September Free Rein Trade – Fall Tags! 🍂

I run a trade over on Facebook, and honestly, it’s one of my favorite things to do!

The idea is pretty simple. You only have to make two projects each month, and you send them to the addresses I give you. In return, you’ll receive two handmade projects in the mail from other participants. It’s a fun little surprise every month!

I call it the Free Rein Trade because there really are no rules when it comes to what products you use. You can use anybody’s products, mix different companies together, use whatever you happen to have sitting on your desk—you name it. It’s completely up to you.

And you get to decide what you want to make, too! You can make an ATC, a tag, a card, or even a Memorydex card. Whatever floats your crafty boat!

September’s Theme: FALL!

Of course, September’s theme was fall, however you happen to envision fall.

I decided to make a tag this month. And I have to tell you, I really do love making big tags.

There is just one tiny problem…

I ALWAYS forget that I don’t actually have an envelope big enough to mail them in. 🤦‍♀️

So, inevitably, I get to the very last minute and realize, “Oh crap…how am I going to mail this?”

Yep. Time to make an envelope.

So I grabbed a 12 x 12 piece of paper and quickly made my own envelope. Crisis averted!

We had five people participating this month, including me, so I decided to make one for everybody. Technically, I only needed to make two, but once I got going, I figured, why not?

I hope everyone enjoys them as much as I enjoyed making them.

I had so much fun creating these tags! I used sprays, stamping, and a bunch of crafty goodness to get the look I wanted. I also posted several videos over on my YouTube channel showing how I made them, so if you want to see the process, you can check those out.

There’s just something about playing with sprays and stamps and watching everything come together that makes me happy. And fall is such a fun theme to work with!

So…what do you think?

Do you like how my fall tags turned out? 🍂

And if you’re a crafter, would you enjoy being part of a trade where you get Free Rein to use whatever products and make whatever project you want?

Let me know! I’d love to hear what you think. 🧡

Black and Blue and a little bit Spooky !

I make birthday cards for my coworkers. It’s one of those little things I enjoy doing—until I send someone a card and they don’t say thank you. Then, regretfully, there may not be another handmade birthday card coming their way! 😂

But Anthony is safe because his birthday is coming up, and his wife’s birthday is shortly after his, so I’m making cards for both of them.

There was just one little problem.

Their favorite colors are black and blue.

Now, if you’re a card maker, you know that black and blue aren’t exactly the most exciting colors to work with. Just sayin’! 😂

A Spooky Birthday for Her

Since Anthony’s wife loves spooky things, I decided to embrace it and make her a spooky birthday card.

The star of the card is this adorable cat from Aall & Create’s “Free Broom Rides” Halloween stamp set. The set has a super-cute witch in it too, but I only used the cat for this card. Sometimes one little image is all you need to set the mood.

I paired the cat with a spooky tree die-cut from Scrapbook.com and some textured craft paper. I really liked the texture of the paper because it gave the card a slightly rustic, Halloween-ish feel without making it too dark.

And of course, I kept the color palette in their beloved black and blue.

Spooky? ✔️
Birthday? ✔️
Black and blue? ✔️

I think I managed to make it work! Luckily, I was able to add throw some fluorescent pink in! 

Anthony’s Card: Keeping It Black & Blue

For Anthony, I decided to really stick with the black-and-blue theme.

I used a stamp from Aall & Create featuring a little boy holding balloons. I love the slightly quirky, artistic feel of their images, and this one worked perfectly for a birthday card.

I added a Happy Birthday die cut—I believe this one is from Simon Says Stamp—and kept the rest of the design simple so the image could be the focal point.

Black and blue may not be my first choice when I’m sitting down to make a card, but sometimes having a limited color palette is actually a fun challenge.

It forces me to think differently.

Making Someone’s Birthday a Little More Special

I really do enjoy making birthday cards for the people I work with. There’s something different about handing someone a card that you actually made for them instead of grabbing one off a store shelf.

And these two cards were especially fun because I got to make them with each person in mind.

For her, a little spooky cat and some creepy trees.

For Anthony, a little guy with balloons and a birthday greeting.

Different cards, same favorite colors—and hopefully, two very happy birthday recipients!

Now, if they don’t say thank you…

Well…

I have a whole bunch of people who need birthday cards. 😂 seems like all my friends Leo’s, and Virgo’s! 

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