Christmas in July (Gina K)

OK, so I got on the Christmas in July bandwagon this year, partly because I got this wonderful stamp set last year, but too late to use for Christmas cards.  Its from Gina K Designs and is called Sparkle and Shine.  

Here are three of the cards I made using it:

To make the cards I used:

• Versamark
• Gina K - Sparkle and Shine
• Stampendous - Detail Gold Embossing Power (Red and Green cards)
• Stampendous - Detail White Embossing Powder (Blue card)
• Gansai Tambi - #903 Yellow Gold (Red and Green cards)
• Gansai Tambi - #906 White Gold (Blue card)
• Gina K - Red Velvet, Edible Eggplant (Red Card), Grass Green, Christmas Pine (Green Card)
• Gina K - Master Layouts 1
• Gold and Silver metallic paper

To make the cards, I stamped the main image in Versamark, added embossing powder and heat set.  The sentiments were stamped in Versamark, embossing powder added and heat set. For the Red and Green cards, darker color was brushed around the image, and then an even darker color was added at the edges. Watercolor splatters were then added.  These panels, and associated mats were cut with Master Layouts 1 dies.  The panels were attached to the mats and then to the card base to complete the cards.

Sailboat Window View

 I gave this card to my Husband for Father's Day, but it could be used for a Birthday card as well.  

For the card, I used:

• Gina K - By the Sea 2
• Simon Says Stamp - Waves Stencil
• Distress Ink - Stormy Sky, Tumbled Glass, Mermaid Lagoon, Squeezed Lemonade
• Memory Box - Grand Madison Arched Window
• Acetate
• Prismacolor Colored Pencils

To make the card. I cut the window twice, once from a wood grained brown card stock, and once from a wood grained yellow card stock.  I then pieced the brown window frame into the yellow paper, and attached it using a little bit of tape.  Acetate was added to the window. Using the stencil and the blue distress inks, the water was created on a piece of white card stock.  I then created the sun with a blending brush.  The sailboat was stamped on white card stock, and colored with colored pencils.  It was fussy cut and added to the background piece. Foam tape was used to attach the background to the window.  This was then added to the card base to complete the card.

Challenges:

Simon Says Stamp Monday Challenge  - Lazy Days Of Summer

Glittery Birthday Balloons

This card was fun to put together!  Its based on a technique seen on one of Jennifer McGuire's videos - Sparkled Glass Technique.  Luckily, I have so much glitter that I was able to create the glitter background as well.

For the card I used:

• Heat resistant acetate
• Sugar Pea Designs - Birthday Balloons
• Altenew - Birthday Greetings
• Sookwang Double Sided tape
• Glitter Ritz - Silver
• Copic Markers - Red, Green, Blue
• Gina K Ink - Blue Denim, Lucky Clover, Red Velvet
• Versamark
• Stampendous - Detail White Embossing Powder
• Rectangle dies

To make the card, I cut a piece of acetate to 4.25x5.5.  The balloons were stamped on the acetate with Versamark, embossing powder added and heat set.  On the back side of the embossed acetate, the balloons were colored with Copic markers. The acetate was added to a white frame cut with rectangle dies.  I created the silver glitter background by adding Sookwang tape to a piece of white card stock. The liner sheet was removed, glitter added to the tape and burnished in.  The glitter piece was trimmed to the same size as the frame.  Using foam tape, the acetate piece was attached to the glitter piece, and then the entire piece added to the card base.  The sentiment was stamped using similar colors of ink to the Copic markers, trimmed to size and added to the acetate to complete the card.

Butterfly Birthday Card

 I decided to use some simple masking and ink blending to create a card.  Here is the end result:

I used the following to make the card:

• Gina K Ink - Blue Raspberry. Grass Green, Wild Dandelion, Black Onyx
• WPlus9 - Flora & Fauna Stamp Set
• Gina K - Master Layouts 1
• Altenew - Birthday Greetings

To make the card, I masked a strip on a piece of white card stock.  The ink was then added using blending brushes.  The masks removed, and the butterflies added.  The sentiment was stamped just below the ink blended area.  This panel was cut using one of the Master Layout dies (the mat was cut using the associated die).  The panel as added to the mat and the entire piece added to a green card base to complete the card.

Happy Dads Day!

I've had this idea for a while - to create a wood grained background, and then use a stencil over it.  I gave it a shot for the card I made for my Dad.  Here is the card:

I used the following for the card:

• Gina K Ink - Warm Cocoa, Fark Chocolate, Charcoal Brown, Tranquil Teal, White Pigment
• Altenew - Leaf Burst Stencil
• Hero Arts - Fathers Day stamp set
• Gina K - Mater Layouts 2 and 3

To make the card, I first created the wood grained background.  This is based on a technique that Gina K has shown in several videos.  Kraft card stock was cut using one of the Master Layout 2 dies (the mat was cut using the associated die).  This was then scored every 1/2 inch.  The ink pads were dragged down the scored panel to create the wood grain.  Blue was added lightly to give an aged appearance.  The stencil was placed in the upper corner and using a sponge dauber the white ink added.  Once dry, the panel was added to the mat, and then to a Kraft card base. Using Master Layouts 3, a circle and associated mat were cut.  The sentiment was stamped, the two pieces attached together, and added to card.

Mandala Burst Happy Birthday Card

I've wanted to use the Mandala Burst stencil for a while.  So I created a background using it, then decided to use it for this card:

 I used the following for the card:

• Gina K Ink - Blue Raspberry, Wild Dandelion, Grass Green
• Gina K - Mandala Burst Stencil
• Gina K - Master Layouts 1
• Creative Expressions - Happy Birthday die
• Altenew - Birthday Greetings Stamp set

To make the card, I used the stencil, and starting in the center of the stencil, added Wild Dandelion ink with a blender brush.  I followed that with Grass Green and finally Blue Raspberry.  The stenciled panel was then die cut using one of the Master Layouts 1 dies.  A black mat was also cut with the associated die.  The stenciled panel was attached to the mat, and then the entire piece added to a yellow card base.  I die cut the Happy Birthday Sentiment and added that to the stenciled panel.  Since this card was for a missed birthday, I added the belated stamp to complete the card.

Love card

I really like the flowers from Gina K Designs Watercolor Flowers stamp set.  I used two of the flowers to make this card.   

I used the following to make this card:

• Gina K - Watercolor Flower Stamp set and dies
• Gina K - Master Layouts 4, Small and Large circle dies
• Gina K - Lucky Clover, Wild Dandelion, Tangerine Twist, Red Hot Ink
• Gina K - Angel Aura Rhinestones
• Distress Ink - Broken China
• Picket Fence Studio - Floral Damask Stencil
• Cricut - Love (Home Accents)

To make the card, I stamped the flowers and stems from the Watercolor Flowers stamp set onto white card stock.  These were then cut with the associated dies.  The circles were cut from white and blue cardstock using the Small and Large circle dies.  The background was created using the Floral Damask stencil and the distress ink.  This was then cut using the scalloped rectangle from Master Layouts 4. Using foam tape the background was attached to the card base.  The flowers were arranged on the circle and attached.  The white circle and blue circle were attached together and added to the background.  Something was still needed, so I cut the love sentiment using my Cricut and attached it to the card.  I felt that something was STILL missing, so the Rhinestones were added. I decided to stop at that point and call the card complete!