simon says stamp bat trio

The Cheering for You collection just hit the Simon Says Stamp shop and it's all so cute but all I want to talk about is Halloween!

There are some really cute new Halloween sets like this Bat Trio die! Bats are such a fabulous basic for the Halloween (and Summerween season)!

For this card I ink blended a panel with Distress Oxide Carved Pumpkin & Picked Raspberry. 

Then I wrapped that panel in some scrap plastic packaging to create a pocket. TIP: a cello treat bag works too if you haven't been hoarding crafty "trash" like I have or there are these too.

I added some iridescent stars & confetti sequins and sealed the pocket.

Then I die cut a circle window from another panel. I curved the "trick or treat" sentiment from the Halloween Friends set on the lid of my MISTI so I could stamp it on the curve of my circle window. I added a little faux splatter with a black pen and then adhered the panel to the shaker pocket.

I added the Bat Trio on top of the shaker window and then adhered the whole shebang to a folded card.

Thanks so much for stopping by! Hugs!!!

Carly

ppp sending love

Pretty Pink Posh is having a fun animal theme week with lots of adorable cardmaking inspiration and a fun sale! 

And since so many of my favorite critter sets are on sale right now, I thought I would share one of my very favorite critter card designs...

I like to call this a "scene strip". It appeals to my love of white space and is a lot easier than having to color every piece of a scene, LOL!

I like to mask a section on my card front and add color by ink blending. For this card I used Distress Oxide Picked Raspberry. With the tape still in place and after letting it dry a bit, I stamped images for the scene, the mailbox and mail from the Sending Love set in Distress Oxide Blueprint Sketch.

Then I stamped, die cut and colored the pup in the box (also from the Sending Love set). Isn't it cute?!

I used foam tape to add the pup to the card and then stamped the sentiments. What do you think?

Thanks so much for stopping by! And don't forget to check out the sale over in the PPP shop, 15% off all the animal sets!

Hugs!

Carly

mft through thick and thin

Have you seen the MFT Stamps Greetings Collection? It has so many perfect words for when you might not know what to say. Some of the sentiments are kind & comforting and some are silly like the one I used on this card. Let me show you!

Seems perfectly sweet on the outside, just a cute little skunk from the Scent-sational Skunks set...

...but then you open it up and get a little pop-up skunk with a silly message!

I love to make these simple pop-up cards and the mechanism is so easy to make with just a cutting tool like a paper trimmer! (You can see the method in this previous video.)

Thanks for stopping by and definitely pop over to the MFT blog to see more projects with the greeting sets!

Hugs!

Carly

coming soon...mft greetings collection

There is an amazing new collection of sentiment stamps hitting the MFT shop tomorrow! Would you like a little peek?

The cheeky little monkey from the Monkey Around set was just waiting for the new Birthday Sass set and all it's fun birthday wishes! I mean "you are the she to my nanigans"...hahaha!!!

For this card I used the "Happy Birthday" stamp and created a background pattern by stamping it repeatedly down the middle of my card front in alternating colors (Distress Oxide Picked Raspberry & Carved Pumpkin). Then I stamped the "you are..." sentiment at the bottom, leaving a little white space.

I stamped, die cut and colored the monkey. Then I used a little foam tape to adhere it to the card and topped it with a party hat borrowed from the Presents and Pupcakes set.

Thanks so much for stopping by and definitely pop over to the MFT blog to see more projects with the adorable sentiment sets!

Hugs!

Carly

cardmaking inspiration with alphabet dies

Do you love cardmaking? Do you have an alphabet die set yet? Trust me when I say you need one! Let me show you what I mean!

I know it's still summer but I am already getting excited for Halloween! I haven't seen many new Halloween stamps & dies on the market yet but that's ok because I have Scrapbook.com's Classic Type Alphabet set...

With alphabet dies I can create an easy Halloween design!

For this card I die cut three "spooky" words and added color to one of the words with blending tools and Distress Oxide inks (Picked Raspberry, Black Soot, Kitsch Flamingo & Carved Pumpkin). Then I layered the letters and adhered them together.

I adhered the layered "spooky" to a piece of pale, peachy-pink cardstock from the SBC Pinks pad and then added a ghost. 

Here's a short video of the process...

And then while I still had the alpha dies and expressions stamps out, I made this card too...

I used the same method to add dimension and color, I die cut "merry" three times and colored one of them with blending tools & Distress Oxide inks (Kitsch Flamingo, Festive Berries, Cracked Pistachio & Salvaged Patina).

Then I layered the letters, adhered them to a card and added the little stamped "Christmas". So easy!

Thanks so much for stopping by!

supplies:

affiliate links may be used at no additional cost to you. thank you! 

SBC Classic Type Alphabet dies

SBC Celebrate Expressions stamps

SBC Build & Layer Ghost dies

Distress Oxide Picked Raspberry, Kitsch Flamingo, Carved Pumpkin, Black Soot, Festive Berries, Salvaged Patina and Cracked Pistachio

Pinks Smooth Cardstock

Mixed Media Cardstock

merry christmas shaker card with scrapbook.com

I know it's summer but I'm having a lot of fun creating cards for the holidays! It's Scrapbook.com's fault really, with their Christmas in July celebration, LOL!

One of my favorite cards to make is a shaker card and one of my favorite ways to make a shaker window is with word dies...

I love the SBC Christmas Block Words die set so much! This is not the first time I've used the "merry" to make a shaker window. 

For this card made a wrapped shaker pocket with the pink from the Vacation paper pad inside. (You can see the technique in this past video.)

I die cut "merry" from Mixed Media paper first (the best for shaker windows because it is so thick) and saved the R middles. At the bottom right of "merry" I stamped "christmas". I used the Mini Circle Sentiments and masked part of the "merry christmas" one by placing low-tack tape over the "merry" and inking the stamp, then removing the tape and stamping on to the cardstock.

Then I die cut the "merry" again but this time from the red cardstock in the Sunshine paper pad.

I adhered the window panel to the shaker pocket and then inlaid the red "merry" and added the R middles too. A few faux splatters made with a pen and ta-da!

I definitely recommend stopping by Scrapbook.com to see more about their Christmas in July celebration!

And thanks for stopping by here too!

Hugs!

Carly

christmas in july at scrapbook.com

When I heard Scrapbook.com was going to be celebrating Christmas in July, I couldn't wait to join the fun with some holiday cardmaking! Plus maybe starting now will help me actually get my Christmas cards done for once. LOL!

I love the look of Pantone swatches like this...

...so that was my inspiration for this card!

I die cut a bunch of holly leaves with the Cozy Autumn Foliage set from white cardstock. Then I added color by ink blending Distress Oxide Salvaged Patina and Cracked Pistachio. I love that blue green combo!

There aren't any holly berries in the Cozy Autumn Foliage set so I borrowed the 8 and ! from the Bold Basic Numbers and Characters and die cut them from Sunshine Paper Pad red to use the dots as berries.

I created a random-ish holly pattern and adhered them all to pink cardstock from the Vacation Paper Pad.

Then I adhered the holly piece to a white card and stamped a little sentiment from the Celebrate Expressions set. 

I definitely recommend stopping by Scrapbook.com to see more about their Christmas in July celebration!

And thanks for stopping by here too!

Hugs!

Carly

mft fiery friends

The latest Jenoblade stamps (and coordinating dies) are available now in the MFT shop! It's such an adorable release and I've been having so much fun creating with it! 

The new Fiery Friends set is adorable!

For this card I used one of my favorite older dies on a card panel, the Arched Happy Birthday. Then I stamped the scenery & clouds from Fiery Friends.

I stamped, die cut and colored one of the cute dragons and foam mounted it over the scene.

Then I ink blended a little Distress Oxide Salvaged Patina & Twisted Citron on the front of a folded card. And finally adhered the panel to the folded card, letting the color come through the Arched Happy Birthday. I adhered the letter middles and added a little faux splatter with a black pen.

Definitely pop over to the MFT blog to see more projects with the adorable Jenoblade sets!

Hugs!

Carly

mft pandastic + more jenoblade sets

There is a new collection of adorable Jenoblade stamp designs hitting the MFT shop tomorrow and they are the cutest!!! Do you want a little peek?

Is there anything cuter than pandas?!! And could these little cuties be any easier to color?!! I just stamped it in black, gave the white areas a little gray shading and then pink cheeks!

The card is my signature scene, LOL! I masked a section and ink blended Distress Oxide Twisted Citron and Salvaged Patina. When the ink blending was dry, I stamped the bamboo background from the set off each edge.

Thanks so much for stopping by and definitely pop over to the MFT blog to see more projects with the adorable Jenoblade sets!

Hugs!

Carly

video tutorial: galaxy scene with pretty pink posh

Are you looking for a fun cardmaking technique to try this weekend? How about making an easy galaxy background? I'm sharing my clean & simple version in a cardmaking process video over on the Pretty Pink Posh blog and I would LOVE it if you stopped by to watch!

Hugs!!!

Carly

simon says stamp happy rainbow

Summer is coming to Simon Says Stamp with the release of their latest stamps, dies, stencils are more...the Sunny Vibes collection!

There are quite a few goodies that I'm excited about but one is already my favorite, the Happy Rainbow stencil set! Gosh it's cute and so fun to use!

For this card I used stencils 1 & 2 (skipping 3 & 4) with Distress Oxide inks (Picked Raspberry, Candied Apple, Squeezed Lemonade & Salvaged Patina). I love the bright retro feel it has! I think I might have had roller skates with a rainbow just like this on the sides, LOL!

I used a sentiment from the Printmaking Hearts set and curved the stamp on the lid of my MISTI to match the rainbow. And of course I finished the design with a little faux black splatter, made with a pen.

For this card I used stencil 1 with Distress Oxide inks (Picked Raspberry, Carved Pumpkin & Salvaged Patina).

Then I stamped one of my favorite flowers from the Flower Power set over the rainbow.

I finished the card with a tiny sentiment from the Friendship Bingo set and more faux splatter.

Thanks so much for stopping by! Hugs!!!

Carly

my new favorite shaker card design + ppp blog day 2

Pretty Pink Posh has an adorable & playful new collection of cardmaking supplies and I'm thrilled to be joining day 2 of the blog hop to share ideas with you!

Before I show you what I made, there's more fun! There are 3 $30 gift certificates to Pretty Pink Posh up for grabs! Enter to win by leaving comments along the hop by 11:59pm PST of June 17th, 2024. The winners will be announced on the PPP blog.

Now let's talk cards!

I'm always obsessed with shaker cards but lately I'm especially smitten with shaker cards made by wrapping scrap plastic around a background to make a pocket! It's a great way to use stamp & die packaging and it's super easy!

For these cards I used the new PPP Utility Vehicles set. I LOVE the mail truck and some of the little images make fantastic shaker bits!

You can see the whole process in this video...

Your next stop on the hop is Jeannie Lieu and I know she is going to WOW us with something incredible!!!

And here's the whole list if you need it...

Pretty Pink Posh blog 
Amy Rysavy
Marine Simon
Sindhu Prajay
Jeanne Jachna
Debbie Frank
Lauren Taylor
Carly Minner
Jeannie Lieu

Thanks so much for hopping with us! Hugs!!!

Carly

P.S. Do you like the bright & bold coral background or the pale blue one better? I still can't decide, LOL!

mft walk in the park

Did you see the latest MFT card kit, Walk in the Park? It's adorable and I've got a quick card to share with you!

My amazingly talented friend Tiffany made a fabulous card with pink & orange sky and it inspired me to make mine purple!

I used Grapesicle cardstock as the base and used foam adhesive to adhere a white cardstock piece on top that has one of the sentiments from the Walk in the Park set.

Then I die cut the Two Trees from white cardstock and ink blended to add color. (TIP: layer Distress Oxide Salvaged Patina over Twisted Citron for a great shade of green.) I adhered the trees and some clouds (cut with Treetops set) to the purple cardstock.

It's super simple but I love the way it turned out and the graphic look!

Pop over to the MFT blog when you have a minute to see more with the Walk in the Park kit and maybe even shop a little😉

Thanks for stopping by!

Carly

mft walk in the park card kit

The MFT Stamps Walk in the Park card kit just hit the shop and it is so fun!!!

When I saw the sentiments in the Walk in the Park stamp set, I thought it would make an adorable graduation gift card!

I die cut a square window in a card panel and adhered acetate to the back. Then I adhered the play structure from the On the Playground set and a couple of clouds made with the JB Treetop set.

Then I foam mounted the panel to a folded card, leaving the top open so I could slide a clear pocket (with some graduation money) inside.

I highly recommend heading over to the MFT blog to see more and check out this great kit!

Thanks for stopping by!

Carly

mft fintastic friends birthday shaker card

Do you need an extra special birthday card for your favorite mermaid? I think I can help!

I'm sharing this fun & easy shaker with the MFT Fintastic Friends set over on the MFT YouTube channel today. I would be thrilled if you stopped by to watch!!!

Hugs!

Carly

mft hula hippos

The MFT Stamps May release is available NOW!!! There are so many adorable sets to check out but before you go, I have a quick card with the new Hula Hippos to share...

You know I love a critter card and how absolutely ADORABLE are the hippos?!!

For this card I created a simple "scene" background by masking a section of my card and ink blending. Then I stamped the palm trees over the ink blending and removed the masking tape.

I stamped, die cut and colored a hippo. Then I decided to make a little grass skirt using green tissue paper with the Mini Fringe die.

Pop over to the MFT blog when you have a minute to see more of the May collection and maybe even shop a little😉

Thanks for stopping by!

Carly

mft pearl of a friend

One of MFT's sweetest lines is getting two new stamp designs this week, Pure Innocence! Do you want to see a little peek of one of the sets coming tomorrow? Of course you do!

This is Pearl of a Friend...

If you saw the card I made yesterday, then you know I'm on a "no coloring" kick, so I kept the mermaid black & white after stamping her on the front of my card. 

Then I added color with one of my favorite dies, Bold Happy Birthday, die cut from an ink blended panel.

Wanna see more of the new Pure Innocence sets? Head over to the MFT blog!

Thanks for stopping by!

Carly

mft twinkle twinkle & best dad ever

The MFT Stamps May 2024 release is coming soon on May 28th and it includes some sets perfect for Father's Day. Here's a little peek...

I made this card by ink blending on my card front then die cutting a panel with the Best Dad Ever die and adhering it over the ink blending.

Then I stamped and die cut the sweet bears from the Twinkle Twinkle set and foam mounted them to the card. I was having a hard time deciding on colors and so I left them black & white. What do you think? Should I have colored the bears?

And finally I added a little faux black splatter with a pen and stamped the shooting star.

Wanna see more of the new May sets? Head over to the MFT blog!

Thanks for stopping by!

Carly

mft evolving friends + countdown to mft may 2024 release

MFT Stamps is closing out May with so much cuteness in their very fun May 2024 release! And while you have to wait until the 28th to shop, our team has got sneak peeks starting NOW!

Evolving Friends is one of the new Jenoblade sets and no surprise, it's adorable!!!

I might not know much about Pokemon but I do know that these critters are so cute! And the Poke Ball made a really fun shaker bit in my simple shaker card.

You can see more about the May release on the MFT blog so pop by when you have a second!

Hugs!

Carly

gift card holder tutorial with pretty pink posh stamps

Are you looking for a fun way to give a gift card or money? I think I can help with my latest cardmaking tutorial (and there's even a video)!

I used the Pretty Pink Posh Graduation Cap Shaker dies to create a window and added a fun pocket behind it to hold a cash (or a gift card)! It's cute, easy and a great way to personalize a gift (that can sometimes feel impersonal).

And imagine the possibilities with other shapes! Like this one or this one for birthdays?!

Here's a process video so you can see how it came together...

Thanks so much for stopping by!

Carly

supplies:

affiliate links may be used at no additional cost to you. thank you! 

PPP Graduation Cap Shaker dies

PPP Sentiment Strip: Occasions stamps

Distress Oxide Salvaged Patina