Handmade Holiday Collection - SMD October Release

 Hello, crafty friends! It's release day at SweetMissDaisy Designs, and this October collection is filled with holiday magic! From charming Santas and adorable snowmen to sweet gingerbread-inspired papers and a fantastic background stamp, this release has everything you need to create festive handmade Christmas cards.

 Let's take a closer look at four fun holiday cards featuring these new goodies!

Mrs. Santa Baking Memories Christmas Card

First up is the adorable Mrs. Santa from the new Baking Memories stamp set. She takes center stage on a stitched layer, and I added the pretty Merry Christmas banner from the set above her head. The sweet patterned paper from the Rustic Gingerbread paper pack makes the perfect festive background.

Mrs. Santa is such a charming focal point, and the coordinating banner and patterned paper bring everything together for a delightful holiday design. This card is full of Christmas sweetness!

Elegant Santa Milk and Cookies Christmas Card

Next, it's the jolly old fellow himself! Santa from the Milk and Cookies stamp set looks wonderfully elegant on this Christmas card.

I colored his suit in a rich, traditional red and added royal blue to his present bag and stocking for a little extra color. The background features another pretty pattern from the Rustic Gingerbread paper pack, adding just the right amount of holiday charm without taking the spotlight away from Santa.

I love how the rich red and royal blue work together to create a classic Christmas color combination.

Colorful Cookies Background Handmade Christmas Card

The third card showcases the fantastic new Cookies Background stamp. Background stamps are so versatile, and this one is especially fun because it gives you so many little images to color!

I stamped the design onto white cardstock and trimmed the panel to 2 3/4 x 5 1/2 inches. Then I colored the cookies and other images with markers and layered the panel onto a white card base with a narrow red border.

The sentiment is from the Baking Memories stamp set. For a playful finishing touch, I added a little tree charm tied with gingham ribbon.

I love having a background stamp that can be used in so many ways. You can stamp and color the entire design, trim it into smaller panels, or use just a portion of the image to suit your card layout. It's a wonderful way to stretch your supplies and create something uniquely yours!  This will be added to the SCS Christmas Card Challenge: Embellish

Frosty Friends Snowman Trio Christmas Card

Last, but certainly not least, is a super cute snowman trio from the new Frosty Friends stamp set.

I paired these cheerful snowmen with a piece of peppermint candy patterned paper from the Rustic Gingerbread paper pack. I stamped the snowmen on a large scalloped circle, which creates a pretty frame for the focal image and adds a little extra dimension to the design.

For the sentiment, I used my MISTI to curve the words so they would fit perfectly on a curved banner. It's a fun way to customize a sentiment and make it work with the shape of your design.

This card is also my entry for this week's Splitcoaststampers Inspiration Challenge. The cheerful snowmen and peppermint-inspired background make this a playful addition to my holiday card stash!

Shop the SweetMissDaisy Designs October Release

All the featured products, along with more fun additions from the October release, are available now in the SweetMissDaisy Designs Etsy shop!

Card making is such a wonderful way to share creativity while sending something fun and handmade. Whether you're in a holiday mood or ready to add to your Christmas card stash, I hope today's cards inspire you to spend some pleasant moments creating.

If you enjoy background stamps and holiday collections, you might also enjoy these projects from my blog:

• Handmade Holiday Magic
• Angels, Santa and Gingerbread
• Snowflakes and Farmhouse Giggles

Thanks so much for stopping by. Happy crafting!

Find Comfort

 The Barns stamp set by SweetMissDaisy Designs is beautiful and versatile.  A celebration of seasons to the expression of comfort.  

For the card design, I started with a Stitched Diagonal Block Die and a piece of dark green patterned paper from the SweetMissDaisy Designs Sunflower Field paper pack. I cut the patterned paper into a 3 1/4-inch square and used it as the background for my focal image.

I stamped one of the barn images from the SweetMissDaisy Designs Barns stamp set and colored it in warm fall colors, including a worn red barn. There is something about a familiar barn and a quiet landscape that feels especially appropriate for a sympathy card. It has a country charm, while also suggesting home, memories, and places that hold meaning.

The sentiment says “Find comfort in familiar places,” and those words feel especially meaningful right now.

In the days ahead, I hope the recipients find comfort in familiar places, warmth in gentle memories, and strength in the love surrounding them.

If you'd like to recreate this charming scene, the Barns stamp set from SweetMissDaisy Designs is a wonderful choice for creating a peaceful scenic card. You can easily adapt the colors, or even turn the square into a completely different seasonal scene.

I hope you will stop by tomorrow for the October SweetMissDaisy Designs Release!  There is so much to love!  

Keep it Cozy - Cute Christmas Cat Card

 Hello, friends! I have a fun and cozy handmade Christmas card to share today. Since it’s the first day of the month, that means it’s time for a new Fan Club Christmas Challenge at Splitcoaststampers!

Cozy Christmas Kitty Card

I started with patterned paper from the retired Brutus Monroe Kitten Christmas paper pack. I used the adorable black-and-white kitty pattern for the card base. For my focal point, I chose the coral-colored bow pattern from the same paper pack and die cut a large ticket.

The ticket shape features a fun stitched border created with Scrapbook.com’s Nested Stitched Ticket dies This set includes four stitched ticket dies in various sizes. I used the second-smallest ticket for my stamped image, which gave me just the right amount of room for this sweet kitty.

I stamped Lawn Fawn’s Cozy Cat with a mug onto the ticket and colored the cup to coordinate with the coral patterned paper. I love to color images in similar colors to the patterned paper's color —it helps everything feel connected without adding a lot of extra embellishment.

Then I stamped and die cut the little steam heart to place above the mug. Such a tiny detail, but it makes this already adorable kitty even cuter!

To finish the card, I added three snowflakes around the kitty ticket and tucked in a speech bubble with the sentiment “Keep It Cozy.” The combination of the little kitty, steaming mug, snowflakes, and Christmas papers makes this such a fun winter scene.

More Kitty Card Inspiration

If you enjoy making cute kitty cards, you might also enjoy these projects:

• Purr-fectly Sweet
• Double the Fun
• Let’s Celebrate

Card making is such a wonderful way to share creativity while sending something fun and handmade. You can easily adapt this handmade card design using your favorite stamps, patterned papers, and coloring techniques.

Thanks so much for stopping by, and I hope you’ll join us for this month’s Fan Club Christmas Challenge!

See you in the gallery!

It’s Hip to Be Square! | Tree Farm Handmade Card

 It’s hip to be square! This week’s Splitcoaststampers Free 4 All Challenge (F4All) is all about squares. We can make a completely square handmade card or simply add one or more squares to our card design. I chose the second option for my card, using a large stitched square as the perfect setting for a sweet winter scene.

For my card, I started with a standard A2 card base and stamped the Tree Farm image from SweetMissDaisy Designs onto a large stitched square. This is such a pretty little farm, and I love how the image can be kept simple while still creating a beautiful focal point.

I colored the farm using blue, brown, and green, leaving plenty of white space around the image. I really wanted a clean, crisp winter look, and keeping the coloring light lets the white cardstock become part of the design.

To create a snowy sky, I used the snowflake stamp from the Tree Farm set and stamped snowflakes throughout the background. I love when a stamp set includes little images that can be used to add extra details to a scene!

At the top of the stitched square, I added a banner stamped with the postmark image from the set. The banner gives the square a little extra interest and helps draw the eye toward the winter scene.

Underneath the stitched square, I added the sentiment, keeping everything neatly layered and letting the square remain the main focal point. Finally, four enamel dots add just a touch of embellishment and finish the card.

I love how this card shows that you don't have to make an entire square card to join a square-themed challenge. Sometimes adding one simple square element is all it takes to change the look of a card!

If you'd like to recreate this winter scene, the Tree Farm stamp set from SweetMissDaisy Designs is a wonderful choice for creating a clean and peaceful Christmas or winter card. You can easily adapt the colors, add more snowflakes, or even turn the square into a completely different seasonal scene.

If you like farms you might enjoy two Country Charm cards. 

Thanks so much for stopping by, and I hope you'll join us for this week's F4All Square Challenge at Splitcoaststampers. I can't wait to see what everyone creates!

A Sunflower Tribute for Jeanne

 

Hello friends,

This week at Splitcoaststampers, our Free 4 All Challenge theme is Flowers for Jeanne, a tribute to a talented creative rock star we lost this week, Jeanne S.

Jeanne was one of those people who made the creative community brighter simply by being part of it. She had a wonderful sense of humor and loved to see the funny side of things. Even when life threw several losses her way in a short amount of time, she remained upbeat and continued to bring her unique personality and creativity to everything she did.

Jeanne and I messaged back and forth a great deal as we worked on many deadlines together. We shared so many conversations along the way that I caught myself tonight, as I finished photographing my card, thinking, “Oh, I need to show Jeanne this.”

And then came the lump in my throat.

It is still hard to believe she won't be there to share the next card, the next deadline, or the next little bit of creative chatter.

A CAS Sunflower Card for Jeanne

Since it hasn't been easy to focus today, I decided to go with a lovely, clean and simple card design. Sometimes a simple card is just what is needed, allowing the flowers and the sentiment to do the talking.

I chose a beautiful piece of sunflower patterned paper from Brutus Monroe. This paper is now retired, but it was perfect for today's tribute. Sunflowers have such a cheerful, sunny personality, and they seemed like a wonderful way to celebrate Jeanne.

I cut the sunflower paper on a diagonal and added a black border to create a crisp, graphic look. The patterned paper does all the heavy lifting on this card, so I kept the rest of the design wonderfully simple.

For the sentiment, I stamped “always bring your own sunshine” directly onto the card base in the lower corner.

The sentiment is from one of Jeanne's very own stamp sets that she created for Impression Obsession.

I couldn't have chosen a more perfect sentiment.

Jeanne brought sunshine. She had a way of making people smile, and she wouldn't let anyone sit under a dark cloud for long. Even when things were difficult, she found a way to bring humor, encouragement, and a little light to the conversation.

That is something I will always remember about her.

I will be posting this card to the new tribute thread at Splitcoaststampers titled Those We Have Lost. It is a place to remember and celebrate the creative friends who have touched our lives.

I hope you will join us in this week's Flowers for Jeanne challenge. You can make a card with flowers, share a favorite memory, or simply take a moment to celebrate a talented friend who brought so much to our community.

Jeanne, I wish I could show you this card tonight.

I hope you know how much sunshine you brought into the lives of your creative friends. Your humor, your talent, and your friendship will be missed more than words can say.

If you enjoy making cards with a touch of humor, you can find more handmade card inspiration like this Little Stinker here on my blog. This card matches Jeanne's sense of humor, although it's a SweetMissDaisy Designs.  :)

Thank you so much for looking, and thank you for helping us celebrate Jeanne.

With love,

Angie

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Supplies

• Sunflower patterned paper — Brutus Monroe (retired)
• Black cardstock
• Card base
• Sentiment: “always bring your own sunshine” from Sunflower Season an Impression Obsession stamp set created by Jeanne S.

Snowman in Pink - Handmade Christmas

 Hello friends! Today I’m sharing a sweet pink Christmas snowman card featuring the adorable Love Grows stamp set from the new SweetMissDaisy Designs release. I’m also celebrating this week’s Featured Stamper at Splitcoaststampers!

For my Featured Stamper inspiration, I selected Cathy’s darling snowman card. I kept the same basic theme and even colored our snowmen’s scarves in the same color. From there, I made a few changes of my own. Cathy used three die-cut snowflakes, while I used one large snowflake. I also added a banner, but placed mine lower on the card and turned it in the opposite direction.

Cathy, congratulations on being our Featured Stamper this week! Your gallery is wonderful, and I had so much fun choosing your card for my inspiration!

Pretty in Pink

I decided to give my snowman card a cheerful twist with lots of pretty pink. The pink appears in the snowman’s hat, scarf and gloves, as well as in the patterned paper background.

For the background, I used a fun diagonal block die with paper from the Quilted Grunge Brights paper pack by SweetMissDaisy Designs. I love how the diagonal design adds movement while the bright pink tones give the card a playful Christmas feel.

I stamped the snowman holding his Christmas tree and placed him on a postage stamp die-cut panel. A large die-cut snowflake is tucked behind the sentiment banner in the lower portion of the card. The combination of the snowflake, banner and postage stamp panel gives the design several fun layers without making it feel too busy.

The Love Grows stamp set is part of the new September release from SweetMissDaisy Designs, and it's available now in the SweetMissDaisy Designs Etsy shop.

Card making is such a wonderful way to share creativity while sending something meaningful and handmade. It’s also great fun to build the Christmas card stash! I hope today’s card inspires you to spend some pleasant moments creating.

If you missed my September Release post, you can find it HERE.

If you’re looking for more snowman inspiration, you might also enjoy:

• Snowman in Lavender
• Sparkle and Dazzle Snowman
• Back to Basics Snow Couple

Country Charm & Christmas Cheer - SMD Sept. Release

  Hello friends! Today is SweetMissDaisy Designs September Release Day, and this month's release has a wonderful mix of fall and winter designs. The release features the Barns stamp set with two different barn images, Tree Farm, with a pretty winter tree farm scene, and the darling Love Grows snowman stamp set. It's a perfect collection for creating both cozy country cards and adding to your Christmas card stash!

Today I'm sharing three handmade cards featuring these new designs.

A Quiet Place to Breathe

First up is one of the beautiful barn images from the Barns stamp set. I wanted to give this card a soft, peaceful country feel, so I selected papers from the Boho Gardens paper pack. The colors worked beautifully with many of the colors in the Art Nudge #826D prompt.

I colored the barn scene in soft greens, pinkish brown, and yellow to keep everything gentle and warm. I finished the card with the sentiment "a quiet place to breathe" and added a few gems for a little sparkle.

I love how this card feels like a peaceful little escape to the country!

Fresh-Cut Christmas Wishes

For my next card, I'm featuring the beautiful winter scene from the Tree Farm stamp set.

I started with a gray card base and created a simple red "ribbon" by cutting a strip of red cardstock and adding a die-cut bow. I placed the ribbon vertically across a piece of white cardstock for a classic Christmas package-inspired design.

For the focal point, I die-cut ovals from gray, red, and white cardstock and layered them together to frame the tree farm scene. I colored the barn and the sign in deep red, giving them an eye-catching pop of color against the winter landscape.

Below the scene, I stamped the sentiment "fresh-cut Christmas wishes."

This design has such a traditional Christmas feel, and I think it would be especially fun for anyone who loves a fresh-cut Christmas tree!

Trimmed with Love

My last card features the darling Love Grows snowman stamp set.

For this one, I selected deep blue-green papers from the Lavender Field paper pack. I love using patterned papers that aren't necessarily intended for Christmas cards and discovering how beautifully they can work with a winter design. The deep colors give this card a cozy, slightly unexpected Christmas look.

I stamped the adorable snowman onto a tag and colored his scarf, hat, and gloves in shades of pinkish maroon. The set also includes a heart, so I stamped three little hearts and sprinkled them around the sentiment "trimmed with love" and toward the upper right side of the tag.

I'll be adding this card to the Splitcoaststampers Fan Club Christmas Challenge.

All three of the stamp sets featured today are available now in the

SweetMissDaisy Designs Etsy shop!

Card making is such a wonderful way to share creativity while sending something meaningful and handmade. Whether you're in a pastoral mood, looking for peaceful country inspiration, or ready to add to your Christmas card stash, I hope today's cards inspire you to spend some pleasant moments creating.

For more country-style card inspiration, you might also enjoy 

Garden Girl

 Golden Wreath

 Rooster with Sunflowers.

Happy creating!

Angie

All is Bright Cardinal Christmas Card

 Hello friends! Today I’m sharing a pretty cardinal nestled among holly leaves card made for this month’s Splitcoaststampers Fan Club Christmas Challenge and this week’s Sketch Challenge. I love when one card can work for two challenges, and this sketch gave me a fun opportunity to change up how I used my stamps!

For the sketch, I chose a beautiful stamp featuring leafy branches. Instead of stamping the leaves directly onto the cardstock, I stamped the image onto a tag and then angled the tag to follow the design of the sketch. I love how simply changing the shape and placement of the stamped image gives the card a completely distinct look.

Rather than creating the leafy border shown in the sketch, I used pretty patterned paper for that element. I added the sentiment in the same general position as the sketch, keeping the layout recognizable while putting my spin on the design.

The stamp set I used is an older Heartfelt Creations set a dear friend gave me when she was moving out of me. She gifted me papers along with so many wonderful stamps and dies from Heartfelt Creations. It was such a treat to finally put one of those treasures to work!

I especially love using something that is new to me, even when the supplies themselves are older. There are so many wonderful treasures hiding in our craft rooms, and sometimes all it takes is a challenge or sketch to give us the perfect reason to pull them out and create something new.

Card making is such a wonderful way to share creativity while sending something fun and handmade to someone special. Whether you’re getting an early start on your Christmas projects or simply looking for an excuse to color an elegant image, I hope today’s card inspires you to spend some happy time creating!

If you’re looking for more winter designs featuring cardinals, you might also enjoy 

A Touch of Music

 Cardinals by the Window

 Birds and Birdhouses

Happy Stamping!

Angie