Cardz 4 girlz challenge blog

 

This 2 week cycle on the Cardz 4 Giirlz challenge blog is brown and green with twine.  I think I covered everything.  I was worried but am actually very happy with how this card turned out.  I hope it can inspire someone out there wanting to participate but unsure where to go with this challenge.  I used the following products when making this card:

Paper:  Neenah- Desert storm card stock, a top folding A2 card, and a panel that is 4 x 5 1/4

Neenah solar white 80 lb for sentiment strip and to spamp the leaves and color

Spellbinders new card stock colors in 2 greens (unsure at this time of the names but will check and update)

The doiley is from a simon says stamp monthly kit ( cant remember which one off the top of my head) (twine was also included in kit )

Ink:  Gina K designs- Kraft and fresh asparagus and versafine clair in black for stamping the leaves

Colored the stamped leaves with altenew green alcohol markers (g503 and g515)

Stamp set and leaf dies are from stampin up- notes of nature (retired)

Sentiment strip is from the SSS wide sentiment strip die (the banner die)

DT Call for CRAFT Challenge Blog

 

These are just a small number of designs I have made.   Definitely some of my favorite work.  I appreciate you taking a look.  Thank you

Floral Watercolor eclipse card

 I saw mindy eggan do this technique and just had to try it .   I dry embossed the design onto watercolor paper and using the coloring stencils that match the 3d embossing folder I taped my paper to a board and wet it with a spray bottle then did light watercolor all over the image then using the stencils once more I ink blended over the watercolor with colors that I had chosen that matched it pretty good.  I then decided to cut 3 circles out using dies and then used foam tape to elevate the circles for the eclipse look.  I then did some black splatter all over and stamped my sentiement in black to bring it all together.  I loved doing this technique it was so fun and easier than you might think.  I am not good at all with watercolor but I think this turned out beautifully.  

Products used:

Paper- spellbinders 81/2x11 waercolor paper cut down to an a2 panel, A2 top folding card base was made with neenah 110 lb solar white.

Ink:  Gink K- Medium and dark lilac and gina K med and dark spruce, also for splatter I used the Simon says stamp black splatter medium, the watercolor is a set from amazon (sold out so cant provide link)

Tools:  Gina K 3d embossing folder and coloring stencils blooming branches, altenew and pinkfresh blending brushes.  I also use a glass mat from glassboard studio which I love and use a plain clip board and painters tape to tape down watercolor paper.

This is my circle card for the Cardz 4 Galz Design Team.  Its my very first one and I am excited about being a part of the design team.  They are a group of talented ladies and I do hope I can keep up and be half as good as they are!!

I will also be entering into the following challenges:

52 Christmas Card Throwdown- Technique card

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                               

Your A mean one Mr.......

52 Christmas Card Throwdown

Week 3- Theme- A Grinch Christmas

So this is the card I created for the inspiraton for the design team for 52 CCT.  I had gotten this die set a little while with the express purpose of making cute grinchy cards this year.  I just love the action of the arm when the card is opened and it comes down to decorate the tree unless its the mean ole grinch then its to steal the ornaments!!  I actually really like how this project turned out.  I almost gave up a half dozen times but I kept going and in the end im so glad I did.  I used the following to complete this project

Paper- Papertry Ink- White heavyweight cardstock (I believe its 110 lbs) they had this on sale recently for a great price so I picked up a couple packs (the packs are quite large and it could be my new favorite white cardstock.  Its very smooth so perfect for stamping. coloring and its so bright white.  It makes such sturdy card bases. I also used some Gina K christmas pine for the tree and the geenery on the front, also excellent cardstock with a nice 100 lb weight.  The gold is tim holtz craft metallic.  

Tools: The stamp is I believe from a slimline background set from scrapbook.com and of course the dies are Concord and ninth Tree Topper Dies.   The small strip of patterned paper is from echo park and it has a a nutcracher theme.

I hope you fins inspiration here if you need just a little nudge to get started and dont forget to come visit us at 52 Christmas Card Throwdown every saturday and you may just get to be a guest designer for us!!  We love seeing all of your beautiful work and we appreciate the inspiration you give us weekly!!

Love 

Jill

52 CCT

Design Team Member

 

color Challenge 2nd week 52 Christmas Card Throwdown

 Hello all.  Im your hostess for the month of December for 52 Christmas Card Throwdown and we are already at week 2 which is a pick a previous challenge so the previous color challenge I chose was gold and blue.

Sketch challenge fpr 52 cct 1(1st week 12/6)

Jill- Pick a Previous-Sketch Challenge (1st Week Deceber 6, 2025)

This is my shetch card for week 1 over at 52 Christmas Card Throwdown.  I really hope everyone is almost finished with their cards, if you happen to need a few more ideas you will see some from the design team the next couple weeks.  You will see the sketch below and I know it may be a little hard to see bc it is light but i did use the SSS snowy hills stencil to stencil some snowy hills and some snow.  This area represents the white area on the sketch.  I used gina k designs blue sky ink to ink that stencil.

My white panel is made from neenah solar white 80 lb cardstock and my card base is also neenah solar white but the 110 lb cardstock which is perfect for strong card bases!!My mat layer, christmas tree and matting behind tim holtz sentiment is gina k chistmas pine 100 lb cardstock.  If you are looking for some really high quality cardstock the ones I listed above are the best I have ever used including the colored cardstock from gina k.  It is all 100lb so very sturdy and they match her ink colors perfectly.  You can also get cardstock to go with each and every ink color she has in her collection.  The Tim Holtz sticker book below my card is full of possible sentiments, and added this year are some lovely stickers and tags.  Highly recommend.  I hope my card helps you a little if you find yourself having trouble getting started!!

Changes and New things happening soon!

 I just wanted to let anyone out there that might me interested that I will be adding affiliate links to my blog .  Just 1 or 2.  I am planning on starting a you tube channel and adding some how to videos to the blog.  I hope these are things you may be interested in because there are so many excellent companies oit there and I could bring more paper crafting content plus I can add content on the other things I can do well.  There are so many crafts I enjoy and actually excel at and I would love to share all of my papercrafting plus additional knowledge that I have to offer.  Hope to have both things up and running before the end of this year but first of the new year at the latest!  TY for your support and hope to continue to receive it!!

Shameful Neglect

 I am so ashamed at how much I have neglected my blog.  I felt lke my creative spirit had left me because nothing I was making was up to par with my standards, In fact I just felt everything was terrible despite how much effort I was putting into everything.  I am going to start posting my designs and maybe a few other surprises here and there regularly again beginning now!!  I am really hoping anyone out there that sees my hard work will appreciate it and possibly even leave a comment good or bad when they visit.  I look forward to showing my creations again and hopefully the creative spirit I once had will find its way back to me!!  Thank you 

Jill

Body of Water

 I Made this card to try out my new stamps and dies bc they were so cute and I also had this great SSS water background stamp that I felt went great.  I then saw the cardz for guyz challenge and thought why not, It seems to match the topic this time around.  My A2 card base is neenah 110 lb solar white cardstock, I already mentioned the sss background and the other stamps are spellbinders.  I colored using ohuhu alcohol markers and stamped in versa clair black ink then covered in clear embossing powder and heat set.  It really made me feel kind of beachy and I hope it makes you feel that way too.

Submitting to the folowing challenges:

Cardz for guyz challenge blog

Simple Fun Fold

I CASED this card idea from a stampin up dmonstrator I saw on pinterest but cannot remember her name (Im so sorry if anyone knows who could you please leave me a comment so I can give her full credit b/c she is extremely telented.  The stamp set I used called layers of beauty from stampin up was designed by her for over 1 million dollars in sales (told you she was talented!!)  Its a beautiful set with the stamps, a coloring stencil and dies.  The DSP I used for the circle is an older packet, one that the name is escaping me right now!!  I used sweet sorbet cardstock and stampin blends and versafine clair for the black.  Versa fine clair is my favorite black ink for alcohol ink coloring.  It stamps so dark and crisp and doesnt smear at all after a few seconds of drying time.  It stamps all of the finest, delicate details perfectly and as long as the pad is filled (not overly juicy) it stamps perfectly after one stamp almost every time.  I have gotten spoiled and use my misti for stamping 98% of the time and if I have to stamp multiple times they line up every time but usually once is all i need!!

Thank you.

Jill

613 Avenue Create

DT Member

 

Pocket Card

I love making a nice pocket card.  They just look so nice to me and can be used so many ways, not to mentions the multiple different ways to make them.  This one is very basic.  Didnt make a place inside to hold a gift card but I could have very easily,  I could include a gift card as is by just using a little tear tape to hold the gift card either with the sentiment or on the back of the inner card.  They can be used for any occasion and I think they are just a great addition to any cardmakers arsenal.  If anyone isnt sure how these lovely cards are made please let me know and I can do my first video ever or I can add step by step written directions .If you have never made one I promise you love at first try!!

Jill

GCFAOS

DT Member

 

Pop up christmas

My pop up card is very simple geting my idea from the very talented Gina K.  I love watching her, she is an amazing teacher and her products are amazing.  I have not been disapponited with one thing I have gotten from her and highly recommend everyone to check her out.  Her die cutting machine is the single greatest thing I have ever used and the different settings plus being able to tighten or loosen the pressure I feel will make it last for years to come.  Thank you.

Jill

CCT 

DT Member

 

For the Boys

I have historically been terrible at making masculine cards.  I have avoided challenges that had a masculine theme like the plague but today I was challenged as a member of the Christmas Card Throw Down to come up with something manly.  I knew then I had zero choice but to stop being scared and do it!!  Idk about you but I accepted the challenge and feel that I passed the test!  After multiple false starts and just one terrible card after another I decided on this design and am over the moon happy with the results.  Gina K. Designs and Simon Says Stamp teamed up for Stamptember to make I believe an absolutely beautiful holiday set but also a perfect for any occasion, so many uses and especially masculine projects set.  I love everything about this stamp set (also got the dies that go along with it).  I have used it so many times and it continues to be one of my go to favorites.  I find myself reaching for it again and again.  Unfortunately it is no longer available but if you go to Gina K. Designs website or Simon Says Stamp they both have multiple different sets that are similar and would work just as well for everything just like this one!!  I cannot wait to see all the manly entires you submit bc I know everyone out there has so much talent and masculine cards are nothing to them, just another beautiful project you all make flawlessly.  Im hoping to get inspiraton from you for future projects just like I hope as a member of the DT I can provide a little inspiration to anyone thinking of taking this challenge on.  Good Luck!!

Jill

DT Mamber

CCT

 

White/Black/Gold christmas

Its week 2 for the february Christmas Card Throwdown!!  I have made a white/black/gold project to go along with the color challenge.  I think this was number 3 and im not 100% satisfied with my project but i know im my harshest critic. I showed it to my family and they loved it so here it is.  Dies used are a retired stampin up set ( cannot remember the name right now).  White paper is neenah solar white 110 lbs., black, white and gold glitter are spellbinders, the black is the brushed black from spellbinders, its my absolute favorite black card stock ever and I have used alot of different cardstock over the years!!  If you havent tried it i highly recommend it.  Its pure luxury, I cant think of a better word for it.  The metallic gold is from simon says stamp and its beautful as well.  The glitter papers are perfect, its the beauty of glitter without the mess b/c you dont have glitter coming off at all no matter how you use it.  I highly recommend the spellbinders glitter paper as well.  If you havent tried it please do.  They have great sales all the time and glitter paper of some kind is usually on sale at great discounts.  It die cuts beautifully as you can see.

Ty for sharing your projects with us and I really hope I can offer even a little inspiration.

 

Lots of Love

 

My first card for 2025

                                                  

I was a little late getting my project added for my very first challenge and I am ashamed!!  I totally lost all track of time, its hard to believe its february already.  I have had it ready for over a week so not sure what the hold up was other than me just being unprepared in every way!!  I will not ever be late again I can assure everyone on the design team and everyone who enters their lovely projects for us and the world to enjoy weekly!!   I hope my project makes up for being a bit late (even though I do not even come close to the amazing talent Im surrounded by in this space the DT and everyone else included)  I was very happy with the finished project mainly because my foiling actually turned out (even a briken clock is right twice a day lol).  I just love this swag foil plate from spellbinders for any occasion really.  I feel so blessed to have been chosen to be a part of this beautiful challenge and I really hope my project can help even one person who is having trouble getting started or is worried about entering thinking their card isnt good enough bc I promise you it is beautiful and all of us here will be honored to see it!!  I look forward to this journey and being early for it from now on!!

Jill

Patterned stripes thank you

 

613 Avenue Create Monochromatic project

I decided to work on a monochromatic card as my submission to 613 Avenue Create.  I think I have chosen the AG option every other time so here it is.  I am actually so happy with the finished product, the neat border on the stenciled panel looks so nice, the colors are some of my favorites out of the many many different Inks I have (i love buying ink pads and it drives my sweet hubby crazy, lol)  This card turned out so good that I just know 2025 is going to go the same way, great!!  Well at least I am hoping it is great for everyone all over the world.  I hope everyone got everything they asked santa for for christmas and that new years eve and day were amazing for everyone!!  I cannot wait to see all of the talented designers and their beautiful projects I get the pleasure of seeing here at 613 Avenue Create every month.  There are so many talented paper crafters out there that I am always humbled and honored to be a part of such an amazing group of ladies and gentlemen.  I believe that paper crafters are very special people, we tend to be kind to people, try to be helpful if anyone needs help and are great at taking newcomers under our wings instead of eating them alive.  I have found nothing but a welcoming, supportive, beautiful group of people!! Ok rant over, sorry.  Products used listed below:

Neenah solar white 100 lb 8 1/2 x 11 card stock (cut and scored into A2 top fold card)

neenah solar white 80 lb panel 3 3/4 x 5 (give or take a little)

stampin up pool party cardstock panel 4 x 5 1/4 mat

inks- Gina K- Sea glass, turquoise sea, tranquil teal and stormy sky

simon says stamps- opal pawsitively dazzling gems

sentiment from simon says stamp- freah air fall flowers

 

GCFAOS- Goodbye 2024,Hello 2025!! I have waited patiently for you!!

I was a bit late getting my project in this time but I hope its at least an OK card.  I have had this retired dsp from stampin up for quite some time and thought what better time than new years to use the sheet with the fireworks.  I cannot remember the name of the dsp but its a rather large pack with what appears to be every holiday and celebration you can think of covered.  Its a rather fun pack of paper with literally endless uses.  I thougt it would be nice ink blended to look like a night sky with sparkly embossing powder around the fireworks to give it a little sparkle and dimension.  You cannot see it great in the picture but this embossing powder is really quite shiny.  Of course I wanted the resist of the embossing there when I blended the panel so the fireworks would still stand out!  I hope eeveryone had a very merry christmas and have an even better new year!!  I only wish great things for everyone in 2025, I know 2024 has been extremely hard for alot of people and I pray for everyone 2025 to be the best year ever (I have a feeling its going to be amazing!!)

Products used:

Patterned  Paper  4 x 5 1/4 inch panel- Stampin up- Retired (unsure of name)

Neenah solar white 100 lb top fold base (8 1/2 x 11 sheet cut in half at 4 1/4 inches and scored @ 5 1/2"

Tonic embossing marker

Simon says stamp- detail sparkle powder

Tim Holtz Distress oxide inks- uncharted mariner, chipped sapphire and blueprint sketch blended with 

scrapbook.com large blending brush (these blend any ink flawlessly and the large size gets large

areas blended quickly).

Spellbinders rose gold glitter cardstock

Memory box glossy black card stock

Die from crafters companion (cannot remember name at time of posting)