Monday, December 18, 2017

Video: Black Magic Technique with Festive Frame


Hello! Did you see Gina surprised us all with a 2 day pre-Christmas sale today??  Thirty percent off lots of Christmas themed, stamp sets dies, and papers woo hoo!  I have several Christmas-y sets included in this sale, and was inspired to get out Festive Frame for this week's video! Today I am sharing the black magic technique with the Frame stamp on black cardstock with gold embossing and Prismas!  The gold on black is so festive and elegant for the holidays or any time, and the colored pencils add so much pop on the dark background! You can also try this technique with a navy, dark gray or chocolate cardstock, and swap out the gold for silver or white to change up the look! Greeting is from Merry and Bright stamp set, also from Gina K. Designs. Sale is through the end of December 19th, 2017 only! While supplies last! No need to add a coupon code, discount has already been applied. Happy shopping and Merry Christmas!  It's a GREAT time to purchase for next year’s cards, gift to a stamping friend, or buy a little something for yourself!!  Please enjoy!


Supplies:
Gina K. Designs Festive Frame and Merry and Bright stamp sets
Gina K. Pure Luxury Black Onyx cardstock 4 1/4" x 11", scored at 5 1/2"
Tsukineko Versamark watermark stamp pad
acrylic blocks or MISTI
Prismacolor pencils: 994, 910, 943, 930, gold embossing powder, heat gun

Hope you are having a great day!

Thursday, December 7, 2017

Asher Update!

BREAKING NEWS:

Y'all ASKED AND GOD IS ANSWERING! Got this update from Miranda an hour ago: 

"Just wanted you to know that Asher is doing, just so wonderful. He's acting completely normal! Just like his old self. Praise God! Please update if you want ðŸ™‚ we can feel and see the prayers here!" 

Did you read that? God is so good! My heart is overflowing knowing how many of you are praying so specifically and faithfully for them, keep praying!!! What a gift for his family to experience their baby boy today like they did before the cancer, and for him to be feeling and acting symptom free! We will keep lifting them up one day at a time! Keep asking for healing and miracles! Love you all! #prayforasher #godcandoanything


Miranda and Asher, 2016

Wednesday, December 6, 2017

Video: Rotation Stamping with Fabulous Holiday Labels and MISTI



Hello! Today I am sharing a rotation stamping technique with the Mini MISTI and elements from my Fabulous Holiday Labels stamp set.  You can create fast and fabulous symmetrical patterns with these two step elements, creating bold graphic designs or cozy looking quilt block patterns, perfect for your winter holiday cards, or any time!  Please enjoy, and watch to the end for an advent idea for this set, along with a special message from me about our friends who are in need of prayer and encouragement this Christmas.  Appreciate your help in lifting them up! You can read more about them here


ALL my stamps sets I've illustrated for Gina K. Designs that are currently available can be found in this link
I am donating a portion of the proceeds from the purchase of every one of these sets from December 1-31st, 2017 to Asher and his family. Thank you in advance! And thank to those who have already reached out, God bless you for your love and concern.

Supplies: 
Gina K. Designs Fabulous Holiday Labels stamp set
Gina K. Pure Luxury White (4” x 4”) and Red Velvet (4 ¼” x 8 ½”, scored at 4 ¼”) cardstock
Gina k. Red Velvet, Cherry Red, and Fresh Asparagus ink pads
Tape runner, MISTI tool, paper cutter, scoring board

Apologies for any confusion I might have caused when I referred to this set as Fabulous Holiday Fillers at the beginning!  That is a real set, and one that coordinates but this one is "labels"! So many coordinating sets I can't even keep them straight sometimes!

Sunday, December 3, 2017

Support Asher!


Friends, cardmakers, prayer warriors, I desperately need your help, please read.  PLEASE help me lift a dear couple who are friends and coworkers of my husband, Miranda and Dustin, and their son Asher.  Asher was born at just 24 weeks last year, under 2 pounds.  After several months in the hospital, he was finally able to come home.  You can read about their journey earlier getting him strong and healthy to leave the hospital in the months after he was born on her blog: www.bigboyasher.com It was such a privilege to read her daily updates as they celebrated each small milestone and every ounce he gained! (I need tissues every time I read the letter on the first page they wrote for him after he was born.) Since then, he’s always had the health challenges a micropreemie faces in early development, but otherwise a sweet, happy boy, just like his name.  Then, a few months ago, he had a fall which prompted them to do a brain scan, just to be on the safe side. Unexpectedly, the scan showed a mass in his brain, unrelated to the fall.  Surgery to remove it revealed several more tumors that did not show up in the scan, and the biopsy revealed cancer. He is now 18 months old. The doctors are offering virtually no hope of recovery with treatment, and that his time is most likely short. That is really all the detail I can provide here, but they know I am sharing this. No advice or referrals needed as they've explored everything available thoroughly, but they are hoping for a miracle. Understandably, Miranda has not been able to update the blog  in awhile (as they have been getting second , third opinions,  spending every moment they can enjoying their time with him, celebrating Christmas early, etc) but it will give you an idea of their hearts and faith. Both being employed by the same company, huge medical bills and needing time off is also adding up, although the company and its employees have been amazing in donating their vacation time etc.  They just don’t know the extent of what their expenses will be or when they will able to get back to their jobs.  Three way YOU can help, anything is welcome and appreciated: 1. PRAYERS.  Please pray for blessings on this family and MIRACULOUS healing for Asher. Wisdom, comfort and peace in the days to come. That this family time is sweet. For God to reveal Himself in a mighty way.  The family  is also having a prayer vigil tonight at their church at 6PM and know that will feel the love and support of *every one* of your prayers. And keep praying! 2. CARDS. You can send me a private message if you would like to send a card or note to encourage his parents, and I will reply with their address. Thank you in advance for doing this, our wonderful cardmaking community always comes through! 3.  FINANCIALLY: Paul and I have decided to donate a portion of the proceeds for every one of MY stamp sets sold in the month of December to this family. You can find ALL my sets available for purchase here: http://www.shop.ginakdesigns.com/category.sc?categoryId=32 There is ALSO a paypal link on Miranda’s blog which I shared above if you prefer to donate that way.

We as parents have just been heartbroken for them as we’ve learned each devastating development and cannot imagine what they are going through, but are always humbled and inspired by their strong faith, hope, and gratitude, which has always been bigger than their circumstances. Miranda and Dustin are the kindest, most positive people, and know that Asher is already a miracle baby for what he has been able to overcome and every day he’s been in their lives has been a joy and blessing, always trusting God’s perfect plan for his and their lives. Thank you for reading. Please feel free to share this info within your circles with all who would help and pray, or may be going though the same struggles! #prayforasher #godcandoanything

Tuesday, November 14, 2017

Video: Candy Striped Poinsettias!



Today I am sharing how to make some beautiful Christmas card in no time with my bestselling Festive Frame set, back in stock!  I demonstrate a fun direct to stamp technique for making striped poinsettias in the frame with a bold image from my coordinating Pressed Flowers set. Please enjoy! I Watch to the end for a different layout, and let me know which you prefer in the comment section below.

I apologize for a little clumsiness this week, I got a deep cut in my finger* but didn't want to skip creating a video for you! Makin' it work!

Supplies:
Gina K. Designs Festive Frame, Pressed Flowers stamp sets
Gina K. Designs Pure Luxury Dusty Rose (4 ¼” x 11”, scored at 5 ½”) and White (4” x 5 ¼”) cardstock
Gina K. Designs Dusty Rose, Red Velvet, and Charcoal Brown ink pads
Adhesive, Nuvo Crystal Drops Rhubarb Crumble or Autumn Red, water brush and/or blender pen, acrylic blocks and/or MISTI, sticky notes or scratch paper for masking

Thanks for visiting!

Monday, November 13, 2017

Make Your Holiday Shine with Foil-Mates™

        

Good morning! Today the design team is hopping with some gorgeous ideas for all the new  Foil-Mates™  products from Gina K. Designs! We will be giving away a $25.00 gift certificate to one lucky commenter so be sure to visit all the stops and comment on each post for more chances to win! The winner will be posted in the Big News Forum a few days after the hop. 
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Today I have a simple card and some packaging ideas!  My holiday cards are usually pretty clean and simple because let's face it, there are a lot to distribute! Hope this inspires what you can make when you need cards or packaging in pinch!

Here is a simple card using the Foil-Mates™ Tag Tidings, Decorative Tag die, and some of the White Fancy Ribbon.  I like to cross the ribbon on the back and then in front so that it makes 4 quadrants, which looks like festive package under the tree!  Tie on the foiled tag and and your holiday is shining!  Love the "...naughty or nice"!  The Radiant Red Fancy Foil™  is stunningly beautiful, like ruby slippers! You just have to see it in real life! Card base is the coordinating GKD Pure Luxury Red Velvet.

I used the negative pieces of Fancy Foils™ (Glittering Green and Sparkling Silver ) from my other projects today to wrap around these candy bars! You can do a simple Hershey's or make it a little fancier and not much more more money with some interesting flavors and the like!  I wrapped it right around the Godiva bar, letting the branded wrapper peek through (kind of a surprise, but also kind of a spoiler!) and secured with some Scor-Tape.  

Tip: Although I used the green side for the card I shared above, I liked how the back side of it looked better over this baby blue printed bar, still very silver and sparkly! So all the foils are kind of a "two-fer" when you are using up your scraps and negative pieces, fabulous and fancy front or back!  
Note:  You cannot make the foil underside adhere to the toner printed pages, I tried out of curiosity just to see what would happen!  Just wanted to share that if you were wondering if you could substitute a colored foil piece like red and make it foil the pattern with the underside in silver, know what I mean?

Finally, add a foiled tag (Tag Tidingsand boom! Greeting and gift, done and done!  This is a nice way to use your negative foil pieces without having to do spray adhesive to adhere it to more cardstock.  Cost effective easy  and very pliable wrap!

I also used the whole sheet of foiled Foil-Mates™ Backgrounds Ornamental Holiday, trimmed just a bit, and stuck it to brown bag with Scor-Tape.  The patterned sheet was slightly longer than the foil, so I centered it before running through my laminator so the black edge (the unfoiled pattern) would make a nice contrasting border at the top and bottom.  Add a foiled tag with Fancy Ribbon , and boom! Fancy bag and tag, done and done!  On this one I used the negative piece of foil and die cut a plain white tag to layer it over.  no adhesive needed since I pulled the ribbon through the hole!

Now let's see what the rest of our talented team has for us!

Gina K.
Cathy Tidwell
Donna Idlet
Juliana Michaels
Karen Hightower
Laurie Schmidlin
Melanie Muenchinger (you are here, thanks for visiting!!)
Rema DeLeeuw
Sheri Gilson
Silke Ledlow
Susie Moore
Theresa Momber
Claire Brennan

Have a terrific day!


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Saturday, November 11, 2017

Video and a Coupon!



Hi, everyone! Hope you are a having a good weekend!  Is this time of year as busy for you as it is for me??  I realized I hadn't posted my video from this week yet, so here it is!
Can you believe how grown up William is looking?  7th grade! ThirTEEN in February!  Where did the time go?  ( I know you're probably thinking, "Where did the HAIR go?"  Don't worry, ladies, his curls are still in there, wore it high and tight for first day of school and pictures.) ;)

Here are supplies for the video.  I am so stinkin' excited about gift tag and homemade ornaments galore with these stamps and dies this season! I apologize that the video cut off *just* before my  closing!  As always, " thanks for watching and God bless!"

Supplies:
Gina K. Designs Fabulous Holiday Labels and Fabulous Holiday Fillers stamp sets
Gina K. Designs Fabulous Label dies
Gina K. Designs Pure Luxury White ( 4” x 5 ¼” mats and scraps for die cuts) Silver, Kraft and Ocean Mist cardstock
Gina K. Designs Red Hot, Ocean Mist, and Dark Chocolate ink pads and White pigment pad

Adhesive foam, tape runner, bakers twine, mini clothes pin clips (silver and gold painted assortment of 60 found at Hobby Lobby), Cropodile or 1/16” hole punch, die cutting machine, acrylic blocks

Fabulous Holiday Labels Stamp Set-  CLEAR



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Also, did you see the coupon codes for Gina K. Designs and Unity Gina posted earlier this week?  They are good through Monday night so I hope you have an opportunity to take advantage of 15% off  your GKD purchase and a mini stamp!

Blog hop on Monday morning too, so I expect to see you back here bright and early for some foiled inspiration! Hugs!

Wednesday, November 1, 2017

Video: Fabulous Frame Holiday Cards



Hey everyone, happy November! Christmas is less than 2 months away, and I've got some beautiful single layer cards for you with my new Fabulous Holiday Labels set and Fabulous Frame stamp as the base sketch! The frame creates a layout you can use in four orientations and all the fun two step elements in the coordinating labels set let you easily customize it with whichever holiday motifs and colors you desire! The minimal supplies demonstrated here make fancy and fabulous holiday cards in NO time! Please enjoy!

Supplies:
Gina K. Designs Fabulous Frame and Fabulous Holiday Labels stamp sets
Gina K. Kraft, Charcoal Brown, and Cherry Red ink pads
Gina K. Pure Luxury Heavy Base Weight White cardstock
Acrylic blocks
Fabulous Holiday Labels Stamp Set-  CLEAR

Thanks for visiting!  Which card is your favorite?

Wednesday, October 25, 2017

Video: Fabulous Merry & Bright Holiday Labels!

Good morning! Today I was inspired by the gorgeous ornament stamp and its matching die in the new Merry & Bright StampTV kit, and I'm sharing several ways you can add the Fabulous Label dies to change the ornament’s shape, and fill it with the images and sentiments in my coordinating Fabulous Holiday Labels set!  Opens up so many possibilities! I demonstrate creating two ornaments, but be sure to watch to the end for additional tips and layouts you will love! Please enjoy!

Supplies:
Gina K. Designs Merry & Bright StampTV kit (includes dies) and Fabulous Holiday Labels stamp set
Gina K. Grass Green, Fresh Asparagus, Prickly Pear, Red Velvet ink and Memento Tuxedo Black ink pads
White cardstock scraps for die cut pieces, sample cards use Gina K. Pure Luxury Grass Green, White, Prickly Pear, Black Onyx and Red Velvet
Gina K. Fabulous Labels die set
Spectrum Noir markers: GB9, GB11, and Blender
Acrylic blocks, die cutting machine, tape runner, foam adhesive
Fabulous Holiday Labels Stamp Set-  CLEAR
Fabulous Holiday Labels


Fabulous Label dies
Merry & Bright StampTV Kit
Merry & Bright StampTV kit

Thanks for visiting! Which cards/labels/ornaments are your favorites? :)

Monday, October 23, 2017

Merry & Bright StampTV Kit

Good morning, and welcome to our hop for the new Merry & Bright StampTV Kit from Gina K. Designs!

Please enjoy our ideas and stamping inspiration for the new kit, created with you in mind by our talented team, and as you visit each blog, please leave a comment with some love for each designer, which will also enter you for a chance at winning a $50 Gina K Designs gift certificate!  To find out who won, check back the Big News Forum on StampTV a few days after our hop.

There are so many great bold images for two step stamping and building a gorgeous layout! I didn't have the dies yet when the stamps first arrived for creating our party samples, but I found something fun: you can use the Fabulous Rose Frame die as a fancy looking base to stamp those flowers leaves, needles and pine cones into! The one above I used GKD Red Velvet ink for the poinsettias in the corners and followed with GKD Jellybean for the leaves. Sentiment is stamped in Black Onyx and centers are dotted with Nuvo Crystal Drops in Ebony Black. I just love making new floral or bold frames with this die cut as a template, and then having that extra layer to pop up! So fun how our GKD products play so well together!

On this card I die cut the rose frame from GKD Pure Luxury Jellybean and stamped in the different needles to fill out those cut areas. pretty close match!  Next I stamped just a few pine cones in GKD Dark Chocolate and the greeting in the center, and dropped on just a few berries with Rhubarb Crumble Nuvo Crystal Drops. I used a white gel pen to highlight the scripty Christmas to really make it pop off the green, and popped up the die cut on GKD Pure Luxury Fresh Asparagus to match the stamped pine neeedles.  Next I want to try one with the kit's holly image!

This next card I wanted to put this fabulously detailed ornament on a clean white base. I stamped the greeting first, and then inked up the ornament and just top and bottom part of the hanging string to make a gap around the greeting. I colored with 3 shades of Spectrum Noir reds to really make it glow and appear dimensional, and traced around the sentiment as well. Make sure you use a heavy cardstock like Gina's Pure Luxury Base Weight White to prevent the alcohol coloring from bleeding through. It's hard to tell from the pic, but I swiped Wink of Stella glitter over the ornament for a velvety shimmer.

I'm going to recreate this card again, but next time do sponging around it or some of those gorgeous branch images, but here I really wanted the ball to be the focus and always love a clean snowy white card base at Christmas!

Be sure to check back through the next two months for Christmas inspiration with this kit, because I just received the the new dies that come in the kit and am eager to use them!  I think I'll be mixing up this kit with my Fabulous Holiday Labels stamps,too, in a few videos, so stay tuned! :)

Ready for more inspiration?  Please enjoy seeing what the rest of the Gina K. Designs team has created for you today:

Don't forget to comment along the way for chance to win a gift certificate to Gina K. Designs and visit our What's New section at the Gina store!  Thank you for visiting today!

Wednesday, October 18, 2017

Brown Paper Packages Video!



Hello! Today I am sharing how to take ordinary lunch sacks and make them into extraordinary gift packaging with elements from my new FabulousHoliday Labels stamp set and the coordinating Fabulous Labels die set!  This is custom gift wrap for just pennies, and always looks so festive, classic and classy! Who doesn’t get excited about a brown paper package tied up with string?  Pattern possibilities are endless with the two step elements.  And of course you can use these same pattern making tips and stamps on your mats and single layer cards. Please enjoy!  
The diamond pattern looks pre-printed, so professional looking I can't stand it!! And, wish you could see this dotted pattern in person!  It's so fun that some of the little dots have stripes etc, instead of just solid dots. I love it!!  Be sure to watch to the end as I also show using labels on jars and bottles.  Happy stamping!



Supplies:
Gina K. Designs Fabulous Holiday Labels stamp set
Gina K. Christmas Pine, Cherry Red, Dark Chocolate premium dye pads and Gina K. White pigment pad
Gina K. Kraft and White or ivory cardstock scraps for cutting labels and ovals
Gina K. Designs Fabulous Labels die set and die cutting machine
Tape adhesive and adhesive foam
Grid line acrylic blocks, lined craft mat or lined paper for guide
Lunch sacks or brown paper, ribbon or twine is optional

I forgot to say if your gift is too big for a lunch sack, you can use a roll of brown paper for your stamping and then wrap a box of any size, or break down a large grocery bag and trim to wrap your box if you don't have a roll.  Have fun, get creative!


Tuesday, October 17, 2017

Inspiration Hop Day 2: Noelle Mouse and Purrfect Christmas

Welcome back to Day 2 of our Gina K. Inspiration hops! Today we are showcasing Noelle Mouse  and Purrfect Christmas .  Please enjoy our ideas and stamping inspiration for the newest sets, created with you in mind by our talented team, and as you visit each blog, please leave a comment with some love for each designer, which will also enter you for a chance at winning  a $50 Gina K Designs gift certificate!  To find out who won, check back the Big News Forum on StampTV a few days after our hops.

First up we have Noelle Mouse by Beth Silaika!
 This little mouse is so funny!  I looked over all the images and the greetings and decided I wanted to put this "Deck the halls" greeting with some fun stocking stuffers on a clean white wall (er, base)! Stamp the stockings first, and then mask in the mouse (right side up and bottoms up!) and the candy cane in the open stocking tops.  After coloring and adding shadows with Spectrum Noir markers, I dropped on some tiny Nuvo Crystal Drops in Ebony Black for little hangers.

I shared this card at our release, this cookie is just so cute! I always love stacking stamped characters and this is no exception for a cute holiday tree!  Clear stamps make lining it up easy. I started at the bottom and worked my way  up, then finished with the hohoho for a trunk and topped it off with the star.  Embossed background is works great with fun the white piped cookie accents, and cardstock is GKD Pure Luxury White and Red Velvet.
Noelle Mouse- CLEAR
 Noelle Mouse 

Next up, we have Purrfect Christmas from Chris Dayton.  This adorable set is purrfect for me, as I have NO memories of celebrating ANY Christmas withOUT a curious cat in the house...


I really like how you can paper piece the presents with patterned paper, or, make your own simple ones with markers like I did here with the polka dots and stripes. I hung up the stocking again with the same Nuvo Crystal Drops I used on the mouse card above. That tiny detail adds so much! I colored this one like an orange tabby my roommate and I had back in college. Lots of catty patterns you can create on these open line art images! TIP: I didn't even have to mask the climbing cat, just stamped his tail right over the package, and then went over the intersecting lines with a white gel pen before coloring, easy peasy!

Well, this happened!  A LOT over the years! Until we got smart enough to start screwing the tree base into the hardwood floor (yes, we do!) I used Nuvo Crystal Drops in Dandelion Yellow as lights for extra color, color and shine. Tip: Tracing some dramatic shadows under your tree, cat and fallen ornaments really make this single layer scene come to life. Peace on earth, indeed!  Sometimes it just doesn't feel like Christmas until the tree falls over..!

Purrfect Christmas-  CLEAR

Purrfect Christmas

Finally we want to remind you about the lovely little Incentive set Scripty Holidays, free for a limited time with a $75 purchase!  This is a set you can pull out for your Christmas designs every year!
Incentive Stamp Set- Scripty Holiday
Here are two cards I made with one of these greetings and elements my Fabulous Holiday Labels stamp set. 







Red and green design also uses the Fabulous Labels die set.








Ready for more inspiration?  Please enjoy seeing what the rest of the Gina K. Designs team has created for you today:
Beth Silaika- Illustrator of Noelle Mouse
Chris Dayton- Illustrator of Purrfect Christmas


Don't forget to comment along the way for chance to win a gift certificate to Gina K. Designs.  Be sure to come back next week when we hop for the amazing Merry & Bright StampTV kit!  Thank you for visiting today!