Monoprint

Hello,
I have a favourite metal stencil from Sweet Poppy Stencils that I managed to put a kink in so that it didn't work so well. I was lamenting this when I had a little light bulb moment and ran it through my diecut machine and it worked! I got rid of the kink but I did gain a bow. However I could work with that.

I have discovered that metal stencils are really good for doing mono prints. I think it is because they tend to be a little thicker than ordinary stencils so the ink stays in place better when you make the print. That's how it seems to me anyway. I have also realised that the best paper for a clean print is mixed media paper.

I have made 2 cards, here is the first:

For this one I used distress inks to create the background using a torn paper mask for the ground. I dabbed distress ink in various colours directly onto the stencil and then placed it on the background. To ensure the card stayed CAS I used a stitched rectangle die to cut a section which I then mounted on craft foam. The sentiment is from Uniko which I heat embossed on the card base.

I am sharing this card at CAS Stencil November Challenge where the technique is mono print and at Simply Less is More #408 torn it.

I actually made my second card first and went on to make the above card because I thought the print needed a background and I couldn't think what to do with this print at first. Eventually I decided to diecut and insert it in the card front. These little sentiments from Uniko are brilliant for placing in little gaps. I heat embossed it in gold and cut a few little hearts as a finishing touch.

I am sharing this one at Pixies snippets playground #365 as the card for the little hearts has come from my scrap box.



I still have a piece of the panel from the first card so it might turn up again sometime in the future.

Thank you for taking the time to visit my blog today, I really appreciate it.
Hilary
xx

A poorly eye

Hello,
My grand daughter who is 4, recently had an operation on her eye so I made her a card:

The little dog stamp is by AAL & Create, I picked it because of his wonky eyes. I sponged some distress ink through a stencil (also by AAL & Create) for the background and just simply coloured him with some markers. The sentiment is from the same stamp set, I heat embossed it in white. The base card is Hunkydory adorable scorable.

She lives a long way from me so I couldn't give her a hug directly.

I am sharing him at AAA cards CAS game 153 - one image

Thank you for taking the time to visit my blog today, I really appreciate it.
Hilary
xx

Nov Cas Mix-up

Hello,
It seems like a while since I made this card for Nov CAS mix-up challenge, but it can't be that long as the challenge still has 10 days to run. Anyway I am not that happy with it and thought I might make another but time has got the better of me and I know I won't get round to that so I thought I should stop being so self critical and post it anyway.

The theme is oxidised metal so I watched all the videos linked on the blog and came up with this:

I started by embossing a piece of red foiled card with a paisley embossing folder (my choice of technique) and then used silver and gold embossing powder to create the metallic look finishing with some StazOn on black ink. I then embossed a piece of white card and lined up the pattern with the strip of red shiny card. I finished it with a stamped and heat embossed sentiment on vellum.

I am not sure that my metallic effect is particularly effective, but never mind. I also hope that the embossing on the white panel doesn't stop it from being CAS. Please feel free to disregard my entry if it does.

It has been very dark here recently with the shorter days and lots of grey rainy skies so I am afraid my photos have suffered from the lack of light.

Thank you for taking the time to visit my blog today, I really appreciate it. 

Hilary 

xx

Birthdays & Fireworks

Hello,
The other day I found myself needing a birthday card for a friend who was about to celebrate her 80th birthday (I can't quite believe it) so I wanted something special, but inspiration was somewhat lacking. Her birthday happens to fall on 5th Nov, fireworks night, so I wondered if I could somehow bring in a feel of fireworks being let off. Being 80 is well worth a celebration so I thought fireworks would be appropriate. Plus maybe when that number comes round it is not something we want to shout too loudly about so I decided to camouflage the number a little.

Here is the card I eventually came up with:

I used my favourite turnabout stamp and Catherine Pooler inks for the floral circle which I then masked and used a Funky Fossil stencil to do the background. The numbers were die cut using balloon number dies from the circle and then propped up with craft foam. The sentiment was stamped and then heat embossed with clear embossing powder.

Here is a close up:

I know they say that Catherine Poler inks stay wet long enough for them to be used with embossing powder, but it hasn't worked for me yet. Each time I have tried it I have had to repeat stamp with versamark.

I am quite pleased with the end result and I think the recipient enjoyed it as well.

I am sharing this at:

AAA Birthday #7 - include a number

Craft Rocket Challenges #65 - Birthday

Watercooler Wednesday - All about occasions

Thank you for taking the time to visit my blog today, I really appreciate it.
Hilary
xx

A Little Colouring

Hello,
Today I have a very quick spur of the moment card that I have just made following a visit to Robyn at Waterlily cards. Her sweet little coloured flower in a glass vase inspired me to create this:

The succulent and pot were stamped in pale distress inks and coloured with polychromes. The sentiment is by Uniko, I stamped it in black and then heat embossed it with clear embossing powder.

I have been struggling to focus on anything today so was happy to be distracted while I made and posted this.

I am sharing it at AAA Cards CAS game #152 Maxi White Space.



Thank you for taking the time to visit my blog today, I really appreciate it.
Hilary
xx

October Card Chain Challenge

Hello,
Today is reveal day at Card Chain Challenge, this month I sent my card to Joanne.  I used the theme option of leaves for my card.

This leaf die and embossing folder came free with a recent card magazine. It took me a while but when I finally got round to using it I made several cards, so you have seen it before in a recent post. This time I cut the leaf from various colours of shiny card and then inlaid them. I dabbed distress ink on the embossing folder before embossing this piece of kraft paper. The sentiment is heat embossed on vellum.

Here is a close up:

I have been lucky enough to receive another beautiful card this month from the lovely Shylaa in India. she even designed the stamp set herself, how wonderful is that. I am afraid it got a bit bent in the post as it came all the way from India, but that hasn't stopped it being just beautiful.

Thank you for taking the time to visit my blog today, I really appreciate it.
Hilary
xx