CAS Lace & Bow Gift Card Holder - HOC 'Add A Bow' Challenge

What a wonderful time away we had in Dorset last week, lovely weather, beautiful scenery, delicious food and fabulous company!  Sadly, as soon as I returned home I got poorly and have been feeling yucky for the past few days.  That means no crafting for me in over a week so I've been itching to get inky but not feeling perky enough to make anything other than simple and quick!  When I saw the House of Cards 'Add a Bow' challenge I decided I'd make a CAS card for the challenge - perfect to ease me back into crafting again.

Bows often make me think of gifts so I decided I would make a gift card holder.  Lace is a great accompaniment to a bow so after die cutting the ornate card shape I stamped my new SU! 'I Love Lace' stamp onto the card front.  I die cut and embossed the ribbon and bow shapes, attached the bow to the ribbon strip and finished off with a circle dazzler.  

Using the card front die I cut a piece of white CS, stamped the lace onto it, trimmed it to size, applied glue just at the bottom and sides and adhered it inside the card so it forms a pocket that I can slide a gift card or money into.  I stamped the sentiment and added a line above the pocket with a black marker.

 The envelope front was decorated simply with some stamped lace and a black marker line.

Just some simple die cutting and stamping but that's me done in for the day, I'm now off to slob on the sofa and watch Netflix!

Supplies:
Stamps: SU! 'I Love Lace' background stamp, SU! 'Made for You' set
CS: IndigoBlu white Perfect Stamping Card, SU! Basic Black
Ink: VersaFine Onyx Black, SU! Basic Black marker
Tools: Sizzix 'Card Fronts A2, Eyelet & Ornate' Bigx XL die, Creative Expressions Finishing Touches 'Classic 3D Bow' die set
Embellishments & accessories: Creative Expressions Small Circle Dazzler, glue dot

 

30th Wedding Anniversary Card - HOC June Blog Hop & Anything Goes Photo Inspiration Challenge

Hi, all!  It's time for an end of the term blog hop over at House of Cards and we have a super fun challenge AND tons of great prize opportunities for those of you who join in the fun!!! :)   There is also a DT call going on too!  You should have arrived here from MYNN - who has shared not one but three beautiful cards! If you haven't, please start all the way back at the House of Cards hop post and follow the list found in the body of the hop post!

Here's our photo inspiration~

Here are our fabulous sponsors~

Eclectic Anthology
Prize: $50 gift voucher to the shop.

Inspired By Stamping
Prize: $15 gift voucher to the shop.

Paper Sweeties
Prize: $20 gift voucher to the shop.

 

STAMPlorations
Prize: 5 stamps sets--your choice--from the shop.

Stitchy Bear
Prize: $10 gift voucher to the shop.

For my card I chose to be inspired by the black and white numbered jars, the metal basket and the flowers.  I've made a Classic and Elegant style 30th Wedding Anniversary card using a simple combo of black, white and silver - I used shiny silver mirri CS and shiny silver ribbon for a touch of glamour.  A pearl anniversary is celebrated at 30 years so I've included pearl CS and pearls in my design.

The card base is 5 3/4" square and was made from Centura Pearl white with a hint of silver CS.  I printed the beautiful Stitchy Bear 'Lovey Dovey Silhouette' digi image onto white CS, adhered 3 strips of narrow silver ribbon to the top of the panel and layered onto black and white pearl CS mats.  I punched the corners of the white pearl CS mat layer so that I could add pearls onto the black mat.  I stamped, punched and popped up the numbers.  I stamped and die cut the sentiment and popped that up also.  I die cut some white flowers and edged the petals with Scattered Straw Distress Ink.  I shaped the flower layers, glued the flower to the card and added a pearl to the centre.  I added 2 small punched silver hearts and sprinkled more pearls on the panel to complete the card front.  

Here's the inside and the envelope.  I stamped the decorative heart onto white CS using Smoky Slate ink and I stamped the sentiment over the top in black ink.  I layered onto a black mat and added 2 silver punched hearts.  For the envelope flap I used a circle Nestie die to cut out a portion of the Lovey Dovey Silhouette image and matted onto a larger black circle. 

Very sadly, this will be my last post for House of Cards as I'm now stepping down.  I've enjoyed the HOC experience so much and I'm so happy to have been a part of it!  If you'd like to design for HOC  now's the time to apply as there is a DT call going along with the Blog Hop!

Now get to hoppin'!  Your next stop is CORNELIA!  Wow, what a stunning and stylish CAS creation she has shared!  If you get lost along the way, you can always head back to the original blog hop post--and don't forget to link up a project at the House of Cards blog after completing the hop for an extra chance to win a mystery prize from one of our fabulous sponsors, too!

Bird To You From Me Card - HOC May Colour/Photo Challenge

This month at HOC we have a colour combo/photo inspiration challenge.  For the next two weeks we'd like you to make and link up CAS or Classic & Elegant style cards using the picture below for inspiration - you can use the colours, the picture or both as your inspiration!

I used some of the colours plus a bird for my Classic & Elegant style card - I was very happy to ink up the Inkadinkado pretty bird image again!  I embossed some lavender coloured Core'dinations CS with the Birds & Swirls folder, scuffed the embossing with sandpaper and layered the panel onto a black mat.  I threaded two strips of ribbon through a metal ribbon slider, taped the ends behind the panel and adhered it to the 5 3/4" square Smoky Slate card base.  I stamped the bird twice and fussy cut the second bird and popped it up.  I punched tiny flowers and added gems to the centres and popped up the sentiment to complete the card front.

Here's the inside and the envelope.  I stamped a bold birthday sentiment and punched larger flowers for the inside of the card.

So that's my card based on the photo and the other DT members have got fabulous inspiration for you so do check that out before you make your own fab creation!  Whatever you create make sure to link it up for us at HOC. 

Supplies:
Stamps: Inkadinkado 'Birds Galore' set, SU! 'Best Yet' set, Hero Arts 'Friends are Tresures' cling set
CS: SU! Smoky Slate, So Saffron, Basic Black & Whisper White, Core'dinations lavender CS
Ink: VersaFine Onyx Black, SU! Smoky Slate
Tools: Cuttlebug 'Birds & Swirls' embossing folder, circle punches, Woodware flower punches
Embellishments & accessories: SU! So Saffron grosgrain riibbon, black & white gingham ribbon, metal ribbon slider, SU! rhinestone jewels, Dimensionals

 

Butterflies Good Luck Card - HOC April Sketch Challenge - Classic & Elegant

At House of Cards this month we have a sketch challenge for you.  During the next two weeks we're wanting to see either CAS or Classic and Elegant cards made using this great layout.  You can rotate the sketch and change shapes - as long as the layout still comes through on your completed card it's all good!

 

 I stayed faithful to the layout - and I was even literal enough to use a butterfly as the main image! - but I opted to make a square card.  I layered dotty patterned paper onto an Island Indigo mat, added the lace trim and adhered the panel to the front of the Pool Party 5 3/4" square card base.   I then got busy with my butterfly die, I cut it out, dry embossed it - and keeping the shape in place inside the die - I applied Pool Party ink using a sponge dauber.  I removed the shape from the die, masked the string and bow and stamped a woven pattern over the top in Island Indigo ink. The Pool Party square and the sentiment are popped up and to complete the card front I added more butterflies and sprinkled on some rhinestone jewels. 

Here's a closer look at the butterfly.  Because I kept the die in place before adding the Pool Party ink the debossed areas remained white.  I tried stamping the woven background over the top whilst the die was still in place but that wasn't successful.  So I removed the shape from the die and stamped again - perfect - only the raised embossed areas got stamped so my debossed areas stayed white.  I inked the edges of the butterfly with Island Indigo ink using a sponge dauber just to give a little more definition.

Here's the inside of the card and the envelope.  For these butterflies I die cut using Pool Party CS and applied Island Indigo ink with a sponge dauber and didn't stamp a design over the top.  The Memory Box Precious Butterflies die comes with both large and small butterfly shapes, both suspended from a string and bow.  I snipped the bow off the smaller one, glued it to the white panel and lined the larger butterfly up above it before gluing it into place.  I just used a small butterfly shape for the envelope flap.  

That Good Luck sentiment stamp has been in my stash for many, many years, it's one of the first stamps I ever bought, I fell in love with that gorgeous font - and I still love it now!  I rarely make Good Luck cards so it doesn't get an outing very often.  I was very happy to ink it up again to make a card for Hollie, a sweet girl who worked at our local craft shop, the Glitter Pot.  Hollie starts a new job soon and I wanted to wish her the best of luck and good wishes for her future.    

So now it's over to you, please link up your creations made using the sketch, we'd love you to play along with us at HOC!

Supplies:
Stamps: Rubber Stampede 'Good Luck', Hero Arts 'Large Woven Background', Hobby Art 'Sentiments' clear set
CS: SU! Pool Party, Island Indigo & Whisper White
Patterned paper: Lasting Impressions 'Seaside' dotty paper
Ink: SU! Pool Party & Island Indigo
Tools: Memory Box 'Precious Butterflies' die, SU! 'Beautiful Wings' Embosslits die, Spellbinder's Grommet Tags die set, SU! Ticket Corner punch, small circle punches, sponge daubers
Embellishments & accessories: Woodware self adhesive white lace ribbon, SU! Island Indigo Candy Dots & Brad Bases, SU! rhinestone jewels, Dimensionals