BOO!

 Well, BOOlieve it or not....summer is almost over, and let the spooky fun begin!  I'm pleased to have been able to play with a friendly little ghost and friends with the Kindred Stamps August 2025 New Release set  Friendly Spirits.

 

 

With my first card, I really wanted to get a shimmer to my ghosts, so I used a Clear Holographic Paper that I stamped on, fussy cut, and applied to a white card stock that I very lightly colored in places (didn't matter where, but I tried to imagine where the edges of my ghost would be) in a very light blue.  I found the sticker paper to stamp so very pristine and crisp, and I knew my eyes would not be able to perfectly line up a stamped image on a stamped image... so after trials and mistakes...I winged it with the blue alcohol marker, anticipating where the edges of my ghosts were.  :)  This sticker paper is not forgiving if you get it wet, or get a glob of glue on it, so be warned...but, I did get there, and had I been less impatient, I probably could have figured it out faster.  IF you have questions...ask away... I'm LOVING this sticker paper, so you will see it appear on many projects in the future...

 

I used some very yummy Greek to Me  patterned paper from Kindred Stamps here.  I felt it fit the theme perfectly, with all patterned papers, I keep an open mind, you never know when something Greek may seem perfect for a friendly haunted card.

 

 My second card, just like the first, used that holographic sticker paper on my friendly little guy.... I suspect you may see me using it on my 3 project here too!  It is so perfect for ghosts!

 

 Using my Card Basics Dies for the background stitched matting and a circle to use as a mask, I ink blended a sky around a moon, applied Rainbow Star Holographic Sticker Paper to my background for the twinkly vibe.  I added a die cut haunted house, and my characters to finish it off!

 

My last card.... using the clear holographic sticker paper again...I decided to apply it to a clear Binding Cover material, to make a sturdy clear little ghost.  Once again, I stamped on the sticker paper and applied to my backing.  These are a little tricky to fussy cut to the line, but...I managed after abut 4-5 attempts to master it....and loved the the result.  I wanted the effect of a clear ghost, kind of like a real ghost...afterall, these friendly little guys are only to be seen in the movies, or those who have a relationship with one!  :)

 

So my card design....  It's a unique fold/card that I learned to make while at Paperganza in July.  It is incredibly easy, and will fold into an A2 size card.  I used very thick card stock here, so it may be overweight/oversize to mail...but, I wanted the interior of a haunted house vibe, and I felt this particular patterned paper might be the kind of wallpaper you'd see in a old house with transparent ghosts.

 There you have it!!!  This FABULOUS release set Friendly Spirits, was so fun to create with!  It is available on Friday, August 29, when it goes live with other really fun new sets, you will NOT want to miss out!!!  8:00 a.m. Pacific Time!  

 

A Peachy Day ...

 This card, although simple, represents to me the life of mine...the only life I ever have known...  I grew up and still live on that very same farm, where we have orchards, starting with premium Washington State sweet cherries (Chelans & Bings, mainly)....a month or so of apricots (all the jam makers in the world wouldn't be able to use up all of our harvest, we have so many apricot trees, we sadly hear the "plop" "plop" sound when they start to fall on the ground in July...although we do sell a fair amount....  That being said, once July is here, usually around the 4th, just in time for a pie.... the juicy, sweet, summer peaches are upon us, and for the next 10 weeks or so...there is no such thing as eating too many peaches...  We actually have customers who will go through 20 boxes or more, JUST FOR FRESH eating each summer.  We faithfully will see them twice a week.  (26 lb boxes at that!)

 

 If you have followed my blog, many of you will know, that I've had a very hard go of things this summer with losing my Dad.  As 2nd generation farmers, for 38 years, we would drink our morning coffee and discuss the farm needs, my Dad, Mom, husband and I.  During cherry season, we'd have our little sizer out to see what "row" number we were yielding, and look forward to the daily reports we received from the packing house...  Those cherry weeks are filled with anxiety and intense stress, as we hope Mother Nature will be kind, and hope that the market is kind to the farmers too,  there are so many in the chain of command before those little red gems made it to the consumer.  We know, though, it really isn't summer until our first peach is peeled and sliced with 1/2 and 1/2 ... or at least that's what I look forward to, slicing that first summer peach for my Dad.  Me personally, I'm known to peel the fuzzy skin off, and bite right into that sweetness, right in the orchard...juice running down my arm.  lol...  You can try to take the girl out of the orchard, but, it is inside her...at all times.  

 Last week, I had a customer inquire about fresh peaches as a gift for her 88 year old brother in law.  The conversation melted my heart, and I agreed to help her find a way to get this very perishable fruit to him for his birthday, as these will travel.  I found a birthday card in my stash, and gave it to her to include with this gift.  In the back of my mind, I didn't feel that card was the best option, so when this week's Craft Roulette parameters popped up...  I decided to start from scratch for a card for him...  It's sweet and simple, and I felt content making this for an elderly man for a person I don't even know, and doing it from my heart, not for money, not for anything but feeling it is the right thing to do.  

In my massive inventory of stamps, I pulled out 3 different peach stamps.  One is from of my very first Stamping Up sets, another was a "prize" I won, it's a really cute fruit bowl image on a wooden block....(not sure of the company it came from, I know it's one that is no longer)... and then there is the one I settled on...  I pulled the peach stamp off of a set I bought from a company called "Cornish Heritage Farms", about 20ish years ago!  I adored this line and was sad to see them discontinue their business.  They did sell their library of images to a company who to this day, kept one of the lines alive.  I've been at this a very long time, and I can say, Cornish Heritage Farms truly had superior quality and a very impressive offering of super fun images.  I'm sure I'd still be a super customer if they were still in biz!

I know this has been lengthy, it feels good to reflect a bit, I'd give anything to go back in time.  

 

Inside...these were fun to color 

Ignore my messy newsprint...it's on my craft table!  Yikes!!!!

 1.  4" x 6" card

2.  Coffee Aisle:  Ginger Peach Tumeric Tea (box) colors found in the coffee aisle

3.  Peaches grow on trees

4.  Elements of this card are over the "edge""line"...plus, I'm sure I colored outside the line a time or 2!

 

I will make more of these...they were fun.  I always say that, but move on to the next...I'm actually having more fun with crafting that way, not a ton of unfinished cards all over the place, but for sure, I journal this along with a picture in my Creative Companion, just in case I ever want to make again, I definitely won't have to reinvent the wheel here!  :)  

 

I've gotten a bit behind with journaling my pages...a great afternoon project someday, although a little here and there is what I tend to do!  I actually cut and colored 3 extra peaches to put in my #86 entry page....which I'll start in the future...

 

These are from past CR weeks~!  :) 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Under the Sea!

 Oh how fun this card was to make.  I was needed some escape reality time, and this seemed to do the trick.  Not my normal long post here, I need to be brief...  I do plan to pop on this week and get that Paperganza pictures uploaded, as I promised.  We had lots of hard things going on last week, including 1000 chocolate slot machines that we did a 2 day turnaround on (logo'd), minus an employee due to a sudden loss, UPS delayed delivery of 700 of those slot machines...yikes (it turned out well)...credit card fraud and a FIRE that could have gotten out of control.  All that, plus some very hard things I'm working out on my own ... I was ready to get away for a few hours ... and this week took me to the sea....

Supplies used are from Scrappy Boy

Stamp Set Used:  Little Mermaid

Die Set Used:  Under The Sea Scene Builder Dies

The film strip is a die that appears to be retired, I actually had other options in my stash of dies, also retired from days gone by.  If you need direction to a film strip die, drop a note here, and I'll give you the scoop.  

I did use a little bit of Lavinia Stamps for the stamped fish, and lightly stamped ocean verse on my water background....  I adore Lavinia stamps, you can find distributors here domestically, I have ordered supply from US companies who carry Lavinia, but also direct too.  Very fun line!

Moosin' Around at the Cafe!

 Well, I'm back from Paperganza, and my intent is little by little, sharing a bit about the projects and companies behind them over the next week or so...  I'm still adjusting to being back, however, and it's been not quite a week yet...  I finally sorted through my loot yesterday, and filed things where they need to be in my craft room...  So, while I'm between Design Team deadlines, and I actually finished my Craft Roulette last night... I'll probably do some sharing about my Kansas City trip this week, with pictures and details of the projects that we did.  I'm ready to start some purchases even because of it.

That being said...  I mentioned I finished my Craft Roulette, Episode #278, my 84th entry.  I'm getting closer to that big 100 "Mug Club" status.  

 While at Paperganza, I met the wonderful Tanya, the owner of Riley and Company  .  I already am familiar with this very fun line of stamps...some adorable animals and accessories, super silly sentiments, dies, supplies and more...it's a great line for sure, and front and center of it all...is the fun fun fun moose, Riley.  I just had to have more Rileys.  So, I went shopping...  

 Who would have thunk that this week's Craft Roulette parameters would send me in the Riley direction!

 I used Cafe Riley 

And I fussy cut by hand...he's pretty easy to, and popped him up with dim tape!  

 

 This may be a bit more simple than what I usually do, but my brain was convinced I needed to be simple, and I kind of like not working on a card for endless hours...so simple it is.

 The parameters:

1.  Project:  Thank You

2.  Colors:  Bakery

3.  Element:  Shop / Shops / Shopping

4.  Random:  Ombre

 

I think it's all pretty self-explanatory here...You do see a cupcake, so my cafe is actually a small coffee/bakery shop....  I also feel, the shopping parameter is covered by me "shopping" at Paperganza...this is one of my new stamps.   My window is ombre.  I had so much fun with this window!  I actually applied a small film of transparent / holographic film, you can kind of see what it's like as I took a picture of my card on top of a sheet of it.  My window, looks like a real life window, so up close in your hand, it gives it a really cool vibe.  I struggled with lighting, I may try to get a close up later to share.  

So, that's about it for today.  I'm hoping to get all my Paperganza posts finished by next week's Craft Roulette .  As always, I can't emphasize more, how good it's been for me to play along every Friday night.  If you are looking for something different and fun, I encourage anyone to dial in!

 

 

UP UP AND AWAY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 Today I'm sharing Kindred Stamps July 2025 Release  Unstoppable Hero.  The ideas kept coming and coming with this one, and if I had had more time...I would have kept creating and creating!  I'm currently at a card making getaway, so when I get back...I'll get more into detail if need be....in the meantime, I really can't tell you what my favorite was here, as it was all fun! 

 If you have questions...leave a comment!

 

 

 

 

 

NOTE HERE!!!  Please note, that I am NOT the genius who dreamt up the cape shaped card!!!  I did find inspiration while perusing Google... The Wannabe Grandma posted a tutorial for hero caped cards a few years back and I stumbled upon it.  I did not follow the tutorial, so I can't comment on that...but, I certainly did NOT want to take credit for this adorable idea, that I'm sure...I'll be making more of.  I will tell you, it was fairly easy and quick to do...so, this is my "quickie" card, which I try to do at least one with each new release.  Sometimes quick is what we need, when we are in our craft studio!  

 

I once again, used Card Basics Die Set  on a few of these cards.  It IS my "go to" dies in my craft area...and the ONLY die set I'm bringing to Paperganza!  I have no idea what to expect, but, I know I need it....it never gets put away!!!  

 

Don't miss out on this set and more...release day is Friday, the 25th! 

Pooh's Friendship with Piglet

This sentiment tugs at my heart.  I understand it on so many levels.  Rather than run from my emotions, I'm facing them head on.  If only we could stop time, freeze time, bring back time, all of the above.  When I was sorting through my stamps, looking for "the one" to tackle Craft Roulette, episode #274, which is my 81st Craft Roulette contribution...I had a few in mind, but decided to go this route.  I didn't/don't have a ton of time right now, and there is something about the Unity Stamps Pooh and Friends line that is effortless to design with.  Although I left this simple, I really didn't feel the need for all the bling/bells and whistles/dimension and all that...after all, it's Winnie!

I literally submitted this minutes before the deadline.  If I were to redo, with all the bells and whistles, I'd probably somehow accentuate the "Hands" parameter a bit more, and maybe put an out line heart around their holding hands, or even have the image on the inside of the card, with a little heart cut out of a front flap around the "holding hands" part of the image.  Of course, I'd be dressing up that card front with honeycomb paper, a beehive, tree branch, honeypot, etc....and I could not do that in the time I had, yet submit the card!  I kept looking at the actual image, and really loved it the way it was...so, sometimes, less really is more.  And yes, the sentiment is tugging at my heart right now, but, that is part of the acceptance process for me, and will probably always be tender.  

The parameters:

1.  Project:  Thank You Card:  (Inside sentiment:  Thank you for always being there for me)

2.  Colors:   Decorations:  (Winnie the Pooh baby shower decorations inspired by)

3.  Element:  Hands  (Pooh and Piglet holding hands .... so precious )

4.  Random:  Tone on Tone:  (Piglet is 2 tone pink, Pooh is 3 tone golden brown, the card itself is kraft on kraft on ivory 

 

Stamps Used:

Winnie the Pooh: A Hundred Minus One 

 from:  Unity Stamps 

Markers Used:  Incredibly easy to blend with Amazon Purchase... 

 There you have it!  I may or may not get to Craft Roulette episode #275, we will see.  I am getting ready to head to Paperganza in a little over a week, and want to make the prepping for it as stress free as possible!  lol!  That being said, stay tuned, I do have some cool things to share, not Craft Roulette related...the Kindred Stamps July New Release is coming up, and it very well may be my most favorite ever.  (I say that every month, lol)  Truly, it's a fun one, and I need to turn off the ideas using it, they keep consuming my creative space in my head right now, that's how fun it is!!!  You will definitely want to take a peek, the week of the release, which is July 25th (release day)

Hope you all have a nice week!  It's very hot here in Eastern WA...on another note, since my day life includes chocolate...not fun to ship it out in these temps!  YIKES!  Little too much stress for me, but, it's what I do!  :) 

 

Glamping Girl

 Kind of a simple card, but if you consider the research time I put into a card, since occasionally I do...it wasn't so simple for me.  I literally agonized how to get the random parameter "Belt(S)" on this card!  I had already applied my holographic paper to get those twinkling stars on there...I wanted to keep this simple and limit my colors...as any Reeses Peanut Buttercup eating enthusiast knows...the main colors of the wrapper is Deep Orange, Rich Brown, and Bright Yellow!

So how did I get "Belt(S)" in there?  Well, if you look close at the top.....you will see 3 twinkly stars, all in a line.  So, this certainly MUST be Orion's Belt!  If that doesn't work out...our glamping girl is "belting out" "GO WILD BIRTHDAY GIRL"... so, surely, I have my bases covered for the random parameter!

 

 

I used a set called "Cute Girls Camping" from Scrappy Boy Stamps.  Although I'm not seeing this particular set available anymore, I will say, the "Cute Girls" / "Cute Kids" line is extremely fun, and there are many to choose from...I can't seem to get enough of this line!  lol!  I am not affiliated with Scrappy Boy, just a fan of it's fabulous stamps/offerings.  I think one thing that draws me to the "Cute Girls" line, is the fact that I have 4 sisters...and most of the sets have 5 different girl images to play with.  It is a natural for me, and I have found myself putting an identity on each of the girls per set...one for myself, and one for each of my sisters.  I kept this girl's hair color dark brown, so it narrows it down to just 2 of us girls... the only 2 with dark brown hair!  I'm one of them, and my oldest sis is the other...we are the bookends of the girls!  lol!  As to who this might be?  I think I probably wear more hoodie type sweatshirts, and wore my hair in a bun more, when my hair was long enough...so I guess, I'll take this one as me!  

 

So, a simple card, turned into an astronomy lesson for me, as I was searching for all the different kinds of belts out there in belt land...  lol  I wanted to keep this simple, and adding music notes, would have not ended up in a look that I wanted.  I am trying to learn to "edit"...  

 

I can't believe this is card #80 for me!!!!   

 

Craft Roulette