4th Annual Shark Week IG Card Hop

Hello friends, I hope you're all doing ok and having a great week so far. I'm taking part in the 4th annual IG hop to celebrate Shark Week. The card hop is hosted by my good friend Kelly and today's hop will showcase some fintastic cards featuring all things shark to celebrate Shark Week. Our theme this year is “Making Waves”; and our goal is designed to take you on an ocean voyage of jaw-some shark themed cards and share important facts about the marine life that call it home! Dive in and enjoy the creativity and inspiration!

I always try to find a shark set that I haven't used before, even if it's retired, so when I found this fun set from Sunny Studio Stamps on eBay, I grabbed it for this year's hop.  There are so many fun shark stamps available and I cannot wait to see what my fellow hoppers have used this year. I created a cute under the sea scene and I hope you like my card.

Here is my card:

A closer look at the cute images:

Plus I decorated the inside:

I began by cutting a white panel 4" x 5 1/4" and die cut the gorgeous bubble coral frame from the centre.  I took another white panel and ink blended some ocean mist ink in the centre, adding some water droplets and white spatter for extra interest.  There is also a single coral die in the set which I cut 3 times from white card and ink blended over with ocean mist and tranquil teal ink pads.  I stamped the images onto alcohol marker friendly card, coloured them with my Promarkers and added some white gelly roll pen highlights.  I used the coordinating dies to cut them out.  I cut off one of the corals from the frame and replaced it with one of the larger ink blended ones using liquid glue. I added the fish and octopus with liquid glue and the shark was added with foam squares.  I added foam strips behind my frame panel and adhered it over the background.  I stamped the sentiment from a few different sets and cut them out using sentiment strips dies.  I adhered them at the top of the frame using liquid glue.  I finished off with some clear raindrops, which I think look like bubbles!  I adhered the panel to my card base using double sided tape.  For the inside I cut another white panel and ink blended the ocean mist ink along the bottom, again adding water droplets and white spatter. I stamped, coloured and die cut another shark and 2 fish and also die cut and ink blended two more corals.  I adhered everything to the bottom of the panel using liquid glue.  I also stamped and die cut two sentiments and adhered them with liquid glue.  I adhered the panel to the card base with double sided tape.  I'm really happy with the inside and feel it's equally as cute as the outside.  

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

* to be updated * 

Please swim on over to IG to see the amazing shark creations. Please use the hashtag #4thsharkweekigcardhop to find all the cards in the hop.

Enjoy the rest of your day and thanks for stopping by.  I'll be back tomorrow with my cards for the Krafty Chicks challenge and also the Just Us Girls challenge, so I hope you will be able to pop back and check them out.  

Love and hugs,

card supplies:

Sunny Studio - sea you soon stamp & die (got mine from eBay)

Memory Box - bubble coral collage die set (94562) (got mine from a FB destash page)

Lawn Fawn - duh-nuh stamp & simply summer sentiments stamp (for sentiments)

Gina K Designs - ink pads - ocean mist & tranquil teal

Gina K Designs - large strip sentiments dies

Gina K Designs - sentiment strips dies 

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

Limetree Craft - 300gsm smooth white card

Versafine Clair - nocturne ink pad

Winsor & Newton - white gouache (for spatters)

Little Things From Lucy's Cards - clear raindrops - store now closed

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 links as it will earn me a small commission at no extra cost to you. Thank you x

Just Us Girls challenge #833 - Stencil Week

Hello again friends!  I'm back to share my DT card for the Just Us Girls challenge and this week it's 'ATG Stencil Week'.  As long as you use a stencil you can create anything you like so I'm sure there will be lots of entries.

I'm really enjoying using my stencils more and it's making me re-visit ones I haven't used for years. I made two cards today inspired by Gina's recent 'slice and dice' live on YouTube.  I used an older layering stencil and used a different colour combo for each style of card.  My cards are not as perfect as Gina's but I think they turned out great and I hope you like them.  Let me know if you have a favourite.

Here are my cards:

A closer look at the pink one:

and a closer look at the orange one:

plus I decorated the insides:

I began by cutting two white panels 4" x 5 1/4" and stencilled both panels using the same layering stencils, just changing up the colours.  I followed Gina's guide and trimmed the orange panel down to 3 3/4" x 5 1/4" and then cut the panel into threes, each measuring 1 1/4" x 5 1/4".  For the pink panel I cut the panel in half at 2" and then cut the strips in half at 2 5/8".  I cut black mat layers 4 1/4" x 5 1/2" and used liquid glue to adhere them together.  I stamped a happy birthday sentiment for the pink card and a thank you sentiment for the orange card using black ink onto white card; I used the coordinating dies to cut them out (along with 3 extra for each from white card so that I could stack them up).  I added the birthday sentiment onto the pink card in the centre of the panel using liquid glue and added the thank you sentiment in the bottom right of the panel on the orange card again using liquid glue.  I finished off both panels with some black pearls and they were added to card bases with double sided tape.  For the insides I kept it really simple this time (as I was pushed for time and I had already cleaned my stencils!).  I ink blended the pink and green in borders along the bottom of one panel and orange and green on the second panel.  I stamped greetings in black ink in the centres and added black mat layers.  The panels were then adhered to the card bases with double sided tape.  

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

Beautiful Blossoms challenge - anything floral goes optional mood board

Daisy Chain challenge - birthday

Stencil Fun challenge - ATG optional theme patterns

The Sisterhood of Crafters challenge - flowers

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

Try It On Tuesday challenge - summer blooms

Such a great challenge and I cannot wait to see what you create. Please pop over to the challenge blog and leave some love for the rest of the design team. Our guest designer is Bonnie so please leave her some love too.

I appreciate you stopping by.

Love and hugs,

card supplies:

Gina K Designs - winter rose layering stencil

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

Gina K Designs - *perfect posy stamp (for inside sentiments) (*Bumbleberry Crafts)

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

Gina K Designs - ink pads - bubblegum pink, passionate pink, tangerine twist, honey mustard, jelly bean green, fresh asparagus

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

Limetree Craft - 300gsm smooth white card

Limetree Craft - 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 links as it will earn me a small commission at no extra cost to you. Thank you x

Card Clubhouse IG Hop - Week 15

Hello lovely friends; I'm back to share my card for the Card Clubhouse IG hop organised by my sweet friend Kelly. We are on Week 15 and our theme is 'letters home & anything postage' and we know how popular the postage trend is in crafting right now and there are so many stamps, dies and stencils available that this is bound to be a fun hop.  There are going to be so many awesome creations along the hop this week and I can't wait to see what sparks your imagination.

I knew what I was going to use as soon as I saw this week's theme. I've had this stamp, die and stencil from Spellbinders since April 25 and it's never been used so this was the perfect time to dust it off.  I think it turned out great and I hope you like it too. 

Here is my card:

A closer look at the details:

Plus I decorated the inside:

I began by cutting a white panel 4 1/4" x 5 1/2" and used the air mail stencil to create the fun red, white and blue border; I love this look so much and this could be used for lots of different occasions by changing up the colours.  I took the letters and envelope stamp and stamped it once onto white card using memento black ink and once on blue card using versafine clair black ink.  I coloured some of the white images very lightly using my Promarkers and used the coordinating dies to cut them out.  I added foam squares behind them and added them onto the blue background.  I stamped the sentiment in black ink onto white card and again used the die to cut it out; this was also added to the background with foam squares.  The blue background was added to the air mail panel with double sided tape and I finished off with some clear sequins.  The panel was adhered to the card base using double sided tape.  For the inside I cut a white panel 4" x 5 1/4" and stamped a sentiment in the upper centre using black ink.  I stamped a small part of the letters and envelopes background and again cut some extras from white card, which were lightly coloured with Promarkers.  I added these with liquid glue and also added a thin strip of red card behind the blue panel before adhering it to the bottom of the white panel with double sided tape.  I had one envelope left over so added that next to the sentiment with liquid glue.  The panel was added to my card base with double sided tape. 

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

Colorful Options challenge - red, white & blue (option 1 and 4)

If You Give A Crafter A Cookie challenge - red, white & blue (inspired by the colours)

Just Add Ink challenge - dies or stencils or both (I used dies)

NBUS challenge - never used my stamp & dies or stencils before

PINspirational challenge - red, white & blue (inspired by the colours)

Tic Tac Toe challenge - middle row - any colour, free, sentiment

I hope you will pop over to Instagram and check out the hop; please use the hashtag #cardclubhousehop2026 to see all the gorgeous creations and also if you want to participate we will be able to find you.

Thank you so much for stopping by.

Love and hugs,

card supplies:

Spellbinders - send and seal stamp & die (on sale!)

Spellbinders - air mail layering stencils (on sale!)

Gina K Designs - ink pads - blue denim & red hot

Gina K Designs - clear quartz solid sequins

Promarkers

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

Memento - tuxedo black ink pad

Stampin' Up! - brights collection card stock (for blue card)

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 links as it will earn me a small commission at no extra cost to you. 

Thank you x

ATC Scrap Makes IG Hop - July 26

Hello friends, I hope you're doing great and you've had a great start to your week. I'm sharing my creations for this month's ATC Scrap Makes IG Hop. We challenge you to use leftover die cuts, sentiments and card stock to create Artist Trading Cards (ATC's). You can send them in happy mail, save them on a ring to highlight your favorite creations, swap them with friends or add sweet notes to a lunchbox. Join us if you like; the only rules are to use scraps and create cards that are 2.5” x 3.5” in size. We share our little snippets of happiness on the third Tuesday of the month.

This month I am continuing my alphabet series of ATC's with M, N & O.  I think it will be fun each month finding images/dies for each letter. I'm trying to stick to animals and food but we'll see how it goes. I'm excited to see them all at the end and I hope you are going to stick around to see them all too. I used mostly older, retired products (except for the Narwhal which is new to me) but I still love them so why not use them. I hope you like them; do you have a favourite from this month's trio?

Here are my three ATC's:

A closer look at 'M':

A closer look at 'N':

and a closer look at 'O':

I decorated the backs the same as usual:

Once again I used my leftover ink blending scrap paper for my backgrounds as they turn out really interesting and not something I would create myself and added some extra stamping and ink blending to make the ATC's match the images a little more.  I stamped all the images and coloured them with Promarkers and used the coordinating dies to cut them out.  The images were added to the backgrounds with foam squares. I die cut the letters from coloured card, stacking them x 3 and added them to the ATC's with liquid glue. For a little continuity through the series I once again used the frame dies that I had used on previous month's ATC's, cut them from coloured card and added full frames to the 'M' and 'O' ATC's but only parts of it to the edges of the 'N' ATC. For the backs I simply ink blended the matching colours around the edges and stamped one of the ATC info stamps (that I won a few months ago) in black ink.  

I would like to enter my ATC's in the following challenges:

Craft Rocket challenge - animals

Crafty Animals challenge - ATG must include an animal

Critter Crazy challenge - ATG with a featured critter

Tag-along (& ATC's) challenge - favourite colours (I'm playing the ATG option)

The Little Things challenge - flamingo and/or elephant (I'm playing the ATG option)

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

I hope you will pop over to Instagram and check out the hop; please use the hashtag #ATCscrapmakes2026 or #ATCscrapmakesjuly26 to see all the gorgeous creations and also if you want to participate we will be able to find you.

I really appreciate you stopping by today.

Love and hugs,

card supplies:

Sizzix - love you tons stamp & die (bought mine from eBay)

Heffy Doodle - chimply the best stamp & die (store now closed)

Clearly Besotted - still a hoot stamp & die (retired)

Promarkers

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

Hunkydory - moonstone scalloped edged picture frames dies

MFT - little letters dies

MFT - distressed patterns stamp

Limetree Craft - 300gsm smooth white card

Versafine Clair - nocturne ink pad

ATC silicone stamp (won in a challenge)

Gina K Designs - ink pads - ocean mist, blue lagoon, warm cocoa, jelly bean green, grass green, red hot

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

Patterned Paper Party IG Hop - July 26

Hello friends, welcome back to my little blog. I'm here today to share my card for this month's Patterned Paper Party Instagram Hop. Do you love patterned paper? Do you have a huge stash that needs using? Well so do we and it's time to get it used! We will be hopping on the 20th of each month to share our ideas. We will definitely be creating cards, but maybe sometimes tags, ATCs, gift bags/boxes, mini albums and scrapbook pages too. We want our patterned paper to be used.

The theme is always 'anything goes' but each month we will have an optional twist that can be used if you like; this month the twist is 'Christmas in July' which I'm sure will be very popular. I went with traditional colours and stamped my trees onto foiled patterned paper, which I had ink blended with three different shades of green ink.  I hope you like it.

Here is my card:

A closer look at the trees:

Plus I decorated the inside:

I began by choosing my papers; which were white with silver foiling.  I decided to make them green so ink blended over the papers using green ink pads.  I stamped the tree image over the papers and fussy cut them out; I also stamped the trunks onto kraft card using brown ink and again fussy cut them out. I adhered the trunks onto the trees using liquid glue.  I cut a white panel 3 7/8" x 5 1/8" and embossed it using a script embossing folder.  I matted this onto a green layer using liquid glue and then also added another layer cut from red gingham paper which was cut to 4 1/4" x 5 1/2".  I felt that my card needed something else so used a lace die and cut it from red card.  It's actually quite a thick lacy border so I cut it down so that I was left with just the lace edges and added them to the top and bottom of the embossed panel with liquid glue and added the trees in the centre with foam squares.  I stamped the sentiment onto red card using black ink and cut it out with a sentiment strips die and added it over the trees using foam squares.  I used the tiny circles that fell out of the lace die cut as 'baubles' on my tree and added them with liquid glue.  The panel was adhered to my card base using double sided tape.  For the inside I cut a white panel 3 7/8" x 5 1/8" and added a strip of the gingham paper along the bottom with liquid glue.  I added this onto a green mat layer.  I originally only added the one tree but managed to smudge some black ink so covered it up with a second tree and for balance added the smaller tree as well.  Again I added the waste 'baubles' using liquid glue.  I stamped the sentiment onto red card using black ink and cut it out with a sentiments strip die.  I added it next to the trees using liquid glue.  The panel was added to the card base with double sided tape. 

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

613 Avenue Create challenge - ATG optional twist 'any holiday'

Alphabet challenge - F is for festivities (Christmas)

Can You Handle The Pressure challenge - use an EF optional theme stars or stripes 

Christmas (or not) BINGO challenge - Line B - Christmas, red, plaid/check/gingham

Classic Design challenge - ATG optional twist 'any holiday'

The Crafter's Cafe challenge - ATG optional 'Christmas in July'

Die Cut Divas challenge - Christmas in July

Fab 'n' Funky challenge - Christmas in July

INKspirational challenge - Christmas in July

Make My Monday challenge - Christmas in July

Merry Little Christmas challenge - anything Christmas goes

Paper Rocks Scissors challenge - I fussy cut my trees

Peace on Earth Christmas challenge - ATG Christmas optional inspiration board

Simon Says Stamp Monday challenge - add some text (one of my trees is cut from text paper and I used a script embossing folder)

Tic Tac Toe challenge - middle row: any color, free, sentiment and bottom row: any shape die, layers, embossing

We hope you will be inspired by our Patterned Paper Party IG Hop and will pop over and check out all the gorgeous creations along the way. If you would like to join us please visit my Instagram page or use the hashtag #patternedpaperpartyhopjune2026 and we will find you.

Thanks for stopping by and take care.

Lots of love

card supplies:

Uniko - Christmas pop stamp (for tree)

Uniko - pure florals: poinsettia stamp (for sentiments)

Cuttlebug/Provo Craft - script embossing folder

Gina K Designs - master layouts 21 (for lace die)

Gina K Designs - ink pads - lucky clover, jelly bean green, fresh asparagus

Gina K Designs - sentiment strips dies

Gina K Designs - large strip sentiments dies

Creative Papers - festive feeling 6" x 6" paper pad

Memory Box Co - cranberry gingham card

*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