{BYSHC} 2026 Fall for the Holidays Linky Party

It's finally here! The first day of the Build Your Stash Holiday Cardmakers Falling for the Holidays 2026 Linky Party! If you have been with us before you know we are in for a week of inspiration, sponsors, and prizes to give away.  

All of the elements on my Christmas card were created using die cuts! For the focal point, I layered arch dies from Altenew to create a lovely backdrop for the adorable Christmas Robin die set from Lisa Horton. This fun set includes the branch, the robin, his Santa hat, and the holly—perfect for adding a festive touch to my design. The sentiment is also from Altenew, completing the card with a simple layered holiday greeting.

I hope you’ll break out your holiday supplies and join us for this week’s challenge! Be sure to check out our wonderful sponsors and the fabulous prizes they’re offering. It’s a great opportunity to get creative, have some fun, and add a few more cards to your holiday stash. I can’t wait to see what you create! Thanks for stopping by my blog.

In kindness, Cathy

Color Dare Challenge #714

I'm back today with a new challenge for the Color Dare Challenge Blog!

I did a little shopping during the Sizzix sale earlier this month and picked up the Brushstroke Flowers 2 dies at an amazing discount.  I thought this versatile set would make a wonderful addition to my craft stash, and I couldn't wait to put it to use.  

For today's card, I used all eight dies in the set, cutting the pieces from a mix of patterned papers and solid cardstock. I finished the flowers with a bit of ink blending to add depth, dimension, and a touch of texture. 

I hope you'll take a look through your stash, get inspired by our newest color challenge, and join us this week. I can't wait to see what you create! Happy crafting!  Thanks for stopping by my blog. 

In kindness, Cathy

Color Dare Challenge #712

 How about switching to a little navy, red, and green for this week's Color Dare Challenge?!?

Unfortunately, I have had a need for sympathy cards over the past few weeks, so the Color Dare challenges have been a great jumping-off point to build my stash.  

For this card, I wanted navy to be the primary color. I pulled out my treasured (and very old!) SU! French Script background stamp and inked it with white pigment ink. Then I used oval stitched nesting dies to create an olive frame for the focal point.

The flowers are Memory Box dies - called Wildflower Stems.  I found them in the sale room at my local stamp store, so they're new to me even though they're not readily available anymore.  Keeping with the challenge colors and taking advantage of the “free” extras of white and neutrals, I tried to make the blooms resemble white coneflowers with brown centers. It was easy to ink the stems green while leaving the tips white to create the look of fresh buds.

The panel behind the flowers is splattered with green ink, Distress mica spray, and brown ink for added texture and interest. I knew I needed to incorporate the red from the challenge palette, so I tied a piece of red twine around the stems for a simple finishing touch.

I loved the challenge of these three colors together because they made me think a little harder about the card design.  Hope you find inspiration and join the Color Dare Challenge.  Thanks for stopping by my blog.

In kindness, Cathy