Rock Candy Mountain (DTC #225)

Double Trouble Challenge #225 is up on the blog awaiting your projects. This biweekly challenge runs through Sunday, September 27, 2026. 

I have titled it "Rock Candy Mountain."

As is customary, Trouble Maker has a required 3-2-1 Recipe ready to follow. She is also hoping you'll share your favorite filled donut flavor. I don't care much for filled donuts, but that doesn't mean I ignore sweets. 

When I was a young girl, my mother made rock candy in a variety of colors. When she finished, the colorful sugar crystals were everywhere, but she managed to corral them onto sticks so the candy was easy to eat without creating sticky hands. She also saved some crystals to crush and use to decorate cupcakes. This paper reminded me of that rock candy. 

Here is how I completed Thing 1's REQUIREMENTS:

AT LEAST

3  -  Layers

There are at least four layers, depending on 

how you count them.

2  -  Images

This is kind of tricky. When I look at the squares of rock candy, there are many images, along with the die-cut oval for the sentiment.

1  -  Aperture

An aperture was created.

THING #3 OPTION

Twisted Sister's "twist" is to fill the aperture with something sweet. The aperture contains rock candy.

THING #2 OPTION

Above is Sketch #704 from our sister challenge, Try a Sketch on Tuesday, effective on Tuesday, September 15, 2026. If you use the sketch, you will earn additional chances in our random drawing. The sketch inspired my card.

A song that was popular on the radio when I was very young was Burl Ives's "The Big Rock Candy Mountain."

Oh, the buzzin' of the bees in the peppermint trees,

The soda water fountain,

Where the lemonade springs and the bluebird sings,

In that Big Rock Candy Mountain.

The Design Team invites you to visit the Double Trouble Blog to enjoy their cards and review the challenge guidelines.

Thanks for looking. Your comments are welcome.

Have a sweet day!   Melanie

Materials

Stamp Set: Sunny Studio "Color Me Happy" (sentiment)

Ink: SU Gorgeous Grape

Cardstock: SU Basic White & Garden Green; SBC "Harvest" and "Fresh Duo" Collections

Patterned Paper: Club Scrap "Colorful Life" Collection

Die: Whimsy Ovals

Misc.: SBC Foam Tape (3 mm), Gems from stash

Hello (CD #720)

Announcing another color challenge! This is Color Dare Challenge #720, a biweekly challenge that runs from Friday, September 11, 2026, through Thursday, September 24, 2026. Below is the color board:

I chose to use Daffodil Delight, Crisp Cantaloupe, and Soft Succulent, omitting the pale pink. I also used white cardstock and brushed gold metallic paper.

 

This design is made for scrap-busting. Once the scrappy strips were adhered, the sentiment "Hello" was stamped, followed by the "stamped-off" leaves. The flower was die-cut, then brushed with inks, and the die-cut metallic shape was adhered. The entire flower was adhered using foam tape. 

Three tiny gold gems were added to highlight the sentiment.

The inside was decorated with an extra die-cut flower and a strip of coordinating paper.

The Design Team invites you to visit the Blog to view their card examples. Thank you for dropping by,

Melanie

Materials

Stamp:  Stampin' Up! "Quite Curvy" (#154430)

Inks: SU Soft Succulent, Daffodil Delight, & Crisp Cantaloupe

Cardstock: SU Basic White, Soft Succulent, Crisp Cantaloupe, & Brushed Gold Metallic

Patterned Paper: SBC scraps from my stash

Die: SSS "Layered Dandy Flower" (S855) 

Misc.: SBC Foam Tape & Honey Bee Gold Gems

Size: A2

Techniques: Stamping, Coloring, & Die-cutting 

Christmas Wishes (TSOT #703)

 

The latest Try a Sketch on Tuesday challenge is now open. This biweekly challenge is #703, and ends on Sunday, September 13, 2026. The sketch is below.

I decided to make an early Christmas card because I still had a few holiday items on my desk remaining from the Christmas in July challenges.

The ombre background paper worked effectively for the night sky, and the image of a person making a snow angel, fussy-cut from paper, is a touch of nostalgia for me. I added the stitching using a white gel pen.

The TSOT Design Team has created an array of lovely cards, each with its own interpretation of the sketch. Visit the TSOT 703 Blog to view the cards and guidelines.

Double Trouble Challenge #224 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. 

Thanks for stopping by. 

Melanie

Materials

Cardstock: SU Basic White & Night of Navy

Patterned paper: SBC Ombre; Echo Park "Winter Magic"

Dies: Nesting Circles w/irregular edges

Misc.: Paper Rose Sentiment, SBC Foam Tape, Rhinestones, White Gel Pen

Size: A2