Just Us Girls Challenge #789 - MOOD BOARD - Just Another Chapter Book Card and Bookmark

Hello,

Welcome to Just Us Girls Challenge #789 where Lisa has selected a back-to-school themed mood board photo as inspiration this week. Shapes, colors, numbers, letters, the 'school' vibe...whatever sparks your creativity, go for it. You'll see that the team has gone in a variety of drections. 

Once again, we're delighted to have Julie Beech joining us as our Guest Designer.

With the books as inspiration, I made a card and book mark duo with the Notting Hill collection from Photoplay.

It's a big bookmark...guaranteed you won't lose your place in the pages! LOL! 

Please head over to the main blog to see what Julie and the rest of the team have created; then join us in the gallery with our take on the mood board.

Thank you for dropping by!

Outta This World Aliens Birthday Card - Seize the Birthday Challenge #311 - No Flowers and Sisterhood of Snarky Stampers #265 - A is for Aliens (SSD)

Hello,

I've recently become a fan of Simply Stated Designs, an independent designer, based in my home city of Edmonton, Alberta Canada, who creates and prints an amazing array of collections that include patterned papers + ephemera + a whole host of other things. Wandering her shop and using her products makes me happy! Big happy!

One of the Simply Stated Designs design team members - Nadine Karen Designs - curated a kit using elements from the Outta this World collection. I bought the kit, I followed the instructions and, in pretty short order, I had four fabulous alien/space themed cards. I share the first one - which is also my first ever easel card -  here. Below is my second  easel version, which fits the themes for the following two challenges: 

Sisterhood of Snarky Stampers #265 - A is for Aliens

Seize the Birthday Challenge #311 - No Flowers

Hopefully, patterned papers and ephemera are 'allowed'.

Kinda creepy...kinda cute those aliens - even the one peeking over the edge of the card.

Hopefully they make you smile rather than cringe! LOL! 

Thank you for dropping by!

AAA Cards Challenge #297 - Anything CAS Goes - Optional Twist - Green - Happy Birthday Postage Stamp Butterflies

Hello,

I'm honoured and delighted to be sharing my first Design Team card for AAA Cards Challenge.  Clean and Simple is one of my favourite card styles; I look forward to sharing inspiration alongside the rest of my amazing teammates. 

For the next two weeks, we invite you to create Anything CAS Goes cards, with the optional twist of: All Green.  

All green for me, in for the form of beautiful butterfly transfers from 49 & Market. I added  them to a new-to-me postage die set from Prima Designs, added them to my panel and...ta dahhhh. A CAS card in under 15 minutes! 

Please head over the AAA Cards Challenge blog to see the beautiful cards from the rest of the team.

Then, join us in the gallery with a CAS card of your own, with or without the twist

Also sharing at:

Simply Clean & Simple: August 2025 - Anything Goes Challenge

Thank you for dropping by!

Color Hues Challenge #116 - Blue and Red - Winter Wishes (SB Nutcracker and Ornament Wax Seal)

Hello,

Welcome to Colour Hues Challenge #116, where Julie B invites us to play with hues of Red and Blue for the next two weeks. This combination offers a plethora of possibilities!

We're delighted to have Leslie joining us as our Guest Designer for this challenge.

Maybe it's just me, but as I look around the craft universe, I'm running across a wide range of paper collections - patterned papers, ephemera, stickers, rub-ons, kits.  Be it a fad or something long-standing that has caught my eye, I'm intrigued and, as often I do, I'm diving right in.  I'm keen to embrace my paper phase! 

Today's card features a Spellbinders paper collection I won as a gift a year or so ago. I wasn't keen to play with it at the time...but then the patterned paper bug struck. Here's my first card, 100% inspired by one I spotted on the SB site. I liked it, so I more or less cased it, right down to the addition of the wax seal. 

Please head over to the Colour Hues blog to see fabulous Red and Blue inspiration from Leslie and my talented team.

Looking forward to your takes on this combination.

Thank you for dropping by!

Inkspirational Challenge #348 - CAS (Optional Twist - Flowers) - Merry Christmas Animals in Frames (SB)

Hello,

Welcome to Inkspirational Challenge #348, where we're looking for CAS - Clean and Simple - cards this week, with the optional twist of Flowers.

Because my cards are SO clean and simple, as well as quick to make, I have a trio to share. Featured here are products from Spellbinders Holiday Magic collection: rub-ons and Postage Stamp 3D Emboss and Cut Folder. These little images tuck perfectly into the sweet frames. The hardest part of these cards: deciding which rub-ons to showcase! 

A couple showcases of cards on their own: 

This pig is way tooooo cute! 

Please head over to the Inkspirational blog to see fabulous inspiration from my teammtes.

The challenge is open until Aug. 29 @ 11:59pm (GMT). Plenty of time to join us.

NOTE: In the spirit of being supportive of other challenges, please consider heading over to AAA Cards Challenge and Simply Clean and Simple Challenge where CAS is their specialty. You'll see fabulous inspiration from their teams - as you do with ours. If you decide to join the AAA Cards Challenge, a new one begins on Aug. 17th. At Simply Clean and Simple, the theme is always Anything Goes, with optional twists; they run for a month. If you share at either of these challenges, please be sure to share with us. 

Also sharing at:

Simply Clean & Simple: August 2025 - Anything Goes Challenge

Thank you for dropping by!

Just Us Girls August 14 - #788 - WORD Week - Birthday - Happy Birthday (Simply Stated Design - Age is Just a Number)

Hello

Welcome to Just Us Girls Challenge #788, where Elizabeth has chosen BIRTHDAY as our Word Week inspiration.  Let's make cards to celebrate the special people in our lives! 

We're delighted to have Julie Beech, our August Guest Designer, joining us once again; her card is sure to make you smile. 

I’ve recently fallen for Simply Stated Designs—a proudly Canadian, independent designer based in my home city of Edmonton, Alberta. Chantel creates and prints (in-house!) a fabulous array of patterned and solid papers, ephemera, and other crafty delights. I’d been trying to rein in my patterned paper purchases, but after seeing her irresistible range… well, restraint went straight out the door. Bring on the patterns, ephemera, and collections—because I am!

My card below features Chantel’s Age is Just a Number collection—a pure delight. The grand ol’ gal on the front, star of my first-ever diagonal cut card, may have wrinkles and grey hair, but her outfit, smile, and spunk prove she’s young at heart. Inside, the celebration continues with a mini card insert, more patterned papers and more ephemera. This card makes me smile, and I hope it does the same for you. The collection also includes ephemera with girls and guys, so stay tuned for those cards soon.

Please head over to the main blog for more birthday inspiration from Julie and the rest of the team. Then, celebrate along with us with a birthday card of your own.

See you in the gallery!

Thank you for dropping by!

AAA Colourful - Colourboard #18 - Paper Hugs, Sealed with Love (WF)

Hello,

Poppin in to share my card for AAA Colourful - Colourboard #18 - isn't it a bright, cheery inspiration photo! 

An envelope filled with a bunch of paper hugs! 

As always, thank you to the AAA Colourful team for their fabulous challenges and amazing inspiration.

Thank you for dropping by!

Just Us Girls Challenge #787 - Use Dies Week - Florals - You are Everything Wonderful (Blended Petals - C & 9th)

Hello,

Welcome to Just Us Girls Challenge #787, where Elizabeth would like to see us use FLORAL DIES on our cards/projects this week.  I'm sure we all have an assortment of those in our stashes.

We're delighted to have Julie Beech joining us as our August Guest Designer. 

Concord & 9th's Blended Petals came out for a play, with colours inspired by the Spellbinders Colour Deck card below. Creating this card was part of a class assignment from an online class I'm taking, where we were challenged to use the palette shown on the photo.  I went with inks:  Rustic Wilderness distress, followed by Poppy, Marmalade and Buttercup (Concord & 9th) and Cookie Monster (Taylored Expressions). Close enough matches, I think...

Inspiration colours:

Please head over to the main blog to see fabulous cards from Julie and my talented teammates.

Then, bring out your floral dies and join us in the gallery.

Thank you for dropping by!

Inkspirational Challenge #347 - Mood Board - HUGS Love You to Pieces Butterflies (WF Focal Butterfly)

Hello,

Welcome Inkspirational Challenge #347 where we invite you to draw inspiration from the mood board below.

So many fun directions to go: dreamy colours, smooshing, splattering, circles galore... and the warm glow of that beautiful palette that creates a sunrise/sunset vibe. Whether you’re reaching for your stencils, stamps, dies, papers or watercolours, this board is sure to tap into your creativity.

Clearly, I was inspired by those gorgeous colours — and added a touch of splatter (thanks to a handy splatter stamp). The Waffle Flower Focal Butterfly and Overlapping Hugs sets did all the heavy lifting; I simply played along.

Please pop over to the main blog — my talented teammates have shared some truly amazing takes on the mood board.! Then, once something from the board sparks your creativity, design a card or project and link it up in the gallery. Can’t wait to see what you create!

Thank you for dropping by!

Color Hues Challenge #115 - Pink and Grey - Cat Silhouette Hello Friend (Waffle Flower)

Hello,

Welcome to a  new month - can you believe it's August 1st already - and a new challenge at Colour Hues. For the next two weeks, I invite you to use hues of PINK and GREY as inspiration. This combination covers a range of shades (from bold and bright to soft and whispery), images (flowers, birds and animals, abstract patterns, to name just a few) and occasions (birthdays, 'just because', seasonal greetings and so much more). I'm sure you'll find an abundance of ways to feature pink and grey on your cards/projects.

Remember you can use any hues of these two colors and neutrals are also welcome.

We're delighted to have Arlene, a previous winner, joining us as our guest designer. 

Even though I’m 100% a dog person (my mini schnauzer, Lily, is my heart!), I couldn’t resist the charming feline release from Waffle Flower a couple months ago. Today marks the debut of my new goodies — inspired by the talented Waffle Flower design team samples.

The background features a stenciled 'cat quilt' pattern, which was a breeze to create and adds just the right cozy touch. I paired it with a fluffy die-cut cat silhouette. And how could I resist the delightful little add-on details? The wind-up mouse, ball of yarn and whimsically “decorated” food dish are just too cute not to include.

So while dogs - or more specifically, Lily - still rule my world, these cats definitely captured my crafty heart — at least for today!

Please head over to the main blog to see the fabulous cards created by Arlene, our guest, and the rest of my talented team.

Looking forward to seeing how Pink and Grey will inspire you. 

The challenge will be open until August 14 @ 9:00am (EST).

The winners will be posted an hour before our next challenge and the overall

 winner will have the opportunity to be a future Guest Designer.

Thank you for dropping by!

AAA Birthday Challenge #76 - Sport - Hockey Happy Birthday (Photoplay)

Hello,

August 1st already...can you believe it! Of course, a new month also means a new challenge: welcome to AAA Birthday Challenge #76 where we're inviting you to create birthday cards featuring SPORTS. Everything - from team sports to solo sports to 'hobby' sports and so much more - is fair 'game' for the gallery (sorry...trying to be punny).

We're delighted to have Cathy R joining us as our Guest Designer.

My nephew plays hockey - defense, to be precise - so of course, I made my card with this sport and him in mind. Hockey images are such a challenge to find, so I'm fortunate to have found some by Photoplay. The puck, gloves, skates, player and 'defense' are stickers; I cut out letters from other stickers to cobble together the sentiment. Of course, the background is my much-loved Waffle Flower postage collage die.

Please head over to the main blog to see fabulous cards from our guest designer and the rest of my team. Then, share your sports-themed birthday card with us; excited to see what you'll create.

The challenge is open until August 31st; plenty of time to join us.

Also sharing at:

Seize the Birthday Challenge #310 - Anything Goes

Thank you for dropping by!