Thursday, June 18, 2026

myasperations 6-18-26

    For this card, I printed off a free digi from Scribbles Designs named Pitcher & Drink onto white cardstock. I used a fine-line permanent black marker to trace the glass portion of the digi onto a scrap of acetate, creating a clear pitcher and glass. A few scraps of yellow vellum cut to size, slid into place, became the lemonade when adhered to the acetate with very small strips of double-stick tape! I fussy-cut the ice cubes and straw, added a bit of shading to the ice and stripes on the straw, then used an Exacto blade to cut along the front lip of the glass. Sliding the straw up through this cut, I adhered it in place. I also trimmed a lemon slice from patterned paper, added a bit of shading and highlights with markers and a white gel pen, and adhered it in place. It was finally time to add my favorite embellishments- condensation droplets! 
   Using the permanent marker, I drew little water droplets onto the front of the acetate, then used a grey alcohol marker to add a bit of shading. When the shading was dry, I added a little dollop with a white gel pen to get a realistic look. A bit of Glossy Accents added to each of the drops provided an additional texture and depth. (Just a heads up, I practiced this technique on a scrap of acetate before I tried it on the actual card front!)  
   After creating the icy drink, I adhered it atop a teal “frame” cut from an old greeting card, then attached both to a beachy background digi from artist Sande Woodson, who offers freebies via a weekly email and on FB. The final step was to add sentiments and tropical flower embellishments, fussy-cut from patterned paper which I've had in my stash since 2005. (I know the date because I bought it, and several other packets of paper from Oriental Trading Company just before a major family move. My hubby still teases me about how much room my "paper collection" took up in the U-Haul we had rented!) 
  
 
Supplies: 
·    Background digi scenery- from Sande's Poema Freebies. Details to sign up for weekly freebies (HERE) or find some of her other freebies on her FB page (Sande's Poema Card Making Community)

·   Digi- a freebie from Scribbles Designs (Pitcher & Drink)

·   Black Fine-line Sharpie Marker is used to trace the digis and condensation droplets onto acetate scraps

·   Shading and highlights on digis and droplets added with Spectrum Noir Classique markers and Sakura Gelly Roll white gel pen

·   Glossy Accents from Ranger- used to make the water drops on the glass.

·  Front Sentiment- a freebie from LoveSVG (Summer Chillin’) (Sadly, it appears that this blog has closed.)

·   Inside sentiment “Sweet Birthday Wishes” from Beccys Place Digis (Hello Cupcake) (Beccy closed her digi shop last year but still sells clear stamp sets online. Check HERE  to see which sets are available!)

·   Pioneer Black Photo corners- available from several sources

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

·   Embellishments (Tropical flowers and Lemon slice) are cut from patterned papers in my stash, other misc. items and tools from my stash.

Entered into: 
Time Out Challenge- #315-Pick 2 
Double D’s Challenge- Tropical 
Classic Design Challenge: Anything Goes #6-2026 June-July (Optional twist- Anniversary or BDay) 

   The 4th of July, a national holiday here in the USA, is just a few weeks away, so I’m working on cards to send to my siblings. When we were growing up, "The 4th"  was one of our favorite holidays. Every year, as we joined cousins at an uncle’s farm in Iowa, we enjoyed an afternoon creating lots of noise! We were each given our own “punk,” which we used to light hundreds of firecrackers and smoke bombs. (I only remember getting injured once during all those years of holiday fun, when I accidentally poked myself in the cheek. The damage was minimal, so I didn't miss out on much fun, AND I  only have a small scar to show for it!)
   Late in the afternoon, we enjoyed a feast of burgers, hot dogs,  potato salad, pork 'n beans, and all the yummy dishes (many included Jello!) that were provided by our mom and aunts! This was followed by fresh-picked strawberries, piled atop vanilla ice cream that we “made” in a hand-cranked contraption. (It was heavenly!)  As sundown approached, our excitement peaked because that is when the Sparklers, Bottle Rockets, Roman Candles, and Fountains filled the air with snaps, crackles, pops, whooshes, and bangs! (As an adult, I can’t imagine the amount of money that was spent on this event… but the memories are truly priceless!)
   I don’t usually make collage-type cards, but have accrued so many wonderful bits of patriotic-themed ephemera over the years, that it was fun and easy to whip up the cards that I needed. After talking with my hubby, and learning that his family also celebrated a food and fireworks-filled "4th",  I'm making one to send to each of his sweet sisters, too! 
   I’m entering this card into several challenges including Snippets (it includes not just scraps and upcycled treasures, but also invoked all the snippets of memories that I enjoyed while pulling all those things into this wonderful card!) and Pick 3 (my card includes a few bits of Blue, Numbers (date), and Plaid (I did web research and found that in North America, “laid” is used as umbrella term for almost any crisscross, grid-like pattern. While in Scotland, “plaid” refers strictly to a specific type of draped blanket or shawl, and the patterns, called “tartans” vary by both families and regions. That is so cool!)
Supplies: 

· Digi- QKR Eureka Digital Stamp (Waving Flag) Currently Not Available

· Hobby Lobby

· Front Sentiment- a freebie from Create with TLC (4th of July)

· Inside Sentiment- Computer Generated

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

· Parchment and other papers, star stickers, used postage stamps,  other misc. items and tools from my stash.

Entered into:  
Pick 3 Challenge- #5 May/June 2026  Blue- Numbers- Plaid
Pammies Inky Pinky Challenge #2624 
Word Art Wednesday Challenge- Weeks #756-757 (AG/Family Friendly)
Snippets- Week #534
Paper Funday- June 2026 #88AG  (Optional Twist: Polkadots and Stripes)

  I had fun creating this card to enter into two Christmas-themed challenges, Coffee Loving Paper Crafters/Caffeinated Christmas Card, and the Build Your Stash Holiday Cardmakers (Sketch). Sadly, most of the items I used on this card are no longer available. (This is an issue that is happening more and more often over the last few years. And, with all of the artwork that is being pirated by companies like Temu, Shein, other sellers on Amazon, and a few I’ve seen on Pinterest and even Etsy…I fear we’ll lose more of our amazing stamp and digi artists/business owners.)  
  I’m entering this card into several challenges, including Outlawz Twisted Thursday Color Challenge (although my card is for Christmas, I used a non-traditional color scheme that includes all of the colors on the mood board, although the shade of blue in her silver white hair is really pale… just like mine!)  
  
Supplies: 

·   Coffee themed Digi – a freebie from Papercraft Magazine (no longer available)

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

·   Wood and sentiment papers-Hobby Lobby.

·   Front Circle Sentiment- “Warm Winter Wishes”- from birdscards (blog no longer available)

·   Inside Sentiment “Tis the Season for Coffee” from a Beccy’s Place digi set (Christmas Cheers) (Beccy closed her digi shop last year but still sells clear stamp sets online. Check HERE  to see which sets are available!)

·    Pioneer Black Photo corners- available from several sources

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

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

Entered into:  
Outlawz Twisted Thursday Challenge- June 2026-Color Challenge  
Outlawz Challenge Monthly Linky- June 2026

Monday, June 15, 2026

myaperations 6-15-26

   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 POP is officially entering its 13th year of offering challenges that encourage positivity and creativity! In honor of this anniversary, our challenge host introduced the theme for 2026, "Crafting by the Numbers," back in January. 
     June's challenge TWIST is Lucky #6: use six embellishments on your card. 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"!
    For my card, I used a ladybug digi from Bugaboo.  After printing the sweet little image, I colored it and then adhered it atop an arrangement of bright paper scraps from my stash. The final touch was to add my 6 embellishments- 3 little red gems, one ladybug sticker, one dotted ribbon bow, and a puffy heart sticker (on the ladybug.)
    I'm entering this card into several Challenges including Passion for Markers-Favorite Color Combo (I love the contrast of B&W&Red, but, due to the theme of the card, added a crisp pop of bright green, the color of leaves, too!)
Supplies: 
·   Digi- Ladybug from Bugaboo” (Sadly, the company is no longer in business)
·   Colored with Spectrum Noir Classique markers and Sakura Gelly Roll white gel pen
·   Front Sentiment- computer-generated
·   Sookwang double-sided tape- Available from several sources on the web.
·   Sheer black dotted Swiss ribbon- JoAnne’s
·   Patterned paper, other misc. items and tools from my stash.
Entered into:  
Classic Design Challenge: Anything Goes #6-2026 June-July  
Passion for Markers Challenge- Week #841: Favorite Color Combo 
Polkadoodles Challenge-  Challenge 6 Wk 3- AG

    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 one was created for the current Pick 3 Challenge, and includes Blue (Navy plaid), Numbers (Roman Numerals on the watch face), and Plaid.  The sentiment, from one of my favorite blogs for free and funny sayings, adds a bit of humor… or possibly a touch of reality… to my card!
 
Supplies
·   Vintage Portrait- from Simon Says (Tim Holtz idea-ology FOUND RELATIVES)
·   Front Sentiment- a freebie from Gingershouseblogspot.com (Not feeling very worky Today)
·   Silver Watch- 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:  
Pick 3 Challenge- #5 May/June 2026  
Paper Funday- June 2026 #88AG 
Simon Says Wednesday Challenge-Add a Sentiment  

    This card, created for the Inspiration Station Challenge Photo (Strawberries), features a strawberry image upcycled from an old card, which is several decades old. The colors had faded, so I added shading, touched up the colors in the image with alcohol markers, and added a few highlights with a white gel pen.
 
Supplies: 
·   Patterned paper on background pattern- Hobby Lobby
·   Strawberry image, plus strawberry embellishments on inside sentiment, are upcycled from an old greeting card
·   Front Sentiment, “Hello Sunshine” is from a Beccy’s Place Digi Set (Bees and Blooms) (Beccy closed her digi shop last year but still sells clear stamp sets online. Check HERE  to see which sets are available!)
·   Inside sentiment,  “Sweetest Thing” is from a Power Poppy digi set (Cherries and Berries)
·   Sookwang double-sided tape- Available from several sources on the web.
·   Circle template, other misc. items and tools from my stash.
Entered into:  
Inspiration Station- Challenge #86 Inspiration Photo (Strawberries)   
Neglected Stuff Challenge- June 2026  

    I recently joined Papercraft Secrets on FaceBook and made this New Baby card to enter into their June Sketch. It features several delicate butterflies from Papercraft Secrets, plus a cute little baby carriage from a box of baby cards that I found a few years ago at a thrift store. I fussy-cut the baby carriage from a card front. The other assorted items on the card are from my stash.
   I made the card for a dear friend who is having a baby, a little girl, in the near future. I'm co-hosting her baby shower, and plan to make name cards for attendees. I took a photo of my “prototype,” which features a baby carriage, hand-lettered name, plus a die-cut bow trimmed from a cupcake wrapper I’ve had in my stash for several years.

Supplies: 
·   Baby Carriage embellishment from a box of unopened baby cards that I found a few years ago at a thrift store.
·   Front Sentiment, “Little Blessings… Psalm 127:3” from We Are 3 Digital Sentiments (Sadly, the company is no longer in business)
·   Background collage on card- upcycled from an old card
·   Pioneer Clear Photo corners- available from several sources
·   Gold photo corners available from several web sources (WXJ13 Photo Mounting Corners)
·   Sookwang double-sided tape- Available from several sources on the web.

·   Butterfly digis from Papercraft Secrets (You can sign up for access to freebies, videos, and more HERE and join FB page HERE)

·   Pink ribbon and pink cupcake wrappers from the clearance aisle at JoAnne’s Crafts (no longer in business)
·   All other misc. items and tools from my stash.
Entered into:  
Outlawz Anything but a Card Challenge- June 
Outlawz Challenge Monthly Linky- June 2026
Word Art Wednesday Challenge- Weeks #756-757 (AG/Family Friendly)
Pammies Inky Pinky Challenge #2624  

Thursday, June 11, 2026

myasperations 6-11-26

   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 POP is officially entering its 13th year of offering challenges that encourage positivity and creativity! In honor of this anniversary, our challenge host introduced the theme for 2026, "Crafting by the Numbers," back in January. 
     June's challenge TWIST is Lucky #6: use six embellishments on your card. 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"!
    
      For my whimsical card, I used two digis (an image and a sentiment) from Tiddly Inks. After printing the sweet little image, named "Dandylion Fairy," I cut the paper to fit onto an A2-sized card, then I used decorative chalks, a sponge, and a template created from a scrap of paper to add fluffy clouds to the sky. When finished, I erased the little bit of"cloud fluff" that I accidentally wiped across the digi image, then colored the sweet little image. Texture and sparkle were added to the dandelion with Polar White Flowersoft and a bit of clear glitter! Her wings became sparkly with the help of some Diamond Stickles. Pretty pastel colored patterned papers and silver metallic cardstock provide backing for the creation and the inside sentiment. The final touch was to add my 6 embellishments- 6 little flower gems that resemble dandelion puffs caught up in the breeze! 
    PS- I always thought that pixies and fairies were pretty similar until I googled them a few years ago and learned that they are very different in temperament, are not on friendly terms, and are actually territorial enemies. Just think of the battles they are having that we can't even see? Ha! I'm now a "senior citizen" who loved fairy tales as a child, and I still love imagining such things!]
   Also, although Christy Croll, the artist/owner of Tiddly Inks, closed her challenge blog a few years ago, she has kept the blog site up, and you can access coloring tutorials plus several freebies HERE. Christy also sells a nice assortment of digis in her Etsy shop HERE.   
                                 
 
  Supplies: 

·   Digi- Tiddly Inks “Dandylion Pixie” (Retired, but you can find other Tiddly images HERE and HERE)

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

·   Polar White Flowersoft- available from several online sources

·   Inside Sentiment- from a Tiddly Inks digi set (no longer available)

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

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

Entered into: 
Polkadoodles Challenge-  Challenge 6 Wk 2- AG
Pattie's Creations Challenge- #243 AG (June 2026)

This card, created for the Inspiration Station Challenge Photo (Strawberries), features a sweet digi from All Dressed Up, plus a backdrop made from an item I’ve had in my stash since the 1980’s. All other items are also from my stash.
 
Supplies: 

·   Background scene is upcycled from the front of an tablet of recipe cards (from the 1980’s) 

·   Digi- All Dressed Up (I Love to Bake)  (This digi appears to be retired. You might be able to obtain a copy if you send a message via Etsy.)

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

·   Front Sentiment-Label from my scrapbook stash.

·   Pioneer Black Photo corners- available from several sources

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

·   Scrap of doily, other misc. items and tools from my stash.

Entered into:  
Inspiration Station- Challenge #86 Inspiration Photo (I was inspired by the Strawberries!)      
Classic Design Challenge: Anything Goes #5-2026 May-June  
Simon Says Wednesday Challenge-Add a Sentiment  
All Dressed Up- Anything Goes (June #173
Pammies Inky Pinky Challenge #2623
Paper Funday- June 2026 #88AG  (Optional Twist: Polkadots and Stripes)

     This card was created for a few Christmas Challenges, including the ABC Christmas Challenge, with the theme “L is for Let it Snow” (my card features lots of snowflakes!), the Caffeinated Christmas Card Challenge, and the Outlawz Christmas Challenge.
     It features one of my favorite Stamplorations digis named "Coffee Cup Parade." I printed one copy of the digi onto fuchsia-striped patterned paper and one onto white cardstock. I then fussy-cut and adhered three of the white cups atop the striped parade of cups. When finished, I adhered the layered parade onto snowflake-patterned paper (with a deep sage green background) and fussy-cut several snowflakes from the background paper to embellish the parade! The final step was to add sentiments and additional snowflake embellishments to the inside of the card.
Supplies: 

·   Digi- Stamplorations (Coffee Cup Parade)

·   Snowflake patterned paper- purchased at JoAnnes Crafts (Sadly no longer in business)

·   Front Sentiment- “Warm Holiday Wishes” from a Beccy’s Place Digi (Christmas Kitties) (Beccy closed her digi shop last year but still sells clear stamp sets online. Check HERE  to see which sets are available!)

·   Inside Sentiment from Polka Dot Orchard digi set (Merry Little Coffee)

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

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

Entered into:  
STAMPlorations- Never Ending Anything Goes Challenge      
Word Art Wednesday Challenge- Weeks #756-757 (AG/Family Friendly)
ABC Christmas Challenge- L & M are for… ?  'L is for Let it Snow'
Outlawz Christmas Only Challenge- June 2026
Outlawz Challenge Monthly Linky- June 2026

      When I saw that the latest theme at the Double D Challenge is Bows, I knew that I wanted to share a Power Poppy digi named “Big Ol’ Bow.” It is very versatile, as it can be used for any occasion, and you can make the bow as big as you desire. That is exactly what I did when I made this door decoration my last Christmas before I retired in 2024. The agency staff and clients always enjoy seeing the dozens of doors decked out in holiday colors and themes. This bow digi inspired me to create “Gift Packages” with holiday papers, to hang on the door of our Prevention Office, where my amazing team members and I created presentations, lesson plans, social media posts, community programs, and more to help parents, schools, and concerned others to prevent drug and alcohol abuse/misuse.
     Note- I'd taken this photos to remind me of this idea for future uses, but had never entered it into any challenge (I checked on my blog to make sure), so I hope it is okay to post here.  
     When I checked to make sure that the Big Ol’ Bow digi set is still available, I see that it is… and is now priced at just $2, so I wanted to share it here so that you can nab a copy if desired!
I forgot to add that printing this digi onto patterned paper would also be super easy. I think I'll try that for Easter, Valentines day, Birthdays... hmmm... just about anything!!            
 
Supplies: 

·   Digi- PowerPoppy (Big Ol’ Bow) printed off on sheets of pastel colored paper

·   Digis on tags are from Little Scraps of Heaven and sentiment on middle tag is from The Paper Shelter (Sadly, both of these shops have closed within the last year!)

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

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

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

Entered into:  
Double D’s Challenge- Bows