Thursday, October 8, 2026

Wake Up & Create Thursday #TA4L023

Welcome to another edition of Wake Up & Create Thursday here on the blog.


It’s a little mix of Throwback Thursday with an image or sketch inspiration to use to inspire you to shop your stash and combine some old favourites with new goodies in a new way and than share to inspire others to do the same with their stash! Today’s challenge is a fun sketch inspiration #TA4L023
 

My final design was inspired by playing along to The Paper Players challenge Natures Landscapes #PP806


I’m getting inky with the Whispering Woods DSP, Blue metallic DSP and Adhesive backed Snowflakes paired with retired stash favourites Winter Snow embossing folder & Peaceful Deer bundle. I coloured the deer with Smokey Slate and Petal Pink blends. 


Final design - just love this paper and it pairs so well with retired the Peaceful Deer bundle. 


Little inside peek - the trees in the Peaceful Deer work perfectly to carry over the coordination vibes:


Would love for you to join the fun and play along with the #TA4L023 challenge. When you’re done add your link below to share with us all! 

Happy Stampin’ 

Margaret 
Live, Laugh, Love
Be Totallyawake4-life


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Wednesday, October 7, 2026

Whimsical Wings & Things Wednesday

Welcome to another edition of Whimsical Wings & Things Wednesday. 


I’m getting inky with the Gilded Gallery card kit, Gold embossing powder and metallic gems. 

Final design - tried a Fault line version with the printed front panel for this alternative. Gold embossed sentiment did not photograph well but it’s so pretty in real life. 


Happy Stampin’ 

Margaret 
Live, Laugh, Love
Be Totallyawake4-life 

Tuesday, October 6, 2026

Technique Tuesday - Cling Wrap background

Welcome to another edition of Technique Tuesday - today I am playing with cling wrap to create a fun fall background. 


My final design was inspired by playing along to a few challenges: inspired By… Fall Leaves #IB409


Time Out Challenges #TOC323 I chose Circle with my Wreath and Harvest with my Glow of Harvest DSP to fussy cut pumpkins from it.


Double Trouble #DTC226 3 colours, 2 word sentiment, 1 autumn image (I added a little extra here with my wreath and add on elements) Thing 3 Twisted Sister pumpkins 

Hand stamped Sentiments challenge Autumn Mood Board #HSS498


I’m getting inky with Glow of Harvest DSP, Detailed Wreath accents, Greetings for All mix and match ephemera, Radiant Gems, unbranded gold twine. Garden Green. Darling Duckling and Golden Glow ink pads.


Quick process video for the visual learners.


Technique Steps are quite simple - you want to bunch up your cling warp to create a crumpled wad and dab onto ink pad and then paper and repeat with desired colours until you’ve achieved your desired background. 

Bonus tip: DSP not quite the right shade for your palette? It’s ok to colour it to get the look you want. 


My final design was a bit busy after all my clean and simple creations lately but I like it. 


Happy Stampin’ 

Margaret 
Live, Laugh, Love 
Be Totallyawake4-life 


Monday, October 5, 2026

Minimalist Monday

Welcome to another edition of Minimalist Monday - embracing the less is more design philosophy.


Today’s card design was inspired by playing along to a few challenges: Stampin’ Fancy Friday Mini But Mighty challenge.


Stampin’ Up! Only Challenge - fun sketch which if downsized to be a Mini version. 
Clean and Simple cardmaking October challenge Black and White with a wee pop of colour - I chose Granny Apple Green.


Kraft Chicks Challenge - Birthday theme. #kraftychickschallenge840


I’m getting inky with a sneak peek of upcoming November Online Exclusive Somewhere in Tome Suite the Timeless Celebrations stamps & dies, Stylish Shapes,  Pearl Faceted adhesive backed gems, Granny Apple Green marker, Hybrid Black ink and Wink of Stella. 



Final result is a classy & elegant Best Wishes design is going out this month to a friend’s mom who is celebrating a big milestone birthday. 


Happy Stampin’

Margaret 
Live, Laugh, Love
Be Totallyawake4-life 

Sunday, October 4, 2026

Slimline Sunday

Welcome to another edition of Slimline Sunday - a day to enjoy all the extra design space a slimline design offers. 


My final design was inspired by playing along to a few challenges: Atlantic Hearts Sketch #AHS701 


TGIF challenges has a Halloween palette of Pumpkin Pie, Blackberry Bliss and Granny Apple Green #TGIF597


Just Us Girls has a challenge to use your Halloween dies #JUG843


I’m getting inky with Web of Fun bundle, Frightfully Fun DSP, Nested Essentials dies, retired Fall Fest bundle, retired Fabulous Sayings stamp set, the adhesive backed Ghosts, Bats & Dots, Pumpkin Pie, Rich Razzleberry and Granny Apple Green inks. 


A fun very spooky birthday card for an October birthday - just love the little Ghost embellishments! 


Happy Stampin’ 

Margaret 
Live, Laugh, Love 
Be Totallyawake4-life 

Saturday, October 3, 2026

Clean & Simple Saturday

Welcome to another edition of Clean & Simple Saturday - the continuous striving to master the clean & simple design principles.
 

Todays card design was inspired by playing along to a few fun challenges:  CAS ON Friday - Shades of Grey #CASF344


CAS Colours & Sketches #CASCS595 - fun sketch trio.


Addicted to CAS code word HAPPY - I used a Happy Holidays sentiment.


Clean & Simple CAS cards for beginners #saturdaychallenge40 - Windows and I used the window from the Christmas Mice dies.


Almost Clean & Simple CAS cards #saturdaychallenge16 Anything Goes but don’t use white or cream which pairs nicely with the Shades of Grey palette.


I’m getting inky with the Christmas Mice bundle, Everyday Arches dies, retired Snowflake Kisses, Silver Metallic DSP, Smoky Slate and Black Hybrid inks and  and rhinestones.
 

Another Happy Holidays card for the upcoming season and an example of having to try to fix a ‘ink where you don’t want it” blunder. I dropped my blending brush and it made a grey smudge on the corner of my card front after I had already glued down my window and other embellishments so had to try to make it look purposeful by adding blending around the other edges hopefully it doesn’t effect the clean & simple criteria 😜

Happy Stampin’

Margaret 
Live, Laugh, Love 
Be Totallyawake4life 

Friday, October 2, 2026

Fun Fold Friday - Slatted W fold

Welcome to another edition of Fun Fold Friday - today I am playing with the Slatted W fold I saw on Pinterest from Get Crafty with Sally 

I’m getting inky with the Whispering Pines DSP, Everyday Arches and Nested Essential dies, Fabulous Sayings stamp set, blend marker and rhinestones. 


Card measurements:
  • 1x Pretty Peacock Card base 81/2” x 51/2” scored at 21/8”, 41/4” and 63/8”
  • 4x White Cardstock 2” x 53/8”
  • 4x DSP 17/8” x 51/4”
  • 2x Pretty Peacock cardstock 11/2” x 73/4” score 13/4, 37/8” and 6”
  • 4x White Cardstock 2” x 13/8”
  • 4x DSP 1 7/8” x 1 1/4”
  • 1x Pretty Peacock 33/8” x 45/8” die cut with the 3rd largest arch
  • 1x DSP 31/8 x 43/8” die cut with the 4th largest arch 
  • Scraps of Pretty Peacock and White cardstock layered for the sentiment of choice - I used a rectangle die from the Nested Essentials die. 

Love this Whispering Woods paper - it does all the hard work with this card. Bonus is that it’s the fundraising product for this round so $4 of all paper sold goes to different charities around the world. 


Quick process video for the visual learners: 


Stunning views of the pretty paper! 


Happy Stampin’

Margaret 
Live, Laugh, Love
Be Totallyawake4-life