Less is More Week 232

Good morning crafters

We've whizzed around to Saturday morning again which means it's time for a brand new challenge at Less is More.  And this week we're back with another One Layer Challenge and our theme is...

Masculine

Please ensure you read our guidelines if you're unsure of our rules.

I used to panic at the thought of creating one layer cards but I actually love creating them now.  A lot of my cards evolve as I go but with one layer cards you need to pretty much have the finished design in your mind before you start as there's nowhere to hide!

I've got three cards to share with you today.  I have literally no masculine cards in my stock so decided to create a few while I wasn't in pretty mode! haha

I masked a horizontal panel and blended Distress Inks in three colours.  I then used the ghosting technique by laying a stencil over the panel, spritzed with water and removed the stencil then blotted with kitchen paper to remove the colour.  The sentiment was stamped in Versafine Smokey Gray.

Materials used:

• Ink: Distress Ink - Pumice Stone, Walnut Stain, Faded Jeans; Versafine - Smokey Gray
• Stamp: Clearly Besotted - Sentimental Type
• Stencil: Tim Holtz - Splatters

Challenge entries:

Crazy 4 Challenges - Challenge #290 - Masculine
Loves Rubberstamps - Challenge #159 - Anything Goes
Inkspirational - Challenge #86 - Grunge

My second card...

For this card I used a different part of the same stencil and blended through with three different Distress Inks.  The sentiment was then simply stamped over the top.

Materials used:

• Ink: Distress Inks: Barn Door, Mustard Seed, Mowed Lawn; Versafine - Onyx Black
• Stencil: Tim Holtz - Splatters
• Stamp: Stampin' Up - Sassy Salutations

Challenge entry:

CASology - Week 154 - Repeat

My third card...

I remembered a card that Jen Nelson had created from my early days in blogland where she used tone on tone colouring on kraft, here.  I think this one sticks in my mind as it was the very first time I entered a card at Less is More!  I chose some neutral coloured cardstock and stamped the plane directly onto the card base.  I added just a little colour in two co-ordinating FlexMarkers, stamped the sentiment and then added some simple score lines in opposite corners to add some interest.

Materials used:

• Stamps: Stampin' Up - Need for Speed; Clearly Besotted - Many Mini Sentiments
• Ink: Memento - Rich Cocoa
• FlexMarkers: Champagne and Sandstone

Challenge entry:

Crazy 4 Challenges - Challenge #293 - Monochromatic

I think most of us will agree that guy cards are the toughest to create so why not have a go and get a card or two in your stock.  I hope you'll join us and can't wait to see your creations in our gallery this week.