The Crafty Den

Thursday, 22 January 2026

Krafty Chicks challenge #804 - Masculine

Good morning lovely friends; I hope your week is going well so far. I'm sharing my card for the new challenge over at Krafty Chicks challenge and this week we are on Week 4; as always the theme is 'Masculine' and Lori is our hostess. We know it's not everyone's favourite challenge, but we do have to make some masculine cards sometime and this challenge will hopefully help you get them done. We hope you will come over and join in the fun with us.

I didn't make this card for anyone in particular, I just grabbed some supplies on my desk and had a play. Thinking now though it is my brother-in-law's birthday at the end of the month so maybe he will be the lucky recipient lol! I decided to make a 5" x 7" card for a change and although it ended up being fairly clean and simple I think it's super cute. I hope you like it too.

Here is my card:

A closer look at the details:

Plus I decorated the inside:

I began by cutting a white panel 5" x 7" and using a new to me stencil created the 'wave' design using 5 different shades of blue inks. I used Master Layouts 8 to cut the stitched rectangle and also used the plain rectangle to cut a blue layer. I added some white gouache spatter for some extra interest. I was going to simply add a sentiment and call it done but nothing looked right (do you have days like that?) so as the background looked like the sea to me I decided to add some super cute fish. I stamped the fish and two shells onto alcohol marker friendly card, coloured them with Promarkers and used the coordinating dies to cut them out. I stamped the water bubbles directly onto the background using white pigment ink, although it faded back quite a bit on the dark ink, and added the fish with foam squares. I found a long, bold sentiment which I think suits masculine cards and manipulated it slightly so that it followed the curve of the 'wave' and stamped it onto the panel with black ink. I adhered the panels together with double sided tape, added some scrap card behind it for some dimension and added to the card base with double sided tape. I didn't add anything extra as I liked it as it was. For the inside I cut another white stitched rectangle and blue mat layer using the master layouts dies. I used the stencil to create some waves at the bottom of the panel and added some white spatter. I stamped the sentiment in the centre with black ink and using liquid glue added the two shells into the bottom right corner. I adhered the layers together and added the panel to the card blank with double sided tape.

I would like to enter my card into the following challenges:

Allsorts challenge - for boys or men

As You Like It challenge - favourite occasion (definitely birthday, 95% of my makes are birthday cards)

Aud Sentiments challenge - ATG + sentiment

Crafter's Cafe challenge - one for the boys

Crafty Animals challenge - ATG must include an animal (hope my fish are ok)

Creative Crafting Uncles challenge - happy birthday

Critter Crazy challenge - ATG with a featured critter

Girlz Makes Guyz Cards challenge - ATG male

Heart's Quest Celebrations of Love challenge - BEWAS (birthday)

Inkspirational challenge - shades of blue

Moving Along With The Times challenge - use stencils and/or dies

Stamping Sensations challenge - something beginning with B - blue

Stencil Fun challenge - must use a stencil optional twist anything with 4 legs

Unicorn challenge - birthday

I hope you will be able to join us for our 'Masculine' challenge and I cannot wait to see your creations in our linky. Please leave some love for my fellow chicks - Leanne, Diane and Lori.

Thank you so much for stopping by; I appreciate your lovely comments.

Love and hugs,

card supplies:

*Gina K Designs - beautiful backdrops stencil

Gina K Designs - just keep swimming stamp & die

Gina K Designs - master layouts 8 die set

Gina K Designs - flowing florals stamp (for outside sentiment)

Gina K Designs - ink pads - in the navy, blue denim, blue raspberry, blue sky, sea glass

Heffy Doodle - alcohol marker friendly card - store now closed

Limetree Craft - 280gsm silky smooth white card

Versafine Clair - nocturne ink pad

Winsor & Newton - white gouache (for spatters)

Promarkers

blue card from my stash

*I now have an Affiliate Link for the Gina K Designs store. If you are considering making a purchase I would appreciate you using my link as it will earn me a small commission at no extra cost to you.
Thank you x

Wednesday, 21 January 2026

Card Clubhouse IG Hop - Week 2 goals/dreams

Good morning friends; I'm back to share my card for the new Card Clubhouse IG hop organised by my lovely friend Kelly. We are on Week 2 and our theme is 'plans/goals for 2026' maybe you want to start working out, reading more or just want to craft more; we want to see your interpretation in card form lol! There are going to be so many awesome creations along the hop this week and I can't wait to see what sparks your imagination.

One of my goals this year is to actually send out the cards I make; sounds easy doesn't it? I was useless last year and sent out hardly any cards so that is what I am determined to improve this year. I have already sent one card out this year so I'm feeling positive! I recently purchased this super cute die set which is a mail box with a gift card holder inside and I thought this would be perfect to represent me posting all my cards. I hope you love it as much as I do.

Here is my fun shaped card:

A side view to show the dimension:

A closer look at the details:

Plus I decorated the inside:

I began by die cutting two of the main panels from red card which I used to make my card base (I scored the top of one of the panels about 3/4" in and then glued them together just along that small 3/4" strip ). I cut the smaller layer panel from pink gingham paper and added that to the front of my card with liquid glue. If you want the smaller panel actually opens and you can place a gift card inside, however I decided not to do that this time. I added some scrap card behind the smaller layer and added them onto the card with double sided tape. I did die cut the handle and the piece that would usually keep the front panel closed but it is just for decoration only. I adhered both of these pieces with liquid glue. I die cut lots of the elements from red, pink, white, black card and gingham paper and assembled them all using liquid glue. I adhered the happy mail die cuts to the front of the card using liquid glue and then arranged the other elements at the top and bottom of the panel using a mix of liquid glue and foam squares. I finished off with some black pearls. For the inside I cut the smaller panel from white card and stamped the sentiment in the centre with black ink. I also added one of the die cuts in the bottom right corner with liquid glue. I actually added it to the back of the card base before I scored it and it did crack a little but it's not too bad. I'm really happy with this fun shaped card and it could be used for so many occasions. It could be turned into a chalk board for back to school or make it look like an A-frame sign that you would find outside a coffee shop etc.

I would like to enter my shaped card into the following challenges:

Addicted to Stamps & More challenge - any occasion

Craft Rocket challenge - something new (my die set is new)

Heart's Quest for Shaped Cards and Tags challenge - ATG

Love Those Pretty Papers challenge - ATG must use patterned paper optional theme snowman

Make My Monday challenge - use paper with pattern

Paper Rocks Scissors challenge - use paper or scissors (I used gingham paper)

Pearly Sparkles challenge - use patterned paper

Word Power challenge - make the sentiment the focus of your card

I hope you will pop over to Instagram and check out the hop; please use the hashtag #cardclubhousehop2026 to see all the gorgeous creations and also if you want to participate we will be able to find you.

Thank you so much for stopping by.

Love and hugs,

card supplies:

Time for Tea Designs - happy mail gift card holder die set on sale!

Time for Tea Designs - happy mail gift card holder add-on die set on sale!

Lawn Fawn - Valentine mice stamp (for inside sentiment)

Memory Box - bubblegum gingham card

Limetree Craft - 280gsm silky smooth white card

Versafine Clair - nocturne ink pad

red, pink and black card from stash

Gina K Designs - black, gold & silver metallic pearl mix

Thank you x

Tuesday, 20 January 2026

Patterned Paper Party IG Hop - January 2026

Hello friends, welcome back to my little blog. I'm here today to share my card for this month's Patterned Paper Party Instagram Hop. Do you love patterned paper? Do you have a huge stash that needs using? Well so do we and it's time to get it used! We will be hopping on the 20th of each month to share our ideas. We will definitely be creating cards, but maybe sometimes tags, ATCs, gift bags/boxes, mini albums and scrapbook pages too. We want our patterned paper to be used.

The theme is always 'anything goes' but each month we will have an optional twist that can be used if you like; this month the twist is 'chilly', which is something fun and should be a popular twist, so grab your patterned papers and join in the fun. I only used a tiny bit of patterned paper but I think it packs a punch. I hope you like it.

Here is my card:

A closer look at the details:

Plus I decorated the inside:

I began by cutting a white panel 4" x 5 1/4" and ran it through my die cutting machine with a snow flurry cover plate (it gives a fantastic stitched swirly detail and looks so cool). I found a small piece of the blue snowflake paper and decided to die cut some letters to spell the word brr; I also cut 2 more words from white card so that I could layer them up using liquid glue. I added some scrap white card behind the panel and adhered it to the card base with double sided tape. I added the letters in the lower half of the panel using liquid glue. I stamped a thin sentiment and die cut it out using the coordinating die. I added some slivers of white card behind it and adhered it over the brr word with liquid glue. I finished off with some white snowflake embellishments. For the inside I cut another white panel 4" x 5 1/4" and added a strip of the snow flurry background to the bottom and added a thin strip of the snowflake paper above it with liquid glue. I stamped the sentiment in the centre with black ink and then adhered the panel to the card base with double sided tape. A really clean and simple card but one with a lot of impact I think.

I would like to enter my card into the following challenges:

The 12 Months of Christmas Link Up challenge - ATG Christmas optional twist snow people

AAA Cards challenge - follow my lead

ABC Christmas challenge - A is for anything Christmas

Christmas (or not) BINGO challenge - Line B - Christmas/non traditional colours/free (although my card would also fit Line N and Line O)!

Christmas Crafts All Year 'Round challenge - B is for Brr and Blue

Colorful Options challenge - blue & white

Crafty Calendar challenge - happy new year (my cover plate is new) entry 3 of 3

Creative Knockouts challenge - something to say

Daisy Chain challenge - use dies

Jingle Belles challenge - something old, something new (paper is old, cover plate is new)

Make My Monday challenge - use paper with pattern

Paper Rocks Scissors challenge - die cut the letters from patterned paper

Pearly Sparkles challenge - use patterned paper

Simply Clean and Simple challenge - ATG CAS optional theme use something new (cover plate is new)

The Four Seasons challenge - winter season

Word Power challenge - make the sentiment the focus of your card

We hope you will be inspired by our Patterned Paper Party IG Hop and will pop over and check out all the gorgeous creations along the way. If you would like to join us please visit my Instagram pageor use the hashtag #patternedpaperpartyhopjanuary2026 and we will find you.

Thanks for stopping by and take care.

Lots of love

card supplies:

Craft Addiction UK - bold alphabet dies

Time for Tea Designs - snow flurry cover plate die

*Gina K Designs - all at once - holiday season stamp & coordinating die

Gina K Designs - holiday wreath builder stamp (for inside sentiment)

Limetree Craft - 280gsm silky smooth white card

Versafine Clair - nocturne ink pad

Trinity Stamps - vanilla sugar snowflake embellishment mix

Craft ID paper pad bought from TKMaxx a few years ago

Thank you x

ATC Scrap Makes IG Hop - January 2026

Hello friends, I hope you're doing great and you've had a great start to your week. I'm sharing my creations for this month's ATC Scrap Makes IG Hop. We challenge you to use leftover die cuts, sentiments and card stock to create Artist Trading Cards (ATC's). You can send them in happy mail, save them on a ring to highlight your favorite creations, swap them with friends or add sweet notes to a lunchbox. Join us if you like; the only rules are to use scraps and create cards that are 2.5” x 3.5” in size. We share our little snippets of happiness on the third Tuesday of the month.

I only had time to make 3 ATC's this month and as Valentine's Day is just around the corner I thought I would go with a 'love' theme. I had some ink smooshed backgrounds in my stash from previous projects and I think they make the perfect base for ATC's as they are colourful and interesting. I hope you like them.

Here are my ATC's:

A closer look at one of the ATC's:

Plus I decorated the backs:

I began by cutting down my backgrounds to 2 1/2" x 3 1/2" and adhered them to a white ATC for stability plus the ink smooshing can sometimes make the paper warp a little so this helps flatten them out as well. I die cut lots of hearts from coloured card from my scraps bin; I went with reds/pinks for the grey background and yellow/blue/green to match the other backgrounds. I also cut some hearts from white card. I wanted it to look like the hearts representing flowers in a plantar so cut a small piece of brown card 1 3/8" x 1 1/8" and also cut some strips with a sentiment strips die and added them on top with liquid glue. I adhered all the hearts together with liquid glue. I stamped the sentiments onto white card with black ink and used the same sentiments strip die to cut them out. I adhered the 'planter' onto the ATC with liquid glue and then arranged the hearts using a mix of foam squares and liquid glue. I added the sentiment over the planter with foam squares and a small heart in the bottom corner also with a foam square. I finished off with some black spatter. For the backs of the ATC I decided to replicate the front. I again cut some hearts and a strip of the brown card. I ink blended around the edge of the ATC with coordinating inks and then added the brown card at the bottom with liquid glue. I arranged the hearts in a similar grouping to the front and again adhered them with liquid glue. I also added some spatter to the backs too.

I would like to enter my ATC's into the following challenges:

Crafts Galore Encore challenge - ATG

Crafty Gals Corner challenge - ATG optional twist snowman

Just Add Ink challenge - just add something seasonal (chose hearts as it's almost Valentine's Day)

Papercraft challenges - ATG

Shopping Our Stash challenge - out with the old, in with the new (old stamps, new dies)

Tag-along (& ATC's) challenge - love, romance or ATG

I hope you will pop over to Instagram and check out the hop; please use the hashtag #ATCscrapmakes2026 or #ATCscrapmakesJan26 to see all the gorgeous creations and also if you want to participate we will be able to find you.

I really appreciate you stopping by today.

Love and hugs,

ATC supplies:

Time for Tea Designs - happy mail gift card holder add-on dies (for the hearts)

Gina K Designs - bold blooms mini stamp (for the love you friend sentiment)

Gina K Designs - all at once - all occasion stamp (for love & hugs sentiment)

Gina K Designs - sentiment strips dies

Versafine Clair - nocturne ink pad

Limetree Craft - 280gsm silky smooth white card

MFT - extreme black hybrid ink pad (for spatters)

Thank you x

Thursday, 15 January 2026

Krafty Chicks challenge #803 - CAS

Good morning lovely friends, I hope you're having a good week so far. It's time for a new challenge over at Krafty Chicks challenge and this week we are on Week 3; and as always the theme is 'CAS (clean and simple)' and Diane is our hostess. Now we know that CAS is subjective but generally it's lots of white/empty space, no embellishments (or very few) and an uncluttered design. It can be a difficult design to pull off but we hope you will take on the challenge and come over and join in the fun with us.

I needed another sympathy card and I think they suit a more clean and uncluttered design anyway so this challenge was perfect for me. I used a coloured card base for a change and even though the background is not white that is fine as long as the design is clean and simple. I hope you like it.

Here is my card:

A closer look at the details:

Plus I decorated the inside:

I began by cutting my card panel 4 1/4" x 5 1/2" from a teal/green card. I used an arch nesting die set to cut a white panel and also a layering panel from black card and ink blended some soft stone ink around the edge of the white panel. I stamped the flowers and used the coordinating colouring layering stencils to ink blend them. I used the matching die to cut it out and also cut one more from white card so that I could layer it up. I stamped the sentiment in black ink and again used the matching die to cut it out plus one more from white. I adhered all the layers with liquid glue. I added the arch onto the card base with double sided tape and arranged the die cuts and adhered them with liquid glue. I finished off with a few black pearls. I know it's not a pure one-layer CAS card but I think it's clean and simple enough lol! For the inside I cut the same arch panels, ink blended around the edge of the white panel with the soft stone ink and stamped the sentiment in the centre with black ink. I adhered the layers together with liquid glue and added it on to the card base with double sided tape. I meant to add another floral arrangement in the bottom corner but obviously got distracted and forgot; I'll have to add that before I send it out.

I would like to enter my card into the following challenges:

A Cut Above challenge - ATG with a die cut

Aud Sentiments challenge - ATG + sentiment

Beautiful Blossoms challenge - anything floral goes with optional mood board

Creative Knockouts challenge - something to say

Daisy Chain challenge - use dies

Dragonfly Dreams challenge - floral

Heart's Quest Celebrations of Love challenge - BEWAS (sympathy)

Triple B challenge - birds, blooms or butterflies optional mood board

I hope you will be able to join us for our 'CAS' challenge and I cannot wait to see your creations in our linky. Please leave some love for my fellow chicks - Leanne, Diane and Lori.

Thank you so much for stopping by; I appreciate your lovely comments.

Love and hugs,

card supplies:

*Gina K Designs - spring clusters stamp & die set & layering coloring stencils

Gina K Designs - sending flowers stamp (for inside sentiment)

Gina K Designs - ink pads - sea glass, blue lagoon, turquoise sea, sweet corn, key lime, grass green, fresh asparagus, soft stone

Gina K Designs - metallic pearl mix - black, gold & silver

Mama Elephant - B2B arches die set

Limetree Crafts - 280gsm silky smooth white card

Versafine Clair - nocturne ink pad

coloured card from my stash

Thank you x

Monday, 12 January 2026

Stencil Fun IG Hop - January 26

Happy again friends; I am back to share my card for the Stencil Fun IG Hop organised by my lovely friend Jane. We a group of crafters who are determined to use their forgotten and neglected stencils. I'm definitely guilty of this; I have so many stencils but usually forget to reach for them so this hop is perfect for me. The theme is always anything goes but we will have an optional theme to use if we want to. This month's optional theme is 'fireworks' and I'm excited to see what everyone has made.

Believe or not, despite having 5 folders full of stencils I do not own a fireworks stencil (something that I will have to rectify soon)! I had a search through my stencils and found a floral layering stencil from Uniko and the detail layer looked a bit like fireworks to me so I used that. I think it turned out ok and I hope you like it too.

Here is my card:

A closer look at the details:

Plus I decorated the inside:

I began by cutting a white panel to 4" x 6" and using a rainbow of ink pads stencilled the makeshift firework pattern all over the panel. I used a confetti stencil and lunar paste to add a bit of extra bling plus I also stamped some stars inside the 'fireworks' and randomly around to fill in any gaps using a silver metallic ink pad. I stamped the sentiment in black ink and used a flag die to cut it out. I trimmed the panel to 4" x 5 1/4" and added some scrap white card behind it for some extra stability and dimension and adhered it to the card base with double sided tape. I also added some scrap card behind the sentiment before again adhering over the background with double sided tape. I didn't add any embellishments as I felt it was busy enough already. For the inside I cut a white panel 4" x 5 1/4" and stamped the sentiment in the centre with black ink. I had a thin strip of the fireworks panel left over so adhered that to the bottom of the panel with liquid glue (I did squish the lunar paste but I think it looks ok). I added the panel to the card base with double sided tape.

I would like to enter my card into the following challenges:

Addicted to Stamps & More challenge - birthdays

A Place to Start challenge - ATG optional twist rainbow (lots of colours)

Colorful Options challenge - inspiration board or can choose rainbow themed

Heart's Quest Celebrations of Love challenge - BEWAS (birthday)

Moving Along With The Times challenge - use stencils and/or dies

Stencil Fun challenge - ATG must use a stencil optional theme anything with four legs

Unicorn challenge - birthday

We hope you will be inspired by our Stencil Fun Instagram Hop and will pop over and check out all the gorgeous cards along the way. If you would like to join us please visit my Instagram page or use the hashtag #stencilfunjanuary2026 and we will find you.

Thanks for stopping by and have a great weekend.

Lots of love

card supplies:

Uniko - layering picked posies stencil

Simon Hurley/Ranger - lunar paste in silver lining

MFT - fishtail flag stax die-namics

MFT - you're super stamp (for single star)

MFT - to the rescue stamp (for star cluster)

MFT - you wow me stamp (for outside sentiment)

MFT - make a wish stamp (for inside sentiment)

Limetree Crafts - 280gsm silky smooth white card

Versafine Clair - nocturne black ink pad

Tsukineko Encore - ultimate metallic silver ink pad - ? no longer available

*Gina K Designs - layered confetti stencils (only used the dotty one)

Gina K Designs - ink pads - red velvet, tangerine twist, wild dandelion, grass green, blue raspberry, wild lilac, bubblegum pink

Thank you x

The Crafty Den

My Lovely Followers

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Thursday, 22 January 2026

Krafty Chicks challenge #804 - Masculine

Wednesday, 21 January 2026

Card Clubhouse IG Hop - Week 2 goals/dreams

Tuesday, 20 January 2026

Patterned Paper Party IG Hop - January 2026

ATC Scrap Makes IG Hop - January 2026

Thursday, 15 January 2026

Krafty Chicks challenge #803 - CAS

Monday, 12 January 2026

Stencil Fun IG Hop - January 26