SHC - Flowers for Mum

... Morning! I'm here with my Seven Hills Craft blog post. Today I've made a card for my mum. Like me, she was diagnosed with breast cancer just before Christmas. Mum had a mastectomy in February and, while she didn't have to have chemotherapy, she did have radiotherapy. It's a very intensive treatment regimen - every day for 15 days - and she finished her treatment yesterday. She's been such a star coping with all this. Mum loves bright flowers and so I made this for her:

Stamps: Concord & 9th - Hello Wishes

Inks: Gina K - Applemint, Jelly Bean Green, Fresh Asparagus, Dusty Rose, Redhot, Tangerine Twist; Versafine Clair - Nocturne

Dies: C&9 - Simply You, Quilted Cover Plate

Accessories: White Card; SU Card - Daffodil Delight; Gems

I'm submitting this card to Never-Before-Used-Schtuff - NBUS#38 as this is the first time I've inked up the Hello Wishes floral image - so pretty!!

I used yellow card to make the base notecard - it's a top folding A2 card. I used the quilted cover plate to cut the pattern into the front of the card. I stamped the two-step floral image onto white card. I stamped the flowers first and then the leaves. I used an ink brush to add darker green ink to some of the leaves. I added darker colour to some of the flowers with a small solid image. I cut out the panel with a scallop edge die and finished the front by adding a greeting and some gems. The greeting comes from Hello Wishes, and says ' hope you're doing well', I simply cut off the word 'hope' and stamped the rest. Inside the card, I die cut another panel with the scallop edge die. I also die cut the greeting. I adhered the panel to the card base, added back the middle of the o's and e, and finished by adding a simple flower.

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

SHC - Christmas in May

.... I'm here with my Seven Hills Craft blog post. Normally, I'd have at least 30 Christmas cards in my stash by now, but for obvious reasons, I'm running behind. So I spent the past weekend making Christmas cards. I've used a mixture of old and new Concord & 9th stamp and die sets. All the inspiration comes from Jennifer McGuire.

Stamps: C&9 - Tiny Trees Turnabout, Big On Christmas, Christmas Cottage

Inks: Gina K - Kraft, Fresh Asparagus, Dark Chocolate, Red Velvet

Accessories: SU Card - Early Espresso; White Card

I'm submitting this card to 52 Christmas Card Throwdown - 52CCT22-18 - love these colours.

I love the turnabout stamps - they make it so easy to make lots of cards quickly and all look different too. Inside the card is a white panel onto which I stamped a simple greeting and a tree.

Next are a couple of more modern cards:

Stamps: C&9 - Tiny Trees Turnabout, All the Merrys, Christmas Cottage

Inks: Gina K - Bubblegum Pink, Soft Stone, Stormy Sky; Memento - Angel Pink; Versamark

Dies: MFT - A2 Stitched Rectangles Set 1 #9

Accessories: White Card; Silver Embossing Powder

I'm submitting these cards to Jingle Belles - JB-21-10 where they have the lovely colours, and to Love to Craft Challenge Blog - LTCCB#68 where it's Anything Goes.

For a completely different look, I trimmed the stamped panel into two wonky pieces with stitched edges and added them to the front of white A2 note cards. I added simple greetings. Both cards have the same design inside the cards.

I made a couple more cards with the Tiny Trees turnabout background:

Stamps: C&9 - Tiny Trees Turnabout, All the Merrys, Christmas Cottage, Trim the Tree

Inks: Gina K - Applemint, Lucky Clover, Jelly Bean Green, Christmas Pine; Memento - Tuxedo Black

Dies: C&9 - Trim the Tree

Accessories: White Card; Copic Markers

I used the inlaid-die technique for these cards. I like being able to get two cards from one piece of stamped card!!

Next, I have a series of three cards made using a turquoise and silver plaid background and some tiny trees:

Stamps: C&9 - Tiny Trees Turnabout, Big On Christmas, Christmas Cottage, Trim the Tree, Plaid Background

Inks: Gina K - Ocean Mist, Key Lime, Tranquil Teal, Wild Dandelion, Dark Chocolate; Versamark

Dies: C&9 - Tiny Trees

Accessories: White Card; Silver Embossing Powder

I'm submitting these cards to Happy Little Stamps Anything Goes with Dies - HLSAGD#05, Addicted to Stamps and More - ATSM#429 where it's Any Occassion, and to The Holly & Ivy Christmas Challenge - H&ICC#116 where it's Anything Christmas Goes.

The inside of each card is the same - so much quicker for multiple cards.

Next I have a traditional style card with a red and gold plaid background:

Stamps: C&9 - Tiny Trees Turnabout, Big On Christmas, Christmas Cottage, Plaid Background, Mix & Match Holiday Sentiments

Inks: Gina K - Red Velvet, Jelly Bean Green, Dark Chocolate; Versamark

Dies: C&9 - Tiny Trees, Mix & Match Holiday Sentiments

Accessories: SU Card - Cherry Cobbler & Kraft Card; Gold Embossing Powder

I'm submitting this card to ABC Christmas Challenge - ABCXMAS where the letters are J and K - K for Kraft. Inside the card I used Christmas Cottage stamps to make the greeting.

My last card - yes, really!! Is another fun plaid background with a faux 'Christmas' tree made from the Mix & Match Holiday Sentiments:

Stamps: C&9 - Big On Christmas, Plaid Background, Mix & Match Holiday Sentiments

Inks: Gina K - Red Velvet, Jelly Bean Green

Dies: C&9 - Mix & Match Holiday Sentiments

Accessories: Pretty Pink Posh - Sparkling Clear Confetti

I'm submitting this card to Merry Little Christmas Challenge Blog - MLCCB#44 where it's anything Goes. I had such fun creating this faux Christmas tree from words. Inside, the greeting is from Big on Christmas.

I'm so pleased that I managed to get all these cards made. But, I'm shattered!! Don't think I'll make a lot like this again for a while. That's all for now. See you soon.

SHC - Pastel Birthday

... Morning! This is my weekly Seven Hills Craft blog post. It's been prepared in advance as I don't want to be late again!! Last week, while I was full of energy, I not only made Jonathan's birthday card, but I made one for Charlotte his sister. They share their birthday on 30 April - seven years apart!! 

Stamps: Stamping Bella - Oddball Jane Austen; C&9 - Yay for Birthdays; The Greetery - Sentiment Suite Birthday

Inks: Gina K - Passionate Pink, Red Hot, Sweet Mango, Wild Dandelion, Lucky Clover, Turquoise Sea, Wild Wisteria; Versafine Clair - Nocturne; Versafine - Onyx Black

Dies: Reverse Confetti - Big Flower Cover Plate

Accessories: White Card; Copic Markers; Clear Embossing Powder; Nuvo - Clear Aquashimmer Brush; Gems; Gina K - Masking Magic

I'm submitting this card to Seize the Birthday - STB#237 but I'm skipping the topping option and going with Anything Goes. I'm also playing along with AAA Birthday - AAAB#37 where the theme is Let's Party. Now it's restrained on the front, but the message inside says it all!!!

I used the cover plate to die cut a pattern in masking paper which I added to the front of a white A2 note card. I lightly blended over a rainbow of inks to create a pretty floral background. I used my MISTI to stamp Oddball Jane onto white card. I removed the image and coloured it with Copic markers. I returned the image to the MISTI, restamped with Versafine black ink and heat embossed with clear powder. I then carefully cut out the image and added it to the card with dimensional pads. I finished the front with a simple birthday greeting in black ink, some gems and sparkle all over the dress and hat.

For the inside of the card, I cut two pieces of white card. On the large piece I lightly blended the rainbow of inks around the edge to create a pastel border to match the front of the card. On the smaller panel, I stamped a fun greeting and added some bold party confetti.

That's all from me today. Thanks so much for stopping by. I really do appreciate all your lovely comments. See you soon.