May Card Chain Challenge

Hello,
Today is reveal day for the May Card Chain Challenge. I really struggled with inspiration for this card but in the end I chose to use the colour palette option for my card:

After several false starts I chose an off the edge die that I got free with my Gemini Junior. I hadn't used it before so that was a good enough reason to have a play with it. Here is my card:

I cut the die at an angle from a white panel and then cut it twice more and stacked it. I trimmed the panel and used some foam tape to lift it. The sentiment, from My Favourite Things was stamped in black versafine before I added the tape. I introduced the red and blue with the little flower gems and then mounted it onto a green card base.

This card has been sent to Robyn in Australia. Here is the card I received from Marga from Spain:

It is a wonderful cheery card and the hello is cut from gold mirror card although it doesn't look like it on the photo. It is really wonderful to make the connection and receive such amazing cards from like minded crafters all over the world.

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

Scribble Circle

Hello,
I recently bought a few new dies and have been having a play. This one is by Poppy Stamps and is called scribble circle collage.

Here is my card:

I also bought some alcohol pearl inks so started by creating the background on yupo paper. I cut the white from panel with the scribble circle and a stitched rectangle and mounted it over the alcohol panel with foam tape onto the base card.

When it was done I thought it needed something more so I added the tulip tree by memory box. I cut it down slightly to create the curve of the circle.

The card is finished with a simple stamped thank you.

Here is a close up:

The alcohol pearl ink gives the background a lovely shine when the light catches it.

I am sharing this card at Stamplorations May CAS challenge which has an optional colour twist of lilac.



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

Tree Stencil

Hello,
I have finally found time to write this post for an entry to the May CAS Stencil Challenge. I was worried that I would miss the deadline having finally got round to making a card with stencilling over a coloured background. Here is my card:

I had several stitched oval shapes left over from previous cards so decided to use one for this technique. The ovals were bright white so I started by blending distress ink over the card in 3 different colours, although you wouldn't think it from the finished card. I then used a Sweet Poppy Stencil to create the tree silhouette, again using 3 different distress ink colours. I initially used clear texture paste but it didn't work because it leached under the stencil. Sweet Poppy stencils are metal and this was one of the first I bought. Unfortunately at some point I managed to bend it and have struggled to use it since. I really like this stencil so I tried again and held it down firmly while I inked it. I am pleased that it worked on my second attempt. I did consider doing it again with more vibrant colours but I decided not to and kept the muted theme going by cutting some little birds out of dark green card that I found in my scrap box.

Here is a close up:

I finished it off by die cutting the sentiment from the same card and used vellum for the shadow. The oval panel is mounted on some craft foam. The base card is off white which worked much better than bright white.

I think (I am never sure about anything!) that I quite like it now it is finished. Do let me know what you think.



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

Migrating birds

Hello,
Today I have a card that I am sharing at Snippets Playground #352, I made it a little while ago so I thought it was time that I shared it and also the House Martins are back busy repairing their nest on our house. This is always a sign that spring has arrived and they are similar to the Swallow on my card. I find it incredible to think that these tiny birds travel so far and arrive back at the same spot year after year, they are truly amazing.

I used the stamp and die set that came free with issue 187 of Simply Cards & Papercraft, it was made for a friend who had moved house.

To make the card I randomly stamped the birds on a piece of grey paper in versa mark and heat embossed in white. The sentiment was stamped on a strip of vellum and the Swallow and congrats were die cut from scraps (my snippets). The bird was coloured with my polychromos and popped up with a foam pad. I finished the panel off with a strip of textured blue paper also from my scrap box.

I think I should get this set out again and do something different with it as the bird stamps are rather fabulous.



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

Because

Hello,
Today I have a card that I made for someone who has a tendency to think she is not worth it or not good enough, when in actual fact she is brilliant at what she does, do you know anyone like that? I was influenced so much by this that I thought I would make her a card to show her what I thought. Here is my card:

To make this card I masked off the central area and blended distress ink. The flower and 'because' were stamped in versamark and heat embossed with Wow Primary Apple Red embossing powder. The rest of the sentiment was heat embossed with chocolate caramel embossing powder. To finish it I used a scalloped frame from Create a Smile and mounted it on a coloured card base. Here is a close up:

I am pleased to report that the recipient was thrilled with it, so I was pleased that I had made the effort.

I am sharing this card at:

Uniko #53 Anything goes

Addicted to Stamps #341







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