Sending Summer Joy

 

Double Dare#Challenge 205 "Let the Troubles Begin "

 I  have asked to be the Crazy Cousin for the Double Dare challenge #205

Below is my card - a Christmas card - for the challenge. 

The colours I used for the challenge are Old Olive, Real Red and Soft Suede with 2 layers and a ribbon.  The main image is the Christmas wreath.

I used the sketch from TSOT # 684 to create the card.

Here is the information for the Double Trouble Challenge #205

WELCOME to Challenge #205 - Let the Troubles Begin!

This Challenge runs from

Monday, Nov 24th thru Sunday, Dec 7th 

"3-2-1 Recipe - "Tie One On Day" 

Thing 1:  Trouble Maker

says, "The day before Thanksgiving is 'Tie One On Day' where people focus on an act of kindness, typically something baked, wrapped in an apron or tea towel with a note attached. Double Trouble has never celebrated this event, so why not do it now? 

"This is a great time to make a last-minute Thanksgiving card, or maybe a Christmas card... any occasion is acceptable. All you need to do is stir up some trouble in the Double Trouble Kitchen and create a project using all the ingredients from our 3-2-1 Recipe below." 

                          

3-2-1 Recipe "Tie One On Day" 

Servings - Unlimited Portions of Fun 

Specific information available by clicking on each ingredient. 

     3  Colors 

     2  Layers

     1  Image

Directions: You MUST include at least the required minimum of each ingredient for successful results and a chance in our random drawing... but you can enhance your project using more than the ingredients stipulated.  

You can stop here... 

OR  

play along with Thing 3's optional twist and/or consider Thing 2's optional dare and earn additional chances in our random drawing. 

THING 3:  Twisted Sister 

says, "Something baked? I'll be baking on Dec 4th for National Cookie Day... chip, chip hooray! I know Trouble Maker seems to think I'm a little crummy at times but I think I could earn some brownie points by setting aside some cookies, wrapping them in an apron, and tying them up for a gift. My optional twist is to include ribbon, string, thread or twine on your project (and to secure YOUR goodies as well).                             

If you have included my optional twist in your project, you will earn another chance in our Random Drawing. 

THING 2:  Double Dare

says, "Click on my clipart to the left for a sneak peek of the sketch from our sister challenge, Try a Sketch On Tuesday #684.  My optional dare is to combine this sketch with our Double Trouble 3-2-1 recipe, 'Tie One On Day'. If you do, you will be awarded TWO additional chances in our random drawing.  

"Please note that TSOT starts Tuesday, Nov 25th, so this sneak peek gives you the day before to create; but remember... to prevent backlinking, your project should not be posted, published, or entered before Nov 25th, in Try a Sketch On Tuesday."  

Special Notes: If you use the TSOT sketch please include the Challenge name next to the DTC link in your post so you are eligible for the additional chances in our random drawing.  

"Please note that TSOT starts Tuesday, Nov 25th, so this sneak peek gives you the day before to create; but remember... to prevent backlinking, your project should not be posted, published, or entered before Nov 25th, in Try a Sketch On Tuesday."  

Special Notes: If you use the TSOT sketch please include the Challenge name next to the DTC link in your post so you are eligible for the additional chances in our random drawing.  

Maria Vanderform

                                                         Guest Designer

                                                         Crazy Cousin

A Merry Christmas Wreath - TSOT #684

 For the sketch challenge #684 at TSOT I made a 5 by 7" card shown below.

The Old Olive card base is layered with Basic White embossed with the 3D Imperfect Embossing Folder.

Layered on the Basic White are two panels about 2 1/8 by 5 1/8"of Season of Green & Gold DSP matted with Old Olive cardstock. These panels overlap at the bottom and spread open at the top.

Overlapping the bottom of the panels and extending across the card, is a 3/8" red sheer ribbon.

At the bottom of the panels and on top of the ribbon, is a wreath (A Wreath for All Seasons) which is adhered to a 2 3/4" Basic White circle die.  The wreath is made of Old Olive cardstock with red berries, extra old olive ivy leaves and pine cones with a poinsettia near the bottom. It is adhered to the card front with dimensionals.

Supplies Used:

Stamp:  A Wreath for all Seasons

Inks:  Black Versafine, Soft Suede

Papers:  Old Olive, Basic White, Season of Green & Gold DSP, Real Red

Accessories:  Wreath for All Seasons dies, 2 3/4" circle punch, Distinctive Poinsettia dies, 3/8" Sheer Real Red Ribbon, 3D Imperfect Embossing Folder, Clear Embossing Powder, 

This card is also submitted to the challenge at Double Trouble.#202 Here is the link:

https://doubletroublechallenge.blogspot.com/2025/10/Challenge-202.html

A Slimline Merry Christmas - Try a Sketch on Tuesday #683

 I love making slimline cards so making this card using sketch #683 is right up my alley.

Here is my card using the sketch:

The base card is Basic White layered with Night of Navy cardstock. The image itself is adhered to a Basic White layer embossed with the Snow embossing folder.

For the colour strip on the left side, I die cut a small rectangle in a strip of card stock, using that as a template. On a 1 7/8 by 7 1/2" piece of Basic white cardstock, the template was used with a blending brush to add the following colours: Night of Navy Boho Blue ,Bermuda Bay, Shaded Spruce, Granny Apple Green and Lemon Lime Twist. The strip was then trimmed to 1 5/8 by 7 1/4" and added to the left side of the embossed layer.

Three evergreen trees and their snow covers, were stamped with Shaded Spruce ink and die cut with white glimmer paper and their coordinating dies. They were added to the card front near the bottom using dimensionals. 

The sentiment, from Poinsettia Petals was stamped with Versafine ink and embossed with clear embossing powder. It  was matted with Night of Navy card stock and added above the trees using dimensionals.

Three stars die cut with white glitter paper were added along the right side above the sentiment.

Supplies Used:

Stamps:  Peaceful Evergreen, Poinsettia Petals

Inks:  Black Versafine, Night of Navy, Boho Blue, Bermuda Bay, Shaded Spruce, Granny Apple Green, Lemon Lime Twist.

Papers:  Basic White, Night of Navy, White glimmer

Accessories:  Peaceful Evergreen dies, Snow 3D Embossing Folder, Clear Embossing Powder,, Liquid Applique, Dimensionals

This week I am a guest designer at Double Trouble.  Here is the link to the blog post the topic for which is "It's a Tall Order"

https://doubletroublechallenge.blogspot.com/2025/10/Challenge-202.html

Double Trouble Challenge #204 It's a Tall Order- Blogger Cousin

The colours I used are Night of Navy, Boho Blue, Coastal Cabana, Shaded Spruce, Granny Apple Green and Lemon Lime Twist,  A small rectangle die cut was created as a template to apply the colours one by one on a 1 1/2 by 7" piece of Basic White card stock. The strip was trimmed to 1 5/8 by 7 1/4" after which it was added to a Basic White piece of card stock embossed with the snow embossing folder. Three trees were stamped with Shaded Spruce ink, die cut, and added to the card front using dimensionals.

The sentiment is from the Poinsettia Petals stamp set.

I used the sketch from TSOT #683 as my inspiration.

Here are the direct links to the challenge.  Please come and join the fun.

DTC Direct line to #202

https://doubletroublechallenge.blogspot.com/2025/10/Challenge-202.html

Direct link to TSOT # 683

https://trystampinontuesday.blogspot.com/2025/11/Challenge-683.html

WELCOME to Challenge #204 - Let the Troubles Begin!

This Challenge runs from

Monday, Nov 10th thru Sunday, Nov 23rd 

"3-2-1 Recipe - "It's a Tall Order" 

Thing 1:  Trouble Maker

says, "It will soon be T-Day (Thanksgiving or Turkey Day). In fact, “T minus 17 days" indicates that this year Thanksgiving Day falls on Thursday, November 27th and my mother’s birthday. The memory always brings a smile to my face because she wanted another day to celebrate her birthday with a cake.

My T-Day is all about creating a Tall Card (Slimline or Mini-Slimline). This would be a great time to make a Thanksgiving card, but your project doesn't have to be for Thanksgiving... any occasion is acceptable. I think it's time to gather in the Double Trouble Kitchen and make that Tall Card using all the ingredients from our 3-2-1 Recipe below. 

                       

3-2-1 Recipe "It's a Tall Order"  

Servings - Unlimited Portions of Fun 

Specific information available by clicking on each ingredient.

    3  Colors 

    2  Images 

    1  Slimline of Mini-Slimline 

Directions: You MUST include at least the required minimum of each ingredient for successful results and a chance in our random drawing... but you can enhance your project by using more than the ingredients stipulated.  

You can stop here... 

OR  

play along with Thing 3's optional twist and/or consider Thing 2's optional dare and earn additional chances in our random drawing. 

 m

My Twist is to use a sentiment, color or image that starts with T.  Let's ‘T’ what Tremendous ideas you can create using the Letter T and let us know next to your link to our challenge. 

If you have included my optional twist in your project, you will earn another chance in our Random Drawing. 

My Twist is to use a sentiment, color or image that starts with T.  Let's ‘T’ what Tremendous ideas you can create using the Letter T and let us know next to your link to our challenge. 

If you have included my optional twist in your project, you will earn another chance in our Random Drawing. 

THING 2:  Double Dare

says, "Click on my clipart to the left for a sneak peek of the sketch from our sister challenge, Try a Sketch On Tuesday #683.  My optional dare is to combine this sketch with our Double Trouble 3-2-1 recipe, 'It's a Tall Order'. If you do, you will be awarded TWO additional chances in our random drawing.  

"Please note that TSOT starts Tuesday, Nov 11th, so this sneak peek gives you the day before to create; but remember... to prevent backlinking, your project should not be posted, published, or entered before Nov 11th, in Try a Sketch On Tuesday."  

Special Notes: If you use the TSOT sketch please include the Challenge name next to the DTC link in your post so you are eligible for the additional chance in our random drawing. 

 

Maria Vanderform

                                                         Guest Designer

                                                         Crazy Cousin

A Thinking of You Autumn card- Classic Design

 I needed some “Thinking of you” cards just to have on hand. And I love fall cards, with the magnificent colours of red, orange, yellow and rust, combined with the greens.

The tree colours are past their prime now but still able to generate those feelings so important in sending “thinking of you” sentiments.

I made this card for the Classic Design Challenge #10 - Oct/Nov -Anything Goes with Optional Twist: Autumn.

I used the die from “In the Grove “to frame these wonderful fall colours. One is drawn into the leaf covered path. Two Evergreen trees guard the entrance to this path-also providing cover for a snow rabbit. Notice the two squirrels playing in the branches.

Supplies Used:

Stamp: Peaceful Evergreen, Sentiments ( unknown) 

Inks:  Black Versafine,  Evening Evergreen

Papers: Very Vanilla, Autumn Splendor DSP, Basic White, scraps of Basic Black, Soft Suede

Accessories: Clear Embossing powder, in the Grove Dies, Sentiment dies

Celebrate the Season - TSOT # 682

 This card was inspired by the sketch from Try a Sketch on Tuesday #682.  Instead of  using a Landscape format for the card, I used Portrait.

The base card is Real Red cardstock, layered with gold paper imprinted with Christmas sayings in Real Red die cut with a stitched rectangle layered die with notched corners. The gold paper reflects the light resulting in a glare. The picture looks better in real life.

The image layer is Basic White cardstock , again die cut with the stitched rectangle layered die only a size smaller.

The focal point are two ornaments, die cut with the gold paper using the ornament die from "Hang an Ornament "dies,  The tops are decorated with green holly and red foil berries. The ornament on the top is finished with a Red Organza bow and  a cardinal is resting on the bottom ornament. Both ornaments are added to the card front using dimensionals.

The sentiment, from Frog's Whiskers Ink, was stamped in Real Red ink and embossed with clear embossing powder .  After matting it  with gold foil  it was  added to the left side of the card front.

Supplies Used: 

Stamps:  Hang an Ornament, Celebrate the Season

Inks:  Mossy Meadow, Real Red, Cherry Cobbler

Papers:  Real Red, Basic White, Patterned Gold Paper, Gold foil, Green foil, Red foil, Garden Green

Accessories:  Small cardinal bird die (Dee's Distinctive), Hang an Ornament dies, Stitched Rectangle with notched corners layering dies. 1/4" Real Red Organza ribbon, dimensionals.

I am combining the Sketch from TSOT #682 with the Double Dare Challenge #203 3-2-1 "Round and Round"

In my card there are : 2 round images - ornaments

                                   3 die cut images - 6 holly and  6 berries and a cardinal

                                    1 ribbon in the form of a bow

BEWARE A Haunting!!! Handstamped Sentiments #474

 Halloween will be upon us soon and already I see hauntings everywhere. For the inspiration challenge at Hand stamped sentiments #474 I made a slimline card featuring a haunted house.

To create the card, I created the background by using blender brushes  and ink.  On a 4 by 8 1/2" piece of Basic White card stock, I lightly adhered a 3 1/4" circle as a mask for the moon near the top.  With a blender brush I first applies Balmy blue ink, followed by Pacific Point, and then Night of Navy ink. Stars were created by using thin white paint and a paint brush and flicking the brush against a pencil. After removing the mask, Daffodil Delight was applied to the moon.

A piece of Old Olive cardstock was embossed with the bark embossing folder and sponged with Old  Olive ink. This was added to the bottom.

Using the dies from Creative Expressions "Haunted House" the haunted house was build .  I placed yellow vellum behind the windows before adhering it to the card front using dimensionals. Two bare trees were added - one behind the house and one below near the grave yard.

Three white ghosts floated eerily from the mansion's windows, and bats fill the moonlight.

Three gravestones (the Grim Reaper) tilt along the lower part below the scary work BEWARE!!

Supplies Used:

Stamps:  Haunted House, Grim Reaper, Witching Hour

Inks:  Balmy Blue, Pacific Point, Night of Navy, Daffodil Delight, Old |Olive, Basic Gray

Papers:  Basic White, Basic black, Basic Gray, Old Olive, Vellum (colored yellow)

Accessories:  Dies from Haunted House, Grim Reaper, Witching Hour, Bark embossing folder, dimensionals, 3 1/4" circle die

The Shades of Fall for Try a Sketch on Tuesday#681 and Double Trouble #202

 Autumn is probably my favourite time of year. The colours of the leaves of the trees are so vibrant- hues of red, orange, yellow, and green - colours I am going to bring into the card I made for the challenge with Try and Sketch  on Tuesday #681   and Double Trouble  #202       

 

Halloween is close as well.  So, I have included some Halloween elements in the design of the card front.  Can you find them?  There are 5.

The card base is Basic White card stock, layered with Cajun Craze card stock.  The front layer is Basic white embossed with the Falling Leaf Embossing folder. The edges of this layer are sponged with Cajun Craze ink.

I started by die cutting some Autumn Splendor DSP using a small Countryside Corners Die. Then , on a scrap piece of Basic White card stock, I stamped images from various stamp sets - a pumpkin, gourd, carrot, apple, pepper, corn - coloured and  then fussy cut them.  I added a few Halloween images -5 in total.  The harvest images were arranged on a small oval die cut in Basic White, some adhered using dimensionals, some not. This completed selection of Harvest vegetables was added to the bottom portion of the die cut DSP.

Instead of hexagons, the images of which appear on the sketch, I used falling leaves.  To make the leaves I used blending brushes to add ink in the colours listed at the beginning of the post, covering the entire surface of a 4 by 5" a piece of watercolor paper. The finished piece was spritzed with water and the paper maneuvered to allow the colours to blend and mix.     

After this piece was dry, I used the Autumn Leaf dies to die cut the leaves and arrange them on the card front.   

The left over leaves were added to the inside.

Supplies Used:

Stamp:  Autumn Leaves, Miscellaneous stamps. Grim Reaper

Inks:  Cajun Craze, Real Red, Daffodil Delight, Garden Green, Pumpkin Pie, Early Espresso, Stampin Blends

Papers:  Basic white, Watercolor Paper, Autumn Splendor DSP  Basic Black, Cajun Craze

Accessories:  Grim Reaper dies, Layering Oval die, Countryside Corner die, Falling Leaf Embossing Folder. Embellishments

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                     I believe I have met the 3-2-1 challenge at Double Trouble and because I have used Pumpkins and  Autumn Leaves  on my card, I am submitting my card to the Pearly Sparkles Challenge # 112                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                

Card a winner at Try a Sketch on Tuesday

 The following card was selected at TSOT # 680  as one of the top 3 picks of the week.

Below is the picture

A Beary Merry Christmas for The challenge Aunt Hand Stamped Sentiments #473

 I’m trying hard to get into the mood for making Christmas cards and I’m valiantly trying, but I draw the line at including snow on my cards. Not when the outside temperate resembles the middle of July. Not when the flowers in my planters are blooming like it’s the middle of July. Not when I’m working in the garden wearing shorts and a tee shirt like it’s the middle of July. To top everything up , even if I made cards. Cards could not get mailed as there is a nation wide postal strike!!!

Well you get the picture.

However, since I need Christmas cards to hand out I decided to use the sketch with HSS #473 as an  opportunity to make a Christmas card.

Below is my

 I used the Christmas Friends bundle to create this card. Since it was the Bear that I used for this card I decided to create the card from the inside of the bear den, with the circle facing to the outside.

Lining the den is a piece of Farmhouse DSP torn at the top and bottom. After tearing. I added  Versamark ink to the edges and heat  embossed them  with gold embossing powder  . 

Off to the center is added a  ‘hole’ made by punching a 1 3/4” Basic White circle. I sponge this lightly with Balmy Blue ink as this circle represents the exit from the ‘cave’. At the top of this circle is added a double layered pine swag with a red bow in the center. Under the tree lay some wrapped presents ready to be given out.

The bear, one of the Christmas friends, was embossed with clear embossing powder after stamping with Versafine ink, I added a bit of Smokey Slate to the edge of the fur, coloured the wreath around its neck with Granny Apple Green and the bow and berries with Real Red. After die cutting him with the coordinating die, it is added as shown in the picture with dimensionals.

Supplies Used:

Stamp: Christmas Friends

Inks Black Versafine, Stampin Blends (Smokey Slate. Granny Apple Green. Balmy Blue,  Real Red)

Papers: Basic Black, Basic White, Granny Apple Green, Gold Foil, Farmhouse DSP

Accessories: Coordinating Christmas Friends dies, 1 3/4” circle punch, Gold and Clear Embossing powder, dimensionals

Autumn -Nature’s Color Show for “Classic Designs Challenge #9”

 This is my favourite time of year - if only winter  did not come after. BRR! I love the colours of the leaves this time of year

The leaves changing color are putting on quite a show - both outside and in my craft room. 

I don’t have trees in my craft room, but I have my imagination. I used it to create my own fall coloured leaves. The resultant card I submitted to the challenge at “Classic Designs #9” where the challenge is “Anything Goes with an optional twist of Trees / and or Leaves.

I used the following to create my fall leaves: watercolour paper, blending brushes, water-based ink pads (Daffodil Delight , Pumpkin Pie, Old Olive, Real Red. Mossy Meadow and Soft Suede, and some water in a spritzer.

Using my blender brushes all of the above colours were added randomly until the entire surface was covered.  I then spritzed water over the entire surface rotating thè paper allowing the Colors to blend together. The paper was then dried using an embossing dryer tool.

After the paper was thoroughly dried I die cut as many leaves as I could using the dies from the Gorgeous Leaves bundle. I also die cut some leaf veins in gold foil. 

The edges of all leaves are sponged with Soft Beige ink.

The Barely Beige card base is layered with a Soft Beige and then a layer of Barely Beige card stock embossed with the Woodlands Embossing folder. With a fine tipped black marker, the marking on the birch trees are high lighted. The edges of the card base, the embossed layer as well as the sentiment punch out,  are sponged with Soft Suede ink.

The leaves and veins are arranged as shown in the picture above, behind a layer of punch outs

Supplies Used:

Stamps: Gorgeous Leaves

Inks: Soft Beige, Real Red, Pumpkin Pie, Daffodil Delight, Old Olive 

Papers: Barely Beige, Soft Beige, Gold Foil, Watercolor  paper

Accessories: Woodland Embossing Folder, spritzer,  
Gorgeous Leaf dies, punches, dimensionals

A Merry Moose Christmas -Try a Sketch on Tuesday # 680

 I can’t believe how warm the weather is for October.  I keep expecting to wake up to cooler temperatures, but the sun continues to shine .

These warm temperatures a makes it difficult to get my head around making Christmas cards. Nevertheless, I thought I would give it a try using the sketch from TSOT.

Here is my card.

On a Blueberry Bush card stock card base I added a piece of the reverse side of one of the Winter Meadow DSP I used in the main image. This I embossed with a snowflake embossing folder.

For the Core Image I used 2 other patterns of the same DSP -one a patten and the other plain.. They look like two 2” squares cut in half and tucked around each other. The edges of both were sponged with Basic Gray ink before they were added to the card front.

In the center is a Merry Moose, which were coloured using those that coordinate with the DSP. After die cutting the image with its coordinating die, the moose was added to a silver glitter die cut circle and then to the center.

Some stars were die cut from the layered silver glitter circle die cut and were added to the solid piece of the Winter Meadow DSP.

The image of a tree was stamped with Shaded Spruce ink, die cut and added behind the die cut moose.

The sentiment was stamped with Shaded Spruce ink, matted with Blueberry Bushel card stock, and added to the card front in front of the image.

Supplies  Used:

Stamp: Christmas Friends

Inks: Black Versa fine, Shaded Spruce, Stampin Blends ( Azure Afternoon, Pacific Point, Crumb Cake, Smokey Slate, Shaded Spruce), Basic Gray

Papers: Blueberry Bushel. Basic White, Silver Glitter paper, Christmas DSP

Accessories : Christmas friends dies, dimensionals. Snowflakes Embossing Folder.

I am also submitting this card to the challenge at Double Trouble #201

X 

I used 3 patterns from the same  DSP pack

          2 right angled images overlaying each other

           1 image of a Moose