Spring Hugs

Hey everyone - I'm here with inspiration for Die Cut Diva's March Challenge - Spring is Coming! See my Diva post HERE. Nothing says Spring to me more than soft colors and new leaves! 

Supplies: Paper - Recollections A2 card & black cardstock;

Scrapbook.com White Mixed Media Paper

Stamps w/dies - Scrapbooks.com SBC Fest Gina K. class kit 

Dies - AJVD Stitched Dot Rectangle Backdrop Set

Other - Creative Expressions Wordies: Hello Spring;

Hero Arts Spring Enamel stickers & various inks

We Divas are delighted to have Gina K. Designs as our March sponsor. They have furnished a $25 gift card to their store as our March 2026 challenge prize, to be awarded randomly from eligible March entries. Thanks, Gina K. Designs!!

I mentioned previously that I participated in Scrapbook.com SBC Fest last Friday. I still haven't finished all the sessions, including Gina K.'s class! I used her class kit for my Diva card, though, since I couldn't find any other spring-y Gina K. in my stash. 

I started the Spring Hugs card with a piece of mixed media paper. Stenciled the left edge with soft yellow, pink and lime green inks using Gina K.'s Elegant Ovals stencil from the class kit. I angled the stencil different ways for each color. Then I used the dot texture stamp curled in my hand (some call this "taco stamping") for some random dot stamping over the stenciling. Next I spritzed the area with water and once dry, stamped the large leafy sprig three times with green ink. 

I die cut the panel with a stitched rectangle, matted in black (as Gina K. likes to do) and added to an A2 card. Popped a printed sentiment strip on the card using foam tape. Stamped & die cut 3 small leafy sprigs from Gina's class kit to glue around the sentiment. Added two small enamel hearts and 3 dots. Done!

I have two bonus cards today! First I'm sharing a card made based on Gina K.'s class from Scrapbook.com SBC Fest which I started watching after I made the card above. The class is available free at the link shown - Gina's was the last class of the day. Due to other commitments that day, I'm watching most of the Fest on replay & so far have gotten through just the first of Gina's three cards.

Gina had us mask a white panel and create a background with the class kit stamp set. When I peeled off the masking tape, some card stock tore. I pivoted and cut it down with a stitched rectangle & then matted on white panel die cut with the next bigger stitched rectangle, then matted with black. Adhered to an A2 card base. My center leafy sprig wasn't stamped well so I covered it with a label (from another class kit) and then added a stamped/die cut sentiment from Gina's kit. Some Hero Arts black enamel dots finished the card.

For my second bonus, I have an Easter card made using some adorable Spring critters. I ordered some of Gina K.'s Spring themed products & they arrived in time for a second bonus card - yay! Thanks for the quick processing, Gina K.!! I whipped this card up Thursday night...

Supplies: Paper - Neenah Classic Crest Solar White;

Hero Arts and Paper Studio cardstock;

BoBunny Cottontail; Lawn Fawn Gleeful Gradients

Stamps w/dies - Gina K. Designs Spring Joy Mini (dies)

Dies - AJVD Stitched Dot Rectangle Backdrop Set;

Poppystamps Folk Decorated Eggs (retired)

Other - Copic markers; foam tape

You may think of Gina K. as having gorgeous florals, which she does. She also has some stamps in the "cute" category & I couldn't resist this set on clearance! I stamped and die cut the three critters and arranged on a blue stitched rectangle, then matted in pink. Adhered to a patterned rectangle and then to an A2 card. The stamped sentiment is from the same set. To finish off the card, I added some die cut Easter eggs.

I'll add this card to Darnell's March NBUS Challenge #84 since my critters are newly used.

That's it for today, friends! Thanks for visiting and I hope to see you in the March Diva Gallery!!

Creating Artsy Backgrounds with Justin Adkins

Happy Sunday, friends - we have about 10 inches of snow so far from last night's storm but it hasn't stopped yet! We're advised to keep off the roads which is fine with me - I have everything I need at home. I mentioned yesterday that I did part of Scrapbook.com's March 2026 SBC Fest on Friday. It's a free event on YouTube if you want to check it out. You could purchase curated products for it which I did. I bought the full event bundle even though one class revolved around scrapbooking which I don't do as much anymore. Those products can easily be used for cardmaking.

I had a chance to make some backgrounds as shown in Justin Adkins' SBC Fest class. One of them reminded me of the lower right part of the inspiration photo at Inkspirational Challenge #363. So, I made a card for that challenge! It's a bit of a mash-up of products from three online events - SSS Create Together with Jennifer McGuire, Hero Arts Spring 2026 Stamp Along & SBC Fest.

Supplies: Paper - Recollections A2 cards;

Neenah Classic Crest Solar White;

Paper Studio & Spellbinders cardstock;

Scrapbook.com White Mixed Media Paper

Stamps w/dies - Simon Says Stamp CZ Design Good Greetings 1 Set

Stencil w/coordinating coverplate - Hero Arts Stamp Along Kit

Dies - AJVD Stitched Dot Rectangle Backdrop Set;

Scrapbook.com Heirloom Butterflies (from Lea 

Lawson's class kit); 

Hero Arts Squiggly Rectangle Frames (from the

Stamp Along kit)

Other - SSS Starshine embellishments; 

Hero Arts enamel dot; foam tape; white gel pen

I started with the background which was made with mini ink cubes of water reactive ink. Justin used 8 mini Distress Oxides but I have no minis. I used mini Hero Arts Reactive Inks and one Distress ink (came in some kit or another). You create a grid pattern by stamping the inks onto a glass board (I have the Tim Holtz one). Then you spray with water and smoosh Mixed Media paper into the ink. Pull up the paper and you can spray it more to move the ink. Here was the first pull I got (along with the inks used):

You can see the block-ish look of this first pull. I left it that way deliberately & will make it into a card later. I then added more water and sometimes more ink to get two more pulls. I just photographed those two in the finished cards. The first card I shared was made with the third pull.

I die cut the panel with a stitched rectangle, matted in lime green and added it to a shimmery peach card. It went wonky so I trimmed it down and added to a turquoise card. I had an extra squiggly frame from the Hero Arts Stamp Along so added it to the background panel for my focal elements. Die cut and assembled an heirloom butterfly from SBC Fest (haven't done that class yet...) & a sentiment from the JM/SSS class. Arranged some little flowers & leaves left over from the Stamp Along around the sentiment. These were created with a layered stencil set and coverplate die to cut them. Flowers centers went wonky on a few of the big flowers so I covered up the stenciled center with a die cut one from the stash (brand unk). I really liked the pop of the bright butterfly with the softer background and flowers.

I will also add this card to Darnell's March NBUS Challenge #84 since the butterfly was newly used.

Bonus: Here's the card I made with the second background pull - it's mainly Justin's design but he made a big "Cheers to You" sentiment with a die set for his card. I just used a birthday sentiment on hand - lazy, I guess....

Supplies: Paper - Neenah Classic Crest Solar White;

Scrapbook.com White Mixed Media Paper;

Paper Studio & Recollections cardstock

Stamps w/dies - Simon Says Stamp CZ Design Good Greetings 1 Set

Dies - AJVD Stitched Dot Rectangle Backdrop Set;

Scrapbook.com Justin Adkin class kit (also embossing folder)

Other - Trinity Stamps dot embellishments

After drying the background, I cut it with a stitched rectangle & embossed it (as Justin did) with the banner 3D folder that came with his class kit. Die cut the balloons from his kit and adhered to the card, trimming off any overhang. Matted the panel in green and added to an A2 card made from Neenah. Popped an extra sentiment from the JM/SSS class and some Trinity embellishments onto the card - done!

That's it for today. Thanks for visiting and have a crafty day!!