EEK!

It is summertime, and that makes it difficult to get any crafting time in, no matter what else is going on. And stuff just keeps "going on"! 
But this week I went to my parents for a couple days and got to play with paper! My mom hoped to get a small stack of Halloween cards ready to go, ahead of schedule, so we did! A bunch!! They're not super fancy, but they're fun and that is the point. 

I'll share other close ups another time, but for today, I'm sharing the one I based on the current sketch from SUO Challenges. 

ETA Supplies: (thanks Christy!)

Stamps: Ghoulish Goodies, PP Sept 2016

Ink: Memento Black, Petunia Pop

Paper: Magenta Madness, Basic Black, Basic White

I neglected to get the name of the stamp set with the witch and the "eek". I know it's not super old, maybe 2023? But the "Happy haunting" came from a Paper Pumpkin kit, I think from 2016.
That purpley paper is ancient too, ha. It was Marvelous Magenta, and was in my starter kit, 21 years ago, and clearly not my favorite shade. However, it worked well with the current Petunia Pop ink, so that's what we did! 

Class of 2025!

We are in the thick of graduation season! 
I've had two children graduate, and I've made a number of graduation cards for cousins (my own and my kids') and friends and whoever, thru the years. But this year was the year I had the most graduation announcements come, ever! I really intended to make cards for everyone, but 2025 is killin' me Smalls, so I used cards from my stash, and nobody knows but you...HA. 
A few were made with the intent to send to previous grads, but they didn't go out for one reason or another. If you still need an idea and you don't have a graduation-specific set to play with, or know their school colors, here's a few ideas, along with a few graduates peeking out, ha.
It's fine. Everything is fine. 

Garage Birthday

Summer is here- it's hot, school is out, people don't wanna do chores..... Here we go! 

I punted on graduation cards, (a later post) but this birthday card HAD to be made. I used the challenge from SUO Challenges to CASE the catalog...mostly. I did use strips of DP like the top card, and a couple items in place of the flowers and leaves, ha... 
This birthday boy's favorite color is black, so black it is! This will also be arriving late, but I'm sending it anyway, so there! HA!  

Supplies:

Stamps: Simply Said

Ink: Memento Black

Paper: Basic Black, Basic White card stocks, Classic Garage DP (2020?)
Accessories: Circle Punch (retired), Dimensionals

Magical Day!

Today I have made a new card!! 

This should have been mailed out already, but sometimes you do the best you can and that's all there is. This birthday girl got a blank card from me last year, so I'll be sure to write in this one, even tho it will be late ha. It is almost entirely made with retired supplies, but what does that matter if it's something you like? 

I used the CAS Colours & Sketches sketch for the layout and I like how it turned out! 

Supplies:
Stamps: Magical Day (retired)

Ink: Memento Black, Bermuda Bay (retired)

Paper: Bermuda Bay (retired), Rich Razzleberry (retired) & Basic White card stocks
Accessories: Watercolor Pencils (some shades retired), Dimensionals 

Paper Pumpkin for a Picnic

Well that unplanned hiatus took much longer than I would have expected... 
My father in law passed away, and even tho he was 100 (really, really) it was still a sudden downturn, emotions have been high, it involved a lot of drive time and my house is still exhausted. I did pull out stamping a few times but I just didn't have it in me. 

Yesterday I decided to make a scrapbook layout.  
This picnic blanket paper came from a 2018 Paper Pumpkin kit. I am not a fan of the kit projects but I did think the paper would work nicely with picnic photos! And, by happy chance, there were die cut apples in the kit- which goes along with the picture of my youngest not quite able to eat an apple with a bunch of missing teeth! 

Supplies:
Paper: Basic White, Poppy Parade card stock, July 2018 Picnic Paradise PP
Accessories: July 2018 Picnic Paradise PP, Transparent Dots (all retired)
Journaling Font: Century Gothic

And hopefully I'll be able to get more stamping done very soon! There are birthdays and graduations coming up that need cards!!

Make My Heart Smile

It's been one of those weeks years? where the hits just keep on hittin'... Today has been nothing like a normal Saturday, and I even had some time to stamp, so here's what I've got! 

I combined the fun SUO Challenge colors, which reminded me of rainbow sherbet, with the latest Freshly Made Sketches.

I also did some heat embossing, which I haven't done in a very long time. Years, I'm pretty sure. It isn't perfect, I wondered if it would catch both layers and it didn't. The greeting is a bit shadowed too, but there's a card, lol!! 

Supplies:
Stamps: Layers of Beauty
Ink: Peach Pie, Versamark
Paper: Lemon Lolly, Peach Pie, Soft Seafoam
Accessories: 2024-26 In Color Resin Dots, White embossing powder, heat tool

Latest Paper Pumpkin!

Lots going on at my house! Easter was a happy day. Now we've got college finals, a small trip coming up, and all the other life! But I really needed some crafty time, so here's something pretty! 

This Paper Pumpkin kit is called Inked Occasions, and it came last week. I actually did not intend to receive this Paper Pumpkin kit, but I missed the deadline to skip it. Annnd I like it, so it's okay. ha. Altho, I am not entirely sure what I will use the cards of congratulations for... Oh well. 

These are the nine card bases, so as I usually do if the back is printed, I started by cutting them in half for double the card fronts. 

Then I quickly put together twelve cards, instead of just nine, and here they are! 

Design 1: 

Design 2: 

Design 3:

Three bonus for today: 

And then I have all this left: 

That could make six more cards, or who knows what else? And it's really pretty! 

Scrapbooking Dance

Hello again! 

This afternoon I have a scrapbook layout for you. I had the idea to cut out little squares like the sequins on her costume. I used some long-retired glimmer paper, and another shade of pinky-purple for the squares- I just cut strips and then cut them into squares, and glued them down in a pattern. 

Later, I'll add some journaling to the second page, across the middle. 

Supplies:

Stamps: Just Perfect Alpha (retired!)

Ink: Petunia Pop
Paper: Bubble Bath, Petunia Pop card stock, 6x6 Glimmer Paper Asst Pack (retired, I used Bermuda Bay & Sweet Sugarplum)

Monochrome Celebration!

Hello again! 

Today I have a monochrome card to play along with Inspire.Create.Challenges. I chose this color because I have it in DP and dots, lol! And because it's all sticking around, this one is going on my display board! 

Supplies:

Stamps: Beautiful Butterflies

Ink: Pretty in Pink

Paper: Basic White, Pretty in Pink card stocks, Unbounded Beauty DP

Accessories: Party Dots, Dimensionals, Circle Dies (retired), big shot (retired)

Die Cuts!

Good Monday morning to you! I hope you had a good weekend! I did! My husband and I took a little overnighter to see a show, and it was great little get away! 

I have a new card for you! This one used retiring colors, so I used a retiring die set (the stamps are already sold out) and a different retiring greeting. And the dots are on their way out too! Sad, sad...! But, I have never used just the dies, so that made for something new and fun.
The colors come from CAS Colours & Sketches. I do love these two In Colors. And Blackberry Bliss has been one of my favorites as long as it's been around! I feel like I was able to keep this CAS even with the layers. Interestingly, the last time I used this bundle was with the same colors and the same challenge, ha! 

Supplies:

Stamps: Encircled in Nature (retiring)

Ink: Blackberry Bliss

Paper: Very Vanilla, Pebbled Path (retiring), Moody Mauve (retiring), Blackberry Bliss

Accessories: Regal Foiled Dots (retiring), Cheerful Daisies Dies (retiring), Dimensionals, Glue Dots, big shot (retired)    

Pastel Friend

Happy Friday! We made it another week! Today is a busy one at my house, starting with a school field trip to a farm! 

Today's card uses the colors from Color Throwdown. They said "lavender, mint green and yellow" so I chose Fresh Freesia, Soft Seafoam and Lemon Lolly. I stamped in the purple and green and used a Blending Brush to add the yellow. And I rather love it. This one also gets to go on my display board! 

Supplies:

Stamps: Spotlight on Nature

Ink: Fresh Freesia, Soft Seafoam and Lemon Lolly

Paper: Soft Seafoam, Basic White card stocks

Accessories: Striped Trim ribbon, Dimensionals, Blending Brush  

Beside Me

Today, once more,  I have a card featuring some retiring products. The stamps and the dots are on their way out! I used the "travel" theme from The Paper Players, and the colors from Hand Stamped Sentiments, and while the layout is a little weird, I still like the result! 

Supplies:

Stamps: Watercolor World, Beside Me (both retiring)

Ink: Summer Splash, Pecan Pie, Pretty Peacock

Paper: Pretty Peacock & Basic White card stocks

Accessories: Tinsel Gems Three Pack (retiring), Dimensionals

The gems are supposed to be Lost Lagoon, but it sure looks Summer Splash to me....! Both of these stamp sets are discounted (as of typing this) so you will definitely want to snag them asap!