12 Days of Christmas - Just a Note

 Good Morning, Stampers!

Sometimes the best part of a new crafting collection is discovering just how versatile it can be!

Today’s card was created using the exclusive 12 Days of Creativity Advent Calendar stamp set. I love how this set is filled with fresh, everyday images and sentiments - perfect for crafting all year long!

The 12 Days of Creativity Advent Calendar is filled with exclusive crafting surprises designed to work together, but the products are also wonderfully versatile. The calendar contains (12) never-before-seen crafting products, along with this coordinating stamp set—and all these products can be used well beyond the holiday season!

Want to see a sneak peek of all the products

in the 12 Days of Christmas Advent Calendar? 

Check out the surprises HERE

Grab your 12 Days of Creativity Calendar 
in my online store while supplies last HERE

Happie Stampin'!
~Melissa

Hot Foil and Watercolor

 Good Morning, Stampers!

If frosty silvers and blues are your go-to for Christmas projects, this wintry card may just ski to the top of your “gotta CASE” list! Plus, with foil + watercolor, this technique is hard to resist.

Step 1: Hot foil the image onto a 4 -1/8" x 4-1/8" piece of watercolor paper. Note: Stampin’ Hot Foil System results will vary when used with watercolor paper.

Step 2: Cut out the Christmas Wishes sentiment using the coordinating die and set aside.

Step 3: Using a Water Painter, dampen the snowflake panel with water. Add watercolor touches using Balmy Blue, Misty Moonlight, and Night of Navy ink. Color the diamond shapes with Misty Moonlight ink.

It’s true what they say . . . no two snowflakes are alike! Watercolor effects will vary every time you try this technique, making it a fun one to play with again and again.

Happie Stampin'!
~Melissa

CSF Saturday Blog Hop - Leaves or Trees

 Good Morning, Stampers!

Welcome to the Create With Stampin' Friends Saturday Blog Hop! This week's theme is Leaves or Trees, and I couldn't resist creating a card inspired by the beautiful colors of autumn. Even though the temperatures here in Arizona are still over 100 degrees, I love bringing those rich fall hues into my crafting room!

For today's project, I focused on creating a colorful background that captures the feeling of a forest transitioning into fall. The combination of warm oranges, reds, yellows, and greens creates a vibrant backdrop for a row of simple leafless trees. Sometimes the most striking scenes are created with the simplest images.

The background was created using a loose watercolor technique with plenty of splattering to add texture and movement. I love how the unexpected droplets create interest and give the appearance of falling leaves, drifting snow, or even a misty autumn morning. The organic look makes every card unique.

  (1) Add inks with blending brush      (2)  Add speckles with water painter

                                                      (3) Add speckles with Early Espresso ink

SU!pplies:

Stamps: Noel Tidings, Thanks and Giving

Ink: Cajun Craze, Old Olive, Golden Glow, Craft White, Early Espresso

Paper: Basic White, Early Espresso, Old Olive, Golden Glow

Accessories: Water Painter, Blending Brushes, White Twine, Seasonal Cheer Mini Embossing Folder, Stylish Shapes dies

Happie Stampin'!

Ready to see more Leaves and Tree ideas?

Go NEXT to see what Connie created or

BACK to see what Libby created.

rubberFUNatics Weekly Challenge #408

 Good Morning, Stampers!

It’s time for another RubberFUNatics Weekly Challenge, and this week we’re getting creative with a sketch challenge! 

I always enjoy sketch challenges because they give me a starting point without taking away the opportunity to make the design my own. For this card, I decided to reach for the NEW Advent Labels stamp set and create a festive Christmas design filled with greenery, stars, hearts, and a little bit of holiday sparkle!

A sketch doesn't have to be followed literally. Think of it as a jumping-off point. Change the colors, switch up the stamps, rotate the design, or add your own little details. That's where the fun comes in! 

For my card, the sketch provided the framework, but Advent Labels stamp set gave me the opportunity to turn it into a whimsical little Christmas scene.

Thanks so much for joining me today!

Happie Stampin'!
~Melissa

A Little Surprise in my Stampin' Up! 0rder!

 Good Morning, Stampers!

There are some things you expect to find when you open a Stampin' Up! order.

New stamps.
Pretty paper.
Embellishments.
Maybe a new punch or die you've been waiting very patiently to play with. 

But sometimes there's a little surprise tucked inside that has absolutely nothing to do with what you ordered—and everything to do with making you smile.

That happened with my most recent order.

When I opened my package, I found this beautiful handmade card from the Riverton Order Fulfillment  and I just had to share it!

This card was a lovely reminder of why I love what I do.

Stamping isn't just about the products.

It's about the people.

It's about sending a card because someone crossed your mind. It's about taking a few minutes to make something with your hands. It's about the little surprises that brighten someone's day.

And sometimes, it's about opening a box of stamping goodies and discovering that someone at the other end thought about you, too!

Happie Stampin'!
~Melissa

Paper Craft Crew Weekly Challenge #689

 Good Morning, Stampers!

Welcome to another Paper Craft Crew Weekly Challenge! This week, we’re celebrating one of my favorite times of year with a Fall Theme! Fall crafting is all about warm colors, pumpkins, cozy patterns, and those little touches that make you want to curl up with a cup of something yummy. So, for this week's challenge, I created a card with a soft, vintage-inspired fall feel.

For my card, I wanted to step away from the traditional bright oranges and reds and instead use a softer palette of crumb cake, pecan, and warm golden tones. The result is a fall card that feels rustic and cozy!

SU!pplies:
Stamps: Thanks and Giving

Ink: Pecan Pie, Golden Glow

Paper: Basic White, Pecan Pie, Golden Glow, Glow of Harvest DSP

Accessories: Perinneal Postage dies, Stylish Shapes dies, Golden Glow Stampin' Blends, Pecan Pie Stampin' Blends

Happie Stampin'!
~Melissa

Check out more ideas featuring this week's challenge:

12 Days of Creativity Sneak Peek

 Good Morning, Stampers!

I've got a  sneak peek at the exclusive stamp set from the 12 Days of Creativity Advent Calendar! If you love stamping, surprises, and discovering something new each day, this is definitely something you’ll want to keep an eye out for!

And here's something I especially love about this Advent Calendar: the products included aren't just for the holidays! They’re fantastic for all-occasion, year-round crafting, giving you lots of creative possibilities long after the Advent season is over.

Beginning, September 15th, get an EXCLUSIVE

(12) project tutorial FREE with your

calendar purchase!  

(emailed upon payment confirmation)

Shop the 12 Days of Creativity in my 

online store HERE

Happie Stampin'!
~Melissa

CASING the Holiday Catalog

 Good Morning, Stampers!

There’s something about Thanksgiving crafting that makes me want to pull out all the warm, cozy colors—and this card definitely fits the mood!

For today’s project, I took inspiration from the Holiday Catalog, CASEing the card layout shown on page 12. I loved the overall design so much that I wanted to recreate the look with my own twist.

I’ve put together a step-by-step tutorial for this Thanksgiving card, including the measurements, supplies, and instructions you need to recreate it and I'm offering it FREE in next week's weekly newsletter. If you’re not already on my newsletter list, now is the perfect time to join! I’ll send the tutorial straight to your inbox so you can create this beautiful fall card yourself. JOIN HERE

Happie Stampin'!
~Melissa