My Lovely Followers

Thursday 25 April 2024

Krafty Chicks challenge #713 - All occasions

Good morning friends.  I'm back again today to share my DT card for this week's Krafty Chicks challenge.  As we are on Week 4 we are looking for your 'All Occasions' creations; so basically anything goes!  
I didn't have anyone in mind when I made this card, although the background panel was the starting point.  I had made it for another card but it wasn't exactly what I wanted so put it to one side.  When I looked at it again I thought it looked like cheese and that's where my idea began.  
Here is my card:
a closer look at the images:
I decorated the inside:
So when I made the background I originally was going for a beer/lager bubbles feel but I didn't like it and cast it aside and when I went back to it I thought it looked more like cheese so decided to dig in my stash and see if I could find anything cheese related.  I stumbled on this image that I had never used before and thought the punny sentiment was hilarious.  On further searching I found this tiny mouse image in a different set that I thought would be fun to use too.  I stamped the images using memento ink and coloured them with Promarkers.  The mouse image had a matching die so cut them out using that; the cheese/grater image was fussy cut out.  When I created the background I ink blended the panel with yellow ink and then went over it with a stencil using slightly darker inks, moving the stencil slightly with each different colour.  I decided to die cut some circles from the background to make it more like a cartoon block of cheese and added foam tape behind before adding it to my card base.  I stamped the punny sentiment in black ink and die cut it out with a sentiment strip.  I added the main image in the centre of the panel and tucked the mice in the circles as though they were peeking out (all with foam squares).  The sentiment was added overlapping the largest circle with foam squares.  I finished with some gold sequins and the front of my card was complete.  For the inside I cut a white panel 3 3/4" x 5" and used the left over circles that I cut from the front panel and placed them in the same configuration as the front.  I stamped a sentiment in the centre and added one mouse peeking from behind the bottom circle.  A really fun card and one that came from a discarded panel.   I hope you like it.  

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

Classic Design challenge - ATG optional twist happy birthday
Crafty Animals challenge - ATG must include an animal
Creative Moments challenge - cute & cuddly (my mice are small but super cute)
Day of the Month Card Club challenge - National Look Alike Day (my two tiny mice)
Get Creative challenge - April Fool's Day (a joke or punny sentiment)
Just Us Girls challenge - anything goes stencil
Tic Tac Toe challenge - stencil/die cut/critter (3rd entry)
Tic Tac Toe Challenge #245

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

Thanks for stopping by. 

Love and hugs, 
card ingredients:
Sweet Stamp Shop - cheesy card stamp set (they sadly closed many years ago)
MFT - farm friends (for mouse image) (no longer available)
Gina K Designs - fizzy stencil
Gina K Designs - sentiment strip dies
Gina K Designs - ink pads - wild dandelion, honey mustard and sweet corn
Gina K Designs - birthday cheer mini set (for inside greeting)
Promarkers

Wednesday 24 April 2024

Spring into Card Making IG Hop - Week 7

Hello crafty friends and happy Wednesday.  I hope your week has been good so far; we've had a great start to the week here in South Wales as the weather is decidedly spring like at the moment, which is a nice change.  Let's hope it lasts for a little while.  

I'm here today to share my card for the final week of the Spring Into Card Making IG Hop, which has been organised by my lovely friend Kelly.  Each week we will be sharing a themed card focusing on the joys of spring.  If our hop inspires you please use the hashtag #2024springintocardmakinghop to join in the fun.   
For Week 7 we are celebrating the Earth.  We know not everyone has earth/world stamps so grab something recycled or reuse something not intended for crafting and get creative.  I didn't have any earth stamps so decided to recycle a cereal box and made a decorative hanger for a friend.  I hope you like it.
Here is my hanger on the wall:
A closer look:
The sweet image in more detail:
I haven't decorated the back yet as I wanted to show the cereal box:
plus I made my own 'flowers' from different circles:
I began by stamping the image with memento ink onto alcohol marker friendly card, coloured it with Promarkers and added a few highlights with a white gel pen.  I took the cereal box and cut it out using a square die.  They were nesting dies but the increments between dies was quite large so for the smaller squares, which I cut from lemon lustre pearlescent card, pink card and patterned paper, I used my paper trimmer.  I adhered all of them together with double sided tape.  I punched two holes at the top with my Crop-a-dile (after dusting it off lol!) and used white brads that came with it.  I die cut a polaroid frame from white card and adhered the image behind with liquid glue (I sadly had to cut off their gorgeous long legs).  I stamped the beautiful sentiment in black ink at the bottom of the frame.  I made my 'flowers' by cutting 3 different circle shapes and before glueing them together I distressed them by scrunching them in my hand.  I used a dot of liquid glue to adhere them together.  I used the pearlescent card to cut out the hello word, the wings of the butterfly and used some of the cereal box to cut the body.  I attached the body to the wings with liquid glue.  The friend word was a pre-printed sentiment strip which I coloured with pink ink and cut with a sentiment strip die (although I did have to trim the sides a little smaller with my trimmer).  The polaroid frame was added with double sided tape, the hello and butterfly with liquid glue and the flowers and friend sentiment with foam squares.  I found some velvet type ribbon in my long forgotten ribbon jar which was the perfect pink colour so added that through the holes so that my hanger would um you know ...... hang!  I'm really happy with the finished result and it was just like making a card so not a big deal.  

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

As You Like It challenge - clean or fussy (I like both but today I was drawn to layers)
Classic Design challenge - ATG optional twist happy birthday
Cut It Up challenge - starts with B (besties, butterfly)
Dream Valley challenge - make it female
I Love Promarkers challenge - ATG option shapes
Inkspirational challenge - mood board (love the colours)
Inspired By challenge - rainbow pops (again love the colours)
My Time To Craft challenge - everything dies (die cuts)
Sweet Stampin' challenge - earth day or use something recycled (I used a cereal box)
Triple B challenge - use at least one bird, butterfly or bloom
Try It On Tuesday challenge - inspired by a song ('you got a friend in me' by Randy Newman)

I would love it if you would pop over to Instagram and see the amazing work by all the other crafters taking part in the hop.  Please use the hashtag #2024springintocardmakinghop to find us and also so that we can find your creation if you are inspired to take part.  

I'll be back again with you tomorrow with my card for the Krafty Chicks challenge so please pop by and check it out.  I wanted to say a quick hello to my new followers; it's lovely to have you join me and I hope you visit me often.  As always I appreciate the comments you leave and thank you so much for stopping by. 

Love and hugs, 

Card ingredients:
Stamping Bella - curvy girl - besties stamp
Tonic Studios - square layering die set
MFT - LLD insert it instaframe die (retired)
Memory Box - Pippi butterfly die (? retired)
Gina K Designs - modern floral bundle (for the tiny sentiment die)
Gina K Designs - dusty rose ink pad (to colour the friend sentiment strip)
Tonic Studios - autumn maple 6 x 6 pearlescent card pack (discontinued)
Crafty Things - 6 x 6 creative paper pack (from Home Bargains)
Promarkers
Versafine - onyx black ink
Memento - tuxedo black ink 
Woodware - small circle punch
MFT - gerbera daisy die set (for the tiny circle) (retired)
Recycled bran flakes cereal box (other cereals are avaiable!)

Thursday 18 April 2024

Krafty Chicks challenge #712 - CAS

Hello friends; I hope you're having a great week.  I'm here today to share my DT card for this week's Krafty Chicks challenge.  As we are on Week 3 we are looking for all your CAS (clean and simple) creations.  
Although my card isn't a typical one layer CAS card it has limited supplies, no embellishments and only the top layer is dimensional.  I hope you like it. 
Here is my card:
A closer look:
Plus I decorated the inside:
I began by die cutting the large sentiment die from a white panel that was cut to 4" x 5 1/4".  I cut another panel the same size and used a stencil to create a fun background using 3 colours of ink.  I stamped the sweet dog image and coloured him with Promarkers and used the matching die to cut him out.  I stamped a sentiment from the set onto white card with black ink and trimmed it into a narrow strip.  I added thin foam strips behind the die cut panel and added over the stencilled background.  I added the dog inside the letter B again with foam squares.  The sentiment was placed in between the BIG and HUGS words with liquid glue.  The panel was then added onto a green card base with double sided tape.  For the inside I cut a white panel 3 3/4" x 5" and using the same colours of ink lightly blended a border at the bottom.  I then stamped the dog in a pale grey ink and my sentiment was stamped in the centre with black ink.  This was added to the card base with double sided tape.  I don't often use a coloured card base but I really thought it went well with the stencilled design.  

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

AAA Colourful challenge - colourboard #3
AAA Cards - Anything CAS goes option wedding/anniversary
Classic Design challenge - ATG option happy birthday
Crafty Animals challenge - ATG must include an animal
Creative Moments challenge - cute and cuddly
Critter Crazy challenge - ATG with a featured critter
I love Promarkers challenge - ATG option shapes
Simon Says Stamp Monday challenge - make your own background
Stencil Fun challenge - Anything stencil goes option spring/flowers
The Cutie Pie challenge - simply cuties
Tic Tac Toe challenge - stencil/die cut/critter
Tic Tac Toe Challenge #245
Word Power challenge - the sentiment must be the focus of your card

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

Thanks for stopping by. 

Love and hugs, 
Card ingredients:
Uniko Stamps - tiger print stencil
Stampin' Up! - subtles collections card pack (for card base)
Gina K Designs - ink pads - sea glass, applemint, lemon drop
Promarkers
Taylored Expressions - foam sticky strips
Versafine - onyx black ink

Wednesday 17 April 2024

Spring Into Card Making IG Hop - Week 6

Hello friends; I hope you're having a great day.  I'm back to share this week's card for the Spring Into Card Making IG Hop, which has been organised by my lovely friend Kelly.  Each week we will be sharing a themed card focusing on the joys of spring.  If our hop inspires you please use the hashtag #2024springintocardmakinghop to join in the fun.  
This week's inspiration prompt is 'spring into action' so we want to see something interactive on your cards this week; even if it's just an action wobbler.  If interactive cards are not your things we would love to see your spring themed cards.  I originally made a card with an action wobbler but I didn't love it so decided to make another; the second card is a tent style card with a swinging action.  I hope you like it.
Here is my card:

A closer look at the cute images:

There is no inside as such so I decorated the back:
It's not a very good photo but I wanted to show you the side view:

The basic size of the card is a regular US A2 (4 1/4" x 5 1/2") so I made my card base from white card and then cut a smaller piece 4 1/4" x 2" to create the 'W' for the inside using my score board to score at every 1/2" (I hope that makes sense).  Before sticking everything together I cut a rectangle from the front of the card so that I could make my scene.  I also created a background piece using cloud and grass stencils and adhered it to the inside of the card with double sided tape.  I stamped 2 monkeys, some branches and some bananas and coloured them with Promarkers; I then used the matching dies to cut them out.  I know you can buy the swinging mechanisms but to be honest I very rarely make these types of cards so had a go at making my own.  I cut a thin strip of acetate and punched a small hole in the top.  I die cut 6 smaller circles from white card and adhered them together with liquid glue.  By placing the smaller circles inside the acetate circle will enable my monkey to swing.  To keep it all together I punched 2 larger white circles and enclosed it all together.  I did have to trim my acetate a little to enable it to swing freely and also so that it wouldn't show behind the monkey.  I cut some green card using a scalloped die and added this to the top of the rectangle on the inside so that it would hide my mechanism.  I'm sorry if my instructions are not clear; I didn't think to take step by step photos as I wasn't sure it would even work lol!  I'm sure if you check Pinterest you will find some instructions there.  I added my branches, monkeys and bananas and then stamped my sentiment (which was made up of 2 different stamp sets).  As there is no traditional inside of the card I decorated the back with another stencilled panel and also added another monkey.  I haven't added a sentiment yet but will do that when I know who I am sending the card to.  I adhered the panel with double sided tape.  I then finished the card by adding the 'W' to each side of the card (using extra strong tape) to make it stand up (although it is a little bowed as I didn't take into account the extra bulk of the swing mechanism).  I didn't feel the need to add any embellishments as there was so much going on.  I really hope you like it.  I did take a short video and if you want to see it swing please pop over to my Instagram. 

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

As You Like It challenge - cute or floral (I love cute animal images and they suit all ages)
Creative Creases challenge - ATG with a fun fold
CRAFT challenge - inspired by a movie (jungle book)
Crafty Animals challenge - ATG must include an animal
Crafty Catz challenge - ATG option any cute critter
Creative Moments challenge - cute and cuddly
Critter Crazy challenge - ATG with a featured critter
Fab 'n' Funky challenge - add a sentiment
I love Promarkers challenge - ATG option shapes
Incy Wincy Designs challenge - inspired by a song/book or movie (jungle book)
Inkspirational challenge - word prompt FOLD
Simply Create Too challenge - more than one fold
Simon Says Stamp Monday challenge - make your own background
Stencil Fun challenge - Anything stencil goes option spring/flowers
The Cutie Pie challenge - simply cuties
Tic Tac Toe challenge - stencil/die cut/critter
Tic Tac Toe Challenge #245

I would love it if you would pop over to Instagram and see the amazing work by all the other crafters taking part in the hop.  Please use the hashtag #2024springintocardmakinghop to find us and also so that we can find your creation if you are inspired to take part.  

I'll be back again with you tomorrow with my card for the Krafty Chicks challenge so please pop by and check it out.  As always I appreciate the comments you leave and thank you so much for stopping by. 

Love and hugs, 


card ingredients:
Heffy Doodle - Chimply the best stamp & die set
Gina K Designs - Easter blessing stamp set (for part of sentiment)
Gina K Designs - ink pads - sea glass and grass green
MFT - mini cloud edges stencil
Spellbinders - standard circles large dies (for larger circles in my mechanism)
Clearly Besotted Stamps - scalloped edges die collection
Promarkers
Versafine - onyx black ink pad
green card from stash

Thursday 11 April 2024

Krafty Chicks challenge #711 - Christmas

Hello friends; I hope you're having a great week.  I'm here today to share my DT card for this week's Krafty Chicks challenge.  As we are on Week 2 we are looking for all your Christmas or holiday themed creations.  

I went for a traditional style card this time and used some silhouette stamps against an ink blended background.  Here is my card:
a closer look at my scene:
I decorated the inside as always:
I began by cutting my panel of white card to 4" x 5 1/4" (although I did trim it down slightly later on).  I created some masks for the moon and under the trees/houses so that they would remain white (to create the curved edge I traced along the edge of the stamp so that my mask would match perfectly).  I took 4 ink colours and created my ink blended night sky.  Once the blend has dried a little I removed the masks.   I then took the silhouette stamps and stamped them multiple times (using my Misti) with black ink.  I took the sentiments from the same stamp set and also stamped them in black ink more towards the right hand side of the white portion of the card.  I added some white highlights to my Santa & sleigh and also some snow (or stars) to the background with a white gelly roll pen.  I added the white panel to a black mat with double sided tape and then added this to the card blank with foam tape.  For the inside I stamped the trees/houses border at the very bottom of my panel and added a sentiment in black ink.  Again this was matted with a black panel and added to my card base with double sided tape.  I'm really happy with my ink blending and really pleased with the finished card.  I hope you like it too.  

I'd like to enter my card into the following challenges:

ABC Christmas challenge - I is for inky (I ink blended my background)
Christmas Craft Creations challenge - non traditional colours
Christmas Kickstart challenge - Santa and his sidekicks
CRAFT challenge - inspired by a movie (Santa Claus the movie)
Merry Little Christmas challenge - anything Christmas goes
Peace on Earth Christmas challenge - mood board or anything Christmas goes
Sparkles Christmas challenge - non traditional colours
The Holly & The Ivy challenge - anything Christmas goes

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 - LeanneDiane and Lori and also our guest designer for April, Rachelle

Thanks for stopping by. 

Love and hugs, 
Card ingredients:
Gina K Designs - ink pads - plum punch, tranquil teal, blue denim, in the navy
Gina K Designs - masking magic sheets
Spellbinders - standard circles large dies (for moon mask)
Paula Pascual - Christmas messages (for inside sentiment)
Versafine - onyx black ink