Stocking Filled With Holiday Cheer -- Spellbinders

Hi, crafty friends!  Today I am sharing my card that features the adorable Spellbinders House-Mouse Designs Sweet Twist stamp set from the new House-Mouse Holiday Collection!  This Sweet Twist stamp set is one of the three in the Collector Bundle!

One thing I love about the House-Mouse stamps, other than they are SO adorable, is that the artist's images have shading that I use as a guide for my coloring!  After I stamped the Sweet Twist image with Copic safe ink, I colored it with my Copic markers and a few Prismacolor Pencils.  These are the colors I used:

• candy cane:  R59, R29, RV25, R35, C2, C0
• berries:  RV69, R39, R37
• branches: Prismacolor Pencils PC1082, PC941
• mouse:  E35, E33, E31, E93, E51, E50, R30
• stocking:  G09, G17, G16, G02
• stocking fur: Prismacolor Pencils PC1063, PC1060
• background:  B93

I used the second largest Playful Stitched Panels die to cut the colored image into a cute shaped rectangle.

Next I used a white gel pen to add white accents to the berries, stocking, and candy cane.  Then I used some clear glaze to give the berries some shiny dimension.

When the clear glaze was dry, I diluted some Splatter White Opaque Watercolor with water and used a paint brush to add splatters for the snow.

I let the splatters dry and then I glued the Sweet Twist image to a 5" x 3-¾" white cardstock panel.  I added foam adhesive to the back to adhere it to my A2 card base.

The sentiment I used is one of three in the Sweet Twist stamp set.  After I stamped it with black pigment ink, I used my paper trimmer to cut it into a strip.  I added thin foam adhesive to the back of the sentiment to adhere it to the card.

These House Mouse sets make sweet cards for so many occasions, and they are easy to color too!  Thanks so much for stopping by!  I hope you have a wonderful day!

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Altenew July 2026 Release Blog Hop (There's $300 In Total Prizes!) featuring the Jack Pine Tree

Hello crafty friends!  I'm thrilled to be a part of the Altenew July 2026 Release Blog Hop.  I'm sure you know how awesome the new releases by Altenew are and this one is up there on my favorites list!

I have the blog hop list below, along with the details of the amazing prizes!  Be sure to hop along to each stop and leave a comment at each one, and also on the Altenew Blog.

Now, on to the details of my card featuring the beautiful Creative Cuts:  Jack Pine Tree Layering Die Set.

First I began by die cutting colored cardstocks (colors linked in the list below) with the Creative Cuts: Jack Pine Tree Layering Die Set.   I die cut the tree trunk from white cardstock and used a Small Blending Brush to color it with Milk Chocolate Fresh Dye Ink.

This fabulous Jack Pine die set also has Altenew's unique Key Hole System.  This makes lining up the layers SO easy!!!  I used glue to adhere each layer together.

Next I embossed white cardstock with the Cloudy Day 3D embossing folder.  Then I used a blending brush to add Arctic Fresh Dye Ink over the embossing, mainly around the edges.  Then I trimmed the piece to 3" x 4-¼" and added 1" Instant Dimension foam tape to the back.

Before I assembled the card layers, I used a scoring tool and my Scoring Board to add embossed lines on the front of an A2 card base.  I opened the card to the inside and placed the front side onto the Score Board.  I used the scoring tool to add scored lines at ½" and 5/8" along each edge of the card front.

Next I stamped a sentiment from the Mini Delight: Special Delivery Stamp & Die Set at the bottom of the card front.  I used Obsidian Black ink, my most favorite pigment ink!

Then I adhered the Cloudy Day embossed panel to the card.  And next I glued on the Jack Pine tree.

This Jack Pine tree die is so beautiful!  I can't wait to make different trees in fall colors and one with winter snow on it!

I also want to share with you a card I posted earlier this week!

These are the new products I used to make this card:

• Lush Botanicals: Poinsettia 3D Embossing Folder & Die Set
• Winterberry Poinsettia 3D Embossing Folder
• Holiday Essentials Die Set

Now, on to the fabulous prize details:

Giveaway info: 

• $300 in total prizes! To celebrate this release, Altenew is giving away a $100 gift certificate to 1 lucky winner and a $50 gift certificate to 4 winners! Please leave a comment on the Altenew Blog and/or each designer’s blog post on the blog hop list below by July 16th for a chance to win. Altenew will draw 5 random winners from the comments left on each stop of this blog hop and announce the winners on the Altenew's Blog Hop Post on July 18th, 2026.
• The winner of the $100 gift certificate will be chosen from comments left on the Altenew blog.

Be sure to check out each stop of this Blog Hop for lots more amazing inspiration for the July 2026 Release!

You are invited to the Inlinkz link party!

Click here to enter

I so appreciate you using my affiliate links to shop (never any additional cost to you)!

Sending Summer Smiles -- Perfect Picnic Release by Honey Bee Stamps

Hello crafty friends!  Did you see all of the new summertime goodies from Honey Bee Stamps' Perfect Picnic Release?  This release is so fun with lots of summer themed products to make cards for all of your gatherings!  Also, there are two gorgeous floral stamp sets.  I've used one here on my card.  The Summer Smiles florals are so beautiful.  Of course, I love that there are coordinating Summer Smiles coloring stencils and Summer Smiles Honey Cuts too!  Some paper from the new Signature Surfaces paper pad made an awesome background!

Keep reading to see another card I've made with this awesome release!

There are two different ways to get started with the Summer Smiles stencils.  You can stamp the Summer Smiles floral, and then stencil, or you can do as I did and do all of the stenciling first.  Since I knew I was going to use a light colored ink, I just didn't want to risk smearing that stamped ink.

I chose a set of pink inks that are four shades from light to dark.  A set of three inks would work too!  I used a grip mat to hold my white cardstock and began with the first of six stencils and my lightest colored ink pad.  I continued with blending brushes and each shade of ink for each stencil layer.

For the leaves I used three different shades of green ink.  Ink blending these layers is so fun!

I added pink and then green splatters to the flower and the leaves.  I just used some scrap paper to cover up what I needed to.

Next I used the coordinating Summer Smiles dies and cut out the floral image.  I used a white gel pen to add white dots to the flower's stamen.

I stamped two of the sentiments from the Summer Smiles stamp set with black ink and cut them out with the included coordinating dies.

Instead of my typical white embossed background (which I do love!) I found a piece of patterned paper from the new Signatures Surfaces paper pad (a paper organizer is included!) that I think works wonderfully for the background.  After I trimmed the paper to 4-¼" x 5-½" I used Bee Creative glue to adhere the paper to an A2 card base.

Did you know the papers in the Signature Surfaces paper pad were designed by several of us on the Honey Bee Design Team?  And guess what?  The paper I chose is one I designed with an ink smooshing technique!

The Summer Smiles flower and the sentiments are all popped up with foam tape and foam strips.

And a side note!  Did you hear that there is an Instagram Hop to celebrate the Perfect Picnic release?  You can join us on the hop and leave comments for your chance to win one of two Honey Bee gift cards!  You have until July 10, 2026 for commenting for your chance to win.  Click HERE to join us!

This is my card I have for the Hop:

I used these products from the new release for this super sweet, fruity card!

• Fruit Medley stencil set
• Fruit Medley Honey Cuts
• Berry Sweet Summer stamp set
• Berry Sweet Summer Honey Cuts

I hope you've found some inspiration here today for the fabulous Perfect Picnic release!  Thank you so much for stopping by.  I hope your day is awesome and very crafty!

Thank you so much for using my affiliate links to shop (never any additional cost to you)!

Layered Lush Botanicals: Poinsettia Holiday Card

Hello friends!  The Altenew July 2026 release is available now!  Today I'm sharing this holiday card that features three of the awesome new sets:

• Lush Botanicals: Poinsettia 3D Embossing Folder and Die Set
• Winterberry Poinsettias 3D Embossing Folder
• Holiday Essentials Die Set

I started with the Lush Botanicals: Poinsettia 3D Embossing Folder and Die Set.  This beautiful embossing folder has coordinating dies that you use to die cut the petals of the poinsettia.  I did that first by die cutting some Heart Beat and Forest Glades cardstock.  I die cut the flower center from some Brushed Gold cardstock.  I added a few inks (in the list below) with Mini Blending brushes to give the petals some depth and dimension.

Next I placed the die cut petals into the Poinsettia 3D embossing folder and ran it through my die cutting machine.  I used glue to adhere the layers together.  (This die set has Altenew's ingenious Key Hole system which makes aligning the layers so very easy!). Then I added white paint splatters for a snowy look!

I glued the poinsettia to a white cardstock panel that I embossed with the Winterberry Poinsettias 3D embossing folder.

The sentiment is from the new Holiday Essentials die set.  I die cut the top layer three times and glued the layers together.  I adhered that to the bottom shadow layer that I die cut from Heart Beat cardstock.  Then I added foam adhesive to the back to pop it up on the card.

I added a few gold sparkles from the Metallic Gold & Silver Gem Sparkles set.

Be sure to check out the entire July 2026 release over on Altenew's website.  It is filled with holidays and non-holiday products for your card making fun!

Thanks so much for stopping by today!  I hope you have a good one!

Thank you for using my affiliate links to shop (never any additional cost to you)!

Sending A Lot Of Merry Your Way -- Spellbinders

Hi friends!  For this month's Spellbinders Club Kits, we are having a bit of "Christmas in July" fun!  I've used three of the amazing kits to make this card here.  The star of this card are these adorable penguins from the Small Die Of The Month Club Kit, Snow Much Fun.  Read on for more details!

These Club Kits will be open for new subscribers on July 6.  You can preview each Club Kit until then.  But, if you are a current subscriber, you can add one or cancel one now!

First I began by die cutting colored and white glitter cardstocks (colors are in the list below) with the dies in the Small Die, Snow Much Fun.  There are two dies to cut out hills.  I made three hills--one from white glitter cardstock and two from white cardstock.  I glued the back hill to the card and used thin foam adhesive for the other two.

These were super easy to put together!  After I adhered the layers with glue I set them aside to work on the other card elements.

The embossed background layer on my A2 card was made with the Festive Greetings 3D embossing folder.  This 3D folder for July is just so very versatile for all of our Christmas cards!  I'd love to emboss gold or silver metallic cardstock to make a beautiful and elegant card!

The sentiments are from July's Clear Stamp + Dies Club Kit.  There are 13 sentiments and 3 snowflake stamps in the Cue The Merry stamp set.  Of course, each stamp has a coordinating die to cut it out.

I added a bit more sparkle with diluted shimmer watercolor and a paint brush.  Then I used some Nuvo glitter accents just along the top of the white cardstock hills.

Be sure to check out all that the Club Kits from Spellbinders has to offer.  What I love is that you can cancel at any time.  Scroll to the bottom of this page to read all of the FAQs, which should answer any questions you have.

Thanks so much for stopping by!  I hope you have a great day!

Thank you so much for using my affiliate links to shop (never any additional cost to you)!

Sneak Peek of the Perfect Picnic Release by Honey Bee Stamps

Hello crafty friends, and happy July 1!  Today I'm super excited to be sharing with you a sneak peek of Honey Bee Stamps' available now, Perfect Picnic release!  The Perfect Picnic products will be available on July 6, after the end of the release party on Honey Bee's YouTube channel.  This release is filled with all things yummy for summer, plus a gorgeous floral stamp set and a summer fruit stamp set.  Stayed tuned--I think you're going to love it!!

These are the new products I've used on my card:

• Lovely Layers: Perfect Picnic Honey Cuts
• Picnic Blanket Builder stencil set
• Summer Picnic paper pad
• Stacked With Joy stamps and Honey Cuts

As you can see from my photo, I've used some paper from the new Summer Picnic paper pad to add a grass layer underneath my picnic scene.  Trust me, you will love the gorgeous papers in this pad!  I will certainly be ordering another paper pad for my stash!!

The Lovely Layers: Perfect Picnic Honey Cuts not only has a die for the blanket, but also dies for all of the yummy picnic food you see + more!  I started out by die cutting my chosen pieces from white cardstock.

Next I used the Picnic Blanket Builder stencils and used blender brushes to ink on Spun Sugar and Kitsch Flamingo Distress Oxide inks.

I also used the flower section of the Picnic Blanket Builder stencils to add flowers to the napkin die cut layers.

For all of the other fun pieces I used my Copic markers to color them.  It was fun choosing what colors to used for the breads and the basket!  Of course, you could also die cut your pieces from colored cardstock and/or use your ink blending brushes too.

For the wine bottle label and the book pages, I really wanted to have a hint of words.  I thought about handwriting on them, but, I truly didn't think I'd be pleased with that!  Can you relate?  I searched through all of my Honey Bee sets and found the perfect stamp!  It's in the Postmarked: Holiday stamp set (retiring and at a great price!) to lightly stamp a hint of words with Hickory Smoke Distress ink.  I really like how it turned out!

After I assembled the layers with Bee Creative glue (there's an awesome layering guide, of course) I adhered a few things to the basket and plate with foam adhesive and/or some glue.

I added some awesome patterned paper from the Summer Picnic paper pad to my A2 card base.

Next I glued the Picnic Blanket to the card.  Then I used my scissors to trim off the parts hanging beyond the edges of the card.  Then I used ½" x ¼" Honeycomb Foam pieces to adhere the other items to the blanket.

The sentiments are from the Stacked With Joy stamp set.  After I stamped them with black pigment ink, I cut them out with the coordinating Stacked With Joy Honey Cuts.

This was SUPER fun to make and it makes me want to go on a picnic.  However, it is SO hot where I am and it's not so fun to be outdoors, haha!  I'll just stay inside and make more fun picnic cards with the new Perfect Picnic release!

Keep your eye out for more sneak peeks this week!  If you'd like to see some of the process of me making this card, please join me on my Instagram where, later today, I'll have a fun reel for you.

Thanks so much for stopping by!  Have a wonderful and crafty day!

Here's all the links to the new products.  Thank you so much for using my affiliate links to shop!

Chinoiserie Thank You Card

Hi friends!  I'm so happy to be a part of an Instagram Hop happening today for My Pretty Things new release called Life InDex.  There are lots of fun products for your memory keeping and these can also be used in your card making too!  I've used the gorgeous Chinoiserie Stamp set with coordinating stencils and dies.

If you don't know about My Pretty Things, this is a small company owned by Erin Thompson.  She also hosts the most awesome craft retreat.  The Nashville Craft Retreat is held annually in Franklin, TN, which is just outside of Nashville.  Erin also has crops and virtual retreats that you should check out!  I've been to the Nashville Craft Retreat this year and the previous three.  It is SO much fun and you get to learn new things and bring home so much swag and products from her sponsor companies!  Information about and registration for the 2027 retreat is open now!

First I stamped the Chinoiserie images.  Then I used a few pink and green inks in my stash to color these with the Chinoiserie stencils and blending brushes.  A brand new tool, available from My Pretty Things, are these awesome blender brushes that I used with the inks and stencils!

I seriously would not recommend these if I did not like them.  I know there's lots of choices we have for ink blending brushes, but I definitely recommend these!

When I finished the stenciling, I cut out the images with the coordinating Chinoiserie dies.  I used glue and some foam adhesive to adhere them to a 4" x 5-¼" pink cardstock panel.  Then I added foam tape to the back of the panel to adhere it to my A2 card base.

The sentiment is one of two included in the Chinoiserie stamp set.  I stamped it with black pigment ink and cut it out with the coordinating die.  A few foam squares were used to adhere the sentiment to the card.

I added some pretty and so sparkly sequins from the Chandelier Shaker Mix.

I hope you will join me over on the Instagram Hop.  There will be a prize of a $25 gift certificate given away to two lucky commenters!  If you can't join the hop, then I hope you will check out the new release and all of the other fabulous products in the My Pretty Things shop.