My August Trades

​A Refreshing Drink… With a Little Extra Kick! 🍹🍸

Every month, I participate in a trade on Facebook in a group called Free Rein. I decided to call it that this year because we get to use whatever products we want! And honestly, I love that idea because every crafter has their own favorite companies, products, stamps, dies, and characters that they just can’t resist.

For me, one of those companies is Aall and Create. I absolutely LOVE their characters and dies. There’s just something about their quirky, fun images that makes me want to sit down and start creating.

So… About That “Refreshing Cold Drink” Theme…

The theme for this month’s trade was supposed to be refreshing cold drinks.

Well…

Somehow I got distracted. 😂

My project definitely has a little more to do with alcoholic beverages than refreshing lemonade or iced tea!

But hey, that’s the fun of crafting. Sometimes you start with one idea and your project takes you somewhere completely different.

Meet Dee

The images I used are drawn by an artist named Janet Klein, and I absolutely adore her style.

And here’s something I think is pretty fun: Janet actually lives right here in Arizona!

She has a character she calls Dee, and Dee gets herself into all sorts of situations. Janet creates images of her doing different things and wearing all kinds of outfits.

There is, however, one thing that seems to remain pretty consistent…

Dee is always wearing heels! 👠

Which makes me laugh because I personally boycotted heels years ago. 😂

So while Dee is out there looking fabulous in her high heels, I’ll happily be over here in my comfortable shoes, thank you very much!

Coloring Fun

For this project, I colored the images using Ohuhu alcohol markers, which are so much fun to work with.

I love how alcohol markers can give these little characters so much personality. You can play with shading, add lots of color, and really make the images your own.

And that’s one of my favorite things about these trades: there aren’t a bunch of rules about what you have to use. You get to choose the products and supplies that make you happy.

That’s where the creativity really starts!

So, yes… my “refreshing cold drinks” project may have wandered slightly off course and ended up somewhere closer to happy hour. 🍹😂

But I had a LOT of fun making it, and that’s really what crafting is all about.

Want to see the finished trade?

Check out my YouTube video where I share the project and take you through what I created. And if you’re a crafter who loves discovering new images, products, and companies, I hope you’ll take a look!

Happy crafting—and remember, sometimes the best projects happen when you get a little distracted! ❤️

Until next time,
Happy Creating!

YouTube: https://youtube.com/shorts/Wd77soBHiVo?is=Tg6BgKAxHqPOJsek

Products: 

AALL & Create Stamp Set - Pour Decisions [TP-1437]

AALL & Create Cutting Dies - Juicy Cuts [DI-101] 

If you live in the United States, the best place to find them is at joggles.com

Are you feeling overwhelmed ?

Does the World Feel Overwhelming Right Now? Guess What… It Is. ❤️

Does the world just seem pretty overwhelming today?

Guess what? It is.

There’s so much going on in the world, and then you add the stress of everyday life—work, family, responsibilities, errands, and all the little things that seem to pile up. Sometimes you just need to step away from all of it for a little while.

For me, that means creating.

So I decided to start working in my art journal one page a day.

And I’m keeping the goal really simple:

Have fun. Make something. That’s it.

Each little page is only about 4 x 6 inches, so it doesn’t feel overwhelming. I don’t have to spend hours creating some masterpiece. I just sit down, look at the supplies scattered all over my desk (LOL!), and start playing.

And believe me, I have supplies! 😂

I love art supplies. I love trying new things. I love seeing what happens when you combine different mediums and techniques.

One day it might be colored pencils. Another day I might reach for acrylic markers, Copic markers, or watercolor. Sometimes I’ll layer things together just to see what happens.

And, of course, there are stamps!

I’m a paper crafter, after all. ❤️

I use stamps from all kinds of different companies, and I’m always discovering new ones that I absolutely fall in love with. I thought it would be fun to share some of the stamps and supplies I’m currently loving as I work through these little journal pages.

The best part about this project is that there are no rules.

I’m not trying to create something perfect.

I’m not trying to make every page Pinterest-worthy.

I’m simply giving myself permission to sit down, play with my supplies, and create something just because it makes me happy.

And honestly? I think we all need a little more of that.

Just Start Creating 🎨

If you’ve been feeling overwhelmed, stressed, or just stuck in the everyday routine, I want to encourage you to find something creative that makes you happy.

You don’t have to be an artist.

You don’t need expensive supplies.

You don’t need a fancy studio.

You don’t even need a lot of time.

Grab a piece of paper, a coloring book, some paint, a pencil, some stickers—whatever you have—and just start creating.

Give yourself 10 or 15 minutes where you don’t have to think about everything else.

Make a mess.

Try something new.

Make something ugly!

Make something beautiful!

Most importantly, have fun.

I truly believe that making art is good for us. It gives our brains a little break from all the noise and gives us something positive to focus on.

So I’m taking my own advice and creating one little page at a time.

I hope you’ll follow along with me and enjoy seeing what I come up with!

And if you’d like to watch me create these pages, come follow me on YouTube. I’d love to have you there!

Now go grab those art supplies you’ve been saving and START CREATING! ❤️🎨

I would love for you to Follow me on YouTube! https://youtu.be/0DeLaNyX4_o?is=GcnJ4DYRQmGcxf2w

​Feeling a Little Colorful Today 🌈

I’m feeling a little colorful today! I’ve always loved tie-dye. There’s just something about all those beautiful colors swirling together that makes me happy. And wow—people are SO talented with tie-dye these days! They’re creating all kinds of incredible designs that go way beyond the traditional tie-dye patterns we made back when I was in high school in the ’70s. 😆

That colorful inspiration made me want to create something fun, so today I’m sharing my raccoon card! 🦝

For this card, I used a stamp from @hellobluebird, and I have to tell you—I absolutely LOVE their images. Their little animals are beyond adorable, especially their sweet faces. There’s just something about them that makes you smile.

And there’s an extra-special reason I love using their stamps: Hello Bluebird was created in Montana, where I grew up! ❤️ That little connection makes their stamps even more special to me.

If you haven’t checked them out yet, you really should. The wife is the artist and the husband handles shipping and all the behind-the-scenes details. I think it’s pretty wonderful to see a husband-and-wife team creating something they love together.

And their customer service? THE BEST! Seriously. They are incredibly talented, and they truly care about their customers. I’ve had such a great experience with them, and I’m always happy to support a small creative business that puts so much love into what they do.

So there you have it—my colorful little raccoon card, inspired by my love of tie-dye and made with one of my favorite stamp companies. 🦝🌈

Thanks so much for stopping by my blog and checking out what I’ve been creating! I’d love to know what you think. Leave me a comment and tell me—are you a tie-dye lover, too? And what do you think of my little raccoon?

Until next time…keep creating and adding a little color to your day! 💕

Here’s some of the supplies I used

A Little Tranquility: Creating a Masculine Woodland Birthday Card

A Birthday Card for a Hardworking Friend: Tranquility in the Woods

I wanted to create a birthday card that felt masculine without being harsh—something with a little strength and structure, but also a soft, peaceful feeling. When I started gathering the supplies for this card, I knew exactly the mood I wanted: quiet woods, cool colors, texture, and a little bit of rest and tranquility.

And that is where the paint chip came in.

A Little Tranquility from the Hardware Store

I love collecting paint chips from places like Home Depot and Lowe’s. They are such a wonderful—and free—source of color inspiration for cardmaking and mixed-media projects.

For this card, I used a paint chip in Tranquility, MAG102, from Magnolia Home by Joanna Gaines. The name immediately felt perfect for the card I had in mind. The beautiful muted blue-green shade became the foundation for the forest scene and gave the card that peaceful, almost restful feeling I wanted.

Sometimes the perfect color palette is hiding in the most unexpected places!

Creating the Forest

The trees were stamped using Tim Holtz Distress Ink, with a beautiful tree stamp from Stampscapes.  The artist behind Stampscapes. Kevin Nakagawa is incredibly talented. He has a Youtube channel too, definitely follow him! He illustrates all the stamps himself. 

If you have mostly used clear stamps, you know how difficult it can be to go back to traditional wooden stamps. I am so used to being able to see exactly where I am stamping! With a wooden stamp, there is definitely a moment of, “Well… I hope this is going where I think it is going!” 

But somehow, I managed to get the trees where I wanted them, and I really love the way the forest came together.

The layers of trees create a quiet, wooded landscape that feels both peaceful and masculine. The shades of blue and green also work beautifully with the Tranquility paint chip.

Adding Texture with Corrugated Cardstock

For the card base, I used corrugated paper from Joggles.com. I love the texture it adds to the card. The ridges immediately give the project a more masculine, rustic feeling, and the warm kraft color creates a beautiful contrast with the cool blue-green forest.

I layered the corrugated paper over a deep navy card base, which helped frame the design and add even more depth. The combination of navy, kraft brown, and muted blue-green felt like the perfect color palette for a peaceful woodland birthday card.

To finish everything off, I added a few metallic adhesive embellishments from Stampin’ Up!. The little touches of metallic color add just enough detail without taking away from the simplicity of the forest scene.

A Card Made with Someone Special in Mind

This card was made for a friend who works incredibly hard—tirelessly, actually—and rarely seems to stop. He truly deserves time to rest, relax, and enjoy the things he loves.

I know he enjoys the forest, so I wanted to create a little piece of that feeling for him. A quiet woodland scene. A peaceful place to pause. A reminder that sometimes we all need to step away from the noise and simply breathe. I probably need this a lot too! 

So, in the end, this card became more than just a masculine birthday card.

It became a little wish for tranquility.

And maybe that is one of my favorite things about handmade cards. You can choose the colors, the textures, the stamps, and the embellishments—but sometimes, without even realizing it, you end up creating something that carries a message far beyond the paper itself.

Happy Birthday to a friend who deserves a little rest, a little peace, and maybe a quiet walk through the trees. 

Supplies Used

• Magnolia Home by Joanna Gaines paint chip — Tranquility MAG102
• Corrugated paper from Joggles.com
• Stampscapes tree stamp
• Tim Holtz Distress Ink
• Metallic adhesive embellishments from Stampin’ Up!
• Navy cardstock
• Adhesive

Thanks so much for checking out by blog! 

Long Time Ago I had a Blog

Hello again!

It’s been a while.

Life has a funny way of pulling us in different directions, and before I knew it, months had passed without writing a single blog post. But today—Sunday, July 5, 2026—I’m changing that.

I’m still creating. Some days I’m making handmade greeting cards. Other days I’m filling journal pages with collage, vintage papers, and little pieces of inspiration. And sometimes…I’m just following whatever creative idea catches my eye.

This blog has always been about creativity, joy, and making beautiful things without worrying about perfection. So I’m dusting everything off and starting again.

I’m so glad you’re here.

I started this card yesterday and finished it today! Sunflowers always reach toward the light! 

Three Wise Men

Christmas cards are so fun to create, you have funny ones, winter ones, religious one, and so much more... pretty much anything goes! Traditional colors and non-traditional colors, you can use any color combo you want and people will love your card! That's the beauty of Christmas!

For this card I use the Wise Men digi from RG Studio 360 and I grabbed a bunch of gelatos! you can see I didn't have to color within the lines since I was cutting them all out!
For the back gound I used gesso on a card panel of Tangy Gum cardstock and then colored over it with a stencil and gelatos, the same colors I used on the wise men. Gelatos are fun cause you can smooth them over and blend them. Let me know what kind of Christmas card you are making!

Sugar Cubes!

Super Gorgeous our Sugar Cubes! These are our new 2x2 ink pads ... straight dye ink! The Black Taffy is a different  kind of ink, kind of a hybrid so you can use it for watercoloring and/or copics!
These luscious colors come in five families of sugar! Yummy!

Basic Confectionary Sugar Cubes: Black Taffy, Powder Sugar, Nectar Stone, Gray Stuff I Vanilla Cream are their names (L to R).  The Powdered Sugar and Vanilla Cream are both pigment inks so you can use them for snowflakes and embossing, pigment ink takes a little longer to dry and are sticky!

Tangy Sugar Cubes is one of my most favorite sets... here are the names from left to right: Tangy Apple, Tangy Watermelon, Tangy Orange, Tangy Grape, Tangy Gum!

Sour Sugar Cubes: Sour Guava, Sour Pineapple, Sour Watermelon, Sour Mist and Sour Crush... swoon on the Sour Mist... love it!

Rich Sugar  Cubes: Rich Honey, Rich Tangerine, Rich Cactus, Rich Blueberry & Rich Cherry                                                                                                                                                          

Sweet Sugars: Sweet Cane, Sweet Lavender, Sweet  Banana, Sweet Pink, Sweet Blue

You can pre-order all the Sugar Cubes now... they are expected to arrive right after Thanksgiving... they coordinate with our 100 lb cardstock and you can refill them with our Sugar Drops. The cool thing about the Sugar Drops is we can use them for splattering, and/or mixing with our coming acrylic paint!  When ordering from me please add my name in the Studio Designer Box! https://rgstudio360.com/product-category/sugar-cubes/

Thanks for stopping by my blog! 

Winter Wonderland

This set is so gorgeous...we are getting into the Christmas card making season, where everything is simply gorgeous. Although some people do start creating theirs like in June. I usually start making them and then I send them out really super late so that’s kind of funny! This set is called Winter Wonderland, I enlarged the poinsettia super big because I just love that image! I painted it all the same color even the leaves... the flower in  real life is actually the leaves of the plant and they range  color ... we see them in all shades at Christmas ... did you know they grow in to tree size!

I used glitter water and tombow markers to watercolor the flower, the back ground is a lovely shade called  Siesta Key, a spray by Art Anthology... if you are ever at the Expo... take her mixed media classes... super fun! And that lovely card base is our super duper new color Tangy Gum...swoon I am in love with it! 100 lb cardstock dyed through and through, carried by RG Studio 360! It's part of the Tangy Sugars, one of the 5 Color Pallettes of Sugar Stock! Coming soon will be the Sugar Cubes and the Sugar Drops ... all to matchy match!

 

You can purchase Stamp Set here: Winter Wonderland

You get the stamp and the digi in 5 different ways! PDF's, JPEG, SVG plus!

You can purchase the lovely sugar stock here: Tangy Gum

Please add my name in as your Certified Studio Designer at purchase rosecurtis

 

Winter Stitch

Awwww love this digi Winter Stitch! So super adorable and I made a sweet little gift card holder which of coarse I inserted a Starbucks gift card into... hello…everyone needs one of those ...right! This is a make-in-take for my Team meeting on Saturday! 

I hope they like it!  I used Tombow markers to color with and the paper ... sigh... really cheap, sad to say, only printed on one side, so I won't recommend purchasing it from where ever I found it lol, paper stash right, we all have one!  

You can purchase the digi here: https://rgstudio360.com/product/winter-stitch-exclusive-digital-download/  

If you choose to purchase from me please add rosecurtis for the Studio Designer name

The download comes 5 ways ... you can see I resized the sweater... that's what I love about digi's ... you just can't do that with the common stamp! 

Winter Stitch Digital Download purchase includes files in 5 formats; Regular PDF, Outlined PDF, Mini PDF, SVG & JPEG! Instantly after checkout, you will receive the digital files so you can start creating projects right away! If you have a digital die cut machine you’ll love our digital downloads.