Patterned Paper Party IG Hop - May 26

Hello friends, welcome back to my little blog. I'm here today to share my card for this month's Patterned Paper Party Instagram Hop. Do you love patterned paper? Do you have a huge stash that needs using? Well so do we and it's time to get it used! We will be hopping on the 20th of each month to share our ideas. We will definitely be creating cards, but maybe sometimes tags, ATCs, gift bags/boxes, mini albums and scrapbook pages too. We want our patterned paper to be used.

The theme is always 'anything goes' but each month we will have an optional twist that can be used if you like; this month the twist is 'distressed edges' which I know was really popular quite a few years ago but it can look really fun, especially for mixed media or masculine cards. I made a card for my sons to give to their uncle for his birthday and it's 5" square for a change.  Unbelievably no dies and only sentiment stamps were used on my card.  I hope you like it.

Here is my card:

A closer look at the details:

Plus I decorated the inside:

I began by choosing my papers (all from the same paper pad) and tore thin strips, leaving the raw edges on show and I used what was left on my blending brushes to ink the edges.  I used one of the strips to stamp my greeting in black ink.  I was going to put the strips directly onto my card blank but I thought it looked 'too clean' so choose another paper from the paper that looked quite grungy and distressed and added that to the card base with double sided tape.  I added my strips, adding foam squares behind the outer and middle strips and double sided tape to the two inner strips.  Before I added the sentiment I curled up some black twine for some extra interest and placed it behind.  The sentiment was then laid across the strips using a combination of foam squares and liquid glue.  I didn't add any embellishments as I thought it looked ok as it was.  A fairly simple layout but perfect for my brother in law.  For the inside I cut a white panel 4 3/4" square and as I had some leftover torn strips I added them to the bottom with double sided tape.  I stamped a sentiment in the centre with black ink and then adhered the panel to the card base with double sided tape.  

I would like to enter my card into the following challenges:

* to be updated *

We hope you will be inspired by our Patterned Paper Party IG Hop and will pop over and check out all the gorgeous creations along the way. If you would like to join us please visit my Instagram page or use the hashtag #patternedpaperpartyhopmay2026 and we will find you.

Thanks for stopping by and take care.

Lots of love

card supplies:

My Minds Eye - now & then 'Izzy' 6x6 paper pad

Uniko - everyday family stamp (for uncle part of sentiment)

Uniko - floral vines stamp (for happy birthday)

Uniko - birthday wishes stamp (for inside sentiment)

Limetree Craft - 280gsm silky smooth white card (not available but other options are here and here)

Versafine Clair - nocturne ink pad

black twine from my stash

ATC Scrap Makes IG Hop - May 26

Hello friends, I hope you're doing great and you've had a great start to your week. I'm sharing my creations for this month's ATC Scrap Makes IG Hop. We challenge you to use leftover die cuts, sentiments and card stock to create Artist Trading Cards (ATC's). You can send them in happy mail, save them on a ring to highlight your favorite creations, swap them with friends or add sweet notes to a lunchbox. Join us if you like; the only rules are to use scraps and create cards that are 2.5” x 3.5” in size. We share our little snippets of happiness on the third Tuesday of the month.

This month I am continuing my alphabet series of ATC's with G, H & I.  I think it will be fun each month finding images/dies for each letter.  I'm trying to stick to animals and food but we'll see how it goes.  I'm excited to see them all at the end and I hope you are going to stick around to see them all too.  I used mostly older, retired products but I still love them so why not use them. I hope you like them; do you have a favourite from this month's trio?

Here are my three ATC's:

Here's a closer look at 'G':

A closer look at 'H':

and a closer look at 'I':

The backs are simply decorated with the ATC info stamp and some blending:

Once again I used my leftover ink blending scrap paper for two of my backgrounds as they turn out really interesting and not something I would create myself. I did add some stamping and ink blending over them to tie them into the image a little more and I think they turned out great.  For the 'H' ATC I used part of an embossing folder that I embossed but never used.  Luckily for me the gingerbread man was already assembled and ready to go so that ATC was simple to complete; I added him with foam squares and added the letter G with liquid glue.  As my focal images were too large to use the frames from the previous month's ATC's I decided to die cut one from the kraft card and cut it apart to add parts of it to the edges of the ATC.  I added some faux stitching around the edge with a black fineliner pen and that ATC was done.  I stamped and coloured the horse image and used the coordinating die to cut him out.  I added the embossed piece onto a plain white ATC with double sided tape and die cut some grass from three shades of green card, these were then adhered with double sided tape.  I added the horse, standing in the grass, with foam squares.  I die cut a few clouds from white card and added them, as well as the letter H, with liquid glue.  Onto the final ATC; the cone was stamped in kraft card and die cut out, the pink ice cream was die cut from pink card and the chocolate layer was stamped in brown ink and fussy cut out.  I stamped and die cut the cherry and then adhered all the pieces together with liquid glue.  I added some extra details to the blended background with this fun stencil and also stamped some of the sentiments from the stamp set with the kraft ink.  I again die cut the frame from pink card and cut it apart added some pieces to the edges of the ATC with liquid glue.  I adhered the ice cream with foam squares and added the letter I with liquid glue. For the backs of the ATC's I simply ink blended the matching colours around the edges and stamped one the ATC info stamps (that I won a few months ago) in black ink.  

I would like to enter my ATC's in the following challenges:

Aud Sentiments challenge - embossing and/or flowers + sentiment

Can You Handle The Pressure challenge - use an EF optional balloons

Cardz 4 Guys challenge - use an embossing folder

Crafty Animals challenge - ATG must include an animal

Creative Friday challenge - animals

Critter Crazy challenge - ATG with a featured critter

Dragonfly Dreams challenge - use die cuts

Dream Valley challenge - embossing wet or dry

Farm Quest Grocery Game challenge - food and/or drink

Simon Says Stamp Wednesday challenge - use craft dies

Stamping Sensations challenge - cute creatures

Tag-along (&ATC's) challenge - use some pink

We Love Stamping challenge - all creatures great and small 

I hope you will pop over to Instagram and check out the hop; please use the hashtag #ATCscrapmakes2026 or #ATCscrapmakesmay26 to see all the gorgeous creations and also if you want to participate we will be able to find you. 

I really appreciate you stopping by today. 

Love and hugs,

ATC supplies:
MFT - on the farm stamp & die

MFT - you're the sweetest stamp & die

MFT - cutest clouds ever die set

MFT - grassy fields die set

MFT - little letters die set

Spellbinders - stocking full of joy die set (for gingerbread)

Hunkydory - Moonstone dies - scalloped edged picture frames

Limetree Craft - 280gsm silky smooth white card (not available but other options are here and here)

Versafine Clair - nocturne ink pad
Promarkers

ATC silicone stamp won in a challenge

Sakura - white no. 10 gelly roll pen

*Gina K Designs - ink pads - innocent pink, charcoal brown, kraft, cherry red, grass green

*I now have an Affiliate Link for the Gina K Designs store. If you are considering making a purchase I would appreciate you using my link as it will earn me a small commission at no extra cost to you. 

Thank you x

Just Us Girls #823 - DT card

Hello everyone and welcome back to my blog. I am back to share my card for this week's Just Us Girls challenge and it's Word Week and Lisa has chosen 'flowers'.  I'm sure this is going to be a really popular week and I cannot wait to see all your gorgeous creations. 

I wanted to use another of my new embossing folder bundles from Gina K Designs and even though my stencilling went a little bit awry in places I think it still turned out great.  I don't use lilacs often enough but I really like this colour combo.  I hope you like it too.

Here is my card:

Plus a closer look at the details:

I decorated the inside:

I tried to capture the shimmer:

I began by embossing my white panel with the gorgeous floral embossing folder; it looked so pretty just white but I knew I wanted to add some colour.  I used the coordinating layering stencils to colour the flowers and leaves and I went with a pop of yellow for the flower centres.  I trimmed the panel down to 4" x 5 1/4" and added some scrap white card behind before adhering it to my card base. Unfortunately the stencil shifted on the smaller flower so I embossed and die cut another one, coloured it with the stencils and added it over top with foam squares.  I stamped and die cut the sentiment, using the same colour inks for the larger word and adhered it with foam squares.  I finished off with some black pearls and shimmer pen for a bit of extra sparkle.  For the inside I cut another white panel and added a strip of the embossed background to the bottom with double sided tape.  I ink blended some colour over the embossing with a very light hand and stamped the sentiment in the centre with black ink.  I added the panel to the card base with double sided tape. 

I would like to enter my card into the following challenges:

613 Avenue Create challenge - ATG optional twist May flowers

Aud Sentiments challenge - embossing and/or flowers + sentiment

Can You Handle The Pressure challenge - use an EF optional theme balloons (the flowers are a 3D EF)

Color Dare challenge - #703 (I used purple, green and yellow)

CRAFT challenge - birthday (happy 17th birthday CRAFT challenge)

Crafty Gals Corner challenge - ATG optional twist flowers for mom

Die Cut Divas challenge - celebrations (birthday)

Do-All Creative challenge - ATG optional flowers as an eye catcher

Little Red Wagon challenge - May flowers

Simon Says Stamp Wednesday challenge - use craft dies

Stencil Fun challenge - use a stencil optional theme see thru it (I used layering stencils on the flowers)

I'm sure this will be a popular challenge as we all love our flowers don't we?  I cannot wait to see what you create.  Please pop over to the challenge blog and leave some love for the rest of the design team.  

I appreciate you stopping by. 

Love and hugs, 

card supplies:

*Gina K Designs - blossom trio bundle (currently sold out)

Gina K Designs - modern greetings stamp & die

Gina K Designs - springy sketches stamp (for inside sentiment)

Gina K Designs - black, gold & silver metallic pearl mix

Gina K Designs - ink pads - light, medium & dark lilac, marigold, light spruce

Gina K Designs - ink cube - medium spruce

Limetree Craft - 280gsm silky smooth white card (not available but other options are here and here)

Versafine Clair - nocturne ink pad

Tonic Studios - nuvo glitter gloss shimmer pen

*I now have an Affiliate Link for the Gina K Designs store. If you are considering making a purchase I would appreciate you using my link as it will earn me a small commission at no extra cost to you. 

Thank you x

Krafty Chicks challenge #822 - Christmas

Good morning lovely friends, I appreciate you stopping by and I hope you're all doing ok. It's time for a new challenge over at Krafty Chicks challenge and this week we are on Week 2; as always the theme is 'Christmas' and I am your hostess. We are slowly adding to the Christmas pile, which really takes the stress off later in the year. We hope you will come over and join in the fun with us.

For today's card I decided to dust off some LOTV polymer stamps. I know they are no longer available in this format as they are focusing on their digital images but I still love them and will keep using them.  I went fairly clean and simple with my layout and NO dimension - don't faint - but I think it turned out super cute.  I hope you like it. 

Here is my card:

A closer look at the details:

Plus I decorated the inside:

I tried to capture the sparkle of the stickles:

I began by cutting a white panel 4" x 5 1/4" and ink blended a strip of sea glass ink in the upper half of the card.  I stamped the image with memento black ink and once dry coloured it with my Promarkers.  I added some white gelly roll pen highlights and stickles to their hats.  I stamped the sentiment above the image with black ink.  Last year when I was mailing out my Christmas cards I realised that they had so much dimension I needed to add extra postage which really started to mount up.  This year I need to start making some flat, mailer friendly cards and this is the first one lol!  I simply added double sided tape behind the panel and adhered it to the card base.  For the inside I cut another white panel and stamped one of the birds from the stamp with some selective masking.  I again coloured it with Promarkers, adding white gelly roll pen highlights and stickles to his hat.  The sentiment was stamped in the centre with black ink and the panel was adhered to the card base with double sided tape.  

I would like to enter my card into the following challenges:

The 12 months of Christmas Link Up challenge - ATG Christmas optional twist 'lanterns in the snow'

ABC Christmas challenge - J is for just enough (CAS)

Christmas (or not) BINGO challenge - Line N - Christmas, free, glitter

Crafty Animals challenge - ATG must include an animal

Creative Friday challenge - all animals

Critter Crazy challenge - ATG with a featured critter 

Dream Valley challenge - all creatures great and small

I Love Promarkers challenge - special occasions (Christmas)

Merry Little Christmas challenge - anything Christmas goes

Peace On Earth Christmas challenge - anything Christmas themed optional mood board

Simply Clean and Simple challenge - ATG CAS optional theme 'things that fly'

Simon Says Stamp Monday challenge - things with wings

Stamping Sensations challenge - cute creatures

Sweet Stampin' challenge - things with wings

Triple B challenge - birds, blooms or butterflies optional mood board (entry 3)

We Love Stamping challenge - all creatures great and small 

I hope you will be able to join us for our 'Christmas' challenge and I cannot wait to see your creations in our linky. Please leave some love for my fellow chicks - Leanne, Diane and Lori.

Thank you so much for stopping by; I appreciate your lovely comments.

Love and hugs,

card supplies:

LOTV - cute Christmas A5 polymer stamp (no longer available)

LOTV - verses A5 polymer stamp (no longer available)

Promarkers

Limetree Craft - 280gsm silky smooth white card (not available but other options are here and here)

Versafine Clair - nocturne ink pad

Memento - tuxedo black ink pad

Ranger - crystal stickles

Sakura - white no. 10 gelly roll pen

*Gina K Designs - sea glass ink pad

*I now have an Affiliate Link for the Gina K Designs store. If you are considering making a purchase I would appreciate you using my link as it will earn me a small commission at no extra cost to you. 

Thank you x

Card Clubhouse IG Hop - Week 10

Hello lovely friends; I'm back to share my card for the Card Clubhouse IG hop organised by my sweet friend Kelly. We are on Week 10 and our theme is 'get moving' so we would like to see either your interactive cards or images that have some movement i.e. cars, bikes, planes or even images roller skating etc.  We can't wait to see what everyone makes. There are going to be so many awesome creations along the hop this week and I can't wait to see what sparks your imagination.

I recently purchased a die set from Dies to Die For (in Tracy's awesome sale) and didn't even have this hop in mind so it was a very happy accident that I could use it for today's card.  It's called a slider surprise die set and I've seen lots of these types of cards around but never made one myself.  I think it turned out pretty cute, even if I do say so myself.  I hope you like it.  I did make a very quick 9 sec video showing the slider opening but for some reason it won't load :(

Here is my card:

The card with the slider open:

A closer look at the image:

Plus I decorated the inside:

I began by die cutting the slider mechanism from white card and ink blended the front panel with a cloud stencil and a light peach ink.  I stamped the image and extra cookies, coloured them with my Promarkers and as I don't have the die set, fussy cut them out.  I also added some white gelly roll pen highlights.  I stamped the sentiment on the bottom of the slider piece and also the 'pull' word both with black ink.  I measured the slider opening and cut a white panel slightly larger and ink blended over with the peach ink.  I stamped the sentiment with black ink and some cookies and coloured them with Promarkers.  I made a light mushroom coloured card base and added the ink blended panel with double sided tape.  I watched a video on YouTube showing how to assemble the surprise slider as I didn't want to ruin it at this stage.  You attach the pull panel only to the very bottom of the back of the slider piece (I used double sided tape) and then add foam tape around the very edge and bottom of the slider piece.  This is then adhered to the card base.  I added the image and cookies with foam squares (but not above the fold line in the middle of the slider otherwise it won't slide).  I didn't add any embellishments as I didn't think the card needed anything more.  For the inside I cut a white panel 4" x 5 1/4" and ink blended the peach ink just along the bottom edge.  I stamped three cookies in the bottom right corner and coloured them with Promarkers and stamped the sentiment in the centre with black ink.  The panel was then adhered to the card base with double sided tape.  

I would like to enter my card into the following challenges:

Allsorts challenge - monochromatic

A Place to Start challenge - ATG optional theme fun fold

Craft Rocket challenge - not square

Creative Creases challenge - ATG with a fun fold

Die Cut Divas challenge - celebrations (birthday)

Fab 'n' Funky challenge - monochromatic

FarmQuest Grocery Game challenge - anything food and/or drink

I Love Promarkers challenge - special occasions (birthday)

Paper Rocks Scissors challenge - I fussy cut my images

Pick 3 challenge - friend, feminine, pastel

Simon Says Stamp Wednesday challenge - use craft dies

Unicorn challenge - something new (my slider die is new to me)

I hope you will pop over to Instagram and check out the hop; please use the hashtag #cardclubhousehop2026 to see all the gorgeous creations and also if you want to participate we will be able to find you.

Thank you so much for stopping by.

Love and hugs,

card supplies:

MFT - slider surprise die set (now sold out at DTDF)

MFT - friend-chip goals stamp 

MFT - interactive labels stamp (for the 'pull' word)

MFT - mini cloud edges stencil

Limetree Craft - 280gsm silky smooth white card (not available but other options are here and here)

Limetree Craft - warm mushroom 220gsm card

Versafine Clair - nocturne ink pad

Heffy Doodle - alcohol marker friendly card (store now closed)

Memento - tuxedo black ink pad

Sakura - white no. 10 gelly roll pen 

*Gina K Designs - peach bellini ink pad

*I now have an Affiliate Link for the Gina K Designs store. If you are considering making a purchase I would appreciate you using my link as it will earn me a small commission at no extra cost to you. 

Thank you x

Stencil Fun IG Hop - May 26

Hello again friends; I am back to share my card for the Stencil Fun IG Hop organised by my lovely friend Jane. We a group of crafters who are determined to use their forgotten and neglected stencils. I'm definitely guilty of this; I have so many stencils but usually forget to reach for them so this hop is perfect for me. The theme is always anything goes but we will have an optional theme to use if we want to. This month's optional theme is 'layered' and I'm excited to see what everyone has made.

I recently saw Bev from Uniko use today's stencil and it reminded me that a) I had it, b) It was a layering stencil and c) I hadn't used it yet, so I wanted to show it some love.  The stencil is called zesty and so of course I had to use bright citrus-y colours.  I hope you like it.

Here is my card:

A closer look at the details:

Plus I decorated the inside:

I began by cutting a white panel 4" x 5 1/4" and stencilled the design using three different colours of ink, orange, yellow and green.  For the first layer I went really light handed so that I could use the second layer with the same ink pad, only this time much heavier handed.  For the third layer I used a darker complimentary colour for the details.  The final layer is some extra details of dots and what look like droplets but I decided I only wanted the dots so just kept moving the stencil to fill in the gaps with the colours I wanted.  I decided I wanted a decorative edge so pulled out this fun torn edge die and used it to cut out my panel (it only just fit and took a sliver off each edge) but I think it looks fab).  I stamped the sentiment with black ink using a mix of stamp sets and cut it out with a circle die.  I wanted a vellum circle to go behind the sentiment and found two already cut in my stash, which was a bonus!  I added foam tape behind the sentiment and added it to the first vellum circle, this was then adhered to the second vellum circle with liquid glue.  I added some scrap white card behind my panel, this was adhered to the card base with double sided tape and the sentiment was added to the bottom right corner with liquid glue.  As a final finishing touch I added some crystal glaze to the dots to give them the look of enamel dots.  For the inside I used the stencil to create a border at the bottom of the white panel, again added dots in between for some extra details.  I used the torn edge die to cut the decorative edge and stamped the sentiment in the centre with black ink.  The panel was then adhered to the card base with double sided tape.  

I would like to enter my card into the following challenges:

Farm Quest Grocery Game challenge - anything food and/or drink

If You Give A Crafter A Cookie challenge - lemony sweet

Just Add Ink challenge - dies-stencils or both (I used both)

Stencil Fun challenge - must use a stencil optional 'see thru it'

The Dream Factory challenge - code 3 (I used orange, yellow and green)

 

We hope you will be inspired by our Stencil Fun Instagram Hop and will pop over and check out all the gorgeous cards along the way. If you would like to join us please visit my Instagram page or use the hashtag #stencilfunmay2026 and we will find you.

Thanks for stopping by and brightening my day. Have a great week everyone.

Lots of love,

card supplies:

Uniko - zesty layering stencils

Uniko - birthday sentiments stamp (for part of the front sentiment)

Uniko - pure florals: cosmos stamp (for sweet word) - I did some stamp surgery

Uniko - birthday wishes stamp (for inside sentiment)

Creative Craft Products - A2 layering nested torn edge dies

Tonic Studios - Nuvo crystal glaze

Limetree Craft - 280gsm silky smooth white card (not available but other options are here and here)

Versafine Clair - nocturne ink pad

*Gina K Designs - ink pads - key lime, lucky clover, tangerine twist, honey mustard, wild dandelion, prickly pear

*I now have an Affiliate Link for the Gina K Designs store. If you are considering making a purchase I would appreciate you using my link as it will earn me a small commission at no extra cost to you. 

Thank you x