Good friends make the world a better place

Hi, crafty friends. I’m sharing a sweet, simple card today that I created for the Kort & Godt galleri blog.

I started with a panel of Stamper’s Select White cardstock from Papertrey Ink that I dry embossed. I then used a stencil set (the Butterfly Blooms set from Concord & 9th) to add the color. I used all inks from Concord & 9th: Powder for the background, Sprout and Parsley for the greens, Sunshine and Buttercup for the florals and Pink Lemonade and Honeysuckle for the pinks.

Once the panel was all inked, I adhered it to a white card base, created half circle notches at the top and bottom with a small circle die and thread some cotton thread through, which I tied off in a bow. I added pink sparkly gems to act as the bodies of the butterflies and finished off with a couple of black sentiment sticker strips that I mounted on foam tape. I love the softness of the background against the bold of the black. The black really draws your eye.

Kort & Godt products used:

TR124 (black cotton thread)

ST176 (pink gems)

ST1014 (black sentiment sticker strips)

This calls for a hangover {Purple Onion Designs}

Hi, crafty friends! Have you checked out the new release from Purple Onion Designs? There are two new collections from a couple of our favorite illustrators: Pei and Holly Mabutas. Holly’s collection is massive, with 24 stamps, including some really versatile backgrounds that I’ve had a blast playing with (I’ll share more in a future blog post), and Pei’s collection consists of 12 stamps in her sweet and fun signature style. My favorite character of hers, Mousy, makes an appearance, but today, I’m focusing on Mr. Corgi’s Margarita.

I knew I had to color up this image as soon as I saw it. This is so adorable with the corgi hanging off the top of the glass. And so funny, and very typical of Pei’s illustration style. I love it!

I colored the image with Copics, fussy cut him, then added VersaMarker pen to the rim of the glass and used white puff embossing powder from Wow! to mimic a salt rim. The embossing also adds some fun texture to the glass. I also used a black glaze pen to add a little bit of shine and dimension to his eyes.

I ink blended Parsley and Starfruit inks from Concord & 9th onto a white cardstock panel for an ombré effect, then used the Geometric embossing folder from WRMK to create some subtle dimension. I added the panel to a card base I’d covered with Parsley cardstock from Concord & 9th, before mounting the image using foam tape.

In this release there are also a few sentiment sets, and this one from the Good Libations set was the perfect one to pair with the corgi. I stamped it in Parsley ink onto white cardstock, then ink blended with Starfruit ink and fussy cut, before mounting it onto the card with more foam tape. I used a couple of different embellishment mixes from Little Things from Lucy’s Cards to finish off. The sequins are from the Beach Dreams mix, while the gems are from the Seashore mix.

Simple color palette for this one. This was so fun to color!!!

For a limited time, you can purchase a bundle with all 12 stamps in the Spring is in the air collection. This bundled set is discounted over 30% off the regular prices and is available for a limited time.  The bundled promotion ends on Thursday, July 10, 2025 on the Purple Onion designs website.

Gratulerer – I dag feirer vi deg {Papiria}

Hi, crafty friends! I’m back today with a card I created for the Papiria blog, featuring the Sweet Stems bundle from Concord & 9th. There’s a die set, a stamp set and a stencil set that all coordinate. I’ve made a card previously where I focused on the dies, but today’s card is all about those stencils (though I did use both the die set and the stamp set as well).

I started with a panel of white cardstock. I put down the first stencil, which is for the background, and used Harbor and Powder inks. The second stencil does the stems and leaves, and I used Sprout with a bit of Parsley at the base for those. For the large part of the flowers, I used Ballet Slipper and for the fourth and final stencil, which is for the smaller part of the flower, I used Honeysuckle. I also used the small circle burst stamp in the stamp set to add a little more detail. I stuck to Honeysuckle ink, and I just love the way these flowers turned out.

I used the cover die to create a frame from white cardstock that I glued on top of my ink blending. I mounted sentiment sticker strips from Kort & Godt using foam tape and adhered the sentiment in the top third of the card. I rarely add my sentiments to the top right, but I think it works. I finished off very simple with a few iridescent dew drops from Pinkfresh Studio.

For you {Papiria}

Hi, crafty friends! I’m back today with a card I shared earlier in the week over at the Papiria blog.

The Blended petals set from Concord & 9th is a very versatile one with a large flower image that you can color up any way you’d like. There are even coordinating stencils that let you add color very easily, which is what I used for my card. As much as I love coloring, stencils make everything go so much faster!

I stamped the image in black ink, let it dry and used the coordinating stencils to color it in using Creamsicle, Sweet Pea, Wildberry, Sprout, Tidepool and Peacock inks, all Concord & 9th colors. I then used the coordinating die to cut out the image, adding a couple of blank die cuts behind it for dimension.

I used the Twist Pattern press plate from Pinkfresh Studio along with some Pistachio Fresh Dye ink from Altenew to create a subtle pattern in the background. I die cut it using the coordinating die and added two more die cuts behind it before adhering it to the front of a top fold card I created from Stamper’s Select White cardstock from Papertrey Ink, which is the same white cardstock I used for everything except the sentiment.

Speaking of the sentiment – I used the Sweet Sentiments die set from Altenew. The top layer is from white mirror cardstock from Kort & Godt, the black is black mirror cardstock from Kort & Godt, and then I put three additional die cuts of the shadow die behind for dimension. I finished off the card very simply with Iridescent Dew Drops from Pinkfresh Studio.

Hallo – du er kuuuuuuul {Papiria}

Hi, crafty friends. I’ve been looking forward to creating this card for quite some time. Sometimes you get a product you really want to play with, but there just isn’t time. That’s been the case with me and this Pattern Play die set from Concord & 9th. It’s been sitting on my desk waiting to be used for over a month, but I’ve had other design work and a few orders for confirmation and wedding cards that needed to take priority, but yesterday, I got to play!

Play really is the right word to use, because this is the Pattern Play die set from Concord & 9th. It’s one of those die sets where you have a large die that creates a road map and several smaller dies that cut out the shapes to go on top of the map. It’s like a puzzle, and I love playing with tiny pieces of paper, so this is right up my alley.

I die cut the smaller pieces from Pebble, Sprout, Sunflower, Sorbet and Harbor cardstocks, all C9 colors. I stacked the Sprout four layers thick for dimension, the Harbor three layers and the Sorbet two, while gluing the Sunflower and Pebble directly to the map. This creates more movement and interest to the background, and it makes the card very tactile. I cut off 1/4″ from each side, popped the panel onto foam tape and adhered it in the center of my top fold A2 card base.

With such a colorful background, I knew I needed a bold black sentiment. I chose this hallo (hello) die from Kort & Godt, which I die cut four times from black cardstock and layered for dimension. I also added a tiny sentiment sticker strip (you are cooooooool) on top of the die cut word.

To finish off the card I added enamel dots in colors that match the cardstock. Since they’re the same color as the cardstock behind them, they don’t distract from the sentiment or the background, but they do still add interest to the card.

Just because {Kort & Godt}

Hi, crafty friends! Today’s card is one that I shared a while back on the Kort & Godt gallery blog. It’s pretty simple, but then again, that’s kind of my thing.

The bunny is from an image sheet (MA1011) from Kort & Godt. I did some fussy cutting on the left side and then used partial die cutting to turn it into a tag.

I used the Twist pattern press plate from Pinkfresh Studio with Nectar ink from Concord & 9th on a piece of Nectar cardstock from Concord & 9th to create a subtle background. I adhered the panel to a top fold card base I created from Stamper’s Select White cardstock from Papertrey Ink.

I mounted the tag in the center using foam tape and added a bow with white cotton thread from Kort & Godt. I adhered a couple of sentiment sticker strips with foam tape.

To finish off the card I adhered a few faceted pearls. This card is so simple, and the soft colors really are perfect for spring.

Kort & Godt products used:

MA1011 (image)

Die-211

TR-104 (white cotton thread)

ST1013 (sentiment sticker strips)

ST178 (faceted pearls)

Happy holidays {Purple Onion Designs}

Hi, crafty friends. I’m still in somewhat in a holiday making mode, and this time, I have Carlie & Vincent from Purple Onion Designs getting ready for Christmas.

I colored these cuties with my Copics and did the same with Home Sweet Home that I used in the background. I stamped a sentiment from the Merriest City sentiment set using Autumn Rose ink from Papertrey ink. It fits well nestled into the scene.

I used the Additional A2 Layers die set from Waffle Flower to cut my panel down slightly, then adhered it to a card base I created from Autumn Rose cardstock from Papertrey Ink, before I added a few snowdrift sprinkles from Little Things from Lucy’s Cards.

Lots of Copics for this one. I even created a new combo for the fox which requires less markers than the one I used to use.

God jul {Papiria}

Hi, crafty friends! I know I’ve shared quite a few holiday cards recently, but here’s another one featuring the Festive Blooms die set from Concord & 9th.

I actually shared this one on the Papiria blog back in December, but I thought I’d share here, as well. I die cut the parts for the florals from Watermelon cardstock and the leaves from Juniper cardstock, both are C9 colors. I ink blended the petals with Watermelon ink and the leaves with Rainforest ink, which is a darker green than the Juniper color. I curled all the petals and leaves back before assembly, and adhered them all to a white card base. I used gold glitter cardstock from Kort & Godt for the centers of the flowers.

I used a die set from Kort & Godt to create my sentiment. I stacked three of each die cut and used liquid glue to adhere the sentiment to the florals, before finishing off the card with Satin Gold sequins from Altenew. Super simple, and I love all the white space!!

Christmas wishes {Amanda Jayne Designs}

Hi, crafty friends! It’s the third Thursday of the month, which means it’s #getcrackingonchristmas. This is an initiative from Jenn Shurkus to get us creating holiday cards all year instead of having to scramble last minute to get them done in November and December. This lets us use our holiday products, try out new things and enjoy the process! My card today features an adorable Christmas bear from a digi stamp set from Amanda Jayne Designs, as well as some other goodies.

I colored the bear with Copics and used the Snowflakes and Ornament die set from Hero Arts to turn him into a Christmas ornament. Isn’t he adorable with his head tilted to the side? I covered the card base with a piece of Cranberry cardstock from Concord & 9th. This is the perfect Christmas red, and it goes really well with the colors on his hat, as well as the color I chose for the sentiment, which is also from Amanda Jayne Designs.

I used the Snowflake Confetti Fancy Die from Hero Arts to create a white background of snowflakes. I cut the panel down and adhered it to a piece of gold glitter cardstock from Kort & Godt Hobby, giving shine and sparkle to the snowflake openings. I mounted my gold cardstock to the center of the card using foam tape and added my colored bear ornament with more foam tape – there’s a lot of dimension going on here. I used the Gift bows dies from Kristina Werner to add a gold glitter bow to the top of the ornament. I also used a little bit of the gold glitter cardstock to mat the sentiment, which I adhered directly to the ornament to finish the card.

For such a simple image, I sure used a lot of Copics.

Balancing act {Mo’s Digital Pencil}

Hi, crafty friends! It’s no secret that I love the elves from Mo Manning. For this card, I let Little Elf Kippa leave a trail of baubles on her way through the living room. Those baubles are big and probably tough to balance.

I separated out the baubles from the image and did some copy paste work to create my scene. It’s one of the advantages of using digital stamps, and it makes them super versatile. I drew in a base board at the back with a black Copic multiliner and colored my scene.

I fussy cut around the back bauble and base board and adhered my colored piece onto a piece of patterned paper from ModaScrap that acts as a wall paper for my background. To make it even more obvious that it’s supposed to be a wall, I stamped part of the Window Signs image from Purple Onion Designs using Altenew Obsidian ink onto a scrap piece of X-Press It blending card that I’d colored with one of the neutral colors (E81) I used for my baubles. I then die cut that using the Postage Collage Die set from Waffle Flower and adhered it to my wall, drawing in strings and a nail on the wall for it to hang from.

I stamped a sentiment from the Merry Greetings stamp set from Mama Elephant using Melon Berry ink from Papertrey Ink. It matches really well with the coloring. I adhered my scene to a card base covered with a quarter sheet of Grapefruit cardstock from Concord & 9th to create a matching frame and my card was finished.

Limited Copic color palette for this one. I also used W3, W1 and W0, but I see now that I cut my graphic off too short, so they’re missing here.