Just Us Girls challenge #833 - 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'm really enjoying using my stencils more and it's making me re-visit ones I haven't used for years. I made two cards today inspired by Gina's recent 'slice and dice' live on YouTube.  I used an older layering stencil and used a different colour combo for each style of card.  My cards are not as perfect as Gina's but I think they turned out great and I hope you like them.  Let me know if you have a favourite.

Here are my cards:

A closer look at the pink one:

and a closer look at the orange one:

plus I decorated the insides:

I began by cutting two white panels 4" x 5 1/4" and stencilled both panels using the same layering stencils, just changing up the colours.  I followed Gina's guide and trimmed the orange panel down to 3 3/4" x 5 1/4" and then cut the panel into threes, each measuring 1 1/4" x 5 1/4".  For the pink panel I cut the panel in half at 2" and then cut the strips in half at 2 5/8".  I cut black mat layers 4 1/4" x 5 1/2" and used liquid glue to adhere them together.  I stamped a happy birthday sentiment for the pink card and a thank you sentiment for the orange card using black ink onto white card; I used the coordinating dies to cut them out (along with 3 extra for each from white card so that I could stack them up).  I added the birthday sentiment onto the pink card in the centre of the panel using liquid glue and added the thank you sentiment in the bottom right of the panel on the orange card again using liquid glue.  I finished off both panels with some black pearls and they were added to card bases with double sided tape.  For the insides I kept it really simple this time (as I was pushed for time and I had already cleaned my stencils!).  I ink blended the pink and green in borders along the bottom of one panel and orange and green on the second panel.  I stamped greetings in black ink in the centres and added black mat layers.  The panels were then adhered to the card bases with double sided tape.  

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

* to be updated *

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 Bonnie so please leave her some love too.

I appreciate you stopping by.

Love and hugs,

card supplies:

Gina K Designs - winter rose layering stencil

Gina K Designs - graceful greetings stamp & die (for outside sentiments)

Gina K Designs - *perfect posy stamp (for inside sentiments) (*Bumbleberry Crafts)

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

Gina K Designs - ink pads - bubblegum pink, passionate pink, tangerine twist, honey mustard, jelly bean green, fresh asparagus

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

Limetree Craft - 300gsm smooth white card

Limetree Craft - 220gsm black card

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

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.

I'm back with my second inspiration card, this time using Background Blocks: Scandinavian Christmas clear stamp (which will be back in stock very soon).  I did some gold heat embossing onto dark cardstock and although it was difficult to photograph it turned out really elegant.  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 dark green panel to 4" x 5 1/4" (although I did cut it down later), stamped the background blocks image using versamark ink and heat embossed it with gold detail embossing powder.  I also stamped and gold heat embossed the sentiment and cut it out with a sentiment strips die.  I die cut a frame from gold mirror card and also cut 3 more frames from the dark green card so that I could stack them using liquid glue.  It was at this point that I cut down the green panel using a rectangle die from master layouts 2 which left a tiny border around the frame.  I adhered the frame over the embossed panel using liquid glue.  I added the panel onto my card base using double sided tape.  The sentiment was added overlapping the frame using a mix of liquid glue and foam squares and I finished off with some tiny gold pearls.  For the inside I cut a white panel using a stitched rectangle die and a green panel from the slightly larger plain rectangle die and adhered them together using liquid glue.  I had some tiny pieces of heat embossed panel left over so cut them into 1 1/8" squares and then cut these on the diagonal, placing one in each corner of the white panel using liquid glue.  I stamped the sentiment in dark green ink and adhered the panel to the card base using double sided tape. 

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

* to be updated *

Not long now until the new release at the end of the month and I hope you've enjoyed the inspiration from Bev and my fellow brand ambassadors as we celebrate Christmas in July. 

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

Love & hugs, 

card supplies:

Uniko - Background Blocks: Scandinavian Christmas

Uniko - Pure Florals: Poinsettia (for sentiments)

Cosmic Shimmer - bright gold detail embossing powder

Versamark - embossing and watermark ink pad

Gina K Designs - master layouts 18 (for frame)

Gina K Designs - master layouts 02 (for stitched and plain rectangles)

Gina K Designs - black gold & silver mini pearl mix

Gina K Designs - large strip sentiments dies

Gina K Designs - Christmas pine ink pad (for inside sentiment)

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)

dark green card & gold mirror card from my stash

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

Thank you x

Krafty Chicks challenge #830 - Masculine

Good morning lovely friends; I hope your week is going well so far and you're surviving the heatwave; although thankfully it's a little cooler here now. 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.

As usual I was pushed for time so kept my card fairly clean and simple, but as I've said before I think most men prefer their cards that way anyway.  My card is almost a SIP card this week (stamps, ink and paper) but I did use a banner die to cut out the birthday greeting.  I think it turned out great and 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".  I stamped the background stamp using two different shades of grey ink; I put the darker shade in the centre and the lighter on the edges and used a blending brush to soften the line between them and I liked that it ended up looking quite distressed.  I stamped three stars in red, blue and the lighter grey and fussy cut them out.  I adhered them over the background using foam squares.  I stamped the sentiment in the darker grey and used a banner die to cut it out and adhered it over the centre star using a combination of foam squares and liquid glue.  For a finishing touch I stamped some smaller, solid stars around the panel and added some black spatter.  I adhered the panel onto my card base with double sided tape.  For the inside I cut a panel 3 3/4" x 5" and stamped the background and 2 stars directly at the bottom of the panel; I also added some smaller stars and spatter.  The sentiment was stamped in the centre using the darker grey 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:

Colorful Options challenge - red, white & blue (option 1 and 4)

Crafty Calendar challenge - happy birthday (entry 3 of 3)

Daisy Chain challenge - birthday

Girlz Makes Guyz Cards challenge - ATG masculine

If You Give A Crafter A Cookie challenge - red, white & blue (inspired by colours, stars & stripes)

PINspirational challenge - red, white & blue (inspired by the colours)

The Neglected Stuff challenge - background stamp is 2 years old and only now using it

Tic Tac Toe challenge - middle line - any colour, free, sentiment

Unicorn challenge - no design paper

We Love Stamping challenge - summertime (playing the ATG option this time)

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:

Uniko - background blocks: offset stripes clear stamp

Uniko - background builders: seeing stars clear stamp

Uniko - anniversaire arts decoratifs clear stamp (for sentiments)

MFT - blueprints 27 (for banner die)

Gina K Designs - ink pads - red hot, blue denim, stormy sky & soft stone

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)

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

Card Clubhouse IG Hop - Week 15

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 15 and our theme is 'letters home & anything postage' and we know how popular the postage trend is in crafting right now and there are so many stamps, dies and stencils available that this is bound to be a fun hop.  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 knew what I was going to use as soon as I saw this week's theme. I've had this stamp, die and stencil from Spellbinders since April 25 and it's never been used so this was the perfect time to dust it off.  I think it turned out great and 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 1/4" x 5 1/2" and used the air mail stencil to create the fun red, white and blue border; I love this look so much and this could be used for lots of different occasions by changing up the colours.  I took the letters and envelope stamp and stamped it once onto white card using memento black ink and once on blue card using versafine clair black ink.  I coloured some of the white images very lightly using my Promarkers and used the coordinating dies to cut them out.  I added foam squares behind them and added them onto the blue background.  I stamped the sentiment in black ink onto white card and again used the die to cut it out; this was also added to the background with foam squares.  The blue background was added to the air mail panel with double sided tape and I finished off with some clear sequins.  The panel was adhered to the card base using double sided tape.  For the inside I cut a white panel 4" x 5 1/4" and stamped a sentiment in the upper centre using black ink.  I stamped a small part of the letters and envelopes background and again cut some extras from white card, which were lightly coloured with Promarkers.  I added these with liquid glue and also added a thin strip of red card behind the blue panel before adhering it to the bottom of the white panel with double sided tape.  I had one envelope left over so added that next to the sentiment with liquid glue.  The panel was added to my card base with double sided tape. 

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

Colorful Options challenge - red, white & blue (option 1 and 4)

If You Give A Crafter A Cookie challenge - red, white & blue (inspired by the colours)

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

NBUS challenge - never used my stamp & dies or stencils before

PINspirational challenge - red, white & blue (inspired by the colours)

Tic Tac Toe challenge - middle row - any colour, free, sentiment

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:

Spellbinders - send and seal stamp & die (on sale!)

Spellbinders - air mail layering stencils (on sale!)

Gina K Designs - ink pads - blue denim & red hot

Gina K Designs - clear quartz solid sequins

Promarkers

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

Stampin' Up! - brights collection card stock (for blue card)

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

ATC Scrap Makes IG Hop - July 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 M, N & O.  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 Narwhal 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 'M':

A closer look at 'N':

and a closer look at 'O':

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 and added some extra stamping and ink blending to make the ATC's match the images a little more.  I stamped all the images and coloured them with Promarkers and used the coordinating dies to cut them out.  The images were added to the backgrounds with foam squares. I die cut the letters from coloured card, stacking them x 3 and added them to the ATC's with liquid glue. For a little continuity through the series I once again used the frame dies that I had used on previous month's ATC's, cut them from coloured card and added full frames to the 'M' and 'O' ATC's but only parts of it to the edges of the 'N' ATC. 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:

Craft Rocket challenge - animals

Crafty Animals challenge - ATG must include an animal

Critter Crazy challenge - ATG with a featured critter

Tag-along (& ATC's) challenge - favourite colours (I'm playing the ATG option)

The Little Things challenge - flamingo and/or elephant (I'm playing the ATG option)

Triple B challenge - birds, blooms or butterflies and optional inspiration board

I hope you will pop over to Instagram and check out the hop; please use the hashtag #ATCscrapmakes2026 or #ATCscrapmakesjuly26 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,

card supplies:

Sizzix - love you tons stamp & die (bought mine from eBay)

Heffy Doodle - chimply the best stamp & die (store now closed)

Clearly Besotted - still a hoot stamp & die (retired)

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

ATC silicone stamp (won in a challenge)

Gina K Designs - ink pads - ocean mist, blue lagoon, warm cocoa, jelly bean green, grass green, red hot

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

Thank you x