Hibiscus Panel Card

I decided to play along with two My Favorite Things challenges this week: Sketch Challenge 504 and Color Challenge 148. I decided to tackle both challenges with one card. I also managed to use a stamp I'd never used before, so I'm still working my way through my craft room.

This is a 4.25" x 5.5" card (top fold). I stamped the Harmonious Hibiscus Background Stamp with Memento Tuxedo Black ink on Copic XPress-It Cardstock and colored everything with Copics. I trimmed the panel to 3" x 5" and cut a fishtail into the bottom (to match the sketch). I didn't have a cardstock that matched the blue, so I used white cardstock and ran my blue Copic around the edges (so it looks like a blue cardstock layer). For the gray color (challenge requirement), I added three strips of sparkly, silver washi tape. I felt like it needed more embellishment, so I added a few enamel dots.

List of all stamps/dies/stencils used on this card:

• Harmonious Hibiscus Background cling stamp (My Favorite Things)

Other supplies:

• Memento Tuxedo Black Ink
• Copic XPress-It Blending Card
• Copic markers (various)
• Silver washi tape
• Altenew "Pocketful of Sunshine" Enamel Dots

I hope your day is full of sunshine!

Drummer Boy Card

I committed to making at LEAST one Christmas card per month, so I'm not overwhelmed in November. This is my August Christmas card.

This adorable scene is a free coloring page that I found online. I don't remember the site, but if you Google "precious moments drummer boy coloring page," you should find it.

This is a 5" x 6.5" card. I printed the scene on Copic XPress-It Cardstock and colored everything with Copics. I stamped the sentiment on a piece of white cardstock and cut it out with one of the Spellbinders dies ("Labels One - Nestabilities"). I added some transparent glitter around the edge of the sentiment and added a few Swarovski crystals. I matted the layers on some Kaisercraft wood-patterned cardstock from my stash.

After everything was assembled, I noticed the sentiment isn't perfectly straight. *sigh* Oh, well. It's permanently attached, so it'll have to do as is.

List of all stamps/dies/stencils used on this card:

• Precious Moments Drummer Boy Coloring Page (free, online)
• Lyrical Script stamp set (Altenew)
• Labels One Nestabilities Dies (Spellbinders)

Other supplies:

• Memento Tuxedo Black Ink
• Copic XPress-It Blending Card
• Copic markers (various)
• White and wood-patterned cardstock
• Swarovski crystals (clear)

I hope you have a wonderful day!

Literally Dead Card

I'm still on a mission to use stamps, dies, and stencils that I "NEEDED" to buy, but never used. Today, I managed to ink up one stamp set and two stencils that had never been used, as well as a digital stamp I got as a winner of a random contest.

I won a $20 gift certificate for Polkadoodles from a Kit and Clowder Facebook giveaway, and this digital stamp (Winnie Wednesday Skull) was one of the images I purchased with it. She's just so creepy cute!

This is a 5" x 7" card. I printed Winnie on Copic XPress-It Cardstock and colored her with Copics. I fussy cut her, as I wanted to remove the leaves at her feet and place her on a stenciled background.

The background is two layers. The back layer is just clouds, which I created using the MFT Rolling Clouds Stencil and Stormy Sky Distress Oxide Ink. For the graveyard layer, I cut a sloped hill shape from a piece of scrap paper, and I used that as a mask to ink up the hill with Pumice Stone and Weathered Wood Distress Oxide Ink. For the gravestones, I used the Background Builder Graveyard Stencil by Witt & Sass (retired). I got this stencil when I was on the design team two years ago, and I just finally got around to using it! I used Hickory Smoke and Black Soot Distress Oxide ink for the gravestones.

I heat-embossed the sentiment with Black Onyx Versafine Ink and Clear Super Fine Detail Ranger Embossing Powder on a scrap of vellum. I forgot to wrap the vellum around the top panel before gluing everything down - oops! - so I had to curl up the panel edges and wedge the vellum strip in as well as possible. (If you use glue behind vellum, it shows and looks like a stain, so I always try to wrap it and hide the ends.) I wanted a little sparkle, so I added a few Amethyst Swarovski crystals to the sentiment strip.

List of all stamps/dies/stencils used on this card:

• Winnie Wednesday Skull digital stamp (Polkadoodles)
• Sassy Pants Spooktacular stamp set (My Favorite Things)
• Rolling Cloud Stencil (My Favorite Things)
• Background Builder Graveyard Stencil (Witt & Sass, retired)

Other supplies:

• Versafine Onyx Black Ink
• Copic XPress-It Blending Card
• Vellum cardstock
• Copic markers (various)
• Distress Oxide Inks: Stormy Sky, Pumice Stone, Hickory Smoke, Black Soot, and Weathered Wood

I hope you have a spooktacular day!

Thankful for You Scarecrow Card

I'm still on a mission to use stamps, dies, and stencils that I "NEEDED" to buy, but never used. Today, I managed to ink up three stamp sets that had only been gathering dust... until now.

I bought the scarecrow stamp several years ago because he was just so cute, and I finally colored him and put him on a card! On AI's packaging, he's colored in very somber, dark, autumn tones. I wanted to make him a cheerful, friendly scarecrow with his sweet bluebird friend.

This is a 5" x 6.5" card. I stamped the character with Memento Tuxedo Black ink on Copic XPress-It Cardstock, and then created the background panel by stamping the tractor and pumpkins (masking one to make a pair) on a 6.25" x 4.75" Copic XPress-It cardstock piece.

I colored everything with Copics and fussy cut the scarecrow. I used the Mini Cloud Stencil and my Copics to draw and color the clouds, and I stamped the sentiment onto the finished, colored panel. I popped up the scarecrow with foam dots, then added some fun green, plaid cardstock for the bottom mat.

List of all stamps/dies/stencils used on this card:

• Happy Fall Set cling stamps (Art Impressions, retired)
• WC Harvest Set cling stamps (Art Impressions)
• BB Fall Friends stamp set (My Favorite Things)
• Mini Cloud Stencil (My Favorite Things)

Other supplies:

• Memento Tuxedo Black Ink
• Copic XPress-It Blending Card
• Copic markers (various)
• Double-sided tape and foam dots
• Lawn Fawn plaid cardstock

Thank you for stopping by to read my post!

Tool Time Card

My brother-in-law, uncle, and dad all have birthdays within the next few weeks, so I needed some quick-and-easy masculine cards. I'd never used any of these dies or stamps, so I decided to try them out. I finished all three cards in a few hours, so it was definitely what I needed!

This is a 4.25" x 5.5" card. My first task was to make the tools. I die cut 6+ full sets of the Tool Time Die-Namics because I wanted the tools to be 3D and realistic. I pasted the "metal" layers together and painted them with Silver Alcohol Ink. I used scraps of a wood-patterned cardstock for the hammer's handle. I pasted the "handles" together, colored them with Copics, and assembled all of the tools. For the finishing touches, I used a silver metallic pen to draw the screws on the saw and covered all of the tool handles with Glossy Accents, which made them look like plastic. I love these little tools! Here is a closer look at them:

I die cut the Pegboard Cover-Up Die-Namics on kraft paper, then used Distress Oxides to "grunge it up." I wanted the card front to be extra sturdy, so I added an extra kraft layer behind the pegboard. I heat-embossed the sentiment on vellum, then wrapped that around the pegboard. Just for some more texture, I added "screws" (brads) at the corners and glued everything together. The card front has so much texture and dimension!

For the inside of the card, I added a black mat and stamped the sentiment and tool elements with Memento Tuxedo Black Ink.

List of all stamps/dies/stencils used on this card:

• Tool Time Die-Namics (My Favorite Things)
• Pegboard Cover-Up Die-Namics (My Favorite Things)
• Let's Tool Around stamp set (My Favorite Things)
• Anything-But-Basic B-Day Wishes stamp set (My Favorite Things)

Other supplies:

• Memento Tuxedo Black Ink
• Kraft, black, white and vellum cardstock
• Silver Alcohol Ink
• Onyx Black Versafine Ink
• Ranger Super-Fine Black Embossing Powder
• Distress Oxides (twig and espresso)
• Silver screw-shaped brads
• Ranger Glossy Accents

Have an awesome day!

Doctor Shark Get Well Card

This is the second get well card I've made for a colleague who's having surgery this week. I got a little silly with this one, and I mixed several unrelated stamp sets to create a superhero Doctor Shark, complete with the song!

Does the sentiment make you sing the song? My colleague has two young grandchildren, so I'm SURE she knows the Baby Shark song. The inside sentiment says, "GET WELL SOON, DOO DOO DOO DOO DOO DOO!"

This is a 4.25" x 5.5" card. I stamped all of the MFT characters, as well as the medicine bag and top of the mouse nurse's head/hat from the Doctor's Helpers (Create a Smile) stamp set. Since I color with Copics, I stamped them with Memento Tuxedo Black ink on Copic XPress-It Cardstock.

I colored everything with Copics and fussy cut all of the elements. I created my background water panel with Distress Oxide inks, then splattered it with water and quickly patted it dry. That gave the water the cool water spots. Next, I taped the Sun Background Stencil (Hero Arts) over the panel, and I used a palette knife to spread Iridescent Gina K Glitz Glitter Gel.

I printed the sentiment, and then I popped up the characters and sentiment with foam dots. OMG, it's so sparkly! Here's an angled photo, as well as a video, so you can see the sparkle.

List of all stamps/dies/stencils used on this card:

• Friends with Fins stamp set (My Favorite Things)
• Gill Friends stamp set (My Favorite Things)
• Doctor's Helpers stamp set (Create a Smile)
• Sun Background Stencil (Hero Arts)

Other supplies:

• Memento Tuxedo Black Ink
• Copic XPress-It Blending Card
• Copic markers (various)
• Iridescent Gina K Glitz Glitter Gel
• White cardstock

Thanks so much, doo doo doo doo doo doo!

Get Well Nurse Norma Card

When I was in the hospital last year, a colleague sent me several funny cards, and they really lifted my spirits. Next week, she's having surgery, so I want to return the favor. This is the first card I made for her, featuring the very sexy Nurse Norma!

Nurse Norma may have to wear her white uniform in her blue, sterile environment, but she still manages to get her sexy on with her pink socks, shoes, and glasses. She even managed to sneak a pink tissue box onto her station. You go, girl!

Anyone who's spent any time in a hospital knows that a hospital is where you go for treatment, but you go HOME if you want rest. Constant noise, interruptions, machines taking your blood pressure... not exactly a relaxing environment.

This was a one-layered 4.25" x 5.5" card. I stamped Nurse Norma and her matching sentiment. I decided she needed some medical supplies, so I stamped several small images (pill bottle, band-aids, and a tissue box) from a WPlus9 stamp set. I drew the counter underneath, and voila! She has a nurse's station!

I colored everything with Copics and added a cute, striped My Favorite Things paper as the bottom mat. It's hard to tell, but the walls behind Norma are a pale blue, too. No wonder she needs her pink accessories!

List of all stamps/dies/stencils used on this card:

• Nurse Norma cling stamp set (Art Impressions, retired)
• Get Well Gang stamp set (WPlus9)

Other supplies:

• Memento Tuxedo Black Ink
• Copic XPress-It Blending Card
• Copic markers (various)
• My Favorite Things black-and-white striped paper

I hope you have a healthy, restful day!

Flowers and Bees Birthday Card

I enjoyed coloring the last CAS card with flowers and bees, and I had another MFT flower stamp I'd never used, so I decided to create another one. I always need birthday cards, and I love blue and purple as a color combo, so I went in that direction.

This was a very simple, one-layered, 4.25" x 5.5" card. I stamped the flowers and bees on Copic XPress-It Blending Card, using Memento Tuxedo Black ink. I colored them (rather quickly) with Copics, and then stamped the sentiment in Tuxedo Black on the top, right corner. I mounted the panel on SU Wisteria Wonder cardstock. Since it's a birthday card, I added a few Aquamarine Swarovski crystals for some sparkle.

List of all stamps/dies/stencils used on this card:

• Floral Fantasy rubber cling stamp (My Favorite Things)
• Hapbee stamp set (Paperie Ink)
• Buzzin Around stamp set (Elizabeth Craft Designs, Hedgehog Hollow exclusive)

Other supplies:

• Memento Tuxedo Black Ink
• Copic XPress-It Blending Card
• Copic markers (various)
• Stampin' Up Wisteria Wonder cardstock
• Aquamarine Swarovski crystals (2mm, 3mm, 4mm, and 5mm)

I hope you have a HAP-BEE day!

You're So Wonderful

I actually colored this image last year, before Christmas, and then lost it under other papers on my desk. When I found it this past weekend, I knew I needed to turn it into a card.

As you can see behind the card, I'd actually stamped several of them, intending to make 4-5 cards. They were all still grouped together, but I don't know if I'll color any more of them. I usually don't make more than one of any card because I get bored with it.

I stamped the image with Memento Tuxedo Black in on Copic XPress-It Blending Card, then colored it with Copics. I cut it out with the die, then used the die to cut the individual letters out of a very glittery white cardstock. I stamped the sentiment on a scrap of my Blending Card, then mounted the main image AND the sentiment on foam dots, just for a little dimension. Finally, I glued the sparkly letters on the image, over the stamped letters. Here's a closeup to show a little more of the dimension and glitter:

List of all stamps/dies/stencils used on this card:

• Wonderful Florals stamp set (Concord & 9th)
• Wonderful Florals die set (Concord & 9th)

Other supplies:

• Memento Tuxedo Black Ink
• Copic XPress-It Blending Card
• Copic markers (various)
• Glitter cardstock (white)
• Teal cardstock

I hope you have a WONDERFUL day!

MFT Summer School Day 5: White Space

Well, I completed all five days of MFT's "Summer School!" I really enjoyed playing along, seeing others' interpretations of the challenges, and challenging myself to use stamps, dies and stencils I'd bought because I "NEEDED" them but never used.

The final Summer School challenge is "white space," or leaving lots of open, uncolored space on your card (even if the cardstock isn't white). Clean and simple (CAS) designs are NOT my style, as I prefer to color everything by hand, but I enjoyed the challenge... and I even used two stamp sets I'd never used before!

This was a very simple, one-layered, 4.25" x 5.5" card. I stamped the flowers and bees on Copic XPress-It Blending Card, using Memento Tuxedo Black ink. I colored them (rather quickly) with Copics, and then stamped the sentiment in Tuxedo Black on the top, left corner. I mounted the panel on Poppy Parade paper. Since I was aiming for a CAS design, I didn't add any sparkly embellishments, as I normally do.

And I "graduated" from summer school!

List of all stamps/dies/stencils used on this card:

• Fine-Lined Floral rubber cling stamp (My Favorite Things)
• Hapbee stamp set (Paperie Ink)

Other supplies:

• Memento Tuxedo Black Ink
• Copic XPress-It Blending Card
• Copic markers (various)
• Stampin' Up Poppy Parade cardstock

I hope your day is totally SWEET!

MFT Summer School Day 4: Ombre

I'm continuing on my mission to use stamps, dies and stencils that I HAD to have, yet have never used. Today, I'm playing along with My Favorite Things' Summer School Challenge: Day 4 (Ombre). I was able to use two stamp sets and a stencil I'd never used before.

Ombre is a technique in which a color blends into a different hue of itself, like dark navy to light blue. I mainly use Copics when I color, and blending colors is the most important technique, so I do this a lot.

For the ombre challenge, I decided to color the flowers with ombre on the petals (from dark to light, starting at the base). Typically, when I color flowers, I add some dark accents at the ends of the petals to make them look more realistic, so this was a different approach.

The final card measures 5" x 6.5". I stamped the flowers with Memento Tuxedo Black ink on Copic XPress-It Blending Card, then did some extensive Copic coloring. I fussy cut them and added foam dots to the back.

For the background, I cut a 4.75" x 6.25" panel of black cardstock. I heat-embossed the sentiment with Versafine ink and Ranger Super Fine Detail White Embossing Powder. I taped the stencil over the panel and carefully used a palette knife to spread Silver Gina K Glitz Glimmer Gel over part of it, covering about 2/3 of the panel with the sparkly gel.

List of all stamps/dies/stencils used on this card:

• Brilliant Blooms stamp set (My Favorite Things)
• Beautiful Blessings 2 stamp set (My Favorite Things)
• Halftone Stencil (Altenew)

Other supplies:

• Memento Tuxedo Black Ink
• Copic XPress-It Blending Card
• Copic markers (various)
• Versafine ink (clear)
• Ranger Super Fine Detail White Embossing Powder
• Silver Gina K Glitz Glimmer Gel
• Black and pink cardstock

I hope your day is filled with all good things!

MFT's Summer School Day 3: Symmetry

I'm continuing on my mission to use stamps, dies and stencils that I HAD to have, yet have never used. Today, I'm playing along with My Favorite Things' Summer School Challenge: Day 3 (Symmetry). I was able to use a die set and stencil I'd never used before, as well as a stamp set I'd only used once.

MFT's definition of symmetry is: "Symmetry refers to positioning your elements mirrored across an imaginary line that divides your project into even segments." In essence, if you folded the card in half either vertically, horizontally, or diagonally, each half would mirror the other.

I usually build scenes on my card, so symmetry isn't something I practice often. Today's card was a fun challenge.

The final card measures 4.25" x 5.5". I stamped the adorable little monsters with Memento Tuxedo Black ink on Copic XPress-It Blending Card, then did some quick coloring with Copics. I fussy cut them and stamped/cut the sentiment on a 0.5" tall strip of white cardstock. I added foam dots to the back of the monsters and the sentiment.

I had some fun with the background! I took a piece of black cardstock and cut the windows with the Square Trio Shaker Window Die Set. After that, I placed the Inward Elements Stencil over the panel, taped it down, and grabbed my palette knife and Lilac Blush Cosmic Shimmer Sparkle Texture Paste. I'd never used this paste before, and it had an unusual texture, like whipped cream cheese. I spread the paste over the stencil with the palette knife, then carefully peeled back the stencil. I dried the paste-coated panel with my embossing gun. IT'S SO SUPER SPARKLY!!!!

List of all stamps/dies/stencils used on this card:

• Fab-BOO-lous Friends stamp set (My Favorite Things)
• Square Trio Shaker Window Die-Namics (My Favorite Things)
• Inward Elements Stencil (My Favorite Things)

Other supplies:

• Memento Tuxedo Black Ink
• Copic XPress-It Blending Card
• Copic markers (various)
• Lilac Blush Cosmic Shimmer Sparkle Texture Paste
• Black and white cardstock

I enjoyed challenging myself with a "symmetrical" card, and the texture paste was so much fun! I hope you have a super sparkly day!

MFT Summer School Day 2: Rainbow

I'm continuing on my mission to use stamps, dies and stencils that I HAD to have, yet have never used. Today, I'm playing along with My Favorite Things' Summer School Challenge: Day 2 (Rainbow). I was able to use TWO stamp sets that I've purchased over the past year but never used before.

For the "rainbow" challenge, I tried to use a less-obvious application (like a literal rainbow, rainbow paper, or ink blending across a background with rainbow colors). Instead, I chose an image of three flowers and colored them in the ROYGBIV colors, from the bottom flower upward. (In other words, I inverted the rainbow, with the violets/blues on top instead of the bottom.)

The final card measures 4.25" x 5.5". I stamped the flowers with Memento Tuxedo Black ink on Copic XPress-It Blending Card, then spent several hours working on color blends and applying them to the paper. The blending actually looks smoother in person than it does in the photo, so I wish I could take a better picture. *sigh*

After I colored the flowers, I cut a 1" strip of vellum cardstock and heat-embossed my sentiment (with Versafine Onyx Black Ink and Ranger Super Fine Detail Black Embossing Powder). I used a Lawn Fawn patterned paper for the bottom layer, wrapped the vellum sentiment strip around the main panel, and glued it down. Finally, I added a few Swarovski crystals for sparkle.

List of all stamps used on this card:

• Flowers in Bloom stamp set (My Favorite Things)
• Brushstroke Expressions stamp set (My Favorite Things)

Other supplies:

• Memento Tuxedo Black Ink
• Versafine Onyx Black Ink
• Ranger Super Fine Detail Black Embossing Powder
• Copic XPress-It Blending Card
• Copic markers (various)
• Lawn Fawn patterned paper
• Swarovski crystals (5mm, 4mm, and 3mm)

It was fun to play around with rainbow colors. I usually create brightly-colored cards, but I enjoyed really focusing on the colors themselves, not necessarily colored elements within a scene.

MFT Summer School Day 1: Visual Triangle

Well, I'm still committed to using stamps, dies and stencils that I HAD to have, yet have never used. Today, I'm playing along with My Favorite Things' Summer School Challenge: Day 1 (Visual Triangle). I was able to use THREE stamp sets that I've purchased over the past year but never used before.

I made this card for a colleague's young daughter. She had an organ transplant in 2019 and was stuck at home for half of the school year, and then COVID trapped her at home for the rest of the year (as it did to most other children). I'm hoping that this little surprise card will cheer her up!

OMG, you have no idea how hard it is for me to do a clean-and-simple (CAS) design!! I want to draw a background and add crystals SO BADLY, but the challenge was to show a visual triangle (three focal points on the card, so your eyes travel naturally over it).

The final card measures 5" x 6.5". I stamped the fairies with Memento Tuxedo Black ink on Copic XPress-It Blending Card, then stamped and heat-embossed the sentiment (Versafine Onyx Black ink and Ranger Super Fine Detail Black Embossing Powder). I saved the wildflowers for later, as I wasn't sure which colors I would use yet.

I did a quick Copic coloring of the fairies. After they were done, I chose two green ink pads (Stampin' Up Gable Green and Cucumber Crush), and I immediately remembered why I almost never use SU ink pads. That awful flip design is SO MESSY, and my hands look like the Incredible Hulk's, even though I was very careful! Ugh. At least the flowers stamped well.

I used a green Copic marker to draw some tiny veins on the leaves, and then I used some Flamingo Liquid Pearls for berries and Diamond Stickles for the dandelions and the fairies' wings. I practically had to sit on my hands to stop embellishing at that point. NEED... MORE... SPARKLE!! 😉 I added a pretty, pastel paper as a mat under my one-layered panel. I can't remember the last time I DIDN'T use foam dots somewhere!

List of all stamps used on this card:

• Flower Fairies stamp set (My Favorite Things)
• Flower Silhouettes stamp set (My Favorite Things)
• You Give Me Butterflies stamp set (My Favorite Things) 

Other supplies:

• Memento Tuxedo Black Ink
• Stampin' Up Gable Green Ink
• Stampin' Up Cucumber Crush Ink
• Versafine Onyx Black Ink
• Ranger Super Fine Detail Black Embossing Powder
• Copic XPress-It Blending Card
• Copic markers (various)
• Flamingo Liquid Pearls
• Diamond Stickles

It was fun to try a different style than I usually do, and I hope you enjoyed this project!

Pumpkin Spice Fall Card

I've decided to focus on using stamps, dies and stencils that I HAD to have but never used. (Do you ever do that?) I have thousands of stamps and dies - literally! - and have only used perhaps 10% of them. It's time to ink up those babies!

For today's card, I used a stamp set and two dies I'd purchased but never used. I also used one of my favorite stencils.

The main image is an exclusive Art Impressions/Simon Says Stamp set called "Pumpkin Spice" (Stamptember 2018).

The final card measures 5" x 7". I colored the main image (ladies) with Copics and fussy cut them. My patterned layers are from a harvest-themed cardstock book I purchased last year from Michael's (and also never used, until now).

For the scenery behind the ladies, I cut a 4.125" x 4.125" square of white cardstock. I masked a small area on the bottom (for the dirt) and colored it with Gathered Twigs Distressed Oxide ink and a blender tool. I created the cloud layered by masking off the ground (so I wouldn't get any blue on the dirt) and using the My Favorite Things Mini Cloud Edges Stencil, Tumbled Glass Distress Oxide ink, and a blender tool.

I die cut the grass and fence on white cardstock from two die sets (Farm Fence Die-Namics by My Favorite Things and Natural Elements Synergy Dies by Stamps By Me,) then used a blender tool with Mowed Lawn Distress Oxide ink and Gathered Twigs/Ground Espresso Distress Oxide ink. After I layered all of the elements, the background looked like this:

The grass die wasn't quite long enough for the entire panel, but the ladies cover the center, so I just cut it in half and stretched it to the edges.


I assembled all of the layers and popped up the ladies and sentiment with foam dots. Finally, I added a few Light Topaz Swarovski crystals for sparkle.

List of all stamps/dies/stencils used on this card:

• Pumpkin Spice stamp set (Art Impressions/Simon Says Stamp Stamptember 2018 exclusive, retired)
• Mini Cloud Edges Stencil (My Favorite Things)
• Farm Fence Die-Namics (My Favorite Things)
• Natural Elements Synergy Dies (Stamps By Me)

I hope you have a pumpkin-spicy day!