Krafty Chicks challenge #782 - CAS

Good morning lovely friends and welcome to my little corner of blogland.  It's time for a new challenge over at Krafty Chicks challenge and this week we are on Week 3; and as always the theme is 'CAS (clean and simple)' and Diane is our hostess. Now we know that CAS is subjective but generally it's lots of white space, no embellishments (or very few) and an uncluttered design. It can be a difficult design to pull off but we hope you will take on the challenge and come over and join in the fun with us.

I received some new butterfly dies from Craft Addiction UK recently and thought this challenge would be the perfect time to show them some love.  I love the calming monochrome colour scheme and I think this card would also work well as a sympathy card.  I hope you like it.

Here is my card:

A closer look at the butterflies:

Plus I decorated the inside:

I began by cutting a white panel 4" x 5 1/4" and using a light green ink cube I blended a soft hue of colour, darker in the centre and fading out to white.  I took two different sized square dies and cut them out of white card, I then used the smaller sized squares from the set to cut out the centres to create a frame.  Usually I would stack them up for dimension but as I wanted to keep the layout CAS and almost one layer I added the frames onto the background with liquid glue.  I die cut two of the butterflies from a shimmery green card and the bodies from gold mirror card and adhered them together with liquid glue.  I stamped a tiny sentiment along the top of one of the larger frames using the same ink cube that I used for the background.  I did adhere the butterflies with foam squares for a little dimension and I also added a a few pieces of scrap white card behind the panel for extra stability.  The panel was added to the card base with double sided tape.  For the inside I cut another panel 4" x 5 1/4" and ink blended the green ink along the bottom third.  I die cut two more frames and 1 more butterfly and adhered them with liquid glue in the lower right corner. Using the same ink cube I stamped a sentiment in the centre of the panel.  This was then adhered to the card base with double sided tape. It is such a soft and delicate looking card and looks really pretty in real life.  

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

AAA Cards challenge - anything CAS goes optional twist 'all green'

A Cut Above challenge - ATG but must have at least one die cut

Addicted to CAS challenge - squares

Allsorts challenge - I spy something beginning with B - butterflies

Classic Design challenge - ATG optional twist 'happy birthday'

Creative Friday challenge - square (I've used squares in my background)

Double D challenge - butterflies

Halloween & Other Occasions challenge - birthday

Inkspirational challenge - clean & simple optional twist 'flowers'

Simply Clean and Simple challenge - anything CAS goes optional twist 'cute animals'

Triple B challenge - ATG but must include birds, blooms or butterflies optional mood board

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:

Craft Addiction UK - wings of elegance die set

Spellbinders - classic squares large die set (for frames)

Spellbinders - nature's dance stamp (for inside sentiment)

Clearly Besotted Stamps - teeny tags stamp (for outside sentiment)

Gina K Designs - medium spruce ink cube

Limetree Crafts - 280gsm silky smooth white card

green shimmer card & gold mirror card from scraps bin

Patterned Paper IG Hop - August

Hello friends; I hope you're having a great week so far.  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 'banner' so grab your banner dies and your patterned papers and have fun. I was inspired by a gorgeous layout I saw on Pinterest so that was my starting point.  I used pretty, soft colours and a CAS design.  I hope you like it.  

Here is my card:

A closer look at the pretty papers:

Plus I decorated the inside:

I began by cutting a white panel 4" x 5 1/4".  I wanted a strip of grey behind my banners but couldn't find any paper I liked so I cut a 1 1/2" strip from fog grey card and stamped a pin dot pattern in a tone on tone grey ink.  I added this to the right side of the panel with double sided tape.  I cut the banners from 3 different patterned papers (but from the same pad) and also one from white card, which I used to stamp my sentiment.  I'm finding lately that I need thank you cards so that's what I made today.  I adhered the 3 patterned banners in a staggered layout with liquid glue; the white banner was added over the top with foam squares.  I finished off with some enamel dots (I found quite a few packets recently so I'm trying to use them up).  I added some scrap white card behind my panel for stability and dimension and then this was added to my card base with double sided tape. For the inside I cut another white panel 4" x 5/14" and added a tone on tone stamped grey strip of card to the bottom with double sided tape.  I die cut another set of banners and adhered them at the bottom of the panel with liquid glue.  I stamped a sentiment in the centre with black ink.  The panel was adhered to the card base with double sided tape.  I'm really happy with how this card turned out and it was relatively quick to make too, which was a bonus.  

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

AAA Cards challenge - anything CAS goes optional twist 'all the greens'

A Cut Above challenge - ATG with a die cut

Addicted to Stamps & More challenge - any occasion

Allsorts challenge - I spy something beginning with B - banners

CAS Colours & Sketches challenge - colour challenge #567

Let's Craft and Create challenge - ATG must use a punch/die optional polkadots and/or stripes

Love Those Pretty Papers challenge - ATG focus on pretty papers optional summertime

Simon Says Stamp Wednesday challenge - stitch it (my banners have stitching detail)

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 #patternedpaperpartyhopaugust2025 and we will find you.

I'll be back tomorrow with my card for the Krafty Chicks challenge, so I hope you can pop back and check it out.  Thanks for stopping by and take care.

Lots of love

card supplies:

Gina K Designs - Master Layouts 5 die set (for banner die)

Gina K Designs - sketched roses stamp (for sentiment) - last month's incentive set but will be available very soon

Gina K Designs - pin dot background stamp

Gina K Designs - you are enough stamp (for inside sentiment)

Gina K Designs - soft stone ink pad

Simon Says Stamp - fog gray card 

Echo Park - little girl dots & stripes 6x6 paper pad 

Limetree Crafts - 280gsm white silky smooth card

Versafine Clair - nocturne ink pad

My Mind's Eye - 'ashbury heights' enamel dots

Craftelier - mint rainbow enamel dots

Cards for All Seasons IG Hop - Week 17

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 17 and our theme is 'galaxy/stars/outer space'. Such a fun theme this week; think space-ships, space-men or go for a bright star inspired card.  There are going to be so many awesome creations along the hop this week and I can't wait to see what sparks your imagination.

I really wanted to make a galaxy inspired ink blended background so ordered a space-ship die especially for today's card.  I'm really happy with how my background turned out and the finished card is so much fun.  I hope you like it. 

Here is my card:

A closer look at the space-ship:

Plus I decorated the inside:

I began by creating my galaxy background.  I used ink pads from Gina K Designs in lots of colours - blues, purple, pink and yellow and blended them until I was happy with how they looked.  I splattered some white gouache all over and left it to dry.  I die cut the space-ship (or should it be rocket?) from coloured card from my scraps bin and adhered it together with liquid glue apart from the front 'leg' which I added with a tiny foam square.  I also die cut the moon and stars from some yellow card and lightly ink blended some orange ink over them for some definition.  I didn't have a suitable sentiment in my stash so used my pc and printed one out and cut it with a sentiment strips die.  Once my background was dry I trimmed it down to 4" x 5 1/4" and arranged all the die cuts and added the larger ones with foam squares and the small stars with liquid glue.  The sentiment was added to the bottom left corner with foam squares.  I added some scrap white card behind my panel for stability and dimension and then added it to the card base with double sided tape.  For the inside I cut a white panel 4" x 5 1/4" and added the left-over pieces from my background to the top and bottom of the panel with liquid glue.  I stamped a sentiment in black ink in the centre and finished off with some die cut stars, which I added with liquid glue.  The panel was added to the card base with double sided tape.  

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

A Cut Above challenge - ATG with a die cut

Addicted to Stamps & More challenge - any occasion

Allsorts challenge - I spy something beginning with B - blue, birthday

Classic Design challenge - ATG optional twist 'happy birthday'

Girlz Makes Guyz Cards challenge - ATG men

Halloween & Other Occasions challenge - birthday

Little Red Wagon challenge - circle of life (moon and window in rocket are circles)

The Male Room challenge - universe

Tic Tac Toe challenge - yellow, ink blending, rectangle shape (card base)

Try It On Tuesday challenge - going around in circles (moon and window in rocket are circles)

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 later with another card 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:

Spellbinders - to the moon die set

Gina K Designs - ink pads - in the navy, blue denim, blue sky, wild lilac, bubblegum pink, wild dandelion, tangerine twist and slate

Gina K Designs - large strip sentiments dies

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

Limetree Crafts - white 280gsm silky smooth card

Winsor & Newton - white gouache (for splatters)

Versafine Clair - nocturne ink pad

coloured card from scraps bin

Imagination Crafts - black glossy card

PC & printer for outside sentiment

ATC Scrap Makes IG Hop August 25

Hello friends, I hope you're doing great and you've had a great start to your week. I'm joining a new Instagram Hop and this time it's all about ATC's. We challenge you to use leftover die cuts, sentiments, and card stock to create Artist Trading Cards (ATC). You can send them in happy mail, save them on a ring to highlight your favorite creations, swap them with friends, leave them on a co-worker’s desk, or add sweet notes to a lunchbox. Join us if you like; the only rules are to use scraps and create cards that are 2.5” x 3.5” in size. We share our little snippets of happiness on the third Tuesday of the month.  Sounds like so much fun doesn't it. 

I don't think I've made an ATC for years (probably 10 or more) but they make a nice change from cards and you can use all the same stuff on a smaller scale.  Because I don't throw anything away I actually found some pre-made ATC's and the little stickers to go on the back, which came in handy.  I decided to go with a coffee/tea theme this time around.  I hope you like them. 

Here are my ATC's:

A closer look at the coffee ATC:

And a closer look at the tea ATC:

I decorated the backs but haven't filled in the details yet:

I began by covering the ATC's with some cream coloured card from my scraps bin.  For the coffee ATC I tore some brown card and stamped some coffee beans onto it before adding a piece to the top and bottom of the ATC.  For the tea ATC I took a scrap of beige card and added that to the right side with liquid glue.  I stamped and coloured both images with Promarkers and fussy cut them out.  I die cut some hearts from scrap red card and added them to each image.  I stamped the sentiments directly onto each ATC using brown ink.  I added brown and white splatters to both ATC's and then adhered the images with foam squares.  For the backs I simply added a strip of the same card as the front to the top and then adhered the sticker with double sided tape (they are so old they've lost their stick).  As a final touch I added a red heart onto each strip of card.  I'm really happy with how they turned out and I think I'm going to enjoy this hop each month.  

I would like to enter my ATC's into the following challenges:

Addicted to Stamps & More challenge - any occasion

Crafts Galore Encore challenge - ATG

Creative Inspirations challenge - ATG

Farm Quest Grocery Game challenge - anything food goes

First Cup challenge - anything beverage/drink related

Paper, Rocks, Scissors challenge - ATG as long as you use paper or scissors (I fussy cut the images)

Shopping Our Stash challenge - hot, hot, hot (my drinks are hot)

Simon Says Stamp Monday challenge - fun with ATC's

I hope you will pop over to Instagram and check out the hop; please use the hashtag #ATCscrapmakes2025 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 Cards for All Seasons IG Hop so I hope you will pop back and check it out. Until then thank you so much for stopping by. 

Love and hugs,

ATC supplies:

Simon Says Stamp - coffee & tea stamp set

Promarkers

Honey Bee Stamps - perfect blend stamp (for coffee beans)

MFT - tag builder blueprints 6 die set (for hearts)

All coloured card from scraps bin

Pre-made ATC's from my stash

Winsor & Newton - white goauche

Gina K Designs - dark chocolate ink pad

Krafty Chicks challenge #781 - 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 bought a few die sets in the Spellbinders sale and was itching to use them so pulled a couple of them out for today's card.  I decided to make a shaped card and I love how it turned out; I hope you like it too. 

Here is my card:

A closer look at the gorgeous stag:

Plus I decorated the inside:

I began by creating my card base using one of the new die sets called essential stylish ovals.  I took a full sheet of white card and scored it in half, placed the die slightly over the score line and ran it through my die cutting machine.  The finished card size is 4 1/4" x 5 1/2".  I cut another smaller white oval from the set and stamped it with a script background using versamark ink and heat set it with gold detail embossing powder.  I slightly inked the edges with a red ink pad.  I die cut all the pieces from the floral stag die set using coloured card from my scraps bin and used liquid glue to adhere them all together.  For my arrangement I basically followed the picture on the packaging as I really liked it.  I used liquid glue to adhere everything to the panel except for the upper part of the stag, the large flower and the poinsettia which I added with foam squares.  I stamped and gold heat embossed the sentiment and used the coordinating die to cut it out; this was added with foam squares.  The panel was then added to the card base with double sided tape.  I finished off with a few gold pearl embellishments.  For the inside I again die cut another smaller oval, heat embossed the script background, just to the very top, and added another poinsettia and holly leaf with liquid glue.  I stamped the sentiment in a dark chocolate ink and adhered the panel to the card base with double sided tape.  I really like this floral stag die set and I think it would look great on a 5" x 7" card too.  

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

The 12 months of Christmas Link Up challenge - ATG Christmas optional twist diamond shapes

A Cut Above challenge - ATG with a die cut

Allsorts challenge - animals

Aud Sentiments challenge - any shape (except rectangle) and/or washi tape + a sentiment

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

Craft Rocket challenge - animals

Crafty Animals challenge - ATG must include an animal

Creative Moments challenge - embossing (I heat embossed my background and sentiment)

Critter Crazy challenge - ATG with a featured critter

Cut It Up challenge - add a sentiment

Dragonfly Dreams challenge - lots of layers

Dream Valley challenge - shaped cards

FarmQuest Country Christmas challenge - ATG with outdoor settings 

Hearts Quest for Shaped Cards and Tags challenge - ATG

Let's Craft and Create challenge - ATG optional polka dots and/or stripes

Merry Little Christmas challenge - anything Christmas goes

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

The Holly & Ivy Christmas challenge - anything Christmas goes

The Paper Funday challenge - ATG optional twist '4 legged friends'

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 supplies:

Spellbinders - floral stag die set - still on sale!

Spellbinders - essential stylish ovals die set - still on sale!

Spellbinders - Christmas magic sentiment stamp & die - still on sale!

MFT - romantic script BG stamp

Versamark - watermark ink pad

Cosmic shimmer - detail bright gold embossing powder

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

Gina K Designs - dark chocolate ink pad

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

coloured card from my scraps bin

Krafty Chicks challenge #780 - birthday

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 1; as always the theme is 'birthday' and Leanne is our hostess. It can't get any easier than this week's challenge so we hope you will come over and join in the fun with us.

It was Willow the cat's 4th birthday at the beginning of the week so of course I had to make a card for her!  Like most cats she is in love with cardboard boxes; any size, shape, colour, if we have a box it is soon hers lol!  Of course I decided that I had to make a box card for her, which even if I say so myself, turned out super cute.  There are a few extra photos today as it was really difficult to capture everything.  I hope you like it too.  

Here is my box card:

A closer look at the cute kitty image:

Some extra views to capture the details:

I tried to make my own Amazon logo lol!

Here is the crazy kitty which was my inspiration:

I used a die to cut out the box using kraft card as I wanted it to look like cardboard.  The die has a beautiful decorative edge to the flaps but I didn't want that look for this project so simply trimmed that part off with my paper trimmer.  I used double sided tape to secure my box together.  I also die cut 2 of the inside pieces of the box from kraft which supports the box plus allows you to arrange your images and fill up the box.  I stamped all the images onto alcohol marker friendly card, coloured them with Promarkers and then used the coordinating dies to cut them out.  I die cut the letters to spell her name and also the number 4 x 4 times from white card and stacked them up using liquid glue.  I originally was going to put some of the smaller images onto acetate and secure them higher for some extra interest but I didn't really like it so cut the acetate off except for the fish which is still raised a little higher.  I arranged the images where I wanted and adhered them with liquid glue.  I added the name and number onto the front of the box and also added a birthday sentiment onto the front flap.  At the last moment, for a bit of fun, I attempted to draw my own Amazon logo on the side of the box; it's not perfect but it made me chuckle lol!  I think it turned out super cute.

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

Allsorts challenge - animals

Aud Sentiments challenge - any shape (except rectangle) and/or washi tape +s sentiment

Craft Rocket challenge - animals

Crafty Animals challenge - ATG must include an animal

Creative Creases challenge - ATG with a fun fold

Critter Crazy challenge - ATG with a featured critter

Hearts Quest for Shaped Cards & Tags challenge - ATG

I Love Promakers challenge - ATG or black and white

Show Us Your Pussycats challenge - ATG featuring a cat

Simon Says Stamp Monday challenge - happy birthday 

Simon Says Stamp Wednesday challenge - quite quirky

The Paper Funday challenge - ATG optional twist '4 legged friends'

I hope you will be able to join us for our 'birthday' 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:

Studio Light - exploding box die (SL-ES-CD116)

Neat & Tangled - kitty's favourite things stamp & die

Neat & Tangled - puppy's favourite things stamp & die (for present, cupcake & hat)

Promarkers

MFT - little letters die-namics

Spellbinders - simply perfect alphabets (for number 4)

Gina K Designs - large strip sentiments dies

Crafter's Companion - 280gsm kraft cardstock

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

Versafine - onyx black ink pad

Memento - tuxedo black ink pad

Sakura - white no. 10 gelly roll pen

Heffy Doodle - alcohol marker friendly card - store now closed