My Pretty Things' Handmade Holidays Release Blog Hop + Giveaways!

 Hello, crafty friends!  Today I'm happy to be joining the in blog hop to celebrate My Pretty Things' Handmade Holidays release!

My Pretty Things is celebrating the magic of the holiday season by sharing handmade paper crafts created with joy and love. From thoughtful cards to festive tags, each creation is a little reminder that the most meaningful gifts come straight from the heart. So cozy up with a cup of hot tea, hop along with us for plenty of holiday inspiration, and don’t forget to leave each designer a kind comment for your chance to be entered in the giveaways!

Read to the end for the hop order and prize details!

My card features the beautiful Fancy Scandi Snowflake stamp set with the coordinating dies and stencils.  Also new is this gorgeous Pine & Berries 3D embossing folder.  (All supplies are in the links below.)

First I stamped the Fancy Scandi Snowflake image with clear embossing ink onto two panels of white cardstock.  I added silver embossing powder to both and heat set it.  Then I cut it out one snowflake with the largest coordinating Fancy Scandi Snowflake die.  I die cut the other snowflake with the smaller die and the inner circle die.

I put the large snowflake onto a sticky mat and then inked two shades of pink ink through three of the Fancy Scandi Snowflake stencils layers.  For the final, and largest layer, I used a pallet knife to spread some pretty pink texture paste.  I repeated these steps for the other two snowflake die cuts.  I set them aside to dry.

For the card base and layer, first I inked around the edges of an A2 card base with the same ink I used on the Fancy Scandi Snowflake.  Then I embossed white cardstock with the Pine & Berries 3D embossing folder.  I trimmed it to 4" x 5-¼" and glued it to the card.

I glued the large Fancy Scandi Snowflake to the card.  Then I popped up the other two layers with foam adhesive.

Then sentiment is also in the Fancy Scandi Snowflake stamp set.  I stamped it with embossing ink and heat embossed it with more silver embossing powder.  I die cut the sentiment with the coordinating Scandi Snowflake die.  I die cut it a second time from white cardstock, inked the edges, and glued it offset behind the embossed sentiment.  The sentiment is also popped up with foam adhesive.

I love that my lighting was just right to capture all of the fabulous shimmer and shine of my pink holiday card with the Fancy Scandi Snowflake!!

Be sure to leave a comment here and at all of the stops along the way for more chances to win!

Blog Hop:

Erin Thompson

Andrea Shell

Meghan Kennihan 

Amy Tsuruta

Carol Hintermeier <---you are here

Linh Van

Brenda Noelke

Amber Lynn Nelson

Giveaway Info:

My Pretty Things is giving away a $25 gift card to two lucky winners!!

Both winners will be drawn randomly from US entrants that have hopped along and left kind comments for this blog hop by midnight CT October 17, 2026. 

Winners will be announced on the My Pretty Things Website main page on Tuesday, October 20, 2026. *This giveaway is open only to participants in the US as My Pretty Things does not currently ship internationally.

I so appreciate that you use my affiliate links to shop! (There's never any additional cost to you.)  It helps me with the expenses of posting my creative content, thank you.  Note:  You must have "allow cross-site tracking" and cookies turned on in your browser in order for it to know you use my links.

Alex Syberia Designs Autumn Release: Cozy Tea Time | Blog Hop & Giveaway

Hello, friends!  I'm excited to be joining the blog hop + giveaway for Alex Syberia Designs' Cozy Tea Time release!  This hop is filled with so much inspiration from lots of talented designers.  Read to the end for the hop release and prize details.

 If you'd like to start at the beginning of the hop, please visit the Alex Syberia Designs blog hop post.

The card I'm sharing today features the beautiful new Magical Wisteria stamp set with the coordinating dies and stencils.

I started by first stamping the Magical Wisteria flower with a Copic marker safe ink.  This is a very light ink and I have found that it doesn't smear when you ink through stencils with your blending brushes.  Tip:  Use a MISTI, or other similar tool, to stamp the floral.  Then be sure to leave the stamp in the MISTI.  After the stenciling it finished, just put it back in and stamp with black ink.

I used some pretty purple and green inks to color through the stencil layers with blending brushes.  When I was finished, I stamped the Wisteria again with black ink.  Then I cut it out with the coordinating Magical Wisteria die.  I added foam tape to the back and set it aside.

I wanted just a bit of interest for the background of the Wisteria and the new Sparkles stencil was perfect!  I inked two shades of yellow ink directly onto the front of an A2 card base.  I intentionally used a lighter hand in some areas.

I stamped one of the sentiments in the Magical Wisteria stamp set in black ink.  I cut it out with the coordinating die and used foam strips to adhere it to my card.

Be sure to check out all of the amazing new crafty products from this release in the Alex Syberia Designs shop.

Here's the Giveaway Info:

Alex Syberia Designs is giving away a $15 or a £15 gift card to three lucky winners!  Leave comments along the hop stops for more chances to win!

This giveaway is open internationally.  All three winners will be selected from entrants who take part in the blog hop by 11:59 pm BST on October 18.  The winners will be announced on the "Giveaway Winners' page" of the Alex Syberia Designs blog on October 19.

Blog Hop Order:

Alex Syberia Designs
Mona
Rachel
Nicoletta
Lea
Sylvie
Brenda
Martin
Carol  <<< that's me!   
Ang
Samantha
Caly 
Lien

Product supplies/links:

I so appreciate that you use my affiliate links to shop! (There's never any additional cost to you.)  It helps me with the expenses of posting my creative content, thank you.  Note:  You must have "allow cross-site tracking" and cookies turned on in your browser in order for it to know you use my links.

SSS Sending Cheer Release, Oct. 8

The new Sending Cheer release by Simon Says Stamp is available now!!  As always, this release is filled with so many beautiful new goodies that fits any crafting style!  Check it all out at the Simon Says Stamp shop.

My card today features just two items!  The new Party Time Hats Embossing Folder and Cutting Die is SO cute.  I love how easy this card came together, but still looks fantastic!

I embossed an A2 sized piece of white cardstock with the Party Time Hats embossing folder and glued it to my A2 card base.

Next I die cut white cardstock with the included dies.  I used Squeezed Lemonade, Mustard Seed, Saltwater Taffy, Picked Raspberry, Abandoned Coral, Festive Berries Distress Oxide Inks with blending brushes to color and shade the hats and streamers.  I placed the hats into the Party Time Hats embossing folder to add the fun texture.

I popped up the hats on the card with foam adhesive and glued the streamers to the card.  The sentiment is from the new Above The Clouds stamp set.  I stamped it with black ink directly onto the card front.

This card was really that easy with the Party Time Hats embossing folder and dies!  Be sure to check out the entire line of the Sending Cheer release to see what you like!

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

I so appreciate that you use my affiliate links to shop! (There's never any additional cost to you.)  It helps me with the expenses of posting my creative content, thank you.  Note:  You must have "allow cross-site tracking" and cookies turned on in your browser in order for it to know you use my links.

Hope You're Feeling Honky-Dory -- Honey Bee Stamps

Hello, crafty friends!  I'm still having so much fun playing with Honey Bee Stamps' new Lovely Layers: Porch Goose from the new Fashionably Feathered release!  Today I've dressed this cute goose in an outfit from the Porch Goose Closet: Spring Honey Cuts. 

I made the background for the Goose with the Rustic Brick 3D embossing folder and a panel of white cardstock.  I used Bee Creative Glue to adhere the embossed piece to an A2 card base.  I hand cut a grassy hill from green cardstock and glued that to the card.

I die cut the Lovely Layers: Porch Goose from white cardstock.  I used a few Copic markers to color the beak, eye, cheek, and legs.  I die cut most of the images on this card with the awesome, new Platinum Scout die cutting machine.

Next I die cut various papers with the dies from the Porch Goose Closet: Spring from yellow cardstock, purple cardstock from the Hive Hues Garden Party cardstock pack and patterned paper from the Garden Party paper pad.

I used glue to adhere the Goose's layers together and added foam adhesive to the back to adhere it to the card.

The flowers are the small version of the Lovely Layers: Coneflower that's included with Honey Bee's brand new Platinum Scout die cutting machine.  I would estimate that the dies with the machine are about ½ the size of the original.  Check out this photo I took last week:

It's the cutest little die cutting machine!  I love the teal color and the bees and flowers that are on all sides of it.

I die cut the coneflower from white cardstock with the new Scout die cutting machine.  Then I used some purple and yellow inks and blending brushes to color the layers.  I used glue and foam adhesive to adhere the flowers to the card.  If you don't have these there are several choices in this link.  Any of the smaller flowers would be perfect!

I stamped a sentiment from the Silly Goose stamp set in black pigment ink.  Then I cut it out with the coordinating Silly Goose die.  I used foam strips to adhere the sentiment to the card.

In case you missed it, here's a photo of the card I made for the Instagram hop.  This has the Porch Goose dressed up in outfits from the Porch Goose Closet: Winter dies.  I have all of the details here on my blog.

This pair of geese look so cute and ready for the holidays!  Check out the entire Fashionably Feathered release to see all of the awesome sets available!

Thank you for stopping by today!  I hope you have a honkin' wonderful day!  (Sorry, I couldn't resist--lol!)

I so appreciate that you use my affiliate links to shop! (There's never any additional cost to you.)  It helps me with the expenses of posting my creative content, thank you.  Note:  You must have "allow cross-site tracking" and cookies turned on in your browser in order for it to know you use my links.

Merry Goose-mas -- Honey Bee Stamps Porch Goose

Hello, crafty friends!  Did you see the new Fashionably Feathered mini release by Honey Bee Stamps?  Today we are having an inspirational Instagram hop with a $50 gift card issued to two winners.  Join us, leave comments, and love for your chance to win!

The theme is all around this adorable Lovely Layers: Porch Goose.  Until now, I had no clue what a "porch goose" is!  Evidently it used to be a trend and that trend is now coming back!  Do you know about these porch goose figures?

Let me start out with the photo of my Porch Goose that is pictured with this amazing new product!  This is the new Honey Bee Stamps x Spellbinders Platinum Scout die cutting machine!  I absolutely love the teal color and the images of the daisies and bees that are on all sides of the machine.  I did an unboxing reel that I shared on Instagram, and guess what?  I actually did a voice over!!  Check it out here!

Now onto my card and some details!!  This adorable Lovely Layers: Porch Goose has two accessory sets:  Porch Goose Closet: Winter and the Porch Goose Closet: Spring.  There are also two different sentiment sets to coordinate with the seasons.  One is the Silly Goose stamp set and the Rainy Day Smiles stamp set.  Of course, both have coordinating die sets.

My card features the Lovely Layers: Porch Goose with the Porch Goose Closet: Winter.  Depending on what colors you choose for your cardstock, you could make a Thanksgiving card, Christmas card, or just a general winter card.  I die cut two of the geese because I wanted to dress one in the cute girlie outfit!

I used a few Copic markers to add just a bit of shading to some of my Porch Goose die cut pieces.

Next I created the 5" x 7" card layers by embossing a piece of 4-¾" x 4-¼" white cardstock with the Snowflakes 3D embossing folder.  I used a blending brush to color it with Tumbled Glass Distress ink.

I embossed green cardstock with the Burlap 3D embossing folder and used my scissors to trim it with hills on the top edge.  I inked the edges of the green cardstock with Rustic Wilderness Distress ink.  Then I glued the two embossed pieces together and then glue the panel to my card base.

The trees are from the Lovely Layers: Trees die set.  After gluing the layers together, I diluted some white opaque watercolor and used a fan paint brush to add white splatters.

The sentiment is from the Silly Goose stamp set and cut out with the coordinating die.

I added some white gel pen accents to the trees and geese

I hope you will come join me on the Fashionably Feathered Instagram hop and leave comments for your chance to win!

I so appreciate that you use my affiliate links to shop! (There's never any additional cost to you.)  It helps me with the expenses of posting my creative content, thank you.

Harvest Blooms Stenciled Fun Fold Card -- Honey Bee Stamps

Hello, crafty friends!  Do you ever find yourself in a bit of a crafting slump?  I have been in one and my tip for you to overcome this is try a "unique-for-you" color combination!  Then add in a fun folding card to keep the creativity flowing!

That's what I did for my card here that features Honey Bee Stamps gorgeous Harvest Blooms collection.  There are multiple ways to purchase one or more.  Here are links for you to check out:

• Harvest Blooms stamp set
• Harvest Blooms Honey Cuts
• Harvest Blooms Stencil set
• Harvest Blooms stamp and die bundle
• Harvest Blooms stamp, die, and stencil set bundle

As I usually do, I did all of my stenciling first before stamping.  I used several blending brushes and various shades of inks to color through each of the seven stencils in the Harvest Blooms stencil set.  Honestly, I don't remember that I've ever used blue inks for flowers!  I have to say that I really do like these!  (The ink colors I used are linked in the list below.)

Next I placed the colored floral panel into my MISTI.  I place the Harvest Blooms stamp over the stenciled image taking a moment to make sure it was properly aligned.  I picked up the stamp with the MISTI door, inked it up with black pigment ink, then stamped it onto the stenciled piece.

Then I cut out the stenciled florals with the  coordinating Harvest Blooms die.  I set this aside while I worked on my card base.

First, you will need to emboss two white cardstock panels, one A2 sized and another 6" x 4-¼", with the Fall Leaves 3D embossing folder.

Score the 6" embossed Fall Leaves panel ½" from the top edge.  Fold along the score line and glue the folded flap to the back of an A2 sized piece of white cardstock making the embossed panel the front of the card.

What we will do next is plan where to place a score line on the Harvest Blooms die cut floral piece.  Here is a list of the steps:

1. I opened up the card and laid it flat with the card front facing up.
2. Position the Harvest Blooms floral towards the bottom right of the embossed panel.
3. Make sure none of the florals on the right overhand the right hand edge.
4. Holding the floral in place on the card, flip it over.
5. Use a pencil to draw a line on the back of the floral using the card edge as a guide.
6. Use a score board to score the floral along the score line.
7. Fold the floral and glue the flap to the back of the embossed panel.

Next glue the other Fall Leaves embossed panel to the inside of the card front.  This will cover up the folded edge of the Harvest Blooms die cut.  This is how it will look nice and finished:

Next I used some blue ink to stamp a portion of the Harvest Blooms floral on the card inside.

I stamped all three of the sentiments in the Harvest Bloom stamp set and then cut them out with the coordinating dies.

As you can see in the photos, I glued one sentiment to the inside of the card.  I also glued another sentiment onto the embossed panel under the Harvest Blooms flower.  I made sure to place it where it would not show.

The other sentiment is adhered to the floral piece with a foam adhesive strip.

I really had fun designing this card!  Of course, you surely know by now that I love coloring stencils!  The seven Harvest Blooms stencils add so much detail to the beautiful floral!  Of course, this image would be beautiful colored markers, pencils or watercolors!

I hope I've given you some inspiration to try this style of card!  Thank you for stopping by.  Have a wonderful and crafty day!

P.S.:  Be sure to stop by my Instagram and watch my reel (posted soon) to see lots of the card making process!

I so appreciate that you use my affiliate links to shop! (There's never any additional cost to you.)  It helps me with the expenses of posting my creative content, thank you.  Note:  You must have "allow cross-site tracking" and cookies turned on in your browser in order for it to know you use my links.

Counting My Blessings...And You're One Of Them

Hello, crafty friends!  Today I'm sharing this acorn-shaped card I made with Honey Bee Stamps awesome Acorn Card Base Honey Cuts!  Shaped cards are always so fun for your recipient and I don't think I've ever seen one like this!  Bonus: it easily fits into an A2 sized envelope!

First I created the Acorn Card Base by cutting some brown cardstock with the dies in the set.  I used ink blending brushes to add more color using Ground Espresso and Vintage Photo Distress Inks.

There is a separate die in the Acorn Card Base set that you can use to cut a folded white card panel into a shaped card base.  Just be sure to place the upper cutting edge of the die just above the fold of the card base.  Then I used Bee Creative Glue to adhere the layers together and to the card base.

Next I used some of the elements in the Display Box: Fall Add-On Honey Cuts to create the card detail images.  I also used the sunflower and a leaf die that's in the In Stitches: Pumpkin die set.  I cut these all from various colored cardstocks including orange, green, white, and a golden yellow.  I used ink blending brushes and more Distress Inks to give the leaves and other elements more color.  I used these Distress Inks:  Fossilized Amber, Rusty Hinge, Aged Mahogany, Fired Brick, Mowed Lawn, and Rustic Wilderness.

I used a black pen to color in the ladybug's dots and the lines on the butterfly.  Then I used glue to adhere the layers together, where needed.  I used glue and foam adhesive to adhere the elements to the Acorn Card Base card.

Next I stamped two sentiments from the Keepsake Sentiments: Fall stamp set with clear embossing ink onto more brown cardstock.  I added brass embossing powder to the sentiments and set it with my heat tool.  Then I cut them out with the coordinating Keepsake Sentiments: Fall dies.  (These are also available in a stamp and die set bundle.)

I glued one of the sentiments on the inside of the card.  I tucked in an extra leaf I had under the sentiment.  I like the touch of color this adds!

I used foam strips to adhere the other sentiment to the front of the card.

There are so many ways you could embellish this adorable Acorn Card Base!  I sure hope you've been inspired to try making your own acorn-shaped card--they are so fun!

Thank you for stopping by today!  Be sure to follow me on my Instagram to see my reel I'll be posting soon showing you more details of how I made my card.  Have a fabulous and crafty day!

I so appreciate that you use my affiliate links to shop! (There's never any additional cost to you.)  It helps me with the expenses of posting my creative content, thank you.