Patterned Paper Party IG Hop - July

Hello friends; I hope you're having a great weekend and are looking forward to the brand new week.

I'm here today to share my card for this month's Patterned Paper Party Instagram Hop. Do you love patterned paper? Do you have a huge stash that needs using? Well so do we and it's time to get it used! We will be hopping on the 20th of each month to share our ideas. We will definitely be creating cards, but maybe sometimes tags, ATCs, gift bags, boxes, mini albums and scrapbook pages too. We want our patterned paper to be used.

The theme is always 'anything goes' but each month we will have an optional twist that can be used if you like; this month the twist is 'bright' so if you have any super bright and fun papers now is the time to grab them and use them up.  I have to be honest I completely forgot about the twist and, even though my papers are quite fun and bright, that was a total fluke lol!  I hope you like it:

Here is my card:

A closer look at the papers:

Plus I decorated the inside:

I began by cutting a white panel 4" x 5 1/4" (although I will cut it down later).  I found a paper pad I wanted to use and selected 6 papers that I thought were fun and looked good together.  I used a rounded banner die and cut one from each of the papers.  I used a 'hello' die and cut it from brushed silver card 4 times and stacked them up with liquid glue.  I also stamped a sub-sentiment onto white card using black ink and cut it out with a sentiment strips die.  I arranged the banners in a pleasing arrangement and adhered them with liquid glue.  I also used liquid glue to add the hello and sub-sentiment across the banners.  It was at this point that I decided that I wanted a stitched edge around my panel.  This proved to be tricky because as the middle was raised due to the stacked sentiment it took about 4 goes through the die cutting machine to cut it out and even then I had to snip the sides with my scissors - next time I'll try to remember to cut the panel first or leave it as it is lol!  I finished off with some silver metallic pearls.  I added some scrap white card behind my panel for some slight dimension and then added it to my card base with double sided tape.  For the inside I cut the same sized white panel and added another set of the patterned paper banners at the bottom with liquid glue.  I stamped the sentiment in the centre with black ink.  Once again I used the stitched rectangle to cut the panel down but this time it was fine as there wasn't as much dimension to get through.  The panel was added to the card base with double sided tape.  A fun layout and it would be suitable for all ages and genders.  

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

Alphabet challenge - G is for girlfriend

Crafts Galore Encore challenge - ATG

Dream Valley challenge - ATG

Girlz Creative Fun Art of Scrap challenge - ATG must use design papers

Love Those Pretty Papers challenge - ATG must use patterned papers

We hope you will be inspired by our Patterned Paper Party IG Hop and will pop over and check out all the gorgeous creations along the way. If you would like to join us please visit my Instagram page or use the hashtag #patternedpaperpartyhopjuly2025 and we will find you. 

Thanks for stopping by and take care. 

Lots of love

card supplies

MFT - blueprints 13 (for rounded banner)

MFT - hello there die set

Gina K Designs - thankful greenery stamp (for 'sweet friend' sentiment)

Gina K Designs - sentiment strips dies

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

Gina K Designs - Master Layouts 14 (for stitched rectangle die)

Clearly Besotted - sending love stamp (for inside sentiment)

The Works - pastel basics 12"x 12" paper pad

Limetree Crafts - 250gsm silky smooth white card - not currently available - but they do have 280gsm silky smooth white card available here

Versafine - onyx black ink pad

Krafty Chicks challenge #777 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 this week we are on Week 3; as always the theme is 'CAS' and Diane is our hostess. I know clean and simple means different things to everyone, but generally we want to see an uncluttered design, lots of open space with little or no embellishments. We hope you are up for the challenge and you will come over and join in the fun with us.

For today's card I am again using an image that I had already coloured for another project but never used, although at that time I only needed the horse so hadn't stamped the hedgie but that was easily rectified, along with some fussy cutting.  I hope you like it.

Here is my card:

A closer look at the gorgeous image:

Plus I decorated the inside:

So I began by fussy cutting out the horse which I had previously coloured with Promarkers and added some white gelly roll highlights.  I stamped the hedgie part of the stamp onto a scrap of alcohol marker friendly card, coloured it with Promarkers, added some white gelly roll highlights and again fussy cut it out.  Thankfully because the rope has lines it was easy enough to join them together, with liquid glue, without an obvious line.  I cut a white panel 4" x 5 1/4" and used what ink was left on my green and blue blending brushes to create a soft blended background.  I added the image with foam squares and stamped the small sentiment just above it in black ink.  I cut some scrap white card and adhered that behind my panel for stability and dimension and this was added to the card base with double sided tape.  I decided not to add any embellishments to keep it as CAS as possible.  For the inside I kept it really simple; I cut a white panel 4" x 5 1/4" and stamped the image at the bottom using second generation stamping so that it would be a little more subtle.  I then stamped the sentiment in the centre with black ink.  The panel was added to the card base with double sided tape.   I love Penny Black images and I think it turned out really cute.

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

Alphabet challenge - g is for girlfriend

Crafty Animals challenge - ATG must include an animal

I Love Promarkers challenge - ATG or super heroes

Little Red Wagon challenge - honky cat (if my horse is not appropriate please delete me)

Penny Black Saturday challenge - ATG optional theme 'in or on the water'

Simply Clean & Simple challenge - ATG optional theme 'beachy'

Simon Says Stamp Wednesday challenge - cute critters 

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 - Leanne, Diane and Lori.

Thank you so much for stopping by; I appreciate your lovely comments.

Love and hugs,

card supplies:

Penny Black - Minding Shelty 2889K wood stamp (I saw some on eBay)

Promarkers

MFT - bitty bears stamp set (for outside sentiment)

MFT - happy hippos stamp set (for inside sentiment)

Versafine - onyx black ink pad

Memento - tuxedo black ink pad

Sakura - white no. 10 gelly roll pen

Gina K Designs - blending brushes and ink (although I used what was left on the brushes so not 100% sure but probably sea glass and jelly bean green)

Limetree Crafts - 250gsm silky smooth white card - not currently available - but they do have 280gsm silky smooth white card available here

Heffy Doodle - alcohol marker friendly card - store now closed

Wedding card

Hello lovely friends.  I hope you've had a great start to your week.  Today I'm sharing a wedding card I made for my nephew, who got married two weeks ago.  I'm not sure if I can post wedding photos yet but I did have one taken with my nephew so will share that instead.

It was a beautiful day and the venue was stunning.  I'm a bit of an introvert and was really dreading getting dressed up and having to interact with lots of people I didn't know but it was a lovely day and I did enjoy myself.  

Enough waffling and onto the card.  I used my computer to print the wording but everything else was die cut/embossed and the card was 7" x 7" in size.  I hope you like it.

Here is my card:

A closer look at the details:

Plus I decorated the inside:

I began by making my card base; I cut one piece of white card 8" x 7" and one piece 7" x 7".  I scored the 8" side at the 1" mark and folded it to make a tab so that I could adhere both pieces together to make my card base.  I cut another white panel 5 3/4" square and embossed it with the beautiful tiled hearts folder; it was ever so slightly smaller than the panel but I don't think it's that noticeable.  I cut a mat layer from matte silver card and adhered them together with double sided tape.  I cut the largest heart from the die set from white card, but because I only wanted a small mat layer I hand cut the silver matte card layers (they are a little wonky in places but again they look ok) and adhered them with liquid glue.  I printed all the sentiments using my computer and printer and die cut the longer ones with sentiment strip dies and the names with a smaller heart die (again hand cutting the silver matte card layer).  I adhered the small hearts and sentiments with liquid glue.  I die cut the 'happily ever after' 4 times from the matte silver card and stacked them up with liquid glue.  I now started assembling my card.  I used foam squares for all the elements and overlapped the hearts ever so slightly.  The panel was added to the card base with double sided tape.  For a finishing touch I added some small hearts cut from the silver matte card.  For the inside of the card I cut a white panel 6" square and added a silver matte card layer with liquid glue.  I had some left over embossed card so cut a 2" square and then cut it diagonally to create two triangles and added them in the top left and bottom right corners.  I also hand cut one of the hearts from the embossed piece and added that in the bottom left corner.  I stamped the sentiment in black ink in the centre.  The panel was added to the card base with double sided tape.  I'm really happy with this card and think it turned out really beautiful and elegant (even if I say so myself lol!).

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

Can You Handle The Pressure challenge - must use an EF optional theme in the sky

Cardz  4 Galz challenge - wedding or anniversary

Christmas (or not) BINGO challenge - Line G - square card base, free, sentiment as focus

Inkspirational challenge - three of the same (I have 3 hearts)

Make My Monday challenge - embossing wet or dry

Simon Says Stamp Wednesday challenge - emboss it

Word Power challenge - make the sentiment the focus

I also made a card for my sister to give to my nephew and his new wife (her son & daughter-in-law) so I'll try and share that one with you in the next few days.  

Thank you so much for stopping by and leaving me such lovely comments; I appreciate each and every one of them. 

Love and hugs, 

card supplies:

Spellbinders - tiled hearts 2D embossing folder (EOM Dec 23) - ? retired

Spellbinders - happily ever after sentiment die

Spellbinders - essential hearts die set

MFT - tag builder blueprints 6 (for hearts) 

Card Making Magic - verses stamp (for inside sentiment)

Limetree Crafts - simply the best 12" x 12" silky smooth 250gsm white card - no longer available

silver matte card from stash (but it may be Tonic but not sure)

Versafine - onyx black ink pad

Computer & printer for wording on front of card

Krafty Chicks challenge #776 - Christmas

Good morning lovely friends, I appreciate you stopping by and I hope you're all doing ok. It's time for a new challenge over at Krafty Chicks challenge and this week we are on Week 2; as always the theme is 'Christmas' and I am your hostess. Another card to add to the Christmas pile, which really takes the stress off later in the year. We hope you will come over and join in the fun with us.

I recently discovered some gingerbread men that I die cut and assembled last year so I thought I would use a couple on this week's card.  Isn't it great when you find things you forgot about and they are ready to use.   I hope you like today's card.

Here is my card:

A closer look at the gingerbread man:

Plus I decorated the inside:

I am obsessed with Master Layouts 14 and 01 combo at the moment and seem to be using them on every card so it's no surprise that I used them on today's card too.  I cut the stitched rectangle from ML 14 from some houndstooth patterned paper and the plain mat layer from ML 1 from red card and adhered them together with double sided tape.  I die cut a large snowflake from white card and adhered that onto the right side of the panel with liquid glue.  I added foam squares behind the gingerbread man and added him onto the centre of the snowflake.  I stamped and white heat embossed a simple sentiment onto a scrap of the red card and cut it out with a sentiment strip die.  I added that to the left of gingerbread man with foam squares.  I finished off by adding some red sequins onto the snowflake.  I added some scrap white card behind the panel and then adhered it to my card base.  For the inside I die cut a white panel and red mat layer and adhered them together with double sided tape.  I also added a strip of the patterned paper to the very bottom with liquid glue.  I added another gingerbread man to the lower left corner and stamped my sentiment along the top of the paper with black ink.  The panel was adhered to the card base with double sided tape.  

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

The 12 months of Christmas Link Up challenge - ATG Christmas

613 Avenue challenge - ATG optional twist any holiday

Aud Sentiments challenge - tags and/or Christmas + sentiment 

Christmas (or not) BINGO challenge - Line B - Christmas, brown, free

Craft Rocket challenge - Christmas in July

Crafty Gals Corner challenge - fill in the blank....Christmas in July 

Daisy Chain challenge - Christmas in July 

Everybody Art challenge - Christmas in June

Fab 'n' Funky challenge - Christmas in July

Little Red Wagon challenge - Christmas in July

Merry Little Christmas challenge - anything Christmas goes

Peace On Earth Christmas challenge - anything Christmas themed optional mood board

Sweet Stampin' challenge - Christmas in July

Unicorn challenge - Christmas in July 

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 - Leanne, Diane and Lori.

Thank you so much for stopping by; I appreciate your lovely comments.

Love and hugs,

card ingredients:

Spellbinders - stocking full of joy die set (? retired)

Spellbinders - scarlet smooth disc color essentials sequins 

Funky Fossil Designs - folk snowflake die

Gina K Designs - merry sentiment strips - (? no longer available)

Gina K Designs - sentiment strips dies

Clearly Besotted Stamps - simply said Christmas (retired)

Limetree Crafts - 250gsm silky smooth white card - not currently available - but they do have 280gsm silky smooth white card available here

Versafine - onyx black ink pad

WOW! -  opaque bright white super fine embossing powder

DCWV - 8x8 The Natural Stack printed cardstock pack (no longer available)

red card from my stash

Cards for All Seasons IG Hop - week 14

Hello friends; I hope you're having a great week so far. I'm back today to share my card for this week's Cards for All Seasons IG hop organised by my lovely friend Kelly. We are now on Week 14 and our theme is 'country colours, flags & fireworks'. Such an easy and open theme this week and is open to lots of interpretation.  There are going to be so many awesome ideas along the hop this week and I can't wait to see what sparks your imagination.

I went for the colour part of the theme this week and used red, white and blue (the colours of the UK flag) and made a fun birthday card.  I'm really happy with how this card turned out this week and I hope you like it too. 

Here is my card:

A closer look at the cute images:

I decorated the inside:

I began by stamping all the images onto alcohol marker friendly card, coloured them with Promarkers and used the coordinating dies to cut them out.  I also added some white gelly roll pen highlights.  I used Master Layouts 14 die set, die cut the postage grid panel and used the coordinating stencil to lightly ink blend some red ink around the boxes.  I cut the larger stitched panel from ML 14 out of blue card and used that as my mat layer.  I adhered both panels together with double sided tape.  I stamped the 2 sentiments in black ink and used the dies to cut them out.  I added foam squares behind all the images and both the sentiments and adhered them onto the postage grid panel.  I finished with 3 blue pearls.  I added some scrap white card behind my panel using double sided tape and then adhered this onto my card base with double sided tape.  For the inside I cut the stitched rectangle from ML 14 from white card and the plain mat layer from ML 1 and adhered them together with double sided tape.  I stamped the coffee cup in the left lower corner and again coloured it with Promarkers.  I stamped the sentiment in black ink in the centre.  The panel was adhered to the card base with double sided tape. 

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

Addicted to Stamps & More challenge - make your mark

Crafty Animals challenge - ATG must include an animal

Creative Moments challenge - use a die cut

Critter Crazy challenge - animal birthday

Die Cut Divas challenge - birthday cards

I Love Promarkers challenge - ATG or super heroes

Shopping Our Stash challenge - red, white and blue (my blended red looks a little pink but it is red)

Stencil Fun challenge - use stencils optional theme your flag colours (I used red, white & blue)

The Paper Funday challenge - ATG - fun with stencils (I used the postage grid stencil)

I hope you will pop over to Instagram and check out the hop; please use the hashtag #cfascardhop2025 to see all the gorgeous creations and also if you want to participate we will be able to find you.

I'll be back in the morning with my card for the Krafty Chicks challenge so I hope you will pop back and check it out. Until then thank you so much for stopping by.

Love and hugs,

card supplies:

Gina K Designs - You are so loved stamp & die bundle

Gina K Designs - the good life stamp & die bundle

Gina K Designs - Master Layouts 14 die set

Gina K Designs - Master Layouts 01 die set

Gina K Designs - pearl mix - rainbow

Gina K Designs - red hot ink pad

Promarkers

Sakura - white no. 10 gelly roll pen

Limetree Crafts - 250gsm silky smooth white card - not currently available - but they do have 280gsm silky smooth white card available here

Versafine - onyx black ink pad

blue card from stash

Shark Week 2025 IG Card Hop

Hello friends, I hope you're all doing ok and having a great week so far.  I'm taking part in the third annual IG hop to celebrate Shark Week. The card hop is hosted by my good friend Kelly and today's hop will showcase some fintastic cards featuring all things shark to celebrate Shark Week.  Our theme this year is “Stay JAWSitive”; a reminder to stay positive in all areas of life, while also promoting awareness around ocean conservation and marine life. Dive in and enjoy the creativity and inspiration!

I found a shark set that I hadn't used before so grabbed it for this year's hop - unfortunately it was from Heffy Doodle, which has now sadly closed, but it's such a super cute set I had to use it.  There are so many fun shark stamps available and I cannot wait to see what my fellow hoppers have used this year.  I hope you like my card.

Here is my card:

A closer look at my friendly sharks:

Plus I decorated the inside:

I began by stamping all my images onto alcohol marker friendly card and coloured them with Promarkers.  I don't have the coordinating dies so I had to fussy cut them out.  I also wanted one shark to face the opposite way so used my mirror image stamp to accomplish this.  It's not perfect but once it was coloured in I think it looks fine.  I cut a white panel 4" x 5 1/4" and using a wave stencil and sea glass ink created my background.  I took a stitched hill die and cut two 'sandbanks' from kraft card for the bottom of my panel, which I added with liquid glue.  I wanted a frame for my ocean so using an arch die I cut an aperture, added foam squares behind and adhered it to my stencilled background.   I stamped my sentiments from two different stamp sets in black ink and cut them out with sentiment strip dies.  I adhered the smaller images with liquid glue, except for one of the sea kelp, which I added behind the frame with foam squares.  The sharks and sentiments were added with foam squares too.  I finished off with some raindrop embellishments as I thought they looked a little like bubbles.  The panel was added to my card base with double sided tape.  For the inside I cut a large arch shape and using the ink left on my blending brush lightly blended over the whole panel.   I also cut one more sandbank and adhered it with liquid glue.  I stamped the sentiment in the centre with black ink and adhered another shark and also a sting-ray with liquid glue.  The arch was added to my card base with liquid glue.  

We are also sharing fun and interesting shark facts in our instagram posts so I thought I would add one here too:

Shark Skin Is More Like Teeth Than Fish Scales

Sharks may look sleek and smooth, but their skin is actually made up of tiny v-shaped scales, also called dermal denticles, which are made of an inner pulp cavity and an outside layer of dentine, an enamel-like material (just like our teeth). With their scales being more similar to teeth than typical fish scales when a shark loses a denticle, it can actually fossilize over time, just like ancient shark teeth! In addition to being just plain cool, these scales also help decrease drag and turbulence, allowing sharks to swim faster and more stealthily while hunting for prey.

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

Addicted to Stamps & More challenge - make your mark

Allsorts challenge - for a child

Crafty Animals challenge - ATG must include an animal (hope my sharks are allowed)

Critter Crazy challenge - animal/birthday card (hope my sharks are allowed)

We Love Stamping challenge - sun, sea or sand/ATG

Please swim on over to IG to see the amazing shark creations.  Please use the hashtag #3rdannualsharkweekcardhop to find all the cards in the hop. 

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

Love and hugs, 

card supplies:

Heffy Doodle - oceans of love stamp set - store sadly closed

Heffy Doodle - alcohol marker friendly card - store sadly closed

Mama Elephant - B2B arch die set

Promarkers

Lawn Fawn - stitched hillside borders dies

Lawn Fawn - duh-duh stamp (for 'jawsome' sentiment)

Avery Elle - sea-prise! stamp (for 'hope you birthday is' sentiment) - retired

Gina K Designs - sentiment strips dies

Gina K Designs - large strip sentiments dies

Gina K Designs - sea glass ink pad

MFT - make waves stencil

Limetree Crafts - 250gsm silky smooth white card - not currently available - but they do have 280gsm silky smooth white card available here

Versafine - onyx black ink pad

Sakura - white no. 10 gelly roll pen

Little Things from Lucy's Cards - clear raindrops embellishments - store sadly closed

Dragonfly Dreams challenge - guest designer

Good morning and happy Sunday lovely friends. I hope you are all doing ok and finding lots of time to get crafty.  Well the weather has taken a turn for the worse and we had quite a bit of rain yesterday, although it was still really humid.  Let's hope it's only a blip and the sun will return soon.  

I am delighted to be a guest designer over at Dragonfly Dreams challenge this month and they have a fantastic theme of 'use polygons'.  It's such a unique challenge but don't be put off by the name as it's easier than it sounds.  So many shapes are polygons so you won't have to think too hard to take part. 

For my card I decided to go with a diamond shape as I wanted to use a Uniko stencil which was a recent purchase.  It is such a clever stencil and the results are gorgeous.  I hope you like it.

Here is my card:

A closer look at the background:

Plus I decorated the inside:

I began by cutting a white panel 5 1/2" square as I wanted some extra for the inside of my card.  I used a pink and orange colour combo, which is one of my faves, along with kraft card as my neutral.  I grabbed the Uniko stencil and firstly inked the pink part, once that is complete you clean the stencil and then flip it over so that you can ink the orange part.  It's such a clever stencil and even a messy crafter like me was impressed at how well it lines up and looks so crisp.  I cut a scalloped panel from the kraft card and then cut down my stencilled panel to fit inside and also used my corner rounder to match the stitching on the kraft panel.  I adhered them together with liquid glue.  I decided to make my sentiment panel a diamond shape also as I didn't think it would look right with a square or circle so hand cut the white diamond and also a mat layer from vellum.  I stamped the sentiment in black ink and then layered the two diamonds with foam squares.  It was also added to the panel with foam squares for lots of dimension.  I finished off with some black pearls.  I added some scrap white card behind the panel for some thin dimension and stability and then added it to my card base with double sided tape.  For the inside I cut another kraft panel and layered a white panel on top with liquid glue.  I fussy cut some diamonds from the left over stencilled panel and added them to the top left and bottom right corners with liquid glue.  I stamped the sentiment in black ink in the upper centre of the panel.  I adhered the panel to my card base with double sided tape.  

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

Color Throwdown challenge - kraft, fuchsia and orange

Creative Inspirations challenge - stars and/or stripes (there are stripes in my background)

Creative Moments challenge - use a die cut

Creative Friday challenge - neon colours or bold colours

Die Cut Divas challenge - birthday cards

Halloween & Other Occasions challenge - birthday

Inkspirational challenge - three of the same (3 pearl embellishments)

Stencil Fun challenge - anything stencil goes optional twist your flag colours

The Paper Funday challenge - ATG optional twist fun with stencils

Tic Tac Toe challenge - layers, free, summer colours

Word Power challenge - make the sentiment the focus of your card

I hope you can join in with this fun challenge. Please pop over to the blog to find out all the details and to check out the gorgeous creations by the Design Team too.

I hope you enjoy the last bit of your weekend and thanks so much for stopping by.

Love and hugs,

card supplies:

Uniko Stamps - ink & flip delightful diamonds stencil

Gina K Designs - ink pads - passionate pink and tangerine twist

Gina K Designs - star flower stamp (for outside sentiment)

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

Clearly Besotted Stamps - simply said birthday stamp (for inside sentiment) - retired

W Plus 9 - sunshine layers die set - retired

Crafter's Companion - kraft cardstock

Limetree Crafts - 250gsm silky smooth white card - not currently available - but they do have 280gsm silky smooth white card available here

Versafine - onyx black ink pad