myasperations 7-9-26

   Hello friends! Sadly, using my laptop, which is over 10 years old, is becoming a major hassle. I fear it is nearing a complete crash! (Since it took me nearly 4 hours to finish and load this post, I'm actually considering taking a sledgehammer to it!) 

   My hubby bought me a MAC a few years ago, but I've had trouble learning how to use it. I  need to either learn to use it, find another way to simplify posting to my blog, or find a venue other than Blogger. Anyway, I anticipate my online presence will be sporadic as I work through these issues.  So, until I see you again, take care. 

       It's time for a new challenge at Time Out... where I'm honored to be a Guest DT!  (You can see my winning entry HERE.) I love the name of this challenge, and especially the reason for it as noted in its "How to Play" list-"Above all, take TIME OUT of your busy life, craft a little and have some fun!"

    This new challenge is named "Water", and I decided to create a card that features a digital image with an interesting underwater interaction between a beautiful mermaid and a curious fish! I had fun coloring the scene and the fish in neutral and pastel shades, but I gave the mermaid center stage by coloring her in bright splashes of ginger and pink!

    I planned to add a final sparkly touch to my card with Stickles (liquid glitter), but couldn’t find it anywhere! I’m in the process (yet… still… again?!) of organizing my craft room, and it is now a bigger mess than when I started! So, I resorted to an earlier technique: a faux sparkle, sprinkling tiny white dots from my white gel pen on her scales and tail.  

    Note- the mermaid digi, a freebie from the Gecko Gals blog, is no longer available, but I provided a link to the blog in my supplies list. It offers a vast number of other freebies, many with fantasy, gothic, and even steampunk themes!

Supplies: 

·   Mermaid and Fish digi is from Gecko Gals Scrapbooking Blog, where monthly themed challenges are held, with 8-9 Free digis provided each month. You can find a large number of freebies HERE. The current month can be found HERE.

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

·   Front Sentiment-“hello” a 2017 freebie from scrapbookandcards.com (No longer available) But a similar one can be found on Desert Diva, one of my favorite sites for sentiments  HERE.

·   Inside Sentiment- Computer generated

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

·   Sheer black dotted Swiss ribbon- JoAnne’s

·   Scalloped A2 card, scraps of patterned paper and glitter paper, other misc. items and tools from my stash.

Entered into:  

Classic Design Challenge: Anything Goes #6-2026 June-July (Optional twist- BDay) 

Lil Patch of Crafty Friends Challenge- #281 AG 

Pammies Inky Pinky Challenge #2627 Theme- Water   

Paper Funday- July 2026 #89 AG 

Polkadoodles Challenge-  Challenge 7 Wk 2- AG

     I found this background scene a few weeks ago at a favorite FB site for digis, Free Printables for your Junk Journaling with TLC. (See details in my supplies section. I immediately knew it would be a wonderful background for Capri, a beautiful mermaid from Sweet November Stamps. After coloring and fussy-cutting the digi into three pieces (Capri on the deck, plus two fins), I positioned Capri in place, lining the end of the dock with the side of the card (paper clipping her in place but not yet taping her in place). Using a photo of the digi as my guide, I 

1) positioned the fins, 2) used a pencil to lightly sketch around Capri’s torso and fins (especially where they slipped into the water), 3) used an Exacto knife to cut small slits where her tail and fins could actually be slipped into the water.

     I then used the fussy-cut digi as a template to lightly trace Capri’s torso, tail, and fins onto a piece of sparkly purple cardstock. I wanted to help secure the sparkly scales, tail, and fins, so I sketched a bit extra onto the ends of these pieces so they would be a bit longer. I adhered the torso section to the digi of Capri and set the fins nearby. 

     Then came the magic! I positioned and adhered Capri and the dock in place. Then, using the light sketches and slits on the water as my guides, I slid Capri’s tail and fins into the slits, adhering them in place with adhesive on the front and a bit of tape on the underside. I finished up the coloring by using a white gel pen to add “waves” around her tail, fins, and the leg of the dock (I think it is called a piling?) I added a little additional texture to her scales; shading with a few lavender markers, and highlighting with small dots from a white gel pen. 

     I wanted to send a card to a friend's daughter who is preparing to take the DAT (Dental Admissions Test) in hopes of being accepted into Dental School. This test is the first major step toward her desired career,  and she has been studying for the 5-hour-long exam for a few months. I'm praying that God will be with her as she pursues this life choice. In the meantime, I'm thinking this card will encourage her! 

 

Supplies: 

·   Background (Starry Sky)-Free Printables for Junk Journaling with TLC (FB) Join HERE  (Note- after you join, you can find this digi HERE)

·   Digi- Sweet November Stamps (Mermaid Reflections: Capri)

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

· Paper-pieced the scales and tail with fine-glitter (purple) cardstock (I sketched a few small stars on the scraps to  embellish the front and inside.)  

·   Front Sentiment from a Beccy’s Place digi set (True Beauty) (Beccy closed her digi shop last year but still sells clear stamp sets online. Check HERE  to see which sets are available!)

·   Inside Sentiment- “Shoot for the moon…” a freebie you can access at thegirlcreative.com (HERE)

·   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.

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

Entered into:  

Time Out Challenge- #317 Theme Challenge  Water   

Double D’s Challenge- Potpourri  (My card is inspired by the water and bright colors in the photo!)

Pick 3 Challenge- #6 June/July 2026  (My card includes a thin frame, sentiment and sparkle!)  

Word Art Wednesday Challenge- Weeks #760-761

     My final card in this posting is for Christmas-themed challenges at Sweet November Stamps (SNS) and Coffee Loving Paper Crafters. It features a sweet little mouse digi from SNS, a sentiment from Polka Dot Orchard, and treasures from my stash.

    An added note- I’m entering this card into several other challenges, including the 4-legged Friends theme at Simon Says Wednesday (one of my friends in college had a pet mouse that she had trained to do several tricks. I don’t usually like rodents, but little Max was pretty cute!)

 

Supplies: 

·   Background features Christmas patterned paper from Hobby Lobby

·   Digi- Sweet November Stamps (Hot Coffee Mouse)

·   Front Sentiment-tag made with “JOY” cut from scrap of patterned paper

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

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

·   A scrap of sparkly ribbon, corragated paper, holly patterned paper, other misc. items and tools from my stash.

Entered into:  

Friends of Sweet November (FB) July 

Coffee Loving Paper Crafters/Caffeinated Christmas Card Challenge: #55 July 

Passion for Markers Challenge- Week #845: Animals

Simon Says Wednesday Challenge-4 Legged Friends  

Outlawz Christmas Only Challenge- July 2026

Outlawz Challenge Monthly Linky- July 2026