Masking and Reverse or Negative Masking

 Hey Everybody,

 Our challenge was to score using dies. You can find the challenge here. 

 

I used washi tape on the rectangle die. I traced the shape of the die with the stylus. Then I placed the paper on my scoring tool and drew diagonal lines. I masked the center of the rectangle with post-it notes to stencil the frame. Then I masked the frame and blended ink over the center panel. 

I stamped, colored and fussy cut the bird from the Unity Stamp set called A Little Ruffled. I added the sentiments and image with dimensionals. I added Beautiful Bokeh designer series paper behind the image panel. I added this to a white card base.

Stamps: Unity Stamps-A Little Ruffled

Paper: white, Stampin' Up!-Beautiful Bokeh designer series paper

Ink: memento tuxedo black, daffodil delight, pumpkin pie, sweet sorbet, pretty in pink, highland heather

Accessories: scoring stylus, blending brushes, Copic Markers, 3/4" circle punch, SU Key Tag punch, dimensionals, textured Notes Die, Stampin' Up!-Plenty of Patterns stencil

Techniques: masking, negative masking, stenciling, coloring, scoring a die

So, there are several techniques I've used to make this card.

I've used masking and reverse masking. Here is a video to show you how you would do masking.

Here's another video on how to do reverse masking or negative masking.

So, there you have it, two techniques that are easy to do.  Remember, when you make a mask or reverse mask, keep it with the stamp set so next time you can use it and not have to make another one.

I hope you take a look at your stamps and give one or both of these a try.

Thanks for stopping by.

Blessings,

Sue

Featured Stamper and Melamine Square Coffee Cups

 Hey Everybody,

Linda's choice for the featured stamper this week is Isaiah40:31 also known as Heather and Izzy. You can find the challenge here.

Here is the card from her gallery that I chose as my inspiration.

Here's my card.

                               

I kept the same layout with the arches, but added different stamps and more stamping at the bottom of my paper. I thought the paper was the perfect background for prairie grasses. The paper is from Stampin' Up called, Thoughtful Journey. I used Stampin' Up! Prairie Grass stamps for the images and Unity Stamps Soul Restoration for the sentiment. Jillian Vance-Stitch Dot Arched Backdrop Dies, were used for the arches.

 I stamped the sentiment in pretty peacock then the grasses in early espresso. I added the butterflies to the background by dry embossing with a Darice butterfly embossing folder. I thought they would compliment the field grasses well. I added the image panel to the background and added a linen thread bow with a glue dot.

Stamps: Stampin' Up!-Prairie Grass, Unity Stamps-Soul Restoration

Paper: calypso coral, pretty peacock, Stampin' Up!-Thoughtful Journey designer series paper

Ink: early espresso, pretty peacock

Accessories: Darice butterflies embossing folder, Jillian Vance-Stitch Dot Arched Backdrop Dies, Stampin' Up!-linen thread

Techniques: dry embossing, die cutting

So here's a quick question for you. Do you listen to music when you craft?  I do all the time. I like to have sound around me.  I think it's because growing up with 6 brothers and sisters there was always noise and no place to go to find quiet. LOL

My mom always had the radio on. She always listened to WJW 850 a.m. radio. I remember the disc jockey called, Ed Fisher with a smooth and mellow voice. He played different types of contemporary music, jazz, etc. He even played the piano on air.

Wow, look where that question led me! It led me to a wonderful memory from my childhood. These were the coffee cups my parents, drank from. My mom had one with her all day. I don't think she ever got a hot cup of coffee unless it was when we were all in school!

Orange Melamine Square Coffee Cups 

Well, that's it for today. Thanks for stopping by.

Blessings,

Sue

 Hey Everybody,

Here's a little update for Paper Pumpkin. 

June Paper Pumpkin: Bikes & Blooms Kit

 Get Ready to SPARKLE! 

The June kit is cheerful, silvery, and just right for every feel-good card you need to send this summer.

If you have been waiting for a Paper Pumpkin kit that feels like a warm afternoon with the windows down, June is your month. The Bikes and Blooms kit is packed with personality — think cheerful scenes, silver shimmer, and a palette that practically hums with summer energy. Whether you are a longtime subscriber or thinking about jumping in for the first time, this one is worth the spot on your crafting table.

What Is in the Kit

Every Paper Pumpkin kit comes fully loaded — stamp set, Classic Stampin’ Spot ink, precut paper pieces, and step-by-step instructions so you are never left guessing. June’s kit makes 9 cards total: 3 each of 3 different designs, plus 9 coordinating envelopes. You will also find silver foil paper pieces, linen thread, and silver butterfly embellishments that add the kind of delicate, eye-catching detail that makes a handmade card look like it came from a boutique.

• 9 cards — 3 designs, 3 of each — with 9 coordinating envelopes
• Silver foil and precut paper pieces included
• Silver butterfly embellishments and linen thread
• Exclusive photopolymer stamp set and Classic Stampin’ Spot
• Full step-by-step instructions — no extra supplies needed

The Colors

This kit coordinates in a palette that is earthy, warm, and just a little unexpected. Calypso Coral takes the Classic Stampin’ Spot spot this month, which means your stamped images have that fresh coral energy right out of the box. Pair that with the greens, creams, and dusty blues in the kit and you get something that feels very much like summer — but with enough sophistication to use year-round.

Colors: Calypso Coral (Classic Stampin’ Spot), Crushed Curry, Lost Lagoon, Misty Moonlight, Old Olive, Pecan Pie

How to Subscribe:

Paper Pumpkin is the perfect way to treat yourself to a fun crafting surprise every month — all the supplies, all the fun, zero the guesswork. 

SUBSCRIBE

LEARN MORE ABOUT PAPER PUMPKIN KITS

Wonderful Scenes Dies Add-On

Do not overlook the special add-on available this quarter. The Wonderful Scenes Dies coordinate with all three kits in the April–June lineup — including Bikes and Blooms — and they are only available while supplies last. This is the kind of die set that becomes a workhorse in your collection, so if you have been on the fence, it is worth grabbing before they are gone.

CLICK FOR ADD ONS

What to Make With Yellow and Black?

 Hey Everybody,

Nancy's challenge is to use yellow and black. You can find it here. 

I immediately thought of bees. I dry embossed the white cardstock with the Stampin' Up!-Hexagons Dynamic Textured embossing folder, then pulled the yellow and mango inks across the de-bossed side to make it look like a hive. I stamped using Bee My Valentine stamps and punched out the bee parts with Stampin' Up!-Bee builder punch.  I used the scalloped heart punch for the sentiment. The bees and heart were added to the background with dimensionals.   This will go to a local nursing home for their use.

Stamps: Stampin' Up!-Bee My Valentine

Paper: white, daffodil delight, basic black, strawberry slush

Ink: daffodil delight, mango melody, versafine black

Accessories: Stampin' Up!-Bee builder punch, Stampin' Up!-Hexagons Dynamic Textured embossing folder, yellow gems, Stampin' Up!-scallop heart punch, dimensionals

Techniques: direct to paper, two-step stamping

When I do stamping that has a punch, I sometimes don't use the stamps for the color of the object, but use a cardstock color.  Look at the bees. There is a stamp for the body, and a stamp for the stripes. Then there are two more stamps for the wings. 

For this card I used daffodil delight cardstock for the body and punched it out with the punch. Then I stamped the black stripes onto the daffodil delight paper. I used pretty in pink paper for the wings and stamped the black wings on top of the pink paper.

This type of stamping is a time-saver if you are limited for time, and who isn't?  Sometimes I look for little time savers like these when I'm stamping, so I can pass them along at classes or here.

Do you ever go looking for a stamp, and you can't find it? I had that problem when I was thinking of doing this card. A friend gave me these adorable bumble bees with the cutest eyes and faces. Each one was different and cute in its own way. Do you think I could find that set?

I looked in places that I knew it couldn't be, but couldn't find it in the places it was supposed to be!  LOL  I never did find that set. 

Do you find yourself asking, Now where is a logical place to put this set?  Maybe it's in the animals in the B section for Bees, behind bears and in front of birds.  Nope, Okay, how about in the food section since bees make honey?   Nope, How about the Humor section since they have a funny sentiment with them?  Nope, nope, nope. I went through all of my stamp drawers several times and didn't find that set.  I don't think I would have given it away.

I wonder if it got lost when I moved into my new studio in January. There were so many boxes with lots and lots of stuff to put away.

Oh well, one good thing is that my friend has the same set, so if I want to use it I can just ask her.

When you see the challenge of using black and yellow, what do you think of? 

What kinds of stamps do you have to go with your idea?

Well, that's a look at my thinking to make my cards and how I organize my stamps so I can find them. LOL

Thanks for stopping by.

Blessings,

Sue

 

Bazzana and Songs

 Hey Everybody,

It's another Monday Morning here in Cleveland, Ohio. We had a sports-filled weekend here. Our Guardians got a win but two losses. Our newest rookie, Travis Bazzana hit his first home run over the weekend too! Yes, he was given the baseball as is the tradition with the first one.

The iconic opening notes of "Down Under" by Men at Work echoed over the crowd at Progressive Field on April 28, 2026, as Australian rookie Travis Bazzana walked up for his MLB debut with the Cleveland Guardians. The song, which was a 1981 global hit, served as a nod to his home country. 

• Context: Travis Bazzana, a second baseman from Sydney, chose the 1980s Australian anthem as his walk-up music for his first official MLB at-bat.
• Significance: The choice of "Down Under" instantly energized fans, highlighting Bazzana's pride in his Australian roots.
• The Song: "Down Under" by Men at Work is renowned for its flute riff and lyrics celebrating Australia. 

The moment was described as a memorable, "instantly iconic" debut for the young player. 

 Our Cavaliers won a game and played more like the team we are used to. We'll see if that continues tonight.

How about a card today?

Our challenge comes from Sabrina which you can find here.  We're to make a card referencing a song. Here's my song. It's called, Change My Heart, Oh God.

I used a background painted by my 4 year old granddaughter. I dry embossed the pretty in pink and cut an opening to make it look like a doorway. I added the pots with dimensionals. I stamped my sentiment in blackberry bliss. This will go on a dinner tray at a local hospital with a praying for you sentiment inside.

Keywords: WT1102 Change My Heart Oh God

Stamps: Unity Stamps-Soul Restoration, Verve-Potter's Clay

Paper: white, pretty in pink, watercolor paper

Paper Size: A2

Ink: boho blue, marina mist, blackberry bliss

Accessories: arch die, Verve pottery dies, SU Sunflower 3D embossing folder, prang watercolors, paint brush

Techniques: watercolor background, dry embossing, die cutting

I loved this idea for a card challenge. Do you have a song that you could represent with stamps?

I've done this before and made a sunflower card. I sang  this song to Mia Lou when I'd change her diaper and when I'd rock her to calm her. It still brings tears to my eyes to sing this song.  Now I'm singing it to my Silas Buddy when I change his diaper.

I have a busy week ahead with classes.

Thanks for stopping by.

Blessings,

Sue

Mother's Day 2026

 Hey Everybody,

It's Mother's Day 2026 and with it there are very mixed feelings. I pray that God meets you where you are today and holds you close and gives you what you need. For some this brings happiness and dreams come true. For others it brings heartache and tears. Some of us still have our mothers and some don't. Females are emotional beings whether they are moms or not. I pray that if your mom is no longer with you, that you find some wonderful memories that make you smile today. If your mom is still here, celebrate with her any way you can. It might not be a visit or a phone call or a traditional card or gift. Do what you need to do to make it through this day. Take care of yourself, you are worth it and loved.

Our challenge was to make a monochromatic card for the letter M. You can find the challenge here.   Keywords: ABC24M13 quilt card Stamps: More Messages Paper: white, secret sea, Stampin' Up-True Blue designer series paper Paper Size: A2 Ink: basic black Accessories: 1 1/4" square punch, More Messages dies, Stampin' Up-Lace Brocade embossing folder Techniques: quilting, dry embossing I used a 1 1/4" square punch to punch out squares from Stampin' Up! True Blue designer series paper and balmy blue cardstock. I started with a white piece of cardstock measuring 4" x 5 1/4". I lined up the first square with the left side and top of the card base. I added the navy square then added the next light blue square lining up the top with the edge of the cardstock and the point of the navy square. I continued until I got to the bottom. I added two navy squares to the side then flipped it over and trimmed off the excess paper. I used a retired embossing folder from Stampin' Up called, Lacy Brocade to add texture to the quilt squares. I added it to a secret sea card base and added my sentiment. This is a great way to use up scraps of paper whether it's cardstock or designer series paper. If you don't have a punch, cut strips of paper 1 1/4" and then cut those into 1 1/4" squares. You can make your quilt with matching squares or make a crazy quilt with different colors and shapes. These are material quilts but show how they've mixed different colors and patterns together. I have to tell you this make me a bit twitchy! LOL I think I'd do better with this type of quilt. I could take a square and fill it with paper shapes then cut it down to a square again. Anyway, You can use any shape you'd like to make a quilt. Take a look at your punches and dies. You'll be surprised what you can make with a little bit of imagination and paper scraps. Thanks for stopping by today. Blessings, Sue