Less is More Week #322

Hi there

After taking a break for a couple of weeks I'm back playing along with my teamies at Less is More today and as we're at the beginning of another month it's the turn of our Colour challenge.  And this time we want to see...

And for the month of April we have a fab new sponsor which is

Lili of the Valley

I have three cards to share with you this week and for my first card I chose pastel yellow, green and blue...

On a panel of white cardstock I stamped a background using VersaMark, applied some white embossing powder but then brushed off around the edge before heating so there were no hard edges.  I then watercoloured within the pattern using three colours of Distress Inks.  A simple Happy die cut and a white embossed sentiment strip finished the design which was popped up on fun foam.

Materials used:

• Stamps: Kaiserkraft - Morocco; Clearly Besotted - Sentimental Type
• Ink: VersaMark; Distress Ink - Squeezed Lemonade, Cracked Pistachio and Tumbled Glass
• Embossing Powder: Wow! - Opaque Bright White
• Die: Wplus9 - Happy Trio

Challenge entries:

Fab Friday - Challenge #109 - Sketch (turned from portrait to landscape)

Simon Says Stamp Wednesday Challenge - Anything Goes

For my second card I used a stamp by our April sponsor, Lili of the Valley...

I kept this one really simple by stamping the image onto a panel of Strathmore Bristol smooth cardstock and then watercoloured using Zig markers.  A sentiment was stamped alongside in black and the panel was popped up onto a card base made with the same cardstock so there was no variation in colour.

Materials used:

• Stamps: Lili of the Valley - Flower Arranging; Woodware - Salutations
• Ink: Versafine - Onyx Black
• Watercoloured with Zig Clean Color Real Brush Markers

Challenge entries:

Just Add Ink - Challenge #353 - Just Add Critters

Alphabet Challenge Blog - B is for Bunnies

And I went for a one layer card for my third design, using pastel pink, lilac and mint shades...

I stamped the abstract images, all from the same stamp set, to create a horizontal strip background.  I then overstamped with the bold sentiment in black, and re-inked using the MISTI to create a bold, sharp impression.  That was it, super simple.

Materials used:

• Stamps: Inkadinkado - Circles and Dots; MFT - Brushstroke Birthday
• Ink: Altenew - Mountain Mist, Soft Lilac, Rose Quartz; Versafine - Onyx Black

Challenge entry:

CAS-ual Fridays - Challenge #170 - No Dies Allowed

Thanks so much for visiting today.  If you have time please do take a moment to check out my teamies' personal blogs as there will be lots more inspiration there too.

Home Sweet Home

Goo evening

Just thought I'd pop in quickly and share the most recent card I made.  This one was for my Brother and Sister-in-Law who moved into their first purchased property this weekend.

They love nature, particularly birds so I chose to stamp with a little birdhouse...

I blended up from the corner of a white cardstock panel with three shades of Distress Ink before splattering with water and blotting away some of the colour.  The birdhouse and sentiment were simply stamped in black before popping the panel up on 3D foam.

Materials used:

• Stamps: Hot Off The Press - Sweet Tweets (free with a publication); Woodware - Home Sweet Home
• Ink: Versafine - Onyx Black; Distress Ink - Wilted Violet, Picked Raspberry, Spiced Marmalade

Challenge entries:

Allsorts - Challenge #403 - Anything Goes

Addicted to Stamps and More - Challenge #229 - Clean and Simple

Thanks so much for stopping by.  I hope you've had a wonderful weekend.

Less is More Week #312

Hi there

It's Saturday morning so I'm back to tell you about this week's new challenge at Less is More.  It's the turn of our Theme challenge and this week we would like to see...

New Beginnings

I've had a case of missing mojo this week but I did finally manage to make two cards to share with you.  For my first New Beginning theme I chose a wedding card...

This was a fairly easy make.  I started by die cutting the pierced square and stamped and heat embossed the sentiment in platinum powder.  The panel was then adhered to the base on 3D foam.  I then die cut the two laurel cuts from pearlescent cardstock and adhered these to the panel and added a couple of glitter enamel dots.

Materials used:

• Dies: MFT Die-namics - Pierced Square Stax; Poppy Stamps - Peppini Laurel
• Stamp: Clearly Besotted - Love Blossoms
• Ink: VersaMark
• Embossing Powder: Wow! - Metallic Platinum
• Accents: My Mind's Eye - Antique Enamel Dots

Challenge entries:

Time Out - Challenge #75 - CASE Ksenija
Uniko Challenge #39 - Anything Goes with Optional Twist of Love
Crafty Cardmakers - Challenge #180 - New Beginnings
CASology - Challenge #232 - Cut
Happy Little Stampers - January Anything Goes with Dies
STAMPlorations - January CAS Challenge - Option of Silver/Grey





For my second card I chose a new home card...

Another simple make, this time a one layer card.  The sentiment and the image were both stamped in black and I coloured the image with Derwent Coloursoft pencils.  A glossy heart embellishment was added as smoke coming from the chimney.

Materials used:

• Stamps: Altenew - Succulents (sentiment); Woodware - Home Sweet Home
• Ink: Versafine - Onyx Black
• Coloured with Derwent Coloursoft Pencils

Challenge entries:

Simply Create Too - Challenge #123 - New Beginnings
My Time to Craft - Challenge #337 - Something New

Thanks very much for popping by today and I hope you have the time this week to join us and take part in this challenge.

Less is More Week #301

Hi there lovely crafters

Unbelievably, we are back at the beginning of another month, I've never known a year fly by so fast!  So, the first Saturday of the month means that at Less is More we are back with a Colour challenge.  And this week we would like to see...

Purple and Gold

I love the colour purple but for some reason my camera doesn't, and the shades always look bluer than they actually are.  Anyway, I have two cards to share with you this week...

I decided to have another play using the ghosting techique for this card, I just love the watery bleached effect you can achieve.  So I blended out two shades of purple Distress Ink up from the corner of a piece of white cardstock then when I was happy with the blend I placed a stencil over the top, spritzed it with water, removed the stencil, left for a few moments and then blotted away the water with a paper towel, which lifted the colour.  Once dry I die cut the stitched panel from this inked piece and another slightly larger from some plain white card.  I prepped the panel with some anti-static powder before heat embossing the sentiment in gold.  The panels were then adhered to the card base, the top one being on 3D foam.

Materials used:

• Ink: Distress Ink - Dusty Concord, Shaded Lilac; VersaMark
• Stencil: Tim Holtz - from Mini Stencil Set 10
• Dies: MFT Die-namics - Stitched Rectangle Stax
• Stamp: Lawn Fawn - Scripty Sayings
• Embossing Powder: Wow! - Metallic Gold Rich

Challenge entry:

STAMPlorations - November CAS Challenge - Anything Goes with option of Purple

For my second card I put to use some gorgeous gold glitter washi tape which I found in Sainsbury's of all places.  The photograph really doesn't show how beautiful it is...

I started by adhering a strip of the gold washi to the base of my card base.  I then cut a panel slightly shorter for the rest of the design.  I die cut the scribbles from some plum coloured cardstock (I've no idea why my camera hates purple so much, it looks really dark, almost navy here!).  I then adhered some washi strips to a scrap of cardstock and die cut the same scribbles from this.  Luckily the die didn't cut right through which made the next step so much easier.  I thought I would need to adhere the gold pieces within the purple outline but all I did was adhere the purple over the top in position! I love how these scribbles work well as flower heads.  I then stamped some stems and a leaf in grey and the sentiment in a co-ordinating purple shade.  The panel was then adhered using fun foam for dimension.

Materials used:

• Dies: MFT Die-namics - Scribbles
• Stamps: Woodware - Doodle a Flower; Clearly Besotted - Fancy Sayings
• Ink: Versa Color - Sky Gray, Grape
• Cardstock: Bazzill Card Shoppe - Purple from assorted pack
• Washi Tape: Sainsbury's - From Impressionist Printed Craft Tapes pack

Challenge entries:

CAS on Sunday - Challenge #95 - Flowers

Thanks so much for stopping by.  My teamies have created some wonderful projects using this beautiful colour combo (and their photography is better than mine!) so please do stop by the challenge blog and follow the links.  There is also some news for you over at the main post and you may also spot a familiar face over there this week...

Less is More - Two-Weeker!

Good morning crafters

There is a new challenge just starting over at Less is More.  This challenge will run for two weeks to cover the Christmas/New Year break.  We've worked our way around our usual sequence and we're back with a Theme challenge which is....

Homespun

Not an easy challenge for me but I've got two sample cards for you today showing how I interpreted the theme.  Here they are...

I stamped four different stitch designs on a white cardstock panel and topped with a faux stitched heart, stamped and die cut from some patterned paper.  I tied some twine in a bow to the back of a button, adhered this with a glue dot and stamped the sentiment to co-ordinate with the button.

Materials used:

• Stamps: Hot Off The Press - Stamped Stitches; Clearly Besotted - Love Hearts (and co-ordinating die)
• Ink: Versafine - Onyx Black; Versa Color - Celadon
• Patterned paper from stash
• Accents: Twine - Hemptique - Ruby Collection; Button - Stampin' Up - Subtles

And my second card...

I embossed a white cardstock panel with a patchwork quilt design.  I then stamped the sentiment onto a strip of white cardstock and the image onto some gingham patterned paper.  I swirled some jute twine and anchored it in place when adhering the image on 3D foam.

Materials used:

• Embossing folder: DoCrafts - Boofle
• Stamps: Woodware - Home Sweet Home
• Ink: Versafine - Onyx Black
• Patterned Paper: DoCrafts - Boofle
• Accents: Jute twine from stash

We'd love to see how you interpret this theme.  And don't forget, this challenge will run for a fortnight, with the next challenge starting on Saturday 2 January 2016.

Thanks so much for stopping by.

Lucky Dip at Less is More

Good morning

There's a new challenge just starting over at Less is More and as this is the fifth Saturday of the month we have a Lucky Dip challenge for you which is...

Paper Piecing

Don't forget to keep your creations clean and simple

We also have a fabulous Guest Designer joining us this week, Valerie of Canonbury Creations.  If you have the time, please stop by her blog and leave her some love.


I've had a crazy week this past week with not much time for crafting so just one card to share with you today.  So, let's get to it...

I bought this holly stamp a while ago but this was its first outing.  I started by stamping it onto a white cardstock panel, off the edge. I then stamped the leaves onto the polka dot green paper and the berries onto the red tiny heart paper.  The bow was stamped onto a piece of gold shimmer paper from my stash.  Once cut out, I positioned and adhered the papers over my stamped image and then added the sentiment below.  The panel was popped up on 3D foam strips.


Materials used:

• Stamps: Woodware - Sprig of Holly; Clearly Besotted - Most Wonderful
• Ink: Versafine - Onyx Black
• Patterned Paper: Doodlebug - Santa Express
• Gold shimmer paper from stash

Challenge entries:

Simon Says Stamp Wednesday Challenge - Anything Goes

613 Avenue Create - Challenge #147 - Anything Goes
The Friday Mashup - Challenge #232 - Leaves

Moving Along with the Times - Challenge #7 - Leaves and/or Trees

My teamies have also been having fun with paper piecing this week so why not pop along to their personal blogs too where you'll find more inspiration.

Thanks so much for visiting today.  Bye for now and...

Addicted to Stamps and More #160

Hi guys

At Addicted to Stamps and More there is another challenge just starting.  Continuing with our sequence of challenges, this week we are back with a...

Photo Inspiration Challenge

You may take any element from the photo that inspires you.  It may be the colours, an image, a theme, etc.

Here's the photo...

Our Sponsor for this week's challenge is Stitchy Bear and the prize up for grabs is 3 images up to the value of $10.

I've used an image from our sponsor for my DT card this week, here it is...

I printed the digi image onto some cardstock, choosing to print it in 'draft' mode to soften the black a little.  I cut the cardstock down to the size I wanted and then stamped the sentiment in charcoal grey.  I didn't want to spend ages colouring my image only to mess up the sentiment at the end (this has happened to me before!).  I then coloured the image with ProMarkers and FlexMarkers.  Next I laid a speckles stencil over the image, masking off around the mushrooms, and then applied some white embossing paste through the stencil to add the dotty texture.  The panel was then matted onto some orange cardstock before adhering flat to the card base.

Materials used:

• Digi Image: Stitchy Bear - Mushroom Delight
• Stamp: Woodware - Salutations
• Ink: Versa Color - Charcoal
• Stencil: Tim Holtz - Speckles
• Embossing Paste: Dreamweaver
• Coloured with ProMarkers and FlexMarkers

I hope you'll be inspired by our photo this week and hope to see you over at ATSM.  My teamies have some great projects to inspire you so why not check these out and leave them some love.

Thanks so much for visiting today.  I'll be back later this evening to tell you about the new challenge at Happy Little Stampers.

Muse #125 - Fabulous Friend

Hi there

You may recall I recently shared the wonderful news that I am a happy new member of the Design Team at Muse.  Well today, it's my first time at being your Muse for the week!

I'm so excited at joining this team as Muse holds a very dear place in my heart.  Back in March 2013 it was on this challenge that I gained my very first recognition since I started blogging, for this card!  I also love this challenge as it's voted for by your fellow participants, so everyone gets their say :)

The idea at Muse is to use the Designer's card as the inspiration for your creation.  You can interpret it as you wish; using the colours, layout, techniques, etc.

Here's my card...

I stamped the dots on my card base and then masked this off to stamp the elements to create the doodle flowers.  I've seen lots of these quirky doodle flowers being used and I love them, these are from a stamp set by Woodware that I picked up at a craft show last month.  I then created the die cut sentiment strip.  This was actually a rectangle die but I used it to create a panel by just die cutting the edges.  I stamped the simple sentiment and adhered this flat to the card.

Materials used:

• Stamps: Woodware - Doodle a Flower; Clearly Besotted - Background Builder and A Little Sentimental
• Ink: Versa Color - Lauren Leaf, Celadon, Raspberry, Heliotrope; Versafine - Onyx Black
• Die: MFT Die-namics - In and Out Diagonal Stitched Rectangles

I'm linking up at these challenges:

Sweet Stampin' Challenge - No Designer Paper

613 Avenue Create - Challenge #133 - Anything Goes

I'd love to see how you interpret my design.  Lots of options here: colours, scribbly images, dotted panel, diagonal stitching...

Hope to see you there.

One Layer Home

Hi guys

Well, 8.00am on a Saturday means there is a brand new challenge over at Less is More.  And, just to cheer you all up, we are back with our dreaded (by some!) One Layer Challenge.  Our theme this week is...

Home

I'll admit I did struggle with this one, I love one layer cards but my stash was a bit thin on the ground for this theme but I managed to create two cards.  Here they are...

Lots of masking was involved with this card.  I started by stamping the curtains then masked these off before stamping the window frame in VersaMark ink and embossing with clear embossing powder.  The mask was put back in place so I could blend the sky through the window with Distress Ink in Salty Ocean.  I then stamped the vase and flowers and the sentiment below.  The sentiment is from the 'Home Sweet Home' stamp set by Woodware and all the other images are from Clearly Besotted's 'Window Dressing' set.

Here's the embossing detail...

I'm going to link this one up at the following challenges:

Crafty Creations - Challenge #291 - Embossing
Happy Little Stampers - June Sketch Challenge

And my second card...

I started by using an MFT Die-namics Stitched Rectangle die to emboss the central frame, using an embossing mat with my Big Shot.  I then simply stamped all the image elements and sentiment using Clearly Besotted's 'So Tweet' stamp set and Versa Color ink.

Challenge entries for this one are:

Crafty Catz - Challenge #283 - Clean and Simple

Brown Sugar - Challenge #150 - In the Garden

Thanks for all your wonderful entries last week, the gallery was so pretty filled with sunset colours.  I hope you'll be able to join us this week.

Less is More - Guest Designer (week two!)

Hi guys

Well, I'm super excited to be back for my second week as Guest Designer at the fabulous Less is More!

Some of the Design Team are off on their jolly holibobs so they need a little helping hand to keep things running while they are a little thin on the ground.  So, without further ado, here is this week's brand new challenge.

Week 222 is Colour week and we would like you to use:

Opposites on the Colour Wheel

Here is a colour wheel to help you with your choices...

I decided to go with red and green and immediately thought of Christmas but decided to try another theme.  Sympathy cards are the ones you never want to make when you need to, so it's always handy to have a few in stock...

I masked off a horizontal panel and stamped the script background in pale green.  I first stamped the stems, and then the two-step flowers in two shades of red.  The sentiment was stamped in the same green ink as the stems and then, after removing the masks I scored double lines above and below the inked panel to add interest to this one layer card.  I know, one layer!  I do surprise myself sometimes! ;)

Materials used:

• Stamps: Stampin' Up - En Francais and Too Kind, Woodware - Salutations
• Ink: Versa Color - Safe, Olive, Old Rose and Scarlet

I'd love to see what colour combos you choose and how you use them, so I hope to see you in the Less is More gallery.

Elmo Update!

Thank you to those of you who have been asking after my little cat, Elmo, it's been lovely receiving all your kind comments.  He's doing ok at the moment, the vet was happy with how he was healing and his stitches came out of his tummy earlier in the week.  He's not his old self and that's understandable given all that's going wrong in his little body, so he can't jump up on things and run around like he used to but he's perky and eating well and isn't in any pain.  Fingers crossed it stays that way and he'll remain with me for some time to come :)

Thanks for stopping by as always x

Home Sweet Home

Hi there

Apologies for not posting for over a week.  My mojo disappeared for a few days but I did manage to make a couple of cards at the weekend but have been unable to share them until now.

The first one is this new home card I made for a very special friend of mine.

I stamped the little cottage and sentiment on some white cardstock and used a stitched oval die to cut this out and then coloured it in with my ProMarkers.  I added some Glossy Accents to the windows and some Wink of Stella to create smoke coming out of the chimney.  I then used a patchwork embossing folder to emboss a white cardstock panel and added touches of Wink of Stella to some of the embossed flowers, dots and stars.  I think the patchwork works well with the cottage image and the stitching detail on the oval die cut.  The oval was adhered to the panel using thin 3D foam.  I then wrapped some twine around the panel before popping the panel up on 3D foam strips.

Materials used:

• Stamps: Woodware - Home Sweet Home
• Ink: Memento - Tuxedo Black
• Die: Lil' Inkers - Stitched Ovals
• Embossing Folder: Tri-Boss - Boofle
• Twine: Doodlebug - Brights Selection
• Coloured with ProMarkers
• Accented with Wink of Stella and Glossy Accents

I'd like to enter this card at the following challenges:

STAMPlorations - October Challenge - Stamps and Embossing

Simon Says Stamp Monday Challenge - Anything Goes

That's all for now.  I'll be back tomorrow to introduce the new challenge over at Addicted to Stamps and More and would love for you to pop back.

Until then, have a lovely day.