ATC Scrap Makes IG Hop - October

Hello friends, I hope you're doing great and you've had a great start to your week. I'm sharing my card for this month's ATC Scrap Makes IG Hop. 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.  

I found lots of pre-coloured images and backgrounds that I had made and put to one side for another day so decided to try and use up as many of them as I could.  As you can imagine I ended up making an eclectic mix of different styles and occasions but I think they turned out super cute.  I hope you like them too.  Warning: lots of photos today as I made 7 ATC's and I want them all to have their chance to shine lol!  I do love them all but I think my favourites are the coffee & doughnut one or the girlfriends one - let me know if you have a favourite.

Here are my ATC's:

so here is a closer look at each of the ATC's:

Here's what I started with:

So I began by cutting down all the backgrounds to 2 1/2" x 3 1/2" which is the only rule with ATC's, everything else is fair game!  I also die cut or fussy cut the images ready to use.  As I have the pre-made ATC's to use I adhered all the backgrounds onto these cards for some extra stability using double sided tape and liquid glue.  I dug out all the stamp sets to see if there were sentiments I could use and for most of them I did use the sentiments from the sets but for the dog ones I used sentiments from a different set as it didn't have any sentiments with it.  I added the images with a mix of liquid glue and foam squares and either stamped the sentiments directly onto the backgrounds or added sentiment strips.  I finished off with some extra die cuts and my ATC's were done.  I think it's pretty self explanatory what I did to them but if you want more info just drop me a comment and I'll get back to you.  

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

* to be updated * 

I hope you will pop over to Instagram and check out the hop; please use the hashtag #ATCscrapmakes2025 or #ATCscrapmakesoct25 to see all the gorgeous creations and also if you want to participate we will be able to find you.

I really appreciate you stopping by today.

Love and hugs,

card supplies:

Jane's Doodles - donuts! & girlfriends stamp sets - store now closed

Picket Fence Studios - puppy love mini stamp 

Paper Smooches - hot concoctions (for coffee mug)

MFT - farm friends (for sheep/cow & sentiments)

MFT - grassy fields die

MFT - cutest clouds ever dies

MFT - tag builder blueprints 6 (for hearts)

MFT - four legged friends stamp (for sentiments on puppy ATC's)

MFT - mini doily circles dies

Gina K Designs - a very silly season stamp & die*

Gina K Designs - large strip sentiments die*

Gina K Designs - tapestry embossing folder*

Gina K Designs - double BG 1/grip mat*

Gina K Designs - snowflakes embossing folder*

Promarkers

Lawn Fawn - stitched woodgrain backdrop die

Limetree Crafts - 280gsm silky smooth white card

Sakura - white no. 10 gelly roll pen

Versafine Clair - nocturne ink pad

coloured card from my scraps bin

*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

Summer Soiree IG Card Hop - Week 4

Hello friends; we've made it to the middle of the week *yay*. The weather has really gone downhill here in South Wales and I think summer has been and gone unfortunately.  We'll have to keep our fingers crossed that it decides to come back again soon.  

It's week 4 of our Summer Soiree IG card hop, which has been organised by my lovely friend Kelly. This week is all about 'summer books & blockbuster movies' which is pretty straightforward; there are so many to choose from.  

I decided to base my inspiration on one of my favourite Disney movies (although most of them are favourites) but this one is funny but also tugs at the heart strings.  

Here is my inspiration photo:

Here is my card:

A close up of the cute image:

I decorated the inside:

I began by stamping my house image onto alcohol marker friendly card and colouring it with Promarkers.  The house isn't exactly the same as the film version but I used the same colours to colour it with.  There is no matching die so I fussy cut it out; although it was quite a basic shape to cut around.  I grabbed lots of scraps of card from my scraps bin and die cut lots of balloons and balloon strings.  I cut a white panel 4" x 5 1/4" and used a cloud stencil to create my sky background.  I added the strings with a small strip of sellotape and added the house over top with foam squares.  I arranged the balloons and once I was happy with the placement took some masking tape and held them in place before turning over and adding liquid glue to the backs.  I then carefully placed them over the balloon strings and added some clear blocks on top to make sure they adhered securely.  I cut off any edges of the balloons that went over the card panel.  I added the card panel onto my card base with foam tape.  I found a pre-printed sentiment that worked really well with the style and theme of my card and die cut it out with a sentiment strip die.  I added this over the balloons with foam squares.  No extra embellishments this time as I liked the card as it was.  For the inside I cut another panel 4" x 5 1/4" and again ink blended a cloud background.  I stamped, coloured and fussy cut another house and die cut 2 more balloons/strings and added them onto the panel with liquid glue.  I didn't add a sentiment as I will add that when I come to use the card.  I think you can see that my card was inspired by UP and I hope you like it. 

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

A Place to Start challenge - ATG

Classic Design challenge - ATG option fancy fold

Crafty Calendar challenge - add a sentiment

I Love Promarkers challenge - ATG/masculine

Inkspirational challenge - use a stencil optional use paste

Little Red Wagon challenge - something you love (I love the film UP)

Stencil Fun challenge - must use a stencil option shades of blue

The Cutie Pie challenge - beginning with B (balloons)

If you would like to follow the hop over on Instagram please use the hashtag #summersoireecardmakinghop2024 to find us or alternatively visit my profile and you will find the list of participants on my post.  We would love it if you would give the summer soiree challenges a try and again use the hashtag and we will find your projects.  

I'll be back tomorrow with my card for the Krafty Chicks challenge but until then enjoy the rest of your day and thank you for stopping by. 

Love and hugs,

card ingredients:

Jane's Doodles - home sweet home stamp set - sadly now closed

Promarkers

Spellbinders - balloons & birthday wishes die set (for balloons & strings)

Creative Expressions - wordies sentiment sheet - inspirational

Gina K Designs - sentiment strips dies

Gina K Designs - sea glass ink pad

MFT - mini cloud edges stencil - retired

Memento - tuxedo black ink pad

Versafine - onyx black ink pad

Limetree Crafts - 250gsm silky smooth white card

Heffy Doodle - alcohol marker friendly card - sadly now closed

coloured card all from my scraps bin 

Spring Into Card Making IG Hop - Week 2

Hello friends; I'm posting really late tonight but better late than never lol!  It's Week 2 of our Spring Into Cardmaking IG Hop, which has been organised by my lovely friend Kelly, and this time we are all about spring.  Each week we will be sharing a themed card focusing on the joys of spring.  If our hop inspires you please use the hashtag #2024springintocardmakinghop to join in the fun. 

This week we have a beautiful mood board to inspire you.  Perhaps the colours call to you or the design or even the images themselves, whatever it is we hope you will create something and join us. I was initially drawn to the colours and the boxes so that was my focus.  Here is my card:

A closer look at the cute images:

Plus I decorated the inside:

I began by creating my background panel using a new postage die and matching stencil.  I lightly stencilled each box in the colours indicated by the mood board (although the smaller boxes look beige in my photos but it is really peachy in real life) and then set it aside.  I stamped the cute images onto alcohol marker friendly card and coloured them with Promarkers, adding some highlights with a white gel pen.  I used the matching dies to cut them out.  The sentiments were stamped directly onto the stencilled panel with black ink.  I added foam squares behind all the images and added them to the background.  I decided to add another layer behind my background panel so die cut a slightly larger stitched panel again from white for extra interest.  I adhered the two panels with liquid glue.  Even though I already had some dimension with the foam squares I decided to add the panels to the card base with foam tape.  No embellishments this time as it was already quite busy.  For the inside I cut a stitched panel and a coordinating plain panel, both from white and adhered them with double sided tape.  I stamped the sentiment in the centre with black ink and two of the sweet images at the bottom with light grey ink.  I ink blended some of the yellow ink that was remaining on my brush around the edges to add some soft colour.  I think this card is so happy and cheerful and I need to make more.  I'm sure my family will love them for Easter this year.  

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

Addicted to Stamps & More challenge - any occasion

Allsorts challenge - feathers and/or fur

Creative Moments challenge - flora & fauna

Creative Friday challenge - Easter

Daisy Chain challenge - animals

Dream Valley challenge - dies and/or punches

Just Us Girls challenge - birds of a feather (collaboration with Time Out challenge)

Make My Monday challenge - spring

Papercraft challenges - Easter

Scrapping4Fun challenge - Easter/spring

Simply Create Too challenge - bunnies and blooms

Simon Says Stamp Wednesday challenge - Easter/spring

Stamping Sensations challenge - spring

Stencil Fun challenge - use a stencil option Easter/spring

Sweet Stampin' challenge - Easter

The Cutie Pie challenge - Easter/Mother's Day

The Four Seasons challenge - spring

Time Out challenge - birds of a feather (collaboration with JUGS challenge)

Try It On Tuesday challenge - use a stencil

Woah!  Lots of Easter/spring challenges around at the moment.   

I would love it if you would pop over to Instagram and see the amazing work by all the other crafters taking part in the hop.  Please use the hashtag #2024springintocardmakinghop to find us and also so that we can find your creation if you are inspired to take part.  

I'll be back again with you tomorrow with my card for the Krafty Chicks challenge so please pop by and check it out.  As always I appreciate the comments you leave and thank you so much for stopping by. 

Love and hugs, 

Card ingredients:

Gina K Designs - spring friends stamp & die*

Gina K Designs - Master Layouts 14 die set

Gina K Designs - postage grid stencil

Gina K Designs - lovely lace stamp (for inside greeting)*

Gina K Designs - ink pads - peach bellini, bubblegum pink, applemint, ocean mist, wild dandelion, soft stone

Jane's Doodles - from us (for bottom sentiment) - sadly Jane's store is now closed

Limetree Crafts - 250gsm silky smooth white card (for panels and card base)

Heffy Doodle - alcohol marker friendly card

Memento - tuxedo black ink pad

Versafine - onyx black ink pad

Sakura - white no. 10 gelly roll pen

* these products were from the last kit, which is now sold out.  They will be available individually when the next kit is released.  

Pretty butterflies

Hello again friends.  Well I finally had my hair cut yesterday and I feel so much better.  I always have a fringe but over the last 4 months I've had to endure it growing out and I hated it but now I have a fringe again and had about 3 inches cut off the length *yay*.  I know a lot of you are having hair cuts or due to have them so I know you appreciate how I feel.

I have a pretty butterfly card for you today and I ink blended the background using a masking stencil to ensure I had pristine borders.  I made this card for a neighbour whose birthday was last week.

Here's a close up of the card

I think ink blending is my favourite technique at the moment as it's relatively quick and gives amazing results.  After ink blending I again sprinkled water over the panel and dabbed with a piece of kitchen roll to achieve the splattered look.  The butterflies were coloured with promarkers, fussy cut and added to the panel with foam tape.  The sentiment is from the same stamp set and for a final touch I added some crystals.  

I love this colour combination and I hope you do too.  

I'm entering my card into the following challenges: 

Allsorts challenge - I spy with my little eye something beginning with B (butterflies)

CCC Digi Creations challenge - no patterned paper

Penny Black and More challenge - in the garden

I can't believe it's Thursday already.  I'm off from work this week and apart from having my hair cut and a little bit of organising in my craft room I haven't really achieved anything but it has been nice chilling out and having some extra crafting time.  

Take care and thanks for stopping by.

Card ingredients:

Jane's Doodles - doodle butterflies

Distress oxide inks in fossilised amber, mowed lawn and peacock feathers

Taylored Expressions - blender brushes

Taylored Expressions - masking stencils rectangle

Studio Katia - April (white diamond) crystals