SHC - Shiny Birthday ...

.... Morning. I'm here with my weekly Seven Hills Crafts blog post. I did some reorganising over the holiday and found some fun alphabet dies in my stash and decided to make them the focal point of a simple birthday card:

Stamps: Altenew - A Splash of Color, Across the Pond

Inks: Hero Arts - Unicorn; Delicata - Shimmery Silver; Versafine Clair - Nocturne

Dies: Concord & 9th - Double Cut Alphabet Dies

Accessories: Stampin' Up! - Black Card; Silver & Holographic card

If you're anything like me, you save all your scraps of card and paper and this card used up lots of my silver and holographic card scraps. I die cut enough letters to make the sentiment 'HAPPY BIRTHDAY' - the spare letters are in my stash for later. I used black card to make the card base and laid out the letters, but it look too simple. So I added some fake paint splashes in white to draw the eye to the centre of the card and the greeting. On the inside, I cut a mat of white card onto which I stamped more fake paint splashes, this time in silver, and added a fun greeting on top.

Here's a close-up of the letters where you can really see the different patterns on the holographic card:

I'm submitting this card to the current challenge at Cardz 4 Guyz - C4G#261 where they want us to use either Black & Silver or Black & Gold. 

That's all for today - we're getting back to a more usual routine. Jonathan's working downstairs in his office, Kat is back at her university work (albeit from home), Mum is going stir crazy in her flat, and me, I'm enjoying staying in and working in my craft room. Bye for now.

C24C - Anything Goes ....

.... Hello again! I'm back with my post for Christmas 24 Challenge - C24C#25. Our theme for our first challenge of the year is simple - ANYTHING CHRISTMAS GOES. I think it's important to note that it's never too early to make a start on your stash. Here's my card:

Stamps: Dylusions - Wood for the Trees, Clearly Christmas 2016, Stocking Fillers

Inks: Gina K - Jet Black Amalgam; Dylusions Shimmer - Slate Grey

Accessories: White Card; Dylusions Stencil - Snowflakes (Small); Copic Markers; Sakura Stardust Pens; Nuvo - Clear & Midas Aquashimmer Brushes

I'm submitting this card to The Holly and Ivy Christmas Challenge - H&ICC#85 where the theme is always Anything Christmas Goes.

This card is relatively clean and simple. I used a snowflake stencil for the background through which I spritzed grey shimmer ink. You can't see the shimmer in the photo, but in real-life it's fabulous. I stamped a couple of funky Christmas trees in black, fussy cut them out and coloured them with Copic markers. I used glitter pens to colour the baubles. I stamped the snowman on white card, coloured him with Copic markers, cut him out and added lots of clear shimmer of the snow body. I adhered all three focal images flat to the card. I finished the front with a fun sentiment. On the inside, I simply stamped a Christmas greeting and added another image - a present. I coloured these images with watercolour pencils.

I really enjoy making Christmas cards and taking part in our challenges will help you build up your stash with very little stress. We have two challenges a month and that means by November you could have 24 cards ready. Or, if you're like me, you'll have a lot more!! Don't forget to visit our blog to see more inspiration cards from the rest of the design team.

Before I go - HAPPY NEW YEAR!!! See you again soon.

Welcome 2021 ....

... Good Morning! Happy New Year to you all. Our normal New Year's day is to have an Open House for friends and family to drop in and share a coffee, wine or just for a quick chat, but obviously that can't happen this year. So here's my message:

That's all for now - see you again soon.

Season's Greetings ....

... Hello and Merry Christmas. It's a very different Christmas for us all this year, but to all those who celebrate Christmas have a fabulous one, and to everyone else - Happy Holidays.

The photo above was taken after a heavy snowfall in early December when we lived in Northville, Michigan. I do miss the snow when it's like this - it makes for fabulous photos (not so keen on the roads though).

Like everyone else our Christmas this year is much smaller than originally planned. But with the magic of Zoom we will be able to share some of our Christmas with family in London, Plymouth, Hastings and Leicester. While we can't share hugs, we can share the love, laughter and joy via the screen. 

See you all in the New Year.

Creepmas Angel ....

... Morning! I can't quite believe that it's Christmas Eve already. It's been a strange year and an even stranger holiday period. First we could meet and now we can't, but we can make the best of it. A few years ago, while in the States, I took part in an event called The 12 Days of Creepmas. Basically, it's a gentle dig at retailers who insist on putting out Christmas stuff before Halloween is even over. I found out that Kat loves all things Creepmas and since then I've made a few Christmas cards with a hint (or more) of Halloween. So this is Kat's card this year, it seems entirely appropriate!!

Stamps: Rick St Dennis Digi - Gloria Excessive; Uniko - Snowflake Serenade, Stunning Snowflakes, Festive Sentiments

Inks: Gina K - Key Lime, Sea Glas, Blue Lagoon; Versafine Clair - Nocturne

Dies: Spellbinders - Petit Ovals Lg (S4-128) #5, Petit Ovals Sm (S4-140) #6

Accessories: White Card; Teal Satin Mirri Card; Copic Markers; Sakura Stardust Pens; Uniko Stencil - Let It Snow; Gems; Nuvo - Clear Aquashimmer Brush

I think this Creepmas Angel is just fab. I had this image in my stash from a while ago, so I simply added colour with my Copic markers and Sakura Stardust pens. I cut out the image with an oval die and layered it onto some teal satin mirri card. I used a snowflake stencil for the background using a mix of lime green and soft teal. I stamped a bold sentiment at the foot of the card, adhered the image, added a lots of little gems and some shimmer to the angel's wings - sadly not visible in this photo!! On the inside, I stamped a Christmas greeting and lots more pretty snowflakes.

I'm submitting this card to the current challenge at Uniko - USC#62 where the theme is 'Tis the Season with the option of sparkle, and to The Holly & Ivy Christmas Challenge - H&ICC#85 where the theme is Anything Christmas Goes.

Before I go here are few of the Creepmas Christmas cards I've made in the past - both my son and daughter love them!!

I made all the cards above in 2015 - they were such fun to make and the Scary Creepmas card above was for Kat that year!! That's all for now.

SHC - A Topping Christmas ....

.... Good morning! I'm here this morning with my Seven Hills Craft blog post - the last one of 2020!! I know that I said I'd finished with all my Christmas cards, but I've got a couple more to share. Today, I'm sharing the card I've made for my hubby, Jonathan. This is a big card - 8" square - well he deserves something special.

Stamps: Colorado Craft Company - Big & Bold - Frosty's Hat, Big & Bold - Winter Wishes Snowflake; Concord & 9th - All the Merrys, Snowflake Turnabout

Inks: Gina K - Sea Glass, Blue Lagoon; Delicata - Silvery Shimmer; Versafine - Onyx Black

Accessories: White Card; Copic Markers; Nuvo - Clear Aquashimer Brush; Clear Embossing Powder

I stamped the card with lots of snowflakes. I stamped the large snowflake in shimmery silver and added some soft teal snowflakes over the top. I stamped a bold greeting in the corner. I stamped the large top hat on white card, coloured the image with Copic markers, put it back in the MISTI and restamped with Versafine ink and heat embossed with clear powder. I did the same to make the bunch of holly. I fussy cut both images and edged them with black ink. I added some shimmer to the hat band with a clear aquashimmer brush. On the inside, of the card I kept it very simple with a greeting and another bunch of holly.

I'm submitting this card to Uniko - USC#62 - where the theme is Tis the Season and an optional twist of sparkle, and to The Holly & Ivy Christmas Challenge - H&ICC#85 where the theme is anything Christmas goes.

That's all from me today. Do pop by again tomorrow, I've one more Christmas card to share. See you then.

Plaid Snowmen ...

... Good Morning! Three days on the trot - go me!! I like to make special Christmas cards for my family and this is the one I made for our son:

Stamps: Funstamps - Scribble Snowman; Waltzingmouse Stamps - Cabin Plaid Background; Uniko - Snowflake Serenade

Inks: Gina K - Key Lime, Sea Glass, Soft Stone; Versafine - Onyx Black; Versafine Clair - Nocturne

Dies: Stampin' Up! - Word Bubble Framelits

Accessories: White Card; Uniko Stencil - Let It Snow; Taylored Expressions - Masking Ovals; Clear Embossing Powder; Nuvo - Clear Aquashimmer Brush

I'm submitting this card to several challenges and they are:

• The Male Room - TMR#145 - they want to see tartan and plaid
• CASology - CAS#380 - Snowman
• Uniko Challenge - USC#62 - Christmas with the option of sparkle
• Cardz 4 Guyz - C4G#260 - Snowmen

This card feature three of my all time favourite snowguys! I stamped a plaid background in soft lime and soft teal and on top of that I stamped the Scribble snowman and fussy cut them out. On white card I stamped three more snowmen and cut them out. I carefully cut out two hats and scarfs in white and adhered them to the plaid snowmen, adding a bit of colour the hats and scarfs. On the white snowman I added a green plaid hat and teal plaid scarf. I wanted to keep the card fairly simple, but still have some snowflakes in the background. I used a snowflake stencil over which I placed the Taylored Expression large oval mask and softly inked in some snowflakes. I adhered the two plaid snowmen flat to the card and used dimensional pads to adhere the white snowman. I made the greeting by typing the sentiment on my PC and used a speech bubble die to cut it out. I lightly brush green and blue ink around the edge of the bubble and used dimensional pads to attach it to the card. I finished the card by adding lost of subtle sparkle to the snowmen. On the plaid snowguys I added sparkle to the hat and scarves, and on the white snowman, I added it all over the body. On the inside, I cut a panel of white card, stamped a greeting added a swirl of soft blue and green snowflakes, and finished with a cute snowguy peeking in from the bottom of the card.

You can't see the sparkle in the photos above, so I took a close up to show all the lovely shimmer on the snowguys. You can also see the pretty plaid patterns too.

It's going to be a busy weekend. We don't put our decorations up early. No, not even this year!!! The tree goes up on Saturday and we decorate everywhere then. I'm also going to be making some homemade marzipan for our Christmas cake, I might even do a few homemade mince pies too. All a special treat for my hubby!

Anyhow, that's all for now. See you again soon. Thanks for stopping by.

SHC - Geometric Birthday ....

... Good morning! It's time for my Seven Hills Craft blog post. Today I'm sharing a clean, crisp, geometric birthday card.

Stamps: Concord & 9th - On the Diagonal Turnabout, All the Birthdays

Inks: Gina K - Sea Glass, Ocean Mist, Blue Lagoon

Dies: C&9 - All the Birthdays

Accessories: White Card; Teal Satin Card; C&9 - Turnabout Jig

I really enjoy using Concord & 9th's turnabout stamps, and I've had the On the Diagonal stamp since it came out, but this is the first time I've used it. If you've not used turnabout stamps before, check out the video below - it's great! I started by cutting a panel of white card 6" square, adhering it to the C&9 Turnabout Jig and then stamped the image using my MISTI stamp positioner. I used lime green and soft teal for the pattern. I cut the panel to fit on the front of a 6¼" x 4½" card. I found a dark teal satin card in my stash and cut a thin strip which I added to the top and bottom of the panel. I finished the front with a simple square birthday greeting in dark teal. I used the matching die to cut it out and used foam to add it to the card. On the inside, I simply stamped another birthday greeting, added some confetti around the words and finished by adding the left-over stamped strips.

I'm submitting this card to Darnell's Never-Before-Used-Schtuff challenge - NBUS#21. Before I go, I have to come clean and tell you that the card you see above is not how it started out. 

Originally, I stamped the birthday greeting in pale teal and added some green glitter ink to the words, I thought it would be great - I was wrong, it was awful!! Still, it was an easy fix to restamp in dark teal and glue over the mistake!! Here's how it was before:

Well, that's all from me today. I've got a busy week finishing up wrapping presents and getting up our Christmas tree. See you again soon.