Can You Handle the Pressure - Birthday/Anniversary

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:

BIRTHDAY/ANNIVERSARY

Here's my card:

I needed a masculine birthday card, and I had an idea to emboss a piece of dark card stock with a background stamp in gold. I absolutely LOVE the way this turned out and will be doing it more. The cattail die is so useful for masculine cards, I use it often. Here I embossed a navy panel with a fern embossing folder and placed it behind the cattail die cut to make it stand out. The embossing hardly shows in the photo, but the texture is amazing IRL. I used some ultra shiny metallic gold card stock for the "moon" to make it more interesting.

 

The Ingredients:

 GKD In the Navy Card Stock

GKD Gold Card Stock 

Stash Gold Mirror Card Stock 

Memory Box Graceful Cattails Die

SU Fern Embossing Folder 

SSS Big Greetings 1 Stamp for Greeting 

Trinity Stamps Mat Gold Baubles 

 

 

 

 

 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 

Double D - FOR THE KIDDOS

Dear Ones~

The new challenge over at Double D is "FOR THE KIDDOS". What a fun one this will be, I can't wait to see what you come up with. Here is the Mood Board for our inspiration:

 

 

Here's my card: 

Isn't this just the cutest? I used one of my all-time favorite GKD background stamps - Inspiration Mosaic, by Melanie Muenchinger. It's the perfect stamp for paper piecing, which I did here with various patterned papers. The silly monsters are from a retired stamp set by Stampin' Up. I love all the bright colors, and bright dots too.

 

The Ingredients: 

GKD White and Black Card Stock

GKD Inspiration Mosaic Background Stamp

SU Monster Maniacs Stamp Set

Alcohol Markers

Sunny Studio Preppy Prints Patterned Paper

Scrapbook.Com Pops of Color Liquid Dots

 

 

 

 

 

 

 If you head on over to the  Double D Challenge Blog and play along, you could win this sweet Creative Expressions Music 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  

Can You Handle the Pressure - IN THE SKY

 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:

IN THE SKY

This is my card:

I have to confess that I don't know the name of this balloon set or the background embossing folder. I found them both in my stash from back in the day when I didn't know enough to keep the packaging. That was before I was on design teams. Who knew I would need to know stuff like the name of the company? The balloons are a stamp and die set. I stamped them with Simon Hurley inks and I think they came out pretty good. The addition of the silver baubles is a nice final touch. I embossed the light blue card stock with the cloud embossing folder and then ran white pigment ink over it to make the image pop.

 

The Ingredients:

Recollections Blue Card Stock

SU Soft Sky Card Stock

Recollections Holographic Card Stock

Stash Balloon Stamp and Die Set

Stash Cloud Embossing Folder 

Simon Hurley High Tide & Clear Skies Ink

 

 

 

 

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

A Cut Above - JULY

  

 

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.

 

Here is my card:

One of my favorite techniques is inlay, and this Gina K Designs mini slimline cover plate die is perfect for it. I chose a couple of shades of pink and a green, and cut them out with the die. Before I removed the pieces from the die, I covered it with Press and Seal, and the pieces all stayed in place. It's very relaxing to put the "puzzle" pieces together.

 

 

 

The Ingredients:

 GKD White Card Stock

Recollections Rose Petal Card Stock

SU Mint Macaron Card Stock 

Stash Patterned Paper

GKD Rose Mini Slimline Cover Plate

GKD Elegant Thoughts Stamp & Companion Die for Greeting 

 

 

 

 

 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 

 

Double D - FLOWER POTS

 Dear Ones~

Welcome to summer, it's a HOT one here in Northern Michigan right now. There's a new challenge up over at Double D, and this time it's FLOWER POTS. This is the Mood Board provided for our inspiration:

Here is my sample:

I had a lot of fun with this one. And I think the Enamel Accent dots really pack a punch. Those flowers are from the Greetery Curio Autumn Findings, one of my favorite die sets. The pot is from a Simon Hurley die set, and I used some vellum behind for a soft look.

The Ingredients:

 SU Soft Succulent Card Stock

The Greetery Curio Autumn Findings Die Set

Paper Studio Textile Floral Patterned Paper

GKD elegant Thoughts Stamp & Companion Die for Greeting

 SSS Ultra Find Rose Gold Embossing Powder for Greeting 

Simon Hurley Ceramic Vases Die Set 

Spellbinders Picot Circles Die with Vellum

Ranger White Enamel Accents

 

 If you head on over to the  Double D Challenge Blog and play along, you could win this beautiful Spellbinders embossing folder.  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 

Can You Handle the Pressure - CAT/DOG

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:

CAT/DOG

 Here's my card:

Could this image be any more dear? It's a digital stamp from Mo Manning at Mo's Digital Pencil. I have had it for years, it reminds me so much of my daughter when she was little. She wore her hair in piggy tails just like this. I colored it with Prismas and Gamsol. The background embossing is touched lightly with white pigment ink to highlight the pattern.

 

  The Ingredients: 

Recollections Green and Teal Card Stock

GKD White Card Stock

Sizzix Pinwheel Embossing Folder

Hero Hues Unicorn Ink

Mo Manning Best Pals Digital Stamp

Memory Box Madras Plaid Patterned Paper

Technique Junkies Dog is a Small Word Stamp

MFY Die-namics Paw Prints Heart Die

Ranger White Enamel Accents

 

 

 

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

Double D - BEACH

Dear Ones~

Well, it's beach weather - or almost anyway. And that's the challenge this time over at Double D - BEACH. Here is the Mood Board for some inspiration:

 Here's my card:

I don't know why, but I always have a brain block with beach-y cards. Maybe because I don't identify with the beach - I live in the north woods. This cute little image is a Mo Manning digital stamp from Mo's Digital Pencil. She is called Beach Baby and I fussy cut her out after coloring her with alcohol inks. Oddly enough, I recently saw the same image over at Penny Black as a photopolymer stamp. Same name, you figure it out. The background is made with a stencil by Funky Fossil called Sun and Sea. Unfortunately, it is retired. The "sand" is some embossing powder by Seth Apter's Emerald Creek. It's from the Baked Texture line and it's called Dirty Sand.

 Pretty cool, aye??

  The Ingredients:

Recollections Ivory Card Stock

Funky Fossil Sun and Sea Stencil

Emerald Creek Baked Texture Embossing Powder

Mo Manning Digital Stamp

Various GKD Inks

Alcohol Inks to Color Image 

 

 

 

 

 If you head on over to the  Double D Challenge Blog and play along, you could win this beautiful silhouette stamp set.  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

Can You Handle the Pressure - BUTTERFLIES

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:

BUTTERFLIES

 

 

 This is my card:

This butterfly comes to you courtesy of a wonderful Spellbinders die set called Peacock Butterfly. It's really fun to make, just a good choice of colors and a little die cutting. The background panel is embossed with one of Gina's embossing folders - Petite Flourish. It's so popular and really packs a punch.

 

 The Ingredients:

GKD White Card Stock 

Park Lane Paperie Pastels Card Stock

GKD Petite Flourish Embossing Folder

Spellbinders Peacock Butterfly Die Set

Honey Bee Mini Messages: Everyday

Trinity Stamps Baubles

 

 

 

 

 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

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Double D - FRAMES

Dear Ones~

The new challenge over at Double D is FRAMES. Here is the Mood Board for our inspiration:

 

And this is what I came up with:

I decided to use this beautiful stencil by SSS and try it on an old hymnal page. It worked beautifully, I love the look. I will be using stencils on patterned paper more, don't know why we think it just needs to be on plain paper. The frame is a fun shadow box technique I learned from Julie DiMatteo over at The Paper Pixie. You can watch it HERE. Her project is a very different size, but I have figured out how to make the shadow box any size.

 

 

 The Ingredients:

 GKD Ivory Card Stock

Stamperia House of Roses Patterned Paper for Frame

Old Hymnal Page

SSS Elegant Rose Stencil Set

Altenew Pink Pearl, Coral Bliss and Heart Beat Ink

GKD Medium Spruce Ink Stampendous Thoughtful Wishes Stamp for Greeting

 

 

 

 

 If you head on over to the  Double D Challenge Blog and play along, you could win this lovely Gemini Stamp and Die set.  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  

 

 

 

 

A Cut Above - June

  

 

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.

 

Here is my card:

I decided to go with a masculine card this time, I seem to struggle with them the most. I have had this die by Memory Box for a really long time, it's a real go-to for guy cards. I inlaid the "moon" in gold metallic card stock, and layered a different cattail die cut on top using gold metallic card stock. Photographing metallic paper is a nightmare, it's really pretty IRL. The fern background was made with a fern embossing folder using SU Soft Sea Foam card stock and highlighting it with SU Always Artichoke Ink. Diamond Stickles on the cattails.

The Ingredients:

Recollections Kraft and Chocolate Card Stock

SU Soft Sea Foam Card Stock 

Tim Holtz Gold Metallic Card Stock

SU Fern Embossing Folder

SU Always Artichoke Ink

Memory Box Graceful Cattails Die

Spellbinders Cattails Die

Spellbinders Our Favorite font Sentiment Set

Stickles on the Cattails

 

 

  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

Can You Handle the Pressure - ZOO/JUNGLE ANIMALS

 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:

ZOO/JUNGLE ANIMALS

 

 Here is my card:

I dare you not to laugh, or at least smile, when you look at this card. What a HOOT, aye? The stamp by Paper Roses is so much fun to use. Isn't it just too, too funny? The background is embossed with the Darice Giraffe embossing folder, perfect for my design.

 

 

 

  The Ingredients:

GKD White, Honey Mustard and Black Onyx Card Stock

Paper Roses Laughing Animals Stamp Set

Darice Giraffe Embossing Folder

Ohuhu Alcohol Markers

 

 

 

 

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

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

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

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

A Cut Above - May 2025

 

 

 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