myasperations 4-6-26

    I have been a regular participant in the Path of Positivity (POP) Challenge since I stumbled upon it 5 years ago. It became a favorite almost immediately, mainly because it inspires a positive mindset and encourages positive actions! To learn more, read the Introduction provided in 2013 by the creator of this inspiring challenge, Lisa D.  

     This year, the Path of Positivity is officially entering its 13th year of offering challenges that encourage positivity and creativity! In honor of this wonderful anniversary, 0ur challenge host, Lisa D, introduces the theme for 2026: Crafting by the Numbers. (Click here if you'd like to read more in-depth about our overall theme for 2026)!

     April’s challenge TWIST is Lucky #4: Use 4 Spring Papers/Cardstocks on your card. I love the sweet line of digital businesses at Scribbles Designs. This one, named Café, was so fun to "deck out" for Spring with pastel colored papers and floral images!

   Note- the twist is completely optional, and you don't need to follow it to win. As long as your creation is positive or encouraging in some way, enter it into the POP challenge for a chance to win $6 worth of images from our sponsor, Scribbles Designs, and/or be honored as one of our special "picks"!

                      

Supplies: 

·   Digi- Scribbles Designs (Silent Night Quote) café

·   Colored with Spectrum Noir Classique markers, Sakura Gelly Roll white & silver gel pens

·   Sentiments- Freebie from TlcCreations (Happy Spring)

·  Sookwang double-sided tape- Available from several sources on the web.

·  All other misc. items and tools from my stash.

Entered into: 

Stop back later!

      I was so excited when I got an email advertising the STAMPlorations & Coffee Loving Paper Crafters: Spring Coffee Collab Hop that I printed off a few pages of STAMPlorations digis and started making cards to share in honor of the event.  This is one of those cards. It features a pre-colored mug overflowing with a warm holiday treat! I love all the delicate artwork in the item, the wool sweater-patterned mug, tiny candy cane, and especially the sprinkles! I used a template found online to create the base for my card, but the “sleeve” on my coffee cup card is actually an upcycled sleeve from a wonderful cup of Caribou coffee, purchased a few months ago, hence the winter theme!

 

Supplies: 

·   Coffee Cup Template- The one I used is no longer available, but a web search for “Coffee Cup Gift Card Holder Template” can provide other options!

·   Coffee Cup Ephemera- From a Stamplorations assorted set (Winter Mugs)

·   Front Sentiment- small silver JOY tag from Oriental Trading company, many years ago.

·    Inside Sentiment- “All Hearts Come Home for Christmas”  freebie from LoveSvg-(Site is no longer available)

·   Sookwang double-sided tape- Available from several sources on the web.

·   All other misc. items and tools from my stash.

Entered into:  

Stop back later!

    I purchased a few sets of Tim Holtz Ideology Found Relatives images last year, and have had so much fun using them to create cards. This card, featuring a funny sentiment from my stash, is a perfect fit for the current Double D’s “humor” themed challenge!

Supplies: 

·   Vintage Portrait- from Simon Says (Tim Holtz Idea-ology FOUND RELATIVES)

·   Sentiment (divided into two sections)-from Friday freebie quotes by Kellie Winnell (Blog now closed)

·   Gold frame- from a sheet of ephemera I found at the local Goodwill store several years ago

·   Sookwang double-sided tape- Available from several sources on the web.

·   Patterned paper, cardstock, other misc. items and tools from my stash.

Entered into:  

Stop back later!

    Since using digital stamps has become my “default,” I hadn’t dug into other types of stamps for a while. However, I’ve been working on decluttering and reorganizing my craft room and am finding all kinds of treasures I forgot I had. Last month, I found Art Impressions wood-mount Front&Back stamps and had fun using them. Already this month, I’ve unearthed several Art Impressions clear sets, including Crazy Cat Lady, which I used this fun set to create a card for Art Impressions current challenge, Round&Round. 

Supplies: 

·  Clear stamp set- Art Impressions (Crazy Cat Lady) Retired

·  Colored with Spectrum Noir Classique markers and Sakura Gelly Roll white gel pen

·  Front Sentiment- “Life is Purrfect with cats”  freebie from LoveSvg-(Site is no longer available)

·  Sookwang double-sided tape- Available from several sources on the web.

·  Circle templates from my scrapbooking stash

·  All other misc. items and tools from my stash.

Entered into:  

Stop back later!

myasperations 3-31-26

      This card is my fourth entry in the current Time Out Theme challenge “In the Clear.” It features a friendly little guy peeking into a window, looking for an old person! I cut the front scene from an old greeting card, printed off a copy of the weathered wood window frame, and used an Exacto knife to cut out the squares for “glass panes” to be added, adhered a scrap of acetate to the backside of the window to fill the panes with “glass” and set it aside. I printed, colored, fussy-cut, and attached the little guy to the inside of the window. Lastly, I positioned and adhered all the pieces in place, adding some depth to the window by mounting it with foam tape (you can see that in the side view photo), then finished the card with a fun pair of computer-generated sentiments!

           

Supplies: 

· Background scene is upcycled from an old greeting card

· Weathered Wood Window-Gecko Gals-Winter Windows ATC Set Dec 2023 (no longer available)

· Digi- Boy Peeker from Bugaboo Stamps (Company is no longer in business.)

· Colored with Spectrum Noir Classique markers and Sakura Gelly Roll white gel pen

· Sentiments- are computer-generated

· Sookwang double-sided tape- Available from several sources on the web.

· All other misc. items and tools from my stash.

Entered into:  

Time Out Challenge- Challenge #309 (Theme Challenge)    

Anything Goes #3-2026 March/April

     I made this card to send to Paula, a dear friend who has helped me through many difficult times over the last few decades. I can’t count the number of times that talking with Paula has helped replace fear and anxiety with the peace that only prayer and wise counsel from a “heart friend” can provide! The card features a pair of sentiments from Power Poppy digi sets. The powerful scripture verse on the inside is a favorite of Paulas, and the beautiful PEACE sentiment on the front is from a digi set named Peace Offering, which Marcella Hawley, Power Poppy’s artist/owner, created in 2022. It was then offered for $5, with all proceeds donated to the Sunflower of Peace Foundation, a non-profit organization committed to helping Ukrainians affected by the Russian military invasion. (I’m going to share this info with Paula because I know it will warm her heart!)  

Supplies: 

· Background scene is upcycled from an old calendar

· Front sentiment and flower digis- from a Power Poppy digi set, Peace Offering, which is no longer available.

· Colored with Spectrum Noir Classique markers and Sakura Gelly Roll white gel pen

· Pioneer Black Photo corners- available from several sources

·  Inside Sentiment- “Fruit of the Spirit” is from a Power Poppy digi set (Cherries and Berries)

· Sookwang double-sided tape- Available from several sources on the web.

· All other misc. items and tools from my stash.

Entered into:  

Word Art Wednesday Challenge- Weeks #744-745 (AG/Family Friendly)

Simon Says Wednesday Challenge-AG (March 2026)

      This is my final entry for the March Build Your Stash Holiday Cardmakers group (BYSHC) Challenge on FB. A scrap of an old map provides a base for the gingerbread house ornament, which takes center focus on this month’s BYSHC sketch. Squares of patterned red and black papers provide color and patterns, and two sentiments pull it all together.    

Supplies: 

· Background upcycled from an old map

· Wood gingerbread house gift tags, made with thin balsa wood (set of 8)- Hobby Lobby

· Front Sentiment- “All Hearts Come Home for Christmas”  freebie from LoveSvg-(Site is now longer available)

· Inside sentiment- “Have a Warm and Cozy Holiday” from a Beccy’s Place Digi set (Jolly Holiday) (Beccy recently closed her digi shop. She now sells clear stamp sets online. Check HERE  to see which sets are available!)

· Sookwang double-sided tape- Available from several sources on the web.

· All other misc. items and tools from my stash.

Entered into:  

{BYSHC} Sketch Challenge FB- #67 March 2026        

Outlawz Christmas Only Challenge- March 2026

Outlawz Challenge Monthly Linky- March 2026

    I had some extra time yesterday to stamp and decided to make a St. Pat's Day card to add to a gift packet of holiday cards that I’m giving to a dear friend. The card features a digi and sentiment from a Bugaboo digi set. I colored the always snarky Stella with shades of green and gave her lovely red hair. Sentiments, scraps of rainbow-striped paper, and 3-D shamrock stickers finish the card.

    I’m entering this card into several challenges, including the Pick 3 Challenge (My picks are Text, Stripes, circle punch and corner rounder.)

 

Supplies: 

·   Digi and front sentiment- Bugaboo March Freebie- Stella’s Pinch (Sadly, the company is no longer in business)

·   Colored with Spectrum Noir Classique markers and Sakura Gelly Roll white gel pen

·   Inside Sentiment- freebie from LoveSvg (Site is no longer available)

·   3-D Shamrock stickers- Hobby L0bby 

·   Sookwang double-sided tape- Available from several sources on the web.

·   Circle punch, corner rounder, metallic gold and rainbow papers, other misc. items and tools from my stash.

Entered into:  

Inspiration Station- Challenge #83 Inspiration Photo (St Pats Pups)

Crafty Catz Challenge-#710 AG

Pick 3 Challenge- March-April 2026

myasperations 3-30-26

     Back in 2018, I signed up for the Gerda Steiner Design newsletter, and since then, I’ve been receiving one or two email invitations every year to add a freebie to my GDS collection of wonderful digis! The sweet Happy Easter sentiment, adorned with bunnies and other signs of spring, was fun to color with soft pastel colors.

      I’m entering this card into several challenges, including Passion for Markers Challenge: Think Pink (I colored ½ of the sentiment with a soft, pretty pink, plus added touches of pink to the Easter eggs and bunny ears, plus fussy-cut a pink egg from a paper scrap to embellish the inside sentiment. The close-up photo helps highlight these small touches!) 

    (Note- You can see what GSD freebies are currently available and also can sign up for the Newsletter on their website toolbar HERE!)   

Supplies: 

·    Digi- A newsletter freebie, spring 2025 from Gerda Steiner Designs (no longer available)

·   Colored with Spectrum Noir Classique markers and Sakura Gelly Roll white gel pen

·   Inside Sentiment- Jan’s Digis (Bunny Kisses and Easter Wishes). Sadly, the company is no longer in business

·   Easter Egg Embellishments, cut from patterned paper- Hobby Lobby

·   Sookwang double-sided tape- Available from several sources on the web.

·   All other misc. items and tools from my stash.

Entered into:  

Pammies Inky Pinky Challenge #2613- Theme: Rain/Spring   

Passion for Markers Challenge- Week #830: Think Pink

     I was so excited when I got an email advertising the STAMPlorations & Coffee Loving Paper Crafters: Spring Coffee Collab Hop that I printed off a few pages of STAMPlorations digis and started making cards to share in honor of the event.  In this post, I’m sharing two of those cards that feature the same Stamplorations digi, named Coffee Sleigh, but with very different results!  I used the sketch from the Build Your Stash Holiday Cardmakers (BYSHC) March Challenge on FB when creating these two cards.

 

    This first has a warm outdoorsy feeling. I colored the digi with several neutral colors, plus a touch of red and silver, and fussy-cut a few pine branches with pinecones (from the patterned paper) to embellish the front of the card, and the inside sentiment.

Supplies: 

·  Digi- a freebie from STAMPplorations in Dec 2016 (Coffee Sleigh!)

·  Colored with Spectrum Noir Classique markers, Sakura Gelly Roll white gel pen, and Marvy silver marker

· Front Sentiment “Have Yourself a Merry Little Coffee” from Polka Dot Orchard digi set (Merry Little Coffee)

· Inside Sentiment-“Celebrate the Season” from a Stamplorations digi set (Framed Christmas)        

· Christmas themed papers from Hobby Lobby.

·  Sookwang double-sided tape- Available from several sources on the web.

· All other misc. items and tools from my stash.

Entered into:  

STAMPlorations- March 2026   

ABC Christmas Challenge- E, F & G are for… ?  ‘'F is for Foliage'

Word Art Wednesday Challenge- Weeks #744-745 (AG/Family Friendly)

Rudolph Days Challenge- March

Simon Says Wednesday Challenge-AG (March 2026)

     This second card also features the Stamploration digi “Coffee Sleigh” and the same sentiments as the first. However, the colors used on the digi, the patterned papers used to frame the digi (and to create  embellishments on the inside sentiment), and a pretty pink-and-red coffee cup sticker give the card an almost Dr. Seuss-ish vibe!

   

 

Supplies: 

· Digi- a freebie from STAMPplorations in Dec 2016 (Coffee Sleigh!)

·  Colored with Spectrum Noir Classique markers, Sakura Gelly Roll white gel pen and Marvy silver marker

· Coffee Cup Sticker- Hobby Lobby

· Front Sentiment “Have Yourself a Merry Little Coffee” from Polka Dot Orchard digi set (Merry Little Coffee)

· Inside Sentiment-“Celebrate the Season” from a Stamplorations digi set (Framed Christmas)        

· Sookwang double-sided tape- Available from several sources on the web.

· Christmas-themed papers,  other misc. items and tools from my stash.

Entered into:  

Classic Design Challenge: Anything Goes #3-2026 March/April

Crafty Catz Challenge-#710 AG

Outlawz Christmas Only Challenge- March 2026

Outlawz Challenge Monthly Linky- March 2026

(via Pinterest) STAMPlorations- March 2026

(via Pinterest) Simon Says Wednesday Challenge-AG (March 2026)

(via Pinterest) Word Art Wednesday Challenge- Weeks #744-745 (AG/Family Friendly)