Stencil Fun IG Hop - July 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 'sea/water', which means there will be lots of super cute creations, and I'm excited to see what everyone has made.

I created an underwater scene for my card using an older stencil from MFT.  I paired it with a super cute image and I love how sweet it turned out.  I hope you like it too.

Here is my card:

A closer look at the cute image:

Plus I decorated the inside:

I began by cutting a white panel to 4" x 5 1/4" and using the stencil and an ombre blend of ink pads, I created my 'sea' background.  I also used a wave stencil but wasn't sure if I liked it so just kept it to the bottom.  I used a grey ink pad to stamp the schools of fish and some bubbles onto the background.  I stamped the image onto alcohol marker friendly card, coloured it with Promarkers and used the coordinating die to cut it out.  I also added some white gelly roll pen highlights to his cheeks and a black gelly roll pen to define his eye.  I also stamped the sentiment using black ink onto white card and fussy cut it out.  I added both the sentiment and puffer fish with foam squares, added some scrap white card behind the panel and then adhered it to the card base with double sided tape.  For the inside I cut another white panel and ink blended the lower part with the ink that was left on my brush.  I stamped the schools of fish and waves lines using the grey ink pad.  I stamped the sentiment in the centre of the panel 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:

Allsorts challenge - stencils

Alphabet challenge - F for festivities (birthday)

Craft Rocket challenge - animals 

Crafty Animals challenge - ATG must include an animal

Crafty Calendar challenge - happy birthday

Critter Crazy challenge - ATG with a featured critter

Daisy Chain challenge - birthday

Little Red Wagon challenge - piano man (inspired by beyond the sea by Bobby Darin)

The Neglected Stuff challenge - stamp is 10 years old and first time I've used the puffer fish image

Stencil Fun challenge - ATG optional theme 'birthday'

Tic Tac Toe challenge - summer colours, border, stencil

Try It On Tuesday challenge - animals: real or imaginary

Unicorn challenge - no design paper

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 #stencilfunJuly2026 and we will find you.

Thanks for stopping by and enjoy your weekend.

Lots of love

card supplies:

MFT - watercolor wash free form stencil

Avery Elle - sea-prise stamp & die

Promarkers

Gina K Designs - ink pads - ocean mist, blue lagoon, turquoise sea, tranquil teal

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

Limetree Craft - 300gsm smooth white card

Versafine Clair - nocturne ink pad

Versafine Clair - morning mist ink pad

Winsor & Newton - white gouache (for spatters)

*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 challenge #831 - Word Week

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 Vicki has chosen 'play'. This is such a fun theme and open to lots of interpretation and I'm sure this is going to be a really popular week.  I cannot wait to see all your gorgeous creations.

The first thing that popped into my mind when I saw the theme was football as me and my son have been avidly watching the World Cup (except for the ones at silly o'clock).  I don't usually watch football but love the World Cup as there's lots of excitement and it's done in a few weeks.  I decided to make a football shirt shaped card and I think it turned out super fun.  I hope you like it too. 

Here is my card:

A closer look at the details:

Plus I decorated the inside:

For a fun touch I added a number to the back of the shirt:

I began by making a top folding card base 4 1/2" x 5 1/2" and die cut the shirt leaving the top of the die overhanging the fold of the card base ever so slightly.  The finished shirt size card is approximately 4 1/4" x 5'.  I used 2 stencils and ink blended grass on the bottom and clouds on the top of the shirt.  I die cut the footballer silhouette image x 4 from black card and stacked them using liquid glue; I then adhered it to the centre using liquid glue.  I stamped the 'happy birthday' sentiment above and the 'have a ball' sentiment below using black ink.  For the inside I again used the grass stencil and ink blended along the bottom.  I stamped the sentiment in the centre and added another silhouette image in the bottom left corner.  A really simple card but I think most men/boys would love it. 

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

A Cut Above challenge - ATG with a die cut

Allsorts challenge - stencils (cloud and grass stencil)

Aud Sentiments challenge - bookmarks and/or hobbies + sentiment

Crafty Calendar challenge - happy birthday

Daisy Chain challenge - birthday

Heart's Quest Celebrations of Love challenge - BEWAS + optional theme 'masculine'

Heart's Quest for Shaped Cards & Tags challenge - ATG

Mix It Up challenge - ATG optional shaped card

Simply Clean & Simple challenge - ATG optional theme birthday

Stencil Fun challenge - ATG optional theme patterns

The Male Room challenge - hobbies

Unicorn challenge - no design paper

I'm sure this will be a popular challenge as play could mean lots of things, such as, play music, play sports, play a game etc.  I cannot wait to see what you create. Please pop over to the challenge blog and leave some love for our guest designer Bonnie and the rest of the design team.

I appreciate you stopping by.

Love and hugs,

card supplies:

Craft Addiction UK - create your own football shirt die set

Craft Addiction UK - mini football collection die set

MFT - mini cloud edges stencil

MFT - grassy edges stencil

Lawn Fawn - year two mini stamp (for happy birthday)

Lawn Fawn - sweet smiles stamp (for have a ball)

Clearly Besotted - a little sentiment stamp (for inside sentiment)

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

Limetree Craft - 220gsm black card

Gina K Designs - ink pads - grass green & blue sky

Versafine Clair - nocturne 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

Krafty Chicks challenge #828 - 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 recently bought some Penny Black wooden stamps from a friend who was de-stashing her craft room and had to use one of them on today's card (you know how much I love the PB hedgies!).  I was pushed for time when making my card so kept things very clean and simple, no dimension and it is a true SIP card this week. I think it turned super cute and I hope you like it too. 

Here is my card:

A closer look at the cute hedgie:

Plus I decorated the inside:

I began by cutting a white panel 4" x 5 1/4" from alcohol marker friendly card and stamped the image at the bottom.  I coloured the image with Promarkers and added some white gelly roll pen highlights. I stamped the sentiment in the upper left of the panel using black ink.  I added the panel onto a piece of red glitter card cut to 4 1/4" x 5 1/2" and then adhered it to my card base using double sided tape.  No dimension or embellishments but this makes it perfect for mailing!  For the inside I cut a white panel 3 3/4" x 5" and stamped the image in the bottom using black ink.  I stamped the sentiment in the centre and added the panel onto another red glitter card layer.  The panel was then 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 'any holiday'

Craft Rocket challenge - animals

Crafty Animals challenge - ATG must include an animal

Creative Friday challenge - new (my stamp is new to me)

Critter Crazy challenge - ATG with a featured critter

Fab 'n' Funky challenge - Christmas in July 

Moving Along With The Times challenge - use a colouring medium (I used Promarkers)

Merry Little Christmas challenge - anything Christmas themed 

Peace on Earth Christmas challenge - anything Christmas themed

Pearly Sparkles challenge - Christmas in July

Penny Black Saturday challenge - ATG optional theme 'on the move'

Simple Clean & Simple challenge - ATG optional theme 'birthday'

Simon Says Stamp Wednesday challenge - 4 legged friends

Sweet Stampin' challenge - Christmas in July

The Dream Factory challenge - inspired by the Cleaner - CAS cards

Triple B challenge - birds, blooms or butterflies (hope my little robin is ok)

Try It On Tuesday challenge - animals: real or imaginary 

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:

Penny Black - wishes for kisses 1505H wooden stamp

Uniko - rustic Christmas stamp (for sentiments)

DCWV - holiday collection glitter mat stack 

Promarkers

Sakura - white no. 10 gelly roll pen

Sakura - black ballsign glaze pen (to darken eyes and nose)

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

Versafine Clair - nocturne ink pad

Memento - tuxedo black ink pad

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

Uniko - Christmas in July Brand Ambassador inspiration

Hello friends; Bev at Uniko is doing a fun Christmas in July celebration with lots of great cards from herself and the brand ambassadors ahead of her new Christmas themed release at the end of the month.  There will also be prizes up for grabs.  Check out the Uniko blog for all the details.  

For my first inspiration card I am using the gorgeous Rustic Wreath stamp set and created a very clean and simple design which would be perfect for mass producing.  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 stamped the wreath twice using two different shades of green ink pads.  I used some of the smaller images in the set to fill out the wreath (the berries, acorn and extra leafery) using red, brown and a Christmas pine ink pad.  I stamped the sentiment in black ink below the wreath and finished off with a few gold pearls.  I added some scrap white card behind the panel and adhered it to my card base with double sided tape.  For the inside I cut another white panel and stamped the wreath, the same way as on the front, but went over the edge of the panel.  I stamped the sentiment overlapping the wreath using 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:

613 Avenue Create challenge - ATG optional theme any holiday

Creative Knockouts challenge - Christmas in July

Dragonfly Dreams challenge - Christmas in July with glitter or sparkle

Fab 'n' Funky challenge - Christmas in July

Merry Little Christmas challenge - anything Christmas goes

Peace on Earth Christmas challenge - anything Christmas themed optional inspiration board

Pearly Sparkles challenge - Christmas in July

Simply Clean & Simple challenge - ATG CAS optional theme birthday

Sweet Stampin' challenge - Christmas in July

The Dream Factory challenge - inspired by The Cleaner - clean and simple cards

Join us over on the Uniko blog throughout the month for lots of inspiration from Bev and my fellow brand ambassadors as we continue to celebrate Christmas in July and countdown to the new release.  

I'll be back later with my card for the Just Us Girls challenge.  Thanks for stopping by. 

Love & hugs, 

card supplies:

Uniko - Rustic Wreath stamp set 

Gina K Designs - ink pads - cherry red, jelly bean green, fresh asparagus, Christmas pine, warm cocoa

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 (for my card base)

Versafine Clair - nocturne 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 14

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 14 and our theme is 'where I'm from' so we you to create something depicting where you live; it could be the famous landmarks, the ocean, the mountains 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.

If you are a regular you know I come from a small town in the South Wales Valleys (about 18 miles away from Cardiff).  We are so lucky to be surrounded by lush greenery, mountains and of course valleys and although it means we do have more than our fair share of rain it's so beautiful to look out of our windows and see them on our doorstep.  I took a few photos from my garden this morning to show you how lush it is at the moment.  I also wanted to incorporate the red dragon from our flag as we are a proud and patriotic lot and we love our heritage.  My dragon turned out a little cuter that the one on the flag but I think it's adorable.  I hope you like it.

Here is my card:

A closer look at the details:

Plus I decorated the inside:

A few photos of my valley:

 

I began by cutting a white panel 4" x 5 1/4" and then die cut all my hills and tree borders from different scraps of green card.  I added them to the bottom of the white panel using liquid glue.  I stamped the dragon and three clouds onto alcohol marker friendly card, coloured them with Promarkers and used the coordinating dies to cut them out; I also added some white gelly roll pen highlights.  I took another white panel and cut out an oval from the centre and added foam tape behind it and laid it on top of the hill panel to look like a frame.  I used foam squares and liquid glue to add the dragon and one of the smaller clouds and liquid glue for the other two clouds.  I stamped the sentiment in black ink onto white card and used a sentiment strips die to cut it out, again using a combination of foam squares and liquid glue to add it to the bottom of the frame.  It was at this point that I decided I wanted to add a little house in my background so found a die that was the right size, used some scraps of card to die cut it and added it with liquid glue.  The panel was then adhered to my card base with double sided tape.  For the inside I cut a white panel 3 3/4" x 5" and added some left over die cut hills/trees to the bottom with liquid glue.  I stamped, coloured and die cut a small dragon and added it to the bottom right corner with liquid glue.  I stamped the sentiment using black ink onto white card and die cut it using the sentiment strips die and adhered it to the centre to the panel with liquid glue.  The panel was then adhered to the card base with double sided tape.  

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

A Cut Above challenge - ATG with a die cut

Addicted to Stamps & More challenge - make your mark (I used alcohol markers)

Craft Rocket challenge - animals (hope my dragon is allowed)

Crafty Animals challenge - ATG must include an animal (hope my dragon is ok)

Critter Crazy challenge - ATG with a featured critter

Little Red Wagon challenge - piano man (inspired by the green green grass of home)

Simon Says Stamp Wednesday challenge - 4 legged friends (my dragon is friendly)

Try It On Tuesday challenge - animals - real/imaginary 

Unicorn challenge - no design paper

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 - magical dragons stamp & die

Promarkers

Lawn Fawn - stitched hillside borders dies

Lawn Fawn - forest border die

Spellbinders - essential stylish ovals dies

Sugar Pea Designs - home sweet home die 

Clearly Besotted - home sweet home stamp (retired)

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

Memento - tuxedo black ink pad

Sakura - white no. 10 gelly roll pen

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

coloured card from my scraps bin

Gorgeous Gift Tags IG Hop - July 26

Hello and welcome lovely friends. I hope you've had a great weekend and my US friends had a wonderful 4th of July.  It's time for the Gorgeous Gift Tags IG Hop, which takes place on the 5th of each month. You always have the option to go for anything goes but the extra prompt this month is 'Christmas in July' so we want to see all your Christmas themed tags. I can't wait to see what the rest of my fellow hoppers have made and I hope you can pop over to Instagram and join us.

I decided to go with cool colours for a change instead of the traditional red and green and opted for blue and grey.  I used some cute images and embossed my background and I think it turned out adorable.  I hope you like it too. 

Here is my card:

A closer look at the images:

Plus I decorated the back of the tag:

I began by die cutting my tag from light blue card and embossed it with a snowflake embossing folder.  I took a white pigment ink cube and lightly rubbed it over the raised areas of the embossing to give a subtle white design on the blue.  I stamped the images onto alcohol marker friendly card and coloured them with Promarkers, also adding some white gelly roll pen highlights.  I don't have the dies so I fussy cut the images.  I die cut two 'hills' from white card and stamped the sentiment onto white card using a blue ink pad.  I added the hills to the bottom of the tag with double sided tape and the tree, bunny and sentiments were added with foam squares.  I also added a white hole reinforcer with liquid glue.  For the back of the tag I cut another tag from blue card, partially embossed the snowflake design on the bottom and stamped the sentiments using the same blue ink pad.  I also added a white hole reinforcer with liquid glue.  I adhered both the tags together using liquid glue.  I threaded some blue & white ribbon through the hole and added some white twine, which I tied into a bow.  

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

613 Avenue Create challenge - ATG optional twist any holiday 

Alphabet challenge - E for embossing; wet or dry

As You Like It challenge - favourite non card project (I love making tags, they are like cards but with much less space to fill!)

Can You Handle The Pressure challenge - use an EF optional twist use purple

CRAFT challenge - Christmas

Craft Rocket challenge - animals

Crafty Animals challenge - ATG must include an animal

Critter Crazy challenge - ATG with a featured critter

Cut It Up challenge - critters

Die Cut Divas challenge - Christmas in July

Heart's Quest for Shaped Cards & Tags challenge - ATG

Moving Along with the Times challenge - use a colouring medium (alcohol markers)

Merry Little Christmas challenge - anything Christmas goes

Paper Rocks Scissors challenge - I used scissors to fussy cut my images

Peace on Earth Christmas challenge - anything Christmas themed

Pearly Sparkles challenge - Christmas in July 

Sweet Stampin' challenge - Christmas in July

Tag-Along (& ATC's) challenge - favourite colours or ATG (I love non traditional colours for Christmas)

The Little Things challenge - ATG

We hope you will be inspired by our Gorgeous Gift Tags Instagram Hop and will pop over and check out all the gorgeous tags along the way. If you would like to join us please visit my Instagram page or use the hashtag #gorgeousgifttagsjuly2026 and we will find your tags.

Thanks for stopping by and take care.

Lots of love,

card supplies:

Waffle Flower - nesting tag dies

MFT - Christmas cheer stamp

Gina K Designs - snowflakes embossing folder

Gina K Designs - sentiment strips dies

Gina K Designs - create-a-tag holiday mini stamp

Gina K Designs - white pigment ink cube

Gina K Designs - powder blue ink pad

Lawn Fawn - stitched hillside border dies

Promarkers

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

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

Memento - tuxedo black ink pad

Sakura - white no. 10 gelly roll pen

blue card from stash

*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