March Card Chain Challenge

Hello,

Today is reveal day for the March CCC, this month I followed both the colour options:



and the layout option:



Here is my card:

I used My Favourite Things bundle of blossoms background stamp to stamp the background in grey. I then stamped it on yellow cardstock and heat embossed it in silver, I cut a strip so that it would match the pattern on the base. The image on the card base was bolder than I wanted so I put a sheet of vellum over it first, just attaching it under the yellow panel. I got this idea from Lisa at I'm in Haven (I just love her cards).

I heat embossed the sentiment in black, the process of doing this warped the vellum a little so that it no longer sat flat on the front. I decided I didn't really mind that so went ahead and finished the card off with 3 little diecut flowers and filled the centres with Cosmic Shimmer glossy black PVA. Here is a close up:

This card has been sent to Shylaashree in India. I am not sure if she will have received it before the reveal as it takes a long time for snail mail to go from the UK to India.

Here is the card that I received from Jerrie in Wisconsin:

She has poor vision but still she doesn't let it stop her from making the most amazing cards, thank you Jerrie for gifting this one to me and it arrived for my birthday so that makes it extra special.

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

Made in Minutes

Hello,
Today feels very special for me because I learnt yesterday that I had won the Twofer Challenge 14. I can't quite believe it, I am so thrilled and humbled as I never think my cards are good enough to win, so thank you for giving me such a boost. Other reasons for today to be special are - it's my birthday, my wedding anniversary and Mothers day! So much in one day, I have been very spoilt. Of course I now have a million thank you cards to do, so here is a start.

This card was made very quickly so it perfectly fits the AAA cards CAS game 137 made in minutes with an optional twist of dry embossing. Here is my card:

I embossed the tulips on a white card panel and then brushed Catherine Pooler grass skirt ink over the tulips gradually fading it out. The panel and the sentiment were then die cut and it was mounted on a dark green textured card base. It probably took about 10 minutes to make.

I really like Catherine Pooler inks, the colours are so vibrant and if you hadn't noticed green is a favourite of mine. I have resisted the urge to add embellishments to it, although it is possible that I might succumb before I post it out.
Here's a close up:

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

Balloons

Hello,
Today I am entering Twofer #14 Balloons with these cards:

I have made the first card for my husband as it is our 3rd wedding anniversary soon.

The heart filled with roses is stamped and heat embossed on vellum and then coloured on the back with my Zig real brush pens. I also heat embossed the sentiment on vellum and overlaid it across the front panel, which is a lovely paper with a shiny silvery finish. I know the sentiment doesn't show up too well on the photos but it is OK in real life. I didn't want it to look harsh as I wanted to maintain the soft pastel look. The balloons are die cut and I tied thread with tiny bows to add some interest.

I am also entering this card in the  CAS Watercolour March Challenge, watercolour on vellum.

My second card is for my granddaughters 4th birthday. It is a pop-up shadow box card as demonstrated by Jennifer McGuire, I thought I would give it a go as they seemed reasonable straightforward and look very effective.

 I used a mask to create the clouds in the background and stamped the heart grass on the back of the card. The little girl on the swing is a Dearie Doll digi stamp, which are just wonderful drawings very generously shared by their creator Mary Ellen Smith. I thought this little girl looks so happy and pleased with her swinging that I would use her on my card. I coloured her with alcohol markers and fussy cut the image.

The swing is attached to the front frame of the card with acetate along with 2 of the balloons to give dimension. I added the strings so that they appear to be blowing behind her on the swing. Although, as ever, I think it could have been better, I am quite pleased with the end result. Here is a close up:

I am afraid it was dark when I took the photos so the light is not good. I have been struggling to find time in the last couple of weeks and this week my 12 year old iMac decided to give up the ghost. Having to buy a new one is a huge shock to the bank balance, but wow I have such speed now!

I am also entering this card in the Snippets Playground. The balloons have been cut from snippets found in my stash.



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

Faux Stained Glass

Hello,
Today I am sharing my card at CAS mix it up challenge blog, the theme is faux stained glass + stamping + your choice. Here is my card:

The die used for central 'flower' or 'window' as this is stained glass, is from creative expressions. I taped it together with the frame die (Nellie Snellen) to ensure that the window was in the correct position, and die cut it 4 times. I also cut the square from my base card  panel and my coloured panel. I made the panel some time ago using brusho powder paints. The panel also had some Brusho SprinkleIT on it but that doesn't show in any of my pictures. 3 of the die cuts were then glued together and glued onto the brusho base. once this was done I filled all the holes with Nuvo Crystal glaze, taking care to fill all the corners, because my spaces are quite small it was a bit of a fiddle. Once dry I glued the 4th die cut into place, fixed it in position on the card, stamped and heat embossed the sentiment.

 You have to see the close up to see the shine:

I really like this technique, I posted a card using it last year which you can see here.





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

Vellum Daffodil

Hello,
Today I am sharing a card that I made with the Altenew Layered Daffodil die collection that came free with issue 188 of Simply Cards & Papercraft Magazine. I have bought this magazine for the last 3 months because I have liked the free gifts.

Here is my card:

And a close up:

 I cut the daffodil from vellum and then coloured it on the reverse with my alcohol markers. I smooched some distress ink on the background and splattered some bronze and silver paint onto it. I then heat embossed the sentiment and mounted the panel, I am quite pleased with the finished card.

I am sharing it at CAS on Friday #152 use vellum on your card.



I have made a second card using card instead of vellum but I don't like it so much the vellum one is definitely my favourite, what do you think?

I put some wink of stella on the petals of this one and used a stencil to provide the background


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