Playing With Sand - Around the World on Wednesday

Welcome to the June edition of Around the World on Wednesday Blog Hop! Are you arriving from Chris Smith's sandy creation or just getting started?  Either way, just be sure to hop all the way through!

This month's theme had me dreaming of warm sunshine, sandy beaches, and tropical getaways. With summer just around the corner, I couldn't resist creating a beach-inspired card featuring the beautiful Rolling Waves Bundle.

For this design, I started by creating the ocean scene at the top of my card. The layered wave dies from the Rolling Waves Bundle add incredible movement and texture, perfectly capturing the look of foamy surf rolling onto the shore. I stamped soft shades of Coastal Cabana to create the water and sky, then layered the die-cut waves to bring the scene to life.

The sandy beach was created with Crumb Cake cardstock and a bit of tone-on-tone stamping to mimic the texture of sand. To enhance the tropical feel, I tucked a few vibrant die-cut palm leaves behind my focal cluster.

The beach umbrella, seashells, and starfish create a fun vacation vibe, while the "Bon Voyage" sentiment is the perfect finishing touch. The bright coral and soft pastel accents pop beautifully against the turquoise water and neutral sand, making this card feel cheerful and relaxing all at once.

Thank you for stopping by today! Be sure to continue around the world with the rest of the talented designers for even more inspiration. I'd love to hear what you think of this beachy creation in the comments below! 

Next up is Lori Willcox

See the full lineup below:

Leonie Stuart - AU

Rochelle Laird-Smith - AU

Kelly Taranto - US

Chris Smith - US

Bree Renwick - US

Lori Willcox - CA

Cheryl Hamilton - US

When I saw the latest Hand Stamped Sentiments Color Challenge featuring Coastal Cabana, Old Olive, and Pecan Pie, I knew I wanted to create something bright, and cheerful with the adorable Wild Bunch Stamp Set, this month's Product of the Month.

For this card, I started with a Coastal Cabana card base and added texture using the Lazy Daisy Embossing Folder. The embossed floral panel creates a fun backdrop for the star of the card—this sweet little cow from the Wild Bunch Stamp Set.

I stamped the image in Basic Black Ink and colored it with Stampin' Blends in Pecan Pie, Crumb Cake, and Barely Blush for a warm, rustic look. The cow was then fussy cut and layered onto a die-cut circle from the Stylish Shapes Dies.

To bring in the challenge colors, I added a strip of Pecan Pie cardstock behind the focal image and accented the design with a few Old Olive die-cut leaves from the Sweet Bugs Dies. The subtle floral pattern from the Cute as a Bug Designer Series Paper adds just the right amount of detail without competing with the focal image.

A simple "Hi Friend" sentiment and a few Natural Matte Dots finish off this sweet card, making it perfect for sending a little handmade hello.

Card Details

Stamp Set: Wild Bunch
Cardstock: Coastal Cabana, Basic White, Pecan Pie, Old Olive
Designer Series Paper: Cute as a Bug DSP
Ink: Basic Black, Pecan Pie
Stampin' Blends: Pecan Pie, Crumb Cake, Barely Blush
Dies: Stylish Shapes Dies, Sweet Bugs Dies
Embossing Folder: Lazy Daisy
Embellishments: Natural Matte Dots

Thank you for stopping by! Be sure to check out the latest Hand Stamped Sentiments Color Challenge and see how these beautiful colors inspire your next project. I'd love to hear what you think of this cheerful little cow—leave a comment and let me know! 🐮💙💚🤎

For this week’s Hand Stamped Sentiments Inspiration Challenge, I created a special anniversary card for my parents as they celebrate their 51st wedding anniversary!

The inspiration photo immediately made me think of a peaceful coastal sunset, so I reached for the beautiful Scenic Coast Designer Series Paper and paired it with the Relaxing Waterside and Sunset Coast dies to create this serene beach scene. The Adirondack chairs overlooking the sunset felt like the perfect way to capture a lifetime of love, memories, and quiet moments together.

I used a soft coastal palette featuring Basic White, Crumb Cake, Smoky Slate, Barely Blush, Very Vanilla, and Crisp Cantaloupe cardstock. The sentiment was stamped in Blueberry Bushel ink to tie in the rich ocean tones, while Crumb Cake ink added texture and warmth to the sandy shoreline.

I love how the layered die cuts, seashells, lighthouse, and flying birds bring this sunset scene to life. It’s a card filled with warmth, reflection, and celebration — perfect for honoring 51 wonderful years together.

Thanks so much for stopping by! Be sure to check out all the beautiful inspiration from the Hand Stamped Sentiments design team and play along with this week’s challenge! 

Sweetest Thank You

This week’s TGIF Challenges theme is all about Thank You cards!

I started with a bold pop of Strawberry Slush for the card base and the cute little jelly jar. I chose a sketch that had some layered design, which gave me the perfect chance to combine patterns and textures while still keeping everything clean and balanced. I paired the floral and gingham patterns from the Homemade Sweetness DSP collection for a fun, fresh look.

The jelly jar became the perfect focal point for the sweet berry images and delicate die cut flowers. I added a simple white bow across the gingham strip for extra softness and dimension.

For the sentiment, I chose “You’re the Sweetest” paired with a simple “Thank You" from Filled With Sweetness, which tied in perfectly with the fruity images. The bright colors and cheerful details make this card perfect for sending a sweet note of appreciation to someone special.

I colored the berries using Stampin’ Blends in Strawberry Slush, Misty Moonlight, and Granny Apple Green to coordinate with the designer paper and create a vibrant summer-inspired palette.

I love how this card came together with the bold pinks, pretty blues, and playful layers. Challenges always inspire me to try new combinations, and this one was especially fun!

Supplies Used

• Paper: Strawberry Slush, Basic White, Homemade Sweetness DSP
• Ink: Misty Moonlight, Basic Black
• Stampin’ Blends: Granny Apple Green, Strawberry Slush & Misty Moonlight
• Stamp Set & Dies:  Filled With Sweetness

Thanks so much for stopping by today! Be sure to check out this week’s inspiration at TGIF Challenges.

Happy crafting!

Extraordinary Day

Hello crafty friends!

Today I’m sharing my card for the latest Hand Stamped Sentiments Sketch Challenge, and I had so much fun mixing patterns, layers, and dies for this cheerful floral design.

For this card, I combined the beautiful Artisan Sketched Garden Designer Series Paper with the playful patterns from the Beautiful Ordinary Life Designer Series Paper. I love how the mix of florals, geometric details, and soft watercolor tones creates a fresh and happy look.

The sketch inspired me to layer several patterned pieces behind the focal image. I started with the colorful patterned background and added a strip of black-and-white herringbone paper for contrast. Then I layered a soft mint polka-dot panel to help ground the floral arrangement.

The flowers and leaves were fussy cut from the Artisan Sketched Garden Designer Series Paper. I popped the floral cluster up with dimensionals to give the card extra depth and texture. The bold floral image really stands out against the lighter background patterns.

For the sentiment, I chose “Have the Best Day” from Cutest Crew. The dark label adds a strong focal point and balances the softer pastel colors throughout the design.

To finish the card, I added a few bright enamel dots for playful pops of color and included the sweet little honeycomb die cut element for an extra touch of whimsy.

I love how this card came together with a combination of soft florals, graphic patterns, and layered textures. Sketch challenges are always a great way to spark creativity and inspire new layout ideas!

Thanks so much for stopping by today. Be sure to check out the latest Hand Stamped Sentiments challenge and see all the beautiful inspiration from the design team!