Birthday Circles – Handmade Card

Posted on July 9, 2025 by Anita

Hi friends,

Today’s card is fun and colorful! It’s also simple and quick to make. 🙂

Disclosure: Some of the links on my site are affiliate links, meaning, at no additional cost to you, I will earn a small commission if you click through and make a purchase. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

I took 4 bright colors of card stock and embossed them with an embossing folder. The one I used is discontinued, but I think this one would be fun. I punched 1-inch, 1 1/8-inch, and 1 1/2-inch circles from the embossed card stock. I attached them randomly to white card stock that measured 5.25 by 4 inches. I overlapped a few of the circles over the edge of the card stock and trimmed off the excess. I layered the piece to a slightly larger piece of yellow card stock and attached it to a white card.

I punched a few 1/4-inch circles from card stock and attached them randomly to the card. The sentiment is stamped with turquoise ink, punched with a 1-inch circle punch, and layered to a 1 1/8-inch embossed circle. The piece is attached to the card with foam tape.

This is such a great card for just about anyone – even for those sometimes difficult masculine cards. 😉 You can make it in any color combo and with any of your favorite embossing folders.

Anita

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Small Wood Pallet Christmas Tree

Posted on July 8, 2025 by Anita

Hi friends,

It’s time for some Christmas in July fun! 🎄I have some cute Christmas projects planned for this month including decor, crocheting, cards, tags, and some other things I haven’t thought of yet! 😉

Disclosure: Some of the links on my site are affiliate links, meaning, at no additional cost to you, I will earn a small commission if you click through and make a purchase. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

Today I have a Small Wood Pallet Christmas tree to share with you. I love to decorate my mantel with small Christmas trees for the season and it will be fun to add this one. You can see my mantel in this post. It includes my Farmhouse Wood Christmas Tree made with the same type of pallet tree.

All of my supplies came from Hobby Lobby. I noticed they are starting to put out their Christmas stock at my store and these trees are available again this year. You’ll need the tree, 2 coordinating Christmas print scrapbook papers, and white acrylic paint. It’s not in the photo, but I also used a 3 inch wood star for the top of my tree. (Similar wood pallet Christmas trees are also available here at Amazon.)

I painted the tree and the star with 2 coats of white paint, letting it dry between coats. The white was a bit stark next to my scrapbook papers, so I lightly dry brushed some dark brown paint onto the base and back of the tree to soften it. You may be able to skip this step depending on your choice of papers.

I traced the 4 sections of the tree onto the back of the scrapbook papers, alternating between the patterns. To make it a little easier, I let the bottom of the tree hang off of the edge of my counter so the tree laid flat on the paper. I traced the outside edges of each section and used a ruler to draw the lines across. Then I cut out each section. I also traced the star on the back of the paper and cut it out.

Using Mod Podge and a foam brush, I applied a thin coat to each section of the tree, one at a time, and smoothed on the scrapbook paper. Then I applied a thin coat of Mod Podge over the top. I did the same thing with the star and attached it to the top using E6000 clear adhesive.

This tree was fun to make! You can use any scrapbook paper to match your Christmas decor. The thing that takes the longest is waiting for the paint to dry! 😄

I would love to see how you decorate your Small Wood Pallet Christmas Tree. 🎄

Anita

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Happy 4th of July USA!

Posted on July 4, 2025 by Anita

Hi friends,

Happy Independence Day to all of my friends in the USA! 🇺🇸 Hoping your day is filled with family, friends, food, and fireworks! ♥️♥️🍔🥧🍦🧨🧨🧨

Disclosure: Some of the links on my site are affiliate links, meaning, at no additional cost to you, I will earn a small commission if you click through and make a purchase. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

You can find details for my patriotic tiered tray decor in these posts…Chunky Polka Dot Wood Stars, Americana Wood Blocks, Mini Patriotic Rolling Pins, and Mini Pallet Flag

Have fun and be safe! ♥️🤍💙

Anita

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Chillin’ On Your Birthday – Handmade Card

Posted on July 2, 2025 by Anita

Hi friends,

Here’s a fun card for all those Summer birthdays! 🍋 The lemonade jar stamp is from the set called Chillin’ from Unity Stamp Company. The sentiment is from a discontinued set called Summertime in a Jar also from Unity. Use your favorite sentiment in your collection. 🙂

Disclosure: Some of the links on my site are affiliate links, meaning, at no additional cost to you, I will earn a small commission if you click through and make a purchase. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

I stamped the lemonade jar on white card stock with Memento Tuxedo Black Ink and colored it with Copic Markers.

Using the Wonky Stitch Rectangle STAX Dies from MFT Stamps, I die cut around the image. I used the same die set to cut rectangles from blue and yellow patterned paper. I attached them to a white card with the stamped image on top. I stamped the sentiment with light blue ink and die cut around it with these Scalloped & Stitched Sentiment Nesting Dies. (Both sets of dies are out of stock as of writing this post, but hopefully they will come back in soon!) I attached the sentiment piece to the card using foam tape.

I think this stamp would also be so cute colored up to look like iced tea. Lemonade or iced tea – which is your favorite Summertime cold drink? 🍋

Anita

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Easy Patriotic Sugar Cookie Bars

Posted on July 1, 2025 by Anita

Hi friends,

Are you bringing dessert to the 4th of July picnic this weekend? Looking for a quick but fun and festive recipe? These Patriotic Sugar Cookie Bars might be just what you are looking for! 🇺🇸

Disclosure: Some of the links on my site are affiliate links, meaning, at no additional cost to you, I will earn a small commission if you click through and make a purchase. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

I found the recipe here at Upstate Ramblings. The dough mixes up in just a few minutes and then you bake the whole batch of cookies at once in a 9 x 13 inch baking pan – I love that! After the cookies cool completely, you will frost them with yummy cream cheese icing and add plenty of fun patriotic sprinkles. Cut them into squares and enjoy!

Here’s the dough ready to go into the oven… It’s a thick sticky dough so I lightly sprayed my clean hands with cooking spray to spread it out and pat it in the pan that I lined with parchment paper.

And fresh out of the oven… It smells so yummy!

After they are cooled, frosted, and sprinkled…

The cream cheese in the dough and the icing adds a whole new level of flavor to these tasty sugar cookie bars. I stored my cookie bars in the refrigerator just to be safe due to the cream cheese icing. Simply take them out an hour or so before you want to serve them – or you can serve them cold right from the fridge, too!

These tasty Patriotic Sugar Cookie Bars are sure to be a hit – especially with the kids! 🙂 🇺🇸

Anita

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Bella Coco’s Crochet Stitch Library Book

Posted on June 27, 2025 by Anita

Hi friends,

Have you seen this beautiful new crochet book from Bella Coco?!?! It’s called Bella Coco’s Crochet Stitch Library and it’s amazing! 🧶

Disclosure: Some of the links on my site are affiliate links, meaning, at no additional cost to you, I will earn a small commission if you click through and make a purchase. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

The book begins with the tools and equipment for crocheting and continues on to the basics of crocheting. Next comes 70 pages with different stitch tutorials from beginner to intermediate to more advanced stitches. Then 44 pages of squares and shapes followed by a few pages of edgings and borders. She also includes 3 projects to practice using a few of the stitches you’ve learned.

The book is written in US terms with UK terms in parentheses in each pattern. There are beautiful photos showcasing each stitch, square, shape, and edging. I think this is such a great book to have in your craft room. Whether you are just beginning your crochet journey or having been crocheting for decades, you’ll love having Bella Coco’s Crochet Stitch Library at your fingertips for quick reference when starting a new project. 🧶

Anita

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Simply Thinking of You – Handmade Card

Posted on June 25, 2025 by Anita

Hi friends,

Need a quick and easy card? This card comes together in just minutes and it’s so simple to make!

Disclosure: Some of the links on my site are affiliate links, meaning, at no additional cost to you, I will earn a small commission if you click through and make a purchase. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

My flower silhouette stamp is from a discontinued set called Insightful Meadows from Unity Stamp Company. This set called Serene Silhouettes has several stamps that would work beautifully on a card like this. My sentiment stamp is one I’ve had in my collection forever.

I stamped the flower image on white card stock with lavender ink. I used an edger punch similar to this to punch along one edge of the piece. I stamped the sentiment with the same ink and punched around it with a scalloped oval punch similar to this.

I attached lavender card stock to a white card and attached the stamped flower piece to the card. The sentiment is attached to the card with foam tape.

This card can be used for any occasion. You can change the sentiment or even leave it off completely. And you can make it in any color.😊

Anita

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Christmas Greetings – June 2025 Christmas Card

Posted on June 24, 2025 by Anita

Hi friends,

This month’s Christmas card is super quick and easy! 🎄 I was inspired by the BYSHC Sketch Challenge 58. Lots of great inspiration on their Facebook page.😊

Disclosure: Some of the links on my site are affiliate links, meaning, at no additional cost to you, I will earn a small commission if you click through and make a purchase. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

My background stamp is a discontinued stamp from My Favorite Things called Christmas Greetings Background. You can use any fun Christmas background stamp or even patterned paper. The Christmas tree stamp is from the 2024 Advent calendar from Unity Stamp Company. Any small Christmas themed stamp would be great in this layout.

I stamped the background with green ink on white card stock. I trimmed the piece to measure 5 by 3.75 inches, cut it diagonally, and attached it to a red card leaving a small space between the triangles.

I stamped the trees with green ink on white card stock. I used these Scallops & Circles Nesting Dies to die cut around the image and layered it to red card stock die cut with the same set. The piece is attached to the card using foam tape.

This card comes together so quickly! And I love the simplicity. 🎄

If you’d like to see the other monthly Christmas cards I’ve created so far this year you can find them here: January, February, March, April, and May.

Anita

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Crochet Cluster V-Stitch Spa Cloth

Posted on June 20, 2025 by Anita

Hi friends,

Looking for a quick and easy crochet project on these hot Summer days? 😎 Spa cloths work up quickly and are fun to make.

Disclosure: Some of the links on my site are affiliate links, meaning, at no additional cost to you, I will earn a small commission if you click through and make a purchase. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

I stitched up my Crochet Cluster V-Stitch Spa Cloth using I Love This Cotton Yarn in Ivory and Serene Spa and an H/5mm crochet hook. You can find the easy pattern below along with links to free PDFs – one with photos and one without – for easy printing.

Crochet Cluster V-Stitch Spa Cloth

Worsted weight cotton yarn (size 4) – 

I used I Love This Cotton Yarn in Ivory and Serene Spa

H/5.5mm crochet hook

Stitches used in US terms:

Chain – ch

Double Crochet – dc

Cluster V-stitch

Double Crochet 2 together – dc2tog

Slip Stitch – ss

How to make Cluster V-stitch: dc2tog, ch, dc2tog in the same stitch

How to dc2tog: yarn over, insert hook in stitch. Yarn over pull up loop (3 loops on hook). Yarn over, pull through 2 loops (2 loops on hook). Yarn over, insert hook in same stitch. Yarn over and pull up loop (4 loops on hook). Yarn over, pull through 2 loops (3 loops on hook). Yarn over and pull through last 3 loops. 

Chain 29.

Row 1: working in back bump of ch, dc in 4th ch from hook. (3 skipped ch count as a dc). *Skip 2 ch. (dc2tog, ch, dc2tog) in next ch (cluster v-stitch made).* Repeat from * to* across until last 4 ch. Skip 2 ch. dc in final 2 ch. Turn. (7 Cluster V-stitches and 2 double crochet at each end)

Row 2: ch 3 (counts as dc). Skip first dc. dc in next dc. *work cluster v-stitch in ch space of cluster v-stitch of previous row* Repeat from *to* across to last 2 dc. dc in last 2 dc. Turn. (7 Cluster V-stitches and 2 double crochet at each end)

Rows 3 – 10: Repeat Row 2 

Do Not Turn at the end of row 10.

Work border around spa cloth. 

Round 1: ch 1. sc crochet evenly around, working 3 sc in each corner. Join with ss to first sc. 

Fasten off and weave in ends. 

Finished spa cloth measures about 7 by 6.5 inches. 

Here are the free PDFs…

Crochet Cluster V-Stitch Spa Cloth with photos
Crochet Cluster V-Stitch Spa Cloth without photos

These little spa cloths can be worked up in any color of cotton yarn. They make great gifts. And because they are stitched up with cotton yarn they can also be used as dishcloths. 🙂

I’ve created a couple of PDFs for simple wrap labels for gift giving or market makes. One is labeled for spa cloths and the other for dishcloths.

Label for Crochet Spa Cloth
Label for Crochet Dishcloth

Enjoy your Summer stitching! 🧶😎

Anita

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Flowers For You – Handmade Card

Posted on June 18, 2025 by Anita

Hi friends,

This Bundled Together stamp from Unity Stamp Company makes such a lovely card. Tulips are one of my favorite flowers and this is such a fun stamp to color up.🌷

Disclosure: Some of the links on my site are affiliate links, meaning, at no additional cost to you, I will earn a small commission if you click through and make a purchase. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

I stamped the image on white card stock with Memento Tuxedo Black ink on white card stock and colored it with Copic Markers.

I die cut around the image using scalloped rectangle dies similar to these and layered it to patterned paper die cut with the same set. I attached a piece of green card stock to a white card and then attached the stamped piece. I stamped the sentiment with black ink on a strip of green card stock and attached it to the card with foam tape.

This stamp can be colored up in so many different ways. The card can also be used for so many different occasions – just change the sentiment – or even leave it off completely.😊

Anita

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