WCMD Challenge: Flip Card

 

I made a flip card for a World Card Making Day challenge. But as I was making it, I kept thinking there was something vaguely familiar about it. Looking back later, I could see that I'd made a VERY similar card last October, featuring the same sentiment, stamps and paper pack. 

Oops! I guess when you own one Halloween stamp set, you're likely to use it in similar fashion!

 

The question is: who did I send the card to last year? I think I'll give this one to my Mom.

Hope your day isn't too scary!

WCMD Challenge: Anniversary

 

One of the WCMD challenges at A Cherry on Top is to make an anniversary card. This was very good timing, as today is our wedding anniversary!

I made this card for my husband because it has a very sappy sentiment that reminds me of the title of a Hallmark movie...and he LOVES to mock Hallmark movies!

Pumpkin Kisses and Harvest Wishes: starring Mary Rose and Ed ! (with a special guest appearance by Jemma!)

I used Simple Stories Fall Farmhouse papers and a few enamel dots. The Happy Anniversary sentiment came from Concord and 9th.

Here's a fun tip: grass dies do not only have to be used to make green grass! I used a Lawn Fawn grass die with mustard yellow paper to make a more autumnal border...maybe wheat? Maybe straw? Maybe dead grass from the drought?

This one is a 5 by 7 card. I needed more space for all of those pretty papers!

We're going extra fancy to celebrate: pizza at one of our favorite local spots!

Blessings on your Monday, café friends!

WCMD Challenge

 

One of my favorite online retailers is A Cherry On Top. I find great things there, and did I mention they are  a Michigan company? Their store and distribution center is about an hour and a half north of me.

They are having a week of WCMD celebrations and challenges. I made this one for the challenge to use two different die cuts. Two frame dies: one from Hello Bluebird and other from MFT stamps, [paired with Simple Stories Harvest Market papers and enamel dots.

Colorful and fun!

It's been a very nutty fall here. Lots of acorns and black walnuts everywhere to keep the squirrels busy. I'm wondering if that is a sign of a cold and snowy winter. We'll see!

WCMD 2025

 

Hello, café friends!

It's World Cardmaking Day!

Do you have crafty plans to celebrate?

I will definitely be making (and sending) some cards today.

This card was so fun to create!

Fun papers, stamps and die cuts made it easy to pull this one together. 

And inside:

Can you see the little spider? I added his webby trail with a Micron marker.

The gallery frame dies from Hello Bluebird are great for adding patterned papers. I'm going to play with a few more later today.

This card is being mailed to the Netherlands, where I'm not even certain that Halloween is celebrated. But I know the recipient will like it, none the less.

Happy WCMD!

Trial Run Christmas

 

I've been thinking about different designs and layouts for Christmas cards lately. I've even been looking at cards from places like Hallmark and Current to get a feel for some trends.

I had an idea to create a sort of stencil using a cross, with stamp overlays. 

Nice concept, but not a very pretty end product. Too busy. I think if this was a true stenciled card with blended ink overlay, it might have been softer and  prettier. But in the end, it was a hot mess.

I moved on to some different combos using sheets of paper from Simple Stories Silent Night collection.

This card has a center flap design. I used Black Jack (not quite black) ink to match the paper, and I like it. A few Christmas botanical die cuts, and this one was pretty easy.

This one was similar, using a tent topper style. I really like these stamps (Peace to You) from SU. I found them on a buy/sell forum at the beginning of the year, and knew I'd want to use them for some quick card making.

And speaking of quick card making, it doesn't get much quicker than this! The Silent Night background paper, with two die cut elements (Papertrey Ink) on top. 

Have you seen anything trending for holidays this year? I'm seeing more monochromatic décor, like all white china Santa figures, metallic reindeer or all natural wood nutcrackers. I also think gingerbread is going to be a big item this year...think little houses.

It's interesting to see what's hitting the shelves this season. 

A Crafty Christmas Find

 

We stopped into the Goodwill Bookstore when the Indiana clan was visiting the other weekend. My guys have fond memories of the space, as it used to be the Family Video store just down the road from our first home. I wanted to show them the awesome conversion.

I saw a basket filled with something intriguing there, and had to look closer.

Inside, I found all of these holiday-themed paint by numbers kits. Brand new! And they were $1-$2 each. I snagged them all!

Inside, the kits contain multiple brushes, a paint pallet, hangers, a decent-sized canvas print, and instructions. I was so pleasantly surprised by the quality!

If you've priced any Paint by Numbers kits lately, you will know what a steal this is. The last time I was in Noblesville, Always in Stitches was selling kits for $30-$40 each.

I'm thinking this could be a really fun activity to do as a family over Thanksgiving weekend. We may have to have an art show exhibit when we're finished!

Is it too soon to think about the holidays?

Fluffing the Emptying Nest

 

Our basement bedroom has been going through some changes. This is unofficially Sam's room. But since Sam lives in an apartment this semester (a fully furnished apartment), he needed to move some furniture pieces to this space temporarily. 

When Sam isn't staying here, this room becomes another guest room for when the big brothers come to visit. So I needed to come up with a way to make this room a little more appealing and organized for everyone.

My husband found this lovely painting this month, and it was a great price. I think it was originally over $150, but he snagged it for $30. I like how it picks up the greens and the birch trees.

Lots of nature right outside the window!

What do we do with Sam's big IKEA desk? For now, we've pushed it up against the bookcases.

Sam had an IKEA nightstand that wasn't being used. I decided it would fit perfectly in the adjoining bath room. It's a great space to store towels, and it gives the guests somewhere to put down their toiletries.

One day I will replace that teeny tiny sink and cupboard unit with something that fits the space much better.

Sometimes, spaces need to be re-arranged and re-imagined. For now, this bedroom is serving multiple purposes for multiple family members.