bright hopes

 Today I am using more stickers that I bought for my junk journals that I thought would work nicely with this film strip die, trying to come up with more ideas for the guy cards I need for birthdays :) I thought the tickets looked a little bare so I stamped the dragonfly and cut with a matching die and colored him adding a little sparkle pen to the wings, adding the sentiment across the filmstrip.

• Elizabeth Craft Designs - Planner Filmstrip dies
• Amazon sticker pack
• Crafter's companion - Dragon fly stamp and die set , colored w/markers and Sparkle pen for wings
• 49 and Market - Ticket Essentials
• Tim Holtz - Clippings sticker book (sentiment)

I would like to share with the Alphabet Challenge Air

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

Connie

Sending warm thoughts

 I was in need of another sympathy card, I went with my vintage roses papers and ephemera that come in the paper pack, adding a stamped sentiment to the postcard, and a doily from my stash. I popped up some of the items with foam tape

• Studio Light - DIY Block Vintage Roses papers and ephemera pack
• The Greetery - Thinking of you sentiment stamp (on postcard)
• Doily

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

Connie

Cherish Happy Memories

 I went with a mixed media/collage type card for our son in law. I need to use more of the pastes I have bought before they dry up, I used it through a script stencil, I like how this has a shimmer to it, you will be able to see it on the close up picture better.  The sentiment is from a vellum pack of sentiments, I tore it and then inked around the edges. Used another of my wooden pieces, this time a clock. Some washi tape and one of Tim's labels that I stamped on.

• Crafter's square - Wooden Clock
• Ciabella - Engine of the Future 12x12 paper
• Crafter's workshop - Mini Believe Script Stencil
• Solar Paste - Crocodile Tears (through the stencil)
• JoAnns - Vellum Quotes & Sentiments (torn and inked)
• Tim Holtz - French Design tape and Vintage Label
• Wintertime - Art Journal Stamps

I would like to share my card today with Simon Says Wednesday challenge

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

Connie

Sending you hugs

 We have a new young family that started attending our church this past year and her little girl had to have surgery. Our Pastor asked if I could make her a card. I had no idea what to do, so I just started looking through all my stamp sets and I came across this stamp that I thought would work for her. I was a bit intimidated since I have not colored anything but white people and had no idea if I even had colors that would work for her but I ended up being happy with how it turned out. The sentiments in the stamp set with her didn't work well so I found a stamp sentiment from another set to use. 

I stamped her out twice the second time with some post it note so I could mask her off to add in the grass and sky. The tree, cat and bird are all die cuts.

• Hot off the press - Janie's Girls stamp set, masked to add background, colored w/markers
• Simon Says stamps - You got this sentiment stamp
• My Favorite things - Cloud stencil W/tumble glass ink
• CRS Tapestry - Grass blades stamp
• Memory Bos - Bare Sapling, Grove leaves and Flying bird dies
• Impression Obsession - Cat die from pattern paper

I would like to share my card with Simon Says Monday Challenge 4 legged Friends

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

Connie

Hello You!

 When I opened this die set from my advent calendar I just new it would be going to a fellow stamper, I haven't seen anything like this kind of faux stamp die, so it was pretty cool. I did use my Wood veneer cardstock I bought from Amazon for the handle, it came with a few different messages you can use with it, I picked the hello you. Stamped a flower image on one of Tim Holtz's Vintage Label dies. Had to have some paper so I stamped off this piece and then took my hole punch and added holes along the side and finish it off with some florals.

•  Spellbinders Advent calendar- Hand stamp dies (wood veneer card stock for handle)
• Creative Worship - Your story stamp set (Paper, which I used my hole punch on the side)
• American Crafts - Art Journal stamp on paper
• Tim Holtz - Vintage Label die
• Wintertime - Art Journal stamp (flower on label)
• 49 and Market - Nostalgic Memories Laser cut florals

We made it through the storms, there were a few people throughout the city that lost trees that fell on cars and houses. The tornado touched down ten miles past us.

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

Connie

Happy Days

 I used all kinds of things from stash for the next birthday card for my hubby's coworker.  I tore a page from a Botany Book with a tear ruler I found on Amazon. I love the pet tape from Arden, I thought it would work well on my cards and the big eyelet I have had for many years.

• Botany book page, torn with a tear ruler and inked
• Arden - Hidden Creek, Filmstrip pet tape
• Mushroom label sticker
• Eyelet
• Tim Holtz - Clippings sticker book (sentiment)

We have some severe weather heading our way this afternoon and evening, hope everyone in the line of the storms stay safe.

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

Connie

Pink Birthday

 It was about time that I used another of my goodies from my Advent calendar. This time it is a stencil from Diamond Press. I cut my background piece of pattern paper and I used the stencil on the top and then flipped the paper and did it on the bottom also to frame the sentiment. I felt it needed a little something more and found these flowers I had bought years ago that went with it perfectly!

• Diamond Press 2025 Advent calendar - Stencil, used on the top and bottom of pattern paper
• Colorbok - Layered Flowers
• Hero Arts - It's your day sentiment stamp

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

Just us girls Challenge Stencil

Seize the Birthday Pink

Word Art Wednesday anything goes

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

Connie

Prayers are with you

 We have a husband and wife team now heading up our worship team at Church. Just after taking this on the husband ended up having eye trouble and had to have two surgeries to try and correct it, he ended up losing partial eye sight in that eye. 

I went with a collage of sorts to let him know he is in our prayers. I fussy cut the sentiment and kept it natural with the burlap and wooden leaf.

• Tim Holtz - Document collage papers
• Burlap
• Recollections - wooden leaf
• Mama Elephant - Blessed stamp set, fussy cut and inked

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

Connie

Hexagons

 The ladies in my stamp group were talking about making cards with hexagons and one of their birthdays was coming up so I thought that would make a great idea to use for her card.

I first embossed the card stock with a hexagon embossing folder and ran my ink pad on the raised surface, then I searched through my yellow scraps and found some pieces to cut out with my smallest hexagon die that just so happened to fit perfectly inside the embossing folder spaces. I was going to fill them all up but thought that would be too busy so I just filled in a few spaces.  Then went about making my bees and flowers!

• Paper Studio - Honeycomb Embossing folder, inked raise parts 
• Diamond Press - Hexagon dies, using scraps 
• Spellbinders - Be Bold Blooms dies
• Bee die

 I would like to share my card today with the

 Triple B Challenge 

Can you handle the pressure Challenge

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

Connie

Healing

 There were a couple of Knee surgeries for a couple ladies at out church and a guy in our life group had a serious accident.

These verses on these coloring cards were just right for the healing of their knees.

• Christian Art gifts - Psalm in color, coloring card, colored w/markers
• Sassafras - Mix and Mend paper
• EK Success - Sparkle gems

I thought adding this butterfly punch to this card would go with the image a bit.

• Christian Art Gifts - Psalm in color, coloring card, colored w/markers
• BasicGrey - Periphery Paper
• Martha Stewart butterfly border punch
• Gems

My last card I wasn't sure what to use for our friend. He was helping a neighbor clean up some brush and wood from a tree in his yard. The neighbor turned with the Chain saw and cut into our friends arm. He was able to get him to the hospital and he had to have 10 stitches put into his arm, we were so thankful to hear he still had use of his arm.  I had this Calendar image laying on my desk to use in my junk journal but when I saw it reminded me of how Thankful we were that he didn't have a worse injury, so I thought it would be perfect for a get well card for him.

• Katie Daisy - Just Bloom daily calendar image
• PPD - Stitched Rectangle die

Wishing you a happy Sunday!!

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

Connie

100 Birthday

 My good friends mom just turned 100 on Easter Sunday.  The family had a lot of plans on Easter Sunday and all couldn't get together so they had her birthday celebration this past weekend. I just had to make her a card, her name is Bonnie :) 

I used all patterned papers on this card as well as gold cardstock.

• 49 and Market - Krafty Garden 6 x8 paper pack for base of card
• Momento - Pattern cardstock for the flowers
• DCWV - Sew Crafty paper for the labels
• Tim Holtz - Metallic cardstock #'s
• Spellbinders - Delicate Asters and Decorative Labels Eight dies
• Taylored Expressions - Whimsy #s dies
• Pink & Main - Sentiment strip dies
• Simon Says stamps - Tiny words birthday sentiment stamp
• Gems

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

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

Connie

Christmas embossing

 I actually got my Christmas cards done early this month.  Our challenge with my stamp group was to use embossing folders. My first card also works for the Just us girls Spotlight challenge

• Darice - Mosaic Candle embossing folder, colored with markers
• Spellbinders - A2 matting basics A die
• Hobby Lobby - Country tags

• Fun Stampers Journey - Cozy knit embossing folder, inking around edges
• Paper Studio - 3D Snowman sticker
• Spellbinders - Big Scalloped oval small die
• Diamond Press - Vintage Christmas sentiment stamp, fussy cut and inked

This last one was inspired by the last two cards I will show that I had done before the challenge was posted.

• Darice - Hanging Ornament embossing folder, colored w/ Spectrum Metallic markers
• Hobby Lobby - Country tags

This is a scratch art card kit. I bought it at Michaels on sale before Christmas. It comes black with white outline and you have a wooden stick with a point that you scratch off the white part and what is inside.  I think I like the diamond dotz better.

Brea Reese - Scratch art cards

Sharing my scratch card with the Peace on Earth Challenge

Thanks so much for taking the time to stop by,

Connie

Sealed

 Using my sealed dies and stamps for another sympathy card I needed.  After stamping the seal I added some Nuvo crystal glaze to give it that seal look. I cut all the flowers and faux string from scraps and inked them.

• LDRS - Sealed with Good wishes Stamps and dies, flowers cut from scraps and inked
• Nuvo - Crystal Glaze on the seal after stamping
• Graphic 45 - Botanical Tea paper

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

Connie

Northwoods

 Today I am sharing in the Neglected stuff Challenge for my next masculine birthday card. I just don't use my rubber stamps on blocks as much anymore.  I took the stamp off the wood block so I could use it in the Misti stamping platform. I colored it with markers and fussy cut it out. I added some die cut leaves to it and a stamped sentiment I don't think I have used before.

• Northwoods Rubber stamps - 2007 colored w/markers
• BasicGrey - Periphery Paper
• Hero Arts - Birthday messages stamp set
• Impression Obsession - Grass die

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

Connie

Get well

 I turned to one of my stamp sets that came with a British card making magazine for this get well card I needed.  I had to stamp the trellis twice to have it go the length of the card it is actually just a square stamp. The bee, trellis and sentiment all stamped directly on card base. I colored the flowers and then fussy cut them and popped them up on top of the trellis.  The sentiment also came in this stamp set.

• Creative Stamping Magazine - Cardmaking magic, Climbing Flowers stamp set, colored w/markers and fussy cut flowers and popped them up on foam tape

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

Beautiful Blossoms Challenge

Triple B Challenge 

Thanks so much for taking the time to stop by today, Hope you enjoy a great weekend,

Connie

Preteen birthday

 I recently used this die for my hubby's coworker who loves gaming but this time it went to a preteen boy who also loves games on the computer and video hand held games.  I actually used the sentiment die that comes with it also. I used another piece of the wood veneer cardstock I bought from Amazon to look like it is sitting on a wood table. I colored in the controls with metallic markers.

• Spellbinders - You've got game dies
• Cardstock warehouse - Wood Veneer Cherry collection card stock
• We R Memory keepers - For the Record paper

I would like to share today's card with the Word Power Challenge 

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

Connie

Yellow Flowers

 I just had to do bright colors now that it is spring for the next birthday card I needed. Using an old stamp that I colored with markers. I did a little bit of inking around the die inside before taking the image out of the die. The background is 3 strips from the paper pack, and topped it off with the pearls, another hand delivered card so I could use my bigger pearls I have.

• Northwoods Rubber stamp 2009 - Mini Tulips in clay pot, colored w/markers
• Sassafras - Mix and Mend Papers
• Spellbinders - Decorative Labels 28 die
• Simon Says Stamps - Tiny words birthday, sentiment stamp
• Pink & Main - Sentiment strip die
• Diamond Press - Pearls

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

Word Art Wednesday anything goes

Colorful Options Yellow

Alphabet Challenge Yellow Flowers

Thanks so much for taking the time to stop by,

Connie

Rejoice

 Our Savior and Lord has Risen!!!  I have thought so much during this Lenten season how the disciples must have been so confused at times and then having Jesus put on that cross and killed how they must have felt so alone and not knowing what to do next. How much excitement must have been had when they found out that Jesus had risen!!! 

 We also can share in that excitement. Not only did he die for our sins, so that all we have to do is believe in him and we can be saved from eternity in hell, but we can live with him for all eternity.  As I get older the more I appreciate that I will no longer have pain and sorrow once I die but it will be day after day of joy!   

Both cards were heat embossed with embossing powders and colored with aqua markers

• Impression Obsession - Cross of Flowers stamp, embossed with Antique gold embossing powder and colored w/ Spectrum noir Aqua tint markers
• Sentiment stamp fussy cut and popped up with foam tape

• Impression Obsession - Cross of Flowers stamp, embossed with Rose Gold embossing powder, colored with Spectrum Aqua markers

Sentiment stamp fussy cut and popped up with foam tape

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

Connie

3d Paper Tole

 I had forgotten about these paper tole sheets I had and came across them looking for something else so I just had to use it for the next birthday card I needed :) This card is 5x6 1/2 inches.

• Hot off the press - Kindred Spirits 3D Paper Tole Die cuts (4 layers)
• Lawn Fawn - Big Scripty words stamp and die set (sentiment and bird)
• Crate paper - Gingham Garden papers

I would like to share my card today with Simon Says Wednesday challenge Happy Birthday

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

Connie

Easter Basket

 I have a couple more Easter cards to share, one using die cuts and one with sticker and die cuts.

• Elizabeth Craft designs - Gathering basket die
• Spellbinders - Hop into spring dies (bunny and flowers)
• Paper Studio - Silkscreen embossing folder
• Fiskars - Grass punch
• Stamps for life - Post marks 2 stamp sentiment stamp
• Martha Stewart - circle punch
• Gem stickers flower centers

On my second card the shape of the sticker is like a half circle, trying to figure out how to use it on my card and then I came up with finding inks that were close to the background on the sticker and blending the inks  together to make an extended background, adding some die cut eggs to it :)

I forgot to write down all that I used on this card :(

I would like to share my first card today with the Can you handle the pressure challenge anything goes with option twist of kids.

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

Connie

Easter Blessings

 I used the same stamp set in both of these cards.

• ODBD - The Shepherd stamp set, colored w/markers
• PPD - Distressed Edge Rectangle die, inked

This next one I was trying to think how I could use it differently and I went with first stamping the lamb and then stamping the cane around it to frame it, don't think I did the greatest job lining it up, but thought it worked ok.

• ODBD - The Shepherd stamp set, colored w/markers
• Spellbinders - Marvelous Squares die
• We R memory keepers - For the record paper

I would like to share my card with Simon Says stamps Wednesday Challenge Anything goes

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

Connie

It's your birthday

 Although this dog does not look like our great niece's I thought she would like this card :) I colored the stamp with markers and hand cut the little banner, added a little punched flower that matches the ones in the stamp to go with the sentiment.

• Stampavie - Daisy Chain stamp, colored w/markers
• Echo park - Fine and Dandy paper
• Spellbinders - Labels one dies
• Simon says stamps- Tiny words birthday sentiment stamp
• EK Success - punched flower
• Hand cut banner

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

Connie

Kraft Cards

 Before I finish sharing my Easter cards I thought I would share my Christmas cards I finished for our stamp group challenge this month that is use Kraft cardstock on your cards.

I am thinking last month I forgot to do one of my stitched pieces from my Spellbinders 2024 stitched advent calendar, so I made sure I would do one this month and the next door was this cute penguin. Yep I gave him a pink belly :) After embossing the kraft background I directly swiped the background with my white ink pad. The little snowflakes are part of the penguin die set.

• Spellbinders - 2024 stitched advent calendar - penguin, pink floss for the stitching
• Sizzix - Snowflake embossing folder, swiped the raise areas with white ink
• Simon says stamp - Tiny words Christmas sentiment stamp
• Pink & main - Sentiment strip dies

The next two cards uses the same stamp I just stamped them in different areas of the background and one is colored w/markers and the other is colored with pencils.

• Sentimentally yours - Poinsettia Perfection stamp, colored w/markers
• Strathmore - Toned Tan mixed media card stock

• Sentimentally yours - Poinsettia Perfection stamp, colored w/pencils
• Strathmore - Toned Tan mixed media card stock

Next card I stamped the deer in brown ink and then added some clear sparkle pen to just the snowflakes

• Sentimentally yours - Poinsettia perfection stamp set, with clear sparkle pen on the snowflakes
• Kat Scrapiness - Mini Slimline - Stitched Rope die
• White gel pen for snowy background

Lastly I stamped these snowflakes, I am still debating on whether or not to add some white gel pen lines coming down from the top of the card so it looks like they are hanging on from a string or just to leave them floating, what would you do? I also am leaving this under some weight the card did a little bowing after heat embossing the stars and sentiment.

• Sentimentally yours - Poinsettia perfection stamp set, white heat embossing of the star stamps and sentiment
• Strathmore - Toned Tan mixed media card stock

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

There you have it my Christmas cards are done for this month :)

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

Connie