TGIF Challenge #580 - Color Challenge

Isn’t this a STELLAR color combo??? Granny Apple Green is my FAVORITE  SU “green” … and combined with the richness of Night o Navy and the subtlety of Smoky Slate it makes for an amazing outcome! 

Check out the blog challenge here - TGIF Challenge Blog if you’d like to play along.

See what I mean??? This card was created using a 8.5”x5.5” piece of cardstock, scored and folded at the 2.25” mark and the 6.50” mark. I cut a 1” strip from the right side so that it left a gap once the card was folded.

I cut a 1” strip from some Country Woods DSP and placed it inside the card where the gap in the front exposes it. I also added a little trim on the left-hand side using one of the Bordered in Beauty Dies.

I actually cut TWO of the Granny Apple Green elements cut using one of the Lovely Arrangements Dies. I adhered one to the outside/front of the card and the other on the right/inside of the card. This made the element more stable and allowed me to adhere the White Baker’s Twine that I used to act as a closure tie for the whole card.

Stamps: Lovely Arrangements

Paper: Basic White, Smoky Slate, Granny Apple Green, Country Woods DSP

Ink: Night of Navy, Granny Apple Green, Black Memento

Accessories: Lovely Arrangements Dies, Bordered in Beauty Dies, 3D Sunflowers Embossing Folder, White Baker’s Twine, 2025-2027 In Color Flat Pearls

The 3D Sunflowers Embossing Folder provides the perfect background for the flowers, sentiment and diecuts. Isn’t this a fun fold??

How’d we get to the weekend already??? It’s already JUNE and my brain still feels like it’s stuck back in FEBRUARY!

We’d love to have you play along!! You can check us out our blog HERE and Instagram … lots of great inspiration from the rest of the TGIF Crew!

</

TGIF Challenge #579 - For That Special Guy

Here we are again with a challenge that I really NEED to do more of … those masculine, “dude” cards that I always hesitate to make because something else looks way more fun! This week we are making cards “for that special guy”! Perfect, since Father’s Day is upon us!

Check out the blog challenge here - TGIF Challenge Blog if you’d like to play along.

To be honest, I don’t have hardly any (or none, maybe??) masculine sets that are “current” with Stampin, Up. I guess that’s something I’m going to need to remedy soon!

So, I scoured Pinterest for some ideas and this is what I came up with based on some things I had seen.

This card really DOES have 8 layers!! And those colors in the middle 6 layers? Yeah, running that whole stack through my embossing machine was a CHORE1 But I do like how it came out!

I started with a 1” square of Pool Party in the middle, then added the next color beneath each layer by added 1/2” to each layer. 

The branchy piece was cut from vellum using one of the Petals of Beauty Dies.

In the end, I used some little dot embellishments that are actually retired (sad face!) because I just loved how they went with everything.

Stamps: A Family Celebration

Paper: Basic White, Pool Party, Coastal Cabana, Azure Afternoon, Cajun Craze, Early Espresso, Pecan Pie, Crumb Cake, Vellum

Ink: Versamark

Accessories: Perennial Postage Dies, Petals of Beauty Dies, 3D Birch Embossing Folder, White Embossing Powder, Crumb Cake Baker’s Twine, Streaked Dots (retired)

Any cool plans this weekend?? I need to STUDY STUDY STUDY as I am working on getting my Certified Personal Training Certificate and it is a LOT of information!! No wonder I have college nightmares about never going to a class until I have to take the final … SHEESH!

We’d love to have you play along!! You can check us out our blog HERE and Instagram … lots of great inspiration from the rest of the TGIF Crew!

</

Monday Montage - Rolling Waves

New toys to use to play for this week’s Monday Montage! Yay for me!! This week I focused on the new Rolling Waves Bundle!

How perfectly YUMMY are these images???? The waves just make themselves because the dies are just sooooo good! I started with a piece of Pool Party cardstock that I cut out using an Everyday Arches Die. I stamped a couple of images from the Rolling Waves stamps using Coastal Cabana and Azure Afternoon ink. I used a few more dies cut from Basic White and Vellum to add the wave foam … and a little Crumb Cake and Petal Pink cardstock to cut out a few shell dies that I then sponged the edges …

I ran the bottom two layers of Petal Pink and Basic White cardstock through the So Swirly Embossing Folder at the same time after I had cut them from graduated sizes of additional Everyday Arches Dies. Added a couple of umbrella and stamped a little sand here and there and called it good!

I borrowed a die from Lovely 

Arrangements Dies to cut the sentiment I had stamped from the Rolling Waves Stamps. 

Stamps: Rolling Waves

Paper: White, Petal Pink, Crumb Cake, Pool Party, Calypso Coral, Azure Afternoon, Vellum

Ink: Coastal Cabana, Petal Pink, Crumb Cake, Pool Party

Accessories: Rolling Waves Dies, Lovely Arrangement Dies (for Sentiment), Everyday Arches Dies, So Swirly Embossing Folder, Muted Palette Dots

Doesn’t this just make ya wanna go to the beach and put your toes in the sand and water??? I love collecting shells, too! Let’s go! Who’s in??

Our Monday Montage Hop has gone exclusively to Instagram! You can check it out by finding me @tinkermom85. From there you will be able to find all of my Monday Montage Friends, too!

Stampin’ Fancy Friday - Color Challenge

Favorite colors never really retire, do they? For this month’s Stampin’ Fancy Friday Challenge, we were asked to create with our favorite Stampin’ Up! colors — current or retired — and I couldn’t resist bringing back one of my longtime favorites: Mango Melody 

I paired this bright retired beauty with images and dies from the Bordered in Beauty Bundle to create layers of fluttering butterflies, texture, and contrast. The bold black details against that warm pop of Mango Melody make me happy every time I see it!

Sometimes those retired colors still deserve a little extra love and a chance to shine again. 

I used a blending brush to spread some Mango Melody ink on the background … along with a little splattering.

Overall, this card is pretty simple. Butterflies are my favorite, so I just let them steal the show!

Stamps: Bordering on Beauty, Extraordinary Life

Paper: Basic White, Basic Black, Mango Melody

Ink: Black Memento, Mango Melody, Versamatk

Accessories: Bordering on Beauty Dies, Extraordinary Life Dies, White Embossing Powder, Black Baler’s Twine, Black Sparkle Dots (retired)

Check out all the fun things created by the Stampin’ Fancy Friday Challenge Team on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/stampinfancyfriday/!!!

Lovely Arrangements

This card features two new products I absolutely LOOOOVE - the Eyelet Blooms Die (which is a Product of the Month for April, but is still available), and the Lovely Arrangements Dies/Stamps Bundle.

Putting them together was kind of a no brainer …

I crumpled up the Lovely Arrangements die cutout that I did in Pool Party, and then used my Stampin’ Blends to flick some Coastal Cabana onto it. I love the weathered look of that with the crisp look of the flowers and Eyelet Blooms background. This just screams some happy spring to me!!

Stamps: Lovely Arrangements

Paper: Basic White, Lemon Lolly, Pool Party, Peaceful Pine

Ink: Black Memento, Peaceful Pine; Stampin’ Blends - Pool Party, Daffodil Delight, Coastal Cabana

Accessories: Lovely Arrangements Dies, Eyelet Blooms Die, White Baker’s Twine, 2025-2027 In Color Flat Pearls

After completing the Mt. Charleston Half and Salt Lake Half in April, and the Zion Trail Ragnar Race along with the Ogden Half in May, I am happy that the hardest part of my running season is done. However, I won’t surprise myself if I squeeze another race or two in here somewhere before summer is over! Heck, I may even do one or two in the fall … so I guess that means it’s really NOT over???

TGIF Challenge #577 - Theme Challenge

I don’t send nearly enough thank you cards … how about you?? I think letter writing, in general, is a lost art. I was at my book group last night and we were reviewing “The Correspondent” by Virginia Evans. The entire book is made up of letters and emails to and from the main character (LOVED it!). I decided I am going to be better about sending actual mail to people!

This week we are focusing on “thank you” cards. Let’s get to it!

Check out the blog challenge here - TGIF Challenge Blog if you’d like to play along.

I have to say that Hydrangea Hue is my new favorite SU color. This picture doesn’t really do it the justice it deserves … it’s GORGEOUS!

I haven’t done anything with acetate (window sheets) in FOREVER, so I decided to make a “window” card.

I cut a piece of window sheet to 4”x5.25”. I embossed it using the 3D Eyelet Embossing Folder (YES, you CAN embossing window sheet!) and placed it behind the opening I created using one of the Everyday Arches Dies.

\

As I was diecutting the flowers using the “Help Me Grow” Dies, a few landed on my card front … and I was smitten! I cut lots of little Hydrangea Hue flowers and glued them to the card front to give it a 3D sort of effect. SO pretty!

I also sponged the edges of the leaves on the plant with a little bit of white ink …

I added a smaller, white arch diecut to the inside of the card for adding a message … I love how this one turned out!

Stamps: Help Me Grow

Paper: Basic White, Hydrangea Hue, Crisp Cantaloupe, Perfect Pine, Cajun Craze, Window Sheet

Ink: Crisp Cantaloupe, White Craft

Accessories: Help Me Grow Dies, Everyday Arches Dies, Phrases & Frames Dies (for the sentiment), 3D Eyelet Embossing Folder, 2026-2028 In Color Butterflies, Linen Thread

I have several people that could use a thank you card in my life … going to send some out this weekend!

We’d love to have you play along!! You can check us out our blog HERE and Instagram … lots of great inspiration from the rest of the TGIF Crew!

</

Monday Montage - Scalloped Wishes

Yay for Monday Montage! And YAY for leftover bits and bobs from cards gone by … this week I made a card using some things I had leftover from another card I made a while back. Don’t you just love leftovers??? I do (especially the kinds you eat!!)!

I have had the little dragonfly and the small Lemon Lolly flowers leftover from a card I made a couple of months back. I HATE to throw away good little bits, so I was VERY happy to use them again.

I used a Daffodil Delight Stampin’ Blend to splatter the flowers. To make the card more cohesive, after I using my Simple Scored Tool to created the background I used a Blending Brush with Lemon Lolly ink and splattered the result with the Daffodil Delight Stampin’ Blend as well.

I also dropped a few water droplets on the background, too! Very boho, don’t you think??

The frames dies from the Scalloped Wishes bundle are SOOOO good! It’s hard to mess up your card if you use them.

And then, of course, I added the 2026-2028 In Color Butterflies and some Linen Thread to finish it off. Not my usual color scheme, but I think I like it!

Stamps: Scalloped Wishes

Paper: White, Balmy Blue, Lemon Lolly, Golden Glow, Early Espresso

Ink: Lemon Lolly, Balmy Blue, Golden Glow; Stampin’ Blends - Daffodil Delight

Accessories: Scalloped Wishes Dies, 2026-2028 In Color Butterflies, Linen Thread, Simply Scored Tool

Running season is in full swing! I ran the Zion Trail Ragnar race this past weekend (it’s a BEAST, but I’ve done it at least 5 times now, so I must love it!). Next week? The Ogden Half Marathon!

Our Monday Montage Hop has gone exclusively to Instagram! You can check it out by finding me @tinkermom85. From there you will be able to find all of my Monday Montage Friends, too! And this week we are welcoming Anja Beckmann to the team … you can follow her @1stampingnightowl!

TGIF Challenge #575 - Color Challenge

Who doesn’t love a good ol’ color challenge??? This one is so fun!

Check out the blog challenge here - TGIF Challenge Blog if you’d like to play along.

I thought about this card longer than it actually took me to make it!

Ya know what it’s like when you stare at stamps and paper and try to will them into crating themselves??? Yeah … this one took me a minute. 

The background was created using the little heart image from Capturing Smiles. I also created the Crumb Cake strip using just the small camera image.

\

I thought the longest/hardest about the actual camera … couldn’t decide how I wanted to use the colors from this challenge. I actually like how it turned out, though!

Stamps: Capturing Smiles

Paper: Basic White, Melon Mambo, Coastal Cabana, Crumb Cake

Ink: Melon Mambo, Coastal Cabana, Crumb Cake, Versamark

Accessories: Capturing Smiles Dies, White Embossing Powder, Black Baker’s Twine, Low Profile Sparkle Dots (retired)

Two posts in one day??? What the heck is happening here??? I guess this is what happens when you actually clean your crafty space and make yourself some room to create!

We’d love to have you play along!! You can check us out our blog HERE and Instagram … lots of great inspiration from the rest of the TGIF Crew!

</

Global Design Project #545 - Color Challenge

Spring is HERE! Aren’t these colors just the most fun??? This week the GDP Crew is working with this color challenge - welcome to GDP #545~

Check out the challenge here - Global Design Project if you’d like to play along.

Ohmygosh! I FINALLY got to make some daffodils using the Easter Basket Dies … I want to make them in every color possible!! (To be honest, I have about a dozen more I made just like these that I can use on future creations … I just couldn’t stop!).

The embossed layer was created using the Eyelet 3D Embossing Folder, which I highlighted using a white gel pen.

Stamps: Sweet Words and Labels

Paper: Basic White, Bubble Bath, Strawberry Slush, Granny Apple Green

Ink: Bubble Bath, Versamark; Stampin’ Blends - Melon Mambo, White Gel Pen

Accessories: Sweet Words and Labels Dies, Easter Basket Dies, 3D Eyelet Embossing Folder, Old Olive Baker’s Twine

What do these colors make you think of? What kind of inspiration do you feel from them? I think they are great!

We’d love to have you play along!! You can check us out here on Instagram … you’re gonna LOVE what you see!!

</

Monday Montage - Extraordinary Life

I was perusing some of my favorite stampers over the weekend trying to get some inspiration for this week’s Monday Montage creation … I ended up stepping out of my comfort zone for color combos to come up with something!

Welcome to this week’s Monday Montage Hop!

Isn’t it fun how we can discover things we wouldn’t normally think to put together just by perusing the good ol’ internet?? (Thanks especially to Instagram and Pinterest!)

This color combo was really fun to work with - Petal Pink, Calypso Coral, Pretty Peacock, Brilliant Blue and Balmy Blue … I loved using stamps and dies from the new Extraordinary Life Bundle! I’m not sure what’s it is about a giant ampersand that is so cool, but it is, isn’t it??

The Lasting Linen Background Stamp was the perfect base for all of the elements I use on this card. It always packs a punch while remaining subtle.

The dies in this bundle are absolutely fabulous! I used lots of them and there are still many I didn’t even touch! The sentiment was a die from the Bordering On Beauty Dies (which I am also loving to bits!). All items will be available to order on May 1 … woot!!!

Stamps: Extraordinary Life, Lasting Linen

Paper: Petal Pink, Calypso Coral, Pretty Peacock, Brilliant Blue, Balmy Blue, White

Ink: Petal Pink, Calypso Coral, Balmy Blue; Stampin’ Blends - Calypso Coral

Accessories: Extraordinary Life Dies, Bordering on Beauty Dies, White Baker’s Twine

I ran the Salt Lake Half on Saturday with the Huntsman Heroes Running Team. Running with a sling on your arm is the WORST! Here’s hoping I NEVER have to do that again! At least I finished!!

Our Monday Montage Hop has gone exclusively to Instagram! You can check it out by finding me @tinkermom85. From there you will be able to find all of my Monday Montage Friends, too!