Easter Simplicity

.... Good afternoon! It's been a lovely day here in Northop Hall - blue skies and sunshine, but a cold wind. I've been doing my usual - working in my craft room. I finished my last Easter card - this one is for our son, Ben. Here's the card:

Stamps: Waltzingmouse Stamps (closed) - Free Spirit Boy, Compact Sentiments; Gina K - Handmade Holidays

Inks: Versamark; Gina K - Blue Raspberry, Blue Denim, Key Lime, Lucky Clover, Soft Stone; Versafine Clair - Nocturne

Dies: Spellbinders - Nested Eggs (S4-264) #2; Gina K - Handmade Holidays

Accessories: White Card; Clear Embossing Powder

I'm submitting this card to CAS Colours & Sketches - CASC&S#533 - they have a sketch this week, and to CAS on Friday - CASOF#279 - where the theme is Easter.

I was having a bit of struggle trying to decide what to make for Ben's card, then when I saw the sketch, I knew that it would have to be six funky Easter eggs. I stamped the large Free Spirit circle image in Versmark ink and embossed with clear powder - I did two images. I coloured one with blue inks and the other with green inks. I used a small Easter egg die to cut out three of each and added them to a plain white A2 note card. I finished the front with a simple Easter greeting in black ink.

For the inside, I cut a couple of pieces of white card. On the larger piece I lightly brushed on blue ink. On the smaller piece I stamped the large circle image in soft grey ink and added a bold greeting in black ink. I layered the panels together and adhered them inside the card.

The Free Spirit Boy stamp set is from Waltzingmouse Stamps and is one of my all time favourite sets. I've used it often to make cards for Ben. 

On my last post, I mentioned that I was going to have some blonde highlights in my hair and promised a photo. Here it is:

I'm so pleased how the colour has come out. I love, love the bright blue, pink and green that I had over Christmas, but it takes so much to keep it looking nice (and it's expensive too, so it was time to go back to more 'normal' colours. That's all for today. Bye for now.

For my Mum

.... Hello, good morning. Today is Mothering Sunday in the United Kingdom - the date varies from year to year as it follows Lent in the Christian calendar. While I'm not at all religious - Mum is, and she has spent the morning at our local church celebrating Mothering Sunday. Here's the card I made for Mum:

Stamps: Gina K - Handmade Holidays, Ocean Silhouettes, Wonderfully Made

Inks: Gina K - Sea Glass, Ocean Mist, Turquoise Sea, Blue Lagoon, Key Lime, Lucky Clover; Versafine Clair - Nocturne; Memento - Tuxedo Black

Dies: Gina K - Master Layouts 4, Handmade Holidays

Accessories: White Card; SU Card - Bermuda Bay; Gina K Stencil - Summer Bouquet, Gina K Poly Glaze - Petit Flourish; Gina K Fancy Foil - Sparkling Silver; Copic Markers

I'm submitting this card to Color Hues - CH#82 - these are mum's favourite colours!!

I started by foiling one of my Poly Glaze sheets with sparkling silver foil - I love the petit flourish pattern - I made another foiled sheet with the left over foil. I used the Summer Bouquet stencils to create a bunch of lovely flowers on the card. I used the scalloped edge die to cut out a dark turquoise mat layer. I trimmed the stencilled panel to size and added it to the mat, and attached the whole piece to the front of an A2 white note card. I stamped a greeting in black on white card, cut it out with the matching die and added it to the middle of the card.

Inside the card, I cut a mat layer of turquoise card. On the white card, I stamped a simple greeting and added a pretty butterfly which I coloured with Copic markers. I took a close up of the front panel to show all the lovely sparkle from the silver foil.

I hope that everyone who is celebrating Mothering Sunday has a lovely day today. I'm making our favourite meal for dinner - roast lamb, mashed potato, veg, Yorkshire pudding, gravy, and mint sauce. Yum!! See you all soon.

Mother's Day Card

..... Good afternoon! My second post this week - I'm on a roll. It's Mothering Sunday on 10 March and I've got a few cards to make - one for my mum, one for my mother-in-law, and one for my aunt. This is the one for my MIL:

Stamps: Gina K - Lovely Flowers, Handmade Holidays, Ocean Silhouettes, Lovely Notes

Inks: Gina K - Dusty Rose, Sea Glass, Ocean Mist, Applemint, Lucky Clover, Soft Stone; Versafine Clair - Nocturne

Dies: Gina K - Lovely Flowers, Handmade Holidays

Accessories: White & Black card; Gina K Stencils - Lovely Flowers, Brick Wall; Gina K Glimmer Mist - Sterling Silver

I'm submitting this card to several challenges. The first is Inkspirational - INK#310 where they have a lovely mood board for us. Second is The Flower Challenge - TFC#89 - to make a square card, and the last is Never-Before-Used-Schtuff - NBUS#60 - I've had all this stash for a while, but this is the first time they've been used!!

I used my MISTI to stamp the large floral image on white card. I removed the card and used the matching stencils to add colour to the image - the stencils match up very easily. Finally, I die cut the coloured image along with two further white die cuts. On a white square card measuring 5¾", I lightly stencilled a grey brick wall and added some silver shimmer spray. I stamped the greeting on white card, cut it out with the matching die along with two further die cuts. I layered the die cuts together for dimension and stability and then adhered both pieces to the front of the card.

Inside the card, I cut a mat layer of black card. On the white panel I stamped the large floral image in pale grey ink. I created the sentiment from two different stamps sets - I like mixing things up. Below is a close-up image of the front of the card - so that you can see the shimmer of the silver spray.

So, that's the first card done. Tomorrow, I'll make the card for my aunt and then one for mum on Friday. That's all for today - see you soon.