Happy Day

 I just received my Advent Calendar for this coming Christmas from Spellbinders and I still have things from the Calendar last year so I thought I had better get to using them before I start opening my new calendar in December.

After embossing the folder I decided to add white gel pen marks between the embossing, I really love how that looks.  The butterfly is a stencil that I fussy cut. and the sentiment is from the calendar also.  I got this press plate after winning a gift certificate from Pretty pink Posh.  Finished it off with some Diamond dots.

• Spellbinder Advent Calendar 2025 - Embossing folder, Butterfly stencil and Sentiment Banner
• Distress inks on Stencil - Chipped Sapphire, Faded Jeans, Tumbled Glass
• Pretty Pink Posh - Checkered Pierced Plate die
• Basic Grey - Periphery paper
• White gel pen on embossing piece
• Diamond Dots (butterfly trail)

I would like to share my card today with Can you handle the pressure Challenge (optional bees)

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

Connie

Trees

 Our Christmas Challenge for August was to use Trees on our Christmas card. and or watercolor.  I did the trees in most of the cards but only a little watercolor. 

 I know I am late posting last month cards but when I was at Michael's the other day and I saw this layered stencil, and our theme was trees I had to get it. I dotted some silver pen on the trees to give them a bit of snowy look, and you can't see it well but on the bottom I used glue pen on the base instead of ink and then added some glitter for a snowy base.  Stamped and fussy but the little snowman.

• Recollections - Tree Stencils, 4 layers, w/glitter at the base for snow
• Distress inks - Walnut Stain, Gathered twigs, Peeled Paint, Iced Spruce, Picket fence
• Crafter's companion - Snowman stamp, colored w/makers and fussy cut
• Starform - Merry Christmas silver sentiment sticker
• Silver pen around the image

Next I did a couple of those scratch cards from Brea Reese.

My hubby asked where his letter stencils were at and when I got in the drawer I keep them in to get out all the letter stencils I found these very old Plaid Stickers, that have to be over 20 years old.  I thought there is probably no way these are going to work, but as you can see in my next card this poinsettia came off pretty good, all I did was add a sentiment and done.

Lastly I tried my hand at watercoloring with Spectrum Auqa pens and I don't think it came out quite like I wanted but thought it was still ok to frame the stitched ornament I did from Spellbinders advent calendar. The branches and flower dies also came in the package.

• Spellbinders - Advent calendar 2024, stitched ornament dies
• Penny Black - Background Basics stencil, water colored inside with Spectrum sparkle pens 
• Inking around card with Fossilized Amber distress ink
• Hot off the press - 63 thin line dazzles sticker (ornament hanger)
• Spellbinders - Ribbon Banners die
• Penny Black - Cozy nights - sentiment stamp

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

Connie

Always with you

 Before we left for Michigan we found out that my brother in law was going on hospice, his lung cancer had come back and was now in his bones, he opted for no more treatments. I sent this card to him. I found these die cut images at Hobby lobby and thought they would be great for thinking of you cards, they don't put names on their die cuts, but they have some pictures on the back of the packaging to give you an idea of what is inside.   

Sad news is that he passed away a week after we saw him. I am so glad we had the time to stop in and see him before we left Michigan. He was in good spirits and was laughing and joking with us, great way to remember him :)

• Paper Studio - Die cut pieces (sentiment piece)
• K& Co. paper - K-ology Hannah pad
• Arden Creative Studio - Vintage Makers Essentials Vellum Ephemera (butterfly, tab and leaves)

Thanks so much for taking the time to stop by, 

Connie

16th Birthday

 For all the guys in the family I have been using cars for their 16th birthday, this one is from advent calendar die set. In the first picture you can see my reflection in the car, but I used bronze metallic cardstock for it. Added the license plate and a border for the car to ride on :) and die cut the sentiment.

• Spellbinders - Advent Calendar car dies
• Tim Holtz - Metallic cardstock
• Recollections - Awesome boy papers
• DieVersions - Celebrate die

I would like to share my card with the following Challenge: The Paper Players Tic Tac Toe Challenge, I did the Transport, Free and For the kids blocks

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

Connie

Wonderful Birthday

 I have not used my old block stamps in quite sometime, I picked these up at a flea market sale that were in a big bind with no names. 

The sentiment die cut (from Michaels store) didn't seem to stand out enough for me so I fussy cut a piece of glitter paper to go under it, I am sure my great niece will like the glitter part :)

• Stampin up stamps - Wonderful from 2005, cake from 2002 and Hat from 2004, colored with markers
• Spellbinders - Square swatches and Lacy Squares dies
• Recollections - Celebrate cutting dies
• Colorbok - Glitter paper
• Flower punch w/gem

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

Connie

Birthday Balloons

 Our cardmaking group got together for a teams meeting just before I went to Michigan and we made this card together.  We started out using one of our balloon dies to make a stencil. My balloon dies are quite small, but it still worked.  I think it was about a year ago I had bought some stencil sheets from Walmart. They are just plain clear sheets to make your own stencils so I was all set to make one and it did cut nicely with my die. Some of the other girls just used cardstock and that worked fine too.

Then we used our stencil on some pattern paper. We then took a 11x5.5 inch piece of white cardstock and scored at 1, 2 & 3 inch marks on each end of the 11 inch side to make the folds. Using strips of paper that were cut to 7/8 x 5.25 inches to put inside those fold parts. It is hard to see but we made a top fold card A2 size and glued that in the center and applied our piece we stenciled the balloons onto. I hand drew some strings and bows for the balloons.

• Taylored Expressions - Balloons dies cut from stencil material to stencil onto the card base of pattern paper
• Distress ink - Fossilized Amber
• Memory Box - Happy Birthday Garland die
• Scrap papers
• Hand drawn strings

I tried to get a picture of how the card opens to write your inside message.

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

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

Connie

Center Step

 Last Month on the HSN craft day, they had this center step die on sale. I use to cut them out on my silhouette machine but I don't have an area to keep it plugged in all the time so I just never use it anymore. So when I saw this sale I decided to order it.  My oldest sisters birthday is coming up so she will be getting this card :)

• Stamps of Life - Center Step A2 die
• 49 and Market - Faded Memory Lane Papers and Ephemera
• Tim Holtz - Funky Floral #3 dies

I would like to share my card today with the Triple B Challenge 

We went to Michigan for my Nieces wedding, and I had no time to visit blogs, I have been working on that since I have been home, so I will be catching up soon :)

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

Connie

Thoughts and smiles

 After I sent this card out a lady from church was able to come home from Rehab and have the rest of her time at home with them coming to her home, she is much happier being back home.

• Hot off the press - Tag Art #2 book of tag cut outs
• Ms. Sparkle - wood paper
• BasicGrey - Periphery paper
• Simon Says stamps - Tiny words Encourgement
• Memory Box - Country stitches die between the papers
• Sequins

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

Connie

Totally Amazing

 Using more goodies from this card kit, I love how it all matches so well, and have some cute sentiments too that I cut with my scissor!

• Stamps by Me - Create a card kit
• Fiskars - stamp scissor to cut sentiment

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

Connie

Healing

 Right after I sent out this card to a gentleman at our church that has a lot that went wrong health wise all at once we found out they had to call in hospice. I am running low on this pack of papers so I ended up using a lot of my scraps for the background.

• Graphics Fairy - Bird Image
• Spellbinders - Lg. Deckled Edge Rectangles die
• Basic Grey - Periphery papers
• Hot off the press - Thin line border stickers and Black Jewel stickers
• ODBD - All Occasions sentiment stamp

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

Connie

Faithfulness

 An older lady at church fell and had a stroke, her family had to put her in a nursing home just before her birthday. I was hoping this card gave her some peace. When I went to cut the stamp out with the die that came with it I got it a little off but thought it still looked ok. I fussy cut around the sentiment and matted it and fussy cut that also.

• Our Daily Bread Designs - Faith stamp and die, sentiment fussy cut
• XERE - Green Ephemera scrapbook paper (Amazon)
• Hot off the press - 63 Think line border stickers
• Starform - Transparent Glitter gold round stickers

Thanks so much for taking the time to stop by and say Hi,

Connie

Birthday in Blue

 I saw this pretty pack of papers with these lovely florals over at Paperwihses.com I thought they would be such pretty focals for cards. The other side is pretty pattern paper but I can't cut up the pretty florals to use it so I used another paper pack to go with it. I cut a mat for the image with my pinking scissor. Also added some washi tape, a butterfly from a punched piece of smooshed ink paper, and finished it off with a combo of die cut and stamped sentiment.

• Hot off the press - Botanical Library 6x6 paper pack (focal image)
• Fiskars - Pinking scissor
• Park Lane - Old World Paper
• Ieebee - Fluttering blooms washi tape
• My Favorite things - Happy die
• Impression Obsession - Sentiments II stamp
• Pink and Main - Sentiment strip die
• Martha Stewart - Butterfly punch
• Gems

I would like to share my card today with Simon Says Wednesday Challenge Summertime Blues

Thanks so much for taking the time to stop by today and letting me know you did,

Connie

Never too much Happy

 I totally forgot to share a card I did with my group over Teams meeting. We did this fold and then we did a technique inside too.

• Simply Cards & Papercraft Magazine - Layered Peonies stamp and dies
• DCWV - Papers
• Sequins
• Simon Says stamps - Tiny words birthday sentiment stamp
• Pink and Main - Sentiment strip dies

Inside

• Stampin up - Wood block leaf stamp from 2000
• Distress Oxide inks - Frayed Burlap, Faded Jeans and Scattered Straw

Inside we tore some tape add to our white card to mask off some strips. Then we did some inking and then stamped over with a background stamp.

I would like to share with  Neglected Stuff Challenge (Papers and Background stamp)

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

Connie

Remembering you

 I little while back I had made a sympathy card to have on hand if I needed it, well I did end up needing it, our friends brother passed away, so when I saw these challenges that I am including my card in today, I thought it might work for another card to have on hand when the time arises.

• Tim Holtz - Dot Fade Stencil using Antique Linen distress ink, Funky Nature dies
• ODBD - All Occasions sentiment stamp

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

Double D Challenge Feathers

Simply Clean & Simple Nature

Stencil Fun Challenge CAS design

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

Connie

Pure Happiness

 I had to play with some new goodies I saw when I went to my stamp store. The papers and Die cuts were just too cute, I thought my great niece might think it was cute too.

• Stamperia - Herbarium Silvae 8x8 papers and Die Cuts

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

Alphabet Challenge H is for Horticulture

NBUS Challenge Never before used schtuff

Word Art Wednesday Anything goes

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

Connie

Enjoy the ride

 Our Pastor's husband loves to ride his bike for exercise, he even started a riding group that goes out together to ride bikes. So I thought what better thing to use for his 40th birthday card.

I remembered I had this stamp from a cardmaking magazine that comes in different pieces so you can layer things on the bike and stamp them in different color inks.  I did not use the basket and flowers or the animals in the set. I stenciled the background with a cloud stencil and masked off the top bit so I could ink in the road. The balloon and sentiment stamp were also in the same set.

• Cardmaking and Papercraft Magazine - Bike, balloon and sentiment stamps
• My Favorite Things - Cloud Stencil

I would like to share my card with these challenges:

Four Seasons Challenge Summer

Stencil Fun Challenge CAS design

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

Connie

Nature Birthday

 I was once again tempted by the ads for craft goodies on Amazon, I thought this set of stamps and dies with mushrooms and flowers were so pretty. The sentiment came in the set also.

• YIXUAN- Stamp and die set, colored w/markers (Amazon)
• Spellbinders - Splendid Circles and A2 matting basics A dies
• XERE - Green Ephemera Scrapbook papers

I would like to share my card with the Just us girls Challenge use dies

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

Connie

Teen Birthday

 I bet you can't figure out how old my great nephew is turning :)  I went with a paper pack that had tag cut outs in it, then used some rub ons for the numbers and a sticker from the $ store for the sentiment.

• Hot off the press - Bohemian papers and tags
• Making Memories - Alphabet and numbers rub ons
• Crafter's square - Sticker (enjoy)
• Recollection - Brads

I would like to share my card today with Simon Says Monday Challenge Birthday

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

Connie

Puffy Flowers

 I was hand delivering this card to our Pastors teenage daughter, and so I went with some puffy flowers made from felt that I have had for quite some time.

• Ki Memories - Puffies Blooms in red
• Echo Park - Fine and Dandy paper
• Poppy Stamps - Eyelet Stitches die (border on strip)
• Tim Holtz - Remnant Rubs tiny text (sentiment)
• Pink & Main - Sentiment strip dies
• Martha Stewart - Leaf Punch (with scored lines in them)

I would like to share my card with the Sisterhood of Crafters Challenge Flowers

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

Connie

Vintage Birthday

 The piece that I used for my main image was cut from a piece of the paper I also used from the background, this pad of papers has all kinds of collage papers so that you can cut them apart for focals or use them as collage bases, that is what made me want to buy the paper :)  Plus I love the look of them.

I added some washi tape down the side matted my focal piece and added some gems under it. The sentiment tag was too white so I inked it to give it a more vintage look.

• Crafter's Companion - Distressed Florals papers and image cut from the paper pack
• Washi tape border from Amazon
• Open Studio - Greeting tag inked with Antique linen 
• Ki - Black gems

Thanks so much for taking the time to stop by,

Connie

Critters

 I bought another stamp set from a cardmaking magazine at Barnes and Noble. I bought it for the birds in the set but ended up not using any of them on this card. 

 I liked having this piece of paper for the background but it didn't fit across the whole card and looked like too much white around the edges so I started looking through other papers, but didn't find one I liked then I thought about washi tape and found one that went with the coloring I did on the flowers.

• Spellbinders - Labels 29 die
• Creative Stamping Magazine issue 159 - Stamps, colored w/markers, fussy but the hedge hog and the bee
• My Favorite things - Cloud Stencil
• Graphic 45 - Botanical Tea paper
• Basic Grey - sentiment rub on
• Ieebee - Fluttering blooms Washi tape

I would like to share this card with Simon Says Wednesday Challenge use Spellbinders

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

Connie

Diamond Birthday

 I needed another birthday card for a friend that I can hand deliver her card too, so I went with another Diamond dots card.

Craft Buddy - Diamond dots card

I would like to share my card with Seize the Birthday challenge Square card

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

Connie