Minimalist Monday Vibes

Welcome to another edition of Minimalist Monday vibes - trying to keep my design to clean and simple criteria. 

Design inspired by playing along to a couple challenges 

Color Dare challenge #713 colour palette I’ve chosen Soft Sea Foam, 

Fresh Freesia and Lemon Lolly. 

Just Us Girls Anything Goes Stencil week #JUG833 - I’m using a brick stencil.

Getting inky with July POM Begonia Belle and Golden Glow shimmer brush, retired brick stencil and antique pearls along with my colour palette inks. 

Also had a chance to play with my new toy - picked up a sticky mat to keep my project in place while blending or using a stencil. Works way better than painters tape which always seemed to rip my paper when I would lift it off. 

Love the pink & yellow colour combo with this flower. The brick wall stencil lis a nice backdrop and I added some splatters with the Golden Glow shimmer brush and a few pearls. Lovely thank you card ready to go our to someone.

Happy Stampin’

Margaret 

Live, Laugh, Love

Be Totallyawake4-life 

Slimline Sunday

Welcome to another edition of Slimline Sunday! Today’s card was loads of fun to put together.

My card design was inspired by playing along to a couple few challenges:

Stampin’ Up! Only Challenges has a fun sketch which I stretched into a slimline layout. #SUOC406 Loved the big bold scalloped focal point. 

Inspired By challenges has a fun Summer mood board with colour palette. I have chosen to play with  Coastal Cabana, Daffodil Delight and Crumb Cake with the big bold focal image of my sandy beach scene. 

Another round of Tic Tac Toe #tttc297 because it’s a fun game with lots of ways to win - down the middle summer theme, free is unique texture of sandpaper and lots of layers!  

I’m getting inky with Summer Happiness bundle, Sincerely Noted Mix & Match ephemera, Sunset Sparkle sequins, So Swirly Embossing folder and Spellbinders scallop circle dies from my stash. 

Had fun with the beach theme - adding sand paper adds a fun dimension and extra texture. Love the So Swirly embossing folder as it looks like waves or hot tub swirls! 

Happy Stampin’ 

Margaret 

Live, Laugh, Love

Be Totallyawake4-life

Clean & Simple Saturday

Welcome to another edition of Clean & Simple Saturday - trying to hone my skills at the minimalist design technique.

My design was inspired by playing along to several fun challenges:

Atlantic Hearts Sketch Challenge #AHSC691 

Another turn with the Festive Friday challenge National Friendship Inspo Board #FF0214 this time I’m  playing with pastel colours, tone on tone stamping and flowers. 

TGIF Challenge Tone on Tone #tgif587 

Time Out Challenges #TOC318 Mother Nature so grabbed my flip flops and headed out to smell the flowers! 

CAS Colours & Sketches colour palette Petal Pink, Calypso Coral and Lost Lagoon.

CAS on Friday challenge #339 - flowers.

I’m getting inky with Summer Happiness bundle with coordinated washi tape, Stylish Shapes dies, Sincerely Noted Mix & Match ephemeral, Pearl dots and Petal Pink, Calypso Coral and Lost Lagoon. 

Love how the Just a Note design came together - hoping I am little closer to the CAS design rules. The tone on tone flip flops are adorable and the little flowers from the Summer Happiness bundle are great for die cutting in white and adding sponged colours of choice. 

Happy Stampin’

Margaret 

Live, Laugh, Love

Be Totallyawake4-life

Fun Fold Friday

Welcome to another edition of Fun Fold Friday. Today’s design focus on a Pop Out Gate fold.

I was inspired by playing along with a couple challenges:

Another round of Tic Tac Toe challenge #tttc297 for the middle row down - Summer Theme, Free Fun Fold and Layers in my sentiment cluster.

The Paper Players challenge - #PP795 Going the Beach so I grabbed my sunglasses, camera and a cold lemonade to enjoy a walk along the shore.

And my colour palette from Color Dare Challenge -#714  - I’m using Calypso Coral & Lost Lagoon.  

I’m getting inky with the Summer Happiness bundle and coordinating Washi tape, Sincerely Noted mix & match ephemera and Lost Lagoon, Calypso Coral and Petal Pink inks.

Measurements for the card elements:

Quick process video of the card coming together:

Fun design for a special someone with a summer birthday.

Happy Stampin’

Margaret 

Live, Laugh, Love

Be Totallyawake4-life 

Throwback Thursday

Welcome to another edition of Throwback Thursday a chance to mix old favourites with new goodies!

Today’s card design is inspired by playing along to several challenge blogs:

Try a Sketch on Tuesday #TSOT700 - love the starburst encore opportunity. 

Double Trouble challenge #221 Thing 1 challenge 3-2-1 to use at least 3 colours, 2 layers, 1 Holiday image. Thing 3 Twisted Sister prompt use alternate to traditional Christmas colours - bring on the pink! Thing 2 double dare to use the TSOT sketch. 

Colour INKspiration challenge #CIC214 Fresh Freesia, Melon Mambo, Berry Burst, Granny Apple Green and Old Olive.

Another round of Tic Tac Toe #tttc297 middle row Any Color, Free, Sentimental. 

INKspirational Christmas in July #372

Stampin’ Fancy Friday embossing challenge.

I’m getting inky with the All is Calm card kit from 2025 (still available at time of posting), retired Snow Burst and Winter Snow embossing folder and  Fresh Freesia, Melon Mambo, Berry Burst, Granny Apple Green and Old Olive inks.

Love the crisp white on white starburst background created with alternating embossed triangles. I also changed the colour palette of the All is Calm kit by flipping the trees over and sponging colour onto the white backs to work with the alternative colour palette. 

Happy Stampin’

Margaret 

Live, Laugh, Love

Be Totallyawake4-life

Whimsical Wings & Things Wednesday

Welcome to another edition of Whimsical Wings & Things Wednesday.

Today’s card was inspired by a few challenges:

Case-ing Tuesday Sketches #574 from page 23 of the May-Aug 2026 catalog.

Global Design Project #gdp557 Lemon Lolly, Flirty Flamingo and Coastal Cabana colour palette.

Festive Friday challenges National Friendship Day inspo list #FF0214 using pastel colours, knotted ribbon/twine, friendship sentiment, flowers & butterflies. 

As You See It challenge #377 using flower, die cut, shades of yellow, bold sentiment and enamel dots. 

Getting inky with the July POM Begonia Belle stamp set, Summer Happiness dies,  Everyday Arches dies, Flora and Fern embossing folder, Sincerely Noted Mix & Match ephemera, Lemon Lolly, Flirty Flamingo and Coastal Cabana inks and Silver Bakers Twine.

Happy with my design - a lovely cheerful ‘thinking of you’ card. Love the Sunset Shimmer Iridescent paper embossed it really gives a gorgeous shimmer. 

Happy Stampin’

Margaret 

Live, Laugh, Love

Be Totallyawake4-life 

Technique Tuesday - Inky Dry Embossing

Welcome to another edition of Technique Tuesday - today I am playing with an ole favourite - Inky Dry Embossing to make embossing folder details POP!

Today’s card design was inspired by playing with a few challenges:

Stamp2Cre8 Inky Fingers team challenge - 

we were given some Stitched Stocking DSP, coordinated coloured and white cardstock, the white circle die cut , piece of red stitched ribbon and a white button as embellishments and challenged to create a card by adding a card base, stamped images or dies and a sentiment.

INKspirational - Christmas in July challenge #372 

Tic Tac Toe challenges #tttc297 bottom row for the win - any die shape, layers and embossing.

Just Add Ink challenge #JAI790 to use dies or stencils I used dies. 

The Card Concept colour palette revisit this time I chose Real Red, Peaceful Pine, Gold Metallic and white.

I am getting inky the Stitched Stocking DSP, Stylish Shape dies, Stitched Red ribbon, a White Button embellishment, Festive Cheer stamps & dies, Swirls of Magic embossing folder, Real Red, Peaceful Pine, Gold Metallic inks, unbranded gold twine.  

 

I love the adding ink to embossing folder effect. I have added real red ink to the debossed (flat) side of the folder and embossed with white cardstock - the red really makes the white raised embossing pop. Another fun Christmas card ready for December mail out 

Happy Stampin’

Margaret 

Live, Laugh, Love

Be Totallyawake4-life