Carbs!

TGIF and Happy Halloween Peeps,

Although I don't have a Halloween card for you today, I do have a super fun birthday card. I just couldn't resist the Buon Appetito Collection when Spellbinders released it last month. As I needed a break from making Holiday cards, I decided to work on some birthday cards that I'll need in Nov. and Dec. 

The layout is inspired by this week's Freshly Made Sketches sketch.

The tablecloth was made using a Diagonal stencil from SSS and the embossing folder is part of the Spellbinders Buon Appetito collection. I cut the pasta shapes from white card stock and colored them with ink and blending brushes. I love all the little accessories!

I used more of the pasta shapes on the inside and sentiments to make this a birthday card.

Enjoy your evening and don't get too spooked.

The daughter of one of our neighbors is getting married tomorrow in the Japanese Gardens at Balboa Park and they are having a taco truck come to the house this evening. We've been invited to the festivities tonight, but not the wedding tomorrow. I am going to be out of town any way. My bestie from Sacramento is flying into Palm Springs tomorrow morning. I'm driving out and we are staying for the weekend to visit friends that moved from Portland to PS last year.

Colleen

Supplies

Stamps: Stay Saucy stamp set by Spellbinders

Paper: Spellbinders and Gina K Designs card stock

Ink: Gina K Designs

Other: Spellbinders Pasta Friends and Ingredients Buddies die sets, Al Dente 3D embossing folder, and Oval dies, Simon Says Stamp stencil, Gina K Designs blending brushes

Warm Cocoa Wishes

 Happy Hump Day Peeps,

I've been working on my Holiday cards this week. It's kind of been a slow process because I'm playing with mostly die cuts right now, but boy, there are some pretty cute cards in my pile.

Today's card is no exception to the die cuts, and in fact, I've added some Glimmer Hot Foiling to the mix for the snowy background. (Although, I don't recall ever seeing heart shaped snowflakes, LOL.)

The sketch is curtesy ofJoanne at the Paper Players. It's a fun one! I love embellishments, and Joanne added the little dots around the focal image in her sketch. I used three large die cut snowflakes with a wee rhinestone in the center of each.

All of the die cut images except the flags are from the Spellbinders Mugs and Mittens Large Die of the Month for this past July, including the sentiment. The flag dies are from an older MFT die set.

For the inside, I've used the Spellbinders Christmas Magic Sentiments set, also from this past July.

There will be more die cutting today. I made several backgrounds, some on acetate, which are really nice that I plan on putting to use.

Have a great day!

Colleen

Supplies

Stamps: Christmas Magic Sentiments stamp set by Spellbinders

Paper: Gina K Designs cardstock and retired SU DSP

Ink: Gina K Designs

Other: Spellbinders Mugs & Mittens die set, Magic Wonderland Glimmer plate, Glimmer system and hot foil, My Favorite Things Flag die set, Gina K Designs small rhinestones

Quiet Peace

Happy Friday Peeps,

I'm playing along with the July edition of Woodblock Wednesday today with a very simple and monochromatic card.

I started by stenciling the GKD Snowflake Mandala on the front of a Soft Stone panel, then stamped the snowy village using a darker gray ink. The greeting is heat embossed with silver EP. After cutting the panel out with the SSS A2 Lacy Point die, I adhered it to a silver mat, then onto a dark gray card base.

The inside is very simple with more stenciling and a short greeting.

The Snowy Village stamp is from Ink Blocks, the front sentiment stamp is from Artistic Stamp Exchange and the inside greeting stamp is from Hero.

Thanks for looking in,

Colleen

Supplies

Stamps: Wood mounted from Artistic Stamp Exchange, Ink Blocks, Hero

Paper: Gina K Designs

Ink: Gina K Designs

Other: Simon Says Stamp A2 Lacy Point dies, Gina K Designs Snowflake Mandala stencil, blending brushes, and fine detail silver embossing powder, Spellbinders rhinestones

Grateful

 Hello all,

Since it's Thursday, I thought I'd better get busy and post my Paper Players card. Jaydee is our hostess this week with the monthly Clean and Simple challenge. The added theme is Foliage. 

I decided to use two older SU stamp sets and make this leaf silhouette Thanksgiving card. 

To make the squares, I used Gina K Designs 1/4" Masking Magic Strips and Post-It notes. I picked three fall-ish ink colors to ink blend from the center out, then stamped the leaf images with black ink. Pretty simple and quick.

The outside greeting, and here on the inside, I've used another older SU stamp set.

I made two cards, the second using an older C&9th Turnabout set that has some fun leaf dies too, which I used on the inside of the card.  I love the bright C&9th ink colors here.

Enjoy your afternoon and evening.

Colleen

Supplies

Stamps: Gently Falling and Falling Leaves sets by Stampin' Up, Harvest Wreath Turnabout set by Concord & 9th

Paper: Gina K Designs and Concord & 9th card stock

Ink: Gina K Designs and Concord & 9th

Other: Gina K Designs Masking Magic strips, blending brushes, Hello die from Concord & 9th Tiled Turnabout set

No Kings 2025

 Happy Saturday!

Winter Wishes

 TGIF Peeps,

Here's another holiday card completed. Using inspiration from The Paper Players color challenge and the Sunday Stamps sketch challenge, I made this fun winter themed card.

The green snowy background and the large snowflake purple background in the postage stamps are both foiled with Deco hot foil. The hat, sweater and gloves are from the GKD Christmas Cheer stamp and die set. The images are stamped in embossing ink and heat embossed with black embossing powder, then colored with Copic markers.

For the inside of the card, I've used sentiments and a small snowflake from the same GKD stamp set.

Have a fun Friday!

Colleen

Supplies

Stamps: Christmas Cheer set by Gina K Designs

Paper: Gina K Designs Card Stock

Ink: Gina K Designs and Copic Markers

Other: Gina K Designs Deco hot foil in Grass Green and Wild Wisteria, Fuze Foiling machine, Master Layouts 15 postage dies, black embossing powder 

Believe in Magic

Hey all,

This cute little JOY-ful reindeer is from the Spellbinders October Stitching die set of the month and when I saw Jen's sketch yesterday for this week's Freshly Made Sketches challenge, I immediately thought of this set. I did rotate the placement from landscape to portrait view.

To make the open circle in Jen's sketch I used the circle die in the set, and a slightly bigger circle die, cut from Spellbinders gold glimmer paper to make the "O" in joy.

The bottom half of the card base is embossed with the new 3D embossing folder for October to add a little texture.  The reindeer is popped up using a small Action Wobbler device. So fun to watch him wiggle. For a little embellishments, I added a gold pearl to the center of the stitched circle and some sparkly Glossy Accents to the reindeer's horns.

I'm happy to have another holiday card completed. Enjoy the rest of your day!

Colleen

Supplies

Paper: Gina K Designs Card Stock and Spellbinders Gold Glimmer card stock

Ink: Gina K Designs

Other: Spellbinders Peppermint Prancer die set, Magic For You die set, Brick by Brick 3D Embossing folder, gold pearl, red and gold metallic threads, Concord & 9th Sparkly Glossy Accents, Action Wobbler

CHERISH, DREAM, LIVE

Hello all,

I was playing around with ink and embossing folders a few days ago and actually created a couple of panels that I liked. This card uses one of them with the ink colors for this week's Paper Players challenge. Christie is hostess and her colors are green and purple.

The embossing folder is from SSS and is called  Magnificent Mums. I used some Letterpress paper instead of basic card stock. It's a little more porous and thicker and it certainly gave good embossing results. 

To ink it up, I used small detail blending brushes over the raised areas with GKD inks. For the solid green background, I put the panel back into the embossing folder, taping it in place with a small bit of tape runner on the back of the panel then inked the smooth side of the folder with Christmas Pine ink. This took several passes. 

The sentiments on the front and inside are from Gina K Designs. I added some gold accents in the form of twine and gold pearls.

Here's the inside.

A fun time was had and I ended up with a nice birthday card and inky green fingers!

Colleen

Supplies

Stamps: From Gina K Designs Wonderfully Made, Blooming Sunflower and Gentle Silhouettes sets for the sentiments

Paper: Gina K Designs card stock and Spellbinders Betterpress paper

Ink: Gina K Designs Dark, Medium and Light Lilac and Spruce sets, Christmas Pine

Other: Simon Says Stamp Magnificent Mums 3D Embossing Folder, Gina K Designs gold pearls, blending brushes, gold twine from the ribbon stash

Spooky

Hello crafty friends,

It's wet, wet, wet and windy in my neck of the woods, which is a bit north of San Diego. No complaints as we certainly need the rain. I had some errands this morning and I made it home just as the rain started coming down, so good timing on my part.

The Just Us Girls word week challenge is Halloween, perfect to make one more card with the Spellbinders Small Die set and 3D embossing folder of the month for Sept. I really loved all of the club goodies last month.

This is a fairly simple card. I ran a black card base through the embossing folder, then heat embossed the sentiment, which is from an older GKD stamp set. The three pumpkins are cut from Concord & 9th patterned paper and card stock.

Here's the inside.

Happy Hump Day tomorrow!

Colleen

Supplies

Stamps: Hey Boo set by Gina K Designs (front and inside sentiments)

Paper: Gina K Designs and Concord & 9th

Ink: Gina K Designs

Other: Harvest Magic die set and Patchwork 3D Embossing Folder by Spellbinders, Gina K Designs fine detail gold embossing powder, Concord & 9th glittery Glossy Accents

Happy Holidays

Hello peeps,

I hope everyone enjoyed their weekend. I did lots of crafty projects. Last night I finished a poncho that I was working on while recouping from the foot surgery. I love how it turned out, too.

Today's card was one of my weekend projects. It's another Holiday card for the stash, inspired by the current Freshly Made Sketches challenge. Also, the Gina K Designs FaceBook group October Monthly Mix challenge is holiday cards in non-holiday colors, and this one fits perfectly as all of the supplies are from GKD.

The snowflake is made using the emboss resist technique. The background papers are from a GKD kit from several years ago. I like the retro feel of them. They are die cut using one of the dies from the Master Layouts 13 die set.

A simple and quick inside. Snowflakes from the same stamp set as the large front snowflake and the greeting from the GKD Joyful Season set.

My friend just texted me and has requested a poncho after I sent her a pic. She has a birthday end of next month, and this will be a good present. I'm off to Michaels to look at yarn.

Have a great day!

Colleen

Supplies

Stamps: Blizzard andJoyful Season sets by Gina K Designs

Paper: Gina K Designs

Ink: Gina K Designs

Other: Gina K Designs white embossing powder, Master Layouts 13 die set, pastel pear embellishments

No Tricks, Just Treats

Hello all,

I have a couple more Halloween cards to share today. These are inspired by the current  Paper Players challenge. Claire is hostess and her theme this week is Halloween Costumes. I've used some older Lawn Fawn sets to make these.

First up are some four-legged Trick or Treaters. I ink blended a panel with light and dark purple shades then used a Hero Star cover plate to cut stars in the sky. For a very full moon, I simple used a die cut circle ink blended with yellows. The black silhouette trees and hills is an older die from Lawn Fawn.

Here's the inside of the first card. Images and greetings are from the same stamp set.

For the second card, I pulled out some older SU patterned papers to make the background and the trees. The trees, grass and moon dies are made using the Gina K Designs Master Layouts 6 die set. The trick or treaters and sentiments are from Lawn Fawn.

And the inside:

One of these will be sent to my little three year old Great Nephew. Enjoy your day, and thanks for stopping in.

Colleen

Supplies

Stamps: Happy Howloween and Costume Party sets by Lawn Fawn

Paper: Gina K Designs card stock and SU DSP (retired)

Ink: Gina K Designs, Simon Says Stamp Pawsitively Saturated and Copics

Other: Hero Stars Coverplate die, Lawn Fawn Hills and trees die, Gina K Designs Master Layouts 6 dies, blending brushes, Brutus Monroe white embossing powder, SSS tiny clear rhinestones

Happy Birthday

 Hello all,

Here's an Autumn Birthday card. This card works for a couple of challenges this week. It's die week at Just Us Girls where the theme is leaves, and working well for Autumn leaves is the current Color Hues colors of rust and yellow.

I did more ink smooshing onto watercolor paper using older SU ink pads in Cajun Craze, Really Rust, Crushed Curry and More Mustard. Using the panels I die cut some leaves using dies from SSS and Taylored Expressions.

I've used a Spellbinders sentiment on the inside along with some left over leaves. (I needed to cover a large glue spot, LOL.)

Hop you have a nice Hump Day! Thanks for looking in,

Colleen

Supplies

Stamps: Spellbinders Confetti Wishes set (inside greeting)

Paper: SU Cajun Craze, Gina K Designs Black Onyx and Ivory crd stock, stash patterned paper

Ink: Stampin' Up and Gina K Designs

Other: Hero Infinity Postage Stamp dies, Simon Says Stamp and Taylored Expressions Leaf Dies, Concord & 9th Happy Birthday die with shadow, Gina K Designs gold gems

Sending Autumn Wishes

Hi Peeps,

I've been having tons of fun making cards with the Spellbinders September club sets. Today's card is inspired by Stef's sketch for this week's Paper Players challenge. 

The focal image is made with dies from the Harvest Magic die set using some paper that I smooshed for last week's card. The background is made with the Sketchy Hexi Betterpress plate using Lisa Horton gold craft ink on dark red card stock.

Since I made this card for my little 2 year old great niece, and she loves kitties, I added the cat image to the inside of the card too.

I've been enjoying the BB wildcard playoff games this week, hoping my team makes it through.

Thanks for looking in,

Colleen

Supplies

Stamps: Spellbinders Autumn Whim set 

Paper: Spellbinders card stock, Tim Holtz water color paper

Ink: Lisa Horton Cloud 9 gold and Gina K Designs

Other: Spellbinders Sketchy Hexi Betterpress plate and sentiment, Harvest Magic Small Die set, Betterpress System,

Baby It's Cold Outside

 Hello to all,

Another Holiday card to share today inspired by Narelle's sketch for the Freshly Made Sketches challenge.

All of the images to make this cute penguin mug are from Spellbinders and they include a Betterpress plate, an embossing folder, a die set and a clear stamp set.

This little die cut mug was super fun to put together. There are also dies to make a Santa mug.  I haven't used them yet, but I will, since I have lots of holiday cards still to make.

The inside of the card is pretty simple with just a greeting and a few stamped snowflakes.

Thanks for stopping in, and enjoy your Monday.

Colleen

Supplies

Stamps: Stitchmas Sentiments set (2024) by Spellbinders

Paper: Gina K Designs

Ink: Spellbinders Betterpress and Gina K Designs

Other: Spellbinders Paint the Town Betterpress plate set, Starry Snowfall 3D Embossing Folder, Cocoa Greetings Small Die of the Month 07/2025, Betterpress system, Simon Says Stamp Sentiment Strip dies, red and silver Stickles, Pretty Pink Posh Pink rhinestone gems

Wishing You A Happy Birthday

Hello and Happy Sunday,

I hope everyone is enjoying their weekend.

Today's cards are birthday cards for a couple of good friends. Both cards use the same 3D Embossing Folder, Layering Stencil and die bundle from Gina K Designs called Dazzling Sunflower.

I really like how the plum and coral shades work together here. I'm often amazed how a plain white piece of card stock can be transformed with a little ink! For the background on card one, I inked up the recessed side of the folder with Plum Punch ink, using several applications until I achieved a dark background.

This is Anything Goes Stencil week at Just Us Girls, one of my favorite challenges, and either of today's cards will work as I used the layering stencils to color the flowers. 

I wanted to use the small flower image from the embossing folder on the inside of my card. I tried blocking the larger flower with extra pieces of card stock, but I couldn't get a good impression of the small flower. In the end I just cut it out with scissors and glued it down. Here's the inside of this card.

While I had all of the supplies out, I played around with die cutting the larger flower. The bundle comes with a die as well as with the embossing folder and layering stencils. 

Another good friend has a birthday on Thursday, so this second card is for her.

To make the flowers, I first die cut the image from white card stock five times, then used the layering stencils to color them. After the coloring was done, I used the embossing folder to add the dimension. The card base is foiled using deco foil and one of Gina K.'s Polyglaze card front panels. The sentiment is also foiled.

For the inside of this card, I used another foiled Polyglaze panel, the negative of the outside,  and flower image from a second GKD stamp set. The inside greeting is from HoneyBee. 

I have one more birthday card to make for next week. It's for my young friend Liam, who will be turning 15. He's the son of my friend whose birthday is Wednesday, and he's into surfing, so that will be the theme of his card. We will see what I can come up with.

Colleen

Supplies

Stamps: Gentle Silhouettes and Life In Full Bloom sets by Gina K Designs. Inside Birthday Greetings by Honey Bee

Paper: Gina K Designs

Ink: Gina K Designs & Copics

Other: Gina K Designs Dazzling Sunflower 3D Embossing Folder, Layering Stencils and die bundle, Black and Pastel enamel pearl embellishments, pre-printed sentiment strips, Polyglaze card front, Deco foil, Fuze foiling system, blending brushes, Master Layouts dies