SHC - Shine Like a Diamond ....

... Good morning! I hope everyone is well and coping with all the changes in lockdown regulations. Here in Wales, we still have to stay at home - but that might change next week! So I've been making good use of all my at-home time. I got a new stamp set from Altenew - Shine Like a Diamond - it's fabulous and I've stamped so many different backgrounds with it. Here's my first card:

Stamps: Altenew - Shine Like a Diamond
Inks: Versamark; Versafine - Onyx Black
Accessories: White Card; SU Card - Basic Black; Tim Holtz Water colour Card; Zig Clean Colour Brushes; Clear and White Embossing Powder; Vellum; Gems

I'm submitting this card to Happy Little Stampers Watercolour Challenge - HLSWC#06 where it's anything goes with the option of layers, done!

I stamped the large geometric background on white watercolour card using Versamark and heat embossed with white powder. I then covered the image with plain water and added a rainbow of colours to create the gradient background. Once dry, I cut the panel to size. On a strip of vellum I stamped the greeting in black Versafine ink and heat embossed with a clear powder. I wrapped the vellum strip around the rainbow panel and adhered the whole lot to a black mat panel, and attached it to a card. I finished the front by adding some gems. On the inside, I cut a mat layer of black card and on the white panel I stamped a greeting which completed the sentiment. I also added a strip of the watercolour card.

My next card is being submitted to Inkspirational - INK#215 where they have a photo for inspiration. I took the colours yellow and grey for my card.

Stamps: Altenew - Shine Like a Diamond; Concord & 9th - Shine On
Inks: Versamark; Gina K - Jet Black Amalgam, Wild Dandelion, Lemon Drop
Dies: C&9 - Shine On
Accessories: White Card; SU Card - Grey Granite, Basic Grey, Crushed Curry; Silver Embossing Powder; Vellum; Nuvo - Clear Aquashimmer Brush; Copic Markers; Sakura Stardust Pen; Glossy Accents

I used my MISTI for this card. I stamped the background image in pale grey ink, took it out and coloured with Copic markers and a Sakura Stardust glitter pen. I repositioned the image, stamped with Versamark and heat embossed with silver powder. I cut the panel to fit a side opening 5½" x 4¼ grey card. I made the 'shine' embellishment by adhering two of the diecut shine words, covered with shimmer and glossy accents and layered them onto the vellum shadow. I attached it to the front of the card and finished with a simple sentiment on a white strip. On the inside, I cut another white panel onto which I stamped a greeting and some diamond shapes.

My last two cards have a Christmas theme:

Stamps: Altenew - Shine Like a Diamond, Majestic Mistletoe; Concord & 9th - Joyful Noel
Inks: Kaleidacolor - Fruitcake; Gina K - Jet Black Amalgam, Sandy Beach
Dies: C&9 - Joyful Noel
Accessories: White Card; SU Card - Basic Black

I'm submitting the Noel card to Happy Little Stampers Christmas Challenge - HLSXMAS#06 where it's Anything Goes, and the Joy card to Happy Little Stampers Anything Goes with Dies - HLSAGD#06.

I stamped the geometric background using Kaleidacolor's Fruitcake pad - I think this works perfectly for festive cards. I used Concord & 9th's Joyful Noel dies to cut out the wreath and letters, and used them to make both cards. The background of the Noel card was made using the text image from Joyful Noel, while the leaves on the Joy card came from Majestic Mistletoe. I kept the inside of each card reasonably simple:

Thanks so much for sticking around to the end of the post. That's all from me today. Take care and I'll see you soon.

For Ben .....

.... Hi! Well that's Christmas over for another year! Our holiday started with our flight from Detroit being delayed by two hours, but the pilot made up some time and we landed only an hour late. The trip on the underground into London was good - it was early on Sunday morning and the tube wasn't too busy. We met up with Ben - so pleased to see him at last. Then we got on the train to Leicester to see the rest of the family. The train was a bit delayed, but not too bad. The weather has been quite mild so far - I've seen some of the photos from Michigan and they've had a really white Christmas, not here in the UK though. We're halfway through our Christmas holiday and today we're heading to Fleet, Hampshire to visit my Mum, Aunt and Uncle. More travelling, but so worth it to see family. Today, I'm sharing the card that I made for Ben. I always miss him so much, and it's been super to be able to see him and catch up with all his news. Here's the card:

Stamps: Concord & 9th - Christmas Cheer Turnabout, Joyful Noel
Inks: Distress Oxides - Cracked Pistachio, Twisted Citron, Lucky Clover, Peacock Feathers; Gina K - Black Onyx
Dies: Concord & 9th - Joyful Noel
Accessories: White Lustre Card; SU Card - Crumb Cake, Lemon Lime Twist; White Signo Gel Pen; Copics; Shimmer Spritz - Frost; Nuvo Glitter Drops - Emerald City, Ruby Slippers, Dazzling Blue; Nuvo Aqua Shimmer Brush - Clear; Copics

I used the last of the panels that I made with the Christmas Cheer turnabout stamps. After stamping the outline images, I added some white highlight with a gel pen and also used some of the small solid images to add more colour. I spritzed the whole panel with frost shimmer spray and adhered it to a white card base. I die cut the word 'joy' from bright lime card and covered the J and Y with Nuvo shimmer and added some glitter drops to the wreath O. On the inside I cut a mat layer of kraft card and on the white panel I stamped a Christmas light wreath which I coloured with Copics and added a simple greeting.

I'm submitting this one to Happy Little Stampers Anything Goes with a Die Challenge - HLSAG#12, and also to Love to Craft Challenge Blog - LTCCB#17 where it's anything goes. That's all for today. Do come back tomorrow to see the card I made for Kat. Bye for now.