Birthday Balloons

... Morning! I was on a roll yesterday and made a fun and very bright birthday card:

Stamps: Uniko - Framed Balloons, Everyday Love Sentiments, Mid Century Modern Everyday Sentiments, Birthday Sentiments

Inks: Gina K - Petunia; Versafine Clair - Nocturne

Accessories: White & Black Card; Copic Markers; Clear Glitter Aquabrush; Posca -White Pen

I'm submitting this card to the following challenges:

The Paper Players - PP#773 - Balloons and birthdays

Colorful Options - CO#0226 - Pinks and Purples

Uniko Studio 14th Birthday Party - US#14BD

I got my new stash from Bev (Uniko) yesterday and had to use it immediately. I've been waiting for this stamp to come back into stock. I love it. I used my MISTI to stamp the image, removed it and coloured the balloons and confetti with Copic markers. I returned it to the MISTI and stamped the image again with Nocturne ink, and then I cut it out and layered it on black card for a mat layer. I added some sparkle to all the balloons with a glitter brush and finished by adding the greeting and some white highlights on the balloons. On the inside, I cut a mat black layer and on the white panel simply stamped a greeting and cute birthday present. 

I can see this stamp being used lots and in lots of colours too. 

That's all for now. I'm off to have my hair cut this morning - always love to be pampered!! See you again soon. And double plus good, the sun is shining!! Yea.

SHC - Floral Birthdays ....

..... Good morning! I'm here with my weekly Seven Hills Craft blog post. I've got a couple of floral birthday cards to share with you today. Here's the first:

Stamps: Concord & 9th - Buds & Blossoms, Yay for Birthdays; Altenew - Birthday Builder

Inks: Gina K - Peach Bellini, Sweet Corn, Sea Glass, Ocean Mist, Jelly Bean Green, Passionate Pink, Innocent Pink, Tangerine Twist, Sweet Mango, Slate

Dies: Concord & 9th - Buds & Blossoms

Accessories: White Card; Stickles

I'm submitting this card to Sunday Stamps Challenge - SSC#257 where they have these gorgeous colours, and to Seize the Birthday - STB#214 and I've used the optional twist to make a bouquet of flowers.

Mum asked me to make her a card for one of her friends - so I thought a floral card would be just right. I die cut several flowers and leaves using the Buds & Blossoms dies from white card. I kept the negative space card and put that in my MISTI, positioned the matching solid images in the space, picked them up with the MISTI door and then put the white diecuts in the space and stamped. Once I'd done the solid images I stamped the outline images.  I worked out where I wanted the flowers and leaves to be on the card, and then stamped the birthday greeting. I adhered the outer flowers and leaves flat to the card and used dimensional pads for the yellow, peach and pink flowers. I finished the front by adding some Stickles glitter to the flowers. Inside the card, I cut a piece of white card slightly smaller than the card. I stamped a couple more flowers on the corners and finished by adding a fun birthday greeting. I edged the panel with an aqua marker.

I had a couple of die cut flowers and some leaves leftover, so I made another card:

Stamps: Concord & 9th - Polka Dot Turnabout Stamp, Buds & Blossoms; Altenew - Birthday Builder

Inks: Memento - Lady Bug; Gina K - Slate

Dies: Altenew - Geo Frames; Concord & 9th - Buds & Blossoms

Accessories: White & Black Card

I'm submitting this card to The Paper Players - PP#541 where they want to see Polka Dots, and to AAA Cards - AAA#190 where they're celebrating their 7th Birthday.

I started by stamping the polka dot background directly on the card. I used the Polka Dot turnabout stamp and only stamped it once in bright red to match the flower. I used a hexagon die to cut the white panel, to get the black mat layer I simply placed the die on black card, drew round it and cut it out. Makes the perfect size mat. I stamped a simple birthday greeting on the hexagon. I finished by adding the multi-headed flower - this has been layered onto three other die cuts to give dimension and stability. Inside the card, I cut a piece of white card onto which I stamped a greeting and added the last of my left over flowers and leaves.

That's all from me today - see you soon.

Happy Birthday ....

..... Morning! Surprise, another post from me this week. I've got a birthday card to share. I made this for my brother-in-law:

Stamps: Visible Image - Ahead of our Time, Happy Birthday

Inks: Versafine - Onyx Black; Gina K - Sea Glass, Ocean Mist, Turquoise Sea; Versafine Clair - Nocturne

Accessories: White Card; Visible Image Stencil - Ripples; Clear Embossing Powder

I'm submitting this card to Never-Before-Used-Schtuff - NBUS#26 - the stencil and birthday stamps are new, and the Ahead of our Time image is old and not used before!! I'm also submitting to Seize the Birthday - STB#213, I'm skipping the Toppings option and just making a birthday card. I'm also playing along with The Paper Players - PP#539 where they want Cards for Boys.

My BIL likes the artist René Magritte. Many of Magritte's paintings feature a man wearing a bowler hat, and this image from Ahead of our Time is just perfect for Tim's card. I used my MISTI to stamp the image in black Versafine ink and heat embossed it with clear powder. I repeated this twice to make the image as black as possible and to get as much shine as possible. Once cooled, I placed the stencil over the image and inked the design with three shades of teal ink. I finished the front by stamping a simple birthday greeting. On the inside, I cut a piece of white slightly smaller than the note card which is 6¼" x 4½". I stamped the spiral clock face in the centre of the panel using teal inks. I then added the verse from the Happy Birthday stamp set. I like this verse and can see it being used often! I edged the panel with a marker pen and adhered it to the card.

It's okay to share the card today as it was Tim's birthday yesterday!

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

SHC - Plentiful Pines ....

.... Morning! It was a lovely day yesterday. I went out for my walk in the afternoon and it was so nice and warm, a bit overcast, but that's fine. And today, well, we are told that it's going to be HOT!! Anyway, enough of the weather, I'm here this morning with my post for Seven Hills Craft blog. I've used Altenew's Plentiful Pine stamp set to make a birthday card - it's quite bright and cheery!

Stamps: Altenew - Plentiful Pine; Lawn Fawn - Blue Skies
Inks: Gina K - Powder Blue, Blue Raspberry, Blue Denim, In the Navy, Applemint, Key Lime, Jelly Bean Green, Grass Green, Sea Glass, Ocean Mist, Turquoise Sea, Blue Lagoon, Jet Black Amalgam; Distress Oxides - Crushed Olive, Mowed Lawn, Tumbled Glass
Accessories: White Card; Copic Markers; Lawn Fawn Stencils - Hillside Stencils

I'm submitting this card to a few challenges. The Male Room - TMR#136 where the theme is In the Garden, hopefully this counts. The Paper Players - PP#491 where they want a card with Men in Mind - they'd like it CAS too, not sure whether this counts. Finally, I'm also playing along with Uniko - USC#59 where it's Anything Goes with the option of bright and happy, and I think this is!

I stamped the large pine tree in four shades of aqua ink - I really like the depth you build up with these stamps, they are so easy to line up too. For the smaller trees I used shades of green and blue. I know that in real-life you don't really get trees that are that blue, but I like the idea! There are dies that go with this stamp set, but I didn't use them I simply fussy cut the trees. To make the background I used Lawn Fawn's Hillside stencils and distress oxide inks. I created a couple of hills. I added a mask for the sun and used torn paper to create the suggestion of cloud banks, and stamped a few cloud outline images. I finished the front with the birthday greeting from Plentiful Pine. I've not had time to decorate the inside, but will do that later this week.

I first came across this stamp set at an Altenew workshop in November 2019 run by Lydia Evans (who lives in a town near me). We all made some Christmas cards using these stamps - they didn't get posted out last year, but were the first ones made for this year. Before I post them out, I'll add some sparkle to the trees to suggest snow, and I'll do the insides too.

That's all from me today. I've been busy doing a week long online class with Dyan Reaveley and a few hundred art buddies called Distinctly Dylusions. It was brilliant and I'll share my pages soon. We have a week off, and then I'm signed up for another week long class. So looking forward to it. See you again soon.

Happy Birthday Darling ....

... Good morning! Today is Jonathan's birthday. My toy boy is 56 years young today and I've made him a very special birthday card:

Stamps: Viva Las Vegas - Plate 925 (Dr Who)
Inks: Gina K - Black Amalgam
Accessories: White Card; SU Card - Night of Navy; Copic Markers

I'm submitting this card to AAA Cards - AAA#164 where they want one image with the option of being inspired by a TV show, The Paper Players - PP#488 - sketch, and Seize the Birthday - STB#189 where Anything Birthday goes.

You're either wondering what the heck I'm playing at, or you're falling about laughing! If you're a Dr Who fan, I guess you get the reference. For those who don't know what this picture means, I've added a video clip at the end of the post. Watch and enjoy. I stamped the bowl of fish fingers and custard on white card, coloured it with Copic markers and fussy cut it out. I cut a panel of navy card onto which I adhered a smaller white panel. I stamped the sentiment and used dimensional pads to attach the image. On the inside, I simply stamped the image again in black and added another greetings.

Jonathan will LOVE this card - he has a huge and varied Dr Who collection. This picture references when Matt Smith took over the role of Dr Who, and we all really enjoyed Matt's portrayal of the Doctor. However, Jonathan's Doctor was played by Tom Baker and my Doctor was played by Jon Pertwee. I have to admit that I have a soft spot for David Tennant too 😉. That's it from me today - here's the video clip I was telling you about:

C4Glz - Your Sparkle ...

.... Morning all! I'm here today with my card for our new challenge at Cardz 4 Galz - C4Glz#120 where we want you to use BLACK and PINK on your cards. I've made a reasonably clean and simple card for my gorgeous daughter.

Stamps: Waltzingmouse Stamps - Your Sparkle, You're Lovely
Inks: Distress Oxide - Spun Sugar, Worn Lipstick; Versafine - Onyx Black; Gina K - Black Amalgam
Accessories: White Card; Taylored Expressions - Oval Masking Stencil; My Mind's Eye DP - Kiss & Tell (pink); Black DP from stash; Nuvo - Clear Aquashimmer brush; Imagine - Sheer Shimmer Spray Sparkle; Clear Embossing Powder

I'm submitting this card to The Paper Players - PP#487 where they want to see Sparkle.

I put the large oval mask on my card base and used two shades of pink distress oxide to fill in the oval. While the mask was in place I spritzed on Sparkle shimmer spray, removed the mask and allowed the spray to dry. Once dry I stamped the large sentiment in the centre of the oval and heat embossed with clear powder. I stamped this lovely body form to the left of  the sentiment and embossed with clear powder. I stamped the image twice more, once on black design paper and once on dark pink. I heat embossed both and then fussy cut the skirt and top parts and adhered them to the image. I added even more sparkle using a clear Nuvo aquashimmer brush. You can't see the sparkle in the image above, but I have taken another photo to show the sparkle - it's so sunny it really gleams!! On the inside, I cut a mat layer of the black design paper and on the white panel added a greeting, along with another of the body forms.

The reason I've made this card is that Kat has missed not one school prom, but two! We left Michigan in September 2018 which meant that Kat missed graduating with her class of 2019, and so didn't go to a prom. However, she joined the sixth form at the Alun School in Mold, and we said that at least she'd have the end of year party to attend this year. Sadly, with the lockdown and all schools finishing last month, Kat and her friends will not be having a prom. I've suggested that they get together once the lockdown has been relaxed and then she can party! But, in the meantime, I've made this for her. Kat has always liked the You're Lovely stamp set - in fact I've used the prom gown in the past to make her birthday cards here and here.

That's all from me for today. I look forward to seeing what you create with our colours of Black and Pink. Bye for now.

You're Unique ....

.... Good evening! I've had a fun day - Jonathan and I went to the cinema earlier to see Invisible Man, starring Elisabeth Moss. It was scary, suspenseful and really good. I highly recommend it. Since we got home I've been working in my craft room and I've made a clean and simple card:

Stamps: Your Next Stamp - Jungle Critters 2
Inks: Versafine - Onyx Black; Gina K Amalgam - Black
Dies: Your Next Stamp - Jungle Critters 2
Accessories: White Card; Copic Markers; Washi Tape; Nuvo - Aquashimmer Brush; Clear Embossing Powder

I'm submitting this card to the following challenges:

Addicted to Stamps and More - ATSM#379 - CAS
Freshly Made Sketches - FMS#425
The Paper Players - PP#481 - Colours
Inkspirational - INK#208 - Theme - animal

 

This was fun to make and reasonably quick too. I stamped the snake on white card, coloured him with Copic markers, put the image back in the MISTI and restamped with Versafine ink and then heat embosssed with clear powder. I added a touch of sparkle to the snake using a clear aquabrush. I used the matching die to cut out the image. I used some of my vast stash of Washi tape to make the little banners, stamped the sentiment and used dimensional pads to attach the snake. On the inside I simply stamped another snake and some more words.

This card is being posted tomorrow - it's for our son Ben - he lives in Hastings and we don't get to see him often. Ben isn't the most confident of young men, so I often send him cards to remind him that he is quite special. That's all for now - I'm going down to catch up on some TV with Jonathan. See you soon.