Beary Butterfly -- for Di's Digistamps Challenges

 Happy Saturday!  Saturday is a good day because a new challenge starts on the Di's Digistamp Challenge Blog.  The challenges run for 2 weeks.  The theme for the next 2 weeks is 'Use die cuts &/or Punches'. We love to see Di's images being used, but it's not a requirement.

Di has some new bear images in her shop, and I colored up one of those for today's challenge.  Isn't he Beary sweet? 

This is Beary Butterfly, colored with a combination of Copic and Olo markers. There is a pre-colored version of Beary Butterfly available also. 

After I finished coloring Beary Butterfly, I got to work using die cuts on my card.  I don't have many punches anymore.  I used to have a lot of them, but they took up so much room that I got rid of most all of them.  I cut and backed the Beary Butterfly  image with some old Spellbinders scalloped dies.  The 'Sending Cheer' sentiment is from Pink & Main, and so is the flag backer.  The lacy butterfly was one of the first dies I ever bought.  It is by Cheery Lynn and it's still my favorite of all the butterfly dies I own.   To finish the card off, I stamped an all over dot pattern by Taylored Expressions on the base of the card.

That's it for today's 'Use Die cuts or punches' card.  I hope you can join our challenge.  I'd love to see what you create! 

I'd like to enter this in the following challenges:

Passion for Markers -- for a child

Craft Rocket Challenge -- Animals

Creative Inspirations Challenge -- ATG

Elliebelle's Garden Party -- Anything in or from a garden

Mouse Ahoy! for Di's Digistamps Challenges

 It's Saturday, and it's time for a new challenge at Di's Digistamps Challenges.  The challenge runs for the next 2 weeks.  The theme of the challenge is Summer Fun (include a sun or water or both on your project).  You don't have to use a Di's Digistamps image, but we sure do like to see them when you do. 

I used both a sun and water on my challenge card, and an absolutely darling Di's Digistamps image called Dreamboat Mice.  This is the black & white version.  There is also a pre-colored version. 

I colored Dreamboat Mice with a combination of Copic and Olo markers, then fussy cut the image.  The water was created using 2 dies.  One was part of a rainbow die from Taylored Expressions.  The other was a die from Close To My Heart (retired).  The sun die is from Spellbinders Paper Arts.  The sentiment is from Colorado Stamp Company. 

I hope you can join us these next two weeks for our Summer Fun challenge at Di's Digistamps Challenges. I'd love to see what you create!

Strawberry Season -- for All Dressed Up Stamps

 Hello, fellow crafters, and welcome to August!  A new month means a new challenge in the All Dressed Up Stamps Facebook Group. The challenge starts today and runs all month.  It has the theme of 'Favorite time of the year'.  You must use an All Dressed Up Stamps image to enter. 

I love strawberries and strawberry season!  It's a short season but we make the most of it here in NW WI where I live.  There was numerous places to pick your own berries, various strawberry stands to buy them by the bucket, and a good share of strawberry festivals install towns around here.  We love our berries!  In honoring this special time of year, I colored up and designed with the very cute image, Strawberry Season: 

I colored Strawberry Season with Copic markers, then using nesting oval dies by Hero arts to cut out the image and back her.  The designer strawberry papers are by AMB Illustrations.  Aren't they perfect for this card?  I decided to go 'old school' and add a little ribbon to this.  It's been so long, I forgot where my ribbon was! The 'sweet' sentiment is part of a new set I got from Concord & 9th. 

I hope you can join us this month at All Dressed Up Stamps Facebook Group for our Favorite Time of Year challenge.  I'd love to see your creations! 

Beach Time -- A New Release for All Dressed Up Stamps

 It's the 22nd of the month, and it's my turn to showcase some New Release inspiration for All Dressed Up Stamps.  Every month, Wendy Burns releases 3 new images for our enjoyment.  This month's are all fantastic, of course, but Beach Time is perfect for July and the hot weather we've been having.  It's 90 here today with heat warnings to limit your time outdoors. 

I colored Beach Time with Copic markers.  I found the sentiment in a mermaid set from Newton's Nook.  The seashells and starfish are from a die set by Honey Bee Stamps. The designer background paper is digital and is by AMB Illustrations. 

Check out the All Dressed Up Stamps Facebook group to see the other new release inspiration and the All Dressed Up Stamps blog for even more great makes! 

Prickly Hedgy -- for Di's Digistamps Challenges

 It's Saturday, and it's time for another 2-week challenge at Di's Digistamps Challenges.  For the next 2 weeks, our theme is: Christmas is July.  I should start on my Christmas cards, how about you?  Here's a good excuse to do it!

I colored up the super cute Prickly Hedgy image for today's challenge.  You'll find it available in both a black & white version and a pre-colored version.  I chose the black & white so I could color him with Copic markers. 

After I got Prickly Hedgy colored up, I cut it out and backed it with some torn edge circle dies from my stash. The designer papers are also some really old Christmas papers I've had for many years.  The sentiment is from Taylored expressions.  The leaves and berries dies are from an old set I've had.  (I searched all the old stuff for this card, lol!)

And, there is it, my first Christmas card of 2025. I hope you are inspired to make one of your own and join our challenge this week.  I'd love to see what you create!

I'd like to enter this in the following challenge:

Passion for Markers -- Flowers

Use Stash Items -- a New Challenge at Di's Digistamps Challenges

 It's Saturday, and that means a challenge is underway at Dis Digistamps Challenges. The challenge will run for the next two weeks.  Use a Di's Digistamps image and increase your chances of winning awesome prizes!! She has so many great ones in her Etsy Shop! The theme for the next 2 weeks is 'use stash items'.  Most of us have been crafting long enough we have a serious amount of items in our stash!  This should be an easy challenge!

Di has some new Fairies in her shop, and I decided to use one of those for this challenge.  I chose 'Sleeping Moon Fairy'.  It comes in both black & white and pre-colored, but I chose the black and white version, so I could color it. I also thought it would be fun to make it into a rocking card: 

I colored Sleeping Moon Fairy  with Copic markers, a long-time stash item for me.  Then, I fussy cut her out using my favorite detail scissors from Close To My Heart that I've had for years (so, another stash item).  The circle die she is mounted on is from Hero Arts.  I have many of their nesting dies in my stash and use them all the time. Some of the first dies I ever bought were from Spellbinders.  I thought it only right that I use a Spellbinders die on this project, so the scalloped circle die is from that company.  The sentiment is from one of my favorite companies, Taylored Expressions.  I stamped it, then used the coordinating die to cut it out several times. 

That's my card for the 'Use Stash Items' challenge at Di's Digistamps Challenges. Please join us!  I'd love to see your creations! 

Little Ladybird -- for All Dressed Up Stamps

 July -- a new month, and a new challenge in the All Dressed Up Stamps Facebook Group.  The theme this month is "We Have Wings". The challenge starts today and goes all month.  Enter as many times as you'd like, as long as you use an All Dressed Up Stamps image. 

I have colored up a lot of All Dressed Up Stamps images through the years.  When I can, I try to find something new to challenge myself with.  I found this darling Little Ladybird image and thought, why haven't I ever colored this before? It's been around so long, I had to have Wendy put it back in the shop. But, it sure is sweet!

I colored Little Ladybird with a combination of Copic and Olo markers.  I used some oblong oval dies from Taylored Expressions tout out the Little Ladybird image, back her, and create the shaped card base. Everything else I used to create the card is from Pink & Main:  the cute designer daisy and ladybug paper, the ladybug die cut, the sentiment and the banner it's stamped on, and the little clay ladybugs I glued on here and there on the image and sentiment.

I hope you join us this month for our All Dressed Up Stamps Facebook challenge.  There's also another challenge on the ADU Challenge Blog.  I'd love to see your creations!