myasperations 4-13-24

     I made this card for the current Time Out Challenge, Sweet Treats. When I was growing up, slices of sweet, juicy watermelon was a favorite treat on hot summer days. Watermelon meant  picnics, and the fun of having watermelon seed spitting contests with siblings and cousins at 4th of July celebrations! So I looked through my stamps and found a digi with a small watermelon-loving cutie from Little Scraps of Heaven. I printed the digi, colored, fussy-cut and set him aside 

    I knew I wanted to make a picnic scene. so I started with a basket base created with a free patterned paper cupcake wrapper (find the link in my supplies list) and used scraps of kraft paper to make the basket rim and handle. The little silver screw was created with a silver brad and a fine-line permanent black marker. When the basket was complete, I "filled it" by sliding  photos of snacks I'd fussy-cut from grocery store ads, and taping them into place.  

    I know how messy watermelon can be, so I dug through my kitchen cupboard to find a napkin t0 include on my card. This red and white one worked perfectly, so I folded it, cut an angled piece to size, then set it aside. 

    Now came my favorite part... watching my card come to life as I laid all the pieces on an A2-sized piece of grassy green patterned paper to determine positioning. After the layout was pleasing to my eyes, I adhered the basket full of snacks, placed the napkin section across the bottom of the basket, and taped it in place. The watermelon lover came next. I perched the little whiskered cutie atop the napkin and adhered him in place with foam tape (to add some depth). The final touch was to add a birthday sentiment! 

Supplies: 

·    Digi- Small Mouse with Watermelon Slice from Little Scraps of Heaven (Company is no longer in business.)
·   Colored with Spectrum Noir Classique markers,  Sakura Gelly Roll white gel pen, and a Sharpie Permanent 
     Fine-line Black Marker
·   Front sentiment “Sweet Birthday Wishes” from Beccys Place Digi set (Hello Cupcake) (Beccy recently closed her 

      digi shop. She now sells clear stamp sets online. Check HERE  to see which sets are available!)
·   Snack packages- photos trimmed from grocery store ads
·   Easter basket made with cupcake wrappers (free digital image HERE), kraft paper scraps. and a silver brad

·   Napkins- (I think they are from a Dollar Store or local grocery store.)
·   Sookwang double-sided tape- Available from several sources on the web.
·   Papers,  other misc. items and tools from my stash.

Entered into:  

Stop back later! 

    This gatefold card features a fun image that is a new addition to my collection of Patties Creations digis. The little giggling goat is from Pattie’s digital image named “Silly Goats."  (I printed both of the cuties, but am using just one of them on this card. You'll meet the other one on a future card! Until then, I added a picture of the watermarked image so you can see the complete digi. And the exciting news is that right now you can add it to YOUR digi collection now for just $1.oo! Nab the link in my supplies list below.) 

    Note- I wasn’t sure how to color the goat, so I did a bit of web research. Found a few great images, one of them from a company named Aurora Craftery, which provided the “inspiration” on how to add color this little cutie in furry shades of  greys and tans. 

Supplies: 

·   Digi- Patties Creations (Silly Goats)

·   Colored with Spectrum Noir Classique markers and Sakura Gelly Roll white gel pen
·   Inspiration for coloring the little goat was found on Etsy HERE.
·   Sentiments- from a Beccy’s Place Digi set (Goat Club) (Beccy recently closed her digi shop. She now sells clear 
     stamp sets online. Check HERE  to see which sets are available!)
·   Little cupcake embellishing the front image is fussy-cut from patterned paper from my scraps stash. 
·   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! 

    This card features a Stamplorations digi named "Coffee and Roses." I wanted to make a Christmas card with this cup, so after printing the image, I trimmed the cup from the digi, colored it, and set it aside. I used scraps from an upcycled map, a piece of holly decorated paper, scraps of vellum to make the wispy steam,  and two sentiments to complete the card.

PS- I added a pic of the watermarked digi so that you can see what it looks like sitting among some lovely roses. The digi set includes 4 coffee cups & roses collage images, 3 oval roses frames, 3 rectangle roses frames, and a 1 bonus sheet of printable tags in an 8.5x11 PDF. All 10 items are included in the set for just $9.00! (A link in my supplies list will let you click & view all 10 items.)

Supplies: 

·   Stamplorations Digi-(Coffee And Roses Digital Stamps- Set of 10)

·   Colored with Spectrum Noir Classique markers, Sakura Gelly Roll white gel pen
·   Old map is Upcycled, Patterned paper (holly) is from Hobby Lobby
·   Front Sentiment (All Hearts Come Home at Christmas) a freebie from LoveSVG -(Site is now longer available)
·   Inside Sentiment “Tis the Season for Coffee” from a Beccy’s Place digi set (Christmas Cheers) (Beccy recently 
         closed her digi shop. She now sells clear stamp sets online. Check HERE  to see which sets are available!)
·   Coffee bean embellishments- upcycled from coffee bags (vs tea bags) from a hotel on a recent vacation
·   Sheer black dotted Swiss ribbon- JoAnne’s

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

Entered into:  

Stop back later! 

    The unusual, but funny, Christmas card features lacy panties, tighty-whities, and the sentiment, "When you stop believing in Santa you get underwear for Christmas", all from the  Whimsie Doodles digi stamp company. I sized the strips of digital underwear to fit across the front of an A2-sized card, and also sized the fun sentiment. After prepping  (printing, coloring, and/or fussy-cutting) the items, I put the card front together, adding a swig of holly that I fussy-cut from a scrap of patterned paper. The simple inside sentiment, “Believe,” is a perfect fit for this card, especially when it is embellished with a Santa cap, perched at a jaunty angle.

Supplies: 

·  Digi and front sentiment from a Whimsie Doodles digi set (Underwear for Christmas).  Sadly, the WD shop closed in 2020. The BLOG remains open and offers excellent tutorials for coloring hair, skin and eyes with alcohol markers, plus some other fun items!

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

·  Inside Sentiment “Believe” from a Beccy’s Place Digi Set (The Big Guy) embellished with a Santa Hat from a Beccy’s Place Digi Set (Hats Off)  Note- 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.

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

Entered into:  

Stop back later! 

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"!

   I’m entering this card into several challenges, including Inspiration Station/Photo (My card is full of the pretty pastel colors of Spring, plus I “pounced” the tips of several pink and fuchsia markers on the foliage in the flower boxes to create Spring blooms!)

 

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: 

Inspiration Station- Challenge #84 Inspiration Photo (Spring-flowers and boots)

Pammies Inky Pinky Challenge #2614    (AG except 5^th Monday)

Word Art Wednesday Challenge- Weeks #746-747 (AG/Family Friendly)

      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 creation is not a card… it’s a gift card holder for a local coffee shop! It features a sweet little pre-colored mug piled high with whipped cream atop a warm holiday treat! I love all the delicate artwork in the little mug, the teal, cream, and red color scheme, the tiny candy cane, and especially the sprinkles!

     I used a template found online to create the base for my gift card holder, but the “sleeve” on my coffee cup is actually upcycled 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:  

Time Out Challenge- Challenge #310 (Theme Inspiration)   

STAMPlorations- April 2026    

Simon Says Monday Challenge-Not A Card   

Outlawz Christmas Only Challenge- April 2026

Outlawz Challenge Monthly Linky- April 2026

    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:  

Double D’s Challenge- Humor    

Lil Patch of Crafty Friends Challenge- #275 AG 

    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:  

Art Impressions Monthly Challenge- March #424 (Round&Round)

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

Polkadoodles Challenge-  Challenge 4, Wk 1- AG 

Paper Funday- April 2026 #86 AG  

    My sweet hubby and I spent the weekend watching several Easter movies from our vast DVD collection. This gave me lots of time to make cards. I recently found this sweet wood-mount stamp when organizing my craft room and decided to make a Birthday card to enter into the Wednesday Simon Says challenge. I created the background with a cloud stencil created from a scrap of paper, decorative blue chalk, and a makeup sponge, added a bit of color to the little hedgie and his birthday balloon, cut an oval from a pretty pink card base to create a “frame” for the little scene, positioned the finished image into place and taped it down.  Easy Peasy!

 

Supplies: 

·   Wood-mounted “happy birthday” rubber stamp from a Stampin’ Up set named “Hedgehog Happiness” (retired)

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

·   Front Sentiment- Included on the Hedgie stamp!

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

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

Entered into: 

Simon Says Wednesday Challenge-Happy Birthday (April 2026)

Crafty Catz Challenge-#710 AG

Neglected Stuff Challenge- April 2026  

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