I Love You

Hello,

Happy Valentines Day to you all, where ever you are.
Today's card uses Hero Arts Starry Night stamp as the background, stamped in soft grey.
The pink heart is also Hero Arts Paper Layering Floral Heart and I used pink gemstones for the centre of butterflies and flowers.  I also added a row of gemstones under the sentiment.
Finally everything is 'framed' with a silver frame.

Happy Valentines Day   xx

A Box sending Love and Hugs

Hello Fellow Card Enthusiasts,

This card is one I have wanted to make for quite a while.  The box is stamped on craft color paper, cut out and then the side are cut with a craft knife to add the hearts.  The cut allows you to tuck in the hearts and bunch them together.

I did case (copy and share everything) this card from I'm in Haven site.
You can see the card here.

Anthea

Hero Arts Monthly kit

Thank you for stopping by.

This card uses the Hero Arts monthly kit for January.  I embossed the 'Love' sentiment twice. Once in black and then again using Hero Arts Brass embossing powder.  This is a wonderful, rich shade that is not a yellow as gold but still very luxurious.  I think this my favourite embossing color at the moment.  To match the sentiment, I inked and then embossed in Brass around the edge of the base card.  I finished the card with Nuvo drops to add some dimension.  I used black, white and clear drops in clusters together.

This s a lovely card that is not over powering but gives a clear message to the receiver that they are really loved.

               

Brusho on Watercolor paper

Howdy All,

Today's cards uses Brusho on watercolor paper.
First I heat embossed the butterfly and flower on the watercolor paper.  Then is added some water with a spay bottle, then shook the brusho color and watched the magic happen.

Have you used brusho powder before?

These were my first attempts.  The stamps are from Stampin Up.
I also added Nuvo drops to finish the cards.



Anthea

Altenew Garden Treasure

Hello All,

These cards use a technique I learnt from the talented Jennifer McGuire.
You can see what she created here.
I used the technique for a slightly different look.
First you stamp with VersaMark ink, then you brush Perfect Pearls over the ink. The you use the next layering stamps to take off some of the Perfect Pearl and that gives the beautiful dimension to the card.
The first card uses blue Perfect Pearl, the other two cards use the original Perfect Pearl which gives a lovely shimmery shine.
The Sentiment is from Stampin Up and heat embossed on vellum.

Have a lovely day everyone.

Sunflower Delight

How can you not like sunflowers?  They are bright and cheerful and always look towards the sun.
Here I used the Sunflower die from Hero Arts to make a couple of different cards.  The background is an embossing folder from Stampin up. I used it on the card both ways, positive and the negative side.  I particularly love the micro beads that are in the centre of the flower to give added pazzaz.  The top flower has Wink of Stella added to give a lovely shimmer and a light touch of gold thread.

Have a lovely day everyone.

Anthea

Thinking of You

Hello Everyone,

The background for this card is another alcohol ink creation.  I then die cut the Lotus twice, once in lighter blue, then again in darker blue.
I thought this was a great to use as a message to give someone, just to let them know that you are thinking of them.


Anthea

Unicorn Birthday

Hello Everyone,

This card is bright, happy and full of fun.  The unicorn is colored with Copic Markers with an aim to reflect the bright colored background.
The background paper is from my stash of papers, but the rest is from Stampin Up.
The unicorn is also a new release from Stampin up Salebration that comes with a bunch of other stamps that are perfect for bright, cheerful and whimsical cards.
I had great fun making this card.

Pretty Flowers

Hello Everyone,

The card today is a Hero Arts stamp that I white embossed on pink/orange cardstock.  I am sure there is a proper name for the color. oops

Once the heat embossing cooled I used my Inktense pencils to add extra color and highlights to the petals.  I then smoothed the pencil using a aqua painter.

The sentiment is also from a Hero Arts multiple stamps set that has many different sentiments for many different occasions.  I particularly like the different fonts used.

Thanks for taking some time to look at my blog.

Anthea

Happiness

Hello,

Today's card is one that had a few steps. The first was to create a page using alcohol inks.  Using these inks you can become quite an artist.

Then I die cut the fern leaves from the decorated page.

With the sentiments, I mainly used dark green, but then added black to give a dappled look.

Finally, I added some gold sequins to give some shine and added dimension.

Have a wonderful week

Anthea

Distress Oxide flowers

Hello There Everyone,

This card I started with a full sheet of white card stock, then added Distress Oxide inks.
I have a few of these, thanks to my children purchasing them for me for my birthday.  I am not that skilled with blending, but I am having fun trying new techniques.

Once the ink was down I misted the card stock and watched how the oxide within the ink activates.  It becomes even more vivid and beautiful.

Then I die cut the flower and the sentiment from the dry card stock.
I mounted them on black card to frame and show off the brightness of the oxide inks.

This is a very striking card.

Have a wonderful day,    Anthea

Hello There,

This card uses the Altenew stamp set called Happy Dreams.
On black card, I embossed the sentiment with a dark blue embossing powder. This gave it a shiny look, but didn't dominate the card.  I then embossed the feathers around in a circular pattern. 

Then...and this is the exciting part, I colored each feather with Perfect Pearls.  The Perfect Pearl powder stuck to the stamped feather, and allowed the intricate design of the feather to shine.

I then misted some water in the air and waved the card through it, that activates a setting agent in the Perfect Pearl powder.  So you can handle the card with ease and not smudge any of the feathers.

I wish you could see it in real life, the card is gorgeous.

Have a great day everyone.

Anthea

Wooden Cheers

Hello Everyone,

Today's card I gave to my nephew for his birthday.  I set myself the task of creating a card that got its message across and didn't include sparkle, glitter or any flowers, and I think I achieved that.  At times that can be very hard to do.  Do any of you find that your stash can easily create a feminine card, but a masculine card takes a bit more thinking....maybe its just me.

Have a wonderful day, everyone.

Anthea

Hero Arts Monthly Kit

Hello,

Me again with some cards made from the Hero Arts Monthly kit.  This is the December kit.
Have you seen these kits?  They are such good value on their own, and there are additional items that you can also purchase.  Have a look at the Hero Arts blog to see more.
I am hopeless and cant help myself but buy a few of the extra's.
This card uses Distress Oxide inks. All stamps are from the kit except for the sentiment.  The sentiment is from the Make A Wish stamp set.

The next two cards are from the extra's you can purchase. 

The stamp set is called Make a Wish.

I colored each of the Genies with Zig Clean color Real Brush markers.

Who can resist the charm of their own Genie in a bottle. 

What would you do with your 3 wishes?

The Filigree Boarder Fancy die is an extra but, the camel is from the Monthly kit.

Isn't he just delightful.

Here I first stamped the sand dunes multiple times. Then I painted them with my Gansai Tambi paints.  For the sky I finished off the blue with a light cover of the pearl, that is in the paint set.

I popped up the middle camel on some foam dimensions.

 Can you see the slight shimmer of the pearl in the sky?

This last card I colored using my Inktense pencils and used pencil blending stumps with Gamsol to blend the pencils. 

Again, this is a new technique for me and can only get better with practice.

All the stamps used on this card are from the Monthly kit.

So a lot of cards shown here today. 

I think I may be getting better at adding them to my blog. 

Please check out my Instagram page       anthea_handmadecards

Here you will see the most up to date projects I am working on.

Have a great day 

Anthea

Hammer and Nails

Hi Everyone,

Today's cards is traditionally for male in the household.  But with this ever changing wold there is a current ground swell to encourage women to be courageous and do what ever they want to do.
This card could be given to anyone, regardless of their gender, to celebrate their birthday.

So Happy Birthday to anyone, who is willing to pick up any tools and give it a go.

Nuvo Drops

 

Hello Everyone,

Have you discovered Nuvo Drops yet?  They are inexpensive and easy to use. 

They come in a squeeze bottle and the liquid is not too runny that you make a mess.

Unless you touch the design afterwards accidentally.  I can tell you I have done that a couple of times.

Make sure you leave the card in a flat space over night, just to make sure the design dries thoroughly.

Here are a couple of different designs I created. 

The sentiment is from Mama Elephant.

Anthea

Happy 21st Birthday

Recently two nephews (who are twins) celebrated their 21st birthdays. I made them these cards.

The reason for the two beers is because the elder of the twins is actually the second born in the family (in other words he has an older brother), therefore the card with the three beers is for the 3rd born.

Confused!! ??

Either way, I think they liked the cards.

The foam on the beer is actually made with a Snow Marker. You color (or paint) on the white liquid, then heat set it. When it is heated, the ink puffs up.

Just another dimension to the card.

Have a great day Everyone,   Anthea

50th Wedding Anniversary

50 years of anything is a major achievement, and sharing that 50 years with someone else is extra special.


Anthea

Lets Welcome 2018

Hi Everyone,
Well last year, my New Year's Resolution was to put more posts on my blog.....well I did do well for 7 months of the year.
Lets see if I can do better in 2018.

I prefer even numbers, like 18... don't know why.  Are you the same?

Anyway, Welcome 2018.

Anthea