SHC - Just for You ....

... Hello! I hope everyone is keeping well. I can't believe we're half-way through May already! Time is just flying by. However, it does mean that I'm here today with my post for Seven Hills Craft Blog. I've been spending lots of time in our new garden watching how the flowers change, watering the garden and enjoying all the wildlife that is visiting. And that was the inspiration for this card:

Stamps: Altenew - Best Buds; MFT - Brilliant Butterflies
Inks: Gina K - Black Amalgam, Sweet Mango, Tangerine Twist, Sea Glass, Turquoise Sea, Key Lime, Grass Green, Lovely Lavender, Wild Lilac
Dies: Die-namics - Brilliant Butterflies
Accessories: White Card; SU - Black Card; Sakura Stardust Pens

I'm submitting this card to Happy Little Stampers Anything Goes with Dies challenge - HLSAGD#05 - do like these dies!

I've used the lovely MFT Brilliant Butterflies here, fluttering around a single flower from Altenew's Best Buds. I stamped the flower directly on the card base. The butterflies are made up of several layering stamps, I did try to die cut the matching shape and then stamp the image, but it didn't work for me. I took photos of my process:

I used my MISTI to position the stamps. I stamped the bottom wings in the paler ink, placed a clear grid overlay over the card, positioned the upper winges, did a test stamp on the overlay and once happy that the wings were in the right place, stamped them on the card. I repeated this process with the lace wings and body. I used the matching die to cut out the butterfly and did this several times for all the butterflies on the card. I added some sparkle detail to the lace wings on each butterfly using Sakura Stardust pens. I had some extra butterfly bodies die cut, so I layered the finished images on one die cut each and then adhered them to the card. On the inside, I cut a mat layer of black card, and on the white panel stamped a greeting, another flower and finished by adding another butterfly - you can't have too many!!

This card is for a friend of mine who works as a nurse in the NHS. She's so busy at the moment, I just wanted her to know that she's special.

I also made a birthday card featuring a flower and butterfly.

Stamps: Altenew - Best Buds, Botanical Garden, Beautiful Inside
Inks: Gina K - Black Amalgam
Dies: Altenew - Geo Frames
Accessories: White Card; SU - Black Card; Sakura Stardust Pens; Copic Markers

I'm submitting this card to AAA Birthday - AAAB#13 where they want to see things with wings - done! Also to Seize the Birthday - STB#190 where it's either Anything Goes birthday, or Monochromatic, done.

I die cut the panel using a rectangle frame die and stamped a flower, butterfly and sentiment in black. I coloured the flower and butterfly with Copic markers and then realised that the line weight of the flower didn't match the butterfly and sentiment - see photo. So I stamped the rose on white card, coloured it to match, fussy cut it out and adhered it to the panel. I don't think you can really see the old flower, and if you can, there are always lots of flowers in the garden!

On the inside, I cut a mat layer of black card and on the white panel I stamped a birthday verse, along with another of the flowers from Botanical Garden. I coloured the flower and left it at that.

That's it from me for today. Do come back again soon. Bye!!

SHC - Hugs ....

.... Hi! How's everyone coping with staying in their homes? I find it's wonderful to have us all together, but at times can be quite stressful. I have two ways to cope - I go out for a daily walk and I play in my craft room. It's fun making cards and I love mixing products from different companies. I'm here today with a couple of cards for my Seven Hills Craft blog post:

Stamps: Hero Arts - Zest Wishes; Waffle Flower - Simply Said 1

Inks: Versafine - Onyx Black; Gina K - Wild Wisteria
Dies: Waffle Flower - Simply Said 1 Die
Accessories: White Card; Stampin' Up! Card - Black, Highland Heather; Clear Embossing Powder, Copic Markers; Sakura Stardust Pens; Nuvo - Clear Aquashimmer Brush

I'm playing along with Perfectly CAS - PCAS#07 where they want us to use die cuts, and with Time Out Challenge - TOC#158 where they want lots or a little purple, I have a little purple.

I stamped the lemon and flower images on white card, coloured them with Copic markers, restamped with Versafine Onyx Black and heat embossed with clear powder. I used Sakura Stardust pens to add lots of sparkly dots to the background. I also used a clear aqua shimmer brush to add sparkle to the lemons. I adhered the panel to the bottom third of the card and added a thin strip of black card. I stamped the word hugs in wisteria ink and used the matching die to cut it out. I also die cut three plain hugs, adhered the stamped word on top of the others to create dimension. On the inside, I cut a strip of lilac card and on the white panel added a greeting and a little flower.

My next card is very clean and simple, in fact I made it for the current challenge at Less is More - LIM#416 where they want a one layer card with no sentiment. I'd finished the card and then got black ink on the edges, so not playing along with them this week!! However, I liked the image and decided to cut it out and mount it on a clean white card:

Stamps: Altenew - Botanical Garden, Geo Frames
Inks: Gina K - Black Amalgam; Versafine - Onyx Black
Accessories: White Card; Copic Markers; Nuvo - Clear Aquashimmer Brush; Clear Embossing Powder

I stamped the frame in the centre of the card. I masked off the bottom edge of the frame and then stamped the flower and butterfly inside the frame. I coloured the iamges with Copic markers, restamped and heat embossed with clear powder. I added a touch of sparkle and called it done. Then I got ink on the card. So I cut out the panel and adhered it to a new card base. I used the colours from the current Cupcake Inspirations Challenge - CIC#490. I left the inside of the card blank for my own message.

It's lots of fun mixing up stamps from different companies. Why not pop over to Seven Hills Craft shop to check out what they have in store? That's all from me today, see you soon.

Happy Crafting ....

... Hi! I'm listening to Radio 2, Zoe Ball's show, as I type this. It is full of music, laughter, joy and fun - all so needed during this time of uncertainty. I've made a card that makes me feel calm and is one of my ways of keeping sane:

Stamps: Altenew - Painted Butterflies, Botanical Garden, Crafty Friends; Waltzingmouse Stamps - Gingham & Co
Inks: Gina K - Lemon Drop, Wild Dandelion, Powder Blue, Innocent Pink, Passionate Pink, Black Amalgam; Memento - Summer Sky
Dies: Altenew - Painted Butterflies
Accessories: White Card; SU Card - Black; Nuvo - Clear Aquashimmer Brush

I'm submitting this card to CAS Colours & Sketches - CASC&S#362, such lovely colours this week, also to Cupcake Inspirations Challenge - CIC#489 to use Butterflies, and to Addicted to Stamps and More - ATSM#381 where it's Anything Goes.

I used my MISTI (so helpful when layering images) and scraps of white card for the butterflies, and cut them out with the matching dies. I masked the top of the card and stamped a pretty ombre gingham rainbow across the bottom. I stamped the outline flower image in bold black and added the sentiment. I finished the front by adhering a thin black border to ground the flower and used dimensional pads to attach the butterflies. I also added some shimmer to the butterflies wings with a clear aquashimmer brush. On the inside, I cut a mat layer of black card and on the white panel stamped another gingham strip and a bold sentiment.

I love the light, spring-like feeling in this card and it's very much like our new back garden. The flowers have all established well and lots of new growth is showing. I'll share pictures of the garden soon.

One of my great joys is being able to go out with family and friends. However, for the foreseeable future, this isn't happening. So, I'm planning to keep touch with folk by posting out the cards I make!! And, of course, calling to talk - it's not the same as being face to face, but it all helps. Be safe.