Hugs and Prayers

I am excited to share with you my latest set, Hugs and Prayers. I designed this as a sympathy set, but as you will see below, it is perfect for any occasion as well.

Sympathy cards are some of the difficult one to make, in my opinion, and so I designed this set to hopefully help with that. Hugs and Prayers includes coordinating silhouette for straight stamping and line drawings for coloring. You can use the coordinating images together for 2-step stamping as well. It also includes sentiments and Bible verses that are perfect to communicate your love and concern to the recipient of the card.

My first card uses shows how you can use the images from Hugs and Prayers for Copic coloring (the flowers) and 2-step stamping (the hummingbird)

I used the line art poppies, colored with Copics, for this card.
And, finally, to show you that Hugs and Prayers is also good for any occasions cards, I created theses card sets. The first set has the silhouette poppies images and different sentiments. As you can see with this set, it's easy to mass produce elegant Clean and Simple cards for gift giving.
This second set of cards uses the poppies line art. The rows of poppies backgrounds are included in my latest digital paper pack, Sizzlin' Summer, which coordinate with many GinaK CS, including Turquoise Sea, Sweet Mango, Wild Dandelion, Grass Green and Red Hot. The card base is Chocolate Kiss. I'll be making tons of these sets to give away as gifts as we visit many friends this summer. Click on the photo for a larger view.
For even more samples with the stamp sets being previewed tonight, check out these designers' links:

• Gina Krupsky *illustrator of Seeds of Kindness
• Jessica Fick *creator of Seeds of Kindness Card Kit
• Nina Brackett *illustrator of Hugs and Prayers << -- you're here!
  
• Theresa Momber
• Melanie Muenchinger
• Cathy Tidwell
• Lee Murphy
• Carolyn King
• Donna Baker
• Kurtis Amundson
• Bev Gerard
• Colleen Schaan
• Valerie Stangle
• Emily Giovanni
• Erika Martin
• Janice Whiting *Seeds of Kindness Guest Designer
• Sankari Wegman
• Asela Hopkins
  

We'd also like to invite you to attend our Release Party this Thursday, July 1st starting at 7 pm central on StampTV! There will be challenges, contest questions, and more samples from our designers on all the new stamp sets being released this month! We'd love to have you join in on the fun!

Pretty as a Peacock

Today, the GinaK Designs team is featuring two new releases, Pretty as a Peacock by Asela Hopkins, and Lawn and Garden by Rupa Shevde.

My card uses the gorgeous peacock image from Asela's set stamped with Aqua Vivid ink. I stamped the text stamp (from Vintage Backgrounds set) using Versamark for the background. The sentiment is from the new Free with Three set this month, Versatile Verses. The cardstocks I used are Turquoise Sea and Chocolate Brown. The turquoise ribbon is from the Stamp TV Kit, Enjoy the Sunshine. To highlight the sentiment and peacock, I added lots of bling :-).

For even more samples with the stamp sets being previewed tonight, check out these designers' links:

• Gina Krupsky
• Jessica Fick
• Theresa Momber
• Melanie Muenchinger
• Nina Brackett -- You are here!
  
• Cathy Tidwell
• Lee Murphy
• Donna Baker
• Emily Giovanni
• Erika Martin
• Asela Hopkins *illustrator of Pretty as a Peacock

We'd also like to invite you to attend our Release Party this Thursday, July 1st starting at 7 pm central on StampTV! There will be challenges, contest questions, and more samples from our designers on all the new stamp sets being released this month! We'd love to have you join in on the fun!

Aloha

Welcome to GinaK Designs' Previews for the July release. My card today uses Theresa's latest set, Aloha. It is full of fun summer-themed images that are both silhouettes and line drawings, perfect for coloring. I used the flamingo image from the set and colored it with Copics.

The sun rays and swirly "waves" papers are from my latest digital paper pack, Sizzlin' Summer. The designs in this pack coordinates with GinaK Designs' Wild Dandelion, Turquoise Sea, Red Hot, Grass Green and Sweet Mango.

For even more samples with the stamp sets being previewed tonight, check out these designer's links:

• Gina Krupsky
  
• Theresa Momber *illustrator of Aloha
• Melanie Muenchinger *illustrator of Fun Year Round
• Tami Mayberry *illustrator of Stitches
• Jessica Fick
• Nina Brackett <<-- YOU ARE HERE!
• Cathy Tidwell
• Lee Murphy
• Lynn Mercurio
• Carolyn King
• Donna Baker
• Kurtis Amundson
• Emily Giovanni
• Erika Martin
• Asela Hopkins

We'd also like to invite you to attend our Release Party this Thursday, July 1st starting at 7 pm central on StampTV! There will be challenges, contest questions, and more samples from our designers on all the new stamp sets being released this month! We'd love to have you join in on the fun!

I Chair-ish You

Today's card is for this week's Card Patterns' sketch blog. The sponsor is GinaK Designs and the prize is my Fine Furnishings set:

Here is the sketch:

And here's my card that uses Fine Furnishings and Fine Furnishings Addition. The papers are October Afternoon Thrift Shop.

Cosmo Cricket and SRM Stickers

I have two cards to show you today featuring the new Cosmo Cricket DeLovely Crafting Kit and SRM Stickers. These papers are so bright and beautiful and I had so much fun creating these.

I found that the DeLovely colors match many GinaK cardstocks. This one uses the Wild Dandelion for card base. The sentiment is from Sticker Sentiments Thank You.

This one uses GinaK Ocean Mist cardstock and SRM Stickers Quick Cards Hello and Express Yourself Birthday:

SEI and SRM Cards

Thanks to SEI for providing the gorgeous papers, ribbons and flowers for this cards. And for SRM Stickers for the easy to use sticker sentiments. I have two cards for you today using SEI's Claire collection and SRM Stickers.

The card base is GinaK Sweet Mango, sentiment is SRM Sticker Sentiment Thinking of You.

I didn't like how this card turned out. I didn't do a good job coloring the beautiful flower with Copics, but you live and learn, right? ;-). The card base is the soon to be retired SU Ruby Red, my favorite SU color :-(.

May Time Accomplish...

I've been enjoying our 18 guests from America. It's always nice to have conversations in English ;-). We're hosting an English camp and have almost 70 kids signed up. It's been fun, but busy. And on top of that, our router died over the weekend and I spent 3 hours yesterday trying to get the new one up and running. I'm finally online again and ready to show you another card.

This one is from the Stamp TV kit, Enjoy the Sunshine. I'm usually not fond of orange, but I LOVE this Sweet Mango color by GinaK. The ribbon, flower and sentiment are also from the kit. The background was embossed with the Victoria Cuttlebug embossing folder.

And yay, it's officially summer! I hope you all have a good week!

Card Patterns Sketch #69

Just a quick post with Card Patterns' sketch this week. Our sponsor is The Stamping Boutique. Here's the cute sketch:

and my card using TSB's cute pantry shelf image. The sentiment is from Sew Pretty by GinaK. The papers are October Afternoon Fly a Kite and GKD Lipstick Red.

Have a great weekend, everyone! I'm off to prepare all the stuff for my card class this afternoon.

SEI and SRM

Just a quick post to let you know that SRM Stickers is having another Cosmo Cricket blog hop. I wasn't able to participate because my Cosmo goodies didn't get here in time :-(. But, the SRM Stickers team has done a great job and you wouldn't want to miss it. Did I mention that an SRM Stickers Prize Package and Cosmo Crafting Kit are up for grabs? More info on the SRM blog.

I have two cards for you today using SEI's Claire collection and SRM Stickers. I'm so thankful to SEI and SRM for providing these beautiful paper crafting supplies. First is a simple sympathy card using SRM Stickers Thinking of You.

This one uses the Quick Card Hello stickers. The ribbon, papers and flowers are by SEI.

I will be slowing down on my blog posts in the next couple of weeks as I host a team of 18 from America. I have missed visiting with you all. I hope to catch up as soon as I'm stateside in just a couple of weeks! As always, your encouraging words and comments are a blessing to me.

Royal Hospitality

Here is another card for Gina K's challenge to use a summer memory for inspiration on your card. Gina will pick next month's CSS DT from one of the participants who will get next month's release stamps. And for this month, you can use ANY GinaK Designs stamps you have, not just the newly released ones. So, I hope you will give it a try.

Now, for my card inspiration....You all know I live in Croatia. But, did you know that I live really close to many European destinations? We're only 4 hours to Venice, Italy and 2 more to Milan. Zurich is a 12 hour drive. And Munich, Budapest, Salzburg (as in home of the von Trapps of the Sound of Music fame) and Vienna are only a few hours drive from here.

After we moved to Croatia 12 years ago, our American visitors often want to see Vienna, so we've spent a few summers, springs and falls playing tour guide there. We love Vienna - it's home to the closest TGIF's American restaurant (a taste of something familiar, which only expats will understand :-) and my family's favorite European castle, Schonbrunn Palace. I based my card on this magical place:

Here is my family in front of the Neptune fountain in the beautiful Schonbrunn garden. I was 7 months pregnant in this picture:

When I think of castles, I think damask, elegance with a touch of vintage. Here is my card using Fine Furnishings and Fine Furnishings Additions stamp sets with the hint of royalty (I guess as much as it is possible on a card :-). The papers are Bayberry Cottage by by Pink Paislee. The damask paper matches GinaK's Wine With Everything cardstock perfectly. This card would make any hostess feel like royalty (at least loved, that you cared enough to make something to show your appreciation).

My Favorite Vacation

Gina issued the GinaK Designs DT a challenge to create a card inspired by a favorite summer memory. Hands down, my favorite summer vacation was 2 years ago when my whole family spent 2 weeks exploring Israel with many of our dear friends. It was an experience we will never forget. A friend told me that visiting Israel would change the way I would read my Bible from black and white to full color. She was so right. That experience just brought more meaning to the stories and lessons I read in the pages of Scripture.

Let me give you a short tour of that life-changing trip. First pic is with me and my DH showing the Temple Mount view from the Mt. of Olives.

This is the Sea of Galilee at sunset.

My girls thought it was very interesting to stand where David bravely faced and defeated Goliath. Of course, they had to gather some smooth stones like David did for souvenirs. (In case you're wondering, my youngest stayed in the hotel with some friends the whole time because she was too young to endure the high temps outside).

This was inside the Mt. Sepulcher church in Jerusalem.

This is Qumran where a shepherd boy discovered the Dead Sea Scrolls.

Finally, my favorite photo from this trip. The road we're walking on in this picture was literally the road where Jesus walked because it's the road that leads to the Temple.
Here are my cards using my latest sets, Fine Furnishings and Fine Furnishings Additions. I followed the color scheme of the many places we saw: yellow (or gold), black and Kraft. The music background is from the Vintage Borders set. The elegant sentiment is from Elegant Post. I used Wild Dandelion for my card base. I also used the Spellbinders Fancy Tags for an added elegance.

Here is a simpler card with the classic chandelier and couch image from Fine Furnishings.

For all the specific details on how to enter your card in Gina's Design Team challenge, please visit GinaK's blog. Then, stop by these participating GinaK Design Team members' blogs for their projects for tonight's hop:

• Jessica Fick
• Nina Brackett <<--you are HERE!
  
• Theresa Momber
• Melanie Muenchinger
• Tami Mayberry
• Cathy Tidwell
• Lee Murphy
• Donna Baker
• Kurtis Amundson
• Carolyn King
• Emily Giovanni
• Erika Martin
• Kay Simmons
  

Finally, I have to share this interesting photo. Because everything's kosher, the meat and dairy are served from two different counters at a McDonald's in Jerusalem. It's amazing how the hamburger and fries taste the same no matter where it's located in the world. I hope you enjoyed my mini-virtual tour of my favorite vacation.

LOC Art Stencil Winner!

What a blast last night with the LOC Party. I hope you have taken advantage of the 15% storewide sale going on now at the Layers of Color Boutique.

Now, the winner of one art stencil of the winner's choice is....#6 Marija! Please email me (tab link above) with your info, Marija, and Layers of Color will send your stencil to you right away.

Thanks to everybody for playing along with us.

Layers of Colors Release Hop

Welcome to the Layers of Colors' New Release Party and Blog Hop. We are featuring the new Art Stencils that are now available for purchase at the Layers of Colors store. To celebrate the new release, Layer of Colors is having a 15% storewide sale through Friday, June 18th. You may want to start at the LOC blog for more info on the party happenings today.

Some info about these stencils:

• they are 6 x 6 in size, enough to cover your typical A2 size card
• they retail for $5.95 from the LOC Boutique and today they're 15% off!
• for a chance to win ALL 7 stencils, enter the drawing in the LOC blog.
• you can find more samples to show these stencils' versatility by the LOC DT members in the LOC SNR chat group.
  

A release party hour will be happening there at 4-5 PM, PST. People from literally all over the world will be there. Isn't this fun that we can party with people from halfway across the world? These stencils are so versatile. I've shown you how I've used it to dry emboss using my Cuttlebug on this card, as a paper piercing template on this card and a combination of both on this card.

Today, I''m showing you how I used the Vintage Medallion art stencil to create a a unique background with blended Distress Inks. Isn't that stencil stunning? The corner images are from the Touch of Elegance set. The butterfly is from Joyful Noise.

Here's a close up.

How would you like to win one of these stencils? All you need to do is leave me a comment on what you see yourself doing with these stencils? I will pick a random winner from the comments by tomorrow morning my time.

Now, your next stop is IRENE.

Comfy?

Card Patterns' sponsor this week is none other than my favorite stamp company (wink), Gina K Designs.
I just want to let all my international readers that GinaK has the BEST international shipping I know. And I was a customer before I started designing for them. For a flat rate International Priority Mail envelope fee (I think it's $13.45), look at how much they can fit in your package.
International customers have to email the GinaK customer service (info@ginakdesigns.com) to order because their website is not set up for that.

This package includes -

• 2 stamp sets
  
• a pack of 25 sheets heavy base paper
  
• 2 full size inks
  
• one 8x8 October Afternoon paper pad
  
• a set of Spellbinders dies and
  
• 2 packs of pearls
  

Here is the sketch for this week:

Here's my card using my latest, Fine Furnishings Addition and October Afternoon Thrift Shop papers.

It's been hot here in Croatia and it's really not helping my mojo :-). My craft area is in the hottest spot in our house with no air conditioning. I hope you are having a cool and relaxing weekend!