Class projects, Crop & Create Delivered, Gina K Designs

Crop & Create Fall 2022 – Gina K Designs

The first ‘full class’ for the event was with Gina K Designs. Gina is one of the first designers I came across two years ago at the start of my cardmaking journey, and she’ll always hold a special place in my heart. Her Christmas projects for this event were gorgeous, and I loved them so much I made a slightly different colourway at the same time for each of the projects.

Things I enjoyed:

  • I loved how all three cards had very different looks and themes, and are really versatile for future cards.
  • Gina, to me, is the queen of ink blending, so I always love a class where I get to play with her inks for a blended panel … it’s my happy place every single time! She’s also one of the best teachers I’ve come across during my cardmaking journey, and gives so many great tips that you can learn from.
  • I especially adore the snowflake mandala stencil – I’ve already used this to make additional cards since the class, including a stunning one using glitter gel, so it’s a regular in my cardmaking lineup.
Challenges, Craft Roulette, Gina K Designs

Craft Roulette episode 173

I needed to do a quick and simple card this week due to personal reasons, but I was determined to submit a card. I chose one of my all-time favourite pastimes, creating an ink-blended background with a silhouette image, using all Gina K Designs products.

This week the parameters were:

  • Project: Window (I used a window die)
  • Colours: Bird(s) (mine is based on a kingfisher image I found online, with coppery orange and brilliant turquoise/aqua/blues)
  • Element: By the pond (I figured wildflowers often grow by ponds)
  • Random: Paper clip (I actually bought some special paper clips over 12 months ago just for the day that this parameter finally got chosen … then couldn’t find them! normal office paperclip to the rescue in a coordinating blue, and I used that to attach the sentiment strip)

Challenges, Gina K Designs

CASE a Gina K card

This challenge over at the Time Out Challenges blog is right up my alley as it’s a style I do all the time thanks to Gina K – but instead of using stencils this time I white heat embossed two floral stamps by Gina K instead. They’re so bright and cheerful – I do so love me a rainbow or two 🌈 I’ll add sentiments and a bit of bling later on when I decide what they’ll be used for.

Supplies used:

  • All inks by Gina K Designs (whatever was leftover on my ink blending brushes!)
  • Happy Flowers stamp set (on the left) by Gina K Designs
  • Delightful Daisies stamp set (on the right) by Gina K Designs
Gina K Designs, Layering stamps

Day 5 and holiday tags

A few things used on day 5 that I hadn’t used before – the tag die and the inks used for the background stamps, the sentiment stamp, and an Artistro gold pen. I’ve never made a batch of gift tags before, so this was a fun new challenge for me. They’ll be attached to wee bags of chocolates for my monthly craft group that’s meeting this weekend for our final catch-up before Christmas.

Supplies used:

  • Perfect Poinsettias stamp set by Gina K Designs
  • Sentiment from Merriest Christmas by Taylored Expressions
  • Dye inks by Gina K Designs: Lipstick, Red Velvet, Cherry Red, Faded Brick, Chocolate Brown, and Light and Medium Spruce
  • Artistro gold pen
  • Nested Tag Shapes dies by Hero Arts
Challenges

Neon merry and bright

Day 2 of my personal ‘virgin product’ challenge – today I managed to christen a few items at once (the background stamp, inks and pearl pigment ink). I used the Jacob’s Coat technique … you can’t say it’s not ‘merry and bright’, that’s for sure!!

While I was at it, I decided to enter it into the following challenges this week:

Supplies used:

  • Ornamental Background stamp set by Catherine Pooler
  • Electro Pop neon inks by Gina K Designs
  • Pearl Aqua Pigment ink by Brutus Monroe
  • Merry & Bright dies by Simon Says Stamp and CZ Design
  • Rainbow gems by Honey Bee Stamps
Challenges, Gina K Designs, Paper piecing

Inlaid die cut Christmas trees part 2

Another set of trees using Gina K Designs’ Christmas Tree cover plate die. I this these are my favourite versions of the cards, I just love the more subtle colours of the papers together. I just flicked through my paper samples and found greens that I thought could work well together. Not a single paper pack in this case was a Christmas paper, so it just shows what you can find when you look outside the box a wee bit.

I’ve decided to enter these into a few challenges this week – I’ve been slack at doing challenges lately, so I guess I’m making up for lost time. I keep updating my Instagram feed, but forgetting to post here oops:

Supplies used:

  • Christmas Tree cover plate die by Gina K Designs
  • Sentiment from Sparkle and Shine stamp set by Gina K Designs
  • Patterned papers from Stampin’ Up!
    – Ever Eden (retired)
    – Gilded Autumn (retired)
    – Berry Delightful (retired)
  • Gold pearls by Unity? (not 100% as the packaging has disappeared)
  • Gold glitter cardstock by Craft Perfect/Tonic Studios
Challenges, Gina K Designs, Paper piecing, Using scraps

Inlaid die cut Christmas trees part 1

I created the die cut elements a few weeks ago and put the top layer together while I was at a craft retreat. I only just remembered to put them together into the final card versions this week! While I was posting on Instagram it was rightly pointed out that the bottom card is perfect for the current challenge over at the Double Trouble blog! The challenge is to mix plaids, stripes, checks, flowers and polka dots, with an optional twist of paper piecing … it was perfect timing 😀

Supplies used:

  • Christmas Tree cover plate die by Gina K Designs
  • Sentiment from Sparkle and Shine stamp set by Gina K Designs
  • Patterned papers from Stampin’ Up!
    – Boughs of Holly
    – Gingerbread and Peppermint (retired)
  • Ruby Slipper sequins by Gina K Designs