Wednesday, May 21, 2025

Double D - MAY BIRTH FLOWER/STONE

Dear Ones~
The challenge this time over at Double D is to represent either May's birthstone (Emerald) or birth flower (Hawthorne or Lily of the Valley). Here is the Mood Board for our inspiration:
This is my card:
I don't have anything Lily of the Valley or Hawthorne in my collection, so I went with the color of emeralds - green. The circle is a Birch Press set of layering dies called Grace. I love these layering die sets, but they are very pricey, so I only own a few of them. I thought it would be fun to make a 4 1/2" square card for a change.



 
  The Ingredients
GKD Lemon Drop, Jellybean Green & White Cardstock
Birch Press Design Grace Layering Die Set
Altenew Zero Waste 3D Floral Cover Plate
Altenew Yellow Inks
Fiscars Corner Punch
Honey Bee Mini Messages: Everyday Stamp for Greeting
Stash Pearls
 
 
 
 
 If you head on over to the  Double D Challenge Blog and play along, you could win this sweet little Creative Expressions Mini Stencil.  Also, don't forget to check out all the beautiful cards the other designers have created.

 
 
So, until next time dear readers, ASPIRE to be INSPIRED. 
Here's celebrating your CREATIVE MUSE!!
~judy

Saturday, May 10, 2025

Can You Handle the Pressure - FLORAL TWIST

 

Dear Ones~  

There's a new challenge over at Can You Handle the Pressure.   For this challenge blog you MUST use an EMBOSSING FOLDER on your project.  Heat embossing (with embossing powder) is permitted but only IN ADDITION to your embossing folder design.  Each new challenge will have a 'TWIST' which is optional ... your choice to use or not.

The OPTIONAL TWIST for today's challenge is:

FLORALS
Here is my card:
I absolutely LOVE this iris die set by Spellbinders. It's my new favorite, so delicate and fun to use. Here I have channeled my inner Angie Cimbalo with that plaid background. Angie is the queen of plaid, go check out her blog to see what I mean. I love that gorgeous GKD Master Layouts 12 filigree panel. Isn't it beautiful?



 The Ingredients
GKD White Card Stock
SU Soft Sky Card Stock
Memory Box Madras Plaid Violet Patterned Paper
Spellbinders Layered Iris Die Set
GKD Master Layouts 12 Die Set
GKD Let's Get Started Die for Greeting
Stash Gold Metallic Card Stock
Spellbinder Flower Frenzy Embossing Folder
 
 
 
 
 
So head on over to the Can You Handle the Pressure Blog and play along, and don't forget to check out all the beautiful cards the other designers have created while you are there. I can't wait to see all your wonderful designs!!

 Until next time dear reader, I hope you "can handle the pressure"!
Here's celebrating your CREATIVE MUSE.
judy

Wednesday, May 7, 2025

Double D - DESIGNER PAPER

Dear Ones~
The challenge this time over at Double D is DESIGNER PAPER. I am smiling all over my face with this one. Designer (patterned) paper is my all-time favorite thing to use when creating a card. Here is the Mood Board for our inspiration:
And this is my card:

I love doing the Fractured Card technique. To learn how to do this, click HERE. I used some really old Stampin' Up patterned paper. It's fun to use some things to which I haven't given attention in awhile.
 

 

The Ingredients:
Recollections Purple Card Stock
GKD White Card Stock
Gold Metallic Card Stock
Stampin' Up Hand Penned DSP
Tonic Studio Flora and Fauna Friends Dies
Honey Bee Mini Messages: Everyday Stamp for Greeting
Trinity Stamps Midnight Ball Baubles
 
 
 
 
 If you head on over to the  Double D Challenge Blog and play along, you could win this lovely pack of Waffle Flower Card Stock.  Also, don't forget to check out all the beautiful cards the other designers have created.


So, until next time dear readers, ASPIRE to be INSPIRED. 
Here's celebrating your CREATIVE MUSE!!
 
~judy

Monday, May 5, 2025

A Cut Above - May 2025

 A Cut Above
 
 Dear Ones~
It's a new month, and time for a new challenge over at  A Cut Above Challenge Blog
 
Challenges are on a monthly basis and posted on the first Monday of the month at 12:00 AM (Eastern Time) and ending on the 28th of each month 8:00 PM (Eastern Time) with the winner posted on the 30th of that month. The theme is always anything goes with a die cut. However once in awhile we will throw in a theme for you, or just do anything goes. Entirely up to you. This time it's just anything goes.

Limit of 3 entries per challenge with each being a different project.

Any project is welcome but MUST HAVE AT LEAST ONE DIE CUT defined by using a die cut machine, not a purchased pre-fabricated die cut. Winner is chosen by random draw, and will receive a $5 gift card to A Cherry On Top Online Store along with a dated badge to display on their craft site.
 
This is my card:
There's a new 
Spellbinder embossing folder in town, and it's FABULOUS. It's called Postage Mosaic. Check it out HERE. So many possibilities with this one. I cut out 3 of the little panels and colored the flowers in with alcohol markers. I also combined a couple of different dies for the white frilly background.



  The Ingredients
White Bristol Card Stock
SU Mint Macron Card Stock 
Honey Bee Playful Pastels Gingham Patterned Paper
Spellbinders Fancy Labels 2 Die
Spellbinders Decorative Labels 8 Die
Spellbinders Postage Mosaic Embossing Folder
Simon Says Stamp Birthday Basics Stamp for Greeting
Alcohol Markers
 
 
 
 I hope you will jump in and MAKE THE CUT, I can't wait to see what you come up with. Head on over to the A CUT ABOVE BLOG to see what it's all about. And if you play along, you could win a $5 gift card to A Cherry On Top.
 
Until next time, dear reader, aspire to be inspired.
Here's celebrating your Creative Muse. 

~judy

Saturday, April 26, 2025

Can You Handle the Pressure - WEATHER

Dear Ones~  

There's a new challenge over at Can You Handle the Pressure.   For this challenge blog you MUST use an EMBOSSING FOLDER on your project.  Heat embossing (with embossing powder) is permitted but only IN ADDITION to your embossing folder design.  Each new challenge will have a 'TWIST' which is optional ... your choice to use or not.

The OPTIONAL TWIST for today's challenge is:

WEATHER
Here's my sample:

 Lots of fun fussy cutting here. I brought out some patterned papers that I thought were kind of weather related, and colored that sweet little ducky from Simon Says Stamp with my alcohol markers. It came together pretty quickly because of the fussy cutting. If you have the right patterned papers, fussy cutting is the way to go, much easier than coloring and it really packs a pop. I embossed that cloud background panel for some dimension.
 

 
The Ingredients:
Recollections Gray & White Card Stock
Honey Bee Spring Lullaby Patterned Paper 
Doodlebug Easter Express Patterned Paper
SSS Showers and Flowers Stamp Set
 SSS Swirly Ridges Embossing Folder
SU Cane Weave Embossing Folder
Hulu Alcohol Markers
SU Epoxy Shapes for Raindrops
Stickles  

 
 
So head on over to the Can You Handle the Pressure Blog and play along, and don't forget to check out all the beautiful cards the other designers have created while you are there. I can't wait to see all your wonderful designs!!

 Until next time dear reader, I hope you "can handle the pressure"!
Here's celebrating your CREATIVE MUSE.
judy

Wednesday, April 16, 2025

Double D - SPRINGTIME FLOWERS

Dear Ones~
Spring is finally here, and that means flowers. That's the challenge this time over at Double D. Here is the Mood Board for our inspiration:

 Here is my sample:
I really enjoyed making this card with some new Gina K Designs products, including the Master Layouts 19 die set. I'm going to be using this a lot. The floral image is from the Sending Flowers stamp and companion die set. I used some Ranger Enamel Accents to spruce up that sweet watering can. The focal image is colored with Posca Colored Pencils.



 
  The Ingredients
GKD White and Black Onyx Card Stock
Memory Box Springtime Bouquet Patterned Paper
GKD Sending Flowers Stamp and Companion Die Set
Posca Colored Pencils
GKD Master Layouts 19 Die Set
Ranger Enamel Accents
 
 
 
 
 
 If you head on over to the  Double D Challenge Blog and play along, you could win this sweet little mini stencil.  Also, don't forget to check out all the beautiful cards the other designers have created.
 
 
So, until next time dear readers, ASPIRE to be INSPIRED. 
Here's celebrating your CREATIVE MUSE!!
~judy

Saturday, April 12, 2025

Can You Handle the Pressure - RAINBOWS OR RAINBOW COLORS

Dear Ones~  

There's a new challenge over at Can You Handle the Pressure.   For this challenge blog you MUST use an EMBOSSING FOLDER on your project.  Heat embossing (with embossing powder) is permitted but only IN ADDITION to your embossing folder design.  Each new challenge will have a 'TWIST' which is optional ... your choice to use or not.

The OPTIONAL TWIST for today's challenge is:

RAINBOWS AND/OR RAINBOW COLORS
Here is my card:
 
Oh my GOSH! Just look at that sweet little bird, doesn't he bring a smile to your face? I think he's the cutest thing ever, and I made him a rainbow bird. "Such a beautiful arrangement of atoms." That greeting is computer generated. And then there's that little worm, wondering what's going on. This card was really fun to make using the Simon Says Stamp Ring Frame. I just cut it in all the rainbow colors, ran the circles through an embossing folder, and inlaid them into those rings. I cut the ring die a few times to give some dimension.
 

 
The Ingredients:
GKD White Card Stock
GKD Black Onyx Card Stock
SSS Swirled Ridges Embossing Folder for Background
SU Wrapped in Texture Embossing Folder for Circles
SSS Ring Frame
Unity Stamps Flock Talk Stamp for Bird
colored with Alcohol Markers
Crafter's Closet Primary Card Stock for Circles
 
 
 
 
So head on over to the Can You Handle the Pressure Blog and play along, and don't forget to check out all the beautiful cards the other designers have created while you are there. I can't wait to see all your wonderful designs!!

 Until next time dear reader, I hope you "can handle the pressure"!
Here's celebrating your CREATIVE MUSE.
judy