Card Maker Success Summit - Feb 26 - inspired by Ardyth

 Yesterday I found a couple of hours to play in my craft room.   I'd packed my bag for our 4 days away, finished the housework and hubby was off at the swimming pool with Kieran and the girls...so play time for me. 

I have purchased the VIP All Access pass for the upcoming Card Marker Success Summit that starts on the 26th.   The advantage of getting the VIP pass, is you can access the classes early!  I decided to start by watching Ardyth's class - all about Masculine cards.   She gives 5 steps on how to achieve masculine cards.   Things like colours, design, sentiments.... 

Here's what I made...

Ardyth is the Queen of geometrics... and aren't they perfect for those cards for the men.   I used Altenew's Cube Builder stencil in blues and yellow/orange colours.   I used Sapphire for the blue and then Snapdragon for the first square.   I then used a lighter colour - Chamomile.  However, I must not have completely cleaned my stencil as it picked up the blue and made a sort of olive green colour... which ended up looking really cool.   I used the Sapphire ink to make a panel to mat the stenciled panel.  Cut the Scrapbook.com sentiment out of the panel before I matted it - Die cut the shadow layer from white three times for dimension.  Added some honey gold satin dots. 

For my second card I used a Newton's Nook stencil (Argyle) in a monochromatic look,

I used some light grey card and then played around with the two stencils.   I used a technique that Ardyth uses a lot... to mask of half of the diamonds and added a darker colour.  Added the back dotted lines by using a black marker pen with the stencil.   I trimmed the panel in a square panel. matted with dark grey and added to a 4.75" card.   Originally I had a black sentiment, but it sorted of blended into the background so added a white one slightly off set.  

Looks much better having the higher contrast.  The sentiment is a lovely large on from Elizabeth Crafts.

By the time you read this, I will be arrived in New Plymouth for the start of our holiday. 

No Designer Paper at Sweet Stampin' Challenge

 Great challenge this fortnight - No Designer Paper ....

I chose to make my own background using stamps and inking

I decided to make a vintage looking mixed media background.  I stared by stenciling Altenew's Floral Garden stencil using Chamomile, Snapdragon, Lime and Fresh Leaf ink on to some cream card stock.  Next was some background inking with Grey Denim ink with Hero Arts Antique Background Cling stamp.  Added some extra distressing  with Altenew Misty Meadows and Marshlands and deepen the edges and corners with Marshland ink.   Die cut the birdcage from Altenew Butterfly Dreams from various card stock colours.  Added a foiled butterfly from my stash. 

Do come and join us from at Sweet Stampin' Challenge - no designer paper challenge.  

Time Out challenge #306- Sparkle, Red, Heart and Twine.

 Today I was scrolling through my blog feed and saw the Time Out Challenge.   I entered recently and was super excited to see my card (here) had won challenge #305.   And checked out challenge #360.  It was perfect for what was sitting on my desk.  I had been working on my DT card for Die Cut Divas where out challenge is Red/Pink.   

Lots of choices for this one....  I chose Red, Sparkle, Heart and Twine!  I had a Hero Arts Background Cling sitting on my desk and some WOW Clear Sparkle Embossing powder.  Red card was close at hand...

The Hero Arts Leafy Vines (2012 - retired) looks amazing in real life - the embossing powder sparkles and shines in a variety of colours as you tilt the card.   So hard to photograph!  I got out an older Spellbinders die set - Lace Hearts.  Included in the set is the gorgeous key.  Cut it from some textured rose gold card and tie a twine bow.  Created the sentiment on my computer and printed it then die cut with Altenew Featured Sentiments dies.  Added sparkle crystal gems.  

Sending Hugs embossed background

 Well, my mojo has been on a hiatus.  I haven't crafted for over a week or more!  Work has been really busy and then we went away for a long weekend.   Took the little red car so not a lot of space in the boot for more than our bags and some food.  I did take a mini colouring-in book and did some watercolouring of one of the pages

Today I'm sharing a card I made early January and haven't posted as yet. 

I was trying out embossing on a non-white background.  This  panel is a grey watercolour looking patterned paper from Scrapbook.com and I embossed it with Altenew Whimsy Motif 3D folder.  Used the matching colouring stencil in a variety of Altenew inks.  I added some black pen dots around the embossed image.  Finished with a white embossed sentiment from Altenew.  

Hopefully I will get some time this week to craft - maybe Friday afternoon as I have two appointments early morning and lunch time.   And then Sunday morning (early) we head off for a 4 day guided tour around the west side of the lower North Island.   We are flying to New Plymouth, there for a day and then doing a two day rail cart adventure through what is called The Forgotten World.  And then on the final day - bus and then train trip back to Auckland.   There are about 16 people on the tour, all around our age, and two couples who live reasonably close to us.  Should be a fun few days and give us a taste of going on a guided tour.  

Sunbird Spark - two different cards

 Hi - last day of the month, so time to share my projects for Die Cut Divas.... Two quite different cards using products from Sunbird Spark - our sponsor this month 

Sunbird Spark is a Vancouver (Canada) based paper craft supply company and the creator of the patented Stencils 360°™ stenciling tool. Formerly known as Penguin Palace, the brand is known for its innovative tools, high-quality photopolymer stamps, and its specially curated ink collection inspired by color psychology. Sunbird Spark is dedicated to inspiring creativity through bold color, versatile designs, and a passion for exceptional customer care, helping makers of all levels craft with confidence and joy.

First card using the Frame die called Bellezza Frame from Sunbird Spark and paired it with Sizzix Layered Summer Florals.  

I took the base layer of the Bellezza Frame and used a floral embossing folder for a bit of texture and then layered the outer frame on top.  I die cut the Sizzix  floral layers from a variety of coloured cards and layered together and added to the frame.   The sentiment is from Sunbird Spark Magnolia Beauty stamp and die set.   A big thanks to my teamie, Cindy, who sent me the stamped and die cut images, sentiments and die cut frames.  

Sunbird Spark also has a few digital stamps   So I purchased a cute little images to make a card for my grandson's birthday later this year. 

I printed the crane onto some card after adding this name and the number 3 to the image.  It's his 3rd birthday in June this year.   I used my Scan'n'Cut to cut it out and then used alcohol markers to colour it.   It used AI to find the background construction scene. I printed it and die cut with a Gina K die.  

Woodblock Wednesday - January 2026

 I started this card yesterday but had to wait for the Glossy Accents to dry. 

I have used two Hero Arts woodblock stamps (retired) from 2009 and 2010 - Raindrop Background and Dogwood.   I have quite a few Hero Arts woodblock stamps as when I first started stamping they were my go to company.  Woodblock stamps were what you mostly purchased.

I started by stamping the Raindrop background in Catherine Pooler Eucalyptus ink and then stamped the Dogwood in a combination of the Eucalyptus and Green Tea.  I used Prismacolor pencils to add colour.  Then stamped in with CP Sweet Sixteen ink and again used some pencils before fussy cutting and piecing over the green flowers,   Added the sentiment from an Altenew stamp set (Silk Art) stamped in the Green Tea and fussy cut.  The glossy accents is on the green centres.  

It is always such fun to remember to pull out these stamps 

New Baby cards

 One of my friends recently became a Grammy for the first time.   So I thought I'd make her a card and one for her son and daughter-in-law.

First up the card I made for Pearl, my friend

I die cut the Vintage Stroller from Couture Creations from dark blue and light blue card and added some silver sequins and dot.  I did some google searching and found the sentiments.  Printed them and added to them to the soft blue background.  Loved how it turned out. 

And for Jared and Sophie, the new parents

Such a sweet image.  This is a digital image from Mo's Digital Pencil called "Hush"  I printed the image and then die cut with a Spellbinders Oval.  I used some watercolour pencils to colour it.  Little Teddy has lots of lovely dark hair so did that.  I used my computer to print the sentiment. The font I used is Yessy.  Die cut a Bow with a Poppy Stamps die.   I must admit I love this digital image and have used it a lot over the years for new baby cards.    

Dreaming of a PINK Christmas

 The January challenge at Christmas Kickstart is Dreaming of a PINK Christmas.  

Today 26th January is a holiday - to celebrate Auckland Anniversary Day - so the last day of 4 days off for me.   It's been very un-summery weather all of the last week or so and today was no exception.  Spend a little time in the craft room and made this card for the challenge

I started with some ombre paper - from Uniti.  Picked out the pinkest part of the paper and embossed it with a snowflake folder (from a magazine from a few years back) Ran some white pigment ink over top of the raised areas.   I used a Gina K stamp set called Playful Penguins to stamp and die cut the pair of penguins.  I stamped and fussy cut the sentiment.   I used some cheapo watercolour paint pens to add colour to my sweet pair.   Added some glossy accents to the beaks and boots and some kindyglitz sparkle glue to the ear muffs, pompom and the centre of the snowflakes. 

First Christmas card for 2026!