Hello Spring - Stampin' Up!® Simple Alphabet

 I was scrolling the list of challenges I regularly play along with and one of them had "weather" as the theme so I dug through my supplies, pulled a few things out and got to work and ended up with a decently cute card I think.  The only problem?  The challenge was supposed to be a clean and simple card but my finished product is not CAS. Oops!  I clearly was not paying enough attention but at least I have a card to share today!

  I was able to use some retired DSP as well as a panel that was embossed that was in my scrap bag.  It's always satisfying using some (hoarded) paper!

  The Rain or Shine DSP retired several years ago but I had a bit of the umbrella pattern left and thought that would fit the weather theme.  Looking at the colors in the paper Balmy Blue seemed like a good one to use to make a frame and as luck would have it I had a panel of it already embossed with the also retired Raindrops embossing folder.  I used the smaller of the Gallery Blooms frame dies.

  I wanted to to use a new alphabet stamp set that will be released soon as I hadn't gotten it inked up yet.  I love the font of the Simple Alphabet set and used Balmy Blue and Old Olive (another color in the DSP) to stamp and trim banners which I popped on dimensionals over the frame.  They are a great size for doing scrapbook page titles as well as greetings for cards.  

  Needing to add something else (and completely blanking on the fact that I should have been making a CAS card) I stamped the sun from the Choose Happy stamp set and colored, fussy cut and popped it up on a dimensional. A few blue iridescent sequins finish this design.

  Thanks for looking!  Did you stamp today?

All of the current supplies used to make this card can be purchased in my ONLINE STORE. Items marked with a * will be available in the March 2026 Online Exclusive release.

Stamps: Choose Happy, Simple Alphabet*

Ink: Memento Black, Balmy Blue, Old Olive

Blends: Daffodil Delight light & dark

Paper: Rain or Shine Specialty DSP, Balmy Blue, Basic White

Accessories: Gallery Blooms dies, dimensionals, Raindrops embossing folder (retired), Iridescent sequins (retired)

Beach Tote Birthday - Stampin' Up!® Notes & Totes Dies

 My card today is another one in my Stamping Book Club series which are cards inspired by books I've recently read.  I hope to make a card for each book I read this year and maybe also to inspire you to read a book and/or make a card!  I've used the Notes & Totes bundle for this beachy vibes card!

  The beach layout was a no brainer for this card inspired by the book Bad Summer People by Emma Rosenblum.  This one was a fairly quick read about a group of "friends" who summer on the same island and the drama that ensues one summer.  The story is part "rich people with too much money" and "looks can be deceiving".  The cover was top notch for inspiration and I knew right away I wanted to re-create the beach.

  After making the card I realized I should have used a different blue as the Night of Navy Two-Tone looks a bit dark.  But I used Crumb Cake Two-Tone with a torn edge for the white "wave" along with a piece of torn Basic White to make it a bit wider. I used the speckle stamp from the Notes & Totes stamp set for the "sand".

  After seeing the upcoming Rolling Waves bundle that will be released in the March Online Exclusives it would have been perfect for the black and white hat element but I decided to do a beach tote with black & white DSP and Pretty in Pink straps. The Notes & Totes bundle is still top of my list for a fun summer inspired bundle even in the dead of winter!

  The sentiment is embossed in white and accented with some retired adhesive dots.

  It's been fun combining 2 of my favorite hobbies for this card series.  To see the previous books and cards click HERE.

  Thank for looking!  Did you stamp today?

All of the current supplies used to make this card can be purchased in my ONLINE STORE.

Stamps: Notes & Totes, Simply Said

Ink: Versamark, Crumb Cake

Paper: Night of Navy Two-Toned cardstock, Basic White Crumb Cake Two-Toned cardstock, Pretty in Pink, Golden Honey Specialty DSP (retired), 2024-2026 In Color DSP (retired)

Accessories: Notes & Totes dies, dimensionals, white embossing powder, Adhesive-Backed Dots for Days (retired)

Let's Go Good Luck - Stampin' Up!® Match Day

 I wanted to make a good luck card for my son who is going to be trying out for high school soccer this coming week.  He's a bit nervous and I thought he might like to get a little bit of themed encouragement!  I preordered the Wonderful Match suite and intended to use it to scrapbook some of the many years worth of photos I have of both boys soccer days but so far I've only used it to make a few cards!  I'm using the Freshly Made Sketches layout which works perfectly for soccer balls!

  The papers in the Wonderful Match DSP are really fun and make great backgrounds.  I stamped the Let's Go sentiment on a piece of Basic White and added a die cut strip of grass below it.  Two die cut Timid Tiger cones with some white Posca paint pen highlights are added to help hide the fact that I stamped the sentiment off center and was too lazy to re-do it!  

  Finally I stamped the soccer balls in Versamark and embossed them in black.  They are nice and shiny though it doesn't show in the photo.

  Since the sketch is supposed to be clean and it's for a teenaged boy I didn't add any other embellishments.

  Thanks for looking!  Did you stamp today?

All of the current supplies used to make this card can be purchased in my ONLINE STORE.  Items marked with a * will be available in the Stampin' Up!® March 2026 Online Exclusive release.

Stamps: Match Day*

Ink: Memento Black, Versamark

Paper: Wonderful Match DSP*, Basic White, Granny Apple Green, Timid Tiger

Accessories: Match Day dies*, black embossing powder, dimensionals, Posca White paint pen (non-SU)

Watercolor Blossom - Stampin' Up!® Simply Beautiful

   My stampers made this watercolor card at my last class using the Simply Beautiful Bundle.  This easy technique requires no painting experience!

  This one starts with a Crumb Cake base then a layer of Lovely & Beautiful DSP in a subtle Old Olive pattern.  Just under the edge of the DSP is a strip of Petunia Pop Two Toned cardstock with a torn edge.  To hide the seam of the 2 papers is a length of Old Olive Specialty RickRack adhered with Tear and Tape.

  The blossom is the star of the card!  It's stamped in Versamark onto watercolor paper and then embossed with gold embossing powder.  Water is then spritzed onto the flower until it puddles in the separate petals.  Then using a waterpainter and a small amount of reinker (this one uses Darling Duckling and Petunia Pop) the tip of the painter is touched to the puddles in the flower letting the ink spread out.  Once you like the look you can dry the water and ink with a heat tool or let it air dry before adding it to the card front.  The best part of this technique is that each one will be completely different depending on the amount of water and ink you add.

  A leaf is stamped in Old Olive ink onto the light side of the Old Olive Two Toned cardstock and is die cut and tucked under the edge of the blossom.  A simple sentiment is added just under the torn paper. Finally a few faceted sequins are added to bring in some more gold.

  Thanks for looking!  Did you stamp today?

All of the supplies used to make this card can be purchased in my ONLINE STORE.

Stamps: Simply Beautiful, Banner Sayings

Ink: Darling Duckling, Petunia Pop, Old Olive, Versamark

Paper: Crumb Cake, Watercolor paper, Lovely & Beautiful DSP, Two Toned Old Olive, Two Toned Petunia Pop

Accessories: Simply Beautiful Dies, dimensionals, gold embossing powder, Old Olive Specialty RickRack, Loose Gold Sequins

Bird Line Up Hello - Stampin' Up!® Cutest Crew

    The Cutest Crew bundle was tops on my list to order after seeing the demonstrator preorder for the upcoming Stampin' Up! ® March Online Exclusives!  This set has adorable little animal images and cute accent stamps as well as dies to go along.  I think the birds are what first caught my eye so I wanted to use them first!  The color combo at Color Dare Challenge just seemed like a perfect match!

  I started with a Soft Sea Foam base, then cut a slightly smaller panel of the same and stamped the little bird feet all over for a fun background.  I found them pretty easy to line up for an even, continuous look.

  Next I stamped the birds in Memento Black twice across a piece of Basic White and then colored them in with Blends along with the tufts of grass.  I popped this piece on dimensional onto another slightly wider piece of Basic White and adhered it all to the card front.

  The sentiment is also stamped in Memento black and I added a few pink dots for just a bit of embellishment.

  I can't wait to create more cards with this fun set!  Look for it to be released for all to order the first week of March!

  Thanks for looking!  Did you stamp today?

Items marked with a * will be available with the release of the March 2026 Online Exclusives.

Stamps: Cutest Crew* (Online Exclusive)

Ink: Memento Black, Soft Sea Foam

Blends: Balmy Blue light & dark, Lemon Lolly light & dark, Flirty Flamingo light & dark, Soft Sea Foam light & dark, Daffodil Delight dark

Paper: Soft Sea Foam, Basic White

Accessories: Cutest Crew dies* (Online Exclusive), dimensionals, Adhesive-Backed Dots for Days (retired)

Flirty Peony Birthday - Stampin' Up!® Simply Beautiful

 I'm hosting the newest challenge at CAS Colours & Sketches today!  I designed what I think is an interesting sketch and I hope you'll join in and share your creation in the gallery!  What shapes will you use??

   I went with an obvious choice of a flower for my shape but I have some other ideas too that I might just have to try with this layout.

  I wish that I were a better color-er to do this big flower justice but it is what it is!  I wanted the bottom flower to be a bit more bold to draw the eye down to the sentiment so that part works I think!

  The card base is Basic White thick, then the stamping on a piece of Basic White die cut with the Textured Notes dies.  I stamped the outline in Basic Gray and used the Strawberry Slush, Flirty Flamingo and Shy Shamrock Blends for the coloring.

  The sentiment is from the Banner Sayings stamp set and I embossed it in white onto Shy Shamrock cardstock.  The banner is cut with the Stylish Shapes dies and is popped on dimensionals. The edges of the banner are accents with Iridescent Faceted Gem.

  I hope to see your project in the CAS Colours & Sketches gallery.  Remember to keep it clean and simple, lots of open space!

  Thanks for looking!  Did you stamp today?

All of the current supplies used to make this card can be purchased in my ONLINE STORE.

Stamps: Simply Beautiful

Ink: Basic Gray, Versamark

Blends: Strawberry Slush light, Flirty Flamingo light & dark, Shy Shamrock light & dark

Paper: Basic White thick, Basic White, Shy Shamrock

Accessories: Textured Notes dies, Stylish Shapes dies, dimensionals, white embossing powder, Iridescent Faceted Gems (retired)

Bear Hugs - Stampin' Up!® Valentine Kisses

  Here's another card that was meant to be made by my stampers at my January class and they only got to make it last week.  It was to be a Valentine's Day card but I added the option for a happy birthday sentiment on the inside for those that were already set on their Valentine's day cards.  These bears are just adorable and I love how you can give them different items to hold!

  I wanted this one to be more of a card without the red/pink "in your face" Valentine's Day theme so I stuck with a nice blue color palette.  Secret Sea is used for the base as well as the Hearts of Love embossed panel.

  The colored stripes are each stamped with one of the tiny accent stamps in the Valentine Kisses stamp set.  They make for a nice pop of color behind the bear.

  The bear is stamped in Pecan Pie and then colored with blends.  My stampers had to the choice to used colored pencils and blender pens if they like that type of coloring instead.  We gave him a sweet little Cherry Cobbler heart to hold and then popped him up on dimensionals above the stamped sentiment.

  Since I was trying to keep this one from being too froofy (technical term) all the embellishment that was added is a baker's twine bow.

  Thanks for looking!  Did you stamp today?

All of the current supplies used to make this card can be purchased in my ONLINE STORE.

Stamps: Valentine Kisses (Online Exclusive)

Ink: Secret Sea, Blueberry Bushel, Azure Afternoon, Coastal Cabana, Pecan Pie

Blends: Pecan Pie light & dark, Ivory

Paper: Secret Sea, Blueberry Bushel, Azure Afternoon, Coastal Cabana, Basic White, Cherry Cobbler

Accessories: Valentine Kisses dies (Online Exclusive), Hearts of Love embossing folder, dimensionals, blue baker's twine (retired)

Lovely Stripes - Stampin' Up!® Simply Beautiful

    I used last weeks Freshly Made Sketches challenge for the layout but didn't get it photographed in time to share.  I loved the angled stripe element and feel that this could be an often used layout when it's time to clean up some paper scraps!

  I started with an embossed panel of Basic White using the Beautiful Pattern embossing folder.  The stripes are added using 2 patterns from the Lovely & Beautiful DSP and a narrow strip of Petal Pink.

  The sentiment is from the Nature's Symphony stamp set and is stamped in Calypso Coral.  It's tucked under the edge of a scalloped square die cut from the 12 Days of Crafting Advent Calendar.  I used that as a base for a single blossom.

  The flower is 2 layers of Petal Pink with a small amount of Calypso Coral blended into the center of each layer.  to make the flower have more dimension they are adhered together with a dimensional in between.  An Old Olive Two-Toned leaf is also added as well as a Darling Duckling stamen and pistil.

  Thanks for looking!  Did you stamp today?

All of the current supplies used to make this card can be purchased in my ONLINE STORE.

Stamps: Nature's Symphony

Ink: Calypso Coral

Paper: Basic White, Lovely & Beautiful DSP, Petal Pink, Darling Duckling, Old Olive Two-Toned cardstock

Accessories: Beautiful Pattern embossing folder, Simply Beautiful dies, dimensionals, scalloped square