Honey, I Shrunk the Kit - September 2017

Good morning

My fellow honeys and I have got together again recently and been creating cards from an identical kit of crafty goodies.

One of the gang puts together an envelope of the same secret crafty bits and sends the happy mail to each of us, and we then get creative with it.  It was my turn to supply the kit this time so I'm excited to see what my talented teamies have done with it.  The fabulous honeys are:

Hazel Hodgkins - Hazel's Paper Designs

Sarah Platt - Sazzle Dazzle Crafts

Sarah Gray - Funky Fossil Designs

Shona Chambers - Twine Around

I named my kit 'Symbols of Summer'. 

Here is a pic of the kit and details of what I included

(I went a bit bonkers and included rather a lot, and from many brands too!)

Stamps:
Your Next Stamp - Flippin' Fabulous (crab/sentiments)
Clearly Besotted - Life's a Beach (flip flops/sentiments), So Sweet II (ice cream), Hung Up on You (mini cocktail/sentiments), Good Times II (sentiments), Petite Plushies (lolly/pinwheel)
Hero Arts - Let's Chill (palm/hibiscus/cocktail/beachball/sentiment)
Avery Elle - Sip Sip Hooray (sentiments)
The Greeting Farm - Rain Snow Shine (girl)
Little Claire (beach huts
Clear Impressions - Sea Breeze (deck chair)

Dies:
Paper Smooches - Warm Wishes, Birthday Words (cheers)
Echo Park - Flamingo Palm die set
Newton's Nook - Hibiscus
Clearly Besotted - Scalloped Edges die collection

Patterned Paper:
First Edition - Paradise Crush (floral)
Decotime - no name (ice creams)

Ribbon - Dovecraft
Gems - Papermania Glazed Gems Iridescent
Reversible coloured card from stash

Here are my makes (and still plenty left to make more!)

Card 1

I used the coloured cardstock, image and sentiment from the kit for this one.  I die cut a white piece of card using an MFT Die-namics double stitched circle die and stencilled some clouds using MFT mini cloud edges stencil with Distress Ink in Tumbled Glass (apologies, it's very pale in the pic).  I then layered up the sand and sea and die cut these with the same circle die to create the scene.  I added a mix of embossing powder by Wow! by dotting with an embossing pen, to create the break of the waves on the sand. The crab was coloured with ProMarkers and fussy cut, and the sentiment was cut out and mounted on some leftover blue cardstock. I finished by adding the sun which is in fact part of a chrysanthemum layering die set by Creative Expressions, cut from yellow card, and blended this with Distress Ink in Spiced Marmalade.  Oh, and of course some googly eyes!

Challenge entries:

AAA Cards - CAS Game #98 - Creatures Great or Small (a few layers but hopefully still CAS enough!)

Alphabet Challenge - M for Make Your Mark
Happy Little Stampers - Anything Goes with Dies September Challenge

Card 2

This one uses three of the die cuts from the kit.  I used Distress Inks to colour the flamingo (Spun Sugar, Worn Lipstick, Hickory Smoke, Pumice Stone) and the palm tree (Ground Espresso, Forest Moss, Pine Needles).  The 'warm wishes' I coloured with a black ProMarker.  I used the brush stroke image from Stampin' Up's Work of Art set to create the sand, sea and sky using Versa Color ink in Bisque, Lagoon Blue and Sky Blue.  I used a black fineliner pen for the flamingo's eye and finished by adding my coconuts, Doodlebug Sprinkles in Bon Bon.

Challenge entry:

Just Add Ink - Challenge #376 - Just Add 'D' (Die cuts / Distress Ink)

Card 3

Everything here was from the kit, other than ProMarkers and Wink of Stella to colour and a couple of stitched dies.  I adhered the lolly/ice cream paper to the entire card base, then split a piece of white cardstock on the diagonal and adhered this over the top. The beach huts were coloured with ProMarkers and die cut with an MFT Die-namics stitched rectangle die, and the sentiment was cut from a smaller one in the same set.  I coloured the three elements of the ice cream, fussy cut them out, cut a slit in the ice cream to tuck in the flake, covered with clear Wink of Stella then adhered to the card with adhesive and glue dots.

Challenge entry:

Simon Says Stamp Monday Challenge - Stamp It

Card 4

This one was predominantly all bits from the kit too.  The image I coloured with Faber Castell Polychromos before mounting onto some of the floral patterned paper.  I wrapped the ribbon around a piece of white cardstock and adhered the image panels on top.  I die cut the sentiment and a piece of the orange cardstock using the Tiny Tags Die by Clearly Besotted and offset these before adhering.  I finished by adding some of the gems to the ribbon and tag, and finally added some Glossy Accents to her sunglasses.

Challenge entry:

Simon Says Stamp Wednesday Challenge - Stamp It

Card 5

I wasn't really sure where I was going with this one and it's my least favourite but thought I would share it anyway.  I die cut the pink cardstock and the cocktail image using rectangle dies.  The cocktail was coloured with ProMarkers and some Wink of Stella.  The hibiscus die cuts were colour blended with Distress Inks in Worn Lipstick, Festive Berries, Mustard Seed, Mowed Lawn and Forest Moss.  I layered up all the elements, added the 'cheers' sentiment which I kept white and finished with some of the smooth gems.

If you've made it to the end of this post, thank you so much for sticking with it.  I'm now off to see what my honey buddies have made with the kit!

I'll be back very soon with the details of the upcoming challenge at Less is More.

Less Is More Week 276

Hi there

It's a new challenge week over at Less is More and I can see lots of fist pumps coming up as it's One Layer week!  Or perhaps not, more like heads in hands! lol  Our theme this week is...

At Sea

Please check out the one layer guidelines if you're unsure, here.

I must admit my creative mojo floated off somewhere this week and the first two cards I made I wasn't overly happy with so I left it another day and managed to create another which I prefer.  I'll share them all with you anyhow.

Here's the last one I made which I was happier with, although the first attempt ended up in the bin as I ruined it right at the end!

There were lots of steps to create this one.  I started by masking to leave the horizontal panel and blended firstly with a light green Distress Ink.  I then blasted with my heat gun to make sure the ink was dry, brushed my powder tool over to remove any static and then stamped the ropes in VersaMark.  I then removed the masks before heating embossing with clear powder.  I then replaced the masks and repeated the process, this time with a darker green ink which the rope images resisted, letting the lighter green show though.  I then repeated by stamping the wheels and clear embossing these also.  Then came a teal colour before stamping and embossing the anchors, and then I finished off with a dark blue ink.  The main thing to remember with this technique is to make sure your ink is dry at each step and you remove any static, otherwise you'll get embossing powder over your whole panel!  A simple sentiment finished off the card.

Materials used:

• Stamps: Clear Impressions - Sea Breeze (free with a magazine); Clearly Besotted - Make a Wish
• Ink: Distress Ink: Peeled Paint, Pine Needles, Mermaid Lagoon, Chipped Sapphire; VersaMark; Memento - Tuxedo Black
• Embossing Powder: Rubber Stampede - Clear

Challenge entries:

Simon Says Stamp Monday Challenge - Emboss It

Fusion - Port O' Call Polaroid (I went with the nautical theme of the photo)

This next card I was originally going to share over at the LIM post before I made the one above.  Good job I made another as teamie, Sarah G, has created a fabulous card with the exact same layout and colours!  What goes on in our minds, Sarah?! :D

More masking on this card as well!  I started by stamping the speedboat and then created a mask over it.  I also cut an oval aperture and used this as a mask to blend my sky and sea in two tones of blue Distress Ink.  I then roughly covered up the top half of the oval and used the inks mixed with water and splattered to create the spray behind the boat.  I also used a few splatters of just water which lifted some of the ink away to create the paler splatters.  I removed all the masks, stamped the sentiment, added minimal colour to the boat with some colouring pencils and then added Glossy Accents to the screen on the boat.

Materials used:

• Stamps: Stampin' Up - Need for Speed; Happy Little Stampers - Mix Mash
• Ink: Memento - Tuxedo Black; Distress Ink - Tumbled Glass, Salty Ocean
• Die: Spellbinders Nestabilities - Classic Ovals
• Pencils: Derwent - Coloursoft
• Accents: Glossy Accents

Challenge entries:

Just Add Ink - Challenge #311 - Masking

The Male Room - Challenge #35 - Transport

I loved the idea I had for the next card but it didn't really translate as I wanted it to.  It's still fun and cute so I thought I'd share it anyway!

I started by stamping the turtle in waterproof ink as I knew I'd be colouring using water later.  I then masked him off and blended Distress Inks through two different stencils, shifting them slightly to create the layered waves and fill in the white areas.  The wavy dots don't really work but hey ho, I went with it anyway! I then removed the mask and replaced just a mask to cover his face, neck and left front leg before stamping the umbrella so the shade was behind him but I wanted him to be holding it (as turtles do!)  I then finished by water colouring him with my Zig pens and stamping the sentiment below.

Materials used:

• Stamps: Clearly Besotted - Cool Dude; Mama Elephant - Up and Away
• Ink: Archival - Jet Black; Distress Ink - Tumbled Glass, Evergreen Bough, Broken China, Chipped Sapphire
• Stencils: Dutch Doobadoo - Wavy Stripes; MFT - Waves
• Coloured with Zig Clean Color Real Brush pens

Challenge entry:

Sunday Stamps - Challenge #126 - Create a Scene with a Sketch

Sorry for the long post, if you're still with me, thanks for getting through all that.  I like to explain how I make my cards and even though these look simple, one layer cards often have a lot more steps to create.

Please pop over to visit my teamies who have worked hard to create some great cards this week.  We know you lovely LIMettes won't let us down and hope to see you in the gallery!

Life's a Beach

Happy Saturday fellow crafters!

It's time for a brand new challenge at Less is More.  We had some wonderful entries over the last week...I think our super tough one layer masculine theme really challenged a lot of us so thanks for taking the time to enter.

So this week we're back with a theme challenge.  For many of us we are right in the middle of summer (although for the last few days the sun has been hiding a little in my part of the world), so our theme this week is...

Life's a Beach

Feel free to interpret this how you like but please remember to keep your projects clean and simple with some white space.

I've got two cards to share with you this week...

For my first card I started with some white cardstock and inked up the brush stroke stamp in rows using three different shades, stamping off first for some to create a paler impression.  I wanted to portray the sky, sea and sand.  I then stamped over this with the parent and child silhouette in black.  I die cut this with a rectangular die and matted onto some co-ordinating blue cardstock.  This was adhered on 3D foam and the sentiment simply stamped below.

Materials used:

• Stamps: Stampin' Up - Work of Art; Hero Arts - Share Laughter; Clear Impressions - Sea Breeze (free with a publication)
• Ink: Versafine - Onyx Black; Versa Color - Sky Blue, Cyan, Bisque
• Die: Spellbinders Nestabilities - Classic Rectangles

Challenge entries:

Cute Card Thursday - Challenge #382 - Water

Crafty Cardmakers - Challenge #143 - Water

Simon Says Stamp Monday Challenge - Anything Goes

My second card...

I squished two different Distress Inks onto my acrylic block, spritzed with water and then stamped this onto some watercolour card.  Once dry I removed any static with my EK Success Powder Tool and then stamped the starfish and sentiment in VersaMark Ink before heat embossing with gold powder.  I cut the card down to make a vertical panel and wiped my VersaMark pad along the edges before heat embossing once again with gold powder.  The panel was then simply adhered to the card base.

Materials used:

• Ink: Distress Ink - Mermaid Lagoon and Antique Linen; VersaMark
• Embossing Powder: Wow! - Metallic Gold Rich
• Stamps: Clear Impressions - Sea Breeze (free with a publication); Clearly Besotted - Twinkle Toes

Challenge entries:

CAS-ual Fridays - Challenge #141 - Embossing

Time Out Challenges - Challenge #35 - Nature with Optional Twist of Animals

Stamping Sensations - July Challenge - Feature a Creature

My fellow teamies also have some wonderful inspiration at Less is More and on their own blogs so please be lovely and pay them a visit.

Thanks for popping by.  I have a few posts planned over the next few days so I'd love to see you again soon.  Have a wonderful weekend :)

Less is More Week 126

Hi there

Apologies for being a bit quiet this week, I just haven't been able to find the time to make any cards but I wanted to make at least one before the week was over so I decided to have a go at this week's challenge at Less is More before the challenge ends tomorrow.  The very talented Hannelie of Desert Diva is a Guest Designer this week, so if you're not familiar with Hannelie's fab designs go take a look here, you won't be disappointed.

The trigger word this week is SAND.  At first I drew a blank but then I remembered a stamp set I recently acquired free with Creative Stamping magazine.  The set is by Clear Impressions and features some seaside designs.

I decided to create a beach scene, why, I really don't know!  This is not in my comfort zone AT ALL!  So I found myself reaching for my chalks which have been abandoned of late and this is what emerged...

To be honest, I absolutely hated this when I first completed the chalking and stamping!  I was using a larger piece of white card to chalk the background and it looked a bit of a mess.  I then cut it down to size before deciding where to place the sentiment and by the time I matted and layered it which framed the whole picture, its now starting to grow on me a little.  I coloured the deck chair with FlexMarkers.  Initially I was just going to put it aside and not share it with you guys but then I thought 'hey, a challenge is a challenge' so here it is.

Materials used:

• Chalks: Craf-T Products - Decorating Chalks
• Stamps: Clear Impressions
• Ink: Impress: Jet Black
• Coloured with FlexMarkers
• Cardstock from stash

As always, thanks for visiting today and hopefully I will have more cards to share with you over the weekend :)

Take care