Double Trouble Challenge #210 Scrapper’s Guacamole

https://doubletroublechallenge.blogspot.com/2026/02/Challenge-210.html

Try a Sketch on Tuesday Challenge #689

https://trystampinontuesday.blogspot.com/2026/02/Challenge-689.html

Hello! I hope everyone had a fun Valentine’s Day. We went to visit our daughter, who lives about 2.5 hours away. It was a rainy day, but we made the best of it and even saw some other friends who live nearby while we were there.

Are you ready for the next card making challenge? It’s a colorful one! Thing 1’s 3-2-1 recipe calls for 3 colors on the wheel, 2 patterned papers, and 1 dry or heat embossed element. Thing 3’s optional twist is to include a favorite snack food, and Thing 2’s Double Dare is to use the TSOT sketch #689, shown here.

I don’t have a large selection of food themed craft supplies, but one food that I do happen to love and makes several appearances in my stash is CAKE! I wanted to use some bright colors for this challenge and ended up with yellow, pink, blue and a little green. I selected the patterned papers, one with balloons and the other tone on tone polka dots in blue. I used a geometric background die that allows one to mix and match the pieces into a frame. I actually cut out several frames and pieces using a few different papers and ended up making 5 cards total, which was great!

I used the Cake Walk stencil/die/stamp set by Taylored Expressions to create some cake elements. For my featured card, as the backdrop for the piece of cake, I used a Scrapbook.com nested round balloon die set. I cut a balloon out of yellow card stock and then heat embossed the whole thing with holographic embossing powder. The set comes with dies to add the “shine” to the balloons, so I used some holographic cark stock for that. I added 2 more layers to the card by mounting the geometric die pieces onto a black layer of scalloped cardstock, and then another piece of holographic card stock. The “Yay” sentiment is from a Spellbinders set, and it is also heat embossed. So, here is how it all came together.

Here is one of the alternate cards I made while playing around with the same supplies, that also meets the elements of the challenge.

Since these are both birthday cards, I’m also entering them into the Seize the Birthday challenge (Anything Goes), which is found at this link:

https://seizethebirthday.blogspot.com/

We look forward to seeing your Scrapper’s Guacamole creations! You can even enjoy your favorite snack food WHILE you are making your card.

Double Trouble Challenge #206 “Wrap It Up”

https://doubletroublechallenge.blogspot.com/2025/11/Challenge-206.html

Wow, it’s hard to believe that this will be the last Double Trouble Challenge for 2025. How fitting that it is named “Wrap it Up”! It is an Anything Goes challenge, the 3-2-1 recipe calls for 3 somethings from your stash, 2 anythings from your stash, and 1 of everything else from your stash. The optional twist from Thing 3 is to use ribbon, twine or cord–for wrapping it up of course! Thing 2’s double dare is to follow the TSOT Sketch #685, which looks like this:

My card has a couple of sets of 3 ingredients…3 cardstocks/papers, 3 buttons, and 3 ink colors: Lumberjack Plaid Distress Ink, Evening Evergreen Stampin’ Up classic ink, and Hero Arts Unicorn white ink. It has 2 squares on it, since I conveniently followed the TSOT sketch. And it uses 1 ephemera tree which I fussy cut out from a Simple Stories 6×8 paper pad called Simple Vintage ‘Tis the Season, one small sentiment at the bottom, one stencil and one embossing folder.

The pattern in the bottom left corner was stenciled with the evergreen ink and a Hero Arts stencil. Lumberjack Plaid ink was blended lightly around the edges of the background paper. By the way, that musical paper used as the background layer came from the same paper pad mentioned above. The red square was embossed in a Spellbinders embossing folder, and then I used the white ink to emphasize the pattern. For my optional twist to wrap it up, I stitched with floss/cord around the edges of the squares, giving it a quilt or swatch like appearance. I have never used a sheet music background before, it looked like it needed a little something when all I had were the 2 squares…so then I added the stencil and the buttons. It is also spritzed with shimmer spray, but unfortunately that detail doesn’t show up well in the photo.

I hope everyone who sees this post has a blessed Christmas and a Happy New Year! The Double Trouble team looks forward to making more cards with you in 2026!

Double Trouble Challenge #203 Round & Round

https://doubletroublechallenge.blogspot.com/2025/10/Challenge-203.html

Welcome to the next challenge brought to us by the mischievous Things at Double Trouble…Round & Round. A summary of the requirements for this challenge is listed here.

Thing 1’s recipe calls for 3 circles, 2 images and 1 ribbon/twine/cord. Thing 3’s optional twist is to include a bird, and Thing 2’s double dare is to follow the TSOT #682 sketch and enter it into that challenge. Here is the sketch.

I need to make all the Christmas cards I can in the next couple of months, so I went with some round penguin stamps I have in my stash (Creative Expressions “Penguin Baubles”). What luck that they also checked off the optional bird requirement! I stamped and colored them, then cut them out using a stitched circle die. For the background panel I started with navy cardstock, then added snowflakes using picket fence distress ink with a Pink and Main stencil. Next I added some white spatter and the ribbon to match the sketch. The sentiment stamp and die are from Spellbinders. The tiny, stamped snowflakes are also from Pink and Main (stamps with dies). Who could resist a flock of penguins bearing gifts and singing Christmas carols? 🙂

Thank you for stopping by and we hope you will join in the fun by entering our challenge!

Double Trouble Challenge #199 Sweet Surprise

https://doubletroublechallenge.blogspot.com/2025/09/Challenge-199.html

Hello, and welcome to the Double Trouble card making challenge. Like usual, the Things have some elements to focus on when designing your card. The 3-2-1 formula that is required by Thing 1 is: 3 layers, 2 images (stamped, dies, ephemera) and 1 aperture. Thing 2’s optional twist is to fill your aperture with an image or to make a shaker card. And Thing 2’s double dare is to also enter your card into the Try a Sketch on Tuesday challenge #678.

If you would like a refresher tutorial on apertures, there is one available in the DT blog.

I decided to use an adorable die set by Lawn Fawn that will create an aquarium scene. The aperture shape is the aquarium (cut out of silver foil paper), which is backed with acetate. I had a hard time figuring out what to put around the aquarium on the front of the card and settled on a 3D embossing folder by Spellbinders with more swimming fish on it. I used a Distress ink pad to highlight the raised fish and water images. The aquarium scene is another layer, and I added sequins before adhering to the top layer so that it would also be a shaker card. Then there is a blue layer behind that so that it would meet the 3-layer requirement. In order to follow the sketch, I added a die cut Lawn Fawn seashell, and a sentiment. Here is the completed card.

We hope you will be inspired to participate in the challenge and look forward to seeing your cards!

Double Trouble Challenge #195

https://doubletroublechallenge.blogspot.com/

Greetings from Missouri. I have some amazing news…I was selected to become a design team member (known as a Sneetch) for the Double Trouble Challenge! So while just last week I entered the Double Trouble Challenge, and many times before that, the card that follows is my first one as a DT member. I would like to thank all the other DT members for their support and encouragement!

The 3-2-1 recipe for this Inky Pinkies challenge is 3 colors (I used green, blue and pink), 2 hand stamped images (the drink and the lime), and 1 sentiment. Thing 3’s optional twist is to use a special touch such as shine, shimmer or metallics. I used glitter on the rim of the glass and Glossy Accents on the rind of the limes, but unfortunately that may be difficult to see in the photo. I also used the mixed media/splattered background element from the TSOT sketch which is the Double Dare by Thing 2.

The stamp set is Gettin Salty by Unity. I stamped the images and sentiment onto the card base and colored it with colored pencils. The “swooshes” are also stamped onto the card base with Distress Inks, Mermaid Lagoon and Salvaged Patina. Then I masked the images and sentiment before adding the splatter, which was done with 3 colors of Dylusion Ink Spray. I used a fan brush and added a spritz of water and alcohol to the ink spray to lighten it up a little. This is a super fun challenge! Thank you for viewing my card, which is a tribute to my cousin Melanie who introduced me to card making. She is also one of my very best friends and I am forever grateful to her!!

Double Trouble Challenge #192, Crazy Cousin and TSOT Challenge #671

https://doubletroublechallenge.blogspot.com/

https://trystampinontuesday.blogspot.com/

It’s already time for my second post with the Double Trouble challenge as May’s Crazy Cousin guest designer. I was so excited when I learned that the theme was “Sun Fun”, since I’m a beachy girl! The elements for the challenge are below.

Thing 1’s 3-2-1 recipe is to include 3 torn edges, 2 colors, and 1 die cut/ephemera. Thing 3’s optional twist is to include flip flops (my favorite!), and then Thing 2’s double dare is to follow the sketch in the Try a Sketch on Tuesday challenge.

For my torn edges, I used some paper that I had in 4 different colors with a fun tropical pattern on it and then trimmed it to size using a rectangle die with stitching around the edge. The pink, yellow and green papers are torn, and laid onto the blue paper to form the lazy river. The gnome and palm tree are from the Beach Gnome Party set (with matching dies) by Brass and Bliss Craft Co. I used pencils to color them. The sentiment is from the same set. The flip flops are from a Sizzix Thinlits set called Time to Travel. Before mounting on the card base, I blended Distress Inks around the edges in Mowed Lawn, Scattered Straw, Picked Raspberry and Salty Ocean. It’s hard to tell by the gnome used for this card, but all the gnomes in that set are wearing flip flops! I also added some white swirly die cuts to the lazy river to add a look of motion to the water.

Thank you so much for viewing my card and a special thank you to the Double Trouble design team for allowing me to be a Crazy Cousin. It has been a blast!

Double Trouble Challenge #188 and TSOT Challenge #667

https://doubletroublechallenge.blogspot.com/

https://trystampinontuesday.blogspot.com/

The current DT challenge was to make a card using 3 colors of the rainbow, 2 die cuts or ephemera, and 1 create a scene. Optional twists were to include “April Showers” elements, such as spatter or a rainbow, and to follow the Try a Sketch on Tuesday sketch. I’ve been making cards for a couple of years now, but turning the card into a scene is not an approach that I have utilized very often because I find it intimidating. I need to practice this technique more! So here is what I came up with, using a Hero Arts stencil for the sun, clouds and grassy hill; a Lawn Fawn die set for the stitched rainbow and clouds; and the Stampin’ Up set “Kangaroo and Company” for the kangaroos, flowers, grass details and sentiment. The ink colors are Distress Ink lucky clover and mermaid lagoon. I did a little water spattering on the background before adding on the die cut pieces. Thanks for viewing my card!

Update: This card was selected as a Top 3 favorite for the TSOT Challenge!

Update #2: I’m so honored this card was also selected as a top four favorite in the Double Trouble Challenge!

Double Trouble Challenge #186 and TSOT Challenge #665

https://doubletroublechallenge.blogspot.com/

https://trystampinontuesday.blogspot.com/

The 3-2-1 recipe for this “Pinch Proof” card was 3 colors (green, gold, and one additional color), 2 stencils, and 1 sentiment. Then for additional challenge elements I followed the sketch provided at Try a Sketch on Tuesday. Here is what I ended up with…

I used a 4-layer stencil from Brutus Monroe to make the background, using Distress Ink colors: peeled paint and twisted citron (for my greens), fossilized amber (for gold) and my add in 3rd color is blueprint sketch. The frog and sentiment stamp are both from the Unity set “Feelin’ Froggy”. The vertical stripes to follow the sketch are washi tape. I couldn’t resist using a frog for this challenge…

Thanks for viewing my card and Happy St. Patrick’s Day!!

Update: This card was selected as a Top 3 favorite in the Double Trouble Challenge. Thank you!

Festive Friday Challenge #FF0177

https://festivefridaychallenge.com/

Challenge Elements used: pink, glimmer paper, hearts, love sentiment, cute animals (if you consider the adorable monster an “animal”)

I can’t believe how long it’s been since I entered a challenge…about 4 months. Time to get back into some challenges because they are so fun!

I made the background using the Altenew “Heart” building stencil. Very clever…it’s basically a layering stencil but the second layer is made by flipping the stencil over to get the reverse image. On the reverse image, I used purple stencil butter to add some texture and shine.

The rest of the card is made with one of the Spellbinders monster die sets, including the Crazy For You sentiment, which is part of the set. Those monsters are sooooooo cute!!

Thank you for viewing my card and hope you have a Happy Valentine’s Day!

October 2024 ATC Class

The theme this month was Halloween. The technique was to make our own “patterned paper” by using smaller stamps in different colored inks on the full sheet of cardstock paper, before then cutting it down to ATC size. Then we did ink blending around the edges. That was the base, and we could use whatever we wanted to finish them off. Almost all of the supplies I used were from the September Hero Arts kit. I did two different bases, and then the stamps/dies on both were all from that same set. (On the graveyard pattern, the moon stamp was stamped after the ATC cards were cut.) They were a lot of fun! On a sadder note, it was at this class that I found out the place where I take the classes, Soul Sentiments, will be closing at the end of the year. We are going to look into doing our ATC classes virtually or on the FB group.