Tuesday, April 7, 2026

Paws Here & Complete Psychopaths

 OK so this must be some kind of cruel joke... after me boldly celebrating the fact that the snow was over, I woke up to it freaking SNOWING!!!  It's April 7!  I know I live in New England but COME ON MAN. Give us a break! LOL It's coming down hard too, and it's expected to last most of the day.  Next week, we have weather in the high 70's expected. Gotta love it here.

I have a couple projects to share today - first is this cute bookmark for the following challenges:

Cut it Up #353 - Kids/Babies (must use die cuts)

Simon Says Stamp Monday - Not a Card

Unicorn Challenge - Use Dies

Pammie's Inky Pinkies - Anything Goes

The bookmark, books, paw print, and "paws here" sentiment are all die cuts from Newton's Nook, Bookmark Die set and Bookmark II Die set. The image of Stitch was a free coloring page I found online that I shrunk down to color for this bookmark, then fussy cut and attached sitting on top of the stack of books. 

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And then I have a fun, silly card to share for the following challenges:

Double D - Humor

I Love ProMarkers - AG/Optional Cute & Whimsical

Classic Design Challenge - AG/Optional Fun Folds

I just adore Ink Road Stamps. There will be a drop this Friday - if you're interested, go to the site and sign up for notifications! I have SO many of the snarky sets - this card was made with the fox from the Lookin Sharp set and a sentiment from the Roadies 68 set. I colored with Copics and fussy cut the fox - I used a banner nesting die for the sentiment. Papers are from the Fall Tones pack at Unity Stamp Co. Peace.

Monday, April 6, 2026

Brew Your Own Magic

 I was having so much fun playing in my little mini art journal that I decided to buy a bigger one so I'd have more space! I went with the large size Dina Wakley art journal, which has nice heavy pages for watercolors and mixed media. I made these pages for the weekly art journal sketch at A Cherry on Top and it totally fits these 2 challenges:

Simon Says Stamp Monday Challenge - Not a Card

Festive Friday #206 - I used bright colors, sparkle gems, and a "magic" sentiment

I began by applying a thin coat of clear gesso to the pages and let it dry. I then ink blended some Distress Oxide Inks in Peeled Paint and Seedless Preserves on the pages. I then applied my double honeycomb stencil from A Colorful Life Designs to both pages with a darker green ink. I used some torn book pages in the corner and some kraft paper to create the layout. I stamped the sentiments (Ink Road Stamps) with Versafine Black and embossed them with clear embossing powder. The witch is a printable clipart from Art Outrageous (Etsy) - I used Mod Podge to attach everything to the pages. I flicked some Mica Spray Stain all over and painted the liquid in the cauldron with some as well, the added a touch of Stickles. I used some tiny sparkle gems from Stampin Up to finish it off. Peace.

Cheerful

 Happy Monday!  I'm forcing some sunshine with this card below that I'd like to enter into the following challenges:

Passion for Markers #831- Dies and/or Punches

Beautiful Blossoms #39 - Anything Floral/Optional Mood Board

Triple B - April Anything Butterflies/Blooms/Birds (optional mood board)

Alphabet Challenge - Y is for Yellow Flowers

Colorful Options - April (Yellow or Rainbow)

I created my background by ink blending Wild Honey Distress Oxide Ink on a piece of watercolor paper, then applied Scorched Timber Distress Oxide ink through a script stencil and spritzed it all with water. I let it dry, then applied the Scorched Timber to a separate piece of cardstock and used a deckled edge circle nesting die to cut it out. I printed Sunflower Witch from Krista Smith Stamps out, used a circle to trace around the bottom half and fussy cut the top half. I colored her with Copics and a white gel pen and attached with foam dimensional tape. I finished it off with a piece of rickrack and a little sentiment I fussy cut from a text sheet from Unity Stamp Co. Peace.

Sunday, April 5, 2026

You're My Silver Lining

 Happy Easter! Do you celebrate it?  We don't necessarily celebrate the holiday of Easter, but we do celebrate Ostara and the arrival of Spring and we always look forward to an excuse to get together for a meal with the family!  So we'll be going to my daughter's house and having a smorgasbord of food including a roast chicken, ham, candied carrots, cheesy scalloped potatoes, cheesy brussel sprouts, pie and strawberry shortcake!  I'm looking forward to it!

I'd like to enter my Spring card below into the following challenges: 

Pammie's Inky Pinkies #2613 - Spring/Rain

C.R.A.F.T. Challenge #777 - Seasons/Weather/AG

Papercraft Challenge #128 - The Joy of Spring

Passion for Markers - Dies and/or Punches

If  You Give a Crafter a Cookie #215 - Rainy Days

OK so this entire card is a throwback!  LOL  Papers are really old from My Mind's Eye, the pad was called Playdate. Image is a digi from ByLoriDesigns called Puddle Jumper Ella's Umbrella, colored with Copics and cut out with a nesting postage frame die set. Sentiment is from an old retired set from The Greeting Farm called Sweet & Toxic. Peace.

Saturday, April 4, 2026

Hard Times Will Reveal True Friends & Cultivate Kindness

 I've got two more cards to share today - this one is for the following challenges:

Pammie's Inky Pinkies #2613- Spring/Rain

Fab n' Funky #634 - Easter/Spring

C.R.A.F.T. Challenge #777 - Seasons/Weather/AG

AllSorts #846 - Springtime/AG

I wanted the focus to be on the image for this, so I stamped the Tiny Townies Under an Umbrella from Stamping Bella with Versafine Black and embosssed with clear embossing powder. I colored with Copics and used a rectangle nesting die set to cut out. I sponged the edges with some blue ink and attached with foam dimensional tape to the card. I layered a small scrap of raindrop paper from Unity Stamp Co. behind it and added some raindrop shaped rhinestone stickers to finish it off. 

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And this next one was the sketch of the week at A Cherry on Top, and I made it to fit these challenges as well:

Beautiful Blossoms #39 - AG Floral or Optional Mood Board

Simon Says Stamp Monday - Embossing

Alphabet Challenge - Y is for Yellow Flowers

Colorful Options April - Yellow or Rainbow



I used my honeycomb/hexagon stencil from Tim Holtz to apply the Fossilized Amber Distress Oxide ink, then embossed it with clear embossing powder. I added a torn piece of DP from Authentique, and a little sticker text from Tim Holtz. The digi is an old one from Just Some Lines called Emo Daffodils (no longer in business), I colored with Copics and fussy cut her, then attached her with foam dimensional tape. Peace.

Exquisite Beauty

 There are some really beautiful stencils in the April release at:


Don't forget to use code JennFan10 for 10% off your entire order! You can also combine that with the discounts on the Master Bundles:

The stencils I used are called Diamond Circle and Twirly Mask:


Here's my card:


I used the reverse stencil technique for this one - I never waste anything so after I use a stencil traditionally using Distress Oxide Inks, I always grab a piece of watercolor paper and spritz it with water before laying the stencil on it to dry. I stamped the images from Whimsy Stamps Exquisite Beauty set with Versafine Black and embossed with clear embossing powder. I spot colored the moth and dragged the edges through a Pretty in Peacock ink pad.

I would like to enter this into the following challenges:

Simon Says Stamp Monday - Emboss It!

Creative Knockouts #568 - Embossing Delight

Girlz and the Art of Letters - X is for eXquisite!

Thanks for visiting! Peace.

Friday, April 3, 2026

LOVE tag - Shopping Our Stash

 I'm just back to squeeze one in for the:

Shopping Our Stash #570 - White Out

The challenge was to create something without using any white. I created my background by ink smooshing Candied Apple Distress Oxide ink on a piece of watercolor paper, then applying the same color heavily through my Side Heart stencil from A Colorful Life Designs (use code JennFan10 for 10% off at the shop). I die cut the tag, and die cut the LOVE (from my stash - this die cut is about 15 years old!), and added some rhinestone stickers. The sentiment is a stamp from the Nocturnal Nature set at Unity Stamp Co. The ribbon tied on the tag is also from my stash - I've been collecting ribbon for a good 25 years... ugh, showing my age! LOL  Peace.