Card Chain Challenge - September 2025 Reveal

 Today all of the cards exchanged for the September Card Chain Challenge are revealed over at the blog.

This month I sent a card to Ellie in Illinois and I received a card from Greta in Oregon.

For my card this month - I used the suggested colors and the theme option Flamingo.

I have about 10 of Tim Holtz Colorize dies of wonderful animals.  Some of them I've used a lot and a few haven't been used yet - including this wonderful flamingo Gladys!

I embossed the teal background card using Monstera Frame Embossing Folder from Altenew and I die cut the Monstera leaf using a die set from The Greetery.  The sentiment is preprinted from a set by Waffle Flower.

I die cut an easel to attach to the back of the panel so it can stand up for display.

We hope you will join us for the October Card exchange - you'll find all the instructions and the sign up for October here.

The link closes on 10/6

Also linking my card to:

NBUS

first time using Gladys

Just Us Girls

ends 10/8

Critter Crazy Challenge

Anything Goes with Critters

ends10/23

Paper:  Tropical Teal, True Black, Pale Peony, White, Lemon Tart, dotted vellum - Papertrey Ink, metallic gold from stash.

Other Supplies:  Gladys Colorize Thinlit die - TH/Sizzix, Large Leaves Monstera Die - The Greetery, Monstera Frame Embossing Folder - Altenew, glue dots, foam dots, enamel dots - Altenew, printed sentiment - Waffle Flower.  Small Easel Die - Sizzix (retired).

Floral Stencil for Four

 I just love this Wild Bloom stencil from Papertrey Ink.  I got it out today and made 4 cards for different occasions, using different cover plate dies for the backgrounds.

 Anniversary

Heart Hole Rectangle Cover Plate - Amazon

 Get Well

Rainbow A2 Pierced Cover Plate - Honey Bee

 Birthday

This birthday card was totally inspired by this card by my talented blogging friend Marcia!

Postage Collage Die - Waffle Flower 

Nested Stitched Scallop Die - Amazon

 Sympathy

Waves Pierced A2 Cover Plate - Honey Bee

I'm sending the Anniversary card to:

Just Us Girls

ends 10/1

Sending the Birthday card to:

Seize the Birthday

ends 10/7

NBUS

First time using Heart Hole Rectangle Cover Plate and Nested Stitched Scallop Die

on Anniversary and Get Well cards. 

Paper:  White, Winter Wisteria - Papertrey Ink

Ink: Wisteria, Deep Iris, Olive, Moss, Teal Cave - Altenew

Other Supplies: Wild Blooms Stencil - Papertrey Ink, Heart Hole Rectangle Cover Plate - Amazon, Rainbow A2 Pierced Cover Plate - Honey Bee, Postage Collage Die - Waffle Flower , Nested Stitched Scallop Die - Amazon, blender brushes, A Little Message Sentiments - Better Press Plate and Die Set, You Are Everything Sentiments - Better Press Plate and Die Set - Spellbinders, foam dots.

Inkspirational #351 Mood Board

 There's a new challenge up at Inkspirational #351 - and it's a Moodboard!

Pretty obvious what things inspired me.

The red top mushrooms with their white dots, the snail  and butterfly!

The snail and sentiment stamps are from Mush Love and Snailed It stamp sets from Claire Brennan Design (retired)

I made a second card without the snail -  making it a little less whimsical? 

Or for someone who might think snails are slimy!   

 

I added the enamel heart from Altenew and the butterfly from This calls for Confetti on both cards.  I used Glossy White Nuvo Crystal drops on the mushroom caps.  I colored everything with Copics.

I actually made two more (before the two above) but messed them both up with a stencil background and with a hand drawn squiggle frame -  you never know what it will look like until you do it - and sometimes you really DON"T LIKE IT - so into the trash they went!   

 I used a newly purchased Mushroom Duo Press Plate and Die set

So please join us and show us your card design inspired by the Moodboard!

You'll find wonderful inspiration from the rest of the Design Team and Mr. Linky over at Inkspirational.

This challenge ends Oct 10th.

I'm also sending my card to:

NBUS

1st time using the Mushroom Press Plate.

Seize the Birthday

ends 10/7

Simply Clean and Simple

Birthday  ends 9/28

Stamps:  Mush Love, Snailed It - Claire Brennan Design (retired)

Ink:  Better Press Black - Spellbinders, Nocturne - Versafine Clair.

Paper:  Cotton Card Bisque - Better Press Spellbinders.

Accessories:  Better Press - Spellbinders, Copics E31, E37, C6, W2, YG95, R37, Gloss Simply White - Nuvo Crystal Drops, Acrylic Hearts - Altenew, Clay Butterfly Blush - This Calls for Confetti.

Bats, Pumpkins and Boo to You!

 I don't send many Halloween cards but I do like to have some on hand.  I have two boxes of Halloween stamps, dies and ephemera - some of it never used yet -  so there's that reason too!

So for this card I used three new Lavinia Stamps for the first time (pumpkins and bats), a baseboard frame from Tim Holtz that I've had a package of for a year and never used one of them, and Regions Beyond die set (candle and crow) that I've also had for over a year and never used!

  

I seem to buy things after season when they are on sale and then forget I have them?!?

I'm sending my card to:

Just Us Girls

Inspired by the pumpkins, window and candle.

ends 9/26

NBUS

first time using pumpkin and bat stamps, Baseboard window frames, Regions Beyond die cuts (candle and crow)

Inspired by Challenge

ends 9/24

Cardz 4 Guyz

Inspired by Fall  

Stamps: Playful Pumpkin, Ickle Pumpkins, Flittermice - Lavinia, A Great Big Owl (sentiment)- Waltzingmouse (retired).
Ink: Nocturne - Versafine Clair.
Paper: White, True Black - PTI, DP Enchanted - Authentique, Ghosts and Goblins - DCWV.
Other Supplies: Baseboard Window Frames - Tim Holtz/Idea-ology, Regions Beyond die set - Tim Holtz/Sizzix, Tiny Twinkles - Taylored Expressions, Orange Peel Stickles, Copics Y38, YG03, E37, E00, C1, foam dots.

A Smokey Sage Birthday!

 I'm having a table at two local Craft Shows this fall and I'm madly creating to fill my boxes with cards.

So today, I looked to the Color Hues Challenge for inspiration for colors.  Sometimes the colors just do not speak to me -  but today they did!

I used the Folk Flower Layering Stencil from Claire Brennan Design (retired) and a Dots and Stripes Stencil from Wendy Vecchi (also retired).    For the colors I used Ranger Distress Inks Stormy Sky and Bundled Sage.  The sentiment is a Better Press Plate and die set.   I added one enamel dot to the center of the flower. 

The Color Hues Challenge

ends 9/29

Stencil Fun Challenge

Optional Theme Nature  ends 10/4

Seize the Birthday

ends 9/23

Paper: White - Papertrey Ink, Better Press Cotton Card Bisque - Spellbinders
Ink: Stormy Sky and Bundled Sage - Ranger Distress, Better Press Black - Spellbinders.
Other Supplies: Folk flower 2 piece stencil - Claire Brennan Design (retired), Dots and Stipes Stencil - Wendy Vecchi (retired), You Are Everything Sentiments - Better Press Plate and Die Set., Enamel Dot - Altenew, foam dots.

Inkspirational Challenge #350 - Word Prompt Trees

 Today, I'm sharing two cards I made for the newest Inkspirational Challenge that posted today.

I created my backgrounds using two different Northern Lights tutorials on YouTube which I've linked below if you are interested in trying them.

For my first card I found this YouTube Video by Ciara T Designs  - Beautiful Northern Nights.  She sponges vertical lines of blues and green for the sky along with a darker blue and black around the edges.

I used Ranger Distress Inks on this one, stamped the trees in Nocturne Versafine Clair and splattered with water.

For my second card below I watched this YouTube Video by Marilyn G - Northern Light Demo.  She uses two curved horizontal patches of green and purple color along with dark blue and black.

I used Ranger Distress Oxide inks on this one accept for the black which is Ranger Distress.  I stamped the image with Nocturne Versafine Claire.   I splattered this panel with water as well -  but it made a more muted splatter since the inks were Oxides so I then added "star" dots with a white Gel Pen.  

So please join in our challenge and link up your card inspired by TREES over at the Inkspirational Blog where you will also find creative inspiration by the rest of the talented DT!

This challenge ends on 9/26

I'm sending my Oh, Holy Night card to:

Peace on Earth Christmas

Inspired by the blues and trees ends 9/18

TIME OUT Challenges

Winter nights

Allsorts Challenge

Trees, leaves, plants

ends 9/26

Oh Holy Night Card

Stamps:  Silent Night - PTI (retired), 3 Tree Group - Stamp Oasis (Rubbernecker)

Paper:  White, True Black - Papertrey Ink.

Ink:  Tumbled Glass, Broken China, Chipped Sapphire, Evergreen Bough, Wilted Violet, Black Soot - Ranger Distress, Nocturne - Versafine Clair (for sentiment)

Other Supplies:  Blender Brushes, water mister.

Wishing You Peace

Stamps:  Lakeside Cabin - Stamp Scapes, Christmas Greetings - Lavinia Stamps.

Paper:  White, True Black - Papertrey Ink.

Ink:  Chipped Saphire, Wilted Violet, Cracked Pistachio - Ranger Distress Oxide, Black Soot - Ranger Distress, Nocturne - Versafine Claire (for sentiment)

Other Supplies:  Blender Brushes, water mister.

Another Year of Adventure

 A friend asked me to make her a card to send to friends who go camping in a trailer.

I pulled out some barely used older stamp sets to create this camping in the forest scene.  She will write her own note inside the card.

The background is DP from Forest/Stamperia.  The stamps and die cuts are from Happy Camper and the sentiment is from Peek A Boo Pals Camp Wanna stamps from Avery Elle. The camper and wagon are popped up on foam dots.

I'm sending my card to:

Just Us Girls

Ends 9/10

I.D.E.A.S

week 1  Ink/Color medium 

I used Copics to color the images

Stamps: Happy Camper - MFT (out of business), Peek a Boo Pals/Camp Wanna - Avery Elle.
Ink: Nocturne - Versafine Clair.
Paper: White - PTI, Watercolor Paper - Canson Cold Press, DP - Forest/Stamperia.
Other Supplies: Happy Camper Die Set - MFT (out of business), foam dots, COPICS YR09, YG23, E35, E33, C6, T2, BG10.