Belated Birthday Wishes ....

.... Hi! Surprise! It's been a while since I just posted a card. I started today's card last year when I made a several cards using MFT's Spotlight Sentiments stamps and different inks. I finished some off at the time, but several were just left with a stamped panel. That's how this one started out, here's the end result:

Stamps: MFT - Spotlight Sentiments; Lawn Fawn - Blue Skies; Avery Elle - Handwritten Notes

Inks: Kaleidacolor - Fresh Greens; Versafine - Onyx Black; Versafine Clair - Nocturne; Gina K - Key Lime, Christmas Pine, Stormy Sky

Dies: Gina K - Master Layouts 2; Lawn Fawn - Blue Skies

Accessories: White Card; SU Card - Granny Apple Green; Copic Markers; Clear Embossing Powder; Nuvo - Clear Aqua Shimmer Brush

I'm submitting this card to Seize the Birthday - STB#219 where the toppers option is Travel, I think a hot air balloon trip counts!

I used the smaller layering panels from Master Layouts 2 to cut a mat layer of green card and a white stitched edge panel. I stamped a number of clouds on the white panel in black ink. I adhered the panel to the centre of my ready-made card. I used my MISTI to stamp the larger hot air balloon from Blue Skies onto a piece of white card, removed it and coloured with green Copic markers, returned it to the MISTI and stamped with black Versafine ink and heat embossed with clear powder. I used the matching die to cut out the balloon. I added lots of sparkle to the hot air balloon with a clear aqua shimmer brush. I added dimensional pads to the hot air balloon and adhered it, at a slight angle to suggest movement, to the panel. Inside the card, I cut a mat layer of green card. On the white panel I stamped the smaller hot air balloon in a bright green ink. I used one of my favourite sets to stamp the greeting. I stamped the main greeting in dark green and added the word 'belated' in dark green.

This card is for my nephew's birthday - and I missed the actual day, so I hope he likes this card. This is the card before adding the panel:

I've used both these cards now!! That's all from me today. See you again soon.

SHC - Christmas in July 4 ....

... Morning!! I'm here with my last Christmas in July post for Seven Hills Craft blog. I have used Lawn Fawn products on my cards. Here's the first:

Stamps: Lawn Fawn - Simply Celebrate Winter, Simply Winter Sentiments, Snowy Backdrops

Inks: Gina K - Sea Glass, Ocean Mist, Soft Stone; Hero Arts - Unicorn; Versafine - Onyx Black; Versafine Clair - Nocturne

Dies: Lawn Fawn - Simply Celebrate Winter; Gina K - Master Layouts 2

Accessories: White & Black Card; SU Card - Island Indigo; Copic Markers; Silver & Clear Embossing Powder; Nuvo - Clear Aqua Shimmer Brush

I'm submitting this card to Merry Little Christmas Challenge Blog - MLCCB#36.

I used a stitch edged die to cut out a white piece of card onto which I stamped the snowy backdrop in Versmark ink. I heat embossed the image with silver powder and then blended shades of soft aqua and grey to create the sky. I used the same die to cut a panel of dark aqua card which I adhered to the bottom of the white card. I stamped a clean, crisp greeting in white ink and heat embossed with white powder. I stamped the snowguys on white card, coloured them with Copic markers, returned them to the MISTI and restamped with Versafine ink and heat embossed with clear powder. I used the matching die to cut them out. I adhered them to the white panel, added that to a black mat layer and added the whole lot to the front of a top folding A2 white note card. Inside, I cut a mat layer of black card. On the white panel I stamped another greeting and some Christmas trees.

My next card features a Christmas evening scene:

Stamps: Lawn Fawn - Simply Celebrate Winter, Simply Winter Sentiments, Snowy Backdrops

Inks: Gina K - Sea Glass, Ocean Mist, Soft Stone; Hero Arts - Unicorn; Versafine - Onyx Black; Versafine Clair - Nocturne

Dies: Lawn Fawn - Simply Celebrate Winter; Gina K - Master Layouts 2

Accessories: White & Black Card; SU Card - Island Indigo; Copic Markers; Silver & Clear Embossing Powder; Nuvo - Clear Aqua Shimmer Brush

I'm submitting this card to The Holly & Ivy Christmas Card Challenge - H&ICC#99 where is Anything Christmas goes.

I used the same technique as outline above to create the background for this card and to cut the houses and trees. Before blending the sky, I added a little mask for the moon, and finished the front by adding glitter to the roof tops and to the trees. Inside, I cut a mat layer of black card. On the white panel I stamped the snowy background across the centre of the card in soft aqua ink and added a greeting in black.

My final card if ultra clean and simple:

Stamps: Lawn Fawn - Simply Celebrate Winter, Snowy Backdrops

Inks: Versafine - Onyx Black; Versafine Clair - Nocturne; Memento - Summer Sky

Dies: Lawn Fawn - Simply Celebrate Winter

Accessories: White Card; SU Card - Poppy Parade; Copic Markers; Clear Embossing Powder; Sakura - Stardust Pens

I'm submitting this card to Perfectly CAS - PCAS#17 where they want to see Embossing.

I used the method outline above to stamp, colour and die cut the Christmas ornaments. I adhered them to the card front with dimensional pads. I finished the front by stamping a clean, crisp greeting in black ink and added the strings for the ornaments. Inside the card, I cut a red mat layer and on the white panel stamped the snowy backdrop in soft blue ink and a greeting in black ink.

That's all from me today - thank you so much for stopping by. I enjoyed making all these Christmas cards - I have 12 ready for my stash. That will make things so much less stressful in November and December. See you soon.

SHC - Christmas in July 3 ....

... Wow! Summer has finally arrived, it's been baking here in North Wales. And I've been continuing with my theme of Christmas in July for my Seven Hills Craft blog post. I have three more cards to share with you today. Here's the first:

Stamps: Altenew - Majestic Mistletoe, Beautiful Inside, Warm Blessings

Inks: Gina K - Innocent Pink, Dusty Rose, Key Lime, Jelly Bean Green, Grass Green, Christmas Pine; Versafine Clair - Nocturne

Dies: MFT - A2 Stitched Rectangle Stax Set 2 #9

Accessories: SU Card - Shaded Spruce; White Card

I'm submitting this card to Cardz 4 Galz - C4Glz#151 where the theme is Christmas in July - check!!

This card started out as a one-layer card. I used my MISTI to stamp the multi-layer mistletoe leaves in shades of green at the corners of the card. One of the leaves has spaces for berries, so I added them with pink inks. I then filled in the gaps with the smaller mistletoe leaf and some berry images in pink. I stamped the greeting in the centre of the card. I then decided to use a stitch edged die to cut out the panel and adhered it to the front of an A2 dark green note card. Inside the card, I used the stitch edge die to cut a piece of white card onto which I stamped a scripty greeting and a verse in black ink. I also added another small mistletoe leaf in green ink.

My next card is cleaner and simpler and has a non-traditional colour theme:

Stamps: Altenew - Majestic Mistletoe, Beautiful Inside, Warm Blessings; Concord & 9th - Mistletoe Messages

Inks: Gina K - Peach Bellini, Tangerine Twist, Sea Glass, Turquoise Sea, Tranquil Teal

Dies: Gina K - Master Layout 2

Accessories: SU Card - Bermuda Bay, Island Indigo; White Card

I'm submitting this card to Sunday Stamps Challenge - SSC#261 where they have these gorgeous colours, and to Less is More - LIM#447 where their theme is Christmas in July.

I used the MISTI to stamp the multi-layer mistletoe leaf and berries. I used shades of teal and orange for a non-traditional look. I used a stitch edged die to cut out the panel and adhered it to a mat layer of dark teal card. I finished the panel by stamping the word 'noel' in bright orange. I adhered the whole panel in the centre of a side opening A2 light teal card. Inside the card, I cut a mat layer of dark teal card and on the white panel I stamped another mistletoe leaf, along with a scripty greeting and a verse in black ink.

My last card features a big bunch of mistletoe leaves:

Stamps: Altenew - Majestic Mistletoe, Beautiful Inside, Warm Blessings; Concord & 9th - Mistletoe Messages

Inks: Gina K - Dusty Rose, Red Velvet, Key Lime, Jelly Bean Green, Sea Glass, Ocean Mist; Versafine Clair - Nocturne

Dies: MFT - A2 Stitched Rectangle Stax Set 2 #9; C&9 Mistletoe Messages

Accessories: SU Card - Pool Party, Island Indigo; White Card; Vellum; C&9 - Summer Glitter Pack Lime Green; Red Glitter Card

I'm submitting this card to Happy Little Stampers Anything Goes with Dies - HLSAGD#07 - where the theme is Anything Goes.

I started by making a top folding A2 white note card. I stamped a selection of mistletoe leaves, berry branches and small poinsettia over the front to make my own background. I then used a stitch edged die to cut out a piece of vellum which I adhered over the front of the card. I used the large mistletoe leaf die to cut three pieces - dark teal, light aqua and lime green glitter card. I adhered these pieces to the front of the car. I finished the front by adding a red glitter bow and a greeting which I adhered with dimensional pads. Inside the card, I cut a piece of dark teal card for the mat layer and on the white panel I stamped a leaf and scripty greeting.

That's another three cards ready for Christmas. I'm really enjoying making these cards.

When this post goes live, we will be at the RHS Flower Show Tatton Park. My mum loves flower shows and, as we're now back in the UK and things are opening up, we thought it would be a great day out. That's all for now. See you soon.

C24C - Sweet Treats ....

..... Good morning! I'm here with my card for our new challenge at Christmas 24 - C24C#038 where we want to see Christmas cards with the theme of Sweet Treats. I love peppermint candy canes that you can get at Christmas, so I made a jar of them for my card:

Stamps: Waltzingmouse Stamps - Candy Jar Christmas Fillers, Half Baked Gingerbread Joy, 2011 Holiday Ornaments

Inks: Versafine - Onyx Black; Gina K - Soft Stone

Dies: Gina K - Master Layouts 2; WMS - Jar Fillers

Accessories: SU Card - Real Red; White & Black Card; Clear Embossing Powder; Acetate; Copic Markers

I'm submitting this card to Happy Little Stampers Anything Goes with Dies Challenge - HLSAGD#07. I used dies to cut out the candy canes and to create the layers.

I've used some old favourite stamps on this card - sadly Waltzingmouse Stamps closed a while ago, but I love Claire's designs and they often come out for Christmas cards. I used red card to make the A2 (US size) side opening note card. I used Gina K's Master Layout 2 die set to cut the black mat layer and the white panel with the stitched edge. I stamped the jar directly on the white panel, and added a greeting. I stamped the jar again on some embossable clear acetate. I fussy cut the jar on the acetate panel and left a tab either side of the jar. On white card I stamped the candy canes, coloured them with Copic markers, and die cut them with the matching die. I adhered the canes with dimensional pads. I used a scalpel to cut down the side of the jar on the white panel. I slipped the tab into the cut and adhered the tab to the back of the panel. I adhered the whole panel to the front of the card. I like to make a clear jar to put over the contents - it's a fun look! On the inside, I cut a mat layer of black card and on the white panel added some more candy canes, a Christmas greeting and Mrs Claus's shop sign.

I took a photo of the jar to show the dimension with the clear acetate jar over the top of the candy canes.

That's all from me today. Do visit our blog - Christmas 24 Challenge - to see more inspiration from the rest of the team. See you soon.

SHC - Christmas in July - 2 ...

... Morning! Continuing my Christmas in July theme for my Seven Hills Craft blog post, I have three cards to share with you this morning.

Stamps: Concord & 9th - Merry Mantle, All the Merrys, Mistletoe Messages

Inks: Versafine - Onyx Black; Gina K - Innocent Pink; Versafine Claire - Nocturne

Dies: C&9 - Merry Mantle

Accessories: SU Card - Real Red; White Card; Clear Embossing Powder; Copic Markers; Pearls

I'm submitting this card to Love to Craft Challenge Blog - LTCCB#60 where it's Anything Goes.

I started by making the A2 notecard from red card. The card measures 4¼" x 5½" and is a standard American size. I used my MISTI to stamp the various images on white card. I removed the images from the MISTI, coloured them with Copic markers, returned them to the MISTI and restamped with black Versafine ink and heat embossed with clear powder. I love this technique as the images are clean and crisp, and have shiny outlines. I adhered the pieces to the front of the card - I kept them flat to make it easy to post the card. I finished the front by adding a bold greeting in black and some tiny dark grey pearls to hold the stockings on the mantle! Inside the card, I simply cut a white piece of card slightly smaller than the notecard and stamped a wreath in dark pink and added a greeting.

My next card focuses on the large image in Merry Mantle - the hanging Christmas stockings:

Stamps: Concord & 9th - Merry Mantle, All the Merrys, Mistletoe Messages

Inks: Versafine - Onyx Black; Gina K - Ocean Mist; Versafine Claire - Nocturne

Dies: C&9 - Merry Mantle; Gina K - Master Layouts 2

Accessories: SU Card - Bermuda Bay; White Card; Clear Embossing Powder; Copic Markers

I'm submitting this card to Happy Little Stampers Christmas Challenge - HLSXMAS#07 where it's Anything Goes (I've skipped the option of jingle bells).

I used dark teal card to make the A2 side-opening notecard. I used the same technique as outlined above to stamp the Christmas stockings. I coloured them to match the notecard. I used a stitch edge die to cut out the panel and layered it onto a black panel of card. I adhered the whole lot to the front of the card. I added a mantle shelf above the stockings with dimensional pads. I finished the front with a simple Christmas greeting. Inside the card, I cut a mat layer of black card, to echo the front of the card. On the white panel, I stamped a two-tone greeting and added a tiny bunch of blue and green berries.

My last card today, focuses on the Christmas wreath:

Stamps: Concord & 9th - Merry Mantle

Inks: Versafine - Onyx Black; Versafine Claire - Nocturne; Versamark

Dies: C&9 - Merry Mantle; Gina K - Master Layouts 2

Accessories: SU Card - Shaded Spruce, Certainly Celery; White Card; Clear Embossing Powder; Copic Markers; Nuvo - Glitter Drops - Ruby Slippers

I'm submitting this card to Merry Little Christmas Challenge Blog - MLCCB#36 where it's always Anything Christmas goes.

I used dark green card for the note card here. I used Versamark ink to randomly stamp the little berry branch all over the front of the card. I die cut a small panel of light green card onto which I stamped a Christmas message. Using the technique outlined above, I stamped, coloured and die cut the Christmas wreath. I added a simple string bow and some red glitter drops for the berries. Once dry, I used dimensional pads to adhere the wreath to the front of the card. Inside, I cut a mat layer of light green card. On the white panel, I stamped the Christmas stocking at the top and coloured them to match the card. I finished by adding a Christmas greeting.

I had fun making these cards and could have made a lot more! So, just doing my Christmas in July theme, I have another six cards, so far, to add to my Christmas card stash. Do join in with me and share your creations on Seven Hills Craft Facebook page - we'd love to see what you make.

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