Throwback Thursday

Welcome to another edition of Throwback Thursday a chance to play with some ole favourites paired with new goodies! 

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

Sunday Stamps had a fun sketch to try out #SSC380.

The Paper Players have a mood board of Mythical Creatures and I have chosen Leprechaun and the Easter Bunny. #PP775

AAA Cards challenges to create a Spring card with one of the 4 options and I chose the lamb/ewe. 

The INKspirational #362, Just Add Ink #JAI780 and the Just Us Girls #JUG912 all had use stencil challenges - I am using my brick stencil and champagne mist ink for a glimmer of spring gold! 

CAS on a Friday #CASF328 has a cute challenge and well what’s cuter than Ewes wearing costumes?

Over at Festive Friday #FF0204 St. Patrick’s Day - I have chosen to use green, gold twine, gold foil, spatters of champagne ink on the brick embossed background  and Leprechaun. 

I’m getting inky with the Wooly Friends bundle, Exposed Brick embossing folder, Greetings for All ephemera kit, Holographic gems, retired brick embossing stencil, Champagne Mist ink and  unbranded Gold Twine. Old Olive and Soft Sea Foam blends, Grey Granite blends, Bubble Bath blends. 

Final design is so freaking cute with a magical little Leprechaun Ewe I made a second one for an adorable Easter Bunny Ewe.  

To make them even cuter I popped their little heads on wobblers to make them Bobble Heads 🤣

Happy Stampin’ 

Margaret 

Live, Laugh, Love

Be Totallyawak4-life 

Monday Sneak Peek 👀

Welcome to another Monday on the blog - today I am sharing a sneak peek at upcoming March online exclusives.

Colour palette for my card was inspired by over at Color Dare challenge #CD692 to use at least two colours from the palette. I have all 3 in my palette Flirty Flamingo, Daffodil Delight and Lost Lagoon.

My sketch layout is from Just Add Ink challenge #JAI779

I am getting inky with the sneak peek of Capturing Smiles bundle coming March 2026 and have paired it with the Beautiful Butterflies stamp set, Days Like This Memories and More cards and from my stash some unbranded silver twine, rhinestones and Wink of Stella.

The full Colour Palette in the Days Like This card pack is so pretty with Daffodil Delight, Flirty Flamingo, Garden Green, Pool Party, Secret Sea, Timid Tiger. The butterfly imagery is just so pretty - just perfect for both cards an memory keeping layouts! 

I just in love with this upcoming Capturing Smiles bundle! Perfect for using with your scrapbook projects but also for cards for those who love to take photos 🫶🏼

Happy Stampin’

Margaret

Live, Laugh, Love

Be Totallyawake4-life 

Fun Fold Friday

Welcome to another edition of Fun Fold Friday - today I am trying the triangle fold. A fun way to showcase both sides of your pretty DSP. 

My card design is inspired by a couple of challenges. The Global Design Project sketch #GDP534  

The Just Add Ink colour challenge #JAI778. I opted to stay in the orange and sandy end or the palette with metallic orangey Copper, Pecan pie, Crumb cake, Very Vanilla and Secret Sea for my outline stamp and sentiment. 

I’m getting inky with the Fragrant Layers stamp set, Everyday Arch dies, the Triple Banner punches, Nature Walk DSP, Pecan Pie and Old Olive blends, Streaked Dots, Wink of Stella and unbranded copper twine.

 

To create the fun fold you take a full sheet or 8.5” x 11” card stock and score it full width at 4.25” and full length at 5.5.

Once scored you want to cut out the top left corner. And then cut from the right side corner down to the score line at the angle to create your first triangle. Then you want to cut the bottom left corner at an angle up to the same 5.5 score line to create your second triangle. Fold the top triangle down and use bone folder to smooth out and than fold the bottom triangle up. 

Your DSP is 5.25” x 4” and you cut it from the left corner down to the right corner to create two triangles. Make sure you align your pattern in the paper to be oriented in the position you want it to be. You adhere to the two triangles so that they show one side and the other of your DSP. 

Your focal point mat can be any shape you like just sized smaller than your folded base. I have chosen the Everyday Arch dies from the sketch challenge. 

Embellish card front as desired - I have used the Fragrant Flowers on Very Vanilla and than applied Wink of Stella for some sparkle. I fussy cut the flowers and popped up on dimensionals with the copper twine tucked in behind, mounted on torn arch mats  and then added some streaked dots to finish it off. 

Quick Process video of the card coming together:

Love the warm vibes of this colour palette made a lovely Hello Card to let someone know you’re thinking of them 💕 Folds flat for mailing:

Stands up for display on the receivers mantle or desk! 

Happy Stampin’

Margaret 

Live, Laugh, Love

Be Totallyawake4-life 

Whimsical” Wings & Things Wednesday

Welcome to another edition of Whimsical Wings & Things. Today’s card design came together while playing with a few challenges.

My colour palette is thanks to TGIF Challenges colour challenge Real Red, Coastal Cabana and Granny Apple Green. #tgif554

Sketchy fun over at As You See It challenge #AYSI392

Just Add Ink word prompt Celebration #JAI775

Over at Festive Friday National Candy Cane Day #FF0199 word prompts I am incorporating Red, White, Green, Sequins and Christmas Sentiment 

I’m getting inky with the Traditions of Christmas DSP and sequins, Greeting for You ephemera and retired Winter 3D embossing folder, Bird Builder punch, 2 1/2” circle punch and gold twine.  

Final design is so cute - I used the Coastal Cabana maker to incorporate that colour into the plaid paper from the Traditions of Christmas DSP punched with the 2 1/2” circle and the gold twine circled around it formed a little “nest” for the Cardinal for this “Seasons Greetings.”

Happy Stampin’

Margaret 

Live, Laugh, Love

Be Totallyawake4-life 

Technique Tuesday - Stencils & Embossing Paste

Welcome to another edition of Technique Tuesday - I am sharing the mixed media fun of Embossing Paste.

Shout out to the following challenge groups for their inspiration in pulling together my final design.

The Paper Players sketch challenge #PP757

Just Us Girls Use a Stencil #JUG794. I am using the Snowy Delights Decorative masks from the online exclusives at Stampin’ Up!

Just Add Ink colour challenge Bubble Bath, Fresh Freesia and Highland Heather #JAI770.

Embossing Paste is a versatile technique to add to your tool box as it adds a great texture pop to a card design. It comes in lots of different options on the market. I am using Silver tinted from Stampin’ Up! 

It can also be applied in many different ways depending on the look you’re going through in your design - from free hand smears for a plaster effect to using a stencil/mask as a design guide. I have chosen the stencil option for today. 

My first purchase was a white paste as it allows you to just scoop out a small amount onto a silicone mat and DIY in a coordinating colour using a reinker or a paint medium. You can also add glitter and mix that in for extra bling. Admittedly it was hard for me to get a silver effect I liked so I splurged on that one. Not to the frugal crafter - use it or loose it. Once opened it can start to dry out which is why I opt to just get white and tint as I go rather than my normal slight OCD need to buy the whole rainbow of colours in a collection. 

It’s very easy to play with. You basically apply it as the last step in your design by placing the stencil in the desired place and using a palette knife scoop out a small amount and apply thin layer over stencil gently pushing into the stencil openings. Once you have the coverage you like scrap any access back into the pot or a little pot of you DIY your own colour and then gently lift the stencil free. You want to let it dry before you finish your card design. While it’s drying good time to wash your stencil with soap and warm water to remove all residual paste.

Playing with mixed media elements is so much fun and produces some interesting texture and pops of colour and shine to a design.

Glimmer is hard to catch on a still so here’s a little video to try to give a better visual of the texture and shine it adds.

What’s your favourite mixed media medium to play with? 

Happy Stampin’

Margaret 

Live, Laugh, Love

Be Totallyawake4-life

Fabulous Fall

Happy Wednesday! It’s officially Fall now so it’s officially time to get our pumpkin on! 

Today’s card design was inspired by playing along over at Inspired By challenge #IB354 mood board of pumpkins and the accompanying grid sketch that prompted me to bring out an old Cuttlebug embossing folder from my stash.

The Fall vibes from the mood board over at Just Us Girls #JUG793. Yay more pumpkins!

My colour palette was inspired by the Colour Dare challenge #CDC670. I’ve chosen Crushed Curry, Cloud Cover and Old Olive.

My custom made sentiment was inspired by Just Add Ink challenge #JAI769 to use numbers and words. I used the Grateful from Acorny Thank You partially stamped and the 4 U from a retired alphabet stamp set.

I’m also playing with my Fall Fest retired stamp sets from my Stampin’ Up! Stash and the retired sprig punch. 

My final result is a cute little Grateful 4 U card.

Happy Stampin’ 

Margaret 

Live, Laugh, Love

Be Totallyawake4-life