DTC #214 Good Fortune and Prosperity

Welcome to Stitches and Smudges. I am inviting you to join our latest biweekly challenge at Double Trouble. This is Challenge #214, which runs through Sunday, April 26, 2026. The only requirement is to use the 3-2-1 Recipe for your project. The remaining elements are optional - and you could win a prize in our random drawing. 

I was off to a slow start in creating my card. I went to my scraps and pulled out papers that I thought would offer inspiration - pretty colors, whimsical gold rainbows in a pink sky, brushed gold metallic cardstock, and so on. I was still feeling no motivation to continue. 

As I was deciding on an image, the dragonfly die drew my attention. Dragonflies have been around for more than 250 million years and have come to exemplify spiritual awakening and enlightenment, as well as good fortune and prosperity. They are also seen as protectors, indicating that something positive is on the way. So this dragonfly image inspired me to continue with the card.

Following is a summary of the 3-2-1 Recipe and how I incorporated the elements into my card.

INCLUDE AT LEAST 

3  "Specialty" or patterned papers

There are three patterned papers plus one "specialty" paper.

2  Colors from the designated Color Wheel

There are more than two colors on the card.

 

1  Image

The die-cut metallic dragonfly is the focal image.

OPTIONS

Twisted Sister wants to see something that flies aloft.

The dragonfly fulfills that option.

Double Dare is offering a sketch from Try a Sketch on Tuesday Challenge #693, shown below. This biweekly challenge runs from Tuesday, March 14, through Sunday, March 26, 2026, at noon (ET). You will be eligible for yet another chance in the random drawing if you use this sketch for the Double Trouble Challenge.

The sketch was used.

Thank you for visiting my blog, and I hope to see your entry at the Double Trouble Card Challenge #214.  

Melanie

Materials

Cardstock: SU Basic White & Crisp Cantaloupe

Specialty Paper: SU Brushed Metallic Gold

Patterned Paper: Ella & Viv Paper Co. "Paradise 1"; SBC scrap stash (clouds/rainbows), & SBC Pinstripes

Die: Kokorosa (Butterfly)

Misc.: SBC Foam Tape (1 mm); SU Metallic Pearls (gold)

Techniques: Layering and Die-cutting

Size: A6  (4.75" x 6.5")

Just 4 You (CD #698)

Greetings! It's time to visit Color Dare Challenge #698 and play along! The color board below requires three shades of pink, plus one color of the maker's choice. I chose shades of green from the paper collection - as you can see in the photo, there are two shades of green. This is a biweekly challenge, and you have until Thursday, April 16, 2026, to share your project with us.

The metallic layer is gold with accents of pink. That is how the paper is made, and, like most metallic surfaces, the result is peculiar when photographed.

Thank you for visiting my blog. Your comments are appreciated.

Melanie

Materials

Cardstock: SU Basic White & Pretty in Pink

Patterned Paper: SU Specialty (gold metallic dry brushed with pink); Digi Doodle Studios Ink 'n Splatter "Summer Breeze"; Doodlebug "Hello Again" Collection

Ephemera & Sentiment: Doodlebug "Hello Again" collection

Misc.: SBC Foam Tape (2mm); gold cording

Splendid Spring (DTC #213)

Double Trouble Challenge #213 is open and ready for your cards through Sunday, April 12, 2026, at noon Eastern time.

Because this challenge opens on the third Monday of the month, we are leaving the recipe up to you. Following is a summary of my own 3-2-1 Recipe and how I incorporated the elements into my card.

INCLUDE AT

LEAST 

3  of "Something" from your stash

There are more than three layers to the card. 

2 of "Anything" from your stash

There are more than two colors on the card.

1 of "Everything" Else from your stash

One sentiment was adhered to the card using foam tape.

OPTIONS

Twisted Sister wants to see something Easter-related.

The basket was die-cut from white cardstock and colored with Copic Alcohol Markers. There are rabbits in the patterned paper.

Double Dare is offering a sketch from Try a Sketch on Tuesday Challenge #692, shown below. This biweekly challenge runs from Tuesday, March 17, through Sunday, March 29, 2026, at noon (ET). You will be eligible for yet another chance in the random drawing if you also use this sketch for the 
Double Trouble Challenge. 

The sketch was used for inspiration.

 

Thank you for visiting my blog, and I hope to see your entry at the Double Trouble Card Challenge #213.  

I have also submitted my card to the following challenge:

Allsorts #846    "It's Springtime or AG"

I appreciate your comments. 

Melanie

Materials:

Ink: Copic Alcohol Markers

Cardstock: SU Basic White, Crisp Cantaloupe, and Mint Macaron

Patterned Paper & Ephemera (Sentiment): SBC scraps from my stash

Die: Kokorosa Easter Basket

Misc.: SBC Foam Tape; Honey Bee gem stickers

Size: A2

Spring Florals Card - CD #696

A new biweekly color challenge is up on the Color Dare Blog. This is Challenge #696, ending on Thursday, April 2, 2026. This challenge is starting on the 2026 Spring Equinox, which is Friday, March 20, 2026. 

The color board below is filled with beautiful spring colors. You must use at least four of the colors, but you may use all six. To avoid disqualification, be careful not to add any other colors than those on the board. Black, white, other neutrals and metallics are free to use.

The card is decorated in four colors to celebrate spring and acknowledge Easter on Sunday, April 5, 2026. I used white and tan as my neutrals. The inside of my card was decorated with more of the flowers.

You are invited to take a look at the Color Dare Challenge Blog for inspiration and surprise us with something beautiful!

I have also entered my card in the following challenge:

Ellibelle's Garden Party #13

Thank you for visiting.

Melanie

Materials

Ink: Copic Alcohol Markers

Cardstock: SU Basic White & Garden Green

Patterned Paper: CTMH "Happy Times" & SBC "Dots & Pinstripes"

Dies: Tonic Studios (flowers) & Poppy (double stitch scalloped rectangles)

Misc.: SBC Foam Tape

Size: A2

Happy Birthday (TSOT #691)

We have a new biweekly challenge, and you are invited to play along! Try a Sketch on Tuesday Challenge #691 is open through Sunday, March 29, 2026, at noon ET. 

The only requirement is to use the sketch below.

The sketch included the idea of using a cute creature because 'National Puppy Day' is coming up. However, because the puppy was not required, I was inspired to use some pretty paper from my niece's scrap bin. 

I gave the card a center opening, the flowers were fussy-cut from patterned paper and adhered to the die-cut circles. The inside of the card is decorated with fussy-cut flowers and coordinating paper. The sentiment was stamped, and the gold metallic pearls were added.

The TSOT Design Team has created an array of lovely cards, each with its own interpretation of the sketch. Visit the TSOT 691 Blog to view the cards and guidelines.

Double Trouble Challenge #212 is also open. If you use the TSOT sketch above and enter your work at Double Trouble, you will earn a chance in their random drawing. Just be sure to read their guidelines before creating your card. 

I have also entered this card in the following challenge:

Ellie's Garden Party #13 

Thank you for stopping by.

Melanie

Materials

Stamp set: Club Scrap "Beachcomber" (sentiment)

Ink: SU Baked Brown Sugar

Cardstock: SU Very Vanilla

Patterned Paper: From my niece's stash

Die: Whimsy Stitched Circles

Misc.: SU Metallic Pearls

Size: A2

Techniques: Stamping, Die-Cutting, Fussy-Cutting

Be the Person Your Dog Thinks You Should Be (DTC #212)

Thank you for stopping by my blog. Another Double Trouble Challenge is available now through Sunday, March 29, 2026, at noon ET.

This is Challenge #212, and we are observing "National Puppy Day" on Monday, March 23. Here are the requirements for the 3-2-1 Recipe and how I incorporated them into my card.

INCLUDE AT

LEAST 

3 Colors (from our Color Wheel #3)

Red, white, and blue were used.

2 Images

Two images were included: a canine and a dog bone.

1 Sentiment

A sentiment was stamped directly onto the cardstock.

OPTIONS

Twisted Sister wants to see at least one four-legged animal.

The image of the canine fulfills this option.

Double Dare is offering a sketch from Try a Sketch on Tuesday Challenge #691, shown below. This biweekly challenge runs from Tuesday, March 17, through Sunday, March 29, 2026, at noon (ET). You will be eligible for yet another chance in the random drawing if you also use this sketch for the Double Trouble Challenge. 

The sketch was not used.

Alternate Challenge: We also have an Alternate Challenge. If you have created a project using our 3-2-1 Recipe, "Paw-some," and have a 4-legged critter(s), you can enter your project at Critter Crazy Challenge #108, "Anything Goes with Featured Critter," until their closing date of March 25th and earn another chance in our random drawing. 

 

The elements of this card were a gift from the hostess of a "crop" I attended several years ago. It was like a mini-kit. Intended to be made only in blue and white, I added the red and tan elements to meet the color requirement. The dog bone was hand-drawn and fussy cut to meet the two-image requirement. The inside was decorated with leftover paper and stamped with the sentiment, "Oh, yappy day."

I appreciate your comments. 

Melanie

Materials:

Stamp set: CTMH (unknown)

Ink: CTMH blue; Memento Tuxedo Black; Copic Alcohol Markers

Cardstock: CTMH White Daisy and blue; SU Cherry Cobbler

Patterned Paper: Argyll design from my scraps.

Misc.: SBC Foam Tape (2 mm); SU enamel dots in Cherry Cobbler

For You (DTC #211)

Thank you for stopping by my blog. Another Double Trouble Challenge is available now through Sunday, March 15, 2026, at noon ET.

This is Challenge #211, "In with the Old, Out with the New."  Every element used were items from my stash. Nothing new was used. Here are the requirements for the 3-2-1 Recipe and how I incorporated them into my card.

INCLUDE AT LEAST 

3 Layers (excluding the card base)

Four layers were included.

2 Color Choices (Using Color Wheel #1) 

Several colors were included, but mainly pink and yellow.

1 Image

A trio of flowers was stamped and colored with Copic markers.

OPTIONS

Twisted Sister wants to see at least one pig. 

My pig stamp set was not where it belonged, so I was unable to include a pig and used the flower stamp as a substitute.

Double Dare is offering a sketch from Try a Sketch on Tuesday Challenge #690, shown below. This biweekly challenge runs from Tuesday, February 17, through Sunday, March 1, 2026, at noon (ET).

The sketch was well-suited to this challenge and served as a reference for creating the card.

 You will be eligible for yet another chance in the random drawing if you also use this sketch for the Double Trouble Challenge.  

The inside of the card was lined with a white cardstock panel and decorated with a few small hexagons.

Melanie

Materials

Stamps: SU "Circle of Spring" #138964 (sentiment) & "Love What You Do" #148042 (flowers)

Ink: Memento Tuxedo Black & Copic Alcohol Markers

Cardstock: SU Basic White, Pale Papaya, Textured Gold Metallic

Patterned Paper: CTMH "Happy Times"

Dies: Spellbinders (hexagons) & Poppystamps (double-stitched scalloped rectangles)

Misc.: SBC Foam Tape 

Spring Delights (CD #692)

There are some great colors to use over at Color Dare Challenge #692! This biweekly challenge ends on Thursday, March 5, 2026. The color board is below, and you must use at least two of the three colors shown. No additional colors may be added unless they are neutral or metallic. I used all three colors, plus white and metallic gold.

In my continuing quest to reduce the amount of paper in my stash, I used four different prints and one sentiment from an ephemera collection, and layered the matted shapes into a comfortable layout on a card base. The inside of the card was lined with a white cardstock panel and decorated with floral paper scraps matching the card front. A few gold gems were added to match the sentiment and for a bit of sparkle.

The Design Team at Color Dare invites you to join in the fun. If you visit their Blog, you will see a lovely array of sample cards and the guidelines.

Thank you for stopping by to view my card. Your comments are welcome.

Melanie

Materials

Cardstock: SU Basic White and Basic Gray

Patterned Paper: Digi Doodle Studios Ink 'n Splatter "Honey Bee Sweet Collection"; SBC "Joyful" (free gift) and SBC scraps from stash

Die: Kat Scrappiness (oval)

Misc.: SBC Foam Tape (1mm and 2mm) & Honey Bee Gem Stickers

Size: A2

Hey Good Lookin' (TSOT #689)

Welcome to my blog. This is Try a Sketch on Tuesday Challenge #689, a biweekly sketch challenge that runs through Sunday, March 1, 2026, at noon ET.

Below is the sketch:

The card creation is self-explanatory. The balloons are die-cut from gold holographic paper. The inside of the card was lined with a white cardstock panel, then decorated with a trio of balloons like the one on the card front.  A stamped birthday sentiment was also added to the inside.

The TSOT Design Team has created an array of lovely cards, each with its own interpretation of the sketch. Visit the TSOT 689 Blog to view the cards and guidelines.

Double Trouble Challenge #210 is also open. If you use the TSOT sketch above and enter your work at Double Trouble, you will earn a chance in their random drawing. Just be sure to read their guidelines before creating your card.

Thank you for stopping by.

Melanie

Materials

Stamp: SU 

Ink: Memento Tuxedo Black (inner sentiment)

Cardstock: SU Basic White & Garden Green

Patterned Paper: SBC (several collections, including Holographic) and the cut-apart outer sentiment

Die: Paper Rose "Balloon Trio"

Misc.: SBC Foam Tape (1mm and 2mm)

Treat Yourself (DTC #210)

Welcome! A new challenge is open at Double Trouble Challenge. 

Challenge #210 is a biweekly challenge ending on Sunday, March 8, 2026. Double Trouble always uses a theme requiring the 3-2-1 Recipe, and there is a random drawing for participants. There are also options in order to qualify for additional chances in the drawing. 

Trouble Maker is crazy about tortilla chips and guacamole, so she is paying tribute to her favorite snack by celebrating National Tortilla Chip Day on Tuesday, February 24, 2026.  I am a fan of cold treats, so below is how I took on the required elements.

Thing 1's 3-2-1 Recipe - "Scrapper's Guacamole"

INCLUDE AT LEAST 

3 Colors from Color Wheel #1

A variety of colors are included within the patterned paper. (Shades of pink, green, yellow, blue, and more.)

2 Patterned Papers

Four patterned papers were included to complete the design.

1 Dry or Heat Embossed Element

The layer of patterned papers adhered to the green cardstock mat were dry-embossed with an Arabesque design.

OPTIONS

Twisted Sister wants to see your favorite snack on your project.

Ice cream or fruity popsicles are my favorite treats. One of the patterned papers depicts cold treats.

Double Dare is offering a sketch from Try a Sketch on Tuesday Challenge #689, shown below. This biweekly challenge runs from Tuesday, February 17, through Sunday, March 1, 2026, at noon (ET).

The sketch was perfectly suited for this challenge. You will be eligible for yet another chance in the random drawing if you also use this sketch for the Double Trouble Challenge.  

The Design Team is eager to see your creations, so visit the Double Trouble Blog and take in the inspirational card samples by our Design Team.

Thank you for looking!

Melanie

Materials

Cardstock: SU Basic White & Green, 

Patterned Paper and sentiment ephemera: SBC (scraps from my stash)

Dies: Spellbinders (hexagons)

Embossing Folder:  Stampin' Up! (Arabesque design)

Misc.:  SBC Foam Tape (2 mm)

The Perfect Day! (CD #690)

Feb 8, 2026 Update: This card was selected as a Weekly Favorite at Splitcoast Stampers.

The weather has been so rainy and cold, with a mix of ice, sleet, and snow, that I was pleased to see the cheerful color board for Color Dare #690. This biweekly challenge runs through Thursday, February 19, 2026, and requires that you use at least three of the four colors. Other than neutrals and metallics, no other colors may be added. I selected all four colors, then added white cardstock and black ink as neutrals.

Using a mask with an oval shape cut from a die, the inside of the oval was brushed with the four colors directly onto a white cardstock panel. It's always interesting to see how blended colors create new ones. The pink and yellow look a little peachy, and the pink and blue have presented a hint of purple.

Next, green die-cut leaf images, touched up with Copics, were adhered across the oval, followed by three flowers that were colored with Copics. The sentiment was added, the front panel edges were lightly brushed with blue ink, and the piece was mounted on a white card base. The inside of the card was decorated to coordinate with the card front. 

The Design Team invites you to view their card display. We hope you'll join us at Color Dare #690.

Thank you,

Melanie

Materials

Ink: SU Daffodil Delight, Flirty Flamingo, Bashful Blue, & Pistachio Pudding

Cardstock: SU Basic White & Pistachio Pudding

Patterned Paper: Doodlebug "Hello Again" (sentiment)

Dies: Kat Scrappiness (Oval), Creative Expressions "Mosaic Leaves"

Misc.: SBC Foam Tape (1 mm & 2 mm)

Make a Wish Birthday Card - CAS (DTC #209)

Greetings! A new challenge is up on the Double Trouble Blog.

Double Trouble Challenge #209 features Trouble Maker giving kudos to the US Postal Service in observance of National Postal Carrier Day on Wednesday, February 4th, by creating clean and simple cards. 

Her 3-2-1 Recipe is ready for your projects, and she is eager to see how you use your ingredients.

Thing 1's 3-2-1 Recipe - "The Mail Must Go On"

AT LEAST 

3 Layers (may include card base)

Three layers of cardstock and a layer of images were used.

2  Images

Two floral die-cut silhouettes were added. (A small heart was also included at the request of our Crazy Cousins, Sabra & Holly.)

1  CAS Technique

The Clean & Simple Technique was used.

OPTIONS

Twisted Sister is looking for the one-color twist on your project.

One cardstock color with matching ink was selected.

Double Dare is offering a sketch from Try a Sketch on Tuesday Challenge #688, shown below. This biweekly challenge runs from Tuesday, February 3, through Sunday, February 15, 2026, at noon (ET).

I did not use the sketch for this challenge, but if you do, you will be eligible for yet another chance in the drawing.  

In creating this card, I stuck very closely to the rules for CAS cards. We often forget that the "white space" for this technique does not refer specifically to the color white, but rather to the "blank space" remaining clean and simple.

The inside of the card was lined with a white cardstock panel, decorated with another die-cut floral silhouette and hearts.

The Design Team at Double Trouble has an array of cards to inspire your creativity, so stop by, take a look, and join the challenge. You could win a prize in the random drawing.

Thank you,

Melanie

Materials

Ink: SU Soft Sky

Cardstock: SU Basic White & Soft Sky

Dies: Kokorosa (Floral Trio) & Creative Expressions Mini #CEDME104 (sentiment), Kat Scrappiness (Ovals)

Punch: SU Border Hearts

Size: A2

Best Day Ever (TSOT #687)

https://trystampinontuesday.blogspot.com/2026/01/TSOT687.html

There is a new sketch up on the Try a Sketch on Tuesday Blog. This is Challenge #687, a biweekly challenge that runs through Sunday, February 1st, at noon EST.

One interesting aspect of sketch challenges is how far a crafter can go "outside the box" with their interpretation and still meet the challenge requirements. On my card, for example, patterned cardstock was used for the scene. A hill in the background with trees and buildings was substituted for the mountains in the sketch. The circles in the sketch have been replaced with images of boats. The bright white bird was already present, adding interest to the scene.

The scene was mounted on a black mat and then layered onto a red mat. This was adhered to a white card base. The interior was decorated with fussy-cut trees and a small boat from the scraps. The required sentiment was stamped and adhered with foam tape to finish off the card.

The Design Team invites you to join the challenge. To see the guidelines, visit the TSOT Blog. There is also an array of cards created by the Design Team that may provide inspiration or ideas for your own creation.

Our sister challenge, Double Trouble #208, is also open. If you use the TSOT sketch above and your project qualifies for Double Trouble, you will earn a chance in the random drawing.

Thank you,

Melanie

Materials

Stamp: Stampers Anonymous "Noteworthy" by Tim Holtz (sentiment)

Ink: Memento Tuxedo Black

Cardstock: Stampin' Up! Basic White, Basic Black, & Real Red

Patterned Paper: Club Scrap "Harbortown"

Misc.: SBC Foam Tape (1 mm)

Size: A6  (4.75" x 6.5")

Waddling in a Winter Wonderland Funfold (DTC #208)

Greetings! A new challenge is up on the Double Trouble Blog.

Double Trouble Challenge #208 is encouraging us to enjoy winter by observing Penguin Awareness Day on Tuesday, January 20, 2026. Trouble Maker is looking forward to a day of walking (or waddling) like a penguin. Her 3-2-1 Recipe is ready for your projects, and she is eager to see how you use your ingredients.

 

Thing 1's 3-2-1 Recipe - "Waddle We Do Next?"

AT LEAST 

3 Colors (may include neutrals)

Blue, black, white and a touch of pink and orange

 from the patterned paper.

2  Images

Ten penguin images. 

1  Sentiment

Coordinating cut-apart.

OPTIONS

Twisted Sister is looking for a penguin.

There is no shortage of penguins!

Double Dare is offering a sketch from Try a Sketch on Tuesday Challenge #687, shown below. This biweekly challenge runs from Tuesday, January 20, 2026, through Sunday, February 1, 2026, at noon (ET).

I did not use the sketch for this challenge, but if you do, you will be eligible for yet another chance in the drawing. 

The patterned paper did the work for me in creating this winter card. I used three patterned papers, a fussy-cut penguin, and a cut-apart from the same coordinating paper pack, and three colors of cardstock from my stash. The funfold probably has a name - it reminds me of a modified Z-fold.  

The Design Team at Double Trouble has an array of cards to inspire your creativity, so stop by, take a look, and join the challenge. You could win a prize in the random drawing.

Thank you,

Melanie

Materials

Cardstock: SU Basic White, Basic Black, & Blue (unknown name)

Patterned Paper:  Echo Park Collections: Winter Magic, The Magic of Winter, and Winter Market

Ephemera: Echo Park Collection The Magic of Winter

Misc.: SBC Foam Tape

St. Valentine's Day (CD #686)

Welcome to the biweekly challenge at Color Dare. This is Challenge #686, ending on Thursday, January 22, 2026. The color board is shown below. When I looked at the color board, I was inspired to make a card for St. Valentine's Day. 

After shopping my paper stash and pulling together a few red and pink scraps, along with silver metallic cardstock, I decided to add a fun fold element. (Click HERE for details on this triple-fold.)

To meet the requirement to use at least three colors from the board, I selected three patterned papers, plus the red cardstock and a dash of silver metallic paper. The inside of the card is lined with white cardstock and embellished with a bit of paper and small hearts.

The Design Team invites you to visit our CD 686 Blog for the guidelines and to view the array of cards designed by our creative team.

Thank you for stopping by! Your comments are welcome.

Melanie

Materials

Stamps:  SU "Endless Love" #167055 (interior sentiment)

Ink: SU Rose Red & Memento Tuxedo Black

Cardstock: SU Basic White, Basic Black, Rose Red, & Silver Metallic

Paper: SU "Lights Aglow," Lil' Inker "Dip Dried Ombre," Ink 'n Splatter "Summer Breeze"

Punch: Martha Stewart (scalloped hearts with lattice)

Misc.: SU Striped Organdy Ribbon (Melon Mambo)

Amazingly Amazing (DTC #207)

It's the New Year, and things are already getting wild and crazy over at the Double Trouble Blog. Challenge #207. This challenge will run until noon (ET) on Sunday, January 18, 2026.

Trouble maker has her 3-2-1 Recipe ready for your projects and is looking for wild, crazy, and cool. Here are the requirements along with my ingredient selections:

3-2-1 Recipe "Wild, Crazy, and Cool"

Servings - Unlimited Portions of Fun

AT LEAST

3   Colors

A patterned paper design with six colors was used.

2  Shapes

Two 2" x 2" squares were added using foam tape.

1  Sentiment

One sentiment was stamped and heat embossed with silver powder.

OPTIONS

Twisted Sister is looking for two squares. 

I was planning to use concave polygons for my two shapes, but this option convinced me to use squares. (Squares will give you another chance at our randomly drawn prize.)

Double Dare is offering a sketch from Try a Sketch on Tuesday Challenge #686, shown below. 

This biweekly challenge runs from Tuesday, January 6, 2026, through Sunday, January 18, 2026, at noon (ET).

I did not use the sketch for this challenge, but if you do, you will be eligible for yet another chance in the drawing.

In completing the card, the inside was decorated with coordinating paper, and a few silver circles cut with a hole punch were added to both the interior and exterior.

Be sure to visit the Double Trouble Blog Guidelines for our challenge. The Design Team is hoping you will join us.

Thank you!

Melanie

Materials

Stamp: SU "Painted Petals" #137146 (sentiment)

Ink: Versamark

Cardstock: SU Basic White, Silver Metallic, Bermuda Bay, & Cherry Cobbler

Patterned Paper: SBC scrap

Misc.: Love from Lizi Pinstripe Stickers, SBC foam tape (2 mm), Wow! embossing powder (metallic silver super fine); WRMK Crop-a-Dile Multi-Hole Punch