My Lovely Followers

Thursday 26 September 2024

Krafty Chicks challenge #735 - All Occasions

Good morning lovely friends.  I hope you're all doing ok and having a great week so far.  It's time for a new challenge over at Krafty Chicks challenge and it's Week 4, Lori is our hostess, and our theme as always is 'All Occasions'.  We hope you will come over and join in the fun with us. 
I've recently gotten back into reading again after many years of not picking up a book so I decided I needed a bookmark to keep my place.  It ended up more of a tag shape but it still works!  
Here is my bookmark:
A closer look at the image:
Plus I decorated the back:
I began by stamping the gorgeous image onto alcohol marker friendly card and coloured it with Promarkers.  I also stamped a sentiment above the image in black ink.  I trimmed it out using my paper trimmer and lightly inked the edges.  I cut another white layer slightly larger and adhered them together with double sided tape; again inking the edges.  I was going to use this as my bookmark but it didn't seem big enough so I found a piece of patterned paper that matched my colours perfectly and cut that into a tag shape, again using my paper trimmer and also inked the edges.  I added a strip of the paper to the bottom third of the back of the tag and also stamped another sentiment in the centre with black ink.  I dusted off my crop-a-dile and made a hole at the top of my tag/bookmark to thread through some coordinating twine.  I'm really happy with how this turned out and it is perfect for keeping my page.  I hope you like it too.  

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

Aud Sentiments challenge - tags and/or holidays + sentiment
Cardz 4 Galz challenge - any colouring medium (Promarkers)
Craft Rocket challenge - dots and/or stripes
Get Creative challenge - inspired by a book
Triple B challenge - must include birds, blooms or butterflies

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 - LeanneDiane and Lori and also our guest designer for September, Wendy.  Thank you for all your gorgeous makes for us this month; it's been wonderful having you as our guest.    

Love and hugs, 

card ingredients:
Funky Fossil Designs - spellbound stamp set
Promarkers
Gina K Designs - sea glass ink pad
scrap of patterned paper found in my drawer
twine from stash
Limetree Crafts - 250gsm silky smooth white card - currently oos
Heffy Doodle - alcohol marker friendly card - store sadly now closed
Versafine - onyx black ink pad

Wednesday 25 September 2024

Fall Friends Card Making IG Hop - Week 3

Hello again friends; I hope you're having a wonderful Wednesday. I'm back with my card for Week 3 of the 'Fall Friends' IG card hop organised by my lovely friend Kelly. For Week 3 we want to see 'hayrides and fall festivals'. so think tractors, pumpkin patch, scarecrows, apple picking etc and come and join in the fun.
I had a few different images to choose from but sometimes too much choice is worse than none and I stamped quite a few before settling on this gorgeous pumpkin stamp.  I knew I wanted to use the pumpkin background stencil so didn't want an image too large to cover too much to it.  
Here is my card:
A closer look at the pumpkins:
Plus I decorated the inside:
I began by stamping my image onto alcohol marker friendly card and coloured it with Promarkers.  I don't think there is a die for this image so I fussy cut it out.  I found a sign stamp in another set from my stash and some small word stamps in a different set so mashed them together to make my pumpkin patch sign.  I forgot that I stamped the words in Versafine ink so they did smear a little when I coloured them with Promarkers but I think it looks like a weathered sign so left it as it was.  I again fussy cut out the sign.  I stuck the sign behind the pumpkin image with liquid glue so that it looked like one image.  I then went onto stencilling my background; I cut a white piece of card 3 7/8" x 5 1/8" and wanted a multi-colour background so used a combination of mini and detail blending brushes to colour them in.  I am really happy with how it turned out and the soft colours look beautiful in real life.  I cut a mat layer from dark brown card and adhered them together with double sided tape.  When I placed the pumpkin on top of the background it looked a little lost so I die cut a scalloped border piece from white card and a mat layer from the brown card as a grounding panel for my image.  I adhered them together with liquid glue and then added it to the background with double sided tape.  I stamped a simple happy fall sentiment in kraft ink on the right side and then adhered the pumpkin image towards the left side with foam squares.   The panel was then added to my card base with double sided tape.  For the inside I again cut a white panel and brown mat layer; I stencilled the lower third of the white panel with the pumpkin stencil and added a thin strip of the brown card as a border.  I adhered the panels together with double sided tape.  I stamped a sentiment in the centre with the kraft ink.  The panels were then added to the card base with double sided tape.  I'm really happy with the finished card and I hope you like it too.  

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

Cardz 4 Galz challenge - any colouring medium (promarkers)
Classic Design challenge - ATG optional twist autumn/fall
Cut It Up challenge - colours of fall/autumn
Inspired By challenge - fall (I was inspired by the colours)
Papercraft challenges - fabulous fall
Stencil Fun challenge - anything stencil goes optional fall frenzy
Tic Tac Toe challenge - spring/fall, free, markers/pencils

I hope you will pop over to Instagram and check out the hop; use the hashtag #fallfriendscardhop2024 to see all the gorgeous creations and also if you want to participate we will be able to find you.  

I'll be back tomorrow with my card for the Krafty Chicks challenge so I hope you will pop back and check it out.  Until then enjoy the rest of your day and thank you so much for stopping by.  

Love and hugs, 

  
card ingredients:
Promarkers
Pretty Pink Posh - pumpkin background stencil
Time for Tea Designs - hooray hamster stamp (for sign)
CC Designs - Cinnamon with pumpkin (for outside sentiments) - retired (but available as a digi stamp)
Clearly Besotted Stamps - scalloped edge die collection - retired
Limetree Crafts - 250gsm silky smooth white card - currently oos
Brown card from stash

Thursday 19 September 2024

Krafty Chicks challenge #734 - CAS

Good morning lovely friends.  I hope you're all doing ok and having a great week so far.  It's time for a new challenge over at Krafty Chicks challenge and it's Week 3, Diane is our hostess, and our theme as always is 'CAS'.  We hope you will come over and join in the fun with us. 
I recently saw a fun sketch that I wanted to try so used an image I already had stamped and coloured and hey presto this is my clean and simple card:
A closer look at the cute kitty:
I decorated the inside as usual:
I began by cutting a white panel 4" x 5 1/4".  I ink blended some panels using yellow, orange and green ink and die cut some circles and other shapes from them.  I placed them to fit with the sketch I followed and adhered them with liquid glue.  I already had the cat and basket stamped, coloured and die cut and I thought he looked quite cute amongst the die cut shapes.  I adhered the cat and basket with foam squares and then stamped the ball of wool directly onto one of the shapes with black ink.  I also stamped a sentiment in the bottom right of the panel with black ink.  I added the panel to my card base with double sided tape.  For the inside I cut another white panel to 4" x 5 1/4".  I had some shapes left over so adhered them to the bottom left with liquid glue.  I stamped the cat and ball of wool onto the shapes with black ink and also stamped a sentiment in the upper centre of the panel with black ink.  I adhered the panel onto my card base with double sided tape.   A really simple card but super cute I think; I hope you agree.  

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

Cardz 4 Galz challenge - any colouring medium (alcohol markers)
Crafters Cafe challenge - ATG/include an animal
Crafty Animals challenge - ATG must include an animal
Creative Friday challenge - die cuts or punches
Critter Crazy challenge - ATG with a featured critter
Fab 'n' Funky challenge - birthday or anniversary 
Halloween & Other Occasions - always birthday
Incy Wincy challenge - ATC and/or CAS
Inkspirational challenge - make your mark (alcohol markers/ink blending)
Little Red Wagon challenge - sew what? (stitched dies)
PINspirational challenge - stitching (stitched dies)
Show Us Your Pussy Cats challenge - cat as main feature
Simply Clean and Simple challenge - CAS option signs of fall

I hope you will be able to join us for our 'CAS' challenge and I cannot wait to see your creations in our linky.  Please leave some love for my fellow chicks - LeanneDiane and Lori and also our guest designer for September Wendy.    

Love and hugs, 
card ingredients:
Heffy Doodle - mewniverse stamp & die set - store now closed
MFT - smitten kitten stamp set (for sentiments)
MFT - blueprints 13 (for longer rounded rectangle) - retired
MFT - tag builder blueprints 6 (for circles)
MFT - rounded stitched rectangle stax (for small rounded rectangle) - retired
Limetree Crafts - 250gsm silky smooth white card - currently oos
Heffy Doodle - alcohol marker friendly card - store now closed
Promarkers
Gina K designs - ink pads - jelly bean green, sweet corn, sweet mango
Versafine - onyx black ink pad

Wednesday 18 September 2024

Fall Friends Card Making IG Hop - Week 2

Hello again friends; I hope you're having a wonderful Wednesday.  I'm back with my card for Week 2 of the 'Fall Friends' IG card hop organised by my lovely friend Kelly.  For Week 2 we want to see 'autumn leaves and mushrooms please' so dig out all your autumn/fall images and join in the fun.  
After rooting through my stash I found two stamps sets from Clearly Besotted Stamps that fit the bill perfectly.  I decided to make a thank you card as I don't have many of these cards in my card box. 
Here is my card:
a closer look at the images:
I decorated the inside as usual:
I began by stamping the leaves using lots of Gina K ink pads.  As they were solid stamps I decided to add some shading with a slightly darker ink using a blending brush for some contrast.  I used the matching dies to cut them out.  I stamped the mushrooms and coloured them with Promarkers; using a white gel pen to colour the white dots.  I again used the matching dies to cut them out.  For the background I grabbed a woodgrain background die and cut a panel from kraft card 4" x 5 1/4".  I won't tell you how long it took me to finally be happy with the placement of my leaves and mushrooms (but it was a while); the larger leaves and mushrooms were added with foam squares and everything else was added with liquid glue.  I die cut the thank you word from gold mirri card and the shadow from vellum.  I adhered them together with liquid glue.  To add the words to the card I cut tiny slithers of foam tape for some extra dimension.  I added the panel onto my card base with foam tape.  For a finishing touch I added a few gold solid sequins with liquid glue.  For the inside I cut a white panel 4" x 5 1/4".  I used the woodgrain die again on a narrow strip of kraft card and added that to the bottom of the panel with double sided tape.  I had some leaves, mushrooms and an acorn left over from the front so added them to the strip with liquid glue.  I stamped a sentiment in kraft ink in the centre of the panel.  This was then added to the card base with double sided tape.  I really like the finished result and I hope you do too. 

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

AAA Colourful challenge - colourboard #8
As You Like It challenge - layered or flat (I love dimension on my cards so would 99% of the time choose layered)
Classic Design challenge - ATG optional twist autumn/fall
Creative Friday challenge - die cuts or punches
Cut It Up challenge - what's in your garden (leaves and mushrooms!)
Double D challenge - fall leaves
Inkspirational challenge - make your mark
Inspiration Station challenge - inspiration photo (inspired by colours, leaves, autumn)
Papercraft challenges - fabulous fall
Tic Tac Toe challenge - spring/fall, free, markers/pencils or layers, die cuts, markers/pencils

I hope you will pop over to Instagram and check out the hop; use the hashtag #fallfriendscardhop2024 to see all the gorgeous creations and also if you want to participate we will be able to find you.  

I'll be back tomorrow with my card for the Krafty Chicks challenge so I hope you will pop back and check it out.  Until then enjoy the rest of your day and thank you so much for stopping by.  

Love and hugs, 

card ingredients:
Clearly Besotted - autumn flowers stamp & die set - retired
Clearly Besotted - woodland kisses stamp & die set (for the mushrooms) - retired
Spellbinders - thank you dies
Clearly Besotted - mini banners stamp (for the inside greeting) - retired
Promarkers
Gina K Designs - ink pads - jelly bean green, fresh asparagus, charcoal brown, kraft, sweet corn, honey mustard, sweet mango, tomato soup, faded brick
Limetree Crafts - 250gsm silky smooth white card - currently oos
Stampin' Up! - card stock vellum
kraft card from stash

Thursday 12 September 2024

Krafty Chicks challenge #733 - Christmas

Good morning lovely friends.  I hope you're all doing ok and having a great week so far.  It's time for a new challenge over at Krafty Chicks challenge and this week it's Week 2 which means that I am your hostess and our theme as always is 'Christmas', so grab your festive supplies and come join in the fun with us.  
I recently got new to me stamps & dies from Dies to Die For in one of their fab offer sections and was itching to use this cute set.  I love how you can make cute scenes with it and the critters are adorable.  I hope you like it.  
Here is my card:
A closer look at the critters:
Plus I decorated the inside:
I began by stamping the images onto alcohol marker friendly card and coloured them with Promarkers.  I used the matching dies to cut them out.  I cut a piece of white card 4" x 5 1/4" and ink blended some light blue inks on about 2/3rds of the panel, leaving the bottom white.  I splattered some white gouache over the background to give the look of snow.  I also did my inside panel but only ink blended at the top but also did some splatter with the white gouache.  Once the panels were dry I took a torn edge die and cut them both out with the second to largest die.  I stamped my sentiment onto a white piece of card and fussy cut it out as I didn't know if it would stamp properly directly onto my background and I didn't want to risk ruining it.  I also stamped some musical notes in black ink.  I added my images to the bottom of the panel and the sentiment to the top of the panel, all with foam squares.  The panel was then adhered to the card base with foam tape.  For the inside I took my second panel and stamped a sentiment in the centre with black ink and added a tiny mouse image and 2 musical notes in the left lower corner.  I added this to the card base with double sided tape.  A really sweet card and I think I will be using this set a lot this year.  

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

As You Like It challenge - layered or flat (I love adding foam squares for some extra dimension so would choose layered)
Aud Sentiments challenge - tags and/or holidays + sentiment
Crafty Animals challenge - ATG must include an animal
Critter Crazy challenge - ATG with a featured critter
Get Creative challenge - inspired by a book (A Christmas Carol)
I Love Promarkers challenge - ATG/autumn golds & browns
Inkspirational challenge - make your mark
Merry Little Christmas challenge - anything Christmas goes
My Time To Craft challenge - add texture (splatter in background with white gouache)
Peace on Earth Christmas challenge - anything Christmas themed optional inspiration board
Stamping Sensations challenge - ATG option animal magic
The Paper Funday challenge - ATG optional twist create your own background
We Love Stamping challenge - hand coloured image

I hope you will be able to join us for our 'Christmas' challenge and I cannot wait to see your creations in our linky.  Please leave some love for my fellow chicks - LeanneDiane and Lori and also our guest designer for September Wendy.    

Love and hugs, 
card ingredients:
Creative Craft Products - A2 layering nested torn edge dies
Promarkers
Gina K Designs - ink pads - sea glass and ocean mist
Winsor & Newton - permanent white gouache
Heffy Doodle - alcohol marker friendly card (store now closed)
Versafine - onyx black ink pad

Wednesday 11 September 2024

Fall Friends Card Hop - Week 1

Hello again friends; I hope you're having a wonderful Wednesday.  Today's post is week 1 of an IG hop that I'm taking part in called 'Fall Friends' organised once again by my lovely friend Kelly and this hop will last for the next 11 weeks.  It's a continuation of the Summer Soiree hop that we did in the summer but this time it's all about fall (or autumn if you're this side of the pond).  Week 1 is 'a latte fall fun' so dig out your coffee themed dies and images and join in the fun.  

I had a couple of coffee themed images but decided to use a long neglected red rubber stamp from Whiff of Joy Stamps (which sadly closed many years ago).  I hope you like it.
Here is my card:
a close up of the image:
I decorated the inside as usual:
I began by stamping my image onto alcohol marker friendly card and coloured it with Promarkers.  There isn't a matching die so I fussy cut it out.  I cut a piece of white card 3 7/8" x 5 1/8" and stamped 3 coffee rings in shades of brown.  I did stamp some coffee beans but didn't like them so covered them with sequins.  I also stamped my sentiment in black ink.  I cut a piece of neutral coloured patterned paper 4 1/4" x 5 1/2" and coloured the edges with an orange promarker so that it would match my image.  I added the paper to my card base with double sided tape.  I adhered my panel on top of this with foam tape.  I also added my image with foam squares.  For the inside I cut a white panel 4" x 5 1/4" and inked around the edge with the broad end of my orange promarker.  I stamped 2 coffee rings and 3 coffee beans.  I also stamped a sentiment in black ink.  I adhered this panel onto my card base with double sided tape.  A fairly clean and simple-ish card and orange isn't normally a colour I use but I like it.  

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

Allsorts challenge - autumn colours
I Love Promarkers challenge - ATG/autumn golds and browns
Sweet Stampin' challenge - the drinks are on us
The Paper Funday challenge - ATG optional twist create your own background
Unicorn challenge - circles (my coffee rings)
We Love Stamping challenge - hand coloured image

I hope you will pop over to Instagram and check out the hop; use the hashtag #fallfriendscardhop2024 to see all the gorgeous creations and also if you want to participate we will be able to find you.  

I'll be back tomorrow with my card for the Krafty Chicks challenge so I hope you will pop back and check it out.  Until then enjoy the rest of your day and thank you so much for stopping by.  

Love and hugs, 

card ingredients:
Whiff of Joy Stamps - Willow with coffee 2 go (store closed years ago)
Promarkers
Honey Bee Stamps - perfect blend stamp (retired)
Gina K Designs - autumn splendor paper pad
Gina K Designs - ink pads - warm cocoa, dark chocolate, charcoal brown
MFT - friends at first sip (for inside greeting)
Limetree Crafts - 250gsm silky smooth white card (currently oos)
Heffy Doodle - alcohol marker friendly card (store is now closed)
Versafine - onyx black ink