My Unbelievable Friend: Going Viral

The newest Sweet November Stamps digital release is here and it is absolutely making waves! The new “My Unbelievable Friend” collection is filled with adorable mermaids and their besties, perfect for creating fun summer scenes and friendship themed cards.

For today’s card, I used the sweet “My Unbelievable Friend: Going Viral” digital image. I paired the girls with the fabulous “Mermaid Rock” digital set to create a relaxing seaside scene where these two friends are clearly capturing the perfect selfie moment together.

I colored the entire scene using my Copic Markers, blending lots of vibrant ocean inspired tones for the mermaid tails and soft sandy neutrals for the rocky shoreline. I love how expressive these characters are and how easy they are to build into a complete story card. The flowing hair and shimmering tails were especially fun to color!

To finish the design, I kept the layout simple so the detailed image could really shine. Sometimes a beautifully colored scene is all you need.

The new “My Unbelievable Friend” collection is available now in the Sweet November Stamps shop. Perfect for summer cards, friendship cards and all your mermaid loving crafty projects!

Have a great weekend!

~ Ally ~ 

So Lucky to Create with Ocean Wonders!

The new Catherine Pooler Designs “Ocean Wonders” collection has completely swept me away with all of its beachy charm! Today’s card combines soft ocean textures, bright tropical colors, and some sweet seaside treasures.

I started by creating the card base background using the “Jellyfish Dance Layered Stencils” along with the brand new Oyster Ink. I love how this subtle pattern almost looks like flowing underwater grasses swaying in the ocean currents. It adds just the right amount of texture while still keeping the card soft and clean.

Next, I stamped and die cut several of the adorable seashell images from the “Beach Comber” stamp set. To give the shells lots of bright coastal personality, I used a cheerful blend of Lemon Sorbet, Creamsicle, Bellini, and also Sweetheart, and Pucker Up inks. The two-toned stamping really helps bring all those shell details to life!

For the design, I tucked the shells along the curved edge of the card to create the look of treasures buried in the sand. I absolutely love how the bright pinks and warm oranges pop against the crisp white background.

To finish everything off, I added the heartfelt sentiment from the “Inside Out: Love You” stamp set:
“some days I ask myself how did I get so lucky”

This card came together so beautifully and feels like the perfect mix of elegant and playful summer vibes.

Thanks so much for stopping by today!

~ Ally ~ 

Shell-ebrating Simple Summer Cards!

There’s something so relaxing about creating beach inspired cards and the new Catherine Pooler Designs “Ocean Wonders” collection makes it so easy! Today’s card is all about keeping things simple while letting those beautiful seaside images shine.

For this clean and simple design, I used the adorable “Beach Comber” stamps and dies to create a soft monochromatic collection of seashells and starfish across the card front. I stamped all of the images using a blend of Creamsicle, Getaway, and Bellini inks for that warm sun-kissed coastal palette.

To keep the look cohesive, I used Creamsicle cardstock for the card base, which really helps all of the soft peachy tones blend together beautifully. The white die cut borders around each shell help the images pop while still maintaining that light and airy feel.

To finish the card, I added a sweet sentiment from the “Beautiful Seas Sentiments” stamp and die set:
“it’s time to shell-ebrate your day”

Sometimes simple cards are the most effective, and this one came together so quickly while still feeling bright, cheerful, and full of summer vibes!

Thanks so much for stopping by today!

~ Ally ~ 

Seahorses & Ocean Waves 💙

The new Catherine Pooler Designs “Ocean Wonders” collection is making waves and I am completely smitten with all the seaside inspiration! Today’s card combines soft ocean tones, layered waves and the sweetest pair of seahorses for a clean and elegant design.

For the focal point, I started by stamping and die cutting the adorable seahorses from the “Seahorses on Parade” stamp set. I used Quartz and Pink Champagne inks to create a soft tone-on-tone effect that gives them a delicate underwater feel.

To create the subtle background texture on the card base, I used the “Jellyfish Dance Layered Stencil” with the brand new Oyster Ink. I love how this stencil can be used in multiple ways! I also used portions of the stencil to add extra wave details to my layered ocean pieces.

The waves themselves were created using the “Melon Edge Die” and layered together with vellum, Juniper Mist, and Stone Blue cardstock. Once layered, I die cut the entire scene with a heart die to frame the sweet little seahorses together in their underwater world.

To finish the card, I added a simple sentiment from the “Beautiful Seas Sentiments” stamp set using Juniper Mist Ink.

I absolutely love how soft and peaceful this card turned out — the layered waves and muted ocean palette make it feel so dreamy!

Thanks so much for stopping by today! 🌊

~ Ally ~ 

Beachy Love with the New Ocean Wonders Release!

The brand new Catherine Pooler Designs release, “Ocean Wonders,” is almost here and it is packed with all kinds of seaside goodness! From shells and sea creatures to beachy sentiments and ocean-inspired textures, this collection is perfect for summertime crafting.

For today’s card, I reached for the beautiful “Beach Comber” stamps and dies to create this soft and playful ocean-inspired design. I stamped and die cut several shells using a cheerful blend of Lemon Sorbet, Creamsicle and Bellini inks along with pops of Sweetheart and Pucker Up for those bright pink tones. I absolutely love how these colors bring the shells to life!

 

To create the background, I used the tiny “sand” image from the stamp set and repeatedly stamped it using Midnight ink along with the gorgeous new Oyster ink. This added the perfect subtle beachy texture without overpowering the focal elements.

I also added some Lemon Sorbet bubbles from the new "Jellyfish Dance Layered Stencils". I used just one of the 3 cool layers of this set of 3 stencils.

The bold sentiment was created using the new Layered Love Word Die. I die cut the word from black cardstock and added a vellum outline behind it to help it stand out while still keeping the overall design light and airy.

To finish everything off, I splattered the panel with the beautiful new Pearl Shimmer for that perfect touch of sparkle and ocean magic.

The Ocean Wonders release is available for StampNation members today, and the full collection goes live for everyone tomorrow at 9am EST!

Happy crafting!

~ Ally ~ 

Under the Sea Birthday Wishes for Craft Roulette #371

Hello crafty friends!

I’m back today sharing my latest card inspired by this week’s episode of Craft Roulette Episode #371! The parameters for this challenge were:

• Project: A9 Card (5 1/2" x 8 1/2")
• Colors: Florist Shop Colors
• Element: Birthday(s)
• Random: Something from my MESK (messy desk!)

For my A9 creation, I dove deep under the sea with three adorable Sweet November Stamps digi mermaids: “Goldie Love,” “Turtle Kisses,” and “Otterly Fun.” I absolutely love how each little scene flows together to create one tall whimsical underwater birthday card!

To bring the ocean setting to life, I colored all of the images using my trusty Copic Markers. I then used my Copic Airbrush System to create the soft blended ocean background. The bright aqua tones paired perfectly with the vibrant mermaid tails and flowing hair — definitely fitting those “florist shop colors” from this week’s challenge prompt.

For the birthday element, I kept things simple with a flowing script sentiment that tucks nicely into the design without taking away from the mermaids.

And for the random “something from my MESK” parameter? I reached for some enamel dots from Catherine Pooler Designs that were sitting on my desk waiting to be used! They added the perfect little bubbly finishing touch to the underwater scene.

This card was such a fun way to combine multiple digi images into one colorful interactive-looking scene. Thanks so much for stopping by today!

Happy crafting!

~ Ally ~ 

A Little Fairy Happy Mail ~ Sweet November Stamps

There’s something extra magical about sending happy mail, and today’s card brings a touch of fairy charm to the mailbox!

For this project, I used the adorable “Fairwee Happy Mail” stamp set from Sweet November Stamps. I just love this little fairy fluttering in with her special delivery—it instantly makes me smile!

I started by die cutting my panel using The Greetery’s “Postcard Details Die” to create that classic postcard look. Once my images were stamped, I masked them off so I could build a soft, glowing background using my Copic Airbrush System. Blending bright yellows into fresh greens gave the whole scene a sunny, storybook feel—like a perfect little meadow for fairy mail delivery.

After removing the masks, I colored all the images with Copic Markers, keeping the palette bright and cheerful to match the background. That tiny mailbox and flying bird helper add such fun personality to the scene!

To really lean into the postcard theme, I added extra details using The Greetery’s “Postal Modern” stamp set. These little postal accents tie everything together and give the card that authentic mail-inspired finish.

Finally, I stamped the bold greeting using the CP & Sizzix “Print & Pattern: Hello Sentiments” stamp set. The large “hello” makes such a perfect focal point and balances the design beautifully.

This card is a reminder that even a small note can bring a big smile—especially when it’s delivered with a little fairy magic! ✨

~ Ally ~ 

Tidewater Tails – Luchia by the Shore 🌊

The newest digital release from Sweet November Stamps is here, and it’s absolutely fin-tastic! The “Tidewater Tails” collection is now available and features five gorgeous mermaids: Flavia, Luchia, Lunaria, Ondina, and Pacifica. Today, I’m sharing a card featuring the sweet and whimsical Tidewater Tail: Luchia.

I created a bright tropical scene for Luchia to perch in by pairing her with island elements from the Pirate Background Builder Set along with a few rocky accents from the Mermaid Rocks images. I love how these pieces come together to build a fun little island escape!

All of the images were colored with vibrant Copic Markers, really bringing this seaside scene to life. Those bold tropical tones and shimmering water make this card feel like a mini vacation!

Once my coloring was complete, I die cut the panel using a deckled edge die to give it that soft, organic finish. I layered it onto a handmade postage-style panel—because let’s be honest, the postage trend is just too fun not to play with! For a bit of extra detail, I stamped the background with the mermaid-themed postmarks from the Fantasy Post Marks stamp set.

To finish it all off, I added a sentiment from the Mermees Set#2 stamp set that perfectly matches the peaceful ocean vibe—“May waves of happiness wash over you.”

Thanks so much for stopping by today! Be sure to check out the full Tidewater Tails release—these mermaids are sure to make a splash in your next project!

~ Ally ~ 

Layered Florals with a Touch of Shimmer ~ CP & Sizzix

I had so much fun playing with the beautiful new Sizzix & Catherine Pooler products for today’s card! This design is all about texture, color, and layering—three of my favorite things in cardmaking.

To start, I created a soft and elegant background by embossing a panel of white cardstock using the new “Scallop Framed Florals” embossing folder. The subtle raised detail adds just the right amount of interest while still letting the focal design shine.

Next came the fun part—die cutting and layering! I used the gorgeous blooms from the “Friendly Florals Dies” set and cut them from a vibrant mix of Catherine Pooler cardstock in Samba, Pixie Dust, Glam, and Aquatini. I absolutely love how these colors pop against the clean white background!

Once all my pieces were cut, I arranged them into a loose floral cluster across the top of the card. These dies are so fun to mix and match, and I love how easy they make it to build a full, layered arrangement.

To add a little extra sparkle, I brushed some Pixie Dust Shimmer onto a few of the purple die cuts. It gives such a soft, glowy finish and really brings those elements to life in the light.

This card came together so easily and is a great reminder of how impactful simple die cutting and layering can be. A little texture, a bold color palette, and a hint of shimmer go a long way!

Thanks so much for stopping by today!

~ Ally ~