Fall Friends IG Card Making Hop - Week 9

Hello again friends; I hope you're having a wonderful Wednesday. I'm back with my card for Week 9 of the 'Fall Friends' IG card hop organised by my lovely friend Kelly. This week Diane is our hostess and she has chosen 'sweater weather' so think sweater die cuts, critters in sweaters or even just sweater type papers or embossing folders.  

I don't know why but I really procrastinated over this week's card.  I wasn't sure if I had an image wearing a sweater (although I'm sure I do) so put off making this card until the very last minute - why do I do this to myself lol!  Anyway once I put my mind to it I remembered that I had a die set from Spellbinders that included a bear in a sweater so I decided to use this.  As we are a fall challenge I kept my colours to a traditional fall palette.  I hope you like it.

Here is my card:

A close up of the adorable bear:

Plus I decorated the inside:

and the flap of the envelope too:

I began by die cutting the bear from various colours of card from my scraps bin.  I used an argyle embossing folder to emboss his sweater and lightly ink blended some colour onto it for some extra interest.  I used liquid glue to adhere him together.  I changed my mind so many times regarding what card/paper to use in the background but I'm happy with my final choices.  I cut a pale mustard panel 3 5/8" x 4 7/8" and used a die to cut the decorative edge.  I also cut a panel of patterned paper 4" x 5 1/4" and adhered them together with double sided tape.  I added the bear to the bottom of the panel with foam squares.  I searched for a suitable sentiment but eventually combined two separate sentiments to create the one I used and stamped it with black ink.  I used a large sentiment strip die to cut it out and added it to my panel with foam tape.  Instead of using foam tape to add my panel to my card base I used up some scrap off white card which I adhered with double sided tape.  This adds dimension but not too much bulk.  As a finishing touch I added crystal glaze to the bears eyes and nose so that they would be glossy and a few gold sequins.  For the inside I kept it simple this time; I cut a white panel 4" x 5 1/4" and added a strip of the patterned paper and a thin strip of the mustard card to the very bottom and stamped a sentiment in the centre with black ink. The panel was added to my card base with double sided tape.  As I had a small piece of the patterned paper left over I decorated the flap of the envelope too so everything is match-matchy lol!

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

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

Can You Handle The Pressure challenge - anything goes embossing optional twist pumpkins

Cardz 4 Galz challenge - showcase your patterned paper

Crafty Animals - ATG must include an animal

Crafty Catz challenge - ATG optional twist dies/punches

Critter Crazy challenge - ATG with a featured critter

Double D challenge - warm & cozy optional mood board

Girlz Creative Fun Art of Scrap challenge - must use patterned paper

Halloween & Other Occasions challenge - always birthday

Inkspirational challenge - layer it up (layered die cut and layered panels)

Love Those Pretty Papers challenge - ATG using patterned paper

Make My Monday challenge - wild animals (bears are wild)

I hope you will pop over to Instagram and check out the hop; use the hashtag #fallfriendscardhop2024 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 Krafty Chicks challenge so I hope you will pop back and check it out. Until then enjoy the rest of your day and thank you so much for stopping by.

Love and hugs,

card ingredients:

Spellbinders - festive friends die set (I only used the bear)

Spellbinders - checkered argyle embossing folder

Spellbinders - essential rectangles dies

Spellbinders - gold smooth disc color essentials sequins

Gina K Designs - all at once - all occasion clear stamp (for part of outside sentiment)

MFT - deer friends clear stamp (for part of outside sentiment)

Gina K Designs - ink pads - sweet mango, tangerine twist, kraft

Gina K Designs - large strip sentiments dies

Versafine - onyx black ink pad

LDRS Creative - happy fall 6" x 6" paper pad (no longer available)

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

Limetree Crafts - 250gsm silky smooth white card (currently not available)

Fall Friends IG Card Making Hop - Week 6

Hello again friends; I hope you're having a wonderful Wednesday. I'm back with my card for Week 6 of the 'Fall Friends' IG card hop organised by my lovely friend Kelly. For Week 5 Traci is our hostess and she has chosen 'non-traditional fall leaves/no fall colours'.

I decided to choose the non-traditional fall leaves but it fits the no fall colours brief too but if you don't want to use leaves then that's perfectly fine too.  I was originally going to do pinks/purples but then thought that black, grey and white would look really different so that is what I ended up doing.  I hope you like it.   I apologise for the photos but it was really dark and dreary here today; my card looks so much better in real life.  

Here is my card:

A close up look at the leaves:

I also decorated the inside:

I began by die cutting the leaves; I cut 3 of the larger black leaves and 2 each of the grey and white leaves.  I adhered them together with liquid glue so that I would have some dimension on my card.  I wanted a subtle background so went for ink smooshing some ink just into the bottom left corner of my panel; I also added some splatters with the same ink.  

Side note: I've been watching a YouTube channel called NB Cards and she shows how to make your own ink smoosher so that you can have more control over where your ink goes; honestly it is a game changer for me - the main reason I don't do more smooshing is that it seems to go everywhere and I can't get the 'pattern' I want but this little tool changes all that.  It is simply a food storage bag (I used one from Ikea) some bunched up kitchen roll inside and then tie the top of the bag (I used an elastic band to close mine) and tape the sides so that it resembles a ball shape.  You can also use different size bags to make larger and smaller ones.  You simply dip this into your ink and tap lightly onto your paper.  Honestly give it a go, it's awesome.  Here's a link to her video if you want to see it.  

Anyway back to the card.  Once the panel was dry I added it to a black mat layer cut to 4" x 5 1/4" with double sided tape.  I then adhered the leaves with liquid glue in an arrangement in the corner.  I stamped a sentiment in black ink and used the large sentiment strip die to cut it out.  I added this over the leaves with foam squares.  I added the panel to my card base with foam tape.  I didn't add any embellishments as I liked it as it was.  For the inside I ink smooshed another white panel and adhered it to a black mat layer with double sided tape.  I cut another 3 leaves and added them with liquid glue.  I didn't add a sentiment as I thought I could add one later.  I adhered the panel to the card base with double sided tape.  I am really happy with my card and I think the monochrome colour scheme really looks lovely.  I hope you like it too.  

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

AAA Cards challenge - sketch (I rotated it)

Addicted to Stamps & More challenge - any occasion

Aud Sentiments challenge - embossing and/or fall + sentiment

Craft Rocket challenge - autumn and/or halloween

Creative Inspirations challenge - the season of autumn

Creative Moments challenge - monochrome

Daisy Chain challenge - autumn and/or halloween

Halloween & Other Occasions challenge - thanksgiving/fall

Incy Wincy Designs challenge - autumn and/or more than one fold

Just Us Girls challenge - leaves

Simply Clean and Simple challenge - anything CAS goes option black/purple

The Sisterhood of Crafters challenge - orange/black/purple - use one, two or all three colours

Unicorn challenge - autumn and/or halloween

I hope you will pop over to Instagram and check out the hop; use the hashtag #fallfriendscardhop2024 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 Krafty Chicks challenge so I hope you will pop back and check it out.  Until then enjoy the rest of your day and thank you so much for stopping by.  

Love and hugs, 

 

Card ingredients:

Gina K Designs - autumn leaves

Gina K Designs - large strip sentiment dies

Gina K Designs - stormy sky ink pad

LDRS Creative - the magic of fall clear stamp - retired

Limetree Crafts - 250gsm silky smooth white card - currently not available but they have 240gsm in stock here

Hobbycraft - A4 black card

Versafine - onyx black ink pad