Hello, My Sweet Friend

Hello crafty friends!  Today I'm sharing a card I made that features Honey Bee Stamps beautiful Lovely Layers: Wishing Well.  The Scene Builder die sets have always been a favorite of mine and I was happy to get to use one again!  I love how these older and new products work together!

First I die cut the Lovely Layers: Wishing Well dies from light gray and 80# white cardstock.  I used various brown and gray inks to color most of the pieces with Blender Brushes.  I had fun using three different shades of gray inks on the wishing well stones.  Then I splattered the stones with white paint.  For some reason it started smudging off even after it dried.  So I just used a clean paper towel to smudge it and it turns out, I liked the look!

To color the smaller pieces that I wanted more detail on (the well handle, the bucket, and rope) I used a few Copic markers.

Next I followed the Layering Guide to adhere the layers with glue.

I pulled out the Farmhouse Fields Scene Builder Cover Plate die and cut it out from 80# white cardstock.  To color the scene, I used the coordinating stencil set with Blender Brushes and various shades of green inks and a brown ink.

I trimmed the left edge of the colored scene with my paper trimmer.  Before I glued the scene to my A2 card base, I inked on some blue ink for the sky.

I wanted some more color on the card, so I die cut white cardstock with three of the floral dies found in the Lovely Layers: Front Porch Spring Add-On set.  I used blending brushes for some quick coloring of the layers.  Then I used glue to adhere the layers together.  These remind of wildflowers that might be growing at the base of a wishing well!

The wishing well and flowers are adhered to the card base with foam tape.  Then I stamped the sentiments from the So Special stamp set with black pigment ink.  I cut them out with the coordinating dies and adhered each one with a double layer of foam tape.

I totally love this scene and hope you do too!  Also, I hope you've been inspired to give this type of scene card a try.  It's fun!  Have an awesome and crafty week!!

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Altenew June 2025 Release Blog Hop + Giveaway ($300 in total prizes)!

Welcome to Altenew's June 2025 Release blog hop!  This is another amazing release by Altenew that has products in it to inspire any crafting style!

There are awesome designers in this hop sharing some beautiful inspiration for the June 2025 Release.  Check out the hop list below.  If you would like to start at the beginning, head on over to the Altenew blog.  Be sure to read until the end to see what Altenew has for prizes this month!  For the best chance to win, be sure to leave a comment on my blog and at each stop along the way.

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I have three (actually four) cards to share with you today!  This first one is filled with sunshine and features the beautiful Build-A-Garden Radiant Blossoms stamps, stencils, and dies.

The card base is A2 sized and is layered with Fresh Lemon Crafty Necessities Cardstock that I embossed with the Batik Blooms 3D embossing folder.

I stamped the florals from the Build-A-Garden stamp set with Obsidian black ink.  Then I used my beloved Mini Blending Brushes to add in shades of yellow and green inks.  I used inks from the Pocketful of Sunshine and the Green Valley Fresh Dye ink collections.  The basket is lightly shaded with Limestone ink.

I cut out the flowers and basket with the coordinating Radiant Blossoms dies.  Then I adhered the pieces with Instant Dimension Foam Tape.

There is lots of subtle sparkle on this card!  I added the new Clear Iridescent Stellar Stellar Sequins (3 of 5 sizes used) to the flower centers and then a few more around the sentiments.  The sentiments are also in the Radiant Blossoms stamp set and cut out with the coordinating dies.

My next card is filled with lots of beautiful shine and features the stamps and dies from the Crafty-Your-Life Bold & Beautiful set.

I'm going to keep the rest of this post fairly brief.  Be sure to check out the product links in the list below.

This card has gold heat embossing, a gold cardstock layer, and gold die cut flowers!  I love the Craft-Your-Life Project Kits since you get the stamps, dies, stencils, and embossing folder all together!  This Bold & Beautiful kit can be used so many ways, as demonstrated in my next card.

I added more sparkle by placing some Sparkling Gold Sequins to the flower centers.

This next project is a two-from-one stenciling session using the beautiful Craft-Your-Life Bold & Beautiful embossing folder and stencils.

My Stampwheel 2.0 gave me plenty of room to use the Bold & Beautiful stencils and color the panel I had already embossed with the embossing folder.

I used Mini Blending Brushes to color through the stencils.  I used inks from these Fresh Dye ink collections:  Sweet Dreams,  Green Meadows, and Cherry Blossom.  Then I used my paper trimmer to cut the piece in half.

Each half piece was adhered to coordinating teal cardstock (embossed with the Bold & Beautiful 3D embossing folder) with Instant Dimension foam tape.  The sentiments are included in the stamp set and popped up with foam tape.

This card is just the same as the previous card except for the foiled sentiment.  This sentiment is from the Versatile Greetings 3 Press Plates.  (You do know that these press plates can be foiled, right?)  I was happy to find that I had the perfectly coordinating foil in my stash!

Both cards have Clear Iridescent sequins adhered around the sentiments for some pretty sparkles!

I just have to finish up by sharing a photo of the awesome new Crafter's Showcase Mini Blending Brush Storage!  I love how this keeps all my brushes together and within easy reach!  I actually have it front and center by my work space!

Be sure to leave me a comment below for your chance to win a prize before you head to the next stop on the hop.

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 Card Blog and/or each designer’s blog post on the blog hop list below by June 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 June 17th, 2025.

  • The winner of the $100 gift certificate will be chosen from comments left on the Altenew blog.

Blog Hop List:

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In The Quiet Hum Of The Hummingbird's Wings -- A Beautiful Dimensional Floral Card

Hi friends!  My card today features three sets from the absolutely gorgeous Summer Solstice Collection by Susan Tierney-Cockburn for Spellbinders.  I absolutely love creating these beautiful dimensional flowers!

I die cut all of the dies in the Petunia and Hummingbird set from Susan's Garden Specialty Cardstock.  This is a slightly textured cardstock that is so easy to use to make gorgeous shaped florals.

I used various inks with ink blending brushes to color all of the pieces of the petunias.  I have the ink colors I used in the list below.  I used mainly blue green and blue Copic markers to color the hummingbird.

To make shaping and forming the flowers super easy, Spellbinders has a YouTube video where Susan shows how to do it.  You will find it by scrolling through the photos in the product description.

I used a few flower shaping tools (a stylus, loop tool, foam pad, and reverse tweezers) to shape the flowers and other pieces.  I glued them together and set them aside to dry.

I embossed more of the Specialty Cardstock with the coordinating Petunia Cascade 3D embossing folder.  It is such a beautiful embossed image!!  I trimmed the piece to 4-¼" x 5-½" and glued it to an A2 card base.

When I had decided on an arrangement, I used glue to adhere the elements to my card.

The sentiment is from the Summer Solstice Garden Sentiments Press Plate & Die set.  I can't even say how much I love that the press plate, and the die, are both just one piece!  When you use the Porcelain Cotton cardstock to press it with your BettterPress system, the pressed sentiments are SO crisp!  I adhered the sentiment with thick foam tape.

I wish you could see this card in real life!  Because of the extreme dimension, I will most likely tuck this card into a gift bag to hand deliver.  However, I would not have a problem putting it into a small box to mail.

Thank you, always, for stopping by.  I hope you have a wonderful and crafty weekend!

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Lots Of Butterflies For Birthday Wishes

Happy Wednesday crafty friends!  Today I'm sharing my card that features Honey Bee Stamps beautiful All Things New stamps and coordinating dies along with the Bold Background: Chinoiserie.

I absolutely love a textured white background on a card and the Bold Background: Chinoiserie was perfect for this.  I die cut all of the pieces of the die set from 80# Neenah cardstock.  After I printed off the Layering Guide (available in the product description on the website) I used Bee Creative glue to adhere all of the layers together.

Then I glued this gorgeous piece onto an A2 white card base.  I set this aside while I colored the butterflies from the All Things new stamp set.

Next I stamped all of the butterflies in the All Things New stamp set with Intense Black ink onto 80# Neenah.  I used various Copic markers to color each one.  I mostly stuck with blue, yellow, and orange shades.

I die cut all of the butterflies with the coordinating All Things New Honey Cuts.  I used my fingers to gently shape and curve the butterfly wings.  To adhere them I added glue just to the back of the butterfly body.  I added a small piece of foam tape to the back of the blue butterfly's wing (upper right corner) to support the wing dimension.

I stamped one of the sentiments from the All Things New stamp set with black pigment ink.  There are seven in this set to choose from!  Then I cut it out with the coordinating die.  I added a foam tape strip on the back right side of the sentiment to adhere it.

For a bit of bling, I added gem stickers from the Back To Basics set.

I love how this turned out!  The textured white on a white card really makes the I love how this turned out!  The textured white on a white card really makes the butterflies pop!  I hope you know how much I appreciate you for stopping by today!  Thank you!

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Moments In Time

Hello friends!  Simon Says Stamp’s new release is available now!  This release, called Moments In Time, is filled with beautiful new products that will inspire your crafting in awesome ways!

My card features the new stamp set called EZ Strips Congratulations!  I created a beautiful background for the sentiments by using the Darcy Embossing Folder and Cutting Dies.

First I embossed 80# white cardstock with the Darcy Bouquet Embossing folder.  Then I used ink blending brushes to add color to the embossed areas.  I used several of SSS inks and a few others too.  You can check out the colors in the list below.

Next I used the dies in the Darcy Bouquet Embossing Folder & Dies set to cut out the flowers from white cardstock.  Then I placed the flowers in the Darcy embossing folder and ran it through my die cutting machine.  I used blending brushes to color each flower and adhered them with foam tape.

The new EZ Strips Congratulations stamp set stamps all of the sentiments at once, which I love!  I don’t have the die but I just used my paper trimmer to cut them apart.  I used foam strips to adhere each sentiment to my card.

Be sure to check out the entire release over at the Simon Says Stamp website.  Thanks so much for stopping by!

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Wishing You Joy and Beauty

Happy Wednesday friends! Today I'm sharing how I made this card that features the new and so beautiful Lovely Layers: Cottage Honey Cuts by Honey Bee Stamps! While deciding on a background I came across a perfect set to use! Read on for the details.

I started out by die cutting white and various colored cardstocks with the dies in the Lovely Layers: Cottage Honey Cuts. I die cut the base layer of the cottage and the brown trim pieces from white cardstock and used a couple brown Copic markers to color the pieces. I did use a purple, yellow, and green Copic to add just a bit of detailing to the flowers and shrubs.

Since this is my first time to create with the Cottage set, I referred to the fabulous layering guide while I glued the various pieces together.

As happens with me frequently, now that I had my main image complete, I really had no idea what I wanted to do for a background! Does that happen with you?

While looking through my Honey Bee dies, I came across the Cottage Countryside die set and thought that it was perfect to use with the Cottage. Much to my delight, I found that I had tucked a die cut and colored piece that I saved from a previous project in the back of the storage pocket! I was very happy! Haha!

All I needed to do was use a Sweet Stacks: Rectangle die to cut it to an A2 size!

Before I glued the Cottage Countryside piece to my A2 card, I used a blender brush to add blue ink for the sky. Then I glued the die cut to my card.

I used foam tape to adhere the Cottage to the card. I did die cut one more shrub with flowers to add along the pathway.

I stamped a sentiment that is in the All Things New stamp set with black pigment ink. I cut it out with the coordinating die and popped it up on the card with foam strips.

This was super fun to make and I love having cards with sentiments that can fit various occasions too! Thank you for stopping by today. I hope you are having a fabulous week!

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You Inspire Me!

I'm back with more cards featuring two of the Spellbinders Club Kits for May!  Both cards are beautiful, but totally different!!  I'm packing for a short trip to leave for tomorrow so you get a short post!  Haha!  Please let me know if you have any questions by using my "contact me" form to the left of this post.

This first card features the beautiful 3D Embossing Folder for May called Stacked Stories.  I kept this one pretty simple in order to show off the gorgeous embossed details. 

I added two die cut florals from the Field Notes Wildflowers die set.  I tucked the floral stems under the Sealed Twine die cut.

The sentiment is from Spellbinders All-Occasion 1 Wax Seal Stamp Set.  I love how this is the only sentiment needed!  I colored over the raised portions of the wax seal with a gold pen so the sentiment stood out more.

My second card is a bright and cheerful rainbow-colored card!

I used an ink blending brush to add a rainbow of inks to an A2 white cardstock piece.  Then I put it into the Stacked Stories embossing folder to emboss it and then glued it to an A2 card base.

I used May's Betterpress of the Month called From A To Z.  I tapped various ink colors in a rainbow order onto 110# cardstock before I ran it through my BetterPress System.

Then I die cut the piece out with a die from the Scallop and Stitched Edge Ovals die set.  I added a scallop layer and black cardstock layer to the From A To Z piece before I popped it up with foam tape.

TIP:  I wanted a very narrow black mat oval layer.  There is an oval layering die in the Scallop and Stitched Edge Ovals die set and I used that die to trace around onto black cardstock.  Then I used my scissors to cut just inside my pencil line for the layer

The sentiment is one of two included in the May Betterpress set.  There are dies included to cut them out with, but I needed to trim the sentiment to fit my card.  After I added a black layer I popped it up with foam strips.  The bow is from the Scallop and Stitched Edge Ovals die set.

I had some greenery in my "extras" pocket.  It is from Spellbinders, but I'm sorry that I don't know for sure which set.

I love both of these cards and it was fun using these Club Kits in two dramatically different styles.

Thanks so very much for stopping by today!

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Smiles, Gentle Hugs & Tons Of Love

Hey friends!  Today I'm sharing my card that features a set from Spellbinders Wildflowers Collection along with the May Embossing Folder of the Month called Abstract Study.

I wanted a subtle pattern on the paper that I will emboss.  So I used the Floral Garden Stamp (on sale as of this post) to stamp a tone-on-tone pattern onto a medium blue shade of cardstock.

Then I placed the piece into the Abstract Study embossing folder and ran it through my Platinum 6.

Those that subscribe to multiple kits or the Deluxe Caboodle will see that each month the Club Kits kind of all coordinate together.  Since I just get this Embossing Folder I get to find ways to show you that each item can totally stand on its own with other sets.

This time I added flowers from the Layered Wildflowers die set that was recently released.  I used various colored cardstocks from my stash and have linked the available products below.

The sentiments are from the Sending Smiles Stamp & Die set.  This set has one stamp to stamp all the sentiments  at once with a die to cut them all out at once!  I love that!

This card is so sweet for sending to someone to let them know you are here for them!  It was nice and easy to make too!  Be sure to check out the details for the Club Kits to see what you might like!

Thanks so much for stopping by!

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Hello, Beautiful!! A Dramatic Heat Embossed Card

Hello, crafty friends!  Today I decided to go with a rich dark colored cardstock for a dramatic look to use as a background for Honey Bee Stamps beautiful Lovely Layers: Topiary.  I used their Always and Forever red rubber stamp to add a subtle heat embossed background!  Read on for the details!

First I chose a dark teal blue cardstock and placed an A2 size piece into my stamp positioner. I used an anti-static powder over the cardstock. Then I inked up the Always and Forever background stamp with clear embossing ink and stamped it onto the teal cardstock.

For this card I used some white satin pearl embossing powder. If you don't have that, a clear embossing powder would also be beautiful. After I poured the powder over the stamped image, I used my heat tool to set the powder.

After the panel had cooled off, I cut it out with the coordinating Always and Forever die. I found an ink that was about the same color and used a blender brush to darken the edges of the die cut piece. I glued this to an A2 sized panel of teal cardstock, and then to an A2 card base.

I die cut all of the pieces of the Lovely Layers: Topiary from white cardstock except for the top layer of the planter. I die cut that from a scrap of the same teal cardstock I used before. It was easy to use blender brushes and various ink colors to quickly color the layers of the topiary. I love how the bright yellow of the lemons and bow contrast with the green and teal!

The sentiment is one that is in the So Special stamp set. There are so many wonderful sentiments in the set, I had a hard time deciding which one I wanted to use. LOL. I cut the stamped sentiment out with the coordinating So Special die.

The topiary and the sentiment are all popped up with foam tape. I wanted that lift so the teal planter would not blend into the background so much.

There are several other dies in the Lovely Layers: Topiary for more options other than the lemons.  You can choose two more planters, a different style leafy topper along with pears, flowers, and oranges!  Be sure to check it out!  I hope you are having a wonderful week and I so appreciate you stopping by my blog!

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You Are So Special To Me -- Framed English Cottage Scene

Hello crafty friends! Today I'm sharing my card that features the beautiful English Cottage stamp and the Lovely Layers: Bird Bath Honey Cuts from the new Honey Bee Stamps Cottage Countryside release.

The idea I had in my mind was to create a scene with the English Cottage as a background for the Bird Bath. My original thought was to just stamp the cottage in one subtle color as a background. But I decided to go with light colors and use my markers color the stamped image.

Once I decided to color the English Cottage I stamped it with Lost Shadow Distress Ink. This was much easier to use than one of the no-line coloring inks since it is darker than those. I think I still achieved a no-line coloring fairly well, do you? I used lots of lighter colors and a kind of "loose" coloring technique. This made my coloring session fun and relaxing without any stress!

Here's the Copic marker colors I used for the main areas:

• Cottage: W4, W3, W1, W0, W00
• Stones: T5, T3, T2, T0
• Path: E44, E43, E42, E41
• Vines/bushes on and around cottage: G94, YG61, G24, G20
• Background trees, grass: YG67, G07, YG17, YG25, YG03
• Door, windows: BG23, BG11, BG10
• Purple flowers: BV11, BV000, BV00
• Bird bath: C3, C1, C00
• Birds: E59, E57, E55, E53, E51

Next I die cut the Wood Frame Builder dies three times from white cardstock. I glued the layers together and then glue them to my colored English Cottage scene, and glued the panel to an A2 card base.

I die cut the Lovely Layers: Bird Bath dies from white cardstock. After I colored the bath and the birds with my markers, I used glue to adhere the layers together.

Then I added a bit of foam to the back of the Bird Bath to adhere it to the card. I used glue to attach the birds at the top of the bird bath.

The sentiment is from the new So Special stamp set. I adore all of these sentiments! After I chose one and stamped it with black ink, I cut it out with the coordinating die. I added a few pieces of foam strips to adhere the sentiment at the bottom of the card.

I really hope this inspired you to try this idea for a background with the English Cottage. The coloring is really fun--just don't stress and be loose with your coloring and it will be fantastic!

Thank you so much for stopping by today! I hope you are having a wonderful week with lots of crafty time!

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