Hi there crafty friends,
Welcome to Rubeena's Crafting Anniversary 2-Day Blog Hop! This is an epic hop with more than 70 guests and over $1000 in sponsored prizes! Not only are we celebrating four years since Rubeena first discovered cardmaking but also crafting in general. This industry is made up of wonderful individuals who are creative, inspirational, kind and incredibly supportive! Hop along so you can learn about why we create and how much joy it brings us!
You should have arrived here from Danielle Flynn's blog! If not, no worries, I'll include the full hop list at the end of this post!
A little bit about myself, since I am still pretty new to card making...I've been artistic since I was a little kid, always doing some arts and crafts. I went through so many crafts I don't even remember all of them! Before my son was born almost 10 years ago, I had been doing mosaics, but I had to give that up because I didn't have a place where I could safely cut glass (I still don't). I was worried little splinters would get everywhere and he would swallow something. So I stopped crafting altogether, I didn't even think of any crafting until he turned 4, which is when we threw him a Lego party and I baked and decorated all kinds of cupcakes and cookies, plus made matching decor. I became obsessed with cookie and cake decorating after that. My friends were happy hahaha! Then after a couple of years I started struggling with herniated discs and sciatica, eventually ended up having a surgery. Afterwards I was not able to continue with baking because I was not able to stand for 16 hours at a time and baked stuff needs to be fresh. That's when I decided to turn to paper because I could work on something for half an hour and then rest and nothing would go bad! This was beginning of 2015. I started out in scrapbooking, hardly ever made a card. I think the first one I ever made was for a guest post for Pink Paislee! Then last year when Pinkfresh Studio came out with more stamps and dies, I finally bought a Cuttlebug. In the fall I discovered Concord and 9th and there was no turning back! I still consider myself a scrapbooker, I still prefer working with patterned paper whenever I can and I still make layouts just not as many as before.
I've found so many amazing girls through card making, in such a short period of time, and they are all super supportive! One thing I noticed already in the baking community and now here in scrapbooking/cardmaking is that a lot of us are struggling with mental health, depression, anxiety and so on. I do too, ever since I remember. Crafting is therapy, it's not even a joke! I can't wait to read everyone's story!
Alright, so for this special occasion I created a couple of cards using the Concord and 9th Lovely Blossom turnabout stamp and die sets (you can also buy these in a bundle a bit cheaper). Because Ruby IS super lovely <3
I hope you like!
I also made a set of cards last minute, that were inspired by my friend Anna's gorgeous card that you can see here! For these I've used the Plaid background stamp from Concord and 9th, the Build-A-Flower-Rose and Rustic Linen stamp sets from Altenew as well as the following ink pad sets from Altenew: Warm&Cozy, Rose Petal, Cherry Blossom, Glacier Caves, Shades of Purple and Tropical Forest. I've also used a polka dot embossing folder from Cuttlebug.
Your next stop is the lovely and talented Lea Lawson! Have fun hopping guys! XXX
GIVEAWAYS
In celebration of this anniversary, we have several amazing sponsors. Let's thank them for their generosity! Winners will be randomly selected from comments left on all the blogs. The winners will be announced by Wednesday, September 5, on this page. Winners will have up to 2 weeks to contact Rubeena at ararerubycrafts@gail.com to claim their prize before another winner is selected.
SPONSORS:
Hello Bluebird - $50 gift card
Altenew - $50 gift card
Pinkfresh Studio - $30 gift card
Gina K. Designs - $50 gift card
Simon Says Stamp - $25 gift card
Jennifer McGuire - $50 Simon Says Stamp gift card
Winnie & Walter, LLC - $40 gift card
Mama Elephant - $25 gift card
Hero Arts - $25 gift card
Nichol Spohr LLC - Custom-sewn rainbow pencil case filed with brand new Spellbinders dies
Danielle Flynn - $25 Simon Says Stamp gift card
Picket Fence Studios - four $25 gift cards
Ellen Hutson - two $25 gift cards
Pretty Pink Posh - two $30 gift cards
The Stamp Market - two $25 gift cards July 2018 Release (estimated $100 value)
Indigojade Art Shop - $50 gift card to Art Prints & Gifts shop
Waffle Flower - $25 gift card
Zsoka Marko ------ YOU ARE HERE
Great designs, great colors, great TEXTURE! lovely!
ReplyDeleteThe texture on your cards is fantastic!
ReplyDeleteReally like the idea of the sentiment as the focal point. Very pretty.
ReplyDeleteBeautiful cards
ReplyDeleteWhat an amazing craft journey you have been on! Love your cards and the coloring is amazing!
ReplyDeleteYou are such a talented artist! Thank you to all for inspiring me to create.
ReplyDeleteGreat cards and love the idea of inking everything then embossing!!!
ReplyDeleteThank you for your inspiration and for sharing your story. These are fabulous cards.
ReplyDeleteHappy Crafting.
Tracey.x
Beautiful cards. I can really relate to all the crafts you have tried!
ReplyDeleteYou had me with the "Lovely Blossoms Dies". I love hexi's. Thank you for shring your great cards.
ReplyDeleteWOW!! What a line-up of beautiful inspiration! Lovely cards -- my favorites are the hexagon ones!
ReplyDeleteYour hexagon cards are fabulous! And the plaid floral cards with the polka dot embossing...well, simply stunning. Thanks for sharing your creative inspiration and awesome talents.
ReplyDeleteWonderful and creative cards...you are pretty lovely yourself! Am in awe of your bottom cards!
ReplyDeleteSuch wonderful cards. Thanks alot for being an inspiration. 💕❤️💕
ReplyDeleteWow! Such amazing cards! I am a huge fan of both Altenew and Concord & 9th and love the way you have combuined them. I also love the gorgeous cards with the Lovely Blossom turnabout stamp set. That one is definitely on my wishlist!
ReplyDeleteLove the polka dot embossing on the
ReplyDeleteset of cards. Adds an interesting
look. The hexagons on the first
cards are great. Fantastic
collection of cards.
thanks for sharing
txmlhl(at)yahoo(dot)com
Lovet the way you have used the embossing on your cards!! great idea.
ReplyDeleteLove all the cards, but those with the roses and gray backgrounds are my favorite.
ReplyDeleteTHese are all gorgeous!!
ReplyDeleteLovely cards, great inspiration.
ReplyDeleteLove the hexagon cards as I too am a Concord & 9th fan; really love all the variations you did in your set of cards with those gorgeous colors too! TFS!!!
ReplyDeleteThese are sooo very gorgeous!!! Love these!!
ReplyDeleteHugs&Blessings,
Mayra
What beautiful cards! I'm glad you found your way back to crafting!! I believe it was inevitable! :-) Thanks for sharing your creations and for being a part of this blog hop!
ReplyDeleteLovely cards, thank you for sharing.
ReplyDeleteAll fabulous cards, thanks for sharing.
ReplyDeleteJust beautiful! I love your flowers and the coloring is so bright and vivid!!!
ReplyDeleteYou sound like me, having done so many different crafts!
ReplyDeleteAnd I've enjoyed every one. But I prefer quick and easy so card
making has really stuck with me. All of your cards are so pretty.
I especially love the C9 cards - that's a versatile set.
Awesome Cards!
ReplyDeleteWow! I love the style of your first set but I absolutely adore the plaid looks in the second set! Fantastic job! Also, thank you for sharing your journey. I'm new to crafting but I really find the community incredibly inspiring, and as you've said crafting is a great therapy (especially after a busy day)! Happy Anniversary to Rubeena, and thanks for sharing your inspiring cards! ~ Lenice
ReplyDeleteglad to read that after so much pain you found something you loved (and are good at)
ReplyDeleteVery lovely cards.
ReplyDeleteThe dots add a lot of interest--these are so pretty! I love the look of all of them :)
ReplyDeleteWOW, both set of cards are fantastic. I love the texture of your 2nd set of cards. TFS
ReplyDeleteYour cards are all just beautiful.....every single one of them....all of the great colors and sentiments say it all...thank you so very much for sharing...big hugs
ReplyDeleteI love to make sets of cards! Yours are gorgeous!
ReplyDeleteI love love love your cards! So pretty and happy... I know they would bring a smile to someone's face.
ReplyDeleteYou are so right about papercrafting being accessible to a lot of people because you can work on it and put it down as needed to pick up again later. I love that about it....perfect for busy moms, crafters with physical limitations, or people like me with short attention spans! Ha.
ReplyDeleteI totally love your cards, esp the ones with the polkadot embossing. Wow. Fabulous effect!!!
<3 J
jwoolbright at gmail dot com
HerPeacefulGarden.blogspot.com
Beautiful cards! I especially love the dots on the last set of cards.
ReplyDeleteYour cards sets are amazing. Thanks for sharing your story as well.
ReplyDeletegreat cards. Thanks for sharing.
ReplyDeleteYour cards are amazing, love the designs!
ReplyDeleteYou have created a gorgeous set of cards, loving the dies cuts in your first card and the embossing in your second card, thanks for the inspiration.
ReplyDeleteDiane Lousie xx
Awesome cards!
ReplyDeleteFabulous cards!
ReplyDeleteAmazing cards! I am smitten with the gingham and floral combination. So gorgeous!
ReplyDeleteWow! These cards are beautiful!!! I absolutely love the different styles!! TFS your such an inspiration!!!
ReplyDeleteSuch beautiful cards, I love these C&9th and Altenew sets and the plaid with the floral is one of my all time favorite combos for elements.
ReplyDeleteBeautiful cards--especially the one you did featuring the Concord & 9th floralturnabout stamps and Lovely dies. TFS--have a nlessed evening.
ReplyDeleteYour cards are all so lovely!
ReplyDeleteBeautiful cards, love it.
ReplyDeleteLovely cards!!!
ReplyDeleteYour cards are amazing. Love the design ideas.
ReplyDelete(Gilda)
I love your cards, especially the hexagons.
ReplyDeleteThese are really pretty!
ReplyDeleteYour cards are FANTASTIC!!!!
ReplyDeleteBeautiful, sweet and vibrant cards! I love how you incorporate bold elements in your creations - fantastic!
ReplyDeleteBeautifully done. I love your C&9 cards, the turnabout stamp, and the layout of the colour block, very nice. I also like how you dry embossed the other card after your stamping, nice effect. Cheers, Dotty
ReplyDeleteAll your cards are gorgeous! Great colors and layout, simply beautiful!
ReplyDeleteLovely cards. Love the colour combinations.
ReplyDeleteGorgeous cards! I especially love the turnabout stamp set you used on your first card! Beautiful flowers and backgrounds on the other cards! Thanks for celebrating Rubeena's crafting anniversary with this awesome hop!
ReplyDeleteBeen fascinated by hexagons lately!! LOVELY card!
ReplyDeleteThese are really pretty. Thanks for sharing
ReplyDeleteZsoka, you are one amazing woman! I know what you mean about exploring different crafts over time. My baking cupcakes phase only lasted a month because my family didn't want to eat a dozen cupcakes LOL! I'm sorry to hear about your depression and your physical pains. You are right, it's a common thing amongst creatives. Thank you for being part of my celebration. You and your style are absolutely beautiful!! I love knowing you!
ReplyDeleteBeautiful cards. I love that you kept going and kept fitting crafts into your life, adjusting to what life threw at you. Your work is just gorgeous.
ReplyDeleteI love all of your cards, especially the floral card set! WOW!!! I love that you kept going and found crafts that fit into your life.
ReplyDeleteBeautiful cards and amazing color choices. Thank you so much for sharing your story. I think so many of us turn to crafting as therapy. I can turn off all of the troubles in my world by sitting down at my work table and playing with ink, stamps and dies. You've come a long way, congratulations! TFS!
ReplyDeleteGreat cards. I love idea of using an embossing folder over a colored image. It is beautiful.
ReplyDeleteBeautiful cards love the backgrounds.
ReplyDeleteZsoka, you've outdone yourself with your many card creations. Love the colours & the textures. You've been through so much, as have so many of us, in different ways, & I applaud you. Reading about other crafters & seeing their card creations is a gift in itself.
ReplyDeleteZsoka, ALL of your cards are lovely LOL, no pun intended! They are all really wonderful and I love the colours of the floral cards.
ReplyDeleteThis truly IS a great and supportive community and yes I too have anxiety. LOL This really IS great therapy for so many of us.
Have a wonderful day!
WOW!!! Beautiful set of cards...Love each one of them..Thanks for sharing.
ReplyDeleteLove your beautiful cards!
ReplyDeleteAbsolutely fabulous cards! I especially love the hexagons.
ReplyDeleteWhat a fantastic set of cards! So much inspiration on this blog hop!!
ReplyDeleteBeautiful cards and coloring!
ReplyDeleteYour cards are gorgeous!!! :) Thanks for the inspiration!
ReplyDeleteCongratulations to Rubeena! Love her work. And what an amazing group this crafting world is to sponsor such wonderful prizes. Love your card inspiration too! Those rose cards are stunning!
ReplyDeleteLovely cards!!
ReplyDeleteAwesome cards! I love the gorgeous colors! Congrats to Rubeena!
ReplyDeleteSo pretty! Love them all! The embossing over the top of the card set is such a clever touch. Love the dimension!
ReplyDeleteWOW what a gorgeous collection of cards - you are so very talented:)
ReplyDeleteLove the textured dots combined with the flowers. They are just delightful.
ReplyDeleteSo much amazing inspiration here - I love all of your makes! Especially the first two - fantastic design!
ReplyDeleteGorgeous cards! Totally agree that cardmaking is therapy ;-)
ReplyDeleteLove the polka dots on those cards. Very creative and a neat look. Loved your story!
ReplyDeleteSuch beautiful cards that would be perfect for any occasion. Thanks for sharing
ReplyDeleteGreat texture and contrast! After the birth of each of my 6 kids, I had to find a faster craft. I started with hand piecing and quilting, to counted thread x-stitch, crochet, tole painting, wall stenciling, scrapbooking and as a grandmother, I landed with card making.
ReplyDeleteYour cards are so very beautiful and inspiring. Thank you for sharing them!
ReplyDeletepretty roses!!! Ich wunsche Ihnen Glueck mit Kind und Kraft!!!
ReplyDeleteGorgeous card! Love the color combo.
ReplyDeleteThanks for sharing.
Oh my goodness these cards are so beautiful! I love that you use colors and textures to enhance your design! My favorite has to be the polka dotted floral cards! So adorable 😍 Thanks for sharing and for providing new inspiration!
ReplyDeletelovely cards and the embossed textured background makes them even more special!
ReplyDeleteBeautiful cards ! Love the texture. Thanks for sharing your crafty journey, always interesting to hear how everyone begins card making ! Xx
ReplyDeleteLovely lovely cards! That rose stamp is gorgeous! Thanks for sharing!
ReplyDeleteI love the added texture of the embossing folder.
ReplyDeleteGreat idea.
Very nice.
Erica K.
I understand. I made wedding cakes for years and scrapbooked. I still scrapbook but making cards has become my go to. I also like to make wreathes and whatever catches my eyes. These are such nice cards. Thank you for sharing.
ReplyDeleteLovely cards. Thanks for sharing.
ReplyDeleteYour cards are all beautiful!
ReplyDeleteBeautiful cards!
ReplyDeleteWonderful combinations of colors and ideas!
ReplyDeleteFantastic set of creations!! Your work is awesome! It is great to know about your crafting journey :)
ReplyDeleteI'm such a fan of your work...these are all so beautiful!
ReplyDeleteI love all the cards you made! Great job! I also started out with cakes, cupcakes & cookies. I still do them for family & close friends, but I now find more joy in card making!
ReplyDeletei love how you used the swiss dots folder. Such fun cards. Thank you for sharing and taking part in the celebration.
ReplyDeleteBlessings,
Karen Letchworth
www.karen-mycuprunnethover.blogspot.com
Wow! Lots of cards. Great!
ReplyDeleteThank you sponsors for this super-hop. And thank you for the info and inspiration here! Love those dots...
ReplyDeleteBeautiful cards. Thanks for sharing
ReplyDeleteOh my goodness. These are all so very cool!
ReplyDeleteWow! What wonderful cards. Thanks for all the inspiration!
ReplyDeleteThanks for sharing your story about your crafting. I started out about 10 years ago scrapbooking and then started making cards which I love. It is therapy! Your cards are amazing!
ReplyDeleteBeautiful cards. I love the dotted background one. Thanks for sharing.
ReplyDeleteFun cards - Great inspiration!
ReplyDeleteBeautiful! The colors, the composition...
ReplyDeleteYour first card using the turnabout stamp is absolutely amazing, and I love the geometrical pattern your second card displays. The floral cards with the polka-a-dot backgrounds are fabulous. The florals are bright and colorful and the sentiments are touching. Thanks for sharing your time and talent with us.
ReplyDeleteTruly stunning cards! Concord & 9th have wonderful cards and your combination of patterns is great! The dotty background over the florals is a wimple but eye-catching addition! Thanks so much for sharing!
ReplyDeleteI've recently discovered Concord & 9th, and love their turnabout stamps, such a good idea. I love the one you've used in the first card.
ReplyDeleteThank you for sharing your story. A couple of lovely cards - and defintiley like the turnabout stamps.... :) Loopyloo
ReplyDeleteWhat a beautiful sets of cards. Thanks for inspiration.
ReplyDeleteGorgeous sets of cards! I really love the texture on the second, but the first two are my favorite. Love the papers you used for those. Wonderful combination with the stamps!
ReplyDeleteI love blog hops, and hearing people’s crafting stories. And your cards really are “lovely”. The embossed polka dots over the flowers is such a cool idea. Thank you for inspiring me.
ReplyDeleteSuch lovely cards! Thanks for sharing.
ReplyDeleteI really like the faux sewing look to your floral cards. I’m gonna try that.
ReplyDeleteTerrific cards. The set of cards is gorgeous.
ReplyDeleteLove your cards! That swiss dot embossing folder really adds an interesting effect to the cards! Thanks for the inspiration!
ReplyDeleteSo bright and colorful 😍
ReplyDeleteMy goodness! So many wonderful cards. Thanks for sharing.
ReplyDeleteCrafting is therapeutic, for sure! Many times I have to make myself start cause I think I don't want to, but I end up enjoying it, and know I will, but starting is hard when you are in a funk. Even if all I made is trash, I've had more fun doing it than most anything else I could have done with the time. Your cards are all beautiful! Its hard to go wrong with Concord & 9th supplies, but you did beautifully!!!
ReplyDeleteLove all the shapes and patterns. So fun. I love making cards.
ReplyDeleteSuch gorgeous cards with such amazing texture!!
ReplyDeleteWow! Gorgeous cards!!! Beautiful colouring!!!
ReplyDeleteYour cards are amazing, love all the looks you shared today! I am going to spend some time looking at your previous posts today, thank you for the inspiration!
ReplyDeleteBeautiful cards to go with a beautiful journey. Thank you for sharing your story.
ReplyDeleteThese cards are all so pretty. I love your "You Are Lovely" cards. The gray/pink combination of colors is beautiful. But those embossed floral cards? Oh my gosh! So beautiful!
ReplyDeleteYour cards are beautiful!! I love the little polka dots. I do find that depression is a common thing with Crafters too. I myself have the same problem along with fibromyalgia. It's hard to get started but once I do, I could craft all day. Thanks for sharing your story!!
ReplyDeleteJust lovely cards and love Concord & 9th products. I like the rose from Altenew too :)
ReplyDeleteI totally agree that crafting is good for mental health! I LOVE Concord & 9th! They make the best products, so many companies out there do, I have some from just about everyone! I love patterned paper too, you could say I’m a paper hoarder! Your cards turned out beautiful!
ReplyDeleteYour cards are beautiful ! I love Concord's goodies, they are really amazing.
ReplyDeleteI've discovered card making through a friend of mine who was organizing a workshop to present the new crafting corner in her shop. It was the first time I heard about the Big Shot Machine. I then learned that a whole world was there to be discovered. Since that day, I keep going from a fantastic discovery to another. And I'm also try to improve my techniques, but it's going to take time !
So much inspiration here in your cards and your story, thank you for sharing. I like you and so many of us craft to help with mental health/anxiety/depression issues and it works. Not only is making therapeutic that are so many wonderful people in this industry. I am still new to cardmaking/papercrafting but I have found so much inspiration and comfort and down right fun I am definitely hooked for life :)
ReplyDeleteThese look great! I love the texture of the dot embossing folder and that hexagon die.
ReplyDeleteI love the fun, fresh look of your card making style! I too started as a scrapbooker, but now I am behind on those; mostly making cards! The texture on your second card is a fabulous touch!!
ReplyDeleteBeautiful cards. Crafting is great therapy for everyone. Glad you found something that helps you through what is troubling you. Thank you for sharing your beautiful cards.
ReplyDeleteAmazing colors! Thanks for sharing
ReplyDeleteWow! You cards are absolutely gorgeous. Cardmaking is comforting and a good way to incorporate so many crafts. =)
ReplyDeleteWOW you were busy! And creating beautiful cards I might add! I am especially fond of the different colored rose cards with the grey and white checkered background very lovely!
ReplyDeleteDe jók lettek Zsóka! :) Annyira tetszenek a pöttyökkel texturált lapok!
ReplyDeleteWow!!! Amazing cards - I love the texture you added to your second set with the dots - so amazing!
ReplyDeleteThanks for this great post and for sharing your set of cards. They’re all magnificent !
ReplyDelete[margessw(at)icloud(dot)com]
Wow!!! Amazing cards!! Really love the flower and polka dots cards!!
ReplyDeleteLovely cards I really like the rose card set thanks for the ideas
ReplyDeleteStunning cards! I love the layers and amazing colors! TFS and being a part of Ruby's anniversary!
ReplyDeleteI love how you embossed after you completed your focal elements !
ReplyDeleteWonderful cards! Thank you for sharing your personal story. Papercrafting may not be cheap, but it's a lot more fun than therapy!
ReplyDeleteI love how you used the polka dot embossing on the floral cards! Beautiful. That you for sharing.
ReplyDeleteWow!! These are truly beautiful!! I so agree on with your take on cardmaking or any craft...so therapeutic and so much fun!!
ReplyDeleteBeautiful cards! I too love patterned paper and try to incorporate it into my cards, but making my own background papers is fun, as well. The Concord & 9th turnabout stamps are a great invention! I like the cards you created with them. I found paper crafting as a means to deal with my depression. I do find it very therapeutic. Thanks for sharing your talents and being a part of this awesome hop!
ReplyDeleteFirst, your cards are beautiful. I especially love that you've added the dots over your images. Reminds me of fabric. Secondly, although I've been crafting for a very long time, a herniated disk and severe sciatic pain kept me from sitting for one whole summer several years ago and card-making and art were what kept me sane dealing with the pain because I could do it standing up before I was able to have surgery. The best therapy!
ReplyDeleteLove the first one, the way you combine hexagons with flowers is great!
ReplyDeleteThese are stunning. The combination of patterns, shapes. and colors, they're full of visual textures. TFS!
ReplyDelete"lovely' cards. isn't it interesting how we always find our way back to crafting? I used to luv cross-stitching. I had to stop when my vision got so bad. like you, with card making, I can start and stop at my own pace.
ReplyDeleteGreat cards!! I love your use of the polka dot embossing folder for added texture.
ReplyDeleteI love hearing about how you became involved with paper crafting. I definitely agree with you that crafting is a type of therapy! You make such beautiful cards. Thank you for sharing!
ReplyDeleteWow, look at all those fabulous cards! SWOON!
ReplyDeleteGorgeous cards! The polka dot embossing is such a fabulous touch. I'm a patterned paper lover too!
ReplyDeleteThese are so sweet! I like the first one both ways and especially like the polka dot florals!
ReplyDeleteWonderful cards!
ReplyDeleteVery pretty cards I really like seeing gray used on cards that somehow makes the colors really stand out.
ReplyDeleteSQUEAL!! Just BEAUTIFUL!! THANKS for sharing and have a FABULOUS WEEK!! =)
ReplyDeleteLovely cards - nice layers and the offset shadow really brings out the diecut sentiments.
ReplyDeleteyou are so talented!!
ReplyDeleteJust lovely cards :)
ReplyDeleteSO much gorgeous! So happy you were able to find this outlet for your creativity... and so happy you are sharing it here! Thanks for the inspiration!
ReplyDeleteLovely colour palettes on your cards today. Thanks for sharing your story and this wonderful inspiration.
ReplyDeleteSo well done! You are very talented. I love the You are Lovely dies! What a nice sentiment to send to someone.
ReplyDeleteYour cards are gorgeous! Can't stop gazing at them :)
ReplyDelete~ Priyanka Kantak
Lovely cards. I like the hexagons on the first set.
ReplyDelete