Less is More Week #334

Good morning

Wow, what a hot week it's been here in the UK!  I love the sun but this heat has been taking it out of me.  Thankfully, since Thursday it's been a little cooler so it's much more bearable now.

So, let's get to the reason for today's post.  At Less is More this week we have a Sketch challenge for you.  It's been a while since we've had a sketch challenge so here it is...

We continue to have STAMPlorations as our fab sponsor this month so please do play along for a chance to win the monthly prize.

I find sketch challenges the most difficult but I've managed three cards for you this week (it might have something to do with the fact that I designed this week's sketch! haha Hope you like it!)

So let's get to it with my first card...

I used a curved die to create some masks and then blended in between with Distress Inks in sunset colours.  After removing the masks I stamped the flowers in waterproof black ink.  I then 'painted' the petals with clean water and blotted with a paper towel to remove the colour.  I went over the petals a couple of times to achieve the faded look a little more.  I finished by stamping the flourishes and sentiment.

Materials used:

• Die: Avery Elle - Dotted Borders Dies (to create the masks)
• Ink: Distress Ink - Squeezed Lemonade, Carved Pumpkin, Candied Apple; Archival - Jet Black; Versafine - Onyx Black
• Stamps: Honey Doo Crafts - Flowers for Design; Clearly Besotted - Message Me

Challenge entries:

Addicted to Stamps and More - Challenge #247 - Make Your Mark (sponge blending)

Penny Black and More - June Challenge - Anything Goes

The Flower Challenge - Challenge #9 - Anything Goes

I chose a kraft and lace theme for my second card...

On a panel of kraft cardstock slightly smaller than my card base I used some thin paper cut from a curved die to mask the wavy section.  I then stamped the lace design in VersaMark and heat embossed in white.  I chose thin paper for my masks as I wanted to achieve the best impression from my stamp.  With thicker masks you usually get a narrow margin that doesn't stamp properly.  I also heat embossed the sentiment and die cut around it with a stitched heart die.  The main panel was mounted on fun foam to the card base, and then I adhered the heart and added a single white pearl.

Materials used:

• Kraft cardstock: Neenah - Desert Storm
• Dies: Mama Elephant - Landscape Trio Dies; MFT Die-namics - Stitched Heart Stax
• Stamps: Wow! - Lace; Clearly Besotted - On Your Day
• Ink: VersaMark
• Embossing Powder: Wow! - Opaque Bright White
• Accents: Hobbycraft - 3mm white pearl

Challenge entries:

CAS(E) this Sketch - Challenge #227

Alphabet Challenge - 'H' for Hearts

I reached for some patterned paper for card three...

This patterned paper pack has been in my stash for about ten years!!!  So it was nice to create with it again.  I adhered a strip to my card base and then cut a panel of white cardstock, split using a curved die.  I stamped the sentiment in grey before adhering both white panels on 3D foam.  I used a die which co-ordinated well with the design of the paper and used this to cut a flower from some bright pink cardstock, adhered over the panels to finish.

Materials used:

• Dies: MFT Die-namics - Snowdrifts; Tim Holtz - Wildflowers
• Patterned Paper: Dovecraft - A Hint of Pink
• Stamp: Wplus9 - Fresh Cut Florals
• Ink: Versa Color - Sky Gray

Challenge entries:

Happy Little Stampers - June Challenge - Anything Goes with Dies

Simon Says Stamp Wednesday Challenge - Use Patterned Paper

Thanks so much for stopping by.  Please do pop over to the LIM challenge blog and check out my teamies' creations this week, they've really shown how versatile this sketch is, and no doubt will have more inspiration for you over on their personal blogs too.

Have a lovely weekend :)

Less is More Week #333

Good morning

At Less is More this week it's the turn of our Theme challenge.  I'll get straight to the details...

We have the lovely Lucie of Lucie G Cards joining us as a Guest Designer this week following her recent win for May so I'm sure she'd love a visit from you if you have the time.


I was a bit stumped by the 'personalise it' theme as there aren't any specific cards I need for individuals right now so I decided to go with a relative for my personalisation and made a sister card for my stash.  I also recently purchased a new floral stamp set and wanted to ink that one up so here's my card...

I took a panel of cardstock cut slightly smaller than my card base and stamped the leaves and flower heads using two tones of each colour for a little depth, using my MISTI so I could restamp the darker areas.  I then stamped 'Sister' and used the co-ordinating die to cut this out, stacked some more die cuts behind it and popped it back in place with added dimension (sorry, you can't really see the dimension in this photo).  I finished by stamping 'the best' and then popped the panel up on fun foam.

Materials used:

• Stamps: Mama Elephant - Brushed Florals; Clearly Besotted - Sugar and Spice (and co-ordinating die)
• Ink: Versafine - Onyx Black; Altenew - Frayed Leaf, Forest Glades, Puffy Heart, Purple Wine, Soft Lilac, Lavender Fields, Sea Glass, Ocean Waves

Challenge entries:

Addicted to Stamps and More - Challenge #246 - Anything Goes

The Flower Challenge - Challenge #9 - Anything Goes

Apologies for just one card this week, I've had a crazy few days and a serious lack of crafty time.  My teamies have made some brilliant cards this week so please do follow the LIM link at the top of this post to visit the main challenge blog, where you will also find links to their personal blogs and perhaps even more inspiration.

Thanks so much for visiting, I read and appreciate each and every one of your comments.  Wishing you a lovely weekend whatever you're up to.

Less is More Week #332

Hi there

It's One Layer challenge time over at Less is More this week.  One layer cards can be very daunting for many but they don't need to be, they just take a little more planning.  Here's our one layer theme this week so why not have a go...

Don't forget to keep you creations clean and simple and lease check out the challenge guidelines, here, if you're unsure of our rules.

I've got two samples for you this week and I chose honeycomb for my first 'sweet thing'...

I used a honeycomb die cut as a stencil and blended both corners of my card base with two shades of Distress Ink.  I debossed my card base with a stitched rectangle die to create the central sentiment strip then stamped the sentiment and the bee alongside it.  I used coloured pencils on the bee's body and covered the wings with clear Wink of Stella.

Hopefully you can see the shimmer on the wings better in this pic...

Materials used:

• Dies: Tim Holtz Thinlets - Mixed Media; MFT Die-namics - Stitched Rectangle Stax
• Ink: Distress Ink - Wild Honey, Fossilised Amber; Versafine - Onyx Black
• Stamps: Clearly Besotted - Cute as a Bug (sentiment); bee from set free with a publication
• Accents: Wink of Stella - Clear; Coloured pencils

Challenge entries:

CASology - Week #252 - Insect

My second card couldn't be simpler...

I stamped the watermelon in the centre, three separate stamps being the green, red and black, and then stamped the sentiment below.  To finish I added some Glossy Accents to the seeds.  Perhaps a little too clean and simple but sometimes a simple image and message is all you need.

Materials used:

• Stamps: Clearly Besotted - Fruitilicious
• Ink: Memento - Cottage Ivy, Lady Bug; Versafine - Onyx Black
• Accents: Glossy Accents

Thanks as always for taking the time to visit.  My teamies have made some lovely creations this week so if you have the chance please do pop over to their personal blogs, they may even have more inspiration for you.

Have a lovely weekend whatever you're up to.

Muse Challenge #219 - Delicious Dahlia

Hi there

It's new challenge time over at Muse and I'm delighted that it's my turn to be your designer this week.  I hope my card will give you some inspiration to play along this week and I'm looking forward to seeing your interpretations of it.

Hopefully there are a few elements you can take from my design; the colours, the bold blooms, the layout, embossed image, masking and faded out stencilling,


I wanted to make another card using the Delicious Dahlia set I used recently, but I wanted it to look completely different.  My previous make where I embossed the image in a pearl embossing powder on a pastel card base you can find here.  And this is how dramatic it looks stamped in black...

So, I began on a panel of white cardstock and stamped the image in black.  This was then embossed with a clear embossing powder.  I made a couple of masks for the flower heads and then blended through a scribble design stencil in coral ink, fading it out from dark to light.  I embossed the stamped sentiment in white on some coral cardstock and adhered the strip to the panel, before then adhering the panel to the base using fun foam.

Materials used:

• Stamps: Honey Doo Crafts - Delicious Dahlia; Clearly Besotted - Message Me
• Ink: VersaMark; Versafine - Onyx Black; Distress Ink - Abandoned Coral
• Embossing Powder: Wow! - Clear Gloss and Opaque Bright White
• Stencil: The Crafters Workshop - Mini Webbing

Challenge entries:

Penny Black & More - June Challenge - Anything Goes

The Flower Challenge - Challenge #9 - Anything Goes

Simon Says Stamp Wednesday Challenge - Anything Goes

Addicted to Stamps and More - Challenge #244 - Clean and Simple

Time Out - Challenge #84 Inspired by Words - 'Flowers and Friends make Life a Garden'

Thanks so much for dropping by, and I hope you can find time during the next week to play along at Muse :)

Less is More Week #331

Good morning!

At Less is More today we're kicking off a new month of challenges and, as always, our first is a Colour challenge.  Here is what we want to see you creating this week...

No doubt you'll remember Neapolitan ice cream - a mix of strawberry, chocolate and vanilla - well that's the three-colour-combo we want you to use this week.  

And we have a fresh new sponsor for the month of June, STAMPlorations, and the lovely Shery is joining us as Guest Designer this week too.

When I first saw this colour combo I was a little stumped by it and all I could think of was ice cream!  Then, after having a really good sort out of my stash recently I remembered I had an item in my stash that couldn't have been more perfect...a pad of patterned paper made up of these exact colours!  It's been in my stash for so many years which goes to show it really is worth hanging on to those old bits and bobs :)

So here's my first DT card...

I die cut two panels of the patterned paper with a stitched curve die and trimmed to size to fit the card base and adhered these flat.  I then die cut the floral die cut out of both brown and pink card (from the reverse of other papers in the pack), adhered the brown die cut to the panel and then inlaid all the inserts from the pink die cut.  I finished with a simple sentiment stamped in dark brown ink.

Materials used:

• Patterned Paper: Making Memories - Cosmopolitan Collection
• Dies: MFT Die-namics - Stitched Basic Edges; Poppy Stamps - Peppini Laural
• Stamp: Clearly Besotted - Happy Birthday
• Ink: Versa Color - Pinecone

Challenge entry:

Simon Says Stamp Wednesday Challenge - Anything Goes

CAS-ual Fridays - Challenge #175 - Use those Pattern Papers
Just Us Girls - Challenge #396 - Die Cuts





For my second I used a stencil by this month's sponsor, ARTplorations by STAMPlorations...

On a panel slightly smaller than the card base I taped down the stencil, masking off all except the one flower and leaves.  I then blended with some Distress Inks in the challenge colours.  A simple sentiment in brown finished the panel which was then popped up on 3D foam.

Materials used:

• Stencil: STAMPlorations - Bold Florals
• Ink: Distress Ink - Antique Linen, Spun Sugar, Gathered Twigs; Memento - Rich Cocoa
• Stamp: Clearly Besotted - Merci Beaucoup

Challenge entry:

Addicted to Stamps and More - Challenge #244 - Clean and Simple

And for my third card this week, I had another play with those patterned papers...

I chose a sheet of the brown card from the pad which had a striped reverse.  I stamped the 'yay' in VersaMark before heat embossing in white.  I chose a powder by Stampin' Up as it has a creamier tone than the one I usually use from my stash.  The sentiment was stamped in brown on a a strip of pink and adhered to the panel.  Before adhering to the card base I scored a diagonal section of the brown card and folded it back on itself to reveal the stripes on the reverse, adhered this down and secured with an enamel dot.

Materials used:

• Patterned Paper: Making Memories - Cosmopolitan Collection
• Ink: VersaMark; Versa Color - Pinecone
• Stamps: Altenew - Celebrate
• Embossing Powder: Stampin' Up - White
• Accents:  Enamel Dot: Simple Stories - Enchanted

Challenge entry:

AAA Cards - Game #91 - The 3rd Big Birthday Bash

Thanks so much for popping by today.  My LIM teamies have some lovely project examples using these colours so please, if you have the time, do drop by their individual blogs for more inspiration.

Have a wonderful weekend.

Happy Little Stampers June 2017 CAS Challenge

Good evening, crafters

We're back at the start of a new month and with that comes a flurry of great challenges over at Happy Little Stampers.  Today, it's the turn of this month's CAS challenge and here's our cue card for June...

There are lots of ways you can 'smoosh' on your projects but please ensure that your entries meet our CAS criteria as follows...

The winner of this challenge will receive a $20 coupon from the Happy Little Stampers shop.  Please check out all the rules over at the main challenge post.


So, onto my DT card, and this time I used the HLS Birthday Friends stamp set...

I started by stamping the hippo onto some watercolour card, did some basic watercolouring initially and then used a negative mask to cover the surrounding area before smooshing the hippo into some watered down ink.  One dry I swapped the masks so that the hippo was now covered, then smooshed the surrounding area into some blue and purple ink spritzed with water.  I used post-it notes as masks and the second one became a little saturated so some of the blue ink did migrate over the image but for this technique I think it looks fine with the random effects created.  I stamped the sentiment below before die cutting with a pierced square die, then mounted this using 3D foam onto a card base that I scored vertically down the centre.  As a finishing touch I added some accents with a white pen to brighten his eye and teeth.

Materials used:

• Stamps: Happy Little Stampers - Birthday Friends
• Ink: Archival - Jet Black; Versafine - Onyx Black; Altenew - Evening Gray, Moon Rock; Distress Ink - Dusy Concord, Salty Ocean, Tumbled Glass
• Die: MFT Die-namics - Pierced Square Stax
• Accents: White Signo Uni-ball pen

Challenge entries:

Happy Little Stampers - June Watercolour challenge - Anything Goes (Mask)

Addicted to Stamps and More - Challenge #244 - Clean and Simple

My HLS teamies have created a lovely selection of smooshed projects so please do pop over to the main challenge post for some inspiration.

And don't forget, the HLS challenges run until the end of the month so plenty of time to play along.  And keep your eyes peeled for the other challenges going live over the next week :)