Muse #173 - Just a Note...

Hi there

There's a new challenge just starting over at Muse and, following the recent departure of our wonderful teamie, Michele, we've had a bit of a reshuffle so I'll now be your designer for the first challenge of each month.

The challenge at Muse is to draw any kind of inspiration from the designer's creation each week, so this could be the layout, technique, colours...whatever you like really.  So without further ado, here's my card to hopefully inspire you this week.  I think this is a little different for me, ink blending and stencilling and not much white space.  It's always good to try different styles.

On a white cardstock panel slightly smaller than my card base I began by blending three Distress Inks to create the appearance of a sunset.  I then laid a stencil of stems over the top and blended with a purple, blue and black to create the silhouettes.  I stamped the simple sentiment in the top corner and mounted it onto a dark purple panel before adhering flat to my card base.

Materials used:

• Ink: Distress Ink - Ripe Persimmon, Spiced Marmalade, Mustard Seed, Dusty Concord, Chipped Sapphire and Black Soot; Versafine - Onyx Black
• Stencil: STAMPlorations - ARTplorations Bloom Silhouettes
• Stamp: S P & Company - Just a Note
• Coloured Cardstock: Papermania 

Challenge entries:

Just Add Ink - Challenge #318 - Just add 'S' (stencil / silhouettes / sunset)

Simon Says Stamp Wednesday Challenge - Anything Goes

Virginia's View Challenge #22 - All About Colours

I'd love for you to play along this week and to see your interpretations.

Thanks for visiting, bye for now.

Less is More - Week 240 - Colour Challenge

Hi guys

Where on earth did that last week go?  Can you believe it's Less is More new challenge time again?!  And this week we're back with a Colour challenge for you which is...

Green and Gold

I had a hectic week so left making my samples a bit late this week but I have two for you.  Here they are...

On some white cardstock I stamped all the elements separately, first using two green inks and then once dry I stamped the rest in VersaMark and heat embossed with gold embossing powder.  I then stamped the sentiment in green pigment ink and heat embossed with clear embossing powder.  I die cut the images using a stitched rectangle die.  I then used a straight stitched die three times to create the stitched rows on the card base and then popped the image panel up on 3D foam in the centre.

Materials used:

• Stamps: Uniko - Background Builders Vines Winter Additions, Simply Said Christmas
• Ink: Versa Color - Evergreen and Olive; VersaMark
• Embossing Powder: Wow! - Metallic Gold Rich; Rubber Stampede - Clear
• Dies: MFT Die-namics - Stitched Rounded Rectangles; Paper Smooches - Stitched

Challenge entries:

Happy Little Stampers - September Christmas Challenge - Holly
Creative Card Crew - Challenge #95 - Christmas
House of Cards - September Challenge - Stitch it Up
Merry Monday - Challenge #170 - Use Holly



And here's my second sample...

I masked a horizontal panel on the card base and stamped some leaf images and heat embossed in clear.  With the masks still in place I blended some Distress Inks over the top.  I then did some second generation stamping (stamping off first) in green pigment ink using another image from the same set.  I brushed over the panel with some anti static powder and then, using my VersaMark ink pad I swept it up from the bottom edge and down from the top edge.  I then heat embossed using Wow! gold embossing powder.  A simple sentiment stamped in green finished the card.  As this is a one layer card and lots of embossing was involved, it did warp a little so it remained under a heavy book for a while to straighten it out.  Glad it did as this one took some time to create!

Materials used:

• Stamps: Card-io Combinations - Greenery 1; Clearly Besotted - Many Mini Messages
• Ink: VersaMark, Distress Ink - Evergreen Bough, Peeled Paint, Cracked Pistachio and Mowed Lawn; Versa Color - Evergreen
• Embossing Powder: Rubber Stampede - Clear; Wow! - Metallic Gold Rich

Challenge entries:

Crafty Cardmakers - Challenge #146 - No Patterned Papers

Crafty Catz - Challenge #291 - Anything Goes

Papertake Weekly Challenge - Anything Goes

AAA Card Challenge - Challenge #47 - Spectacular Embossing

Right, I'm off to tidy my table due to the carnage I created after making these two!  Have a fabulous weekend x

It's Spray Time!

Morning lovelies

I'm back to introduce this week's new challenge just starting at Less is More.  As usual, when we have a five week month we have a Lucky Dip challenge, and this time we have a great one for you.  We want to see you use...

Sprays / Mists

And please remember to keep your creations clean and simple.

Also this week we have a Guest Designer joining us, the fabulous Elaine of Craft-E-Place.  Elaine participates every week at Less is More, often with more than one entry and she creates beautiful cards, often with a genius twist.  So we'd love for you to visit her and leave some love.  If you have the time why not browse her blog, you certainly won't be disappointed.

Ok, back to the challenge.  Apart from a water spray I only have one spray product in my stash.  So I was a bit limited with products but there are so many techniques where spraying/misting can be incorporated.  Here's what I came up with...

I started with a scrap of bright pink cardstock and laid a die cut heart over the cardstock before spraying with Cosmic Shimmer Mist. Once dry I die cut it using a pierced square die.  To make the heart stand out a little more I dotted around it using a silver pen to match the pierced edge and popped it up on 3D foam.  The sentiment was stamped in a matching pink and a single gem added to the heart.

Materials used:

• Dies: Clearly Besotted - Love Hearts; MFT Die-namics - Pierced Square Stax
• Stamp: Clearly Besotted - Love Blossoms
• Ink: Versa Color - Opera Pink
• Accents: Cosmic Shimmer Mist - Pearl Mist; Sakura Gelly Roll pen - Silver; Gem from stash

Challenge entries:

Simply Create Too - Challenge #93 - It's a Special Occasion

Simon Says Stamp Wednesday Challenge - Anything Goes

Cute Card Thursday - Challenge #388 - Monochrome

I couldn't let spray/mists week pass by without using the ghosting technique again.  I masked three edges on a white cardstock panel and blended three Distress Inks and faded the colours out across the unmasked side.  With the masks still in place I laid down the harlequin stencil, spritzed with water, removed the stencil and left for a few moments before blotting with a paper towel to remove the colour.  Once dry I stamped the stem and sentiment in black and popped the panel up on 3D foam.

Materials used:

• Ink: Distress Ink - Mustard Seed, Spiced Marmalade, Abandoned Coral; Versafine - Onyx Black
• Stencil: Tim Holtz - Harlequin
• Stamps: MFT - Grand Peaceful Wildflowers

Challenge entries:

Creative Inspirations - Challenge #324 - Anything Goes

Crafty Cardmakers - Challenge #146 - No Patterned Papers

AAA Cards - Challenge #46 - Maskerade/Masking

Happy Little Stampers - August CAS Challenge - Masking (playing along for fun - DT)

I find it impossible to get a great photo of a black card, when will I ever learn?!  I laid down the Fir Trees stencil by Imagination Crafts on some black cardstock and then sprayed through it with some Cosmic Shimmer Mist in Pearl Mist. Some of the mist landed in blobs but I think this looks like snow so quite happy with it!  The sentiment from Clearly Besotted's Little Pudding set was heat embossed in Wow Metallic Silver embossing powder and the panel was matted onto some silver shimmer card before being adhered to the card base.  The star is a silver glitter Doodlebug Sprinkle.

Materials used:

• Stencil: Imagination Crafts - Fir Trees
• Stamp: Clearly Besotted - Little Pudding
• Ink: VersaMark
• Embossing Powder: Wow! - Metallic Silver
• Accents: Cosmic Shimmer Mist - Pearl Mist; Doodlebug Sprinkle - Red, White and Blue star assortment

There's lots of ways sprays can be used so we can't wait to see what you create this week.  Have fun!

Berry Nice!

Good morning crafters

It's 8.00am on a Saturday which means it's time for a brand new challenge at Less is More.  This week we're back with a colour challenge and we would like you to use...

Berry Shades

Please remember to follow our guidelines and keep your creations clean and simple, remembering to leave some white space.

Here are my cards to hopefully give you some inspiration...

I die cut a panel from a diagonal stitched rectangle die then stamped the sketchy heart three times in different berry colours.  This was pigment ink so I then heat embossed the hearts using clear embossing powder.  The panel was popped up on 3D foam and the sentiment stamped beneath. Easy peasy!

Materials used:

• Die: MFT Die-namics - In and Out Diagonal Stitched Rectangles
• Stamps: Stampin' Up - Work of Art, Clearly Besotted - Sentimental Type
• Ink: Versa Color - Cardinal, Raspberry, Grape
• Embossing Powder: Rubber Stampede - Clear

Challenge entry:

Simon Says Stamp Wednesday Challenge - Anything Goes

I decided to do some Distress Ink blending for my second card...

I masked off a rectangular panel with post-it notes and blended the background in two colours of Distress Ink.  I then used the used the ghosting technique by spritzing through a stencil with water and then blotting, to create the subtle chicken wire pattern.  Once dry I stamped the fern and then stamped it again without re-inking to create the shadow.  I then removed the masks and stamped the sentiment.

Materials used:

• Ink: Distress Ink - Picked Raspberry, Seedless Preserves; Versa Color - Grape
• Stamps: Inkylicious - Fern Leaves; SP & Company - Just a Note
• Stencil: The Crafters Workshop - Mini Chicken Wire reversed

Challenge entry:

Simply Create Too - Challenge #91 - Anything Goes

And my third card...

On a panel of white cardstock I stamped the balloon in three different colours and then masked off one of them before stamping the strings.  I stamped the sentiment on a strip of white cardstock and heat embossed this with clear powder.  The white strip was matted on a strip of dark purple cardstock before adhering to the panel, and the panel was then adhered to the base on 3D foam strips.  I love this perfectly round balloon stamp and in these colours they really remind me of little cranberries and blueberries!

Materials used:

• Stamps: Wplus9 - Whole Lotta Happy; Clearly Besotted - Make a Wish
• Ink: Versa Color - Cardinal, Raspberry, Boysenberry and Grape
• Embossing Powder: Rubber Stampede - Clear

I love these gorgeous juicy colours and would love for you to join us this week.  I think the gallery is going to look stunning!

Happy Saturday lovelies!

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.

Ooh La La Creations - Guest Designer!

Hi guys

Today I'm back to share my second card for my Guest Designer spot for February with Ooh La La Creations.

Thanks so much to Anne for inviting me to join her team this month and to the rest of the Design Team for making me feel so welcome.

For this new challenge we want you to 'Add Something Green' to your creations.  Here's my card...

For this card I started by adding some Ooh La La Creations digi paper to my card base.  I chose this strawberry design and then used a stamp set by Clearly Besotted to carry on the strawberry theme.  I used a scalloped edge die to cut the bottom of the white cardstock panel and then cut a couple of notches on either side at the top to secure the twine in place.  The white cardstock panel was then adhered using 3D foam.

Materials used:

• Digi Paper: Ooh La La Creations - Watermelon Mice collection from the Everyday Occasions CD Rom
• Stamp: Clearly Besotted - Tasty Treats
• Dies: Clearly Besotted - Tasty Treats and Scalloped Edges Die Collection
• Ink: Versa Color - Burgundy, Olive, Ash Rose and Sage; Versafine - Onyx Black
• Twine: Hemptique - Emerald collection

I would also like to enter this card at the following challenge blogs:

Brown Sugar - Challenge #133 - Use a Bow and a Die Cut

613 Avenue Create - Challenge #111 - Anything Goes

Simply Create Too - Challenge #79 - Anything Goes

Why not 'add some green' to your projects and link up, it will be great to see your creations in the gallery.  Thanks so much for popping by.

 

Just a Ladybird Note

Hi there

This is a really quick post to share a card I've made this evening for the current Less is More challenge where the theme is 'Little Creatures'.

I thought I would have lots to choose from in my stash but it was actually quite limited...apart from butterflies!  I ended up inking up a stamp from a set I've not used before...

This is a teeny card, only 10cm x 10cm.  The little row of ladybirds is from a Country Companions set which was part of a bundle I bought from eBay a while ago.  I hadn't really noticed them until I was specifically looking for some 'little creatures'.  I found a scrap of white cardstock and stamped the ladybirds in black ink and then coloured them with my Inktense pencils, just using a wet brush to pick up the colour from the pencil tip.  I then manipulated the sentiment stamp slightly to follow the curve of the bugs and also stamped this in black.  I used a square die to cut out the design and then matted this onto a scrap of black card, creating a narrow border.  I then popped this up onto the card base using 3D foam.

Materials used:

• Stamps: Country Companions - Sunshine Meadows; SP & Company - Just a Note
• Ink: Versafine - Onyx Black
• Coloured with Derwent Inktense pencils
• Die: Xcut - Nested Squares
• Cardstock from stash

I would also like to enter this card at the following challenge blogs:

Papertake Weekly Challenge - Black and White and...

Pixie's Snippets Playground - Week 147 (the white and black mats were cut from cardstock in my scraps as it's such a tiny card)

I hope you're all having a fab week...not long now until the weekend :)

Take care

This Card = Photography Hell! :D

Hi guys

I had a great idea the other day and decided to have a play with one of my new stencils with translucent embossing paste.  A fab idea, until I tried to photograph it - what a complete and utter nightmare that was!

Here's the card, detailed in three photos so you can hopefully see what's going on! haha

I started by masking a circle off the edge of a panel of white cardstock and then stamped the various images in bright colours.  I then applied translucent embossing paste through a diagonal striped stencil.  The paste is semi-opaque when first applied but it does eventually dry clear.  Once dry I adhered the panel to the card base using 3D foam strips.  I then messed about for ages trying different die cuts to add a sentiment but nothing looked quite right so I decided to leave it blank.  Perhaps I should have stamped a sentiment before applying the paste! Hey ho, hindsight is a wonderful thing!  I love the effect of the glossy embossing paste but it's just so difficult to show it well in a photo.

Materials used:

• Stamps: Paper Smooches - Reflections
• Ink: Versa Color - Fresh Green, Orange, Raspberry, Lagoon Blue, Imperial Blue
• Stencil: MFT Mix-ables Stencil - Diagonal Stripes
• Embossing Paste: Dreamweaver - Translucent

Challenge entries:

Let's Craft and Create - Challenge #96 - Anything Goes

Paper Smooches SPARKS - September 21-27 Anything Goes

613 Avenue Create - Challenge #90 - Anything Goes

Daring Cardmakers - Stencil Revolution 

Craft Your Passion - Challenge #232 - I Can See Clearly Now (use something transparent)

Simon Says Stamp Monday Challenge - Stencils & Stamps

As always, thanks so much for your supportive comments, I appreciate each and every one :) 

Just a Wooden Note

Hiya

Yes, I'm still up!  I should be snuggled down in bed by now but I wanted to enter another challenge or three and I'm not sure I'll find the time after work tomorrow to get linked up.

So here's my next card to share with you today (apologies for the bad photography, had to grab the daylight lamp!)...

I used a cream linen effect tri-fold aperture card base that I've had in my stash for years.  I have loads of these but seem to have abandoned them.  They are quite handy for quick makes so I think I'll keep hold of them.  I found some wood-effect patterned paper so I placed some of this behind the ready-made aperture.  I then used a leaf die with some cream textured cardstock and adhered this across the aperture.  I stamped the sentiment in brown ink and finished with a wooden butterfly embellishment.

Materials used:

• Patterned Paper: Fancy Pants - Country Boutique 6x6 paper pad
• Cardstock: Papermania Premium Textured Cardstock; card base from stash
• Die: Clearly Besotted Stamps - Leafy Accents
• Stamp: Clearly Besotted Stamps - Many Messages
• Ink: Memento - Rich Cocoa
• Butterfly embellishment from stash

Challenge entries:

CASology - Week 101 - Wood

Butterfly Challenge #9 - Monochromatic

Crafty Cardmakers - Challenge #118 - Wooden It Be Loverly

Phew, that really is all for today!  I'm off to bed now before a busy week ahead at work. 

Nite all x

A Sunny Smile

Hi there

Just popping by tonight to share a really simple CAS card, and today it's not one layer! Woohoo!

I've teamed up a few challenges for this cheery card, details of which are listed towards the end of this post.

All these stamps I've used here have been inked up for the very first time tonight.  I don't have any sun stamps or dies so I used this dotty image from an Inkadinkado stamp set of circles and dots.  Next I stamped the flower pot which is from a bundle of Visible Image stamps I bought a while ago from eBay.  I stamped this in black and coloured it in with ProMarkers and FlexMarkers.   The 'smile' sentiment is from a separate Stampendous stamp set.  I used a rectangular die to create the panel and then mounted this onto some blue cardstock.  This was then adhered to the card base using 3D foam strips.

Materials used:

• Stamps: Inkadinkado - Circles and Dots; Visible Image - flower pot (unknown name); Stampendous - Doodle Wings
• Ink: Versa Color - Marigold; Memento - Tuxedo Black
• Die: Spellbinders Nestabilities - Classic Rectangles Large
• Coloured with ProMarkers/FlexMarkers
• Cardstock: Papermania Premium Textured Cardstock (blue); white cardstock from stash

Challenge entries:

Addicted to CAS - Challenge #41 - Sun

Stampin' for the Weekend - Anything Goes

DJ Kard Kreations - NBUS Challenge #1 (never before used schtuff - all these stamps!)

Color Throwdown - #297

That's all for now folks, hope to see you again soon x

A Little Note

Hi guys

I'm back to share a card I've made to combine a few different challenges.

I started by stamping the notepad image.  I stamped this off onto some scrap paper first as I wanted it to be faint.  I then cut this out using a rectangular die.  The stamp does include impressions for the holes but on this occasion I chose to punch these out.  I then chose some patterned paper and cut this out using the same rectangular die.  Next I stamped the flower and sentiment image before colouring in with ProMarkers, choosing colours to co-ordinate with the paper.  I then added a metal button brad through the top hole before laying up and adhering the rectangles.

Materials used:

• Stamps: Clearly Besotted - Just a Note; Pink Petticoat - free stamps with a publication
• Ink: Versa Color - Sky Gray; Memento - Tuxedo Black
• Patterned Paper: Pebbles - Sunny Side
• Die: Spellbinders Nestabilities - Classic Rectangles Large
• Coloured with ProMarkers
• Brad from stash
• Single hole puncher

Challenge entries:

CASology - Week 91 - Note

Addicted to Stamps and More - Challenge #91 - Anything Goes

Keep It Simple - Challenge #38 - Bright Sparks

Crafty Catz - Challenge #227 - B is for... (in this case B is for brights, button and brad)

Retro Sketches - Sketch #111

Thanks for popping by, folks.  I hope you are all having a lovely Easter Sunday whatever you're up to.

Hope to see you again soon.