Gina K Designs Inspiration Hop Day 3

*This is my second post of the day.  If you are looking for The Twinery/Rubbernecker Hop, look below this post!

The Design Team for Gina K. Designs welcomes you to another fabulous Inspiration Blog Hop!!! As you hop through the blogs, make sure to leave a comment on each of them because we will choose a few random comments and those stampers will each win a grab bag of deeply etched, pre-cut Gina K. Designs stamps! To see the full list of winners check the Big News forum at Stamp TV a couple of days after the hops!!

Today the Gina K Design team are sharing projects created with these new releases:  Hello Sunshine StampTV kit, Birthday Greetings and the New One Free with 3- Life's a Beach. 
I used the pre-cut Rubber sets for my samples but Gina K IS NOW OFFERING you a choice of Deeply Etched Rubber or Clear for the stamp sets!

Just like most of you---I am positively swamped this time of the year.  My card making time is literally an hour or two a week.  We are running from one sport to another, to ballet, to graduations, birthday parties, etc.  But....I have a real NEED for cards during this time of year.  So, when I saw the new Stamp TV kit- Hello Sunshine- I had an idea.

I thought that if I could make a clean and simple card that lent itself to many different occasions, I might be able to mass produce it so that I can use it for birthdays, sympathy cards, thank you notes.  And that is just what I did!  Here is the card I created:

I started with Pure Luxury white cardstock.  I  stamped the large flower with Rose Bud Memento dew drop ink and then stamped off the image on a post it note.  I layered the post it over the flower to stamp the stem in Cottage Ivy dew drop ink on an angle, as shown.  Then, I took a black artist pen and drew a line across the bottom.  Finally, I stamped the sentiment above the line. 
I rounded the bottom two corners and added a black pearl to the center of the flower.  Truly...simple. 
To make this card a simple-to-make and easy-to-mail card---you can add a flat black metal dot to the center of the flower.

Here is a set of cards. Note: I left the sentiment off the ones lying down so I can add the appropriate one before mailing:

 Now head on over to these blog's to see some beautiful creations made with these sets:

• Gina K
• AJ Otto
• Carolina Buchting
• Carolyn King (You are here!)
• Cathy Tidwell
• Deb Felts
• Emily Giovanni
• Giovana Smith
• Jimmi Mayo
• Lee Murphy
• Lori McAree
• Melanie Muenchinger
• Michelle Woerner
• Sharon Harnist
• Suzanne Dean
• Tami Mayberry
• Theresa Momber
• Tina Gilliland
• Vicki Dutcher

 Thanks for stopping by!

Gina K Preview Day 1

Hello!! Tonight begins the previews for the new Gina K Designs release. All the stamps and new products will be released on THURSDAY night (after the release party) at 10 p.m. on the site.

Tonight the design team is using Winter Mittens (by Nina Brackett) and A Year of Borders (by Melanie Muenchinger).

Here is the project I designed with Winter Mittens: I stamped the mittens on ivory cardstock and then cut them with the coordinating Spellbinders Nested Mittens die (which will also be available on Thursday night at Gina K Designs). I cut another mitten from the cardstock to create the back of the mitten so I could insert the stick into it. I used a tin I found at Target for the base and added the sentiment right to it. I thought this would be a cute presentation for a Starbucks gift card or even some candy. (You can poke the lollipop sticks into the Styrofoam base.)

Next, I used A Year of Borders to create a holiday card that is easy to mass produce and mail:I embossed the poinsettias on green cardstock ( All Spruced Up )and then matted it on white before adhering it to the card base. I rounded the corners, added some raffia and rhinestones and done.


Want to see some more projects with these sets? Just head on over to these designers' blogs for more inspiration:

Cathy Tidwell

Carolyn King <---- You are here!

Emily Giovanni

Gina Krupsky

Lee Murphy

Melanie Muenchinger

Nina Brackett

Theresa Momber

Don't forget: The Gina K release party will be held this Thursday night, November 4. We'll have contest questions, challenges, chatter, and lots of samples with the new stamp sets to share during the party. Please make plans to join us from 7-10 central on StampTV!

Thanks for stopping by!

Aloha!

Happy Monday!!

Here is a card I designed for the Moxie Fab Three Cheers for Chairs challenge : The paper scraps are from Cosmo Cricket (Snorkel) and the chair stamp is from The Journey (Gina K Designs). I stamped the chair image, colored it with Copic markers and cut it out.

Just a simple little card.....that takes me right to one of my favorite places---The Beach!

Enjoy your day! Thanks for stopping by!

Quick Card Friday

Hello!! Happy Friday!
Sorry for the erratic postings.....I have been so busy with baseball games, a sick child (ear infection), Easter preparations....etc. that I haven't had too much time to get crafty.

I wanted to share this quick creation with you today:It is very simple. My favorite part is the little circles I punched and placed over the background flowers to add a bit of color! Black brads in the center of the circles tie into the flowers and sentiment color.

Materials used: Stamp-Stampabilities; Memento tuxedo black ink; white cardstock (Gina K Designs); designer paper-black orchid 8 by 8 pad (SEI); black brads (Paper Studio); yellow ribbon (Stampin' Up!); small circle punch (SU!); slit punch (SU!).

I will not be posting over the weekend so have a wonderful Easter! See you next week!

Thanks for stopping by!

Hope

Today, I want to share a simple sympathy card I designed for a friend:I embossed the panel with the leaves Cuttlebug folder. I used a Maya Road Microfelt birds to add on one of the embossed branches, adding a crystal for his eye. The sentiment is from Lovely Labels.

Thanks for stopping by! I will announce the blog candy winner tomorrow morning!

Gina K Preview Day 1

Hello!!! Welcome to the first night of Gina K Designs previews! For the next few days the design team will be sharing some awesome new things that will be available on Thursday night!

Today, we are showing off two new sets...Hope is Faith and Hang in There (illustrated by Theresa Momber)!

The Hope is Faith mini stamp set retails for $9.95. It was created to raise money for the Red Cross to help with the devastation in Haiti. $2.00 of every purchase of this stamp set will be sent directly to the Red Cross throughout the month of February.
As the first responders to disasters around the world, the Red Cross is there to help with the basic needs of these people who have suffered so much. By purchasing this mini set, you will help to make a difference to people who are desperate by supporting an organization that works tirelessly to feed, clothe, comfort and care for those in need.

Here is my card I designed with this set:

I used some of the lovely lavender cardstock for the card base, scoring it with my Scor-Pal to give it the lattice look. I used some ribbon from the new Spring ribbon assortment and some jute twine on the bottom of the card.

I created the panel with some designer paper and added the greenery from Theresa's new set-Hung in There. I inked the edges of the layer before mounting it on the black cardstock. I stamped the butterfly in Memento ink and colored it with copic markers. When the card was assembled, I added some crystal stickles around the edges.

Next, I created a circle card to feature one of the fun little critters in Theresa's adorable Hang in There set:

For this card, I used a circle cutting system to cut the circle shape from some creme de menthe cardstock. I added the greenery with some olive ink. I stamped the frog image and colored it with copics and prismacolor pencils. Then, I used a circle die to trace the shape and cut the image freehand to keep the leaves intact. I layered the image on some tan leather cardstock.The stamped sentiment and hemp tie complete the design.

Check out these blogs for more previews of these sets:

Hope is Faith Illustrator: Gina Krupksy
Hang in There Illustrator: Theresa Momber (Wings of Hope Digital Paper designer)

Jessica Fick
Melanie Muenchinger
Nina Brackett
Carolyn King
Tami Mayberry
Asela Hopkins
Cathy Tidwell
Lee Murphy
Lynn Mercurio
Kurtis Amundson
Donna Baker
Emily Giovanni
Erika Martin
Bev Gerard
Colleen Schaan
Suzanne Dean
Valerie Stangle

See you tomorrow for more previews! Thanks for stopping by!

Simple Sunday!

Just popping in today to say Hello and to share this quick creation: This was created with some fun designer paper (Black Orchid, SEI) and some rub-ons and metal accents. Fast...easy. I just love this color combination.

Hope you have a wonderful day!

Thanks for stopping by!

Cut it out!

This week's Moxie Fab Tuesday Trigger is brought to you by my friend Maren.....

<--She found this lovely plate in a Pottery Barn catalogue and created a beautiful card that was inspired by it.

I was intrigued by the simplistic elegance of it and wanted to try to make something understated and elegant.

I also used a bird on my card---but I created an one layer Easter card.....




Here is my card: It is hard to see what I did on this picture, so I took a few more so you can tell that the bird image was stamped in Versamark (so dark lines would not show) and then cut out....

I think you can see that it is a cut out much better in this picture:


I used some Prima swirl pearls to accent around the image, trimming the middle section where the window is:

Finally, I embossed the sentiment in white to make it pop on the Kraft paper.

<-----I took a quick picture to show you how I did the window. I used a Spellbinders rectangle die to draw the window on the card base (for stamp placement). Then, I stamped the bird in Versamark ink (so no dark lines would show after I cut) in the center of the rectangle.

Then, I drew the box lines closer to the bird...so the wings would touch the lines of the box.

I used my Fiskars pencil grip blade to trim all around the bird (as shown on left.)

Stamp credit: Easter Blessings (Gina K Designs)

What a fun challenge!

Thanks for stopping by!

Gina K Preview Day 1

Hello everyone! I was so excited to actually stamp something after two weeks + of not doing anything crafty.

Tonight is the first night of the Gina K Designs stamp previews. There are three sets that are being peeked tonight...Sung from the Heart (by Rupa), Happy Hearts (by Tami) and Wishes and Dreams (by Alicia).

The first card I created features Happy Hearts:

For the first card, I used the new cardstock that will be added to the store on Thursday--Passionate pink and Innocent pink!
I stamped the fun hearts (there are LOTS of em in this set!) on the innocent pink cardstock and cut them out. I attached them onto some corrugated cardstock and stamped the sentiment below.

The bow tie ribbon is from the new Stamp TV kit as is the brad. Lots of stuff coming this month!!

Materials used: Stamps-Happy Hearts (Gina K Designs); Memento tuxedo black ink; cardstock-Passionate pink, innocent pink, white (Gina K Designs); Designer paper- Corrugated (The Paper Studio), hearts-The Mod Retro Stack (DCWV); ribbon (Gina K Designs); brad (Gina K Designs).

And, here is a quick card I created with this set:

I had this die cut xo paper for awhile and I thought cutting out the center o and replacing it with a heart would be a good way to use it. Again, I used the love sentiment but there are lots of words in this set. This time I stamped the heart on rocket red cardstock.

The button and ribbon are also from Gina K Designs.
Materials used: Stamps-Happy Hearts (Gina K Designs); Memento tuxedo black ink; red marker (SU!); ribbon and button (Gina K Designs); cardstock-rocket red, white (Gina K Designs); die cut paper-Anna Griffin.

Finally, here is a card that I created using Wishes and Dreams:
You will see plenty of samples using this set during the previews because this set is included in the Card Kit this month. I stamped and colored one of the sweet fairies in this set and then popped her on top of a crescent moon I cut from cardstock (and covered with yellow Doodlebug glitter).

The ribbon is being released this month and the cardstock I used is Onyx, white and innocent pink.
For even more inspiration with our new stamp sets being previewed tonight, check out these blogs:

Tami Mayberry {Illustrator of Happy Hearts}

Gina Krupsky

Jessica Fick

Nina Brackett

Melanie Muenchinger

Theresa Momber

Carolyn King

Cathy Tidwell

Lee Murphy

Donna Baker

Lynn Mercurio

Erika Martin

Emily Giovanni

Colleen Schaan

Sankari Wegman

Valerie Stangle

Asela Hopkins

See you tomorrow night with a peek at another new set! Thanks for stopping by!

Where has the week gone?

Hi everyone! Thanks for all your sweet comments. I truly appreciate every one of my readers.
We are so busy around here taking care of things and getting ready for the deployment...somehow many days fly by without notice!

Here is a quick card for today:
I used PaperTrey's Everyday Button Bits for this card. (A set I just couldn't resist!)

Reminder: Coming next week---Gina K Sneak peeks begin on Sunday night! Blog candy....and more!

I am getting samples ready to post so my hubby and I can get away for a few days without the kids...!

Materials used: Stamps-Everyday Button Bits (Papertrey Ink); Memento black ink; ribbon-Spring Moss dot satin (Papertrey Ink); buttons (PTI); vanilla cardstock (Gina K Designs); Designer paper-October Afternoon; slit punch (SU!); hemp.

Thanks for stopping by! Have a WONDERFUL weekend!

Simple Saturday

Hope you are all enjoying your weekend.
Just a quick post today as my husband and I are in the middle of assembling a basketball hoop/backboard. (Fun times for sure!)

This is a quick card I created for a color challenge I hosted on Stamp TV last week. I forgot to post it because there was a thousand things going on at the time (including computer problems) so I am sharing it today.

I love this card because the colors make me smile:

The stamps are from Zoo Animals (Gina K Designs). I simply stamped the sentiment and elephant in some bright colors...added the piercings around the main image, added a few embellishments and done!

Gotta love QUICK Cards!

Materials used : Zoo Animals (Gina K Designs); ink-red, brilliant blue (SU!); Pure luxury ivory cardstock (Gina K Designs); designer paper-Big Kids (Making Memories); embellishments -Making Memories; corner rounder punch (Creative Memories); notebook punch (SU!); ribbon (Making Memories).

Thanks for stopping by!

Nuts for You

Hi everyone! Hope your week has been great! We are still away--just wanted to show you a quick card today!

I created this card with Papertrey's My Punny Valentine. Just a fun and easy card with lots of texture!
I will be home TOMORROW!

Thanks for stopping by!

CCEE Challenge and Thanks Papertrey

Hello and Happy Monday! This is a busy week. Today, I wanted to start off by thanking another fabulous company that helped with the Heart to Heart Card fundraiser for Caregivers of Alzheimer's disease. *Yep! Still thanking all the fabulous companies who generously donated to the cause.

Today---I want to say thank you to Papertrey Ink.

I recently picked up Damask Designs which was designed by the awesome Dawn McVey for Papertrey, so I decided to use it for my Monday CCEE challenge. This week we had to use adhesive address labels on our cards. Easy enough! I stamped the damask pattern on each label and then peeled them and stuck them to the black matted cardstock. I stamped another damask design and then used the small circle punch (SU!) to punch the design and add it onto a brad:
I love how dramatic the black and white looks. Check out all the other label-ed creations on the CCEE blog! Hope you will play along.

And here is another card I created with the Damask Designs. When I first saw this large image, I immediately thought of a chandelier. So.....I created a simple one layer card with that large image as the main focus. After stamping the design, I added some darker parts with a black marker (kind of representing shadows that all chandeliers give off). Then I used some Mark Richards tiny black crystal stickers to add the chain and some interest to the chandelier itself.

I used a larger black crystal sticker in the center. Finally, I stamped the sentiment, added some more crystal stickers around it and then tied the ribbon (Berry Sorbet) to the top.

Think it looks like a chandelier?

THANK YOU so much Nichole and Papertrey Ink for generously donating to a very worthy cause. I will never forget your willingness to help. I am so grateful.

******************************

Coming this week:

***TOMMORROW: I will begin showing MFTeasers of the new sets that will be released on Wednesday from My Favorite Things!

***Did you see? MFT is having an Idol Contest! Check out the IDOL thread HERE for all the details on how you can enter to win a $250 shopping spree!

***SU Blog Candy! New to you---15 sets need a new home. Stay tuned for this subscriber-only blog candy.

Thanks for stopping by!

Thanks and a Quick Card

First of all, thank you so very much for all the congratulations---I am trying to catch up but I just wanted to let you know that you all really touched my heart. I am amazed at all the people who took the time to welcome me on the DD thread, send emails, leave comments here...etc. Thank you so much!

Since I only had a little bit of time this morning (my kids are home from school!)....I thought I would make a quick card. I pulled out one of my all-time favorite My Favorite Things sets called Boho Blossoms and created this:
It just took a few moments. I embossed the large heart with red embossing powder (Ranger) and cut it out. Then, I embossed the smaller heart with black detail embossing powder (Ranger) and cut it out and popped it on top. I added some rhinestones stickers and layered the heart over the cool swirl (Prima) crystal design.
I embossed the sentiment in black and added a few more rhinestones and done!

Even when you don't have much time--you have time for a quick card!

Don't forget to enter to win the blog candy here.

Thanks for stopping by!

Funky Birthday and a Question for YOU!

A hip birthday wish---As you know by now....I don't really seem to stick to one style of cards. I get bored doing the same types of cards all the time and find that when I change it up I inspire more creativity!
This card was created with some negative chipboard, some basic grey paper and stickers---a quick and fun birthday wish!

Now...a question for you! As I am planning some posts for the year, I want to know what you want to see/hear about on my blog. If there is anything you can think of, please let me know and I will see what I can do.

Coming soon:
How to submit cards for publication
A Scor-Pal Mat Giveaway....

Thanks for stopping by!

MFTeaser #2-Making QUICK cards with scene stamps

Here is another new set that My Favorite Things will be releasing on Wednesday night. It is called Maid for You!
I wanted to show you another way to use these scene stamps from MFT. I know some of you don't feel like coloring a whole scene or don't like coloring at all.... so these scene stamps might not be ones you feel like you would use often......

So, for this card I used the image but only colored in the maid (and added a bit of white Flower Soft fringe to her dress!) This card was so simple and QUICK to make.

Materials used: Stamps-Maid for You (My Favorite Things); Memento tuxedo black, red (SU!); cardstock-white (Gina K Pure Luxury), red, black (SU!); ribbon (Offray); Threading Water Punch (Fiskars); black rhinestones (Mark Richards); heart die cut (Sizzix); Cuttlebug (Provocraft); corner punch (EK Success); corner rounder punch (Creative Memories); Flower Soft-white.

Tip: To create QUICK cards with more elaborate scene stamps----You can crop out portions of the scene or merely spotlight the parts that you want to focus on and still create an adorable QUICK card. Gotta love that!

Stay tuned: the official MFT blog hop will kick off Wednesday morning (11 p.m. tonight for those on Central time!) There are tons of fabulous creations designed by the team that you won't want to miss!

Thanks for stopping by!

Happy New Year!

Thanks so much for sharing the past year with me. I wish you all a very HAPPY NEW YEAR!

Stamps: Inkadinkado; Memento tuxedo black ink; Ranger distress inks--antique linen, aged photo; transparency sheet; rub on sentiment; cardstock-white, chocolate chip; designer paper (Crate); hardware chain- Tim Holtz; gingham ribbon; arrow-Cuttlebug die (Provocraft); gold brad (SU!).

Thanks for stopping by! Happy 2009!

Got 10 minutes???

.....then you have time to make a card!

During this hectic season, sometimes all we can find is a few minutes here or there. This is a card for one of those days!

A simple holiday card that takes less than 10 minutes to complete!

I used my JustRite Christmas Ensemble to create the focal point of this. I added a bit of October Afternoon dp and some lace, embossed the snowflakes on the background and used my Spellbinders circle and label one dies. Whola! Fast, easy...

Materials used: Stamps-Christmas Ensemble (JustRite Stampers); ink-cranberry (SU!); cardstock- vanilla (SU!); Spellbinders circle dies and Labels One Nestabilities; Cuttlebug (Provocraft); metal adhesive dots (Mark Richards); lace (thrift shop); Designer paper-Tinsel-October Afternoon; snowflakes embossing folder (Provocraft); dimensionals (SU!).

You can find lots of JustRite products at Stamper's Dream. Check out Michelle's awesome selection and while you are there---check out all the new stamps she just got in--Sarah Kay, Stampendous and Northwoods!

Thanks for stopping by!

Enjoy the Season

Tomorrow is Thanksgiving for all of us in the United States....and it also marks the beginning of the hectic holiday season.

Happy Thanksgiving to everyone--hope you have a wonderful day full of friends and family and food. For those of you who are not in the US...have a wonderful day too! I am thankful for all of you.

This card is a SIMPLE five minute card (sometimes the only ones we have time for!) As we begin the season of shopping, traveling and parties---take time to ENJOY THE SEASON. Don't let the true meaning and the opportunity for some extra family time pass you by!

Materials used: Cardstock- Very Vanilla (Stampin' Up!); Making Memories St. Nick paper and die-cuts; gemstones (The Paper Studio); dimensionals (SU!); corner rounder punch (Creative Memories); star punch (SU!).

Happy Thanksgiving! My kids are off from school and we are traveling to spend the holiday with family. See you next week!

Thanks for stopping by!

Simple Sunday

Here is a simple card I created for one of the Gina K challenges last month. I forgot to post it so here it is!

Donna issued a challenge to create a card with-
1 ribbon
2 layers
3 embellishments (of your choice but must be same type of embellishment)

This is what I came up with:
Simple and elegant. Since I needed a wedding card, I used the challenge for this! The image is from Heartfelt Hits I (Gina K Designs) and the ribbon is also from Gina K Designs Pure Luxury line. I embossed the background with the textile Cuttlebug embossing folder.

I am just bouncing off the walls about another Pure Luxury edition Gina is releasing this Thursday! Wait till you see.........

LOTS of fun stuff to show you this week---I will be back at midnight on Monday night to begin the Gina K New Release Blog Tour--see you then!

Thanks for stopping by!