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