Pocket and tag

 I shared a bag and a tag before now I am sharing an envelope and I added a tag, these are really nice for journaling but I have found I like doing them instead of cards too, my hubby's sister really liked it. The maker of the envelope just came out in a new release a month or so ago with an insert for the envelope, I may just have to get that one too :) Although as I found a tag that fit well you can use anything to fill the envelope. I made a bunch of the envelopes a long time ago and so I can't remember the paper I used for them. I also have a whole bin of the Tim Holtz labels I made ahead of time and can't remember where the stamp I used inside is from.

• Spellbinders - Essential Envelope and Delicate Asters die cut from Color Burst Background
• Tim Holtz - Vintage Label die w/stamp
• Daisy Mae Designs - Tag die
• Cardmaking magic - Birthday verses sentiment stamp
• PPD - Mini Stitched square die
• Ieebee- Fluttering Blooms washi
• Ribbon and twine
• Stickles

Thanks so much for taking the time to stop by today,

Connie

Sunflowers

 I didn't manage to get all my Fall birthday cards posted before December so I will be still sharing those through the next week.  It seems weird because we have just received our first snowfall of the year and I think just looking it must be at least 4-5 inches, I have not gone out and checked.

• Stampin up - Painted Harvest stamp set, layered stamping
• Elizabeth craft designs - Bees die, using vellum for the wings
• Fiskars - Essenteal sayings sentiment stamp
• PPD - A2 stitched banner die set
• Paper from scrap bin

Thanks so much for taking the time to stop by today,

Connie

Happy Thanksgiving

 Happy Thanksgiving to all my American friends.  I had shared all my cards I had made this year for family, so I thought today I would share a Diamond Dots project I bought last year for the Autumn Season and never got around to doing, so this year I was determined to get it done.  After I finished and I was trying to decide what to do with it, hubby surprised me and stopped at Michaels after work one day and brought home this frame, I wasn't sure it would work but it was called a floating frame and it worked perfectly for this.  I tried to get a picture of it without the reflection of the glass. The image is 12x15 inches.

• Diamond dots kit from Walmart Fall of 2024
• Floating Frame from Michaels

For those that came to see a card I will share one of those too :)

For awhile I was pretty good at going through my scraps and not used items that I had cut out and ended up not using for other cards but I had gotten away from that and my bin is getting full so hopefully I will start to use up goodies from that bin.  For this card for my friend I ended up using a very delicate but I made on my silhouette machine, I have not used that machine in years so you know how long that has been unused. Some die cut flowers and a background that I made with our stamp group in one of our online meetings.

• Silhouette - Corner cut
• Background I made
• Spellbinders - Scalloped Classic Ovals die
• Crafter's Square - Sentiment stamp
• Altenew - Nature's wonders enamel dots
• Tim Holtz - Flower dies

So thankful for you friends who stop by and give such great encouragement of my cards, wishing you much to be Thankful for too!

Connie

Fall Fence

 These are my last two Thanksgiving cards, this first one that I stamped seemed a little bare so I added a die cut pumpkin to the scene :) I sponged on some ink for grass and then stamped a few little touches of grass. Some light inking of blue just so that it isn't so white.

• Penny Black - Fall Fence Stamp, colored w/markers and Pumpkin Parade die
• Distress inks - Mowed Lawn and Tumbled glass
• CRS Tapestry - Grass blades peg stamp
• 49 and Market - in the leaves rub-on sentiment

I would like to share this card with the Penny Black Saturday challenge 

Next up is another of the images my hubby made for me on the computer.

• Image my hubby made on computer
• Spellbinders - Classic Scalloped Square small die
• Memory Box - Stitched Rectangle layers die
• 49 and Market - in the leaves rub on sentiment

Well we have a wintery mix of rain and snow coming early Saturday morning, so winter is making it's arrival, I can say I am not ready.

Thanks so much for taking the time to stop by today,

Connie

Autumn Harvest

 I have a couple more Thanksgiving cards to share, they don't all have traditional sentiments on them this year but I am using what I have.

This first was using another stamp set.

• Great Impressions - Fall Garden stamp set, colored w/markers
• 49 and Market - In the leaves, wishing bubbles and trinkets (sentiment)
• Spellbinders - Labels 37 die

This next one I got recently at the stamp store in Missouri, more pretty Studio Light goodies.

• Studio Light - Charming Autumn die cut ephemera
• Jute twine

Thanks so much for taking the time to stop by today,

Connie

Sisters

 Thanksgiving cards for my sisters, I went with a stamp and shaped card for my first, I know don't be in shock that I didn't use any pattern paper :) Going with a classic clean look. I did a little inking around the edges before removing the die.

• Inky Antics - Pumpkin Scenes stamp set, colored w/markers
• Spellbinders Labels 29
  
  

This next one I used an image from my daily calendar because of the message on it, my brother in law has been going through a lot of health problems over the past couple years and we got some good news recently, so this fits perfectly and they both like coffee :)

• Katy Daisy, Just Bloom 2025 Daily Calendar image
• Graphic 45 - Botanical tea papers
• Martha Stewart - Border punch

Even though this has been a rough year at times, we can always find things we are quite grateful for!

Thanks so much for taking the time to stop by and hope you have a great weekend!

Connie

Collaboration

 One time when we went into Michaels hubby found these beads that you put together and then melt them with an iron, he thought that was a neat idea, I told him I didn't think I wanted to try that and he ended up getting them for himself.  His first try didn't come out perfect, but he gave it to me and said I should use it on a card, so since Thanksgiving was coming up I thought I would use it for his sisters Thanksgiving card and that way it would be something from both of us.

• Beaded Leaf
• PPD - Burlap Swatch die
• 49 and Market - In the leaves rub on sentiment
• Diamond Dots

Next up is a birthday card for my nephew and I went with a Graphics Fairy image and some stamped leaves to frame it.

• Graphics Fairy - Leaves and branch print
• Hero Arts - Wood frame infinity die
• Stamp in up - Leaves 1997
• Sentiment stamp was in my scraps box

Thanks so much for taking the time to stop by today,

Connie

Be Joyful Always

 I bought this tag and bag die set for my journaling, I got it on sale :) But I thought it would make a nice gift for my sister in law, I know she has devotional books that she could always use a bookmark and thought the tag could work for that.  She has received it and said she will be using it :)

I love the jagged edge on the bag.

• Hot off the press - Tag in a bag die set
• K&Co. - Ancestry.com papers for the bag
• Graphic 45- Botanical Tea paper for tag
• Stamps of Life - Praise4Him (verse on envelope)
• ODBD - Scripture Collection 2 stamp set (tag)
• Lawn Fawn - Outside In Stitched Scalloped rectangle die (on bag)
• Spellbinders - Lacy Squares die (pocket on tag)
• Hot off the press _ Botanical Library (inside of pocket on tag)
• Impression Obsession - Spring bird die
• Ribbon and string

I glued the square die on tag on sides and bottom only so that it could be a pocket to hold anything in there she may want to save our take notes.

That is all for today, hope you have a great week ahead and thanks for taking the time to stop by and say Hi,

Connie

Celebrating you

 These Paper Rose images are just gorgeous and they have a touch of shine to them that makes them extra special looking on the card.  When hubby saw these with me he said those are cool, so I thought, I can always use more images for guy cards :)

• Paper Rose Studio - Lakeside Memories embossed die cuts
• 49 and Market - In the Leaves 12x12 papers, PVC die cuts (leaves) and Wishing bubbles and Trinkets epoxy xtickers
• Spellbinders - Labels one dies
• Simon Says stamps - Tiny words Birthday sentiment stamp

I would like to share my card with the following challenges:

Love those pretty papers Optional Forest Critters

NBUS Challenge Duck die cut

Word Art Wednesday

Thanks so much for taking the time to stop by, hope you have a great weekend, we are enjoying very warm weather right now and sun.

Connie

Happy Hugs

 I have a couple cards I made for people in my church. The first was an older lady that recently started coming to our church, she is in need of prayer so I thought I would send a card to remind her that I was praying for her.

Hubby made me a few Autumn pictures on his computer using AI, and this image is one of them.

• Picture hubby made using AI
• DCWV - Earth Prints paper
• Hot off the press - Life Happens Greetings stamp sentiment
• Spellbinders - Blossom and Delicious Decorations (leaf) dies

A man in our church got Covid and was hospitalized.  I went with another Autumn themed card for his get well.

• Tim Holtz - Leaf Fragments and 3D Oak Leaf dies
• Tag from friend
• Art Gone Wild - Get well stamp sentiments

Thanks so much for taking the time to stop by today, I am a little behind on visiting blogs, been a bit busy, but will get to them :)

Connie

Autumn Birthday wreath

 Using more of the stamps from the magazine I bought at the bookstore. This half wreath stamp fit just right on an A2 size card. Fussy cut the flowers and butterfly and popped them up to add them to the wreath, and did a lot of inking.

• Creative Stamping Magazine - Summer Florals Stamps, colored w/markers and fussy cutting
• Distress Oxides - Spiced Marmalade, wild honey and Scattered Straw
• Crafter's Square - Birthday stamp sentiment
• Gold watercolor Paint Splattering

I would like to share my card with the following challenges:

Four Seasons Challenge Fall

Triple B Challenge Birds Blooms and Butterflies

Double D Challenge Wreaths

I want to say how thankful I am for all our Veterans, who have done so much for our country, and a shout out to my hubby who is one of them :)

Thanks so much for taking the time to stop by today,

Connie

Forest Critters

 Love Those Pretty Papers Challenge this month was to use Forest Critters, and my first thought was my Heartfelt Creations papers and stamps, and this nephew still had not received a card using this set.

• Heartfelt Creations- Woodsy Wonderland Paper collection, Woodsy Critters Stamps and dies and Trees stamps and dies  (the trees were in a bunch and I cut them apart)

I love how you can make so many different scenes from the paper pack and all the images and then add your stamps to enhance the scene, and as many of these I have made I still have a lot left :)

Thanks so much for taking the time to stop by today,

Connie

Anniversary

 Hubby and I celebrated our Anniversary last month, well we delayed going out because I have been sick for the past week with a bad cold that is still lingering a bit but we have decided to go out for dinner tonight and celebrate :)

I could not for the life of me find what I had in mind to do for him, what I am thinking is I may have thought I should buy it but didn't, that has happened to me before LOL!  So when I came upon these ephemera pieces, I thought they would be perfect.  After the card was all done and I am looking at it I thought oh this would have made a good valentine card, but guess it works for either :)

• Simple Stories - Simple Vintage Love story ephemera
• Base paper from my scraps bin

Thanks so much for taking the time to stop by today,

Connie

Pastor Appreciation

 Last Month was Pastor Appreciation and once again I turned to my Proverb's in Color for the sentiment on them for Our Lead Pastor and her husband that is our Pastor of Discipleship and Outreach.

I loved this Proverbs verse for our Pastor because it fits her perfectly. I had a lot of small strips left from this paper pack so I made the background using them and then added another piece behind the coloring card.

• Christian Art Gifts - Proverbs in Color, colored w/markers
• Sassafras - Mix and Mend Papers

For our masculine Pastor I picked this verse because he is so handy around the church and he has put in a lot of work for our Community Garden we have at church. I colored the whole thing and just didn't like how it turned out so I cut out the verse and put the bottom part of the clipboard.

• Christian Art Gifts - Proverbs in Color, color w/markers
• Tim Holtz - Noteworthy
• Park Lane - Text stamp
• Amazon tag sticker
• Brad

I would like to share my card with Simon Says Monday Challenge using Tim Holtz products

Thanks so much for taking the time to stop by today,

Connie

Stitched Christmas

 Yes I am late getting my Christmas cards for October posted, I have been working on them all month long and I finally got them done. The Challenge for this month in our group was to do stitching on cards, just so happened that I had purchased last years Stitched Advent Calendar from Spellbinders, since they were on sale cheap, plus I got 20% off.

• Spellbinders 2024 Stitching Advent Calendar (Tree) with white/gold metallic DMC thread
• Recollections - Gingerbread Forest Paper 6x6 

On this snowman I attached it to the card using removable tape so that they can hang it on their tree if they want to.

• Spellbinders 2024 Stitching Advent Calendar, Snowman with DMC thread
• My mind's eye - O Christmas tree paper
• Poppystamps - Snowscape die
• Recollections - Sticker book sentiment

Michaels this year had some new dies and the stocking was a new one for me so my hubby picked it up for me and surprised me with it.  I cut the die twice and cut the top with foam sparkle. The borders were washi tape they had and the papers too.  The Santa's beard was to be stitched with just straight lines but I added a few more stitches so his beard would be a little fuller.

• Spellbinders 2024 Stitching Advent Calendar, Santa, with extra stitching on beard to make it fuller
• Recollections - Stocking die, cut twice and cut top with Glitter foam, Christmas Plaids paper, Washi tape for borders and Christmas embossed papers

• Spellbinders 2024 Stitching Advent Calendar, ho HO ho
• Paper Studio - Cozy Christmas  paper and Christmas sticker book

On HSN's Craft Day they had these Crystal Art Card kits, they were so cute, I had to pick them up, not realizing half of them are Square, so I decided that I am going to use those ones for the people that I hand deliver cards too.

• Craft Buddy - Crystal Art Card kits

I love how this company does different sizes of their crystals, makes it even more sparkle and interesting.

I would like to share my card with the Peace on Earth Christmas Challenge

Thanks so much for taking the time to stop by today,

Connie

Celebrating you

 This one was for our male friend, I went with a collage feel of Autumn goodness :)

• Dienamites - Maple leaf border die cut from inked background
• 49 and Market - In the Leaves 12 x 12 paper and laser cut elements
• Simon Says - Tiny words Birthday sentiment stamp
• Pebbles - Candy dots
• Nuvo Crystal glaze on the berries
• My faux aged tape

Thanks so much for taking the time to stop by today,

Connie

Washi Butterfly

 I saw this VIDEO a couple months ago and I thought that was such pretty washi tape, now they have many more in stock at Paperwishes.com if you want to check them out.  I didn't do the butterfly exactly how she did it, but I still liked the effect.

Since there was so much pattern in the washi tape I decided to keep the background pretty plain, I used a stencil to ink just around the outside of the card with a deeper orange ink.

• Hot off the Press - Butterflies and Hearts die
• Penny Black - Background Basics Stencil
• Dried Marigold Distress ink
• Ieebee - Fluttering Blooms washi tape
• Recollections - Basic Paper
• Crafter's Square - Birthday sentiment stamp
• Added dots with fine tip brown sharpie pen
• Hearts cut from left over washi pieces

Thanks so much for taking the time to stop by today,

Connie

Faux Wood Technique

 We had another teams meeting with my stamp group and this time April taught us I believe she called it Carved wood Technique.

 You will want 3 brown inks from light to dark, sorry I forgot to write down the colors we used. We took a 4 x 5.25 inch paper and wiped the whole piece of paper with the lightest ink, you don't want to fill the whole paper just swipe down all the way across. Then we scored the top half of the card every 1/2 inch for four score lines. 

Then take an embossing folder that you would like for the bottom half of your card and  line it up with your last score line, you want this to be the debossed side of your folder. When done embossing you will swipe on your other 2 darker inks on top, once again just lightly wiping so not to fill the entire card just to leave streaks. We also added at the very end some Broken China distress inks very lightly. You will cut a 3/4 inch piece off this card for the two sections you see on the card.

For the base of the card we cut a 5.5 x 7.5 inch card and scored at 3 1/4 and 6 1/2 inches. Fold at the score lines and glue on your pieces to your card front.  Later when I was finishing the card I just added the leaf myself to keep it shut, but you don't have to have anything there.

• Taylored Expressions - Burlap embossing folder, w/distress inks
• Art Impressions - Lake House Window stamp, colored w/Aqua markers
• PPD - Stitched Square die
• Tim Holtz - Funky Foliage die

You glue the smallest scored piece directly to the card base and add the 3/4 inch strip to that, the take your main focal and glue it to that piece, it will bend back so you can secure the larger scored section.

 I hope with the instructions of how I remembered it and the pictures you will be able to figure it out if you want to give it a go :)

Thanks so much for stopping by today,

Connie

Quick cards

 Here are a couple cards that came together quickly when I wanted to get something out the same day.

Our Music director at church had knee surgery.  I am glad to report that was a few weeks ago and she is doing very well.

• Hunkydory - Garden Visitors Pocket Pad image
• Colorbok - Homespun Papers
• My Favorite Things - Cross stitch Rectangle
• Simon Says stamps - Tiny words encouragement sentiment stamp
• Pearls

This image was from my daily calendar, I had to send something to my daughter and made up this quick card to go with it.

Thanks so much for stopping by today, we have a very cloudy day today and tomorrow we are told we will get some more rain.

Connie