2 shaker Cards

Hello, 

Today I am sharing a couple of shaker cards that I made a few weeks ago and have been waiting for the moment to share them. The moment has come because I saw this months prompt at A Place to Start was to create a shaker card. This is perfect as, for some reason, it has been a while since I visited this lovely challenge. I hope I am making up for that with my 2 entries this month.

1.

I made this card for my daughters birthday in June. I actually  used my Scan n Cut (it has been a bit unloved recently) with a cut file from Love SVG.

This card turned out to be a bit of a challenge and it evolved as I made it when things didn't go right, I expect that sounds familiar. The card base is 7x5, so I adjusted the size of the cut to fit and also cut it in  pearlescent vellum because I wanted a shimmery soft look to it. My problem arose because the edges are narrow and I had to lift it up in order to create the shaker element. This was compounded by the fact that my background is alcohol ink on yupo paper, which doesn't react well with glue. Anyway, I got round it by using thin foam strips. Once I had figured it all out I was quite pleased with the finished card. I am sorry that the photos don't show the shimmer of the vellum and the pearlescent ink used in the background. I also added some red foil to the background while it was still wet, which you can just see in the close -up.

2.

I made my second shaker for my granddaughters 8th birthday in July.

The with love circle die is by Crafters Companion and I inked it with versamark and heat embossed with clear embossing powder to get the shine. I gave it several layers of embossing and did the same with the doily and the 8. That central medallion actually wobbles around as it is mounted over a hole with foam pads. I actually used a piece of patterned paper behind the shaker, despite having quite a large collection of papers, I don't often use them on my cards.

I haven't yet learned how to stop the contents of shaker cards getting stuck round the edges. Does anyone have an answer to that? I would love to know.

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

Hilary 

xx

My other hobby

Hello, 

Today have a card that has been inspired by AAA Cards #172 this is a CAS game for a one layer card with an optional twist of 'my other hobby'. As many of you know my other hobby is my garden and in particular the growing of succulents. So I made this card:

I used masking to stamp the little arrangement and then coloured it with Polychromos, I then masked it again and used a stencil and distress ink for the background. The sentiment is heat embossed with Wow gold pearl embossing powder. I also stamped and quickly coloured a cactus for the insert (the blue paper, which is white on the other side) and the envelope.

Here is a photo of some of the succulents in my garden, taken today:

I hope you like them.

I am also sharing this at Krafty chicks #521 clean and simple

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

Hilary 

xx

Sun & Moon

Hello, 

Today I have a couple of cards for this months Twofer Challenge #30 where the prompt is Sun/Moon.

When I saw the prompt I thought that I already had a card made that was perfect all I needed was a second card so that wouldn't take long would it? Of course it took longer than I hoped as it just wouldn't come together in reality as it did in my head. Anyway, I did create a second card eventually so here is my Twofer:

The common element in my cards is the sunburst stencil by Clarity Stamp. I had recently acquired the foliage frame die by Pinkfresh Studio and I had made this card before seeing the Twofer Challenge for this month.

I love this die, it cuts beautifully first time every time and it releases from the die easily. I get so frustrated when new dies don't cut well and get stuck fast so you end up tearing the paper to get it out. 

Once I had cut the die I looked through my unused background folder to see what would work behind it and there was this gel print that I made some time ago and hadn't found a use for. The hello sunshine was cut from another left over watercoloured piece that I found in the same folder. This card came together quite easily.

My second card was another story, I had in my head that I wanted to use foil and make it look like moon light over water. The night sky is another piece from my left over folder and I used decofoil transfer gel with the stencil to add the pale gold foil. The moon is cut from the top of the oval left over from cutting the frame and foiled using double sided tape. The celebrate you is a die by Concorde & 9th that I cut from the same card as the base. I also diecut a small oval frame in the same card to finish it off.

I think it kind of works but it is not quite how I wanted it to look. The trouble with foiling using this method is you have to put it through your die cutting machine and that has the effect of dulling the foil. Perhaps one day I might get a laminator, who knows.

At least I have used up several bits from my left over folder. I made some other cards with that frame die too, which I might share in due course. Have a lovely weekend.

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

 Hilary 

xx

August CAS Mix Up Reminder

Hello, 

Time for a reminder card for CAS Mix Up August challenge. This month it is watercolouring, our host is Loll and the theme is beach.

I am very pleased to report that our excessive heat has gone and we now have a very comfortable 22C but unfortunately the sky is grey but there is still no rain for us. Thunderstorms for everyone except us, it seems. Never mind our turn will come.

I struggled to come up with an idea for my reminder card (think I might have said that for my first card too), but eventually something happened and I produced this card:

It was quite hard to take a good photo of this card because of the colour and the card is coated so it has a shine. It was also quite dark when I took the photos so I had to use my light box.

I took a strip of cold pressed watercolour card and stamped and heat embossed the shell and star fish before colouring with my Zig real brush pens. I used a spellbinders edge die to cut the card front and attached the watercolour paper behind the edge. To finish I stamped and heat embossed the beach sign. I like to think that the shells and starfish are leading the way to the beach.

I do hope you are able to join us this month. I shall look forward to seeing your card in the gallery.

I am also sharing this at:

AAA Cards CAS game #171- along the edge, with optional twist - beach

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

xx

Shiny Flowers

Hello, 

It is another really hot day here and I am struggling, I really hope we get some rain soon.

This card started out as a design team one, but I changed my mind as I wasn't that happy with it. Anyway, I quite like it now, so I have decided to share it. I struggled a bit with the colours to start with but it has grown on me, I think they are what you would call split complementary. 

I used a leaf die by the Works to emboss the leaves on the green panel and then used the die as a mask to add yellow splatters with a paint pen. I am determined to get braver with using splatters on my cards. I love them but they terrify me, so I tend not to use them that much.

The die is by memory box, I cut it several times coloured and then inserted the flower petal pieces back into the die cut, added another layer and filled the spaces with glossy accents finishing with a final layer in the same card as the card base once the glossy accents was dry. The green panel was mounted on fun foam and the sentiment heat embossed on vellum.

I am sharing this at:

Die-cut divas - Flowers. This is my second entry because this one showcases die cuts better than my first.

The Flower Challenge - Sparkle. The glossy accents have a great shine.

Double Trouble Challenge - Embossing. I have used both dry and heat embossing.

Mix it up Challenge 40 - Embossing

           

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

 Hilary 

xx

I love Hydrangeas

Hello, 

I have been enjoying Hydrangea flowers this year and have 3 growing in pots in my garden. They are in pots because it is far too dry for them where I live, so they don't thrive in the garden. I took the photos at the end of this post a few weeks ago and love how lush and green they look with those amazing flowers and the tiny little bud in the centre that opens to a wonderful delicate flower. I have also been  practicing my watercolouring and bought some Rachel Vass digital stamps that I have been using. This one is called Happy Hydrangea:

I printed the design onto watercolour paper and painted it with my Zig clean colour real brush pens and a plain brush to add water and blend. It took me sometime but I am quite pleased with the result. the sentiment is heat embossed and the panel cut with a scalloped frame die and mounted on a coloured card base.

I am sharing this card at:

Seize-the-birthday #196- - Tic, tac, toe, diagonal line large sentiment, flowers, one image

Uniko challenge 60 - In my garden with an optional twist of hot summer colours

For my second card, with the same stamp I printed it off the edge of some white card and then coloured it with my Polychromo pencils. I then fussy cut it out and mounted it on a die-cut panel that I had smooched with distress ink and black and red splatters. The sentiment is white heat embossed and is on quite a large banner because I managed to get the flower wet while it was sitting on my desk. I hoped it would dry OK, but no,  it had a big splodge on it! Actually I decided I quite like the contrast from the black banner. The flower is repeated on the card insert.

Here is a close up:

And here are the hydrangeas in my garden, there are 2 plants in this picture:

A close up of those amazing flowers:

I am sharing my second card at:

Die-cut divas - Flowers

Finally I am sharing them both at:

NBUS #17 - I hope digital stamps are allowed.

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

Hilary 

xx

July CCC Reveal

Hello, 

Today is the second of August so it is time for the July Card Chain Challenge reveal.  June was a celebratory month with loads of games to keep us entertained and remembering all the cards that have been exchanged since the challenge started over 10 years ago. I was lucky enough to win Game 2 and so I was delighted to receive this Clearly Besotted stamp set, it is waiting for me to get some inspiration to use it. It is also my first Clearly Besotted stamp set. I am sure it won't be my last.

Anyway, onto the reveal. My card for June went to Gail in Norway, I got a bit worried because it seemed to take a very long time to get there. 

I used the layout option for my card although I did flip it because my flower didn't really sit well on the  right hand side.

The flower is by Uniko and was heat embossed, coloured with alcohol markers and fussy cut. The background is an EF which you can see better in the next picture.

I was very lucky to receive this gorgeous card from Jeanne H in MN

She used the 'under the sea' option, don't you just love that jelly fish?

There is still time to sign up for the August challenge here. I hope you will join us.

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

 

xx

August CAS Mix Up

Hello, 

Today is the 1st of the month so it is time for another CAS Mix Up challenge. This month it is all about watercolour and our host is the wonderful Loll who has chosen beach as the theme. Our guest designer this month is Brenda, so do go and check out her inspiration for this challenge.

It took me a while (as always) to come up with my design this month as I made a beach themed card for June CCC and I couldn't think of anything different even though that one wasn't CAS. Eventually I came up with an idea and was pleased that I pulled it off at my first attempt. I am always very nervous around watercolours!

I started by masking off a strip down the front of the card and then I used another piece of post it tape to mark the horizon. I got out my Zig watercolour brush pens and set about making a seascape. I achieved the blending and variation by using a wet brush to move the colour about. Once I was happy with that I let it dry, moved the horizon mask and set about doing the sky, fading to a pale bluey grey.  

I stamped the grasses and sentiment (which I used on my previous beach card too) in versafine toffee ink.

The sentiment really resonates with me as I grew up by the sea and that's where I go if I need to clear my head, so I wanted to use it again and I hope it doesn't spoil the CAS nature of this card.

You can see from this close up that I didn't quite position my post it tape right up against the edge of the sea but I decided that the little strip of light that resulted was a positive rather than a negative mistake.

There is lots of inspiration over on the challenge blog so do head on over and I shall look forward to seeing your creation in the gallery.

I am also sharing this card at:

Double D Challenges: Let's go to the beach

CAS on Friday #185: Summer

  

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

xx