Krafty Chicks challenge #774 - masculine

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 4; as always the theme is 'masculine' and Lori is our hostess. I know masculine makes can be difficult but we always need them so take the challenge and get ahead.  We hope you will come over and join in the fun with us.

Today's card was made for my brother-in-law who is a carpenter.  I recently bought this die set especially to use for his card but I think it will be useful for lots of my masculine relatives.  I hope you like it.

A closer look at the tools:

Plus I decorated the inside:

I began by die cutting all the tools using card from my scraps bin and assembled them using liquid glue.  I wanted to replicate a peg board but unfortunately I don't have a die for that so just used a die plate with lots of circles (which are a little large but I think it works).  I created my background by swiping my brown ink pad down a piece of kraft card to resemble wood graining or planks (as per Gina K).  I attached the wood graining panel onto my 5" x 7" card base with double sided tape.  I then took my faux peg board and added tiny foam squares behind it and adhered it onto a white panel so that it would have some space between the layers, as per a real peg board.  I adhered the die cut tools with foam squares along the peg board.  I wanted it to look like there were pegs holding up the tools so I die cut some small circles from dark grey card and added them with liquid glue.  I added the peg board piece onto the panel with double sided tape.  I die cut the happy birthday sentiment 4 times from red card and adhered them together with liquid glue.  This was added above my peg board with liquid glue.  I white heat embossed the brother in law sentiment onto red card and cut it out with a sentiment strip die; this was then added below the peg board with foam squares.  I didn't add any embellishments as I thought there was lots going on already.  For the inside I cut a white panel 4 3/4" x 6 3/4" and added a thin strip of the wood grained card to the top and bottom with liquid glue.  I die cut another ruler and screwdriver and adhered them with liquid glue over the bottom strip.  I stamped the sentiment in the centre of the panel with a dark brown ink pad and then adhered the panel to the card base with double sided tape.  I'm really happy with how this card turned out and my BIL loved it.  

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

* to be updated *

I hope you will be able to join us for our 'masculine' 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 - all the tools die set

Spellbinders - simply perfect mix & match sentiment dies

MFT - peek-a-boo polka dots die (for faux peg board)

Gina K Designs - lots of dots die set (for small circles)

Gina K Designs - warm cocoa ink pad

Gina K Designs - large strip sentiments dies

Stampin' Up! - family party stamp (for BIL sentiment) - retired

Honey Bee Stamps - inside: birthday sentiments

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

coloured & speciality card from scraps bin

Cards For All Seasons IG Hop - Week 13

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 13 and our theme is 'tools & techniques'. Is there something you love doing or maybe something you've always wanted to try - well this is the week for you. 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 had so many ideas running through my mind but one in particular called to me.  I've always loved this technique but never tried it before, not really sure why not though.  I used the reverse stencil technique this week and it is so much fun and gives off so much drama!  I hope you like it.

Here is my card:

A closer look at the details:

I decorated the inside as usual:

I began by cutting a piece of white card 5 1/2" square; this was because I wanted a piece for the inside and I knew I would have some left over after cutting my front panel.  I used bright pink and bright orange ink pads and blended the background.  I then placed the stencil overtop and blended over it using black ink - this is the scary part because you think you've ruined it lol!  I had a proper workout doing this step as you want to get it as black as you can for the most drama!  Once the stencil is removed you stand back and admire the beautiful background.  I used a stitched rectangle die to cut my front panel and matted it onto a black layer with double sided tape.  I die cut the sentiment from orange and pink card and the shadow from black card.  I adhered them together with liquid glue.  I added foam squares behind the sentiment and added it to the centre of the panel where the orange and pink overlapped.  I finished off with some clear quartz sequins.  I added some scrap white card behind my panel instead of foam tape and then adhered it to my card base with double sided tape.  For the inside I cut a white panel, again using the stitched rectangle die and also used the stitched die to cut a piece of the leftover stencilled background.  I adhered them together with liquid glue and then matted the panel onto a black layer with double sided tape.  I stamped the sentiment in the centre with black ink.  The panel was then added to the card base with double sided tape.  A fairly simple card but the background really packs a punch. 

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

Addicted to Stamps & More challenge - die cuts and/or stencils

Crafty Catz challenge - ATG optional twist hot colours

Daisy Chain challenge - birthday

Halloween & Other Occasions challenge - birthday

Inkspirational challenge - use stencils optional twist geometric

Moving Along With The Times challenge - birthday

Shopping Our Stash challenge - a stitch in time (I used a stitched rectangle die)

Simon Says Stamp Wednesday challenge - ATG

Stencil Fun challenge - anything stencil goes optional theme summertime fun

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

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 - crop circles stencil

Gina K Designs - birthday trio die set

Gina K Designs - birthday cheer stamp set

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

Gina K Designs ink pads - tangerine twist & passionate pink

Gina K Designs - clear quartz solid sequins

MFT - hybrid black ink pad - now discontinued

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

Limetree Crafts - 220gsm black card

Versafine - onyx black ink pad

Patterned Paper Party IG Hop - ATG

Hello friends; I hope you've had a great week and are looking forward to the weekend.  It's been scorchio here this week, especially yesterday which was exceptionally hot.  We had some light drizzle first thing this morning but it's now very hot again.  I hope it's warm and sunny where you are too.  

I'm here today to share some cards I made for a new IG Hop that I'm taking part in called the Patterned Paper Party 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. 

I saw a fun tutorial on YouTube by @rickadkinsdesigns called Stack, Cut, Shuffle, and loved the idea of creating 4 similar but different card fronts using 4 sheets of your patterned paper.  You can watch his video here if you're more of a visual learner (like me).  I followed the basic layout of Rick's design but instead of adding flowers I added cute bear images.  I hope you like them.

Here are all four cards together:

Here is one of the cards in full view:

A closer look at one of the other adorable bears:

Plus I decorated the insides:

I began by cutting all four papers to 4" x 5 1/4".  On the 4" side I cut all four papers at 2 1/2" so we had 4 pieces 2 1/2" x 5 1/4' and 4 pieces 1 1/2" x 5 1/4".  I took the larger pieces and cut them on the long side at 3" and the smaller pieces were cut at 3 1/4". I separated the pieces into 4 piles so that 1 of each  pattern was in each pile. I cut 4 white panels 4" x 5 1/4" and adhered each pile onto the panel with liquid glue.  Once I had all 4 panels completed I decided to cut it out with a stitched rectangle die (so the panels did end up ever so slightly smaller).  I also die cut 4 white stitched circles as my grounding panels for my bears.  I stamped the bears onto alcohol marker friendly card, coloured them with Promarkers, added some white gelly roll pen highlights and cut them out with the coordinating dies.  I also used a black gelly roll pen on their eyes for a bit more definition.  I stamped 4 of the happy birthday sentiments and cut them out with a sentiment strip die.  Now I had all my elements ready it was time to assemble my cards.  I added foam tape to everything lol!  I placed the sentiments onto the circles and then added the bears as if they were standing on top of it.  The circles were placed over the joins of the papers in slightly different places on each card front.  Instead of adding foam tape behind my panels I used 3 pieces of scrap white card for stability and dimension. The panels were then added onto the card base with double sided tape.  For the inside I used a thin strip of each of the pattern papers to the bottom of a 4" x 5 1/4" white panel and then used the same stitched rectangle die to cut it out.  I stamped one of the bears as if it was standing on the strip and added a sentiment in the centre, both with black ink.  I added the panel onto my card base with double sided tape.  A really fun layout and a great way to quickly use up some of your papers.  

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

As You Like It challenge - add a sentiment or not (I always have to add a sentiment to the front)

Crafty Animals challenge - ATG must include an animal

Crafty Calendar challenge - add a sentiment

Critter Crazy challenge - ATG with a featured critter

Daisy Chain challenge - birthday

Halloween & Other Occasions challenge - birthday

I Love Promarkers challenge - ATG or summer time

Love Those Pretty Papers challenge - use patterned papers optional wedding

Moving Along With The Times challenge - birthday 

Shopping Our Stash challenge - a stitch in time (I used stitched dies)

Simon Says Stamp Wednesday challenge - going around in circles

Stamping Sensations challenge - furry friends

We Love Stamping challenge - nature

We hope you will be inspired by our Patterned Paper Party IG Hop and will pop over and check out all the gorgeous tags along the way. If you would like to join us please visit my Instagram page or use the hashtag #patternedpaperpartyhopjune2025 and we will find you. 

Thanks for stopping by and take care.

Lots of love

card supplies:

Me To You - spring chic 6x6 paper pad - retired

MFT - bitty bears stamp & die set - retired

Promarkers

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

Gina K Designs - Master Layouts 3 (for stitched circle die)

Gina K Designs - sentiment strip dies

Gina K Designs - clear quartz solid sequins

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

Sakura - black gelly roll pen

Krafty Chicks challenge #773 - 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; and 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.

Some time ago I bought a fun die set full of tiny cameras from a craft destash site and I've been itching to use it so decided this was the time to grab it and make a card. I think it's a really fun set.  I hope you like it.

Here is my card:

A closer look at the camera:

Plus I decorated the inside:

I began by cutting a white panel 4" x 5 1/4" and lightly ink blended some sea glass ink in the bottom right corner.  I added the panel onto my card base with double sided tape.  I die cut the camera from black and white card (because initially I wasn't sure what colour I wanted) and cut the detail pieces from silver mirri, yellow, and red card, all from my scraps box.  For the rainbow piece I decided to use my Promarkers and drew some lines with a ruler and then die cut that out for the front of the camera.  I didn't realise until later that I actually cut the rainbow backwards on the black camera but it was already on my card before I noticed lol!  I stamped a sentiment onto some scrap white card and used a sentiment strip die to cut it out.  I also die cut the letters for the word smile, again from white card.  I was now ready to arrange my pieces.  I firstly added the sentiment strip to the bottom of the bottom in the right corner with liquid glue, the camera was added with foam squares and the 'smile' word was added above that with liquid glue.  I did also use my shimmer pen over the letters so that they would stand out a little more.  No embellishments and the only dimension was a foam square behind the camera, which is very unusual for me!  For the inside I cut another white panel and again ink blended the sea glass ink in the bottom right corner.  I used the white camera on the inside and added it with liquid glue (the rainbow was in the correct order on this one - typical)!  I stamped the sentiment in black ink in the centre and then added the panel to my card base with double sided tape.  This card is very CAS for me but I really like how it turned out.  

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

Addicted to Stamps & More challenge - die cuts and/or stencils

As You Like It challenge - add a sentiment (or not) - I have to add a sentiment, I don't feel my card is finished without one

CRAFT challenge - cute/ATG

Craft Rocket challenge - no design paper

Daisy Chain challenge - birthday

Moving Along With The Times challenge - birthday

Simply Clean and Simple challenge - anything CAS goes optional theme pretty in pink

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

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:

MFT - accent it - cute cameras - retired (although it was re-released from the vault in 2024)

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

MFT - you wow me stamp (for sentiments)

MFT - little letters dies - retired

Gina K Designs - sentiment strips dies

Gina K Designs - sea glass ink pad

Versafine - onyx black ink pad

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

coloured card from my scraps bin

Promarkers (to make my rainbow)

Tonic - aqua shimmer pen - glitter gloss

Krafty Chicks challenge #772 - 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; and as always the theme is 'Christmas' and I am our 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 used a few polymer stamps from Lili of the Valley on my card and I was sad to read recently that they are no longer going to be making them.  I understand the reasons why, and they will be continuing with their digital images, but you know how much I love my clear stamps.  Never mind I will continue to use them as they are timeless images and super cute to boot.  I went with a fairly clean and simple layout for my card but there are a few layers going on too!  I hope you like it. 

Here is my card:

A closer look at the adorable image:

Plus I decorated the inside:

I began by cutting my white panel using a stitched rectangle die and cut a mat layer from blue glitter card with a plain rectangle die.  I adhered them together with liquid glue.  I stamped a simple sentiment in black ink in the lower right corner.  I cut a thin strip of snowflake patterned card, which I cut with the stitched rectangle and again matted it onto the blue glitter card with liquid glue.  I adhered it to my panel with liquid glue.  I found the images already stamped out so coloured them with my Promarkers and added some white gelly roll highlights.  I cut out the penguin for the front of my card with a circle die and also used a larger circle die to cut out a mat layer from the blue glitter card.  I didn't like how big the gap was between the circles so trimmed the blue layer down with scissors (it's a little wonky but I think it looks ok).  I added the circle over the patterned panel with foam squares.  I added some scrap white card behind my panel for stability and dimension and adhered it to my card base with double sided tape.  I didn't add any embellishments as I loved the clean look as it was.  For the inside I cut another white stitched panel and blue glitter panel and adhered them with liquid glue.  I cut another strip of the snowflake card with the stitched die and again matted it onto the blue glitter card.  I added this to the panel with liquid glue.  I stamped the sentiment in the centre with black ink and added the second image (which I coloured with Promarkers and fussy cut) to the bottom left corner with liquid glue.  I adhered the panel with double sided tape.  I'm really happy with this card and the images are so super cute aren't they?  

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

The 12 Months of Christmas Link Up challenge - ATG optional twist one or 2 layers

Allsorts challenge - what makes you happy (super cute critters)

As You Like It challenge - add a sentiment or not (I always add a sentiment to the front as I don't think it looks finished without one)

Colorful Options challenge - inspiration photo (I was inspired by the colours)

CRAFT challenge - cute/ATG

Crafty Animals challenge - ATG but must include an animal

Crafty Calendar challenge - add a sentiment

Critter Crazy challenge - ATG with a featured critter

Fab 'n' Funky challenge - use your die cuts

I love Promarkers challenge - ATG or summertime

Merry Little Christmas challenge - anything Christmas goes

Simply Clean & Simple challenge - anything CAS goes optional theme pretty pinks

Simon Says Stamp Monday challenge - monochrome

Simon Says Stamp Wednesday challenge - fur, feathers and/or flowers

The Holly & Ivy Christmas Challenge - anything Christmas goes

We Love Stamping challenge - nature

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:

Lili of the Valley - penguins & reindeer polymer stamp - no longer available

Lili of the Valley - Christmas Greetings polymer stamp - no longer available

Lili of the Valley - verses polymer stamp - no longer available 

Promarkers

Sakura - white no. 10 gelly roll pen

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

Gina K Designs - Master Layouts 1 (for plain rectangle die)

Spellbinders - standard circles large dies

Craft ID - Christmas paper pad (bought from TK Maxx a few years ago)

Versafine - onyx black ink pad

Limetree Crafts - 250gsm silky smooth white card - not currently available - they do have 300gsm bright white card available here

Cards For All Seasons IG Hop - Week 12

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 12 and our theme is 'movies, books or music'.  So quite an easy theme this week; just run with whatever springs to mind in either of these subjects. I can't wait to see what sparks your imagination.

I recently got some stamps from a friend who was selling some of her older stamps and you know how much I love MFT stamps so I grabbed a few.  They are all retired but new to me and I thought this was the perfect opportunity to ink them up.  The stamps are music themed but as they are also birds I kept humming the 'Birdie Song' all the time I was making my card.  For all you young people this song was a terrible novelty song from 1981 which had an equally awful dance that went with it. Look it up on YouTube if you're feeling brave lol!.  I think the card turned out super cute and I hope you like it too. 

Here is my card:

A closer look at the images:

Plus I decorated the inside:

I began by stamping my images onto alcohol marker friendly card, coloured them with Promarkers and added some white highlights with a gelly roll pen.  I used the coordinating dies to cut them out.  I cut a white panel 4" x 5 1/4" and stamped the scene builder stamp at the bottom and again coloured it with Promarkers.  Unfortunately my blue pen started to run out about half way through so it's a little patchy but I think it looks ok (I can't complain as I've had my Promarkers for about 15 years and only had to replace about 2 so far!).  I stamped the sentiment with black ink onto some scrap white card and cut it out with a sentiment strip die.  Once I'd figured out where I wanted my images to go and before I adhered them I stamped the musical notes directly onto the background with black ink.  I added both birds and the sentiment with foam squares and the toadstool and flower with liquid glue.  I added some scrap white card behind my panel for stability and dimension and then adhered it to my card base with double sided tape.  No embellishments as I didn't think it needed anything else.  For the inside I cut another white panel 4" x 5 1/4" and stamped the same scene at the bottom of my panel.  I coloured the grass and another flower with Promarkers but left the top plain so that I could write my message.  I stamped the sentiment in the centre with black ink.  The flower was cut out with the coordinating die and added with liquid glue.  The panel was adhered to my card base with double sided tape.  

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

Addicted to Stamps & More challenge - any occasion

Allsorts challenge - what makes you happy (cute critters)

Craft Rocket challenge - no design paper

Crafty Animals challenge - ATG must include an animal

Crafty Calendar challenge - add a sentiment

Critter Crazy challenge - ATG with a featured critter

I Love Promarkers challenge - ATG or summertime

Simon Says Stamp Wednesday challenge - fur, feathers and/or flowers

Triple B challenge - birds, blooms or butterflies optional inspiration board

We Love Stamping challenge - nature

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:

MFT - SY tweet friends stamp & die set - retired

MFT - SY scene builder stamp - retired 

MFT - friends forever stamp (for inside greeting) - retired

Promarkers

Sakura - white no. 10 gelly roll pen

Gina K Designs - large strip sentiments dies

Limetree Crafts - - 250gsm silky smooth white card - not currently available - they do have 300gsm bright white card available here

Versafine - onyx black ink pad

Heffy Doodle - alcohol marker friendly card - store now closed

Gorgeous Gift Tags IG Hop June 25

Hello friends, I hope you're doing ok and that you've had a lovely day so far.  It's time for a new theme for the Gorgeous Gift Tags IG Hop, which takes place on the 5th of each month.  You always have the option to go for anything goes but the extra prompt this month is 'flowers', which is such a lovely and easy theme.  I expect the rest of the hop will be adorned with enough flowers to fill a garden lol!  I hope you can pop over to Instagram and join us.  

I love flowers and it's so easy to make a project that includes them.  I grabbed some coloured card from my scraps bin (still trying to use it up) and went to work.  I hope you like it.

Here is my tag:

A closer look the flowers:

Plus I decorated the other side of the tag:

I began by die cutting my tag from white card and using a stencil and some sea glass ink created a soft stencilled background.  I die cut the flowers from a teal coloured card and layered them up with foam squares adding a gold mirri card centre with liquid glue.  I also cut some leaves from the gold mirri card.  At this point I decided I wanted to mat my tag onto some of the teal card but I didn't have a larger tag so I simply trimmed down the white one every so slightly so that I had a thin border.  I adhered them together with liquid glue.  I stamped a sentiment with versamark ink and embossed it with gold detail embossing powder.  I used a sentiment strip die to cut it out.  I arranged my flowers and leaves on the tag and adhered them with liquid glue.  The sentiment was added with a mix of foam tape and liquid glue and I finished with a few gold pearls.  For the other side of the tag I cut another white tag and heat embossed the To: and From with the gold embossing powder and added a few gold leaves to the top left and bottom right corners with liquid glue.  I adhered the tags together with liquid glue.  I added some white tulle ribbon (recycled from packaging) and tied it with some twine.  It's such a pretty tag in real life and will really jazz up a plain white gift bag.  

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

Beautiful Blossoms challenge - anything floral goes optional mood board

Cardz 4 Galz challenge - floral frenzy

Christmas (or not) BINGO challenge - Line B - tag, free, fibres (I used ribbon & twine)

Colorful Options challenge - inspiration photo

Craft Rocket challenge - no design paper

Cut It Up challenge - ATG

Fab 'n' Funky challenge - use your die cuts

Heart's Quest for shaped cards & tags challenge - ATG

Just Us Girls challenge - die cut week - layers

Stencil Fun challenge - ATG optional summertime fun

Tag-along (& ATC's) challenge - ATG with the option of drinks

The Paper Funday challenge - ATG optional twist embossing heat and/or dry

Tic Tac Toe challenge - layers, free, floral/foliage

Triple B challenge - birds, blooms or butterflies optional inspiration photo

Unicorn challenge - not square

Word Art Wednesday challenge - ATG

We hope you will be inspired by our Gorgeous Gift Tags Instagram Hop and will pop over and check out all the gorgeous tags along the way. If you would like to join us please visit my Instagram page or use the hashtag #gorgeousgifttagshop2025 and we will find your tags. 

Thanks for stopping by and take care.

Lots of love

card supplies:

Creative Dies Plus - wonky stitches nesting tags - ? retired

Spellbinders - I dance die set (for flowers and leaves)

Spellbinders - Santa's sippin' sayings stamp (for sentiment)

Spellbinders - spring stencil backgrounds

Gina K Designs - sketched wreath builder (for To:/From:)

Gina K Designs - sea glass ink pad

MFT - skinny strips dies - oos ? retired

Limetree Crafts - 250gsm silky smooth white card - not currently available - they do have 300gsm bright white card available here

Versamark ink pad

Cosmic Shimmer - bright gold detail embossing folder

coloured card & mirri card from scraps bin