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!  

Little Captain -- A New Release at All Dressed Up Stamps

 It's never too early to start teaching children respect, right?  That's what I thought of when I saw this new image from Wendy Burns at All Dressed Up Stamps.  It's one of 3 new releases this month, available in the All Dressed Up Stamps Etsy Shop. 

Here's my take on Little Captain: 

I think this would be a darling "Just like Dad" image for Father's Day, too.

I colored Little Captain with a combination of Copic and Olo markers.  I desperately need to spend a day refilling my Copics, so I fill in with Olo markers where I need to.  

The designer papers are old, old, old.  I remembered I had some patriotic papers from long ago.  The company is Authentique.  Are they still around?  They are from my scrapbooking days.   I cut them out with some stitched dies from Taylored Expressions. The stitched star dies are from Pink & Main. 

You can see more great inspiration from all three cute releases in the All Dressed Up Stamps Facebook group and on the All Dressed Up Challenge blog.  Check it out.  You'll be glad you did! 

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

A Perfect Time to Craft -- ATG

Crafter's Cafe -- Masculine

Send a Smile For Kids --Summer Fun cards 4 Kids

Avenue 613 -- For the Guys

Prickly Friend -- for Di's Digistamps Challenges

 Hello, and happy Saturday!  It's time for a new challenge at Di's Digistamps challenges. The theme for the next 2 weeks is, Show Us Something New (anything new to you). Di has the cutest digis, and although you can enter the challenge without using one of her images, why not look around the store and choose something to treat yourself?  She has both black & white and pre-colored images. 

For the current Show Us Something New challenge, I used the Daisy Hedgy B & W image. 

I colored Daisy Hedgy using mostly Copics, and just a couple Olos on the flower petal. Then, I fussy cut the image out.

To try something new, I placed some stripes of double sided sticky tape on my card panel.  The, I applied foil and ran it through my Mini Minc using no heat.  Just the pressure allowed it to stick to the tape.  I didn't think it would work, but it did!  Woot, woot! 

The sentiment is from a clear sentiment set I often reach for.  It is from Tailored Expressions.  It has dies to cut them out, but this time, I just stamped directly on the card base.  I then attached the base to a mini slim card front that I created. 

I hope you can join us this next 2 weeks for our Show Us Something New challenge.  I'd love to see what you are trying new.  We can learn from each other.

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

Passion for Markers -- Animals

Creative Fingers -- ATG

Lil Patch of Crafty Friends -- ATG

Wishing You a Day of Calm -- for Di's Digistamps Challenges

 Wake up. Take bath.  Read a book.  Stay calm.  Now, that's my idea of the perfect day!  I cannot remember the last time I did it, but I can always dream!  

A new challenge starts today at Di's Digistamps Challenges.  The challenge will run for two weeks, and the theme is 'Animals acting like humans'. Many of us have stamps that fit that category, and Di has a store full of darling images of animals doing human-like things!  Take a look, pick something out, color it up, (or buy pre-colored) and join the challenge. I used Teacup Mouse for my challenge card:

I colored Teacup Mouse using both Olo and Copic markers.  That scene is so sweet, it makes me giggle! I found the sentiment in a set of Spellbinders clear stamps.  Lucky for me it had a backer to cut it out.  The paper behind the sentiment and the scalloped paper are from Pink & Main.  All the other card stock is from Taylored Expressions.  The bubble-like gems are from Concord & 9th. 

I hope you can join us this next 2 weeks.  I would love to see your take on 'Animals acting like humans"!