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

Tea Party

 One of the ladies in my cardmaking group had a bit of a health problem not to long ago and her doctors recommended cutting out her coffee and drinking tea and that really bummed her out, so when I was looking through my stuff for something to do for her I came across this in one of my ephemera books from a long time ago and thought it would be nice for her.  I added some die cut flowers that I inked through the die after cutting and before removing the die, works just like a stencil :) I added some white gel pen to the centers. I stamped out the sentiment and fussy cut them and added it to the blank spot on the image, matted it with some foil cardsttock.

• Leisure Art Book- Savor this moment, image and papers
• Memory Box - Stitched Rectangle layer die
• My Favorite Things - Label Maker sentiment stamps, fussy cut
• Spellbinders - Flower bouquet dies inked through the die and added white gel pen 

I would like to share my card with Crafting a cut above

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

Connie

Red, white and blue Christmas

 In honor of our 250th Celebration this year, our group Christmas Challenge for July was to use red, white and blue on our cards.  I haven't done a stitching die in awhile so I thought I would do one of those.  I had picked up some already made seals at Hobby Lobby that I thought would go with my seal faux string die for Christmas, there were a lot of seals in the package so I have a feeling you are going to see a lot of those. I also used a lot of different snowman I had that were given to me from family and friends that I used.

• Spellbinders 2024 Stitched Advent calendar dies (warm wishes)
• Sizzix - Woven embossing folder
• Tim Holtz - Funky festive dies

• Creative Life - Christmas seals (Hobby Lobby)
• LDR Creative - Sealed with good wishes (Stem and Faux string dies)
• Martha Stewart - Snowflake embossing folder
• Tim Holtz - Festive Bouquet dies (Poinsettia and Greenery)

On this one I used a Library card Esther gifted me many years ago that had blue cup and sentiment on it, I added the snowman and snowflake stickers to it which were given to me by my sister in law.

• EK Success - Sticko Snowmen Stickers
• Library Card from friend
• Lilybee designs - Jingle Papers inked

This next card snowman was given to me by my sister, I believe this was from a Christmas card I believe her Mother in law had given to her, it was so long ago I have forgotten. He worked perfect for red white and blue, I just cut a background piece of paper and added a sentiment.

• Spellbinders - A2 Distressed Edges die, inked
• Daisy D's - Paper
• Hobby Lobby sentiment tag
• Image from a Christmas card

The only thing I like about this card is how I colored the snowman die cut and even that I was trying to make him look antique and it is too yellow. I used an smooshed background I had made, thinking it looked a little antique I found the sentiment charm to go with it, I think where I failed is the cardstock I used to put behind the snowman, I added dots of white gel pen thinking that might help but not really. The snowman die cut was given to me by a fellow cardmaker that isn't in our group anymore.

• Taloyer Snoman die cut, colored w/markers
• Holiday Charms - sentiment
• Spellbinders - Labels 11 die
• Background smooshed ink
• Recollections - Brad 
• Stickles - Crystal for snow and Diamond on his hat

So that is it my cards for July.

I would like to share with Peace on Earth Challenge anything goes

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

Connie

Grad 2026

 I forgot to post the graduation card that I made for my great niece who graduated from High School.  Since we were going down to Alabama a month after she graduated I waited and hand delivered it to her.

• Echo Park - Graduation Ephemera
• Best Occasions - Mixed Media Paper
• Sequins

I would like to share my card today with Word Power Challenge

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

Connie

Magical

 The day before the 4th, hubby took the day off and asked if I wanted to go over to Missouri to the Stamp store and out to lunch.... well you know I couldn't pass that up :)  Did I find some goodies to bring home with me, why yes I did :)  I was hoping the recipient would think it was as cute as I did :)

The pink piece as well as the bottle and ticket were in the ephemera pack and after I had the card all done I looked over at those round pink pieces that came out of the piece and thought I could use them to embellish it a bit more. So I added a bit of Nuvo crystal glaze on them. The paper is from Tim Holtz's new teal palette papers.

• 49 And Market - The Looking Glass Ephemera pack
• Tim Holtz -  Teal Palette Collection papet
• Nuvo Crystal glaze on Dots from pink piece
• Hot off the press - Dazzle sentiment sticker

I would like to share my card with NBUS - Never before Used Schtuff

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

Connie

Chickadees

 I don't know about you but I feel like it has been way too long since I have had a bird on my cards :)

This had to be a larger card in order to fit the stamped birds on it, this one is 5 x 6.5 inches.

• Stamplistic - Chickadees, colored w/markers and fussy cut
• DCWV - Linen Closet Papers
• Spellbinders - Romantic Rose dies
• Hero Arts - It's your day stamped sentiment
• Paper Studio - Gems

 I would like to share my card with Triple B Challenge Birds, Blooms and Butterflies

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

Connie

90th Birthday

 My girlfriend's mom turned 90 and although she comes to our church whenever she is in town, I didn't know her very well, so I asked my friend what does she like, does she have a favorite color?  She said she likes music and dancing and favorite color is Black.  I was a bit surprised and then thought what I am I going to do with that information.  I went searching through my things and I found some paper that I have had for over 10 years I thought just might work :)

I managed to cut the paper so that the let's dance and the couple along with the piano keys were all on the top, added more music paper to the bottom. Under the Number tag was something I wanted to cover up so that was the perfect place to put the numbers. The faux stamp of the lady dancer was in the paper pack too so I fussy cut that out. Then finished it off with the sentiment die cut that I cut twice and layered and some trim and pearls to break up the top and bottom pieces.  

• Graphic 45 - Curtain Call paper
• Fiskars - stamp scissor
• Taylored Expression - Whimsy#s die
• Spellbinders - Lacy square and Sentiments One dies
• Recollections - Pearl border
• Lace pom pom trim

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

Seize the birthday One or more numbers

Neglected Stuff Challenge Papers

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

Connie

Lotus Blossom

 My friend Beth sent me this stamp over a year ago and I made one card with it, a thank you and have never used it since I thought it might be a good one for the Simply Clean and Simple Challenge .

I was planning on just adding the flower but I felt it needed something extra so I added a rub on, I have had for many years, luckily it still worked well. Hopefully it still counts as clean and simple.

• Stampin up - Lotus Blossom Layers stamp
• Kat Scrappiness - Mini Slimline stitched Rope die
• Paper Studio - Distressed Floral paper
• Basic Grey - Lace Border Rub on
• BoBunny - Sunshine Rub on sentiment

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

Connie

Love of Horses

 A lady at church has a horse and she loves riding, whenever she gets time to go riding she is in her happy place, although most of her pictures when riding is on a dirt trail, I made her horse sitting in a field of grass :) I inked the bottom and stamped some grass with the same ink, then stenciled in the clouds.

• Graphics Fairy - Horse image, fussy cut
• My Favorite things - Cloud Stencil
• CRS Tapestry - Grass Blades stamp
• Tim Holtz - Tiny Text, Remnant Rubs sentiment

I would like to share my card with Simon Says Wednesday Challenge 4 legged friends

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

Connie

Vintage Thinking of you

 A lady in our cardmaking group has cancer and has started her treatments, she has to go through chemo and radiation, I was trying to figure out what to do for her when I was looking through my papers and for some reason this image from a paper pack just seemed calming to me, so I thought it would be good for this situation.  After the card was done I felt it needed more so I punched out some flowers, gave them a bit of dimension by shaping them with my stylus, and adding some stickles in the middle of them.  The tag at the bottom I added a stamp too and then decided that another flower would look good with it too.

• Stamperia - Daisy Art Collection paper (image)
• Crafter's Companion - Distressed Florals (background paper)
• Tim Holtz - Label Die
• Winter Time - Art Journal stamp
• EK Success - Flower Punch
• Distress Stickles - Scattered straw
• Digital Sentiment 
• Pink & Main - Sentiment strip die

I would like to share my card today with Love those pretty papers Challenge anything goes with Optional Coastal theme.

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

Connie