Encore Performance - October 2025

My friend Darlene developed the idea for this series and invited some of us to join her in the challenge. It's called Encore for a reason. We all have those stamps (or other card-making items) that we've only used once even though our intentions were to use them again - and again. After all, we invest a lot of money in our supplies for them only to be used once. So, this series is our opportunity to dust them off and use them a second time.

Challenge Description

Go and grab a stamp set, dies, stencil, etc - your choice, that you have used once before and have always wanted to revisit it and use it again.  However, despite your best intentions, you have yet to use it!  

Now's your chance! Go dig it out and have fun with it once again.  Create anything you like, a card, gift card holder, decorate a gift bag, make a refrigerator magnet...whatever lights up your creative juices!

We'll be posting these Encore cards on or around the 25th of each month.

This month I revisited the Dragonfly stamp set from Inky Stamper. This stamp first appeared on a card on my blog on July 5, 2021 - you can see it HERE. I think it's such a cute stamp and don't know why I never got around to using it again - until now.

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Stamp: Inky Stamper Dragonfly stamped with Hero Arts Intense Black Ink and colored with Copic and Olo Markers

Papers: Opaque Accent 120# White, Recollections Black, and SU  Soft Sky CS 

Stencil/Ink: A Colorful Life Grunge Dots Stencil and Taylored Expressions Lavender Glaze Ink

Dies: Honey Bee Sweet Stack Rectangles, MFT Stitched Rectangles, and Poppy Stamps Lucious Script Hello

Embellishments: Amazon Nail Art Rhinestones

BK - Northern Lights DP

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.

Throughout the month of October the design team's cards are featuring the newly released Northern Lights designer papers. You can check out these gorgeous papers in the Blue Knight Rubber Stamps store - HERE.

Card #1

Other Blue Knight Rubber Stamps items used:

Seasonal Woodland Stamp Set

Blessing One Line Sentiments Stamp Set

Card #2

Other Blue Knight Rubber Stamps items used:

Silhouette Rocks and Trees Stamp Set

Birthday (clear) Stamp Set

* * * * * 

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

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SCS Sketch #SC1085

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.

Kim created this week's sketch - #SC1085:

My card:

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

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Papers: Accent Opaque 120# White and SU Night of Navy CS and other papers from my scrap file

Dies: Gina Marie Geometric Square Double Frame, Honey Bee Sweet Stack Rectangles, and Paper Roses Layered Hello

Embellishments: Glitter Drops from an unknown vendor

Double Duty 2025 - October

In January of 2021, my stamping comrades Barb and Kelly and I debuted a new series/challenge. Double Duty was Barb's idea... and it is a GREAT idea! I've had so much fun with this series. Thanks for inviting me to play along, Barb!

This is Barb's description of the Double Duty concept...

Each month, we get to pick a stamp set from a predetermined company. Then, we will use that one stamp set and make two cards from the set.  Different images and sentiments from the same set can be used, or use the same image two different ways—Double Duty either way!  But, as an added challenge, one item must be used on both cards—same color cardstock, same ribbon, same stencil, same something.  Double Duty Again!  Post both cards on your blog on the same day—the 22^nd of each month.  See-Double Duty again!  Have fun getting doubly inky each month with a different stamp company.  Let’s have fun!

Things have changed a bit in who's participating over the years, but not in the instructions. This year's Double Duty crafters are Barb, Carol, Darlene, Terry and me.

This month's company is Taylored Expressions.

Card #1

Card #2

I think I cheated this month. oops! I used two stamped images from the stamp set - the dog and the dog house. I sure hope I don't get kicked out of the group.

The thing/s that are the same on both cards (as per the challenge specifications) are: yellow card bases, a strip to represent grass, and the bone brad.

Let's check out the other Double Duty cards, too...

Barb

Carol

Darlene

Terry

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Supplies Used

Stamp/Die Set: Taylored Expressions Tanner stamped with Pink Fresh Detail Black Ink and colored with Copic and Olo Markers

Papers: Accent Opaque 120# White and SU Pineapple Punch CS and other papers from my scrap file

Dies: MFT Stitched Rectangles, Pink Fresh Basic Label Frames, and Stamp Market Quick Strips

Embellishments: Bone Brads from unknown vendor

Dahlia

I haven't used a doily on a card in a very long time, so decided it was time to do so. I think this dark-colored doily looks great behind the pretty flowers.

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Stamp Sets: LDRS Dahlia stamped with Hero Arts Intense Black Ink and Simon Says/Altenew Azalea Bunch stamped with Versafine Clair Nocturne Ink

Papers: Accent Opaque 120# White and SU Fresh Freesia CS, SU Doily, and DP from my scrap file

Dies: Gina K Master Layouts 4

Embellishment: Amazon Nail Art Rhinestones

CAS869 Pumpkins

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

I am the host this week. I chose the theme...

Pumpkins

Here's my card:

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

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Stamps: Simon Says / Newton's Nook Bushels of Love stamped with Hero Arts Intense Black Ink and colored with Copic and Olo Markers

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

Stencil/Ink: Paper Artsy Sara Neumann E3 Stencil and Taylored Expressions Toffee Ink

Dies: Poppy Stamps Pierced Rectangles and Spellbinders Precision Layering A2 Rectangles

Azalea Bunch

This beautiful floral stamp set is a collaboration of Simon Says and Altenew. It includes a coordinating stencil so it is ink blended.

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Stamp Sets: Simon Says/Altenew Azalea Bunch stamped with Versafine Clair Nocturne Ink

Taylored Expressions Inks (for blending): Lime Zest, Peapod, Peaches 'n Cream, Pineapple, and Pink Champagne

Papers: Accent Opaque 120# White and SU Lemon Lime Twist CS and DP from my scrap file

Dies: Unity Scallops and Rectangles

Embellishment: Amazon Nail Art Bling