Hello readers and welcome back from the weekend!  I hope you found a little time to do something crafty.  Today we have a new challenge to share with you at Newton's Nook Inky Paws Challenge. Challenge #129 is a slimline sketch challenge.  Using the sketch shown in the image below, share with us YOUR creations!

Here is the slimline card I created inspired by this sketch:

*A full list of supplies is located at the end of this post. 

This slimline card measures 8 1/2" x 3 1/2". Slimline cards are designed to fit into a regular #10 business sized envelope and do not require additional postage.  The base of this slimline card is made from Neenah Solar White Smooth cardstock. Using the Slimline Frames die, I cut the base from Crumb Cake cardstock.  I lined the scalloped frame with an 8" x 2 3/4" piece of white cardstock.  Using Memento Tuxedo Black ink, I randomly stamped ants from the Woodland Picnic stamp on the white cardstock.  I die cut three circles from red gingham paper and centered these on the card.  Using the same Woodland Picnic stamp set, I stamped the animal images in Memento Tuxedo black ink on white cardstock.  I colored them using Copic markers and die cut them using the coordinating Woodland Picnic dies.  I then adhered the images to the card using 3M foam adhesive for added dimension.  I stamped the sentiment in Memento Black ink on a thin strip of white cardstock and notched both ends before adhering over the center gingham circle.  Lastly, I added a coat of clear Wink of Stella to many of the images for added sparkle.  

It's another fun "Bizzy Bees" card!  The latest hugely popular stamp set from Whimsy Stamps is back again today for another slimline card.  Not only is the "Bizzy Bees" stamp set super cute, it's coordinating "Bizzy Bees" paper pack is perfectly matched!

*A full list of supplies is located at the end of this post.

This slimline card measures 8 1/2" x 3 1/2".  Slimline cards are designed to fit into a regular #10 business sized envelope and require no additional postage.  The base of this slimline card is made from Basic Black cardstock.  Using the Slimline Card Builder Die, I cut the stitched mat from white cardstock.  I splattered some yellow ink all over this white background before adhering it to the card base.  Using the Hexagon dies, I die cut three pieces of pink paper from the "Bizzy Bees" paper pack and adhered them to the card lined up through the center of the card.  I stamped the bees in Memento Tuxedo black ink on white cardstock and colored them with Copic markers.  I then used my Brother Scan and Cut 2 Electronic Cutting machine to cut the images (in lieu of fussy cutting).  After cutting the images I adhered them to the card using 3M foam adhesive.  I stamped the sentiments in Memento Tuxedo Black ink on strips of white cardstock and adhered them beside the bees.  Lastly, I added a coat of clear Wink of Stella to the bees for added sparkle.  

If you missed the first card I created using this same "Bizzy Bees" stamp set, please click
here to see that rainbow creation! 
​​Thanks for visiting and have a wonderfully creative day!

I don't talk about it much, but every now and then I'll struggle with a stamp set or a card, and when I struggle, I reeeeeally struggle!  Sometimes I'll take a break and come back around to it. . . or not.  On the really bad days, I'll proclaim myself the world's worst cardmaker (EVER!) and throw a self-loathing, peanut M&M eating, pity party for one.  This new Birch Frame stamp set by Whimsy Stamps was one of those stamp sets that challenged me.  It's a beautiful stamp set, but not particularly "my style."  I'm not even showing you the first two cards I created using this set that I promptly declared "disastrously hideous" (which is like a bajillion times more hideous than hideous) and threw in the rubbish.  BTW, "rubbish" sounds way better than "trash" or "garbage."  So, no worries, these two cards actually went to a happy place! ; )

This time, instead of that M & M eating, self -loathing pity party for one, and before I threw in the proverbial towel, I decided to try this stamp set one more time with a more optimistic outlook and was able to create a card that is actually quite pretty.  I'm not saying it didn't take me 4-plus hours, but it's also not "disastrously hideous," so that's a craft win in my book!

*A full supply list is located at the end of this post.

The base of this A2 sized card is made from Neenah Solar White Smooth cardstock. I stamped the Birch Frame on a piece of white carsdtock and colored it using Copic markers.  I then fussy cut the entire frame out.  I stamped the sentiment from the Beaucoup Bouquet stamp set in  Merry Merlot ink.  On a 4 1/4" x 3" piece of Crumb Cake cardstock, I stamped the Leaves background stamp in Versamark ink.  I heat embossed the leaves in white embossing powder.  I matted this leaf embossed piece onto a piece of Merry Merlot cardstock before adhering both layers to the bottom of the card.  I then adhered the Birch Frame to the center of the card popped up on 3M foam adhesive for added dimension.  

I know I'm not alone in my crafting challenges.  Tell me all about yours in the comments below!

Happy Wednesday, readers!  I hope your week is going good so far.  Today I'm sharing a slimline card featuring the new "Sweet Succulents" stamp set from Whimsy Stamps.  Slimline Sweet Succulents, say that three times fast!! : )  Can I just say how much I love the Distressed Oxide ink background on this card?  I think it completely makes the entire card, with it's ombre of colors from yellow to green to blue.  Now that I am becoming more comfortable using my Distress Oxide inks, I am quite enjoying them! 

*A full list of supplies is located at the end of this post.

This slimline card measures 8 1/2" x 3 1/2".  Slimline cards are designed to fit into a regular #10 business size envelope and do not require additional postage.  The base of this slimline card is a piece of Neenah Solar White Smooth cardstock.  I then cut a 8 1/4" x 3 1/4" piece of Bristol Smooth cardstock to create the background.  I ink blended Distress Oxide Inks in Squeezed Lemonade, Shabby Shutters and Broken China. I splattered the background with those same ink colors.  Using a piece of white cardstock, I die cut the frame using the Whimsy Stamps Postage Slimline die.  On a separate sheet of white cardstock, I stamped the cactus/succulent image in Memento Tuxedo Black ink.  I cut the images using my Brother Scan and Cut 2 Electronic Cutting machine. I colored the images using Copic markers and adhered them to the card using 3M foam adhesive. On a sheet of Basic Black cardstock, I stamped the sentimenti in Versamark ink and heat embossed it with white embossing powder.  I notched the left side of the sentiment strip and adhered it to the card also using 3M foam adhesive.  Lastly, I added a coat of Clear Wink of Stella to the succulent images and pots for added sparkle.  

Thank you for visiting!  If you would like to see a vast array of cards, you can always view my online
gallery HERE. 

It's another exciting new release day today at Whimsy Stamps and today I am featuring the new "Sweet Succulents" stamp set.   Succulents, like cacti, are my kind of plant because they are low maintenance and practically impossible to kill.  I'll admit to being quite neglectful when it comes to watering things. . .  I'm more of a rock garden kind of girl!  

*A full list of supplies is located at the end of this post.

This slimline card measures 8 1/2" x 3 1/2" inches.  Slimline cards are designed to fit inside a regular #10 business sized envelope and do not require additional postage.  The base of this card is made from kraft cardstock.  I cut a 8" x 3" piece of Lawn Fawn Rainbow paper and adhered it to the kraft background.  Using the Whimsy Stamps Filmstrip die, I cut the frame from Neenah Solar White Smooth cardstock.  I stamped all of the succulent images in Memento Tuxedo Black ink on white cardstock and colored the images using Copic markers.  I used my Scan and Cut 2 machine to cut the images out in lieu of fussy cutting.  I then stamped the various words, "Hope, Laugh, Love, Dream" etc. in Memento Black ink on the plant pots.  I adhered the succulents to the card in rainbow (ROYGBIV) pattern using 3M foam adhesive for added dimension.  Lastly, I added a coat of Clear Wink of Stella to the succulents for added sparkle.  

There are so many other fun new release products available at Whimsy Stamps, so be sure to check them out and start your shopping wish list today!

Thanks for visiting and happy crafting!

Hello friends and happy Tuesday!  Last week I shared a few different ways to use this butterfly digital stamp from Graciellie Design, but I must say, that today's rainbow colored butterfly is my favorite!

The base of this A2 sized card was made from Neenah Solar white smooth cardstock.  I cut a 5 1/4 x 4" piece of black cardstock and heat embossed a woodgrain pattern onto using black embossing powder for a tone-on-tone look.  I printed out the butterfly onto Neenah Solar White smooth cardstock and colored it using Copic markers.  After I colored the image, I fussy cut the butterfly using a small pair of craft scissors.  I adhered the butterfly at an angle on the card using 3M foam adhesive.  I die cut the word "beautiful" from both black and white cardstocks, layering the two together, before adhering them onto the right side of the butterfly.  Lastly, I added a coat of Clear Wink of Stella to the entire butterfly for added sparkle.

Here is the "Change is Coming" digital stamp set that I used to create today's card:

Thank you for visiting and have a wonderfully creative weekend!

As promised yesterday, today I am back sharing another way to use the beautiful, big butterfly digital stamp from Graciellie Design called "Change is Coming."  Since I have been sharing a lot of cards featuring digital stamps recently, I wanted to remind you of this blog post I wrote that goes into more detail about working with digital (or digistamps) should you have any questions. 

Here is the "Change is Coming" stamp set that I used to create this card:

*A full list of supplies (with clickable links) is located at the end of this post.

The base of this A2 sized card is made from kraft cardstock.  I cut a 5 1/4" x 4" piece of Calypso Coral cardstock for the first mat.  I cut a 5" x 3 3/4" piece of Neenah Solar white smooth cardstock for the second mat.  I ran this sheet of white cardstock through my Big Shot using a retired Stampin' UP! polka dot embossing folder to give the paper some texture.  I printed out the digital butterfly onto Neenah Solar White Smooth cardstock and colored it using Copic markers.  After coloring the image, I fussy cut the butterfly using a small pair of craft scissors.  I adhered the butterfly to the card using 3M foam adhesive for added dimension.  I die cut the word "beautiful" from both Calypso Coral and Neenah Solar White smooth cardstock.  I layered the two words together using a liquid glue and then adhered both to the card using 3M foam adhesive.  Lastly, I added a coat of Clear Wink of Stella to the butterfly for added sparkle.

There are just so many ways to color and use this beautiful butterfly, that I do hope you like at least one of my various ideas.  Tomorrow I will share the fourth and final (and my personal favorite!) butterfly design.  

Hello readers, over the next three days I'll be sharing four different cards made using this large butterfly from a new digital stamp by Graciellie Design called "Change is Coming."  I just loved this size and beauty of this butterfly so much that I wanted to share a variety of ways (and colors) to use it!   

Here is the "Change is Coming" stamp set by Graciellie Design that I used to create today's cards:

Here is the second card I created for today using this same stamp set:

The base of this A2 sized card is made from Neenah Solar White Smooth cardstock.  I used a 5 1/4" x 4" piece of Sunny Studio purple gingham paper to mat the first layer.  Using the Gina Marie Designs Nesting Scalloped Rectangle dies, I cut a piece of Neenah Solar White smooth cardstock.  I adhered this rectangle to the center of the card.  I printed out the sentient on a 5 1/2" x 2" strip of white cardstock.  I adhered the sentiment over the lower third of the card front.  I printed out the butterfly on a piece of Neenah Solar White smooth cardstock and colored it using Copic markers.  After coloring the image, I fussy cut the butterfly using a small pair of craft scissors.  I adhered the butterfly to the card using 3M foam adhesive for added dimension.  Lastly, I added a coat of Clear Wink of Stella to the butterfly for added sparkle.  

I hope you have enjoyed these beautiful, big butterflies!  I'll have another design to share with you tomorrow!

To create the first card, I die cut the Butterfly Garden Layer Plate C from white cardstock. I adhered this over a piece of rainbow patterned paper. I stamped one butterfly on each of five different colored cardstocks (red, orange, yellow, green and blue) and heat embossed the butterflies with white embossing powder. I used the coordinating Lovely Butterflies dies to die cut the butterflies out. ​I die cut a circle of vellum cardstock and stamped the sentiment in the middle of the circle in Versamark ink. I heat embossed the sentiment with white embossing powder and adhered it to the center of the card. I adhered the die cut butterflies down the left side of the card in a rainbow ROYGBIV pattern. I adhered the butterflies using small pieces of 3M foam adhesive.

I hope these rainbow cards will bring some sunshine to your day!

Hello readers and welcome back from the weekend!  I hope you found a little time to do something crafty.  Last week was my "off" shift from work, so I spent the majority of my days doing a LOT of crafting.  Today I am sharing another card that I made for the Newton's Nook Inky Paws Challenge #122.  This week we have a color challenge to inspire you.  Our challenges run for two weeks, thereby giving you more time to create, so I have designed a second card to share with you this week that was still inspired by the same image seen below:

Here is the camping inspired scene I created using the challenge colors:

*A full supply list is located at the end of this post. 

The base of this A2 sized card is made from Basic Black cardstock.  I cut a 5 1/4" x 4" piece of black plaid paper for the background.  I used the Lawn Fawn Grassy Hillside pop-up die to die cut the grass from green pinstriped paper.  I die cut a scalloped circle from Neenah Solar White Smooth cardstock and stamped the sentiment "You make me a happy camper" from the Newton's Nook "Cozy Camper" stamp set in the upper right corner in Memento Tuxedo black ink.  I adhered the circle to the center of the card.  I stamped the campers, patio set and flamingos in Memento Tuxedo black ink on white cardstock and colored the images with Copic markers.  I die cut the images using the coordinating "Cozy Camper" dies.  I adhered the images to the card using 3M foam adhesive for added dimension.