Shine Brightly

 I just love that sentiment, this card went to a new fellow card maker, so fun to meet others from around the world through our blogs! She sent me a couple of images that I will be sharing later when I get all my Christmas cards made :)

• Memory Box - Sylvan Corner die
• Crafter's companion - Paper from advent calendar
• Twilight - Yellow butterfly washi tape from amazon
• 49 and Market - Curators Meadow laser cut elements and Vintage artistry essentials  rub on transfers
• Tim Holtz - tiny text remnant rub ons

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

Connie

Just a note

 My first card is mini slimline card, just had to send a note to let a friend know she was in my thoughts. I went with this lovely paper that has sparkle on it so I had to use some sparkle flowers with it.

• DCWV - The Primrose paper
• Crafter's Square - Thinking of you stamps
• EK Success - Flower punch
• Pearls

This second one was for a guy at church that just lost his younger sister. I took the pictures with my phone instead of my camera and I don't like the way they turned out so I won't be doing that again but I hope you can see all right.

• Tim Holtz - Flower Jar stamp and die set, colored w/markers
• Crafter's Square - Thinking of you stamp set
• Tumbled glass distress ink, smooshed onto watercolor paper for background
• String

I would like to share my card today with Simply Clean & Simple Challenge Greenery

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

Connie

Valentines

 I went searching through my goodies to see what I could use for the couple Valentines I made this year, and I found some stickers that I have had for a very long time, and then I remembered that many years ago Birgit had sent me these ephemera pieces they already had glitter on them, I have used them many years in the past and still have a couple left over for next year :)

• images from friend
• paper from scrap pile

This next one is stickers I had.

• Provocraft - Sweetheart kids stickers
• Susan Branch - quotes sticker on tag and the little hearts
• Spellbinders - Decorative Labels eight  and Back to Basics tag dies
• Brad

I would like to share my card with the Simon Says Wednesday Challenge Hearts

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

Connie

Healing Presence

 I started following Marta on you tube after I started making my junk journals, you can find her HERE . She has some really interesting things she makes and is fun to watch her mind at work. She also sells books here in America on Amazon, and I loved her art work so I bought one.  The artwork did not disappoint, a lot of it is very big, but some can be used on an A2 size card like the one I am sharing today for my friend who had knee surgery recently.  The paper is very thin so fussy cutting this image out was a bit harder for me but I am thinking she goes with the thinner paper because that works better in journals, so that it doesn't take up as much room.

• Marem's Collectanea ephemera book, by Marta Lapkoswka, bought from Amazon, fussy cut
• Tim Holtz - Crochet die
• ODBD - All Occassions sentiment stamp set

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

Connie

Teams meeting cards

 Our group got together again this month for another card making session. This time we were supposed to pick out colored cardstock, and a pattern paper piece that wasn't too busy, we tore that piece and added it to the middle of the cardstock piece. Then we gathered our small stamps, I am thinking I used at least 3 or 4 stamps on each one. We stamped all around the edge, over lapping onto the pattern paper.  Then it was up to us what else we wanted to add to the card.  I made 4 backgrounds but only made two of them into cards, both for birthdays I have coming up.

• 49 and Market - Bird song stamps for stamping around the edges and bird sitting on
• Simon says stamps - Songbird die
• Fiskars scissors - to cut out definition
• Poppystamps - Lovely sprig tendril die

• Stamperia - Secret Diary stamps
• Paper Studio - Ephemera 
• Fiskars - Essential Sayings sentiment stamp

The tag on the ephemera piece was blank so I could add my own sentiment, I used two from the set.

I thought this was a neat way to use some of those smaller stamps we have in our stash, and some of the scraps of pattern paper too :)

Yesterday was above freezing and today also, tomorrow below again but I will take these couple of warmer days :)

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

Connie

Awesome

 Using my 49 and market goodies again for this one, another card that was actually given last year for a autumn birthday. I love how delicate the laser cuts are, although it is hard to get any dimension from them.  I cut a little banner out of one of the papers and inked around it.

• 49 and Market - In the leaves 6x8 collection papers, laser cut elements and wishing bubbles and trinkets

Thanks so much for taking the time to stop by today. Prayers for those that are still without power after this storm.  Looking forward to the above freezing temps we should get this week.

Connie

Crystal Bouquet

 I went with another diamond dot card for my friend here that I could hand deliver this card too, I like how the bigger gems add a special touch to it.

• Craft Buddy - Crystal Art card kit bought at HSN

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

Connie

Create Moments

 My hubby's birthday is just two days after my daughters birthday, the year she was born we didn't really celebrate his birthday since my daughter had to stay in the hospital for a week after her birth.

I went with a new die set I had bought last year at a stamp store over in Missouri. I thought it would be nice for male cards. 

• Ciabella - Engine of the Future 12x12 paper and creative pad w/ephemera elemtns
• AALL & Create - Splodazzlers double frame & splats dies
• Tim Holtz - Vintage Labels die, wrote in the year

Hubby is still digging out the snow a little each day, it is so cold out there and the snow just keeps getting heavier as the sun melts it a bit each day and then freezes over. My back is still giving me troubles so I don't dare go out and help.  Hope the rest of you dealing with all the snow are doing ok.

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

Connie

Bouquet of flowers

 This card went to my daughter, tried to do colors I thought she would like :)  Can you believe I didn't use one bit of pattern paper on this one.   I had to cut it out with a die though :)

• Woodware - Flowers in a can stamp set, colored w/markers
• Spellbinders - A2 Devine Eloquence die 

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

Triple B Challenge

Beautiful Blossoms Challenge 

Simply Clean & Simple 

We ended up with only 9 inches of snow, but many areas around us got up to 12 so I am thankful. We have not tried to clear it yet since the temperatures are in the negative right now, but hoping they will improve, just thankful hubby didn't have to go into work today.  Hope everyone stays safe, I hear that the east coast is in for a lot of snow!

Thanks so much for stopping by today,

Connie
 

Winter time

 With all the snow coming, I though it would be a good time to post those cards I have made this month for our Christmas challenge which is using new things.  I have already shared at the beginning of the month my new snowman die, but I thought I would use him a couple more times, and also using my deer dies I never got around to using last year. I also opened another door to the stitched advent calendar for 2024, I am opening them as I do them, will probably do one a month until I have them all done.

On this first one I also wanted to use the new ornament dies I had bought last year at Michaels, I didn't notice until I was getting ready to post and seeing the card on my big monitor that wow I have a lot of patterns going on here. I cut the top portion of the ornament out of metallic cardstock and glued on top to give it more definition.

• Recollections - Ornament die
• Simon Says stamps - Bundled snowman die
• ODBD - Christmas 2014 paper
• Flower soft - Polar white
• Sizzix - Delightful deer die set for the leaves
• Diamond Press - Advent calendar 2025 Bow die

I went with a little more vintage look on this next one.

• Simon says stsmps - Bundled snowman die
• Stamperia - Classic Christmas paper
• Spectrum noir - Sparkle pen on snow and hat
• Hero Arts - CL722 sentiment stamp

• Sizzix - Delightful Deer dies
• Elizabeth Craft design - Outdoor edges  die (snow)
• Tim Holtz - Funky Festive die (Bow)
• Stickles - Crystal and xmas red

I thought this close up shows the details a little better

• Sizzix - Delightful Deer die
• Stamperia - Classic Christmas paper
• Hero Arts - CL722 sentiment stamp
• Spellbinders - sequins

 My last card is my stitched card, I used a lot of sparkle and regular metallic cardstock and none of the colors showed up right, but I guess you can get an idea, so I am posting.

• Spellbinders - 2024 stitched advent calendar (star)
• Crafter's Companion- Twinkling Stars die frame
• Simon says stamps - Tiny words Christmas sentiment stamp

Most of the time when I take close up pictures that is the more true colors of my cards but that didn't help out at this time, but it is closer.

I would like to share my cards with the these challenges:

Peace on Earth Challenge

Four Seasons winter challenge 

Stay safe everyone in these snow and ice storms going through today and tomorrow.

Thanks for stopping by,

Connie

Happiness

 When I was thinking of neglected stuff in my cardmaking I realized I have not used ribbon in some time and I have actually never used this ribbon. So I went with trying to figure out how to use it, this is the design I came up with.

• Make Special Cards Magazine - Die Cut image and papers
• JoAnn - Twill tape ribbon
• Sequins

Sharing today's card with:

Neglected Stuff Challenge Ribbon

Sisterhood of Crafter's Challenge Spots and dots challenge

Thanks so much for stopping by, hope that everyone in the path of these storms, especially those that will be getting the icy mess will stay throughout all of this. We may get up to 12 inches they are saying, I am hoping for less.

Connie

Sketch Challenge

 Our cardmaking Facebook group had a sketch challenge for this month and when I was stuck on what to make for my nephew's wife's birthday I thought that would get me jump started.

• Memory Box - Pattern paper
• American Crafts - Ephemera pack
• Stamps of Life - Standup4sentiments stamp
• Spellbinders- Advent calendar sequins

That is it for today, we have a day above freezing before we hit the below freezing again, and this weekend we are supposed to get snow.

Take care, and thanks so much for taking the time to stop by,

Connie

Birthday Cake

 I needed another girl teen card for my great niece. I remembered these watercolor cards so I found one that I thought would be good for a teen :) I colored it with markers instead of watercolor.

• Taylored Expressions - Birthday watercolor panels, colored w/markers
• Echo Park - Fine and Dandy paper
• Srickles on the candle flames

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

Sisterhood of Crafters Spots and Dots challenge

Seize the birthday Challenge Anything goes or Make your own snowflake background

Word Power Challenge

We are staying in today, the feels like when I woke up was -5, it has reached 0 now. Time to get more crafting done :)

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

Connie

Diamond Flower

 Used another of my Diamond art kits I bought from Michaels for my friends card today, I knew she would like it because she is always doing them herself :) After finishing I cut it out with my pinking shears, the dots are adhered to a fabric, like linen. I stamped the sentiment onto a die cut tag.

• Make Market - Diamond Art kit Florals - 4x6 inches, used pinking shears to cut out
• Chloe's creative cards - Sentiment stamp
• PPD - Stitched Curvy Coved Rectangle die

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

Connie

Thinking of you

 I forgot to post this card when I posted the other sympathy cards I made, I went with a vintage feel to this one, after the passing of her mother. I do love the Botanicals in this paper pack.

• Hot off the press - Botanical Library 6x6 pattern cardstock (image)
• Torn Book page
• Fiskars - Essential Sayings sentiment stamp
• Background paper from my scraps bin

Thanks so much for stopping by and those of you in the States, hope you can keep warm, there is a lot of cold around.

Connie

Wish upon a star

 I am using a set of stamps I have used a few times before, I think I have used it mostly for teens but I think it would work for anyone. I have fussy cut the fox and added him to the background I inked, and then added the stamped stars with white embossing powder.

• Lawn Fawn - Upon a Star stamp set, inked background, colored fox w/markers and white heat embossed with white embossing powder of the stars
• Distress inks - Faded Jeans, Black soot and Dusty concord for the sky, Forest moss for ground

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

Connie

Flower Bouquet

 Using more of 2024's advent calendar stuff, I wanted to use it all by last year so that I would start fresh with this year but still had a few left. These flowers, gems and bow are from the advent calendar. I am not sure if I went to far using the papers or not, I used pattern paper for everything, the die cuts  and framing and background. This card was hand delivered so I was able to use the bigger gems on it.

• Diamond Press - 2024 Advent Calendar- Flowers and bow dies and Gems
• Spellbinders - Decorative Labels 28 die
• Craftsmith - Sea Glass papers
• Bow and flowers from scrap pattern papers

I would like to share my card with Love those pretty papers challenge 

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

Connie

Best Wishes

 When I saw the challenge over at Simon Says Wednesday Challenge to use something new I had to share the card I made for my Hubby's coworker who got married on New Years day, she asked hubby if he would take pictures. I used my new items from my Advent calendars, the sentiment die and the embossing folder which I embossed 3 times to fill the background of the card.

• Spellbinders - Lace hearts die and from 2025 Advent calendar sentiment die, sequins
• Diamond Press Advent calendar - Embossing folder, embossed 3 times to fill background

The heart and sentiment dies were cut from Hero Arts gold sparkle cardstock.

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

Connie

Gold Stenciling

 In our last group Teams Meeting we did some gold embossing with a stencil. I started off with yellow pattern paper and then laid my stencil down and added embossing ink to the openings of the stencil, then added my gold embossing powder on top of that, gave a pretty effect. We also did this different opening which whatever we chose to be the closure would hold the flap shut, sorry I didn't write down any measurements.

I water colored the flowers and popped it up on dimensional tape to hold the flap shut. We had put a whole piece of paper behind the card to hid the gluing of the flap on the back of the card but I didn't like how it couldn't stand up on it's own now, so I cut the bottom flush with my card.

• Precious Marieke - Flowery collection stamp, watercolored w/ Spectrum Aqua Markers
• Simon Says - Freestyle Flowers Stencil, embossing with gold embossing powder

I am sharing today's card with Stencil Fun Challenge 

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

Connie