The Crafty Den: Spring Into Cardmaking IG Hop

Wednesday, 17 April 2024

Spring Into Card Making IG Hop - Week 6

Hello friends; I hope you're having a great day. I'm back to share this week's card for the Spring Into Card Making IG Hop, which has been organised by my lovely friend Kelly. 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's inspiration prompt is 'spring into action' so we want to see something interactive on your cards this week; even if it's just an action wobbler. If interactive cards are not your things we would love to see your spring themed cards. I originally made a card with an action wobbler but I didn't love it so decided to make another; the second card is a tent style card with a swinging action. I hope you like it.

Here is my card:

A closer look at the cute images:

There is no inside as such so I decorated the back:

It's not a very good photo but I wanted to show you the side view:

The basic size of the card is a regular US A2 (4 1/4" x 5 1/2") so I made my card base from white card and then cut a smaller piece 4 1/4" x 2" to create the 'W' for the inside using my score board to score at every 1/2" (I hope that makes sense). Before sticking everything together I cut a rectangle from the front of the card so that I could make my scene. I also created a background piece using cloud and grass stencils and adhered it to the inside of the card with double sided tape. I stamped 2 monkeys, some branches and some bananas and coloured them with Promarkers; I then used the matching dies to cut them out. I know you can buy the swinging mechanisms but to be honest I very rarely make these types of cards so had a go at making my own. I cut a thin strip of acetate and punched a small hole in the top. I die cut 6 smaller circles from white card and adhered them together with liquid glue. By placing the smaller circles inside the acetate circle will enable my monkey to swing. To keep it all together I punched 2 larger white circles and enclosed it all together. I did have to trim my acetate a little to enable it to swing freely and also so that it wouldn't show behind the monkey. I cut some green card using a scalloped die and added this to the top of the rectangle on the inside so that it would hide my mechanism. I'm sorry if my instructions are not clear; I didn't think to take step by step photos as I wasn't sure it would even work lol! I'm sure if you check Pinterest you will find some instructions there. I added my branches, monkeys and bananas and then stamped my sentiment (which was made up of 2 different stamp sets). As there is no traditional inside of the card I decorated the back with another stencilled panel and also added another monkey. I haven't added a sentiment yet but will do that when I know who I am sending the card to. I adhered the panel with double sided tape. I then finished the card by adding the 'W' to each side of the card (using extra strong tape) to make it stand up (although it is a little bowed as I didn't take into account the extra bulk of the swing mechanism). I didn't feel the need to add any embellishments as there was so much going on. I really hope you like it. I did take a short video and if you want to see it swing please pop over to my Instagram.

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

Addicted to Stamps & More challenge - make your mark

As You Like It challenge - cute or floral (I love cute animal images and they suit all ages)

Creative Creases challenge - ATG with a fun fold

CRAFT challenge - inspired by a movie (jungle book)

Crafty Animals challenge - ATG must include an animal

Crafty Catz challenge - ATG option any cute critter

Creative Moments challenge - cute and cuddly

Critter Crazy challenge - ATG with a featured critter

Daisy Chain challenge - not square

Dragonfly Dreams challenge - use a die

Fab 'n' Funky challenge - add a sentiment

I love Promarkers challenge - ATG option shapes

Incy Wincy Designs challenge - inspired by a song/book or movie (jungle book)

Inkspirational challenge - word prompt FOLD

Moving Along With the Times challenge - fancy folds

Simply Create Too challenge - more than one fold

Simon Says Stamp Monday challenge - make your own background

Simon Says Stamp Wednesday challenge - stencil it

Stencil Fun challenge - Anything stencil goes option spring/flowers

The Cutie Pie challenge - simply cuties

Tic Tac Toe challenge - stencil/die cut/critter

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:

Heffy Doodle - Chimply the best stamp & die set

Heffy Doodle - alcohol marker friendly card

Gina K Designs - Easter blessing stamp set (for part of sentiment)

Gina K Designs - ink pads - sea glass and grass green

MFT - mini cloud edges stencil

MFT - grassy edges stencil

Hero Arts - nesting rectangle dies

Spellbinders - standard circles large dies (for larger circles in my mechanism)

Clearly Besotted Stamps - scalloped edges die collection

Promarkers

Craft UK Ltd - 12 x 12 250gsm smooth white card

Limetree Crafts - 250gsm silky smooth white card

Versafine - onyx black ink pad

Memento - tuxedo black ink pad

green card from stash

Wednesday, 20 March 2024

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