Caffeinated Christmas Card challenge #54 - Guest Designer

Hello again friends, welcome back to my blog. I was lucky enough to be invited to be a guest designer for the Caffeinated Christmas Card challenge this month.   Their challenge runs until 25th June and the only rules are you have to make a Christmas/holiday card with a coffee, tea and/or hot chocolate theme.  Sounds fun right?  

For this month's challenge DT Christine is the hostess and the optional shop is Stampin' Up, which just means if you have any SU supplies then feel free to use them, but it's only optional so don't worry if you don't.  I don't have any SU products so went with some Spellbinders dies 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 die cutting all the elements to create my mug of hot cocoa from coloured card from my scraps bin.  I used a slightly darker red for the base of my mug and a lighter red for the cup and I also added some shading around the edge of the cup to give the centre a slight glow.  I used liquid glue to assemble the candy cane and tree and also to adhere the foam/marshmallows to the base before adding the cup with foam squares.  I decided to do a shaped panel from my background so used an oval die to cut out some green textured card.  I added the cup onto the green panel with foam squares and added a few loose marshmallows with a mix of liquid glue and foam squares.  I stamped the sentiment in red ink onto white card and used a smaller oval to cut it out.  I added the sentiment in the upper left of the panel with foam squares.  The panel was added directly onto the card base with double sided tape.  I finished off with a few red solid sequins.  For the inside I cut another oval from white card and cut a small piece of red card using the same die.  I adhered them together with liquid glue. I added a die cut tree to the bottom right and stamped the sentiment in the centre with red ink.  I somehow managed to mark the panel (I think I put my damp tidy towel on top of it) so covered over the mark with two of the small yellow stars.  The panel was then adhered to the card base with double sided tape.  

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

* to be updated *

I would like to thank Amy at CCCC for inviting me to be a guest for this fun challenge and I hope you will pop over and leave the team some love.  I can't wait to see what you create.  

Enjoy the rest of your day and thanks for stopping by.

Love and hugs,

card supplies:

Spellbinders - merry mug creations die set

Spellbinders - Santa's sippin' sayings stamp (for both sentiments) - on sale!

Spellbinders - essential stylish ovals die set

Spellbinders - scarlet color essential smooth disc sequins

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

*Gina K Designs - ink pads - cherry red, red hot, fresh asparagus

green textured card from American Crafts Project Life Strawberry Edition card pack

all coloured card from my scraps bin

*I now have an Affiliate Link for the Gina K Designs store. If 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

AAA Birthday challenge #86 - for the boys

Good morning lovely friends and welcome to June! Another month has bitten the dust as we roll on into 2026. We had scorching temperatures last week but it's forecast back to rain and cooler temperatures this week, but we can't complain really.  

As it's the first of the month it means we have a brand new challenge over at AAA Birthday challenge. This month's theme is 'for the boys' and with Father's Day later in the month this could be your perfect opportunity to get ahead.  Our guest designer this month is Leslie so please pop over to her blog and leave her some love.

I recently purchased this fun soda pop die set (even better it was on sale) and was itching to use it so that is what I used on this month's card.  I also got the coordinating bottle cap dies so they got some love too. I hope you like it.

Here is my card:

A closer look at the details:

Plus I decorated the inside:

I began by die cutting all the soda pop elements; I cut the bottle from white card, the straw and label from red card and the top from silver mirror card.  I wanted the bottle to look a bit like coke so firstly ink blended some red ink all over before going over with brown ink.  I white heat embossed a sentiment onto the label and assembled the bottle using liquid glue.  I die cut the bottle tops from silver mirror and white card and the letters from red card and adhered them together with liquid glue.  I found a sentiment that I could do some stamp surgery on to fit my theme and stamped it in black ink onto white card.  For my background I found two patterned papers that went well with my colour scheme and adhered them onto a white panel (4" x 5 1/4") with double sided tape.  All the elements were added with foam squares.  I added some scrap white card behind the panel and this was then adhered to the card base with double sided tape.   I finished off with some clear raindrops as I thought they looked a bit like bubbles.  For the inside I cut a white panel 4" x 5 1/4" and added a strip of the red patterned paper along the bottom with double sided tape.  I die cut another bottle and assembled it the same way before adding it to the bottom of the panel with liquid glue and trimmed off the excess.  I stamped the sentiment in the centre of the panel with black ink before adhering it to the card base with double sided tape.  

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

* to be updated * 

The Design Team have created amazing cards as always so please pop over to the blog and check them out and perhaps leave them some love on their personal blogs.

I hope you will be able to join in with the challenge this month but don't forget it has to be birthday themed. I can't wait to see your creations in the linky.

Love and hugs,

card supplies:

MFT - soda pop dies

MFT - bottle cap dies

MFT - little letters die set

MFT - let's stick together stamp (for sentiment on front which I cut apart)

Lawn Fawn - simply summer sentiments stamp (for sentiments on labels and inside)

Echo Park - summer dots & stripes 6x6 paper pad (for beige paper)

Echo Park - metropolitan dots & stripes 6x6 paper pad (for red paper)

*Gina K Designs - large strip sentiments die set

Gina K Designs - ink pads - faded brick and dark chocolate (to colour bottle)

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

Versafine Clair - nocturne ink pad

Little Things From Lucy's Cards - clear raindrops (store 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 link as it will earn me a small commission at no extra cost to you. Thank you x

Just Us Girls challenge #825 - Stencil Week

Hello again friends!  I'm back to share my DT card for the Just Us Girls challenge and this week it's 'ATG Stencil Week'.  As long as you use a stencil you can create anything you like so I'm sure there will be lots of entries.

I recently bought a pretty layering stencil by Nellie Snellen from a destash group on FaceBook so decided to show it some love instead of putting it away and forgetting about it lol!  I used the carnation trio of inks as there were 3 layers to the stencil and I love this trio so much.  I added a few die cuts and voila my card was done.  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 used the stencil and carnation inks to create my pretty background.  I used a stitched rectangle die to cut the panel down slightly.  I die cut 2 ovals; one from white card and one from vellum and adhered them together with liquid glue.  I die cut some flowers from white card and using the same ink pads added some colour to the centres.  I also die cut the separate flower centres and added a darker ink to them before adhering them to the flowers with liquid glue.  I die cut some leaves from vellum as I didn't want any other colour on my card today.  Before adding the ovals to the card panel I arranged the flowers in the lower part with foam squares and the leaves were added with liquid glue.  I stamped the sentiment using the darkest carnation ink pad and added a few clear sequins with liquid glue.  The oval panel was then adhered with double sided tape.  I added some scrap white card behind the background and adhered it to the card base with double sided tape.  For the inside I cut another stitched rectangle from white card and added a tiny strip of the background across the bottom with liquid glue.  I had some flowers left over so added them to the bottom right corner with liquid glu.  I stamped the sentiment in the dark carnation ink in the centre of the panel and this 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 twist May flowers

Allsorts challenge - ATG (happy 17th birthday Allsorts!)

As You Like It challenge - favourite season (my favourite season is Spring as it's warm but not hot and all the flowers and plants are starting to come to life)

Beautiful Blossoms challenge - ATG optional mood board

Classic Design challenge - ATG optional twist anniversary or birthday

Crafty Gals Corner challenge - ATG optional flowers for mom

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

Fab 'n' Funky challenge - use a stencil and/or embossing folder (I used layering stencils)

Little Red Wagon challenge - create your own background (I used stencils for my background)

Make My Monday challenge - say it with flowers

Simon Says Stamp Wednesday challenge - ATG 

Such a great challenge 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. Our guest designer is Kerry so please leave her some love too.

I appreciate you stopping by.

Love and hugs,

card supplies:

Nellie's Choice - layered combi stencil set - flower

*Gina K Designs - master layouts 02 die set (for stitched rectangle)

Gina K Designs - birthday sprinkles mini stamp

Gina K Designs - springy sketches mini stamp

Gina K Designs - ink pads - light, medium & dark carnation

Gina K Designs - clear quartz solid sequins 

Spellbinders - be bold blooms die set

Spellbinders - essential stylish ovals die set

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

Stampin' Up!  - cardstock vellum (no longer available)

*I now have an Affiliate Link for the Gina K Designs store. If 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 - Masculine

Good morning lovely friends; I hope your week is going well so far. I'm sharing my card for the new challenge over at Krafty Chicks challenge and this week we are on Week 4; as always the theme is 'Masculine' and Lori is our hostess. We know it's not everyone's favourite challenge, but we do have to make some masculine cards sometime and this challenge will hopefully help you get them done. We hope you will come over and join in the fun with us.

It was my eldest son's birthday at the beginning of May and I'm sharing the card I made him today.  I usually make him a card that is drum related as he is an avid drummer but it's hard trying to find a new image/die every year, especially as he is now 32!  He also loves Lego so I decided to go down that route this year.  It looks fairly simple but die cutting all those tiny circles took FOREVER, but he's worth it!  I hope you like it.

Here is my card:

A closer look at the 'lego':

Plus I decorated the inside:

I know you can get Lego in lots of different colours these days but decided to stick with the original colours of red, blue, yellow and green.  I used my paper trimmer to cut the rectangles 2" x 1".  I hoped that I had a punch in the correct size to cut the circles but unfortunately I did not so I had to use a die (it was a hole reinforcer die from a tag set) to cut the circles, which as I say took absolutely ages.  I did literally question whether I could actually finish the card as I lost the will to live at one point lol!  Once everything was cut out I added teeny tiny foam squares behind each circle and adhered them to the rectangles.  I made my card base 7" x 7" from white card (I cut one panel 7" square and a second panel 8" x 7" and scored at the 1" line.  I then used this 1" strip as a tab to adhere the panels together).  I fussed about for a while trying to decide on a layout where none of the colours were next to each other and eventually did it.  I cut a white panel 6 1/2" square and adhered the 'lego' with foam squares; some are a little wonky but it's better than horrible!  I created the sentiment on my pc, printed it out and used a decorative edge die to cut it out.  I added this to the centre of the 'lego' panel with foam squares.  I added some scrap white card behind the panel and adhered it to the card base with double sided tape. I finished off by adding some highlights to the 'lego' with a white gelly roll pen.  For the inside I cut another white panel 6 1/2" square and added some left over 'lego' to the bottom with liquid glue.  I stamped the sentiment in the centre with black ink and 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 *

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

pc/printer for outside sentiment

*Gina K Designs - on the inside - birthday stamp (for inside sentiment)

Spellbinders - essential rectangles die set

Marianne Design - big tag die set (for hole reinforcer dies)

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

Versafine Clair - nocturne ink pad

Sakura - white no. 10 gelly roll pen

coloured card from 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 link as it will earn me a small commission at no extra cost to you. 

Thank you x

Card Clubhouse IG Hop - Week 11

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 11 and our theme is 'mix it up' so we would like to see either your mixed media projects or even papers or seasons that wouldn't normally go together.  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 decided to go for a mixed media style card as I really like it when other people make them.  I'm not super confident with this theme as I don't like getting too messy but I did my own controlled version lol!.  I went with lilacs again and I really love 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 did some ink smooshing with my medium lilac ink pad.  I didn't use watercolour paper just my regular smooth white so didn't go overboard with the water.  After it had dried a little I blended over the smooshing with the same ink.  I also splattered some of the dark lilac ink and some white gouache for some extra interest.  Once the panel had completely dried I took a fun abstract design stencil and some sparkle texture paste and added the pattern somewhat randomly; I then left the panel to dry again.  I stamped the butterfly onto vellum with white pigment ink and heat embossed it with fine detail embossing powder.  I used the coordinating die to cut it out.  I did brush on some of the lilac ink on the back of the butterfly just to soften it slightly.  I found some papers that had bold words on a white background and used the inks again to colour them and tore them into two strips.  I also took a rectangle of vellum and tore the edges.  I added foam squares behind the paper strips and adhered them to the vellum. I did die cut a silver circle to go behind my butterfly but it's not that noticeable once it was all stuck together.  I added the circle with double sided tape and the butterfly with liquid glue.  The stack was then adhered to the background with foam squares.  Finally I cut out a pre-printed sentiment, lightly blended over with some ink and added it over the butterfly with liquid glue.  I added some scrap white card behind the panel to give it some stability and then adhered it to my card base with double sided tape.  For the inside I cut another white panel, ink smooshed at the very bottom with the lilac ink and stamped the sentiment in the centre with black ink.  I added a strip of vellum, a strip of paper, a silver circle and finally another vellum butterfly, all with liquid glue.  The panel was then adhered to my card base with double sided tape.  

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

Addicted to Stamps & More challenge - birthdays

Allsorts challenge - ATG

Double D challenge - splatter (I used white gouache and purple ink to splatter)

Fab 'n' Funky challenge - use a stencil or embossing folder (I used a stencil & texture paste)

Hand Stamped Sentiments challenge - inspirational photo (I was inspired by the butterflies)

Little Red Wagon challenge - create your own background (I ink smooshed and stencilled my BG)

Moving Along With The Times challenge - one or more butterflies

Pearly Sparkles challenge - one or more butterflies

Simon Says Stamp Wednesday challenge - ATG

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 #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 - spring things stamp & die (for butterfly)

Gina K Designs - picture perfect greetings (for inside sentiment)

Gina K Designs - ink pads - medium & dark lilac

Gina K Designs - white pigment ink cube

Versamark - embossing and watermark ink pad

Spellbinders - hummingbird textures stencil

Cosmic Shimmer - frosty dawn sparkle texture paste (discontinued)

WOW! - opaque bright white super fine embossing powder

Creative Expressions - wordies sentiment sheet - birthday (for outside sentiment)

Waffle Flower - nesting circle dies

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

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

Gina K Appreciation IG Hop

Hello again friends; I'm back to share a card I made as part of a Gina K Appreciation Hop over on Instagram.  As you know I love Gina K Designs products and use them (especially her ink pads) on practically every card I make so it was a no-brainer to join the hop once again this year (you can see last years card here).  

Gina is one of the OG creators and YouTubers. She has thousands of hours of video tutorials and is endlessly creative. We wanted to take a day to highlight @ginakdesigns and her amazing products and send her lots of crafty love. On the odd chance that you haven’t heard of her yet, we hope you will be inspired to check her and her fabulous team out on all the social media spots!

I have been so inspired by Gina’s 3D embossing bundles that I had use one on my card today. However I didn't use the embossing folder on my background, I only used it for embossing a couple of extra flowers.  I'm loving the dreamy no-line colouring look of stencilling the flowers directly onto my panel and used Gina's favourite colour combo - teal and black.  The card base is 5" x 6 1/4" as I didn't want to chop anything off the edges lol!  I hope you like it.

Here is my card:

A closer look at the gorgeous florals:

Plus I decorated the inside:

I began with a 5" x 7" panel and stencilled the gorgeous flowers using two shades of teal ink and the leaves in two shades of green ink.  I decided to leave the flower centres white as it went with the soft, dreamy look I was going for.   I die cut the three flowers from the bundle with white card and again using the stencils, coloured them the same way.  I trimmed the panel down to 4 1/2" x 5 3/4" and added a thin black mat layer behind with double sided tape.  I white heat embossed the sentiment onto black card and used the coordinating die to cut it out; I also cut an extra 2 from black card so that I could layer them up.  I added the sentiment to the left of centre with liquid glue and two of the embossed flowers were added with foam squares.  I finished off with some black pearls.  I added some scrap white card behind my panel and adhered it to my card base with double sided tape.  For the inside I cut another white panel 4 1/2" x 5 3/4" and again added a black mat layer with double sided tape.  I lightly ink blended some sea glass ink to the bottom of the panel and added the one remaining embossed flower to the bottom right corner (before I stuck it down I stencilled a couple of leaves peeking out from behind it).  The panel was then adhered to the card base with liquid glue.  

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

* to be updated *

I hope you will pop over to Instagram and check out the hop; please use the hashtag #ginakappreciationhop to see all the gorgeous creations.

Enjoy your weekend; I appreciate you stopping by.

Love and hugs

card supplies:

*Gina K Designs products:

blooming branches 3D embossing folder, stencil & die bundle

picture perfect greetings stamp (for outside sentiment)

birthday cheer mini stamp (for inside sentiment)

ink pads - sea glass, ocean mist, jelly bean green, fresh asparagus

white pigment ink cube

black, gold & silver metallic pearl mix

other products:

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

Limetree Craft - 220gsm black card

Versafine Clair - nocturne ink pad

WOW! - opaque bright white super fine embossing powder

*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

4th Annual Sunshine IG Hop!

Hello friends; I hope you're having a great day. We're almost to the Bank Holiday weekend now (if you're in the UK at least) and the weather is supposed to be glorious (for a change)!  I'm taking part in the 4th annual Sunshine IG Hop hosted by lovely friend Kelly in honour of Skin Cancer Awareness Month. This hop was inspired by Kelly’s personal journey to raise awareness and remind everyone to prioritise skin checks. Join us as we celebrate with sunshine-themed projects, helpful tips, and important reminders about skin health. 

Hidden somewhere at one stop on the hop is a gift certificate to shop @prettypinkposh! To be eligible to win you must follow @prettypinkposh and @createwithkas and leave a comment and ❤️ at each stop.

🌞 It is important to stay in the shade between the hours of 10am and 4pm as that is when the sun is at its strongest; if you can’t stay under cover make sure you cover any exposed skin or add sunscreen regularly ⛱

For my card I created a fun beach scene using ink blending, cute stamps and my Promarkers. Hopefully it reinforces that you can enjoy the beach/outdoors but you have to take shade and look after yourself whilst having fun. 

Here is my card:

A close up of the images:

Plus I decorated the inside:

I began by cutting a white panel 4" x 5 1/4" and ink blended my background using a cloud background stencil and using kraft ink to replicate the sand.  I did however completely forget about the sea lol so I took a strip of white card and ink blended some sea glass ink onto ink and using liquid glue adhered it below the clouds over some of my 'sand'.  I think it looks really good and you wouldn't really notice it was added afterwards.  I used a Promarker to add some dots to the sand for some texture.  I decided to die cut my panel using a stitched rectangle die for a little more interest.  I stamped all my images onto alcohol marker friendly card and coloured them with Promarkers.  I used the coordinating dies to cut them out and then added some white gelly roll pen highlights.  I also stamped the sentiment in black ink and die cut it out.  For the sun, deckchair and sentiment I cut 3 more plain white die cuts so that I could stack them up, which I did with liquid glue.  I decided on a rough placement of my images but before sticking them down I stamped a boat on the horizon and some birds in the sky using a mid grey ink.  I adhered all the images with liquid glue.  As a final finishing touch I added a shadow under the boat and some 'waves' in the sea with an aqua Promarker and some stickles over the sea to replicate the sun shining off the surface.  I added some scrap white card behind my panel before adhering it to my card base with double sided tape.  For the inside I cut another stitched rectangle from white card.  I ink blended the kraft ink along the bottom and added some Promarker dots and adhered the flip flops image in the left bottom corner with liquid glue.  I stamped the sentiment in the centre in black ink and 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 *

Please pop over to my Instagram post to join the hop or use hashtag #SCASunshineHop2026 to find us.  Don't forget we have an amazing prize up for grabs so get hopping!

I hope you have a wonderful day. Thank you for stopping by and leaving me such lovely comments; I really appreciate them all. 

I'll be back later with another card so I hope you can pop back and check it out. 

Love and hugs,

card supplies:

*Gina K Designs - the good life stamp & die

Gina K Designs - ocean silhouette stamp (for boat & birds)

Gina K Designs - just keep swimming stamp & die (for bucket and sandcastle)

Gina K Designs - master layouts 2 (for stitched rectangle)

Gina K Designs - background builder stencil

Gina K Designs - ink pads - sea glass, kraft, stormy sky

Promarkers

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

Versafine Clair - nocturne ink pad

Sakura - white no. 10 gelly roll pen

Ranger - crystal stickles

Memento - tuxedo black ink pad

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

Thank you x