Concord & 9th and Spellbinders Golden Anniversary Congratulations card

 

 Hello everyone, and welcome to a brand‑new challenge at Addicted to Stamps and More. This time, our theme is Any Occasion, which means you can celebrate absolutely anything you like — birthdays, weddings, new jobs, new homes, or even those rare milestones, like the one I chose.

I opted to make a congratulations card for some friends who recently celebrated their 50th Wedding Anniversary.

I started with a Crafter’s Companion stepper card base, and to decorate the steps, I added diamond‑patterned strips cut with a die from my stash that has lost its label. The square mat was cut with a Lisa Horton die.

For the focal point, I used the Concord & 9th World’s Greatest die set and cut the trophy cup from gold mirror card. I arranged a cluster of flowers and foliage cut with the Spellbinders Be Bold Blooms dies, using various snippets of card, and tucked them both inside and outside the cup.

To finish, I added a stacked Paper Smooches “Congratulations” die‑cut sentiment. Stacking it added a bit of depth and helped the greeting stand out against the cup's base.

 

This photo is a little dark but shows the cup's shine.

I hope you’ll join us for this challenge, and we look forward to seeing your creation. The design team has lots of inspiration for you over on the ATSM blog, and you can enter your card there.

I'd like to play along at

A Cut Above Challenge August - use die-cuts

A Place to Start August 26 - anything goes

Lil Patch of Crafty Friends #284 - Anything Goes

Beautiful Blossoms Challenge #44 - anything floral goes

The Crafter's Cafe Challenge #333 - anything goes

Thanks for stopping by.

Hugs,

Carol x

Papertrey Ink and Altenew Christmas Snowglobe card

Hello everyone, and welcome to a brand‑new challenge at ABC Christmas Challenges!

This month we’re inviting you to play along with three festive themes — choose your favourite or join in with all of them:

P is for Penguins

Q is for Quartet (Four of Something)

R is for Rectangles

Our lovely host this time is Helen, and she has a gorgeous gift ready for one lucky winner, so don’t forget to link up your creations.

P is for Penguin

For my penguin card, I dusted off an old favourite — the Papertrey Ink Snowglobe die set — and turned it into a snowy shaker.

 Inside the globe, I stamped the sweet Altenew Warm Heart mother‑and‑baby penguin pair, which fit the little scene perfectly. I filled the shaker with glitter and glass drops to create a frosty swirl when you give it a shake. I lightly inked the inner circle to give a little halo around the penguins, and used a snowy acetate for the front.

 

R is for Rectangles

For my rectangles card, I used a My Favorite Things die to create a panel of rectangles — ideal for this theme.

I backed the openings with patterned paper from my stash and fussy-cut one of the poinsettia flowers to add to the bottom-right rectangle. To finish, I stamped and heat‑embossed the sentiment for a touch of shine, then added a few die‑cut snowflakes with jewelled centres to complete the frosty look.

We’d love to see what you create — whether you’re feeling penguin‑playful, quartet‑clever, or rectangle‑ready. Join in the fun, share your makes, and you might be the lucky winner of Helen’s lovely prize.

I'd like to play along at

52 Weeks to Christmas August Challenge - use a snow globe

Krafty Chicks Challenge #833 - Christmas

A Cut Above Challenge August - use die-cuts

Cut it Up Challenge #362 die cuts with a sentiment

I hope you've been coping with the excessive heat if you are in the UK. I never thought I'd ever say I'm so ready for some cooler days and a bit of rain!

Thanks for stopping by.

Hugs,

Carol x

Lisa Horton Basket of Love birthday card

 

Hello and welcome to a new challenge at Addicted to Stamps and More. This week we’re celebrating Birthdays, and we’d love to see your creative takes on this ever‑popular theme.

For my card, I used the Lisa Horton Basket of Love set — embossing folder, stencil, and die — to build a pretty floral basket for a friend who loves pink roses. The background is simply white card spattered with yellow ink and embossed with a Cuttlebug dot folder for soft texture.

I framed the basket with a John Next Door die‑cut frame in pink, tucked a happy birthday tag into the flowers, and finished with a Celebrate sentiment from The Greetery.

We can’t wait to see your birthday creations. Come join us over on the ATSM blog and share what you make!

I'd like to play along at

Try it on Tuesday: - Make it colourful

Stencil Fun Challenge August 26 - use stencils

Triple B Challenge August 26 - Blooms

Lil Patch of Crafty Friends #283 - - anything goes

Moving Along With the Times ~192 - Feminine

Thanks for stopping by,

Hugs,

Carol x

Concord &9th and Happy Little Stampers Christmas card

🎄 Addicted to Stamps and More – Christmas Challenge

Hello everyone, and welcome to the new challenge at Addicted to Stamps and More. We’re diving into our Christmas theme this time, and there’s nothing nicer than watching that festive card pile quietly grow while I'm sheltering in my craft room from the excessive heat outside.

✂️ My Card for the Challenge

For my card, I decided it was high time to show a little love to an old, neglected embossing folder that’s been sulking in a drawer for far too long. I think it was a Cuttlebug folder, but I can't be sure because it has no label. It has a pretty border of snowflakes framing a raised central panel, and although it is only a 2D folder, there is enough dimension for me.

In that central space, I stamped and embossed Merry and Bright from Happy Little Stampers in red ink with clear embossing powder on top

To finish things off, I added a cluster of die‑cut poinsettia and greenery from Concord & 9th. The pops of colour against the snowy white embossing give the whole card a fresh, crisp look — festive without being fussy, which is always my favourite balance. I added a scalloped die-cut panel from My Favorite Things.

🎁 Join the Fun

I hope you’ll play along with us this week. Whether you’re deep into Christmas crafting already or just dipping a toe into the festive season, we’d love to see what you create. Dust off something neglected, pull out a favourite, or try something new — it all counts, and it all inspires. Our design team members have lots of inspiration for you over on the ATSM blog.

I'd like to play along at

Holly and Ivy Christmas Challenge #207 - anything Christmas goes

Make My Monday Challenge #282 - Christmas in July

Neglected Stuff Challenge July 26 - old embossing folder

Peace on Earth Challenge #116 - anything Christmas goes

Thanks for stopping by,

Hugs,

Carol x

Papertrey Ink Scene it Bethlehem Christmas card and Concord & 9th Festive Corner Christmas card

 

Hello everyone, and welcome to another challenge at ABC Christmas Challenges.

This time we’re treating you to two fun themes:

N for No Stamps

and/or

O for Once in Royal David’s City (buildings)

My No Stamps card

For this one, I reached for the Concord & 9th Festive Corners die set and built a 5.5" square card. It was quite strange to create something without a single stamped image — just dies doing all the talking.

My Once in Royal David’s City card

For the buildings theme, I used a Kraft A2 card base and an old favourite: the Papertrey Ink Scene It: Bethlehem die set. I cut the back circle from silver card for a soft starry shimmer, and the remaining layers from white card, which I ink‑blended with brushes to add the colour. The sentiment is heat‑embossed in white, and to finish everything off, I added a subtle stitched line using a Kristina Werner stencil.

The design team has some more inspiration for you on the BC Christmas Challenges Blog, and I hope you decide to join us this time.

I'd like to play along at

The Holly and Ivy Christmas Challenge - anything Christmas goes

Peace on Earth Christmas Challenge #115 - Anything Christmas goes

A Cut Above Challenge July - anything with die cuts

Neglected Stuff Challenge July 26 - PTI Bethlehem die set.

Avenue 613 Create - any holiday - Christmas

Creative Knockouts #574 Challenge - Christmas in July

Thanks for stopping by.

Hugs,

Carol x

Stamps by Chloe and Papertrey Ink Christmas card

Welcome back to the ABC Christmas Challenge. This month, we’re working with two themes:

L for Let it Snow and M for Mice. You can choose either one or play along with both.

Helen is our lovely host this month, and she has this sweet die for the winner.

❄️ My “Let It Snow” Card

For my card, I kept things simple and wintery.

I started by ink‑blending a panel with two shades of blue, creating a soft background for the snowflakes. Once that was dry, I stamped the snowflake wreath from Stamps by Chloe and heat‑embossed it using white sparkle embossing powder. It gives a nice frosty shine that was difficult to capture in the photo.

The Snow sentiment was made with a die and coordinating stamp from Papertrey Ink, and this is the first time I've had a pleasing, clean impression with the stamp. I shadowed the word with white card, and to finish off, I added a double bow from my stash and some red gems in the centre of each snowflake.

I'd like to play along at:

Creative Inspirations: Christmas in June

Peace on Earth Challenge #113 - anything Christmas goes

Christmas Kickstart Challenge #111 - Snow Day

Merry Little Christmas Challenge #68 - anything Christmas goes

The 12 Months of Christmas Challenge #135 - anything Christmas goes

Holly and Ivy Challenge #206 - anything Christmas goes

My talented Design Team mates have some great inspiration over on the ABC Christmas Challenges Blog, and we'd love you to join us this time.

Thanks for stopping by,

Hugs,

Carol x

 

John Next Door and Papertrey Ink birthday gift box

 

🎁 Anything Goes — Create for Any Occasion!

Hello everyone, and welcome to our new challenge where anything goes — any occasion, any celebration, any little moment that deserves a handmade touch. Whether you’re crafting for birthdays, thank‑yous, just‑because gifts, or those “I saw this and thought of you” surprises, we’d love to see what you create.

For my project this time, I stepped away from cards and made something a little different —

💙 A Teal & Dusky Pink Gift Box

I used my NBUS John Next Door Purse Box die, along with the coordinating Greetings Panels, to create a little gift box that works for absolutely any occasion. It could hold a gift card, some chocolates, a collection of cards... I chose a rich teal cardstock for the base and paired it with dusky pink panels for contrast.

To add some texture and interest, I embossed the pink panels with a star embossing folder — and because I couldn’t choose which side I liked best, I used both the embossed and debossed sides. It adds a bit of dimension to the box without overwhelming the design.

For the label, I reached for some favourite Papertrey Ink supplies and stamped a simple birthday sentiment. But, swap the greeting, and it becomes a thank‑you gift, a little treat box, or a “just because” surprise.

Gift boxes turn even the smallest gift into something thoughtful and personal. Plus, they’re a great excuse to play with colour and texture, and to use old and new supplies to mix things up.

I'd like to play along at

Pammies's Inky Pinkies #2623 - anything goes

Make My Monday Challenge #279 - add texture, dry or heat embossing

NBUS Challenge #87 - gift box dies

A Cut Above Crafting June Challenge - anything goes with die cuts

A Place to Start June 26 - anything but a card

Craft Rocket Challenge #137 - birthday

Now it’s over to you. Create something for any occasion — big or small — and share it with us. We can’t wait to see what you make.

Thanks for stopping by,

Hugs,

Carol x