March 2025 Greens

 Hello friends, our Peace On Earth challenge is going strong
all year long with an anything goes theme as long as it is
CHRISTMAS.

We always have a mood board for inspiration!

I was inspired by the pretty plaid bow in the upper left corner
and it helped that I had a pad of Craft Consortium 6x6 Tartan paper
along with an already embossed and put together card base to inspire!
The folder is a Sizzix Christmas Tree folder.  I die cut the tree (Impression Obsession)
from the tartan plaid papers.  The sentiment is The Ton Easy Expressions Holiday.  The die cut scrap of green behind the
trees is really more of a lighter green that the pictures shows.
A simple but nice card I might send to my brother for Christmas 2025 as it looks a little masculine to me!

Come and check our our challenge blog and join in
when the holiday rolls around you will be glad you 
are that far ahead on your cards!

March 2025 Halloween Fun!

Hello friends, it's Two Old Bats challenge time once again!
We have a spooky fun mood board that just seems to fit the month of March,
but you can create anything Halloween! 

I let the lime-y green colors inspire me as I knew I had this pretty and fun paper
with just those colors from LDRS Haunted Halloween paper pad!
I used a Brutus Monroe Happy Haunting paper for my base paper
then framed my print with an Impressive Obsession black frame
I had previously cut and in my 'stash'! 
The lime green web is die cut from Cottage Cutz,
 acquired from one of their awesome sales they have now and them!
The sentiment is die cut from a  Poppystamps die.

We know it's March, but we are a YEAR ROUND Halloween challenge
so come on over and have some spooky fun with us!

A Little Tipsy

 We are going GREEN at Colorful Options.
Not a GREEN fan?  Then you can do rainbow colors!
We have a fun inspiration board that has to make you smile!

I used a stamp I received when I was designing for Sparkle N Sprinkle 'Max'
that is the first time I have inked it up.  I colored 'Max' in with Copic's
and added a few gems for some sparkle.
The Wacky Stitched Rectangles are Cottage Cutz.
The sentiment is part of the stamp set.
I was thinking this 'might' make a good retirement card.

Come on over to Colorful Options and have some green fun with us!

Entering the following challenges:
NBUS ...Never Before Used Schtuff
Simon Says Wednesday .... ATG

Spring Parade

Hello friends, this month at The Four Seasons
we have our FIRST season of SPRING!
I don't know about you, but in my part of the world I am more then 
ready, even though technically the first day of Spring is March 20th
and here in Michigan we might still have snow most of the month,
but a girl can hope.

We have a pretty mood board for inspiration all full of Springtime goodness
but, you can create anything with the Spring theme in mind!

I pretty much let all the mood board inspire me with all the pretty colors,
the cute chick and lamb.  I used a cute Cottage Cutz die that I die cut
all in white scraps and then colored in with various Copic, Olo and Altenew markers.
Though lots of pieces this was a pretty easy die to put together.  I paper pieced
the bunny's vest with a tiny scrap of gingham paper.  The grass is Memory Box
Prairie Grass and I used a Lawn Fawn  stencil for my clouds ,
stenciled with Altenew Sea Breeze ink.

Come on over to The Four Seasons
and have some SPRING fun with us!!

Entering the following challenges:
Simon Says Wednesday .... ATG
Critter Crazy .... ATG With A Critter as Focal
Just Us Girls .... Stencil Week

Alphabet Challenge .... 'W'is for Wings

Make A Wish

 Hello friends, we are into March already and are going strong
at Love Those Pretty Papers where our challenge is to get all
those pretty papers out you have been hoarding and put theme to use.

We are an Anything Goes challenge but always have an optional theme
and today it is Rainbow and/or Rainbow Colors.

I have two cards to for this challenge, the first one using the 'optional' theme.
All my papers used came from the Doodlebug 'lots o' luck' paper pack (2018).
I just added a few die cuts from Tutti Designs and Cherry Lynn Designs for the banner. 
I added a few tiny hearts pulled form my 'red' stash of already die cuts.
I think this will make a fun birthday card!

My second card is for the 'anything goes' choice of our challenge also
using Doodlebug papers, this time from 'love notes' (2019).
The flower stamp is Concord & 9th Flowers A La Carte.
Sentiment is a Spellbinders Betterpress.

I did a fun fancy fold/technique I found on Pinterest.
the polka dot portion you see folds back for the card to open up,
a pretty cute design called 'the back fold'.
You can find the instructions here if you want to try one of your own.

Get out YOUR pretty papers and come on over
and have some pretty fun with us!

Entering the following challenges:
Creative Creases .....ATG With A Fun Fold

Welcome To Michigan

Today I am once again joining the FUN Woodblock Wednesday challenge
a challenge where you are to use those probably 'neglected'
woodblock stamps. 

I created a 'kind of' odd/different card using some VERY old stamps.
The first is a 1993 Michigan stamp that I used SNS Cerulean embossing powder.
It must of been a first time use as it was full to the very top.

for the welcome I used for the very first time a SU 2006 Fancy Flexible Phrases
stamp and a SU 2006 Amazing To Zany stamp (to only), also for the first time.
The paper I used was a find at scrapbook dot com that is a Michigan 6x6 pad.
This particular paper shows our Mighty Mac as we call it, Mackinac Bridge
that takes you from lower Michigan to Upper Michigan or the UP as we call it.
For fun I added a little glittered heart to show what part of Michigan I am from,
very lower Michigan right at the Indiana/Michigan state line,
though I have been all the way up the state and to the furthest point in the UP where we once had a cabin.

That's my card form the 'mitten state'!

Masculine Happy Birthday

 Hello friends, at Can You Handle The Pressure our
OPTIONAL theme is MASCULINE.
You can create any theme though as we are an anything goes challenge
as long as you use an embossing folder, that is a MUST!

I went the masculine route and pulled out a never been used before
SU stamp set Wetlands.  I purchased this from another DT member several
years ago and it has never been used  by her either.
My embossing folder is another oldie,
Tim Holtz Alterations Distressed Frame.
It only embosses around the edges making it a 'frame'
which gives you plenty of useful inside room for whatever you want.
The paper is used is from a fabulous pad of 6x6
Craft Consortium Tartan.  This pad is full of wonderful tartan plaids
all in colors perfect for a masculine card!

Get out those poor neglected embossing folders
and come and have some embossing  fun with us!

Entering the following challenges:
The Male Room .... Monochrome

2 Sisters On The Blog #94 .... Men's Card
Creative Crafting Uncles #62 .... Embossing Folder

Celebrate

Hello friends we have a new theme starting today at our
Double D challenge and it is RED!

We hope you will be inspired by our red mood board
but you can create anything as long as red is your focus 

For my red card I used what has become one of my favorite newest
stamp sets form Simon Says Vintage Garden.  This set is loaded
with not only beautiful images but beautiful sentiments as well,
a very useful set. The image was colored in with my Olo markers.
 I used a Pink Fresh Studios stamp and die Perfect Sentiments
for my sentiment and Spellbinders Hemstitch Oval for the stamp placement. 
The background die is Waffle Flower Lacy Layers 2.  The little white butterflies
came out of my 'spare parts' container. 

Make sure to check out all the beautiful creations that our
talented Double D teamies have created!!

Entering the following challenges:

Addicted to Stamps and More .... Make Your Mark
As You Like It .... Feminine or Masculine and WHY...
I always prefer making a feminine card over a masculine unless

it's a boy child, I am always at a lost for the male card
and prefer girly myself, plus my supplies mostly are geared
towards the girls, sorry guys!!

I Love Pro Markers .... ATG

Two Old Bats February 2025 Reminder

 Hello friends, we are now halfway through our month at
Two Old Bats
where we create for Halloween all year long!
We have a fun mood board for inspiration but you can
create anything Halloween!

I had fun letting the mood board inspire me with all it's fun
pink spooky goodness!
I used a Pink & Main heart stencil for the background but thought I had
grabbed a blending brush I use with my pinks but it seemed to be more coral
so that is why the bottom is a bit different from the rest but I kind of liked it
that way, makes it more 'Halloweeny-y' that way lol!!

After the stenciling was done I used a Cuttlebug EB spider web folder to
emboss the entire panel.  I die cut a creepy Cherry Lynn Designs spider,
gave him a glittered heart to hold,
then die cut a sentiment that I received the die free from scrapbookdotcom.

Hope YOU can find some fun Halloween time to join us!!

Entering the following challenges:
Halloween & Other Occasions .... Halloween

Christmas Wishes

 Hello friends, it's that time again for a new challenge at
Peace On Earth.

We have a fun wintery mood board but you can create
anything Christmas themed!

I let the nosy deer in the upper right hand corner inspire me.
We have a lot of deer here and they ARE really nosy.
Poor things, guess that is why they are easy prey, I would rather
look at their beauty then have them hunted!!
Anyhow, my card is a 3D created with designs from Katy Sue that I
purchased thru Amazon after seeing a video HERE.
You get 12 cards to create in the set with deer, a bird, fox and an owl,
all 3D.  These are relatively easy to create but thank goodness for the video!

This card closes up flat for mailing and comes with matching envelopes.

We hope to see you over at Peace On Earth
with what inspires YOU!

Entering the following challenges:
Daisy Chain .... Layer It Up
Day Of The Month Card Club .... Feeding The Forest Animals

Beautiful Blossoms February 2025

 Hello friends, today is the new challenge at
Beautiful Blossoms
where we want to see all your pretty blooms.
We have a pretty and colorful inspiration photo
but you can create any color as long as blooms are you focal point.

Do you remember when Flourishes had stamps?  I have always loved their stamps
and used to do a lot of their challenges and won many a stamp
from them, let alone purchase some.
That is what I have used for my card today, a Flourishes Garden Picks stamp and sentiment.
I stamped on the Spellbinders Hemstitch Oval.

Background paper is Prima Nature Lover.  A few gold gems were added.

I tried to stay within the color range but not sure how successful I was,
but I do like how it turned out!  Make sure to come and visit us at

Beautiful Blossoms and see all the pretty flowers there, it's like a breath of Spring air!

Cup Of Hearts

 Hello Friends, it's time for our new monthly challenge at
The Sisterhood of Crafters.
This months theme is Red and/or Pink.

I started with a different 'paper' of sorts.
I'm not sure what to call it as it is not vellum but more of a clear
plastic from last year's Recollections Valentine's Day paper pack.
The coffee cup I already had die cut from Pretty Pink Posh
and added some IO fun hearts to it.  The sentiment is Fun Stampers
Journey 'Be Mine'.

Come on over and have some red/pink fun with us at
The Sisterhood of Crafters!

Entering the following challenges:   
Halloween & Other Occasions  .... Valentines
Let's Craft and Create .... Red, Pink and/or White
My Time To Craft #553 .... Hearts

I Heart You

 I am taking a bit of 'time off' today to take part in a fun challenge
I saw at Little Red Wagon that is Teddy Bears.
I was looking through my 'animal' stamps for something else
and happened upon this teddy bear stamp that I thought was perfect
for not only this time of the year but for the teddy bear challenge.

This card has a mix of brand new and very old supplies to make it.
The background is a clear plastic like clear sheet I purchased last week
from Michaels, Recollections Be My Valentine 6x6 pad.
This pad is full of all kinds of clear sheets, glitter sheets, foil sheets
and regular sheets.  I die cut a few Tutti design hearts and stamped a
sentiment with a very old stamp from Precious Remembrance Shop,
remember them (?), me either lol.  The bear is a Cottage Cutz
stamp and die Chloe w/flowerpot wreath, flowers not available
anymore.

That's it for me today, so back to working on DT stuff, I am determined to
get all my 2025 DT projects done for the year by March 20th to free my time
for Spring and Summer activities!  We'll see how that goes!!

Magical Dreams

 Hello friends, at Can You Handle The Pressure where we are
all about using embossing folders we have an
OPTIONAL theme of  'Something Starting With An F'.
Some ideas are the first one that comes to mind is Flowers,
but there is fox, fantasy, flavors, funny and so on
or a as I used FAIRY.

I pulled out my die notebook of 
Fairies and such as was quite surprised to find several
different fairy dies in it that I haven't ever used.
This Cottage Cutz Spring Fairy  was one of them.

She 'had' a little top knot on her head but well,
we won't talk about that, let's just say it's gone!!
I had a negative oval die cut panel in my spare parts
box so I embossed it with a Honey Bee 3D Spring Medley
embossing folder, added a scrap piece behind and popped
up my fairy on top.  The sentiment and moon are also
Cottage Cutz Magical Unicorn Dreams that I die cut
three times and stacked.  I did place a small sparkle-y
unicorn inside from the same die set.
I think this will make a cute card for a young lady's birthday.

Get out those poor neglected embossing folders and
come and join us at Can You Handle The Pressure
where embossing folders are required.

From The Heart

 Hello friends, at Simply Clean & Simple today
our OPTIONAL challenge them is Love and/or Hearts.
But you can create anything as long as it is CAS.

I think my card today is more along the 'simple' lines
though it is somewhat clean with lots of white space.
All parts from this card came from my 'spare parts' box
of already die cut and embossed panels.
The sentiment strip is Lawn Fawn and the sentiment
itself is from an old Flourishes set.  The die is from
Die Versions that is no longer in business, it is Dozen Roses.

We would love to see your CAS cards
 at Simply Clean and Simple.
.

Word Power Challenge February 2025

 Hello friends, we are back this month with our
WORD POWER challenge,
the challenge where your words take center stage!

Do you have large/big words and are not sure what to do with them?
Then get them out and use them for our challenge, it's really pretty easy!
There is no theme so any large sentiments/words will do!

For my card, being February I pulled out some of my Penny Black
dies and stamps.  I die cut the word LOVE twice and stacked one on the other.
The stamp is from PB Loads of Love, a set I got free by winning a
gift certificate to 123Sttich  from the Penny Black challenge!
The eyelet trim across the top was created using an old SU punch,
this is the first time I have used my much neglected punch in years!
The background paper is from one of my newest pads,
Crafter's Companion Love Is In The Air.

So, grab those big words and come on over to
Word Power and join in the fun!

Entering the following challenges:
Cut It Up .... This Makes Me Smile (what more can make you smile then a mouse carrying a cupcake, something I do hope I never see though!)

Hearts

 Hello friends, at Double D we have a new theme and fitting for February it is all
about HEARTS!  We also have a fun and pretty mood board for inspiration!

I was inspired by all the pretty pinks, let alone the hearts.  
I have always loved Valentines Day making it one of my favorite
celebrated days!  There is just something about hearts that well,
get to my heart!

I have to say that the creating of today's card threw me for a loop!
I had a Spellbinders die I purchased when they had one of their warehouse sales
and all along thought it was a 'glimmer' die, so what did I do but glimmer it of course.
Then I tried to figure out how to get the center heart glimmered and lined up
in the center so went to youtube and then realized it wasn't a glimmer die
at all, but one of their small dies of the month 'A Lotta Heart' from Jan 2022.

Once I watched the video it all made sense.  The base of the die cuts totally apart
like a puzzle that you have to piece back together.  I first, as I saw in the video
inked one side of all the pieces with Distress Picked raspberry ink, I love how
it gives such a pretty tone on my pink card stock.  There is also a glimmer set
that coordinates with this die that I was lucky enough to have which enabled me
to die cut the center delicate heart out.  When cutting the background die it also
cuts the hearts in half, so I can back in with half hearts on each piece.
The florals and greens in the center of the big heart are part of the die set.
The sentiment is from The Ton Easy Expressions.  I added a few
Pink Fresh Studio gems.

I would suggest if you have this die set
 to make sure you too watch the video.

Stop in at Double D and see all the pretty hearts from
our fabulous design teams!!

Heart Tree

Hello friends, we are into  anew month which means a new challenge at
Stencil Fun with an OPTIONAL Theme of Pinks and/or Reds.
But just by using a stencil it can be anything goes. 

For the 'optional' theme 
I pulled out an easy and fun stencil from Simon Says Heart of Christmas
that has the 4 layering pieces on one stencil. 

It is really a Christmas stencil but I turned into more
appropriate for February with it's cute little hearts!
The embossed background is pulled form my stash of 'white' things I already had
just waiting to be used, it is from WeR Memory Keepers.
I snipped off the dove form an already die cut and added a sentiment from The Ton.

For my 'anything goes' card  I had some fun
with a stencil and die by The Greetery,
scalloped gingham stencil and A2 stitched
scalloped die.  The flowers are from a freebie
from scrapbookdotcom (Pinkfresh Studios Foiled Vellum Floral Ephemera) and the sentiment is
The Ton Easy Expressions.  The card base is actually purple.

Get out those stencils and come on over to
Stencil Fun and have a bit of stenciling fun with us!

Triple B Challenge February 2025

Hello friends, it's February at our Triple B Challenge and we have a very
'vibrant' mood board but you can create any color as long as it has one of the triple b's,
Birds~Blooms and/or butterflies!

For my card I pulled out a new and never been used before stencil/stamp combo
Poppy Posy from LDRS Creative from right here in Michigan.

I stamped the image first then stenciled with Altenew inks in the most reddish color
I could find.  After stamping I could not get the flower stencils to line up
so had to move my stencil each time for each flower, the leaves on the 
other hand lined up perfectly.  I fussy cut my image out and mounted on a Spellbinders
die cut I had in my 'white' container of already die cuts, same with the die cut below
it is Tutti Designs Oriental Screen.  I added a cute embossed butterfly from my stash
and left a sentiment off for now!

Come on over and have some birds~butterfly~blooms
fun with us at Triple B!!

Entering the following challenges:
Simon Says Wednesday .... ATG
Little Red Wagon .... ATG

Be My Valentine

 Hello friends, as crazy as it seems we are, Dar and I started a NEW
fun challenge today The Neglected Stuff
meaning we want to see all that stuff in your stash used that you have had
for months or years and never have used yet.  You know how we all
'just have to have it' but it, put it away and it never sees the light of day again
or we can't even remember what or why we bought it!
NOW is the perfect place to make use of it!!

Remember when Prima came out with all those cute girl stamps?
Well, they also had packets of Ephemera of the same girls.
I purchased several of them and into my drawer of ephemera it went,
since 2017.  This packet is Jan/Feb (I have others) and has the cutest
winter and Valentine pieces in it, 102 to be exact.  The dies I used are from
my 'spare parts' of already cut die cuts, and the gingham paper is 
Waffle Flowers Gingham Berry Sweet pad.

I think this sweet little card with go to a great granddaughter.
Come on over and give our challenge a fun try with YOUR neglected 'stuff'!!

Let There Be Peace On Earth

 Hello Friends, today we have a new challenge beginning at
Peace On Earth and a fun new mood board just perfect for
February but you can create anything as long as it is Christmas!

There were so many cute things on this board I had a hard time deciding,
but then remembered I had a never been used before die from
Cottage Cutz Holiday Dove w/Floral .  I think this die would also make a
perfect wedding card by leaving the holly off and changing the colors.
After assembling my die cut I placed it on a stitched heart by Tutti Designs.
The sentiment is from Hero Arts.

Come on over to Peace On Earth and get an early start on those
Christmas cards for 2025, at the end of the year you will be you did!!

Also wanted to add that as crazy as Dar and I are we
have a new challenge starting on February 3rd and the 
first Monday of every month after. It is called
The Neglected Stuff, just follow the link and read all about it!!

Entering the following fun challenges:
Cut It Up ....Have A Heart
C.R.A.F.T. Challenge .... Christmas
ABC Christmas .... A for Anything Christmas
Simon Says Wednesday Challenge .... ATG
I Spy With My Little Eye .... Fur or Feathers

Two Old Bats February 2025 Challenge

Hello friends, we are still going strong at our
Two Old Bats year long challenge and would love to have you play along!
As always we have a fun mood board for inspiration
but you can create anything Halloween giving you the fun of using your
Halloween supplies all year long! 

I had fun with this out of the ordinary pink Halloween  mood board
and used a new to me Trinity Stamps Dainty Ghost die.
I couldn't resist the edges on this ghost, so FUN!!
I used a fun designer paper from Paper Rose Pink Halloween
for the background and added a few die cut Spider Webs from Cottage Cutz
and added hearts in the centers, I guess you can say I WAS inspired by the mood board!

So, get out those Halloween supplies and have some February Halloween fun with us!

Also wanted to add that as crazy as Dar and I are we
have a new challenge starting on February 3rd and the 
first Monday of every month after. It is called
The Neglected Stuff, just follow the link and read all about it!!

Entering these fun challenges:
NBUS  #71.... Never Before Used Schtuff
Halloween & Other Occasions ....Halloween
Park Hopping .... Disney Theme Park Haunted Mansion 

February 2025 Colorful Options

Hello friends, welcome to Colorful Options Challenge this month where our colors are
Pink/Red with the pretty mood board below!

I did a somewhat simple card by using a pretty die I haven't used before
that I got from Cheapo Dies when they were in business.
  The background paper is Doodlebug Design's Love Notes (2019).
The sentiment is from Paper Smooches Scripty Sayings, a set I won
when they were still in business.  Just a bit of layering on a
pink card base and my card was completed!

Come join us in some Colorful Fun!!

Entering the following fun challenges:

Cut It Up .... Have a Heart
All Sorts #816 ....Romance or Music
Simon Says Wednesday .... ATG
Time Out .... Pick Two:  Layer~Heart~Love

February 2025 Winter

We are into our third month of WINTER at
The Four Seasons and have a wintery, snowy, cold
mood board for inspiration, but you can create anything as long
as it is WINTER themed!

I totally had something else in mind for my winter card
but ended up with a Pinterest inspired card that I loved
changing it up enough to make it mine and was also inspired by the wintery scene on the mood board.  I used a Spellbinders
arch to make a frame, then embossed the arch itself to re-insert in
the frame after embossing with a TH Alterations Snowfall EB folder.
I die cut two TH Woodland trees.  One I inset in the frame and the second one
I 'popped' up on the outside of the frame.  The sentiment is from The Ton
Easy Expressions Holiday.

Come on over to The Four Seasons and
have some WINTER fun with us!

Also inspired by The Card Concepts all white winter trees
and created a clean and layered look!

Also wanted to add that as crazy as Dar and I are we
have a new challenge starting on February 3rd and the 
first Monday of every month after. It is called
The Neglected Stuff, just follow the link and read all about it!!

Happy Birthday Cards

 Hello friends, it's that time again for a new monthly challenge at
Love Those Pretty Papers.
It's all about pulling all those beautiful designer papers out
and put them to use!
We are an anything goes challenge with an
OPTIONAL theme of RED his month.

For my red card (inspired by the optional theme)
I saw a card I liked on Pinterest and found there was a tutorial HERE.
I think there is a bit of a 'learning' curve here
(one which I am still working on to 'perfect')
and also think there are now dies for this cut
which would make it a whole lot easier!

By doing this technique you end up with 2 cards.
The papers I used are an older SU one (flower print)
and a Doodlebug Puppy Love (hearts).
The sentiment and center die cuts are Sizzix Layered Labels
which comes with the dies and the stamps. 
I just love the shapes of the cute dies!

Second card (my trial & error card):

For my anything goes card I created another birthday
card as I seem to need those the most.  I came across this
design using designer paper HERE .  I thought it was a 
great design to use some of the pretty papers.
My papers are Prima's Nature Lover.  I added a few
'inked' elements from my already die cut stash,
I have lots of those that I am trying to use up before cutting
anything else, we will see how that woks out!
The sentiment strip is Spellbinders Betterpress.

Now it's your turn to get out those pretty papers and
come on over and have some fun with us!

Also wanted to add that as crazy as Dar and I are we
have a new challenge starting on February 3rd and the 
first Monday of every month after. It is called
The Neglected Stuff, just follow the link and read all about it!!