Hello Friend

   Love making wreaths with the Gina K Designs Wreath Builder template and since her monthly challenge is to make a wreath, I figured I would toss in another entry before the month comes to an end.  

All products used to make this card are by Gina K Designs.  I used the following inks:  blue denim, dark lilac, dark orchid, turquoise sea and sea glass.  I started by running one the Delicate Basket poly-glaze foiling sheets and some Turquoise Sea Fancy Foils through my laminator.   I masked off the edges with some of the masking strips and ink blended with dark lilac, turquoise sea, and Sea glass.  I chose a stamp from the Bitty Botanicals mini stamp set to stamp the wreath in all of the ink colors previously mentioned.  I die cut the center circle and blended on some dark orchid ink.  Finished with a sentiment from the Inspiring Poppies Mini stamp set.  

All About You

I woke up with an idea in my head.  I wanted to use the GIna K Designs Wreath Builder Template to make a wreath than included a sentiment in it.

I used the Gina K Designs Pretty Posy stamp set for the sentiments.  I then used a branch from the Gina K Designs Bitty Botanical Mini stamp set and stamped it in passionate pink, tangerine twist, and wild dandelion.  I stamped the little berries from the Gina K Designs Mini Wreath Builder stamp set  in will wisteria.  I fussy cut the wreath and then decided I wanted make the wreath look like a flower.  I die cut a circle for the center of the flower, ink blended with tangerine twist and wild dandelion, and stamped "you" in the center.   Now I want to make another "flower" using that wreath builder template!  

MFT Color Challenge #206

 When I saw the pretty color scheme for the MFT Color Challenge #206, I wanted to play along.  I had done a little shopping recently and just received a few new things from MFT so GAME ON! 

I bought the MFT Rippled Background stamp because I wanted to both color it (so relaxing to do) and do some ink blending over the stamped image.  I decided start with coloring in the colors of the challenge with the PrismaColor pencils and blended with gamsol.   

I used the MFT All About You stamp set and coordinating die for the sentiment.  

Quick and simple.

Daisies Daisies Daisies

 When I am doing a color challenge, I like to challenge myself to do a sketch challenge at the same time so I am playing along with the Global Design Project Challenge #381  as well as the Freshly Made Sketch #573.

Pastels are typically not my go-to colors, but I just got the Gina K Designs Mega Flower stencil and I thought the color scheme would go nicely with that stencil.  I ink blended using the Gina K Designs ink lovely lavender, bubblegum pink, and peach bellini.  

To play along with the sketch challenge, I cut the cardstock into strip and then decided to mix them up so that they DIDN'T line up.  I thought it just created a bit more interest.   I added a sentiment from the Gina K Designs Petite Geranium stamp set.  

Wreath Builder for the Win!

Happy Saturday!   I work long, stupid hours and I am just to wiped out at the end of the day to much of anything when I finally finish up for the day, but when Saturdays are for card making!   I actually look forward to getting up before my husband, having some coffee, and getting crafty!  Such a creative out and stress reliever for me.   

I got in a nice stash of new stamp sets, stencils, and more Gina K Designs ink pads delivered this week so I am looking forward to creating with them.  I wanted to play along with the monthly Gina K Designs challenge which is to create a wreath.  I just got in her Wreath Builder Templates and so I gave it try bright and early this morning.  What a cool, handy little tool this is!   I am also entering this in the Simon Says Stamp Monday Challenge with a "Frame It" theme. 

I am going to have lots of fun creating with that wreath builder template!   You need a stamp positioner tool like a Misti when using the wreath builder template. I kept my wreath fairly simple and chose a stamp from the Gina K Designs Filled with Sunshine stamp set to stamp the leave in light spruce and medium spruce ink.  I then used the Gina K Designs Mini Wreath Builder stamp set to stamp the berries in medium orchid link.   The sentiment is from the same stamp set.  I stamped it with medium orchid ink first, then versa mark, and then heat embossed with clear embossing powder.  That's the beauty of using a stamp positioner tool like the Misti.  No need to have a bunch of different color embossing powders. 

I decided to die cut a circle from the center of the wreath and fussy cut the outer leaves.  I added a little twine box.  I splattered some medium orchid ink on the white cardstock panel behind the wreath at the top and layered over some patterned paper from the Gina K Designs Autumn Splendor 6x6 paper pad and matted with some kraft card stock.  

Step up your Stencils

Anyone else find ink blending super satisfying?  Ink blending with stencils is even MORE satisfying!  Lifting the stencil and seeing the results is so much fun.  I was playing around with the Gina K Designs Water Droplets stencil and decided to slightly shift the stencil a couple of times and re-blend the inks to create a cool effect. 

  For my first card I used Gina K Designs wild dandelion, tangerine twist, passionate pink, and wild wisteria ink pads.  First I masked off the corner of my cardstock with some Gina K Designs Masking Magic Sheets.  I ink blended ink blended on the same angle as my masking paper.  I then shift my stencil to the right and slightly upwards and repeated the ink blending.  I repeated this process one more time before removing my stencil.  Then I used whatever ink remained on my brushes to blend one more time so that the remaining white spaces didn't look so stark.  

I used the Pretty Pink Posh Simple Strips dies to cut the strips from black cardstock.  The sentiment is from the Gina K Designs You Are Enough  mini stamp set.  

For my next card I used the same Gina K Designs Water Droplets stencil  and this time I chose the Gina K Designs ink pads in wild dandelion, Grass green, blue denim, and wild wisteria.  I used the Gina K Designs Masking Magic Strips to mask off the border on the cardstock.  I used the same technique shifting the stencil twice and re-blending.  I die cut a circle into the design and then layered a slightly larger panel behind it.  I stamped the sentiment from the Gina K Designs Butterfly Trio stamp set, die cut it, and then popped it up with foam tape.  

Is it Spring Yet?

Penny Black has some really cute critter stamps.  Today I inked up these cute little hedgehogs from the Hugs stamp set. 

I stamped the image and then masked it off.  I used Gina K Designs inks to blend the background.  I then colored the image with PrismaColor Premier Colored Pencils and blended with Gamsol.   I used the pretty Penny Black Cured Stitch die to create the border and then stamped a sentiment from the Simon Says Stamp Thanks stamp set.  

When I abruptly quit stamping 7 year ago, I gave away and sold most of my stuff.   When I jumped back into this hobby, I had to start all over.   However, I did keep one bin of stamp sets that I just couldn't part with and the now vaulted "Adventure is Calling" stamp set by MFT Stamps is one of them.  My son's sweet girlfriend is off to Spain for 2 weeks and so I dug this stamp set out of that stash. 

I just treated myself to a nice set of Prismacolor Premier Colored Pencils  and some Gamsol so this was the first image that I colored with them.   I fussy cut the images and popped them up along with the sentiment strip with foam tape to add some dimension.  I tucked a little twine bow under the corner of the sentiment strip,   The papers are from the HoneyBee Stamps Hugs and Kisses 6x6 paper pad.  

Time Out #231 - Look for Rainbows

I am huge fan of Gina K Designs so I was happy to see that Gina is the featured designer for the Time Out Challenge #231.  It's a special edition photo inspiration challenge that they call "CASE the Designer."  Game on! 

Since I "un-retired," I was trying to figure out which line of inks I would re-invest in.  I tried several companies' inks.   At first, I settled in the distress oxide inks because I loved the way they blended and I am obsessed with ink blending this time around in my crafty journey.   Then I got some of the Gina K Designs ink cubes in a kit that I had purchased and GASP.....they blend beautifully AND the colors are vibrant!    Truth be told, since I started building my collection of Gina K Designs ink pads, I have not touched my distress oxide inks once.   I do sort of regret that I sunk money into that collection.  I am gradually building my new collection of Gina's ink pads and re-inkers now.  

Here is my take on Gina's card:

I first heat embossed that pretty script in white with the MFT Romantic Script Background stamp.   Then I got to stenciling with the Gina K Designs Water Droplets Stencil and the Gina K Designs inks in red velvet, tangerine twist, wild dandelion, jelly bean green, blue lagoon, and wild wisteria.  I added a sentiment from the Altenew Sentiment Strips 3 stamp set.  To balance things off, I added a row of rhinestones in the colors of the rainbow to the top left of the card.

Here is Gina's card that was the inspiration for my card.  

Elephant Love

 We are dealing with an arctic blast here in MA today.  Negative 12 degrees that feels like negative 35 is what my weather app is telling me.   We got everything we need to home for the day with some good meals and declared today a no shower day.   Thank you, Mother Nature, for the guilt free day to craft unshowered in my jammies.  

I played along with the Penny Black Saturday Challenge and the theme is "Hearts and Flowers."  I played along using these adorable elephants from the Penny Black Together Forever stamp set.  

I colored the image with copics.  I loved to color with copics years back.  I always made cards with images I can color.   After my near 7 year hiatus from crafting and subsequent return, I surprising don't love coloring with copics the way I did.   Shocking even to my very own self!   I just treated myself to a set PrismaColor pencils and some gamsol and I hoping that when that orders comes in, I will be interested in coloring again.  I just love the Penny Black critters and really want to try coloring them with pencils.  

I paired the image with some papers from the Honey Bee Stamps Hugs and Kisses 6x6 paper pad that I picked up from a recent shopping spree at Butterfly Reflections.  I am fortunate enough to be only about 35 minutes from the store, but I still end up ordering online.  Shipping is quick and very reasonable.  If you like supporting small businesses, I highly recommend you give them a try!     

Hugs and Prayers

 The whole foiling craze was new to me when I jumped back into this hobby.   I completely resisted the urge to get into it because I just didn't want to spend the money on the Glimmer Machine.....and more so on all the hot foil plates.  I already feel like I waste money on coordinating dies for everything.  I am really trying to be more selective about which coordinating dies to buy.   Occasional fussy cutting certainly won't kill me.   Anyway, back to foiling.....

When Gina K Designs came out with her new Poly-Glaze foiling sheets with her latest release, I was excited to try them out.   You need a laminator to use these and hey, I wanted a laminator any to make dividers for my stamp and die storage bins so I could justify getting one.  Gina  recommended a few laminators in the her Facebook group and she mentioned that the OffNova Thermal Laminator is just like the more expensive Minc.  I quickly snagged it for $39 on Amazon and literally a few minutes after I did, Amazon jacked up the price.  Amazon quickly realized the OffNova laminators were a hot ticket item as soon as Gina mentioned it and Gina K nation created an onslaught of orders.   Now it is temporarily out of stock at Amazon, but you can get it HERE.  You will need to get some laminator sheets.   I got these from Amazon.  You will also need some Deco Foil Craft and Carrier Sheets and some Gina K Designs Fancy Foils or some Deco Foil Transfer Sheets.

The photo really doesn't do the foiling justice.  It really adds to much to the card!   I used one of the Gina K Designs Art Deco Poly Glaze Foiling Sheets and a Gina K Designs Turquoise Sea Fancy Foil.  You simply layer a piece of foil on top of the foiling sheet with the pretty side facing up, tuck it into a craft and carrier sheet and run it through your laminator.  Peel the foil back and it VOILA!   So easy and so pretty! 

  I die cut a circle to mimic the pattern of the foiling and ink blended using the Gina K Designs wild wisteria, turquoise sea, and jelly bean green ink pads.  They really blend beautifully!  I do love that Gina has her Fancy Foils that match her inks.   

I used the Gina K Designs Hugs die and layered the negative over the black circle.  I added a sentiment from the coordinating Hugs stamp set.   I stamped, colored, and fussy cut the pretty butterfly from the Gina K Designs Butterfly Trio stamp set and glued it on only at the center of the Butterly so that I could pop up its wings.  Finally, I added a few sequins.