Monday, November 10, 2025

Thunia Orchids Mini-Slimline (DTC #204)





Double Trouble Challenge #204 is up on the blog. This biweekly challenge runs through Sunday, November 23, 2025, closing at noon. For guidelines and details about this challenge, visit the challenge blog by clicking HERE.

The required elements for this challenge are included in a traditional "3-2-1 Recipe." For this challenge, AT LEAST three colors were needed, so I used tones of peacock, purple, and ivory, plus silver metallic. 

For the second element, AT LEAST two images were to be included. I stamped the orchid image and colored it with Copics, followed by fussy-cutting it. A punched butterfly was created for my second image.

The final requirement was to style the card as a Slimline or Mini-Slimline. I selected the latter.

This challenge also has two options. 

Option 1: Include an image that begins with the letter "T". I selected a Thunia orchid. My grandfather raised orchids in his greenhouse and specialized in Thunias.

Option 2: Use the sketch below from Try a Sketch on Tuesday #683 as inspiration for your card design and enter it into their challenge on Tuesday, November 11, or after. The background on the sketch influenced my card for Double Trouble, but I did not follow the specific sketch.

Be sure to visit the Double Trouble Blog to view the cards by the Design Team. We look forward to seeing your designs.
Melanie 

Materials
Stamp: SU "Backyard Basics" #129258 (orchids) & Paradise Palms #157716 (sentiment)
Ink: SU Gorgeous Grape, Memento Tuxedo Black, Copic Alcohol Markers
Cardstock: SU Basic White, Pretty Peacock, Pale Plum, Silver Metallic
Patterned Paper: Lil' Inker "Dip-dyed Ombre" 
Die: CAS-ual Fridays Fancy Frames
Punches: Martha Stewart Arch Lattice, SU Itty Bitty Butterfly
Misc.: SBC Foam Tape (1 mm), rhinestones 
Size: Mini-slimline  (3" x 6")



Friday, October 31, 2025

Happy Birthday - Masculine (CD #676)




Creating a card for a color challenge can be daunting. The color board for Color Dare #676 was no different. 

But I adjusted my attitude and went to work. Orange is a common color for fall, so I went through my stash of fall papers. I selected a plaid paper with three shades of orange, along with off-white and purple. I thought the color green was an appropriate color as well. So, there were my two colors, purple and green, not counting neutrals.


I have a sketch book from ages ago, when I first discovered using sketches for inspiration. This card was inspired by one of those early sketches. Because my card is not difficult to construct and no special techniques were used, I am not including information on its creation or the decoration on the inside.

The Design Team at Color Dare invites you to join our challenge. You can view our cards and the guidelines HERE. This challenge is biweekly and ends on Thursday, November 13, 2025. We look forward to seeing your projects.
Melanie

Materials
Cardstock: Stampin' Up! Very Vanilla, Elegant Eggplant, Pumpkin Pie
Ink on leaf: Stampin' Up! Baked Brown Sugar & Pumpkin Pie
Patterned Paper: CS "Abundance", scraps from stash
Sentiment and Ephemera: CS "Abundance"
Misc.: SBC Foam Tape (1 mm & 2 mm); Stampin' Up! Enamel Dots; Jute Cord

 

Monday, October 27, 2025

Congratulations! (DTC #203)


Welcome to Stitches and Smudges! My card was created for Double Trouble's Challenge #203. This biweekly challenge is open through noon on Sunday, November 9, 2025. As is customary, below is the 3-2-1 Recipe designed for this challenge, called "Round and Round" in observance of "Look for Circles Day," which occurs on Sunday, November 2nd.

Trouble Maker has made herself dizzy looking round and round for circles after being told about this observance. It's supposed to be a family fun day celebrated outside, but we convinced her to come inside, calm down, and look for circles in her stash.

Let's get around to Thing 1's requirement by creating a project using all the ingredients from our 3-2-1 Recipe below.

3-2-1 Recipe "Round and Round" 
Servings - Unlimited Portions of Fun

AT LEAST
3 Circles
There are three die-cut circles.

2 Images
The two images are ephemera of a Tern and the fussy-cut Turret shell.

1 Ribbon, Twine or Cord, etc.
Silk cording was added behind the ephemera.
 
Twisted Sister said she was in a spin looking for circles, and she wanted to see at least one bird on the card. This is optional, but if you include a bird, you will earn an extra chance in our random drawing.
Optional: The ephemera includes a photo of a Tern.



As for Double Dare's optional dare, she has offered the sketch above in Try a Sketch on Tuesday #682. Be sure to review the guidelines at the Double Trouble #203 Blog
Optional: I did not use this sketch.

Please note that TSOT begins Tuesday, Oct 28th, so this sneak peek gives you the day before to create; but remember... to prevent backlinking, your project should not be posted, published, or entered before Oct 28thin Try a Sketch On Tuesday HERE."  

The Design Team has posted their cards on the Double Trouble #203 Blog to offer you ideas and inspiration for joining the challenge.
Melanie

Materials
Cardstock: SU Basic White, SBC Holographic Collection (silver), CS Lime Green, and my stash 
Ephemera: CS - cut-apart and a fussy-cut shell image from my stash.
Embossing Folder: Darice - very old
Die: Whimsy Stitched Circles
SBC Foam Tape (1 mm & 2 mm)

Friday, October 17, 2025

Celebrating Your Day (CD #674)




Color Dare Challenge #674 features unlikely colors for the Autumn season, but they work well for a feminine or baby card. My sister-in-law has a birthday in a few weeks, so this card is for her. I remained perplexed, but then I saw a YouTube video HERE by Natalie Bowers on CAS cards, which inspired me to get started.

Here is the color board:

After masking a few areas on cardstock with hand-torn mint tape, the open spaces were colored by blending the three ink colors. The tape was removed, and a few images were stamped in black ink on the card front. The sentiment was stamped, matted on black cardstock, and fussy-cut before being added to the card with foam tape. The card was then matted in black cardstock and adhered to a pink card base. 

The inside was lined with a white panel, decorated with a tiny stamped bird colored with Copics, and a few scattered dots from the same stamp set used for the sentiment. I resisted the urge to use anything in silver metallic, although I liked the idea. 

The Design Team has provided beautifully created cards. They can be viewed at the Color Dare #674 Blog. Those cards may inspire you to share your talent with us.

Thank you for paying a visit. Please feel free to leave a comment.
Melanie


Materials
Stamps: Stampin' Up! #129258 "Backyard Basics" and #153289 "Gorgeous Posies" (sentiment)
Inks: Memento Tuxedo Black; Stampin' Up! Boho Blue, Flirty Flamingo (pink), and Fresh Freesia (lavender)
Cardstock: Stampin' Up! Basic White, Basic Black, & Flirty Flamingo
Misc.: SBC Foam Tape (2 mm)
Size: A2
Techniques: Masking, Ink Blending, Fussy- cutting

Monday, October 13, 2025

IT'S A PUMPKIN FEST! (DTC #202)



We're celebrating Autumn at Double Trouble Challenge #202. This is a biweekly challenge that runs through Sunday, October 26, 2025. Our recurring theme is to use our 3-2-1 Recipe.


Trouble Maker is all about seasonal colors, including Halloween, so this is your chance to enhance your card with ghost images, or pretty patterns and festive colors. My card was very bright, so I toned it down by layering a scrap of vellum over the stenciled pumpkins..

Shades of Fall
Servings -  Unlimited portions of fun.
Ingredients
AT LEAST

3 Colors in shades of fall
There are five colors.

2 Images
The two required images are the die-cut leaves.

1 Stenciled or dry-embossed element
The background features stenciled pumpkins.

For the optional twist, Twisted Sister has her sights set on including any seasonal fruit(s) and vegetable(s) in your design. Just a hint... she loves pumpkins and gourds, so no worries if you don't have a stamp or die for other foods. 
The background features pumpkins.

Hmmm... I wonder... Where would you find a stamp or die of a rutabaga?

As for Double Dare's optional dare, she has offered up the sketch at Try Stampin' on Tuesday #681. Be sure to review the guidelines on the Double Trouble #202 Blog.  Optional: I did not use this sketch.


There is also an alternate choice from Double Dare, which is to play along at the Pearly Sparkles Challenge #112. This challenge is open from Wednesday, October 1, through Friday, October 31, 2025. Optional: My card has been entered into the following challenges.



In addition, I have added this card to Challenge #78 at Inspiration Station.




And just for fun, I included the October Neglected Stuff Challenge because I have used discontinued ink and cardstock from 2011, called Peach Parfait, as a substitute for Pumpkin Pie.


The Design Team invites you to share your talent by considering these challenges. Thank you for stopping by my blog.
Melanie

Materials
Inks: Stampin' Up! Boho Blue, Flirty Flamingo, Lost Lagoon, Peach Parfait, & Pecan Pie
Cardstock: Stampin' Up! Basic White, Cajun Craze, Peach Parfait, Vellum
Dies: Echo Park "Thankful Leaf Trio" & Kokorosa "Pumpkins" (a cover-all die used as a stencil)
Misc.: SBC Foam Tape (1 mm)
Size: A2

Friday, October 3, 2025

You Made My Day! (CD #672)




Color Dare #672 is the perfect place to share your talents. You are challenged to use the color board below. This color combination is classic, offering numerous possibilities. I was wishing there was one more color—perhaps something bright, like red, orange, or green. The absence of an additional color meant I had to work with neutrals or metallics. I shopped my stash and found patterned paper to fit the challenge. The layout is just an old sketch from my scratch pad. I also was intending to go with a masculine card, but I think it is gender-neutral.

Simple to make, the matted horizontal panel was adhered to the Kraft-type cardstock, and the matted vertical panel was added on top using foam tape. The sentiment was stamped and die-cut, then added to the card. Finally, a few gem stickers were added to spread the blue color around the card. The inside was decorated with coordinating patterned paper.

Please give Color Dare #672 a try! This biweekly challenge is open through Thursday, October 16, 2025. 
Melanie

Materials
Stamp set: Stampin' Up! #133485 "Best of Greetings"
Ink: Stampin' Up! Night of Navy
Cardstock: Stampin' Up! Very Vanilla and Baked Brown Sugar
Patterned Paper: Scraps from my stash
Die: Sizzix Framelits #658838
Misc.: SBC Foam Tape (1 mm) & Honey Bee gem stickers


Tuesday, September 30, 2025

Unique Design (TSOT #680)




Try a Sketch in Tuesday Challenge #680 is now available on the blog, featuring a new sketch challenge. This biweekly challenge is open through Sunday, October 12, 2025, at noon Eastern.

As usual, you are free to interpret the sketch with your own creative ideas.



When I needed a thank-you card for someone I didn't know well, I shopped my stash for coordinating paper, seeking a modern vibe. I found this collection of patterned papers.

Using the sketch as a guide, the card was assembled, with the front decorated by a die-cut butterfly from silver metallic cardstock. The inside was decorated with a bit of patterned paper and another silver butterfly, leaving sufficient space for a handwritten note. Additionally, I made this an A6-size card, allowing me to work with a bit more length.

Visit the TSOT Blog for guidelines and to view the Design Team's cards. Thank you for visiting. I appreciate your comments.
Melanie

Materials
Cardstock: Stampin' Up! Basic White, Elegant Eggplant, & Metallic (silver)
Patterned Paper: three designs from my stash
Dies: Kokorosa Butterfly Quartet
Misc.: Honey Bee gem stickers
Size: A6   4.5" x 6.25"



Monday, September 29, 2025

Something, Anything, Everything for the Holidays (DTC #201)



Welcome to my blog. Today's card was made for Double Trouble Challenge #201. This is a biweekly challenge that runs through Sunday, October 12, 2025.


Because this is the third Monday of the month, Trouble Maker has tweaked the rules just for fun. To participate in the challenge and to be eligible for a chance to win a prize in the random drawing, you must follow the 3-2-1 recipe:

**AT LEAST**
3 of SomeThing from your stash.
Three patterned papers were included.   
     2 of AnyThing from your stash.
Two layers excluding the card base were used.
     1 of Everything else from your stash. 
There are five gold metallic "gems".

Earn additional chances in the random drawing by playing along with Twisted Sister and Double Dare. They are in agreement that if you follow the sketch below, you will increase your chances of winning the drawing. Be sure to review the guidelines.


The TSOT Challenge begins on Tuesday, September 30, so this sneak peek gives you a day to prepare. However, remember to prevent backlinking, your project should not be posted, published, or entered before September 30th at Try a Sketch On Tuesday #680.  

Enjoy the challenges!
Melanie

Materials
Cardstock: Stampin' Up! Basic White
Patterned Paper & Ephemera: Carta Bella "Letters to Santa"
Misc.: SBC Foam Tape (2 mm); Honey Bee "gems"

Friday, September 19, 2025

Thank You (CD #670)


If you have never tried a color challenge, you're missing out on some fun. This is Color Dare Challenge #670, a biweekly challenge that runs through Thursday evening, October 2, 2025. Can you believe that's the last quarter of the year? Crazy.

What's also crazy is the color board for this challenge. I was expecting fall or holiday colors, but my brain interpreted this as spring or summer colors. That's what makes color challenges unique - you never know what the next color board will bring. I selected green, blue, and yellow, with white as my only neutral.


My design was inspired by an old sketch. I recently saw it made into a card again and recognized it as one I had used to create a large quantity in a hurry quite some time ago.

After shopping my paper stash, the elements were punched, stamped, die-cut, and colored, then added to a white card base. The sentiment oval and flowers were added using foam tape, and a few yellow dots were included.
The inside was decorated with a few smaller floral triangles and one large flower. 

Please drop by the Color Dare Blog #670 to see the projects created by the Design Team. Thank you for visiting.
Melanie

Materials
Stamp: Sizzix Oval Stamps (#663510)
Ink: Stampin' Up! Misty Moonlight (sentiment) & Lemon Lolly
Cardstock: Stampin' Up Basic White
Patterned Paper: Flonz "Colorful Days" & Memory Place "Time to Celebrate"
Die: Sizzix Layered Ovals (#663510)
Punch: Stampin' Up! Large Blossom Builder
Misc.:  SBC Foam Tape (1 and 2 mm); Sparkle Dot Stickers


Tuesday, September 16, 2025

Beyond Awesome (TSOT #679)




A new sketch is now available at Try a Sketch on Tuesday. This is #679, a biweekly sketch that runs through Sunday, September 28, 2025. The sketch is below.


The sketch and my card are simple enough that I don't need to explain the details of how things were cut and assembled. This challenge is all about doodling. In my way of thinking, doodling is all about creating something with paper and pencil/pen. It is being done to pass the time with no specific result in mind. 

That's the direction I took, thinking that this card would be much appreciated by a few "nerds" in my family.

I started drawing a simple flower, then another, and suddenly a leaf sprouted from the upper left corner because I needed to leave room for the sentiment. After filling a few open spaces with a few Zentangling designs, I lightly colored the images with alcohol markers.

The sentiment was stamped, the inside was decorated with tiny doodled and colored flowers, and a strip of coordinating pattern paper.

Thank you for playing along with us at Try a Sketch on Tuesday. Visit the TSOT679 Blog to review the guidelines. The Design Team cards are also on the challenge blog.

Thank you for stopping by my blog.
Melanie

Materials
Stamp set: CTMH "Beyond Awesome" (sentiment)
Ink: Stampin' Up! Boho Blue, Micron Archival Ink Pen (Black), Copic Alcohol Markers
Cardstock: Stampin' Up! Basic White & Basic Black
Patterned Paper: Ink 'n Splatter "Whispers of Winter"


Monday, September 15, 2025

Oodles of Doodles (DTC #200)




Put on your creative cap and take a look at the Double Trouble Challenge Blog! This is Challenge #200.

Thing 1: Trouble Maker was placed on hold while trying to make an important phone call. So what did she do? She couldn't do anything about the phone call, but as she waited, she started doodling. With National Doodle Day on Friday, September 26, she knew this was an inspiration for the challenge.

If I do any "art" with a brush, pen, or pencil, it usually isn't something I want to share on a card. About ten years ago, our little craft group was gathered, and one of the members demonstrated doodling using Zentangling. (This method is copyright-protected.) For my project, I drew inspiration from the designs we developed during the demonstration.

Use your imagination and see the results when you doodle.
3-2-1 Recipe
"Oodles of Doodles" 
Servings - Unlimited Portions of Fun
Ingredients
AT LEAST
2 Layers
There are four layers, including the card base.

2 Images
There are more than two images: the stamped, fussy-cut flower and several hand-drawn leaves and tangling designs.

1 Sentiment
A handwritten sentiment has been added.

Thing 3: Twisted Sister says she is feeling "punchy" from her hard work and would like you to play along with her optional twist. Her suggestion is to add a "punch" of color - something bold or bright. 
A bright magenta color was chosen for the flower and a layering mat.

Thing 2:  Double Dare has provided a sneak peek of our sketch from our sister challenge, Try a Sketch On Tuesday #679.  My optional dare is to combine this sketch with our Double Trouble 3-2-1 recipe, 'Oodles of Doodles'. If you do, you will be awarded TWO additional chances in our random drawing.
While I followed the Oodles of Doodles theme, 
I did not use the sketch for Double Trouble.


Please note 
that TSOT starts on Tuesday, September 16th, so this sneak peek gives you the day before to create. However, to prevent backlinking, your project should not be posted, published, or entered before September 16th at Try a Sketch On Tuesday.

To finish the card, I decorated the inside with another, but smaller, magenta flower. Both flowers were stamped, fussy-cut images I found in my "extras" bin. The style looked like doodling. I colored them with Copic markers and put them to use.

Thank you for visiting.
Melanie

Materials
Stamps: Stampendous "Floral Bouquet" 
Ink: Memento Tuxedo Black, Micron Archival Ink Pen (Black), Copic Alcohol Markers
Cardstock: Stampin' Up! Basic White, Basic Black, and Melon Mambo
Misc.: SBC Foam Tape (1 mm.)


Friday, September 5, 2025

Have a Bee-autiful Birthday! (CD #668)




09/15/2025 Update: This card was chosen as a Weekly Favorite at Splitcoast Stampers.


It's time for another color challenge! This one is Color Dare #668, and the color board is below. Please note that only red and yellow colors may be used; however, you may enhance your card with neutrals. Additionally, gold metallic may be included. 


Inspiration came from a sketch by Sheetload of Cards that I saw on YouTube. (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bL5MyyUBUqI)

My original thought was to create an Autumn card using red and yellow leaves, so I went stash-shopping. Rather than leaves, finding paper with tiny bees buzzing around and pairing it with bright yellow gingham paper caught my eye. A red card base, along with a red focal point, was chosen. A honeycomb die cut was adhered to the card to emphasize the bee theme. Die-cut hexagons with a stamped, colored, fussy-cut bee in the center were added. 

A few of the hexagon scraps from the honeycomb die were also added. The inside was lined with a white panel and decorated with a few tiny stamped bees and scraps of hexagons. I elected not to include a sentiment on the card front, but stamped one on the inside. 

This challenge runs through Thursday, September 18, 2025, giving you a full two weeks to complete your entry. The design team invites you to visit the Color Dare Blog, where you will find an array of projects to inspire you and guidelines for participating.

Thank you for stopping by. Feel free to leave a comment.
Melanie

Materials
Stamps: Stampin' Up! "Backyard Basics" (bee) & Dare 2b Artzy (inside sentiment)
Ink: Memento Tuxedo Black & Copic Alcohol Markers
Cardstock: Stampin' Up! Basic White, Basic Black, Real Red
Patterned Paper: Sunny Studios (gingham) & scraps from my stash
Dies: Spellbinders (hexagons) & Kokorosa (honeycomb)
Misc.: SBC foam tape (1 mm)



Monday, September 1, 2025

Welcome to Happy Bear Camp! (DTC #199)




Double Trouble Challenge #199 is open for your cardmaking fun.

Thing 1: Troublemaker has been experiencing a sugar rush in the Double Trouble kitchen with Challenge #199.  She decided to celebrate National Cream-filled Donut Day and cannot stop eating donuts! This biweekly challenge runs through Sunday, September 14, 2025. That's a full two weeks to overeat donuts and make this recipe! 

I am not much of a fan of store-bought donuts. My grandmother and mother made "fry cakes." They were significantly better than the overly sweet donuts in the stores. Nowadays, fry cakes are commonly referred to as cake-style donuts and are available in the grocery store, but gone is the crispy exterior.

Use your imagination and see what you can cook up:

3-2-1 Recipe
"Sweet Surprise" 
Servings - Unlimited Portions of Fun
Ingredients
AT LEAST
3 Layers
There are four layers.

2 Images
There are two ephemera images - 
the bear in the canoe and the paddles.

1 Aperture
There is a die-cut oval aperture.

Thing 3: Twisted Sister is suggesting that you fill your aperture as if it were a cream-filled donut: 1. Fill your aperture with at least one image, AND/OR shake it up a bit by 2. Making a shaker and filling it with your favorite shaker bits.
I elected to use one of my required images to fill the aperture.

The inside of the card is decorated with ephemera, including a Happy Birthday banner and a few festive gift packages. Here is a close-up of the image in the aperture. My card features Photoplay's Happy Bear paddling his canoe at summer camp. The name of the camp is Happy Bear Camp, of course. My grand-nephew has a birthday soon, so this is for him. He loves camping, hiking, and fishing with his younger brother. 




THING 2:  Double Dare says, you are invited to a sneak peek at the sketch from our sister challenge, Try a Sketch On Tuesday #678. Combine this sketch with our 'Sweet Surprise' challenge, and you will be awarded TWO additional chances in our random drawing. 
My card was inspired by the sketch, but it's a loose interpretation. 



Please note that TSOT starts 
on Tuesday, September 2, 2025, so this sneak peek gives you the day before to create. However, to prevent backlinking, your project should not be posted, published, or entered before September 2, 2025, at Try a Sketch On Tuesday.

Thank you for stopping by!
Melanie


Materials
Cardstock: Stampin' Up! Basic White, Garden Green, Barely Banana
Patterned Paper & Ephemera: Photoplay "Birthday Bash"
Dies: Hero Arts Infinity (ovals)

Friday, August 22, 2025

The Best Day Ever (CD #666)




The color board is up on the blog for Color Dare Challenge #666, a biweekly challenge that runs through Thursday, September 4, 2025. The requirements are that all three colors must be included in your design. While you are free to use neutrals and gold metallics, no other colors may be introduced.

These gorgeous colors reminded me of autumn, but I wanted to go with a quick birthday card for a neighbor, so that's the direction I went. You are free to take these colors in any direction that you are led.

This card turned out to be a real scrap buster! Shopping my stash for patterned paper scraps paid off. I easily found patterned scraps in all three colors. 

The inside was lined with a panel of Very Vanilla, stamped with a few flowers as seen on the card front, and decorated with several strips of patterned paper.

I adore my cat, a dark gray and white male with tuxedo markings. His name is Sluggo. He helped me with this card, and I must give credit. Just look closely at the two horizontal strips. He tried to remove them from the card front while I was out of the room. He is so talented!

The Design Team invites you to join our challenge. Guidelines are available at our CD666 Blogas well as an array of cards created by the Team.

Thank you for taking a look at my blog - I appreciate your comments.
Melanie

Materials
Stamp set: Stampin' Up! "Birthday Blossoms"
Ink: Stampin Up! Calypso Coral
Cardstock: Stampin' Up! Very Vanilla & Pretty Peacock
Patterned Paper: CTMH Mix-in & "Crisp Air", Colorbok "Bright Splash" & CS "Inspired"
Dies: Paper Rose (stitched rectangles)
Misc.: SBC foam tape


Tuesday, August 19, 2025

Hallelujah Fall-elujah! (TSOT #677)



What an interesting sketch!  Try a Sketch on Tuesday Challenge #677 runs through Sunday, August 31, 2025.  You are free to interpret this sketch using your own imagination. 

 

There is, however, a fun fold design that can be partnered with this sketch. Instructions for this Fan Fold card in the A2 size can be found at Delight of My Art by Deb Joy Smeak. I found the card was not difficult and went on to make a second one with different papers and colors. That card can be found HERE

I noticed that there are several different styles of the card, as seen by the array of cards by the TSOT Design Team. Some of the angles are different, and the size of the triangular elements is different. But the results are all fabulous!

Autumn colors and patterned paper were used in this design. The products are listed below. The small leaf adhered to the sentiment was a die-cut scrap.

If you created a fun-fold Fan card, then you will want to check out two other challenges: Double Trouble #198 "Mix It Up" and Creative Creases #106.

The TSOT Design Team invites you to join in the challenge and share your creativity. Thank you for taking a look.
Melanie

Materials
Stamps: None (sentiment is computer-generated)
Cardstock: Stampin' Up! Basic White & Delightful Dijon
Patterned Paper: CTMH "Crisp Air" & Stampin' Up! "Color Me Autumn" (includes the green "washed" paper)
Misc.: SBC Foam Tape; Stampin' Up! Blooming Pearls (green)


Monday, August 18, 2025

Dance of the Dragonflies (DTC #198)




Thing 1: Troublemaker has been busy cooking up a challenge in the Double Trouble kitchen with Challenge #198. This biweekly challenge will run through Sunday, August 31, 2025. That's a full two weeks to make this recipe!


3-2-1 Recipe 
Servings - Unlimited Portions of Fun
Ingredients
AT LEAST
3 Layers
There are eight layers.

2 Patterns
There are three patterns.

1 Sentiment
A sentiment has been included.

Thing 3:  Twisted Sister 
It's August in Arizona, and Twisted Sister is trying to cope. She said she was thinking she could use a fan to stay cool. Her optional twist for you is to create a Fun-Fan-Fold card. The DTC 198 Blog has guidelines to assist you in creating this Fun-Fan-Fold card.
My Fan-Fold card is on display at the top of this blog post. Feel free to leave a comment below.

Thing 2: For some added fun, Double Dare dares you to create a card for Try a Sketch on Tuesday Challenge #677. The sketch is below. TSOT is a biweekly sketch that will go live on Tuesday, August 19, and will end on Sunday, August 31, 2025. For this challenge, you may also enter your card at Creative Creases #106, an "anything goes" challenge using a fun-fold.
The TSOT #677 sketch was used for the Double Trouble Challenge.



 


To finish my card, the inside of the card was lined with a panel of coordinating patterned paper, followed by a panel of white paper. A few tiny die-cut dragonflies from my stash were added to the inside.

Because this was the first time making this fun-fold, I followed the instructions provided by Deb Joy Smeak at Delight of My Art on YouTube. I reviewed several other YouTube videos, but I preferred hers.

The Double Trouble Design Team invites you to join the challenge using the ingredients and to view their cards at the DTC 198 Blog. Thank you for stopping by!
Melanie


Materials
Stamp: Sizzix Circle Sentiments Set
Ink: Stampin' Up! Emerald Envy
Cardstock: Stampin' Up! Basic White; dark teal from stash
Patterned Paper: GCD Studios "Journeys" by Kathy Davis
Dies: Sizzix Circle Sentiments Set & Whimsy (stitched circles)
Misc: SBC Foam Tape
Size: A2