My Happy Place

...  I was hoping to make cards everyday, but as they say the best laid plans! Mine fell apart. I didn't even make a Valentine's card for my hubby. But this morning, I woke up and remembered a new stamp set that I got and decided to make a card for him today. Here it is:

Stamps: Gina K - String of Love

Inks: Versafine Clair -Nocturne; Gina K - Sea Glass

Dies: Gina K - String of Love

Accessories: White Card; Lawn Fawn - Cloudy Stencil; Copic Markers; Clear Wink of Stella Pen; Posca - White pen

I'm entering this card to the following challenges:

CAS Colours & Sketches - CASC&S#578 - I do love these colours

Addicted to Stamps and More! - ATSM#510 - to use stencils and/or dies

CAS on Friday - CASOF#327 - Anything Goes as long as it's CAS

The Male Room - TMR#207 - CAS

Never-Before-Used-Schtuff - NBUS#83 - The stamp and die set, and the cloud stencil 

I stencilled, very lightly - you can just about see it in the photo - a cloudy sky. I used whatever ink was left on my brushes! I used my MISTI to stamp the balloons, removed it from the MISTI and coloured with Copic markers. I put the image back into the MISTI and stamped again with Versafine Clair Nocturne ink - I think this is the best black ink. I used the matching die to cut out the image, along with two blanks which I layered together for dimension. I added some highlights to the balloons with a white pen, and some sparkle with a shimmer brush - you can't really see it in the picture, but it's so pretty in real-life. I finished the front by adding a sentiment - my hubby is my happy place!! On the inside, I cut a piece of white card slightly smaller than the A2 notecard. I stamped the balloons in a pale teal colour, added another greeting in black, edged the panel with a dark teal Copic and adhered it to the notecard.

I am so looking forward to the sun shining again soon - it's so hard to take a decent photo in all the grey.

I'm pleased how this turned out - no pink or red in sight, just shades of teal - Jonathan's favourite colour. That's it for now. I'll be back soon.

MCM Birthday

... Hello again! I'm on a bit of a roll. Here's another birthday card I made. This is one for my stash. I've gone for a more masculine look.

Stamps: Uniko - Background Blocks Mid Century Modern, Bauhaus Blocks; Altenew - Just a Number

Inks: Memento - Rhubarb Stalk, Nautical Blue, Bamboo Leaves; Gina K - Soft Stone; Versafine Clair - Nocturne

Dies: MFT - Square STAX Set 2 -  #2

Accessories: White Card; Uniko Stencil - Layering Bauhaus Blocks

I'm playing along with several challenges. They are:

Freshly Made Sketches - FMS#718

CAS Colour & Sketches - CASC&S#576 - I do like these colours

Addicted to Stamps and More! - ATSM#508 - Birthdays

I started by picking three of the square images from the Layering Bauhaus Blocks stencil and inked them up with the three colours. I used a 1" square die to cut out the images. Next I stamped the graphic background in soft grey ink over a piece of white card. I trimmed off a section and adhered it to an A2 white card base. I used a marker to draw in a thin black line to define the panel. Next, I stamped the simple birthday greeting in black ink and finally I adhered the colourful blocks to the card front. Simple and graphic. For the inside, I cut a piece of white card onto which I stamped the graphic background in the centre of the panel. I finished by adding a fun greeting in black ink.

It's good getting back to making cards - I'm very slow and out of practise, but the objective is to enjoy myself and end up with a nice stash of cards ready for me to use.

That's it for now. I'm going to make a start of a couple more cards today and hope to be able to share them in the next few days. See you soon.

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.

Birthday Flowers

... Morning!! I was on a bit of a roll yesterday, it's so nice to be back making cards. I've another birthday card to share this morning:

Stamps: Uniko - Birthday Sentiments, Birthday Wishes

Inks: Gina K - Sunkissed Coral, Sea Glass, Emerald Sea; Versafine Claire - Nocturne

Accessories: Uniko Stencil - Fun Flowers Spray Mask; White Card; Copic Marker; Simon Says - Moonshine Confetti

I used colours from CAS Colours & Sketches - CASC&S#567 (so nice to be playing along again), and I'm also playing with Seize the Birthday -STB#312 - I've gone with the Anything Goes birthday theme.

I used another stencil that's been in my stash for a while. It's a two-piece stencil and mask. I placed the stencil on white card, lightly inked the leaves and flowers, added the mask and inked details in the flowers and leaves. I used post-it notes to mask off some of the flowers - it worked fairly well. I finished the front by stamping a bold birthday greeting in black ink. I trimmed the panel to be slightly smaller than an A2 (US size) card, edged the panel with a black Copic and adhered to the card. I completed the card by adding some sparkle with confetti bits. Inside the card, I cut another piece of white card, lightly stencilled the flowers at the bottom of the panel and added a greeting. That's it. Another card for my stash!

It's good to be back. Thank you for visiting and leaving comments - they are always much appreciated.

Happy 80th Birthday ....

..... Good morning! I'm sharing a couple of birthday cards I've made for my father-in-law, Simon, who is 80 years old today. He's not much for celebrating birthdays, so I decided not to put a number on his cards, but you I think you can tell it's a special birthday! Here's the first card:

Stamps: Impression Obsession - Umpteenth Birthday; Concord & 9th - Yay for Birthdays; Waltzingmouse Stamps - Woodgrain

Inks: Gina K - Sandy Beach, Dark Chocolate, Soft Stone, Barely There; Versafine Clair - Nocturne; Memento - Summer Sky, New Sprout

Dies: Spellbinders - Contemporary Squares

Accessories: White Card; Scrap blue and green card

I'm submitting this card to The Male Room - TMR#149 where the theme is wood. I've used the sketch from Freshly Made Sketches - FMS#480 for the layout, and I'm also playing along with Happy Little Stampers Anything Goes with Dies - HLSAGD#04.

I thought I had some real wood card in my stash, but I couldn't find it, so I stamped a woodgrain image on white card using two shades of brown and a soft grey. I used a Spellbinder die to cut out the swoosh of contemporary squares. I adhered the outline piece to the front of an A2 card. I used some scraps of blue and green card to cut out the 'squares' and adhered them inside the outline. I finished the strip by adding the square of 'wood' card. I completed the front with a fun birthday greeting, which I'm sure Simon will like! On the inside, I cut a piece of white card slightly smaller than the base. I stamped a fun birthday cupcake in soft tones of blue and green and finished with a fun sentiment.

The card above is the one that mum sent to Simon. I also made one for Jonathan and I to send to Simon:

Stamps: Stampin' Up! - Best of Birthdays; Concord & 9th - Birthday Stacks

Inks: SU - Merry Merlot, Mossy Meadow, Daffodil Delight; Versafine - Onyx Black

Accessories: White Card; Visible Image Stencil - Two Tone; Copic Markers; Clear Embossing Powder; Nuvo - Clear Aqua Shimmer Brush

I'm submitting this card to CAS Colours & Sketches - CASC&S#414, Perfectly CAS - PCAS#13, and to Seize the Birthday - STB#211 where the toppings option is Squares.

I started by masking the card to create a central panel onto which I stencilled lots of little squares in burgundy, yellow and green. Next I stamped this cute cake topped with loads of candles and a fun sentiment. I coloured the image with Copic markers and fussy cut it out. I added lots of sparkle to the cake with a clear aqua shimmer brush. I used dimensional pads to adhere it to the front of the card. Inside, I cut another piece of white card, slightly smaller than the card. At the bottom I stamped a line of bold birthday candle which I coloured with Copic markers to match the central panel. I embossed the candles and finished with a bold, simple birthday greeting which finishes off the message.

While travel restrictions have been relaxed in the United Kingdom, it is not possible for us all to get together to celebrate. However, we will be having a Zoom get together for a quiz and to chat later this afternoon. So looking forward to when we can all meet in person!!

That's all from me today - have a good one. See you soon.

A Twofer Flowers ....

... Good evening! It's been a bit of a day here in Northop Hall. I woke early to see falling snow - not too much, but we're really not geared up to handle snow in the UK. I did a quick trip to Tesco for the weekly groceries, and I've spent the rest of the day working in my craft room. I've made a couple of cards for the current Twofer Card Challenge - TCC#34 where Darnell wants to see us use Flowers:

Stamps: Dare 2B Artzy - Flowers for Mom, Blissful Blossom; MFT - Whimsical Greeting

Inks: Hero Arts - Unicorn; Versafine Claire - Nocturne; Versafine - Onyx Black

Dies: Dare 2B Artzy - Joyful Flowers D42; Lil Inkers - Dual Dotted Rectangles #5

Accessories: White & Black Card; Dare 2B Artzy DP - Fields of Joy; Copic Markers; Sakura Stardust Pens; Clear Embossing Powder

I'm so pleased to play along with the Twofer challenge, I always have good intentions, but run out of time. I've had the D2BA design paper, matching stamps and dies for quite some time and it's the first time I've used them, so I'm going to submit them to Never-Before-Used-Schtuff - NBUS#22. I'm also submitting the cards to Dare 2B Artzy - D2BA#01 where the January challenge is Anything Goes.

I started by making the Mother's Day card. I used the D2BA die to cut out the flower from the design paper. I cut out several flowers. I used a large dotty rectangle die to cut some design paper to cover the card. I cut a couple of plain white rectangles, rounded the corners and on one I stamped the greeting and some outline flowers, on the other I adhered the die cut flower. I adhered them both to the front of the card. On the inside, I cut another piece of the design paper for the mat layer. On the white panel I stamped a lovely greeting and added another of the die cut flowers to the corner. I'm submitting this card to Just Add Ink - JAI#538 as I used their sketch for the layout of the card.

My next card is a clean, simple birthday card. This time I stamped the flower image on white card, coloured it with Copic markers, restamped with Versafine black ink, heat embossed with clear powder and cut it out with the matching die. I added some sparkle to the flower with Sakura Stardust pens. I cut a strip of black card onto which I stamped a birthday greeting in white ink and embossed this with clear powder. On the inside, I kept it simple with a greeting in black and added one of the die cut design paper flowers. I'm submitting this card to CAS Colours & Sketches - CASC&S#402 - I used their colours, and to The Flower Challenge - TFC#52 where they want us to use Embossing (heat or dry).

I had lots of fun making these cards - same materials, but looking so different. Here are large versions of each card.

Before I go, here are all the challenge graphics:

It stopped snowing earlier this afternoon and the sun came out, so some has melted, but it's going to be cold tonight, so I expect it's going to freeze!! Ugh! Oh well, it means I'll play again tomorrow. Bye for now.