Card Chain Challenge - July 2026 Reveal!

 Today's the day all of the cards exchanged world wide for the July Card Chain Challenge are revealed over at the blog!

This month I sent my card to Alice in Austria and I received a beautiful card from Greta in Oregon!

Twenty-six cards were exchanged in July.

Each month we are given options to inspire our card designs, colors, sketch, themes, product and technique options.   You only have to use one of the suggested ideas but you can use as many as inspire you!

I was inspired by the Theme - Cocktails this month!

I have had this wonderful cocktail die set Cheers to You by Elizabeth Craft Design for over a year and this challenge gave me the push to finally use it!

I die cut all the pieces out of Water Color Card from Spellbinders and sponged the color on using Ranger Distress Inks. (it's quicker than cutting each piece out of colored papers).  The water color paper adds nice texture to the drinks.  I pretty much copied the samples on the die packaging to help with colors and what goes with what. (!)  

I just love how they came out! 

Would you like to join in on this fun card exchange - you can try it out for August and decide?  You sign up each month so your not committed to do any more than you want to.  You send to the person in front of you on Mr. Linky and the person after you on Mr. Linky sends to you!  You'll find all the details on how to join in at the Card Chain Challenge blog here.

Sign up closes on August 6th

I'm also sending my card to:

NBUS

1st time using these fun cocktail dies!

Allsorts Challenge

Colors of Summer  ends Aug 14

Krafty Chicks  ends Aug 4

Cardz 4 Galz

Word Inspiration: Rainbow  ends 8/5

Stamps: Simple Strips: Background - Taylored Expressions.
Ink: Nocturne - Versafine Clair, Ranger Distress - Saltwater Taffy, Fired Brick, Peeled Paint, Twisted Cintron and Tumbled Glass.
Paper: Water Color Card - Spellbinders, DP Bitty Big Smokey Shadow - Papertrey Ink.
Other Supplies: Cheers to You Die set - Elizabeth Craft Designs, Edge die - Unknown, Simple Strips - Straight Edge die - Taylored Expressions, foam dots, Mini ink blending tool and sponge daubers - Ranger, Copic R29 for the dot on the olive.

CAS Christmas - August 2026 - Santa's Sleigh

 I'm the DT Hostess for the August CAS Christmas Challenge! -  and I chose:

I stamped this beautiful sleigh from the Sleigh Bells Ring stamp set by Claire Brennan Design which is no longer in business -  she also designed and sold under Waltzingmouse. Unfortunately, the British small business taxes were too high and too many for her to stay in business. I was on her Design Team for both companies and so am fortunate to have most of the stamps she designed.

I used my Misti so all the stamps would be lined up neatly.  I cut a mask to put over the sleigh when stamping Santa's toy bag so it looks like the bag is inside the sleigh.

Once again, I made 4 of these cards while I had all the supplies out! 

Into my Christmas Box 2026 they go!

We hope you will join us over at CAS Christmas and show us your Santa's Sleigh cards!

This challenge ends on Aug 31st.

Also sending my card to:

Sparkles Christmas Challenge

Clean and Simple

Shopping Our Stash

What's the Good Word?

SLEIGH   ends Aug 10th

Merry Little Christmas Challenge

Anything Goes Christmas  ends Aug 15

Stamps:  Sleigh Bells Ring - Claire Brennan Design (retired).

Paper:  White - Papertrey Ink.

Ink: Nocturne, Strawberry, Sand Dune, Monarch - Versafine Clair.

Other Supplies:  Misti

Inkspirational #373 Visual Prompt - Beach Scenes

 Time for another Inkspirational Challenge!  #373 Visual Prompt - Beach Scene - a great challenge for the middle of August when we'd all probably like to be at the beach! (Unless you live in the Southern Hemisphere!)

I was inspired by the ocean waves!

First time using this wonderful Making Waves Stencil, Hey Honeycomb Fish Die and Hey Honeycomb Summer Sentiments all from The Greetery release in June.  Inside I stamped "You're FIN-tastic" from the same sentiment set.

I die cut the fish out of water color card and sponged with Ranger Distress Inks.  I punched the sentiment with a 1" circle, then punched a 5/8" and 1/2" circle to look like bubbles floating up.  I added an enamel dot for his eye. The fish and bubbles are popped up on foam dots.

We hope you'll join us and show us your inspired card design using our Visual Prompt!  You'll find inspiration from the rest of the team as well as Mr. Linky over at the Inkspirational Blog!

This challenge ends on Aug 14th.

I'm also sending my card to:

NBUS

1st time using the stencil, fish die and sentiment set!

Cardz 4 Guyz

Summer Theme  ends Aug 17

Time Out Challenges

ends Aug 5

Krafty Chicks

ends Aug 4th

Allsorts Challenge

Colors of Summer  ends Aug 14

Four Seasons Challenge

August - Summer  ends Aug 25th

Stamps:  Hey Honeycomb Summer Sentiments - The Greetery.

Ink:  Nocturne - Versafine Clair, Carribean Sky, Persian Blue - Altenew, Peacock Feathers, Twisted Cintron - Ranger Distress.

Paper:  Water Color Card - Spellbinders, White - Papertrey Ink.

Other Supplies:  Making Waves Stencil, Hey Honeycomb Fish Die - The Greetery, 1", 5/8",1/2" circle punches, enamel dot - Altenew, foam dots, blender brushes.

Frankly, You're Great!

 I'm sharing a card today that I made for a few challenges.

I recently purchased these Hot Diggity Dog and Squeeze Bottle die sets from Hero Arts - as well as the coordinating sentiment stamp set - Many Franks!  I was happy to get them out and use them!

I die cut the pieces from colored card stock and sponged around the edges with Old Paper Distress Ink.  I cut two different pieces of DP from Gosh, I Love You from Unity for the background.

Inside I stamped:

It's Your Birthday

Have a Bun-derful Day

Challenges entered:

Featured Stamper Challenge - Splitcoaststampers

inspired by this card by MN_Stamper

Cardz 4 Guyz #388 Summer Theme

ends 7/31

NBUS

1st time using these dies and stamp set.

Stamps: Many Franks - Hero Arts
Paper: White, Summer sunrise, Kraft Card, Americana - PTI, DP Gosh I Love You - Unity
Ink: Nocturne - Versafine Clair, Old Paper - Ranger Distress
Accessories: Hot Diggity Dog Die, Squeeze Bottle Die - Hero Arts, finger dauber

Inkspirational Challenge #372 - Christmas in July

 What a great time for the newest challenge at Inkspirational #372 - we can all cool off from the summer heat with this one!  It's never too early to start working on our Christmas cards, right?!

And here's my DT card created for this challenge.

I used an older tag die from Papertrey Ink along with a brandy new to me Regency Bow #1 die from the Greetery. I brushed over the white tag with light blue ink. The image from Holiday Sketch Book from Stampers Anonymous is stamped and die cut.  I colored the popped up piece of the image with Copics and added Liquid Pearls to the stamped snow flake circles.  I looped a gold thread through the tag and adhered it to the back of the panel.  The sentiment and DP are from Waffle Flower. 

We hope you will cool off in your craft room and make a Christmas Card for this challenge!  You'll find some lovely inspiration from the rest of the team as well as Mr. Linky over at Inkspirational!

This challenge ends on July 31st

Also sending my card to:

NBUS

First time using this wonderful bow from the Greetery as well as this stamp and die from the Holiday Sketch Book stamp set from Stampers Anonymous

Christmas Kickstart Challenge

the gift of a Christmas Tree!  ends 7/31

Christmas Crafts All Year Round

M-N-O  -   O is for ornament  ends 7/31

Die Cut Divas

Christmas in July  ends 7/31

Lost Coast

ends 7/31

Stamps:  Holiday Sketch Book - Tim Holtz/Stampers Anonymous.

Paper:  White, Pure Poppy - Papertrey Ink, DP Seasons Greetings - Waffle Flower.

Ink:  Nocturne - Versafine Claire, Misty Morning - Altenew.

Other Supplies:  Regency Bow #1 Die - The Greetery, Basic Cut Tag - Papertrey Ink (retired), Holiday Sketchbook Die set - Simon Says Stamp, Copics YG63, R29, Blender Brush, Liquid Pearls - Ranger, foam dots, gold thread - Amazon.

I am Guest Designer at Color Hues 7/16/26!

 I was so excited to have my Tulip card chosen as a winner for the Black Yellow challenge back on June 16th and to be asked to be the Guest Designer for today's Color Hues Challenge as well!  

      

Here's the card I made using Black/Red with white, an allowed neutral.

I have had this cute Skate Boarding Terry die from Spellbinders for several months and I was happy to finally get him out to make this card!

Terry is popped up on foam dots as well as the larger cloud (dies from Memory Box).  The sentiment strip was in my Birthday drawer (unknown origin?! I usually mark them?!).  I added white enamel dots from Altenew to the wheels.

I added a Happy Birthday sentiment inside.

So please join the super talented Design Team over at Color Hues - along with me - and show us your card using Black and Red!

And a BIG thank you to the team for asking me to join with you for this challenge as well!

I'm also sending my card to:

NBUS

1st time using Skateboarding Terry die!

Seize the Birthday

ends 7/21

As You Like It

Favorite Pet and Why

I love dogs because they give unquestioned love and comfort

I have had 3 dogs ( Cocker spaniel mix, Great Dane - best dog EVER!, and a mix rescue) over the years and my son now has 3 (my granddoggies!)

The Male Room

skate boarding

Paper:  Hammered White (on Terry) - Amazon (from England), Pure Poppy, True Black, White, DP Bitty Big Smokey Shadow - Papertrey Ink.

Other Supplies:  Skateboarding Terry Die - Spellbinders, Puffy Clouds Dies - Memory Box, white enamel dots - Altenew, foam dots, sentiment strip from stash.

Cream and Gold for an Anniversary Card

 Today I made a card for the latest Color Hues Challenge.

I found it to be a tricky combination!  

I was die cutting all kinds of images and going through all my metallic and cream papers, matching this, changing that until I finally felt like this was a good combination.

Very difficult to photograph with the metallic gold papers though!

I embossed the base of Vintage Cream card stock using the Plaster Embossing folder from Spellbinders that gave it a nice depth.  I die cut the Flower Jar from Gina Marie Designs out of Kraft Metallic Gold paper from Tim Holtz/Idea-ology.  The strip of gold/cream DP is from an older 12"x 12"paper pad Cotton Fields by DCWV.  I gold embossed the stamped sentiment.

This shows the shine of the metallic gold papers and gold embossed sentiment a bit better.

Also sending my card to:

Just Us Girls

Found the 'not used for years' Flower Jar die in my box of floral dies

ends 7/8

Alphabet Challenge

E is for Embossing wet or dry

ends 7/9

Stamps: Damask Designs - PTI (retired)
Ink: Versamark
Paper: Vintage Cream - Papertrey Ink, Kraft Stock Metallic Gold - Tim Holtz/Idea-ology, DP - 12"x12"pad Cotton Fields -DCWV.
Other Supplies: Flower Jar Die - Gina Marie Designs, Plaster Embossing Folder - Spellbinders, Super Fine Gold Embossing Powder - Ranger, heat tool, foam dots.