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

We Love Stamping - Guest designer

Hello again friends; I'm back with my second post for today (and another late post oops!).  I am delighted to be a guest designer over at We Love Stamping challenge this month.  Their theme this month is winter; so feel free to create anything that inspires you when you think of winter time.  

I was originally working off an inspiration mood board but the team decided to change the theme to just winter so my card fits either way thankfully.  I actually used a digital image for the first time in ages and although I always used to use digi images I don't enjoy using them as much as clear stamps these days but I can understand the cost and flexibility they give.  I hope you like my card:

A closer look at the images:

Plus I decorated the inside:

I began by printing out my digital image onto alcohol marker friendly card, coloured it with Promarkers and added some white gel pen highlights.  I added some stickles glitter to the 'snow' so that it would glisten.  I fussy cut the image around the border.  In my original inspiration photo there was a squirrel and bunny so I stamped one of each and again coloured them with Promarkers before fussy cutting them out.  I found some dark green patterned paper so cut it into strips and added them directly onto my 5" x 7" card base with double sided tape.  I adhered the image panel on top with foam tape.  I also added the squirrel and bunny with foam squares.  I stamped and die cut the Merry Christmas sentiment and added that with foam squares.  I didn't add any embellishments as I felt there was lots going on already.  For the inside I coloured the top part of the digital image (a failed print that came out the wrong orientation lol) and coloured it with Promarkers.  I added a strip of patterned paper behind it and added it to a white panel, adding a red strip above it. This was matted onto a dark green panel.  I stamped a sentiment in black ink in the centre.  The panel was then added to my card base with double sided tape.  A very traditional card but perfect for an older friend this Christmas.  

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

The 12 Months of Christmas Link Up challenge - ATG Christmas 

AAA Colourful challenge - colour board #10

Addicted to Stamps & More challenge - Christmas

A Place to Start challenge - ATG optional twist happy holidays (any holiday)

Christmas With The Cuties challenge - sparkle and shine (I used stickles glitter glue)

Creative Inspirations challenge - Christmas animals

Creative Moments challenge - winter 

Creative Friday challenge - any animals

Critter Crazy challenge - ATG with a featured animal

Dragonfly Dreams challenge - Christmas

Halloween & Other Occasions challenge - Christmas & other winter holidays

I Love Promarkers challenge - ATG/springtime

Merry Little Christmas challenge - Anything Christmas goes

Peace on Earth Christmas challenge - anything Christmas themed 

Pearly Sparkles challenge - Christmas 

Stamping Sensations challenge - AG option winter (supplies listed at bottom of post)

The Four Seasons challenge - ATG winter

The Dream Factory challenge - Christmas option funny cards

Tic Tac Toe challenge - #261 - sparkle/free/red and/or pink

Try It On Tuesday challenge - traditional Christmas

I'm sure this will be a popular challenge and I can't wait to see what you all come up with.  I would like to thank Brenda and all the team at We Love Stamping for asking me to be a guest designer and I would suggest you go and check out their amazing creations too.  

Have a wonderful day everyone; I appreciate you stopping by.  

Love and hugs, 

card ingredients:

LOTV - Christmas scenes post box digital image

LOTV - woodland fairies clear stamp (for squirrel and bunny) - stamp store currently closed

LOTV - verses clear stamp - stamp store currently closed 

Promarkers

Sakura - white no. 10 gelly roll pen

Gina K Designs - holiday floral bundle (for sentiment)

Gina K Designs - jelly bean green ink pad

Echo Park - dots & stripes 6x6 paper pad Christmas collection - retired

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

dark green card from stash

Ranger - crystal stickles glitter glue

Krafty Chicks challenge #744 - All Occasions

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. This week is Week 4 and as always the theme is 'All Occasions' and Lori is our hostess. As the theme suggests you are free to make whatever creation you like such as Christmas, new baby, anniversary or even birthday.  We hope you will come over and join in the fun with us.

It was my niece's birthday last weekend so I used this opportunity to make a card for her.  She's not really a girly girl so went for rainbow colours and some fun die cuts.  I hope you like it. 

Here is my card:

A close up of the die cuts:

Plus I decorated the inside:

I like to make 5" x 7" cards for close family so I cut my white panel to 4 3/4" x 6 3/4" and my black mat layer just an 1/8" bigger.  I began by ink blending my rainbow colours all over the white panel.  I then chose some fun musical themed stamps, as well as some splatter type stamps, and randomly stamped them over the ink blended panel to create a unique background.  I adhered the panels together with double sided tape.  I die cut the headphones from black and white card and added them together with liquid glue.  I stamped the sentiment in black ink onto white card and used a sentiment strip die to cut it out.  I die cut the word niece 3 times from black card and adhered them together with liquid glue.  Finally instead of embellishments I die cut some small stars from coloured card from each of the rainbow colours and some musical notes from black card.  The headphones, sentiment and stars were all added with foam squares and the niece word and musical notes were added with liquid glue.  The panel was then added to my card base with foam tape.  For the inside I cut the same size white and black panels and adhered them together with double sided tape.  I masked off a small border at the bottom and again ink blended and stamped to match the front of the card.  I added 2 stars and 1 musical note with liquid glue.  I stamped my sentiment in the upper centre of the panel with black ink.  The panel was then added to my card base with double sided tape.  A fun card, that's bright and funky, but not too girly.  

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

Cardz 4 Galz challenge - favourite colour combo (rainbow)

Colorful Options challenge - red (or rainbow inspired)

Crafty Calendar challenge - ATG

Fab 'n' Funky challenge - dies and/or punches

Halloween & Other Occasions challenge - always birthday

Simon Says Stamp Wednesday challenge - ATG

Sweet Stampin' challenge - birthday

The Sisterhood of Crafters challenge - ATG 

I hope you will be able to join us for our 'All Occasions' 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 ingredients:

MFT - headphones die set

MFT - musical notes die set - retired

MFT - blueprints 13 die set (for star) - retired

MFT - keep on rockin' clear stamp (for outside sentiment) - oos

MFT - distressed patterns clear stamp - oos

Funky Fossil Designs - press play clear stamp

LOTV - verses A5 polymer clear stamp (for inside sentiment) - stamps not currently available

Gina K Designs - large strip sentiments dies

Gina K Designs - ink pads - red hot, tangerine twist, wild dandelion, lucky clover, blue raspberry, wild wisteria

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

Hobbycraft - A4 black card 

Versafine - onyx black ink pad

pre-made 5" x 7" card blank

Fall Friends IG Card Hop - Week 12

Hello again friends; I am very late with my post this week; the day just got away from me. Anyway I'm back with my card for Week 12 of the 'Fall Friends' IG card hop organised by my lovely friend Kelly. This week is our final week and we have a fab 'mood board' for our inspiration.  A really fun theme and I can't wait to see what sparks your imagination.

Here is the mood board:

What comes to mind when you see this gorgeous photo?  I was immediately drawn to the leaves and the gorgeous colours so that I what I based my card on.  I have to say I did struggle a little this week (maybe I'm all fall'ed out lol!) and left it until the final moment to finish my card.  As a consequence the light was really gloomy and my photos are a little dark.  Anyway I hope you like it.

Here is my card:

A closer look at the leaves:

I also decorated the inside:

For a change I made a light brown card base.  I began by cutting a warm cream panel 4" x 5 1/4" and added some ink around the edges with kraft ink before adhering it directly onto my card base with double sided tape.  I die cut 4 leaves from brown, red, yellow and caramel card and also embossed them with a leaf embossing folder for some extra interest.  I die cut the thanks word 4 times and the shadow was die cut from vellum.  I added one layer onto the vellum and added the other 3 behind the vellum with liquid glue.  I stamped a sentiment onto cream card with brown ink and used a sentiment strip die to cut it out.  I arranged the leaves and added the sentiments, all with foam squares.  For a finishing touch I added some gold sequins.  For the inside I cut another warm cream panel 4" x 5 1/4" and inked around the edges with kraft ink and added it to the card base with double sided tape.  I die cut another 2 leaves but left them plain this time and added them to the bottom of the panel with liquid glue.  I stamped a sentiment in the centre with brown ink.   At the last minute I decided to add some crystal glaze to the thanks word so that it was shiny and looks dimensional.  

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

A Place to Start challenge - ATG optional twist sentiment of thanks

Can You Handle The Pressure challenge - ATG embossing optional twist winter fun

Cardz 4 Guyz challenge - grateful/thankful/blessed

Cupcake Inspirations challenge - toffee, yellow, red

Fab 'n' Funky challenge - dies and/or punches

If You Give a Crafter a Cookie challenge - inspired by the sentiment and colours

My Time To Craft challenge - thank you

Shopping Our Stash challenge - masculine

Simon Says Stamp Wednesday challenge - ATG

Word Power challenge - #11 (make the sentiment the focus)

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 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 ingredients:

Clearly Besotted - autumn flowers stamp & die set (I only used the dies) - retired

Gina K Designs - thanks & shadow die set 

Gina K Designs - doodled autumn clear stamp (for sub-sentiment) - retired

Gina K Designs - falling leaves embossing folder

Gina K Designs - sentiment strips dies 

Gina K Designs - ink pads - warm cocoa, kraft 

LOTV - verses A5 clear stamp - stamp store currently closed

Spellbinders - gold smooth disc color essentials sequins

All coloured card from my stash

Tonic Studios - Nuvo crystal glaze

Scrapping4Fun challenge - GDT card

Hello again friends; I'm back with my second card for today.  I am honoured to be joining the Scrapping4fun challenge this month as a guest designer and their theme couldn't be any easier - 'anything goes'.  

I had just received a new die set so decided to use that on my card along with a super cute image set that I've had for quite a while but never used.  

Here is my card:

A close up of the cute image:

Plus I decorated the inside:

I began by stamping the cute fox image onto alcohol marker friendly card and coloured him with Promarkers.  I felt the fox was looking at something so added the teeny butterfly to his right and also coloured that with Promarkers.  I also stamped the sentiment in black ink above the fox.  I die cut the card base from white card and then using the matting dies cut out some kraft card layers and patterned paper layers.  I also die cut my image with the smallest square layer.  I adhered all the layers together with a mix of liquid glue and double sided tape but added the image layer with foam squares.  I decided to add some leaf die cuts to the sides which I cut from white card but then added some orange ink blending for some interest.  I added these with liquid glue.  I finished with some gold sequins.  For the inside I cut the same layers and adhered them together with liquid glue and double sided tape.  I stamped the sentiment in the centre with black ink.  For extra stability I also added the layers to the back of the card (but forgot to take a photo of that).  The card size is a normal A2 (4 1/4" x 5 1/2") so is super cute and I really like the decorative scalloped edge on the bottom.  Expect to see more of these cards in the future lol!  

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

Allsorts challenge - ATG

Classic Design challenge - ATG optional twist autumn/fall

Colorful Options challenge - orange

Crafter's Cafe challenge - ATG optional include an animal

Crafty Animals challenge - ATG must include an animal

Creative Creases challenge - ATG with a fun fold

Creative Friday challenge - animals 

Critter Crazy challenge - ATG with a featured critter

Cut It Up challenge - colours of fall/autumn

Die Cut Divas challenge - ATG on a card for World Cardmaking Day

Girlz Creative Fun Art of Scrap challenge - ATG must include design paper

Halloween & Other Occasions challenge - always birthday

Hand Stamped Sentiments challenge - colour challenge #448

Incy Wincy Designs challenge - autumn/more than 1 fold

Moving Along With The Times challenge - autumnal colours

Simon Says Stamp Wednesday challenge - ATG

Please pop over to the Scrapping4fun challenge blog for all the details/rules and to see the amazing creations from the design team.  I hope you will find the time to enter the challenge and cannot wait to see all your projects in the linky.  

Thanks for stopping by and see you all soon.  

Love and hugs, 

card ingredients:

Studio Light - die set SL-ES-CD14 - currently on sale!

Funky Fossil Designs - little fox & friends stamp

Promarkers

Gina K Designs - foliage fillers dies (for leaf die cuts)

Authentique - glowing 6 x 6 pad - retired

LOTV - verses A5 polymer stamp (for inside greeting) - clear stamp store currently closed

Spellbinders - color essentials sequins gold smooth disc

Limetree Crafts - 250gsm silky smooth white card - currently oos

Crafter's Companion - kraft card

Heffy Doodle - alcohol marker friendly card - store sadly now closed

Memento - tuxedo black ink

Versafine - onyx black ink

Krafty Chicks challenge #732 - Stamps

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 1 which means that Leanne is your hostess and our theme as always is 'Stamps', so grab your stamps or digital images and come join in the fun with us.  

I needed to make a card for hubby's sister & brother in law's anniversary so this challenge was perfect for me.  I used some cute polymer stamps that I've for a couple of months but not used yet.  My card is 5" x 7" in size.  

Here is my card:

a closer look at the cute bees:

I decorated the inside too:

I began by stamping the two cute bee images onto alcohol marker friendly card, coloured them with Promarkers and added a few white highlights.  There aren't any dies for these stamps so I used a heart die to cut them out.  I found a really old paper pad that I think I got from Joanna Sheen (some of you will remember her lovely store) and cut a piece 4 1/2" x 6 1/2"; I also cut a slightly larger black mat and adhered them with double sided tape.  I die cut the large happy word 3 times from black card and adhered them together with liquid glue.  I stamped the anniversary word in black ink and used a sentiment strip die to cut it out.  I also stamped the sister & brother-in-law sentiment in black ink and used my trimmer to cut a rectangle; again I cut a black mat and adhered them together with double sided tape.  Finally I die cut hearts in 2 different sizes from red card.  I added the large hearts and sentiments with foam squares and the happy word and smaller hearts with liquid glue.  The panel was added to my card base with double sided tape.  For the inside I cut the same size panels and stamped the sentiment in the centre with black ink.  I added a strip of the paper at the top of the panel and stamped another bee in the bottom left corner.  I again coloured him with Promarkers and finished off with a few red hearts.  I added the panel onto my card base with double sided tape.  A fun anniversary card and I hope you like it.  

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 like to add dimension and layers to my cards)

Crafty Animals challenge - ATG but must include an animal

Critter Crazy challenge - ATG with a featured critter

I Love Promarkers challenge - ATG option autumn gold and browns

Scrapping4Fun challenge - ATG with a stamp

Simon Says Stamp Wednesday challenge - stamp it

Stamping Sensations challenge - ATG option animal magic

We Love Stamping challenge - hand coloured image

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

LOTV - happy bees A5 polymer stamp set - stamp store is currently closed

Promarkers

Mama Elephant - happy everything stamp & happy script die

Presscut - heart nesting dies

MFT - tag builder blueprints 6 (for hearts)

Clearly Besotted Stamps - friends & family stamp - retired

Cardmaking Magic - verses for occasions (for inside sentiment) - currently oos

Limetree Crafts - 250gsm silky smooth white card - currently oos

Hobbycraft - A4 black card

Sakura - no 10. white gelly roll pen

red card from scraps bin

Summer Soiree Card Making IG Hop - Week 10

Hello friends; I hope you've had a great start to your week.  Not a great week, weather-wise, here; it's grey, windy and very showery, although today has been dry so far.  Not really August weather so far this month.  

We are now up to Week 10 of our Summer Soiree IG card hop, which has been organised by my lovely friend Kelly. This is the penultimate week and our theme is 'summer treats' so think ice cream, lollies (or popsicles as they call them across the pond), an iced frappuccino, etc the list is endless.  

I was really pushed for time making my card this week and was delighted when searching through my stash I found these images already stamped, coloured and fussy cut and ready to go - score!  

Here is my card:

A close up of the cute images:

Plus I decorated the inside:

I cut my white panel to 4" x 5 1/4" and simply stencilled the background using a fun splat stencil.  I added the images with foam squares and stamped the sentiment below in black ink.  I added the panel to the card base with foam tape.  For the inside I cut another white panel the same size, stencilled a portion of the design in the bottom right corner and stamped the sentiment in the centre with black ink.  I did have to quickly stamp one more ice lolly and coloured it with promarkers and again fussy cut it out.  I added it over the partial splat with liquid glue.  The panel was added to the card base with double sided tape.  I think was the quickest card I've made for a while, thanks to most of the images already being done.  I think it's a fun thank you card; I hope you like it too. 

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

Addicted to CAS challenge - blended (I blended 2 pink inks through my stencil)

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

Allsorts challenge - summer days

Creative Inspirations challenge - summer fun

Daisy Chain challenge - for the girls

Dream Valley challenge - hand coloured image

Halloween & Other Occasions challenge - summer

Moving Along With The Times challenge - summer fun

Stencil Fun challenge - anything stencil goes optional theme summer time

The Four Seasons challenge - anything goes summer

We Love Stamping challenge - focal sentiment/quote or ATG

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 in 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:

Heffy Doodle - treat yo'self stamp set - store now sadly closed

Promarkers

Clearly Besotted - splat it stencil

LOTV - verses A5 stamp set (for inside sentiment) - their stamp shop is temporarily closed

Gina K Designs - ink pads - bubblegum pink, passionate pink

Limetree Crafts - 250gsm silky smooth white card

Heffy Doodle - alcohol marker friendly card

Versafine - onyx black ink pad

Memento - tuxedo black ink