Hello, crafty friends! Today I’m sharing my design team project for Park Hopping My Happy Place—and this one is a dive into the stash for an oldie but a goodie.
Who doesn’t love the combination or Rosie and Bernie from Stamping Bella?! I took my inspiration from Blizzard Beach Waterpark as the theme of this card.
Remember, Park Hopping is an anything goes challenge!!
Thanks for stopping by, and I can’t wait to see what you create this month. 🎄✨
Hello, crafty friends! Today I’m sharing my design team project for both Colorful Options and Park Hopping My Happy Place—and this one absolutely tickled me. As soon as I saw our festive December board full of gingerbread treats, peppermint swirls, and pops of red, green, and white, my mind jumped straight to playful holiday mischief. And for Park Hopping, I took my inspiration from the wonderfully unpredictable Cats of Disneyland. (If you know, you know!)
This card was such a quick and enjoyable make. I began by stamping the Stampers Anonymous Linen background using Vintage Photo and Walnut Stain Distress Inks. To bring in that bold holiday red from this month’s inspiration, I blended Festive Berries Distress Oxide through a Newton’s Nook stencil, creating all those bubbly, joyful pops of color.
My crazy cat and her oversized balloon were stamped in Memento Cocoa and colored with—no surprise here—Vintage Photo, Walnut Stain, and a touch of Festive Berries to tie everything together. Her expression practically created the story for me: a wild-eyed feline caught mid-antics, just like the real Disney park cats who appear and disappear on their own schedule.
Short, sweet, and full of holiday whimsy—exactly the kind of crafting break I needed this week!
Thanks for stopping by, and I can’t wait to see what you create this month. 🎄✨
Hey everyone, it’s CZ! I’m thrilled to be back with another piece to showcase. This month’s Colorful Options Challengecelebrates the richness of Red—from soft berry hues to bold and festive crimson—and Park Hopping My Happy Place is filled with HHN cheer. Here’s my interpretation of the two!
When I first saw this month’s Colorful Options board—all those gorgeous reds—I immediately pictured a mysterious forest alive with glowing embers. Rather than leaning into classic Christmas sparkle, the scene took on a deep, moody energy. I guess I’m still hanging onto my Halloween vibe just a little! The glowing eyes peering from the shadows add a sense of quiet magic and mischief, as if something is out there…waiting.
Though the palette feels warm and festive, I love that it also leaves room for curiosity and imagination—more twilight wonder than holiday twinkle. The tension between cozy red and shadowy mystery makes this piece one of my favorites. It hints at a story just beyond the trees, inviting you to step closer and discover what’s hidden there. Although Park Hopping My Happy Place’s inspo board is themed to shopping, it is an anything goes based on theme parks and as such, my theme is clearly more of a Halloween Horror Nights than shopping inspired.
Thanks so much for stopping by—can’t wait to see what you create this month!
Who says crafting is only for paper and ink? This month, I took a little detour into sewing because… well, snacks, anyone?!
After spending quite a bit of time on bed rest last month due to illness and injury, I found myself watching a LOT of YouTube bag-making videos. Before long, I was inspired to dust off my sewing machine and create something different — two handmade snack bags that are not only practical but also inspired by our October challenge boards.
The idea came from memories of snacking at theme parks. When my DDs were little, they weren’t huge fans of the park treats at the time, so we often packed our own snacks. These new bags feel like a sweet nod to those days, blending function with a little handmade magic.
For Colorful Options, the October theme of Luxury Black punched with Orange inspired my first bag — a bold orange-and-black checkerboard design paired with a black leather bottom. For the Park Hopping My Happy Place challenge, I was drawn to the vibrant Día de los Muertos 💀🌸🎉 board — the colorful skulls, the lively festive spirit, and the nostalgic memories of carrying our own snacks through the parks when my DDs were little.
🧵 A Little About the Bags
Both bags are sturdy and stylish, featuring durable leather bottoms and a fully lined, food-grade, water-resistant interior. They’re not just cute — they’re practical, easy to wipe clean, and reusable, making them an excellent eco-friendly alternative to plastic snack bags. They’d also make wonderful gifts for Halloween or autumn outings, perfect for anyone who loves a touch of handmade charm. If you are interested in the pattern for yourself, it is available from Oklaroots, and she has YouTube tutorials to help you along.
Tip: If you decide to sew one yourself, I highly recommend adding interfacing to the cotton fabric on the upper portion of the bag. It gives the top a bit more structure and keeps it from feeling flimsy.
Make sure you join in on the blog or on Instagram for your chance to win a gift certificate of your choice (Simon Says Stamp, Scrapbook.com, or Amazon). Visit the challenge to check out the amazing creations from the talented Design Teams. You can’t win without entering! Come join the fun!!
This month’s inspiration takes us straight into the heart of the Día de los Muertos festivities. The board is alive with bold colors, vibrant papel picado, sugar skulls, festive dancers, and the warm glow of candles. I wanted my project to capture that magical mix of tradition, celebration, and just a touch of spooky charm.
For my make, I chose to feature one of my favorite October pairings: a curious black cat and a glowing jack-o’-lantern — all hand-drawn with colored pencils on rich grey cardstock. The soft pencil strokes bring the kitty to life as it peeks over the pumpkin, bathed in that eerie green glow we all love during Halloween. Behind them, I sketched a pattern of mischievous jack-o’-lantern faces to keep things playful yet just a little haunting.
The drawing is framed with layered cardstock in deep charcoal, fiery orange, and brick red, echoing the warmth of an autumn night and making the pumpkin’s glow stand out even more.
Why not venture over to the challenges: Park Hopping My Happy Place and check out the amazing creations from the talented design team members.
Hey everyone, it’s CZ! I’m thrilled to be back with another piece to showcase. This month’s Colorful Options Challengecelebrates the bold and dramatic combination of Luxury Black punched with Orange and Park Hopping My Happy Place is a beautiful board of Sugar Skulls. Here’s my combination of the two.
When I first saw this month’s Colorful Options Challenge board—Luxury Black punched with Orange—I immediately pictured a glowing road cutting through the night. The fiery orange against the deep black felt both bold and mysterious, like a secret journey waiting to happen.
If you look closely, you’ll find a little black cat sitting along the roadside, a nod to the cat in both inspiration boards. I added it as a quiet companion on the journey—small but watchful, like it’s guiding you forward. It’s one of my favorite parts of the painting because it gives the scene a hint of story and wonder.
Make sure you join in on the blog or on Instagram for your chance to win a gift certificate of your choice (Simon Says Stamp, Scrapbook.com, or Amazon). Visit the challenge to check out the amazing creations from the talented Design Teams. You can’t win without entering! Come join the fun!!
I have created a card and envelope as my design team contribution.
Over at the Colorful Options Challenge, play along with the colors of our Hawaii Day Inspiration Board, or choose a color from the monthly challenge that you enjoy, or blend the two together. So many Options!!!
This challenge will run alongside our regular monthly challenge from Sunday 8/10 through Saturday 8/16.
Make sure you join in on the blog or on Instagram for your chance to win a gift certificate of your choice (Simon Says Stamp, Scrapbook.com, or Amazon). Visit the challenge to check out the amazing creations from the talented Design Team. You can’t win without entering! Come join the fun!!
I did add a few items to this set to make a mail mix. My thought is to send a “bouquet in an envelope” to help spread a little cheer. The tuck-ins include a floral post card, a cheery blossoms cachet, a packet of forget-me-nots, and a flowering butterfly.
Wishing all the entrants good luck! Have fun, everyone!
Happy Saturday, everyone! Today, I am sharing a tag with a more grunge vibe. I am pleased to announce that this tag is my design team contribution for Park Hopping My Happy Place. My color palette is from the turquoise blue-green in the water.
Traditional crafting is difficult for me right now, so I am delving into digital creating for now. I was inspired by some tags I found at an event years ago and loved their style and thought it would be fun to create my own. You can see the front and back of the tag below. So, it could be sent as a card, used as a tag for a gift or sent as a post card.
Hey everyone, it’s CZ! I’m thrilled to be back with another piece to showcase. Today, I’m bringing you a butterfly in acrylics. I hope you enjoy exploring this painting as much as I enjoyed creating it! Feel free to share your thoughts in the comments below.
I drew inspiration from the neutral shades on the Colorful Options Challenge and the butteflies from Epcot’s Flower & Garden Festival for Park Hopping My Happy Place’s challenge.
This month at the Colorful Options Challenge, we’re embracing neutrals! If this palette doesn’t inspire you, join us with a rainbow-inspired make instead.
Over at Park Hopping My Happy Place, the inspiration board celebrates pools and some beautiful, vibrant images, but don’t forget that Park Hopping is an anything-goes challenge. If our current inspiration board isn’t your thing, check out our Inspiration Page for more ideas, and what I did this month.
Make sure you join in on the blog or on Instagram for your chance to win a gift certificate of your choice (Simon Says Stamp, Scrapbook.com, or Amazon). Visit the challenge to check out the amazing creations from the talented Design Teams. You can’t win without entering! Come join the fun!!
Happy Saturday, everyone! I’m delighted to share a fun steampunk-style card. This card is my design team contribution to the Colorful Options Challenge. For this month, I’ve embraced neutrals with a bit of a dusty green.
Remember, Colorful Options is all about color challenges. While the current theme centers on a books and library vibes, you’re free to explore any color or combination that resonates with you from the inspiration board above. Pick a color or combo of colors, make them the star, and join in the creative fun! If this muted palette isn’t your thing, play along with a rainbow-inspired make instead.
My card is a combination of Tim Holtz & Merimi Small Art ephemera and images. Some simple collaging with a bit of color pencil enhancement to “hide” some of the edges.
MKCcreate 