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

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 also to Challenge #628 at Cupcake Inspirations.

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

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