The Crafty Den: Teresa Collins

Thursday, 3 September 2026

Krafty Chicks challenge #836 - Birthday

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 is Week 1, our theme is 'birthday' and our hostess is Leanne. We always need birthday cards, gift packaging and decorations so I'm sure you will find this week a breeze! We hope you will come over and join in the fun with us.

I found a stamp and matching stencil in my stash that I don't think I've ever used so I thought it was time to show it some love. I went with a pretty colour combo of purple, yellow and green and made a shaped card. 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 stamped the image using a sandy beach ink pad; I left my stamp in the Misti whilst I stencilled, and then re-stamped it with black ink at the end so that I wouldn't smudge the black ink when doing my blending. I used 2 shades of lilac on the larger flowers and 2 shades of yellow on the smaller flowers and buds. I used 2 shades of green for the leaves. It's a really pretty, girly colour combo and not one I use very often but I should. I die cut the panel using the notched corner frame die and decided to use the largest notched corner die to make a shaped card, which I cut from dark purple card. I added the stencilled panel onto the card base with liquid glue. I stamped the sentiment with black ink and used the coordinating die to cut it out (as well as 3 plain white ones so that I could layer it up) and then added that two thirds of the way down using liquid glue. I finished off with some black pearls. Apart from the sentiment there isn't much dimension on my card (for a change). For the inside I cut a white panel using the notch corner frame die. I would usually add some more stencilling on the bottom of my panel to coordinate with the front but to be honest I was pressed for time and had already cleaned my stencil so instead used a piece of yellow patterned paper, again cut with the die, and adhered them together with liquid glue. I also added a thin strip of the purple card above the paper with liquid glue. I stamped the sentiment in the centre with black ink and added the panel onto my card base with liquid glue.

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

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

Beautiful Blossoms challenge - anything floral goes optional mood board

Color Dare challenge - #718 (I used purple, yellow and green)

Cupcake Inspirations challenge - in the garden (flowers)

Heart's Quest for Shaped Cards & Tags challenge - ATG

NBUS challenge - use new and unused stuff (my stamp/stencil)

Simon Says Stamp Wednesday challenge - stamp it

Stencil Fun challenge - use a stencil optional theme: yellow

Triple B challenge - birds, blooms and/or butterflies optional mood board

Unicorn challenge - not square

I hope you will be able to join us for our 'birthday' 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. I'll be back in a little while with my card for this week's Just Us Girls challenge.

Love and hugs,

card supplies:

Pinkfresh Studio - delicate floral print cling stamp & stencil

Spellbinders - notched corner frames die set

Gina K Designs - courtyard silhouettes stamp & die (for outside sentiment)

Gina K Designs - springy sketches mini stamp (for inside sentiment)

Gina K Designs - ink pads - light lilac, medium lilac, lemon drop, wild dandelion, jelly bean green, fresh asparagus, sandy beach

Gina K Designs - black, gold & silver metallic pearl mix

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

Versafine Clair - nocturne ink pad

Teresa Collins - every day moments 6x6 paper pad - discontinued

purple card from my stash

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

Wednesday, 5 June 2024

Mini Card Challenge IG Hop - Week 4

Hello friends and happy Wednesday. I trust your week has been good so far. I'm back to share my card for the final week of the Mini Card challenge IG Hop, which has been organised by my lovely friend Kelly. It's a chance to keep us occupied and our creativity flowing before the Summer 2024 Hop begins.

This week we are challenging ourselves to use up old, forgotten and hoarded supplies (I'm sure we all have lots of these hiding in our cupboards) or use up some of those backgrounds you've created and put in a drawer. You can choose to use 1, 2 or all 3 of the parameters. I decided to use all 3 on my card and as we are using old, forgotten supplies, I thought I would go 'old-school' and make a layered, 6" x 6" card like I used to in the olden days!

Here is my card:

A close up of the image:

I decorated the inside:

I also made my own envelope and decorated it:

I began by stamping my very old wooden block stamp from Elzybells (maybe 2008/09) onto alcohol marker friendly card and coloured it with my Promarkers. I dug out a very old 6" x 6" paper pad (again from 2012) and matted the pieces onto navy card. I used another embossed background which went a bit awry and distressed looking but most of it is covered by the patterned paper! I fussy cut some of the yellow flowers from a sheet that I had already used as I thought they would be pretty decorations. I made my own 6" x 6" card blank and added my layers with double sided tape. I used a die to cut the yellow dotted paper so that it would have a decorative stitched edge. I placed this in a diagonal position for some extra interest and this also meant I could tuck my flowers into the corners. I added my coloured image in the centre and adhered it with foam squares. I fussed about with various sentiments but then remembered I had just received a new set from Simon Says Stamp which had a matching die-set so I thought it would be perfect as it wouldn't hide too much of my image. I stamped it in navy ink, die cut it out and added to my card with thin foam strips. I did get a little ink on my image panel so added a couple of clear sequins to hide my boo-boo! As a finishing touch I added some clear glaze into the centre of the flowers. For the inside I cut a white panel and adhered it to a navy panel with double sided tape. I added a strip of the yellow paper on the bottom and a thin strip of blue card. I also tucked another yellow flower under the border with liquid glue. I stamped my sentiment in black ink in the centre of the panel. I adhered the whole panel to my card base with double sided tape. I don't have any 6" x 6" envelopes any more so used my 1-2-3 punch board to make my own from navy card. I decorated the front and the back flap with more of the fussy cut flowers. It's very different to my more minimal style these days but I think it turned out really pretty.

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

Allsorts challenge - lots of layers

Alphabet challenge - embossing wet or dry (my blue panel is heat embossed)

As You Like It challenge - embossing wet/dry (I love the look of heat embossing but I'm not very good at it. My blue panel is embossed and again it looks a little distressed but I'll keep practising).

Daisy Chain challenge - birthday

Double D challenge - pick 3; old, new, borrowed, blue (old stamp, new birthday stamp, blue colour)

Everybody Art challenge - 3 patterned papers (script, dots and flowers cut from one sheet)

Little Red Wagon challenge - so cute

Make My Monday challenge - B is for...... birthday, blooms & blue

Pearly Sparkles challenge - one for the girls

Triple B challenge - include at least one bird, bloom or butterfly

Try It On Tuesday challenge - emboss it (my blue panel is embossed)

Unicorn challenge - embossing (my blue panel is embossed)

We Love Stamping challenge - fabulous florals/anything goes

If you would like to follow the hop over on Instagram please use the hashtag #minicardchallenges 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 mixed up challenges a try and again use the hashtag and we will find your projects. I'm sad that this particular hop is coming to an end but it won't be long before the Summer hop begins.

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,