Tuesday, 16 June 2026

Veg Patch

Morning all, an other month has flown by, so it's time for a brand new challenge over at Cardz4Guyz.
This time we would like to see your MASCULINE cards designed on the theme of:-

GARDENS and GARDENING

When I saw the theme, I knew straightaway which stamp I would be using, Lili of the Valley's Veg Plot! Here's my design.


After stamping and colouring with Copic markers, I fussy cut the image and then went looking for a layout. In the end I used one of my old cards and a leftover panel from cutting out a postage stamp style panel, waste not want not! My DP in the background is NitWits, my leftover scrap was just a tad too small so I ended up printing off another 8"x 8" panel to use here.
The DP was glued flat to an A6 note card and the frame and image added with foam pads. A scrap of twine and a LOTV tag sentiment complete the card. 

So what will you come up with, we're all waiting to see what you post to the C4G gallery. If you want more inspiration, there's lots more on the theme over on the C4G blog page here.

Joining in over at:-

 

Monday, 1 June 2026

Color Hues #134

Is it June already? Mind you the last week has dragged somewhat, we're not used to such high temps limiting what you can do. At times like this I can hear my Mum say that she was wasting time when it was so hot, I can see her point of view now!
Anyway, I've been playing in the craftroomj and not feeling guilty about it. Here's a card I made for the brand new challenge over at Color Hues.


I found this cute digi from LOTV in my printed off but not coloured box and thought it would fit the new challenge colours, together with a couple of neutrals, grey for the elephant and pale brown for the cushion he sits on. The DP is really ancient and has been sitting in my stash for 20 years plus I think! There's still over half a sheet left, so I must remember to use it! 

After colouring the image with Copics, I fussy cut the image and set it aside. I had a vague idea for a layout and found a die cut panel in my stash which I embossed with an equally ancient Cuttlebug folder. The gingham DP was added to a white note card and then the image was added to the embossed panel before being added to the card base on foam pads. I did think about using a ribbon across the bottom half of the panel but it obscured the text, so I left it off, along with a stamped sentiment which did the same!

So that's it really, but the rest of the team our GD Kim Miller have come up with some fab inspiration, check it out here.
The challenge will be open until June 14th @ 9am EST!
Have fun!

Joining in over at:-

Use stencil and/or EF
I chose EF

Saturday, 23 May 2026

Keepy Upies

Hi, it's a lovely warm and sunny Bank Holiday here in the UK, very unusual.
As a result we are staying close to home as being retired, every day seems like a Bank Holiday, we also get to miss the crowds which accompany a warm sunny Bank Holiday!

So here I am with the curtains closed to keep the heat out with a card I'm linking up to a few challenges.


This is another of the fab LOTV digis from my stash coloured in my Son in Law's team colours of Liverpool, hence the choice of DP too. I found the sketch on Pinterest and have used it a couple of times as it allows the image to shine. 
For once I decided not to fussy cut my Copic coloured Striker image, simply layered him onto some red card, adding some DP and zig zag detail to make up for the size of the image panel. On more red card, I mounted some matching NitWits DP, finishing with a LOTV stamped sentiment. The whole panel was then added to an A5 card base.

Joining in over at:-

 


#850 Anything Goes
Happy 17th Birthday ladies

#838 Special Anniversary Anything Goes
Happy 17th anniversary too.

Friday, 22 May 2026

Uniko FB Challenge

Just popping by to remind all Uniko followers that there is still a couple of weeks to join in with the FB VIP Challenge on the theme of ANYTHING GOES and the chance to win £15 to spend in store!

Here's a card I made recently for my daughter's friend's birthday, all details are on the Uniko blog here.



Joining in over at:-


Happy 7th Birthday!

Tuesday, 19 May 2026

A Cosy Jumper

 Morning all. I can't believe a month has gone since the last Cardz4Guyz challenge went live but it must have as there's a new one!

This month it was my choice and I chose the theme of -

SQUASH IT!

In other words use an embossing folder to do all the hard work!


I love EFs and have a box full of them, though I don't always use them as often as I should. They range from geometrics to florals, those that add texture and even some that create a scene. For this simple card, I've used a cable knit one that was a freebie in a mag I believe. With out much effort you have a very effective sweater.

To begin, I chose some camel coloured card cut a partial circle from the top of an A6 panel, then embossed it, centering the cabled to achieve a balanced look. I remembered just in time to cut the opening as if not you run the risk of squashing all that lovely definition in the embossing! On another piece of the same card, I used two nesting circle dies to cut a piece which I laid over the original opening. A scrap of white linen textured card was then glued behind to suggest a T-shirt. I trimmed the panel to slightly less than A6 before adding to an A6 base card in the same cardstock.  A simple die cut sentiment, Uniko was added to complete. 
I've used this technique a few times to create simple masculine cards, here are links to other projects, here, here and here along similar lines.

So what EF will you incorporate in your designs? We're looking forward to seeing all your MASCULINE makes in our gallery but if you need further inspirationj, please check out the Cardz4Guyz blog.