Monday, September 22, 2025

Spooky Oodles for Try a Sketch on Tuesday #697 and Double Trouble #200

Challenge #679 at TSOT involves the use of a sketch with “Oodles of Doodles” anywhere in the project.

My doodle picture had a definite Halloween theme. I doodled with stamps, inks , and line drawings to create an image where the characters  associated with Halloween try to destroy it.

“A doodle is a drawing made while a person's attention is otherwise occupied. Doodles are simple drawings that can have concrete representational meaning or may just be composed of random and abstract lines or shapes, generally without ever lifting the drawing device from the paper, in which case it is usually called a scribble.”

Here is my card:









I started by grabbing my brushes to use Balmy Blue, Misty Moonlight, Starry Sky and Night of Navy to create a dark sky . A 1 1/4" circle masked out a yellow moon. Stars were added using a white metallic pen.
 
The three shapes became my image -the word "BOO".  These die cut letters were left over from a previous project.
 I also pulled out 5 small Penny Black wood mount stamps and using Black Versafine ink stamped the images connecting them to the BOO word.

A sentiment - Beware - was added as a warning to the doodling going on above it.

Supplies Used:
Stamps:  Penny Black wood mount (Witch, Ghost, Bat large, Bat small, Cobweb), Sentiment "The Grim Reaper" Creative Expressions.
Inks: Balmy Blue, Misty Moonlight. Starry Sky, Night of Navy ,Daffodil Delight, Black Versafine
Papers:  Basic Black, Basic White
Accessories:  Alphabet dies, 1 1/4" circle punch, white metallic pen

This card was also shared with the Double Trouble Challenge #200 











Sunday, September 21, 2025

While on Whie cards

 This past weekend was so ‘colourful’ that I made these 2 cards deliberately to ‘wash’ this overload from my brain. 

Both these cards were made using the new 3D Sunflower embossing folder as well as a Texture Embossing folder. 

This is a 5 by 7” card. 


After embossing a piece of Basic White card stock, I used one of the Layering Square die to cut out the image I liked. This I matted with a slightly larger square in Silver foil, followed by another Basic White scalloped die cut.

This completed image piece was added to the card front, the first layer of which was embossed with 3D Texture embossing folder.

A die cut butterfly was added to the top left corner.

The sentiment was die cut twice, adhered together  and then added to a die cut silver foil die. This was added to the bottom  of the card.

Supplies Used:

Paper:  Basic White. Card stock, Silver foil

Accessories: 3D Embossing Folders ( Sunflower, Texture), Layering Square dies. Butterfly die, Spellbinder sentiment Dies 


The second card is a 6 by 6” framed card.




Saturday, September 20, 2025

Hidden Flap Christmas card

 This is a card I saw on Pinterest and spent some time figuring out how to make it. On the outside it looks like an ordinary card, but when the card is opened, a hidden flap (little card) is revealed.



Card Base:  Basic White card stock 5 7/8 by 10" Score at 4 1/8 and 8 1/4"

Hidden Flap: Basic White cardstock 4 by 7” scored at 1/2. 3 1/4, 3 3/4, and 4 1/4”. Fold along scored lines and burnish well


The card is opened to reveal the hidden flap

Designer Paper: 

2 different coordinating patterns

Card base: (2) pieces of pattern 1: 4 by 5 5/8” for inside

(1) piece pattern 2: 4 by 5 5/8” for front

Inside tab: DSP:  1 5/8 by 5 5/8” . Adhere to and bottom of inside tab to card base. 

Hidden Flap:  3 pieces: 2 5/8 by 4 3/8”

                        1 piece Basic White sentiment piece  2 5/7 by 4 3/8”



Making the card:

1. Adhere the DSP to the inside of the card base, and add a different pattern of DSP to the front of the card base. Adhere the DSP to the inside flap.  Adhere the flap to the top and bottom of the card base.

2. The Hidden Flap:  Add DSP to the front and the back of the insider.  Add a basic white piece on the inside of the flap. Then fold the flap in half and adhere the areas between the score lines to create a flap.

Insert this flap into the tab.  

Apply glue to the tab at the other end and add it to the inside of the card base at the score lie. Close the card.

Decorate the card as desired.  I fussy cut images from the DSP.








 



Tuesday, September 9, 2025

An Autumn Pop Up Tiered card - Paper Funday Challenge #80

 I made 3 of these pop up tiered cards using the instructions by Iced Images on her video tutorial here.

Autumn is one of my most favourite times of the year.  Fall changes are beginning to be noticeable in my garden, and when I'm gardening, I hear the geese flying overheard as they gather in the Lake near by. The trees are just beginning to turn here and I just love those wonderful shades of reds, yellows, greens,& oranges in the back drop of a robin egg blue sky.

I made this card with fall in mind - especially the falling leaves.  It is a pop up tiered card. I made an earlier card for a Birthday card challenge here


Our theme is: Anything Goes with the Optional Twist of: Changing Seasons

Here is how I created the color palette for the leaves. On a piece of watercolor paper, I added red, yellow, orange, green, dark green, blue ink using a finger dauber.  Then I spritzed the inked watercolor paper, moving the paper around to blend the colors.
When dry, I used leaf dies from Gorgeous Leaves and Autumn Leaves. to die cut leaves which I incorporated into my card design.


I also used die cuts from On the Horizon.

Supplies Used:
Stamp:  Gorgeous Leaves, Autumn Leaves, On the Horizon
Inks:  Versa Mark, Inks for color palette
Papers:  Autumn Splendor DSP, Garden Green, Basic White, Very Vanilla, Granny Apple Green, Early Espresso, Cajun Craze
Accessories:  Gorgeous Leaves dies, Autumn Leaves dies, On the Horizon dies, Glossy embellishments, Copper embossing powder

Shaker cupcake birthday for Try A Sketch on Tuesday #678 Double Trouble #199

This card was made for the sketch challenge  Try A Sketch  on Tuesday #678 as well as Double Dare # 199.
In my card, the aperture was changed to a birthday  cupcake -a shaker cupcake with chocolate shaker elements. The heart became a party hat.




The card has 3 layers not counting the card base- a basic white layer followed by a DSP layer (Rosie’s Sunshine Afternoon). The final layer is the image layer with the chocolate shaker cupcake, the party hat, and the sentiment. All of these are mounted on dimensionals. I added a few chocolate sprinkles that escaped from the cupcake.


Below is a close up of the cupcake


An angle view.

Supplies Used:
Stamp: Sweet Birthday Occasions ( Close to my Heart)
Inks: Black Versa Mark, Stampin Blends ( chocolate Brown, various other Colors)
Accessories: Sweet Birthday dies, chocolate shaker embellishments, window sheet, dimensionals, Ckear embossing powder





Sunday, September 7, 2025

Suspended Book Fold Card

This card fold intrigued me when I saw it on a video tutorial by Jan B , a Stampin Up demonstrator in the UK.

Making this card was not as difficult as I thought it would be.



In the picture above you see the mechanism between the card base and the “book”

Below is the inside of the card.





Supplies Used

Stamp:
Inks: Black Versamark, Balmy Blue, Stampin Blends ( Balmy Blue, real Red, Basic Gray, Smokey Slate, Old Olive)
Papers Pacific Point, Basic White, DSP
Accessories: coordinating dies, 

Saturday, September 6, 2025

Sunflowers in a Shadow Box - a 3D project for Beautiful Blossoms Challenge #33


Today I made a project for the Beautiful Blossoms challenge #33- 3D sunflowers in a easel shadow box. The challenge here  is "Anything Goes" with Optional Mood Board.(see below)




Shadow Box
The shadow box was made using the directions by Tina Zinck , a Stampin' Up demonstrator in the East Coast of Canada.  For the easel portion of the Shadow box, Debbie Polachek's video  here provided instruction..

The shadow box itself was made using heavy weight (110 lb) Basic White cardstock.  After it was made, strips of Autumn Splendor DSP was adhered to the front edges. On the inside a 6 by 6" piece of Season of Green and Gold DSP was added followed by a 4 by 4" piece of Basic White card stock embossed with the 3D Leaf Embossing Folder (Spellbinder).

An Easel was added to the back of the Shadow Box

Easel:
White cardstock 8 by 3" scored in half at 4"
White cardstock 3 by 3 1/2' scored at 1/2, 1 3/4, and 3 on the 3 1/2" side.  Fold into an 'M'. 


Adhere the completed easel to the back of the Shadow Box.

Flowers:
The Sunflowers were made using Spellbinder Sunflower dies and Vellum. For each sun flower, 2 flowers, 2 leaves and 2 centers were die cut using Vellum card stock. flower was coloured using Stamp n blends - Daffodil Delight and Pumpkin Pie for the flower; Old Olive for the leaves; Early Espresso for the centers.
After they were coloured, they were placed on a paper towel and spritzed with water. This causes the flowers and leaves to assume different shapes which look more realistic as the flowers dry.
Each flower was then formed by adhering 2 flowers together off setting the petals, and then adding 2 of the centers and 2 leaves.  Finally, some dark brown prills were added to the center of each flower.

Three flowers were made.


Vase:
The vase was made by using the vase die from the "Inspiring Imperfection" dies to die cut a vase from the "Need for Tweed" DSP . The edges of this vase was sponged with Basic Gray ink. A butterfly sticker added to the die completed this embellishment.

The completed vase was adhered to the embossed white cardstock with the three flowers added as shown. An extra leaf falling from the flowers was added.

Several glossy embellishments added in the top right and lower left corner completed the framed flowers.


Supplies Used:
Stamp:
Inks:  Basic Gray, SU Blends (Daffodil Delight, Pumpkin Pie, Early Espresso, Old Olive)
Papers:  Basic White, Vellum, Autumn Splendor DSP, Season of Gold & Green DSP, Need for Tweed DSP, Old Olive
Accessories:  Sunflower dies, 'Congratulations' die, Leaves 3D embossing folder (Spellbinder), Spritzer, Early Espresso prills, Glossy Embellishments

I am also submitting this project to Creative Creases Challenge #107

Thursday, September 4, 2025

Tiered Pop Up Step Card ...a Birthday card for Classic Design Challenge #8

 These cards were made using the instructions on a video tutorial by Iced Images here. I made several of these cards, but this is a birthday one that I made for the challenge at Classic Design Challenge #8.

This is a 6 by 6" card


 Theme is Anything Goes with Optional Twist of:

Happy Birthday




Side View

For this card my colour scheme was Melon Mambo and Basic White, with Bloom Impressions DSP.  The Flowering Florets bundle was used to create the decorating die cuts.

Supplies Used:
Stamp:  Flowering Florets
Ink:  Black Versafine, Stampin Blends (Melon Mambo, Berry Burst Daffodil Delight, Old Olive, Mossy Meadow)
Papers:  Melon Mambo,  Basic White, Bloom Impressions DSP
Accessories:  Flowering Florets dies, Clear embossing powder, Iridescent gemsT

I am also sending this card to

                           The Creative  Crafters #93
                            A Perfect Time to Craft #9











                                                                                                                                                                                         



Shaker Toppers for a challenge at Canadian Die Group

 Below are 4card toppers I made for a Facebook group I belong to. They were mailed to a partner selected by the group moderator.





Tuesday, August 26, 2025

A Birthday Fan card for Try Stamping on Tuesday#677 & Double Trouble #198

I made the following fan fold card for the Sketch Challenge with https://trystampinontuesday.blogspot.com/2025/08/Challenge-677.html . I am also submitting  card#3 to Double Trouble #198 as well which meets the requirement of using two patterns of cardstock.

 There are many tutorials for making Fan Cards  but I used components of the used the following   Easy Fan Fold Card 4 Ways  .

I enjoyed making this card fold so much I made 3 cards. The two other cards will be posted at the end of this blog post.




I used Berry Burst, Fresh Freesia card stocks and Floral Charm DSP as my layers for this card. The fan fold card was made according to the instructions in the tutorial. The only thing I would do differently is pop  all the fans up with dimensionals rather than them gluing ,flat which is what I did.  In both of the samples below I did that and I like that much better.



For the embellishments and sentiment in the lower left corner, I stamped and clear embossing three flowers and leaves from Framed Florets stamp . I then colored them with Stampin blends and die cut them using the coordinating dies. 
The flowers and leaves were added to an octagon base die cut from layering octagon dies.
Two leaf sprigs were also die cut and added to the flower cluster.

The birthday sentiment, embossed with gold powder, was die cut using a Stylish Shaped die and added to the bottom of the card using dimensionals.:

Supplies Used
Stamp:  Framed Florets
Inks:  Black Versamark, SU Blendabilities, 
Papers: Berry Burst, Fresh Freesia, Basic White, Gold Foil
Accessories:  Layering Octagonal dies, Framed Florets dies, Clear Embossing Powder, Gold Embossing Powder, Stylish Shaped Dies, Dimensionals, Embellishments.

#2

#3



Monday, August 25, 2025

A Lantern Christmas card

 This is my first Christmas card. The focal image is a lantern die cut in copper foil with a large poinsettia beside it.

Inside the lantern is a candle which I die cut in white. I lightly used a blending brush to add some colour to it. Without this added colour the candle was not seen well through the vellum covering the windows of the lantern.

The lantern was added to the card front using foam strips.

The poinsettias were die cut with Real red card stock, using the poinsettia dies. After sponging the petals with Cherry Cobbler ink, they were slightly shaped in order to give some dimension to the petals. The three layers were then adhere together alternating  petals using  dimensionals between the layers. In the center I placed a cluster of pearls.

 The leaves were die cut in Garden Green card stock. After sponging the edges with Mossy Meadow ink they were slightly shaped and added to the poinsettia.

The completed poinsettia was added to the side of the lantern, using dimensionals.

Supplies Used:
Stamp:  Poinsettia Petals
Inks: Cherry Cobbler Mossy Meadow
Papers: Real Red, Garden Green, Copper Foil, Vellum, Pearlized White, Enchanting Christmas Basics (Paper Roses) DSP
Accessories: Poinsettia Petals Dies, Garden Lantern (Spellbinder), Pearl Cluster embellishment

Saturday, August 23, 2025

Concertina Pop Up - a card for Creative Challenges #106

 I love pop up cards and when I saw this card on a video made by Jan B Stampin Up demonstrator in the UK , I knew I would have to make it. It’s a pop up concertina card and I am submitting it to the Creative Creases Challenge #106. 

Below is the card front. It is decorated with a flower fussy cut from the DSP. Crystal Effects is added to the single flower and leaf. Sentiment is from Frog’s Whiskers Ink.


Opening the card reveals a pop up middle section.  Note the two sentiment panels suspended from the two concertina strips.




Below is a side view.



What you don't see in the side view above is the pop up mechanisms that are placed between the card base and the middle section. They are placed on both sides. Below is a better view of these mechanisms. 







Messages can be written in the back of the card.







Sunday, August 17, 2025

Boy Fishing on His Birthday - a card for Freshly Made Challenges #699

 I used the sketch  on Freshly Made Sketches #699 ,made by Verena, to make the card of a boy fishing for his birthday. 




For this card, I die cut a 2 1/2" circle in the upper center of a piece of white cardstock. The scene was created on another similar sized white cardstock.  The sky was sponged with a blender brush with a white cloud added. For the water I cut a piece of Stampin Up DSP which looks like water. Once the scene was created the two pieces were adhered together using foam tape.

>The strip was embossed with the Timber embossing folder and lightly sponged with Crumb Cake ink. It was added below the middle of the circle and adhered at the edges only  with one dimensional in the,, B middle so it doesn't collapse.

The image of the boy was stamped using Black Versafine ink and embossed with clear embossing power. It was then coloured with Stampin' Blends and die cut. This image was added sitting on the wood piece aka the dock.

The birthday sentiment is from Something Fancy.

Supplies Used:
Stamps\;  Something Fancy, Boy Fishing
Inks:  Black Versafine, Stampin' Blends (Granny Apple Green, Boho Blue, Daffodil Delight, Crumb Cake, Balmy Blue)
Papers; Basic White, Misty Moonlight, SU DSP
Accessories: Timber Embossing Folder, Clear embossing Powder, Die for boy fishing, 2 1/2" circle die