Hawaii Day 2025

Hey everyone! Colorful Options is celebrating Hawaii Day!

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!

This is the Way – May 2025

Hey everyone! Welcome back to another month of exciting challenges!

For the Park Hopping My Happy Place challenge, I have created a card and envelope set for you to enjoy. I’m back to working with some very simple mixed media. Stencils, paint, foundry wax — and then… some fun.

The buttons, trading card, and sticker are “tuck-ins” for this set. Do you like to add any “extras” when you send cards? Let me know in the comments below. 😁

This month, we are excited to announce a collaboration between the Colorful Options Challenge and the Park Hopping My Happy Place Challenge! If the current month’s theme isn’t your style, don’t worry! You have the freedom to select any theme inspired by theme parks.

Remember, Park Hopping My Happy Place embraces an anything-goes philosophy, which means you can draw from a wide range of inspirations beyond just the inspiration of the month; the inspiration photo serves solely as a launching point. For those seeking further inspiration, check out the inspiration page for more ideas, themes, and IPs.

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!!

At Park Hopping My Happy Place, you have until Saturday, May 31st, 12:00noon US CST time, which translates to 6:00am on Sunday, June 1st in the UK or 7:00am on Sunday, June 1st in CET.

If you’re looking to recreate this set, here’s what you’ll need:

Wishing all the entrants good luck! Have fun, everyone!

Pi Day 2025

Hey everyone! Colorful Options is celebrating Pi Day!

I have created a group of small gift cards with envelopes for this challenge.

Over at the Colorful Options Challenge, play along with the colors of our Pi Day Inspiration Board, or choose a color from a pie that you enjoy! 

This challenge will run alongside our regular monthly challenge from Pi Day Friday 3.14 through Thursday 3.20.  

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!!

If you’re looking to recreate these cards, here’s what you’ll need:

  • Papers: Arteza water color paper, White White by Fabriano, copy paper for the envelopes
  • Distress Sprays in Lumberjack Red, Picked Raspberry, Saltwater Taffy
  • Distress Mica Stain in Fortune Teller
  • Distress Spritz in Picked Raspberry
  • Stencils from my stash
  • Hero Arts White embossing powder
  • Distress Embossing Ink
  • Gina K flower stamps
  • embellishments: charms, Kreinek thread, eyelets

Wishing all the entrants good luck! Have fun, everyone!

March 2025

Hey everyone! Welcome back to another month of exciting challenges!

I have created a palette of rainbow cards for you to enjoy this month. I’m back to working some very simple mixed media today.

Over at the Colorful Options Challenge, there’s a stunning photo inspiration board celebrating the color green. If this month’s color isn’t your style, join me with a rainbow-inspired project instead.

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!!

You have until Friday, March 28th, 11:59pm US CST time, which translates to 5:59am on Saturday, March 29th in the UK or 6:59am on Saturday, March 29th in CET.

If you’re looking to recreate this card, here’s what you’ll need:

  • Papers: Arteza water color paper, colored paper & vellum from the stash
  • Distress Watercolor Pencils
  • Liquitex Ivor Black
  • Sizzix Dies Shadowscript #2
  • Tim Holtz Ideology Small Talk
  • Tim Holtz Sizzix 3D embossing folder Texture Fades

Wishing all the entrants good luck! Have fun, everyone!

Let It Snow

Happy November, crafters.

We are celebrating SNOW over at the Park Hopping My Happy Place.

My card takes it’s primary inspiration from the colors of the inspiration board this month. The theme itself is postcards/mail inspired by Owl Post in Hogsmeade at the Wizarding World of Harry Potter.

If the theme of snow doesn’t ignite your creativity, don’t hesitate to draw inspiration from another theme that resonates with you from a theme park.

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!!

For the Park Hopping My Happy Place, you have until Saturday, November 30th, 11:59pm US CST time, which translates to 5:59am on Sunday, December 1st in the UK or 6:59am on Sunday, December 1st in CET.

If you’re looking to recreate this card, here’s what you’ll need:

  • Strathmore Bristol Smooth cardstock
  • Distress Oxide: Tumbled Glass, Salty Ocean, Chipped Sapphire
  • Stampers Anonymous, TH: Festive Collage, CMS459
  • Embossing Folder,Sizzix: Texture Fades

Wishing all the entrants good luck! Have fun, everyone!

Meow Christmas 2024

Happy Saturday, everyone!

I had the chance to spend some time in my craft room this morning. Here is what I created.

I can’t say they are CAS; but, they were simple to make. Start by selecting an oxide ink for your base and gently smoosh it onto watercolor paper. Next, position your stencil and stamp the sentiment through it. Once that’s done, outline the stencil design with black ink for added definition. Use a coordinating watercolor pencil to add shading to the stencil, then apply Distress Sparkly Paste over the entire area for a shimmering effect. After everything has dried, emboss the sentiment using black embossing powder. For added interest, apply opaque black paste through a second stencil. Finish off your project by tying a bow around the bottom and framing it with coordinating cardstock from your stash.

Here is a list of the products I used if you want to CASE these:

  • Azteca watercolor paper, paper from the stash: purple, black,pink
  • Distress Oxide Ink & Distress Watercolor Pencils: Picked Raspberry, Wilted Violet
  • Diss Oxide Archival in Black Soot
  • Black Cherry Embossing Powder from Emerald Creek
  • Miss Ink Stencil – paw print
  • Tim Holtz Holly Stencil
  • Distress Sparkle Paste, Distress Opaque Black Paste
  • Ribbon from my stash

Which one do you like the best? Purple or Pink?

Me? I prefer the purple, of course. 💜💜💜

Have a great weekend!

Challenges entered: