Hot Mess - July 2025

It's the 12th of July, time to get messy. (insert deer-in-the-headlight look) As you likely recall from previous 12ths, I am not one who likes messes. Not one bit. BUT a challenge is only a challenge if it stretches you, and I'm up for the Hot Mess Success Challenge. 

Barb, Carol, Darlene, Terry, and I create cards for the Hot Mess Success challenge each month and share them on the 12th. 

It's Anything Goes - as long as there is something messy involved.

This month I  created the background piece by first ink smooshing two colors of Distress ink onto white cardstock, drying it between each color. Then when it was completely dry, I added some bits of Ken Oliver Color Burst granules and gave it a spritz of water to activate them.

Be sure to check out the other Hot Mess gals blogs, too, to see their cards (you'll be WOW'd!)... 

Barb

Carol

Darlene

Terry

Thanks for stopping by my blog today!

Stamp: Unity Still Peckin' Fabulous stamped with Hero Arts Intense Black Ink and colored with Copic and Olo Markers

Papers: Accent Opaque 120# White and SU Pumpkin Pie CS 

Messy Medium: Ranger Distress Inks (Mustard Seed and Spice Marmalade) and Ken Oliver Color Burst (Marigold)

Dies: Altenew Featured Sentiments and MFT Stitched Rectangle

Embellishments: Amazon Nail Art Rhinestones

BK - Cattails and Lily Pads

Fridays are special days - who doesn't love TGIF, right? But here on my blog Fridays are also special because they are the day I get to post as a design team member for Blue Knight Rubber Stamps.

This week the design team's cards are featuring the newly released Cattails and Lily Pads stamp. You can check it out in the Blue Knight Rubber Stamps store - HERE.

Card #1 (Watercolored with Karin Brushmaker Pro Markers)

Card #2 (Colored with Copic and Olo Markers)

* * * * * 

You can find each of today's featured stamps HERE, at the Blue Knight Rubber Stamps web store.

And... don't forget to join us at the Fan Group and YouTube Channel:

Fans of Blue Knight Rubber Stamps (Facebook group) is HERE

and the Blue Knight Rubber Stamps YouTube Channel is HERE

Jeanette Cloyd, Design Team Member

Thanks for stopping by my blog today!

SCS Sketch #SC1070

I have been part of the Sketch team on Splitcoaststampers for a few years now. Whether it's my week to create the sketch (the first Wednesday of each month) or I'm creating a sample card based on the sketch someone else created, I find that having a sketch to use can get my creative ideas flowing. 

There is a new sketch to work with every Wednesday. I encourage you to check them out.

Lisa created this week's sketch - #SC1070:

My card:

I hope you'll use the sketch to make a card, too.

Thanks for stopping by my blog today!

Stamps: Stampin' UP! Flowering Tulips stamped with Hero Arts Intense Black Ink

Dies/Washi: Pink Fresh Fluttering Butterflies

Papers: Accent Opaque 120# White and SU Tahitian Tide CS and DP from my scrap file

Dies: MFT Stitched Rectangles and Stampin' UP! Circles

Embellishments: Amazon Diamond Dots

3M Because of You

Kelly, Barb, and I have been creating together as the Three Musketeers every month since November 2014. We all three create a card using the same image. I always enjoy seeing how different our cards are, even though we use the same image. This is one of my favorite posts of the month. 

We take turns choosing what stamp will be used. This month it was Kelly's turn. She chose the Little Things stamp set from Crafty Meraki.

Thank you, Kelly!

Be sure to check out Barb's and Kelly's cards, too...

Barb

Kelly

Thanks for stopping by my blog today!

Image/Sentiment (provided by Kelly): Crafty Meraki Little Things - I colored it with Copic and Olo Markers

Papers: SU Highland Heather CS and DP from my scrap file

Dies: Altenew Featured Sentiments and MFT Stitched Rectangles

Embellishment: Amazon Diamond Dots

Spellbinders - Santa's Elves

I am honored - beyond measure - to be guest designing for Spellbinders again. I received a fun Fun FUN Christmas die set to use. It's called Santa's Elves and can be found HERE.

I used the boy elf this time but plan to make another card using the girl elf soon.

Thanks for stopping by my blog today!

Spellbinders Dies: Essential Stylish Oval and Precision Layer A2

Spellbinders Stamp/Die: Christmas Add Ons from Not Your Ordinary Card Collection (which I received previously as a guest designer for Spellbinders)

Papers: Accent Opaque 120# White, Amazon 120# Black, Recollections Black, and SU Blush Blossom, Call Me Clover, Close to Cocoa, and Real Red CS and DP from my scrap file

CAS854 Ocean

Each Monday there is a new CAS Challenge on SCS. It's always fun to see what others create using the CAS theme.

Misti is the host this week. She chose the theme...

Shark Week/Ocean

Here's my card:

I hope you'll check out the challenge - HERE - and play along, too.

Thanks for stopping by my blog today!

Stamp/Die: Rubbernecker Sea Set stamped with Hero Arts Intense Black Ink and colored with Copic Markers

Papers: Accent Opaque 120# White and SU Marina Mist CS

Stencil/Ink: Unity Clouds & Waves Stencil and Taylored Expressions Sprinkles Ink

Dies: MFT Wonky Stitched Rectangles and SU Circles (ink blended with Taylored Expressions Lemon Meringue Ink)

Unused No More - July 2025

It's the 6th of the month - time for the Unused No More Challenge. Not sure what that is? Knowing we have stamps and other products we've not used, Barb created the idea for this challenge and invited others to join her in the fun.

The challenge each month is to pick a stamp set, stencil, die, hot foil or press plate (or maybe something else I have not thought of) that you have not used yet—still new in the package or your storage choice.

Make a card or another project, giftable, ATC, etc. with the new item and now it is used!

This challenge is exactly what I need! I'm not going to name how many unused stamps I have (not to mention dies, embossing folders, stencils, etc.) but I will tell you this - over 35% of the stamp sets I own are currently unused (at least by me - some of them I have purchased second-hand). That's ridiculous! I need an intervention and Barb has created it for me. It's called Unused No More.

I made a card this month using Unity's Cluckin' Chicks stamp set.

There are several of us in this group, but these are the ones that have blogs if you'd like to check out their Unused No More cards/projects:

Barb

Carol

Darlene

Terry

Thanks for stopping by my blog today!

Stamp: Unity Cluckin' Chicks stamped with Hero Arts Intense Black Ink and colored with Copic and Olo Markers

Papers: Accent Opaque 120# White and Amazon 120# Black CS and DP from my scrap file

Dies: Honey Bee Sweet Stack Rectangles, Paper Roses Stitched Circles and Simon Says Sentiment Labels

Embellishments: Enamel Dots from an unknown vendor