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 #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.

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.

Fairy Birthday Wishes

I have so many Lavinia stamps that I decided to get them out and make a bunch of cards for my stash and here is one of them!

I stenciled the background with Light Carnation ink from Gina K Design and I stamped the images with Morning Mist from Versafine Clair.    All the stamps are from Lavinia. I added pink enamel dots and heart.  The sentiment is up on foam dots.

I'm sending my card to the following challenges:

Color Hues Challenge

ends 8/14

Inkspirational: Moodboard

inspired by the circles and pink colors

ends 8/15

I.D.E.A.S

week 1 - ink

Addicted to Stamps and More

ends 8/12

Stamps: Seasonal Tree, Quinn, Heart Felt Verses, Fairy Charms, Orchard Grass - Lavinia.
Ink: Light Carnation - Gina K Designs, Morning Mist - Versafine Clair.
Paper: White - Papertrey Ink.
Other Supplies: Semi Circles Mid Century Modern Stencil - Claire Brennan Design (retired), enamel dots and heart - Altenew, foam dots.

Fluttering Butterfly Birthday

 Today I made a birthday card for a few challenges.  

I stenciled the background then added the Lavinia stampings and the Better Press Happy Birthday.

Here's a close up to show the shimmer added to the wings with a yellow glitter gel pen.

I combined this weekends Splitcoast Stampers Inspiration Challenge and Featured Stamper challenge for my design

See my SCS post here

Stencil Fun Challenge

Anything Goes option  ends 7/31

Seize the Birthday

ends 7/22

Tic Tac Toe

ends 717

bottom horizontal - Flowers/Butterfly/AnySentiment

Stamps: Quinn, Bell Flower Vine, Flutterbies - Lavinia
Paper: white - PTI
Ink: Nocturne - Versafine Clair, Caramel Toffee - Altenew
Other supplies: Semi Circles Mid Century Modern Stencil - Claire Brennan Design (retired), A Little Message Sentiments Press Plate and Die - Better Press/Spellbinders, Better Press, Blender Brushes, yellow glitter Gel Pen - Kaiser (on wings), foam dots.

A Blue Christmas Sleigh for Santa

 Getting a start on the 2025 Christmas cards!

This lovely stamp set is from Claire Brennan Designs - unfortunately Claire had to close her shop due to oppressive small business tax laws in the UK.  I used the Milky Way stencil from Colorful Life designs. The stars on the bells were already on the stamp (showing white) but I added little silver stars over them for a little sparkle.  I added a black enamel dot at the top of the bells' rope.

I'm sending my card to:

Christmas Kickstart Challenge

I used blue for my sleigh which I think is not the norm for Santa!

NBUS

First time using this beautiful Sleigh stamp set

Little Red Wagon

It's a Fake -   my sky is a stencil of random shapes

Stencil Fun

Stamps: Sleigh Bells Ring - Claire Brennan Designs
Paper: white - PTI
Ink: Nocturne, Sand Dune, Warm Breeze - Versafine Clair, Caribbean Sky - Altenew
Accessories: Milky Way Stencil - Colorful Life Designs, blender Brush, Silver Star Confetti - Honey Bee, black enamel dots - Altenew

Black and Red - Christmas in the City

 Today I'm joining in with the Color Hues Challenge.

I used the Mid Mod City stamp from Claire Brennan Design stamped in black, adding a red Santa hat sticker from Jolee and 2 red enamel dots.  I made the sentiment on the computer.

I continued the black/red colors on the inside, using Arched Holiday Sentiments from The Greetery.

Claire's stamp set comes with a second stamp that adds color to the buildings - so I tried a second card inking that stamp in red and stamping over the black outline of the buildings.

I don't usually like to be told what colors to use - but this combo spoke to me!

Stamps: Mid Mod City - Claire Brennan Design, Arched Holiday Sentiments - The Greetery.
Paper: White - PTI
Ink: Nocturne - Versafine Clair, Ruby Red - Altenew
Other Supplies: Santa Hat Stickers - Jolee's, red and black enamel dots - Altenew, computer to type sentiment.

Inkspirational #326 - Mood Board

I'm here today with my DT card for the newest Inkspirational Challenge - #326 - Moodboard

Source: https://reallygooddesigns.com/mood-board-examples/

24. Autumn Vibe Color Palette Moodboard, designed by Ayesha Akhtar

I was inspired by the leaves in the center image and the colors. 

I used a beautiful 6 piece stencil set  from Claire Brennan Design called Forest Path.  I stamped the sentiment from Papertrey Ink directly on the card.

My card is 6 1/2" x 4 1/2"

We'd love to see how this wonderful Mood Board inspires you!  Please link up your card over at Inkspirational where you will also find lots of inspiration from the rest of the talented design team!  

This challenge ends on Oct 18.

Also linking my card to:

Time Out Challenges

ends 10/9

NBUS

First time using this beautiful stencil

The Card Concept

inspired by the colors  ends 10/7

one layer card

Stamps:  Thankful for Fall Sentiments - Papertrey Ink.

Ink:  Nocturne - Versafine Clair, Cornflower Blue - Wendy Vecchi/Ranger, Caramel Toffee, Teal Cave, Peach Perfect, Dew Drop, Dark Chocolate - Altenew, Cajun Craze - Stampin Up

Paper:  White - Papertrey Ink

Accessories:  Forest Path Stencil Set - Claire Brennan Design.

Inkspirational #322 - Moodboard - always be a mermaid

 This is my DT card for Inkspirational #322.  This week we have a lovely Mood Board to inspire us.

Source: https://butterflyreflectionsink.blogspot.com/2015/08/august-mood-board.html

I was inspired by the left panel with the layers of colors - and generally all of the colors!

I stenciled the background using Semicircles Med Century Modern stencil by Claire Brennan Designs.  The mermaid die is unbranded from Amazon  and the stamps are Inner Mermaid from Ellen Hutson (retired)  I added enamel dots, heart and star as well as three drops of Nuvo Gloss Simply White on the crown.

So please ponder the Mood Board and see what it inspires you to create.  We'd love to have you link up over at Inkspirational.  You'll also find lots of inspiration from the rest of the creative DT!

You have until 8/23 to link up!

I'm also linking my card to the following challenges:

NBUS

First time using the mermaid die and stamps

Time Out Challenges

It's Summertime Somewhere

Ends 8/14

Stencil Fun

Summertime  ends 8/31

Cut It Up Challenge

Thinking of You   ends 8/21

Stamps:  Inner Mermaid - Ellen Hutson (retired)

Ink:  Marigold, Chamomile, Misty Mint, Sea Glass - Altenew, Nocturne - Versafine Clair

Paper:  White - PTI, Watercolor Paper - Canson Cold Press.

Accessories:  Semi Circles Mid Century Modern Stencil - Claire Brennan Designs, Mermaid Die - Amazon, blender brushes, enamel dots, star and heart - Altenew, Nuvo Drops - Gloss Simply White, Copic E02.