The Paper Funday August Challenge - DT Card

It’s time for a new Paper Funday Challenge and this one is going to be paws-itively fun!

This month we’re proudly sponsored by two amazing companies - Not Too Shabby and Angie Blom Digital Designs. And this month's creative twist is Four-Legged Friends! 

For this challenge, I created a clean and simple card using the adorable Koality Hugs stamp set from Pawsome Stamps. This sweet little koala was perfect for our Four-Legged Friends twist! I kept the design minimal to let the image and sentiment shine — because with a critter this cute, you don’t need much else.

I began by stamping the adorable koala image from the Koality Hugs set and coloring it with Copic Markers.

Next, I took a panel of Neenah Solar White 80lb cardstock and blended a soft yellow ink in the bottom right corner to add a subtle pop of color and brightness.

I stamped the sentiment in black ink to the left of the inked area, keeping things clean and balanced. Then I popped up the koala image with foam tape for a bit of dimension and adhered the finished panel to a white card base.

Simple, sweet, and full of koala-fied hugs!

Head to The Paper Funday Challenges to check out the rest of the Design Team inspiration and link up your own project. You don’t have to use the twist to enter, but it’s always fun when you do!

Ready to play along?

Join the challenge by linking up your project on the blog. You don’t need to follow the twist to participate, but if you do, we’d love to see how you interpreted it!

Let’s celebrate our four-legged friends with some crafty fun — and maybe win a prize while you're at it! 🐾

Carts, Tags and Crafty Swag with La-La Land Crafts July Kit of the Month

Hey crafty friends!

I'm excited to share a project featuring the La-La Land Crafts July Kit of the Month — and this one is bringing all the shopping fun!

The Retail Therapy theme is perfect for some playful, fashion-forward crafting. My card features two fabulous ostriches from the Time to Shop clear stamp set, paired with the Shopping Cart and Tote Bag dies — all included in this month’s kit!

I colored the ostriches with Copic markers to give them a fun and sassy vibe. I adhered them with foam tape to add dimension, placing them on top of a fun city scene from the In the City Paper Pack.

The shopping cart and tote bag dies helped bring the scene to life for these stylish shoppers who are clearly ready to hit the town!

Whether you're crafting for birthdays, girlfriends, or just because — this kit delivers endless creative possibilities!

The July Kit of the Month is available through August 5th, so don’t miss your chance to grab this exclusive bundle. Once it’s gone, it’s gone!

Visit La-La Land Crafts for subscription details, more inspiration, and a closer look at what’s inside the kit!

Additional Products used:

In the City Paper Pack

Scalloped Rectangles Die

Scalloped Sentiment Labels Die

Colorful Options Challenge - August 2025 DT Card

Hello crafty friends, and welcome to a brand-new month of creative fun!

This month’s Colorful Options theme is all about those rich Back to School tones — and nothing says a fresh start like the earthy, grounding hues of brown and teal. If you're not quite feeling the seasonal shift, remember — you can always use the rainbow option instead and bring your own bold twist to the challenge. 

I chose to lean into a cozy fall palette with a mixed media panel full of texture, shimmer, and layered autumn vibes.

I began by creating my background on a piece of watercolored cardstock using the ink smooshing technique with Distress Oxide Inks in Walnut Stain, Vintage Photo, and Salty Ocean. These colors melted into each other beautifully, offering that perfect mix of warmth and cool contrast that feels just right for this transitional time of year. 

To add more depth and visual interest, I brought in some geometric stamps from a few different sets and layered them over the panel in coordinating ink colors, plus a few pops of crisp black for extra definition.

Next, I added shimmer and texture by applying Shimmer Relief Paste Brown Moonstone through A Little Sketchy Stencil from Papertrey Ink and blended Vintage Photo through Altenew Playful Stripes Stencil. It created a soft, iridescent layer that gives just the right amount of light-catching detail without overpowering the earthy background. 

For a seasonal touch, I die cut a few leaves and blended them with the same oxide inks. I then arranged them into an organic cluster along the left-center of the panel, giving the design a natural focal point.

To finish the look, I stamped a few sentiments from Altenew Label Love Stamp Set in black ink, trimmed them into strips, and adhered them near the leaf cluster. I used scissors to carefully distress the edges of the panel, adding a soft worn-in look that complements the back-to-school theme. The panel was then mounted onto a card base, which I had lightly swiped with Walnut Stain ink around the edges for a warm, cohesive finish.

This piece came together with that perfect balance of texture, tone, and seasonal inspiration. I hope it sparks some ideas for your own back-to-school or fall-inspired projects — or inspires you to grab your rainbow palette and make something bold and bright!

CHALLENGES:

SSS Wednesday Challenge - AG

Word Art Wednesday - #710-711

Penny's Paper - #602

Snowman Smiles with Lili of the Valley’s Latest Release

Hello crafty friends! Today I’m sharing a sweet and whimsical Christmas card featuring the new Snowman Photo Strip from Lili of the Valley’s latest release. This set is full of personality and charm — it includes a strip of four adorable snowman headshots, each with their own cute expression.

Instead of using the strip as one piece, I decided to cut the snowmen apart and create a square-format design where each snowman has its own little spotlight. I arranged them in a grid — two on top and two on the bottom — and mounted each one onto a pink stitched square panel for a soft, playful touch. The pink really helped bring out their quirky personalities!

For a bit of added detail and dimension, I matted the pink panel onto a white cardstock panel that I die cut using the Nested Postage Labels & Tag Etched Dies from Spellbinders, giving the look of a festive piece of mail. That layer was then mounted onto a blue stitched square and finally adhered to a clean white square card base.

To give the card a fresh and modern twist, I went with a non-traditional Christmas color palette of pink and blue when coloring the snowmen. I love how fun and unexpected it feels — it’s still festive, but with a playful spin.

For the sentiment, I kept it simple and clean by cutting it into a white sentiment panel and adhering it right in the center of the card — nestled between the two rows of snowmen to balance the layout and keep the focus on their cheerful little faces.

This card came together quickly but has so much charm, and I love how the square format gives it a modern feel. These snowmen are full of personality and can easily be customized for different moods or color schemes. I can already see more in the works!

Thanks for stopping by! I hope this inspires you to play with layout and color for your next round of holiday cardmaking!

CHALLENGES:

SSS Wednesday Challenge - AG

Word Art Wednesday - #710-711

Penny's Paper - #602

Crafty Gals Corner - #269 *Christmas in July

Dragon Fun Bundle with The Rabbit Hole Designs

If you’ve been loving the Dragon Fun Bundle as much as I have, you’re in for a treat! Today I’m sharing another card featuring this adorable set from The Rabbit Hole Designs. 

Save on your order! Use Code CRAFTICARRI at checkout to grab your discount!

I stamped and colored the cute dragon from The Rabbit Hole Designs, then cut it out using the coordinating die. For the background, I blended yellow ink through the Overlapping Circles 6x6 Stencil, then added a few stitched clouds around the dragon. The sentiment is from the Dragon Fun set and was cut with a fishtail banner die.

Simple, bright, and perfect for a little dragon fun!

Shop the products and save on your order! Use Code CRAFTICARRI at checkout to grab your discount!!

Thanks for stopping by! Let me know what magical creatures you’re crafting with lately!

CHALLENGES:

SSS Wednesday Challenge - AG

Word Art Wednesday - #710-711

Penny's Paper - #602

Cards for All Seasons Instagram Hop - Week 15

Welcome to the Cards for all Seasons 2025 Hop, hosted by @createwithkas! For Week 15, we’re diving into all things Hollywood Glam / Bollywood Glitter & Glitz and I couldn’t resist going full sparkle mode!

For my card, I featured the fabulous Jackie Foxy Mama stamp from Stamp Anniething. She’s giving total glam queen energy and was absolutely perfect for this sparkly theme! I used the Sparkle & Shine Paper Pack, Double Stitched Stars Dies, and Scalloped Rectangles Die from La-La Land Crafts. 

I began by stamping Jackie Foxy Mama onto Neenah Solar White 80lb cardstock, then brought her to life with Copic markers. After coloring, I used the coordinating die to cut her out. She’s dressed to impress and totally rocking the glam look!

For the background, I reached for the Sparkle & Shine Paper Pack which was perfect for this week’s theme. I used the Scalloped Rectangles Die, cut out the center of the patterned paper, and popped the frame up with foam tape for added dimension.

To add even more sparkle, I die cut several stars from gold metallic cardstock and scattered them across the panel. The sentiment was heat embossed in gold on black cardstock and placed to the left of Foxy Mama — who, of course, was also popped up on foam tape for a little extra spotlight!

From her glam outfit to the glittery background, this card was so fun to create — and I hope it adds a little star power to your day! 

Thanks for glamming it up with me! Hope your day shines brighter than glitter! See you next time!

Shop ‘Til You Drop — July Kit of the Month Inspiration!

Hello crafty friends! Today I’m excited to share a sweet card I created featuring the fabulous La-La Land Crafts July Kit of the Month — all about the joy of retail therapy! This kit has everything you need to capture that shopping spree feeling, including the adorable Shopping Marci Rubber Stamp and a set of the cutest retail-themed dies — think shopping carts, tote bags, gift tags, and ribbons!

For my card, I paired Marci with the charming tote bag dies to create a sweet and simple scene that perfectly captures that shopping vibe. The totes add just the right touch of whimsy and dimension, making Marci’s shopping trip even more fun!

If you love crafting shopping-themed cards, this kit is a must-have! Don’t forget to grab your July Kit of the Month before August 5th, and be sure to check out the Blog for incredible inspiration from the La-La Land Crafts Design Team. Their creativity is tote-ally inspiring!

Additional Products featured:

🛍️ In the City Paper Pack

🛍️ Life Documented Paper Pack

🛍️ Spring Song Paper Pack

🛍️ Window Die

🛍️ Scalloped Sentiment Labels Die

Happy crafting and happy shopping!

Altenew Wax Seals Wonder Instagram Hop

Calling all crafty friends! I'm so excited to join the Altenew Instagram Hop today, bringing you fresh ideas featuring their stunning wax seals! Dive into all the amazing inspiration by starting the hop on Instagram here. (See below for all the details).

I had so much fun creating this elegant and textured floral card using the Craft-A-Flower: Prairie Roses Layering Die Set. I started by cutting all the floral pieces from white cardstock to allow for custom ink blending. To give the petals a soft, sun-kissed look, I blended Buttercream from the Summer Afternoon Fresh Dye Ink Set, concentrating the color at the centers and edges for added depth. The leaves were cut from green cardstock for a classic, fresh contrast.

For the background, I went with a soft ombré blend in purples, using the Lilac Blossoms Crisp Dye Ink Set — Ultraviolet, Deep Iris, Lavender, Wisteria, and Soft Lilac — working from dark to light. Once the blending was complete, I ran the panel through my die-cutting machine with the Geo Triangles Embossing Folder (retired) to add some subtle texture and geometric interest.

To elevate the background, I mounted it on a white cardstock panel whose edges I heat embossed in gold for a luxe, gilded frame. Then came the fun part — arranging the flowers! I used a mix of liquid glue and foam tape to give the floral elements dimension and movement.

For the sentiment, I used the Timeless Sentiments Die Set, cutting the word three times from black cardstock and stacking the layers to create a bold, dimensional effect. To finish it all off, I added a beautiful With Love Wax Seal Stamp using the Enchanted Gold Wax Beads, which added the perfect touch of old-world charm and elegance.

The best part? Altenew is making it extra fun with a giveaway! They're offering 2x $50 gift cards and 5x $20 gift cards. For your chance to win:

1️⃣ Be sure to Follow Altenewllc and all the designers
2️⃣ Leave a comment by July 29, 2025
📢 Winners announced on the Altenew post on July 31, 2025

Ready for some creative magic and a chance to win? Head over to Instagram @altenew and join the hop fun!