Challenge YOUrself #137

 

I have finally found a scrapbooking challenge that I can submit one of my pages into!

This challenge requires you to be in the photo that you are submitting and I have found a page that I made and hadn't blogged yet that has our family in it from a holiday up north last year.

Butterflies is the challenge theme and I had one hour left of this challenge to submit it!

Scrapbooking Challenge !

This is me and my whole family so I have permission to post this on my blog.

I work in disability and we did a six-week scrapbooking challenge with some of our participants. The layouts couldn't be too challenging so this was one of the pages that we put together with Designer Series paper, some butterfly & alphabet dies and a black marker pen. If you still have your Triple Banner Punch from a few years ago that makes the flagging easier but it is also just as easy with a pair of scissors too.

This day was a warm day but the actual pool was freezing! 

There was no way I was getting in there!

Here is what it looks like

Looks a bit green but that is because it is fresh water and located miles from any beaches.  

It really is clear.

This page is not difficult and I had found a sketch a few years ago which I loosely based this page on. 

I am really happy with how it worked out and that it was easy with my coordinating supplies from Stampin' Up!

• Stamps: None
• Ink:  None
• Card: Basic White 12 x 12 Cardstock, Basic Black, Shaded Spruce, Daffodil Delight, Real Red, Berry Burst and Blueberry Bushel Cardstock & Full of Life 6x6 DSP (on clearance)
• Tools:  Alphabet A La Mode and Butterfly Beauty (retired) Dies and a Sampin' Cut n Emboss Machine as well as a black Stampin' Journalling pen

Visit - https://scrap-challenge-yourself.blogspot.com/2025/05/challenge-yourself-137-butterflies.html

to check out this challenge

Tic Tac Toe Challenge 271 #TTTC271

  

I love this challenge as it has so many options on what you can make with it. 

It has been a while, but I recently made a card for my friend to give to her grandmother. It was such a special card, and her grandmother absolutely loved it!

Here are the challenge options and as it states it's a tic tac toe challenge, so you choose a straight line either diagonal, up/down or across.

I chose the bottom-line Markers/coloured pencils, Embossing Folder and Flowers

I could also get away with Die Cuts, Ribbon/Twine and Embossing Folder for this one too!

Lets look at these pics a little closer

The front of the card

and inside of the card.

I made a flower planter box card, which is my own design that I made a few years ago for a tutorial group that I was in. When I designed it, it took a lot of measuring, cutting and re measuring to make the panels inside the card from one piece of cardstock not two as others have tried to copy!

  

The bottom line -Markers/coloured pencils, embossing and flowers is on the inside and outside of this card, the flowers on the front are coloured using stampin' blend markers, the embossing is the brick panel inside on the back of the card and also on the planter boxes. The flowers are self-explanatory, being on both the front of the card as well as in the planter boxes on the inside.

I used the Alphabet A La Mode dies for the number on the front and backed them with the dimensional sheet which I ran through the Stampin' Cut n Emboss Machine. A little bit of wink of stella added a bit more of a "sparkle" to the front of the card.

I put ribbon under the base part of the card and cut a small slit, so it came through to the front which ties the card together perfectly.

Yes, the majority of the flowers in the planter boxes are fussy cut! You either like it or despise it!

It is such a "wow" style card to give someone as a gift and every time I make one, 

I am so proud of how they work out.

• Stamps: Gallery Blooms and Birthday Celebration
• Ink: Memento Black 
• Card: Basic White, Basic Black, Strawberry Slush, Country Woods and Floral Impressions DSP
• Tools: Gallery Blooms & Impressions Abloom Dies and Exposed brick embossing folder with a Sampin' Cut n Emboss Machine, Granny Apple Green and Flirty Flamingo Stampin' Blend Markers
• Embellishments: - Dimensionals, Wink of Stella, Ribbon (from my stash), Strawberry Slush Flat Pearls
• #TTTC271

Colour INKspiration 188 #CI188

 

Welcome to Colour Inkspiration!

What is Colour INKspiraton? – a Facebook based bi-monthly colour challenge.

Anyone with Facebook can join in.  You don’t need a blog and you don’t need to be a demonstrator.

I have joined in these challenges and love them as Colour challenges for me are actually a real challenge.

 Click here to join the Facebook page which now has over 3000 members and see what it’s all about.

Here’s some of the basic details about the challenge –

The Colour INKspiration Crew! consists of a team of talented Aussie and NZ Stampin’ Up! ® Demonstrators that create projects based on Pinterest inspired colour swatches.

Every second and fourth Wednesday of the month at 7 pm (AEDT), a new colour swatch will be uploaded to the Facebook Colour INKspiration Group and the Colour INKspiration Crew will get the ball rolling by providing inspiration for each challenge with a post on their blogs.

Then you have a 12 day period to upload your own creations using the colours provided.

If you have a blog, feel free to link back to it, but all entries will be via Facebook.  The design team will select 5 projects to be ‘design team picks’ and then the Facebook group will select an overall winner from this shortlist.

Colour INKspiration 188

I am actually on time this week. I received a small package last week and was itching to play with the contents.

I have made a reverse style Eclipse card with my new letters dies. It's so pretty in real life! I cut my base cardstock in Basic White Thick and added a smaller panel of white cardstock to it that had been stamped with Impressions Abloom Stamps in the challenge colours.

The letters were cut out and I thought that it needed a little bit more texture so I ran the base card that I stamped onto (minus the lettering) through my Stampin' Cut n Emboss machine with the Pressed Flowers Embossing Folder.

The Stamped images were a two step stamp so I stamped off the base of the flowers and the detail on top was stamped in full strength colour.

This panel was then added to the card with dimensionals and then the main lettering was "sunk" into it. Normally with an eclipse card you would raise the letters above the card.

I then stamped the birthday from the Everyday Arches stampset and embossed it on the black cardstock with white embossing powder.

If you are interested in joining in on this great challenge.

Remember to upload your cards to our facebook group here!

• Stamps: Everyday Arches, Impressions Abloom
• Ink: Strawberry Slush, Timid Tiger, Coastal Cabana and Grey Granite
• Card: Basic White Thick and Thin, Basic Black
• Tools:  Pressed Flowers Embossing folder, Party Alphabet Dies with a Stampin' Cut and Emboss Machine, Versamark with White Embossing Powder
• Embellishments: - Dimensionals, Timid Tiger Flat Pearls
• #CI188

Little Red Wagon Challenge #807

 

I've found a new challenge to participate in!! 

yay I'm always up for a new challenge!

The theme for this challenge is "D is for Die Cut!"

My Card for this challenge used a few different Dies on it. 

The front had the arches from the Everyday Arches Dies as well as the dies from the Darling Dinos after I had stamped and coloured them with Stampin' Blends.

I made this card with my class ladies and they loved it as one of the panels incorporated one of the dino stampsets repetitively stamped over the background to form its own DSP look. 

• Stamps: Darling Dinos
• Ink: Memento Black and Pretty In Pink 
• Card: Basic White, Pretty in Pink, Soft Seafoam, Fresh Fresia and Wildflower Birthday specialty DSP
• Tools: Everyday Arches & Darling Dinos Dies with a Sampin' Cut n Emboss Machine
• Embellishments: - Dimensionals
• #littleredwagon #807

https://lilredwagon.blogspot.com/2025/05/challenge-807-d-is-for-die-cut.html

Freshly Made Sketches meets Just Add Ink & Seize the Birthday #686 #JAI751 #205-flowers

  

&

& a new challenge which I
found this afternoon!

Here are each challenges

&

&

These three challenges worked so, so well together!

My beautiful cousin turns 50 on Monday the 19th of May and I made her this gorgeous card using some new product that has just become available! It is stunning in real life.

I used a blending brush to add some depth to the Designer Series Paper in the background as well as the top layer of the flower and the tops of the 50 to give it a slight ombre effect.

Update: My cousin was super surprised at the love she received and she absolutely loved this card that I made especially for her!. 

Here is a piccy of her with her birthday cake

Just after this picture was taken, my cousin cut her cake and her bestie went to give all of us a piece each........ then crash! The cake slid off the stand onto the ground.... All was not lost though, we all ended up with a small piece each that we managed to salvage (that didn't hit the ground!)

It was super funny... (well not so much for her bestie who was absolutely beside herself!)

There was another family dinner the next night and she was told to stay away from that cake!

• Stamps: none
• Ink: Strawberry Slush and Secret Sea
• Card: Basic White, Secret Sea, Granny Apple Green, Strawberry Slush, Window Sheet and Florals in Bloom DSP
• Tools: Pretty Florals, Impressions Abloom and Birthday Celebration Dies as well as Damask Designs with a Sampin' Cut n Emboss Machine, Blending Brushes
• Embellishments: - Dimensionals, Foam Adhesive sheets and Strips, Itty Bitty Bokeh Mix and Tiny Bee Trinkets
• #JAI751 & Freshly Made Sketches #686 Seize the Birthday #305-flowers

https://freshlymadesketches.blogspot.com/2025/05/freshly-made-sketches-686-sketch-by-kim.html

https://just-add-ink.blogspot.com/2025/05/just-add-ink-751add-shaker.html

https://seizethebirthday.blogspot.com/2025/05/seize-birthday-305-flowers.html

Colour INKspiration 187 #CI187

  

Welcome to Colour Inkspiration!

What is Colour INKspiraton? – a Facebook based bi-monthly colour challenge.

Anyone with Facebook can join in.  You don’t need a blog and you don’t need to be a demonstrator.

I have joined in these challenges and love them as Colour challenges for me are actually a real challenge.

 Click here to join the Facebook page which now has over 3000 members and see what it’s all about.

Here’s some of the basic details about the challenge –

The Colour INKspiration Crew! consists of a team of talented Aussie and NZ Stampin’ Up! ® Demonstrators that create projects based on Pinterest inspired colour swatches.

Every second and fourth Wednesday of the month at 7 pm (AEDT), a new colour swatch will be uploaded to the Facebook Colour INKspiration Group and the Colour INKspiration Crew will get the ball rolling by providing inspiration for each challenge with a post on their blogs.

Then you have a 12 day period to upload your own creations using the colours provided.

If you have a blog, feel free to link back to it, but all entries will be via Facebook.  The design team will select 5 projects to be ‘design team picks’ and then the Facebook group will select an overall winner from this shortlist.

Colour INKspiration 187

As usual I am a little late. I can create on my days off and this week I only had today off. Here is my card that I have made for a very special relative of mine.

So pretty! Such a nice mix of colours and I am loving that Strawberry Slush is back once again!! I had a whole packet of cardstock so I am pretty happy it has returned.

I used a sponge dauber to put some more Strawberry Slush onto the die cut tulip elements to give it a bit more depth.

If you are interested in joining in on this great challenge.

Remember to upload your cards to our facebook group here!

• Stamps: Beautiful Butterflies
• Ink: Strawberry Slush
• Card: Basic White, Secret Sea, Cloud Cover and Strawberry Slush
• Tools:  Mini Corrugated Embossing folder, Pretty Florals and Spotlight on Nature Dies with a Stampin' Cut and Emboss Machine, sponge dauber
• Embellishments: - Dimensionals, Strawberry Slush Gems
• #CI187

Colour INKspiration 186 #CI186

 

Welcome to Colour Inkspiration!

What is Colour INKspiraton? – a Facebook based bi-monthly colour challenge.

Anyone with Facebook can join in.  You don’t need a blog and you don’t need to be a demonstrator.

I have joined in these challenges and love them as Colour challenges for me are actually a real challenge.

 Click here to join the Facebook page which now has over 3000 members and see what it’s all about.

Here’s some of the basic details about the challenge –

The Colour INKspiration Crew! consists of a team of talented Aussie and NZ Stampin’ Up! ® Demonstrators that create projects based on Pinterest inspired colour swatches.

Every second and fourth Wednesday of the month at 7 pm (AEDT), a new colour swatch will be uploaded to the Facebook Colour INKspiration Group and the Colour INKspiration Crew will get the ball rolling by providing inspiration for each challenge with a post on their blogs.

Then you have a 12 day period to upload your own creations using the colours provided.

If you have a blog, feel free to link back to it, but all entries will be via Facebook.  The design team will select 5 projects to be ‘design team picks’ and then the Facebook group will select an overall winner from this shortlist.

Colour INKspiration 186

I'm just a few days behind this time but at least I got something off the table.... and these colours really didn't tickle my fancy so it was a real challenge for me to actually make a card with them. 

And use all of the colours.....

I have been trying to use sets that are retiring so I can showcase them to my card making ladies so they may want to grab them off the last chance rack! They are such gorgeous sets and it feels like 1 year just flies by ever so quickly!

I can not believe that we will have a new catalogue launch in about a weeks time!

If you are interested in joining in on this great challenge.

Remember to upload your cards to our facebook group here!

• Stamps: Elements of Text and Country Flowers
• Ink: Memento Black, Pebbled Path and Copper Clay
• Card: Basic White, Pebbled Path, Wild Wheat, Moody Mauve, Boho Blue, Copper Clay and Country Woods DSP
• Tools:  Exposed Brick Embossing folder, Perennial Postage Dies, Stylish Shapes and country flowers Dies with a Stampin' Cut and Emboss Machine
• Embellishments: - Dimensionals
• #CI186