Flower Wishes!

Hey sweet friends!

Today I'm sharing a Whimsy Stamps DT card

using the lovely Flower Wishes.

And - a fun technique!

 This is one of my monthly InstaPinner design team cards 

using Flower Wishes in a creative way!

*If you'd like to shop and save 10%,

be sure to see my affiliate link here!

For this card, I wanted something a little outside the box

and stamped onto a paper that I stenciled.

I sprayed a little water to give it a little watery look

and added it to a background I made with lunar paste and water.

I'm really excited with how this turned out!

Be sure to check out the store and see what you can find

for your stamping and cardmaking fun.

AND - be sure to check out the clearanced items for BIG savings!

Thanks for stopping by!

~Kelly

Lunar New Year!

 

Hi friends!

Happy Chinese (Lunar) New Year!

It's the Year of the Dragon

 and such a fun time to celebrate the start of a new year,

including with papercrafts.

My card share today is sharing a festive Lunar New Year

themed card using stamps and dies from Mama Elephant.

I've added the adorable Lucky Cat and paired it with 

New Beginnings sentiments.

I added some glittery red paper as a nod to our recent Epcot

trip and the walls near the Pavilion of China :)

My son is a HUGE fan of lucky cat and brought back a white

waving lucky cat from Chinatown from his last trip to New York :)

It's funny to walk into his old room and see it waving from the window!

I'll enter this to the Lunar New Year Challenge link up for February!

Thanks for stopping by!
~Kelly

Crafty Kickoff - Week 3!

Hi friends!

 It's week 3 of my Wednesday creative card group on Instagram!

Today's share is a vibrant floral birdie card 

that was so unexpected :)

 

I actually created this color combo inspiration photo 

just picking the colors at random .... and added a bird.

But!

The idea is to let that be a focal point imagery

and, as always, anything goes.

And here's my card!

I used the gorgeous Sizzix die set and paper scraps

~ the bird is from a different Sizzix set.

And created this floral wonderland!

I used all the colors in the photo,

although it was just to inspire (you could use b/w/kraft

and at least 3 of the colors above!)

Truthfully, the photo inspired me so much ~

I wouldn't have come up with this card otherwise

and shhhhh ...  i love it!

Don't tell anyone! :)

Thanks for stopping by!

~Kelly

Hey GALentine! :)

 

Hi friends!

Today's card is for the GALentines!

For today's card, I used Stamp Anniething Candace XOXO

and colored her with my copic markers.

The theme this week 2 of the countdown to Valentine's Day is 

Patterned Paper :)

I used 3 sheets of DSP from Doodlebug Design

and added a ready made sentiment strip from CZ Design /

 Simon Says Stamp!

And that's my galentine's card!

If you'd like to see the video version of this card,

head over to my YouTube channel

and don't forget to hit that SUBSCRIBE button!

Thanks for stopping by!
~Kelly

Hey gnomie!

 

Hey friends!

Today I'm sharing another Whimsy Stamps card

that's versatile enough for Valentines and Galentines!

This adorable gnome is from Whimsy Stamps

called Gnome Gardeners.

I stamped and die cut the gnomie and colored it with

prismacolor markers.

I paired it with Heart to Heart 6 x 6 paper pack

and the wee little clouds are from the Beach Frogs stamp/die set.

To finish off the look, I used the Wonky Stitched rectangles

to die cut the edges.

I love how versatile this is - perfect for Valentines or Galentines!

If you'd like to save 10% off your order, 

please consider using my affiliate link below!

Whimsy Stamps

Thanks for stopping by!

~Kelly

Scavenger Hunt card!

 Hi friends!

Today I have an unusual card to share ~

one I'm calling a Scavenger Hunt card :)

I've been making a TON of cards this past month

and ....

quite frankly,

 my desk is a MESS!

I. have. things. everywhere!

SO, while cleaning and organizing I had an idea 

to put in a little basket small pieces of this 

... and that ...

and make a card!

                  

                   I used @mamaelephant critter stamps and dies

@waffleflowercrafts sentiment strip

@mftstamp happy birthday circle die

@lawnfawn designer paper

@pinkfreshstudio gold gems

ALL of which were from previous projects or ideas for ones.

Ta-da!

Happy Birthday card done and done :)

I loved this ~ I'll definitely try this again!

Thanks for stopping by!

~Kelly

My (wee) Valentine!

 Hi friends!

Happy Friday!

Today I'm sharing another fun card for the Whimsy Stamps

Instapinner Design Team

AND it's a cute cute CUTE card for my granddaughter!

You can view it on my YouTube channel here:

I thought I'd send a card along with her goodies

for Valentines ~ I love her YETI much!

I used the adorable YETI FOR LOVE

and colored it a light pink with bright red hearts.

I paired it with the adorably bright and sweet Heart to Heart

designer paper - also from Whimsy Stamps!

You can find this stamp in the shop

and if you use this link, it will take you there!

Thanks for stopping by!

~Kelly

Entered to:  Simon Says Stamp Wednesday Challenge

2024 Crafty Kickoff!

 

Hi friends!

It's officially the first day of the 2024 Crafty Kickoff!

This is a super fun card group of friends 

crafting each Wednesday with a dedicated theme!

We've been crafting together almost weekly

since the days of Summer Crush Wednesdays (2023!)

Summer moved to fall which moved to winter

and now to a new year of craftiness!

This week's theme:  What's NEW (in '24!)

This was very open to interpretation ~

new stamps, dies, techniques, tools!

New for me .... stamps and dies!

I had quite a few deliveries at the end of the year

so they are all waiting for me to have a playful 2024.

I couldn't wait to ink up this one from Mama Elephant!

It's called Beary Good Day

and such a versatile set to use for many occasions.

We'll be back next week with another fun theme!

Thanks for stopping by!
~Kely

Dreaming of a SNOWY winter!

 

Hi sweet friends!

I'm DREAMING of a snowy white winter!

Except ...

I live in one of the hottest states in the continental US 

so it might be awhile! :)

I love love LOOOOOOOVE the snow!

So making snowy / winter / Christmas cards is a favorite.

Another favorite is this October 2017 My Monthly Hero

Hero Arts kit!

I will keep this kit until forever runs out!

Here's a VIDEO on my YOUTUBE channel if you'd like to hear

about this card as well!

I think one of my favorite parts of the kit is I still had

enough of the bubbly cardstock included with it

left to make a snowy background. 

This card is seriously a vision in real life and hard to photograph

the details but it's so much fun.

The theme for today's card group was White Christmas or

Santa Claus Is Coming To Town so I added both!

I'll enter this to the Stay Crafty with a Blog Named Hero @Hero Arts

January with a Everything Old is New Again theme!

Thanks for stopping by!

Stay safe out there :)

xoxo

~Kelly

3M: January!

Hi friends!

Today I'm feelin' blue!

Welcome to the January 3 Musketeers (3M!)

This is a monthly image swap with Barb, Jeanette and myself

on the 3rd of every month.

We alternate being the hostess to send out a mystery image

and with that one image, we create a card!

This month, Jeanette generously sent us the stamp set!

Thank you, Jeanette!

What a surprise - and a treasure!

When I saw this gorgeous floral image from Rubbernecker stamps,

I immediately saw tones of blue

so that's what I went with when coloring and creating.

Be sure to see Barb's card here

and Jeanette's card here!

I'm hosting in February so I invite you 

to stop in 2/9 and see what it will be!

Thanks for visiting!

~Kelly

 

SNOW much fun!

Hi friends!

Today's card is SNOW much fun!

This beary cute card was created using Whimsy Stamps

and I made it for my sweet little granddaughter!

She wants to see snow (just like me!)

and we hope this year for the holidays to make it happen :)

To create this card, I used the adorable Sheltering Love 

stamp and die set and colored it with my copic markers.

The gorgeous pink frame was created using the Notched Rectangle dies

from Whimsy Stamps 

        as well as the gorgeous pink snowflake paper called Blurry Flurries!

Thanks for stopping by!

If you head on over to Whimsy Stamps to check out 

these products and more, please consider

saving 10% with this code at no extra cost to you

and it helps me to keep creating :)

~Kelly

Themed Fridays ~ New techniques!

 Hi friends!

Happy Friday!

Today's card is a feature from an Instagram hop

with my sweet friend, Kim ..

my sister from another mister! :)

Her theme this week is:

Create a card with a new to you technique.

Here is my card with a 'faux paint splatter"

which gives the look of splattered paint ~ without the mess!

This gorgeous daisy is from Taylored Expressions 

(and was almost my One Plus Twelve selection)

and I popped it up on a window of vellum.

The splatter was created by dropping ink onto acetate,

swiping it with a baby wipe and getting a fresh wiped table look

and QUICKLY dropped a white A2 cardstock into the water/ink.

Once dry (I used a heat gun to speed up the process),

I stamped and die cut and added this to a background of the same.

Fun fun!

When you've been making cards for a long time like I have,

and while I have not tried every technique, 

sometimes it cool to tweak ones you know or bring back oldies!

That's it for today!

Thanks for stopping by!

~Kelly

Once more in '24!

 

Hi friends!

It's the time of year where I debut my FAVORITE personal challenge - 

One Plus Twelve!

This is the 6th year of my card challenge 

where I take ONE stamp (and only one stamp!)

and make a card TWELVE times (once a month on the 3rd).

The idea is came to me in the middle of the night

(where my best ideas always pop up!)

for a way to stretch the use of our supplies

Often, I'd buy and use a stamp - just once -

so this is a way to creatively use them again, twelve different ways.

For 2024, I chose Wildflowers by Pink and Main :)

I love flowers picked right out of the wild

and I love the wonder of the versatility of this set!

                 I used my Altenew half pans to watercolor a panel 

in bright, cheerful colors. 

Once dry, I stamped the wildflower stamp 

and ran it through my die cutting machine.

 I added it to a solid white embossed background 

and popped up a Tim Holtz label maker sentiment and dots.

My friends Barb and Jeanette are joining me

again this year in the challenge 

as we have done for the past 6 years.

This year, I decided to call One Plus Twelve 

by a cute catch phrase for 2024

Once More in '24 ...

every month on the 3rd!

Thanks for stopping by!

~Kelly

Have you HERD the *news*!

 

Hi friends!

Have you HERD the news!

I'm SO EXCITED to announce that I was invited 

to be on the Whimsy Stamps DT for 2024 as an InstaPinner!

That means 6 times a month

you'll be seeing creative cards by me with some amazing stamps,

 dies, papers and embellishments from Whimsy Stamps!

For my first card today (one of my posting days!),

I'm sharing this adorable Hee Haw stamp stamp and die.

I can't get over those adorable big eyeballs!

I paired it with the OMG die

and the Heart to Heart Valentines paper pack.

My son is a freshman in college and has the most GRUELING

schedule with difficult classes and he learned he made

the Dean's List!

It's such a fantastic accomplishment and we are super proud of him!

He's also one of the FUNNIEST kids I have ever met in my life

so this card is perfect for him!

Be sure to check out the Whimsy Stamps store

and if you do any shopping, please consider my affiliate link

at no extra cost for you and it helps me to keep creating beautiful things!

Thanks for stopping by!

~Kelly

Stashbusters 2024 ~ Theme 1!

Hi friends! 

 Today is the big debut of the 

Stashbusters 2024 card group

and I'm SO EXCITED for this one!

I was delighted to be invited by my friend who started the group

because a STASH I do have and it needs BUSTIN!

You can see my quick YouTube version here:

The idea?

Shop your own stash and challenge yourself to create 

with. what. you. already. own!

As a card maker, stamper, paper crafter I am 

GUILTY AS CHARGED

of buying (and buying and buying) but not using,

at least not as often as I should.

Hence, 'bust' your 'stash.'

We make 3-6 each theme so at the end of 2024,

we should have a total of 81-162 cards for donation :)

We have themes.  

So it's easy to stay on track and not go rogue!

This week was Armen's choice and it's a GOOD ONE!

"If you were a card, what would you look like?"

Probably choas :)  

Hands down.

and I'd be late *grin*

But I would also be whimsical, bright colors and have cute critters!

I chose Pink and Main crafty pals and just love LOOOOOVE this set!

I paired it with a few things:

a crisp clean background (I like things clean and tidy!)

with a watercolor background piece (my favorite medium)

with some colorful critters (check!)

I added a small teal border to represent my favorite colors: green/teal.

Here they are together at a glance ~ 

3 down, 159 more to go! :)

Follow the hashtag #stashbusters2024 to see more inspiration!

Thanks for stopping by!

~Kelly

Card entered to:  A perfect time to craft

A passion for markers:  Used my Copic Markers!

Critter Crazy challenge:  Used a bear, dog and kitty!

2024 Word of the Year and crafty goals!

Hello friends

and welcome 2024!

I love LOVE the excitement of a brand new year!

The possibilities of a fresh start

and glancing at 365 brand new days ahead is so refreshing :)

And, as you have heard me say on my blog for years,

I don't seek a word - it always manages to find me.

Usually in the most obscure times

 (in church or out jogging! Yes! My life is crazy like that!)

This year was a teeny bit different.

I took a faith based quiz AND it was not the word

 I'd chosen or planned for myself.

But I can go with the flow!

And once I heard it, I couldn't seem to let it go.

It really fit!

So for 2024, my Word of the Year is ....

Imagine!

(as per Dayspring quiz)

I really love the word chosen for me.

 Maybe next year I'll use the one I planned for this year :)

 

Imagine: to form or have a mental picture or idea of something

(Cambridge dictionary)

 To imagine is a word that fits every aspect of my life ~

including in my crafty adventures and goals I set for 2024.

It's a blank canvas of possibilities!

My crafty goals for 2024:

New Design Team!

I got a SECRET!  

One I've been sitting on for nearly 6 months!!

I was invited to a be on a Design Team and I'm BEYOND thrilled!

Like OH. EM. GEE. excited!!!

Since I'm writing this before 1/1/2024, you may need to check back :)

My social medias will reflect the fun ahead - Squeeeee!

One Plus Twelve ~ my very favorite card challenge!

It's one that I created with the idea of stretching

our stamps and I just adore the challenge.

This will be the 6th year.

One stamp, Twelve months of cards!

Instagram Wednesday card group

We've laughed and crafted and evolved! 

 A group of us friends carried over a summer card group

 to the fall, then winter, now New Year's and spring.

Oh how they inspire me and make my heart beam!

Stash Busters 2024

Oh this one makes me a wee bit nervous!

My lovely friend Armen invited me to her crafty group 

called the Stash Busters 2024

(similar to the Challenge Your Stash on SCS if you are familiar/joined that one)

where you take a walk through your stash bi-weekly

and create 3-6 cards with a chosen theme

 with ONLY WHAT WE ALREADY OWN!

No buying, no new goodies :)

It's a Kellofamess!

That's the FUNNIEST name I think I've ever heard for a series!

I had a contest on my Instagram with a gift card giveaway

for the best name for my (former) Hot Mess cards.

I'm returning to the fun of making a mess (but only on cards!)

The lady who won came up with the new title for the series

which will premiere this month of my blog and YouTube channel.

My son chose the name when he was here on winter break

and laughed SO hard when he read it ~ it was quite a moment!

Stash score in '24

My goal is to spend zero and score with my current stash in 2024.

I have so many craft stamps, dies and supplies, I could

use them all next year and still not put a dent!

So avoiding the tempting new releases and 'shiny new toys' 

will be HARD!

Other than standard cardstocks, glues, etc ~ 

it's score in my own stash to create!

I'll be returning to the 3M,

 my friend's Monthly Rediscovery card group,

my friend Barbara's Fantasy card group

and several more that I need to look at my planner to remember :)

Mostly, I'm grateful to craft with all of you

and can already imagine 

all that we will share the year ahead on this paper crafting journey.

  Wishing you a bright beautiful

  2024!

~Kelly