Seasonal birds

 This is a card we made together in our teams meeting. We first did the technique that was taking a stencil and sprays to fill it in, then we embossed our pieces and did the scoring to make the fold on the left side like a box, it folds flat to mail, and we write the sentiment on the back.

I stamped the bird and used that for my focal. I added some inking around the edges after die cutting the frame before taking the die out of the cardstock.  Adding a few pearls for embellishing. 

• Fun Stampers Journey - Starburst Stencil with sprays
• Paper Studio - Silkscreen embossing folder
• Stampin up - Seasonal Birds stamp set, colored w/markers
• Spellbinders - Decorative Labels One die w/ distressed ink Antique Linen
• Chloes Creative Cards - Sentiment stamp
• Diamond Press - Pearls

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

Simon Says Wednesday Challenge Things with wings

Stencil Fun Challenge

Can you handle the Pressure Challenge

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

Connie

Magical day

 For my next card I looked at all the goodies I got from my Spellbinders Advent Calendar to see if it one of them might work for our little great nephews birthday and I thought this little die cut bunny coming out of his hat and sentiment would work well!

• Spellbinders 2025 Advent Calendar - Bunny, hat, stars and wand dies and sentiment stamp
• Sizzix - Tags Rounded dies
• Glitter cardstock for the stars
• Paper unknown from friend

My first time using these dies so I will be joining the NBUS Challenge 

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

Connie

For you

 When I saw this sheet of tags in my stamp store I just had to get it, enough to make quite a few cards, it also has flowers and butterflies on the sheet. I added some inking around the edges and some twine. On this one I paired it with some Daisy die cuts I layered up.

• Stamperia - Daisy Art tags ephemera sheet
• Spellbinders - Layered Daises and A2 Matting Basics A dies, sequins
• Scrap paper
• Twine

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

Seize the birthday Challenge Anything goes 

A Cut above Challenge 

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

Connie

Summer time

 A cardmaking friend sent this stamped image to me many years ago, sorry I don't know the name of it but she wrote on the back no line coloring image. I have never been happy with any of my no line coloring I have done in the past and I thought I really need to give this a try, if it doesn't work out I will just throw it away. Well I ended up being very happy with the way it turned out, so off it went to my great niece who is turning 2.

The image only had the little girl on the towel so I added in the sand, coloring with markers and then adding small brown dots with a fine line sharpie. Added a sun die with a stamped sentiment and some die cut grass to finish it off.

• stamped image from cardmaking friend, no line coloring, using markers
• Spellbinders - Wavy rectangles die
• My mind's eye - Summer papers
• Impression Obsession - small grass die
• Diamond Press, Advent calendar - sun die
• Taylored Expressions - Many Mini's Occasions sentiment stamp

I would like to share my card with Just us Girls Challenge  Summer

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

Connie

Best Birthday

 I am loving this set of papers and die cuts, they make such wonderful masculine cards. I added a lighter piece of paper to the right to brighten the card up a bit, seemed a little to dark with all the wood. I added a strip of extra paper I had from the kit between the two papers and that still looked like something was missing so I added a sticker strip down the side between them. I had this extra piece of wood paper left too and thought it would give a little extra something to let the sentiment stand out a little more as well as the gems.

• Paper Rose Studio - Lakeside Memories 6x6 papers and Embossed die cuts
• Hot off the press - Sarabooks Ivory Papers (paper on the right side)
• Spellbinders - Lg. Deckled Rectangle die
• Hot off the press - 63 Thin line borders stickers
• Simon Says Stamps - Tiny words Birthday sentiment stamp
• Ki - Black gems

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

Simon Says Monday challenge Masculine

The Paper Players Challenge Masculine

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

Connie

One for the books

 My great niece turned 18 and I didn't know what to do for her so I went looking through my advent calendar goodies to see if anyone of them would work and when I read this sentiment that came with the layered stamp set from Diamond press I thought it would be perfect for an 18th birthday.

This stamp set comes with 6 different layering stamps and I was very nervous that I wouldn't be able to layer them straight all together very well but it worked pretty good. Then when I was looking through papers to use with it I came upon this piece that had another great sentiment so I used that and felt it needed an extra something so to make it look a little more girly I went with some flowers.

• Diamond Press - Advent Calendar, Layered stamp set (Book)
• We R Memory Keepers - For the Record Paper
• Tim Holtz - Funky Nature die (Flowers)

Sharing today with the NBUS Challenge (Book stamp)

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

Connie

Water color bouquet

 It had been some time since I used my flower die cuts so I had to break out this pretty bouquet and cut it out with water color cardstock and using my Aqua pens  to color it by adding the colors to my glass mat and picking them up with a wet brush to paint. Both papers used from same set and I added the crochet lace die between, more of my bigger pearls since it was another hand delivered card :)

• Memory Box - Verona Bouquet die, water colored with Spectrum Aqua and Zig color brush markers
• White glue pen for flower centers
• Graphic 45 - Botanical Tea papers
• Tim Holtz - crochet die
• Crafter's Companion - sentiment die
• Recollections - Pearls

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

A Cut Above Challenge Use a die cut

Word Art Wednesday Anything goes

Beautiful Blossoms challenge Florals

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

Connie

Enchanted Forest

 Using another background we made in one of our teams meetings a couple months ago, where we tore a piece of paper and glued it to the center of our card and then took small stamps and stamped all around. These Tin Tiles are from Making memories and I can remember buying them at Archiver's scrapbook store so you know how old they are.  Using more of the little stickers bought from Amazon that I shared in a couple post ago.  

I used some floss and stitched around the tiles before adding the stickers. Finished it off with sentiment from one of Tim Holtz collections that I cut apart.

• CRS Tapestry - Grass Blade & Trellis peg stamps on background
• Wintertime - Art Journal stamps on background
• Park Lane - Text stamp on background
• Making Memories - Stitched Tin tiles, stitched with DMC floss
• Peter Pauper Press - Enchanted Forest Stickers
• Tim Holtz - Small Talk sentiment

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

Neglected Stuff Challenge (tin tiles)

Simon Says Wednesday Challenge Masculine card using Tim's products

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

Connie

Mixed Media card

 One of my cardmaking friends is really into mixed media and so I thought I would try and do a card for her that has mixed media in it.

I started the base with an Alcohol inked background I had made awhile ago. Then I got out a stencil and added some solar paste to the top left corner of the die cut for my main image.  Her daughter has a lavender farm so I thought that the die cut would be a neat touch to add and go with the alcohol inked background. Finished it off with a stamped sentiment and some sequins.

• Alcohol inked background
• Memory Box - Long Stem Lavender die
• Lawn Fawn - Outside stitched scalloped rectangles die
• Crafter's Companion - Advent Calendar stencil
• Solar Paste - Crocodile Tears
• Honbay - Sentiment stamp
• Spellbinders - Sequins

I would like to share my card today with:

Stencil Fun Challenge

Just us girls Challenge Stencil

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

Connie

You got this

 My nephew who is only 46 had a couple strokes a couple weeks ago.  From what I understand they have his blood pressure under control but his left leg and left arm needs PT, and he also needs OT, and he can't work right now. I made him this card using these sentiment panels that I thought may be encouraging for what work he has ahead of him. I added a metal turn fastener to the panel I glued down.  I popped up the other panel with foam tape.

• Ciabella - Engine of the future 12x12 paper and Creative pad A4
• Metal turn Fastener and brad

After I sent the first card one of their friends made a GoFundme page for him to help with all the medical bills since he can't work now. I was texting with his wife and asked her if it would be better to send her a check or do the go fund me and she said a check would be great, I couldn't just send a check so I made another card for him using an image from my old Thomas Kinkade daily calendar from a few years back.

• Thomas Kinkade Painting of light- Daily calendar image
• SRM sticker - Thinking of you sentiment sticker

I would appreciate all prayers you lift up for my nephew to heal.

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

Connie

Today is a good day

 It has been too long since I have used one of my birds, I cut all the layers from pattern paper and cardstock that I had in my scrap container.  The paper and sentiment are from the same pack and were from JoAnn's I will have to say I miss having that store in town. Gold stickers from a cardmaking friend that no longer is in our group.

• Simon Says stamps - Sweet Songbird die
• Park Lane - Old World paper and sentiment tag
• Gold stickers, corners and flowers

Isn't she a pretty bird :)  

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

Simon Says Stamps Wednesday challenge featuring Simon stamps or anything goes

Triple B Challenge Birds Blooms and Butterflies

Thanks so much for taking the time to stop by today, I know how busy everyone is this time of year!

Connie

Cheerful thoughts

 I was in need of another card, this time for a cardmaking friend going through hand surgery.

Hubby found these Stickers on Amazon he thought I might like, there are some really cute ones in this booklet.

• Peter Pauper Press - Enchanted Forest Woodland stickers
• DCWV - Once upon a time Paper
• Prima - 8 point doily die
• Memory Box - Stitched Circle layer die
• Stampendous - Sentiment stamp

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

Connie

Healing

Prayers for all the families that lost loved ones. So appreciative of all they did to fight for our freedoms. It reminds me of the ultimate sacrifice our Lord gave to save us and allow us a life with him and eternal salvation, great sacrifices have been given that I am so thankful for today and everyday!

 A lady at out church has been feeling very bad for a couple weeks and having a hard time getting over it so I sent her this card to let her know she has been missed and praying for healing.

I stamped the flowers, colored them with markers, used a punch for the corners and added another border punch to the background. Topped it off with some bubble gems I found at the dollar store.

• ODBD - Corner Flower stamp, colored w/markers
• Art Gone wild - Get well stamp set (sentiment)
• EK Success - Corner punch
• Martha Stewart - Border punch
• Memory box - paper
• Crafter's Square - Bubble gems

Thanks for taking the time to stop by today,

Connie

ATC's & Tags

 Our Challenge in my stamp group this month is to use ATC's (Artist trading cards) or Tags.  I went with two of each. I went searching through my dies trying to see if I had one that is a trading cards size, which is 2.5 x 3.5.  I finally came across these frame dies and the center portion that falls out of the frame just happened to be that size.  I had put the frames to them aside, but later colored them a little darker with some markers and glued them to the base of the card, I had already popped up the Center bits.

This first one I went with making a little winter scene using some small die cuts, I did a little inking on the deer and then added some white dots to his back because he looked like a fawn to me.

• BasicGrey - Blitzen papers
• Michaels - Rounded Rectangle frame die
• Taylored Expressions - Central Park dies (snow, deer and small trees) Evergreens die(large tree) and Sun and cloud dies ( I only used the clouds)
• Hobby Lobby - Country tags chipboard sentiment
• Spellbinders - A2 matting basics A die

Here is a little closeup of the scene.

Next I just used some snowflake punches and gems to decorate.

• BasicGrey - Blitzen papers
• Michaels - Rounded Rectangle frame die
• Martha Stewart - Snowflake punches and snowflake border punch
• Paper Studio - Gems Border
• Crafter's companion - Little gems center snowflakes
• Hobby Lobby - Country tags Chipboard sentiment

The last two uses some old tags that goes with this paper pack. I added some die cuts to the top of the tag along with a brad and some washi tape at the bottom of the card that says Merry Christmas.

• Daisy D - Papers and tag
• Bazzill - Brad
• Recollections - Washi tape
• Tim Holtz - Funky Festive dies (Branch and flower)

On my last card here I added the washi tape sentiment right to the tag above Santa and added some more die cuts at the top.

• Daisy D - Papers and tag
• Bazzill - Brad
• Recollections - Washi tape 
• Tim Holtz - Funky Festive dies (Leaves and Holly)
• Red Gem to go with the Holly

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

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

Connie

Birthday Tags

 Another die and stamp set that I bought that would be good for cards and in my junk journals. I used quite a bit from the set on this card.  I stamped his name on the tag and they are just sitting in the envelope so he can pull them out and look at them.

• 49 and Market - Tag it stamps and die set, Creative Combo's Stamp and die set
• K& Co. - Paper
• Fiskars - Essential sayings sentiment stamp
• Studio G - Alphabet stamps
• Tim Holtz - Funky Floral #3 dies
• Vellum 
• Corrugated Cardboard, inked

Here are the tags out of the envelope from the die set, you can see the script I stamped on the background behind the tags and the faux stitched stamp that also comes in the set.

Close up of the card

I just love the little paperclips you can die cut from the set too, that is above the corrugated cardboard, I cut that from some silver cardstock. The red stripe at the bottom is also a stamp.  Really neat set.

I would like to share my card with

Simon Says Monday challenge Tag it

NBUS my new stuff is the 49 and Market Tag it stamps and dies

Word Art Wednesday Anything goes

Thanks so much for taking the time to stop by today, my eye is healing well, still a little blurry but I can tell it is almost back to normal, so thankful!

Connie

Masculine Birthday

 I am a little late posting a new card.  I woke up Sunday morning with a ripping feeling when I opened my eyes, the vision in my right eye was very blurry. I called my eye doctor Monday morning and got an appointment and found out I had torn my cornea, she prescribed me antibiotic drops. It is still painful and very light sensitive. She said it would take about 48 hours for it to start improving. 

Thankfully I have a few cards done ahead of time so I have things to post, it is just hard staring at a computer screen for too long, even with the brightness turned down.

When I am not sure what to make for someone I tend to just start looking through all my goodies and I came upon this booklet that I got many years ago at a yard sale and it is full of papers and ephemera that you can put together to make a card, I found one that I thought would work.

I had to cut the window in the front of the card after applying the paper to the front. I then had to figure out what to put in the window and thought the sentiment signs would be neat but it was a bit too stark white, so I took Stencil I had to ink just the background around the window opening, that worked a lot better.

Here is is laying down to best get a sense of what it looks like closed.

• Hot off the press - Clearly Collage All Occasion Card kit
• Penny Black  - Background Basics Stencil (behind signs with Old paper distress ink)

Here is the card standing up, partly open.

Here is what it looks from the inside.

I would like to share the card today with Neglected Stuff Challenge 

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

Connie

Healing thoughts

 The Lady who owns the Stamp store in Missouri that I go to had emergency surgery, kidney stones had tore her insides up and she had really bad infection, she was in the hospital for quite a few days and even had to go back a week after for more things. She had to close down her store during that time because her only other worker was on vacation at the time.  I felt so bad for her and just had to make her a get well card. You know I had to use some papers that I bought from her store :) The flower ephemera was popped up with foam tape.

• Prima - Aquarelle 6x6 papers, Journaling note cards and Ephemera pack, inking around all the edges with Distress ink in Dusty Concord
• Simon Says stamps - Tiny Words Encouragement stamp set

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

Love those pretty papers optional fun fold

Triple B Challenge Birds, Blooms or butterflies

Simon Says Monday Challenge Things with wings

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

Connie

Watercolor wreath

 When I saw the watercolor challenge over at Double D Challenge Blog I just had to join in.  I won this wreath die from one of their challenges last year and I have wanted to use it ever since getting it but it never fit with any of the challenges in my group. So I decided to use it today.

I used my spectrum noir Aqua pens by applying the pen to my work surface and then adding a little water and painting it onto the watercolor card stock. I used a very light pattern paper behind so that the coloring would stand out and added a stamped sentiment to the inside circle.

• Scrapbook.com - Cozy wreath die, watercolored w/Spectrum Aqua markers
• Plaid - Snowflake Red papers
• Diamond Press - Vintage Christmas sentiment stamp

For my next card I decided to cut it twice using a pattern paper for the back and gold cardstock for the front.

• Scrapbook.com - Cozy Wreath die cut from pattern paper and gold cardstock
• BoBunny - Father Christmas papers for bottom wreath
• Tim Holtz - gold cardstock for top wreath
• Honeybee - Holiday Cheer paper for background
• ODBD - Poinsettia wreath stamp set for sentiment

Thanks for taking the time to stop by today,

Connie

Birthday Time

 I saw these epoxy stickers I had bought from the dollar store many years ago and I thought I could use them all on a card so I went about figuring out how I could mat them and what sizes I would need, then went to use them and the sticky part was still sticky but I was worried that it might not be enough so I added more glue, got it all made, came back the next day to take pictures and the stickers had warped a bit. I was so discouraged after all that work. Told hubby about it later that day and he wanted to see it.  He thought it was a cool card and that he didn't see anything wrong with giving it to his brother in law, so off in the mail it went. I did inking of the sentiment tag before taking it out of the die.

• Clock Epoxy stickers
• Ms. Sparkle $ co. - Wood paper
• Crafter's Square - Birthday sentiment stamp
• Spellbinders - Inverted Scallop squares and Back to Basics tag die
• Recollections - Brads

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

Connie