SHC - Birthday Balloons ....

... Morning! Hope you're all keeping well and safe. We're on holiday!!! We should have been in Turkey enjoying the sun and sea, but as things stand we're doing day trips around North Wales - still nice and lots of fun!

I'm here this morning with my card for Seven Hill Craft blog. I've made a simple and fun birthday card:

Stamps: Concord & 9th - Birthday Stacks; Lawn Fawn - Chit Chat
Inks: Versafine - Onyx Black; Versafine Clair - Verdant
Dies: Concord & 9th - Birthday Stacks; Lawn Fawn - Chit Chat
Accessories: White Card; SU Card - Granny Apple Green; Copic Markers; Sakura Stardust Glitter Pens; Clear Embossing Powder

I used the sketch from the current CAS(E) this Sketch - CTS#382 challenge.

I started by stamping the circles onto white card, coloured them with a selection of green Copic markers, restamped with Versafine black ink and heat embossed with clear powder. I added the string images to make them into balloons; I extended the strings with a black marker pen. I added some glitter with Sakura pens and then cut out the panel with the matching die.I adhered the panel to the front of the card. On scrap card I stamped the cute little bird and a fun speech bubble saying 'happy birthday'. I embossed both these images and cut them out with the matching dies. I used dimensional pads to attach them to the card. On the inside, I cut a mat layer of green card and on the white panel I stamped a birthday message along with some cute birthday presents.

I sent this to my nephew - he was 18 last Sunday. I think it's a fun card and I'm absolutely sure he enjoyed the birthday present inside!! That's all for now. See you again soon.

SHC - Watercolour Hello ....

.... Morning! It's been a while since I posted here. I'm here today with my card for Seven Hills Craft blog - I've made a watercolour background.

Stamps: Waffle Flower - Simply Said 1
Inks: Versamark
Dies: Waffle Flower - Simply Said 1
Accessories: White and Black Card; Tim Holtz Watercolour Card; Zig Clean Colour Pens; White Embossing Powder

I'm submitting this card to Inkspirational - INK#217 where they want painting or colouring on the card.

I used a couple of the rectangle images from Simply Said 1 to create the background. I put some watercolour card in the MISTI, stamped with Versamark, covered with images with White embossing powder and heat set them. I spritzed the card with water and used my Zig Clean colour pens to add ink. I allowed the water to blend the colours and I really like the way this looks. Once dry, I carefully wiped over the card to remove any ink from the white embossed pattern. I finished the front with a simple hello diecut greeting. The inside is blank as I want lots of space for a message for our son, Ben.

That's all from me today. See you again soon.

SHC - Rainbow Washi ....

... Hello! I can't quite believe how fast this month is going! I hope everyone is safe and well. We've been having very mixed weather here in North Wales, in fact the weekend weather was awful with lots of wind and rain. So I made good use of my time and played in my craft room. I've made six cards for my Seven Hills Craft Blog post - all feature Altenew's lovely Geo Rainbow washi Tape. Here are the first two cards:

Stamps: Altenew - Fresh Freesia
Inks: Gina K - Jet Black Amalgam; Stazon - Jet Black
Dies: Altenew - Fresh Freesia
Accessories: White Card; Altenew - Geo Rainbow Washi Tape

These are super easy to make. I covered some lightweight white card with a long strip of the Geo Rainbow washi tape. I cut a piece for the front of a 6¼" x 4½", I cut off the white borders and then die cut the freesia slightly to one side. I adhered the panel to the card and drew a thin black border with a marker pen. I put the card in the MISTI and stamped the outline freesia flower in the negative die space. I finished the front with a simple message. I put the die cut freesia shape into the MISTI and stamped the outline image onto it using Stazon black ink - I had to repeatedly stamp the image to get a crisp black outline. I stamped a birthday greeting and then adhered the diecut flower with dimensional pads. I have left the inside blank. I'm submitting these cards to Just Us Girls - JUGS#543 where the cue word is RAINBOW.

With the remaining piece of washi covered card I die cut several "hello" words. I also cut some out in black card.

Stamps: Concord & 9th - Lovely Lattice Turnabout Stamp
Inks: Versamark
Dies: Concord & 9th - Say Hello Dies
Accessories: White Card; Altenew - Geo Rainbow Washi Tape; Black Card; Clear Embossing Powder

I cut a panel of black card onto which I stamped the lattice turnabout in Versamark and heat embossed with clear powder to give a subtle background pattern. I adhered the large solid hello die cut to the centre of the black panel and then added the thin black hello die cut. I like this clean, simple and bold card. I'm submitting this card to Never-Before-Used-Schtuff - NBUS#16, as it's the first time I've used the lattice stamp and the hello dies.

Stamps: Concord & 9th - Say Hello
Inks: Gina K - Jet Black Amalagam; Kaleidacolor - Spectrum
Dies: Concord & 9th - Say Hello Dies
Accessories: White Card; Altenew - Geo Rainbow Washi Tape; Black Card

These are ultra clean and simple. I love the way the solid black hello makes the thin outline and inner hello diecuts really shine. I simply added a couple of sentiments to make a nice message - this card is on the way to our son, Ben. I had one more thin washi covered hello die cut left, so I simply adhered it to a card and added the word 'sunshine' in bright colours. Once again, the inside is blank for my message.

Stamps: Concord & 9th - Say Hello
Inks: Gina K - Jet Black Amalagam
Dies: Concord & 9th - Say Hello Dies
Accessories: White Card; Black Card

After making all the cards above, I had the thin black outline die cut hello left, so I adhered it to the front of a card and used the large stripey hello stamp inside the outline and added another word to complete the message.

That's all from me today. I had lots of fun making these cards. See you soon.

Floral Birthday ....

.... Hi! It's a really gloomy, dull, wet and cool day here in North Wales. I was going to make a card yesterday, but instead I spent the day out in the garden potting up some plants for mum - don't tell her, but I think I'm actually beginning to enjoy this gardening lark!!! Who knew??

Anyway, as I didn't make a card yesterday, I thought I'd share a birthday card that I made last month for a friend. Her husband called and asked me to make something special for her - the only requirements were flowers and pastel. Here's the card:

Stamps: Altenew - Garden Hydrangea; Winnie & Walter - The Big, The Bold and The Happy
Inks: Gina K - Innocent Pink, Powder Blue, Lemon Drop, Key Lime, Wild Dandelion, Wild Lilac, Wild Wisteria, Dusky Rose, Red Velvet, Jelly Bean Green, Grass Green, Fresh Asparagus, Soft Stone, Jet Black Amalgam; Memento - Summer Sky, Danube Blue, Angel Pink, Lulu Lavender, Lady Bug, Pear Tart, Bamboo Leaves; Stampin' Up! - Pink Pirouette
Dies: Altenew - Garden Hydrangea; Die-namics - A2 Stitched Rectangles Set 2 #5 and # 6
Accessories: White Card; SU Card & DP - Smoky Slate; Joggles Stencil - Branches

This is a large card measuring 8" x 8". I'm sure that I'm not the only person who buys stamps and dies and then doesn't actually use them!! I've had this stamp set a while and it was such fun getting it out and creating such pretty hydrangeas. I used my MISTI to speed up the process of stamping this multi-layer flower. I stamped each flower in this order, outline, solid layer, detail and finer detail and then used the matching die to cut them out. I did the same process for the leaves. I stenciled a soft grey ink through a branch stencil for a soft, subtle background. I stamped the birthday greeting and then added the flowers and leaves. On the inside of the card, I cut a mat layer of soft grey card and on the white panel I stamped another hydrangea flower in soft yellow, and added a greeting which I typed on the computer, die cut and layered on some design paper.

I'm submitting this card to Never-Before-Used-Schtuff - NBUS#16 - a challenge run by the wonderful Darnell. I love this phrase that Darnell coined - she has other fabulous sayings too! As I said, I've had this lovely hydrangea stamp for a while, and it was fun to use. I've other similar sets, so I will probably be back to play along again soon.  

That's all from me for now - time to get some lunch. See you soon.

C4G - Congratulations ....

... Morning! It's time for our new challenge at Cardz 4 Galz - C4Glz#125 our theme is Weddings. I've made a clean, layered card:

Stamps: Stampendous - Roots of Love; CAS-ual Friday Stamps - Heart Beats
Inks: Versamark; Gina K - Jet Black Amalgam, Soft Stone
Dies: Spellbinders - 5 x 7 Modern Stationary (S6-013) #5 & #6
Accessories: White Card; Silver Linen Effect Mirri Card; Copic Markers; Silver Embossing Powder; Nuvo - Clear Aqua Shimmer Brush; Sakura Stardust Glitter Pens

I think this is such a pretty stamp called Roots of Love and marriage is a lot like planting seeds of your new life together. I stamped the image on white card, coloured it with Copic markers, restamped with Versamark ink and heat embossed with silver powder. I used a large die to cut out the image and layered it on some silver linen effect mirri card. I added lots of sparkle to the hearts on the tree with a clear aqua shimmer brush. for the two big entwined root hearts I used a dark glitter pen. I finished the front with a simple congratulations message. On the inside, I cut a mat layer of the silver card and on the white panel stamped the love tree again in soft grey and added a message. This card is for my stash.

Do visit our blog to see more Wedding themed cards from the rest of the team. Have fun and I'll see you soon.

C24C - Christmas Greetings ....

.... Hello again! I wasn't around much for the second part of June, and today - two posts!! The first of the month means that it's time for our new challenge at Christmas 24 Challenge - C24C#13 and we want to see Christmas Foliage on your cards. I made a very clean and simple card:

Stamps: Waltzingmouse Stamps - Festive Foliage; Uniko - Christmas Sparkle, Simply Said Christmas
Inks: Gina K - Jet Black Amalgam, Fresh Asparagus; Memento - New Sprout, Bamboo Leaves
Dies: WMS - Mistletoe
Accessories: White Card; SU DP - Pear Pizzazz; Glitter

I'm submitting this card to a couple of challenges - Less is More - LIM#422 where they want us to use an Outline image and a solid image, and to Perfectly CAS - PCAS#10 where the theme is Sparkle.

 

I went back to my old Waltzingmouse stamps for this card - so sad that Claire is no longer making stamps, but I still use them often!! It was either the holly or the mistletoe, in the end, the simplicity of the mistletoe won. I stamped the outline image in a dark green ink and used a couple of different shades of green for the solid image. I cut them both out with the matching die and then added some fine glitter to the mistletoe berries. I stamped a bow at the top of the card and adhered the mistletoe and used a fine black marker to draw in the bow. I finished the front with a simple greeting. On the inside, I cut a mat layer of green texty paper and on the white panel stamped another of the solid mistletoe images and added a Christmas greeting.

Before I go, I should mention that we have a DT call for Christmas 24 Challenge - if you're interested please add DT by your name when you upload your cards. Thanks.

Don't forget to visit our blog to see more inspiration from the rest of the design team. Christmas Foliage is an easy challenge, and I look forward to seeing your takes on the theme. That really is all from me for today - see you soon.

SHC - Retro Christmas ....

.... Morning! Can you believe that it's July already, no, me neither!!! Sorry I've been missing for a while, so busy at home. However, it's time for my new post at Seven Hills Craft blog - I've made a couple of retro style Christmas cards. Here's the first:

Stamps: Hero Arts - Mod Pattern Bold Print Background, Stylized Christmas Trees, Retro Christmas Messages
Inks: Delicata - Golden Glitz; Gina K - Jelly Bean Green, Jet Black Amalgam
Dies: Spellbinders - Petit Ovals Small (S4-140) #5; Hero Arts - Stylized Christmas Trees, Retro Christmas Messages
Accessories: White Card; Red Glitter Paper

I'm submitting this card to Merry Little Christmas Challenge - MLCC#24 where it's Any Christmas Goes.

I really like this background image - I think the repeating star gives quite a festive look, especially in shimmery gold ink. I die cut a large red glitter oval and adhered it to the centre of the card. Using the same gold ink I stamped a funky, neon sign style message, and die cut it with the matching die. I was going to leave the card there, but decided to add a retro Christmas tree too. On the inside, I cut a mat layer of glitter paper and on the white panel simply added a Christmas greeting and another of the funky Christmas trees.

For my next card I had in mind a lovely winter scene at a mountain resort with fir trees, snow, decorated trees and neon signs - this is it - sort of:

Stamps: Hero Arts - Mod Pattern Bold Print Background, Stylized Christmas Trees, Retro Christmas Messages; Waltzingmouse Stamps - Alpine Christmas (discontinued)
Inks: Gina K - Stormy Sky, Fresh Asparagus, Jet Black Amalgam
Dies: Spellbinders - Petit Ovals Large (S4-138) #6; Hero Arts - Stylized Christmas Trees, Retro Christmas Messages
Accessories: White Card; Red Glitter Paper; Clear and Iridescent Embossing Powders

As you can tell from the picture, this turned out a bit wonky!! The papers slipped when they went through the Big Shot, but never mind, it's part of the charm of a handmade card 😀. I stamped the mountain scene directly on the card. On white card I stamped the 'bauble' tree and two Christmas messages. I cut them out the the matching dies. I adhered the decorated tree directly to the card, then added the oval frame and finished with the two 'neon' Christmas messages. On the inside, I cut a mat layer of red glitter paper and on the white panel added a simple greeting and another tree.

That's all from me today - see you soon.