Ready for a Swim

 

WT1119 - Last Days of Summer

For my card, I pulled out this really fun image from Art Impressions, stamped her on white cardstock, and colored her with Copics to bring out all her personality. She has such a lively feel, and the bright colors make her the perfect focal point.

Next, I chose a cheerful floral paper from the stack of designer papers I am working to use up this year. I added teal cardstock behind each layer to give the patterns extra definition and help the colors pop. The teal frames everything so nicely and ties the whole design together.

To finish the card, I added a birthday sentiment popped up on dimensionals with a bright pink shadow layer for a playful touch. A few scattered orange sequins add sparkle and balance without overwhelming the layout.

Thank you for stopping by to see my card today. Your thoughtful comments are always appreciated. If you leave a note, a visit to your blog will follow.

Ready for a Swim

Birthday Flowers

 SC1128 - this week's sketch on splitcoaststampers.com

For this card, I pulled out several designer paper scraps from the collection I am working to use up this year. I paired each pattern with brown, white, and kraft cardstock to give the layers extra definition and help the colors stand out. The mix of tones creates a warm and cozy foundation for the rest of the design.

Next, I die cut the birthday sentiment panel and added a brown die cut layer behind it. The stacked layers give the greeting a nice bit of dimension and help it anchor the card.

To finish the design, I die cut a few orange flowers to echo the colors in the patterned papers, then added die cut leaves for contrast. The flower centers are completed with small gems that add just the right touch of sparkle.

Thank you for stopping by to see my card today. Your thoughtful comments are always appreciated. If you leave a note, a visit to your blog will follow.

Birthday Flowers

When Life Gives You Lemons...

 

CAS912 - Lemons

For this card, I pulled out a few designer paper scraps from the collection I am working to use up this year. I chose one pattern to layer on black cardstock and added the banner strip on yellow cardstock for a bright contrast. Both pieces are then placed on a white card base, creating a clean foundation for the focal point.

Next, I reached for this fun Spellbinders glass die cut and assembled the layers using several scraps. The glass itself is cut from vellum, which gives it a soft, frosted look. Once the pieces were together, I added a die cut lemon to the top of the glass for a cheerful pop of color. The finished glass is layered on a white cardstock circle and then mounted on a black circle to frame it nicely.

To finish the card, I added a birthday sentiment and a few gold sequins for a touch of sparkle.

Thank you for stopping by to see my card today. Your thoughtful comments are always appreciated. If you leave a note, a visit to your blog will follow.

When Life Gives You Lemons...

Herringbone Get Well

FS1019 - this week's featured stamper is tredden also known as Tisa. I found this INSPIRATION.

One of my favorite ways to use paper scraps is the herringbone technique, and this card is a perfect example of how those little cut offs can come together to create something warm and full of charm. I keep a small stack of designer paper strips on my table from trimming down larger sheets, and when I feel I have gathered enough to build a full panel, I assemble a herringbone base and set it aside for a future card for my MIL. She is a quilter, and this style always delights her because it feels like a tiny paper quilt that she can share with her quilting friends.

For this card, I selected one of the finished herringbone panels and layered it on a soft green cardstock, then placed the entire piece on a crisp white card base to let the colors shine. To bring in a bit of extra interest, I wrapped blue and yellow bakers twine around the panel, which adds a cheerful touch and a little texture. The Get Well sentiment is mounted on the same green cardstock and popped up on dimensionals to give it a gentle lift.

I finished the card with scattered gold sequins that echo the gold accents in the herringbone pattern, adding just the right amount of sparkle to complete the design.

Thank you for stopping by to see my card today. Your thoughtful comments are always appreciated. If you leave a note, a visit to your blog will follow.

Herringbone Get Well

Gnomie Christmas

 

IC1080 - Connecting Threads - Inspiration

CCC26AUG - Enchanting

I took my inspiration from the classic Argyle Quilt Pattern and carried that cozy, stitched‑together feel into my card design. While flipping through my Christmas paper stash, I found this cheerful plaid that instantly felt perfect for a playful holiday card base. I layered it on red for a crisp frame and then mounted everything onto a clean white card base to let the pattern shine.

To echo the layered look of the plaid, I added a strip of green and white polka‑dot paper another happy find from my scrap pile and framed it in red so it ties seamlessly into the overall design.

For the focal point, I pulled out this adorable gnome image from Rubbernecker, colored him with Copics in festive shades, and used the coordinating die to cut him out. He is popped up on dimensionals for a bit of whimsy and depth. To finish the card, I added the Merry Christmas sentiment, also popped up, and sprinkled a few green gems around the panel for just the right touch of sparkle.

Thank you for stopping by to see my card today. Your thoughtful comments are always appreciated. If you leave a note, a visit to your blog will follow.

Gnomie Christmas

Howdy

 

F4A860 - Grass

For my card, I started with this cheerful Unity Stamp Co image and brought it to life with copics. I added a few extra blades of grass to fill out the scene and give it a little more personality. It is such a fun image, and it was enjoyable to sit down and color it.

I finally put that Howdy die cut to use after it sat on my desk for months. It felt good to give it a home on a project and clear a bit of space at the same time. The playful look of the sentiment fit the image perfectly, so it was an easy choice once I started assembling the card.

To build the layers, I pulled out a bright blue cardstock to echo the blue in the image. I added a crisp white layer for contrast, then reached into my scrap drawer for a piece of designer paper that paired beautifully with the western feel of the sentiment. The Howdy die cut is set on a stitched white panel, which gives it a polished look and helps it stand out as the finishing touch.

Thank you for stopping by to see my card today. Your thoughtful comments are always appreciated. If you leave a note, a visit to your blog will follow.

Howdy

Purdue Pete

 

WT1118 - use stripes, Doodle lines, linewash technique

For my card, I chose the strips option and reached for a few black designer paper scraps from the pile I am working to use up this year. I arranged them on a bold yellow cardstock panel, letting the contrast do most of the visual work. That panel is layered on white cardstock and then placed on a black card base, creating a clean and striking foundation.

Once the layout was set, I pulled out this fun Purdue Pete image. He is stamped on white cardstock and colored with copics to give him plenty of personality. I framed him with black cardstock for a crisp finish and popped him up on dimensionals so he stands out against the background.

To complete the card, I added a few scattered black gems for just a touch of shine.

Thank you for stopping by to see my card today. Your thoughtful comments are always appreciated. If you leave a note, a visit to your blog will follow.

Purdue Pete

Sweet Birthday Wishes

SC1127 - this week's sketch on splitcoaststampers.com

For this card, I started by looking through the stack of papers I am working to use up this year and found several wonderfully fun pieces. I trimmed the top two designs and layered them on white cardstock, then cut down the base layer and mounted it on kraft cardstock before placing everything on a white card base. The mix of patterns creates such a cheerful backdrop.

Next, I pulled out the playful Spellbinders pie die cut and assembled the pieces, adding a touch of shading with a sponge dauber to give the pie a warm, crispy look. The pie is popped up on dimensionals for extra lift and finished with a sweet little flower accent.

To complete the card, I added a sentiment banner, also popped up on dimensionals, and scattered several gems across the design for a bit of sparkle.

Thank you for stopping by to see my card today. Your thoughtful comments are always appreciated. If you leave a note, a visit to your blog will follow.

Sweet Birthday Wishes

Thanks Very Much

 

CAS911 - Add Gems

For this card, I began with a green floral designer cardstock from the collection I am working to use up this year. While looking through my pieces, I found a gorgeous floral panel that paired beautifully with the soft greens, so I decided to let the two work together as the main focus of the design.

I cut the Thanks Very Much sentiment from the same green floral paper, then layered the floral panel over it and mounted everything on a white cardstock base for a clean and bright finish. To give the sentiment more presence, I die cut it three times from white cardstock, stacked the layers for dimension, and added the green die cut on top.

To complete the card, I scattered a few green gems across the design, adding just a touch of sparkle without overwhelming the florals.

Thank you for stopping by to see my card today. Your thoughtful comments are always appreciated. If you leave a note, a visit to your blog will follow.

Thanks Very Much

Coffee Birthday

 

FS1018 - This week's Featured Stamper is Christine (cmesinden) - I found this INSPIRATION.

For this card, I stayed with the coffee birthday theme but gave it a fresh look by choosing a different designer paper and shifting the layout. I began with a rich brown cardstock base, which sets a warm foundation for the design. On top of that, I added a patterned paper from my stash, part of the collection I am steadily working through this year, and its colors and textures create a pleasant backdrop for the focal image.

I stamped the Tim Holtz coffee cup and colored it with copics, letting the warm browns and soft shading bring the image to life. Once it was trimmed, I sponged brown ink around the edges to add depth and then layered it on matching brown cardstock to echo the card base and tie the elements together. To finish the card, I popped the image up on dimensionals, giving it a touch of lift and adding a bit of extra interest to the overall design.

Thank you for stopping by to see my card today. Your thoughtful comments are always appreciated. If you leave a note, a visit to your blog will follow.

Coffee Birthday

On This Special Occasion

 

IC1079 - Rifel Paper Co - INSPIRATION

For this card, I had the pleasure of working with some beautiful Anne Griffith pieces that came to me in a very unexpected way. My aunt recently helped a friend downsize her craft room for a move, and she arrived with several boxes of supplies that felt like a treasure hunt. Tucked inside were these gorgeous Anne Griffith die cut papers, and I knew immediately that they needed to be the focus of a project.

I selected a couple of the die cut layers and built them up with dimensionals to give the delicate designs more presence on the card front. The soft raised effect brought out all of the intricate details and created a lovely foundation for the rest of the layout.

Next, I added a sentiment, also lifted on dimensionals, and set it on a square designer layer that framed it perfectly. The extra bit of pattern added a nice contrast to the elegant die cuts and helped balance the overall design.

To finish the card, I found a set of dimensional stickers in the boxes that fit the scene beautifully. Their subtle shine and gentle lift added just the right touch, bringing the whole card together with a sweet and polished look.

Thank you for stopping by to see my card today. Your thoughtful comments are always appreciated. If you leave a note, a visit to your blog will follow.

On This Special Occasion

Wiper Card

WT1117 - Wiper Card

I fell in love with the Wiper Card die set from Creek Bank Creations the moment I saw it at the local craft fair, so it was an easy decision to bring it home. For this card, I cut all the wiper pieces from a soft light peach cardstock and assembled the mechanism, which creates such a fun interactive surprise.

Next, I added the floral print panels, letting the pretty pattern dress up the structure of the card. For the wiper element itself, I die cut a gorgeous Spellbinders butterfly and placed it on the pop‑up flag, pairing it with a smaller gold glitter butterfly for a touch of sparkle and movement.

On the front of the card, I finished the design with a double layered happy birthday sentiment. The bottom layer is the same light peach cardstock, and the top layer is cut from gold glitter paper, giving the greeting a bright and celebratory shine.

Thank you for stopping by to see my card today. Your thoughtful comments are always appreciated. If you leave a note, a visit to your blog will follow.

Wiper Card

Wintery Christmas

SC1126 - this week's sketch on splitcoaststampers.com

For this card, I started by pulling out the wonderful die cut house from Poppy and cutting all the layers from a mix of scrap pieces. Once the house was assembled, I added sparkle and texture with stickles on the snowy roof, windows, and chimney. A single Nuvo Drop on the door gives the house a charming finishing touch.

Next, I die cut the tree and placed it beside the house to build a simple winter scene. Both elements are layered on a snowy patterned paper, then mounted on kraft cardstock and finally on a clean white card base, which keeps the whole design crisp and bright.

To complete the card, I added a Merry Christmas sentiment popped up on dimensionals for a bit of lift and balance.

Thank you for stopping by to see my card today. Your thoughtful comments are always appreciated. If you leave a note, a visit to your blog will follow.

Wintery Christmas

Birthday Friend

 

CAS910 - #bff

When I think of the theme bff, my mind goes straight to mans best friend, so I reached for this charming Whimsy Stamps image. I stamped it on kraft cardstock, which gives such a warm and natural base, then brought the scene to life with colored pencils. The soft texture of the kraft really lets the shading stand out.

To finish the design, I added a playful birthday sentiment from Stampin Up at the top. It balances the image nicely and keeps the whole card feeling lighthearted and fun.

Thank you for stopping by to see my card today. Your thoughtful comments are always appreciated. If you leave a note, a visit to your blog will follow.

Birthday Friend

Bear Thinking of You

 

FS1017 - this week's incredibly talented, featured stamper is NuSu. I found this INSPIRATION.

For my card, I pulled out this adorable teddy bear image from Stampin Up and colored it with copics, letting the soft blends and warm tones give the bear a sweet cozy feel. The image set the mood right away, so I leaned into those gentle colors as I planned the rest of the design.

I die cut the circles and gathered a mix of playful patterned papers that coordinated with the shades in the bear, adding touches of red and tan to the layers to echo those colors and create a nice balanced look. To finish the card, I added a few red punched hearts, giving the whole piece a cheerful little pop that ties everything together with a touch of charm.

Thank you for stopping by to see my card today. Your thoughtful comments are always appreciated. If you leave a note, a visit to your blog will follow.

Bear Thinking of You

Black and Gold Congratulations

IC1078 - Wrapables - INSPIRATION

I was inspired by the gorgeous selection of tissue paper and remembered that I had a lovely piece of gold and white tissue tucked into my scrap drawer waiting for the right project. I glued the tissue paper to a white card base, trimmed it down, and layered it on black cardstock before mounting everything on a gold card base. The combination created a rich and elegant foundation for the rest of the design.

Next, I pulled out a couple of coordinating paper scraps that paired beautifully with the tissue paper. With the addition of black matting, the layout came together with a balanced and polished look that let the gold accents shine.

To finish the card, I die cut two hearts, one in black and one in gold. I heat embossed the congratulations sentiment in white on the black heart, then added both hearts to the front of the card for a striking focal point.

Thank you for stopping by to see my card today. Your thoughtful comments are always appreciated. If you leave a note, a visit to your blog will follow.

Black and Gold Congratulations