Summer Crush Wednesday week 3

Hello again friends and welcome to week 3 of the Summer Crush Wednesday IG hop organised by my good friend Kelly.  The hop will run for 6 weeks (this is week 3) and we will have some fun themes and even some techniques I've never tried before!  If you would like to join us just use the hashtag #scwcardhop23 and we will find your creations.  This week is all about summer treats e.g. ice creams, lollies, cocktails, the list is endless.  

Here is my summer treat card:

Close up:

I was inspired by a beautiful card I saw on Pinterest by the very talented Kelly Latevola; she is a supreme colouring artist and made her card entirely with Copic markers.  I do not count myself as an artist but wanted to re-create her card so used die cuts and ink blending.  You can watch Kelly making her card over on YouTube here.   I began by making my 'bar' and I made the planks by swiping my ink pads over some kraft card using 4 different shades of brown.  I also highlighted some areas with a few brown Promarkers.  I then ink blended the background using 2 shades of brown for my sand and one blue for my sky.  I left a very small white area in between the colours for my surf.  I used some white pigment ink to stencil some clouds and also added it to the surf area.  I finished off the background by adding some splatter and 2 stamped birds.  The drinks and fruit were stamped and die cut and I added some shimmer to the drinks.  I also white heat embossed a sentiment.  Finally it was time to assemble; I added the bar with liquid glue into the corner of the panel and added the drinks on top (some with foam tape and some with liquid glue).  The sentiment was added with foam tape.  The panel was then added onto an A2 card base.  I am really happy with the finished result and it's perfect for this time of year.  

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

Sweet Stampin' challenge - no designer paper

Simon Says Stamp Monday challenge - vacation

Crafty Calendar challenge - summertime

Double D challenge - color challenge (I've used yellow, blue and red)

Simply Create Too challenge - lazy days of summer

Please pop over to Instagram to see what the other participants of the hop have created; we cannot wait to see that you create.  Don't forget to stop by again next week for more summer fun creating.  

Have a great day and thank you so much for stopping by. 

Love and hugs, 

card ingredients:

Clearly Besotted Stamps - raise a glass (retired)

MFT - cutest clouds ever (used to make a cloud stencil)

Gina K Designs - large strip sentiments

Gina K Designs - kraft, warm cocoa, charcoal brown, dark chocolate, blue raspberry, red velvet, lemon drop, fresh asparagus, bubblegum pink and passionate pink ink pads

Gina K Designs - blending brushes

Gina K Designs - white detail embossing powder and white pigment ink cube

Crafter's Companion - kraft cardstock 280gsm

Promarkers

Bright & cheerful card (and a sad life update)

Hello friends, I hope you're having a great day so far.  Before I share my card I wanted to give you a sad life update.  Skip ahead if you're only here for the card!

We've had a rough few days here - we had to say goodbye to our beautiful fur-baby Reggie.  After 11 years of faithful devotion and love, he finally succumbed to his health issues.  He took a turn for the worse on Saturday night and we had to make the dreadful but caring decision to let him go.  The last few years he has had lots of medication to take but he never complained and took everything in his stride.  He was a big softie and loved nothing more than eating and sleeping with the occasional walk of course.  Our lives are sadder without him; he was our shadow and wanted to be with us all the time.  The house feels empty and so quiet.  Here is our beautiful boy:

I'm trying to distract myself with crafting (although it's not really working) but made this card for a friend's birthday.  I was inspired to use the bright and cheerful colours from this month's SSS IG challenge which are orange, yellow and teal.  I used all products from Gina K Designs.  

Here is my card:

It's hard to tell in the photo but the background was created using one of Gina's new poly-glaze sheets; in real life it really shines and the gold is gorgeous.  I die cut and used the matching layering stencil to ink blend the flowers.  I cut 2 more plain die cuts and layered them together for dimension without using foam tape.  The sentiment was from a pre-printed sentiment sheet but I coloured it with the same yellow ink as I used for my ink blending.  I added the panel onto a piece of yellow card and added some gold pearls to finish.  A fairly simple card but it looks really pretty I think. 

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

Simon Says Stamp IG challenge - summer color challenge

Krafty Chicks challenge - all occasions

Daisy Chain challenge - no design paper

Creative Inspirations challenge - something for the girls

Allsorts challenge - bunch of flowers

Triple B challenge - birds, butterflies or blooms

Stencil Fun challenge - use stencils - option layered stencils (I used a layering stencil)

Fab 'n' Funky challenge - use a sentiment

Try it on Tuesday challenge - summer blooms

Papercraft challenges - girls, girls, girls

Thanks for stopping by; I really appreciate all your comments and your continued support. 

Have a great day. 

Love and hugs, 

Card ingredients:

Gina K Designs - Create Friendship layering bundle (now available individually)

Gina K Designs - delicate basket poly-glaze sheets

Thermoweb (Icraft) deco foil sheets - gold

Gina K Designs - mixed messages sentiment sheets

Gina K Designs - wild dandelion, tangerine twist and tranquil teal ink pads

Gina K Designs - blending brushes

Gina K Designs - pearl mix (black, gold and silver)

Limetree Crafts - 250gsm bright white card for the card base

yellow card from stash

Please note: I always add links to where I bought my products (i.e. in this instance directly from Gina K Designs) but her products are available in UK stores - Bumbleberry Crafts and Dies to Die For.  I usually buy the bundles directly from Gina K Designs as they are such good value, even with the added postage.  

Summer Crush Wednesday - week 2

Hello again friends and welcome to week 2 of the Summer Crush Wednesday IG hop organised by my good friend Kelly.  The hop will run for 6 weeks (this is week 2) and we will have some fun themes and even some techniques I've never tried before!  If you would like to join us just use the hashtag #scwcardhop23 and we will find your creations.  This week is all about mermaids; you can make anything you like as long as you feature a mermaid.  

Here is my mermaid card:

and a closer look at my mermaid:

I stamped my image and coloured the pretty mermaid with Promarkers and die cut her with the matching die.  I then added some shimmer to her scales and bra.  The background was created with a stencil and inks and I also added some splatter.  I was going to lay her flat onto the background but decided to make a shaker card instead.  Firstly I die cut a circle from another panel and then stamped the sentiments onto it in black ink; for the middle sentiment I white heat embossed it onto coloured cardstock for some contrast.  I added some acetate and after choosing my sequin mix placed it on top of the stencilled panel with foam tape.  I finished off with some clear droplets.  It looks much nicer in real life but as usual my photography skills are lacking lol!

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

Craft Rocket challenge - use dies

Daisy Chain challenge - no design paper

Creative Inspirations challenge - something for the girls

Cardz for Galz challenge - use dies/punches

Unicorn challenge - fantasy

Addicted to Stamps and More challenge - birthdays

Little Bit of Rainbow challenge - water

Papercraft challenge - girls, girls, girls 

Please pop over to Instagram to what the other hoppers have made and we cannot wait to see what you create.  Don't forget to stop by again next week for more summer fun crafting.  

Have a great day and thanks for stopping by. 

Love and hugs, 

Honey Bee Stamps - swimming by stamp & matching die set

Taylored Expressions - sweet scallop stencil

Little Things from Lucy's Cards - various (swimming pool, peacock, crystal circles, raindrops)

Gina K Designs ink pads - applemint, sea glass, blue lagoon

Gina K Designs - large strip sentiment dies

Gina K Designs - white pigment ink & white fine detail embossing powder

Tonic Studios - circles layering basics

Promarkers

Father's day card for F-I-L

Hello friends, welcome to a brand new week!  I'm here to share the card I made for my father-in-law for Father's Day.  I loved the MFT sketch this week so that was my inspiration.  

Here is my card:

here is a close up of the cute critters:

I began by die cutting the city scene twice and adding yellow card behind one and grey card behind the other.  I wanted a sunray background but didn't have a stencil large enough for my 5 x 7 card so I used masking magic to create my own (it's a little bit lopsided but I think it looks ok).  The images were stamped and coloured with Promarkers and fussy cut out.  I stamped both the sentiments in Versafine onyx black ink and die cut them out.  I added the first city scene with liquid glue and added the second one over top with foam tape.  The image were added with foam tape and the strip sentiment and clouds were adhered with liquid glue.  The 2nd sentiment was also added with foam tape.  Quite a lot of dimension on this card but it looked really cool in real life.  

There are still lots of men/boy challenges around so my card fits into quite a lot this time:

MFT sketch challenge #650

Daisy Chain challenge - no design paper

Cardz for Guyz challenge - Father's day

Alphabet challenge - F is for flying 

SSS Monday challenge - masculine

SSS Wednesday challenge - lots of layers

Cutie Pie challenge - dads or lads

Fab 'n' Funky challenge - use a sentiment

MAWTT challenge - man/boy

Pearly Sparkles challenge - make it masculine

Creative Moments challenge - boys and men

Shopping our Stash challenge - let's hear it for the boys

Scrapping 4 Fun challenge - men/boys

Phew!  That's a lot of challenges!  I don't think I've entered so many in one hit for a very long time.  

Thanks for stopping by and leaving me such lovely comments.  I really do appreciate it. 

Love and hugs, 

Card ingredients:

MFT - to the rescue stamp set

MFT - blueprints 13 (for circle dies)

MFT - city block dienamics

MFT - cutest clouds ever dienamics

Clearly Besotted Stamps - mini messages

Gina K Designs - masking magic strips

Gina K Designs - lemon drop and wild dandelion ink pads

Gina K Designs - large strip sentiment dies

Mama Elephant - confetti creative cuts (for small stars)

Summer Crush Wednesday IG hop

Hello again friends; I hope you're having a wonderful week so far.  I was asked by my lovely crafty friend Kelly to join her Summer Crush Wednesday Instagram Hop.  This will run for 6 weeks, starting today, and we will have some fun themes and even some techniques I've never tried before.  If you would like to join in just use the hashtags #summercrushcardhop23 or #SCW23 and we will find your creation.  

This week is all about water fun - it is time to grab those watercolours, pigment powders, watercolour pencils, distress, oxide, inks anything where water is involved..  The theme is open as long as you have some water fun!

Here is my card:

For my card I used my Zig Clean Color Brush Markers to do my water-colouring.  I scribbled some colour from the marker onto my glass mat and sprayed with water.  I then picked up the colour with a paint brush and did some brush strokes across my card panel.  I used beige and blue colours to mimic the sand, sea and sky.  I then stamped the boat, birds and sentiment in Versafine black onyx ink.  Whilst letting that dry I die-cut the grandad sentiment and added it onto a banner before placing it below the stamped sentiment.  I added a few self adhesive dots and my card was done.  I enjoyed this technique and it was really easy to do but looks really effective I think.  

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

Shopping our stash challenge - let's hear it for the boys

Moving along with the times challenge - man/boy

Pearly Sparkles challenge - make it masculine

Creative moments challenge - boys/men

Scrapping 4 fun challenge - men/boys

Simon Says Stamp Monday challenge - masculine

Cardz 4 guyz challenge - father's day

Crafty calendar challenge - summertime (this weather is perfect for boating

Happy Little Stampers Water Color challenge - ATG (option bright)

Please pop over to Instagram and see what all the other participants have created and we cannot wait to see what water colour creations you come up with.   Don't forget to stop by again next Wednesday for week 2 and more summer fun crafting.  

Have a great day and thanks for stopping by. 

Lots of love, 

Card ingredients:

Gina K Designs - a time to coast stamp set

Gina K Designs - grand gentlemen (for the sentiment)

Crafter's Companion - grandad die cut

MFT - blueprints 27 (for the banners)

Crafter's Companion - kraft cardstock

Prima -Delights sugar dots (no longer available)

CAS flower card

Hello again friends.  I hope you are doing ok and surviving this really hot and humid weather we're experiencing in the UK at the moment.  I have to be truthful; I don't like really hot weather so I've been struggling, the fans have be a lifesaver these past few weeks.  I like it dry and sunny but a little cooler would be better for me.  

Anyway enough waffling from me.  I'm back to share a CAS card that I made for a friends birthday.  I don't make CAS cards very often as too much white space makes me want to keep adding embellishments lol.  I managed to contain myself on this card and I think it looks ok.  

Here is my card:

I stamped the floral image with Memento tuxedo black ink and coloured it with Promarkers.  I added a little bit of gold gel pen to the centres of the smaller flowers, although it's hard to see in the photos.  I added a sentiment stamped in Versafine onyx black ink and a few black pearls.  I mounted the panel onto an aqua panel and then onto the card base and my card was done.  Very simple but it's surprising how long it actually took me to make it lol!

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

Use your stuff challenge - flowers

Daisy Chain challenge - no design paper

Creative Inspirations challenge - something for the girls

Simon Says Stamp Wednesday challenge - flowers

Color Hues challenge - red and aqua

Thank you so much for stopping by and leaving me such lovely comments, I really appreciate them.  

Have a great week. 

Crafty hugs, 

Card ingredients:

SSS/Altenew Stamptember set - framed friendship (limited edition 2020 no longer available)

Promarkers

Kuretake Zig writer - gold

Gina K Designs - black, gold, silver pearl mix

Stampin' Up! - tempting turquoise card stock (retired)

Seize the Birthday challenge

Hello friends, I hope you're having a great day.  I was lucky enough to win a recent challenge so I am guest designing (or the surprise guest as they call it) for the Seize the Birthday challenge this week.

The theme for this challenge is 'put your sentiment on a banner'.  I decided to use an image that already included a banner but you could make your own banner or use a banner strip.   I watched a YouTube video by Sam Calcott at Mixed Up Craft and she made a teepee card; it looked really fun so decided to have a go.  It's not 100% perfect but I am really happy with how it turned out.  There are lots of photos to show each side and how it lies flat.  Here is my teepee card:

close up of the adorable image:

This is where you would write your personal message:

and here is the other side:

 

here is it lying flat:

and here is how it would be in the envelope:

Isn't it just so much fun; I think all my cards will now be like this lol!  All you need is a velcro dot to keep it closed and it will stand up really nicely.  It is simply made with 3 x squares (any size) but I followed Sam's tutorial so mine were 5"x5" and it will fit in a 5"x7" envelope.  You can find the tutorial here.  I just matted and layered some kraft card and very old patterned paper, added my image onto a white circle and finally finished with some gold pearls.  The little butterflies were also from the stamp set.  All the images were coloured with Promarkers.  

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

Craft Rocket challenge - use dies

Little Red Dragon challenge - things that fly (hope my dinky little butterflies are ok)

Dragonfly Dreams challenge - fancy folds

Allsorts challenge - birthdays or ATG

Aud Sentiments challenge - fun folds and/or summer + a sentiment

Get Creative challenge - more than one fold

I hope you will find time to enter this fun challenge.  

Thanks for stopping by.

 

Card ingredients:

Neat & Tangled stamps - so foxy (no longer available)

Authentique - glowing 6 x 6 paper pack (no longer available)

Crafter's Companion - kraft cardstock

Gina K Designs - pearl mix (black, gold, silver)

Tonic Studios - basic circle dies

Clearly Besotted - mini messages (for sentiment)

My first pop up box card

Happy Sunday friends.  I hope you sun is shining where you are; it's a glorious day here in South Wales.  Today I'm sharing my first ever pop up box card that I made for my brother-in-law's birthday.  He has a shed/bar in the back garden and I thought it sort of looked like a bar when it was finished lol!  

It was quite difficult to photograph so my post is a bit photo heavy:

close up of the die cuts:

I did add a white panel at the back to write my message but forgot to take a photograph of that (I bet you're glad lol!).  I followed a tutorial by Sam Calcott at Mixed Up Crafts that I saw on YouTube, although I got scissor happy and accidently cut off the flaps at the front but I think for a masculine card it looks less fussy this way.  You can watch her video here.  I die cut lots of drink bottles, glasses etc and added them onto acetate strips so that they would look like they were floating.  I also added some extra stars to fill in the gaps.  The sentiment was stamped on a white panel and added to front of the pop up box.  The papers are from a very old 8"x 8" pad that I found in my stash.  It wasn't that difficult to make but I think it looks really effective.  I hope you like it too.  

I am entering the following challenges:

Seize the birthday challenge - make it pop (my card pops up)

Creative Knockouts challenge - fun fold

My Time to Craft challenge - masculine 

Moving Along with the Times challenge - man/boy

Time Out Challenge - inspiration photo (inspired by the drinks)

I hope you enjoy the rest of your day and thank you so much for stopping by. 

Love and hugs, 

Card ingredients:

Marianne Design - beer by Marleen (for drinks die cuts)

Gina K Designs - grand gentlemen (for the large sentiment)

MFT - blueprints 13 (for the stars) - retired

Apple Blossom - time for a beer (for the smaller round sentiment)

DCWV - the natural stack 8x8 paper pad (discontinued)

AAA Birthday challenge - DT card

Good morning lovely friends and happy 1st of June.  I can't believe we are already in the 6th month of 2023 - where has the time gone?  

I am here today with my DT card for this month's AAA Birthday challenge.  This month our hostess is Deekshita and she has chosen 'water colours'.   The challenge lasts from 1st June - 30th June and it is for birthday cards only.  

I started my card with a completely different plan in my mind but I changed it after finishing my water colour background; the final result is not what I envisaged but I think it turned out ok.  

here is a closer look:

As I say I began by water colouring the background using my Gamsai Tambi water colours.  I was originally going to add a little critter image over the top but I didn't like it so searched through my stamps and found this beautiful Gina K Designs stamp which fit the shape I'd created perfectly.  I did use some clean water and 'bleached' out the flowers a little so that there would be some colour difference from the background.  I haven't made a circle card for such a long time and I thought it would be perfect for the wreath shape.  I used an old Go Kreate XXL circle die set but had to trim the black circle as the size difference was too big but don't look too closely as my border is a little wonky in places lol!  I finished off by adding a scripty sentiment and some black pearls.  The card base was created with the same larger circle dies and I added some extra interest with an embossing folder.  The finished card is 5 3/4" diameter.  

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

Craft Rocket challenge - use dies

Krafty Chicks challenge - stamp act

SSS Wednesday challenge - anything goes

Happy Little Stampers Watercolour challenge - ATG (option bright colours)

Can you handle the pressure challenge - ATG (option bird/birdhouses)

Double D challenge - flowers

Allsorts challenge - anything goes (option use a stencil)

I hope you will have a chance to join in with our challenge this month.  Please pop over to the blog for all the details and to check out the wonderful creations from the rest of the DT.  We also have Ana as our guest designer this month.  

I cannot wait to see your amazing creations. 

Thanks for stopping by.

Crafty hugs and love, 

Card ingredients:

Gina K Designs - Kindness wreath stamp set (not sure if discontinued)

Gina K Designs - Spring floral BG stamp set (for sentiment)

Strathmore Bristol smooth watercolour card 

Gansai Tambi watercolour palette

Go Kreate XXL circle dies 

Gina K Designs - embellishment pearl mix

We R Memory Keepers sunburst EF (discontinued)