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

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"

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.)

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

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. 

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)

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)