In another funny scheduling twist, I'm SO super excited for the chance to be a guest designer at this week's Library Challenge #38, and I even got to suggest the book!  I chose Anne Morrow Lindbergh's Gifts From the Sea, a beautiful book I recently re-read!  So we get to spend two days in a row at The Library!
So, who here wasn't sure that I wasn't running straight to Seaside Notions for this one??  Lol...  As you can see, I did just that, and fussy-cut my little brains out, too.  And yes, I think the sponge brayer has become surgically attached this week, lol.  I was so happy to play with shells and ruminate on my own shell-stage while I made this card - such a great read!
I hope you can get in on the sandy fun over at The Library - see you there!
Seaside Notions Stamp Set; Whisper White CS; Memento Tuxedo Black, Sahara Sand, Pool Party & Pretty Peacock Inks; Soft Suede, Petal Pink, Pretty Peacock, Rococo Rose, Soft Sea Foam & Balmy Blue Blends; Basic Jewel Pearls, colored with Petal Pink; #TLC038.

In{k}spire Me #396 has another fun combo for us again, especially that lovely sketch!
So I need to put right out there that I was NOT thrilled with these colors, lol.  Just not natural!  However, I DID get them out to be considering while I played with a card idea, and eventually, I ended up pulling them in, too.  Little elephants come in all colors, of course!  I tried to focus mostly on the Crushed Curry and Gorgeous Grape combo, but I fianally let the pachyderms be pink, sigh.  I just can't resist working out the sketch and color combo, I guess, lol.  Whew!
Little Elephant Stamp Set; Crushed Curry DSP; Whisper White & Crushed Curry CS; Blushing Bride & Gorgeous Grape Inks; Gorgeous Grape Mini Striped Ribbon; Elephant Builder Punch; #IM396.

Christmas in July 2019, July 13!
You know my philosophy:  it's never too early to start thinking Christmas!  Christmas in July is always our "Part 1" class, and features our holiday stamp sets and goodies from the Big Book - look for Part 2 in October!  Class includes all supplies needed (bring your own snips & fave adhesive!) for 6 cards and envelopes, plus drinks, snacks & a special gift from me, all for $25!  This class can also be FREE with your order of $30 or more!  RSVP to save your spot, for Saturday July 13 at 3 pm!  See you soon!

Time for another ultra clean and simple challenge from AAA #143 - this time a one corner layout, with an option for flowers!
I decided to browse through some old Paper Pumpkin sets for this one - I'm being a bit slow in getting too many of our lovely new flowers sets this year, lol.  But, when you have a beauty like the 2016 Paper Pumpkin bonus set All About Everything, it's kind of hard to be too sad, lol.  I come back to this one again and again - I love the scribble effect for the flowers and details, and the gorgeous fonts in all the sentiments, too - it always makes such happy cards!
All About Everything Stamp Set (Paper Pumpkin bonus 2016); Whisper White CS; Memento Tuxedo Black, Gorgeous Grape, Mango Melody & Granny Apple Green Inks; #AAA143.

Lots of sunny flower inspiration this week at Hand Stamped Sentiments #316!
My mind immediately went to the sunflower quadrant on the inspiration pic - my sunflowers have just started blooming here - I've got three really tall ones!  So I decided to bring out Painted Harvest for some bright layered stamping.  I also brought out a new bundle to go with:  Praiseworthy Prose has six definition-like sentiments, that you can highlight with a lovely swooshy initial from the accompanying Hand-Lettered Prose dies - so very cool!  And I will totally confess, I am seriously planning on bringing out my old Define Your Life set, too, from 2007 - one of my first major purchases from SU!, lol.  Anyway, I'm really pleased with this sunny card - hello, summer!
Praiseworthy Prose & Painted Harvest Stamp Sets; Whisper White & Garden Green CS; Early Espresso, Daffodil Delight & Mango Melody Inks; Hand-Lettered Prose Dies; Yellow Glimmer Dots; #HSS316.

Can you hear that?  SU Only #223 is having an "anything Spring" challenge this week, and I think I hear birds singing!
Another fun set I got to preview from the new catty, is this lovely hostess set, Believe You Can. I decided to get it because it also matches the dies the go with the Free As a Bird bundle - I love when new goodies can do double duty!  In this set, there's a couple options for the dies, AND you can swap out the sentiment in this image for several choices!  I figured Thank Yous are always good to have around, and had some fun coloring away with my Blends.  I took my colors from the Bird Ballad DSP, which these lovely stripes are from.  Spring has sprung!
Believe You Can Stamp Set; Bird Ballad DSP; Whisper White & Old Olive CS; Memento Tuxedo Black Ink; Old Olive, Pool Party, Calypso Coral, Daffodil Delight & Mango Melody Blends Markers; Stitched Nested Labels Dies; #SUOC223.

I love this CAS game at AAA #140 - use only up to one third of my card, and maybe sneak in some bright colors - fun!
Scouting for a stamp set that could be "up to one third" of my card front, I decided to go with one of my new preview sets and use Free As A Bird from the upcoming catty.  This row of birds on a branch seemed perfect to me!  So, not so much for the bright colors after all, but I tried to keep it fresh and summery - I actually started out coloring with Blends Markers for the branch, and then lost my nerve and switched to aqua-painters for the birds themselves, lol.  I really wanted a softer look there!  I kept it clean and simple, too, I think the one-third challenge really lends itself to that!
Free As A Bird Stamp Set; Whisper White CS; Memento Tuxedo Black, Soft Suede, Crumb Cake & Flirty Flamingo Inks; Soft Suede, Granny Apple Green & Mango Melody Blends Markers; #AAA140.

AAA Cards #139 has a simple centralized sketch for us this week, with an option to add a shaker to it - excellent!
As I browsed for a stamp set to use, I realized I really wanted to take out Lift Me Up for a spin - this is another retiring set that I will be keeping around on the retired shelves for a while!  How to pass up a sunny stripey hot air balloon??  So, no shaker this round for me, but I really did try to keep it as clean as possible - no sparklies today, lol!
Lift Me Up Stamp Set; Whisper White, Basic Black, Poppy Parade, Mango Melody, Daffodil Delight, Granny Apple Green, Coastal Cabana & Gorgeous Grape CS; Memento Tuxedo Black & Smoky Slate Inks; Up & Away Thinlits; #AAA139.

Fancy Folds Card Class May 9 & 11!
I'm so excited to bring on the techniques this month with Fancy Folds!  We'll be learning how to make it fancy the easy way, featuring 6 all-occasion cards each using a brand new idea for some extra fun in the folds!  I promise you will love them all!  Class will be $25, and will include all supplies needed, plus drinks, snacks and a special gift from me!  Class can also be FREE with your order of $30 or more!   Classes will be held on Thursday, May 9 at 630 pm and also on Saturday, May 11 at 3 pm.  RSVP today to save your spot!

Chicks and bunnies challenge?  Goodness, the Sisterhood of Crafters got a giggle out of me!
I of course had to run straight to my old Best of Cluck set - YES!  Since we're already past Easter, I was trying to think of a way to follow the theme and have it NOT be an Easter card - bunch of chicks to the rescue!  So fun to pair these cuties up with my new fave, Mango Melody, and to color all my little fuzzies with our Blends - looks so much smoother than the markers did (though that was adorable, too, lol.)  And see, they tracked all over the card trying to get lined up for their picture!  Sigh...
Best of Cluck Stamp Set (retired 2005); Mango Melody & Whisper White CS; Memento Tuxedo Black Ink; Mango Melody, Daffodil Delight & Pineapple Punch Blends Markers; Stitched Shapes Framelits; #TSOCChicks&Bunnies.

Fancy Folds Card Class May 9 & 11!
I'm so excited to bring on the techniques this month with Fancy Folds!  We'll be learning how to make it fancy the easy way, featuring 6 all-occasion cards each using a brand new idea for some extra fun in the folds!  I promise you will love them all!  Class will be $25, and will include all supplies needed, plus drinks, snacks and a special gift from me!  Class can also be FREE with your order of $30 or more!   Classes will be held on Thursday, May 9 at 630 pm and also on Saturday, May 11 at 3 pm.  RSVP today to save your spot!

Now here's a fun idea - and "along the edge" challenge from AAA #138!
It didn't take me too long to hit on my beloved Flowering Desert to show off my "edgy" design, lol.  I don't care if this set is retiring - it's a keeper for sure!  I know my picture looks a little funny, but I wanted to lay it down flat so you could see my fussy cut edge against the darker strip of Mossy Meadow I put inside the card - it really pops!  (Good idea, DL Sarah!)  With enormous strength of will I resisted adding any sparklies or droplets, ribbon, ugh, I have to stop even thinking about it, lol.  I can SO do clean and simple, lol!
Flowering Desert Stamp Set; Whisper White & Mossy Meadow CS; Mint Macaron, Old Olive, Poppy Parade & Memento Tuxedo Black Ink; #AAA138.

Such pretty layers in this week's As You See It #198 "wings" sketch!
It's so funny, I just wrapped up my "Butterflies Galore" class, so I wasn't feeling like pulling in any more wings, lol.  Then the retiring lists hit, and I realized I was gonna need a LOT of room on my retired shelves for all the new items about to migrate over, lol.  While I started my "purge" (have I used this in the last year?  two??) I came across this old lovely, Watercolor Wings.  And I realized I maybe have one more butterfly in me this month, lol.  I kept it fairly simple, and featured one of the large wings arrangement front and center - good times!  I added a few details for a bit of shine, but that's it.  I forgot how much I miss this beauty!
Watercolor Wings Stamp Set (retired 2018); Whisper White & So Saffron CS; Early Espresso DSP; Early Espresso & Crushed Curry Inks; Stitched Shapes & Bold Butterfly Framelits; Gold Cording Trim; Crushed Curry Glimmer Dots; #AYSI198.