Less is More Challenge #396

Good morning, crafters!

New challenge day is upon us once again over at Less is More, and today we're back with a Recipe challenge.  Here's the cue card with details of what we want to see you creating and sharing with us...

We're specifying less than one third to be true to our challenge guidelines and our love of unpatterned/untextured white space.

Continuing as our sponsor for this month is the fabulous and generous CAS-ual Fridays Stamps

and don't forget, as well as our monthly prize, they are also offering the discount code below

So, without further ado, I'll move on to my sample cards.  And it appears my mojo has returned, I have four cards for you!!!

Here's the first, and my favourite of this batch of makes...

I began with the dragonfly die cut, cut from white cardstock.  I squidged my VersaMark pad over it, held it with tweezers and poured two different embossing powders over it.  I heated it to melt the powders then repeated the process twice more to create the glossy effect.  On the card base I blended through a leaf stencil with Distress Ink and stamped the sentiment in metallic pigment ink.  To finish I adhered the body of the dragonfly only, and manipulated the wings upwards for some dimension.

Materials used:

• Die: Clearly Besotted - Dragonfly Die Collection
• Embossing Powder: Wow! - Peppermint Tea, Metallic Copper
• Stencil: Funky Fossil - Forest Foliage
• Stamp: Clearly Besotted - Make a Wish
• Ink: VersaMark; Distress Ink - Lucky Clover; Versa Color - Bronze

Challenge entries:

AAA Cards - CAS Game #140 - Up to One Third (not twisting this time)

Onto my second card, and some simple stamping and heat embossing...

I chose a teal card base and panel for this one.  Before stamping the images with VersaMark I treated the surface with an anti-static powder tool to avoid the embossing powder clinging to unstamped areas of the panel.  I used parts of the same floral image at the top and base of my panel, and heat embossed these along with the sentiment in white embossing powder.  Once cooled I used a soft cloth to ensure no anti-static powder remained on the panel.  It was then adhered using fun foam.

Materials used:

• Cardstock from stash
• Stamps: Honey Doo Crafts - Roses and Lilies; MFT - Grand Peaceful Wildflowers (sentiment)
• Ink: VersaMark
• Embossing Powder: Wow! - Opaque Bright White

Challenge entries:

Moving Along with the Times - Challenge #98 - Monochrome Colour

I'm not loving this next one but thought I'd share it anyway..

I used a floral corner embossing folder on a white cardstock panel here and stamped the sentiment in pigment ink.  I adhered the panel flat to the card base then added some Nuvo drops to the centre of the flowers.  My drops weren't behaving and weren't coming out evenly so the look isn't really what I was going for but it's still quite a cute card.  I thought the embossing alone wasn't enough but perhaps it needed embellishing in a different way.  I might revisit this one :)

Materials used:

• Embossing Folder: Craft Concepts - Florette
• Stamp: Wplus9 - Strictly Sentiments
• Ink: Versa Color - Lagoon Blue
• Accents: Nuvo Crystal Drops - Carnation Pink

Challenge entries:

Alphabet Challenge - E is for Embossing Folder

For my final card I embossed a panel using a die set...

I used a set of dies, a tulip square and pierced frame, to emboss a panel using an embossing mat in my Big Shot.  I trimmed around the edge of the frame then die cut a slightly larger pierced square from purple mirri card.  I adhered the mirri square flat to the base then popped up the tulip square on 3D foam strips.  I used a bold sentiment below the focal point to finish the card.

Materials used:

• Dies: Creative Expressions - Tulip Flower Square; MFT Die-namics - Pierced Square Stax
• White and mirri card from stash
• Stamp: Clearly Besotted - Brushed Greetings II
• Ink: Versafine - Onyx Black

Challenge entries:

Allsorts Challenge - Week 520/1 - Happy Birthday 

The Flower Challenge - Challenge #32 - Embossing

There are so many ways to add embossed details to your cards.  If you need some inspiration please do visit the main Less is More challenge blog, here, to see what my teamies have been creating.  I'm looking forward to seeing your creations in our gallery, and don't forget, the linky is open for a fortnight so plenty of time to play along.

Cute Wedding

Hi there

Apologies for the radio silence.  I've completely lost my creative mojo lately, I'm hoping to sit down and have a proper look for it later!

In the meantime, I thought I'd pop on and share a card I made last month.  I was commissioned to create a card for a friend for her son's wedding, I was waiting until after the day to share it here then it completely slipped my mind.

Here it is, the brief was an A5 wedding card with a cute theme featuring owls...

As a CAS cardmaker I really struggle with larger sizes such as A5, as I find it difficult to fill such a large area whilst maintaining my usual style.  As I opted for the textured frame I was really happy with how this turned out.

I began by cutting the upper panel, from a sheet of embossed stripe cardstock, and die cutting the stitched aperture.  This way I could be sure that the focal point was positioned correctly on the card base behind.  I roughly marked the focal area with a pencil and then stamped the branch, owls, leaves, hearts, top hat and flower, before then roughly masking and creating the clouds with a stencil and Distress Ink.  Before adhering the panel, I wrapped some decorative ribbon around the panel and topped with a bow.  The panel was then adhered on 3D foam strips.

I printed the wording onto some white cardstock (using a font called dearJoe 5 CASUAL) and cut the two hearts out with a stitched heart die to tie in with the stitched aperture.  I adhered these, popping some 3D foam squares behind the parts that overlapped the aperture, and to finish added some Glossy Accents to the owls' eyes...

Materials used:

• Stamps: Clearly Besotted - Paired Up (branch/hearts/leaves), Woodland Pals (owls); Mama Elephant - Three Amigos (hat); Penny Black - Salutations (flower)
• Ink: Altenew - Lava Rock, Mocha, Morning Frost; Versa Color - Olive, Pink, Rose Red; Distress Ink - Tumbled Glass; Versafine - Onyx Black
• Stencil: MFT - Cloud
• Dies: Create a Smile - Cool Cuts Double Stitched Rectangles; MFT Die-namics - Stitched Heart Stax
• Accents: Glossy Accents

Challenge entries:

Fab 'n' Funky - Challenge #440 - Wedding

Thanks so much for visiting, hopefully I'll find some crafty inspiration soon and be able to share more with you.

Enjoy the rest of your weekend! :)

Less is More Challenge #395

Hi guys

These weeks are going past far too quickly, can you believe we're back with another new challenge at Less is More?!

We have a Theme challenge for you this time, here's our cue card with the details...

We also have a new sponsor for the month of May, the fabulous CAS-ual Fridays Stamps...

and as well as a prize for our monthly winner they are also offering a 15% off voucher for LIM participants...

Joining us as a Guest Designer for this challenge we have Helen, who was our monthly winner for March.  Please do pop over to her blog, here, to say hi and check out her awesome card for this challenge.


I only have one sample card for you this time, using stamps from our sponsor.  My mojo has decided to vanish lately and I've just had no creative imagination.  Hopefully it will inspire you a little...

I stamped the teacup image onto a circular die cut and coloured it with ProMarkers.  This was then matted onto a larger die cut from pink textured cardstock.  I die cut a stitched rectangular panel and added some triple score lines vertically and horizontally, these can be seen more clearly in the next photo, I couldn't get the camera to pick them all up when photographing from directly above...

I adhered the layered die cuts where the score lines crossed and then stamped the sentiment in black before adhering the panel to the base using fun foam.

Materials used:

• Stamps: CAS-ual Fridays - Serendipi-tea
• Ink: Memento - Tuxedo Black; Versafine - Onyx Black
• Dies: Hero Arts - Circle Infinity Dies; Create a Smile - Cool Cuts Double Stitched Rectangles
• Coloured with ProMarkers

Thanks so much for visiting.  Hopefully my creative mojo will return very soon and I'll be back to posting more projects.  You can find lots more inspiration for this challenge from my teamies by visiting the main challenge blog, here.

Spring Cards from Skull and Cross Buns

Hi there

I'm here today to share a couple of Spring themed cards I've made using the most recent release from Skull and Cross Buns. 

Although the collection was released before Easter, the products include lots of Spring related elements too, so there's lots of scope to use them for Spring cards and more.  You can find the latest products here.

And for info, to celebrate National Scrapbooking Day, quote NSD19 to get 25% off your SACB order on the website and a free embellishment gift until 6 May!

For my first card I used the Spring Friends and Spring Motifs sets...

The used the cute curly sheep image and repeatedly stamped it on a strip of vellum and heat embossed in white.  In between I stamped the stem, leaves and flower head from in pigment inks and heat embossed in clear.  The vellum strip was wrapped around some lilac textured cardstock and secured on the reverse.  I stamped the sentiment below in black and adhered the panel flat to the card base.

Materials used:

• Stamps: Skull and Cross Buns - Spring Friends, Spring Motifs
• Vellum and cardstock from stash
• Ink: VersaMark; Versa Color - Olive, Pink; Versafine - Onyx Black
• Embossing Powder: Altenew - Pure White

Challenge entries:

My Time to Craft - Challenge #396 - CAS

STAMPlorations - May CAS Card Challenge - Anything CAS Goes (option of lilac)

Addicted to Stamps and More - Challenge #339 - CAS

Alphabet Challenge - C is for CAS

I used the Spring Friends and Spring Sentiments sets, together with the Gingham Stripe Large Stencil for this next card...

I die cut a stitched rectangular panel and stamped the chicks one on top of the other and then coloured with Promarkers.  Then on a panel of white cardstock I created the plaid pattern by masking various sections and shifting the stencil.  In the wider gaps purposely left I drew some lines with a dark grey fineliner pen.  This was also then die cut with a stitched rectangle die.

This was my third attempt at creating the background!  The first time I forgot to leave gaps so it was just a weird two colour check which wasn't what I had in mind, then the second time I got it right but had picked up the wrong masking tape so it ripped my cardstock when I removed the stencil.  It really was a case of third time lucky...I was ready to throw in the towel!

To finish I adhered the plaid pattern flat, popped the chicks panel up on 3D foam and added a sentiment strip from a scrap of yellow cardstock.

Materials used:

• Stamps: Skull and Cross Buns - Spring Friends, Spring Sentiments
• Stencil: Skull and Cross Buns - Gingham Stripe 
• Ink: Memento - Tuxedo Black; Distress Ink - Squeezed Lemonade, Mermaid Lagoon; Versafine - Onyx Black
• Dies: Create a Smile - Cool Cuts Double Stitched Rectangles
• Coloured with ProMarkers
• Accent: Staedtler Triplus Fineliner

Challenge entries:

Always Fun Challenges - Challenge #108 - Bees or Chicks

Thanks so much for visiting, I hope you have a lovely weekend, and enjoy the May Day Bank Holiday (in the UK).

Happy Little Stampers May 2019 CAS Challenge

Hi there

I'm here tonight to introduce the new CAS challenge for May over at Happy Little Stampers.

We'd like to see just a sentiment on your clean and simple creations, minimal embellishments and inking are allowed, but no images.


Here's my DT card...

I began by masking my card base leaving a horizontal strip which I ink blended with Distress Oxides to create an ombre effect.  I also ink blended a spare piece of cardstock and die cut the hello from it so it was in the opposite direction.  I adhered this onto the card base and stamped the 'birthday' alongside.  It looked like something was missing so I used a ruler and drew some dash lines with a black fineliner pen.

Materials used:

• Ink: Distress Oxide - Twisted Citron, Mermaid Lagoon; Versafine - Onyx Black
• Die: Wplus9 - Happy Trio
• Stamp: Happy Little Stampers - Bold Birthday Sentiments

Challenge entries:

Addicted to Stamps and More - Challenge #339 - CAS

Addicted to CAS - Challenge #158 - Contrast

Alphabet Challenge - C is for Clean and Simple

Don't forget that this challenge, along with the other challenges over at Happy Little Stampers (some still to start) are open to enter until the end of the month.

Thanks for visiting.

Less is More Challenge #394

Good morning, guys

It's time for a new challenge over at Less is More and it's the one that's dreaded by many.  Yes, we're back with a One Layer Challenge.

And our definition of One Layer Cards, as well as more of our clarifications, can be found here.

The awesome Seven Hills Crafts continues as our sponsor for the month of April, and by playing along will give you a chance to win the monthly prize.

I have two sample cards for you today, and for both of these I chose to use hammered cardstock for the first time in ages!  Although, the camera hasn't picked this up too well.

Here's the first..

I blended through a flower stencil off the edge of the card base with two shades of Distress Ink.  I then roughly masked off the white space and splattered with a mix of mica powder and water.  The sentiment was stamped in black to finish.

Materials used:

• Stencil: purchased from Stamposaurus but no name
• Ink: Distress Ink - Spun Sugar, Picked Raspberry; Versafine - Onyx Black
• Stamp: Altenew - Build a Flower: Anemone
• Accents: Honey Doo Crafts Mica Powder - Purple Topaz

Challenge entry:

Moving Along with the Times - Challenge #96 - Floral

And card two...

The stem and bud were stamped first.  Then the sentiment, where I masked off part of a 'buddy' stamp.  I then added some debossed score lines for some interest on two edges.  Super simple and I think the hammered cardstock and the score lines give it a classy finish.

Materials used:

• Stamps: Clearly Besotted - Sweet Rose, Budgie Buddies
• Ink: Altenew - Evergreen, Sunkissed, Orange Cream; Versafine - Onyx Black
• Accents: Score lines

Challenge entries:

Always Fun Challenges - Challenge #107 - CAS
AAA Cards - CAS Game #138 - Along the Edge
Alphabet Challenge Blog - C for Clean and Simple



My teamies have some great inspiration for you which you can find over at the main challenge blog, here.  And by following their links they may have even more to share on their personal blogs too.

I'm looking forward to seeing your projects in the gallery, and please don't be daunted by one layer cards, why not give it a go :)

Less is More Challenge #393

Good morning folks!

It's Saturday morning and it's been two weeks since our last challenge over at Less is More which can only mean one thing...we've got a new one for you :)

It's the turn of our Colour challenge and this time we want to see...

The awesome Seven Hills Crafts returns as our sponsor for this month so make sure you play along during this and the next challenge to be in with a chance of winning the LIM monthly prize!

We have a wonderful designer joining us for this challenge, the super talented Milla who was one of our birthday month winners.  Please do pop over to her blog to say hi.


Ok, onto my samples and I have two for you today.  I was obviously in a friendly mood as both feature friend sentiments.  Here's the first...

This was super easy to make.  On a panel of white cardstock I blended two shades of Distress Ink in from the corner.  I very rarely use either of these colours but I adore how great they look together here.  I then used a doily die which is new to my stash to cut a white die cut and adhered it over the edge of the panel and trimmed off the excess.  To finish I stamped the sentiment before adhering the panel on fun foam.

Materials used:

• Ink: Distress Ink - Iced Spruce, Milled Lavender; Versa Color - Laurel Leaf
• Stamp: Wplus9 - All Year Cheer (available from our sponsor's store)
• Die: Sweet Dixie - Doily Five

For my next card I chose coloured cardstock for my top panel...

I chose this soft green shade and began by inking through a leaf stencil using white chalk ink.  I then found a teeny flower stamp and stamped these around the leaves with a peachy shade.  I chose a slightly darker soft green shade to stamp my sentiment and adhered the panel flat to my card base.

Materials used:

• Coloured cardstock from stash
• Stencil: Uniko - Natures Treasures II
• Ink: Versa Magic - Cloud White; Versa Color - Cinnamon, Olive
• Stamps: Uniko - Background Builders Vines; Altenew - Thinking of You (available from our sponsor's store)

Challenge entries:

Addicted to Stamps and More - Challenge #336 - Anything Goes

AAA Cards - CAS Game #137 - Made in Minutes

Uniko - Challenge #52 - Spring

Thanks so much for popping by.  Looking forward to seeing all your subtle colour creations.  And don't forget to pop over to the main LIM challenge post for more inspiration from my fellow teamies.