Happy 2026 with some Cards!!!

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Hey Crafty Friends!!!

I have not posted in a while. The Christmas season was CRAZY and I decided to make personal card sets for six of my co-workers. I had a bunch of cards already made BUT instead I wanted them to all have the same ones or similar designs so I decided to start making NEW cards after Thanksgiving. What was I thinking?

The first card set was a purple card set. I used the Fresh Picked Buttercups Dies from Spellbinders for the flowers. I then used a sentiment stamp/die from Simon Says Stamp's Etched Greetings. 

The purple pattern paper is PaperTrey Ink. The embossed backgrounds were done using the Argyle Plaid embossing folder from Spellbinders. I finished off the cards with some sequins.

I used this round of Freshly Made Sketches #717 for some of my designs. The flower was one of the panels from the sketch, the sentiment the other.

Below is the card I am entering into this challenge:

The second card set I created I used a combination of old pattern papers from Bazzill and the Spellbinders 2023 Large Die of the Month-Club Blooms.

Out of all the sets, these cards were my FAVORITE!!! 

I used the Spellbinders Umbrella Bloom Dies for the red tulip flowers on the right two cards. 

Here is the 5th card in the set, as well as some close ups of the flowers from a few cards. The sentiments are from my stash. I was really bad at keeping track of what companies they are from!!!

The last set was inspired by a card I created YEARS ago. It had a cute design and it was easy to recreate!!

I stamped the black and white backgrounds using a Pinkfresh Studio Cling Stamp. I believe it is retired as I cannot find it to link anywhere.

The die cut flowers were once again die cut using the January 2023 Large Die of the Month-Club Blooms. The sentiments are a mix from my stash and Altenew's Billowing Peonies set.

The borders were a mix of twine in yellow, red, pink and a rick rack die from MFT Stamps. Boy do I miss that company!!

I also dug out enamel dots from my stash for accents. I LOVE how these came out too

These were just some of the cards I created for my co-workers. I have another set that will be in a hop in a few weeks and wound up going into my stash to supplement. I added a sheet of hand canceled stamps for them to use on my cards, as well as envelopes, a pretty marker and a scratch lottery ticket for good luck. I was in a rush so I didn't take a photo of how I wrapped the boxes but everyone LOVED them. 

Well, that is all from me today. Thanks for stopping by. I hope you have a HAPPY NEW YEAR!!! Here's to 2026 being better than 2025!!

Nora

Freshly Made Sketches #714

 Hey Friends!!

I hope you all had a happy Thanksgiving!! I ate way too much and did a ton of cleaning over the long weekend. I did get to craft a bit and am posting one of my cards before it is too late to enter it!!!

I created this card for this week's Freshly Made Sketches #714. I try to do this each week but sometimes forget to post them in time. Below is the sketch that inspired my card. 

I used a bunch of things from my stash for my card. The background paper is from a My Mind's Eye paper pad-Merry Little Christmas-that I have had FOR YEARS. 

The poinsettia was die cut using a die from Waffle Flower Crafts. I have had this die in my stash and never pulled it out. I decided it was time to use it!!! I added some glue and Snowflake Distress Glitter to give it some BLING.

The sentiment is from Concord & 9th and the white panel behind the sentiment was die cut using a label die from Pinkfresh Studio. I would link the supplies but I am trying to get this post up because I have to do an errand before 8:00 p.m. and need to go. 

That is all from me today. Thank you for taking the time to stop by. Have a FABULOUS night!!

Nora

There is Still Time to Play with Cupcake Inspirations Challenge #609

 Hello Friends!!!

Just popping in with a card for the CIC609 Challenge. The Cupcake Inspirations Challenge #609 is a COLOR challenge. Use the colors magenta, purple and pink on a project. 

I used the same supplies on my card as last week, but instead of using Copic Markers to color my flowers in, I used the matching stencils. Below is the Challenge Badge for the Cupcake Inspirations Challenge #609:

Source

I chose to distress the edges of the Pinkfresh Studio Sparkling Diamonds background. I used a Fancy Rectangle Frame behind the Always Smiling bouquet. 

Want to join us this round? To see more details about the Cupcake Inspirations Challenge #609, head on over to the BLOG. I cannot wait to see what you create!!!

That is all from me. I want to thank you for taking the time to stop by. Have a FABULOUS day!!

Nora

Cupcake Inspirations Challenge #609-Magenta, Purple and Pink

 Hello friends!!

It is time for the FIRST Cupcake Inspiration Challenge of 2025. Challenge #609 is a COLOR CHALLENGE. Create a project using the colors magenta, purple and pink.

I decided to color in the flowers the three challenge colors. I used Copic Markers and then some Nuvo Clear Sparkle over the top. Below is the Challenge Badge for the Cupcake Inspirations Challenge #609:

Source

I began my design process by using some new supplies I bought in 2024. I am attempting to do a no buy for the first part of the year. This is hard for me as I tend to be a collector of supplies.

I used Pinkfresh Studio Nested Elongated Oval Blanket Stitch dies for my frame, Sparkling Diamonds Texture Plate and Always Smiling stamp/die set for my flowers and sentiment.

Want to join us this round? To see more details about the Cupcake Inspirations Challenge #609, head on over to the BLOG. I cannot wait to see what you create!!!

That is all from me. I want to thank you for taking the time to stop by. Have a FABULOUS day!!

Nora

A Few Cards

***Some links in this post are Affiliate Links used at no extra cost to you. 

Happy Monday!!! 

This is my second post today. I actually was able to make some cards this weekend for some challenges. I have not had my mojo as of late and so it was fun to just sit down and have some ideas. 

For my first card, I used a combination of a few challenges. 

I created this card using Pinkfresh Studio Festive Tickets Stamps, Stencils and Dies.

I used the Pinkfresh Studios Snowflake Studio Coverplate die for my die cut background.

I am entering this into the October Pinkfresh Studio Monthly Challenge. It is to use the color choices on the badge below or ombre. I chose to highlight the greens and pinks. I am also entering this into the Happy Little Stampers Christmas Challenge-Anything Goes. I used the Freshly Made Sketches #608 as my inspiration of the layout BUT I was too late to enter it. The last challenge I am entering this in is the Inspirational Challenge #301-Word Prompt-COLD.

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My next card I created I used the Try Stamping on Tuesday Sketch #629 as my inspiration.

Again, I used the Pinkfresh Studio Festive Tickets Stamps, Stencils and Dies.

I did Copic Coloring on the stamps in addition to the stencils. I also used some Pinkfresh Studio Ink to ink blend the die cut ticket. 

I paired these stamps with a piece of pattern paper from the Craft Consortium "Ocean" 8"by 8" paper pad. This paper is GORGEOUS and I am so glad that I was able to dig it out for these cards. 

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For my third card, I used another piece of the Craft Consortium Ocean paper, the ticket from Pinkfresh Festive Ticket and Spellbinders Christmas Bloom Dies. (these are on sale RIGHT NOW over at the Spellbinder's shop!!)

My inspiration for this card was the sketch from Paper Players Sketch Challenge PP663. 

I had so much fun arranging the die cuts on my card, as well as using some fun products like my Gilded Distress Foundry Wax.

I also used the Pinkfresh Studio Radiating Background Die for some texture in the background of this card. I do not believe this die is available anymore but I have had it in my stash and it was perfect for this card. 

Well, that is all from me today. I want to thank you for taking the time to stop by. Have a FABULOUS night!!

Nora

There is Still Time to Play at Cupcake Inspirations Challenges #570-Anything Goes

Hello friends!!  

I am just popping in to remind you that there is still time to play with Cupcake Inspirations Challenges #570. It is a theme challenge-ANYTHING GOES. 

My card below uses a sentiment by this weeks sponsor-Your Next Stamp. 

The Whatnot Sentiment Stamp Set from Your Next Stamp is one of my FAVORITES.

I have used this particular sympathy stamp on at least ten other cards. It is my go to sympathy sentiment. 

Below is the the image badge for this round of Cupcake Inspirations Challenge #570.

Source

I paired the stamped sentiment with a flower from Pinkfresh Studio and a background from Memory Box.

I added some sequins around the sentiment for some emphasis. 

Want to join us this week? Hop on over to the Cupcake Inspirations Challenges for more details. 

That is all from me today. Thank you for taking the time to stop by. Have a great week!!

Nora

Some Cards for Challenges

**Some links in this post are Affiliate Links used at no extra cost to you 

Hey friends!!

Just popping in with a card that I created for a challenge. I created a card using a sketch from the Tuesday Morning Sketches Blog. 

I actually flipped the original sketch and instead of a square, I used a pinked circle. Below is the Tuesday Morning Sketch #704 that inspired my card.

Here is the flipped sketch:

I used a bunch of stuff from my stash so not sure who made what at this point. This is the downside of using things that you already created or die cut!!

I adore how this card came out, though!!!

I also decided to play with The Card Concept Blog this week. 

The gold and the blue and the flowers in the photo from The Card Concept #194 is what inspired my card. 

I also liked the lace feel of the candle holder and decided to use the Floral Grid Coverplate PinkFresh Studio on my background. 

The flowers are from Spellbinders Floral Reflection die set. The sentiment is from The Ton.

The next card is for TWO challenges. The design is inspired by this weeks Freshly Made Sketches #538 and the colors from Inspired By Challenge.

Below is my card:

The flowers, the "arch" and the leaves are all from Spellbinders. 

The background is from Lawn Fawn and the sentiment is from my stash.

A really simple card but I LOVE how it came out!!!

That is all from me today. Thank you for taking the time to stop by!! Have a great day!!

Nora