Every day is a BEACH day! ~ IPC 254

Hi friends!

There's a new Inky Paws Challenge #254 

with a fun color palette and inspiration photo!

💙💛🧡🤍

                    For my card, I used Newton's Nook Designs:

💙 Aloha Newton clear Stamps

💛 Aloha Newton steel dies

🧡 Retro Palms and Sunset double stencil set

🤍 Basic Frames die set

Here is where you can enter your card/project.

 We look forward to seeing what you create!

Thanks for stopping by!

~Kelly

3M May ~ Special Delivery!

 Hi friends!

Whew!

Almost didn't make the May 3M + I'm dashing to the fnish line!

(as a marathon runner, insert pun here! 🠉 )

This is the card you would normally have seen on the 9th of the month,

but in addition to traveling, a vacation and losing the stamp 

somewhere in my craftroom, I'm late to my own party!

:)~

What's the 3M?

The 3 Musketeers is a card group of Jeanette, Barb and I who

stamp a mystery image, send it to each other 

(Angel Policies apply, so please check those!)

and then we make a card based on that ONE image.

For May, I chose chose a Crafty Meraki stamp called Special Delivery

and this company has since closed.

I did a hybrid style mixed media card with several elements:

mixing 2 different inks I wouldn't have paired together normally,

added some mixed gold splatter and rice paper tucked behind.

Please head over to Jeanette's blog and Barb's blog

to see what they have created with this same image ~

you'll be in for a treat!

Thanks for stopping by!
~Kelly

and this 

Inky Paws Challenge - Week 2

Happy Monday!

It's Week 2 of the Inky Paws Challenge blog

and it's a FUN photo inspo with bright fun colors:

Use the colors 

Magenta, Turquoise, Purple, and Bright Yellow!

 To create this fun card,

I started with Newton's Nook Designs heart dies.

I love how versatile these are for ALL YEAR LONG!

I took scraps cardstock fro my stash in the 4 challenge colors

and my paper trimmer and just cut them in random fashion

and then layered them like a puzzle until I found a design I liked.

I added it to a layer of vellum .... I know, it looks grey!  It's not :)

That layer is framed by the Basic Frames die set

and the white & black cardstocks are trimmed with the same trimmer.

Lastly, the sentiment!

It's from the new Party On! stamp set from the Retro Collection ~

totally rad!

You can link up your cards here and the challenge rules are here!

Have a great start to your week ;)

~Kelly

Entered to:  Simon Says Monday Challenge - Bright/cheerful

PIck 3 Challenge - Die cuts, stripes & text

Mix It Up challenge - Die cuts/AG

The CRAFTY Spotlight - February

Hi friends!

Today I'm sharing a floral card featuring Doodle Flowers

from Taylored Expressions, a blast from the past!

My monthly card group The Crafty Spotlight

hosted by my dear friend, Kim,

chooses a company to 'spotlight' each month.

February = anything TE!

I chose this stamp so I could get a little coloring in!

I made 2 different cards, one 5 x 7 and one A2 standard

and mixed up the florals just a little bit.

Although the challenge is to spotlight Taylored Expressions,

I did chose a sentiment from another company

that fit the needs of the card :)

We'll be back next month with another mystery image reveal!

Thanks for stopping by!

~Kelly

Entered to:  A Cut Above - use one die cut (sentiment!)

A Place to Start - AG

The Neglected Stuff - AG (from 2020!)

Pammies Inky Challenge - AG

Clean slate!

 Hi friends!

Today I'm sharing 2 cards with a common theme:

clean slate!

This two-fer set is for an Instagram Friday card group

where we create a card/project with a theme.

I was going for a black chalkboard look

with inspiraitonal messages design to motivate .... ME!

Sort of :)

I am donating these cards but the inspiration is encouragement.

2026 is a year of making plans, meeting goals and

 making. stuff. happen!

My daughter and I are planning a marathon this year

and I've been doing mini-runs to train and prepare.

In fact, I'm signed up for a few 5K's - one next week.

Running all the way into a donut shop is more my jam

but I'm behavin'!

But I digress!

My cards are using alcohol inks in one of my FAVE color combos.

I paired it with black and white for contrast since these colors

are so vibrant and in-yo-face!

The sentiments are from a TH pack and I chose ones that

go along with the themes of new year's goals.

That's it for today's post!

Thanks for stopping by!

~Kelly

2025: Looking back at my favorites!

 Hi friends!

It's that time of year when I glance back at my favorite cards of 2025!

  It was a year of amazing opportunity to continue

 with Whimsy Stamps and an invitation to join Newton's Nook Designs.

  Thank you to both of these companies for your faith in me and

the chance to make the cutest cards :)

2025 was not my most productive year ~

a lot of side stepping and life 'busy-ness' kept me

 from creating as much as I would have liked.  

I am a LOVER of even numbers and '26 is just a total vibe!

I have some plans, let me tell ya!

I am excited :)

I have my Word of the Year, I do NOT have my One Plus Twelve STILL.

Eeep!  Good thing I have 2 more weeks to figure it out :)

So looking back:

January

February

March

April

May

June

July

August

September

October

November

December

Of all the cards I made this year, this one was my personal fave!

I made it with recycled items from my birthday party

that my children had for me :)

I just LOVE how it turned out and the meaning of the material it beholds!

                                 Here's to an amazing 2026!

Thanks for stopping by!

~Kelly

Week 2: Inky Paws Challenge #247

 Hi friends!

I am happy to share another inspiration card

from the current Inky Paws Challenge

@ Newton's Nook Designs.

This week, I am inspired by the light blue sky

and snowflakes and created a sending you joy card.

Here is the inspo:

This is one of my FAVORITE Newton's Nook Designs stamp sets!

This is Holiday Post clear stamp set and matching outline die.

I paired it with the 6 x 6 patterned paper pad Christmas Time.

Remember, the NND paper pads are great for mix and match, too!

Be sure to stop in here to link up your sparkle and shine

cards before December 19, 2025!

Thanks for stopping by!

~Kelly

Added to: 

Artful Journey - Winter

Die Cut Divas - Christmas/Winter

Inky Paws Challenge - Week 2

 Hi friends!

I'm back with week 2 of the Newton's Nook Designs

Inky Paws Challenge for November.

This month, the challenge features a wonderful sketch ~

a great springboard idea for your cardmaking!

I once again used these fun products from NND

to create a bright, cheerful birthday card.

I had fun with this one!

Here is the monthly November challenge:  sketch

And my card:

I started with Newton' Nook Designs 

Sky High Celebrations stamp and die set

stamped with Memento Tuxedo Black ink 

and colored with my prismacolor markers.

I used the festive Christmas Party 6 x 6 paper pad

for my base and flipped the paper 'inside out' to create a duel look!

This is a great hack if you have a double sided paper

and want to use BOTH pretty sides!

But, you will see 2 of each design in the 24 paper pack.

To create the 'flip side', I used the A2 Card Layout die 

and finally popped up the for dimension.

Finally,

The inside of the card holds a special message:

Happy Birthday!

Thanks for stopping by!

~Kelly

Rainbow Palette with Whimsy Stamps!

 Hi friends!

Today I'm sharing a rainbow themed card 

where the requirements are MOSTLY white 

with a splash of rainbow somewhere on the card.

I am delighted to use the Paint and Palette die set

from Whimsy Stamps.

I wanted SO BADLY to add splatters and splotches

but it's not in the allowed parameter's of the card so ...

next time!

Products used:   Paint and Palette die set

Painter Panda (sentiment)

Thanks for stopping by!
Kelly

Christmas Cheers!

Hi friends!

If you celebrate, Christmas is 2 months away!

And I am SURE you are all on Santa's nice list :)

I wanted to share a fun card I created for the current

Inky Paws Challenge @ Newton's Nook Designs.

It's a wonderful color challenge and such dreamy colors!

I had a pile of itty bitty papers and scraps on my desk

and added them in a creative away to create a whole card :)

Using the Simon Says Stamp and NND Stamptember collab

"Happy Paw-lidays" and colored him with my prismacolor markers.

You can see the REELS here on Instagram!

And my card 🠋

We have several amazing rescue cats that now live with us

for various reasons #rescuecatsrock !

So this one will be a terrific card for the vet assistants 

that we just LOVE so much at our vet!

Head over to the Inky Paws Challenge blog and link up your 

cards inspired by the color challenge, too!

Thanks for stopping by!

~Kelly

Also linking to these challenges:

Lil Patch of Crafty Friends - AG

We love to Create - AG

52 Christmas Card Throwndown - 30 minutes (see my reel above!)

Send A Smile 4 Kids - AG

TAG! You're it!

 Hi friends!

Tag, You're it!

Today is the start of a new series:  Tags & Techniques!

The idea is to find and create a tag based on a new technique 

or one that you've tried and loved,

create any size/shape tag and mark the back with the name,

 technique, how-to, and any specifics like supplies or colors.

For October:  Ink Smooshing handmade tool!

I know, ink smooshing has been around since the dawn of time!

But this month's technique, first shown by NB Cards on Youtube,

showed a tutorial on how to make your own ink smoosher.

1.  Plastic bag

2.  Paper towels

3. Tape or twine to tie off the top of the bag!

EASY PEASY!

I don't have a video because planning a wedding is exhausting!

I didn't film it!  

BUT here's a quick eyeball look at the smoosher (upper right).

I used Whimsy Stamps products on top of this tag!

The tag itself is made with Whimsy Stamps mini slim tags die set 

and I used 4 distress oxide inks for the base:

Carved Pumpkin, Wild Honey, Fossilized Amber and Ripe Persimmon.

I think in hindsight just 3 would have been perfect

but my Type A ADHD self doesn't know when to leave things alone!

The ADORABLE grumpy guy on the front is Grumpin Pumpkins

clear stamp and die set.

Finally, there is a light dusting of a Twinkle stencil in the background.

Thanks for stopping by!
~Kelly