A Valentine For My Pen Pal

 

 I made this for my pen pal, Olivia. She is the sweetest, brightest, funny little girl who loves to do - well,  everything. She is a bright spot in my heart. I have only met her once when I visited friends I haven't seen in 25 years. She is the granddaughter of these friends.  I love to send her cards. This one came together largely from things in the snippets box and other neglected stuff!

Project Details
Stamps/Dies	Essentials By Ellen All Inside Essentials By Ellen Bear Wear 2 Paper Smooches Love SU Real Red
Cardstock	110lb. Neenah Solar Crest 80lb. Neenah Solar Crest SSS 6x6 White Glitter Paper
Ink	Memento Tuxedo Black Memento London Fog VersaFine Claire Nocturne Various DO Inks
Embellishments
Other	MFT Drifts & Hills Stencil Alcohol Ink & Watercolor Snippets Spellbinders Platinum Plus Scor-Pal Score Board Fiskars 12" SureCut Deluxe Craft Paper Trimmer MISTI Stamping Tool My Sweet Petunia Precision Glue Press SU Dimensionals

I'm playing at:

Color Hues #103 - Pink & Red Collaboration

Inkspirational Challenge 334 - Red & Pink

Color Throwdown #826

Neglected Stuff Challenge Kick-Off 

Bear Wear Stamps & Dies. Love Die, die cuts

Wishing You Joy

 

Time Out Challenge #282 opens today. We have a special Photo Challenge where the inspiration photo is is a picture of the prize for our challenge winner.   

We are generously sponsored by Kim Heggins.  Kim is a former Time Out DT Member and owner of Running Stitch Designs, Kim's ETSY Store from which she sells her marvelous handmade bags. For this special yearly challenge, Kim's handmade bag is both the inspiration AND the prize. 

Running Stitch Designs

We are joined by Arlene Rose of Sundaystamper Papercrafts, and winner of Time Out #277 as our Guest Designer. Meet Arlene and check out her awesome Guest Designer creation on the Time Out Challenge Blog.

My design is totally inspired by Michele Ferguson's cards in THIS post. She was inspired to try this by a friend who saw a post with a card made with this design... and I followed suit. Click HERE for a link to the original tutorial by Debbie Henderson. I did have some difficulty with the measurements, and it took me way too long to get it "publishable", but in the end I love the design and am glad I did it. It's easy to see that I took the fabric colors in Kim's bag and went from there.

 Please head on over to the Time Out Challenge Blog where you can see what Arlene and the rest of the Design Team has created for your inspiration. Come play with us!

Project Details
Stamps/Dies	Sunny Studio Holiday Style Stamps Pinkfresh Studio Folk Edge Circles
Cardstock	110lb. Neenah Solar Crest 80lb. Neenah Solar Crest Memory Box Poinsettia Garland 6x6 paper pad Waffle Flower Seasons Greetings 4 1/4x5 1/2  paper pad
Ink	Versa Claire
Embellishments	Hero Arts Felt Poinsettias & Leaves Pinkfresh Studio Metallic Pearls
Other	WOW Clear Embossing Powder Spellbinders Platinum Plus Scor-Pal Score Board Fiskars 12" SureCut Deluxe Craft Paper Trimmer MISTI Stamping Tool My Sweet Petunia Precision Glue Press SU Dimensionals

Im also playing at:

Love Those Pretty Papers February 2025

Krafty Chicks Challenge #755 - Christmas

Tic Tac Toe #263

Center Vertical Column

You Have My Heart

 A Valentine for my son Jon, made with scraps and other bits and pieces . I had this wonderful scrap of paper that was the perfect size for a top folding card front. I placed it over the panel of embossed stitched hearts (thanks again, Michele) and I ran it through my Platinum Plus. It came out perfectly! I had the die cut sentiment waiting for a place to live, and I thought it looked so great here. So simple. I love when big sentiments work like this.

Project Details
Stamps/Dies	SSS You Have My Heart Wafer Die
Cardstock	110lb. Neenah Solar Crest 80lb. Neenah Solar Crest Echo Park 6x6 Love Notes Paper Pad SSS 6x6 White Glitter Cardstock
Ink
Embellishments
Other	American Craft Stitched Love Spun Embossing Folder Spellbinders Platinum Plus Scor-Pal Score Board Fiskars 12" SureCut Deluxe Craft Paper Trimmer My Sweet Petunia Precision Glue Press

I'm playing at:

Word Power February 2025

Double D Hearts Challenge

A Valentine For My Orange Loving Friend

 This is a Valentine for someone very close to my heart who has a thing about the color orange. I pulled out my Waffle Flower Postage Collage stencils, stamps & die and went to Orangetown. The photo does not do the gold Lunar Paste diamonds justice, but they look marvelous IRL!

Project Details
Stamps/Dies	Waffle Flower Postage Collage Love Stamp Set & Postage Collage Blocks Die
Cardstock	110lb. Neenah Solar Crest 80lb. Neenah Solar Crest
Ink	VersaFine Onyx Black Various Distress Oxide Inks
Embellishments	Ranger Simon Hurley Gold Rush Lunar Paste
Other	Waffle Flower Postage Collage Rose Stencil  Postage Collage Coloring StencilSpellbinders Platinum Plus Scor-Pal Score Board Fiskars 12" SureCut Deluxe Craft Paper Trimmer MISTI Stamping Tool My Sweet Petunia Precision Glue Press Spellbinders Foam Squares

I'm playing at:

Festive Friday #FF0177 - Valentines

red, gold, hearts, love sentiment

Simon Says Stamp Wednesday Challenge

Love Is In The Air

February 2025 Stencil Fun Challenge

There's No One Quite Like You

It's time for a new challenge at Time Out! Challenge #281 opens today and runs through February 12. It is a "Pick 2" challenge, which is a new challenge type in our rotation. With each of our "Pick 2" challenges, there will be 6 different inspiration cues to choose from to create your project.  Incorporate 2 of the items in your project and link up to our gallery! You may use more than 2, but you must use at least 2 and you must state in your post which 2 (or more) inspired your project.

We are generously sponsored by Newton's Nook with a $25.00 store credit as a prize for our challenge winner as chosen by the Design Team.

We are joined by Marcia  of Marcia's Stampin' Pad, and winner of Time Out #276 as Guest Designer. Check our Marcia's wonderful card on the Time Out Challenge Blog.

I am in Valentine mode. This one is for my son, Greg. He has special powers and he is one of my favorite humans along with his twin brother. There will be a valentine coming for him too, but this one is first. I love the way it turned out. My chosen words are love, heart, layer and stitch.

Project Details
Stamps/Dies	PinkFresh Studio Stitched Scallop Rectangle Dies Waffle Flower A2 Layers Dies SSS Tiny Words Encouragement
Cardstock	110# Neenah Solar Crest 80# Neenah Solar Crest 80# Neenah Desert Storm
Ink	Distress Oxide Inks: Spin Sugar, Worn Lipstick, Festive Berries
Embellishments
Other	SSS Tumbling Outline Hearts Stencil American Craft Stitched Love Spun Embossing Folder Spellbinders Platinum Plus Scor-Pal Score Board Fiskars 12" SureCut Deluxe Craft Paper Trimmer MISTI Stamping Tool My Sweet Petunia Precision Glue Press Scor-Pal Score Tape-1/8" Waffle Flower 1/16" Foam Squares

I'm also playing at:

Krafty Chicks Challenge #753 - Anything Goes

Simon Says Stamp Monday Challenge - Have a Heart

Stencil Fun Challenge January 2025

AAA Colorful #12

Feathery Pine Merry Christmas

 

I ordered some things from Simon Says Stamp recently, breaking my moratorium on buying new craft supplies 😆😂😅 shortly after January 1st. One of the items was this fabulous Feathery Pines 3D embossing folder. Tina Smith of Cards and Coffee Time created one of the inspiration projects for this product. When I saw it, I immediately thought of the current Color Hues Challenge, and decided to use the coloring technique Tina used and make my own version. You can check out Tina's project HERE. 

Project Details
Stamps/Dies	Poppystamps Lavish Merry Christmas Die
Cardstock	110lb. Neenah Solar Crest 80lb. Neenah Solar Crest SU Night of Navy Waffle Flower Season's Greetings Patterned Paper
Ink	Copic markers: B14, 16, 18; YG21, 23, 25
Embellishments	Sequin stars (unknown origin)
Other	SSS Feathery Pines 3D Embossing Folder Spellbinders Platinum Plus Scor-Pal Score Board Fiskars 12" SureCut Deluxe Craft Paper Trimmer My Sweet Petunia Precision Glue Press Spellbinders Foam Squares Twine (unknown origin)

I am also playing at:

Anything Goes With a Twist of a 3D Folder

Inkspirational #333

Just Add Ink #734 - Something New

NBUS #70

SSS Feathery Pines EF & Poppystamps Lavish Merry Christmas Die

It's January. Let's Go Somewhere!

It's time for a new challenge at Time Out! Challenge #280 opens today and runs through January 29. It is an "Inspired By" challenge which is a new challenge type in our rotation. With each of our "Inspired By" challenges this year, the title will be "Inspired by your favorite...". This time we want you to be inspired by one or more of your favorite things to do in January and to reflect it in your project. 

Think about an activity you enjoy where you live: a sport, beverage, hobby, place to go, things to read, music to play... It can also be someplace you like to travel to for something you can't do where you live... For example, our southern hemisphere players might wish to go skiing in the Alps and our northern hemisphere players may want to go lie on a beach in the Caribbean... you get the picture. Please be sure to explain your choice in your post.

We are generously sponsored by Lawn Fawn with a $25.00 store credit as a prize for our challenge winner as chosen by the Design Team.

We are joined by Verena Shapiro of simple_stamper on Instagram, and winner of Time Out #275 as Guest Designer. Verena's cards are wonderful, simple and clever. Treat yourself to a stroll through her Instagram for some fabulous inspiration.

My favorite thing to do in January is to go somewhere. Anywhere. Just pack up and go! Now, pretty much any time I am going somewhere in January, there will be warmth, sun, crystal blue water, drinks with umbrellas and steel drums. Sadly, I am not going anywhere this January. Life is in the way, but my son is going somewhere, so I made this card with him in mind.

Greg is off to Portland for a conference at which he will present, and then to London from there for a well deserved vacation. This is his first trip to Europe and I am so excited for him. True to form, after he was packed and when he wasn't looking, I stuck a peanut butter and peach jam sandwich in his backpack in case he needed a snack on his cross country flight, along with this card that I made for him. He will love it when he finds it. I used PTI, Paper Smooches and Honey Bee products. They played nicely together.

Project Details
Stamps/Dies	Papertrey Ink Pack Your Suitcase Stamps & Dies Paper Smooches Happy Travels Stamps My Favorite Things Blueprints 33 Dies
Cardstock	110# Neenah Solar Crest 80# Neenah Solar Crest 80# Neenah Desert Storm
Ink	Various PTI inks
Embellishments
Other	Honey Bee Air Mail 3D Embossing Folder Spellbinders Platinum Plus Scor-Pal Score Board Fiskars 12" SureCut Deluxe Craft Paper Trimmer MISTI Stamping Tool My Sweet Petunia Precision Glue Press Scor-Pal Score Tape-1/4" Waffle Flower 1/16" Foam Squares

I'm also playing at:

Can You Handle The Pressure January Challenge

AG with an optional twist: Use a 3D Embossing Folder

Simon Says Stamp Monday Challenge

Add Some Texture