A Special Thank you

Hello, 

Today I have something that I have been meaning to share for a while and have finally found the time to do it today. I am not entering any challenges, but I want to say thank you to a very special crafter who you all know well. I am talking about Darnell of djkardkreations.

Here is the reason why - on June 3rd 2019 Darnell published a post that used the Altenew mega-succulent stamp and I left her  a comment saying how I loved that stamp and it had been on my wish list for a while. Quite an innocent comment I thought, so imagine how surprised I was when a couple of weeks later, not 1, but 3 envelopes arrived in the post each containing 2 stamped and heat embossed impressions of the stamp. She would have sent me the actual stamp if the postage hadn't been extortionate. Anyway, I vowed to use them and share the result with her.

It has only taken me 18months but I have now turned them all into cards, which I share with you today. I am sure you know what it is like, they sat on  my desk for a while, then they got put away and then they would come out again and finally, they got converted into cards.

Here goes:

This one was water coloured with my zig clean colour real brush pens and then sent back to Darnell for her birthday in July last year.

This one was a spur of the moment idea after I saw someone (can't remember who) use this dotting technique. I used alcohol markers.

My final 4 blanks were made into a set of note cards that will be a Christmas present this year.

I used brusho paints to colour them. Here they are before mounting.

And here they are after mounting:

Thanks Darnell, you're a star. I am so grateful that I have found this wonderful community as it has helped keep me sane this year. Thank you all for your part in that.

And finally here are a couple of picture of one of my succulent arrangements taken in the summer when they were in full flower.

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

xx

For a child

Hello, 

Popping in quickly to share this birthday card.

This is an unusual card for me as I don't often make scenes, but I did enjoy this. The stamp set was free with a magazine. The card base is a deep plum colour and not quite as dark as it looks in the photos.

 

I am sharing this at:

AAA Birthday #19 - for a child

Seize the Birthday - Anything goes

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

 Hilary 

xx

Christmas Reindeer

Hello, 

Today I am sharing 2 Christmas cards that I am entering in this months Twofer Challenge. I am so pleased to see that the 2 cards this month can be for the same occasion as long as the design is different, as it means I have 2 cards ready. The prompt this month is stars and my stamp is by My Favourite Things. If you look closely you will see that the reindeer is made up of lots of stars. This set also includes a Christmas tree and a dove in the same style.

Card 1

The starry reindeer was stamped  and heat embossed in gold onto some cream card and cut with the co-ordniating die. This was mounted on a panel that was stamped (Catherine Pooler peppermint stick background) and heat embossed onto white card and that panel was mounted on a cream die cut panel that was mounted on a textured white card base. The sentiment is from the same stamp set as the reindeer.

Card 2

My light grey panel was embossed with a Darice snowflake embossing folder and the reindeer stamped and heat embossed in silver along with the sentiment. I finished it off by heat embossing the edges with silver and mounting it on a blue card base. I used a grey alcohol marker to give the reindeer a bit more definition.  The blue insert was stamped with the reindeer in Brilliance silver ink (that paper is white on the inside).

You can see the embossing better here:

These are two pretty simple cards but easy to replicate as I tend to make multiples of my Christmas designs.

I am also sharing card 2 at:

Let's squash it #2 - use a Christmas themed embossing folder and stamps

Christmas Kickstart #42 - embossing folder and a stamp

Casology week 378 - Stag

 

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

 Hilary 

xx

CAS MixUp Reminder

It's time for a reminder for this months challenge over at CAS Mix Up where our host is Bonnie and the theme is off the edge. It is a watercolour month so do make sure that watercolours have prominence on your card.

I have two cards to share today.

I started by taking some watercolour paper and doing a light yellow wash. Once that was dry I spritzed with some Altenew warm sunshine metallic shimmer ink spray. I do struggle to spray this evenly but decided that it doesn't really matter. The flower stamps are by Clarity Stamp, I painted them with my Gansai Tambi watercolours and coloured the centres with a gelli roll sparkle pen. I finished it off with a bold sentiment heat embossed in a chocolate pearl embossing powder.

I used the rest of the watercoloured panel for my second card but this time I painted the leaf type shapes down the edge of the card  and then added the die cut leaf (inlaid into a circle of card) to the corner.  The sentiment (by Altenew) is heat embossed in gold.

I used the die cut as a stencil to decorate the envelope and the insert.

You know what it is like when you make some cards but don't really like them much, well that's how I feel about these. Kind of meh....

That's just the way it goes sometimes.

Anyway I hope that doesn't stop you from having a go, I am looking forward to seeing you in the gallery.

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

xx

Embossed Christmas Tree

I have just seen the challenge at The Sisterhood of Crafters and have the perfect card ready, so I thought I should waste no time and get a quick post done.

The theme is embossing, wet or dry so here is my card:

This embossing folder was free with a recent edition of Simply Cards and Papercraft. I used a brayer to ink the folder before running it through my machine. I think I did it more than once to get good coverage. Some of the ornaments are on the embossing folder and some are little tiny dies that came with it. I coloured them with a purple sparkle pen.

I enjoyed making this, I hope you like it.

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

 Hilary x

x

Hand Painted Cards

Hello, 

Today I am sharing 3 more of my hand painted cards.

I have been trying to get more confident with using water colours and these cards are some of the results.

They are painted with my Gansai Tambi water colour paints using just 2 colours. One for the branches and one for the leaves. I started by doing a watercolour wash with the same green to form my base. The berries are enamel dots and I added a tiny Christmas bauble with glitter paste through a stencil.  The panel was cut with a plain die and the sentiment was stamped and heat embossed.

Here is another along the same lines:

I am sharing the first card at TicTacToe 088. I have used the middle line of wreath, any colour and any shape die.

My third card is the same idea but this time I was a bit braver and added some flowers. The thanks sentiment is stamped in a similar colour using Catherine Pooler ink.

I am sharing this one at Dragonfly Journeys #140 - thanks. I sent it to a very special friend who is always there for me and is also a very talented 'proper' artist.

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

 Hilary 

xx

October CCC Reveal

Today is the second of November so time for the big reveal over at The Card Chain Challenge. This month my card went to Jutta in Canada, I hope she liked it.

Here is my card:

I used the colours, the layout and the friendship theme for my card

I started with a piece of Bristol Board and blended it with fired brick and spiced marmalade Distress Oxides. Once I was happy with the blend I splashed it with water to get the splatters, then I cut out the lotus flower, which is a die by Pretty Quick that came from Craftstash. The die was cut a second time from plain white card and the pieces were coloured with a chocolate brown alcohol marker and inserted into the spaces, after I had used a stitched frame die on the panel. The bottom of the lotus flower was sliced off and the die cut sentiment added to the coloured base card. I finished with a few sequins.

I was lucky enough to receive this amazing card from the lovely Mia at craftartista. 

Isn't it fantastic? She also enclosed that wonderful Dreamweaver stencil with the card, I feel very honoured, she is so generous with her gifts.

If you haven't ever taken part in the Card Chain Challenge I would encourage you to have a go, it is great to make a physical connection by sending and receiving a card.

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

 Hilary 

xx

November CAS Mix Up

Don't the months go by quickly? It is 1st November so time for another CAS Mix Up Challenge. This month it is a watercolour challenge out host is Bonnie and she has chosen off the edge as the theme.

Don't forget to check out our guest designer this month who is the wonderful  Michele from I card everyone. She makes the most amazing CAS cards, please go and pay her a visit, you won't be disappointed.

This card has the honour of being the first Christmas card I made this year. I have done a few more now but I do struggle to think Christmas before September. Anyway, this is a watercolour challenge so I got out my Brushos and created the panel. Once it was dry I spritzed with cosmic shimmer and use the off the edge snowflake die, which I think came from The Works.

I mounted it, with foam tape to give it a lift, onto a pale grey coated card base and then heat embossed the snow flakes and the sentiment which is by Uniko.

I have included the above picture with the hope that you can see a bit of the shine.

I do hope you find time to join us over at CAS Mix Up this month. Don't forget to use watercolour on your card and keep it CAS. I shall look forward to seeing you in the gallery.

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

Hilary 

xx