Stair Step Card

I was inspired by a card that Melanie Muenchinger made (HERE) and decided to make one to enter a couple of challenges: Scor-Pal More than One Score challenge #56 Anything Goes; and Gina K. Designs Monthly Mix challenge - Color of the Year (Coral). 

To make this card, start with a piece of cardstock that measures 5" x 10.5" and with your Scor-Pal, score along the long side at 1.25", 2.5", 4.25", 6" and 8.25". Fold accordion style, starting with a mountain fold. You will end up with this:

Stamp flowers and leaves and cut them out. I used the Gina K. Designs Dazzling Dahlia stamp set and coordinating dies. I stamped the flowers in Coral Reef, and for some of them I stamped again without re-inking, to give a lighter colour. I stamped the leaves in Lucky Clover.

Stamp a sentiment on the lowest part of the card (I used Memento Tuxedo Black ink) and add your flowers and leaves along the top edges of the 'steps' with some Scor-Tape. I also attached a flower to the back of the card and I will add a sentiment when I am ready to give the card to someone.

Thanks for taking a look and I hope you try this type of card. It is quite fun to make and still fits in a regular sized envelope (4.25" x 5.5") when folded.

Greet your Vellum

I wanted to make a birthday card for a friend, so I used a couple of challenges to determine my design and colour. The first challenge is Mod Squad - Greet your Vellum. We have to have our greeting on vellum. The second challenge is Gina K. Designs Monthly Mix - Color of the Year. We need to use the color Coral, and show a peek of the decorated inside of the card.

Here is a better look at the front and inside:  

I recently purchased the Butterfly Kisses Stamp n Foil set, which includes a stamp set, a set of Foil Mates detail sheets and coordinating dies. I first stamped the butterflies, in coral, over the foil mates detail images and then cut them out with the dies. I ran them through my laminator with gold foil, which transferred the foil to the detailed areas. I coloured over the body and antenna with a black marker.

To make the front background, I used a stencil and sponged the coral ink through. I also used this on the inside corner. I stamped and embossed the sentiment onto a piece of vellum and attached it to the stenciled background. I matted this with coral cardstock before adhering it to the white card base. I popped up the butterflies on the front with foam squares and added another butterfly inside.

I used the following supplies:
Gina K. Designs: Butterfly Kisses Stamp n Foil set
                            Coral Reef ink and cardstock 
                            Little Thoughts Mini Stamp set
Hampton Art stencil
VersaMark ink
Gold Therm O Web deco foil
white cardstock, black embossing powder, vellum, foam squares, black marker from my stash

Sponged Background

This is my last card for the Gina K. Designs Monthly Mix challenge - My Sentiments Exactly! The only stamped image we can use is the sentiment, and we also can't use any patterned paper.

I started by taping a piece of watercolour paper onto my work surface and spraying it with water. I tapped the ink pads onto an acrylic block to transfer some ink. Using a paintbrush, I picked up some of the ink and added it to the wet paper. I used yellow, blue and red, overlapping them to create the green and purple sections.

Once the paper had thoroughly dried, I stamped the sentiment with VersaMark ink, added silver embossing powder and heat set it. I attached the panel to a card base and added some sequins to finish it off.

Supplies used:
Gina K. Designs: Massive Messages stamp set
                            Wild Dandelion, Blue Lagoon, Red Hot ink
                            White cardstock
VersaMark ink
Canson XL Recycled Bristol paper
silver embossing powder, sequins from my stash

Have a Heart

This week, the Simon Says Stamp Wednesday challenge is Have a Heart. I have a heart stencil that I thought would be perfect for the challenge.

I used two colours of red ink to stencil the heart background onto white cardstock. I stamped the sentiment over one of the hearts. So that I would be able to enter the Gina K. Designs Monthly Mix challenge - My Sentiments Exactly!, I didn't add any other stamped images or patterned paper. I matted the background in red and added it to a white card base.

To finish off the card, I added a bow, and some Glossy Accents to the tiny heart next to the sentiment.

I used the following supplies:
Gina K. Designs: Rose Bouquet stamp set
                            Lipstick, Red Hot ink
                            Black Amalgam ink
                            Lipstick, White cardstock 
ColorBox Art Screens - Lovely
Ranger Glossy Accents
ribbon from my stash 

Alcohol Ink Background

I'm entering this card in two challenges: Gina K. Designs Monthly Mix Challenge - My Sentiments Exactly! and Simon Says Stamp Monday Challenge - Alcohol, Drinks or Inks.

I decided to go with Alcohol inks so I used my homemade inks made from Sharpie markers. I used the colours Magenta, Pink Lemonade, Violet, and Boysenberry on a foam pad, spritzed with alcohol and pounced on a piece of photo paper. I set this aside to dry.

I stamped the sentiment from the Massive Messages stamp set with  Black Amalgam ink on 
White cardstock, all from Gina K. Designs. I rounded the corners with the Kadomaru Pro corner rounder, using the middle size. I like this corner rounder because it has three different sizes. I then added ribbon and a butterfly charm from my stash and adhered it all to a white card base.

Die Embossing

I saw a technique on Jennifer McGuire's blog (click here to see) this week and I thought it would be perfect for the Gina K Designs Monthly Mix Challenge - My Sentiments Exactly! The only stamp we can use is for the sentiment.

For this technique you use a die to make an impression but not cut all the way through.

(All products are Gina K. Designs unless otherwise mentioned.)

I used the Cheery Lynn Designs Doily Die - Italian Flourish on a piece of white cardstock. I then die cut the shape from another piece of cardstock, used the negative as a mask and lightly sponged over the doily with Apple Mint ink.

I stamped the sentiment, from the By the Sea stamp set, with Grass Green ink and used clear embossing powder from my stash to emboss it. I matted this layer with Grass Green cardstock and adhered it to a white card base. I added a rhinestone, from my stash, to the middle of the doily to finish it off.

Birthday wishes

My first card of 2019 is for 3 challenges: Simon Says Stamp Monday challenge - Party Time; Simon Says Stamp Wednesday challenge - Something New; and Mod Squad challenge - Patterned Paper Triple Time.

I received the Gina K. Designs Stampers Favorites stamp set for Christmas, so I thought that would be good for the Something New challenge. I made a birthday card for a birthday party and used 3 different patterned papers.

I stamped the hummingbird and sentiment with Gina K. Designs Amalgam ink onto Spectrum Noir Ultra Smooth Premium White Cardstock and coloured the hummingbird with Spectrum Noir Alcohol Markers: TB6, BT8, GT2, VB1. I used a Spellbinders Nestabilities Big Scalloped Ovals Small die to cut it out and then fussy cut a black mat.

I cut 3 pieces from the Gina K. Designs Delicate Essentials patterned paper pack and arranged them on a piece of black cardstock that I had attached to a white card base. I adhered the focal image with some foam squares and added a couple of rhinestones to the two corners.

Place Card

I was having company over Christmas and decided to try making Place Cards. Here is what I made:

I started with a piece of patterned paper from my stash which measured 4" x 6.5". Using the Scor-Pal, I scored it at 2.5" and 4" along the 6.5" side. I folded along the score lines to create a triangle, with the opening at the top.

I stamped the partridge and the sentiment, both from Gina K Designs Fruit of the Season stamp set, onto some white cardstock with Gina K Designs Prickly Pear ink. Using the Gina K Designs 

Decorative Label Set dies, I cut out the sentiment and the place where the name goes. I used the coordinating die to cut out the partridge.

To assemble the place card, I scored the label with the sentiment above the writing, added some Scor-Tape to the back of the label and attached it to the top. I wrote my name on the small label with a Bronze Metallic Sharpie marker, added it to the front and popped up the partridge with a foam square.

 I am entering this in the Scor-Pal More than One Score Challenge #55 December - Anything Goes Christmas and the Simon Says Stamp Wednesday Challenge - Anything Goes.

I wish everyone a Happy New Year and hope that 2019 brings you good health and happiness!

Gift Card Holder

I made this just before Christmas but I'm just getting around to posting it today. I needed a few gift card holders so I made ones like this. I am entering it in the Scor-Pal More than One Score Challenge #55 December - Anything Goes Christmas and the Simon Says Stamp Wednesday Challenge - Anything Goes.

These gift holders are quick and easy to make. Start with a piece of cardstock that measures 3 3/4" by 7 1/2", and score at 2 1/2" and 5".  Cut from the top of the 5" score line to the bottom of the right hand edge. You should end up with this:

Place some Scor-Tape along the very bottom of the right hand triangle and fold it over to create the pocket for the gift card. I used 1/8" tape so there was more room for the card. If you want more room, increase the height of the holder to 4". Add patterned paper to the inside and outside to decorate it.

To hold it closed, I made a belly band with ribbon and stamped a snowflake on a circle of cardstock. I attached it with a Glue Dot and also used a removable Glue Dot to hold the gift card in the holder. 

I used these supplies:

Gina K. Designs: Winter Cheer patterned paper pack
                             Christmas Pine ink
                             Sparkling Snowflake stamp set
Scor-Pal
Scor-Tape

ek tools 1 1/2” circle punch
Glue Dots
red cardstock, ribbon from my stash

Snow Globe

I had some pieces left from a die cut on a previous card and decided to make a card with them. You can see the previous card Here. I am entering it in the  StampTV Monthly Mix Challenge - Holiday in Black and White, the Simon Says Stamp Monday Challenge - Warm Winter Wishes and the Simon Says Stamp Wednesday challenge - Christmas.

I thought that the trees looked like they were covered with snow and decided to use a snow globe die, which I embossed by using a rubber mat. I glued the die cut pieces onto a black card base and laid the snow globe shape over them to see where I could place the snowflakes. I removed the snow globe, stamped the snowflakes with VersaMark ink and embossed them in white. I stamped the sentiment and attached the snow globe die. I added some Wink of Stella to the trees to give them a bit of sparkle.

I used the following supplies:

Gina K. Designs: Christmas Greenery, Sparkling Snowflake stamp sets 
Memento Tuxedo Black ink 
VersaMark ink 
Craftmania snow globe die
Clear Wink of Stella brush

Tombow MONO Multi liquid glue
From my stash: tree die, white embossing powder, white and black cardstock