Fall Colours

...Morning!! So much for making a card everyday!! Instead, I've been doing some reorganising in my craft room - it's nearly done. However, I did get chance to make a card yesterday - we had autumn sunshine and I noticed that autumn colours are creeping in already. So, here's the card:

Stamps: Waffle Flower - Multiple Fall Leaves; C&9 - Triple Step Autumn Leaf, Harvest Wreath Turnabout; Stampin' Up! - Cookie Cutter Halloween

Inks: Versafine Clair - Nocturne; Gina K - Faded Brick, Fresh Asparagus, Sandy Beach; Memento - Tuxedo Black

Accessories: White Card; SU Punch - Cookie Cutter; Copic Markers

I masked off an area in the centre of the notecard, I lightly inked the background, stamped some outline leaves, which I coloured with Copic markers, and finished by adding some solid images in coloured inks. I removed the tape (sadly there was some spreading of the alcohol ink) and stamped a greeting. Next, I stamped the cute scarecrow, coloured him with Copics and used the co-ordinating punch to cut him out. For the inside of the card, I cut a piece of white card slightly smaller than the notecard, added some autumnal leaves and a simple greeting in bold black ink.

This one is already in the post, off to my Aunt in Barry and confirming a date for our lunch next month - so looking forward to seeing her.

I'm playing along with the following challenges - CAS Colours & Sketches - CASC&S#568 (used their sketch); Addicted to Stamps and More! - ATSM#501 (make your mark); CAS on Friday - CASOF#317 (Theme - Fall); and Never-Before-Used-Schtuff - NBUS#78 (I've had the Cookie Cutter image and punch for years, and this is the first time I've used it on a card!!!).

That's all for now - I'm spending the rest of the day finishing off the reorganisation that I started. I've got rid of a large black DVD unit (used to store SU and Uniko stamps) - it blocked the light, and now I have a much brighter room. There's no autumnal sunshine today, just rain - lots of it. I'm not going to grumble as we need the rain, but it's dull!!! Bye for now.

SHC - Batch Christmas Cards ....

.... Morning! I'm here with my Seven Hills Craft blog post. I've been a bit smug about finishing all my Christmas cards for this year. Sadly, last weekend, I discovered that I was in fact short several cards. So I decided to batch make some cards. Inspiration for the designs comes from Gina K, but I've used Altenew, Concord & 9th, Colorado Craft Company, and Hero Arts products for my cards. Here are my ten cards:

Stamps: C&9 0 Harvest Wreath Turnabout, Warm Wishes Turnabout, Christmas Cottage; Altenew - Freeform Greenery, Parrot Paradise, Happy Dreams, Majestic Mistletoe, Warm Blessings; Hero Arts - Color Layering Holly; CCC - Big & Bold Majestic Moth, Big & Bold Holly & Berries

Inks: Stampin' Up! - Midnight Muse, Raspberry Ripple, Always Artichoke, Gumball Green, Riding Hood Red; Gina K - Tranquil Teal; Versafine Claire - Nocturne

Dies: Gina K - Master Layouts 3

Accessories: White & Black Card; SU Card - Midnight Muse, Raspberry Ripple, Always Artichoke, Gumball Green, Riding Hood Red

I'm submitting these cards to Holly & Ivy Christmas Challenge - H&ICC#106 and to Merry Little Christmas Challenge Blog - MLCCB#41 where it is always Anything Christmas Goes.

I started by preparing all my materials. I used old cardstock to make the note cards - all A2 side opening cards in festive colours. I cut ten white panels 3½" x 4¾" and 10 black panels 3⅝" x 4⅞". I went through my large vast stamp collection and found stamps sets with lots of smaller leaf images that would work to create a wreath. Most of the designs are centred on the white panel, with a few off to the side. I stamped the various leaves using inks to match the cardstock. Once finished, I adhered the stamped panels to the black layer panels and added them to the front of the note cards. Next I made the focal sentiments. Once again, I found smaller greetings, stamped them in black on white card. I used a stitch edged circle die to cut them out and a slightly larger die to cut a black mat layer. I adhered all the greetings flat to the front of the card. Inside, I kept things simple. I cut a white panel 4" x 5¼" and I used the same greeting for all the panels. I added a single leaf image for decoration and stamped it to match the cardstock.

I'm very pleased how these turned out. I got them made in about three hours and I think I've now got all the cards I need this year. But I had such fun, that I might make a couple of sets to give as gifts this year - to my son and to my daughter!! I spent most of Sunday writing all my cards and they are now on their way to my family and friends. That's all for today. See you soon.

SHC - A Wreath for All Seasons ....

... Pinch, punch, the first of the month!! Can you believe it's already September, no, me neither! However, it does mean that it's time for my weekly Seven Hills Craft Blog post. I have four cards to share with you today. I've focused on the Harvest Wreath stamp set from Concord & 9th's new release. I'll start with a birthday card:

Stamps: Concord & 9th - Harvest Wreath Turnabout, Tiny Tagalongs; MFT - Itty Bitty Birthday

Inks: Gina K - Honey Mustard, Blue Denim, Grass Green, Cherry Red

Dies: C&9 - Harvest Wreath

Accessories: White Card; SU Card - Cherry Cobbler; Copic Marker

I'm submitting this card to The Paper Players - PP#556 where they have a tic-tac-toe grid - I've picked the central horizontal line - birthday, die-cut, masculine.

I made the note card from dark red card. I used my MISTI to stamp the fuller wreath in blue, mustard, red and green inks - I used darker inks for a more seasonal look. I cut the panel slightly smaller than the note card, edged it with a blue marker and adhered it to the card. I used one of the co-ordinating dies to cut a stitched edge square in red card and stamped leaves in Versamark ink for a tone-on-tone look. I adhered the square to make a diamond shape. I finished the front by adding a simple birthday greeting in blue ink and cut out with a stitch edged die. Inside, I stamped one of the greeting from Harvest Wreath and added a tiny sentiment from Itty Bitty Birthday to complete the message. I also stamped some more of the leaves from the wreath image. This card is on it's way to my uncle - it's his birthday this weekend.

While I had this wreath image in the MISTI, I stamped another wreath in brighter colours:

Stamps: Concord & 9th - Harvest Wreath Turnabout, Tiny Tagalongs

Inks: Gina K - Wild Dandelion, Turquoise Sea, Blue Denim, Soft Stone; Versamark

Dies: C&9 - Harvest Wreath

Accessories: White Card; SU Card - Smoky Slate, Night of Navy; Nuvo - Clear Aqua Shimmer Brush; Glossy Accents

I'm submitting this card to Just Us Girls - JUGS#599 where it's a photo week. I've taken the colours from the inspiration photo.

I made the note card from soft grey card. I stamped the wreath leaves in Versamark ink around the edge of the grey note card for a tone-on-tone background pattern. I used blue, yellow, turquoise and grey ink to create this wreath. I added a simple sentiment in blue ink at the bottom of the panel.  I adhered the panel directly to the card base. I finished the front by adding a tiny heart which I die cut from navy card stock. I covered it with sparkle and added glossy accents. Love the way the heart looks! On the white panel inside the card, I simply stamped more of the leaves in yellow ink. I might add a greeting later, or leave it blank for my own message.

I changed the wreath image to the thinner wreath and made a Christmas card:

Stamps: Concord & 9th - Harvest Wreath Turnabout, All the Merrys, Holly Berry Turnabout

Inks: Gina K - Red Hot, Lucky Clover, Christmas Pine; Versamark

Dies: C&9 - Everyday Circles

Accessories: White Card; SU Card - Poppy Parade; Lawn Fawn - Gold Embossing Powder

I'm submitting this to The Holly & Ivy Christmas Challenge - H&ICC#100 where it's Anything Christmas Goes.

I used traditional Christmas colours for this card and the last impression was stamped with Versamark ink, I added gold embossing powder and heat set it. I didn't have gold card to match the gold embossing, so I made my own. I cut a piece of white card, rubbed Versamark ink around the edges and poured on gold embossing powder and heat set. I repeated this process three times to give a nice gold edge. I layered the stamped panel on the embossed piece and added both to the front of a 5¼" square note card. I used a stitch edge die to cut a circle panel, stamped a Christmas greeting, added some green leaves and then edged the circle with Versamark and used gold embossing powder to create a gold rim. I used dimensional pads to add the greeting to the front of the card. Inside, I cut a mat layer of red card. On the white panel I created the greeting from the words in the Holly Berry turnabout stamp set.

For my final card I changed up the colours and created a Halloween card:

Stamps: Concord & 9th - Harvest Wreath Turnabout, Tiny Tagalong; Stamping Bella - Oddball Sparkle Fairy

Inks: Gina K - Key Lime, Tangerine Twist, Wild Lilac, Black Onyx; Versamark

Accessories: White Card; SU Card - Tangelo Twist; Copic Markers; Nuvo - Clear Aqua Shimmer Brush; Clear Embossing Powder

I'm submitting this card to Time Out Challenge - TOC#195 where they want us to use a Coloured Card Base. I could have used any of the cards, but I like this orange one!!

I used traditional Halloween colours for the wreath. I stamped the sparkle fairy on white card, removed her from the MISTI, coloured her with Copic markers, restamped with Versafine black ink and heat embossed with clear powder. I then carefully fussy cut her out. I used a black marker to go over the white card edges. I added the Halloween sparkle in the centre of the wreath, stamped a simple greeting and adhered the fairy to the wreath. I added sparkle to the fairy's wings and the tiny skulls. On the white panel inside the card, I simply stamped the greeting and added more of the little skulls.

That's it. I could have made lots more cards with these wreath images - I have ideas for a wedding and sympathy cards, but I'll do those later. Thanks for staying to the end of the post. See you soon.