Saturday 18 October 2014

Black and sweet birthday

I have to say that it has turned out to be a rather nice day today, even though the rain didn't seem like it was ever going to stop in the early hours! I managed to have a play in the front garden and get rid of the new set of weeds that are coming through! I have a new Gladioli starting to flower - a lovely rich purple it is. However, I did not get down to the allotment even though the weather was good enough, as the garden and shopping took longer than expected (and Chucky was refusing to go back into his cage!).

However, I did manage to make a birthday card. I noticed that I was running low in my stash, and as I do not tend to send Halloween cards I decided to use the Halloween colours for a birthday card instead.


A piece of black and white paper was cut to size, and inked over with orange before placing in the centre of an orange card blank. Two scalloped circles were die cut using the X-cut nesting dies and Bigshot - one on black card and one from orange papermania patterned paper (from the Sunshine collection). A scalloped circle two sizes smaller was cut inside the orange circle. A slightly large circle was then cut from packaging acetate, using a Sizzix thinlets die, to fit inside the aperture of the patterned circle. A cake image was stamped onto the black circle using versa mark ink and a free stamp, and heat embossed with a cosmic orange embossing powder. This came out slightly dark on the black card and with a green shimmer, so I used orange ink to add the orange sheen to the image. I layered the aperture circle over the image, using foam pads and filling with black thick glitter and orange seed beads, before layering onto the base card. To finish three orange flowers were added, according to the sketch below (from C4C258) and a sentiment.
This card is being entered into the following challenges:

Simon Says - Monday Challenge - O is for Orange
CASology - 117 Candy
Shopping Our Stash #173 Hello, Sweetie
craftycatz #251 Black and one other colour
allsorts - Embossing (heat)
scrapbook stamp society #52 Use Orange
alphabet challenge R for Round
Fussy and fancy #125 Orange and Black
Simply Create Too #72 Lots of orange
crafting by designs - anything goes
crafty calendar - BINGO (embossing, sparkle and sentiment)


Book Review - Black Gold by Frank Palmer. The main character is this mini crime novel is a complaints department policeman. Phil used to be an investigative officer until an assignment caused permanent damage to his leg and he feels lucky to have been able to get a desk job, although it is rather boring. However when two deaths that initially seem to be standard assignments, turn out to not only be linked to each other, but also to a murder investigation, 
Phil decides to drag his feet with the complaints investigations so that he can help out with the murder investigation. It is suspected that a religious charity is being used as a cover for smuggling and the original deaths are in connection with this. But Phil has to work hard to both keep himself on the case, and find out what has actually happened - and he hates using guns! 
This is a fast paced book with lots of twists and keeps you guessing. I enjoyed reading this book, and it is written so that you can put it down and be able to pick it up without having to go over what you previously read. This is a well written investigative crime book.


Thanks for reading
Hugz Tinz

14 comments:

  1. I love the effect of the sparkly embossing on the black - you've really evoked a Hallowe'en feeling for this birthday card! I love that you've included lots of white space around your focal point and inked panel. So glad you joined us at CASology this week!

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  2. A very elegant design and the sparkle embossing really glimmers nicely.

    Thanks for sharing your creativity with us at Allsorts challenge this week.

    In case you didn’t know, we have some great candy to be won at our sister challenge here

    B x

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  3. This looks gorgeous, very pretty card...
    Thanks for joining us at CraftyCatz this week.x

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  4. What a great birthday card for this time of year! Love that paper ... I am sitting here at my laptop wearing black trousers and orange top - look a tad like a pumpkin!! Love your card.

    Thank you so much for entering the Crafty Calendar (Bingo) challenge this month, lots of luck.

    Hugs to you Sue Pxxx DT

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  5. this is s pretty card

    Thanks for join us at ScrapbookStampSociety Challenge.

    Greetings Karin DT Coördinator

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  6. Great take on the sketch and a fab idea to use Halloween colours for a birthday card!
    Thanks for joining the Shopping Our Stash crew for the "Hello, Sweetie" challenge this week

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  7. Fab embossing, great card, thanks for joining us at Allsorts this week, xxxx

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  8. Your card is awesome. Love the great color combo. Thank you so much for sharing with us at Simon Says Stamp Monday Challenge. :)

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  9. Love all the different orange tones and the embossing on your lovely birthday card.
    Thanks for joining us at Simply Create Too.
    Hugs
    Carol x

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  10. Lovely card this is, looks real pretty and I - being Dutch and all - love the orange ;-) Thanks for joining us at Shopping Our Stash this week, good luck! Ira x
    Ira’s Crea Corner

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  11. WHY do I never remember to stamp on patterned paper?! Yours looks fabulous! Thanks for joining us at Shopping Our Stash!

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  12. Oh I love this and what a great way to use the colours, perfect for our Challenge. Thanks for joining us over at the Fussy and Fancy Challenge blog and good luck...Jo. X

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  13. Fabulous take on the challenge thank you for joining us at Alphabet challenges, hope you will join us again
    Shaz x

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  14. Beautiful card, love the pattern on the background! Thank you for sharing your creation with us at the Crafty Catz! Ingrid xx

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