Krafty Chicks challenge #834 - CAS (clean and simple)

Good morning lovely friends and welcome to my little corner of blogland. It's time for a new challenge over at Krafty Chicks challenge and this week we are on Week 3; and as always the theme is 'CAS (clean and simple)' and Diane is our hostess. Now we know that CAS is subjective but generally it's lots of open space (doesn't have to be white), no embellishments (or very few) and an uncluttered design. It can be a difficult design to pull off but we hope you will take on the challenge and come over and join in the fun with us.

I created a fun stencil background and decided to cut it into strips so that I could make two cards this week; one birthday card and one get well card.  They turned out very clean and simple but perfect for mailing.  I hope you like them.

Here are my cards:

A closer look at the birthday card:

and the inside for this one:

A closer look at the get well card:

and the inside for this one:

I began by cutting a white panel 4" x 5 1/4" and actually used the recently released Christmas star stencil from Uniko to create my background.  I masked off two of the sections and used one for the yellow ink and one for the lime green ink.  It was a bit time consuming and as I did it 'by eye' it has some imperfections but it shows how you can stretch your stencils to create something completely different.  When I cut down the card I didn't plan on making two cards so the strips are slightly different widths.  The birthday card strip is 1 5/8" x 5 1/4 and this was matted onto a black layer with just a tiny border of the black showing on the left side.  For the get well card the strip is 1 5/16" x 5 1/4" and again a black layer was added with a thin border on the right side.  I cut two more white panels 4" x 5 1/4" and adhered the strips with double sided tape.  I cut two stitched circles from white card and stamped the sentiments in black ink.  I also cut a black mat circle and adhered them together using liquid glue.  The sentiments were added over the strips with foam squares.  The panels were adhered to my card bases with double sided tape.  For the inside I cut the left over stencilled background into 1/2" strips and again added black mat layers.  I added them to the right side of my white panels using liquid glue and stamped the sentiment in the centre with black ink.  The panels were adhered to the card base using double sided tape.  

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

* to be updated *

I hope you will be able to join us for our 'CAS' 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:

Uniko - Ink & Flip: Christmas star, star stencil 

Uniko - everyday sentiments stamp

Uniko - wonderful day stamp (retired)

Gina K Designs - master layouts 03 (for circle dies)

Gina K Designs - ink pads - wild dandelion and key lime

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

Limetree Craft - 300gsm smooth white card (for card base)

Limetree Craft - 220gsm black card

Versafine Clair - nocturne ink pad

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

Thank you x

Card Clubhouse IG Hop - Week 17

Hello again 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 17 and our theme is 'autumn/fall' so we want to see all your leaves, pumpkins, acorns etc.  I'm definitely ready for autumn and the cooler temperatures after the heatwaves we had this summer but I know some of you will miss the heat!  I'm sure this is going to be a great hop this week and I can't wait to see what sparks your imagination.

I decided to go with leaves on my card this week and it sort of progressed to a shaker card and then I realised I could make a two-fer with the left over leaves.... so basically I had lots of fun this week lol! I think they both turned out great and I hope you like them too.  Sorry photo overload again!

Here are my cards:

Here is the shaker card:

I took a very short video to show the 'shake' but it won't play here so check out my IG if you want to see it

A closer look at the details:

Here is the second, simpler card:

and a closer look at the details:

I decorated the insides the same:

I began by cutting a white panel 4" x 5 1/4" and using autumnal colours ink blended over the whole panel. I also added some extra interest with some water drops and white spatter.  I die cut the two leaves from the panel and then embossed it with the leaves folder.  I added acetate behind the openings of the leaves using double sided tape.  I die cut the top layer of the leaves from brown card and added them onto the acetate to fill the space of the die cut leaves.  I added lots of foam strips behind the panel and filled the shaker with seed beads (which I randomly found whilst looking for sequins).  I covered the back with a plain white panel trimmed a little smaller than my panel.  The panel was then adhered to my card base with double sided tape.  I stamped the sentiment onto the same brown card using versamark ink and white heat embossed it, before using the coordinating die to cut it out (I also cut 3 more from the brown card so that I could layer it up).  The sentiment was added between the leaves using liquid glue.  For the second card I used the left over leaves that I cut from the first ink blended panel and added the top layer on top, again cut from brown card, using liquid glue.  I embossed a white panel using the leaves folder and added the die cut leaves in the centre using foam squares.  I stamped the sentiments onto white card using brown ink and used the coordinating dies to cut them out (I cut 3 more white layers for the longer sentiment).  I added the larger sentiment in the centre over the leaves using a combination of foam squares and liquid glue and the longer sentiment at the bottom of the panel using liquid glue.  For the insides (I did both the same) I ink blended the same colours at the bottom of the panels and added some water drops and white spatter and did some partial embossing just over the blending.  I die cut two of the top layer of the leaves and added them in the bottom right corner with liquid glue.  I stamped the sentiments in the centre with brown ink before adding the panels to my card base using double sided tape.  I love both versions but do you have a favourite?

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

* to be updated *

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:

Gina K Designs - falling leaves embossing folder

Gina K Designs - autumn leaves dies

Gina K Designs - elegant thoughts stamp & die (for sentiment on shaker card)

Gina K Designs - flower medley stamp & die (for sentiments on white card)

Gina K Designs - breath of sunshine stamp (for inside sentiment) *Bumbleberry Crafts

Gina K Designs - ink pads - honey mustard, grass green, cherry red, warm cocoa

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

Limetree Craft - 300gsm smooth white card (for card bases)

Versamark - embossing & watermark ink pad

WOW! - opaque bright white super fine embossing powder

Winsor & Newton - white gouache (for spatter)

seed beads and brown card from my stash

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

Thank you x

ATC Scrap Makes IG Hop - August 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 P, Q & R. 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 (except for the Quokka stamp which is new to me) 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:

A closer look at 'P':

A closer look at 'Q':

A closer look at 'R':

I decorated the backs the same as usual:

Once again I used my leftover ink blending scrap paper for my backgrounds (as they turn out really interesting and not something I would create myself) along with some embossed panels and card strips left over from a previous project.  I also added some extra stamping and ink blending to make the ATC's match the images a little more. I finished the backgrounds with some white spatter.  I stamped all the images and coloured them with Promarkers and used the coordinating dies to cut out the quokka and raccoon but had to fussy cut the parrot. I decided to use the frames again this month as the images fit inside them nicer this time.  I die cut them from card to coordinate with my backgrounds and images and adhered them with liquid glue (I also added some vellum behind the black frame).  The images were added inside the frames with foam squares. I die cut the letters from the same card as the frames, stacking them x 3 and added them to the ATC's with liquid glue. For the backs I simply ink blended the matching colours around the edges and stamped one of 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:

Allsorts challenge - embossing - dry or heat (I used an embossing folder on my green ATC)

As You Like It challenge - favourite colouring medium (Promarkers as they are budget friendly and blend so easily)

Can You Handle The Pressure challenge - ATG embossing optional theme tie it up 

Classic Design challenge - ATG optional twist use die cuts

Crafty Animals challenge - ATG must include an animal

Creative Moments challenge - make it cute

Critter Crazy challenge - ATG with a featured critter

Daisy Chain challenge - animals

Tag-along (& ATC's) challenge - fashion or ATG

Triple B challenge - birds, blooms or butterflies optional mood board

I hope you will pop over to Instagram and check out the hop; please use the hashtag #ATCscrapmakes2026 or #ATCscrapmakesAugust26 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 - Polynesian paradise stamp (for parrot)

Lawn Fawn - Quokka my world stamp & die set

MFT - raving raccoons stamp & die set (for raccoon)

Promarkers

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

Hunkydory - moonstone scalloped edged picture frames dies

MFT - little letters dies

MFT - distressed patterns stamp

Limetree Craft - 300gsm smooth white card

Versafine Clair - nocturne ink pad

Memento - tuxedo black ink pad

Sakura - white no. 10 gelly roll pen

Winsor & Newton - white gouache (for spatter)

ATC silicone stamp (won in a challenge)

Just Us Girls challenge #836 - Word Week

Hello again friends and welcome back to my blog. I am here to share my card for this week's Just Us Girls challenge and it's Word Week and Bobby has chosen 'water'.  It could be a summer beach scene, a masculine river scene or even just a critter in a swimming/paddling pool.  I'm sure this is going to be a really popular week and I cannot wait to see all your gorgeous creations. 

I used an older, retired stamp set that has been in my stash for years but I don't think I've ever used it.  I love the clean lines and fun wavy sea, along with some fun clouds.  I'm even happy with my fussy cutting on this one!  I hope you like it too.  

Here is my card:

A closer look at the details:

Plus I decorated the inside:

I began by stamping all my images onto alcohol marker friendly card and used my Promarkers to colour them in.  I don't have the dies so I fussy cut them out.  I cut a white panel 3 5/8" x 4 7/8" and added a teal blue mat layer using liquid glue.  I wanted a fairly clean and simple layout so clustered all my images together in the lower right corner and added them with a mix of liquid glue and foam squares.  I also added two clouds in the upper half of the card using liquid glue.  I white heat embossed the sentiment onto a scrap of the teal blue card and cut it out using a sentiment strips die and added that below the cluster using liquid glue.  The panel was adhered to my card base using double sided tape.  For the inside I cut a white panel 4" x 5 1/4" and added the wave image along the bottom and tucked the sailboat behind, using liquid glue.  I stamped the sentiment in the centre using blue ink and the panel was adhered to the card base using double sided tape.  

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

Addicted to CAS challenge - water

As You Like It challenge - favourite colouring medium (it has to be Promarkers; I've been using them for 15+ years and they are reliable, blend well and are still going strong after all these years)

Craft Rocket challenge - transportation

CRAFT-alnica challenge - sea

Little Red Wagon challenge - we didn't start a fire (my card reminds me of my visit to Barcelona in Sept 24 when the America's Cup sailing competition was taking place; the little bit I saw was very exciting)

NBUS challenge - the stamp set is now retired and this is the first time I've used it :(

Paper Rocks Scissors challenge - I fussy cut my images

Simon Says Stamp Wednesday challenge - summertime blues

The Male Room challenge - jobs or professions (sailor)

The Sisterhood of Crafters challenge - sports (sailing)

I'm sure our gallery will be full of watery delights this week and 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 & hugs,

card supplies:

Simon Says Stamp - sailing clear stamp (now retired)

Gina K Designs - just keep swimming stamp (for sentiments) 

Gina K Designs - sentiment strips die set

Gina K Designs - blue sky ink pad

Promarkers

Sakura - white no. 10 gelly roll pen

WOW! - opaque bright white super fine embossing powder

Versamark - embossing and watermark ink pad

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

Limetree Craft - 300gsm smooth white card (for card base)

teal blue card from my stash

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

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 links as it will earn me a small commission at no extra cost to you. 

Thank you x

Krafty Chicks challenge #833 - 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.

I dug into the latest Gina K Designs 'Christmas in July' card kit for today's card.  I used some non-traditional colours and kept it fairly clean and simple but I'm really happy with how it turned out. I hope you like it too. 

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 used the 'snowy' background stamp and some pink ink to create my fun splatter effect background.  I stamped the image onto alcohol marker friendly card and coloured it in with a combination of spectrum noir and Promarkers, also adding some white gelly roll pen highlights.  I used the coordinating die to cut it out (plus 3 more from plain white so that I could stack them).  I stamped the sentiment onto white card using black ink and again used the matching die to cut it out (plus another 3 from white to stack them up).  I adhered all the die cuts together using liquid glue.  As the sentiment was slightly too long for my card I fussy cut between the words so that I could them as two separate words.  I added the bauble image in the upper half of the card and the sentiments in the lower half of the card using liquid glue. I finished off with some black pearls.  I added some scrap white card behind my panel and adhered it to my card base using double sided tape.  For the inside I cut another white panel 4" x 5 1/4" and added some of the snowy background in the bottom third of the panel using the same pink ink.  I stamped, coloured and die cut one more image as before but decided to cut it apart and just use two baubles in the bottom right corner, using liquid glue.  I stamped the sentiment in the centre with black ink before adding my panel to the card base with double sided tape.  As I had part of the second image left over I decided to decorate the back of my envelope and added it with liquid glue.  

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

ABC Christmas challenge - P, Q & R - (R for rectangle)

As You Like It challenge - favourite colouring medium (I have primarily used Promarkers for over 15 years and like how easy they are to use; no refilling and mine are still going strong)

Cut It Up challenge - add a sentiment + must use a die cut

Girlz and the Art of Letters challenge - Letter G (garland, girly)

I Love Promarkers challenge - in the pink

Merry Little Christmas challenge - anything Christmas goes

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 will be back in a little while with my DT card for the Just Us Girls challenge.

Love and hugs,

card supplies:

Gina K Designs - joyful borders stamp & die set (kit is sold out but will be available individually next release)

Gina K Designs - snowy background stamp

Gina K Designs - dusty rose ink pad

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

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

Limetree Craft - 300gsm smooth white card

Versafine - nocturne ink pad

Memento - tuxedo black ink pad

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

Promarkers

Spectrum Noir tri-blend markers (bright pink blend & lavender blend)

Sakura - white no. 10 gelly roll 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 links as it will earn me a small commission at no extra cost to you. 

Thank you x

Stencil Fun IG Hop - August 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 'complementary colours', which means colours that are opposite to each other on the colour wheel i.e. red/green, blue/orange or yellow/purple.  I'm sure there will be lots of fantastic and colourful creations, and I'm excited to see what everyone has made.

I used an older, unloved stencil from Funky Fossil Designs and as it had two layers it was perfect for my complementary colours of blue and orange.  I paired it with a fun stamp set from Funky Fossil too and I think it turned out great.  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" (although I did cut it down later) and stencilled the panel using the blue and orange ink pads.  It's a fun mid century modern pattern and I thought it would be perfect for a masculine gaming themed card.  I stamped the controller using black ink onto alcohol marker friendly card, even though I only needed to colour the buttons I didn't want the black ink to smear.  There aren't any dies so I fussy cut the controller.  I decided to trim the panel to 3 3/4" x 4" and adhered it onto a white panel cut to 3 3/4" x 5"; I also added a thin strip of navy card under the stencilled panel.  I added this onto an orange mat layer using double sided tape.  I stamped the sentiment in the bottom left corner and added the controller to the right using foam squares.  The panel was then adhered to my card base using double sided tape.  For the inside I cut another white panel 4" x 5 1/4" and added the left over strip of stencilled background to the bottom using liquid glue; I also added a thin strip of navy card above it.  I stamped the sentiment in the centre and also added a space invader image in the bottom right corner using black ink.  The panel was adhered to the card base using double sided tape. 

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

613 Avenue Create challenge - ATG optional twist play time

Addicted to Stamps & More challenge - birthdays

Heart's Quest Celebrations of Love challenge - BEWAS (birthday)

Paper Rocks Scissors challenge - I fussy cut my controller

Try It On Tuesday challenge - make it colourful

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 #stencilfunAugust2026 and we will find you.

Thanks for stopping by and enjoy your weekend.

Lots of love

card supplies:

Funky Fossil Designs - mid century modern half circles stencil

Funky Fossil Designs - gamer clear stamp 

Promarkers

Gina K Designs - ink pads - blue denim & tangerine twist

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

Limetree Craft - 300gsm smooth white card (for card base)

Versafine Clair - nocturne ink pad

coloured card from my scraps bin

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 links as it will earn me a small commission at no extra cost to you. 

Thank you x