Less is More Challenge #400

Good morning

It's new challenge day at Less is More and this will be our 400th Challenge!  I can hardly believe that when I became a member of the Design Team I joined for challenge number 225, back in May 2015!  Where on earth has that time gone?

So, let's get straight to it, and this time we have a Recipe challenge for you and it's all about using the little images in your stash...

Skull and Cross Buns continues as our sponsor for July so by playing along you are automatically in with a chance of winning our monthly prize.

Being a member of the Skull and Cross Buns Design Team was perfect for me as the majority of their stamps fit within the challenge criteria this week.  I have four samples for you, all showcasing SACB products.


Here's the first...

You'd be forgiven for thinking I've broken our rules with the dotted banner on this one, but I created this by using a little row of dots from the Planner Banner set, here.  I used my MISTI to ensure consistent placement across the card.  I stamped the little images within a square die cut and coloured with ProMarkers before popping it up onto another slightly larger die cut.  I finished by stamping the sentiment in lilac and added some shimmery sparkle to the bee's wings.

Materials used:

• Stamps: Skull and Cross Buns - Planner Banner, Quirky Sentiments, Spring Motifs
• Ink: Versafine - Onyx Black; Versa Color - Heliotrope; Memento - Tuxedo Black
• Dies: MFT Die-namics - Pierced Square Stax
• Coloured with ProMarkers
• Accent: Spectrum Noir Sparkle Pen - Clear

Challenge entries:

Alphabet Challenge - I is for Insect
CASology - Week 348 - Shimmer

I kept my next card super simple...

This is purely just a stamped sentiment surrounded by lots of other tiny images, all from the same stamp set.  To add some interest I used hammered cardstock for the base, which you can just about make out in the photo below, it was really difficult to capture it...

Materials used:

• Stamps: Skull and Cross Buns - Modern Wedding
• Ink: Versafine - Onyx Black; Altenew - Coral Berry, Forest Glades, Andromeda, Moon Rock

Challenge entries

STAMPlorations - Summer CAS Card Challenge - Anything CAS Goes
AAA Cards - CAS Game #144 - Maxi White Space

This next card is a CASE of a card I found recently on Pinterest by the super inspiring Donna Mikasa, you can find it on her blog, here.

I used emboss resist on the card base, stamping and heat embossing the images in clear embossing powder then blending over with Distress Oxide inks.  Then just simply adhered an offset panel flat to the base, with the sentiment stamped in black.

Materials used:

• Stamps: Skull and Cross Buns - Crafting is my Super Power
• Ink: VersaMark; Versafine - Onyx Black; Distress Oxide - Squeezed Lemonade, Picked Raspberry, Shaded Lilac
• Embossing Powder: Wow! - Clear Gloss

Challenge entries:

Try It On Tuesday - Colours of the Rainbow
STAMPlorations - Summer Theme and Sketch Challenge - Stamps and Anything Goes

And finally...

I began by inking through a sun ray stencil and then stamped the palm tree image in black.  I die cut the scene with a circle die then heat embossed the sentiment in gold.  I sliced a strip away from the front of the card and stamped the tropical leaves along the edge of the inner part.  The die cut was then adhered overhanging the edge.

Materials used:

• Stencil: Clearly Besotted - Sunny Day
• Stamps: Skull and Cross Buns - Tropical Party, Quirky Sentiments
• Ink: Distress Oxide - Squeezed Lemonade, Spiced Marmalade, Abandoned Coral; Versafine - Onyx Black; VersaMark; Altenew - Frayed Leaf, Moss
• Embossing Powder: Wow! - Metallic Gold Rich
• Die: Hero Arts - Infinity Circles

I think this would be a great opportunity to use the little images in your craft stash so why not join in by linking up to our gallery.  There's a fortnight to enter and you can find lots of inspiration from my teamies over on the main challenge post, here.

Designing for Honey Doo Crafts - Roses & Lilies and Garden Peony

Hi there

Ok, back this evening to share two final makes using more products by Honey Doo Crafts.  

And don't forget, Honey Doo will have feature hours on Hochanda TV tomorrow, 12 July 2019, at 10am and 3pm (Sky 673 / Freeview 85).  I know many of you will be working, as will I, so I'll be putting the shows on record to have a peak at later.  There will be lots of products available, demos by Amanda, and lots of samples from the whole of the Design Team.

Now, the two samples in this post may look a little familiar if you already follow my blog, and that's because I've made previous cards which are very similar (I've added some pics at the base of this post).  The two Honey Doo sets I'm using on these cards are Roses & Lilies, and Garden Peony.

Ok, first up is Roses and Lilies...

This card is similar to a one layer card I made back in May, here, where I also used teal cardstock and embossed the same image in white.  This time I stamped, embossed and fussy cut the image before adhering it onto the card over an offset panel of glittered polka dot cardstock in a similar tone.  I then simply finished with a sentiment stamped in black.

Materials used:

• Stamps: Honey Doo Crafts - Roses & Lilies, Just in Case
• Ink: VersaMark; Versafine - Onyx Black
• Embossing Powder: Altenew - Pure White
• Glitter Cardstock: Kanban - Sherbert Pips (many years old)

Challenge entries:

STAMPlorations - Summer Theme and Sketch Challenge - Stamps and Anything Goes

Time Out - Challenge #139 - Inspired by Words

Next up is Garden Peony...

For this card the stamped and coloured strip was actually the waste from this card, here, which I made back in April.  So it's a kind of reversed version, with a coral coloured panel behind picking out the colour in the images.  The sentiment was heat embossed in white and the floral strip popped up on 3D foam.

Materials used:

• Stamps: Honey Doo Crafts - Garden Peony, Daisy May (sentiment)
• Coral cardstock from stash
• Ink: Memento - Tuxedo Black; VersaMark
• Embossing Powder: Altenew - Pure White
• Coloured with ProMarkers
• Die: Avery Elle - Dotted Border Dies

Challenge entries:

Addicted to Stamps and More - Challenge #349 - CAS

Penny Black and More - July Challenge - Summer Colours

STAMPlorations - Summer CAS Card Challenge - AG CAS

Here are the previous similar cards I made...

Thanks so much for visiting, and I hope you are able to tune in tomorrow to see what Honey Doo Crafts has to offer.  If you love florals, it's for you for sure!

Designing for Honey Doo Crafts - Peony Crest, Hello Sunshine and Paint Splodges

Good morning

I have more Honey Doo Crafts goodness for you this morning.

For these cards I've paired floral sets, Peony Crest and Hello Sunshine with one of the larger sets, Paint Splodges, and used the solid paint splodge images as my colouring medium.

Here's Peony Crest...

I was clearly in the mood for rainbow colours when I made this one!  As I still had some linen cardstock out on my desk I thought paint splodges would work great to give the effect of a painter's canvas.  First I stamped the floral crest image and the sentiment in black ink.  I then worked my way from one end of the image to the other, stamping some of the different paint splodge images in colours of the rainbow.  I felt that nothing more was needed so the panel was popped up on fun foam onto the card base for dimension.

Materials used:

• Stamps: Honey Doo Crafts - Peony Crest, Paint Splodges
• Ink: Versafine - Onyx Black; Altenew - Puffy Heart, Lavender Fields, Turquoise, Forest Glades, Warm Sunshine, Orange Cream, Crimson
• Linen cardstock from stash

Challenge entries:

Addicted to Stamps and More - Challenge #349 - CAS

Try It On Tuesday - Colours of the Rainbow

Stamping Sensations - July Challenge - The Earth Laughs in Flowers

STAMPlorations - Summer CAS Card Challenge - AG CAS

{PIN}spirational - Challenge #242 - Photo inspiration (below)

And Hello Sunshine...

I had the same idea for this card, but this time I stamped the floral image directly onto the card base.  I used various images from the paint splodges set to replicate the colours of sunflowers, but giving it a very abstract look.  The sentiment was heat embossed in white onto a black strip and was then adhered on 3D foam.

Materials used:

• Stamps: Honey Doo Crafts - Hello Sunshine, Paint Splodges
• Ink: Versafine - Onyx Black; Altenew - Honey Drizzle, Dark Chocolate, Moss; VersaMark
• Embossing Powder: Wow! - Opaque Bright White

Challenge entries:

Penny Black and More - July Challenge - Summer Colours

Time Out - Challenge #139 - Inspired by Words

STAMPlorations - Summer Theme and Sketch Challenge - Stamps and Anything Goes

Inkspirational - Challenge #190 - 3 or 5 of something (3 flowers/3 colours)

And don't forget, if you are able please tune in to Hochanda tomorrow, Friday 12 July, at 10am and 3pm when Amanda of Honey Doo will be showing the products in detail and doing some demos (Sky 673 / Freeview 85).

I'll be back this evening to share my final two sample cards, I hope you can pop back and take a look.  Happy Thursday!

Designing for Honey Doo Crafts - Daisy May and Fleur

Hello again

I'm back to share a couple more cards using more products from Honey Doo Crafts.

Don't forget, you can see these stamp sets, and a lot more, over on Hochanda this coming Friday, 12 July at 10am and 3pm.

So, for these two I've been playing with two floral sets called Daisy May and Fleur, and also used sentiments from other sets in the Honey Doo range too.

First up is Daisy May...

This set features a lovely daisy image and I've stamped it a few times around the edge of a kraft cardstock panel and then heat embossed in white.  I then coloured the petals by watercolouring with Inktense pencils.  I used a wet paint brush to take colour from the tip of the pencils and added to the card, as it's not watercolour cardstock I didn't want to overload the surface with water, and with this technique it keeps the colours opaque.  The plan was to also colour the leaves but I loved it just as it was with the blue and white so I heat embossed a sentiment and popped the panel onto the base using fun foam.  To finish I embellished with a few iridescent jewels.

Materials used:

• Stamps: Honey Doo Crafts - Daisy May, Birthday Sentiments
• Ink: VersaMark
• Embossing Powder: Wow! - Opaque Bright White
• Watercoloured with Derwent Inktense pencils
• Accents: Little Things from Lucy's Cards - Jewels: Clear Iridescent mix

Challenge entries:

Stamping Sensations - July Challenge - The Earth Laughs in Flowers

The Flower Challenge - Challenge #34 - Pretty Pastels

STAMPlorations - Summer Challenge - Stamps and Anything Goes

Time Out - Challenge #139 - Inspired by Words

Next up I used the Fleur set and paired this with a sentiment, also from Honey Doo, and one of their stencils...

I made a circular mask using a scrap of thin cardstock and blended through the aperture with Distress Oxide Ink.  I then added the stencil and blended through with a darker shade.  I simply stamped the flowers and leaves from the set through the aperture.  After removing the mask I manipulated the sentiment stamp to follow the curve of the circle and stamped in black.  I loved the simplicity of this design so called it done :)

Materials used:

• Stamps: Honey Doo Crafts - Fleur, Daffodils (sentiment)
• Ink: Distress Oxide - Cracked Pistachio, Peacock Feathers; Versafine - Onyx Black
• Stencil: Honey Doo Crafts - Mesh

Challenge entries:

Addicted to Stamps and More - Challenge #349 - CAS

STAMPlorations - Summer CAS Card Challenge - CAS

I'll be back to share more with you tomorrow, have a lovely evening :)

Designing for Honey Doo Crafts - Floral Display Stencil

Hi guys

Today I'm sharing more makes using products by Honey Doo Crafts, some of which will be showcased on Hochanda (Sky 673 / Freeview 85) this coming Friday, 12 July, at 10am and 3pm.

I'm also over the moon to share that I'm now officially a member of the Honey Doo Crafts Design Team!!  I'm so happy to be joining Amanda and the team, and to continue creating samples using the fabulous products Honey Doo has to offer.

As well as lots of stamp sets, Honey Doo also have some fabulous stencils, all of which are a great size.  They are A5 (UK sizing), which measure 8 1/4 x 5 3/4 inches, and today I have two sample cards for you, both using the beautiful Floral Display Stencil.  One card colours the positive image and the other has the colour within the negative parts.

For my first card I used embossing paste...

I mixed some embossing paste with a little Distress Oxide ink to create the pretty coral shade and began by spreading the paste through the stencil onto some white cardstock, just covering the first third of the stencil.  I then added more paste to the mix and blended so the shade was a little paler and covered the second third of the stencil, then once more added more paste which created the palest shade to cover the final third of the stencil.  By overlapping each third slightly created a soft ombre effect.  At this stage, once the stencil is lifted away, be sure to clean the stencil in warm soapy water as the paste does begin to dry quite quickly.

Once the panel was dry I trimmed it down and matted it onto some textured silver cardstock before adhering flat to the card base.  Then, using a circle die cut, I blended with the same shade of Distress Oxide and then splattered it with water and blotted away the droplets.  Once dry I heat embossed the sentiment in white and adhered the die cut to the card using 3D foam.

Materials used:

• Stencil: Honey Doo Crafts - Floral Display
• Embossing Paste: Dreamweaver - White Matte
• Ink: Distress Oxide - Abandoned Coral; VersaMark
• Stamp: Honey Doo Crafts - Hopeful and Happy Quotes
• Embossing Powder: Wow! - Opaque Bright White

My second card uses the same stencil, but this time using the emboss resist technique...

On a panel of white cardstock I pressed through the stencil with my VersaMark ink pad and then heat embossed the pattern with clear powder.  I then blended over the resisting embossed areas of the pattern with Distress Oxide inks.  Next I cut the panel down using a stitched rectangle die and used a single hole punch to cut two notches in the panel before wrapping some looped ribbon around it and adhering the panel to the card base.  I heat embossed the sentiment in white onto a black die cut tag, trimmed this with the same ribbon and popped it up on 3D foam.

Materials used:

• Stencil: Honey Doo Crafts - Floral Display
• Ink: VersaMark; Distress Oxide - Blueprint Sketch, Mermaid Lagoon, Twisted Citron
• Embossing Powder: Wow! - Clear Gloss, Opaque Bright White
• Dies: Create a Smile - Double Stitched Rectangles; MFT Die-namics - Stitched Traditional Tag Stax
• Stamp: Honey Do Crafts - Just in Case

Thanks so much for looking, I'll be back hopefully tonight, and over the next few days to share my remaining samples before the Hochanda shows on Friday, but if you can't wait to see them, all the Honey Doo products I've used are all available to purchase direct from the website, here.

I hope to see you again soon.

Designing for Honey Doo Crafts - Introducing Big Bold Blooms and Chrysanthemum

Hi there

I'm thrilled to be designing again for Honey Doo Crafts.

Amanda will be showcasing many of the brand's existing products on Hochanda this coming Friday, 12 July 2019 (Sky 673 / Freeview 85) at 10am and 3pm. 

As well as lots of the fabulous existing stamps and dies, Amanda will also be introducing two new large stamp sets: Big Bold Blooms and Chrysanthemum.  If you can't wait until Friday, these can be purchased direct from Honey Doo Crafts right now.

Here are my sample cards using these two new sets.  First up is Big Bold Blooms...

I began by stamping the three different sized flower images onto some clear vellum and heat embossed in white.  I then coloured these on the reverse using Zig markers, blending with a darker shade towards the centre to create some depth, and fussy cut them out.  The leaves were stamped and heat embossed in white onto some pale green vellum, and also fussy cut...

I stamped the sentiment on a white cardstock panel and ran this through my Big Shot with a wave effect embossing folder before adhering to the card base on fun foam.  I used the handle of a paint brush to curl the petals of the flowers before gluing the layers together.  Then finished by adhering to the panel and slotting in the leaves using glue dots.

Materials used:

• Stamps: Honey Doo Crafts - Big Bold Blooms, Birthday Sentiments
• Ink: VersaMark; Versafine - Onyx Black; Zig Clean Color Real Brush Markers
• Embossing Powder: Altenew - Pure White
• Embossing Folder: We R Memory Keepers - Next Level: Wave
• Vellum from stash

Challenge entries:

Penny Black and More - July Challenge - Summer Colours

Stamping Sensations - July Challenge - Earth Laughs in Flowers

Creative Moments - Challenge #172 - Anything Goes

Time Out - Challenge #139 - Inspired by Words

STAMPlorations - Summer Theme and Sketch Challenge - Stamps and Anything Goes

Next up is another card using Big Bold Blooms...

I began by diagonally masking a section of the card base.  I then stamped the leaves in grey ink, masked these and then ink blended out from the masked edge with Distress Ink.  I then roughly coloured the leaves with ProMarkers.  Next I stamped the three flowers and coloured these with ProMarkers before fussy cutting, adding some shimmer and layering up.  The card was completed by adding the sentiment stamped in blue.

Materials used:

• Stamps: Honey Doo Crafts - Big Bold Blooms, Happy Times
• Ink: Memento - London Fog; Distress Ink - Dried Marigold; Versa Color - Neptune
• Coloured with ProMarkers
• Accent: Spectrum Noir Sparkle Pen - Clear

And now my sample card using the stunning new Chrysanthemum set...

On a white cardstock panel I stamped the largest of the flowers and then masked it before stamping the two smaller blooms.  All three flowers were then coloured with ProMarkers.  I then cut away part of the panel on the right hand side and fussy cut around the petals.  The panel was then adhered on 3D foam onto the card base over a strip of black textured cardstock.  I added a heat embossed sentiment on a black strip and finished by adding some dotted details to the flower centres with a white pen.

Materials used:

• Stamps: Honey Doo Crafts - Chrysanthemum, Just in Case
• Ink: Memento - Tuxedo Black; VersaMark
• Embossing Powder: Wow! - Opaque Bright White
• Accents: Signo Uniball Pen - White

Challenge entries:

Inkspirational - Challenge #190 - 3 or 5 of something

If you can't wait until Friday to see the two new sets, you can find them by clicking the logo below...

Thanks so much for stopping by.  I'll be sharing more samples over the next few days using existing stamp sets from Honey Doo ahead of the Hochanda shows on Friday.  I would love for you to pop back and take a look.

Enjoy your Sunday :)