Favourite cards of 2016

As the old year draws to a close most of us think back to what has been and what is to come.

2016 has been a bit of a shocker, in that many famous names have left us. For some it was after a long and successful career, others were plucked far too soon, surely 2017 cannot be as bad.

On a more frivolous note, having already listed my favourite Christmas cards, I set to looking through my file of cards again. Its a bit difficult to choose just a few but the following cards made me smile and represent a cross section of techniques and styles.

Some were acknowledged by others and some, well, I loved them.

The first of my choices was made in a bit of a rush if truth be told. I needed a card for a DT commitment (here) and I was running out of ideas.

The theme was pink and brown and in my rush to complete I did add some green! Too late to make another I left it as is and in the end it worked out OK. Plenty of others liked it too, it was recognised at CAS(e) this Sketch and at the Paper Players and it is one of this years most pinned! I used Altenew's Painted Flowers and an ancient Cuttlebug die plate for the raised sentiment.

I love LOTV images, they are so cute and a joy to colour, so for my next card I chose this.

I love making cards for the men in my life, just as well as I'm on the Cardz4Guyz DT! This was for our Dig it Challenge and won over at the Cutie Pie Challenge. I have a stash of DP in the cupboard but I always seem to revert to my favourites like this cloud DP from NitWits. I like to fussy cut my Copic coloured images rather than have them just on a panel and here I framed him with a simple white mount.

My next choice introduced me to a new technique, Faux Mother of Pearl. It was the CAS challenge over at HLS that asked for us to use it in a project. After a bit of research I worked out what was involved then had a go and this is the end result.

The ladies at LIM had a Citrus colour challenge so that is why I used these colours. I made three different panels and used them to create the coloured elements using another of my favourite styles, die cuts.

Do you watch the crafting channels? I do sometimes but usually the presenters annoy me so I tend to record the odd one or two programmes that interest me and whizz through the presentation, otherwise known as the big sell! Anyway I caught a session that interested me because they were using Brusho for painting. So I recorded it and settled down with the hoofer doofer on hand to fast forward.  I was fascinated by the demonstrator and had to have a go myself. I produced a few panels and these are two of them.

The first features a poppy I drew and coloured with DI in a watercolour manner with Brusho in the background and the second I stamped STAMPlorations daisies in DI then masked them and added the Brusho background. Find more details here and here

My next cards are made from dies of various kinds, one feminine and one masculine, more details (here) and (here).

  

The first uses my favourite Gardenia die, it was so popular when I took it to Swindon on the HLS retreat, that at one point there were none to be got anywhere in the country! The masculine one uses MFT's zipper die set.

I do love to use die cuts in my cards and when Kylie asked for DT applicants for a dedicated die challenge over at HLS I had to apply! Luckily I was accepted.

This next card also uses die cuts but ones I coloured with Copics rather than cut them from coloured card. I think you get a more dimensional feel. 

I made this card for a GD spot over at Less is More, so honoured to be asked. I've made another one similar for the launch of Kylie's stamps, more details here.

My final card mixes my favourite styles, CAS, die cuts and colouring images with Copics.

I used a layout from Sketch Saturday, another of my favourite ways to create, especially when the little grey cells aren't firing and a DT commitment is imminent! Find all the details here.

So that's it. A run down on my favourites of 2016, hopefully 2017 will not be quite as traumatic out there in the world.