Unused No More - January 2025

Today is the beginning of a new challenge series. Barb has created the idea and developed it and has invited others to join her in the fun. It's called Unused No More. 

Unused No More is a monthly challenge for 2025 its “date due” is the 6^th of every month.

The challenge each month is to pick a stamp set, stencil, die, hot foil or press plate (or maybe something else I have not thought of) that you have not used yet—still new in the package or your storage choice.

Make a card or another project, giftable, ATC, etc. with the new item and now it is used!

This challenge is exactly what I need! I'm not going to name how many unused stamps I have (not to mention dies, embossing folders, stencils, etc.) but I will tell you this - over 35% of the stamp sets I own are currently unused (at least by me - some of them I have purchased second-hand). That's ridiculous! I need an intervention and Barb has created it for me. It's called Unused No More.

I made a card this month using the Technique Junkies Advice from a Dog stamp. 

There are several of us in this group, but these are the ones that have blogs if you'd like to check out their Unused No More cards/projects:

Barb

Carol

Darlene

Rebekah

Shelly

Terry

Thanks for stopping by my blog today!

Stamp: Technique Junkies Advice from a Dog stamp stamped with Hero Arts Intense Black Ink

Papers: Accent Opaque 120# White, Recollections Black, and SU Gray Granite CS and DP from my scrap file

Dies: Gina K Master Layouts #1, Honey Bee Sweet Stack Rectangles and MFT Stitched Tag-Corner Square

Embellishments: Paw Brads from an unknown vendor

My Forest in the Wee Hours of Darkness

Good Morning from my Forest.

This is my happy place, which explains why, even though I am not a morning person, I love the early mornings in my Forest. While the rest of my household slumbers, I rise early and slip into my Forest at the other end of our house. With the festive lights on, I bask in the time of quiet. Peaceful reflection. Joyful connections. 

I love my Forest! At current count I have 18 different trees. Some with lights; some without. Some handmade; some store-bought. Some tall; some short. Each one a delight.

Welcome to this glimpse into my Forest.

This is my year-round happy place.

Keeping 1 + 12 Alive in '25 - January

The 3rd of each month is a special day here on my blog - it's the day that Kelly (the founder of this series), Barb, and I share our One Plus Twelve cards. 

The idea is to use the same ONE stamp (not a set) each month to create a card. Sentiments can be used, too, if we choose.

We started this series in 2019, so this is our 7th year. These are the stamps I've used so far:

2019 - Unity Be the Best (an artsy dragonfly)

2020 - Unity Aleah Girl (a woman in a sweater)

2021 - Stampin' UP! Gather Together (a maple leaf)

2022 - Altenew Vintage Garden (a large flower)

2023 - Waffle Flower Little Painter (a small paint brush)

2024 - Altenew Pristine Peonies (a large flower) 

My ONE stamp this year is the bloom from the Gina K Modern Floral stamp set. It's going be a stretch for me, but I do like a good challenge.

I hope you'll keep an eye out on the 3rd of each month to see how I do with this ONE stamp this year. You'll also be able to see Barb's and Kelly's cards on Instagram as well as their blogs...

Barb's blog

Kelly's blog

Thanks for stopping by my blog today!

Stamp/Die: Gina K Modern Floral stamped with Taylored Expressions Fruit Punch Ink

Inks (for Ink Blending): Taylored Expressions Fruit Punch, Granny Apple Green, Kiwi, and Lime Zest 

Papers: Accent Opaque 120# White and SU Lovely Lipstick CS

Dies: Gina K Master Layouts

Embellishments: Amazon Diamond Dots

SCS Sketch #SC1043

I have been part of the Sketch team on Splitcoaststampers for a few years now. Whether it's my week to create the sketch (the first Wednesday of each month) or I'm creating a sample card based on the sketch someone else created, I find that having a sketch to use can get my creative ideas flowing. 

There is a new sketch to work with every Wednesday. I encourage you to check them out.

I created this week's sketch - #SC1043:

My card:

I hope you'll use the sketch to make a card, too.

Thanks for stopping by my blog today!

Stamp/Die: Unity Lil' Bloomer stamped with Hero Arts Intense Black Ink and colored with Copic and Olo Markers

Papers: Accent Opaque 120# White and SU Cinnamon Cider CS and DP from my scrap file

Dies: Honey Bee Sweet Stack Rectangles, Stamp Market Quick Strips, and Stampin' UP! Circles

Embellishments: Eyelet Outlet Enamel Dots

2025

January 1st. A new page on the calendar. A new year to explore. 

New goals. New challenges.

New beginnings. A fresh start.

Am I the only one who enjoys moving into a new year? I suspect I'm not.

For the past several years I've chosen a Word of the Year to shape its direction. This year I seemed to struggle a bit with discovering the right word. I kept thinking about "enough" but that one kind of scared me, as being enough and having enough, etc. seemed almost unattainable. Finally I did something I never do - I went to the Day Spring "quiz" to choose my word.

Delight is a feeling of great pleasure or satisfaction, or something that gives great please.

It sounds like a pretty good word for me to focus on in 2025.

In addition to revealing my Word of the Year at the beginning of each year, I usually also share my crafting-related goals. This year I only have three, though I'm sure others will come up from time to time.

1. For many years I've used hot pink for my storage bins and other accent pieces in my Play Room. This year I am going to remove as much of the hot pink as possible, replacing it with neutral colors. I'm also renaming my Play Room (I know, again.) It hasn't been that long since I renamed it, but I think this will be its final name. From now on it will be Jeanette's Forest. I'm even having a sign made. The decor in the room is trees, trees, and more trees. Wooden trees. Twinkling trees. Cloth trees. metal trees. That's one of the reasons I'm getting rid of the hot pink and moving to neutral colors. The other reason is because the girl bathroom, just off of my room has a burnt orange accent wall and that doesn't go well with hot pink.

2. In an effort to stretch myself and learn new skills I am going to commit to watching at least one crafting YouTube video each week - Jennifer McGuire, Gina K, Simon Hurley, or similar artists. I've never been one to watch YouTube videos, but I have some friends who watch them regularly and they speak so highly of the things they learn. I'm excited about this goal.

3. I've purged a fair amount of my crafting goodies over the past two years and I have a few more areas I'd like to purge in 2025. Though I purge well, I don't have a real good handle on moving those items out of my storage area. This is the year! I'm going to commit to trying to sell what I can, but what can't be sold needs to go to my favorite thrift store.

Now, one more thing before I end this l-o-n-g blog post.

Here's what you can expect to see on my blog in 2025

3rd - The on-going 1 + 12 series

6th - A new challenge/series (to be announced on the 6th)

9th - The on-going Three Musketeers series

12th - Hot Mess Challenge

15th - The Creative Crew group

22nd - The on-going Double Duty series

25th - Another new series (to be announced on the 25th)

28th - The on-going Challenge Your Stash series

Last Day of the Month - The on-going Catch Up Club

Sometime During the Month - My on-going From a Kit series (It should end in July)

I continue to serve on the Blue Knight Rubber Stamps design team (every Friday) and the Technique Junkies design team (every other Monday).

I also remain on Splitcoaststamper's CAS Challenge team (on Mondays) and its Sketch Challenge team (on Wednesdays). 

It sounds like quite a lot to find delight in, doesn't it?