Christmas is coming

Hello,
Today I have my first Christmas card of the season to share. When I saw the CAS mix up challenge for October I realised that I could use up some scraps of foiled alcohol ink background that I had left from another project.

The tree, part of the set that came with Simply Cards and Papercraft mag, was stamped and heat embossed with gold pearl onto a linen effect card base. The sentiment was cut from red foiled card with a Lawn Fawn die. You can see the shine in the next photo.

You can see the foiling on the alcohol ink strips on the close up below. A simple card but quite effective I think. I have used foiling, stamping and die cutting.

I am also sharing this at AAA Cards 151 One corner and snippets Playground #363


   


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

Autumn Leaf

Hello,
Today I have a card for autumn. I have been wanting to use the leaf die that came with issue 127 of Papercraft Essentials ever since I got it in August, so when I saw the challenges with an autumn theme I had to get it out.

I really like doing inlaid diecuts, it can be very fiddly but oh so satisfying. Here is my card:

The leaf is cut from a deep red mirror card and I used 3 different watercolour backgrounds found in my backgrounds folder for the inlay. I cut a panel from mushroom coloured coated card and used the die again to cut out the corner. The inlaid die was then fixed into the panel and mounted on a brown card base with foam tape, but first I stamped and heat embossed the words with off white embossing powder. The words are from Concord & 9th Lace Leaf stamp set.

Here is a close up:

The leaf has a nice shine to it so it looks more vibrant in real life. Just for once I am quite pleased with this one.

I am sharing it at:
CAS Watercolour 3rd birthday celebration. Code word Maple leaf
Make My Monday Autumn
Stamplorations CAS Challenge Anything goes





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

September Card Chain Challenge

Hello,
I am aware that a whole month has gone by and I haven't written a single post or entered a challenge. I am not sure why as I have not stopped making cards, but things have been quite busy and I suppose I have just slipped out of the pattern of it. Anyway I did take part in the September CCC. I used both the colour palette and the sketch option for my card.

Here is my card:

I am a little disappointed with the colours as I had really wanted the red to be more vibrant and the black to be blacker but never mind. I think it also has a rather masculine feel which I wasn't aiming for as the recipient was the lovely Dawn in New Zealand. I was pleased that I managed to create reasonable enamel dots with  my liquid enamel accents. Something usually goes wrong when I get them out! I created the stripes by using strips of post it tape as a mask.

I received this gorgeous card from Shylaa in India:

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

August CCC Reveal

Hello,
Today is the day for the August Card Chain Challenge reveal.

My card went to Arlene in California.

One of the options this month was foil so I made this card:

I think I have probably cheated a bit as I used foiled card but I decided it didn't matter. The cover die is from Altenew and I made this card first and then used the frames left over from the inlaying to make these.

I do enjoy using this technique, it can be a real fiddle but the pieces from this die are a good size and it is very satisfying when it is done. The hardest thing about this was the heat embossing on the foil, I did it 3 times and none of them were perfect. My close up picture doesn't show the heat embossing, I wonder why!

This month I received this lovely card from Lucille:

Don't those pies make your mouth water?

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

Be Happy

Hello,
I am honoured to have been invited to be guest designer at A Place To Start the challenge theme for September is:

The "Lone" Crafter

"Anything Goes

 + Optional Twist:

Show Us Your Masking"

Here is my card:

This is made with the pen sketched flowers stamp set by Atenew. The 2 flowers were stamped in versafine onyx black ink, I then created a mask by stamping the same image onto a post it note and fussy cutting the image so that I could stamp the leaves. I lightly coloured the flower and leaves with my Zig clean colour real brush pens.

I used washi tape for the boarder and stamped the sentiment (from the same stamp set) below it. I used a stitched frame die and mounted on coloured card stock (adorable scorable) and finished it off with a few sequins. Here is a close up:

I am hoping that my humble card might inspire you to take part in this months challenge particularly as it is anything goes so what's to lose?

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