Thanks and Hello with Spellbinders 2025 Advent Calendar

Hey there, friends! Crazy, I know - I'm back for a fourth consecutive day with items from the 2025 Spellbinders Advent calendar. I've been having a lot of fun with the items behind the calendar windows! Here's a thanks card using two of the stamps in the Day 2 mini stamp set:

Supplies: Paper - Neenah Classic Crest Solar White;

Paper Studio A2 card; scraps

Stamps - Spellbinders 2025 Advent Calendar (Day 2)

Dies - Poppystamps Flower and Leaf Sprinkles;

AJVD Stitched Dot Rectangle Backdrop Set

Other - Copic Markers; Sharpie fineliner;

Hero Arts inks

I'm very accustomed to stamping with a MISTI and these Advent calendar stamps don't do well with it. I tried stamping later using a stamping block and the impression was much better. On this one, after I colored the image with Copics, I did a lot of outlining with a fineliner. The bitty stamped flowers didn't fare so well with that so I covered them up with various bitty die cut flowers. I ink blended the ground and sky then die cut the panel with a stitched rectangle. Added it to an A2 card - done! You can see Crafty Al's short video on this set HERE.

I'll send this card to Darnell's January NBUS Challenge #82 since the stamps were newly used.

Next, I made a hello card with the strip embossing folder from Day 6 (Crafty Al's video HERE).

Supplies: Paper - Paper Studio ombre card;

Spellbinders Terracotta card stock; scraps

Embossing strip - Spellbinders 2025 Advent Calendar (Day 6)

Dies - Spellbinders Faux Stitched Sentiments & Floss (DOM-Apr24 retired)

Other - SSS printed sentiment strip & Starshine dots

I embossed a scrap of orange cardstock. Added to an A2 ombre card along with some scrap patterned strips. I had a HELLO die cut sitting on the table so die cut a white shadow and layered them for dimension. Added to the card along with a printed subsentiment strip and some Starshine dots.

That's it for today, my friends. Thanks for continuing to stop by & for commenting when you can! Have a crafty day!!

A Birthday Duo with Spellbinders 2025 Advent Calendar

Hey there friends - I'm not usually one to post multiple days so three days in a row, especially twice in the same month, is quite a feat! Anyway - I have two more projects from the items I used daily from Jan 1-24 using the Spellbinders 2025 Advent calendar. Although I stuck to my goal of using the item from each December day on the corresponding January day, I didn't always finish a card with it that day. I'm definitely going out of order! 

Oh, and I meant to give a shout out to sister Diva Cindy (Escape to Stamping) who shared tags she made from Day 1-15 items (see them HERE and HERE), plus a gorgeous Lunar New Year card with the Day 24 die set. She was much more timely using the calendar and posting projects than I am!!

First up - a card using the Day 3 die set; you can see Crafty Al's short video with it HERE.

Supplies: Paper - Neenah Classic Crest Solar White;

Doodlebug Design Hats Off; scraps; 

Betterpress Porcelain; Recollections A2 card

Dies - Spellbinders 2025 Advent Calendar (Day3);

AJVD Stitched Dot Rectangle Backdrop Set

Press Plates w/dies - Spellbinders You Are Everything Sentiments

Other - foam tape

After die cutting and assembling the bunny, hat & wand, I added them to a stitched rectangle cut from a scrap of MFT pastel paper. Die cut the stars from scraps of glitter cardstock & added them coming out of the wand. Found a 2017 black/white/gray grad paper that had star prints. Die cut the white print with a stitched rectangle and added to an A2 card along with a strip of the black print. Added the pastel rectangle & finished with a Betterpressed sentiment popped up with foam tape.

I'll send this card to Darnell's January NBUS Challenge #82 since the dies were newly used.

Next, another birthday card using the Day 5 die set (Crafty Al's short video):

Supplies: Paper - Neenah Classic Crest Solar White;

Authentique patterned; scraps;

Lawn Fawn Petite Watercolor Wishes;

Spellbinders Betterpress Porcelain

Dies - Spellbinders 2025 Advent Calendar Day 5;

AJVD Stitched Dot Rectangle Backdrop Set;

Lawn Fawn Scalloped Treat Box Spring House Add-on

Press Plate w/die - Spellbinders La Dolce Vita Sentiments

Other - foam tape

As you can see, I kept to the same sketch which I often use to make quick cards. The Advent calendar dies are small so this format suits them. I die cut the flowers from scraps and assembled onto a small stitched rectangle. Die cut a couple clumps of grass from a Lawn Fawn set & added to the scene. Matted it with another stitched rectangle and rest was done as for card one (just a different Betterpress sentiment).

These cards went to Craft Roulette members with January birthdays. CR has a bday card exchange program members can join. They require no specific number of cards you have to send, so I'm starting small by sending three per month. The third one I sent was a card I shared previously HERE.

That's it for today. Thanks for stopping by & happy crafting!!

More Spellbinders Advent Calendar Projects

Hey there - I'm back with a couple more cards I made from items in the 2025 Spellbinders Advent Calendar. Today I'm sharing a stenciled project, way out of order for the reveals because I made it for Just Us Girls Challenge #807 to use a stencil.

Supplies: Paper - Neenah Classic Crest Solar White;

Paper Studio A2 card; Lawn Fawn Petite Watercolor Wishes;

Spellbinders Betterpress Porcelain

Stencils - Spellbinders 2025 Advent Calendar (Day 22)

Dies - Hero Arts Nesting Circle Infinity Dies;

AJVD Stitched Dot Rectangle Backdrop Set

Press Plates w/dies - Spellbinders You Are Everything Sentiments

Other - SSS Starshine embellishments; 

Hero Arts inks & ephemera; foam tape

Last Thursday afternoon (I was using the Dec 22nd calendar item), I stenciled the mandala using the 3 piece layering stencil. I stenciled the layers in Hero Arts Stone Wash (blue) & Peony (dark pink) and Altenew Bamboo (green). Since the newly announced JUGS theme was stencils, I decided to make a card right away.

Next I cut the stenciled mandala with a circle die and matted it a larger circle die cut in white. I grabbed a couple blue clouds from an old Hero Arts kit ephemera pack (can't remember which & HA no longer sells it). I added a stitched rectangle in green to a blue A2 card. Popped the mandala atop and tucked the clouds under it. A Betterpressed sentiment popped up with foam tape and some SSS dots finished the card. If interested, go HERE to see Crafty Al open her window and create a polaroid with it.

Since my stencils are newly used, I'll also add this card to Darnell's January NBUS Challenge #82. 

The Advent calendar also had another stencil set (Day 7) - this one with butterflies. Here's my take:

There were three stencils with 4 different butterflies. On Jan 7th I stenciled all four (some more than once) in different Hero Arts ink colors around an A2 panel of Neenah. Next I die cut the panel with a stitched rectangle and doodled flight lines with a black fineliner. On the 19th I finally adhered it to an A2 card (Michael's brand) along with a pre-printed SSS sentiment strip. You can see Crafty Al's short video on this stencil HERE.

That's it for today, friends. Thanks for visiting and I hope you have a crafty day!!

Spellbinders 2025 Advent Calendar projects

Hi all - I mentioned in a previous post that I've been busy crafting in January using Spellbinders 2025 Advent Calendar. I had opened the 24 windows in December but hadn't had a chance to make a thing with the items inside. I decided to make a goal of using the daily December items on the corresponding January day - I did it!! I didn't always complete a full card with the item on the same day but I made sure to use it. 

So, I'm starting today to share cards I've completed. First up, an anniversary card I made with Day 1's cute doggy die set (if interested, watch Crafty Al opening the window and making a polaroid HERE):

Supplies: Paper - Neenah Classic Crest Solar White;

Recollections A2 card; Paper Studio cardstock;

My Mind's Eye Lost & Found 3 patterned;

Spellbinders Betterpress Porcelain

Dies - Spellbinders 2025 Advent Calendar (Day 1);

Hero Arts Nesting Hearts Infinity Dies;

AJVD Stitched Dot Rectangle Backdrop Set

Press Plates w/dies - Spellbinders You Are Everything Sentiments

Other - EKSuccess puffy hearts; foam tape

Normally on New Year's Day I'd take down my Christmas decorations. Instead, I decided to leave them up longer since I went to AZ for the holidays. So, I had plenty of time to craft & started making cards for January occasions. The dog die inspired me to make an anniversary card for my neighbors across the street. Greg and Therese have two dogs so I thought they'd get a chuckle out of this (they did!).

I die cut the dog pieces twice and assembled. Next I cut a stitched rectangle from a collage print paper & added it to an A2 card. Then I die cut a large heart and adhered to the card along the doggy pair. Popped a sentiment and some puffy hearts onto the card to finish.

Did I tell this story yet? I had my infinity hearts die set out to cut the big heart and decided to die cut the bittiest heart for embellishments. When it came out of my Vagabond, the die when flying off into the room. I searched for an hour but couldn't find it (even used a magnet sheet taped onto my Swiffer!). Checked the little trash bin in the area - not there but I did find a Spellbinders "the" die with outline still taped to the packaging! Must've fallen off the table & into the trash when I was putting the other words on a magnet. Whew - glad I found it!!

I'll add this card to Darnell's January NBUS Challenge #82 since the doggy die is newly used.

Here's another card with the doggy die set and a different sentiment from the same Betterpress set. The cloud paper is from an ancient calendar stack by DCWV. I made "wings" by taking a different sized heart from the HA set and hand cutting the bottom edge into scallops. I shaded the wings with a B000 Copic.

This card went to the producer of Craft Roulette, host Mary's son; sadly, his dog Furgus died. During the episode on the 9th, they raised over $2000 for a Kansas City dog rescue. Always sad to lose a furry family member!

That's it for today, friends. I'll be back tomorrow to share a few more advent calendar creations. Thanks for stopping by and have a crafty day!

An Interactive Slimline!

Hey there friends - if you're in the Northern Hemisphere, hope you're staying warm! It was minus 22F when I woke up this morning - brrrr! We'll be out of the below zero temperature range by Tuesday, they say. Anyway, I watched Craft Roulette Episode #303 tonight and made a card after the show. My internet was down part of the night so I was watching via cellular on my phone. I couldn't upload until later in the evening.

Supplies: Paper - Neenah Classic Crest Solar White;

Momenta prints; scraps;

Spellbinders Betterpress Porcelain

Stamps - Hero Arts Going and 

Life is Not Perfect (both retired)

Press Plate w/die - Spellbinders You Are Everything Sentiments

Dies - Lawn Fawn Small Slimline with Lift the Flaps

Stencil - Concord & 9th Confetti Dots Turnabout

Other - Hero Arts & Altenew inks; foam tape; 

EKSuccess star gems; Copic C3

Host Mary Gunn had Amanda Stevens (‪@PearBlossomPress‬), queen of the light-up card, as her guest. Amanda also helped plan Paperganza last year & she and Mary are busily planning a 2026 event! Unlike last year, they plan to offer a virtual option for those unable to travel to Kansas City. Details should be out in a few weeks.

As usual, Mary spun the roulette wheel four times for the necessary parameters on our cards. The wheel bewildered me at first but I figured it out!

• Project - Interactive Card: I made a slimline with flaps that lift. 
• Colors - Spice Cabinet: I used Red/Orange for paprika, Green for Basil & cream for White Pepper (neutrals white/black allowed). 
• Element - Transportation: I stamped car images under two of the flaps. 
• Random - Confetti: I stenciled confetti on each of the flaps. 

I started one card then went totally in a different direction! I had die cut an entire gnome car from Spellbinders but then wasn't in the mood to try to build a channel for it to move across the card. So, I shuffled through my Lawn Fawn die sets, knowing I'd find something interactive. I landed on the one with lifting flaps which I've owned for ages (released in 2020) but hadn't used until now!! Here's a view with the flaps open:

I die cut the slimline layer with the flap die inserted from a green watercolor print. Next I cut one from a creamy color without the flap die. Then I cut a piece of printer paper with the flap die and folded back the flaps. That way I could see where to stamp and also used it to mask off the green panel when I went to stencil the flaps. The star die comes in the flap set (along with a heart and a scalloped circle). Die cut two hearts. The pressed sentiment was in the stash.

Stenciled only three turns of confetti using green, red and orange inks on just the flaps. Before I adhered the green flap piece to the cream layer I stamped two cars and a sentiment in the openings. Shaded with a Copic C3 for "road". Looking at it, I might stencil some confetti in spots above the stamping - can't decide... Assembled everything onto a slimline card base and added star gems. Done!

Since my dies are newly used, I'll add this card to Darnell's January NBUS Challenge #82. I will also play at Just Us Girls Challenge #807 where it's Anything Goes Stencil Week.

Check out Craft Roulette if you want to challenge your brain! We always say "Kiss Your Brain" at the end of the episode - it works hard!!

Thanks for visiting and happy crafting!!

Zen Calm

Hey everyone - it's my day to post at Die Cut Divas. We have Sunbird Spark as the sponsor for our January Challenge - Use New Crafty Item. Perfect as we start a new year!

Supplies: Paper - Neenah Classic Crest Solar White;

Paper Studio ombre A2 card; scrap of black

Crate Paper Retro Summer

Digi Stamps - Sunbird Spark Zen Time

Dies - AJVD Stitched Dot Rectangle Backdrop Set;

Poppystamps Flower and Leaf Sprinkles

Other - Glossy Accents; Hero Arts enamel dot;

white gel pen; Copic Markers

Sunbird Spark is giving a $20 CAD gift card as the prize for our random winner.

My new item is the digi stamp from Sunbird Spark - thanks to them for sharing it with the Diva team! I printed it off with some other digi stamps on my ink jet, trimmed to a rectangle & colored it with Copic Markers. I left the background white. Very calming, right? I matted the rectangle with black & added to an A2 card layered with a patterned stitched rectangle. I added glossy accents to the clock, bottle & glass. A digi sentiment from the same file & a die cut flower completed the card.

Since my digi stamps are newly used, I'll add this card to Darnell's January NBUS Challenge #82.

Bonus time! Others on the team have used this adorable reading dinosaur, another new digi for me - love it!

Supplies: Paper - Neenah Classic Crest Solar White;

Paper Studio A2 card; Taylored Expressions Latte;

Lawn Fawn Rainbow Ever After Petite

Digi Stamps - Sunbird Spark My Favorite Chapter

Dies - AJVD Stitched Dot Rectangle Backdrop Set; 

Penny Black Wood Floors

Other - foam tape; white gel pen

The dinosaur, books and sentiment were printed at the same time as my yoga person. I did two sizes of the book image for some interest. I colored the images with Copics and fussy cut them.

Next I die cut a stitched rectangle with a pastel striped paper & the floor from latte cardstock. Adhered to an ombre purple A2 card. Added the dino, books & sentiment. A few white gel pen details finished the card.

That's it, friends. Thanks for stopping and I hope you'll join us in the January Diva Gallery!

More Pink for Christmas!!

Hey friends - I hope your week is off to a great start!! I'm popping in with my third and final entry for the January Christmas Kickstart Challenge #106 to use pink. It seems, once I got going, that I couldn't stop thinking pink!!

Supplies: Paper - Neenah Classic Crest Solar White;

Lawn Fawn Petite Watercolor Wishes;

Paper Studio ombre pink A2 card & 

shades of pink cardstock; scrap of black

Stamps with Dies - Art Impressions Winter Wonderland Bundle

Dies - Memory Box Timberland Collage

(retired but reimagined as Thicket Collage);

Birch Press Designs Merry Christmas Dapper Script;

Poppystamps Scalloped Pinpoint Frames

Other - Copic Markers; foam tape; white gel pen

I got the MB tree background die as a gift with a Poppystamps order - thanks, Dave! I had ordered a bunch of stuff post Christmas and have been "processing" it onto magnets, then making test cuts. Finally got to the tree window. Once I cut it in white, I decided to back it in pink and add a deer for CKC. Colored the deer with Copics and assembled to an A2 card. A fave BPD sentiment had finished the card until I "processed" a new Poppystamps frame set. I had just run test cuts of all the frames and the biggest one was pink. Decided to try it on my deer card - loved it! What about you?

Since my trees and frame are newly used, I'll add this card to Darnell's January NBUS Challenge #82. I will also play at the January Merry Little Christmas Challenge #66 where Anything Christmas Goes & at Creative Crafters #96 where Anything Goes.

That's it for today, friends! I mentioned being busy crafting - want to know what? Starting January 1st and going to the 24th, I'm using the corresponding day's item from the Spellbinders 2025 Advent Calendar. I opened them faithfully until I left for my holiday trip, then did the rest when I returned home on New Year's Eve. Didn't make a thing with them in December so decided to get busy on New Year's Day. Not saying I made a card every day - just used the item. I'll begin sharing what I made once I'm done.

Hope to see you back on the 21st when I post for Die Cut Divas. Thanks for stopping by and I hope you have a crafty day!!