Pause and Rest Card with Cottage Cutz…

February 23, 2026February 23, 2026 Pam Sparks7 Comments

Hi everyone! I had so much fun making this cute card! I wish you could see it in real life! It has terrific dimension without being popped up high!

Die cut and assemble is pretty much it. Although it took the longest to find a paper pad to use! lol

I used Cottage Cutz Winter Mouse by Woodstove to create the scene.

This is really close up! Fun to see all the detail in the dies though. The pattern paper is all from the same 6×6 pad… wait except the floor, it’s from a different one. All old though! I fell in love with the polka dot stuffed chair!

This is a 5×7 size card. It just worked out that way because I wanted the sentiment on the front too.

Pause and rest is from an AALL and Create set. On the inside I have a cut out to glue in that says, “My favorite exercise is rest.” That made me laugh when I saw it. It’s from a freebie sheet from Unity Stamps.

One more picture taken with my iPhone. It’s hard to get pictures to look as good as the card IRL! lol

I’m linking my card to some challenges…

A Cut Above February 2026 – anything goes with die cuts

The Four Seasons February 2026 – Anything goes Winter

Love Those Pretty Papers February 2026 – pattern papers with optional polka dots!

Paper Rocks Scissors February 2026 #13 – anything goes as long as you use paper and /or scissors

Hope this finds you warm and cozy! Looks like we’ll have sunshine today… yay!

Take care and I’ll be back soon!

Birthday · cards · Die Piecing · Interactive · Spellbinders dies

Spellbinders February Release Birthday Card…

February 18, 2026February 18, 2026 Pam Sparks12 Comments

Hi everyone! This is such a great new die set and stamp release! The legs move on this ‘Dancin’ Chatterbox’! I didn’t think to take a video of it. oops.

The sentiments though…”you look good for someone born in the 1900’s”, “Sorry I called you old. Thought you knew” and so many more! haha!

I used a Birthday embossing folder with blue cardstock and some white pigment ink blended on with the Tim Holtz mini ink blending tool. I don’t see the one I used in the store anymore so I linked to another one.

The Speech Bubbles die set worked great for this sentiment! I stamped on white cardstock with Versafine Black in the MISTI.

I tore some kraft cardstock for the ground, matted with black cardstock and it’s a little larger than an A2 size card. It will still mail for one forever postage stamp.

Such a cute design…how about for April Fools Day someway!

Spellbinders sells some BIG googly eyes. I have several sizes but not the BIG ones they’re selling. I’m going to get some though and I’ll link below.

Hope this made you smile! You’ll laugh when you read the other sentiments in the stamp set!

I love Spellbinders stamps! They stamp beautifully! I love their dies too!

I’m linking my card to some challenges…

Simon Says Stamp Wednesday Challenge – interactive (the legs swing on my card)

Seize the Birthday #320 – anything goes

A Cut Above February – anything goes with a die cut

NBUS #83 – never before used stuff

Can You Handle the Pressure – anything goes with a twist of die cuts (balloon and banner embossing folder)

Thanks so much for tapping/clicking over! I appreciate it! We have lovely weather at the moment but it’s Iowa and my husband was just telling me to be prepared for back to 13˚ this weekend. Sunny and 69˚ in the house. haha

Shopping links to what I used on this card! Thanks so much for taking the time to go through my blog! I appreciate it!

Dancin’ Chatterbox Etched Dies \|… [ SPL \| SSS \| SBC ]	Birthday Laughs Sentiments Clear… [ SPL \| SSS \| SBC ]	Aged to Perfection Dies and Stamp… [ SPL \| SSS ]
Speech Bubbles Etched Dies from the… [ SPL \| SSS \| SBC ]	Floating Balloons 3D Embossing Folder… [ SPL \| SSS \| SBC ]	Black MISTI – Most Incredible Stamp… [ SPL \| SSS \| SBC ]
Versafine – Onyx Black – full-sized… [ STR \| SSS \| SBC ]	Scrapbook Adhesives 3D Self-Adhesive… [ STR \| SSS \| SBC ]	Scrapbook Adhesives Crafty Foam Tape… [ STR ]
Nuvo Deluxe Clear Drying Adhesive;… [ STR \| SSS ]	Bearly Art Original 4 fl oz Precision… [ SPL ]	New & Improved Platinum SIX Machine… [ SPL \| SBC \| SSS ]
Wiggle Eyes – 20 pack \| Spellbinders… [ SPL ]

All Occasion · cards · Die Piecing · Distress Ink coloring · MFT · Snowman · Winter

MFT Snowman Kit Card…

February 4, 2026February 5, 2026 Pam Sparks7 Comments

Hi everyone! The sun is shining and I decided I better get another card posted before the week gets away from me!

Winter just seems like a good time to get out some things I haven’t used yet. I was inspired by a card Kay Miller sent me a few years ago. So fun!

Hopefully some of you have this kit lurking in your stash too and you’ll be inspired to find it and use it!

I tell you it took me longer to find the almost circle die and decide what sentiment than it took to make the card! Oh, I couldn’t find the star background either but I knew I had one! Now it’s been long enough since I made this that I can’t remember what I used!

I sure like these colors together! The background is one of the Jill Foster watercolor backgrounds I made following her distress ink watercolor background video. I still have a dz or so to use before I do it again!

I heat embossed the star background with white embossing powder.

So fun and I even stamped on the inside! It’s a miracle! lol

I love this sentiment set from Penny Black Brighten the World.

Linking my card to some challenges…

MFT Card Challenges – a sketch (I know, I’m stretching it but hey it’s exposure!)

The Neglected Stuff February 2026 – old and neglected stuff. I used a My Favorite Things card kit from several years ago!

The 12 Months of Christmas – anything goes Christmas with optional twist of cozy cocoa Christmas

Group of Cardmakers – layered scene cards

The Four Seasons – anything goes Winter

Thank you so much for stopping by today! Happy February to you!

Birthday · cards · Cottage Cutz · Die Piecing · Poppystamps · Winter

Cottage Cutz Puppy Carolers for a January Birthday Card…So Cute!

January 20, 2026January 30, 2026 Pam Sparks9 Comments

Hi everyone! It’s a Caroling Puppy Trio gone birthday! Perfect for a January birthday I thought! I had so much fun making this!

A delightful Winter scene. A 5 x 7 size card. A couple blue oxide inks for the sky. Snow spattering for the grand finale!

I used a lot of Cottage Cutz dies.

The background houses, kids sledding and trees is ‘Winter Wonderland Border’.

The snowman is from the ‘Snowy Village Accessories’ die.

The trees in the front are ‘Pine Tree, Full and Pine Tree, Slim’.

‘Puppy Carolers’ is the main die.

The wreath on the lantern is from the ‘Woodland Mailbox’ die.

I used two Poppystamps dies.

‘Old Fashioned Lamp Post’ and ‘Happy Birthday Melody”.

I die cut the happy birthday three times and glued the cuts together so they wouldn’t be completely flat.

I used the really thin mounting tape for the rest of the images. I added double to the lamp post.

I just love how it turned out and I hope you do too! I wish you could see this in real life!

And I took a picture of the inside!

This was for our granddaughter Lilli that turned 21 the 8th of January. She’s a singer, a cello player and loves her dogs! She also has her own business! So proud of her!

Holler if you have any questions.

I’m linking to some card challenge blogs….

NBUS #82 – Never before used stuff (Puppy Carolers, Pine trees, Woodland Mailbox and Snowy Village Accessories)

The Four Seasons January 2026 – mood board (so honored to be a winner!)

The Word Power January 2026 – showcase sentiment

Neglected Stuff January 2026 – Most of what I used! lol I didn’t know how old except on the two poppystamps dies that have a date on the storage envelopes! 2016!

Die Cut Diva’s – Use a New Crafty Item ( I used four new to me dies)

Thank you so much for stopping by!

All Occasion · Birthday · cards · Christmas · Die Piecing · Memory Box · Snowman · Winter

A NEW YEAR and some new to me Snowmen…

January 15, 2026January 29, 2026 Pam Sparks11 Comments

Hi everyone! I’m sitting here trying to remember how to do everything involved in writing a blog post. eek! It’s been a month or so! I’ve been having fun using some of my stash! I hope I can keep up getting stuff posted. I have FIVE cards that I have pictures of that I haven’t posted yet. Where does the time go!

At least I’m getting to it this morning! hoho

I love how fresh and snowy this card is! Fun colors!

It’s mostly still available dies, I’ll link you up below. Very basic die cutting and gluing…a little white pen. Oh I inked the snowglobe base with Gathered Twigs Distress ink and the mini ink blending tool.

I tore a snow layer for the globe and for the background panel so the trees are grounded. It’s hard to see but it’s there. I thought about adding glitter but then promptly forgot!

Hope they make you smile and warm up! It’s cold in Iowa this week. Yesterday the wind gave the word biting meaning! No snowmen around town right now though!

I’m linking to some blog card challenges…

Cut it Up #347 – Favorite Dies

Word Art Wednesday – Anything Goes #734-735

Christmas Kickstart #106 – Dreaming of a Pink Christmas

The Four Seasons – Winter

The 12 Months of Christmas Linkup – anything goes Christmas with the optional twist of snow people

January is a busy birthday month for this family so I’ll have some more cards to share. Christmas was wonderful and I’m still enjoying my decor. I don’t get it up all that early so I figure I can leave it up a little longer. hoho

Thanks so much for stopping by and checking out my blog after so long an absence.

Here’s what I used to make this card…the abbreviations below the item take you to stores…thank you for using my links! I appreciate it!

Memory Box – 94918 Stylish Snowmen… [ STR \| SSS ]	Memory Box – 94796 Slender Pine Trees… [ STR \| SSS ]	Memory Box – 94930 Warm Wishes… [ STR \| SSS ]
Memory Box – 94808 Holiday Snowglobe… [ STR \| SSS ]	Memory Box – 94314 Bauble Snowflake… [ STR ]	Memory Box – SH44003 Woodgrain Paper… [ STR ]
Nuvo Deluxe Clear Drying Adhesive;… [ STR \| SSS ]	Scrapbook Adhesives Crafty Foam Tape… [ STR ]	Neenah Classic Crest Ultra Thick 110… [ SSS ]