Krafty Chicks challenge #814 - Birthday

Good morning lovely friends; I hope you're having a great week. It's time for a new challenge over at Krafty Chicks challenge and this week we are on Week 1; as always the theme is 'birthday' and Leanne is our hostess. This is such an easy challenge as we always need birthday cards so we hope you will come over and join in the fun with us.

My mother asked me to make a special birthday card for her friend's 80th birthday and she wanted it 7" x 7" in size.  I had recently purchased some lovely flower dies (that I saw on Lorraine's blog) and had to have so decided to use them on this card.  I used my printer for the sentiments this time as she wanted it personalised.  I hope you like it.

Here is my card:

A closer look at the flowers:

Plus I decorated the inside:

I began by creating my card base; I cut one panel 7" x 7" and one panel 7" x 8" from white card.  I scored the larger panel at 1" on the 8" side and then used this as a hinge to adhere both panels together.  I found a really pretty 12" x 12" paper pad and used that for my background and also to cut the bottom layer of the flowers.  I used white for the top layer of the flowers and adhered the two layers together with liquid glue.  I cut the paper to 6 1/2" square and matted it onto gold mirror card with double sided tape.  I used my printer to create the personalised message and cut it down to 5" square, again matteing it onto the gold card.  I added some scrap white card behind the smaller panel and adhered it to the background with double sided tape.  I adhered the flowers with foam squares and finished off with some gold sequins.  For the inside I again printed my sentiment using the computer and cut it down to 6 1/2" square and matted it onto the gold card.  I added a strip of the paper at the bottom along with a thin strip of the gold card above.  I added a large flower to the bottom left and a small flower to the top right before adhering the panel to the card base with double sided tape.  

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

Addicted to Stamps & More challenge - any occasion (3rd entry)

As You Like It challenge - favourite embellishment (again using my smooth flat sequins; so pretty and suitable for all ages and occasions)

Beautiful Blossoms challenge - anything floral goes optional mood board

Craft Rocket challenge - layer it up

Creative Friday challenge - birthday

Die Cut Divas challenge - anniversary or birthday card

Pearly Sparkles challenge - something old, something new (old papers, new flower dies)

Simon Says Stamp Wednesday challenge - happy birthday

The Paper Funday challenge - ATG optional twist die cuts/punches

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 want to say how much I appreciate your lovely comments, your support really does mean the world to me.

Love and hugs,

card supplies:

Hunkydory - moonstone fabulous flowers die set

Craft Consortium - ink drops: candy 12" x 12" paper pad

Spellbinders - gold smooth disc color essentials sequins

Limetree Craft - 12" x 12" silky smooth 250gsm white card

gold mirror card from stash

printer & computer for sentiments

Krafty Chicks challenge #810 - Birthday

Good morning lovely friends; I hope you're having a great week. It's time for a new challenge over at Krafty Chicks challenge and this week we are on Week 1; as always the theme is 'birthday' and Leanne is our hostess. This is such an easy challenge as we always need birthday cards so we hope you will come over and join in the fun with us.

I didn't have anyone in mind when I made this card and as there are quite a few 'green' challenges around at the moment I decided to use a green & gold colour combo for my card.  It turned out quite clean and simple too but I love the finished card and I hope you do too. 

Here is my card:

A closer look at the details:

Plus I decorated the inside:

I started by cutting a white panel 4" x 5 1/4" and using a stencil and some green ink created my soft background.  I die cut two of the leaf clusters, one in gold and one in vellum and cut them in half as they were quite long.  I adhered the vellum leaf first and then laid the gold one over top using liquid glue.  I gold heat embossed the sentiment and used a sentiment strips die to cut it out (I also cut 3 more from white card to stack behind it).  I adhered the sentiment across the middle of the leafery with liquid glue and finished off with a few gold pearls.  I added some scrap white card behind my panel and then adhered it to the card base with double sided tape.  For the inside I cut another white panel 4" x 5 1/4" and stencilled a border at the bottom before adding some tiny pieces of the leafery with liquid glue.  I stamped a sentiment in green ink and then adhered the panel to my card base with double sided tape.  

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

A Cut Above challenge - ATG with a die cut

Aud Sentiments challenge - glitter/bling and/or St. Patrick's green + sentiment

Cardz 4 Galz challenge - embossing heat or dry (my sentiment is heat embossed)

Colourful Options challenge - green

Craft Rocket challenge - no design paper

Creative Moments challenge - feminine

Fab 'n' Funky challenge - shades of green

Heart's Quest Celebrations of Love challenge - BEWAS (birthday)

INKspiration challenge - use utensils

Inspiration Station challenge - inspiration photo (I was inspired by the colours)

Just Us Girls challenge - die week - luck/green

Mix It Up challenge - ATG optional die cuts

PINspirational challenge - green and gold

Stencil Fun challenge - use a stencil optional vines/vinery

Try It On Tuesday challenge - make it feminine

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 want to say how much I appreciate your lovely comments, your support really does mean the world to me.

Love and hugs,

card supplies:

Simon Says Stamp - outline clustered leaves die

Simon Says Stamp - birthday basics stamp

*Gina K Designs - decorative double stencil

Gina K Designs - sentiment strips die 

Gina K Designs - lucky clover ink pad

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

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

Versamark - watermark ink pad

Cosmic Shimmer - bright gold detail embossing powder

Stampin' Up! - card stock vellum (retired)

gold mirror card from stash

*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

Krafty Chicks challenge #806 - Birthday

Good morning lovely friends; I hope you're having a great week.  It's time for a new challenge over at Krafty Chicks challenge and this week we are on Week 1; as always the theme is 'birthday' and Leanne is our hostess. This is such an easy challenge as we always need birthday cards so we hope you will come over and join in the fun with us.

I'm sharing the card I made for my niece's 21st birthday and although I've made something similar in the past I did step it up a little and I think it's an elegant card for a special birthday.  My card size is 5 1/2" x 7 1/2".  I hope you like it.

Here is my card:

A closer look at the details:

Plus I decorated the inside:

I began by taking some smooth white card and created my card base by cutting it to 11" x 7 1/2" and scoring on the long side at 5 1/2".  I used my score board to score 5 lines vertically for some texture and visual interest in the background and matted this panel onto a gold mirror card layer with double sided tape.  I also added some gold and black spatter.  I die cut some leaves from white card and also a couple from vellum and also die cut the happy birthday frame from vellum twice.  I cut a white circle to go behind the vellum frame and also used gold mirror card to die cut the 21, along with a few extra white ones so that I could layer them up with liquid glue.  I stamped the sentiment using black ink and die cut it out with a sentiment strips die.  I adhered the birthday frame together with liquid glue, putting it sparingly so that it would be less noticeable through the vellum and added the white circle behind it.  I added the leaves vertically along the score lines with liquid glue, adding the circle frame with foam squares.  I adhered the 21 with liquid glue into the centre of the circle and the sentiment on the bottom edge of the circle with foam squares.  I finished off with some gold and black metallic pearls.  I added some scrap white card behind the panel and then adhered it to the card base with double sided tape.  For the inside I cut another white panel and added it onto a gold mat panel with double sided tape.  I added some gold and black spatter to the bottom third and adhered a cluster of leaves in the left lower corner.  I stamped the sentiment in the centre with black ink.  I adhered the panel onto the card base with double sided tape.  

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

Aud Sentiments challenge - dies and/or love, anniversary, wedding + sentiment

Crafts Galore Encore challenge - ATG

Let's Craft & Create challenge - ATG + from the heart

The Paper Funday challenge - ATG optional pastel colours

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 want to say how much I appreciate your lovely comments, your support really does mean the world to me.

Love and hugs,

card ingredients:

*Gina K Designs - foliage fillers die set

Gina K Designs - Master Layouts 03 die set (for white circle)

Gina K Designs - large strip sentiments die set

MFT - happy birthday circle frame die

MFT - by the numbers die set

Honey Bee Stamps - this one's for the girls stamp (for outside sentiment)

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

Stampin' Up! - card stock vellum

Limetree Craft - 280gsm silky smooth white card (not available currently but other options can be found here and here)

Versafine Clair - nocturne ink pad

gold mirror card from stash

Kuretake - gansai tambi starry colours paint palette (for gold spatters)

MFT - black hybrid ink pad (for black spatters)

*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

Krafty Chicks challenge #801 - birthday

Good morning lovely friends and Happy New Year to you!  I would like to take this opportunity to wish you love, happiness and good health in 2026 with some crafty goodness thrown in for good measure too lol!  I'm not totally sure where 2025 went but onwards and upwards in a brand new year.  

It's time for a new challenge over at Krafty Chicks challenge and this week we are on Week 1; as always the theme is 'birthday' and Leanne is our hostess. This is such an easy challenge as we always need birthday cards so we hope you will come over and join in the fun with us.

I received my new Gina K goodies yesterday and had to use them straight away.  I love this bundle; the size is perfect for smaller or larger cards and the design is just beautiful.  I think I will be reaching for this one often.  I saw a beautiful card by Mindy Eggen that I wanted to recreate for an upcoming birthday.  As the card will be for a family member I made it slightly larger at 5 1/2" x 7 1/2".  Mindy's card just made me swoon when I saw it and I know mine's not as perfect as hers but I am really happy with how it turned out.  I hope you like it too.  

Here is my card:

A closer look at the beautiful flowers:

Plus I decorated the inside:

I began by making my card base which I created from smooth white card cut to 11" x 7 1/2" and scored on the long side at 5 1/2".  I began by die cutting 4 of the floral arrangements from smooth white card.  I then took the coordinating stencils and using the same colour combo as Mindy stencilled 2 of the die cuts and left 2 of them white so that I could layer them up with liquid glue.  I cut a pink panel 5 1/2" x 7 1/2" and attached it to the card base with double sided tape.  Funny story the first time I did this I attached it upside down, haven't done that for a while, so I chopped off the front and reattached it to another card base.  I cut a stitched white panel from ML 17 and layered some scrap white card behind for a little bit of dimension and adhered that to the centre of the pink panel with double sided tape.  Mindy used a 'spatter' stamp to add some interest to the corners of her white panel and initially as I didn't have this stamp I wasn't going to put anything there except maybe a few pearls, however I remembered that the snowy background looks like splatter so I carefully masked off the corners and just using part of the background stamp added some black 'splatters' to the top left and bottom right corners.  I then adhered the flower arrangements in the top right and bottom left corners with liquid glue.  I stamped and die cut a sentiment and again layered it up with another one cut from white card and added that to the centre of the white panel with liquid glue.  The front didn't need anything else so I left it like that.  For the inside I cut a pink panel 5 1/4" x 7 1/4".  I also die cut another white stitched rectangle and stamped the sentiment in the centre with black ink.  I decided to stencil just the one flower in the bottom left corner using the same pink inks.  I adhered the panels together with double sided tape before adding it onto the card base, again with double sided tape.  

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

Beautiful Blossoms challenge - anything floral goes with optional mood board

Craft Rocket challenge - something new (new die/stencil bundle and ink pads)

Creative Knockouts challenge - celebrations

Cut It Up challenge - ATG with a die cut

Die Cut Divas challenge - use a new crafty item (my die/stencil bundle & cranberry inks)

Little Red Wagon challenge - use the force! (I stamped, die cut and stencilled)

Moving Along With The Times challenge - use stencils and/or dies (I used both)

Simon Says Stamp Wednesday challenge - add a sentiment 

Stencil Fun challenge - ATG must use a stencil optional winter related

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 want to say how much I appreciate your lovely comments, your support really does mean the world to me.   

Love and hugs,

card ingredients:

*Gina K Designs - divine rose die & stencil bundle

Gina K Designs - master layouts 17 die set (for stitched rectangle)

Gina K Designs - snowy background stamp

Gina K Designs - graceful greetings stamp & die set (for outside sentiment)

Gina K Designs - on the inside: birthday (for inside sentiment)

Gina K Designs - ink pads - light cranberry, medium cranberry, key lime, grass green, fresh asparagus

Limetree Crafts - 280gsm silky smooth white card

Versafine Clair - nocturne ink pad

pink card from my stash

*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

Krafty Chicks challenge #797 - 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 we are on Week 1; as always the theme is 'birthday' and Leanne is our hostess. This is such an easy challenge as we always need birthday cards so we hope you will come over and join in the fun with us.

It was my niece's birthday a few week's ago and I'm sharing the card I made for her.  She's not a very girly girl and loves her branded sneakers/trainers.  She was lucky enough to go to NYC for her birthday 2 years ago and had some custom work done on her trainers to wear whilst she was there so I decided to replicate these for her card this year.  Here are her custom trainers:

Here is the card I made:

A closer look at the details:

Plus I decorated the inside:

As the card was for my niece I made my card base 6" x 8" but eventually trimmed it down to 5 1/2" x 7 1/2" as it fitted the layout better.  I die cut the trainers from white card and the details from black card and adhered them with liquid glue.  I didn't have a NYC skyline die so just used a generic one that I had but I think it still looks great; I also cut this from black card and adhered it with liquid glue.  I know my niece's trainers were mostly white but I used artistic licence as I felt the black looked better on my card!  I created the background by ink smooshing grey ink onto a white panel and once dry layered it onto a black mat layer with double sided tape.   I cut a white panel and embossed it with a star folder and again matted it onto a black layer; I also added some scrap white card behind this panel for some extra dimension.  I stamped the sentiments in black onto some scrap white card and used a banner die and sentiment strips die to cut them out.  I adhered the ink smooshed panel onto the card base with double sided tape,  added the embossed panel into the centre, also with double sided tape and placed the trainers on top with foam squares.  I placed the sentiments in the top right and bottom left corners with foam squares.  As a final finishing touch I die cut some stars from black card and arranged them around the trainers with liquid glue.  For the inside I cut another white panel and ink smooshed around the edge leaving a white panel in the centre for my sentiment and to be able to write my message (I simply held a scrap piece of paper over the centre whilst smooshing and removed it before it dried).  I stamped the sentiment in black ink and added a few black stars to the bottom left corner.  This panel was then adhered to a black mat layer with double sided tape and added to the card base.  I'm really happy with how this card turned out; there is so much texture and dimension and although it's for my niece it's quite gender neutral and would be suitable for anyone.  I hope you like it too.

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

A Cut Above challenge - ATG with a die cut (entry #3)

Can You Handle The Pressure challenge - ATG embossing optional twist card of thanks

Hearts Quest Celebrations of Love challenge - BEWAS (birthday)

Simon Says Stamp Wednesday challenge - use dies in diecember

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. 

Love and hugs,

card supplies:

MFT - all stars dienamics 

Clearly Besotted - cityscape die

Creative Designs - shadow stars embossing folder

MFT - blueprints 13 (for smaller stars)

MFT blueprints 18 (for banner die and larger star)

Stampin' Up! - family party stamp

Honey Bee Stamps - inside: birthday sentiments 

Gina K Designs* - large strip sentiments die

Gina K Designs - soft stone ink pad

Limetree Crafts - 280gsm silky smooth card

Limetree Crafts - 220gsm black card

Versafine Clair - nocturne ink pad

*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

AAA Birthday challenge #80 - box card

Good morning lovely friends and welcome to the last month of 2025!  I can't believe it's already December 1st - where did November go?   As it's the first of the month it means we have a brand new challenge over at AAA Birthday. This month's theme is 'box card' which may sound intimidating but there are lots of tutorials out there to follow (there are links over on the challenge blog if you want check them out).  Our guest designer again this month is the talented Sigrid so please pop over to her blog and leave her some love.

To create my box card I used a die set from Studio Light, which I have used once before to make a birthday box card for our cat Willow, which you can see here.  This time around I simply used all the dies in the set to create my card and I think it turned out so pretty and girly.  I hope you like it.   There are a few more photos today as I tried to get as many good views of the project as possible!

Here is my box card:

Plus I added a white panel on the back to write my message:

To create the box you need to die cut two of the pieces and adhere them together to make the box shape so I began by die cutting two of them from black card.  I adhered them together with strong red line tape so I know they would stay secure.  I also cut three of the supports for the inside of the box from black card.  I used a very old but a really pretty paper pad to cut the layers (the stripe paper has glitter running through it and looks beautiful in real life) and cut the back panel from white card and stamped a sentiment in the centre with black ink.   I then added them to the box with liquid glue. As I said I decided to stick with just the dies in the set so cut the butterflies from pink and orange scrap card (to match the papers) and also cut some leaves from paper from the pad.  I also die cut the grass from two different colours of green card from my scraps bin.  I stamped the happy birthday sentiment onto white card and used the decorative label die to cut it out; I also cut the layer from black card.  I adhered them together with liquid glue.  It was now time to decorate the box.  I adhered the grass to the inside supports with liquid glue and then added them into the box with more of the red line tape.  I adhered two of the smaller butterflies directly to the grass and box with liquid glue but the others had a tiny piece of acetate stuck to the backs with double sided tape so that they look like they are flying above the grass.  I did cover the backs with another butterfly to hide the tape.  These three butterflies were then adhered to the supports with red line tape.  I adhered two more of the butterflies to the side flaps with foam squares and the sentiment to the front also with foam squares.  I added two leaves behind the sentiment label (but not sure if I like them now lol!) and finished off with some black pearls in the centres of each of the butterflies.  I also added a butterfly to the white panel on the back.  At the last moment I decided to cut two banners, one from orange and one from pink card for the back flap; I adhered the orange one with liquid glue and the pink one with foam squares.  A really sweet box card and the added bonus is that is folds flat and will fit in an A2 envelope.  

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

A Cut Above challenge - ATG with a die cut

Creative Creases challenge - ATG with a fun fold

Creative Friday challenge - ATG

Cut It Up challenge - fun fold + use a die cut

Girlz Rebel challenge - something beginning with B (butterflies/box card)

Little Red Wagon challenge - pearls & sequins & gems, oh my

Simon Says Stamp Monday challenge - use dies in Diecember

Simon Says Stamp Wednesday challenge - ATG

Tic Tac Toe challenge - shaped card, free, foliage

The Design Team have created amazing cards as always so please pop over to the blog and check them out and perhaps leave them some love on their personal blogs. I hope you will be able to join in with the challenge this month but don't forget it has to be birthday themed. I can't wait to see your creations in the linky.

Have a great day.

Love and hugs,

box card supplies:

Studio Light - exploding box die set (SL-ES-CD116)

MFT - sweet 16 stamp (for happy birthday sentiment)

DCWV - Nana's nursery - baby girl 4 1/2" x 6 1/2" paper pad

Limetree Craft - 220gsm black card

Versafine Clair - nocturne ink pad

Gina K Designs - on the inside stamp set (for sentiment on the back)

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

coloured card from scraps bin

acetate from stash

* 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