I love a Green Gnome? and a freebie sentiment

Hello, everyone! 

Back in December 2025 (yikes!) I enjoyed a wonderful playdate with my friend Ana. She brought this cute Woodware Gnome Stamp which she had won. Hoping to make some St. Patrick's Day cards for friends, I stamped off a few and got to coloring. Then Life happened, and the cards were not completed until mid April! LOL But I'd still like to share them. No reference to St. Patty's Day, so they COULD be used for other occasions, but they are pretty green! I DO enjoy monochromatic cards, so these were fun to make. First, I colored with Copic Markers:

Then a visit to the scrap box was in order for layering. For the first card, I used a couple Martha Stewart edge bunches. I really do miss EK Success and Martha Stewart! 

After flocking the beard, a heart of gold was glittered up, because after all, it is a person's heart that is so beautiful, not the pot of gold at the end of the rainbow.

Products: Stamps: Woodware Gnome Rainbow set, Dies: Tutti Stitched Rectangles, MS Traditional Scallop Edge, MS Daisy Edge, MS embossable Zig-Zag Edger,Other: White Flocking (beard), Glitter (clear mixed with green for the sky), Gold mixed with green for the rainbow and heart, Inks: DO mowed lawn, Copic Markers, Cardstock - 3 greens, 110lb Neenah Classic Crest CS white, My Favorite Things Cloud stencil.

Next came two cards made with more scraps and Spellbinders Grand Labels Four. A stencil helped create a fun background. To sparkle the clouds up, I applied Art Institutes fine point glue and added clear glitter mixed with pale green. Even the horizontal pieces have been glittered:

In real life, they are quite sparkly!

(Honk! if you love glitter!) giggle

Products: Dies: SB Labels Four Grands, Tutti Stitched Rectangles, MS Lace Heart Edger, MS embossable Zig-Zag Edger, Other: White Flocking (beard), Glitter (clear mixed with green for the sky), Green, Gold mixed with green for the rainbow and heart, Inks: DO mowed lawn, DI rustic wilderness Copic Markers, Cardstock - Bazzill green, K&Company pattern, 110lb Neenah Classic Crest CS white, My Favorite Things Cloud stencil.

A couple more using the same techniques, but with different scraps, and SB Grand Scallop Ovals:

With all the "old beloved goodies" from my stash, I also stamped a cute leafy image to complement the sequined cardstock. The dots were colored after running through an embossing folder.

Products: Dies: Tutti Stitched Rectangles, SB Big Scallop Ovals Grands, Leafy Image Starving Artistamps (2004) stamped with Mowed Lawn DO, MS embossable Zig-Zag Edger, MS Lace Heart Edger, Darice 5x7 dot EF, Green Sequin cardstock, My Favorite Things Cloud stencil.

Thanks for enjoying my 5 cards that took 5 months to put together! LOL Slowly but surely, right? In the meantime, here is the interior sentiment if you would like a digital (click to make full size before saving):

Challenges I would like to play in please:

1. Paper Funday Challenges #86 AG with die cuts and punches (I have used both on each card - the products are listed beneath the photos) 5/4 (sep post)
2. All Sorts Challenge #847 AG in the Garden - the products used are listed under each card with Woodware Stamps being the main feature 4/24 (sep post)
3. Heart's Quest Fantasy Challenge #4 AG Fantasy 5/2
4. Crafty Catz #711 AG 4/23
5. Craft Rocket Challenges #135 Layer it Up 4/28
6. Shopping Our Stash Weekly #571 "I don't sweat, I SPARKLE 4/21 (the sky background is hand glittered, the rainbows are hand glittered, the hearts are hand glittered, some of the layers are glittered, some of the layers are sequin paper, very sparkly in person!) sep post.
7. A Perfect Time To Craft April 1 #4 - 4/26
8. Heart's Quest Challenge Blog #84 Anything with a heart - this rainbow protects a heart of gold rather than leading to a pot of gold! Thanks for the fun challenge. 4/27
9. Inspiration Station Challenge #84 AG with inspiration photo below (green, "shoes/feet", flowers) 5/4

On the Homestead here in Florida:

Like the rest of you, we have been experiencing strange weather. Here in central Florida, an early winter blasted its way through last Autumn, bringing unusual freezing temps down in the low 20s. The farmers had a rough time of it. Then we had early hot weather this Spring, breaking records with the 90s in March! 

Do you know what a staghorn fern looks like? Ours were a good 6-8 feet wide when the freezes hit. This is what happened after the awful blizzards made their way to Florida:

This is the east part of our front pasture, coated in ice. The grass matches the hues found in the hanging Spanish Moss and the gray dirt of the drive way coming up from the gate!

Normally, all that gray stuff is bright green (west front pasture)

I know these scenes are trivial compared to what most of you endured this past winter. Nevertheless, it severely impacts the wildlife (especially migrating species), the environment, and economic endeavors for the state.

Hoping you are doing well this spring. I am completely homebound except for doctor appointments. Wishing you Beauty, Love, and Patience always...

Christmas tri-fold with an accordion twist? + using up scraps

 Hi, friends! Welcome to still-way-too-hot-and-muggy Florida, where butterflies abound and birds serenade! Honestly, no complaints here about the weather, especially since so many others are dealing with far worse conditions. THANKS FOR POPPING BY!

WAXING SENTIMENTAL

Speaking of friends, I'd like to thank the MANY OF YOU who are kindly encouraging -- not just to me, but to most people you meet. As women, we experience feelings of insufficiency sometimes, especially when helping our families. YOU have made me feel accepted, cared for and supported.

Remember this:

We are always so much more than

          (and different from) 

                  what others perceive we are. 

We are also so much more than what we 

         believe ourselves to be. 

                There is a hidden part in our souls 

         free from the tyranny of mere perceptions. 

                     THAT is our authentic, faithful self.

From that beautiful place pours forth 

         Patience, 

              Hope, 

                   Strength and 

                         Love.   (dme)

Which brings me to today's card share -- inspired by my friend Ana at Toadily Handmade Designs. Remember WAY BACK WHEN we used to have PROGRESSIVE CARD SWAPS made by snail mailing parts of a card base to another person, then that person added something to the card? In turn, they mailed it forward to yet another person, who added THEIR touches, and so forth, until a card was finally completed and returned to the originating person who started the swap? There could be anywhere from two to ten players assembling these fun concoctions, and it was ESPECIALLY fun to see how the end product turned out with so many hands stirring the pot.

In this case...

Ana provided the SU! fun-folded designer paper card base and the SU! coordinating tag. I took it from there. Thanks, Ana! 

Does anyone know if this is a tri-fold card with a Z twist? I've heard it called a Side Gate Fold. It resembles this card design and this design.

OLDIES BUT GOODIES

With some OLD gold confetti vellum, die cut as a tag backdrop, and a previously die cut happy, glittery background shape now outlined in Ocean Green Copic Marker to bring out the edges.

Two REALLY...

             REALLY...           REALLY OLD...

Christmas Stamps - one by Hampton Arts purchased at Michaels 20+ years ago and never used is shaped like a Christmas tree with the merriest of sentiments. I messed up by not paying attention. After heat embossing the white EP sentiment, I quickly adhered it, only to see messy specks of loose EP. Sigh. Rather than redo the whole thing, trustie clear WINK OF STELLA came to the rescue. The Christmas tree shape was colored in with the WOS, completely masking the errant white embossing powder! The 2nd old stamp is by Art Impressions H2871 JOY from a 2005 convention.

Dancing snowflakes cut from the tin-foil vapor-seal on my whey protein powder helped winter-up the design. I really enjoyed making this card. Except for the vellum tag, all the other pieces were "left overs" that finally saw life!

Opening the accordion front:

Fully opened interior:

Products: Base Card already folded by Ana. Dies: Spellbinders Labels 4, Surprise Creations Decorative Ovals, Sue Wilson Pierced Tags, Die-Versions Wee Petites Snow Flurries, "Papers": Recycled silver foil from protein powder, Vellum with Confetti, SU Designer Paper, SU Shaded Spruce, White Glitter Paper, Other: Ocean Green Copic Marker, Gold Wink of Stella, Deckle Scissors, White Embossing Powder, VersaFine Clair Rain Forest, Wink of Stella Clear Stamps: Art Impressions H2871, Hampton Arts, Hampton Arts Sentiment Tree

Thanks for hosting fun challenges:

1. Creative Creases #107 AG with a fun fold 10/2
2. The Holly and Ivy #191 Anything Christmas Goes 9/21
3. Christmas Bingo Challenges #15 Using the "N" column: tag, free, stamped phrase 10/15
4. Merry Little Christmas Challenge #64 AG Christmas 10/15
5. Aud Sentiments Challenge #329 Tags + a Sentiment (2 tags layered on the front and sentiment is on front, and in interior middle) 10/1
6. Pammie's Inky Pinkies #2537 AG 9/22

Crafty Hugs,

Home Sweet Home and a Vintage Country Home freebie

"True friends are never apart. Maybe in distance, but never in heart."

I'm so happy to see you, my dear blogging friends! 

Paula has moved into a new home, so a card was in order! 

QUESTION: This is the first Altenew Pigment Ink I've purchased, and the first time used. It already requires reinking. Are you familiar with this brand? Does it mix well with other brand pigment reinkers? "Back in the Day..." pigment inks used pretty much the same formulas and reinkers could be interchanged. But nowadays, I hesitate doing that with all the special formulas. Do you absolutely need to use their reinkers with their pads? Altenew's seem to be a bit more expensive. I appreciate the feedback!

After running old, old, old designer paper through the embossing folder, white pigment ink was swiped across the top, dredged with clear detail EP and heat set:

Using the die as a stencil, Pumice Stone was applied in the openings and scenic background. VFC Morning Mist was applied to the lace punch for dimension, before layering.

Using the same die on the inside sentiment, and more stenciling in the same color made for a pretty card. The house was originally colored with Copic Markers and scanned:

By cutting 3 more "blank" die pieces, and adhering them together, a dimensional centerpiece was created.

Finally, white cardstock was adhered to the back of the embossed designer paper, cut with deckle scissors, with lacy trim attached.

Small sentiment was added before adhering to kraft cardstock:

On the inside, the original designer paper, layered with the stenciled sentiment:

A gift for you: 

If you would like a freebie set featuring this Vintage Country Home digital, please email me, and a ZIP file will be sent your way. It includes colored versions and black and white. For your use as a gift, not for resale/sale. Please refer to set #911.

Products: Images: My Digital Set Vintage Country Home (free to you if you wish to email me), Inks: Altenew Cloud White Pigment ink, VersaFine Clair Morning Mist, Distress Pummice Stone, Copic Markers, Embossing: folder Anna Griffin Baroque Vine Frame, Clear Detail EP, Paper: 20 years old pattern paper, white, and craft, Dies: Spellbinders 5x7 Elegant Labels 4, Martha Stewart Doily Lace Deep Trim Punch

Grateful to be playing in the following challenges (thank you, design teams, for hosting challenges):

1. A Perfect Time to Craft Open Challenge #8 AG 08/28 (entry #2)
2. Ally's Angels #97 AG (entry #2) 9/12
3. Crafter's Cafe #322 AG with Patterned Papers 9/12 (entry #2)
4. FarmQuest General Store Challenge #31 AG Farm and/or Country (my digi set is titled Vintage Country Home - be sure to email me if you would like the set for free) 9/5
5. Pammie's Inky Pinkies #2533 AG (entry 2) 8/25
6. CD Sunday Plus Challenge #165 AG using a CD, USB, or digital [using My Digital Set Vintage Country Home (free to you, my blog visitor, if you wish to email me) 8/31
7. Crafts Galore Encore Challenge #138 AG 8/31

Stamping Hugs,

It's the Anniversary Squirrel! {Being A Little Squirrelly }

Waving "hello" to my blogging visitors!

 It's the Anniversary Squirrel! (another Bugaboo cutie) Sigh - I sure miss Jodie. What a fun artist!

This is the 49th anniversary card for my hubby. He enjoys nonsensical, humorous cards. Since I'm a little nutty by nature, it was only appropriate to use this squirrel - not to mention the fact that we live in an oak hammock where acorns are plentiful, and we are frequently over-run with the little varmints in our rural area.

Colored with Copic Markers and Distress Oxide inks, this little cutie is another of Miss Jodie's quirky creations. Jack prefers non-mushy cards, although he always finds the most beautifully meaningful cards for me. Being a sentimental fool, I've kept all Jack's "love letters/cards". After 49 years the container is huge!

 Do you save love letters and cards from your honey?

PAPERS: BEAUTIFULLY HANDMADE BY LIS ROBSON, and green handmade by me(!), and SU Early Espresso, MS Lace Heart Edge.

Lis has an amazing paper-making business, incorporating every technique, texture, and natural element imaginable! Here are the three I used:

I also made some paper. The texture was accomplished by pressing between pieces of old, old, rubbery, lacy shelf/drawer liner "paper" (do you remember those shelf liners?) Like mulberry paper, a wet brush was utilized to "tear it apart to the desired size.

Here are the unassembled pieces:

The fun interior, using a "flipped" squirrel, gathering more nuts:

Finished Creation:

Products: Bugaboo Digital Squirrel, Copic Markers Spellbinders S4-306 Wonky Rectangles, [Oxides in lucky clover, twisted citron, vintage photo, salty ocean] Brilliance Ink in Tri-Mineral, Teresa Collins Love Triangles Craftwell EF, home-made digital sentiments, PAPERS: BEAUTIFULLY HANDMADE BY LIS ROBSON, and green handmade by me(!), and SU Early Espresso, MS Lace Heart Edge.

Challenges:

1. Crafty Animals #97 (AG with animals) 8/28
2. Critter Crazy Challenge #101 (AG with animals) 9/1
3. Ally's Angels #97 AG 09/12
4. Heart's Quest for Love Challenges Blog HQCOLCB #8 "BEWAS themes" Mine is an Anniversary for hubby 8-31, (9/7)
5. Neglected Stuff Challenge (Aug 3) Use at least one neglected item (handmade papers which have not been used for 15 years or more.) ends 8-28 (9/7)
6. A Perfect Time to Craft Open Challenge #8-2025 AG ends 8/28 (9/30)
7. Pammie's Inky Pinkies #2533 AG 8/25
8. Crafters Cafe Challenge #322 AG using Patterned Papers 9/23

Wishing you a beautiful day, filled with ordinary moments that comprise a life well-lived.

hugs,

Left Over Pieces + New Pieces = Finally-Finished Cards

Welcome, Blogging friends! I have missed you!

Still plugging along in my "unfinished stuff" boxes, these creations have been in the works for the last 6 weeks. I came across some pink and white Spellbinders decorative squares elements already cut out - probably 15 years ago - they were crying out to put put on a project! So I added some Impression Obsession butterflies and Tattered Lace flowers, enjoying designing The Old dies with The Virginal dies. The designing was fun, too - especially with the addition of sparkle in one of my favorite colors PINK!

Here are some of the pieces I started with before adding the whimsy:

Because the bottom layers overlapped in some places, shims were needed:

With the shims prepared and glued in place, the diagonal square in the middle could be added:

Next... to adhere the fun die cuts:

To shade some of the pink areas (included the pink glitter paper), Worn Lipstick DI was applied. See the difference?

The vellum "butterfly shadow" is pearly, so it picked up the pink tones without coloring. The other butterflies with pink frames around them were "inked" with Worn Lipstick atop pale pink cardstock. The die cut sentiments were cut from pink glitter paper, darkened with Copic Marker RV32, and shadowed with a pale slate blue cardstock:

Two more cards, one using Ana Griffin's sentiment set:

Upon finishing the cards, I decided some pop up elements on the inside would be fun. It sure would have been easier had that been done before adhering all the layers! Front facing:

Top facing - notice the notched element under the butterfly to minimize the popup feature:

Thanks for visiting my little blog! Your encouragement and friendship means so much. I am permanently homebound, leaving only for medical appointments. Each excursion takes tremendous toll on my body, but I'm still able to do "small things with great love".  I'm so grateful to still be living in this wonderful world, surrounded by beautiful people!

Products: Anna Griffin "You Are" sentiment stamps (set of 9), Inks: VersaFine Clair Nocturne, Distress Worn Lipstick, Dies: Tattered Lace Michaelmas Daisy, Imp Obs Butterfly DIE059-N, SB Marvelous Squares, SB Adorning Squares, LifeStyle Nesting Frames 7, MS Floral Crochet PAP, MS lace heart edge punch, Die-Versions Express Banners "Happy Day" and "Make a Wish", Cardstock: pink glitter, pink, white, white glitter, slate blue (shadow on sentiment) Other: Gold Detail EP, Copic RV32, 

May I please play in the following challenges?

1. Seize the Birthday #303 Layer it Up Birthday 4/2 (each card has multiple layers inside and out)
2. Triple B Challenge (April 3) inspiration board for birds butterflies blooms 5-1
3. Crafting A Cut Above (April 7) Spring Time with Dies 5/1 (Dies used: Tattered Lace Michaelmas Daisy, Imp Obs Butterfly DIE059-N, SB Marvelous Squares, SB Adorning Squares, LifeStyle Nesting Frames 7, MS Floral Crochet PAP, MS lace heart edge punch, Die-Versions Express Banners "Happy Day" and "Make a Wish")
4. Colorful Options (April 1) choose color(s) from the inspiration photo. I chose pink. 5/1
5. The Four Seasons Challenge (April 1) Anything Goes Spring 5/1
6. Craft Rocket Challenges #124 "Layer it Up" 4/28 (each card has multiple layers inside and out)
7. As You Like It Challenge (April 17) Fussy & Fancy and Why 4/30 (while CAS are amazing, I have trouble keeping it simple. It's always satisfying to add more layers, more sparkle, unexpected details, and products to cards, and see the faces of the recipients - or to hear their sweet voices - exclaiming "how did you do that?" giggle)

Thanks for stopping by!