Just Us Girls challenge #824 - Mood Board week

Hello everyone and welcome back to my blog. I am here to share my card for this week's Just Us Girls challenge and it's our 'mood board week' and Carol is our hostess.  It's such a fun and funky mood board and I'm sure you'll all have a lot of fun creating from it and I cannot wait to see all your gorgeous creations.

There are so many fun elements in the mood board.  Obviously the colours are bold and bright but the sofa, boat, beach ball and funky shapes could call to you.  I was immediately drawn to the pictures hanging on the wall and decided to create my card inspired by them.  I hope you like it.

Here is my card:

A closer look at the details:

Plus I decorated the inside:

I began by die cutting a light pink panel 4" x 5 1/4".  To create my funky shapes I used a corner punch, some circle dies and my paper trimmer.  I dug out some teal, orange and pink card from my scraps box and cut lots of different shapes and sizes.  I also scored some lines onto the larger orange shapes.  I won't tell you how long it took me to settle on an arrangement that I was happy with (but it was a while) and adhered all the largest pieces first with foam squares.  I pulled in some black accents and added them with liquid glue and then adhered the circles to fill the gaps using both liquid glue and foam squares.  I deliberated over what sentiment to use but didn't want anything too large that would hide my layout so finally settled on this fun stacked one from Gina K Designs which I white heat embossed onto black and cut with the coordinating die.  I added the sentiment over the largest circle with foam squares.  The panel was then adhered to the card base with double sided tape.  For the inside I cut another white panel and added a strip of the light pink card to the bottom with liquid glue.  I had some shapes left over so added them randomly with liquid glue.  I stamped the sentiment in the centre with black ink and unfortunately got a finger print on the left edge so added one of shapes there to cover it.  The panel was then adhered to the card base with double sided tape.  

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

Classic Design challenge - ATG optional twist anniversary or birthday

Crafty Gals Corner challenge - ATG optional theme flowers for mom

The Paper Funday challenge - ATG optional twist mountains or coast

Such a great mood board and I cannot wait to see what you create. Please pop over to the challenge blog and leave some love for the rest of the design team.  Our guest designer is Kerry so please leave her some love too.  

I appreciate you stopping by.

Love and hugs,

card supplies:

Waffle Flower - nesting circle dies

Creative Craft Products - corner/notch punch

Spellbinders - stylish oval birthday wishes stamp (for inside sentiment)

Limetree Craft - 280gsm silky smooth white card (not available but other options are here and here)

Limetree Craft - 220gsm black card

Versafine Clair - nocturne ink pad

WOW! - opaque bright white super fine embossing powder

*Gina K Designs - birthday sprinkles stamp & die (currently in this month's kit but will be available separately in the next release)

Gina K Designs - white pigment ink cube

*I now have an Affiliate Link for the Gina K Designs store. If are considering making a purchase I would appreciate you using my link as it will earn me a small commission at no extra cost to you. 
Thank you x

Stencil Fun IG Hop - May 26

Hello again friends; I am back to share my card for the Stencil Fun IG Hop organised by my lovely friend Jane. We a group of crafters who are determined to use their forgotten and neglected stencils. I'm definitely guilty of this; I have so many stencils but usually forget to reach for them so this hop is perfect for me. The theme is always anything goes but we will have an optional theme to use if we want to. This month's optional theme is 'layered' and I'm excited to see what everyone has made.

I recently saw Bev from Uniko use today's stencil and it reminded me that a) I had it, b) It was a layering stencil and c) I hadn't used it yet, so I wanted to show it some love.  The stencil is called zesty and so of course I had to use bright citrus-y colours.  I hope you like it.

Here is my card:

A closer look at the details:

Plus I decorated the inside:

I began by cutting a white panel 4" x 5 1/4" and stencilled the design using three different colours of ink, orange, yellow and green.  For the first layer I went really light handed so that I could use the second layer with the same ink pad, only this time much heavier handed.  For the third layer I used a darker complimentary colour for the details.  The final layer is some extra details of dots and what look like droplets but I decided I only wanted the dots so just kept moving the stencil to fill in the gaps with the colours I wanted.  I decided I wanted a decorative edge so pulled out this fun torn edge die and used it to cut out my panel (it only just fit and took a sliver off each edge) but I think it looks fab).  I stamped the sentiment with black ink using a mix of stamp sets and cut it out with a circle die.  I wanted a vellum circle to go behind the sentiment and found two already cut in my stash, which was a bonus!  I added foam tape behind the sentiment and added it to the first vellum circle, this was then adhered to the second vellum circle with liquid glue.  I added some scrap white card behind my panel, this was adhered to the card base with double sided tape and the sentiment was added to the bottom right corner with liquid glue.  As a final finishing touch I added some crystal glaze to the dots to give them the look of enamel dots.  For the inside I used the stencil to create a border at the bottom of the white panel, again added dots in between for some extra details.  I used the torn edge die to cut the decorative edge and stamped the sentiment in the centre with black ink.  The panel was then adhered to the card base with double sided tape.  

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

Farm Quest Grocery Game challenge - anything food and/or drink

If You Give A Crafter A Cookie challenge - lemony sweet

Just Add Ink challenge - dies-stencils or both (I used both)

Stencil Fun challenge - must use a stencil optional 'see thru it'

The Dream Factory challenge - code 3 (I used orange, yellow and green)

 

We hope you will be inspired by our Stencil Fun Instagram Hop and will pop over and check out all the gorgeous cards along the way. If you would like to join us please visit my Instagram page or use the hashtag #stencilfunmay2026 and we will find you.

Thanks for stopping by and brightening my day. Have a great week everyone.

Lots of love,

card supplies:

Uniko - zesty layering stencils

Uniko - birthday sentiments stamp (for part of the front sentiment)

Uniko - pure florals: cosmos stamp (for sweet word) - I did some stamp surgery

Uniko - birthday wishes stamp (for inside sentiment)

Creative Craft Products - A2 layering nested torn edge dies

Tonic Studios - Nuvo crystal glaze

Limetree Craft - 280gsm silky smooth white card (not available but other options are here and here)

Versafine Clair - nocturne ink pad

*Gina K Designs - ink pads - key lime, lucky clover, tangerine twist, honey mustard, wild dandelion, prickly pear

*I now have an Affiliate Link for the Gina K Designs store. If you are considering making a purchase I would appreciate you using my link as it will earn me a small commission at no extra cost to you. 

Thank you x

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:

Addicted to Stamps & More challenge - make your mark

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

Simon Says Stamp Monday challenge - stamp it

Simon Says Stamp Wednesday challenge - 4 legged friends

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 - Leanne, Diane and Lori and also our guest designer for September Wendy.    

Love and hugs, 

card ingredients:

Mama Elephant - let's go caroling stamp & die set

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

Limetree Crafts - 250gsm silky smooth white card

Heffy Doodle - alcohol marker friendly card (store now closed)

Memento - tuxedo black ink pad

Versafine - onyx black ink pad

Sakura - white no. 10 gelly roll pen

30th Anniversary card

Hello again friends; I hope the start of the week has been good for you.  I'm back to share the card I made for hubby to celebrate our recent 30th Pearl anniversary.  I cannot believe where the last 30 years have gone; although I think I deserve a medal for putting up with him for so long lol!  

Here is my card:

this one shows the glittery card better:

My husband is not really into fussy cards so decided to buy a die/stamp set to cut out the 30 and save myself the stress of trying to make something elaborate from scratch.  I die cut the base from navy card and then the 30 was die cut from a pearl glittery card that I've had in my stash for years.  The sentiment was also from the same set and I heat embossed it on the navy card with a glittery powder.  The husband word was die cut in the pearl card and also a dark red which was ever so slightly off set.  The hearts were also cut from the same dark red card.  The finished card is very dimensional as the 30 was added with foam squares along with the sentiment and hearts.  I think the finished result is perfect for my husband.  

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

Color Hues challenge - merlot and navy

Moving Along with the Times challenge - wedding/anniversary

Shopping Our Stash challenge - celebrating by the numbers

Addicted to Stamps and More challenge - any occasion

Dream Valley challenge - dies and/or punches

Thanks for stopping by; I really appreciate all your comments and your continued support.  

Love and hugs, 

Card ingredients:

Creative Craft Products - numbers galore: flirty 30

Heffy Doodle - husband die cut

MFT - tag builder blueprints 6

card stock from my stash

Papermania - tinsel snowflake embossing powder