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Our final day with Donna Baker
Please welcome Donna Baker in her new role:
Donna has accepted a position with Gina K. Designs as a senior design team member. I am just thrilled that Donna will continue to inspire you with beautiful Gina K. Designs cards, 3-D projects and more! Congratulations Donna, and welcome to the team.
This was the hardest project to keep under wraps around my house. When I first opened the box of projects I knew I had to hide this project for as long as I could because if Rina got to it, I would never see it again. Of course, it's hers now. Lol!
Donna created this sweet little book and calculator set for Rina using Melanie Muenchinger's stamp set called "Little Tees."
When I opened it up, I was in for a very glittery surprise!
Rina LOVES little notebooks and pens. And now she has her very own calculator too! Donna also created the cool ribbon bookmark for Rina to use when she's reading. She loves that!
This is a perfect gift idea for tween/teen girls or a busy mom who needs that notebook to keep track of daily errands! It's also great to have a little calculator in your purse to add up that grocery bill before you get to the check out line.
Project details:
Calculator - Notepad & bookmark
Set: Little Tees
Cardstock: DCWV glitter stack, white, Regal Rose,
Inks: palette ink (beaux arts red),
Accessories: Grungeboard, hodgepodge hardware, Rose ¼” & 5/8” grosgrain ribbon, jump ring, canvas white, polyshrink making memories fibers
I hope you have enjoyed this month's guest designer spot. Posted below is Donna's short and sweet bio. Look for more of Donna coming soon to our design team page at www.ginakdesigns.com and look for more of her beautiful work coming up in our next release!
Have a wonderful day!
Hugs,
Gina K.
From Donna Baker
"Hi Y’all! This Honorary Texan (transplant from Northern California) and husband of 11 years, John (Born & Bred Texan) are currently saving up to build our dream home on 2 ½ beautiful acres in the country!
I was thrilled to have been 'discovered' by Gina K. when I won Melanie's Just so Hoppy contest, March 10th and she sent me an email that read, 'uh we need to talk' and extended the invitation to be her guest designer for October!
I thought the time would drag keeping this secret but it went by fast! I enjoyed having 'grown' during those months as a stamper; serving as Guest Designer for Paper Pretties (July-Sept) and currently serving as designer for Starving Artistamps & Tailored Expressions. I look forward to so many more creative adventures in stamping! "
Day 2 with Donna Baker
Today, Donna Baker has created a beautiful gift set to give or something wonderful to keep for yourself.
She calls it "Night table inspiration." These projects were created using Asela Hopkins stamp set called "Flowers for Daisy."
What could be more soothing than a framed piece of comfort and refuge by your bedside.
And I love the little box Donna created to hold inspirational quotes from the Bible.
I made the mistake of showing you the bookmark yesterday but it actually goes with this set which is the perfect touch for some reading in bed.
I can think of quite a few people who would appreciate this beautiful set.
This can be quite a comforting gift for those who are ill or going through medical treatment and don't really have the ability to use fancy store bought items.
It would also make a wonderful gift for someone who recently suffered a loss.
And of course, anyone who enjoys their daily dose of spirituality each morning would be thrilled to receive such a thoughtful and hopeful present.
Project details:
Night table Inspiration
Set: Flowers for Daisy
Card stock: kraft, black market paper pack Let it Bloom
Inks: Palette Burnt Umber
Accessories: Dollar store clear frame, Prismacolor & Koh-I-Noor pencils, baby oil, stumps, various jewelry supplies & tools, canvas white polyshrink, sponges, heat tool, kraft taffeta ribbon
Tomorrow is Donna's last day as our guest designer. She has created a little gift for my daughter that I can't wait to share with you and I will also share Donna's bio so you can get to know her a little bit better.
Until tomorrow.
Hugs,
Gina K.
Welcome October's Guest Designer!
From the very first time I saw Donna Baker's work, I knew she was a star. Everything she creates is so beautiful.
I am especially fond of her ability to create fabulous 3-D projects. Being primarily a card maker myself, I am always on the lookout for 3-D projects using Gina K. Designs stamps and I knew that Donna would come through with some incredible ideas, just in time for the holidays!
I couldn't even begin to decide which of her projects to show your first but I decided on this gorgeous ensemble which is a wonderful gift for all the women in your life.
This beautiful jewelry box gift set was created using Asela Hopkins "Botanical Dreams" stamp set. Donna used the encouraging verse in this set to create an inspirational piece for the top of any dresser. What a wonderful reminder to read each morning while you're choosing your earrings for the day!
Here is the open view.
Speaking of earring, Donna created these beautiful pieces of jewelry to match using shrink plastic.
I read a thread a while ago on splitcoaststampers about people not liking to see stamped projects that aren't practical. Imagine how thrilled I was to see these beautiful things. They are not only fun to make but they are practical gifts that people will use. I can imaging adding many of the loose charms that I have in my jewelry box to this bracelet. (Sorry Donna, it's mine now.
) It's so bright and happy just like the memories that my charms hold and they need a new home.Here is a closer view of the matching card.
And here is a bookmark that I didn't add to the original shot because the silver created too much glare in the picture.
Isn't that beautiful? Give a Bible to a child or tween/teen as a gift this holiday season and create a bookmark like this. Use it to mark the Christmas story.
Doesn't this get you excited to try to make a couple of gifts this year? Handmade gifts are great on the budget and always mean so much more to the recipient.
Here are some more gift ideas inspired by Donna's project:
Create a box for your son to keep his Pokemon cards safe and sound, or for your daughter as a place to hide those secret notes that the girls pass in school.
How about a box for Dad for all his "pocket paraphernalia?" (You know, golf tees, guitar picks, loose change, business cards, library cards that didn't make it back into the wallet, etc...)
Fill one with family photos for Grandmom and Grandpop to treasure.
The possibilities are endless when it comes to things we need to store and a handmade box is a very useful and heartfelt gift.
Project details:
Jewelry & Jewelry box
Stamp Set: Botanical Dreams
Card stock: white, Basic Grey Sultry
Inks: Palette Noir black
Accessories: wooden jewelry box, white acrylic paint, felt flowers by SU!, memory glass by Ranger, Prismacolor & Koh-I-Noor pencils, baby oil, stumps, various jewelry supplies & tools, canvas white polyshrink, heat tool, chocolate twill ribbon.
I can't wait until you see what Donna has created for you for tomorrow! It is stunning!
Until then, have a great day!
Hugs,
Gina K.
Day 3 with Jennifer Buck
Today is our last day with guest designer Jennifer Buck and her project for day 3 is just adorable! One of the things that I admire about Jennifer is her ability to see the possibilities in a stamp set.
When Rupa designed her set, "Retro Boutique," she imagined an upscale boutique full of beautiful cocktail dresses, purses, shoes and perfume bottles for fabulous cards of friendship. But Jennifer saw something a little bit different.
Look at that hot little number. I think it looks just like a modern day Mrs. Claus! Jennifer created this very simple Christmas card, again from a set that isn't necessarily a Christmas set.
Don't you love how she mimiced the scalloped edge of the dress by making a white scalloped edge on the card? Too much! And that glitter adds just a little holiday sparkle.
This card is simple and elegant. You can leave the card plain or add an elegant holiday greeting across the top. Fabulous!
Card details
Card stock- Stampin' Up real red and whisper white
Ribbon- Target
Other- Copic markers, white liquid pearls, glitter and sticky pearls
I have had so much fun this week with Jennifer! I hope you have enjoyed her talent and creativity as much as I have. She's really thinks outside the box and that's what makes her such a great designer. I really appreciate the time she put into these projects and I am so grateful and honored to have her work with us for this guest designer spot.
Below is her "about me" so you can get to know her a little better.
Thanks for visiting our guest designer page! Until next month!
Hugs,
Gina K.
. . . . .
Hello to everyone!
My name is Jennifer Buck…aka JenniB04 at SCS. To say I am honored to be the guest designer for September is an understatement! I was completely speechless when Gina asked! I am such a huge fan of hers and had been for quite a while before this so I was so excited to actually get the chance to talk to her in person. …and she’s just as sweet in person as she is online!
I am a stay at home mom to three wonderful, BUSY, boys ages 8, 6, and 1 ½. My husband and I have been married for ten years and call the wonderful state of Indiana our home.
I have been stamping for a little over three years. I was introduced by a neighbor who was selling Creative Memories at the time. She was trying to get me into scrapbooking but when I expressed my dislike of the limitations by the stickers she introduced me to Stampin’ Up!. It was love at first ink!
I started my blog a little over a year ago after my youngest son was born. It was getting harder and harder to get together with my stamping group and at their encouragement ‘The Buck Stamps Here’ was born.
Currently I am designing for Unity Stamp Company and Page Plans.I also create weekly samples for Sharon Johnson’s Stamp Simply Team, Beate Johns BIC challenge, and Stampin’ Up!’s monthly challenges…a perk from being one of the Artisan winners.
I have also been published in Papercrafts magazine.
My very first ‘anything’ is this spot. I had no idea when I started my blog all of the wonderful design opportunities out there! It is such a thrill to be part of this community and to get to do what I love! Stamping is my refuge on those ‘rainy’ days; it gives me the opportunity to take a little time for me.
Thanks so much, Gina, for this wonderful opportunity! I am so happy to have the opportunity! This has been amazing!
Hugs to you all!
Jennifer
Day 2 with Jennifer Buck
In case you haven't heard, Jennifer Buck is one of Splitcoaststamper's newest "Dirty Girls." To read more about the Dirty Dozen and the fabulous fan club gallery, click here. Being a "Dirty Girl" is a huge honor and everyone at Gina K. Designs want to send out congratulations to Jennifer on her new position!
Today's project is so beautiful! I absolutely love it when a designer finds a way to take a stamp set that was created for one type of project making and shows us a whole new way to use it.
Another stamp set that Jennifer chose to use was "Botanical Dreams," a set created by Asela Hopkins. This is truly one of my favorite sets but I have never thought to use it for my Christmas cards!
Jennifer used the sprig of greenery stamp and added some little red berries. With a tie of some beautiful red ribbon, the sentiment "Believe" (which is in that stamp set,) and some designer paper, Jennifer created a beautiful, elegant Christmas card!
Card details
Stamps- Botanical Dreams
Card stock- Stampin up Very Vanilla and Real Red
Patterned paper- Stampin' up (retired)
Other- Red ribbon from Target, Copic Markers, Liquid Pearls
If you liked today's project, you will love what Jennifer has created for tomorrow! Also, tomorrow, I will post her biography so you can get to know this designer a little better!
Hugs,
Gina K.
September- Day 1
I am so excited to have Jennifer Buck as this month's guest designer. I had the pleasure of meeting Jennifer at the CHA where she was helping out in the Unity Booth. She is just the sweetest thing alive!
We usually plan our guest designer spots pretty far in advance and I was so happy to see the timely projects that Jennifer created. She has a beautifu, clean style and I'm sure you will be as impressed to see her projects as I was.
Today's project is the perfect piece of home decor for the upcoming Halloween season. When Jennifer chose her stamps, she picked last year's Halloween set called "Happy Haunting" and created this fabulous jar.
I love this! My kids are always reaching in some draw for a bag of jelly beans or candy corn that has spilled out everywhere. This is a great way to keep your loose fall favorites ready and displayed.
I love the wire that she used on the top along with those spooky eyes on the tag.
I had to giggle when I saw how the two eyes were different sizes. That's even more spooky! I really like how she highlighted the word 'spooktacular.' It really ties the tag in with those yummy orange jelly beans.
Project details
Apothecary Jar from Michael's
Stamps- Happy Haunting by Gina K. Designs
Ink- Black Stazon
Cardstock- Black and white (mfg. unknown)
Other- Copic marker, ribbon from the Flower Factory, black wire (mfg. unknown)
Stop back tomorrow for more of the fabulous Jennifer Buck and for more inspiration,
visit her blog- The Buck Stamps Here.
Hugs,
Gina K.
Our final day with Amy Grabia
It's always sad to when it's our last day with our fabulous guest designers. And saying goodbye to Amy Grabia is no exception! I have two adorable projects to share with you today.
The first project is an adorable card created with our "Make a Wish" stamp set. ($7.00 of the purchase of every "Make a Wish" stamp set goes to the Make a Wish Foundation. )
I love the graceful stitching and mixed ribbons on this card. It adds such a nice touch.
The second project is so creative! Amy came up with a matching way to present a gift.
I love how Amy used the woodgraining technique to create this adorable wishing well gift basket. Wouldn't that be a cute center piece for a baby shower or bridal shower? Amy really has outdone herself with this project.
Wishing you well card
Paper- SU! Designer Series Paper - Spring Fling, Whisper White, Close to Cocoa, Pretty in Pink
Ink- Basic Black Classic Ink
Other- Pink Gingham ribbon, Prisma Colored Pencils, Gina K. Odorless Mineral Spirits, American Crafts Brown Polka dot ribbon
3-D wishing well
Isn't this just the cutest way to wrap up a gift?! I made the base using some thin chip board, I don't know where it came from it was just here in my craft room. I covered it in Close to Cocoa card stock that I used Gina's wood grain technique on. I cut the c/s in to strips to look like wooden planks for the base.
I tied some very Vanilla 5/8" grosgrain ribbon around it, tucked in a little gift I picked up at Wal~Mart, and put in some blue tissue paper. It was super easy to do, and took maybe 20 minutes total to make, including the 5-6 minutes it took to find the tissue paper in my stash in the basement. lol!
Amy has been so delightful to work with. She is a very professional and is loaded with creativity! I wish Amy the best of luck with all of her future design team pursuits.
If you would like to be a Gina K. Designs guest designer, please submit 3 projects to us for consideration. Mail the projects to: Gina K. Designs, P.O. Box 164, McFarland, WI 53558.
Please enclosed a SASE if you'd like your projects returned.
Below, you can read a little bit more about Amy!
Have a wonderful day!
Hugs,
Gina K.
. . . . . . . .
"I am a Canadian Domestic Goddess (aka stay at home mom) to a VERY active little boy, married to the love of my life, and a hobby SU! Demo
My love of all things arts and crafts comes from my both of my parents who have a love of drawing, and crafting. Many happy memories were made at my mothers side while we were creating something....anything. From the cookies we would decorate at Christmas, to the doll clothes I would "help" her sew, It was always a creative adventure.
I first discovered stamping just after my son was born 4 1/2 years ago. A friend invited me to a Stampin’ Up! workshop in her home. I had never seen any thing like it, and it inspired me to try my hand at it. I tried it, and I loved it! Now four years later I am teaching classes in my home, and at my local library, sharing my love of all things crafty with everyone, and anyone who will listen. It’s an addiction I hope to continue, for a very long time.
I got a call last fall from Gina, and I was so stunned, and star struck, I was speechless. As she continued talking I realized she was asking me to design some projects for her! Oh my word! It still astounds me that she would chose me from the millions that submitted things, little ol' me from rural Canada. I was so excited I couldn't wait! Thanks Gina for believing in me, and giving me this wonderful opportunity. I hope I can do your amazing company, and stamps justice."
Day 2 with Amy Grabia
Welcome to Day 2 with June's guest designer, Amy Grabia! I have three adorable projects to show you today.
Amy sent me so many project photos, it was hard to decide what to show you first. Since it's almost summer, I was thrilled that Amy chose some Gina K. Designs summer stamps. The sandcastle is from our "Just Be-claws" stamp set and Amy made this adorable card just in time for the warm weather. She used a great color combination- just perfect for a day at the beach!
Card details-
Stamps- Just Be Claws
Paper- Stampin' Up! Ballet Blue, Real Red, Apricot Appeal, Whisper White
Ink- Stampin' Up! Ballet Blue, Apricot Appeal, Basic Black
Other- Red Gingham ribbon , corner rounder to made the scalloped edge on the red cardstock, 1/16" punch, prisma colored pencils, Gina K. Odorless Mineral Spirits
I wanted a star stamp to stamp on the apricot, because it kinda looked like sand, and I thought star fish would be cute with the sand castle, but I didn't have one. I was a little surprised, I love stars and I didn't own even one star stamp, I had to improvise and get creative. I took a white eraser and my exacto knife and I made my own stamp, it worked out GREAT! I've got a few erasers now that I no longer use as eraser, but stamps. Try it, it works.
The second project is actually a set of two. Amy created this adorable little bag of coffee! What a great use of Rupa Shevde's "Thinking of You" stamp set!
I love how bright and cheerful this project is and the matching card is just as cute!
I love the stitching around those circles. This is such a creative sketch!
Project details-
Hat to thank you card
Card stock- SU! Regal Rose, River Rock card stock, Vanilla, Designer Series Paper Ginger Blossom
Ink- River Rock, Regal Rose, Ruby Red, Chocolate Chip Classic Ink
Other- Very Vanilla Taffeta ribbon
The hat image was colored using a blender pen and the Classic inks. I also used my sewing machine on the edges of the circles and the DP
Coffee Bag
Card stock- Stampin' Up! Vanilla, River Rock, Designer Series Paper Ginger Blossom
Ink- Stampin' Up! Close to cocoa, Chocolate Chip, Ruby Red, Groovy Guava, Pretty in Pink, Barely Banana
Other- Regal Rose Grosgrain ribbon, Very Vanilla Taffeta Ribbon, Ranger Liquid Pearls - Pink, brown coffee from local bulk store.
I love making gift sets to give away if I am invited anywhere, or just because, and Rupa's "Thinking Of You" set is just perfect. I used a brown coffee bag I found at a local health food store, and stuffed it full of Hazelnut Vanilla Coffee beans. They smell heavenly, and I don't even like coffee. lol! If you make a gift of any kind it always needs a coordinating card, right?! For the circles I just used my coluzzle to cut different sizes
Tomorrow is our final day with Amy. I have two more projects to share and you will learn a little bit more about this creative designer.Have a great day!
Hugs,
Gina K.
Welcome June's Guest Designer
I am so excited to bring you this month's guest designer, Amy Grabia. She comes to you from beautiful Canada and she is just the sweetest thing. She's so talented too! It was so much fun opening her email! It was jam-packed with fabulous projects to share with you.
The first project I am going to share is just the cutest thing! Amy created the most adorable card using the "Way to go!" stamp set.
I love how the little door opens to that funny surprise! I also love the dots going around everything. It adds just the right touch. Her coloring is just perfect too.
Card details-
"I saw this set, and I knew that I HAD to get it. with my hubby and my son out numbering the girl in the house (me) there tends to be a lot of "potty" humor. sigh."
Port-o-potty card:
Paper- SU! Confetti White,Garden Green, Wild Wasabi
Ink-Basic Black, Tempting Turquoise, Bashful Blue, So Saffron, Chocolate Chip
Other- Pewter Hodge Podge Hardware, Blender pen, Ranger Liquid Pearls in Pewter
Amy sent me many more exciting projects to share along with her bio which I will post on day three so you can learn more about her. And don't forget to check out her blog for more inspiration.
Have a great day!
Hugs,
Gina K.
Our final day with Cathy Indelicato
Cathy Indelicato has been such a fun guest designer! I' so sad to see her time with us come to an end.
And today's projects are both so adorable!
To begin, Cathy created a cute little tin. Look at all of that gorgeous detail!
When I opened this picture on my computer, the first thing I thought was how cute this would be to keep shells and other baubles you might find at the shore. Then, I opened the second picture Cathy sent me, and look!
She filled it with shore baubles!! LOL!
Project details from Cathy
Life is…tin:
Stamps: GinaK – Just Keep Swimming
Melanie Muenchinger – What’s In Your Tin – 2
Altoid tin
Paper: Patterned paper - Target, water color
Kraft cardstock
Ink: black craft
Other: Twill tape, dew drops, two-sided tape, clear embossing powder, sewing machine/thread, clear embossing powder, markers/aqua painter, pop dots, shells, netting, sand paper
Every year when we go to the beach, regardless of my girls ages, they always go searching for stones and shells…by the end of the day they have a bag full of shells/stones that becomes too hard to carry back to the car and it ends up making a big mess of sand in our car! So, to help curb that I made a special tin for each of them to put just the really cool/special shells/stones into. We’ll see if it works!!!!
This is such a beauty. It's so elegant. I think this would make a great gift of encouragement and would look great with most home decor.
Project details
Hope Topiary:
Stamps: GinaK – Spring Blooms
Rupa Shevde – Thinking of You
Plaque – recycled!
Paper: brown cardstock, watercolor paper
Patterned paper – DieCutsWithaView (DCWV)
Ink – chocolate chip
Other: Pop dots, Making Memories antiqued brads, SU! Linen thread, Markers for coloring, Copic marker – warm gray no. 1 for outline of topiary
It has been such an honor to work with Cathy as a guest designer. With the many design teams she's already serving on, she still found time to create beautiful projects for our guest designer spot and I have enjoyed every single one of them so much!
We always ask our guest designers to send us a bio. Below, I have included Cathy's so you can get to know her a little better.
Have a great day!
Hugs,
Gina K.
. . . . . .
Hi Everyone!
My name is Cathy Indelicato, otherwise known as stamper-c on Splitcoaststampers! I am very honored to be Gina’s guest designer for May. I think I went into shock when she called and suddenly couldn’t form complete sentences!!! I am currently a work at home/stay at home mom of two girls 11 and 8. My husband and I will be married 16 years on May 16! Wow, time flies! We live in beautiful New England – within an hour of New York City.
I started stamping in 2001 at my local library and was hooked immediately. I’ve always loved crafts but this particular one has taken over an extra room in the house so I guess it’s here to stay! My obsession first started with scrapbooking but that has taken a back seat, at least for a little while!
I have been very fortunate to add several design teams to my resume in the past year or so. I currently design for DRS Designs, All That Scraps – Senior Team, A Chemistry With Paper and JessicaLynnOrignal. I’m also looking forward to seeing my work in print in the upcoming months. I’ve been blogging for almost two years now and it has become an integral part of my day – something I never would have expected. I really enjoy all the inspiration I’ve found through all the great blogs that have surfaced and I hope you’ll come visit me at Crafty Thoughts
.Thanks so much Gina for this wonderful opportunity.
Cathy