TGIF Challenge #520 - Sketch

It’s Friday … which means it’s TGIF Challenge Time!!

Ohhhhh how I wish I were at the beach … ANY beach! (Well, except what “passes” as a beach out my the Great Salt Lake … not only can you pick up a piece of it and throw it like a frisbee, but it also STINKS and is swarming in brine flies! YUCK!)

The new Notes & Totes Bundle sure puts me in the mood for some beach time! It’s this little tote bag just the most ADORABLE thing EVER??

I used one of the Glass & Garden embossing folders to add texture to the bag itself. The small 3D Corrugated Embossing Folder was used on the Midnight Muse background panel along with a light brushing over from the Wink of Stella pen! Pretty!

I used the same floral image from the Notes & Totes stamp to add pattern to the Basic Beige panel as well as the scarf tied to the handle of the bag and the cute Flirty Glamingo water bottle.

Those sunglasses, though! Eeeeep! I love them! I also added a little Wink of Stella to the lenses on those sunglasses to add some reflection. I can’t get over it!

Don’t you just wanna pick up this bag, get in the car and GO??!??

Stamps:  Notes & Totes

Paper:  Coastal Cabana, Flirty Flamingo, Midnight Muse, Pecan Pie, Basic Beige

Ink: Coastal Cabana, Flirty Flamingo, Midnight Muse, Pecan Pie, Basic Beige

Accessories: Notes & Totes Dies, Glass & Garden 3D Embossing Folder, Mini Corrugated 3D Embossing Folder, Loose Frosted Dots

Okay … April?? We are already in APRIL??? I just can’t even wrap my brain around that! Two more weeks until the Salt Lake Half … I think I’ll be ready!

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 - Cake Celebrations

Welcome back for another fun round of beautiful projects from the Monday Montage crew! I have said it before and I will say it again … these ladies are ridiculously talented and I am grateful to learn from them and count them as my friends.

I’m trying really hard to use new (to me!) color combos … I seem to get stuck in my favorite “tried and true” combos and let a lot of other lovely cardstock in my stash go neglected! I need to work on that more! Actually, one of my favorite colors of all time in Stampin’ Up history is Early Espresso. I used to use it all the time on just about every project! It has been sadly neglected, so I decided to pair it up with another one of my newer favorites, Lemon Lolly! It’s the perfect, lovely shade of yellow!  I struggled on deciding what colors to use for the flowers and leaves … I ultimately went with Flirty Flamingo, Calypso Coral and Granny Apple Green (which I also LOVE!).

I used my Stampin’ Blends a lot on this card … just not for actual coloring! I have been doing a lot of “flicking” of color from the tips of those pens lately (you need to do it carefully so as not to break down the tips of the markers). You just take the tip of the marker and flick it from the inside of the markers cap toward the paper where you want it to land. I used the Dark Lemon Lolly Stampin’ Blends to add spots to the Lemon Lolly cardstock that the cake layers are made from. I also used this same technique to color the white background behind the cake - I used Pecan Pie and Calypso Coral. I love how tasty it makes the background look! If you look VERY closely you will see that I used some Wink of Stella on the chocolate ganache dripping from the tops of both tiers of cake!

One again I need to sing the praised of the Everyday Arches Dies … I shall struggle NOT to use them on every single card I make!

Stamps: Cake Celebrations

Paper: Lemon Lolly, Early Espresso, Calypso Coral, Granny Apple Green, Basic White

Ink: Calypso Coral, Flirty Flamingo, Granny Apple Green; Stampin’ Blends - Dark Lemon Lolly, Dark Calypso Coral, Light Pecan Pie

Accessories: Everyday Arches Dies, Cake Celebrations Dies, Dotted Circles 3D Embossing Folder, Ombe Matte Decorative Dots

Have a happy week!

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!

Linked Together

Holy moley! I am AT LAST playing with all the Linked Together Bundle parts and I am OBSESSED!!

The bundle comes with stamps, dies and decorative masks … so I decided to use some of ALL of the parts!

I started by using one of the Decorative Masks and some Soft Sea Foam ink (I honestly don’t know WHY I don’t use this color all the time … it’s beautiful!). I then used some Country Woods DSP and cut the lattice die from. The flowers and leaves were cut from more dies in the Linked Together Dies. I had lots of fun cutting and layering flowers in Basic White, Lemon Lolly and Pool Party.

I used some Ombré Matte Decorative Dots (Pool Party) as the centers in the fanciest of the layered flowers I made. Do you see the three little Pool Party dots on the upper outside curve of the sentiment panel? Those were some of the centers that were cut from the little Pool Party flowers I had cut. The cute centers were sitting on my table and they looked sooo fun … I just had to use them!!

I stamped the two styles of sentiments on Basic White cardstock and they just fussy cut around them and adhered them to the Soft Sea Form Oval Die I had cut.for the sentiment panel.

Stamps: Linked Together

Paper: Soft Sea Foam, Pool Party, Lemon Lolly, Basic White, Country Woods DSP

Ink: Soft Sea Foam, Pool Party

Accessories: Linked Together Dies, Linked Together Decorative Masks, Ombe Matte Decorative Dots

Getting closer to the Salt Lake City Half Marathon Run as a member of the Huntsman Heroes Running Team (it’s April 26)! LOVE running with my team and raising money for cancer research!

Along These Lines

My head is still spinning from all the lovely new things I saw when I was at OnStage a few weeks ago. I actually won the COOLEST new set and am sharing it with you today … it’s called “Along These Lines”.

I’ve had this idea in my head for DAYS! The embossing folder that I paired with the lovely rose … which I stamped and colored with some Stampin’ Blends (Poppy Parade and Smoky Slate) is one of a set of two called in the Glass & Gardens Embossing Folders. It is PERFECT with the rose, don’t ya think?? 

I cut the leaves using the Country Flowers Dies.

Stamps: Along These Lines, Country Flowers (sentiment)

Paper: Smoky Slate, Basic White

Ink: Black Memento, Versamark; Stampin’ Blends - Light and Dark Poppy Parade, Light and Dark Smoky Slate

Accessories: Perennial Postage Dies, Stylish Shapes Dies, Country Flowers Dies, Glass & Gardens Embossing Folders, Black & Very Vanilla 3/8” Large Check Ribbon, White Embossing Powder, Adhesive Backed Sparkle Gems

There are several other great images in this stamp set … I can’t wait to play with the rest!

TGIF Challenge #518 - Inspiration Challenge

Happy TGIF!! This week we are using this beautiful photo with flowers and butterflies as an inspiration. LOVE it!

Lucky me! I just happened to have this card done and ready to go! While we were at OnStage in Raleigh a couple of weeks ago, the former and current Artisan Design Team Members who were in attendance decided to do a swap … and this is the card I swapped!

It was so wonderful to spend time with these ridiculously-talented and lovely humans! I got some A-MAZ-ING cards at the swap … and lots of hugs and photos!

Stamps:  Elements of Text, Beautiful Butterflies

Paper:  Basic White, Granny Apple Green, Summer Splash, Bubble Bath

Ink: Black Memento, Summer Splash, Granny Apple Green, Bubble Bath

Accessories: Spotlight On Nature Dies, Perennial Postage Dies, Beautiful Butterflies 3D Embossing Folder, Black and Very Vanilla 3/8” Large Check Ribbon, Adhesive Backed Trio

I think the Beautiful Butterflies 3D Embossing Folder is sooooo pretty! It adds the perfect dimension!

What do you think?? I plan on digging into my craft room and trying to undig my table and find my floor!

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 - Sunrise Sailing

Who doesn’t love to play with new toys??!!? I was able to preorder a number of things that will be featured in the upcoming 2025-2025 Stampin’ Up Annual Catalog. I think I’m in LOVE!

Using both the positive and negative pieces I cut using the Everyday Arches Dies to create two fun cards. The light blue cardstock is actually one of the new upcoming In Colors … it’s called Cloud Cover and it’s so pretty! The ink pads had a formula problem so I used Balmy Blue to make the stripes on the sailboats sails. 

The embossing folder in the Sunrise Sailing Bundle is sooooo lovely … there’s actually a sailboat in the middle of it that you can’t see because I used a stamped image instead. Can’t wait to play with it!

Stamps: Sunrise Sailing

Paper:  Basic White, Secret Sea, Smoky Slate, Cloud Cover

Ink: Secret Sea, Balmy Blue; Stampin’ Blends - Night of Navy

Accessories: Sunrise Sailing Dies, Everyday Arches Dies, Sunrise Sailing 3D Embossing Folder, 2025-2027 In Color Flat Dots

The dimension of the arches together with the embossing folder is sooooo good!

I also sponged the bottom edges of the clouds with my new FAVORITE color coming with the 2025-2027 In Colors … it’s called Secret Sea. It’s a beautiful, deep rich dark blue color.

I also used my Night of Navy Stampin’ Blends to ‘flick” some ink on the backgrounds of both cards … I love the affect, don’t you!

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!

TGIF Challenge #517

Last week spending time with my Stampin’ Up friends was A-MAZ-ING!! They are truly some of the best people I know and I am very blessed to have so many dear friends! I still feel like I’m on overdrive, but after this weekend things should get a little more stable!

We all got to bring home LOTS of fun and pretty new goodies that will be coming out in the 2025-2026 Annual Catalog. Plus, I came home and ordered even MORE things … so I have a lot to play with!

A-hem … the dies from the Impressions Abloom Bundle are just incredible! This week for the TGIF Challenge hop we are doing “bold backgrounds” … could I have GONE any bolder??? (I said that it my best “Chandler” voice … iykyk!)! I incorporated a couple of the new In Colors for 2025-2027 as well … Darling Ducking (the darker yellow) and a welcome back to Strawberry Slush (the darker pink!)! 

I’m doing a happy dance!!

Stamps: Notes & Totes

Paper:  Basic White, Granny Apple Green, Darling Duckling, Lemon Lolly, Strawberry Slush, Flirty Flamiingo

Ink: Strawberry Slush

Accessories: Impressions Abloom Dies, Strawberry Slush and Pretty in Pink Gems, White Baker’s Twine

See what I mean??? The little frame die (also from Impressions Abloom … I used every single die in that set on this!)! is my new favorite thing!

Check back in the next few days … I have more things to share from the new catalog! Squuuueeee!!

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 - Blue Butterflies

I will be heading to meet up with a whole BUNCH of my Stampin’ Up buddies starting on Wednesday this week … and I am soooo not ready (just with the stuff I need to do BEFORE I leave!)!

I did actually get a card made for this week’s Monday Montage, though! So I consider that a good thing!

Beautiful Butterflies … what’s NOT to love??? I think my favorite part of this card is the strip of Lemon Lolly with the stamped butterfly wings on it. Such a pretty image to use!

I also rubbed the Azure Afternoon cardstock layer with a sponge and ink after I used the Forever Plaid 3D Embossing Folder. Love me some dimension!

Stamps: Beautiful Butterflies, Elements of Text

Paper:  Basic White, Night of Navy, Azure Afternoon, Lemon Lolly, Balmy Blue

Ink: Night of Navy, Azure Afternoon, Lemon Lolly

Accessories: Spotlight On Nature Dies, Perennial Postage Dies, Forever Plaid 3D Embossing Folder, White 3/8” Frayed Grosgrain, Ombré Matte Decorative Dots

Is there such a thing as too many layers??? I think not!

Wish me luck on getting my act pulled together before I leave! I reaaaaaallly am going to love some “down and crafty” time with my Stampin’ friends … it’s been too long!

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!

TGIF Challenge #515 - Color Challenge

Hey y’all! I have MISSED creating with paper! The last month to 6 weeks has been absolutely INSANE!! Two trips out of town (where I mostly cooked for crowds and watched littlest), a wedding (for a friend … for which I did cake, announcements, wedding favors, decorating) and a bout of what I think was Norovirus I am ready to take an ACTUAL vacation! Luckily, I have a couple on the books coming up pretty soon!

This week’s TGIF Challenge is all about color … Summer Splash, Fresh Freesia and Granny Apple Green! I LOVE this combo! It’s so fresh and evokes some spring, don’t ya think??

I used the Linked Together masks to create the background. They are super fun! I also used the Perennial Postage Dies and Beautiful Butterflies Dies to create the focal point.

I realized after I initially posted this that one of my little butterflies is actually made with Petunia Pop and NOT Fresh Freesia! (I did, however, use Fresh Freesia ink in my background! Whoops!!)

Stamps: Beautiful Butterflies

Paper:  Basic White, Apple Green, Fresh Freesia, Summer Splash

Ink: Granny Apple Green, Fresh Freesia, Summer Splash

Accessories: Beautiful Butterflies Dies, Perennial Postage Dies, Linked Together Masks, 1/2” White Woven Ribbon, Blooming Pearls

See that pretty ribbon? It’s 1/2” White Woven Ribbon that I colored using the Light Granny Apple Green Stampin’ Blend Marker. It picked up the color so quickly and evening … I adore how it came out!

Today is March 7 … and it snowed about 6” last night!! Seriously??!!?? We’ve had more snow in the last month than we have had ALL winter!! Sheesh!!

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!

Monday Montage and Stampin’ Fancy Friday Together

I canNOT seem to get my act together! Every time I think I’m getting a handle on things something ELSE happens! (Isn’t that just how life goes sometimes!) I am sharing a card this week that I originally did for the Stampin’ Fancy Friday Team … and then never posted! UGH!!! So today it is time to share with all y’all here to see the Monday Montage fun!

I did this right after Christmas. And I was honestly worried that it was too Christmas-y (at least the colors). But, once again, the Fruit Salad DSP came to the rescue (you guys seriously NEED some of this stuff!)! I did a combo of two sets of dies on this one … “For the Books” (isn’t the tassel die just the CUTEST thing EVER??!!?) and “Linked Together”.

I pretty much did my own thing for the background on the focal point … strips of Granny Apple Green on a Basic Black background … easy peasy! The sentiment was stamped on a little scrap I had that I just tore the end off of.

Stamps: For the Books

Paper:  Basic White, Basic Black, Real Red, Granny Apple Green,, Fruit Salad 6”x6” DSP (Sale-a-Bration)

Ink: Versamark

Accessories: For the Books Dies, Linked Together Dies, Starstruck Embossing Folder, Black and Very Vanilla Large Checked Ribbon, Blooming Pearls

The Starstruck Embossing Folder is fast becoming my new fave … it seems to go with EVERYthing! (And don’t even get me started on the Black and Very Vanilla Large Checked Ribbon!)

This has been the WEIRDEST winter EVER! We have had hardly ANY snow (only had it stick a handful of times) and it was in the 50’s over the weekend! The mountains nearby have gotten a goodly amount, but I have to admit I have missed having a really good snowstorm this year!

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!