Oh So Merry ~ Catherine Pooler & Sizzix

Sometimes the simplest cards are the most fun to make! For today’s Catherine Pooler Designs and Sizzix release card, I really wanted the fabulous alphabet dies from the “Oh So Merry” Thinlit Dies to be the stars of the show.

I started by creating my own custom cardstock colors using Spruce, Sage, Buttercream and Rose Petal inks. I simply inked up pieces of cardstock with each color and then die cut all of the different letters from those beautiful coordinating swatches. I love how the different letter styles, sizes and little stitched and pierced details give the sentiment so much personality!

Once all of my letters were cut, I played around with the arrangement until I had my fun “Merry and Bright” greeting. I adhered everything onto a kraft-colored cardstock panel that I had lightly splattered with some Sage ink for just a little extra texture and interest.

That’s it! No fancy embellishments or complicated techniques—just some pretty ink colors, a great set of alphabet dies and a little bit of playful arranging. I love how these whimsical letters really do all the work on this card.

Such a simple and cheerful holiday card, and definitely one of those designs that would be easy to recreate in all kinds of different color combinations!

You can shop Catherine Pooler Designs here: https://shop.catherinepooler.com?aff=49

Happy holiday cardmaking!

~ Ally ~ 

Merry and Bright in Non-Traditional Holiday Colors

Today I’m sharing another festive card featuring products from the Catherine Pooler Designs and Sizzix collaboration. For this design, I stepped away from traditional holiday reds and greens and created a soft, modern woodland scene using warm peach and vibrant pink tones.

I began by securing the Star on Top layered stencils in the Print & Pattern Tool. For the first stencil layer, I softly blended Clay Mask ink over the trees and added a light layer of Pucker Up ink toward the treetops. I repeated the same color combination with the second stencil layer, using a heavier hand to deepen the shades and bring definition to the overlapping trees.

To coordinate the greeting with the background, I created a separate ink-blended swatch using the same Clay Mask and Pucker Up combination. I then die cut the large “Merry” greeting using the new Oh So Merry Dies. I love how the blended cardstock carries the color palette into the sentiment while the playful lettering adds a bold focal point.

To complete the greeting, I stamped “and bright” from the Warm Winter Wishes Sentiments stamp set and added it on a slim banner beside the die-cut word. A splattering of Pearl Shimmer across the background added the perfect finishing touch of snowy sparkle.

I absolutely love the cheerful, non-traditional colors on this holiday card. The combination of peach, pink and shimmer gives the winter trees such a warm and whimsical feel!

You can find these products in the Catherine Pooler shop!

~ Ally ~ 

Warm Winter Wishes with CP & Sizzix

Today I’m sharing a cool and cozy winter card featuring the “Around the Holiday” stamp set from the Catherine Pooler Designs and Sizzix collaboration. This playful set includes a variety of graphic holiday images that work together beautifully to create a bold, repeating pattern.

I used the Print & Pattern Tool to line up and stamp the images across a piece of white cardstock. The tool made it easy to build the pattern evenly while alternating the different squares. For a soft tone-on-tone winter palette, I stamped the images using Glacier and Stone Blue inks. I love how the two shades add subtle variation while keeping the background cohesive and frosty.

Once the patterned panel was complete, I layered it onto a narrow piece of dark navy cardstock and adhered it to a Stone Blue cardstock card base. The simple layers help frame the stamped design and add a little extra contrast.

For the greeting, I selected the beautiful “Warm Winter Wishes” sentiment from the “Warm Winter Wishes Sentiments” stamp set. I stamped it in dark blue ink, die cut it into a circle and popped it up over the bottom corner of the patterned panel.

This card was so much fun to create, and the Print & Pattern Tool made building the repeating design quick and easy. The “Around the Holiday” stamp set is perfect for creating winter cards, holiday backgrounds, tags and so much more!

The new CP and Sizzix products are available now in the CP Shop!

~ Ally ~ 

 

A Glamorous Christmas on Ice

Hello, crafty friends! Today I’m sharing another festive project from the new Catherine Pooler Designs and Sizzix collaboration. This card features the fabulous new “On Ice” Die Set, which includes a beautiful ice skate along with poinsettias, greenery and other seasonal embellishments.

I began with a bold Glam cardstock card base—the rich purple shade creates such a striking backdrop for the crisp white skate. I added a black sole, a shiny silver blade and bright Rockin’ Red laces to give the skate plenty of dimension and personality.

To create the festive floral clusters, I die-cut the poinsettias and greenery from Melon Ice, Martini, Sixteen Candles, Rockin’ Red and Sage cardstocks. I love how these vibrant Catherine Pooler colors give the traditional Christmas florals a fresh and playful look. The flowers and leaves were tucked around the skate to create movement while keeping the skate as the main focal point.

For the finishing touch, I selected the “Merry Christmas” greeting from the new “Warm Winter Wishes Sentiments” Stamp Set. I heat embossed it with white embossing powder directly onto the Glam background, creating a clean and elegant sentiment that coordinates beautifully with the white skate.

The “On Ice” Die Set is perfect for winter birthdays, Christmas cards, skating-themed projects and so much more. This colorful skate is ready to glide straight into the holiday season!

~ Ally ~ 

A Rich and Layered Holiday Wreath

Hello, crafty friends! Today I’m sharing another festive card created with the new Catherine Pooler Designs and Sizzix collaboration. For this project, I used the gorgeous Holiday A-door-nment Die Set, a delightful collection featuring a large wreath base, extra leaves, berries, a layered bow and playful star accents. It is perfect for creating cozy Christmas cards, gift tags and beautiful seasonal décor.

To create the wreath, I first made my own watercolor-inspired paper using Sage, Eucalyptus, Spruce, Matcha and Succulent inks. Once the paper was dry, I die-cut the main wreath and several additional leaves, giving me a lovely assortment of greens with natural variations in color and texture. I layered the extra leaves around the wreath to make it feel especially full and dimensional, then added small white splatters for a snowy finishing touch.

For a bright pop of traditional holiday color, I die-cut the berries from Rockin’ Red cardstock and scattered them throughout the greenery. The large layered bow became the star of the design, with its bold red pieces and elegant gold cardstock accents. I love how the metallic details define each section of the bow and add a touch of holiday shine.

The greeting comes from the new Warm Winter Wishes Sentiments Stamp Set. I chose the ornate circular “Merry” sentiment and heat embossed it in gold, then tucked it behind the bow so it appears to be hanging in the centre of the wreath. The gold embossing coordinates beautifully with the bow accents and the thin metallic layer framing the card panel.

I absolutely love how rich and layered this card turned out! The mix of watercolor textures, dimensional greenery, vibrant red details and touches of gold gives this classic Christmas wreath a warm and elegant feel.

~ Ally ~ 

Around the Holidays with Catherine Pooler Designs & Sizzix

Christmas crafting is getting a fun and modern twist with the newest collaboration between Catherine Pooler Designs and Sizzix! This festive release includes stamps, dies and stencils designed with the innovative Sizzix Stencil & Stamp Tool in mind. The tool makes it easy to line up your images and create repeatable patterns with consistent spacing.

For today’s card, I used the fabulous Holiday in the Square Stamp Set. This set is filled with playful holiday images, including bows, holly, stars, stripes and graphic shapes. I arranged the images into a colourful patchwork pattern that reminds me of wrapped presents and a cozy Christmas quilt.

My colour palette included Cotton Candy, Party Dress, Rockin’ Red, Melon Ice, Grass Skirt and Uptown inks. I love how the traditional reds and greens look alongside the softer pink and bright Melon Ice accents. The combination gives the card a cheerful, contemporary Christmas feel.

The Stencil & Stamp Tool made creating this pattern so much easier. Once each stamp was positioned, I could repeat the placement and build the design one colourful section at a time. I finished the card by mounting the stamped panel with a wide white border of a square card base, allowing the bold pattern to remain the star of the design.

The Holiday in the Square Stamp Set also has its own coordinating die set, giving you even more ways to use these festive images on cards, tags, gift packaging and other holiday projects.

This exciting Catherine Pooler Designs and Sizzix Christmas collection will be available soon in the Catherine Pooler shop. Be sure to watch for all the release details!

Happy Holiday stamping!!

~ Ally ~ 

Sweet November Stamps ~ Snow Days Are the Best!

For my December Sweet November Stamps PenPal card, I knew I wanted something playful, cheerful, and full of cozy winter fun—and the “Snow Days” clear stamp set was the perfect choice!

This set is absolutely packed with personality, and I challenged myself to use every single image from the set to create a fun, story-filled scene. From building a snowman to snowball fights and playful pups, this card just makes me smile every time I open it.

A Rainbow of Winter Fun 🌈

One of my favorite parts of this project was coloring a rainbow of winter clothing. Bright scarves, colorful coats, striped hats—it was such a joy mixing and matching colors while still keeping everything cohesive. Winter doesn’t have to be all neutrals, and this set really shines when you let the colors play!

All of the images were colored with Copic Markers, keeping the shading soft and playful to match the whimsical style of the illustrations.

 

A Fun Fold for Extra Storytelling

I also chose a fun fold design, which gave me extra real estate to spread the snowy scenes across multiple panels. It almost feels like flipping through a tiny winter storybook—each panel reveals a new snowy moment, and using all the images really brings the set to life.

The simple sentiment, “Snow days are the best days,” felt like the perfect finishing touch and ties everything together beautifully.

This card was such a joy to create, and I hope it brought a big smile to my PenPal’s face this December. ❄️💙
If you love coloring sweet characters, building scenes, and adding lots of personality to your cards, the Snow Days stamp set is an absolute must-have!

Thanks so much for stopping by today—I hope this inspires you to embrace color and have a little extra fun with your winter cards!

Happy crafting,

~ Ally ~ 

 

Sweet November Stamps ~ The Joy of Christmas

Today I’m sharing a sweet and cozy holiday card featuring the Sweet November Stamps "Joy" clear stamp set. This image just melts my heart every time — she’s full of warmth, cheer, and that magical holiday excitement that only Christmas morning can bring.

For this card, I colored Joy with Copic Markers, giving her soft, warm skin tones and rosy cheeks. One of my favorite parts of working with Sweet November images is how easy they are to customize. I changed up her pajamas to a fun pink heart pattern and added extra detail to the present she’s holding to make it feel more personal and festive. Those little touches really help bring the character to life and make each card feel one-of-a-kind.

To frame her up, I reached for some elegant Spellbinders ornate dies. The delicate details add just the right amount of sophistication while still keeping the overall design soft and whimsical. I layered the die cuts over a clean white card base to let Joy remain the star of the show.

I finished the card with the simple but perfect sentiment “Merry Wishes”, keeping the focus on the image and allowing the coloring and details to shine.

This card would be perfect for Christmas, winter birthdays, or anyone who loves a sweet, cozy holiday vibe. Thank you so much for stopping by today — I hope this card brings a little extra joy to your day! 🎄✨

Merry Christmas and a Happy 2026 to all!

~ Ally ~ 

Sweet November Stamps ~ Postage Perfect Winter Cuties

Today I’m sharing a bright and happy winter card featuring the adorable “Postage Pals: Snowmen” clear stamp set from Sweet November Stamps! This set is designed perfectly for postage-style die cuts—like the fun postage panel die from Waffle Flower that I used here—making it incredibly easy to create sweet little mini scenes in each window.

I had such a blast coloring these charming snow friends with my Copic Markers. Each little vignette gets its own personality—bundled-up scarves, cozy hats, and even a tiny squirrel friend peeking in. To tie everything together, I ink-blended soft snowy skies in each panel and added falling snow for that magical wintery feel.

To finish the card, I paired everything with a cheerful rainbow border and added the sentiment “You’re snow cute” right in the center window. Honestly… could these snowmen be any sweeter?

If you’re looking for a stamp set that works beautifully with postage dies, encourages scene-building, and delivers maximum cuteness, Postage Pals: Snowmen is an absolute must-have in your collection!

Thanks for stopping by today—stay cozy and keep crafting! ⛄💙

~ Ally ~ 

Sweet November Stamps ~ The Stockings Were Hung

Today I’m sharing a cozy holiday card featuring the brand new “The Stockings Were Hung” digital stamp set from Sweet November Stamps—and it also happens to be my latest contribution to Craft Roulette!

This adorable new digi set includes a beautifully illustrated stone fireplace, plus two little girls with stockings and two little boys with stockings, giving you endless combinations for scene building. For my card, I chose one of the sweet boys carefully hugging his puppy filled stocking. To make the scene even more whimsical, I added the charming “Stocking Stuffers: Fluffy” digital image and perched her right from the mantel—because every cozy Christmas scene needs a festive little critter!

Craft Roulette Parameters (Episode #296)

This week’s challenge pushed me to bring everything together:

• Project: A2

• Colors: Fresh & Clean

• Element: From the Desert

• Random: Edge Distress

I incorporated the desert element by dressing the little boy in cactus-patterned pajamas—because who says desert vibes can’t be festive? For the Edge Distress parameter, I cut the edges with my Deckle Edge Trimmer of my focal panel to give the whole piece a warm, worn-in holiday feel.

Card Details

I colored everything with Copic Markers, taking extra care to make the stone fireplace glow with that soft holiday warmth. A classic plaid background helps frame the scene and tie everything together for a cozy Christmas aesthetic.

This card was such a delight to create—between the sweet characters, the glowing fireplace, and Fluffy hanging in her stocking, the whole scene just radiates Christmas magic.

If you’d like to try your hand at Craft Roulette, check out www.CraftRoulette.live for all the details. And don’t forget to pop by the Sweet November Stamps shop to see the full new release!

Have a great weekend!

~ Ally ~ 

Sweet November Stamps ~ Hug in a Mug

Today I’m sharing a warm and cozy card featuring the brand new “Hug in a Mug” clear stamp set from Sweet November Stamps. If you love cute critters, sweet treats, and all things warm and comforting, this little scene is sure to make you smile!

I couldn’t resist using all the charming elements in this set—the steaming mug topped with whipped cream, the adorable mice, and of course the cheerful little gingerbread cookie. Everything is colored up with Copic Markers to bring out those soft mousey textures and sugary holiday vibes.

To set the scene, I paired the images with a piece of fun red polka-dot patterned paper to serve as the wallpaper for the room. A simple wood-tone floor grounds the scene and gives these sweet friends the perfect spot to enjoy their mug of holiday cheer. I finished things off with the included sentiment, “Sending a big hug in a mug!”, which fits this set perfectly.

This set is absolutely delightful and makes it so easy to create warm, whimsical holiday cards. I can’t wait to make more with it!

Thanks for stopping by today—hope your day is filled with cozy moments and a few sweet treats too!

~ Ally ~ 

Sweet November Stamps ~ A Masculine Holiday Trio

Today I’m sharing a festive and fun holiday card featuring the brand-new “Nutcracker Trio” clear stamp set from Sweet November Stamps! This whimsical set includes three charming nutcracker characters, and I couldn’t resist showcasing all three of them together on one cheerful card.

I stamped and colored each nutcracker using my Copic Markers, giving each one their own personality with bright pops of colour and classic toy-soldier details. To keep the focus on the trio, I framed them in a crisp stitched-edge rectangle, then paired the panel with some vibrant patterned papers full of ornaments and holiday icons. The playful prints bring in just the right amount of festive flair!

This design makes a fantastic masculine holiday card—bold colours, clean lines, and the timeless nutcracker theme come together perfectly for a card that’s sure to bring a smile.

Thanks for stopping by today! I hope this little trio inspires your next round of holiday crafting.

~ Ally ~ 

Sweet November Stamps ~ Holiday Travels

Today I’m excited to share a card featuring one of the sweetest scenes from the newest Joyful Greetings release over at Sweet November Stamps—the Holiday Travels clear stamp set! This charming little family is all packed into their festive red car and cruising through a snowy winter landscape, and I had so much fun bringing the whole moment to life.

To create my scene, I stamped the adorable family inside their car, then extended the background with snow-covered hills and evergreen trees to give the illusion of a long, wintry drive toward holiday fun. Those beautiful Wintry trees are from the "Horizon Lines: Winter Wonderland" stamp set. Everything is colored with Copic Markers, allowing me to build soft winter shadows, warm sunrise tones in the sky, and bright cheerful details inside the car. I especially love how expressive each family member is—such a delightful image to work with!

The Joyful Greetings release is live and ready to shop right now in the SNS store, including this must-have Holiday Travels set. If you're looking to make heartwarming holiday cards full of personality, this collection is packed with inspiration.

Thanks for stopping by, and happy holiday crafting! 🎄🚗✨

~ Ally ~ 

Craft Roulette & SNS ~ Off Duty Santa

Today I’m sharing my card for Craft Roulette episode #294, and this week’s parameters were such a fun holiday challenge! I paired the prompts with the adorable new “Off Duty Santa and Reindeer” clear stamp set from Sweet November Stamps, and I just love how this cheerful scene came together.

This Week’s Parameters

• Project: A2 - I created an A2 sized card.

• Colors: Holiday - Christmas card

• Element: From the Mountains - I have "sideways sheep" on the mountain patterned paper

• Random: Fancy Paper - I used lots of cute Doodlebug Designs paper

   

For my “Fancy Paper” element, I pulled out a mix of bright and playful patterned papers from Doodlebug Designs —snowmen, trees, stripes, and festive motifs—to build a colorful mountain-inspired background. All those cool-toned snowy prints fit the From the Mountains requirement perfectly while giving Santa a whimsical setting for his downtime.

I colored up this off-duty Santa with Copic Markers, giving him a cozy winter sweater (complete with tiny reindeer!). To bring the theme together, I added a cute shopping list notepad accent—because even Santa needs to stay organized for the holiday rush!

This cheerful A2 card hit all the parameters and let me spotlight this brand-new and super charming Sweet November Stamps set. If you haven’t checked out “Off Duty Santa and Reindeer” yet, it’s part of the newest release and absolutely full of personality!

Thanks for stopping by for another week of Craft Roulette fun!
If you’d like to play along, visit https://craftroulette.live/ for all the details.

~ Ally ~ 

Sweet November Stamps ~ Front Porch Greetings

Happy holiday crafting, friends!  Today I’m excited to share a festive new card featuring one of the newest additions to the Sweet November Stamps family—the “Front Porch Christmas Decor” clear stamp set! This set is part of the brand-new Joyful Gatherings release, which is live right now in the SNS shop and ready for you to snag.

For my card, I paired this charming new decor set with the previously released “Front Porch Background.” The pairing is seamless! Once again, the cozy porch scene provides the perfect foundation, and the new Christmas elements bring all the warmth, sparkle, and nostalgic charm of the season.

I had so much fun dressing up the porch with holiday lights, bells, bows, and that gorgeous bold red door—it all comes together to make the scene feel merry and inviting. I also added the sweet Christmas tree and those candy-striped yard decorations for an extra pop of color and whimsy.

To finish things off, I used a sentiment from the new “Postage Pals Snowmen” stamp set. Its simple and cheerful Christmas greeting was just the right touch for this snowy, welcoming scene.

If you haven’t checked out the Joyful Gatherings release yet, now’s the time! It’s full of adorable holiday images perfect for all your seasonal cardmaking.

Thanks so much for stopping by today. Wishing you all a very merry and creative holiday season!

~ Ally ~ 

Sweet November Stamps ~ Joyful Gatherings YouTube Hop

Today we’re kicking off a super fun Sweet November Stamps YouTube Hop to celebrate the brand-new Joyful Gatherings clear stamp release… and I’m joining in with a festive card featuring the absolutely adorable Wee Tree Trimmers set!

These little elves are busy decking out their Christmas tree, and I had the best time bringing their cheerful holiday energy to life.

✨ My Card for the Hop

For my project, I stamped all three of the sweet little elf characters around their beautifully decorated tree. Everything is colored up with Copic Markers, keeping the palette bright, bold, and full of Christmas joy.

To create the glowing background, I ink-blended Distress Oxide inks in warm yellows to mimic that magical holiday tree-light glow. I framed the panel with a fun torn-edge die cut and set the whole scene on top of a fresh green patterned paper to tie the colors together.

The sentiment “Christmas is love with all the trimmings” (also from the set!) finishes everything off perfectly.

🎁 Join the Hop!

The hop runs Sunday, November 16th through Wednesday, November 19th, and Sweet November is giving away one full clear stamp release set to a lucky winner! Make sure you hop along, watch the videos, comment, and show our designers some love for your chance to win.

🎥 Start hopping on YouTube and watch now!
📦 Shop the brand-new Joyful Gatherings clear release at: www.sweetnovemberstamps.com

~ Ally ~