Krafty Chicks challenge #718 - ATG

Good morning friends; it's Thursday so that means it's time for a new challenge over at Krafty Chicks challenge.  As it's a 5 week month our theme this week is Anything Goes, so you can create whatever you like.  

It was my brother-in-law's birthday last week so needed a masculine card for my boys to give him.  I went graphic and bold for my card.  I hope you like it.

Here is my card:

A closer look at the stamping:

I decorated the inside:

Once I had decided on my products, I think this was one of the fastest cards I have ever made!!  I began by stamping the background in black ink onto a white card panel.  It is a small background stamp so I turned it sideways and stamped it twice to make a complete background for my panel.  I cut the width of my panel slightly smaller so that I could add a strip of light green card down the left hand side and the whole panel was added to the card base with double sided tape.  I used 3 separate stamp sets to create my sentiment but as they were all the same font they look like they were meant to be together.  I stamped the sentiment in black ink and cut it with a stitched die and matted it onto a piece of the light green card.  This was added onto the card with foam squares.  I found some enamel dots (trying to use up some older stuff) in almost the exact same colour green so added a few around the sentiment.  For the inside I cut a white panel and stamped the background stamp at the bottom and added a strip of green card to add a decorative edge.  I stamped the sentiment in the centre of the panel in black ink.  I added the panel to the card base with double sided tape.  A really simple card but quite striking and although not my usual colour scheme I think it works.  

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

Addicted to Stamps & More challenge - any occasion

Classic Design challenge - ATG optional masculine

Everybody Art challenge - circles and/or stripes (I have lines and dots - please delete me if not appropriate)

Simon Says Stamp Wednesday challenge - ATG

The Sisterhood of Crafters challenge - all about the men

Tic Tac Toe challenge - #248 - masculine/free/masculine sentiment

I hope you will be able to join us for our 'Anything Goes' challenge and I cannot wait to see your creations in our linky.  Please leave some love for my fellow chicks - Leanne, Diane and Lori and also our guest designer for May, Rachelle. 

Thanks for stopping by. 

Love and hugs, 

Card Ingredients:

Uniko Stamps - background blocks - mid century modern

Uniko Stamps - everyday family (for the uncle word)

Uniko Stamps - everyday sentiments (for the birthday word)

Uniko Stamps - everyday love sentiments (for the happy word)

Uniko Stamps - birthday wishes (for inside sentiment)

Limetree Crafts - 250gsm silky smooth white card

Versafine - onyx black ink 

Craftier - mint rainbow enamel dots

green card from my stash

Mini Card Challenge IG Hop - Week 3

Hello friends and happy Wednesday.  I trust your week has been good so far.  I'm back to share this week's card for the Mini Card challenge IG Hop, which has been organised by my lovely friend Kelly. It's a chance to keep us occupied and our creativity flowing before the Summer 2024 Hop begins. 

This week we want you to 'tell us a secret' which means we want to see hidden elements. surprise reveals etc.  I decided to make a wiper card since I've never made one before.  I did watch a few tutorials before I started but even so I struggled to get the mechanism to work so I went to my tried and tested guru Sam Calcott and she is so good at explaining these interactive cards that I got it right away.  I know it's not super technical but sometimes the simpler things make the less sense lol!  Anyway I finally got it and my wiper worked *yay*.  

Here is my card:

A view with the wiper mechanism up:

A closer look at the images:

I decorated the back as there is no inside:

I took a short video...it's not the best but you can see the mechanism popping up!

I began by following a tutorial by Beata on Splitcoaststampers here but I don't know why but I really struggled to get my mechanism to work.  I jumped over to YouTube and watched a video by Sam Calcott here and it finally clicked.  There was nothing wrong with Beata's tutorial but Sam has a really good way of explaining things and I always watch her videos when I need to do a complicated interactive card.  I made an A2 size card as that was Beata's original tutorial.  I was originally going to use a speech bubble as my wiper pop up but didn't like it but still used it but cut off the pointy bit to leave an oval instead.  I added a sentiment onto the pop up and a paw print and also added a small piece of the patterned paper to make it look a little prettier.  After finally getting my card base together I began working on the fun bit of decorating.  I love this paper pad from Gina K designs so used that as my background, cut a slightly larger black mat panel and adhered them to the card with double sided tape.  I stamped the cute images onto alcohol marker friendly card and coloured them with Promarkers (my editing programme make my blends look really harsh but they are not like that in real life, honest!).  I used the matching dies to cut them out.  I didn't want the images just floating on the background so used a heart border die, which comes in 2 pieces, coloured the plain piece with the same marker as I used on the jumper of my image and adhered the cut out piece over top with liquid glue.  I added the images with foam squares.  I decided to add a generic image to the front which matched the images but it was slightly too long for my card so I simply cut it in half and placed them onto the card with liquid glue.  I found a few gold hearts in the back of the stamp set that I must of cut previously so added 3 of them with liquid glue as a finishing touch.  For the back of the card I added a white panel which was matted onto a black panel.  Before adding it to the card base I stamped a sentiment in the centre of the panel with black ink and a strip of the patterned paper to the bottom.  I stamped and coloured an extra dog and adhered that to the bottom right with liquid glue.  I also had an extra heart that I had cut off from the front so also added that to the bottom left with liquid glue.  A really fun card and it will fold down flat and fit into a normal envelope, the same as other dimensional cards I make.  

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

AAA Colourful challenge - colourboard #4

Addicted to Stamps & More challenge - Any occasion

Allsorts challenge - ATG option blast from the past (most of my products are very old/retired)

Creative Creases challenge - ATG with a fun fold

 

I Love Promarkers challenge - ATG option tropical vibes

Make My Monday challenge - dog or puppy

My Time To Craft challenge - super cute

Pearly Sparkles challenge - cats and dogs

Simply Create Too challenge - add an animal

Simon Says Stamp Wednesday challenge - ATG

If you would like to follow the hop over on Instagram please use the hashtag #minicardchallenges to find us or alternatively visit my profile and you will find the list of participants on my post.  We would love it if you would give the mixed up challenges a try and again use the hashtag and we will find your projects. 

I'll be back tomorrow with my card for the Krafty Chicks challenge but until then enjoy the rest of your day and thank you for stopping by. 

Love and hugs,

Card ingredients:

MFT - new best friend stamp & matching dies (for images and sentiment on pop up) - retired

MFT - puppy kisses stamp set (for sentiment on back) - retired

MFT - friends furever stamp (for sentiment on front) - retired

MFT - layered heart border dies (retired)

SSS - talk bubbles die (although I altered it) (no longer available)

Gina K Designs - autumn splendor paper pad

Gina K Designs - warm cocoa ink pad (to stamp the paw print)

Limetree Crafts - 250gsm silky smooth card 

Hobbycraft - A4 black card

Heffy Doodle - alcohol marker friendly card

Promarkers

Memento - tuxedo black ink pad

Versafine - onyx black ink pad

Krafty Chicks challenge #717 - All Occasions

Good morning friends; it's Thursday so that means it's time for a new challenge over at Krafty Chicks challenge.  This week is Week 4 so the lovely Lori is our hostess and our theme is 'All Occasions', so you have free rein to create whatever you like.  

I was inspired by a card I saw recently in a video by Gina K Designs.  She made a gatefold card and I thought I hadn't made one of those for a while.  I deviated slightly as I made a bellyband for my card to keep it closed.  There are quite a few photos today (sorry) as I wanted to show all the different aspects!

Here is my card:

The card without the bellyband:

The card & bellyband together:

A close up of the flower:

I decorated the inside:

I also decorated the envelope:

I began by creating my gatefold card by cutting my white card 8 1/2" x 5 1/2" and scoring the long side at 2 1/8" and 6 3/8".  I had already created my background using the letterpress embossing folder technique using teal ink so cut the background into 2 strips, each 1 7/8" x 5 5/8".  I also cut 2 black mat panels slightly larger and added them to my card with double sided tape.  I die cut the flower outline with black card and the base layer in white card and then ink blended the white layer using teal ink pads.  I made the bellyband by cutting my white card 1 1/2" x 11 3/4" and folded it around the card.  Before adhering the ends together I stamped my sentiment in black ink on the left side of the front.  I then adhered the ends with red liner tape.  I added the flower to the right side of the belly band.  Once I removed the bellyband I thought the card looked a little bare so cut another flower and also cut 2 leaf dies from black card.   I carefully placed the flower onto the card just slightly overlapping the join of the card and tucked the leaves underneath.  I wanted the flower on the bellyband to hide the one on the card so that it would be a surprise when you removed the bellyband and thankfully, for once, my plan worked lol.  For the inside I cut a white card panel and black mat layer and adhered them together with double sided tape.  I added a thin strip of the background to the top and bottom of the white panel, added a black leaf to the bottom right and stamped a sentiment to the centre in black ink.  As I had some strips left of the background I decided to decorate my envelope too.  I'm really happy with how this turned out and it's nice to make something different for a change.  

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

Addicted to Stamps & More challenge - birthdays

A Place to Start challenge - ATG option: for a lady

Aud Sentiments challenge - foiling and/or flowers + sentiment

Beautiful Blossoms challenge - anything floral goes optional mood board

Craft Rocket challenge - flowers

Creative Creases challenge - ATG with a fun fold (stamped sentiments)

Creative Inspirations challenge - feminine

Cut It Up challenge - send me flowers

Get Creative challenge - ladies only

Papercraft challenges - flower power

Shopping Our Stash challenge - how does your garden grow (13 challenges max)

Unicorn challenge - for the girls

I hope you will be able to join us for our 'All Occasions' challenge and I cannot wait to see your creations in our linky.  Please leave some love for my fellow chicks - Leanne, Diane and Lori and also our guest designer for May, Rachelle. 

Thanks for stopping by. 

Love and hugs, 

Card ingredients:

Gina K Designs - fresh cut flowers dies

Gina K Designs - perfect posy stamp (for outside sentiment)

Gina K Designs - tapestry EF

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

Gina K Designs - ink pads - sea glass, tranquil teal, turquoise sea

Limetree Crafts - 250gsm silky smooth white card

Hobbycraft - A4 black card

Mini Card Challenge - IG Hop - Week 2

Hello friends and happy Hump Day.  I trust your week has been good so far.  I'm back to share this week's card for the Mini Card challenge IG Hop, which has been organised by my lovely friend Kelly. It's a chance to keep us occupied and our creativity flowing before the Summer 2024 Hop begins. 

This week we want you to 'Go with the Faux' lol!  We are creating cards/projects with a faux (creative imitation) aspect.   I mulled over a few different techniques before deciding on a faux embossed background using die cuts.  It takes longer than using an embossing folder but you can create a totally unique background just using your dies.  

Here is my card:

A closer look at the adorable image:

A pic of my card with a few of the die cuts:

I decorated the inside:

I began by cutting a white card panel 4" x 5 1/4" and then die cut lots of flowers and leaves from the same white card.  I laid them onto the panel in a somewhat random pattern and by using a couple of strips of memo tape it allowed me to keep them in place so that I could add liquid glue behind.  I placed it carefully back onto the card and left it for a few minutes for the glue to dry.  In the meantime I stamped my image onto alcohol marker friendly card and coloured it with my Promarkers.  As it's a wood stamp I don't have a matching die and didn't feel like fussy cutting so used a rounded rectangle die to cut it out.  I used the size bigger die and cut one from vellum too; I adhered these together with double sided tape.  I stamped the sentiment onto white card and cut it out with a sentiment strip die.  I added the panel to the card base with foam tape and the image panel was also added with foam tape.  I debated about where to place the sentiment but it only looked right under the image so also added that with foam tape, just overlapping the layers.  I didn't add any embellishments as I felt I'd covered up a lot of my background already and wanted that to be the star of the show.  For the inside I cut another white panel 4" x 5 1/4" and repeated the process of adding the die cuts, but this time just to the lower third.  I added an embossed line but wish I had left it without now as it doesn't really add anything but it looks ok.  I stamped the sentiment in the upper centre with black ink and added the panel to the card base with double sided tape.  I really like the clean design of the background paired with the colourful image.  I hope you like it.  

I would like to enter the following challenges:

AAA Colourful challenge - Colourboard #4

Allsorts challenge - ATG

A Place to Start challenge - ATG optional twist: for a lady

As You Like It challenge - favourite sketch (and why) - if I'm sure what to do I always add a panel in the centre of my card as it's a versatile layout and pleasing to the eye

Craft Rocket challenge - flowers

Crafty Animals challenge - ATG - must include an animal

Critter Crazy challenge - ATG with a featured animal

Cut It Up challenge - send me flowers

Day of The Month Card Club challenge - 'VAPPU' spring festival (anything spring theme)

I Love Promarkers challenge - ATG/cute

Moving Along With The Times challenge - flowers

My Time To Craft challenge - super cute

Papercraft challenges - flower power

Penny Black Saturday challenge - ATG option: pastel colours

Simply Create Too challenge - Add an animal

Triple B challenge - use at least one bird, bloom or butterflies plus optional moodboard

If you would like to follow the hop over on Instagram please use the hashtag #minicardchallenges to find us or alternatively visit my profile and you will find the list of participants on my post.  We would love it if you would give the mixed up challenges a try and again use the hashtag and we will find your projects. 

Enjoy the rest of your day and thank you for stopping by. 

Love and hugs,

Card ingredients:

Penny Black Stamps - greetings 3706H wood block stamp (I've seen some on eBay)

Gina K Designs - exclusive dies that came with the Intri-cut machine

Gina K Designs - sentiment strips dies

Gina K Designs - enjoyable greetings stamp (for inside sentiment)

MFT - stitched rounded rectangle stax dies (retired)

Spellbinders - lots of wishing you sentiments

Promarkers

Limetree Crafts - 250gsm silky smooth white card

Heffy Doodle - alcohol marker friendly card

Heffy Doodle - memo tape

Stampin' Up! - cardstock vellum

Versafine - onyx black ink pad

Memento - tuxedo black ink pad

Happy World Bee Day

Hello friends; I hope you've had a brilliant start to your week.  I didn't realise until late today that it is World Bee Day so thought it would be fun to make a bee themed card.  I used the sketch from the current MFT sketch challenge and usually I would always exclusively use MFT products I couldn't find an MFT bee image in my stash so had to use images from another company.  Everything else however is MFT, even if it's a retired product from them.  

Here is my card:

A close up:

I decorated the inside:

I began by stamping the cute images onto alcohol marker friendly card using memento ink.  I coloured them with Promarkers and cut them out with the coordinating dies.  I die cut the frame from black card and cut a white panel to fit behind it.  I found a hexagon stencil and using yellow ink partially stencilled the background.  I added the branch behind the frame before glueing it to the white stencilled panel with liquid glue.  I added the hive with liquid glue and the bees with foam squares.  To create my 'punny' sentiment I die cut the BEE letters from white card and ink blended just the bottom portion to create an ombre look.  I masked off part of the happy birthday stamp so that I only stamped the HAP, added the die cut letters with liquid glue and then masked the sentiment again and stamped the birthday word.  The panel was then added to the card base with foam tape.  I added shimmer pen to the bees wings and a scattering of black sequins and the front was complete.  For the inside I stencilled the hexagon pattern using yellow ink along the bottom of my white panel and stamped a bee overtop in black ink.  I stamped my sentiment in black ink in the centre of the panel.  The white panel was then adhered to a black mat panel with double sided tape and this was added to the card base also with double sided tape.   A fun and happy card today and I hope you like it.  

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

MFT - sketch challenge #698

Addicted to Stamps & More challenge - birthdays

Allsorts challenge - ATG

Cardz 4 Galz challenge - World Bee Day

CRAFT challenge - ATG

Crafter's Cafe challenge - smile, be happy (the bees look happy and this card makes me smile)

Crafty Animals challenge - must include an animal (or insect)

Critter Crazy challenge - ATG with a featured animal (or insect)

Dragonfly Dreams challenge - use a stencil

I Love Promarkers challenge - ATG optional theme: cute

My Time To Craft challenge - super cute

NBUS - never used my bee stamps before

Simply Create Too challenge - add an animal (or any living creature)

Stencil Fun challenge - must use a stencil optional theme: girly

I will be back on Wednesday with the next instalment of the Mini Card challenge IG Hop so I hope you will be able to come back again and check it out.  Until then thanks for stopping by.

Love and hugs, 

MFT - essential cover up - vertical die (retired)

MFT - old friends stamp (for happy birthday sentiment)

MFT - little letters die-namics (retired)

MFT - everything wonderful stamp (for inside sentiment)

Clearly Besotted Stamps - cute as a bug stamp & dies (retired)

Crafters Workshop - punchinella stencil (no longer available)

Gina K Designs - ink pads - wild dandelion, lemon drop, sweet corn

Gina K Designs - blending brushes standard and detail

Tonic - Nuvo aqua shimmer pen in glitter gloss

Promarkers

Limetree Crafts - 250gsm silky smooth white card

Hobbycraft - A4 luxury black card

Heffy Doodle - alcohol marker friendly card

Memento - tuxedo black ink

Versafine - onyx black ink

Spellbinders - color essential sequins: black smooth disc

We Love Stamping challenge - reminder post

Good morning lovely friends and happy Saturday.  As you may remember I'm a guest designer this month for the We Love Stamping challenge and today I get to share the second card I made for their 'vintage' theme.  As I made a masculine card the first time around I decided to make a feminine version this time.  I didn't have anyone in mind when I made this card so I just went with the flow.

Here is my card:

A close up of the image:

I decorated the inside:

I somehow managed to get ink on the back of my card so decorated that too to hide it!

I began by making my own 5" x 7" card base from a dusky rose colour of card.  I stamped my image onto some pretty patterned paper using a brown ink pad and distressed the edges with a slightly darker brown ink.  There were already some pink highlights in the paper so I added some extra pink highlights to her dress and the flowers with a rose pink ink pad.  I also added some stickles to the flowers for some sparkle.  As this panel was only patterned paper I added some scrap card behind for added stability.  I cut a panel of kraft card and used an embossing folder to add some texture before inking the edges with a dark brown ink pad.  I added this panel to my card base with double sided tape.   I cut 2 postcards from another sheet of patterned paper, distressed the edges with the brown ink and added them to the embossed panel with double sided tape. I also fussy cut some roses from the patterned paper and also added them to the card base with double sided tape.  I die cut the mini ticket die from cream card and distressed it with the rose pink ink pad.  This was added to the left side of the panel with double sided tape.  I added the image panel with foam tape in the centre of the card.  I stamped, lightly coloured and fussy cut the butterfly, added some stickles and placed it on the left corner of the image panel with a foam square.  I die cut 2 buttons from kraft card, lightly inked them with brown ink, threaded them with some natural twine and added them to the top right and bottom right corners with a foam square.  Finally I stamped the sentiment in brown ink, used the matching die to cut it out and lightly inked it with the rose pink ink.  I added this to the bottom left corner of the image panel with liquid glue.  For the inside I took a panel of cream card, distressed the edges with brown ink and stamped my sentiment in the centre.  I added a strip of the patterned paper to the bottom and added another button and a postage stamp that I cut from the same paper that the postcards came from.  This was adhered to a kraft panel and added to my card base with double sided tape.  I realised at the end that I had gotten some brown ink onto the back of my card so took another piece of the patterned paper and covered it.  The paper wasn't quite big enough so used another matching piece and added a strip of kraft card to cover the join.  As I said before, vintage is not really my favourite theme but I think it turned out ok. 

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

Addicted to Stamps & More challenge - birthdays

Allsorts challenge - ATG (happy 15th birthday Allsorts!)

A Place to Start challenge - ATG optional twist for a lady

Craft Rocket challenge - flowers

Creative Inspirations challenge - feminine

Get Creative challenge - ladies only

Make My Monday challenge - florals

Moving Along With The Times challenge - flowers

Papercraft challenges - flower power

Simon Says Stamp Wednesday challenge - use patterned paper

The Sisterhood of Crafters challenge - all about the ladies

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

Unicorn challenge - for the girls

I would like to take this opportunity to thank Brenda and all of the DT over at We Love Stamping challenge for having me as their guest this month and for leaving me such lovely comments.  I had a fun time making my cards and it definitely took me out of my comfort zone.  

I hope you will have a chance to check out the challenge and look forward to seeing your creations in the linky.  Thank you for stopping by and have a wonderful weekend. 

Love and hugs, 

Card ingredients:

Kanban - A6 floral frame stamp (from a very old kit from QVC)

Gina K Designs - Master Layouts 4 (for buttons)

Gina K Designs - Wonderfully Made (for butterfly)

Gina K Designs - Fancy phrases & matching die (for birthday sentiment)

Gina K Designs - birthday cheer (for inside sentiment)

Gina K Designs - ink pads - warm cocoa, dusty rose, dark chocolate

MFT - mini ticket border die (retired)

Vintage 6"x6" paper pad (? from Home Bargains)

Spellbinders - branching out embossing folder

Lidl - Crelando 270gsm coloured card

Versafine Clair - acorn ink pad