Inkspirational #374 Word Prompt - Garden

 Today there's a new challenge up over at Inkspirational Challenge.  #374 Word Prompt - Garden

So I literally went out to my garden, picked some pansies and a few leaves from other plants to press for this card!

I laid the blossoms and leaves, face side down onto a panel of water color paper.  I folded a piece of computer paper in half and inserted the panel inside (to absorb moisture) and then ran it through my Big Shot.  I took the panel out, removed it from the folded computer paper, and scraped off the bits of pansies and leaves that were left on the card stock  - and a print was left.   I added orange gems, stamped the sentiment and ran along the edge of the panel with a gold Sharpie pen.  

Every time you press a panel it comes out different - depending on the blooms and the leaves used (some plant leaves don't leave any green so it's trial and error!)

The wetness of the fresh blooms pressed against the paper can make the cardstock damp and curl a bit. I laid the panels out overnight to dry and then laid heavy books on top of them to help flatten them.

Here are several more cards I made using geranium and pansy petals.  On many of these I didn't use any leaves.  I used plain white card stock on a couple of them.

So please join us and show us how "Garden" inspires you!  You'll find some lovely inspiration from the rest of the team as well as Mr. Linky over at Inkspirational!

This challenge ends on Aug 28th

Also linking my first card to:

Word Art Wednesday

Anything Goes  ends 8/19

Everybody Art Challenge

Summer  ends 8/17

Try It on Tuesday

Make it Colorful  ends 8/18

Stamps:Beyond Basic Borders - PTI (retired)

Ink:  Nocturne - Versafine Clair

Paper:  Water Color Cardstock - Spellbinders, white - PTI, computer paper.

Other Supplies:  Pansy and Geranium blossoms, different green leaves from my garden, Candy Gems - Waffle Flower, Big Shot.

June Card Chain Challenge 2026 Reveal

 Today's the day all of the cards exchanged for the June Card Chain Challenge are revealed.  

24 people signed up to exchange cards in June. I sent a card to Chris in Illinois and I received a beautiful card from Alice in Austria!

I used one of the suggested Technique Options of Shaped Card for my design this month!

I used at Retro TV die from Amazon, designer papers from Oriental Garden by Stamperia and the bee is made with the Fire Flies Die from the Greetery (colored to look like a bee!)  I die cut the TV out of hammered white card stock and colored the pieces with Copics and a Silver Leaf Krylon Pen.

Inside                                                Back

We hope you will join us for the July Card Chain Challenge! You'll find the link up and all the details on how to join in on the blog here.

The deadline to sign up is July 6th.

5000 cards have been exchanged world wide!

Also sending my card to:

Cardz 4 Guys

Gardens 

TIME OUT Challenge

Viewing a lake/ocean scene on the TV. The color of the aqua float in the pool 

Try it on Tuesday

In the Garden - ends July 6

Stamps:  Inside of card - Garden Sayings - Impression Obsession.

Ink:  Nocturne - Versafine Clair

Paper:  White - Papertrey Ink, Hammered White Card - Amazon (comes from England), DP Oriental Garden - Stamperia.

Other Supplies:  Retro TV Die - Amazon, Fire Flies Die - The Greetery, Copics - E04, BG11, N10, Y17, Silver Leaf Pen - Krylon.

Inkspirational #369 - Visual Prompt

 Hi all!  There's a new challenge up at Inkspirational today!

And here's my DT card inspired by the prompt!  Obviously, inspired by the elf/gnome himself as well as the garden he's standing in!

The elf/gnome is a rub-on from Taperlogy, the beautiful paper is French Wallpaper from Unity.  I added 3 Candy Dots from Waffle Flower.  The DP panel is die cut with Scallop Stackers Small die from Papertrey Ink.

We hope  you will join us and link up your card inspired by the Visual Prompt.  You'll find inspiration from the rest of the Design Team as well as Mr. Linky over at Inkspirational!

This challenge ends on June 19th!

Also sending my card to:

NBUS

1st time using this garden sentiment stamp

Die Cut Divas

Anything goes with a die

Stamps: Garden Sayings - Impression Obsession
Ink: Nocturne - Versafine Clair.
Paper: Vintage Cream - PTI, DP French Wallpaper - Unity.
Other Supplies: Scallop Stackers Small - PTI, Gnome/elf rub-on - Easter Collection, Taperlogy, Candy Dots - Waffle Flower.

May 2026 Card Chain Challenge Reveal

 Today's the day all the cards exchanged for the May Card Chain Challenge are revealed over at the Card Chain Challenge Blog!    For May, I sent a card to Arlene in California and I received a beautiful card from Gundi in Germany!  

Twenty five people participated in the May Card Chain.

We are always given options for our card design -  colors, sketch, themes, products, techniques.  You only have to use one option or you can use them all!

This month I used the themes of Floral and Friendship. (I seem to use these themes a lot!)

I just LOVE this giant flower die that completely fills my A2 card (4 1/4" x 5 1/2").  I purchased this die recently and this is the first time I've used it!  Perfect for the Floral Theme right?!  It's called Scalloped Petals Die and the sentiment is from the coordinated Scalloped Petals Stamp Set - both from Concord & 9th.

If you'd like to play along with the June Card Chain Challenge - check it out at the Card Chain Challenge Blog where you'll find all the details of the challenge and how to join in.

Sign up ends on June 6th.

Also sending my card to:

NBUS

1st time using this die and sentiment stamp set.

Stamps:  Scalloped Petals Stamp Set - Concord & 9th.

Paper:  Berry Sorbet, Pale Peony, Summer Sunrise, Pure Poppy, True Black - Papertrey Ink, Caramel Apple, Easter Grass - Bazzill, DP - Hello Sunshine - Taylored Expressions.

Ink:  Nocturne - Versafine Clair.

Other Supplies:  Scalloped Petals Die - Concord & 9th, Orange Peel Stickles, Candy Dots - Waffle Flower.

Painted Stones - Florals

 I've been learning a new craft, painted stones, after seeing many posts of them on FB - and then, of course, I searched for them on Pinterest for more inspiration.  

So the latest Just Us Girls challenge called my name!  

I did check the challenge rules and it doesn't say it has to be a card!

I am a beginner stone painter do I didn't try to make the blooms as detailed as the inspiration. It might be easier to add detail with actual acrylic paints and small brushes but I have lots of POSCA pens so just use those.  

I was inspired by the flowers on the two largest stones and the black background.

The acrylic spray makes them SO shiny - it's hard to get a photo without some glare. 

(the bits of white on the edges are reflections of light)

I use POSCA and other acrylic paint pens to draw and color my stones -  some have fine points.  I buy the stones from Amazon 2-3" smooth stones - I buy both natural and painted white stones.  After the painting is dry (a few hours or overnight) I spray them with 2 coats of  Krylon Acrylic Spray - letting them dry at least 2 hours between sprayings.   

This is how the stone looks before painting and spraying.

You can see how the acrylic spray makes the background look black where ever I didn't paint- it's like magic!  

Just Us Girls

ends 3/25

Supplies:  2-3" smooth stones - Amazon, POSCA Pens and other brands of acrylic pens (some have fine tips), Krylon Acrylic Spray.

Card Chain Challenge - July Exchange Reveal

 It's time to reveal all the cards exchanged for July over at The Card Chain Challenge.  I sent a card to Imke in Germany and I received a card from Jeanne H in MN!

For my card this month, I chose one of the themes: Doors or Windows.   I have both on my card!  A lovely center opening door with windows!

Usually you would have the door (Elegant Entrance Arches) as if  you were looking at the outside of the home -  but I decorated mine to be showing the inside of the home - with wall paper around the door (Elegant Arches Stamp) and a potted plant.(Modern Planters and Botanicals: Forget Me Nots.)  All from The Greetery.

And when you open the door you are looking out onto the garden! 

I stenciled the background on the inside of the card using Leaves in the Wind from Carabelle Studio and overlaid the die cut greenery (Garden Tub Filler Die). The sentiment is from Bloom and Grow Sentiments both from The Greetery.

We'd love to have you join us for the August Card Chain Challenge - you send a card to the person signed up ahead of you and you receive a card from the person signed up after you - you'll find all the details on how to sign up at The Card Chain Challenge blog!

The last day to sign up for the August challenge is August 6th!

I'm also linking my card to:

Simon Says Stamp Monday Challenge

Summertime Blues  ends  8/4

Stamps:  Bloom and Grow Sentiments, Elegant Arches Background Stamp - The Greetery

Paper:  Hammered white - Amazon, White, Enchanted Evening, watercolor paper - Canson Cold Press, metallic gold - from stash.

Ink: Caribbean Sky - Altenew, Ranger Distress - Mowed Lawn and Speckled Egg, (other Distress inks used smooshed on mat for the flowers and water colored on the greenery - I had them in my stash already colored from a previous project)

Other Supplies: Modern Planters Die, Botanicals: Forget Me Nots die, A2 Arches Die, Elegant entrance Arches Die - The Greetery, Leaves in the Wind Stencil - Carabelle Studio, black POSCA pen, foam dots, tiny gems.

Inkspirational #347 Mood Board

 Today I'm sharing my DT card for the newest Inkspirational Challenge #347.

I used a mix of pink and orange Copics to color my flowers (with a touch of green) made using Mirrored Arch Blooms Press Plate.  I cut out the center using Mirrored Arch Labels from Spellbinders.  

I adhered the panel over my card base with foam dots and then adhered the die cut sentiment inside the opening.  I also added a sweet little butterfly (how cute is she??!) from This Calls for Confetti and black enamel dots from Altenew.

We'd love to have you show us your inspired card using this Mood Board!  You will find some lovely inspiration from the rest of the DT as well as Mr. Linky over at the Inkspirational blog!

This challenge ends on 8/15!

Also sending my card to:

NBUS

1st time using this Better Press Plate

Simon Says Stamp Wednesday challenge

Anything goes ends 8/5

Passion for Markers

Dies or punches ends 8/5

Stamps:  All the Flowers - Verve (retired)

Paper:  Watercolor paper - Canson Cold Press.

Ink:  Better Press Black - Spellbinders

Other Supplies:  Mirrored Arch Blooms Press Plate - Better Press/Spellbinders, Mirrored Arch Labels Die - Spellbinders, Copics R20, RV23, YG03, YR61, Y38, YR02, Butterfly - This Calls for Confetti, foam dots.

The Healing Power of a Garden

 Today I'm playing along with the Just Us Girls Challenge

I was inspired by the colors, the snail, flower stems and single blossoms!

I got out the Curio Spring Findings dies from The Greetery, that I purchased several years ago and didn't play with until today!  

That's why I love challenges -  they challenge me to use my stuff!

The snails' shell has a die cut curl mark on it but it doesn't show up in the photo.  I added his eye with a Micron 01 black marker.

I stenciled the background using the Milky Way Stencil from A Colorful Life Designs.   The sentiment is from Garden Sayings from Impression Obsession.

I'm also sending my card to:

NBUS

1st time using the Curio Spring Findings dies.

Tic Tac Toe

ends 7/31

diagonal Stencil, Blue, Foliage

Stamps:  Garden Sayings - Impression Obsession

Paper:  Hammered White - Amazon, Robins Egg - Bazzill, Melon Berry, True Black.

Ink:  Melon Berry, Spring Rain - PTI, Nocturne - Versafine Clair.

Other Supplies:  Milky Way Stencil - A Colorful Life Designs, Curio Spring Findings Dies - The Greetery, Copic W2, blender brushes, Sakura Micron 01 black marker.