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

Envelope/Tag card

 I broke down in one of Spellbinders sells and bought some more of the dies that go with their Essential Envelope dies, I used it for one of my cardmaking friends that also has the set :) The new dies are the front cover, the scallop, tab tag and flowers.

• Spellbinders - Essential Envelope and Every day Add-ons dies
• Basic Grey - Porcelain Paper
• Hero Arts - Your day sentiment stamp
• Crafter's Square - Gel dots
• Inside tag has stickers from Amazon

I wrote my message to her on the back of the tag.

I would like to share my card with Beautiful Blossom Challenge 

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

Connie

Magnolia Bloom

 I just love these magnolia dies, they layer up so pretty, just add a touch of inking and some coloring on the leaves and they are so lovely.  The paper I used in the background had these gold foiling to it which gave it a bit of a dress up to the flower I think, as well as the die I used to frame it :)

• Memory Box - Magnolia Blooming Bud and Magnolia Bud trio dies
• Momenta - Pattern cardstock
• Spellbinders - Decorative Labels Eight die
• Open Studio - Greeting tabs

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

Seize the Birthday Challenge anything goes or Blue Pink and Yellow

Just us girls Challenge Die week   2023 

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

Connie

Happy 250th Anniversary

 I bought these kits before we went on vacation and they came yesterday, so I have been a busy girl working to get them done today, I will keep them up for a few months but still wanted them done today, and thought I would share with you all.  They came from Amazon but I didn't really realize until after that they were actually coming from China, that is why they took so long to get here. 

They are on Canvas Squares so I just propped them up on a picture holder and the other is leaning up against other things.

I really love them both it is hard to pick which one I like more.

I have put them on the mantel really quick to see how they would look, not sure if I will keep it this way or not.  I made the doll in the middle years ago, and the banner a few years back also.  The truck is a lego one that hubby bought and I told him that was one I didn't mind if we kept out in the living room :)

I would like to share my canvas diamond dots with the Colorful Options Challenge red, white and blue

It is dark and gloomy here right now, that may be why my pictures aren't turning out well, the parade over in St. Louis was cancelled due to bad weather. Hopefully it will blow over so they can do the fireworks tonight.  It has cooled down into the high 80's so it might not be as bad as it has been.

Hope everyone stays safe celebrating today and tonight.

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

Connie

Get well

 I was in need of a get well card and I had just saw these images on Graphics Fairy web site and thought they were so pretty, I used one of them for my card. I inked around the edge of the card first and then added some pattern papers to go with it. To tie in the gold foiling on the arch die I added a gold sticker along the border die. There were little dot gold stickers on the sheet so I added them to the background.

• Graphics Fairy - Dome flower image, fussy cut
• Memory Box paper
• Sizzix - Tags Rounded die
• Basic Gray - Periphery paper
• Pinkfresh Studio - Classic Edger die
• Hot off the press - 63 Thin line border stickers
• Chloe's creative cards - Sentiment stamp

I am still trying to catch up on everyone's blogs, it's been a bit busy since we got back from vacation.

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

Connie

Butterflies

 I made this card with my group on Teams meeting back in May, I loved it so much I saved it for my sisters birthday and she has received the card so I can share it now :)  I hope I remember what we did, I think inked the background and stamped our image and then embossed the piece and did anymore inking over top to highlight the embossing. I did write down that the card base is 10.5 x 5.5 inches, but didn't write down where we scored it. 

• Inkadinkado - Patterned Bugs stamp set
• Distress inks - Wild Honey, Dried Marigold and Fossilized Amber
• Elizabeth Craft Designs - Happy Birthday die cut

This next picture shows the fold we did on the inside, I totally can't remember how we did it, but I did have written down that the square sentiments and the pattern paper are 1.25 inches square. As you can see it was like a z-fold card.

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

Alphabet Challenge E for Embossing

Can you handle the pressure anything goes with a twist of purple

Word Art Wednesday 

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

Connie

Christmas in June

 We have been on vacation the past week, we went down to Alabama were some of our family moved from Michigan.  It was very HOT and HUMID about what it is like here now this week so we didn't get much relief coming back home to Illinois like we were hoping. I am trying my best to get caught up on everyone's blogs, but it may take me a few days.

I managed to get all my cards done before I left but didn't get pictures.  Our Challenge this month in my stamping group was to use any animal other than birds in our card.  I just so happen to have quite a few I could choose from these are the ones I did choose.

• Penny Black - Jolly Follies stamp set, colored w/markers
• Stickles - Crystal for snow
• Spectrum Clear Sparkle pen on the light
• Kat Scrappiness - Mini Slimline Double stitched dies
• Paper Pizazz - Red Plaid paper
• DCWV - Green Star paper
• Spellbinders - Ribbon Trio die
• Burlap strip

I would like to share this card with the Penny Black Saturday Challenge Use Pattern papers

I colored the cat and dog like one of our cats we have now and our dog that passed away.

• Newton's Nook - Holiday Post stamp set, colored w/Aqua pens on watercolor paper
• My Favorite things - Cross- stitch Rectangle die
• Graphic 45 - Christmas past papers
• Poppystamps - Eyelet Stitches die
• Stickles - Crystal for snow

This next stamp set came from a cardmaking magazine.

• Quick Cards Magazine - Rabbit stamp set, colored w/markers
• Wink of stella - Cl White and Spectrum Clear marker
• Crafter's Companion - Shimmering Snowflakes die
• Paper Pizazz - Christmas plaid paper
• ornament brad on tag

This last one is a 3D Decoupage sheet I bought at my stamp store.

• Katy Sue - 3D Decoupage Reindeer Kisses Bauble
• Tim Holtz - Shabby Paper

Sharing a side view so you can see the dimension.

This last card I did before she shared the challenge of the month with us.

I forgot to write down the name but it is those scratch off cards I had bought at Michaels store that I shared in earlier Christmas posts.

Take care and all those in the line of this HOT weather I pray you all stay well.

Thanks so much for stopping by,

Connie

Digital card kit

 Alicia McNamara gave away a digital kit a few months ago and I finally printed it out a couple weeks ago and made a card from it, I think the coloring looked a little better on the screen then how my computer printed it out but I think it still make a nice card. Another one I am hand delivering so I used my bigger pearls on it :)

• Alicia McNamara - Digital Download Cardmaking kit, background paper, butterfly and sentiment
• Recollection Pearls

as you can see I fussy cut the butterfly piece out and popped it up with foam tape.

Thanks so much for taking the time to stop by,

Connie

Sticker bouquet

 I am trying to use as many older items as I do newer ones in my cards, this is one of those older ones, these are stickers I bought from the dollar store many years ago.  I have gone to a couple of our stores around here and they just don't have good craft sections at them, I have read that some are good and others are not stocking craft stuff very much, so I need to visit more stores and see if I can find one that has a good craft section.

The card stock that I applied the sticker to and stamped the sentiment came out more yellow than the cream color it actually is, the close up picture below is more accurate. I fussy cut around the sticker,  The flowers in the corners and the strip on the center of the card are also stickers.

• Miss Elizabeth - Petite Stickers (image, strip and flowers in corners)
• XERE - Green scrapbook papers
• Chloes Creative cards - Sentiment stamp
• Spellbinders - Ribbon tag Trio die
• Ribbon
• Brads

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

Connie

Diamond Dots bouquet

 Made another diamond dots card for my girl friend, she always has pretty flowers in a vase from her garden whenever we go over there, so had to give her one for her birthday :)

• Craft Buddy - Crystal Art card Kits (HSN)

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

Connie

Watercolor Floral

 I feel terrible I bought this set of papers and ephemera a very long time ago and finally broke into it, They are so pretty together.

• Gina K - Watercolor Floral paper and Ephemera pack
• Spellbinders - Romantic Rectangle and A2 Matting Basics A dies
• DCWV - Bright Cardstock
• Digital sentiment
• Pink & Main - Sentiment strip die

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

Connie