Simply Springtime~

the Unity way....

A simple set of 5 cards for my sister-in-law, the landscape architect, to go along with the gift card we will give to her at her birthday party on Sunday.

My CAS style is perfect for my sister-in-law and I thought she'd be able to use these blank cards for friends and clients alike.

Here's how I made this set:

1. Image was markered and spritzed before stamping onto heavyweight ivory cardstock.
2. Accent panel stamped with a lined journaling stamp, distressed and punched before sewing to the flower image panel. 
3. Set an eyelet and tie burlap string into a bow.
4. Add small clip to lined panel.
5. Adhere to sand base with dimensional foam.
6. Spiral punch top right corner, adhere green, distressed strip behind with just a smidge of the distressing showing down the length of the card.
7. Repeat each step 5 times to create 5 cards.

 Finished cards are  3-3/4" x 5-1/2"

Today around here we went straight from winter into the hot, dog days of summer.....it was 97 degrees! Spring, please come for a visit, you're one of my favorite seasons!

V.~

Supplies:

Stamps: Flower from the Springtime set by Unity Stamp Company

Lined journaling stamp from the Frame-It set by Crafty Secrets

Ink: SU! Sahara Sand, Memento Desert Sand

Paper: GKD Soft Sand, Green Apple, Ivory

Other: SU! Spiral punch, Tim Holtz clip, Burlap string, Dauber, Dimensional foam

Fabulous Fourteen~

Funny thing sometimes where the creative tangents take us.  This project started out as a card with a coin envelope inside to slip a little birthday money for my niece and evolved into this coin envelope booklet.

5 coin envelopes made from patterned paper are adhered to an accordion spine which is sandwiched in between patterned paper covered chipboard  covers.  

Each coin envelope holds a small pocket card to slip the birthday currency into; the pocket card needs to be relatively flat or they won't slide comfortably into the envelope, so the only embellishment is the 

ribbon pull tab and a bit of patterned paper.  Each small card measures 2-3/8" x 3-1/4"

• Since I went out on a tangent, I don't really have a tutorial for you, but the coin envelope directions may be found here:

Lisa Somerville, from way back in 2007

Coin Envelope Tutorial

• The accordion is 2-3/4" x 6" and alternately scored every 1/2" and adhered like so:

 

*not to scale, for illustration purposes only, image from a previous class project.

 Each coin envelope is adhered to the accordion at the bottom, both sides.  I wanted the envelope detail to show so I made that the front side of each page, it's a personal choice, just flip the envelope over to have a plain front.

The front of the booklet is embellished with more paper covered chipboard cut with Nestabilities dies and Cuttlebugged numbers.  The Fabulous tag was punched from chipboard and the greeting was stamped twice onto the ocean paper, punched out, and adhered to both sides of the chipboard.  That way if it flips over it still says Fabulous.  The tag is tied to the chocolate grosgrain bow with linen thread.  Cover measures 2-3/4" x 3-1/2"

Now just to hit the bank for the currency, hopefully crisp bills!

V.~

Supplies: 

Stamps: Fabulous from the Life Is set by Our Craft Lounge

Make a Wish from the Just a Note set by JustRite Stampers (can't find on their site right now, hmmm)

Ink: Vivid! Coffee Bean

Paper: GKD Pure Luxury Ocean Mist, Chocolate, White; SU! Marigold Morning (long gone)

Patterned Paper by American Crafts Everyday

Other: Spellbinders Nestabilities Circle and Petite Scallop Circle Dies, Cuttlebug Red Tag Alpha, SU! Round Tab punch, Modern Label punch, Eyelets, Asst. ribbons, Hillcreek Designs Linen thread

GKD TY Spellbinders Hop, Round 2!

 Recently Spellbinders gifted the Gina K Designs Design Team with the Grand Calibur die cutting machine.  Prior to this machine, the Cuttlebug was my die cutting friend.  Now I find I use the Grand for all my Spellbinders die cutting, it just cuts and embosses the dies more efficiently, plus you can't beat the platform size for cutting multiple dies at once.  Don't get me wrong, I still use the bug, just not for Spellbinder dies.

For my project for round two I made a chipboard covered tag.  Yep, the chipboard cut like a dream with the Grand.  I loved the colors I used in a card earlier with this set, I decided to make a tag using the same colors, coloring method and focal shape.

Finished tag is a little over 4-1/2"T x a little over 3-1/4" W

Dies used in the making of this tag:

Labels 8

Petite Scallop Circle

Circle

Labels 6

Supplies used:

Stamps: GKD Springtime Silhouettes STV kit

Ink: StazOn Timber Brown, Vivid! Taupe

Paper: GKD Pure Luxury Ivory, Sweet Mango, Chocolate Brown

GKD Grunge Damasks Digital Paper , Vellum cardstock

Other: Memento Pear Tart, Cantaloupe, Lilac Posies and Desert Sand markers, Spray bottle, Marker Spritzer tool, Organdy and Satin ribbon, Linen thread, Heat tool (to crinkle organdy ribbon), Jumbo eyelet, Green glass bead, Dauber, Mini brad, Dimensional foam

If you're following the hop I'm the last stop, you've just come here from

Theresa's blog

If you somehow missed the beginning, it starts here at Carolina's blog

Thanks so much for visiting, I hope we've inspired you with more projects made using Spellbinders and Gina K Designs!

V.~

Dies - Dies - Dies

In the never ending search for organizing the plethora of supplies this craft utilizes I made this pattern paper covered chipboard album to store my Spellbinders Dies.  

Scraps of medium weight chipboard cut to 6-1/2" x 9", Graphic 45 Le Cirque papers, bits of ribbon, a chipboard blank from Maya Road and Spellbinder dies created a book pretty enough to keep out on my counter full time so I can access my dies easily.    

Prior to this system I used cd cases (hidden in the cupboard underneath) that did a pretty good job of keeping things organized until I dropped them (and the cases broke) or the die size outgrew the cd size or the smallest of dies slipped around, or or or....there is always something about most systems that doesn't work as best we'd like.

Inside the album the pages are made from magnetic vent covers, chipboard and clear sheet protectors.

 I found packages of magnetic vent covers (3 per pack) at my local hardware store near the heating supply aisle.  They started out 8" x 15" and I divided them into thirds so I ended up with three 5" x 8" pieces from each sheet.  I adhered the magnetic panels to chipboard cut to size using Scor-Tape.

An Avery label printed with the die name and size is adhered to the magnetic sheet to help me remember what is what.  After putting the dies in their new home the entire page was slipped into the 5-1/2" x 8-1/2" clear sheet protector.

A few divider pages ( 6-1/4" x 8-3/4") separate classic sets from scallop sets from labels set.  Most pages have 2 sets of dies while several are holding single sets.

Originally I had loose leaf binder circles holding the book together but they were just too big and unappealing.  A bit of black leather cording works for now to bind it together.  Only time will tell if this will work long term. ;-)

I still have room to add a few more pages should my collection expand.  For now, 18 pages is what I have filled.  If I ever get the gigantic dies Spellbinders offers I'll have to think of something else as they would never fit in this! :)

 It was fun making something "just for me" that I will use daily that is not only functional but fun to look at!

V.~

GKD Springtime Silhouettes Inspiration Hop~

While I loved all the stamps in the release this time, this set in particular speaks to me the loudest. There's just something about the images, mixed fonts, and how they are work so wonderfully together that make this set rise to the top for me.

The swirl image was repeated 3 times to create the background on the ivory layer.

Stamps: GKD Springtime Silhouettes STV Kit

Ink: Versafine Vintage Sepia, Memento Angel Pink and Desert Sand

Paper: GKD Pure Luxury Ivory and Chocolate Brown

Patterned Paper: Springtime Silhouettes from this month's STV kit

Other: Nestabilities Circle and Petite Scallop Circle dies, Pink/White gingham check, Corner rounder, Sewing machine, Sanding block, Dimensionals

Finished card is 3-3/4" x 5-1/2"

A return to the misting technique again for this card.

Ink up the flowers in various Memento markers and quickly spritz with water before stamping the image to paper.  This is a technique I used all the time in my early days and one that works so well with solid floral images.

Finished card is 3 1/4" x 6 1/2"

Stamps: Springtime Silhouettes STV Kit, Botanicals (torn strip)

Ink: Versafine Vintage Sepia, Memento Desert Sand

Markers: Memento Pear Tart, Cantaloupe, Lilac Posies and Desert Sand

Paper: GKD Pure Luxury Ivory

Patterned Paper: Basic Grey

Other: Nestabilities Labels 6, Mini paper clip, Green grosgrain, Antique mini brads, Spritzer tool, Corner rounder, Dimensional foam

Available now at Gina K Designs

For even more samples of this new set, please visit each of the GKD Design Team blogs listed below and leave a comment.  The more blogs you comment on, the more chances you have of winning!  Gina will announce the randomly chosen winners on her blog tomorrow!

• Gina K
• AJ Otto
• Carolina Buchting
• Cathy Tidwell
• Deb Felts
• Donna Baker
• Emily Giovanni
• Giovana Smith
• Janice Whiting
• Jennie Harper
• Lee Murphy
• Melanie Muenchinger
• Michelle Woerner
• Nina Brackett
• Sharon Harnist
• Suzanne Dean
• Tami Mayberry
• Theresa Momber
• Tina Gilliland
• Valerie Stangle
• Vicki Dutcher

Thanks for stopping by today!

V.~

More GKD March Release Inspiration ~

Featuring Bring the Bling, Warm with Love and Make A Splash!

Bring the Bling, by GKD illustrator Melanie Muenchinger, is a unique set that has many elements that mimic the bling embellishments that are a hot item right now.  Stamped simply or "blinged" up with Glossy Accents, Stickles,  Perfect Pearls and the like are a fun way to add that little extra to your project or to make it the main event, your choice, there's no limit to how many you can stamp.

Here I've just used them as an accent on a masculine card.  Without the extra sparkle or gloss added they work wonderfully as an accent for this card.

Finished card is 3-3/4" x 5-1/2"

Stamps: GKD's Bring the Bling and Lovely Labels 3 (appearing tomorrow on another DT hop)

Ink: Versafine Onyx Black, Memento Desert Sand

Paper: GKD Pure Luxury Soft Sand, Ivory

Patterned Paper: Graphic 45 Curtain Call

Other: Nestabilities Labels 14, Antique Brads and Picture Hanger, Black/Ivory Gingham Check ribbon, Dauber, Distressing tool, Dimensionals

Warm with Love, Theresa Momber's newest set, features images and sentiments that work beautifully for a variety of cards.  Here, again, I've chosen to go the masculine route with a clean and simple card.

The fern image was inked and misted with a spray bottle before stamping, creating a lightly blurred effect.  This was repeated an additional 2 times to create the cluster of three.

Finished card is 3-3/4" x 5-1/2" 

Stamps: GKD Warm with Love

Ink: Vivid! Olive, Versafine Onyx Black

Paper: GKD Green Apple, Black Onyx, Ivory

Other: Black mini brads, Linen thread, Distressing tool, Dimensional foam

 

And finally, Make a Splash by Asela Hopkins, a super fun aquatic set!

The octopus image is stamped on GKD Sweet Mango in black ink, quickly clear embossed and a few select areas colored with Prismacolor colored pencils before cutting out and popping up on the image panel with dimensional foam.  The fun jellyfish and bubbles were stamped multiple times tone on tone and accented with white colored pencil to create the underwater feel.  The grass? Well that's another image from Theresa's set above. :)

 Finished card is 3-3/4" x 5-1/2" 

Stamps: GKD's Make a Splash, Warm with Love

Ink: Versafine Onyx Black, Vivid! Aqua, Wild Lime

Paper: GKD Pure Luxury White, Ocean Mist, Green Apple, Sweet Mango

Other: GKD stitched black ribbon, Nestabilities Circle die, Green mini brads, Corner rounder, Distressing tool, Dimensional foam

For even more samples of these new sets, please visit each of the GKD Design Team blogs listed below and leave a comment.  The more blogs you comment on, the more chances you have of winning!  Gina will announce the randomly chosen winners on her blog tomorrow!

• Gina K
• Lee Murphy
• Melanie Muenchinger
• Michelle Woerner
• Nina Brackett
• Sharon Harnist
• Theresa Momber
• Tina Gilliland
• Valerie Stangle
• Vicki Dutcher
• AJ Otto
• Asela Hopkins
• Carolina Buchting
• Cathy Tidwell
• Deb Felts
• Emily Giovanni
• Giovana Smith
• Janice Whiting
• Jennie Harper

 Happy Hoppin' and Good Luck!

V.~

Gina K March Release Inspiration Hop ~

Featuring Celebrate in Style and Stenciled Silhouettes.

 Celebrate in Style is Gina K Designs and StampTV's special edition 2nd anniversary set, available for free with your qualifying purchases of $35.  

Skirt is paper pieced and raised up with dimensional foam. 

Stamps: Celebrate in Style

Ink: Versafine Onyx Black

Paper: Gina K Designs Pure Luxury White, Bubblegum Pink and Black Onyx

Patterned Paper: Gina K Designs StampTV kit Springtime Silhouettes

Other: Clear embossing powder (image is heat embossed before coloring in) Copic markers, Oval Nestabilities die, GKD pink sheer ribbon, Fiskars Scallop blade, Celery rhinestone (in flower), Dimensional foam

Stenciled Silhouettes is this month's Free with 3 set.

Just the flower portion of the image was inked in white and stamped three times to create the background on the upper blue portion of the card. 

White base is Scor-Pal diagonally embossed for texture and interest.

Stamps: Stenciled Silhouettes

Ink: White pigment ink, Versafine Onyx Black

Paper: Gina K Designs Little Boy Blue, Black Onyx, White

Other: Nestabilities Oval and Scalloped Oval dies, Oval punch, GKD Black/White Gingham check ribbon, Scor-Pal, Corner rounder, Dimensional foam

If you missed the release party last night, you can visit Gina K. Designs to see all the sets and product released last night!  

For even more samples of these new sets, please visit each of the GKD Design Team blogs listed below and leave a comment. The more blogs you comment on, the more chances you have of winning!  Tomorrow, Gina will announce on her blog the randomly chosen winners who will each win one of these fabulous new stamp sets!

• Gina K
• Giovana Smith
• Janice Whiting
• Jennie Harper
• Lee Murphy
• Melanie Muenchinger
• Michelle Woerner
• Sharon Harnist
• Theresa Momber
• Tina Gilliland
• Valerie Stangle
• Vicki Dutcher
• AJ Otto
• Carolina Buchting
• Cathy Tidwell
• Colleen Schaan
• Deb Felts
• Emily Giovanni

All sets that will be appearing on the design team blogs over the next several days are available now for purchase, no waiting!

Thanks for visiting!

V.~

A little bit different~

We are doing things a bit different this time with the Gina K Designs release.... the release party is first...which is TONIGHT! All the stamps will go live tonight at 9PM CST for your viewing and purchasing pleasure :)  You're invited to the party to find out all the details....Here is the link:

StampTV Main Page

And just a little sneak peak of a new set for you....

Oh, and I did I mention, it's GKD's 2 year anniversary!

Happy Anniversary, GKD! 

There's a special anniversary edition stamp set, too!

 V.~

Gina K Design Team Spellbinders Thank You Blog Hop~

 

The Gina K Designs team would like to welcome to you this special Spellbinders Thank You Blog Hop.  Recently Spellbinders generously gifted each member of our Design Team with the amazing new Grand Calibur! What an exciting gift for sure and we are absolutely enjoying this fabulous machine. We have made some special cards and projects to showcase the new Grand Calibur and why we are loving it so much.  Thank you so very much Spellbinders!

If you're hoppin' with the list, you've just come here from:

Theresa's Blog

  Your next stop is:   

Vicki's Blog

 To read about my project start here.

 My project is a fun little candy basket made from the Labels 8 die with a coordinated card.

If you are a frequent visitor to my blog you'll already be aware that I use Nestabilites a lot, yep, a lot, I just love how easy they are to use.  The Grand Calibur has a large cutting platform and cuts the dies easily and cleanly, no ragged edges or uncut portions, at least not in my experience.  The large platform allows multiple shapes to be cut at once, either out of smaller pieces of different colors of cardstock or a large single sheet.

Directions to make a Label Basket:

• Largest Labels 8 die cut GKD Luxury Baby Blue, scored at 2-1/4" and 3-3/4" 
• Internal box: GKD Pure Luxury Baby Blue cut to 6-1/2" x 4-15/16" and scored 1-3/4"  on all sides. Make 4 cuts, 2 cuts on opposing sides to where score lines intersect. Attach Scor-Tape to flaps.  Pre-fold all scores.  Adhere flaps to create box shape.
• Grass: 9" x 1-1/2" strip of GKD Pure Luxury Green Grass.  Score 1/2" along one long side. Using detail scissors snip slices to score line.  Adhere to inside box using Scor-Tape, using the score line as a guide for placement.
•     Adhere finished box inside scored label die cut using Scor-Tape.

note: if you want to have ribbon tie around the front of the basket, place a length of ribbon between the box and the label cover before adhering together.

• Handle: 1-1/2" x 11" strip of GKD Sweet Corn, edges scalloped.  Adhere to box sides with Scor-Tape.
• Fill a cello with treats, tie off bag with ribbon and attach tag with thread. Insert into basket.

Front of basket is decorated with the cute chicks and egg image from GKD Basket Blessings.  The image was stamped twice onto GKD Pure Luxury White; one image was oval die cut and the chicks were colored, the eggs from the other image were colored and cut out before adhering to the oval stamped image with dimensional foam.

Coordinated Card:

The largest Labels 8 die was die cut in 2 colors, Grass Green and Sweet Corn.  Score the Green Grass die cut in half to use as the card base.   Trim a small portion of the Sweet Corn die cut and adhere to green base.

The rest of the card is pretty self-explanatory and follows the instructions for coloring the basket image.

Thank you sentiment from Framed Greetings.

You may find the entire blog hop list at the StampTV blog

 And Gina K Designs Online Store for the stamps, paper, inks and ribbons featured in my project.

Supplies:

Stamps: GKD Basket Blessings and Framed Greetings

Ink: Vivid! Coffee Bean

Paper: GDK Pure Luxury Little Boy Blue, Green Grass, Sweet Corn, Bubblegum Pink, White

Copic Markers: 

Other: Nestabilities Labels 8, Oval and Scalloped Oval dies, Circle Die, Grand Calibur, GKD stitched and gingham check ribbon, Scor-Pal, Scor-Tape, Linen thread, Cello bag, Candy

If you've made it this far, you've read on the longest posts I've ever done, thank you!  :)

Happy Hoppin'!
V.~

C is for Le Cirque

and also for the first name of the person this set is headed to shortly.  I created this 4 card/envelope set and coordinated slider box as a thank you for sending some crafting goodies my way.

Finished cards measure 3-3/4" x 5-1/2"

Slider box is 4-5/8" x 6" when completed and follows the principle of this Slider Boxes found here:

Scor-Pal Slider Boxes

I did adjust the size of the box to fit an A2 sized envelope instead of a square.  

Measurements will be added later, I need to decipher my scribbles. :)

Stamps: JustRite Times New Roman Font

Ink: Versafine Onyx Black, Memento Desert Sand

Paper: Gina K Designs Black Onyx, Lipstick Red, Sweet Corn and Ivory

Patterned Paper: Le Cirque collection by Graphic 45

Other: Scor-Pal, Nestabilities Circle and Petite Scallop Circle dies, Tag corner punch,

 Spiral punch, Wide black and ivory striped grosgrain, 5/8" black and ivory striped grosgrain, Linen Thread by Hillcreek Designs, Sanding block, Dimensional foam

V.~

Live Laugh Love ~

Today I made this tri-coaster display for Jay's mom to have during her recovery and the days following her major surgery tomorrow. No flowers or the like are allowed in ICU but a picture of her grandkids is sure to speed her recovery! Just Rite stamps were perfect for this mini display.

The flower border is stamped onto the "solid" side of the patterned paper, die cut and then lightly colored with Prismacolor colored pencils.  The center of the circle was die cut allowing the patterned paper from the book cover to peek through. To give the border ring a bit more dimension, I die cut a piece of coaster board in the same manner as the paper border ring and adhered the paper border ring to it.  Then I adhered the entire ring to the cover.  I mirrored the same process for the back "page".  All edges of the coasters and both rings have been sanded with a sanding block. 

The sentiments were stamped onto ivory cardstock, die-cut, a bit of edge sponging and then mounted to a petite scallop circle before adhering to the coaster with dimensional foam.  Eyelets with grosgrain ribbon bows bind the coasters together and allow it to stand easily.  

The center panel is a great picture of the three of them from Christmas Eve dinner.  I printed it onto cardstock, trimmed it and mounted it to chocolate cardstock.

Next, the coordinated box :) 

4-1/2" square box using the same materials and design as the picture display.  Scor-Pal does it again...it's so easy to make a custom sized box that really adds the finishing touch to the gift.

V.~

Supplies -Stamps: Romantic Sentiments and Birthday Celebrations by JustRite Stampers; Ink: Versafine Vintage Sepia, Vivid! Coffee Bean, Memento Desert Sand: Paper: GKD Pure Luxury Ivory and Chocolate; Patterned Paper: Blissful, Jalapeno Jelly and Simply Grand from the Hello Luscious collection by Basic Grey; Other: 3 Blank Coasters, Nestabilites Circle and Petite Scallop Circle dies, Sanding block, Dauber, Ribbons, Dimensionals