Less is More Weeks 286 & 287

Hi there

It's new challenge time over at Less is More.  Due to a few of the Design Team being away at the Happy Little Stampers craft retreat next weekend, this challenge will run for two weeks, so plenty of time for you lovely LIMettes to get your entries in!

So, what do we have for you this time?  Well, we're back with a Recipe challenge and we would like to see you use something...

Tactile

I have two samples for you, here's the first...

I took a panel of white cardstock and used an embossing folder to create the wavy background.  For more texture I used white embossing paste blended with some green and blue Distress Ink which is spread through a daisy stencil.  I then dotted on some Liquid Pearls on the flower centres and stamped the sentiment in black.  The panel was then popped up onto the card base using 3D foam.

Materials used:

• Embossing Folder: We R Memory Keepers - Next Level Wave
• Stencil: Imagination Crafts - Butterfly and Daisy
• Embossing Paste: Dreamweaver
• Ink: Distress Ink - Tumbled Glass, Mowed Lawn; Versafine - Onyx Black
• Stamp: MFT - Beary Special Birthday
• Accents: Liquid Pearls - Lemon Yellow

Challenge entries:

Ooh La La Creations - Challenge #209 - Add Some Texture

CASology - Week #207 - Rough

My next card is fairly simple but has tactile interest from the score lines, embossing and glossy enamel dots...

I started by stamping the flower in VersaMark before heat embossing with a lilac powder.  I then created some interest from the corner by adding some score lines.  The sentiment was heat embossed in silver, the panel popped up on 3D foam and a couple of enamel dots were added to finish.

Materials used:

• Stamps: Uniko - Beautiful Blooms I; Clearly Besotted - Fancy Sayings
• Embossing Powder: Wow! - Metallic Silver; Personal Impressions - Pastel Lilac
• Ink: VersaMark
• Accents: Doodlebug Sprinkles - Lilac Assortment
• Tools: Martha Stewart - Mini Score Board

Challenge entries:

Fantasy Stampers - Challenge #67 - Clean and Simple

The Crafter's Cafe - Challenge #153 - CAS

Uniko - Challenge #34 - Flowers

My teamies, as always, have some great inspiration for your over at LIM and on their personal blogs so, if you have time, please do take a look.

Thanks so much for visiting today.

Happy Little Stampers March 2016 CAS Challenge

Hi there

Can you believe we're at the beginning of another month?  It's crazy how fast this year is flying by!

It's time for another CAS challenge over at Happy Little Stampers and this time we have a great technique for you...

Our challenge this month is sponsored by Happy Little Stampers and one lucky winner will receive a $15 gift certificate!

If you are unfamiliar with this technique there are some tutorial links over on the main challenge blog.  This technique was completely new to me so the videos were a great help.

We also have a fabulous Guest Designer playing along with us this month, the super talented Anita of My Papercraft World.  She, along with my teamies have created some wonderful sample cards for you this month so please take a look if you have the time.

Here's what I created...

On a panel of white cardstock I masked a vertical section.  I then squeezed a little liquid pearls onto my craft mat and gently 'pounced' into it with some crumpled cling film and 'pounced' it onto my panel.  When dry (not long at all) I then blended distress inks over the top and the liquid pearls resist the ink.  I then buffed with a paper towel to reveal more of the shimmer.  After removing the masks I adhered the die cut poppies over the top and added the sentiment in black before matting onto some pearlescent silver cardstock and adhering flat to my card base.

Materials used:

• Liquid Pearls - White Opal
• Ink: Distress Ink - Weathered Wood and Victorian Velvet; Versafine - Onyx Black
• Die: Poppy Stamps - Arched Poppies
• Stamp: Happy Little Stampers - Butterfly Birthday

I am linking this card up at the following challenge blog:

Daring Cardmakers - Simply ir-resistable - Use some kind of resist technique

Simon Says Stamp Monday Challenge - Take a leap into the unknown (this technique was completely new to me)

So, why not have a go and try something new if you've not come across this technique before.  You have until the end of March to link up :)

Simple Rudolph Multiples

Hi there

I'm back again today to share more of the last minute cards I made before Christmas.

I made four of these super quick CAS cards using two sets from Clearly Besotted.

The fingerprint head, the eyes, ears and antlers, and the sentiment were all stamped straight onto the card bases.  I then added some red liquid pearls for the noses, topped with some superfine red glitter.  The red glitter was really bright but I couldn't seem to capture this in the photos.  A little time was put aside for the noses to dry and these were ready to go.

Materials used:

• Stamps: Clearly Besotted - In Print and Santa Baby
• Ink: Versa Color - Sand Beige and Pinecone; Versafine - Onyx Black
• Accents: Liquid Pearls - Ruby Red; Superfine red glitter from stash

Challenge entries:

My Time to Craft - Challenge #311 - Last Minute Christmas Makes

Creative Inspirations - Challenge #341 - Anything Goes

Creative Card Crew - Challenge #103 - Anything Goes

Papertake Weekly Challenge - Fave Challenge/Anything Goes

Crafty Creations - Challenge #305 - Anything Goes

Cute Card Thursday - Challenge #405 - Anything Goes

Crafty Hazelnut's Christmas Challenge - Challenge #261 - Anything Goes Christmas

Crafty Hazelnut's Christmas Challenge Extra for December - Anything Goes Christmas

That was a fairly quick post.  Beware, the next one will be a bit picture heavy so if you do have time to pop back for a look you might want to boil that kettle and make a nice cosy brew!

Pink & Grey Christmas

Hi guys

I've been wanting to take part in the latest Muse challenge since I saw Michele's super classy card earlier this week.

I adore the grey and subtle pink colour scheme with a touch of gold so I used this as my starting point.  I also focused on the leaf vein images in her apertures.

I wasn't planning on making a Christmas card but when I went in search of a stamp depicting leaf veins this poinsettia was the first one that caught my eye so I went with it.  I'm not sure this really works but hey ho, it's a Christmas card to add to my stash for this year (which, at the moment I think consists of about two cards!)

I didn't have enough dark grey cardstock to use as my card base so I covered the front of a white card with the dark grey and cut a panel of lighter grey slightly smaller.  I stamped the poinsettia image onto this in charcoal ink.  I found a scrap of pale pink pearlescent card and stamped the Christmas sentiment which was heat embossed in platinum.  I then die cut the Merry from a scrap of matt gold cardstock.  These were adhered to the bottom right.  I felt the poinsettia needed a little something as it was looking a little bare so I added some Liquid Pearls to the centre of the bloom and embellished with a tiny sprinkling of fine gold glitter.

Materials used:

• Cardstock: Papermania (greys), other from stash
• Stamps: Uniko Studio - Pure Florals Poinsettia
• Ink: Hero Arts - Charcoal; VersaMark
• Embossing Powder: Wow! - Metallic Platinum
• Die: Clearly Besotted - Merry Christmas Die Collection
• Accents: Liquid Pearls - Petal Pink; gold glitter from stash

Here is Michele's gorgeous card, such a classy creation...

As I've used a Uniko Studio stamp here I'm also going to link up to the latest challenge over at Uniko Studio where the theme is Flowers.

And thanks to Ardyth for mentioning it, I'm also going to link up at Muse Christmas Visions.  I saw this Muse card the other day so it must have been at the back of my mind when I made mine without even knowing it!  Here is Chriss' fabulous card...

That's all for now folks, I hope you're all having a relaxing weekend.  Hope to see you again soon.

Inspired by....#3

Hello again

I'm back today with another card I've made for my 'Inspired by...' series.  About time!

I'm forever looking at things around me, items around the home or colours I see which inspire me to create something.

Here is my card, please scroll down to see what it was that inspired me to make this one...

(Apologies for the not great photography, I had to use my daylight lamp for these)

 

 

And this is where my inspiration came from...

 

 

 

 

 

 

This pretty tissue box!

 

 

Materials used:

• Stamps: Clearly Besotted Stamps - Basic Stripes; Uniko Studio - Flower Power #3 and Natures Treasures #1
• Ink: Versa Color - Laurel Leaf, Green and Magenta; Versafine - Onyx Black
• Accents: Liquid Pearls by Ranger - Mint Green

 

Challenge entries:

 

A Gem of a Challenge - Anything Goes

Crafty Catz - Anything Goes

 

Thanks for taking the time to visit my blog.  I'll have a few more Christmas cards to share once they have been given to the recipients, just two or three left to make.

 

Take care

 

 

Less is More - Week 119 One Layer

Evening lovelies

I've found some time tonight to whip up a little card to take part in this week's challenge over at Less is More.  This week we are to make a one layer card and this is the brief...

Coloured Card Blank

"Yes that's right, none of your boring, white, ivory, black or kraft card blanks, we want to see you add some colour"

 

So, without further ado, here's my entry...

 

 

I raided my stash of card blanks and grabbed this one, I've not used a tall card for a long time and I actually really like them.  This card base has a lilac pearlescent finish so I had to think carefully about how to stamp it.  I only really have pigment ink but I've struggled with this on cards with a glossy pearlescent surface so I opted for VersaMark and then embossed with black embossing powder and it worked really well.  I then coloured the flowers with Letraset markers and accented the flower centres with Liquid Pearls.

 

Materials used:

• Stamps: Wild Rose Studio - Flower Doodles
• Ink: VersaMark
• Embossing Powder: Stampin' Up - Black
• Coloured with Promarker (Magenta) and Flexmarker (Wild Orchid)
• Accents: Liquid Pearls - White Opal

 

I'll be back in a mo with another entry, couldn't stop at one! :)