Penny Black Saturday challenge - guest designer card

Hello friends; it's another busy day on my blog today as I have two cards to share with you.  The first card is as guest designer for the Penny Black Saturday challenge.  I was lucky enough to win one of their recent challenges and was honoured to be asked to be a guest designer for them. The challenge is 'ATG' but has an optional twist of 'bright colours'.

I was going to use one of my favourite Penny Black hedgie stamps but then I remembered I had this cute 'balloon ride' stamp and I thought it would be perfect for the theme with the balloons in lots of bright colours.  I also decided to stencil some rainbow clouds for extra fun and I think it turned out super cute.  I hope you like it too.

Here is my card:

A closer look at the sweet image:

Plus I decorated the inside:

I began by stamping the image onto alcohol marker friendly card, coloured it with my Promarkers and added some white gelly roll pen highlights.  I don't have the die so I fussy cut him out.  I cut a white panel to 4" x 5 1/4" and using a cloud stencil and a rainbow of ink pads created my bright and happy background.  I decided to die cut a cityscape for my bear to float above and originally went with black (as I usually would) but it was too stark for this card so I re-cut it from beige card, which I think looks much better.  I cut two of the cityscapes and adhered them together with liquid glue for stability.  I stamped the sentiment onto white card using black ink and used a sentiment strip die to cut it out.  Now it was time to assemble the pieces; I added the cityscape to the very bottom of the panel using liquid glue and the floating bear with foam squares in the centre.  I felt the sentiment was too long as it was so cut it apart and added it to the left of the bear using foam squares.  The panel was then adhered to my card base using double sided tape.  For the inside I cut another white panel and added some rainbow clouds at the bottom.  I stamped, coloured and fussy cut another image and, although it pained me to do so, I cut it in half so that I could add it to the bottom of the panel (so that he looks like he is floating out of the bottom of the card!).  I stamped the sentiment in black ink alongside the image.  The panel was adhered to the card base using double sided tape. 

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

* to be updated *

Please pop over to the Penny Black Saturday challenge blog for all the details/rules and to see the amazing creations from the design team. I would like to thank Helen and the team for having me as a guest this month. There is a mid-way reminder post on the 17th October so I'll be back with another cute PB card then.  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 supplies:

Penny Black - balloon ride clear stamp

Promarkers

MFT - mini cloud edges stencil

Sakura - white no. 10 gelly roll pen

Clearly Besotted - a little sentiment clear stamp (for inside sentiment)

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

Gina K Designs - large strip sentiments die set

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

Limetree Craft - 300gsm smooth white card (for card base)

Versafine Clair - nocturne ink pad

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

Cut It Up challenge - guest designer card

Happy Friday friends; I'm here to share my card as guest designer for the Cut It Up challenge.  I was lucky enough to be a 'top cut' in one of their recent challenges and jumped at the chance to be a guest designer. The challenge this month is 'one for the boys/men' but you must include a die cut on your project. We all love our dies don't we so I'm sure it will be another popular challenge.  

As Father's Day is fast approaching I decided to make a card for my sons to give to their grandad.  I used a fun monster die and made a 5" x 7" card. The layout is fairly simple but I think it gives more attention to the cute monster.  I hope you like it. 

Here is my card:

A closer look at the fun monster:

Plus I decorated the inside:

I began by die cutting and assembling the cute monster using liquid glue (he reminds me of Sully from Monsters Inc. so I went with blue).  I die cut a plain white rectangle and added a little ink blending to the centre using a blue ink pad.  I also used the same ink and some water to add some splatters.  I added the monster using foam squares in the centre.  I stamped the sentiments onto white card with black ink and used my paper trimmer to cut them down.  I adhered them above and below the monster using foam squares.  I die cut a blue panel and a black mat layer and adhered them together with double sided tape.  I added some scrap white card behind my white panel and then added that onto the blue panel with double sided tape.  I made my card base from white card cut to 10" x 7" and scored at 5" on the long side.  I adhered the panel onto the front with double sided tape.  For the inside I cut another white panel, blue panel and black mat layer and adhered them together with double sided tape.  I die cut another monster and placed him in the bottom right corner (he looks like he's peeking out of the white panel) and stamped the sentiment in the centre with black ink.  I adhered the panel to the card base with liquid glue.  

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

CRAFT challenge - cute/ATG

Crafty Calendar challenge - all about the men/boys

Critter Crazy challenge - ATG with a featured critter

Dragonfly Dreams challenge - masculine

Everybody Art challenge - monochrome

Girlz Makes Guyz Cards challenge - no squares

Heart's Quest Celebrations of Love challenge - BEWAS optional theme masculine

Pearly Sparkles challenge - this makes me smile

Simon Says Stamp Monday challenge - masculine

Please pop over to the Cut It Up challenge blog for all the details/rules and to see the amazing creations from the design team. I would like to thank Larelyn and the team for having me as a guest this month. 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 supplies:

Spellbinders - monster love pop die set (DOML-Dec24) on clearance for a bargain price!

*Gina K Designs - master layouts 08 (for larger stitched rectangles)

Gina K Designs - master layouts 20 (for smaller plain rectangle)

Gina K Designs - ocean mist ink pad

Uniko - everyday family, everyday spring & everyday love stamp sets

Simon Says Stamp - brush stroke messages (for inside sentiment)

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

Limetree Craft - 220gsm black card

Versafine Clair - nocturne ink pad

coloured card from scraps bin

*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

The Sisterhood of Snarky Crafters - guest designer card

Hello Saturday friends; I'm here again today to share my card as guest designer for The Sisterhood of Snarky Crafters challenge. I was lucky enough to win one of their recent challenges and was honoured to be asked and jumped at the chance to be a guest designer. The challenge this month is 'R is for rainbow' and they want to see your actual rainbows or rainbow coloured projects.  Also snark is not mandatory but is highly encouraged and appreciated.

I love a good snarky sentiment so could not miss the opportunity to use one.  I recently got this fun Tim Holtz/Stampers Anonymous stamp & stencil combo and the fun cat along with the sentiments are just hilarious.  I kept it fairly simple but I think it turned out fab.  I hope you like it too. 

Here is my card:

A closer look at the details:

Plus I decorated the inside:

I began by die cutting a white panel 4" x 5 1/4" and using the stencil on an angle created my fun rainbow background (I only used the ink left on my brushes as it was such a small area).  I stamped the cat, the hat, balloon and tie onto alcohol marker friendly card and coloured them with Promarkers.  There aren't any dies so I fussy cut them out.  I decided to trim the panel down slightly so the finished size is 3 3/4' x 5" and adhered all the elements with foam squares.  I stamped the sentiment at the bottom with black ink (I laugh every time I read it lol!).  I didn't add any other dimension (for a change) and adhered the panel directly to my card with double sided tape.  For the inside I used the stencil along the bottom of the panel, again going in rainbow order.  I stamped the balloon string with black ink and adhered the balloon over top with liquid glue.  The sentiment was stamped in the centre with black ink and the panel was added to the card base with double sided tape.  

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

Alphabet challenge - C is for circles

Colorful Options challenge - option 3 - rainbow

Craft Rocket challenge - birthday

Crafter's Cafe challenge - ATG optional funny and/or comical

Crafty Animals challenge - ATG must include an animal

Crafty Calendar challenge - all about the men/boys

Creative Knockouts challenge - die cuts/stencils/punches (I stencilled my background)

Critter Crazy challenge - ATG with a featured critter

Dream Valley challenge - 4 legged friends

Heart's Quest Celebrations of Love challenge - BEWAS optional theme masculine

Let's Craft & Create challenge - a penny for your thoughts (use a sentiment)

Paper Rocks Scissors challenge - scissors; I fussy cut my images

Pearly Sparkles challenge - this makes me smile

Show Us Your Pussy Cat challenge - ATG must include a cat

Stencil Fun challenge - ATG optional theme butterflies

Sweet Stampin' challenge - something for the boys

Please pop over to The Sisterhood of Snarky Crafters challenge blog for all the details/rules and to see the amazing creations from the design team. I would like to thank Chris and the team for having me as a guest this month. 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 supplies:

Tim Holtz/Stampers Anonymous - snarky cat birthday stamp/stencil bundle

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

Versafine Clair - nocturne ink pad

Memento - tuxedo black ink pad

Promarkers

Sakura - white no. 10 gelly roll pen

Heffy Doodle - alcohol marker friendly card (store now closed)

*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

The Male Room challenge - guest designer

Hello friends; I'm here again this morning to share my card as GDT for The Male Room challenge.  I was lucky enough to win one of their recent challenges and was honoured to be asked to be a guest designer for them.  The challenge this month is 'the outdoors' so we want to see all your outdoor scenes but don't forget it has to be masculine themed.  

I recently bought a stamp set from a destash group as I thought it would be perfect for masculine cards; as it turned out it was perfect for this challenge.  I decided to make an easel card, as it's been so long since I made one.  I hope you like it. 

Here is my card:

An angled view to show off the easel:

A closer look at the image:

Plus I decorated the inside:

I made my easel card 6" square and scored the front panel at 3" to create the easel fold.  I covered each panel with a mixture of orange striped paper and green plaid paper, adding a black mat behind each paper.  I stamped the row of trees onto a piece of white card and initially coloured them with Zig markers but thought they looked a little pale so went over them with my Promarkers.  I made a mask for the trees and ink blended some sea glass ink around them for the sky and used lucky clover at the bottom of the panel for grass.  I also stamped some birds above the trees in black ink.  I cut the panel down to 4' square again added a black mat layer behind.  On a separate piece of white card I stamped the tent and fire, coloured them with Promarkers and fussy cut them out.  I added the tent in front of the trees using foam squares and then adhered the panel below the score line using foam squares.  For the inside I cut a white panel 4 3/4" x 3" and added a black mat layer.  I stamped the sentiment in black ink and added a thin strip of the plaid paper to the bottom.  I adhered this to the top of the inside panel with double sided tape.  I created a strip using the plaid paper 5 3/4" x 1" and added a black mat layer.  I stamped the sentiment to the right of centre and added that below the message panel using double sided tape.  I cut a small white circle and slightly larger black circle and adhered them together with liquid glue.  I then adhered the fire image onto the circle with a foam square.  I finished off with some solid black sequins.  

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

* to be updated *

Please pop over to The Male Room challenge blog for all the details/rules and to see the amazing creations from the design team. I would like to thank Helen and the team for having me as a guest this month. 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 supplies:

summer holiday stamp set free with Creative Stamping magazine

Promarkers

Me to You - spring chic 6x6 paper pad (for plaid paper)

Echo Park - candy shoppe dots & stripes 6x6 paper pad (for orange striped paper)

Waffle Flower - nesting circle dies

Heffy Doodle - happy camper mini stamp (for part of the front sentiment)

Honey Bee Stamps - swimming by stamp (for birthday word)

Spellbinders - black color essential smooth disc sequins

Limetree Craft - 12" x 12" 300gsm smooth white card

Limetree Craft - 220gsm black card

*Gina K Designs - ink pads - sea glass and lucky clover

*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

Caffeinated Christmas Card challenge #54 - Guest Designer

Hello again friends, welcome back to my blog. I was lucky enough to be invited to be a guest designer for the Caffeinated Christmas Card challenge this month.   Their challenge runs until 25th June and the only rules are you have to make a Christmas/holiday card with a coffee, tea and/or hot chocolate theme.  Sounds fun right?  

For this month's challenge DT Christine is the hostess and the optional shop is Stampin' Up, which just means if you have any SU supplies then feel free to use them, but it's only optional so don't worry if you don't.  I don't have any SU products so went with some Spellbinders dies on my card.  I hope you like it.  

Here is my card:

A closer look at the details:

Plus I decorated the inside:

I began by die cutting all the elements to create my mug of hot cocoa from coloured card from my scraps bin.  I used a slightly darker red for the base of my mug and a lighter red for the cup and I also added some shading around the edge of the cup to give the centre a slight glow.  I used liquid glue to assemble the candy cane and tree and also to adhere the foam/marshmallows to the base before adding the cup with foam squares.  I decided to do a shaped panel from my background so used an oval die to cut out some green textured card.  I added the cup onto the green panel with foam squares and added a few loose marshmallows with a mix of liquid glue and foam squares.  I stamped the sentiment in red ink onto white card and used a smaller oval to cut it out.  I added the sentiment in the upper left of the panel with foam squares.  The panel was added directly onto the card base with double sided tape.  I finished off with a few red solid sequins.  For the inside I cut another oval from white card and cut a small piece of red card using the same die.  I adhered them together with liquid glue. I added a die cut tree to the bottom right and stamped the sentiment in the centre with red ink.  I somehow managed to mark the panel (I think I put my damp tidy towel on top of it) so covered over the mark with two of the small yellow stars.  The panel was then adhered to the 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

CRAFT challenge - Christmas

Die Cut Divas challenge - ATG must use a die cut

Farm Quest Grocery Game challenge - food and/or drink

Girlz Creative Christmas challenge - ATG Christmas

Merry Little Christmas challenge - anything Christmas goes

Peace on Earth Christmas challenge - ATG Christmas optional inspiration board

Simon Says Stamp Wednesday challenge - ATG

The 12 Months of Christmas Link Up challenge - ATG Christmas optional twist marble magic

I would like to thank Amy at CCCC for inviting me to be a guest for this fun challenge and I hope you will pop over and leave the team some love.  I can't wait to see what you create.  

Enjoy the rest of your day and thanks for stopping by.

Love and hugs,

card supplies:

Spellbinders - merry mug creations die set

Spellbinders - Santa's sippin' sayings stamp (for both sentiments) - on sale!

Spellbinders - essential stylish ovals die set

Spellbinders - scarlet color essential smooth disc sequins

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

*Gina K Designs - ink pads - cherry red, red hot, fresh asparagus

green textured card from American Crafts Project Life Strawberry Edition card pack

all coloured card from my scraps bin

*I now have an Affiliate Link for the Gina K Designs store. If 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

Just Us Girls challenge #809 - guest designer

Welcome back to my blog lovely friends.  I was honoured to be asked to be a guest designer for the Just Us Girls challenge for February and immediately said yes. They have fun weekly challenges and I hope you will join in.  

They have set themes for each week so it is always easy to play along.  Here is the schedule:

Week 1. Die Week

Week 2. Word Week

Week 3. Mood Board Week

Week 4. Anything Goes using a stencil Week

Week 5. Case a DT Member Week

Obviously I will only be sharing 4 cards with you as there are only 4 weeks this month.  

So as it's Week 1 the theme is Die Week and the prompt is 'use a heart'; here is the graphic:

I had just received my Gina K Designs kit when I sat down to make my card so of course I had to use the gorgeous heart frame die and matching stencils on my card; it was perfect timing!  I used a purple and green with a touch of black colour combo and made a 5 1/2" square card for a change.  I did go a bit wonky lining up the die on the stencilling but rectified that by using a green Promarker to colour in any missing areas and I think it looks ok.  I hope you like it.

Here is my card:

A closer look at the details:

Plus I decorated the inside:

I began by creating my card base by cutting a white piece of card cut to 11" x 5 1/2" and scoring on the long side at 5 1/2".  I cut the heart frame from white card and used the square die to cut it out.  I took another piece of white card and used the matching stencils and purple and green inks and created the beautiful design.  I adhered the stencilled panel and the die cut heart panel together with liquid glue but as I said I went a bit wrong and it was stuck good and proper so just grabbed a green Promarker and carefully filled in any gaps.  I added a black mat layer behind with double sided tape. I ink blended the heart from the centre with the same purple inks and popped it back in place with liquid glue.  I cut a purple piece of card 4 3/4" square and embossed it with the swiss dots embossing folder and again added a thin black mat layer behind with double sided tape.  I added the purple panel onto the card base with double sided tape, added some scrap white card behind the heart frame panel and also added that to the purple panel with double sided tape.  I stamped the sentiment in black ink and used the coordinating die to cut it out.  I added the sentiment over the heart using foam squares.  I finished off with some black pearls.  For the inside I cut a white panel 4 5/8" square, stamped the sentiment in the centre and stamped two corner images in the top right and bottom left corners; I used Promarkers to colour these in.  I added a thin purple mat layer and also a thin black mat layer behind with double sided tape.  This was then adhered to the card base with double sided tape.  

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

* to be updated *

I'm sure this will be a popular challenge as we all love our dies don't we? Please pop over and check out the gorgeous creations by the talented design team. 

Love and hugs,

card supplies:

Gina K Designs - heart frame die & stencil (in current Mega Kit but will be available next month)

Gina K Designs - swiss dot embossing folder

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

Gina K Designs - floral wishes stamp (for inside sentiment)

Gina K Designs - in the corner stamp (for inside decoration)

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

Gina K Designs - ink pads - lovely lavender, wild lilac, jelly bean green, fresh asparagus

Limetree Craft - 280gsm silky smooth white card (currently not available but they have alternatives here and here)

Limetree Craft - 220gsm black card

Versafine Clair - nocturne ink pad

Green Promarker

purple 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

Heart's Quest Celebrations of Love - Guest Designer

Hello friends, welcome back to my blog.  I was lucky enough to win a recent challenge so I am guest designing for the Heart's Quest Celebrations of Love challenge blog this month.  Every month they have a BEWAS theme (Birthday, Engagement, Wedding, Anniversary and Sympathy) with an optional theme, which this month is 'Valentines/Love'.  

I decided to make a birthday card as I have a few birthdays coming up this month and used a new die set from Spellbinders (DOM Jan 26).  I used the die to make a shaped card and I think it turned out really pretty.  I hope you like it too. 

Here is my card:

A closer look at the details:

Plus I decorated the inside:

It is such a pretty die set and ideal for a shaped card.  I folded a piece of A4 white card in half and ran the die through my die cutting machine with the top of the die just protruding slightly over the fold of the card; this way I created the shaped card.  I die cut one extra white piece to place on the front of the card so that it would be the full design, die cut the 'frame' from black card and adhered that the white panel with liquid glue.  I decided I wanted a rainbow background with the flower die cuts being in a silhouette style.  I cut the 'petals' from coloured card from my scraps bin and cut each flower from black card.  I did decide to add the details with white card to make them pop a little.  I adhered all the flowers together with liquid glue and also added the petals into the frame with liquid glue.  I added the flowers onto the panel with a mix of foam squares and liquid glue.  I stamped the sentiment onto the white half circle and adhered it into the frame with liquid glue.  I finished off with a few black pearls.  For the inside I simply stamped a sentiment in black ink in the centre and added one of the die cut flowers in the bottom right corner with liquid glue.  I wanted the back of the card to be a bit more sturdy so I die cut another white panel and adhered it to the back of the card with liquid glue.  

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

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

Colorful Options challenge - pink & purple or alternatively rainbow inspired

Hearts Quest for Shaped Cards and Tags challenge - ATG shaped card or tag

Moving Along With The Times challenge - floral

Triple B challenge - birds, blooms or butterflies optional inspiration board

I would like to thank Becca and the Team at HQCOL for inviting me to be a guest for this fun challenge and I hope you will pop over and leave them some love. I'm sure this will be a popular challenge as it's all the themes that we create for our friends and loved ones.  

Enjoy the rest of your day and thanks for stopping by.

Love and hugs,

card supplies:

Spellbinders - sunny stems die set (DOM Jan 26)

Spellbinders - be bold blooms die set (for the smallest flower)

Spellbinders - envelope of wonder sentiments stamp (for outside sentiment)

Spellbinders - stylish ovals birthday wishes stamp (for inside sentiment)

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

Versafine Clair - nocturne ink pad

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

coloured card from my scraps bin

*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