Sunbird Spark Challenge #47

 This month, the Sunbird Spark Challenge is a Sketch Inspiration.

I used the Diamonds Geo Stencils 360° set and inked up Barrel A with Gina K. Designs Medium Orchid ink, and Barrel B with Dark Orchid ink, rotating 45° each turn. I love the way the two stencils make a great design together.

The front panel was layered with black and attached to a white card base.

I stamped the sentiment, from the An Amazing Friend stamp set, in Obsidian Amalgam ink and layered it with a black panel cut with the Cottage Cutz Stitched Square die set. I cut one side of the layer, turned the die around and cut the other side, to make a smaller shape.

March Scor-Pal Project

 

My friend turned 100th last month, so I made her a special Tri-fold card.

Supplies used:

Scor-Pal

Scor-Tape

The Stacker

2 pieces of cardstock, measuring 10" x 7"

gold foil cardstock - 2 pieces measuring 5" x 7"

Gina K. Designs: Lovely Flowers stamp set, stencils and die

                            Birthday Bash Foil-Mates

                            Light Orchid, Dark Orchid, Jelly Bean Green, Grass Green, Light Spruce, 

                                     Medium Spruce ink

Hero Arts Oval infinity dies

VersaMark ink

gold embossing powder

vellum paper

gold foil

Step 1:

On each of your 2 pieces of cardstock, place the 10" side at the top and score at 5".

Step 2:

Stamp your image with VersaMark ink on a piece of vellum paper, and heat emboss with gold embossing powder. Stamp it again on regular cardstock, colour it in and cut it out.

Step 3:

Cut an oval big enough to hold most of your stamped image in both pieces of gold foil cardstock. Make sure that you have the two foil sides on the outside so that the holes will line up on the front of your card.

Step 4:

Line up one of the gold pieces on the right side of one of the scored pieces of cardstock. Trace through the hole and cut out slightly bigger than the traced line. This will make it easier to line everything up.

Step 5:

Tape the vellum paper onto the back of one of the gold foiled panels, lining up the image as you want it to appear. Tape that onto the front of the sheet of cardstock with the oval hole, and tape the other gold foiled panel on the back. You have sandwiched the vellum and the cardstock between the two gold foiled pieces.

Take the other sheet of 10" x 7" cardstock and trim off 1/8" from the right hand side. This will make it easier to fold the completed card. Add Scor-Tape to the inside of the left hand side of the cardstock and attach it to the back of the right hand side of the first sheet. This will give you the shape shown below. Decorate the middle section with your sentiment.

 

Step 6:

Line up the coloured image with the outline on the vellum paper and attach it to the folded right hand side. For this part, I used glue to give me some wiggle room.

Sunbird Spark Challenge #46

 This month, we have a Valentine moodboard as inspiration.

Here is my card; a Valentine for my husband!

I stamped the elements, from the Hedgehogs in Love stamp set, and cut them out with the coordinating dies. I coloured in the hearts with a Spectrum Noir alcohol marker.

I decided to make an ombre background, using Gina K. Designs Bubblegum Pink, Passionate Pink, Red Velvet and Cherry Red ink.  I added this to a red panel before attaching it to a white card base. Then I adhered my elements, popping up the sentiment bubble.

February 2025 Scor-Pal Project

 

We're through the first month of 2025 already! This month, I have a cute box to show you. It will hold a deck of playing cards, or other small items.

Supplies needed:

Scor-Pal

Scor-Tape

The Stacker

cardstock: 5 3/4" x 7"

patterned paper: 2 pieces 2 3/8" x 3 3/8"

                           2 pieces 5/8" x 3 3/8"

Kadomaru Pro Corner Cutter

1" circle punch

ribbon, stamps, etc. to decorate

Step 1

With the 7" side of the cardstock at the top of your Scor-Pal, score at 3/4", 3 1/4", 4" and 6 1/2". Turn the cardstock 90° to the left and score at 3/4", 1 1/2" and 5". Fold along all score lines.

Step 2

Using the picture below as a guide, trim and clip the cardstock. Round the corners of the topmost flap. You can angle the cuts on the top two tabs on the left to make it easier to close the box.

Step 3

Add the patterned paper to the box fronts and sides. Using a circle punch, punch a half circle in the left front panel. Add Scor-Tape to the right side tab and right bottom tab.

Step 4

Remove the tape liner from the right flap and attach the flap to the back of the left side to form the box. Remove the tape liner from the bottom flap, fold in the side tabs, then the flap with the tape and finally the last flap. 

Step 5

Decorate as desired. The patterned paper I used is from Gina K. Designs, called Floral Essentials. The sentiment is from the Peace, Love and Joy stamp set, also by Gina K. Designs. 

 

Sunbird Spark Challenge #45

 This month, Sunbird Spark (formerly Penguin Palace) has a sketch challenge.

This is what I came up with!

I used a stamp from the Geometric Arts stamp set to create the background, which was stamped with Gina K. Designs Innocent Pink ink.

For my focal image, I made a 'window' and used stamps from the Birthday Wishes and Penguin Agenda stamp sets. I coloured the images with Spectrum Noir alcohol markers and added a bit of sparkle on the camera and balloon highlights with some Wink of Stella.

The sentiment is from the Birthday Wishes stamp set.

Flower Garden

I have one more card for the Gina K. Designs Monthly Mix December challenge.

For the top section, I used the Flower Garden stencil, inked up with Sweet Corn, Wild Dandelion, and  Sweet Mango ink. The bottom section uses the Thick Brush stencil and was inked up with Jelly Bean Green and Fresh Asparagus ink.

I used the So Many Sentiments stamp set for the sentiment, with Dark Chocolate ink. I added a bit of the ink around the edges of the strip of cardstock before attaching it to the panel. I added a brown layer before adhering it to a white card base.

To finish the card, I added a yellow flower that a friend gave me.

Heartfelt Snowflake

Here is my second card for the Gina K. Designs Monthly Mix December Challenge.

I used the Heartfelt Snowflake Layering stencil on the top, inked up with In the Navy ink, and one of the Bodacious Bloom stencils on the bottom, inked up with Wild Wisteria ink. 

The sentiment is from the Massive Messages stamp set, stamped with Obsidian Amalgam ink.

I added a strip of silver foiled cardstock to separate the two sections, added a blue layer and attached it to a white card base.

Sparkling Mandala Burst

 The Gina K Designs Monthly Mix challenge for December is to use two stencils on the card. Here is my first card:

First, I inked up the Art Deco stencil with In the Navy ink.

Once that dried completely, I used the Mandala Burst stencil with Silver Glitz glitter gel. I liked the sparkle, but the design didn't show up against the background. I put it aside and the next day I had the idea to outline each area with a black marker to make it show up better.

I added a blue layer before attaching it to a white card base.

I didn't want to cover any of the design, so I didn't add a sentiment on the outside of the card.

December Scor-Pal project

 

I saw this idea on YouTube, but a die was used to create the boxes. I wanted to show that you can make the boxes without a die.

Supplies needed:

Scor-Pal

Scor-Tape

The Stacker

Cardstock - Either 26 pieces of 6” x 8 1/2”, or 13 pieces of 8 1/2” x 11” (You can get two boxes out of                      one large piece of cardstock with a bit of work.) I used half red and half green.

                  - 5 circles, measuring 7”, 6”, 5”, 4” and 3 1/2”. These can be any colour, as they will be                            covered with the patterned paper circles.

                  - Enough to cut out the numbers 1 to 25

Patterned Paper - 26 pieces of 1 3/4” x 1 3/4”

                           - 5 circles, measuring 7”, 6”, 5”, 4” and 3 1/2”

                           - 9” x 9” to cover the base

A piece of cardboard 8 1/2” square

Number dies or an electronic cutting machine to make the numbers. Or, you could draw them on with a marker.

Step 1: Score and cut the box shapes.

If you are using 6” x 8 1/2” pieces of cardstock, with the 6” side at the top of your Scor-Pal, score at 2” and 4”. Turn the cardstock 90 degrees to the Left and score at 2”, 4”, 6” and 8”.

Referring to the diagram below, cut along the solid lines.

 1. Cut along the score lines from the bottom up to the 6” score line.
 2. From the right side, cut in along the 2” and 4” score lines to meet the 4” score line. Repeat on the left side, cutting to meet the 2” score line.
 3. Trim the sides in the top section to 3/4”, angling the top and bottom of each tab. Repeat with the sides in the 3^rd section from the top.

Use a circle punch (mine was 1”) to cut a notch in the middle of the top edge, and round the corners of the bottom tab using a corner rounder (I used the Kadomaru Pro, which has three different sizes in one punch).

Repeat for the rest of the small cardstock.

  

If you are using 8 1/2” x 11” pieces of cardstock, start with the 11” at the top of your Scor-Pal and score at 2” and 4”. Score at 6” down to the 4” mark. Turn the cardstock 180 degrees and repeat the above scores.

Turn the cardstock 90 degrees to the left and score at 1/2”, 2 1/2”, 4 1/2”, and 6 1/2” down to the 3^rd score line. This distance will vary, because of the shape. Turn the cardstock 180 degrees and repeat.

The diagram below shows the scoring lines and the red line shows the place to cut the two pieces apart. Then you will cut and trim as above for the 6” x 8 1/2” piece.

Repeat for the rest of the large cardstock.

Step 2: Add Scor-Tape to the boxes.

For each box, add Scor-Tape along the 4 side tabs. Fold along all the score lines.

Step 3: Make the boxes.

Turn the cardstock over so the tape is on the bottom. Fold up the panel with the round notch, fold in the flaps, remove the tape liner on one side, and attach it to the inside of the panel on that side. Repeat for the other side. It will look like the picture on the left.

Fold up the back panel, remove the tape liner and attach the flap to the inside of the box. Repeat for the other flap. You will have a box with an open top, pictured on the right.

Step 4: Decorate the boxes.

Attach a piece of patterned paper to the top flap of each box. When the tree is assembled, the tops of the boxes will be facing out so they can be opened.

Glue the numbers on, remembering that the opening flap is on top and pulls down toward you. I alternated between the red and green boxes when I was numbering them. There will be one box left over, which will go at the top. I decorated it with two pieces of patterned paper, one on each side, and added a star on each piece of patterned paper.

Step 5: Assemble the layers.

You will have 5 layers of boxes that will be attached to the circles of patterned paper. The bottom layer will have 7 boxes, the next layer will have 6 boxes, the next 5, the next 4, and the top layer 3. Decide if you want your numbers to start at 1 at the bottom and increase sequentially on each layer, or if you want the numbers in a random order. This will determine how you tape them together for each layer. Once you have decided, turn the boxes so the number is on the bottom and tape them together. Then tape the two end boxes together to make a circle shape.

Tape the circles of patterned paper to the cardstock circles. This makes them a bit sturdier.

Turn the box circles so the notched sides are on the bottom and the numbers are facing out. Arrange the boxes for each layer so they are as symmetrical as possible and attach the circle on top, with the patterned paper side down. I found it easier to attach them upside down so the boxes stayed in the shape I wanted, but you can certainly add the right side up boxes to the patterned paper circles. The right hand picture shows them once they have been turned right side up.

Step 6: Assemble the tree.

For the base, cover the piece of cardboard with the large piece of patterned paper.

Attach the largest layer to the base. Because of the square shape of the boxes, it won’t look completely centered. Add the rest of the layers, trying to stagger the boxes on each layer. You need to be able to open each box, so make sure you don’t completely cover the notch. Add the extra box to the top, and your tree is complete. All that’s left to do is fill the boxes with treats!

Coffee Lovers Blog Hop Card #10

I was the lucky winner of a Flash prize for the 2024 Fall/Winter Coffee Lovers Blog Hop, so I needed to make another card with the prize I won!

My prize was a gift certificate from Angie Blom Digital Designs, so I was able to download my purchase right away. 

I used the Christmas Joy Mugs set and coloured the printed image with Spectrum Noir alcohol markers.

I added a bit of Gina K. Designs Cherry Red ink around the outside of the panel and the sentiment, which I attached near the bottom of my mini slimline panel.

After adding a red panel behind it, and attaching it to a white card base, I added a few sequins from the Picket Fence Studios More Peppermint Kisses Sequin mix.

This will be my last card for this year's hop, but it was so much fun. I am looking forward to next year!