Hi There

This card was inspired by the challenges which encourage you to use red, white, and blue:

I wanted to use new products from Waffle Flower and The Greetery, as I thought the colour inspiration would suit perfeclty.

I first began by creating the Waffle Flower ‘Happy Lobster‘ using a couple of shades of red card stock from Concord & 9th. The eyes were drawn in black on the darker red before adding the top layer, and the tongue was a little light orange ink blending onto a small piece of card then die cut.

I didn’t attach the arms until I figured out the background and design – which took me more time than anything.

I knew I wanted to use the ‘Making Waves‘ embossing folder and layering stencils, and actually played around with this a few times. On one piece, I ink blended using the two layering stencils, then die cut, then used the embossing folder. On another piece I die cut, then ink blended, then used the embossing folder. On a third piece I embossed, then ink blended, and was going to cut down the panel when I knew what size of card base I wanted. Three similar but slightly different outcomes.

I chose to use the panel I had ink blended, then die cut, then embossed.

I also chose to use a 5×7 inch card base – lots of room for the images.

How to keep the edges looking neat and tidy…? I decided to add a frame. Using a 5×7 inch piece of card, I die cut the inner rectangle using a Gina K Designs Master Layouts die set in white, then another in a darker blue from Concord & 9th.

I adhered the waves to the white inner stitched panel, trimming off any over-hang, and attached to the card base. The blue frame was added with C9 3D foam strips.

The lobster was placed were I wanted him to be, but I did die cut one more layer for the piece which had his antenna on for a little more stability.

The sentiment was stamped, die cut, and two additional layers added, then glued as you see. This was from a Simon says Stamp set which came with a kit in February this year.

This was fun to make, and I’m sure I will use this background again at some point.

I’m off to visit my sister and her husband in Quebec, Canada next week for two weeks, so whilst we may spend some time crafting, there will probably only be the scheduled posts for upcoming Design Teams.

We haven’t seen each other face-to-face for 4 years, only WhatsApp video and messages, and she has just moved into a new house. Lots of things to do to sort out – especially her craft room – catch up, and generally get out-and-about in that wonderful province.

I will be taking my MetaQuest with me – I do virtual boxing and combat for a couple of hours a day – and she has borrowed an e-bike from a friend of hers, so I should be able to keep up with my daily exercise regime – to some extent, anyway.

I shall be entering the following challenges:

Cut It Up – die cuts and create your own background

Addicted to Stamps & More – make your mark

Colourful Options – red, white, & blue or rainbow

Give A Crafter A Cookie – red, white, & blue

Cupcake Inspirations – red, white & blue

Fuchsia Thanks

Hello everyone. I am delighted to share with you today that I am joining the design team at Ally’s Angels. The challenge is a monthly ‘anything goes’ theme, and can be anything – cards, journals, planners – but be sure to check the rules tab.

Here is my card:

I thought a ‘thank you’ card was suitable for being accepted into their Design Team, and used the Spellbinders die to create the flowers. I did have to watch a couple of YouTube videos, but they came together quite quickly once I got my head around them – so many layers.

As you can see, I used a combination of different teal tones, adding gold for the stamen.

The back panel was created using an embossing folder, the oval was die cut from a Pinkfresh Studio nesting ovals set, then the florals attached with 3D foam.

The sentiment was gold heat embossed, die cut, then added as you see.

I hope you can come and join us with your creations – I’m looking forward to seeing them in our gallery. xx

I shall be entering the following challenges:

Lil Patch of Crafty Friends – anything goes

A Cut Above – anything goes with die cuts

Triple B – birds and/or butterflies and/or blooms

Love To Craft – anything goes

Framed Florals

Hello again. I have a card to share created yesterday, but just didn’t have time to post it:

I was inspired by the inspiration photo at Inkspirational to use my new Pinkfresh Studio stamp, die & stencil set – Freshly Picked’. I took inspiration from the lemons, and the pink florals.

I first used the stamp and a light brown ink, then coloured using the matching layering stencils. I did use more than one colour per stencil – I like to mix it up a little – then used the die to cut them out.

Using frame, ink blending, and sentiment from ‘Pick 3 Challenge‘, I used the Waffle Flower ‘Postage Collage Frames‘ and die cut several frame, layered twice. The inserts which came out of each die, I then used an old Sizzix embossing folder and added the embossed dots.

The frames were arranged to my liking, adding with glue and with 3D foam strips, inserting the small embossed squares back into place, then adding the lemon and florals with 3D Foam.

The sentiment was stamped and die cut, layered a couple of times, them added with glue.

I shall be entering the following challenges:

Inspirational – photo inspiration

Pick 3 Challenge – frame – ink blending – sentiment

Addicted to Stamps & More – make your mark

CYHTP – embossing folder – option of stars and/or stripes not taken

Triple B – birds and/or butterflies and/or blooms

Strawberry Hello

Hi there. It’s been a busy weekend, as I’ve been out to a classical Ibiza night at Chatsworth House – a fabulous night in an amazing setting, and then today I went out to a crafting event in Doncaster. I did find time to put together this card using products from Spellbinders:

I began by creating the background, which is a set of layering stencils, using Pinkfresh Studio inks, then cut that down slightly and adhered to a card base.

The strawberries were die cut and assembled, and the centre sentiment banner also die cut – with the fall-out letters of the word inlaid back into place.

A little bit of die cutting, but most of the time was spent doing the ink blending on the background.

I shall be entering the following challenges:

Tic Tac Toe – top left to bottom right diagonal – fruit/vegetable + die cut + stencil

Allsorts – use stencils

Cut It Up – die cuts and create your own background

Stencil Fun – use stencils – option of patterns not taken

Jolly Holiday at 52 CCT

Hello everyone. I was lucky enough to be the winner for previous challenge at 52 CCT, and as such took them up on their offer to be Guest Design team member.

They have started a new challenge, and it’s a colour challenge – as long as you create a Christmas card using these colours (some neutrals are allowed) – you are good to go:

Here is my card:

I used a stamp, die and stencil set from Pinkfresh Studio called ‘Berry Branch‘, stamping the image in a brown ink for a softer outline, then used the layering colouring stencils, then the matching dies.

The two inks I used you can see in the picture, making the first layer a lighter touch, and the second layer a darker touch of ink blending for the two colours.

The background panel was embossed using a Spellbinders embossing folder and attached to a card base.

I stamped the sentiment – from the same suite – in a dark brown ink, then die cut that piece and added a dark brown layer behind using a smaller Pinkfresh Studio ‘Fancy Labels Frames’ die set.

I did snip the branch a little so I could paly with the layout, and attached all the elements using 3D foam.

I couldn’t decide whether to use silver or gold gems, so I thought an ombre mix of the two would work. These are also from Pinkfresh Studio and some of my most used gems.

I hope you can come join the challenge, and I look forward to seeing what Christmas cards you create using these colours. xx

I shall be entering the following challenges:

Merry Little Christmas Challenge – anything goes Christmas

The Card Concept – summer by the sea or Christmas in July

Wedding Beetle

Hello once again. It is time for the new challenge at The Alphabet Challenge. We have reached the letter ‘F’, and Tee has chosen the theme of:

F is for Festivities – Christmas in July, wedding, birthday etc

Here is my card:

I chose to go with wedding, and used the ‘Wedding Beetle‘ die set from A Pocketful Of Happiness.

I first die cut all the elements then layered and added them as per her YouTube video.

The background is a white panel, die cut with the Pinkfresh Studio ‘Daisy Chain’ cover plate to create a white-on-white background.

I shall be entering the following challenges:

C.R.A.F.T. Challenge – thank you or anything goes – option taken for anything goes

Crafts Galore – anything goes

Love To Craft – anything goes

Mix It Up – anything goes – option of shaped card not taken

Happy Birthday Cat

Hello everyone, I am so excited that I am going to be the Surprise Party Guest at Seize The Birthday for the next couple of months.

The first challenge theme is:

Birthday and one or more numbers

Here is my card:

I was a little stumped at first, but then I remembered I had an older embossing folder from Spellbinders an ‘M-bossibility’ folder with letters on one side, and numbers on the other. This is at least 14 years old, but isn’t it surprising how you remember things?

I took a dark blue piece of card and ran it through my machine, then swiped some white pigment ink over the top to make the numbers stand out a little more.

The cat die and sentiment is from Simon Hurley/Spellbinders, all die cut and asembled as required.

For the sentiment, instead of popping out the letters, I left them in the banner, and used some double sided tape on the back to make sure they wouldn’t come out.

I hope you can come and join us with your birthday creations following our theme, but you can always have anything goes birthday instead.

I shall be entering the following challenges:

Ally’s Angels – anything goes

Critter Crazy – anything goes with a critter

Crafty Animals – anything goes with an animal

Daisy Chain Challenge – birthday

Friends Like You Are A Treasure

Hello everyone. There will be two posts from me today, and this is the first. The new challenge at Cardz 4 Galz has started, Debbie is the host, and she has chosen the theme of:

For a Friend/Friendship

Here is my card:

I first used the Hero Arts die set ‘Lotus Flower’ and die cut all the layers out of light blue and teal card stock, then layering together as per their instructions. It took a little planning, but once I had got my head around one flower, it was easier on the second. I also die cut the leaves and foliage on shades of green, unsure of how many I would need, so I cut plenty.

I took a white panel and die cut the largest hexagon from the Pinkfresh Studio ‘Nested hexagons‘ from the centre of it, the ran that through with a Spellbinders embossing folder.

The hexagon which came out of the centre I didn’t emboss.

I attached the embossed panel to a card base using 3D foam strips, then inserted the black white hexagon back into place, but gluing flat.

The sentiment is from Gina K Designs and was from a 2023 Let’s Stamp Together – stamped then die cut.

I placed the sentiment on the background then played with the florals and foliage until I was happy, adding with 3D foam and glue where appropriate.

As the sentiment was stamped in black, I added some black gems.

I hope you can come and join us with your creations following our theme. xx

I shall be entering the following challenges:

Beautiful Blossoms – anything goes with florals

Crafters Café – anything goes with option of blooms taken

Triple B – birds and/or butterflies and/or blooms

ABC Christmas Challenge – N & O

Hello again. It is my turn to host the new challenge at ABC Christmas, and we have reached the letters ‘N’ & ‘O’. We do have themes for the letters which are:

N is for No Stamping

O is for Once in Royal David’s City ( buildings)

Here is my card which covers the two themes:

I felt it was about time I used this die set from The Greetery. I was desperate to get my hands on them, and they have been sitting there for a couple of months.

I set-to die cutting – you know I love my die cutting – and picked traditional colours for all of the elements. I may have to explore other colours and choices in the future, but for this I went traditional.

All the elements I was going to use were die cut, mainly out of scraps, and assembles as I went along.

I then decided to use a 5×7 inch card base, added a gold layer, then a white layer, which I had run through with a Spellbinders embossing folder/

The house was then attached in all it’s glory.

I hope you can come and join us with your Christmas creations following one or both or our themes – and there is a prize for a randomly drawn winner….

I shall be entering the folliwing challenges:

Girlz Creative Christmas – anything goes Christmas

Peace On Earth – anything goes Christmas

Die Cut Divas – die cuts and Christmas in July

Merry Little Christmas Challenge – anything goes Christmas

Ciao

A colourful card created using some of the items in the list at Festive Friday:

The die and embossing folder used to create this card are from the Spellbinders Weekender 2025.

I first die cut the face and lips, using blush for the skin tone, and red for the lips, adhering the layers together.

The background was created using Tuscan and Poppy card stock from Spellbinders, cutting the Tuscan panel down slightly, and adding the red piece, and running both together through the Spellbinders embossing folder, to ensure the pattern was matching on both layers.

I then attached the face with 3D foam.

The sentiment was die cut out of yellow, layered three times and then glued down.

I added some yellow glossy embellishment hearts which I found in my stash – ;likely from another virtual event sometime.

This die set also comes with a string of spaghettis which can run from the mouth and makes it look like the word ‘Ciao’ is from Spaghetti – but I left that part off.

As mentioned, I will be joining Festive Friday for their current challenge, using yellow, red, glossy embellishments, face,