Wednesday, September 17, 2025

myasperations 9-17-25

    Here is another yummy card for the chocolate/sweets theme at Park Hopping. This card features the wrapper of a mini Hershey’s bar, which I was willing to provide (after removing the chocolate… heh heh!) Using a Heart Pocket card tutorial from Pinterest, plus computer-generated sentiment and items from my stash, I was able to develop this fun card.
Supplies: 
·    Heart Pocket Valentine Card Tutorial found HERE

·    Darice-Embossing Essentials Dies, Nesting Scallop Hearts, 5-Pack (available from several web sources)

·    Sentiments-Computer Generated

·    Mini-chocolate bar is from my favorite brand of chocolate, Hersheys!

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

Entered into:  
Outlawz Twisted Thursday Challenge-AG Sept 4 -Oct 3 2025
Word Art Wednesday Challenge- Weeks #716-717 AG/Family Friendly

    Here is another card using the Sketch from the September Build Your Stash Holiday Cardmakers (BYSHC) challenge on FB. It features a cute little mouse digi, several patterned papers, and misc items from my stash. I didn't want the little mouse to be overwhelmed by the boldly patterned paper at the top of the card, so I "dressed" him up a bit by adding spots in his fur. (I did a web search for “pet mice” and picked this one because the colors fit nicely into my card's color scheme. Paper piecing a strip of the background pattern onto the cup label also helped the little “Coffee Mouse” to stand out a bit! He is so cute!)
Supplies: 
·    Digi- Sweet November Stamps (Hot Coffee Mouse)

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

·    Patterned paper with reindeer and inside sentiment tag from a Park Lane Holiday Papercrafting book- JoAnne’s Crafts, (sadly, closed in July 2025)

·    Woodgrain patterned paper- Hobby Lobby

·    Front Sentiment- from a Beccy’s Place Digi set that is no longer available. (Business recently changed to clear stamps/wholesale only)

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

·    Other misc. items and tools from my stash.

Entered into: 
Park Hopping-My Happy Place (Sept)   Peppermint Mocha at Holiday World in Santa Clause Indiana 
Passion for Markers Challenge- Week #805: Animal Friends  
Outlawz Challenge- Festive Friday: Sept (Christmas)         
Outlawz Challenge-Sept 2025 Linky  
ABC Christmas Challenge- S and T are for?  'T is for Trees' (which appear on the patterned paper)

    This card features a Moondrea Designs digi, which is provided free to participants of their monthly Progressive FB Challenge. The September digi, named Harvest Fairy, is adorned in fall colors. I knew I wanted to highlight her beautiful face as if it were in a locket, so I cropped that section of the digi and inserted an oval around it. I also cropped two sections of the digi that held bounty from the harvest, which I used to frame the bottom of the oval. After coloring, fussy-cutting, and adhering these items together on the oval, I positioned it atop an upcycled calendar page, then adhered it, a sentiment, and a few small golden orange leaves in place. 
    I’m entering this card into several challenges, including Time Out Challenge: Favorite Season (My favorite season is Fall. I especially love the rich colors, and the many fruits that start appearing. I live in a location surrounded by apple orchards, and I enjoy all that entails- apple cider, apple crisp, apple butter, caramel apples, and more!) 
                           
 
Supplies: 

·    Background scene is upcycled from an old calendar

·    Digi- Moondrea Sept Challenge-Harvest Fairy.

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

·    Front Sentiment “Have a Fabulous Day”- from RG Ave Stamps Fall Greetings Newsletter Freebie (no longer available)

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

·    Small leaf embellishment cut from patterned paper, other misc. items and tools from my stash.

Entered into:  
Moondrea Designs Progressive Challenge FB-(Sept- Harvest Fairy)  
Time Out Challenge- Challenge #297 (“Inspired By…” Favorite Season)
The Paper Shelter- #651 AG (optional-Falling Leaves)   
Classic Design Challenge: Anything Goes #09-2025 Sept/Oct (twist- Trees and/or Leaves)  

Tuesday, September 16, 2025

myasperations 9-16-25

     I’ve had fun making cards for the September Build Your Stash Holiday Cardmakers (BYSHC) challenge on FB. I used a beautiful, snowy scene as the base of my card, adding a strip of silver embossed vellum for the center section of the Sketch. I love the serene feeling of the card, enhanced by the front and inside sentiments.
     I’m entering this card into several challenges, including Simon Says Wednesday: Layer it Up! (Both the front and inside of the card have four layers, plus a fluttering of snowflakes.), and the ABC Christmas Challenge: T is for Trees (There are many trees along the fence line and along the valley that leads down to the church in the valley.)  
Supplies: 

·    Background scene is upcycled from an old calendar (Details of original painting-“Peace on Earth” by Jesse Barnes, The Light Painter)

·    Sentiments- from a Beccy’s Place Digi set that is no longer available. (Business recently changed to clear stamps/wholesale only)

·    Vellum embossed with silver pigment ink and EP, plus old Printworks wood-mount stamp set (Snowflakes)

·    Snowflake stickers- Hobby Lobby and JoAnne’s

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

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

Entered into: 
Classic Design Challenge: Anything Goes #09-2025 Sept/Oct (twist- Trees and/or Leaves) 
Simon Says Wednesday Challenge-Layer it Up! (Use ephemera)
Word Art Wednesday Challenge- Weeks #716-717 AG/Family Friendly
Penny’s Paper Crafty Challenge- #605 Anything Goes
Outlawz Challenge- Festive Friday: Sept (Christmas)         

    This yummy cup of hot chocolate is topped with a large dollop of whipped cream, plus more in the spoon. Nom Nom! Most of the items used to make this card were from my ever-growing stash. I love the Victorian feeling of the image, and the gold filigree stickers add a nice bit of bling! The front sentiment is one of a large set of vintage images from The Paper Shelter that I often use. It includes both black/white and pre-colored digis.  
Supplies: 

·    Cup of Hot Chocolate Sticker- from a JoAnne’s Crafts Park Lane Holiday Papercrafting book  

·    Front Sentiment- from The Paper Shelter digi set (Vintage X-mas Designs)

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

·    Inside Sentiment- from a We Are 3 Digital set (Company no longer in business)

·    Gold filigree photo corner stickers (front) and filigree flower stickers (inside)- Hobby Lobby

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

·    Swirly background paper, all other misc. items and tools from my stash.

Entered into:  
The Paper Shelter- #650 AG
Park Hopping-My Happy Place (Sept)   
Outlawz Twisted Thursday Challenge-AG Sept 4 -Oct 3 2025 
Outlawz Challenge-Sept 2025 Linky 

   Another card created for several fall-themed challenges that are happening right now! It features a cute digital image from Sweet November Stamps, named Cozy Critter Suzy Squirrel. Suzy loves fall days as much as I do… and apparently as much as the children playing in the beautiful fall scene upcycled from an old Navigator Ministries calendar.
     I’m entering this card into several challenges, including Friends of Sweet November: Sept (Use at least 3 fall colors-Red, Orange, Yellow, Brown or Gold. My card includes all of them!), Time Out Challenge: Favorite Season (My favorite season is Fall, and always has been. When young, my siblings and I loved jumping in leaf piles. Now, as the leaves change, I love watching the world turn into a kaleidoscope of vivid color!)  Inspiration Station (My card features many versions of colorful tree confetti, aka, leaves!)
Supplies: 
·    Fall Scene upcycled from an old church calendar (Printed by Navigator Ministries)

·    Digi- Sweet November Stamps (Cozy Critter Suzy Squirrel)

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

·    Front Sentiment- “Have a Fabulous Day” from RG Ave Stamps Fall Greetings Newsletter Freebie 

·    Inside Sentiment tags- from a Fall Paper Pack- JoAnne’s Crafts (Sadly, closed in July 2025)

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

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

Entered into:  
Time Out Challenge- Challenge #297 (“Inspired By” Challenge-Favorite Season 
Paper Funday- #80 Anything Goes  (Optional Twist: Changing Seasons)
Passion for Markers Challenge- Week #805: Animal Friends 

Monday, September 15, 2025

myasperations 9-15-25

    This year, Path of Positivity is challenging you to Embrace the Unexpected!  This month's theme is "Take a Walk & Find Inspiration from Something Unexpected that You See Along Your Route.” (More theme info is available HERE.)  This theme is optional, so 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"!

     On my walk, I was happy to see neighbors enjoying a last hot day of summer on their deck with tall glasses of icy lemonade. I was even happier when they asked me to join them!
     My card features a freebie from Scribbles Designs named Pitcher & Drink . I used a fine-line permanent black marker to trace 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, then adhered it to the acetate with small strips of double-stick tape! Then I added 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. (Just a heads up, I practiced this technique on a scrap of acetate before I tried it on the actual card front!)  
    The beautiful background scene is an upcycled painting from an old calendar.  After cutting it to size and attaching it to the card front, I created a table top with a scrap of woodgrain-patterned paper, and added a “tablecloth” with a scrap from a small plastic doily. The final photo includes the signature of the painting’s artist. (Sadly, I can't quite decipher it!)
 
Supplies: 
·    Background scene is upcycled from an old calendar
·    Digi-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

·    Woodgrain-patterned paper- Hobby Lobby

·    Front Sentiment is a freebie from www.maxammadestudio.com (Sadly it appears that this blog has closed.)

·    Inside Sentiment- Freebie from Desert Diva (Sending you Sunshine)

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

·    Small plastic doily, other misc. items and tools from my stash.

Entered into: 
The Paper Shelter- #650 AG
Word Art Wednesday Challenge- Weeks #716-717 AG/Family Friendly
Classic Design Challenge: Anything Goes #09-2025 Sept/Oct (twist- Trees and/or Leaves) 
Paper Funday- #80 Anything Goes  (Optional Twist: Changing Seasons)

    I made this card to enter into several fall-themed challenges being held right now! It features a cute digital image from Sweet November Stamps, named Summer Breeze, and I’m thinking she might also enjoy a warm fall breeze, too! The beautiful pre-colored background scene is a freebie from one of my favorite FB sites (See details in supplies list) Free Printables for your Junk Journaling with TLC.
   After I colored and fussy-cut the sweet digi, put all the pieces together, adding a layer between the background and the digi so that she didn’t get overpowered by the brightly colored scene.  
     I’m entering this card into several challenges, including Time Out Challenge: Favorite Season (Fall is my favorite season. I love the colors of leaves and pumpkins, plus the pumpkin spice coffee and especially the DQ pumpkin pie Blizzards that appear every fall!)   
 
Supplies: 
·  Fall Scene through the window- Free Printables for your Junk Journaling with TLC (FB) (The group sponsor, Paulette Slater, offers dozens of free sentiments and digis every month to site members. If you join, you can access this digi HERE)

·   Digi- Sweet November Stamps (Summer Breeze)

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

·   Front Sentiment- “Bring on the Pumpkin Spice” Freebie from LoveSVG (no longer available)

·   Inside Sentiment- “Fall Breeze…” Freebie from LoveSVG (no longer available)

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

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

Entered into:  
Time Out Challenge- Challenge #297 (“Inspired By…” Challenge) 
Outlawz- Tuesday Color Challenge- Color Board-Sept (twist- Fall is in the air) 
Outlawz Challenge- Festive Friday: Sept (Colours Of The Season)         

  I wanted to create a few more cards featuring Tim Holtz Found Relatives cutouts for the Simon Says Ephemera Challenge. They are so fun to pair with funny sentiments, and this free sentiment from Gingershouse Blogspot really resonates with me! The base of the card features a scrap of very old light blue mulberry paper from a roll I found at a local thrift store. (A very vintage label read “Drawer Liner,” was wrapped around the thickly textured roll of paper. The paper was also very lightly printed with trailing vines covered with small flowers. I highlighted them with white and gold Liquid Pearls.) After layering the mulberry paper, photos, and a few paper doilies onto the card, I added the sentiments and TaDa… let the giggles begin!
     An added note- I am sending this card to a dear SIL who is the mother of a very active 4-year-old. I think it will resonate with her! 
 
Supplies: 
·    Vintage Portrait- from Simon Says (Tim Holtz idea-ology FOUND RELATIVES)

·    Sentiment (divided into two sections)- freebie from Gingershouse Blogspot (I am not an early bird…)

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

·    Liquid Pearls- White Opal, and Buttercup

·    Mulberry paper, paper doilies, other misc. items and tools from my stash.

Entered into:  
Simon Says Wednesday Challenge-Layer it Up! (Use ephemera)
Polkadoodles Challenge- Challenge 10, Week 3-AG                    
Park Hopping-My Happy Place (Sept)   
Outlawz Challenges- Monday Greeting Challenge- Anything Goes (Sept
Outlawz Challenge-Sept 2025 Linky