Less Is More Week 276

Hi there

It's a new challenge week over at Less is More and I can see lots of fist pumps coming up as it's One Layer week!  Or perhaps not, more like heads in hands! lol  Our theme this week is...

At Sea

Please check out the one layer guidelines if you're unsure, here.

I must admit my creative mojo floated off somewhere this week and the first two cards I made I wasn't overly happy with so I left it another day and managed to create another which I prefer.  I'll share them all with you anyhow.

Here's the last one I made which I was happier with, although the first attempt ended up in the bin as I ruined it right at the end!

There were lots of steps to create this one.  I started by masking to leave the horizontal panel and blended firstly with a light green Distress Ink.  I then blasted with my heat gun to make sure the ink was dry, brushed my powder tool over to remove any static and then stamped the ropes in VersaMark.  I then removed the masks before heating embossing with clear powder.  I then replaced the masks and repeated the process, this time with a darker green ink which the rope images resisted, letting the lighter green show though.  I then repeated by stamping the wheels and clear embossing these also.  Then came a teal colour before stamping and embossing the anchors, and then I finished off with a dark blue ink.  The main thing to remember with this technique is to make sure your ink is dry at each step and you remove any static, otherwise you'll get embossing powder over your whole panel!  A simple sentiment finished off the card.

Materials used:

• Stamps: Clear Impressions - Sea Breeze (free with a magazine); Clearly Besotted - Make a Wish
• Ink: Distress Ink: Peeled Paint, Pine Needles, Mermaid Lagoon, Chipped Sapphire; VersaMark; Memento - Tuxedo Black
• Embossing Powder: Rubber Stampede - Clear

Challenge entries:

Simon Says Stamp Monday Challenge - Emboss It

Fusion - Port O' Call Polaroid (I went with the nautical theme of the photo)

This next card I was originally going to share over at the LIM post before I made the one above.  Good job I made another as teamie, Sarah G, has created a fabulous card with the exact same layout and colours!  What goes on in our minds, Sarah?! :D

More masking on this card as well!  I started by stamping the speedboat and then created a mask over it.  I also cut an oval aperture and used this as a mask to blend my sky and sea in two tones of blue Distress Ink.  I then roughly covered up the top half of the oval and used the inks mixed with water and splattered to create the spray behind the boat.  I also used a few splatters of just water which lifted some of the ink away to create the paler splatters.  I removed all the masks, stamped the sentiment, added minimal colour to the boat with some colouring pencils and then added Glossy Accents to the screen on the boat.

Materials used:

• Stamps: Stampin' Up - Need for Speed; Happy Little Stampers - Mix Mash
• Ink: Memento - Tuxedo Black; Distress Ink - Tumbled Glass, Salty Ocean
• Die: Spellbinders Nestabilities - Classic Ovals
• Pencils: Derwent - Coloursoft
• Accents: Glossy Accents

Challenge entries:

Just Add Ink - Challenge #311 - Masking

The Male Room - Challenge #35 - Transport

I loved the idea I had for the next card but it didn't really translate as I wanted it to.  It's still fun and cute so I thought I'd share it anyway!

I started by stamping the turtle in waterproof ink as I knew I'd be colouring using water later.  I then masked him off and blended Distress Inks through two different stencils, shifting them slightly to create the layered waves and fill in the white areas.  The wavy dots don't really work but hey ho, I went with it anyway! I then removed the mask and replaced just a mask to cover his face, neck and left front leg before stamping the umbrella so the shade was behind him but I wanted him to be holding it (as turtles do!)  I then finished by water colouring him with my Zig pens and stamping the sentiment below.

Materials used:

• Stamps: Clearly Besotted - Cool Dude; Mama Elephant - Up and Away
• Ink: Archival - Jet Black; Distress Ink - Tumbled Glass, Evergreen Bough, Broken China, Chipped Sapphire
• Stencils: Dutch Doobadoo - Wavy Stripes; MFT - Waves
• Coloured with Zig Clean Color Real Brush pens

Challenge entry:

Sunday Stamps - Challenge #126 - Create a Scene with a Sketch

Sorry for the long post, if you're still with me, thanks for getting through all that.  I like to explain how I make my cards and even though these look simple, one layer cards often have a lot more steps to create.

Please pop over to visit my teamies who have worked hard to create some great cards this week.  We know you lovely LIMettes won't let us down and hope to see you in the gallery!