Krafty Chicks challenge #724 - Christmas

Hello again lovely friends, thank you so much for popping by.  It's time for a new challenge over at Krafty Chicks challenge and we are on to Week 2 which means I am your hostess and our theme as always is 'Christmas'.  So anything festive goes, whether you stamp, die cut, use ephemera, we want to see it.  So grab your festive supplies and come over and join in the fun with us. 

I grabbed one of my old Penny Black wooden stamps for my card today.  They are so cute and never go out of style.  You can't beat a PB hedgie image I don't think.  I was really pushed for time so my card ended up being very clean and simple.  I hope you like it.  

Here is my card:

A close up of the cute hedgie:

I decorated the inside (albeit very simply):

I began by stamping the image onto alcohol marker friendly card and coloured it with my Promarkers.  I cut it into a rectangle and stuck this directly onto my card blank.  I cut a white panel 3 7/8" x 5 1/8" and cut a rounded rectangle from the centre.  I cut a thin strip of patterned paper and added that to the left edge of the panel and stamped a sentiment in black ink in the bottom centre.  I added foam tape behind the panel and placed it over the coloured image so that it looks the image is peeking out of a window.  I debated adding embellishments but I liked it as it was.  For the inside I cut another white panel and simply stamped a sentiment in the centre with black ink and added another strip of the patterned paper to the bottom.  I then added the panel to my card base with double sided tape.  It's surprising how much time it takes me to make design decisions, even on simple cards like this one; I hope I'm not the only one who dithers for ages and then goes back to the original idea lol!

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

Addicted to Stamps & More challenge - Christmas

Alphabet challenge - H is for holidays - summer or Christmas in July

Birthstone challenge - ruby/peridot optional thank you 

Christmas Crafts All Year Around - anything Christmas or winter holiday goes

Christmas Kickstart challenge - festive frames

Colorful Options challenge - flags (I was inspired by my home flag - Wales - red, white & green)

Crafty Animals challenge - ATG must include an animal

Crafty Calendar challenge - add a sentiment (3rd entry)

Crafty Catz challenge - ATG optional twist make it cute

Critter Crazy challenge - ATG with a featured critter

Cut It Up challenge - Christmas in July 

Daisy Chain challenge - Christmas in July

Dragonfly Dreams challenge - Christmas in July 

I Love Promarkers challenge - ATG/masculine

Moving Along With The Times challenge - CAS

Merry Little Christmas challenge - anything Christmas goes

Peace on Earth Christmas challenge - anything Christmas themed optional mood board

Pearly Sparkles challenge - Christmas in July 

Penny Black Saturday challenge - ATG option food 

Simply Clean and Simple challenge - CAS optional use a heart

Simply Create Too challenge - Christmas in July

Stamping Sensations challenge - ATG optional twist Christmas in July

The Holly & Ivy Christmas challenge - anything Christmas goes

The Paper Funday challenge - ATG optional twist critter crazy

Wow!  Lots of Christmas themed challenges around at the moment!

I hope you will be able to join us for our 'Christmas' challenge and I cannot wait to see your creations in our linky.  Please leave some love for my fellow chicks - Leanne, Diane and Lori and also our guest designer Rachelle.  

Thanks for stopping by. 

Love and hugs, 

card ingredients:

Penny Black - xmas kiss 2754H wooden stamp - 

Promarkers

Uniko Stamps - Christmas wishes stamp set (for sentiments)

MFT - stitched rounded rectangle stax dies - retired

Echo Park - dots & stripes valentines 6x6 paper pad - retired

Limetree Crafts - 250gsm silky smooth white card

Versafine - onyx black ink pad

Summer Soiree IG Card Hop - Week 4

Hello friends; we've made it to the middle of the week *yay*. The weather has really gone downhill here in South Wales and I think summer has been and gone unfortunately.  We'll have to keep our fingers crossed that it decides to come back again soon.  

It's week 4 of our Summer Soiree IG card hop, which has been organised by my lovely friend Kelly. This week is all about 'summer books & blockbuster movies' which is pretty straightforward; there are so many to choose from.  

I decided to base my inspiration on one of my favourite Disney movies (although most of them are favourites) but this one is funny but also tugs at the heart strings.  

Here is my inspiration photo:

Here is my card:

A close up of the cute image:

I decorated the inside:

I began by stamping my house image onto alcohol marker friendly card and colouring it with Promarkers.  The house isn't exactly the same as the film version but I used the same colours to colour it with.  There is no matching die so I fussy cut it out; although it was quite a basic shape to cut around.  I grabbed lots of scraps of card from my scraps bin and die cut lots of balloons and balloon strings.  I cut a white panel 4" x 5 1/4" and used a cloud stencil to create my sky background.  I added the strings with a small strip of sellotape and added the house over top with foam squares.  I arranged the balloons and once I was happy with the placement took some masking tape and held them in place before turning over and adding liquid glue to the backs.  I then carefully placed them over the balloon strings and added some clear blocks on top to make sure they adhered securely.  I cut off any edges of the balloons that went over the card panel.  I added the card panel onto my card base with foam tape.  I found a pre-printed sentiment that worked really well with the style and theme of my card and die cut it out with a sentiment strip die.  I added this over the balloons with foam squares.  No extra embellishments this time as I liked the card as it was.  For the inside I cut another panel 4" x 5 1/4" and again ink blended a cloud background.  I stamped, coloured and fussy cut another house and die cut 2 more balloons/strings and added them onto the panel with liquid glue.  I didn't add a sentiment as I will add that when I come to use the card.  I think you can see that my card was inspired by UP and I hope you like it. 

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

A Place to Start challenge - ATG

Classic Design challenge - ATG option fancy fold

Crafty Calendar challenge - add a sentiment

I Love Promarkers challenge - ATG/masculine

Inkspirational challenge - use a stencil optional use paste

Little Red Wagon challenge - something you love (I love the film UP)

Stencil Fun challenge - must use a stencil option shades of blue

The Cutie Pie challenge - beginning with B (balloons)

If you would like to follow the hop over on Instagram please use the hashtag #summersoireecardmakinghop2024 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 summer soiree challenges a try and again use the hashtag and we will find your projects.  

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,

card ingredients:

Jane's Doodles - home sweet home stamp set - sadly now closed

Promarkers

Spellbinders - balloons & birthday wishes die set (for balloons & strings)

Creative Expressions - wordies sentiment sheet - inspirational

Gina K Designs - sentiment strips dies

Gina K Designs - sea glass ink pad

MFT - mini cloud edges stencil - retired

Memento - tuxedo black ink pad

Versafine - onyx black ink pad

Limetree Crafts - 250gsm silky smooth white card

Heffy Doodle - alcohol marker friendly card - sadly now closed

coloured card all from my scraps bin 

Shark Week 2024 IG Card Hop

Happy Tuesday friends.  I'm taking part in the second 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.  Kelly is personally giving away an amazing prize of 3 stamp sets so make sure you comment on her stop for a chance to win.   You can find out all the details over on my IG account. 

For my card I've used an older Lawn Fawn stamp set, but I've only just gotten my hands on it (I know I'm way behind the times) and I'm sure lots of my fellow hoppers will be using this cute little stamp set too.  

Here is my card:

A closer look at the cute images:

Plus I decorated the inside:

I began by stamping my images onto alcohol marker friendly card and coloured them with Promarkers; I used the matching dies to cut them out.  I die cut a decorative stitched panel from white card and using some blue scraps from my bin used the same die to cut smaller sections.  I also took a tiny scallop die to cut the edges of the blue pieces.  Before adhering them to my panel I ink blended the blue pieces using a stencil to create 'waves'.  I added the blue pieces with liquid glue.  I mixed a couple of stamps to create my sentiment and stamped it at the top of the white panel with black ink.  I adhered my images with a mix of liquid glue and foam squares.  At the last minute I decided to give my shark a party hat so coloured and die cut that and added it with a tiny foam square.  The panel was added to the card base with foam tape.  For the inside I repeated the same steps to create my panel and water, stamped my sentiment in the upper centre with black ink and adhered another shark and bubbles with liquid glue.  I also stamped the duh-nuh sentiment below the shark.  The panel was added to the card base with double sided tape.  A fun birthday card and I'm happy with how it turned out.  

We are also sharing fun and interesting shark facts in our instagram posts so I thought I would add one here too.  

Did you know - Sharks Don’t Have Vocal Chords.  Despite the soundtracks that follow sharks in the movies, sharks are silent creatures. This is because sharks don’t have vocal chords, making them unable to make noise like other marine animals such as dolphins, whales, or seals.  Interesting huh?

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

Crafts Galore Encore challenge - ATG

Crafty Calendar challenge - add a sentiment

Creative Friday challenge - cute 

Critter Crazy challenge - ATG with a featured critter (hope my shark and fish are allowed)

Cut it Up challenge - critters (real or fantasy) - hope my shark and fish are allowed!

Everybody Art challenge - we love stamping

Get Creative challenge - use red, white and/or blue 

Halloween and Other Occasions challenge - always birthday

Inkspirational challenge - use stencils optional use paste

Scrapping4Fun challenge - birthday

Stamping Sensations challenge - ATG optional twist Christmas in July

Stencil Fun challenge - use a stencil optional shades of blue

The Paper Funday challenge - ATG option critter crazy

We Love Stamping challenge - sun, sea, sand or ATG

Please swim on over to IG to see the amazing shark creations in the hop.  Don't forget to leave a comment on Kelly's stop (@createwithkas) to be in the running to win her fantastic giveaway.    

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

Love and hugs, 

card ingredients:

Lawn Fawn - duh-nuh stamp set (and matching die)

Lawn Fawn - Year Two stamp set (and matching die) for party hat and inside sentiment

Lawn Fawn - simply summer sentiments (for part of outside greeting)

Heffy Doodle - showtime frame dies (picked up in their closing down sale)

Heffy Doodle - alcohol marker friendly card

Clearly Besotted - scalloped edges die collection - retired

Limetree Crafts - 250gsm silky smooth white card

MFT - drifts and hills stencil (to create 'waves') ? retired 

Gina K Designs - ocean mist ink pad

Memento - tuxedo black ink pad

Versafine - onyx black ink pad

blue card from scraps bin 

CAS on Friday challenge - guest designer

Hello friends and welcome to Friday.  I hope you've had a great week so far and you've got some exciting plans for the weekend.  

I was lucky enough to win a recent challenge over at CAS on Friday and was offered a guest DT spot.  I excitedly accepted and today is the day that I can share my project for them.  The theme for this challenge is 'watercolour'.  I was going to go down my usual route of a background wash of colour and an image over top but decided to try something different.  After watching a couple of YouTube videos showing simple watercolour flowers I decided to give it a try myself.  My efforts are definitely not exceptional but I am over the moon pleased with the final outcome.  I hope you like it too. 

Here is my card:

A closer look at my flowers:

I decorated the inside:

I began by cutting a panel of Bristol smooth heavy weight card to 4 1/4" x 5 1/2".  I used my Kuretake Gansai Tambi palette and chose a pink, blue and green pan to use on my card.  Following one tutorial I saw on YouTube I added 3 small dots of concentrated colour with a small paint brush and dragged the colour out with a clean damp brush to create the petals.  I created 2 pink and 2 blue flowers in this fashion.  I know I should have done 3 or 5 flowers for perfect design but I liked the way my 4 flowers looked (and I didn't want to mess up my panel by adding one more lol!).  I added the stems using the green paint and added some leaves (although some were a little wonkier than others!).  I took a gold pan and added the centres to my flowers and also some splatter (spatter?) all over the background.  I stamped my sentiment and heat embossed with gold embossing powder (I did a little stamp surgery as the original sentiment was happy birthday bestie but I cut it apart between the birthday and bestie).  I then added the panel to an A2 card base using double sided tape.  No embellishments or anything extra as I loved it the way it was.  For the inside I took another panel of the Bristol card and stamped a sentiment in the centre with black ink.  I had practiced my flowers on a scrap of card and as they looked so pretty I didn't want to throw them away so I cut them into triangles and added them to the right top and bottom left corners with liquid glue.  A really simple card but a one-off original made by yours truly lol!

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

A Place to Start challenge - ATG

Beautiful Blossoms challenge - anything florals goes optional mood board

Creative Inspirations challenge - ATG

Halloween and Other Occasions challenge - always birthday

Incy Wincy Designs challenge - round/circles and/or hand drawn/sewing (my flowers are hand painted)

Moving Along With The Times challenge - CAS (clean and simple)

My Time To Craft challenge - summer florals

Scrapping4Fun challenge - birthday

Simply Clean and Simple challenge - CAS optional use a heart (happy 1st anniversary)

Triple B challenge - use at least one bloom, bird or butterfly optional mood board

I hope you will be able to join in with the challenge over at CAS on Friday but remember it must be a CAS creation and you are allowed one entry only. You can read the definition of CAS here. 

Thank you so much for stopping by. 

Love and hugs, 

card ingredients:

Kuretake - Gansai Tambi 36 colour paint palette

Strathmore - Bristol smooth heavyweight card

MFT - inside and out birthday greetings

Limetree Crafts - 250gsm silky smooth white card (for card base)

Cosmic Shimmer - detail bright gold embossing powder

Versamark - watermark ink pad

Versafine - onyx black ink pad

Krafty Chicks challenge #723 - Stamps

Hello again lovely friends; I'm running extremely late with my post today.  Wesley the puppy is really cramping my crafting and blogging time, but he's worth it!  I hope you've all had a great day so far.  It's time for a new challenge over at Krafty Chicks challenge and we are back to Week 1 which means Leanne is our hostess and our theme as always is 'Stamps' and we want to see your clear, wooden or even digi stamps.  So come over and join in the fun with us. 

My son asked me to make a card for a friend who is leaving for a new job and this was the perfect opportunity to use some new-to-me stamps.  I think it turned out super cute and I hope you like it. 

Here is my card:

a close up of the sweet image:

Plus I decorated the inside:

I began by stamping my image onto some alcohol marker friendly card, coloured it with Promarkers and used the matching die to cut it out.  I wanted to try the MFT weekly sketch so used some circle dies to cut 3 circles from my white panel (which was cut to 4" x 5 1/4").  I took another panel the same size and  traced the circles with a pencil as a guide for me to ink blend my three colours.  I used some gold paint to add splatter over the ink blended areas.  For the front panel I decided to use a swiss dot embossing folder for some added interest.  I stamped and heat embossed the sentiment in the lower right circle using gold detail embossing powder and then adhered both the panels together with a mixture of double sided tape and liquid glue.  The panel was then added to the card base with foam tape.  I added the image onto the front with foam squares overlapping the pink and blue circles.  To finish off I added some gold smooth sequins.  For the inside cut another panel 4 " x 5 1/4" and stamped the sentiment in the centre with black ink.  I took one of the white off-cut circles that was discarded from the front panel, ink blended some pink ink and also used the embossing folder again for some interest.  I had stamped another image but messed it up so die cut just the top part, coloured it with Promarkers and added it onto the embossed circle with double sided tape.  This was then added to the lower right corner of the panel with double sided tape.  The panel was added onto the card base with double sided tape.  The image is intended as a teacher image but I felt it was suitable for an office worker too.  Let me know what you think. 

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

Addicted to Stamps & More challenge - make your mark

Can You Handle The Pressure challenge - anything goes embossing optional twist sports

CRAFT - graduation/ATG

Crafty Catz challenge - ATG optional twist embellishments

Creative Inspirations challenge - ATG

Everybody Art challenge - we love stamping

I Love Promarkers challenge - ATG/pink, blue & yellow

Incy Wincy Designs challenge - round/circles and/or handdrawn /sewing

MFT sketch challenge - #705

I hope you will be able to join us for our 'Stamps' challenge and I cannot wait to see your creations in our linky.  Please leave some love for my fellow chicks - Leanne, Diane and Lori and also our guest designer Rachelle.  

Thanks for stopping by. 

Love and hugs, 

card ingredients:

MFT - lessons in love stamp & die set*

Clearly Besotted Stamps - poppy petals stamp (for outside sentiment) - retired

Spellbinders - fluted classic circles

Spellbinders - color essentials sequins gold smooth discs

Gina K Designs - swiss dot embossing folder

Promarkers

Limetree Crafts - 250gsm silky smooth white card

Kuretake - Gansai Tambi starry colours palette (I used yellow gold)

* Dies to Die For has amazing offers on their stamps, dies etc.  This bundle is now sold out but they still have other amazing bundles up for grabs

Summer Soiree IG Card Hop - Week 3

Hello friends; we've made it to the middle of the week *yay*. The weather has been quite showery here this morning in South Wales but it's still quite warm and muggy!  Wesley the puppy isn't impressed with the rain so we are back to the puppy pads inside!  Let's hope it dries up for the rest of the day/week.  We're never happy are we lol!

It's week 3 of our Summer Soiree IG card hop, which has been organised by my lovely friend Kelly.  This week is all about 'The 4th of July', although there is an option for fireworks, colours of your flag or red, white & blue if you don't celebrate.  

Obviously not being the USA I don't really need to make 4th of July cards so I went with a red, white and blue colour scheme instead.  Me and hubby are also celebrating our 31st Wedding Anniversary today so decided to combine the two.  Here is my card:

A close look at the cute image:

Plus I decorated the inside:

I began by stamping my images onto alcohol marker friendly card before colouring them with Promarkers.  I used the matching dies to cut them out.  My card base is 5" x 7" so wanted my panel to be 4 1/2" x 6 1/2" so cut my 3 sections of red. white and blue card approximately 4 1/2" x 2.2" each and attached them to some copy paper with double sided tape.  I also added a panel of white card behind for extra stability.  I die cut the happy anniversary and husband words from white card, stacking them each three times to give them some extra dimension.  I added the cute images with foam squares and the words and hearts with liquid glue.  For the inside I cut 3 strips of red, white and blue card 4 1/2" x 3/4" and adhered them to the bottom of a white panel with double sided tape.  I stamped the image over the strips with black ink and added a white heart with liquid glue.  I stamped the sentiment in the centre of the panel with black ink.  This panel was added to the card base with double sided tape.  A really fun card and I hope you like it. 

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

AAA Colourful challenge - colour board #5

Addicted to Stamps and More challenge - make your mark

Alphabet challenge - G is for gentlemen

Cardz for Guyz challenge - ATG masculine

Colourful Options challenge - flags (UK flag/USA flag)

Crafty Animals challenge - ATG include an animal

Critter Crazy challenge - ATG with a featured critter

Cut It Up challenge - critters (real or fantasy)

Everybody Art challenge - we love stamping

Get Creative challenge - red, white and blue

I Love Promarkers challenge - ATG option pink, blue & yellow

Moving Along With The Times challenge - CAS

Simon Says Stamp Monday challenge - add some red, white and/or blue

The Male Room challenge - animals

The Paper Funday challenge - ATG optional twist critter crazy

Unicorn challenge - not square (my card is 5 x 7)

If you would like to follow the hop over on Instagram please use the hashtag #summersoireecardmakinghop2024 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 summer soiree challenges a try and again use the hashtag and we will find your projects.  

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,

card ingredients:

MFT - I'm so in love with you, still stamp & die

Crafts-Too - happy anniversary die

Heffy Doodle - husband die (store now closed sadly)

Heffy Doodle - alcohol marker friendly card 

MFT - baby rattle (for the tiny hearts) - retired

Promarkers

Limetree Crafts - 250gsm silky smooth white card

red and blue card from scraps bin

Versafine - onyx black ink pad

AAA Birthday challenge #63 - fabulous flowers

Good morning lovely friends ; welcome to the start of a brand new week and also the start of a brand new month.  Can you believe we are already at the 1st of July.  I know I say it every month but June went by in a blur didn't it.  I'm here this morning to share my card for this month's brand new challenge over at the AAA Birthday challenge. This month Tristan is the hostess and she's chosen 'fabulous flowers' as our theme.  Our guest designer this month is Celeste from Crafting Junky.  

I recently won a voucher to spend at Simon Says Stamp and I bought this lovely die set after seeing so many beautiful projects using it.  It was perfect for our theme this month.  

Here is my card:

A closer look at the die cuts:

I decorated the inside:

I began by cutting a white card panel 4" x 5 1/4" and ink blending in the centre with 3 shades of teal ink. I also added some water droplets to add some extra interest to the background.  I die cut the beautiful floral die which consisted of the main flower, 4 individual flowers and the flower centres.  I cut them all from white card and lightly ink blended the lightest shade of ink in the centre of each flower.  I added the large flower die cut over the ink blending with liquid glue.  I added the extra flowers to the large die cut with liquid glue and also added some crystal glaze to the centres.  I stamped the sentiment in the darker teal ink and die cut it with the matching die.  I also cut 2 more white die cuts and stacked them together with liquid glue for extra stability.  I added this panel onto my card base with foam tape.  I finished off the front of my card with a few enamel dots which perfectly matched my monochromatic colour scheme.  For the inside I cut another white panel 4" x  5 1/4" and lightly ink blended the bottom third.  I added die cut three flowers and stamped a sentiment in the centre with the darkest teal ink.  A fairly simple card but I think it is really pretty and elegant.  I hope you like it. 

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

Allsorts challenge - way to grow

A Place to Start challenge - ATG

Beautiful Blossoms challenge - anything floral goes optional mood board

CAS on Friday challenge - nature

Halloween & Other Occasions challenge - always birthday

Moving Along With The Times challenge - CAS

My Time To Craft challenge - summer florals

Group of Seven Carmakers challenge - monochromatic

Scrapping4Fun challenge - birthday

Sweet Stampin' challenge - flowers (I stamped my sentiment)

The Sisterhood of Crafters challenge - in the garden

Tic Tac Toe challenge - #250 - ink blend, flowers, layers (I layered up my flowers)

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.

Enjoy the rest of your day and thank you so much for stopping by.

Love and hugs, 

Card ingredients:

Simon Says Stamp - fine floral stem die set

Simon Says Stamp - birthday basics stamp & die set

Gina K Designs - ink pads - sea glass, turquoise sea, tranquil teal

Limetree Crafts - 250gsm silky smooth white card

Tonic Studios - Nuvo crystal glaze

enamel dots - no packaging so unsure of brand