Rustic Wreath

Back to Christmas in July today!  I found the prettiest wreath at The Scrapping Cottage during their most recent sale.  It's called Rustic Wreath, no longer on sale, but there are always amazing finds in their retired and overstock categories.

I made this for the Christmas Kickstart Challenge #100 where Jo and her elf friend, Gail, are asking for spots, dots, and circles.  I have a rustic circle (wreath) on a stitched circle, and that's on top of a background made with the Sizzix Tree Rings embossing folder.  To finish, I added dots in the form of red gems.

💖Happy 100th challenge, Jo!  That's a milestone worth celebrating! 💖

I cut everything twice so I could fluff up the wreath all nice and festive.  Love the little pinecones and I plan to make up a bunch of those for other projects.  Every piece was colored with inks and blending brushes.   The sentiment is also Cottage Cutz.

Christmas Kickstart Challenge #100 -- Merry-go-round.  Must use spots, dots, and/or circles.
NBUS Challenge #76 -- My never before used schtuff is the Cottage Cutz Rustic Wreath.

 

Thanks for your visit!  Have a beautiful day!

Stamps:  Inside sentiment only  Paper:  Neenah Classic Crest Super Smooth Solar White 80 & 110 lb, scrap Memory Box Christmas Plaid designer paper  Ink:  Various Stampin' up inks  Coloring:  Ink blending with brushes  Dies:  Cottage Cutz Rustic Wreath and Happy Holidays, Memory Box Stitched Circle Layers  Other:  Tim Holtz Sizzix Tree Rings embossing folder, red gems, Diamond Stickles

Orange Slices

Hello and happy day to you!  I've had a few busy mornings in my craft room and today I thought I'd share some of the fruits of my labor before the day grabs hold of me.  A few challenges prompted me to sit down with one of my newest purchases -- Elizabeth Craft Fresh Fruit die set.   One day I said "I need a citrus set", and so here we are.

I took creative liberties with the colors, using some ancient greens that don't come off the shelf very often -- mostly Stampin' Up Green Galore, with a little Glorious Green ink for shading.  Anyone remember those?  I even colored the flower centers green just because I could.

There are lots of choices with this die set from lemons to oranges to grapefruit.  Even a strawberry.  Not selling, just saying.  I'm imagining today's card with a standard orange slice and a little Clementine.

Covering the card base is Tiny Mosaic, an old Cuttlebug embossing folder from my stash.  It looks rather kitchen-y don't you think?  

In the next photo I hope you can see the Diamond Stickles glitter in the flower centers, and the gloss on the orange slices.  The gloss is packing tape -- brush cardstock with ink, then cover with clear packing tape and cut with the inner die that creates the little sections.  Cut again from non-glossy cardstock to create the lighter colored "frame" for the sections.  Maybe that makes sense???

For embellishment I punched 1/8" circles from the glossy orange cardstock.  The three-layer sentiment is from a not-used-until-now Cottage Cutz set.

 

One last thing -- the card measures 4 1/4" x 5".  It's what's left over after cutting a mini-slimline; a cute little size, fun to work with, and it fits in a standard envelope for no-extra-postage mailing.

Sometimes it feels like it takes a lot of words to explain a card, but it's all about the sharing and taking the time to visit with you.

This particular card was totally inspired by the following challenges:

Tic Tac Toe Challenge #275 -- I chose the top row:  Nature, Circles, Foliage
NBUS Challenge #76 -- My never before used schtuff is the Fresh Fruit die set and the sentiment from a Cottage Cutz set.

 

I'm so glad you could stop by.  We'll do this again real soon, okay?  Take care!

Stamps:  None except inside sentiment not shown  Paper:  Neenah Classic Crest Super Smooth Solar White 110 lb, Stampin' Up Green Galore  Ink:  SU Tangerine Tango, Apricot Appeal, Green Galore, Glorious Green  Coloring:  Ink blending with brushes  Dies:  Creative Expressions Fresh Fruit, Cottage Cutz Hello Sunshine, Memory Box Stitched Circle Layers and Stitched Scalloped Circles  Other:  Cuttlebug Tiny Mosaic embossing folder, Diamond Stickles, clear packing tape, 1/8" holed punch, Scotch brand foam mounting tape

Camping on the Water's Edge

Hello!  I'm back with a reminder card for the Penny Black Saturday Challenge.  It's been a treat to play along as guest designer this month!

  

The theme is always "anything goes", and the optional theme this month is "in or on the water".

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The scene-making bug took hold of me for this card.  It just happened.  I combined the Penny Black Camping stamp (💗) with the Immense Enjoyment die and gave her a campsite by the water.  I had help with other dies from my stash, plus managed to work some designer paper into it as well.

The site resembles a few places we've camped in eastern Oregon or Utah.  Fun times!

Maybe you've got a Penny Black stamp or two and you'd like to play along in the challenge.  We'd love to see you there!

Enjoy your day!

Stamps:  Penny Black Camping, retired SU Itty Bitty Backgrounds splatter stamp  Paper:  Neenah Classic Crest Super Smooth Solar White, green scraps, KaiserCraft Hunt & Gather designer paper  Ink:  Various Stampin' Up  Coloring:  Copics  Dies:  Penny Black Immense Enjoyment, Memory Box Pine Trees, Poppystamps Stitched Landscapes, Impression Obsession Mountains

Double D Challenge: For the Kiddos

Hello there!  The Double D challenge is all about the kids today.  We have a fun board for inspiration...

... and a cute stencil prize for a random winner.  As always, creative winners are by team vote.

The board is full of Disney characters, which I don't have in my collection, but I was inspired by Pooh Bear to pull out one of my oldest stamps by DJ Inkers (or Hooks, Lines, and Inkers -- 1993).  I've used this guy many times in the past, but it's been more than a minute since he last saw ink.  He's just so easy and fun and cute, and he goes perfectly with my Cottage Cutz bamboo frame.

The sentiment is an oldie from Stampin' Up.  The background is a Sizzix 3D folder called Fallen Leaves -- another oldie and one of my most gorgeous favorites that WOWs me every time.  I brushed on yellow and blue inks for a soft suggestion of a bamboo forest.

Just for fun I cut an extra frame and trimmed off a piece for the panda to play with.

The team has some cute cards to share with you on the Double D blog!  If you need a card for one of the kids in your life perhaps you'd like to play along.  We'd love to see you there!

Have a wonderful summer day!

Playing Along with the Colors of The Flower Challenge

Hello friends!  I've been meaning to get my Twinkling H20's out for some watercoloring.  Over time they've become one of my favorite watercolor mediums.  Those little pots of paint are full of some very rich and gorgeous colors!  I think they're off the market now, but there are other types of shimmer and glimmer paints that are pretty amazing.

I stamped Penny Black's Enchantingly in Ranger Archival Pale Ochre on Arches cold press watercolor paper.  Painted first, then cut with the matching die.  The designer paper is one of my newer pads by Brutus Monroe called Love Letters.  The whole pad is scripty, vintage, papery, double sided, semi-gloss, awesome, and perfect for backgrounds.  There is nothing about love apparent in the script so it can be used for any occasion.

The small envelope was made with my envelope punch board, and I inserted a note made with an old, neglected SU notepaper edge punch.  I drew lines with a pencil and stamped with Penny Black's Note Builder.

The colors were decided by The Flower Challenge.  I love this combo!  Even the paper fits the colors.

I can never capture the shimmer of Twinks in a photograph, but you can see the graininess of the mica flakes in the photo below.  I know you can imagine how it looks and feels in hand.

In addition to The Flower Challenge I would also like to share in two more challenges:

The Neglected Stuff Challenge -- Darlene and Diane encourage us to play with something we haven't touched in months.  It's probably been years since I've used my notebook punch.
NBUS Challenge #76 -- My never before used schtuff is the Penny Black Enchantingly stamp.

  

I'm so glad you could stop and visit when there's so much summertime activity to be enjoyed.  I'm heading out to the garden with my little helper, Sophie, as soon as I finish here.  It's looking lovely out there!  Have a beautiful day!

Stamps:  Penny Black Enchantingly, Note Builder  Paper:  Arches 140 lb cold press watercolor, Cougar Natural, Brutus Monroe Love Letters designer paper  Ink:  Ranger Archival Pale Ochre, Memento Tuxedo Black, SU Creamy Caramel  Coloring:  Watercolor with Twinkling H20's  Other:  Envelope Punch Board, notepaper punch, sequins

Christmas in July 2025

Hi there!  If you'll bear with me...  I was busy playing with something else entirely when along came July and I realized I have only seven cards made for this year.  Actually, it's more than I thought I had, but I need a lot more!

So here are three today, all Cottage Cutz Santas from my never-been-used stash.  For the most part I'll let the pictures tell their own stories.  I've used a lot of retired supplies, old goodies that still provide a lot of fun.

First we have Santa hanging on a tree branch.  A sleigh accident perhaps? 

Cottage Cutz Santa w/Branch and Happy Ho Ho Ho
Spellbinders Pinecones and Berries 3D embossing folder

Keeping it simple, trying not to overthink it.  A frame and an embossed panel can take a card design a long way.

Cottage Cutz Jolly Santa Claus
Darice Star Border embossing folder

The last card has a simple silhouette Santa with a landscape frame and designer paper.  The few die cut snowflakes were brushed with Stampin' Up Buckaroo Blue ink.  It might be the first time I've used that pad and it's several years old.  The designer paper is a Simple Stories freebie that came with one of my Scrapbook.com orders.

 

Cottage Cutz Santa's Naughty/Nice List
Memory Box Lamplight Tree Collage and Holiday Wishes sentiment w/die
Impression Obsession Small Snowflake Set

I always have such fun with my Cottage Cutz dies, and I'm sure that's amplified by their low, low sale prices.  They haven't had a new release in a LONG time and I cannot find any information regarding that.

I'll be sharing in two challenges:

Peace on Earth #91 -- Anything goes or be inspired by the fabulous mood board.
NBUS #76 -- Darnell encourages us to use our 'never been used schtuff'.  Each of my Cottage Cutz Santas are fresh out of the package.

 

Thank you for coming to visit!  Have a happy day!

Penny Black Saturday Challenge: Anything Goes or On the Water

Oh, happy day, I'm honored to be this month's guest designer at the Penny Black Saturday Challenge!

 

The theme is always "anything goes", with this month's option being "on the water".  I had to think about that one, but then I remembered the skateboarding kitty from the Happy Times set... so I cut off the wheels and made him a surfer kitty.  Too much fun!

I also used Penny Black Super Day for the sentiment, and the Background Basics stencil set for help with the background.  I first placed a circle positive mask and brushed on the sky, then placed the negative of that same circle and filled in the sun.

The waves and white splash are courtesy of Memory box.  A few gems were added to enhance the idea of splashes or bubbles, and I coated his cool shades with Diamond Glaze.

This is going to be my Rich's birthday card in October.  He was a southern California surfer dude way back when.  Then he moved to Oregon and became a fishing dude.  He's still that guy at heart, but these days it's only from his armchair.

You know there are some awesome samples on the PBSC blog, so treat yourself to a look-see.  Hope you can play along!  Have a super day!

Stamps:  Penny Black Happy Times and Super Day  Paper:  Neenah Classic Crest Super Smooth Solar White 110 lb  Ink:  Memento Tuxedo Black, SU Cool Caribbean, Summer Sun, Pumpkin Pie  Coloring:  Copics and ink blending  Other:  Memory Box Waves 3D embossing folder, MB Big Splash Border, Penny Black Background Basics stencil set, rhinestones, JudiKins Diamond Glaze

Double D Challenge: Flower Pots

Hi, there!  We have another Double D challenge for you today -- Flower Pots.  Look at the pretty inspiration board below.  I love it!

A cool prize will be awarded to a random winner.  Creative favorites are voted on by the team.

I was tempted to stamp an oldie for this one, but the NBUS baskets are reaching critical mass and progress must be made so I can file away some of these stamps, dies, and embossing folders.  I'm embarrassed to say how many not-yet-used Penny Black stamps I have.  Many of them were oldies when I bought them, but today's Perch stamp is from this year.

It's rather large for an A2 card, I think, but I'll have another go at it soon and try something different.  I watercolored with Gansai Tambi paints, Stampin' Up inks, and Tombow markers.  It's a crazy mix, but I couldn't seem to get happy with any single medium.

I'm off to see what kind of trouble I can get into elsewhere now, but first I would like to encourage you to check out the team's cards at Double D.  They have some very pretty flower pot cards!

Thank you for visiting today!