SHC - Sunny Days Ahead

.... Morning! It's time for my weekly Seven Hills Craft blog post. Today I've another encouragement card to share with you - I need a lot of these right now. 

Stamps: Concord & 9th - Painted Shapes, Bold Butterflies, Rain or Shine, Good Vibes Turnabout

Inks: Memento - Angel Pink, Rose Bud, Rhubarb Stalk; Versafine Clair - Nocturne

Dies: C&9 - Positively Stitched Card Front Die

Accessories: White Card; SU Card - Rich Razzleberry

I'm submitting this card to Happy Little Stampers Anything Goes with Dies - HLSAGD#06, also to Addicted to Stamps and More! - ATSM#431, and finally to Never-Before-Used-Schtuff - NBUS#39 - it's the first time I've used the stitched die plate.

I started by cutting a piece of white card to 5½" × 4¼". I placed the panel in my MISTI and stamped some fun shapes in shades of pink ink. I then added a few extra flower stamps, along with some positive symbols in darker pink. I stamped a greeting, in a fun font, in black in the centre of the panel. To add some more interest to the piece, I used the Positively Stitched card front die to cut lots of little stitched pluses over the front. I trimmed the panel down to 5⅛" × 3⅞" and layered it onto a piece of dark pink card and adhered it to the front of an A2 side-opening notecard. Inside, I cut a mat layer of dark pink card. On the white panel I added a simple greeting and then decorated the inside to match the front of the card.

I think this card will be going to my mum. She's recovering well from the radiotherapy, but still tries to push herself a bit to hard. 

Yesterday was a glorious day here in North Wales, so Jonathan took the day off work and took us all to Bodnant Gardens. It was just fabulous. I pushed my around - but she got up and walked about too - and when we went into the rose garden, the fragrance was just so beautiful. We didn't manage to walk far, but it was a lovely morning. Here are a couple of photos from our walk:

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

SHC - Keep Positive

.... Morning! I'm here with my weekly Seven Hills Craft blog post - I've swapped with Tara for a while. Today I've got an encouragement card to share with you:

Stamps: Altenew - Bad Days Happen; Concord & 9th - Bold Butterflies, Painted Sayings

Inks: Gina K - Wild Dandelion, Tangerine Twist, Warm Cocoa, Red Velvet; Versafine Clair - Nocturne

Dies: C&9 - Positively Cut Card Front Die, Bold Butterflies

Accessories: White Card; Card Scraps from Stash

I'm submitting this card to Happy Little Stampers Anything Goes with Dies - HLSAGD#06.

This was fun to make. It took a while, but is so worth it. I used the Positively Cut card front die to die cut the crosses from an A2 piece of white card. I then found a rainbow of card scraps and cut out lots of little crosses. I adhered the die cut white panel onto the front of an A2 note card and used the in-laid die cut technique to replace the crosses in a rainbow pattern. I stamped the sentiment on white card, fussy cut it out and adhered it to the card with dimensional pads. I finished the front with a tiny die cut butterfly. Inside the card, I cut a mat layer of purple card and on the white panel added another encouragement greeting along with another butterfly.

As you know, my mum and I were diagnosed with breast cancer last year and we're both going through treatment now. We're both doing well. I heard from my sister-in-law earlier this week, she had a mammogram recently and she too has been diagnosed with breast cancer. I know exactly how she's feeling right now, so I thought a bright, positive card would help.

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

SHC - Autumn Leaves ...

... Morning! Surprise, I'm a day early with my Seven Hills Craft blog post - I swapped with Terri. I've got three autumn leaf cards to share with you today, all have the wonderful Triple Step Autumn Leaf from Concord and 9th. I'll start with a clean, simple, sympathy card:

Stamps: Concord & 9th - Triple Step Autumn Leaf; Altenew - Sweet Gingko, Beautiful Inside

Inks: Gina K - Dark Chocolate, Blue Lagoon, Honey Mustard, Kraft

Dies: C&9 - Triple Step Autumn Leaf

Accessories: SU Card - Naturals Ivory; Cream Card; Various card scraps

I'm submitting this card to Addicted to CAS - ATCAS#206 where the cue word is Leaf, and to The Paper Players - PP#559 where the challenge is clean and simple Fall Fun.

I got the idea for this card from the brilliant Jennifer McGuire where she showed how to make some super cards with this stamp set. To make the leaf I first put double-sided adhesive on a piece of white card and used the outline die to cut a white leaf. I then put the outline die and inside piece together and cut another leaf from white card. I removed all the little bits, took off the adhesive covering and placed the die-cut leaf on the sticky leaf. I then die cut the leaf from various bits of scrap card on my desk. Next it was simply a case of putting all the little bits from the coloured card into the white leaf. I layered the complete leaf on two more white die cut leaves. I used a brush to add some ink around the outside of the leaf. I made the note card from ivory card, adhered the leaf and finished with a simple sentiment. Inside the card, I cut a piece of cream card slightly smaller than the note card. I stamped a verse and added a leaf. 

As a result of making the card above, I had four die cut leaves left over, and I made a card with them:

Stamps: Concord & 9th - Triple Step Autumn Leaf; Kids are Grand

Inks: Gina K - Dark Chocolate, Blue Lagoon, Honey Mustard, Kraft

Dies: C&9 - Triple Step Autumn Leaf

Accessories: SU Card - Naturals Ivory, More Mustard; White Card; Various card scraps

I'm submitting this card to Happy Little Stampers Anything Goes with Dies - HLSAGD#09.

I used cream cardstock for the notecard. I adhered the four leaves to the card front, cut off the parts that hung over the edge, and used them to fill in the gaps. I finished the front with a simple greeting stamped on a strip of cream card. Inside, I cut a mat layer of mustard card. On the white panel, I stamped a birthday greeting and some falling autumn leaves.

My final card is clean, simple and rather sparkly!!

Stamps: Concord & 9th - Triple Step Autumn Leaf; Bold Butterflies, Harvest Wreath Turnabout

Inks: Gina K - Wild Dandelion, Sweet Mango, Red Velvet; Versafine Clair - Nocturne

Dies: C&9 - Triple Step Autumn Leaf

Accessories: White Card; SU Card - Riding Hood Red; Gems

I'm submitting this to Just Us Girls - JUGS#602 where they have a colour challenge.

This time, instead of using the die to cut out the pattern inside the leaf, I used the triple-step stamps. I layered the finished leaf on three more white leaves and adhered it to the front of a white card. I finished the front with a simple greeting and lots of pretty clear crystal gems. Inside, I cut a mat layer of red card. On the white panel I stamped a greeting and added a tiny butterfly coloured to match the leaf.

That's all from me today. See you again next week.