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 ~ 

Petals & Purrs – Thank You Fur Everything

The brand new Petals & Purrs release from Catherine Pooler Designs is packed with adorable critters, cheerful florals, and fun patterns, and today I’m sharing a sweet thank-you card featuring the playful kitties from the Purr-fect Pals Stamp Set.

For this card I stamped three of the adorable kitty images and stamped them using a few of my favorite Catherine Pooler inks — Rockin’ Red, Mardi Gras, and Sweetheart. I love how each kitty has its own fun personality and pattern!

To ground the design, I added a strip of patterned paper from the Totally Bloomin' Patterned Paper Pack along the bottom of the card. The bold floral pattern adds such a cheerful pop of color and ties in perfectly with the playful theme of the card.

One of my favorite little details in the Purr-fect Pals set is the tiny star stamp. I scattered a few of those around the card with Tiara ink to create a fun little background that frames the sentiment and the jumping kitties.

The sentiment “Thank you fur everything” finishes the card perfectly and makes this a great design to send a little appreciation to someone special.

All of the products used on today’s card are part of the new Petals & Purrs release and are available now in the Catherine Pooler Designs shop!

Happy crafting! 🐾✨

~ Ally ~ 

Egg-cellent News from the Farm! 🐔🍓

I’m back today with another card featuring the adorable products from the From the Farm release by Catherine Pooler Designs! This one is clean, bright and full of playful farm charm.

Meet the Chickens

The star of the show is the sweet hen & chick and that tiny egg from the Chicken In stamp set with coordinating dies. I inked the images in bold, happy color combos to make them really pop against the white background:

• Party Dress & Samba for the vibrant pink hen

• Melon Ice & Lime Rickey for the little chick and egg and a little Cotton Candy ink for the ground 

I love how these ink pairings create instant dimension while keeping everything fresh and graphic.

Patterned Paper Details

To bring in even more farm-fresh personality, I added some of the adorable patterned papers from the Farm Fresh paper pack. The strawberry print paired with the soft green floral is just too cute!

I die cut the patterned panels using the Skyscape Mini Cover Plate Dies, which gives them that fun scalloped edge detail. It’s the perfect way to add texture and shape without overpowering the clean layout.

Finishing Touches

The sentiment — “Congrats on your egg-cellent news!” — is stamped in Samba ink to coordinate with the hen and tie everything together. I kept the rest of the card clean and simple so the bright inks and cheerful patterns could shine.

This release is packed with farm charm, sweet patterns and the cutest little flock — I’m having so much fun mixing bold inks with playful prints!

Thanks so much for stopping by today! 🐔💗 Let me know which color combo you’d try first!

~ Ally ~ 

Hello Color! 🎉 | Catherine Pooler Designs

Cardmaking is officially getting a whole lot more colorful! Today I’m sharing a bright and happy card created with the brand new Colored Cardstock from Catherine Pooler Designs—and I couldn’t be more excited about this release.

Catherine Pooler Designs is kicking off a Year of Color, and this new cardstock line is designed to make creating easier than ever. The Colored Cardstock is perfectly coordinated to CP’s ink families and is available in Party, Spa, and Neutral color palettes. Even better, some of these colors are available in convenient collection bundles, making it simple to build your stash all at once.

For my card, I chose to play with the Party colors—bold, cheerful, and full of personality. I used Catching Rays, Rockin' Red, Party Dress, Sixteen Candles, Aquatini and Martini cardstocks. I used the Simple Strip Die to cut clean, even strips of cardstock, layering them into a rainbow circle for instant impact with very little effort. This die makes quick work of backgrounds and is perfect for showcasing color combinations.

To dress things up, I added a flower and leaves cut from the Petals & Paisley Die set. I love the stitched details—they add just the right amount of texture while still keeping the design clean and modern. For the finishing touch, I used the Scripted Sentiments Die to cut a crisp white “hello,” popping it up slightly so it stands out against all that gorgeous color.

This card came together so quickly, and the results really let the cardstock shine—no ink blending required! If you love easy color-forward designs, this new cardstock line is going to be a staple in your craft room.

✨ Ordering Info

• StampNation Members: You can order TODAY at noon EST

• Everyone Else: The collection goes live TOMORROW

Thanks so much for stopping by today. I can’t wait to share more colorful inspiration with you as the Year of Color continues!

Happy crafting,
~ Ally ~ 💛

Catherine Pooler & Sizzix ~ Yay for Happy Gardens!

Today I’m sharing a fresh and cheerful card featuring the brand-new Catherine Pooler Designs & Sizzix collaboration! This release is full of versatile dies, stencils, and fun sentiments—and I couldn’t wait to dive in with some of my favorites.

The Background

I started my card with the beautiful new Happy Garden 2 Layering Stencil. Using a soft and springy palette, I blended Melon Ice, Martini, Frosted, and Serene inks to bring the garden blooms to life. I love how these inks layer seamlessly for that soft botanical look.  I quick splatter of metallic silver watercolor paint added that touch of glimmer!

To give the panel a decorative edge, I reached for the Scallops & Dots Dies, which cut out that pretty scalloped border detail. It frames the design so sweetly and adds an extra touch of whimsy.

The Sentiment

For the bold focal point, I die cut one of the Exclamation Word Dies and blended it with Serene ink. A few touches of White Gel Pen accents help it pop against the background. To anchor the sentiment, I layered it over a vellum circle die cut from the Border Party Circles Dies—I love that these dies emboss the edge of the circle for just the right amount of subtle detail!

The Finishing Touches

The vellum helps soften the busy floral background while still letting all that stencilled goodness peek through. The simple “yay” sentiment really makes this card perfect for so many occasions—celebrations, accomplishments, or just happy mail to brighten someone’s day!

✨ All of the new Catherine Pooler Designs & Sizzix products are available now in the Catherine Pooler shop.

Happy shopping!

~ Ally ~ 

Catherine Pooler ~ With Love X's

Today’s card is all about clean design, bright colors, and a touch of floral charm using the Catherine Pooler Designs With Love stamp, die, and coordinating stencil set.

I started by creating a playful strip down the right-hand side of my card using Midnight ink and a stamp from the Absolute Favorite Floral stamp set. This subtle pattern adds just the right amount of texture without overpowering the design.

Next, I stamped the floral images, stencilled and die cut the gorgeous blooms from the With Love set using a vibrant palette of Sparkling Berry, Orange Peel, Serene, and Honeycomb inks. I love how these colors pop against the crisp white background! After die-cutting the flowers, I layered them over the X's strip for a balanced focal point.

The sentiment — “With Love” — is also from the With Love stamp set, and I love that the coordinating die set includes dies for all the sentiments too, making it easy to add that final touch.

A few scattered stars and small flowers complete the design for a card that’s sweet, simple, and ready to brighten someone’s day.

You can find the With Love bundle and all the inks I used over at Catherine Pooler Designs.

Have a great weekend!

~ Ally ~ 

Catherine Pooler ~ A Little Soft & Sweet Thinking of You

Today I'm sharing a card that’s full of gentle color and heartfelt sentiment—perfect for sending a little love to someone special. 💛💜

This card features the beautiful new "With Love" stamp set and coordinating dies from Catherine Pooler Designs. I absolutely adore the mix of florals in this set—they're whimsical, easy to color, and perfect for a variety of occasions.

To build my background, I pulled out the dreamy "Dreamy Damask Layered Stencils". I softly blended four of my favorite Catherine Pooler Designs inks across the stencils: Serenade, Honeycomb, and Seafoam. These pastel hues create a soft and serene backdrop that lets the sentiment and florals shine.

To add dimension and a little playful detail, I framed the floral cluster using the lovely scalloped panel from the "Dashes & Ruffles Dies". The bubbly edges give the whole card a charming touch that pairs beautifully with the elegance of the damask pattern.

The sentiment, “Thinking of You,” comes right from the "With Love" stamp set and is nestled among the layered die-cut flowers. I used a combination of yellow, soft orange, and lilac tones to color the blooms, adding soft shading for depth and dimension.

This card is a gentle reminder that a handmade message can brighten someone’s day—whether it’s a friend, family member, or someone who just needs a little pick-me-up.

All supplies used are available now in the Catherine Pooler Designs shop. I hope this inspires you to mix your favorite inks and stencils for a delicate background of your own!

Happy crafting! 💐

~ Ally ~ 

Crafty Meraki ~ A Thank You

Hello, crafty friends!  

I’m so excited to share a floral thank you card that highlights some of my favorite Crafty Meraki products. If you’re a fan of delicate florals and elegant texture, you’re going to love this one!

For today’s card, I pulled out the stunning Crafty Meraki "Petal Poetry" stamp and die set. These beautiful bold florals are a dream to color – I chose soft purples and fresh greens to keep things springy and serene. The detail in these blooms makes them perfect for center stage on any project.

To add some subtle texture and dimension, I used the "Fern Lattice" background die. I absolutely love how it adds interest without overwhelming the delicate lines of the flowers. I die-cut it from the same lavender cardstock as the card base to keep the design cohesive and elegant.

The bold gold foiled “Thank You” greeting comes from the "Gilded Greetings EAP". I love the mix of greetings in this set – the scripty font adds a touch of glamour and style to any sentiment. I popped up the sentiment with foam tape to give it a little extra dimension.

Supplies Used:

• Stamps & Dies: Crafty Meraki Petal Poetry Stamp & Die Set

• Background Die: Crafty Meraki Fern Lattice Die

• Sentiment: Crafty Meraki Gilded Greetings EAP

• Cardstock: Lavender, white

• Coloring: Copic Markers, Polychromos Pencils

I hope this card inspires you to mix texture with florals and to let your sentiments shine! Thank you for stopping by today – and as always, happy crafting!

~ Ally ~

Scrap'N Stamp ~ Easter Bird Card Tutorial

 

Join me today at 8pm EST for a LIVE tutorial on how to create this super cute Easter card.

The card above features the Birch Press Designs "Block Print Tufted Bird Die" & "Foliage Bunch Dies" and some cute Lawn Fawn "Bitsy Blooms" patterned papers and the "Scripty Easter Die".

I'll be over on the Scrap 'N Stamp Facebook group! 

Hope to see you there!

~ Ally ~

Crafty Meraki ~ Plum Purple Blooms

Happy Tuesday all!  I'm back sharing another fun Crafty Meraki card I made this month.

Today's card stars the gorgeous "Crimson Charm" Press-tacular Plate.

If you weren't aware, a Press-Plate not only can be used in a Better Press machine but these plates can also be used to FOIL too!  This is fantastic to work in 2 different methods. 

So with the "Crimson Charm" Press-tacular Plate today, I used some purple foil.

After die cutting out the bloom with it's coordinating dies, I used some purple Copic Markers to color in to make my bloom cluster monochromatic.

Then I cut out 2 of the middle sized "Frame-worthy Background A2" die cuts and I applied them to the card base in a mismatched way.  I intertwined them. 

To add a final touch I die cut out the sentiment "Love You Mom" from the "Love Like No Other EAP" and added to the front panel.

And finally, I wanted a little bit of shimmer, so I added some round confetti from the "Twinkle Treats: Black Iridescent" sequin mix.

This card was so fun to make!

Have a great week everyone!

~ Ally ~

Crafty Meraki ~ Introducing Meraki Genesis

 

Crafty Meraki is celebrating 5 years in business and I'm so happy to joining their amazing team of creative talent!

Today we're celebrating with a Instagram Hop.

BEGIN HERE:  Crafty Meraki Insta

The card I'm sharing on today's hop stars the beautiful new Press-tacular plate called "Crimson Charm".

 

I foiled today's "Crimson Charm Press-tacular Plate" with a simple gold foil and colored in the gorgeous Dahlia using a rainbow of soft Copic Marker colors. 

For my very subtle background, I also foiled a gorgeous background A2 die called "Sahara Symphony Background Die".  Yes... I foiled a die!  It gives you very fine lines but it still gives you a design!

For the final touch of my card, I foiled an entire sheet of the "Gilded Greetings EAP" with gold foil and die cut it using the "Gilded Greetings Dies" to cut the entire sheet out at once!  I love the concept of foiled a number of sentiments all at once and die cutting them all out at once!  So quick and easy!

Thanks for dropping by!  Don't forget to head on over to Instagram for your chance to WIN one of the gift certificates and also check out all the amazing new designs!

~ Ally ~

Crafty Meraki ~ Sneak Peek: Crimson Charm

Today's my very first share of my brand new design team!  Today I'm sharing a sneak peek of one of the newest products coming from Crafty Meraki!

Today we're sharing some sneaks of the brand new "Crimson Charm Press-tacular Plate"...

This beautiful Chrysanthemum bouquet is so striking!  The two blooms are paired with some beautiful berries.

I chose to use some purple foil with today's Press-tacular Plate and then color it with purple Copic Markers!

I will be sharing the full card next week once the release has gone live.

Stay tuned for more Crafty Meraki sneak peeks this week!

~ Ally ~

Catherine Pooler Designs ~ Holiday Magic Collection

Happy Saturday everyone!  We have a brand new Catherine Pooler Designs holiday collection coming to the shop!  This collection is called Holiday Magic and has two main bundles plus a whole lot more!

Today and for the next week, I'll be sharing projects featuring products from the "Greenery of the Season Bundle".

We're going to start with the stunning "Greenery of the Season" stamp set.  I wanted to create a soft, rustic feel so I kept my colors subtle and my design simple.

I started by masking off the background of my card front panel.  I blended some Wintergreen ink 3/4 of the way from the top to the bottom of the area.  Then I blended a very light layer of Sage ink at the top. Before removing the masks, I splattered some gold paint across the panel.

Next I stamped a series of greenery pieces from the "Greenery of the Season" stamp set on a separate piece of paper using Icing on the Cake ink.

I used some Buttercream ink to stamp the centres of the Poinsettia flowers & Mistletoe berries. I used Sage ink to stamp the pine boughs, and finally, I used a blend of Sage and Wintergreen for the Holly and the Mistletoe.  I die everything out with their corresponding dies.  I popped up all of the greenery using my 3M Foam Adhesive.

For the final touches of my card, I used some Champagne ink to stamp the greeting, also from the "Greenery of the Season" stamp set.  I used a clear embossing powder to set the ink so it wouldn't smear.

For a further touch of bling, I added some Wintergreen Sequins in and amoung my greenery.

Mare sure you join Catherine and Erika for all the live action!

You can check out these lovely ladies over on the Catherine Pooler Designs Facebook page or on their YouTube channel.

In honor of the anniversary of September 11th, this collection will go sale on TUESDAY SEPTEMBER 10th instead of the normal Wednesday reveal.

If you are a member of StampNation, you will be able to purchase your Holiday Magic goodies EARLY.  Sign into the CP Shop using the same email you use for StampNation and the products will be in the shop at 12 noon EST on Monday.

You're going to love all this holiday goodness!  More card creations coming tomorrow!

Happy shopping!

~ Ally ~

Catherine Pooler Designs ~ Lots of Kitties

The Catherine Pooler Designs newest collection, "Birthday on the Go" is now in the shop! 

Today's card features both the "Pedaling By" stamp and die set plus the very cool "Serena Cover Plate Die".

I thought all those rainbow kitties from the "Pedaling By" stamp set would fit purr-fectly in the openings of the "Serena Cover Plate Die".

I decided to add the whimsical greeting from the "Look Who's Talking Sentiments" stamp set and it's coordinating dies.

I think it turned out pretty cute!

Hope you have a great week!

~ Ally ~