone.  Today is a friend's birthday and I created a CAS (clean and simple) floral birthday card for her using the Charming Delight layering stencil set from Altenew (ALT)   Hope she's having a wonderful day and getting spoiled. 😉  

Trimmed Bristol paper to A2 size then ink blended ALT Enchanted Garden and Frosted Foliage fresh dye inks over the stencil layers for the flowers and foliage. For the center, used distress inks (Squeezed Leminade, Scattered Straw, Fossilized Amber) and purple ink remaining from the Enchanted Garden detail blending brush.

Was going for a soft watercolour look, so had to add splatters with diluted white gouache paint.  Die cut the Spellbinders Layered Happy Birthday sentiment from silver foil paper and its shadow from vellum.  Assembled the card onto a white card base to finish. Easy peasy! 

Please note compensated affiliate product links have  been used in this post when possible at no extra cost to you should you make a purchase through them. Your support is much appreciated. Thank you for stopping in. .   

Challenges:

Stencil Fun - AG stencils + optional CAS design style 

Time Out - #319 Choose Two (CAS-Floral-Birthday)  

Simply Clean and Simple - AG CAS + optional theme Nature 

Beautiful Blossoms - AG Florals + optional Mood Board #43 

AAA Birthday - #88 Flowers 

Jolly Snowman

Hello there.  It's still Christmas in July, and I have a CAS (clean and simple) Christmas card to share using an oldie, but goodie stamp from Purple Onion Designs (POD).   For those not familiar with this cutie, meet Jolly (snowman looking up).  

Jolly was stamped with Memento Tuxedo Black ink on X-Press It paper, coloured with Copic Sketch markers then masked.  Ink blended Water Hyacinth fresh dye ink from Altenew (ALT) then die cut the panel down with the Blanket Stitched Rectangle from Pinkfresh Studio (PFS) for a decorative edge.  

Copic markers used:

carrot nose - YR12/16/23/27, E08 

scarf/pocket - B60/63/66 

twig arms - E31/25/29 

buttons - N7 

snow/shading - B0000/000/00, C00/0/1

And I couldn't think of a more appropriate greeting wish (retired Poppy Stamps) from Jolly. 😉  It was black heat embossed using Versafine Onyx Black ink and clear glitter embossing powder for a bit of sparkle.  Adhered the panel onto a white card base then added falling snow with a white gel pen to finish. 

Please note compensated affiliate links are used in this post at no extra cost to you should you make a purchase through them.  I appreciate your support.  Thank you for stopping by. 

  

Challenges:

CAS Christmas - July 2026: Snowman 

Inkspirational - #372 Word Prompt: Christmas in July 

BYSCH - Christmas in July 2026 Linky Party 

Peace on Earth - #116 AG Christmas 

Simply Clean & Simple - AG CAS + optional Birthday (creative licence - Jesus' birthday? 😁)

Addicted to Stamps and More - #522 Christmas 

CRAFT - #785 Christmas  

Guest Designer for All About Papercraft Challenge #7 - Friendship

Hello there.  I’m excited to be guest designing (GD) this month at All About Papercraft (AAP) for their challenge #7 - FRIENDSHIP. 

My card was based on sentiment “if friends were flowers, I’d pick you”, but I could not find that stamp anywhere! 😟  So a recent favourite from the Sweet Friendship stamp set by Simon Says Stamp (SSS) was used in its place for my card.  

That sentiment was stamped on Bristol paper with Versafine Onyx Black ink and then heat embossed with clear embossing powder.  The rest of the main products were from Spellbinder (SB).  The sentiment was die cut out with the Essential Arches.  Salvaged Patina distress ink was then ombré ink blended from the top and excess ink wiped off with a paper towel (emboss resist).  Die cut an arch frame also from Bristol paper and mounted it on top.  

The Wild Coneflowers and dry embossed Cascading Dots background were in my stash after this daisy bouquets card.  The flower petal layers were ink blended with pink and/or yellow dye inks.  The pink ink was used as the shadow ink on the yellow flowers, resulting in the orange colour you see.  The foliage were die cut from green cardstock, and coloured with Copic Sketch markers (YG61/63/67) to give them better definition and dimension.  The flower centers were also coloured with Copic Sketch markers (Y15/17, YR23/24/27, E18). and glittery texture added to them with a white gel pen.  Assembled the card onto a white card base to finish

I want to thank Kerry and the AAP design team (DT) for having me as a GD.  Need more inspiration to join us?  Check out projects from the DT HERE.  Main products used for my card are linked below for your convenience.  Please note compensated affiliate links were used throughout this post at no extra cost to you should you decide to make a purchase through them. I appreciate your support!   Thank you for stopping by. Hope to see you in the gallery. 

Challenges: 

Beautiful Blossoms - AG Florals + optional  Mood Board #42 

Addicted to Stamps and More - #520 Die Cuts and/or Stencils  

Can You Handle the Pressure - AG EF + twist of Purple   

Double D - Potpourri (flowers, colours, arch shape)

Triple B - July AG  Birds, Blooms, Butterflies  (blooms)

Make My Monday - #291 Blend 2 or 3 colours  (pink, yellow, aqua)

The Four Seasons - July AG Sumner   

Tic Tac Toe - #296 Featured Designer Rosanne (left diagonal up - Layers, Die Cuts, Summer Colors) 

Simon Says Stamp - Always There

Hello everyone.  After a month break due to their Create event, Simon Says Stamp (SSS) is back with their newest ALWAYS THERE release available now! 

I have a couple of simple cards today.  First up is a tasty 😋 any occasion card featuring the Strawberry Pint and Sparkler Scalloped Frames die sets.   

Coloured cardstock were used to die cut the pint box, strawberries top layers and foliage.  The strawberries back layer was die cut from cream cardstock.  The flowers were die cut from white and their centres were coloured with Copic Sketch markers Y11/Y17,YR27.  The scalloped frames were die cut from white and cream as well.  Black heat embossed the sentiments from previously released Thanks, Mom stamp set with clear glitter embossing powder (EP) for some sparkle.  Assembled the card onto a white top folding card base to finish. 

My next card features Best Sister and Petite Pctal Background stamp sets.  The sister image was stamped with Memento Tuxedo Black ink on X-Press It paper, coloured with Copic Sketch markers then fussy cut out (there are coordinating dies).  Had an unused white frame from the card above, so put it to use and black heat embossed the sentiment with clear glitter EP and ink blended Blueprint Sketch distress ink (DI). 

The petals background was stamped with VersaMark ink onto Bristol paper next, then heat embossed with clear EP.  Next, ombré Ink blended Blueprint Sketch DI on the upper half then wiped off excess ink with a paper towel (emboss resist).  Assembled the card onto a white card base, popping up the scalloped panel with foam tape to finish. 

SSS products used for my cards are linked below.  Please note compensated affiliate links were used in this post when possible at no extra cost to you.  I appreciate your support.  Thank you for stopping by.

Limited-Time Free Gift Offer!

Challenges:

card 1 

All About Papercrafts -  #5 All About Food or Drinks   

SSS Wednesday - AG   

A Cut Above - AG Dies 

Dragonfly Dreamst- May 2026: Use Die Cuts 

Unicorn - #120 Something New

Simon Says Stamp - In My Heart

Hello there!  I’m back again today to share a couple of cards for the new IN MY HEART release from Simon Says Stamp (SSS). 

First up is a 5” square card featuring Impressionistic Flower stencil and die sets paired with the Nature in Bloom text background stamp. 

Instead of ink blending the stencil layers solid as it was intended, I wanted to “stretch’ it and get some colour variations for a softer, dimensional look.  Three gradient colours of cherry blossom crisp dye inks were used to stencil the flower before due cutting the image with the matching die.  The sentiment, also part of the die set, was die cut from black glossy paper.

Stamped the text background with dark gray dye ink onto Bristol paper next then adhered the flower in the centre.  Splattered with diluted white gouache paint for some texture then mounted the panel to a white 5”square card base to finish

My second card features the Flower Bunny dies and Mom EZ Strips.  The bunny and flower pieces were die cut from X-Press It paper then coloured with Copic Sketch markers   Once again I did more “stretching” this time creating daisies from the original 6-petal flower design.

I was about to cut a sentiment from the EZ strip panel, but the panel is A2 size, and I thought it would make a fun text background.  To help the bunny stand out better, a Rounded Heart was die cut from vellum and its backside coloured with a BG34 Copic Sketch marker.  Assembled the card onto a white card base to finish. 

SSS new products used for my cards are linked below.  Please note that compensated affiliate links were used in this post when possible at no extra cost to  you .  I appreciate your support.  Thank you for stopping by. 

FREE guft offer!

Challenges:

card 1

Beautiful Blossoms - AG Florals - optional Moid Board #39 

Craft Rocket - #134 No Designer Paper 

Tic Tac Toe - #288 Featured Designer Felicita (top row - Stencil, Ink Blending, Splatter/Smooshing)

card 2

The Four Seasons - AG Springt 

Die Cut Divas - Springt is Coming 

Papercraft - #128 Joy of Spring 

Sparkles Monthly  - #198 It’s Springtime 

Guest Designer for AAA Colourful March 2026 Challenge - Colourboard #26

Hello everyone.  I’m delighted to be guest designing (GD) at AAA Colourful (AAACF) for their COLOURBOARD #26 challenge. 

I had planned on creating a personalized 80th birthday card for my FIL (father-in-law), but sadly, he passed away unexpectedly one day shy of this milestone and on his sons’  birthday (yep, hubby has a twin and they lost their dad on their birthday).  So I pivoted slightly and made the card generic instead.

The Celebration Balloons from Memory Box (MB) and box pieces from Spellbinders (SB) Birthday Wreath Add-on were die cut from Bristol smooth paper and ink blended with Speckled Egg, Stormy Sky, Faded Jeans or Lost Shadow distress inks (DI).  Tip: Leaving a highlight will give them dimension.  The sentiment was die cut from black cardstock and the back shadow piece from gold foil paper.  The streamers and stars, also from Birthday Wreath Add-on, were die cut from MB gold Festive Glitter paper,  

Next, Black Soot DI was ink blended around the perimeter of a dark gray panel.  Arranged and adhered the box and balloons onto it, then splattered with gold Metallic Watercolor for confetti.  Assembled the card onto a white card base then finished by adding shading with cool gray Copic Sketch markers (C0/1/2/3/4/5/6) to ground it. 

I want to thank Jane and the AAACF team for having me GD.  Please note compensated affiliate links have been used in this post when possible at no extra cost to you.  Your support is appreciated.   This monthly challenge is open till April 14, 2026, so plenty of time to enter!  Huope to see you in the gallery. Thank you for stopping by.

Challenges:

AAA Birthday - Game #83 Use Die Cuts   

Memory Box - #126 Birthday Cards 

Cut It Up - #351 Happy Birthday  

A Cut Above - AG Die Cuts