National Coffee Day Hop~STAMPlorations Showcases...Coffee Gift Card Holders

Hello,

Time for the official National Coffee Day Hop, hosted by our very own coffee aficionado, AmyTsuruta; today, I'm delighted to joinmy teammates as part of Super Sponsor, STAMPlorations.

I created a trio of coffee gift tags using Coffee Time Clear Stickers and Watercolour ATC Journaling Cards (tag backgrounds). These journaling cards are ever so lovely, and pair beautifully with a various shades of kraft/brown and pastel pinks/peaches. The 'envelope' section of the tag is a perfect fit for the wonderful sentiments. All that's needed: some coffee gift cards!

Be sure to head over to the National Coffee Day Hop blog for hop/prize details and to STAMPlorations for details about loads of prizes there. HINT: one commenter who leaves a comment on the STAMP blog and the team members' blogs/IG posts will win their choice of 4 coffee-themed paper goods ($28 value).

Happy Coffee Hopping! 

Thank you for dropping by!

Just Us Girls Challenge #603~Photo Week....Brushed Blooms (C & 9th) Thank You

Hello,

Welcome to Just Us Girls Challenge #603, where Ina has selected this lovely floral photo as this week's inspiration. 

A huge thank you to Loll Thompson for being our stellar Guest Designer this month. Her card and those of my team see a blog exploding with purple floral delights. If you have opportunity to drop in and leave them some love, I know that will be deeply appreciated.

I pulled out an oldie from my Concord & 9th collection: Brushed Blossom. In the past, I've typically stamped the flowers and placed the die cut as an overlay. This time, I decided to try inlaying the floral bits. So glad I did; I love the look!  A few lilac splatters (using a stamp of course) gave the finishing touch. 

That's it from me; looking forward to your takes on the photo!

See you in the gallery1

Thank you for dropping by!

Inkspirational Challenge 248~Retro...Cassette Tape Birthday Mix

Hello,

Welcome to Inkspirational Challenge #248, where our word prompt is Retro. 

Not even going to pretend: I struggled with this challenge because understanding of the difference between retro and vintage isn't crystal-clear! And to think I was an English teacher!  EGADS! At any rate, after by-passing what likely *is* a piece of retro Christmas images, I opted to play with my long-ago-purchased Mix Tape set from Concord & 9th. Even though - as I discovered in 'researching' of cassettes - they're making a comeback (or, as one site put it, they're 'back in the loop'), in my view, they're still a throwback to the groovy days of when I was younger...much much younger! 

Please check out my teammates' much better takes on Retro than mine, then play along with us!

Marina, Pia, Marlena, Lindsey

Thank you for dropping by!

Just Us Girls Challenge #602~COLOR Week: Yellow, Orange and Red...Launching the Best Day Ever MemoryDex Card

Hello,

Welcome to Just Us Girls Challenge #602, where our lovely Nancy has selected Yellow, Red and Orange as this week's palette. Even though these are often considered Fall colours, you'll be impressed with the team's various ways of showcasing them. 

Loll Thompson joins us once again as our fabulous Guest Designer with a beautifully inspired card - as are those by my teammates. Please, if you have a moment, do leave them some love.

No 'seasonal' interpretation for me; rather, something from outer space (which is kind of how I feel these days...spacey. LOL). I signed up for a 10 week MemoryDex card class and ohmystars! So many awesome ideas for decorating these small canvases to pretty up a rolodex. And yes, mine is pink! I'm wayyyyy behind in homework, but decided to make this one for both our challenge and the 'layers' assignment from Week 2 (we're on Week 5 as of today). Of course, my MemoryDex cards are more on the simple side than those created by my classmates/instructors, who are so talented in embracing and combining assorted layers, images, sentiments and so forth. Then again, the beauty of our craft is that it encompasses a wide range of styles, all equally as creative. My little rocket makes me smile and that's what matters; hope it brings one to you, too. 

That's it from me; looking forward to seeing how Yellow, Red and Orange inspire you!

Thank you for dropping by!

Color Hues Challenge #26~Purple & Pink...Pink and Purple Clouds Ghostly BOO!

Hello,

Here we are, mid-September already which means time for a new Color Hues Challenge.  Kristie is inviting us to play with hues of Purple and Pink for the next two weeks. 

Given that I have Halloween on my mind - along with some new Halloween goodies from My Creative Time, I decided to case one of Emma's cards here.  I modified her version a bit to create mine, using only Spun Sugar, Kitsch Flamingo (first time...soooo loving it!), Picked Raspberry and Wilted Violet for the clouds and speech bubble.  I think this colour pairing makes for a fun, not-totally-scary background for the spooky tree and ghost. 

Super simple! 

Please visit our talented lineup of designers whose purple and pink creations are amazing, then join us in the gallery!

Janet - Guest Designer

Nancy

Hannelie

Cindy

Julie

Sheri

Kristie

Lindsey

Karen

Tracey

This challenge will be open until September 29th @ 9AM!

The winners will be posted an hour before our next challenge goes live.

The TWO overall winners will have the opportunity to be 

future Guest Designers!

Also sharing at: 

Two Old Bats September Challenge. 

Thank you for dropping by!

Perfectly CAS Challenge #19 September 2021~Geometric...Halloween BOO!

Hello,

Welcome to the September 2021 edition of Perfectly CAS, where this month's theme is Geometric. Let's see those classic shapes - squares, rectangles, circles, ovals, etc. - have a play on the stage!

I'm obsessing over patterned paper - and Halloween - so I 'had' to use this sheet of cutie patooties! Circle and square dies did the trick for cutting out the images, which I stacked two to three times with heavy cardstock for dimension. AND...bonus circles with the eyes and the Os in BOO! 

Please be sure to pop by my teammates' blogs, leave them some love, then bring your Perfectly CAS

Geometric creations to the gallery.

• A friendly reminder: For this challenge, we're asking you to use one-third (aka: the rule of thirds) or less on your card designs, leaving plenty of scrumptious white space (two-thirds of your panel) to draw our eyes to to your focal image. Kylie has included an easy-to-follow explanation on the challenge blog here.

Thank you for dropping by!

A Tiny Craft Challenge #1~Anything Goes and Two Old Bats September Challenge...Halloween ATC Trio

Hello,

Play time! Clock's ticking on one of the challenges, so this will be a quick post. I'm moving into Halloween mode, even if it's only mid-September and, to get the spookiness flowing, I'm starting small. I've made a trio of ATCs for two challenges: one is brand new - A Tiny Craft Challenge #1~Anything Goes and the second is brand new to me - Two Old Bats September Challenge. Yayyy for a year round Halloween challenge! 

In sorting through my rather *ahem* extensive Halloween stash, I came upon an unopened pad of Pink Paislee's Spellcast. I have no idea when I bought it, or from where, but...happy find! I selected three of the papers for my ATCs and mixed/matched them along with some of my assorted Halloween dies and stamps from My Creative Time.  I'm likely doing the whole ATC thing wrong in not being 'messy' but...these were fun to make! 

I think this one needs a spider...I may add one later because who doesn't love a big ol' spider at Halloween!

Thank you for dropping by!

Just Us Girls Challenge #601~Trend Week...Circle Shaker Celebrate

Hello,

Welcome to Just Us Girls Challenge #601, where our newest designer, Elizabeth, invites us to create shaker cards. From full panels to small sections, as long as something 'shakes', we'll be smiling!

Once again, we're thrilled to have Loll Thompson joining us as our guest designer. Her shaker, as well as those by my teammates, are sure to give you plenty of inspiration.

I'm smitten with my circle card dies and, of course, the various sizes circles are shaker-maker bliss! Bitty beads inside; I wanted to be sure the words on the patterned paper would be visible. 

That's it from me; looking forward to seeing how *Shaker* inspires you!

Thank you for dropping by!

Happy Little Stampers September 2021 Anything Goes with Dies Challenge...Phone Booth 'inside' pages

Hello,

Welcome to Happy Little Stampers September 2021 Anything Goes with Dies Challenge.

Last month, I shared my Elizabeth Craft Designs phone booth; this month, I'm playing with several of the assorted stamp and dies accessories to create two more pages for my budding little journal. The first is entirely from the kit, while the second includes a separate die set: the adorable little giraffe. He is incredibly cute but I must say, adding those die cut spots, wee hooves and antler dots does take time! Good thing I don't mind these little fiddly excursions, especially when the results are rather sweet! 

That's it from me! Check out what my talented teammates have created, then bring out 

your dies and join us in the gallery!

Thank you for dropping by!

Happy Little Stampers September 2021 Stencil Challenge~Anything Goes...

Hello,

Welcome to Happy Little Stampers September 2021 Stencil Challenge, where Anything Goes is always the theme. Let your stencils be the star-of-the-stage!

Hard to believe but: I used 7 stencils to create this very simple card: 5 as part of the Pinkfresh Studio Layering Butterfly set; 1 from Taylored Expressions to 'mask' the rectangle *sky* area; 1 from MFT to create the clouds. Made in minutes...love when that happens!

Head over to the main blog where you'll see sensational stencil delights from my teammates. 

Hope you'll join us; looking forward to seeing which stencils from your collection you'll be sharing with us!

Thank you for dropping by!

Happy Little Stampers September 2021 Christmas Challenge~Anything Goes (optional twist: Non-Traditional)...Christmas Roses Peace

Hello,

Welcome to Happy Little Stampers September 2021 Christmas Challenge. Anything Goes is always the theme, with an optional twist which, this month, is Non-Traditional. You'll see a wonderful mix of both choices on the main blog. 

I went incredibly simple with a very traditional card (I know...being a rebel!). Gorgeous Christmas Rose papers from P13, paired with a gold die cut sentiment from PhotoPlay. I have plenty of this paper so more versions of this are on my agenda!

That's it from me; please head over to the blog to see my talented teammates' festive delights.

Looking forward to seeing your Christmas makes in the gallery!

Thank you for dropping by!

Inkspirational Challenge #247~Designer's Choice: Autumn Leaves....Happy October Birthday

Hello,

Before I share challenge details with you: some news to report. Our lovely Shauna has made the difficult decision to step down from the Inkspirational team, after nearly 9 years of sharing fabulous cards, leaving wonderful comments for our participants, handling the scene behind the winners' posts and being, overall, an awesome member of the INK family! Shauna, you have no idea how much we - and our fans - will miss you immensely! Hope you'll continue to join us in the gallery when you can. Know that we'll always warmly welcome you back!

Inkspirational Challenge #247 is Designer's Choice; our delightful Lindsey has selected Autumn Leaves as our inspiration for the next two weeks. Given how quickly the leaves are donning their fall-flair where I live, this is a most timely, beautiful choice! 

Another debut (from last year...I know!) of products from The Stamp Market: embroidery hoop, mini leaves and plaid stencil. The colours were inspired by a snippet of patterned paper in my collection. Sentiment from Concord & 9th's now-retired months set. I love love love the font! 

Please check out my teammates' photo-inspired delights, then play along with us!

Marina, Pia, Marlena, Lindsey

Thank you for dropping by!

Just Us Girls Challenge #600~Word Week: 6 of ANYTHING and Giveaway...6 Halloween Sticky Note Holders

Hello,

Welcome to the 600th - yes, 600! - challenge at Just Us Girls!  To mark this impressive milestone, Vicki has selected *6 of Anything* for this week's challenge. Papers, layers, images, die-cuts...whatever you choose, as long as it's *6* works! 

Plus:  WE HAVE PRIZES!!

Thanks to Angie, we're offering this fabulous giveaway from Creative Expressions:

Talk about incentive to play along!

We're also excited to have incredibly talented Loll Thompson joining us as our September Guest Designer. I know she'll dazzle us all month long with her amazing creativity! If you have a chance to drop in at her blog, as well as those of my teammates, and leave a comment, that would be wonderful.

Yes, it's only the beginning of September, but already my thoughts are turning to Halloween as the next 'big occasion' for my crafting. Here, I've created 6 post-it-note holders (for the 3 x 3" size), each with a bow, a spider and a sentiment label. I think they'd make fun, practical-ish gifts for teachers come Oct. 31st. 

That's it from me; looking forward to seeing how *6 of Anything* inspires you!

Thank you for dropping by!

Happy Little Stampers September 2021 CAS Challenge~Winged Things...Waffle Flower Unicorn

Hello,

Welcome to Happy Little Stampers September 2021 CAS Challenge, where we're inviting you to showcase 'winged things' on your projects. Butterflies, planes, dragonflies...so many choices, right!

My Waffle Flower Unicorn is finally making its debut...with its adorable itty-bitty wings! So dang cute!  Even though this sweet die occupies most of the card panel, cutting it in white maximizes white space, with a few pops of colour.  No sentiment; I think the heart says it all! 

That's it from me! Please head over to the blog to see how my talented teammates interpreted this month's theme. A reminder that we're looking for CAS designs.

See you in the gallery!

Thank you for dropping by!