Time Out challenge #306- Sparkle, Red, Heart and Twine.

 Today I was scrolling through my blog feed and saw the Time Out Challenge.   I entered recently and was super excited to see my card (here) had won challenge #305.   And checked out challenge #360.  It was perfect for what was sitting on my desk.  I had been working on my DT card for Die Cut Divas where out challenge is Red/Pink.   

Lots of choices for this one....  I chose Red, Sparkle, Heart and Twine!  I had a Hero Arts Background Cling sitting on my desk and some WOW Clear Sparkle Embossing powder.  Red card was close at hand...

The Hero Arts Leafy Vines (2012 - retired) looks amazing in real life - the embossing powder sparkles and shines in a variety of colours as you tilt the card.   So hard to photograph!  I got out an older Spellbinders die set - Lace Hearts.  Included in the set is the gorgeous key.  Cut it from some textured rose gold card and tie a twine bow.  Created the sentiment on my computer and printed it then die cut with Altenew Featured Sentiments dies.  Added sparkle crystal gems.  

Sending Hugs embossed background

 Well, my mojo has been on a hiatus.  I haven't crafted for over a week or more!  Work has been really busy and then we went away for a long weekend.   Took the little red car so not a lot of space in the boot for more than our bags and some food.  I did take a mini colouring-in book and did some watercolouring of one of the pages

Today I'm sharing a card I made early January and haven't posted as yet. 

I was trying out embossing on a non-white background.  This  panel is a grey watercolour looking patterned paper from Scrapbook.com and I embossed it with Altenew Whimsy Motif 3D folder.  Used the matching colouring stencil in a variety of Altenew inks.  I added some black pen dots around the embossed image.  Finished with a white embossed sentiment from Altenew.  

Hopefully I will get some time this week to craft - maybe Friday afternoon as I have two appointments early morning and lunch time.   And then Sunday morning (early) we head off for a 4 day guided tour around the west side of the lower North Island.   We are flying to New Plymouth, there for a day and then doing a two day rail cart adventure through what is called The Forgotten World.  And then on the final day - bus and then train trip back to Auckland.   There are about 16 people on the tour, all around our age, and two couples who live reasonably close to us.  Should be a fun few days and give us a taste of going on a guided tour.  

Sunbird Spark - two different cards

 Hi - last day of the month, so time to share my projects for Die Cut Divas.... Two quite different cards using products from Sunbird Spark - our sponsor this month 

Sunbird Spark is a Vancouver (Canada) based paper craft supply company and the creator of the patented Stencils 360°™ stenciling tool. Formerly known as Penguin Palace, the brand is known for its innovative tools, high-quality photopolymer stamps, and its specially curated ink collection inspired by color psychology. Sunbird Spark is dedicated to inspiring creativity through bold color, versatile designs, and a passion for exceptional customer care, helping makers of all levels craft with confidence and joy.

First card using the Frame die called Bellezza Frame from Sunbird Spark and paired it with Sizzix Layered Summer Florals.  

I took the base layer of the Bellezza Frame and used a floral embossing folder for a bit of texture and then layered the outer frame on top.  I die cut the Sizzix  floral layers from a variety of coloured cards and layered together and added to the frame.   The sentiment is from Sunbird Spark Magnolia Beauty stamp and die set.   A big thanks to my teamie, Cindy, who sent me the stamped and die cut images, sentiments and die cut frames.  

Sunbird Spark also has a few digital stamps   So I purchased a cute little images to make a card for my grandson's birthday later this year. 

I printed the crane onto some card after adding this name and the number 3 to the image.  It's his 3rd birthday in June this year.   I used my Scan'n'Cut to cut it out and then used alcohol markers to colour it.   It used AI to find the background construction scene. I printed it and die cut with a Gina K die.  

Woodblock Wednesday - January 2026

 I started this card yesterday but had to wait for the Glossy Accents to dry. 

I have used two Hero Arts woodblock stamps (retired) from 2009 and 2010 - Raindrop Background and Dogwood.   I have quite a few Hero Arts woodblock stamps as when I first started stamping they were my go to company.  Woodblock stamps were what you mostly purchased.

I started by stamping the Raindrop background in Catherine Pooler Eucalyptus ink and then stamped the Dogwood in a combination of the Eucalyptus and Green Tea.  I used Prismacolor pencils to add colour.  Then stamped in with CP Sweet Sixteen ink and again used some pencils before fussy cutting and piecing over the green flowers,   Added the sentiment from an Altenew stamp set (Silk Art) stamped in the Green Tea and fussy cut.  The glossy accents is on the green centres.  

It is always such fun to remember to pull out these stamps 

New Baby cards

 One of my friends recently became a Grammy for the first time.   So I thought I'd make her a card and one for her son and daughter-in-law.

First up the card I made for Pearl, my friend

I die cut the Vintage Stroller from Couture Creations from dark blue and light blue card and added some silver sequins and dot.  I did some google searching and found the sentiments.  Printed them and added to them to the soft blue background.  Loved how it turned out. 

And for Jared and Sophie, the new parents

Such a sweet image.  This is a digital image from Mo's Digital Pencil called "Hush"  I printed the image and then die cut with a Spellbinders Oval.  I used some watercolour pencils to colour it.  Little Teddy has lots of lovely dark hair so did that.  I used my computer to print the sentiment. The font I used is Yessy.  Die cut a Bow with a Poppy Stamps die.   I must admit I love this digital image and have used it a lot over the years for new baby cards.    

Dreaming of a PINK Christmas

 The January challenge at Christmas Kickstart is Dreaming of a PINK Christmas.  

Today 26th January is a holiday - to celebrate Auckland Anniversary Day - so the last day of 4 days off for me.   It's been very un-summery weather all of the last week or so and today was no exception.  Spend a little time in the craft room and made this card for the challenge

I started with some ombre paper - from Uniti.  Picked out the pinkest part of the paper and embossed it with a snowflake folder (from a magazine from a few years back) Ran some white pigment ink over top of the raised areas.   I used a Gina K stamp set called Playful Penguins to stamp and die cut the pair of penguins.  I stamped and fussy cut the sentiment.   I used some cheapo watercolour paint pens to add colour to my sweet pair.   Added some glossy accents to the beaks and boots and some kindyglitz sparkle glue to the ear muffs, pompom and the centre of the snowflakes. 

First Christmas card for 2026!   

Blue Magnolia

 Hi - I'm here to share my card for this month's challenge at Die Cut Divas.  We have a new sponsor this month 

Sunbird Spark is a Vancouver (Canada) based paper craft supply company and the creator of the patented Stencils 360°™ stenciling tool. Formerly known as Penguin Palace, the brand is known for its innovative tools, high-quality photopolymer stamps, and its specially curated ink collection inspired by color psychology. Sunbird Spark is dedicated to inspiring creativity through bold color, versatile designs, and a passion for exceptional customer care, helping makers of all levels craft with confidence and joy.

I don't have any of their stamps or dies so my lovely team buddy, Cindy, sent me some stamped and die cut images and sentiments and a few frame dies.   Thank you Cindy.

Here's my first card - using a stamped floral and sentiment from Magnolia Beauty.  

I coloured the Magnolia with some Jasart pencils.  I paired this with an embossed background using a WRMK's 3D texture folder.  I needed something to ground my flowers so chose to use a Lattice Frame from Catherine Pooler.  The base layer was cut from some textured metallic card.   I picked up a 60 sheet pack of A4 card for $12.  That works out 20cents a sheet - and I cut that into 4 pieces.   The top layer was cut from white card.  The die cut sentiment is from the stamp set.   

Do come and join us Here with your "New" projects.  Just remember to use at least one die cut or embossing folder.  You can use any die cut machines, including Silhouette and Circut machines.

You make life beautiful -

 Took advantage of my non-working day yesterday to have a play.   I had done the housework first thing, and then travelled about 20 minutes to got to the Outlet Sports Shoe shops to get some new walking shoes and then had time in the craft room. 

Grace had been playing with some watercolour powders when Pop was looking after her on Thursday (the long summer school holidays here in NZ) and she made several sheets of mixed colours.  One of which was a vibrant mixture of purples, blues and greens.  Very rich looking and they inspired this card

.

Isn't it a stunning colour.  I used Altenew Pitcher Vases die and embossing folder set to cut out the pitcher.  In real life, the shimmer is incredible.  I chose to have just a single flower - Altenew Petite Mountain Aven die.   I cut it from some Lawn Fawn Pearlescent cardstock. I added some colour with alcohol markers for the centre.  Cut the leaves with some dark green card and added a couple of die cut twigs from Altenew - Charming Foliage - that did get a bit of pruning first.  I decided to keep the background simple and did a little partial embossing with Altenew's Dotty Circles 3D folder and added a thin strip of gold across the edge.  Trimmed a 1/4 inch off one side and added to my card with a strip of the some card I used for the pitcher.  And die cut some dots to add as embellishment.  The sentiment was one I had in my stash from Pinkfresh - Peony Glow stamp and die set.

I am entering this into the Time Out challenge - A favourite card making technique   in my case - two favourites - 3D embossing and die cutting and a bonus - using homemade dots for embellishments 

Summer has forgotten us here in NZ... The whole country has had some horrendous stormy, wet weather - lots of floods and slips - an unfortunately lose of life.  Two people died when a slip ploughed through their home and in a beach town a few hours south of here, 6 people have been caught in a large slip which came down on a camping ground, demolishing an ablutions block, tents, caravans.   This was on Friday and it is now a "recovery" operation.   Very very sad times.