Hot Mess - May 2025

It's the 12th of May, 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.

I do have to confess. I sort of cheated this month. I was out of time and needed to get this card made quickly. (What's a girl to do?) I went to my scrap files and found a stamped image and stamped and die cut sentiment. I also found some scraps of paper that I had embossed. So I colored the image (no mess there) and I used an ink cube to add ink directly to the teal colored embossed piece (my fingers are still smeared with the ink so that qualifies for a mess). Easy peasy.

I'll try my best not to cheat next month.

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/Die: Simon Says Festive Balloons and a Pink Fresh Sentiment stamped with Memento Tuxedo Black Ink and colored with Copic and Olo Markers

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

Messy Medium: Taylored Expressions Poblano Pepper Ink

Embellishments: Amazon Diamond Dots

3M Kite Flying

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 Barb's turn. She chose the Newton's Kite image/sentiments from Newton's Nook.

Thank you, Barb!

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 Barb): Newton's Kite from Newton's Nook - I colored it with Olo Markers

Stencils/Ink: MFT Mini Cloud Edger Stencil, MFT Square Extraordinaire Stencil, and TE Sprinkles Ink

Papers: Accent Opaque 120# White and SU Balmy Blue CS and DP from my scrap file

Dies: Honey Bee Sweet Stack Rectangles, MFT Stitched Rectangles, and Simon Says Sentiment Labels

BK - Land and Sea Designer Paper

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 Land and Sea designer paper. You can check it out in the Blue Knight Rubber Stamps store - HERE.

Card #1

Other Blue Knight Rubber Stamps items used:

Six Hot Air Balloons Stamp Set

Six Hot Air Balloons Die Set

Branches and Leaves Stamp Set

Card #2

Other Blue Knight Rubber Stamps item used:

Egret and Waterway 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

Thanks for stopping by my blog today!

SCS Sketch #SC1061

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.

I created this week's sketch - #SC1061:

My card:

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

Thanks for stopping by my blog today!

Stamps: KLM Sunflowers and Pink Fresh Perfect Sentiments stamped with Hero Arts Intense Black Ink and colored with Olo Markers

Papers: Accent Opaque 120# White and Amazon 120# Black CS 

Dies: Honey Bee Sweet Stack Rectangles, Sizzix Squares, and Stamp Market Quick Strips

Embellishments: Amazon Nail Art Rhinestones

Unused No More - May 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 the Unity Flamingo Into Retirement 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

Rebekah

Shelly

Terry

Thanks for stopping by my blog today!

Stamp: Unity Flamingo Into Retirement stamp set stamped with Hero Arts Intense Black Ink and colored with Copic and Olo Markers

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

Dies: Altenew Versatile Greetings and MFT Stitched Rectangles

Embellishments: Amazon Diamond Dots

CAS845 Cinco de Mayo

Happy Cinco de Mayo! 

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...

Cinco de Mayo

(or any kind of Celebration)

Here's my card:

The sentiment inside - It's Fiesta Time

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

Thanks for stopping by my blog today!

Stamp/Die Set: Hero Arts It's Fiesta Time stamped with Pink Fresh Detail Black Ink and colored with Copic and Olo Markers

Papers: Accent Opaque 120# White, Fun Stampers Journey Tangerine Fusion, Recollections Black and SU Cherry Cobbler, Lemon Lime Twist, and Tempting Turquoise CS 

Dies: Gina K Master Layouts 1 and Simon Says Sentiment Labels

Embellishments: Amazon Diamond Dots

VSN Natural Look Sketch Challenge

I had the honor of hosting one of the VSN challenges yesterday. The theme for this VSN is The Natural Look. There are a lot of outstanding challenges. Mine is a Sketch Challenge. You can check it out HERE.

I always look forward to seeing what the participants make with each challenge. This is the first time I remember us having a sketch challenge as one of the options. 

Here's the Sketch:

Here's my Card:

I hope you will check out all the challenges... and even if you didn't create in live time, there is still time to participate.

Thanks for stopping by my blog today!

Stamp/Die Set: Honey Bee Cosmos stamped with Hero Arts Intense Black Ink and colored with Copic and Olo Markers

Papers: Accent Opaque 120# White, Recollections Black, and SU Old Olive and Pineapple Punch CS

Dies: Altenew Versatile Greetings, Honey Bee Sweet Stack Rectangles, MFT Stitched Rectangles, Paper Roses Little Foliage 1, and Sizzix Dome

Embellishments: Amazon Nail Art Rhinestones

Keeping One Plus Twelve Alive in '25 - May

The 3rd of each month is a special day here on my blog - it's the day that Kelly (the founder of this series), Barb, and I share our One Plus Twelve cards. The idea is to use the same ONE stamp (not a set) each month to create a card. Sentiments can be used, too, if we choose.

We started this series in 2019, so this is our 7th year. 

My ONE stamp this year is the bloom from the Gina K Modern Floral stamp set. 

This month I created the background by stamping the image randomly on white cardstock. I then ink-blended Teal ink onto the panel as well as the individual die-cut bloom.

You can see Barb's and Kelly's cards on Instagram as well as their blogs...

Barb's blog

Kelly's blog

Thanks for stopping by my blog today!

Stamp/Die: Gina K Modern Floral stamped with Hero Arts Intense Black Ink and Impression Obsession Teal Ink 

Ink (for Ink Blending): Impression Obsession Teal

Papers: Accent Opaque 120# White, Recollections Black and SU Bumble Bee CS and DP from my scrap file

Dies: CC Designs Large Banners, Honey Bee Sweet Stack Rectangles, and MFT Stitched Rectangles

Embellishments: Amazon Diamond Dots

BK - Land and Sea Designer Paper

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 Land and Sea designer paper. You can check it out in the Blue Knight Rubber Stamps store - HERE.

Card #1

Other Blue Knight Rubber Stamps item used:

Silhouette Mountain River Stamp Set

Card #2

Other Blue Knight Rubber Stamps item used:

Iwo Jima 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

Thanks for stopping by my blog today!

Spellbinders Felt Cozy Cluck

I am honored - beyond measure - to be guest designing for Spellbinders again. This time I was given one of their amazing stitching die sets to use.

Felt Cozy Cluck

Thanks for stopping by my blog today!

Spellbinders Dies: Felt Cozy Cluck

Felt & Embroidery Floss 

Beads