SHC - Christmas in July Continued

... Morning! I'm here with my Seven Hills Craft blog post and I'm continuing with my Christmas in July kick. However, this week's card has a much cleaner, simpler look than last week's card.

Stamps: Colorado Craft Company - Holiday Wishes, Big & Bold Nordic Snowflakes

Inks: Gina K - Powder Blue, Sea Glass, Ocean Mist; Versafine Clair - Nocturne

Accessories: White Card; Gina K Card - Sea Glass; Lawn Fawn Stencils - Lots of Stars Background Layering Stencils

I'm submitting this to a couple of challenges. The layout is based on the sketch from the current challenge at CAS Colours & Sketches - CASC&S#480. I'm also playing along with Perfectly CAS - PCAS#29 where the theme is Festive and to use a third or less of the card front.

This was so quick and easy to make. I simply masked off a triangle on the side of a note card and then used the layering stencils to fill the area with pale blue and light aqua stars, keeping them slightly darker at the edge of the card and fading to the point of the triangle. I finished the front by adding a simple, elegant greeting. Inside the card, I cut a mat layer of pale aqua card and on the white panel I stamped a lovely greeting and added a trio of pretty snowflakes.

This was fun to make and so, so easy. I love the stars layering stencils and plan to use them again on a few more Christmas cards. That's it from me today. See you all again soon.

Cat Card

.... Morning! Last month my son asked me to make a birthday card for a friend of his. She likes red, cats and would be celebrating her 31st birthday - but I had to put 29Bth - an in joke between them. So, this is the card I made and Ben was delighted with it:

Stamps: Dylusions - Cat Among the Pigeons, Numberology; Lawn Fawn - Milo's ABSc

Inks: Stamping Up! - Poppy Parade

Dies: Gina K - Happy Birthday Trio, Master Layouts 1

Accessories: White & Black Card; SU Card - Poppy Parade; Gina K Stencil - Fizzy; Nuvo - Clear Aqua Shimmer Brush; Gina K - Masking Magic

I'm submitting this card to a few challenges:

• Addicted to Stamps and More! - ATSM#434 - Any Occasion
• Seize the Birthday - STB#248 - skipping the option, just making a birthday card
• Cardz 4 Galz - C4Glz#178 - Black & White & one other colour - red

I started by cutting an oval mask from Masking Magic and placed that in the centre of a piece of white card that I cut out with the smaller of the two rectangles in ML1. I placed the stencil over the top and used a bright red ink going lightly at the edges and corners and getting darker around the masked oval. I stamped the large cat before removing the oval mask. I matted the inked panel on black card and then stamped the required number and added two more smaller cats. I stamped them on scrap white card and fussy cut them out. I adhered the panel to the front of a red card and finished the front by adding a die cut birthday greeting in black card. I also added some sparkle to the words with a clear aqua shimmer brush. Inside the card, I cut a mat layer of black card. On the white panel I simply added a light stencil of fizzy dots and another cute cat, and left a large blank space for Ben's message.

That's all from me today. Hope everyone is keeping well. I'd also like to thank everyone for your comments - they are all much appreciated.

SHC - Christmas in July

... Morning! I'm running a bit late with my post for Seven Hills craft this week. It's been a bit of week here. However, I managed to find a bit of time this morning and made this quick and easy Christmas card:

Stamps: Colorado Craft Company - Savvy Sentiments Merry Everything, Big & Bold Slimline Nordic Snowflakes

Inks: Versamark; Gina K - Sea Glass, Powder Blue, Wild Wisteria

Accessories: White Card; Silver and Clear Embossing Powder

I'm submitting this to Never-Before-Used-Schtuff - NBUS#40 - the stamps are all new to me this month.

This card is super easy to make. It's a mini-slimline card measuring 6¼" x 3¼". I stamped the greeting in Versamark ink and heat embossed with silver powder. Then I arranged the lovely snowflakes along the top edge of the card, stamped them with Versmark and heat embossed with clear powder. I then blended soft aqua, pale blue, and lilac inks to reveal the snowflakes. I love this technique - it's so pretty. I haven't, as yet, decorated the inside, but I'll do that before I send the card out.

That's all from me today. Thanks for dropping by and for leaving your comments, they are very much appreciated.

SHC - Floral Calendar

.... Good morning. I'm here with my Seven Hills Craft blog post. I don't have a card this week. Instead, I decorated my July Calendar page. I used two new sets from Altenew and it was such fun. Here's the page:

Stamps: Altenew - Calming Cluster, Enjoy Life

Inks: Gina K - Lemon Drop, Wild Dandelion, Innocent Pink, Bubblegum Pink, Passionate Pink, Tangerine Twist, Tomato Soup, Key Lime, Grass Green, Lucky Clover, Black Onyx; Versafine Clair - Nocturne

Accessories: Calendar Blank; Altenew Stencils - Calming Cluster, Enjoy Life

I'm submitting this to Love to Craft Challenge Blog - LTCCB#69 where it's always anything goes.

I started by stamping the large outline image from Calming Cluster onto the calendar and then used the matching layering stencils to add colour to the image. I should have dried the black outline before using the stencils, but never mind, the outline only smudged a little!! The stencils are very easy to line up with the stamped outline it didn't take long to colour the whole image. I had some space left to the side, so I added the lilies from Enjoy Life, and again used the matching layering stencils to add colour. I finished by adding some words - the Today quote is from Enjoy Life, and the '.. relax and unwind' quote is from Calming Clusters.

As well as co-ordinating stencils, there are dies to match both sets, and there's also a 3D embossing folder to go with Calming Clusters. I shall be using these stamp sets and matching accessories again soo to make some cards.

That's all for now. See you again soon.

SHC - Birthday Rose

.... Good morning. It's time for my weekly Seven Hills Craft blog post. I can hardly believe we've reached July already - the year is flying by. Today is my mother-in-law's 80th birthday and I made this card for her:

Stamps: Concord & 9th - Painted Rose, Laurel Frame

Inks: Gina K - Sweet Mango, Red Velvet, Key Lime, Lucky Clover, Soft Stone; Versafine Clair - Nocturne

Accessories: White & Black Card; C&9 - Confetti Dots Turnabout Stencil

I'm submitting this card to Less is More - LIM#467 where the team want us to make a one-layer card with only one image (and words) - done! I'm also playing along with Seize the Birthday - STB#241 where I'm playing with the Anything Goes birthday option.

I used an A6 notecard (measuring 6¼" × 4½") as the rose is a large image. I stamped the outline rose in black and then masked it off. I used the Confetti Dots Turnabout stencil to add some subtle pattern to the card in red and orange inks. I didn't use the stencil as a turnabout, just as a simple stencil. I removed the mask and used the two-step solid stamps to add colour to the rose - orange for the main part of the rose and red for the detail. The leaves are also two-step stamped images. I finished the front by adding a simple birthday greeting in black. Inside the card, I cut a mat layer of black card and on the white panel I stamped the large rose again in soft grey ink. I finished by added a greeting in black.

My mother-in-law is a very keen gardener, and she loves roses, so this card was a pleasure to make for her. That's all from me today. See you again soon.