SO excited to play at NBUS #85 - I have a stack of new goodies to break in!
The first set from my pre-order I wanted to break in is the Splash & Relax bundle - it's so cute and filled with seaside fun!  I also wanted to make it into a mini sampler of our newest 2026-28 In Colors, so I didn't use many of the stamps - just the sunshine-y sentiment, lol.  But I did get to check out some of the amazing dies - and there's even more than I showed here!  I decided to add the sentiment in a Nested Essential hexagon, and I put everything over a glorious stripey background in our new Hydrangea Hue - LOVE the new In Color DSP stack, too - the best patterns!  I surrounded the sentiment with some snazzy flip-flops in Crisp Cantaloupe with a Barely Blush strap, shades in Peaceful Pine with Golden Glow lenses, and a yummy cold drink in a Hydrangea Hue cup!  I didn't even touch the sun visor or the sunscreen tube!
Splash & Relax Stamp Set & Dies; Hydrangea Hue DSP; Basic White, Hydrangea Hue, Crisp Cantaloupe, Barely Blush, Peaceful Pine & Golden Glue CS; Golden Glow Ink; Nested Essentials Dies; 2026-28 In Color Dots.

​New Catty Preview Class April 18 at 2 pm!
I am so excited to launch our preview class for the next Annual Catalog!  SO many new products and goodies, and I have a sweet collection to share with you to whet our appetites!  Class will include 6 cards and envelopes using all new 2026-27 Catalog items or upcoming Online Exclusives!  Class includes all supplies needed, snacks, and drinks, all for $25!  This class can also be FREE with your order of $30 or more!  Class is ON for Saturday, April 18 at 2 pm!   RSVP now to save your spot!

Another great theme at this round of Farm Quest #82 - a pond or creek!
After a little thought, I knew I wanted to bring in my beloved otter gang for this one - they're just so playful!  I set up a little background layer with the Otterly Adorable DSP, then built a little underwater scene for the front - I don't think I've used that many of these dies!  I got a little school of fish across the top of my Pool Party oval, then tucked in underwater fronds and rocks around the edges.  This darling duo took center place, and I tucked in the sentiment last.  It took me a minute to remember that I had these coordinating Riverside Pearls still, too!
Otterly Amazing Stamp Set & Dies (retired 2025); Otterly Adorable DSP (retired); Basic White, Pretty Peacock, Pool Party, Old Olive & Gray Granite CS; Pretty Peacock Ink; Ovals Collection Dies (retired); Riverside Pearls; #FQCB82.

​New Catty Preview Class April 18 at 2 pm!
I am so excited to launch our preview class for the next Annual Catalog!  SO many new products and goodies, and I have a sweet collection to share with you to whet our appetites!  Class will include 6 cards and envelopes using all new 2026-27 Catalog items or upcoming Online Exclusives!  Class includes all supplies needed, snacks, and drinks, all for $25!  This class can also be FREE with your order of $30 or more!  Class is ON for Saturday, April 18 at 2 pm!   RSVP now to save your spot!

Such a cute theme this month at Sparkles Christmas Challenge #183 - Elves or Gnomes!  Yes!
I couldn't resist running straight to my Gnome For The Holidays set from 2020 for this one, lol.  These guys are just the Christmas cutest!  I was really in the mood to color today, too, so I set the whole scene today!  I started with the stump house in the background, with its festive light strand, then I stamped my two favorite gnomes to color and fussy cut - I'm so smitten!  After I was all set, I finished with a few Peppermint Dots - LOVE these things!
Gnome For The Holidays Stamp Set (retired 2020); Basic White & Real Red CS; Memento Tuxedo Black Ink; Crumb Cake, Pool Party, Lemon Lime Twist, Real Red, Shaded Spruce, Azure Afternoon & Golden Glow Blends Markers; Peppermint Dots; #SCC183.
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Ooo, this fill-in-the-blank is a GOOD one!  What kinds of cards do YOU send?  At As You See It #370, we want to know!
After Christmas cards, I seriously send a LOT of thank you cards, lol.  I love to send them!  I think it might have all started when I was the "Appreciation" chair on our grade school PTO board.  Besides wrangling our "appreciation" events, like lunches for teachers, I also sent out thanks to every person who helped out in some way.  And I never lost the habit!  When you think about it, there's a lot to be grateful for, and I love letting people know, lol.  I put together today's "thanks" using the 12 Days of Crafting Advent collection - it's always fun to dig through the bag of stuff and see what comes of it!
I can't wait to see YOUR card adventures, too - meet you at the challenge!
12 Days of Crafting Advent Collection (stamp set, DSP, Gold Glitter Gems); Basic White & Crushed Curry CS; Crushed Curry & Secret Sea Inks; Seasonal Labels Dies (retired); Crushed Curry Heavy Baker's Twine; #AYSI370.

Oh beautiful - check out the torn edges on Hand Stamped Sentiments #485's sketch!  Lovely!
This definitely seems like a sketch made for the adorable Cutest Crew, lol - and I haven't used the sweet kitties yet!  This works out really well also, because I still have most of the "cat" sheets left in my old Playful Pets DSP, lol.  I followed the sketch pretty closely, and used all my neutrals to make each kitty different - I even snuck in our new Golden Glow!  Looks perfect for orange cats, if I do say so myself, lol.  Anyway, what a fun morning!  I miss my kitties!
Cutest Crew Stamp Set & Dies; Playful Pets DSP (retired); Basic White & Real CS; Memento Tuxedo Black Ink; Flirty Flamingo, Gray Granite, Golden Glow, Crumb Cake & Smoky Slate Blends Markers; Black Baker's Twine; Classic Matte Dots; #HSS485.
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Well, dang, who knew???  Festive Friday #206 is all about National Unicorn Day!
I knew right away I would be pulling my old Magical Day bundle from 2018 for this one - this plumpy unicorn is one of my faves, lol.  I also had a "magical" sentiment in there to go with it!  Since there's this sweet curved banner die for the words, I worked on heat embossing the sentiment onto Melon Mambo first - I figured it would go well with the magenta end of my my Rainbow Glimmer paper, lol.  I stamped the full sentiment in Mambo onto the largest Stylish circle, then popped my banner over that.  I colored up my unicorn mane and tail in rainbow, and popped him underneath!  I even dug out some Mambo twine, and some silver Sparkle Gems!  For the final touch, I embossed the background with my Oh My Stars EF from 2019!  I think the only two prompts I DIDN'T get were Watercolor and Fancy Border!  Yes!
Magical Day Stamp Set (retired 2018); Basic White, Melon Mambo & Rainbow Glimmer CS; Memento Tuxedo Black, Melon Mambo & Versamark Ink; White EP; Poppy Parade, Pumpkin Pie, Daffodil Delight, Lemon Lime Twist, Balmy Blue, Azure Afternoon, Berry Burst & Smoky Slate Blends Markers; Stylish Shapes & Magical Mates (retired) Dies; Oh My Stars EF (retired); Melon Mambo Twine; Silver Sparkle Gems; #FF0206.

Yay!  Time to tic-tac-toe again at Retro Rubber #269!  You can totally tell this one carried forward from last year, lol.
I wanted to see if I could NOT make a holiday card from it - and it was totally doable!  I selected the left column:  sequins - ribbon - die cut, and went hunting!  2023's Nature's Harvest jumped right out at me - those stem silhouette dies are so stunning!  I figured I could do something in muted colors, and pull in some Early Espresso ribbon and sequins for a calming look, and it totally worked.  I placed three stems over my favorite distressed white woodgrain sheet, and tied on the last little bit of my Faux Suede Trim in Early Espresso.  I arranged my stems, and popped up this sweet sentiment over all.  The brown sequins are perfect!
I can't wait to see what catches YOUR eye at our tic-tac-toe - and don't forget to make it RETRO!
Nature's Harvest Stamp Set (retired 2023); Country Woods DSP; Basic White, Early Espresso, Wild Wheat (retired), Crumb Cake, Mossy Meadow & Basic Beige CS; Early Espresso Ink; Harvest Dies (retired); Faux Suede Trim in Early Espresso (retired); Brown Neutrals Sequins (retired); #RRCB269.

OK, gang!  We want to see your monotone designs this round at Make My Monday #275!
Today is my homage to Gorgeous Grape!  It's so strange, because purple is my favorite color, but I never seem to use this particular purple very much!  The clue for me was the pack of ANCIENT Glossy Dots that only contained Gorgeous Grape dots, lol.  What's up with that??  So I made today's card JUST so I could use a few of them, lol.  I thought it would be fun to do a stamped off background for my "hello" with 2016's Layered Letters Alphabet, and I even added a little extra sentiment from 2024's Happy Labels.  So simple but still so cute!  The aforementioned Glossy Dots were just right to finish!
I can't wait to see YOUR monotone projects - meet you at the challenge!
Layered Letters Alphabet (retired 2016) & Happy Labels (retired 2024) Stamp Sets; Gorgeous Grape DSP (on envelope); Basic White & Gorgeous Grape CS; Gorgeous Grape Ink; Gorgeous Grape Glossy Dots (retired); #MMM275.

We have a honey of a sketch for you this round at Sunday Stamps #383!
I quickly decided to interpret this sketch as some kind of partially masked background, with a featured sentiment.  And wouldn't you just know it, Snowy Delights just leapt off the shelf at me!  Lol.  I decided to try a new blue combo on a smaller than usual white-on-white layer.  I really like how it came out!  I also added some opposite corner rounding to dress it up a tiny bit, too - I totally forgot this punch lives on my desk all the time!  I finished with a few Cloud Cover Flat Pearls - it's very Winter storm, I think!
I can't wait to see YOUR take on this sketch - buzz on by the challenge!
Snowy Delights Stamp Set, Dies & Decorative Masks; Basic White CS; Cloud Cover, Balmy Blue, Misty Moonlight & Secret Sea Inks; Cloud Cover Flat Pearls; #SSC383.

I love the "topping" at this round of Seize the Birthday #323 - add a tag!
I actually did manage to finagle a Notes of Spring set this month - our Month Product of the Month!  As always, I'm a sucker for critters, lol.  I decided to break it in on this card - birthday goose, anyone??  I love the little shading stamps that go with each of the line art images - I of course made my goose in stamped-off Darling Ducking.  I really haven't used this color a lot, so I pulled out some DSP, and the Flat Pearls, too - I have plenty, lol.  I think it looks pretty sweet over Crumb Cake, and with this big Daffodil Delight bow - very Spring, for sure!
Notes of Spring Stamp Set; Darling Duckling DSP; Basic White & Crumb Cake CS; Memento Tuxedo Black, Darling Duckling & Lemon Lime Twist Inks; Timid Tiger Blends Marker; Tailor Made Tags Dies (retired); Daffodil Delight Taffeta Ribbon; Darling Duckling Flat Pearls; #STB323.