It's All About the Legs!

Good morning

I want to start by saying a massive thank you to everyone for all your lovely comments and congratulations for my new role on the Design Team at Less is More.  The crafting community is fabulous and you've made me feel so welcome, so THANK YOU!


And, as we're on the subject of Less is More we have a new challenge just starting and as it's a month with five Saturdays, this week we have a Lucky Dip week for you and our theme is...

Two or Four Legs

I did quite a bit of rummaging through my stash before making these and I was quite surprised by how many options I actually had for this theme.  I have two cards to share with you.

I couldn't let this theme pass by without using this fabulous stamp for the first time.  I only wish my legs were nearly this long and slim.  The only similarity here is the wine glass in hand!

I stamped the image, 'Uptown Girls Reilly Loves to Relax' by Stamping Bella and coloured with my FlexMarkers.  The sentiment is from the 'Happy Hour' set by Stampin' Up.  I then mounted the image panel on some red Bazzill Basics cardstock before adhering to a square card base.

I am linking this card up at the following challenges:

Simon Says Stamp Wednesday Challenge - Anything Goes

Loves Rubberstamps - Challenge #153 - Coffee, Tea or Favourite Beverage

Dream Valley - Challenge #107 - Anything Goes

Now on to my second card...

I die cut a circle from white cardstock and trimmed off the edges so it would sit in the corner, and then stamped the sentiment from Clearly Besotted's 'Be Merry' set.  The sentiment was masked before spreading embossing paste through a Tim Holtz 'Speckles' stencil.  The reindeer was stamped and die cut using Clearly Besotted's 'In Stitches - Christmas' stamp and die set, then popped up on 3D foam.  Of course, I had to add some Wink of Stella for some subtle sparkle for his nose!

The challenges I am entering for this card are:

Moving Along with the Times - Texture Challenge
Addicted to CAS - Challenge #64 - Animal
Simply Create Too - Challenge #86 - Keep It Simple


For this week at Less is More we have a Guest Designer joining us, the super talented and wonderful Rebecca of Melly Moo.  So please pop by and take a minute to leave Rebecca and my fellow teamies some LIMette love!

That's all for now.  I've no idea where the time has gone over the last week so apologies for not sharing very much, hopefully I can grab some more crafty time soon.

Happy Saturday everyone!

Addicted to Stamps and More #146

Hi there

There's a new weekly challenge just starting over at Addicted to Stamps and More.  The sequence has whizzed around to our regular theme which is...

Anything Goes

Just let your creativity flow and you can enter any card/project you like.

So the only restriction is our usual rule of a maximum of 10 challenge links.

Our wonderful sponsor this week is STAMPlorations and they are offering a $10 gift certificate to our lucky winner.

Here is my DT card for you...

This was quite a simple make.  I used a two-step stamp here.  I used mini Distress Ink pads to ink up the purple and green and then spritzed with a mist of water before stamping onto my card panel.  I then inked up the second stamp with black Distress Ink and stamped over the top.  These were very difficult to line up as they are rubber cling stamps as opposed to clear.  My black stamping was slightly misaligned but for this type of sketchy stamp and the water spritzing technique I don't think it matters too much.  I added a simple sentiment and matted my white panel onto black cardstock before adhering flat to my card base.

Materials used:

• Stamps: Rubbernecker - Lilies with Color; Hot Off The Press - unknown set name (sentiment)
• Ink: Distress Inks - Seedless Preserves, Mowed Lawn and Black Soot; Versafine - Onyx Black
• Cardstock: Anna Marie Designs (white); Papermania (black)

Challenge entries:

Dream Valley - Challenge #107 - Anything Goes

A Gem of a Challenge - Challenge #145 - Flowers

613 Avenue Create - Challenge #125 - Anything Goes

Inkspirational - Challenge #83 - Purple

Seize the Birthday - Anything Goes

Simply Create Too - Challenge #86 - Keep it Simple

There is a wonderful selection of projects by the ATSM Design Team this week so why not pop over there to get some inspiration and leave some love.

That's all for now, have a wonderful day.

Shifted Stenciling

Hi there

Today I'm sharing a card I've made for my brother who is celebrating his birthday today.

On a kraft panel I inked through a stencil using white pigment ink.  Once dry I replaced the stencil but shifted it slightly and then blended through with three different colours of distress ink.  I stamped the sentiment, and stamped and die cut the word brother before adhering this to the panel with 3D foam pads.  The panel was then adhered with 3D foam strips to the card base made from the same kraft cardstock.

Materials used:

• Cardstock: Neenah - Desert Storm
• Stencil: MFT - Graduated Dots
• Ink: Hero Arts - Unicorn; Distress Ink - Salty Ocean, Faded Jeans and Black Soot; Versafine - Onyx Black
• Stamps & Die: Clearly Besotted - My Hero

Challenge entries:

Simon Says Stamp Wednesday Challenge - Stencil It
Happy Little Stampers - May Sketch Challenge

AAA Cards - Game #40 - For the Guys

Just a quick post for today.  I've got a few bits to catch up on this morning then this afternoon I'm off for an afternoon/evening with the girls at my friend's house for fun, drinks, BBQ and gossip! :)

Exciting News!

Good morning crafters

Today I'm thrilled to be sharing some exciting news with you!

After spending a few weeks guest designing with the lovely ladies at Less is More I have been asked to become a permanent member of their Design Team...woohooo!!!

When Chrissie asked me I didn't hesitate to say yes.  Less is More is one of my favourite challenge blogs and one that I've tried to enter most weeks since I discovered the world of craft blogs and challenges so I'm absolutely delighted to be joining their little team.  I only hope I can match their standard each week and provide you with some inspiration.  Thanks so much Chrissie, Sarah and Anne for having me! xx

So, on to this week's challenge.  We are back with a Recipe challenge and we would like you to

Use some metal

Here are my DT cards to hopefully inspire you...

I stamped the tree from Clearly Besotted's Joy to the World set in Neptune Versa Color ink and heat embossed with some embossing powder by All Night Media called Crystal Sparkle.  The blue frame is actually white cardstock, inked around the edges and heat embossed the same way to match.  I added a silver star brad to the top of the tree and the sentiment is a metal bar embellishment which has an eyelet fastener on the back.  These metal embellies have been in my stash for years.

The dotted glitter cardstock is called Sherbert Pips by Kanban and is die cut using a pierced square by MFT Die-namics, as is the small white square.  Then, using some textured paper I layered it up to create a baby's nappy, using a circular die to cut the leg holes and folded the layers around and secured them at the back.  A small safety pin finished it off.  I then stamped the simple sentiment from Clearly Besotted's Little Onesie set.

I really struggle with masculine cards so I'm really pleased with this one.  On a strip of dark grey cardstock I used translucent embossing paste through a metal effect stencil by Dutch Doobadoo.  Once dry I added a hammer charm/brad (from my stash) to some co-ordinating grosgrain ribbon and wrapped this around, securing on the back.  This was then mounted on a strip of lighter grey cardstock and a simple sentiment was stamped to finish, this from Sentiment Sampler by Paper Smooches.

I'd like to link this last card at the following challenges:

Simon Says Stamp Wednesday Challenge - Stencil It

Seize the Birthday - Anything Goes

Creative Card Crew - Challenge #87 - Embossing

Simply Create Too - Challenge #86 - Keep It Simple

Thanks so much for visiting today, I do hope you'll have a go at our challenge to use some metal, this certainly challenged me to dig deep into my stash and use some embellishments I always forget about.

I hope to see you soon.

Pink & Grey Christmas

Hi guys

I've been wanting to take part in the latest Muse challenge since I saw Michele's super classy card earlier this week.

I adore the grey and subtle pink colour scheme with a touch of gold so I used this as my starting point.  I also focused on the leaf vein images in her apertures.

I wasn't planning on making a Christmas card but when I went in search of a stamp depicting leaf veins this poinsettia was the first one that caught my eye so I went with it.  I'm not sure this really works but hey ho, it's a Christmas card to add to my stash for this year (which, at the moment I think consists of about two cards!)

I didn't have enough dark grey cardstock to use as my card base so I covered the front of a white card with the dark grey and cut a panel of lighter grey slightly smaller.  I stamped the poinsettia image onto this in charcoal ink.  I found a scrap of pale pink pearlescent card and stamped the Christmas sentiment which was heat embossed in platinum.  I then die cut the Merry from a scrap of matt gold cardstock.  These were adhered to the bottom right.  I felt the poinsettia needed a little something as it was looking a little bare so I added some Liquid Pearls to the centre of the bloom and embellished with a tiny sprinkling of fine gold glitter.

Materials used:

• Cardstock: Papermania (greys), other from stash
• Stamps: Uniko Studio - Pure Florals Poinsettia
• Ink: Hero Arts - Charcoal; VersaMark
• Embossing Powder: Wow! - Metallic Platinum
• Die: Clearly Besotted - Merry Christmas Die Collection
• Accents: Liquid Pearls - Petal Pink; gold glitter from stash

Here is Michele's gorgeous card, such a classy creation...

As I've used a Uniko Studio stamp here I'm also going to link up to the latest challenge over at Uniko Studio where the theme is Flowers.

And thanks to Ardyth for mentioning it, I'm also going to link up at Muse Christmas Visions.  I saw this Muse card the other day so it must have been at the back of my mind when I made mine without even knowing it!  Here is Chriss' fabulous card...

That's all for now folks, I hope you're all having a relaxing weekend.  Hope to see you again soon.

Less is More - Guest Designer (week four!)

Good morning crafters

Today I have two cards to share with you for my role as Guest Designer for the new challenge at Less is More.  I've had a wonderful time helping out over the last few weeks while some of the DT have been on their holidays, I hope I've managed to inspire you with some of my creations.

So, onto this week's challenge and we have a theme for you which is...

Hello Sunshine

You may interpret this however you like, just remember to keep your creations clean and simple.

Here's my first card...

I started by softly ink blending the background and then blending through a sun ray stencil.  I then used a rectangle die to cut this out before die cutting the word from the inked panel.  I then inlaid and stacked three more die cuts of the hello word die from white cardstock before adhering the original inked word die cut to the top of the stack and accenting with some Wink of Stella.

Materials used:

• Ink: Distress Ink - Scattered Straw and Spiced Marmalade
• Stencil: MFT - Sun Ray
• Dies: Spellbinders Nestabilities - Classic Rectangles; Lawn Fawn - Scripty Hello
• Accents: Wink of Stella

And my second card...

I made score lines on my base card to mimic sun rays and die cut a circle which was stamped with a separate sentiment and sun image.  I coloured the sun with ProMarkers and accented with Wink of Stella.  This was popped up on 3D foam and a few Doodlebug Sprinkles added to finish.

Materials used:

• Die: Xcut - Nested Circles
• Stamps: Stampendous - Doodle Wings; Lawn Fawn - So Much to Say
• Accents: ProMarkers; Wink of Stella; Doodlebug Sprinkles - Bumblebee

Why not have a go and join in at Less is More, I would love to see your interpretations of our theme in the gallery this week.

Thanks for visiting.

Happy Birthday, Sandie!

Good morning

Well, today there's a special linky party in honour of the lovely Sandie of London Days who is celebrating her birthday.

Sandie is well known by many of us in Blogland and she's my teamie at Addicted to Stamps and More and also does lots behind the scenes to assist Kylie to keep the challenge running smoothly.  Sandie owns her own challenge blog, Time Out and also designs for Inkspirational and Uniko Studio.

You can find the link for the party here which is over at Kylie's personal blog.

So, happy birthday, Sandie!  I hope you have a truly wonderful day.  Here's the card I made for you.  In true Sandie style it just had to be CAS and of course, I had to go for purple too!

Materials used:

• Stamps: Clearly Besotted - Scribbled Flowers; Uniko Studio - Fontiments Birthday
• Ink: Versa Color - Heliotrope, Violet, Green Tea; Versafine - Onyx Black

The linky will stay open until the end of the month so why not create something to send your wishes to Sandie.

Thanks for popping by, I'll be back in a few moments with my next post as Guest Designer for Less is More.

Addicted to Stamps and More #144

Good morning, Crafters!

Well, I'm back with my regular midnight post which means it's time for another new challenge over at Addicted to Stamps and More.  And this week we're back with the theme...

Addicted to CAS

Your project must be clean and simple.  Click here for more information about the rules.

Our sponsor this week is Sweet Pea Stamps and the prize for one lucky winner is 4 digis from the store.

So, here's my DT card for this week...

I've recently purchased some more little Distress Ink mini cubes so I wanted to have another play with blending.  This wasn't as even as I wanted it to be but I'm happy with the overall card.  On a panel of white cardstock I used a circular mask and blended the soft green background.  I then placed a stencil over the top and blended with the darker shade.  I stamped the sentiment on the same white cardstock and die cut this with a fishtail die, and then did the same with some co-ordinating coloured cardstock.  There were adhered slightly offset, the panel was mounted on 3D foam and I finished off with a few Doodlebug Sprinkles.

Materials used:

• Dies: Xcut - Nested Circles (used as a mask); MFT Die-namics - Fishtail Flag Stax
• Stencil: MFT - Fishnet
• Ink: Distress Inks - Evergreen Bough and Peacock Feathers; Versafine - Onyx Black
• Stamp: Clearly Besotted - Say It In Style
• Accents: Doodlebug Sprinkles - Swimming Pool
• Cardstock from stash

I'm also going to enter this card at these challenges:

Simply Create Too - Challenge #85 - Favourite Colour Combo (Turquoise/Aqua/White)

Crafty Catz - Challenge #278 - CAS

I adore clean and simple cards and if you do too, why not pop along to the ATSM challenge blog where my teamies are sharing some more great designs to inspire you.  We'd love to see you in the challenge gallery.

Thanks for visiting, would love you to pop back again soon.

Citrus Celebration

Hi guys

Just a flying visit this afternoon to share a card I've made using Vicki Dutcher's inspiration card at Muse.

When I first saw Vicki's bright and bold creation I thought 'great, an opportunity for me to make a masculine card'....but as usual, I ended up going down the feminine route AGAIN!  When will I ever manage to make some masculine cards for my stock?!

Anyway, here's my card...

I used the colours and layout of Vicki's card (see below).  I used stamps from four different Uniko Studio stamp sets here!  On a panel of white cardstock I stamped the flower border three times in three different colours.  Then, after ensuring the ink was dry and static free, I stamped the stem and flower head in VersaMark and heat embossed with black embossing powder.  I was going to use black ink but wasn't sure if this would cover the previously stamped pigment ink.  I then stamped the sentiment and popped the panel up on 3D foam strips.

Materials used:

• Stamps: Uniko Studio - Background Builders Flower Power, Flower Power #1, Flower Power #2 and Fontiments Birthday
• Ink: Versa Color - Marigold, Orange, Green Tea; VersaMark, Versafine - Onyx Black
• Embossing Powder: Stampin' Up - Black

Here is Vicki's fab creation.  I have now realised I don't have any number dies in my stash, more to add to the wishlist!

I am also linking my card up here...

613 Avenue Create - Challenge #123 - Anything Goes (Let's Celebrate)

Crafty Catz - Challenge #278 - CAS

Loves Rubberstamps - Challenge #150 - Anything Goes

Crafty Cardmakers - Challenge #138 - Make Your Own Background

Thanks for popping by!

Less Is More - Guest Designer (week three!)

Hi there

Well, here I am again, back to help out the lovely ladies at Less is More while some are sunning themselves in exotic places!  Thanks for all your fabulous entries over the last couple of weeks, I have thoroughly enjoyed visiting you all :)

We have a new challenge just starting and we are back to the (dreaded by many!) One Layer Week!  So, this week's challenge is to...

Make a One Layer Card with the theme 'Water'

Please visit the Guidelines page here if you are unsure of the rules.

Here's my card.  After trying to think of an idea using watercolours or a water technique I ended up going in a completely different direction and used this bathtime digi!

I printed this image, 'Lola Rose Bubbly' by Pink Petticoat and coloured it with ProMarkers.  I then, of course, added some Wink of Stella to the bubbles.

And, as she's showing off her teeth in this image I went with this funny sentiment, from the 'Laugh Out Loud' set by Clearly Besotted, and it fitted perfectly under the bath!

I'm going to link this card up at the following challenges:

I Love ProMarkers - Challenge #268 - Anything Goes

Crafty Catz - Challenge #278 - CAS

Passion for ProMarkers - Week 295 - Keep Calm and Chill Out

613 Avenue Create - Challenge #122 - Anything Goes Feminine

Inkspirational - Challenge #81 - Word Prompt - Space (lots of white space here!)

So, why not have a go and join in the fun with your One Layer Water creations.  It will be great to how this theme can be interpreted.

Take care and I hope to see you again soon.

A Little Note with A Little Gold

Hi there

Today I'm sharing a clean and simple card I made last night for a few challenges.

I've had this stamp set from Clearly Besotted for ages but never inked it up, it's really great for some quick cards like this one...

I took a panel of white cardstock and die cut a hole using the flower die.  I then adhered some gold mirri card to the back of the aperture.  On the die cut piece I stamped the co-ordinating flower, first in black, then after using my embossing buddy to remove any static, stamped the flower centre in VersaMark and heat embossed with gold powder.  I then stamped the stem and again, after removing any static, stamped the leaves in VersaMark and also heat embossed these in gold.  The die cut flower was then adhered over the gold aperture, but rotated so the gold would show through.  The sentiment was then stamped and the panel was adhered to the card base using 3D foam.  I usually shy away from metallic cardstock as it reminds me of my early days of cardmaking when my creations were, quite honestly, shocking!  But used in minimal amounts I think it can look great.  I knew I kept it in my stash for a reason!

Materials used:

• Stamps and Die: Clearly Besotted - Pretty Petals Plus
• Ink: Versafine - Onyx Black; VersaMark
• Gold mirri card from stash

Challenge entries:

Addicted to CAS - Challenge #62

Happy Little Stampers - May CAS Challenge

AAA Cards - Game #38 - There's a Hole in my Card

Thanks so much as always for visiting.

Spare Hugs!

Hi guys

This afternoon I found a lonely little 'hugs' die cut on my craft table which was leftover from when I made this card, the original die cut taken from the ombre panel, so I decided to use it up on a new card.

Here it is, with no stamping this time!

I dry embossed a white panel with a striped embossing folder and adhered this to the card base.  I then cut small panels from two patterned papers and used a corner punch to round the bottom corners and then adhered these together in line with the top of the card.  I then swirled around some white thread, laid this over the papers and used the die cut word to adhere the thread in place.  A little Doodlebug Sprinkle was added to finish.

Materials used:

• Embossing Folder: Darice - Stripe
• Patterned Papers: My Minds Eye - Quite Contrary Summer Papers; Avery Elle - The Brights Collection
• Die: Lawn Fawn - Scripty Hugs
• Inks: Distress Inks - Spun Sugar, Seedless Preserves
• Accents: Doodlebug Sprinkles - Cupcake; Thread from stash
• Tools: Tonic Corner Rounder Punch

Challenge entries:

Happy Little Stampers - May CAS Challenge - Die Cuts/Punches

613 Avenue Create - Challenge #122 - Anything Goes (Feminine)

CAS(E) this Sketch - Challenge #121

Time Out - Challenge #30 - Home Sweet Home - inspired by pink/teal/flowers/stripes

Card Concept - Challenge #34 - inspired by pink/aqua/flowers/stripes - I think my card would fall in the Clean and Layered category

Pixie's Snippets Playground - Week 175 and 176 - hugs die cut and patterned paper offcuts


I think that's it for today now, I need to tidy my craft table before I can even contemplate making anything else! haha

Hope to see you again soon :)

Gold Fancy Flowers

Hi there

Before the deadline tomorrow I wanted to create a card for this week's Muse challenge.

This week's Muse is the wonderfully talented Chrissie Stokes of Simply One of a Kind, who is also the owner/co-creator at Less is More.

She has created a gorgeous card in black, gold and red, see further down in this post.  I really struggle to create such vivid designs as Chrissie's but I've taken the gold embossed flowers, and the red and black as my inspiration for my card...

I stamped the flower image (first inking for this beauty!) in VersaMark and heat embossed with gold embossing powder.  I then used two Inktense pencils, red and orange to colour the blooms, using a little water on a small brush to gently blend out the colours.  This is only smooth cardstock so I didn't want to saturate the surface too much.  These pencils blend with very little water anyway as they are very highly pigmented.  I cut the panel down and mounted onto a black cardstock frame and adhered to my card base.  I then used the same black cardstock to make the sentiment strip, choosing to use the flagged ends to echo the pointed petals.  The sentiment was also heat embossed in gold.  To finish I added some Wink of Stella to the blooms, you can see this better below, and applying this also blended the colours a little more.

Materials used:

• Stamps: Honey Doo Crafts - Fancy Flowers; Clearly Besotted - Sentimental Type
• Ink: VersaMark
• Embossing Powder: Wow! - Metallic Gold Rich
• Die: Clearly Besotted - Tag Along
• Coloured with: Derwent Inktense Pencils - Poppy Red and Tangerine
• Accents: Wink of Stella - Clear

Here is Chrissie's vivid design...

I am also going to enter my card at the following challenges:

613 Avenue Create - Challenge #122 - Anything Goes - Feminine
Brown Sugar - Challenge #144 - Anything Goes
Simon Says Stamp Wednesday Challenge - Anything Goes
Seize the Birthday - Anything Goes


Before I go, while on the subject of Muse I'd like to let you know about a new challenge blog, Muse Christmas Visions...

Ardyth Percy-Robb is currently introducing the fab new Design Team and the first challenge is due to go live on 6 May!  I for one could certainly do with another Christmas challenge to try to encourage me to make my Christmas cards ahead of time ;)


Thanks for dropping by, it's so great to know you've visited and thank you for your supportive comments.