Monday 31 December 2018

Favourites of 2018




Welcome to my annual post of favourite cards for 2018.

I'm not sure if you noticed (ha!), but I started a love affair with alcohol inks this year:


https://handmade-by-michelle.blogspot.com/2018/04/rainbow-birthday-circle.html

https://handmade-by-michelle.blogspot.com/2018/08/happy-elephant.html


https://handmade-by-michelle.blogspot.com/2018/08/lift-ink-hugs.html
https://handmade-by-michelle.blogspot.com/2018/01/alcohol-ink-blues.html


https://handmade-by-michelle.blogspot.com/2018/05/thanks-for-your-kindness.html

https://handmade-by-michelle.blogspot.com/2018/01/blue-birthday-wishes.html

https://handmade-by-michelle.blogspot.com/2018/05/hugs-for-friend.html
https://handmade-by-michelle.blogspot.com/2018/05/you-are-amazing.html

https://handmade-by-michelle.blogspot.com/2018/08/ombre-blue-thanks.html

















 


I still love my Zig clean color real brush markers too, especially with white embossed background stamps


https://handmade-by-michelle.blogspot.com/2018/01/blue-birthday.html
https://handmade-by-michelle.blogspot.com/2018/01/baby-love.html



https://handmade-by-michelle.blogspot.com/2018/02/using-up-leftovers.htmlhttps://handmade-by-michelle.blogspot.com/2018/08/hugs-to-wonderful-friend.htmlhttps://handmade-by-michelle.blogspot.com/2018/04/blue-irises.html






    https://handmade-by-michelle.blogspot.com/2018/04/blue-heart-birthday.html









https://handmade-by-michelle.blogspot.com/2018/03/hello-from-a-blog-named-hero-facebook.html



















I quite enjoy colouring florals, using whatever combination of media seems like fun at the time:
https://handmade-by-michelle.blogspot.com/2018/02/rainbow-bouquet-two-ways.html

https://handmade-by-michelle.blogspot.com/2018/06/pink-and-orange-garland.htmlhttps://handmade-by-michelle.blogspot.com/2018/11/happy-birthday-jacqui.html

https://handmade-by-michelle.blogspot.com/2018/09/pastel-birthday-bouquet.html
https://handmade-by-michelle.blogspot.com/2018/08/thanks-bouquet.htmlhttps://handmade-by-michelle.blogspot.com/2018/07/fuchsia-birthday.html

Here are some random cards I particularly liked this year
https://handmade-by-michelle.blogspot.com/2018/06/rainbow-hugs.html

https://handmade-by-michelle.blogspot.com/2018/05/im-guest-for-cas-on-friday.htmlhttps://handmade-by-michelle.blogspot.com/2018/01/fusion-coffee-and-book.html





































And I always love making Christmas cards
https://handmade-by-michelle.blogspot.com/2018/12/challenge-me-christmas-card-with_20.htmlhttps://handmade-by-michelle.blogspot.com/2018/12/challenge-me-christmas-card-with-kelly.html

https://handmade-by-michelle.blogspot.com/2018/10/fun-and-festive.htmlhttps://handmade-by-michelle.blogspot.com/2018/11/challenge-me-christmas-card-with-susan.html

https://handmade-by-michelle.blogspot.com/2018/12/challenge-me-christmas-card-with-glenda.htmlhttps://handmade-by-michelle.blogspot.com/2018/11/challenge-me-christmas-card-with-barb.html





































Thank you for everyone who has supported my card-making hobby throughout the year, in a multitude of different ways. Extra thanks to Hero Arts and Lisa and Jess at A Blog Named Hero, Michele Gross and Alanna Moses at CAS-ual Fridays stamps, Karren and all of the ladies at Fusion challenge blog and Susan Opel at Simon Says Stamp. A special thank you to Jennifer McGuire for her kindness and encouragement (and all the inspiration!), and to all my lovely guests for my Challenge me a Christmas Card series. And thank you to everyone who has left a kind word or suggestion in the comments, and all my wonderful followers on Instagram and Facebook - I really appreciate your support!

Thanks for visiting :)

Sunday 30 December 2018

You're in my heart

I made a Valentine's Day card using the "Windows to my heart" die from the "You are Loved" release from Simon Says Stamp the other day. This meant that I had six heart die cuts left over, so I pulled out some Distress Oxide inks and made a rainbow!
After inking the hearts with DIstress Oxide Inks, I sprayed them with Perfect Pearls in water to add some shine. I adhered them to the card front, then added a sentiment from "Tiny Words" from Simon Says Stamp embossed onto black cardstock. I then added some more hearts from "Thoughtful Messages" (also from Simon) and some clear sequins.

I will be sharing this card at the Simon Says Stamp Wednesday Challenge, where the theme is Anything Goes!
https://www.simonsaysstampblog.com/wednesdaychallenge/simon-says-anything-goes-57/
Thanks for visiting :)

Saturday 29 December 2018

Happy birthday Uncle Jack

My great uncle Jack (my mum's uncle) is celebrating his 100th birthday! Hooray! I made this colourful card for him. Happy birthday, Uncle Jack!
I used the Centre Cut Burst stamp from Simon Says Stamp, white embossed onto watercolour cardstock and coloured with Zig markers and water. I added the die cut numbers and the "th" from Papertrey Ink cut from gold mirror cardstock, and added a white embossed on black sentiment also from Simon. I finished by adding the panel to a card front with a black strip at the side with some faux stitching to go with the sentiment. 
I will be sharing this card at the Simon Says Stamp Wednesday Challenge, where the theme is Anything Goes!

https://www.simonsaysstampblog.com/wednesdaychallenge/simon-says-anything-goes-57/

Thanks for visiting :)

Friday 28 December 2018

Love you

I just received a lovely little package in the mail with this die from Simon Says Stamp.
I cut the "Windows to my heart" die from Simon Says Stamp from some white cardstock, and added it on top of some yupo with alcohol inks with some dimensional adhesive. (This die is from the recent "You Are Loved release). I added some faux stitching lines around the edge, and around one of the hearts, then added a sentiment from "Tabbed Sentiments" from Simon Says Stamp and CZ design, white embossed onto a scrap of purple cardstock.
 Thanks for visiting :)

Thursday 27 December 2018

Colourful birthday

I don't often use orange, but after all those Christmas cards, I needed a colour palette a little bit different! 
I used the Doodle Garden background stamp from Catherine Pooler, white embossed onto watercolour cardstock, then coloured with Zig markers and water. The sentiment is from Uniquely  Creative.
Thanks for visiting :)

Tuesday 25 December 2018

Dino card


My brother specifically asked for a dinosaur card for his birthday this year, so that's what he got!
I used the Critters from the Past stamp set from Lawn Fawn, coloured with Copic markers, over a background of Distress Oxide inks.
 Thanks for visiting :)

Monday 24 December 2018

Challenge me a Christmas Card thank you!

Here's one last Christmas card to share with you!
I made a yupo panel with alcohol ink and gold foil, then cut some triangles from it to make the Christmas trees. I added a die cut and stamped sentiment from Birch Press Designs. I added some faux stitching lines for a tiny bit more detail.
I just wanted to send another HUGE thank you to my wonderful guests for my Challenge me a Christmas Card series this year (click on their name to check out their project. All of these ladies are so very awesome, and I am so grateful for their generosity, kindness and friendship. 

Wishing you all a very merry Christmas! 
Thanks for visiting :)

Sunday 23 December 2018

Challenge me a Christmas Card with Anita Bowden

Welcome to "Challenge me a Christmas Card" for 2018!
My guest today is Anita Bowden, and she has challenged me to make a card with the night sky. You can check out her take on this challenge HERE.

Here's what I came up with (my card is a CASE of a card by Kristina Werner from her 2014 Holiday card series - you can check out her card HERE).
I created the sky with Distress Inks and splatters of Perfect Pearls in water. The die is from Memory Box, the star is from Neat and Tangled, and the sentiment is from Simon Says Stamp.
Thanks for visiting :)

Saturday 22 December 2018

Challenge me a Christmas Card with Kelly Latevola

Welcome to "Challenge me a Christmas Card" for 2018!
My guest today is Kelly Latevola, and she has challenged me to make a card using black, white and a pop of colour. You can check out her take on this challenge HERE.

Here's what I came up with:
I used a stamp from Wplus9, coloured with Copics and a few final touches with Derwent pencils. The sentiment is a die from Studio Katia, and a stamp from Simon Says Stamp.
Thanks for visiting :)