Less is More Challenge #409

Happy Saturday, folks!

We have a new Recipe challenge for you just starting over at Less is More, and it's an interesting one.  Here are the details...

For this challenge we are looking for you to use only one triangle from either of the following 2 layouts for your design.

 i.e. your whole design should be contained in the one triangle you select to use

The fabulous Catherine Pooler is our November sponsor...

...and just by playing along will put you in the running for our monthly prize :)

Our September winner, Tristan Dawes (Tinstar) is joining us for this challenge as our Guest Designer, please do pop over to her blog to check out her project and say hi.


For my first card I've contained my design in the top triangle of the first layout...

On a die cut rectangular panel I stamped the baubles image in black ink and coloured with ProMarkers.  The sentiment was stamped and heat embossed in silver.  After adhering the panel on fun foam I then added some glue to the baubles using a slim glue pen and added some fine glitter for some sparkle.

Materials used:

• Die: Create a Smile - Cool Cuts Double Stitched Rectangles
• Stamps: Woodware - Reindeer Bells; Clearly Besotted - Ornamental Style
• Ink: Memento - Tuxedo Black; VersaMark
• Accents: ProMarkers; Cosmic Shimmer Diamond Frost - Frosty Dawn

Challenge entries:

Addicted to Stamps and More - Challenge #368 - Holiday

{PIN}spirational - Challenge #252 - Photo challenge

Penny Black and More - November Challenge - Christmas

My next two cards are basically the same design, just using different colour palettes.  I have used the second layout, turned 90 degrees...

On a panel of black cardstock I spread some translucent paste through a tree stencil and sprinkled over with some fine green glitter.  Once dry I cut the panel down and added some red glitter glue to the 'baubles'.  The panel was adhered flat to a green card base and a sentiment strip added across the centre.

Materials used:

• Stencil: Imagination Crafts - Merry Christmas Trio
• Embossing Paste: Sweet Poppy - Stencil Dimensions Translucent
• Glitter: Sweet Poppy - Super Fine Satin Glitter in Moss Green
• Stamp: Paula Pascual - Christmas Messages
• Accents: Dovecraft Glitter Glue - Ruby

Challenge entries:

Just Add Ink - Challenge #483 - 'Choose Two' (I chose spots and sparkle)

Uniko - Challenge #56 - Christmas (option: tree)

STAMPlorations - November Stencil Challenge - Anything Goes

And the second card with a similar design...

For this card I used a panel of teal textured cardstock and used the same stencil but this time added iridescent glitter....and I can honestly say it was a nightmare to photograph! :D  It sparkles beautifully in real life.  I adhered the panel flat over the entire surface of the card base then added the sentiment at the base using white pigment ink.

Materials used:

• Stencil: Imagination Crafts - Merry Christmas Trio
• Embossing Paste: Sweet Poppy - Stencil Dimensions Translucent
• Glitter: Sweet Poppy - Super Fine Satin Glitter in Crystalina Rainbow
• Stamp: Paula Pascual - Christmas Messages
• Ink: Hero Arts - Unicorn

I'm looking forward to seeing your creations in our gallery using the different triangles of these layouts.  And for info, this will be the last challenge at Less is More for 2019 to give the Design Team a little break in the lead up to Christmas.  

Less is More Challenge #376

Good morning!

Firstly, apologies that it's been two weeks since my last post, life's just been busy and I've not found much time to craft.  However, I did have a little free time last weekend and decided to give my blog a facelift.  I hope you like my new design, I'd love to know what you think.

So, let's get back to the main reason for this post, it's new challenge day at Less is More and I'm here to introduce the challenge for the fortnight ahead.

Woohoo, it's that genre that fills some of us with dread...yes, it's One Layer challenge time!  Here's what we want to see...

Continuing as our July sponsor is Seven Hills Crafts so please do play along for a chance to win our monthly prize.

I have just the one card for you this time.  I was looking for something stripey in my stash and came across a stencil I've had for a while but never used.  Stencils are a great choice for one layer cards.  So, as you do in the summer heat, I made a Christmas card, never too early is it! 

Here it is...

This was pretty simple to create.  I taped the stencil down to my card base, with the large bauble off the right edge and masked off the rest.  I then blended with Distress Oxide ink in Wilted Violet, and the hanger part with silver pigment ink.  With the stencil still in place I spritzed with some shimmer mist.  I then repeated the process with the smaller bauble, but this time blending with Distress Oxide ink in Mermaid Lagoon.  I then used a silver pigment ink pen to draw the string.  To finish I stamped the sentiment in black which I shaped to follow the curve of the bauble.

The shimmer mist can be seen better in the photo below...

Materials used:

• Stencil: Imagination Crafts - Candy Stripe Medium
• Ink: Distress Oxide - Wilted Violet, Mermaid Lagoon; Versa Color - Silver; Versafine - Onyx Black; Signo Uniball pen in Silver
• Stamp: Paula Pascual - Christmas Messages
• Accents: Cosmic Shimmer Mist - Pearl Mist

Challenge entries:

Addicted to Stamps and More - Challenge #301 - Anything Goes

CAS on Friday - Challenge #137 - Christmas in July

AAA Cards - CAS Game #119 - Christmas in July

Simon Says Stamp Monday Challenge - Add a Little Sparkle

Thanks so much for visiting.  There is a great mix of design ideas created by my teamies so please do pop over and take a look if you have time, and if you need inspiration.  Don't let the one layer theme scare you, why not have a go and link up :)

Skull and Cross Buns - Emboss Resist Baubles

Hi guys

Back to share the last of my makes from yesterday's crafty afternoon using stamps by Skull and Cross Buns.

On this card I used two of the Christmas stamps - Christmas Drop Patterned Bauble and Christmas Bauble.  The Christmas Bauble design (the round one) is currently reduced as part of the Black Friday Weekend deals so please do pop over if you want a bargain.

Here's my card...

On a panel of white cardstock I stamped the two baubles in VersaMark ink and heat embossed them in white.  I then used the emboss resist technique and blended over with three shades of Distress Ink.  I cut the panel down using a stitched rectangle die and then pierced through the top of the baubles and added some twine, securing on the reverse.  I added a sentiment in black ink and adhered the panel to the card base.  I finished by adding two die cut bows from white cardstock, and added to these some clear Wink of Stella for some shimmer.

Materials used:

• Stamps: Skull and Cross Buns - Christmas Drop Patterned Bauble, Christmas Bauble; Paula Pascual - Christmas Messages
• Ink: VersaMark; Distress Ink - Cracked Pistachio, Salty Ocean, Wilted Violet; Versafine - Onyx Black
• Embossing Powder: Wow! - Opaque Bright White
• Dies: MFT Die-namics - Stitched Rectangle Stax; Clearly Besotted - Ornamental Style
• Twine: Hemptique - Vintage set
• Accent: Wink of Stella - Clear

Challenge entries:

AAA Cards -CAS Game #104 - Christmas

Crimbo Crackers - Challenge #146 - Anything Goes

Uniko - Challenge #44 - Christmas

Addicted to Stamps and More - Challenge #269 - Clean and Simple

I still have lots of cards to share that I made while I was away at the Craft Retreat and the week that followed.  I'll be gradually sharing these very soon.

Thanks again for all your visits and support, I read and appreciate every one of your comments.

I hope to see you again soon :)

Skull and Cross Buns - Christmas Joy, Peace and Noel

Hi guys

Back to share some more crafty makes using Skull and Cross Buns Rubber Stamps.

This card uses a set of stamps new for 2017 - Christmas Joy, Peace and Noel Neon Sign set of 3 rubber stamps.

There are also some other word stamps available in this fabulous neon sign style, including personalised ones!

I created a stamped background using all three stamps in different pastel colours, not the best photos of this one but my lamp made it very bright so I had to tweak it somewhat...

I used my MISTI (what on earth did I do without it?!) to line up this lettering and stamped in three shades of pigment ink.  It took a while but worked out ok.  I adhered this to the card base and trimmed it down.  I then die cut some white card with the landscape die and manipulated the sentiment stamp to follow the curve of the snow.  This was then adhered over the background and I added a touch of clear Wink of Stella to the trees.

This photo isn't quite so overexposed...

Materials used:

• Stamps: Skull and Cross Buns - Christmas Joy, Peace Noel Neon Signs; Paula Pascual - Christmas Messages
• Ink: Versa Color - Sea Foam, Petal Pink, Baby Blue; Versafine - Onyx Black
• Die: Clearly Besotted - Tree Landscape Die
• Accents: Wink of Stella - Clear

Challenge entries:

AAA Cards -CAS Game #104 - Christmas

Crimbo Crackers - Challenge #146 - Anything Goes

Uniko - Challenge #44 - Christmas

Addicted to Stamps and More - Challenge #269 - Clean and Simple

I'll be back shortly with another card made using these three stamps.

Skull and Cross Buns - Three-tone Metallic Stockings

Good morning

I'm continuing on this morning with more cards I made yesterday using various stamps from Skull and Cross Buns Rubber Stamps.

For this one I used the Christmas Stocking stamp once again, but this time I embossed it with three different metallic shades.

On a panel of white cardstock, and using my MISTI to get even alignment, I stamped the stockings in a row using VersaMark ink.  I then sprinkled on some pewter embossing powder over the top third of the stockings.  Then holding the panel the same way I sprinkled with copper, and then finally covered the bottom section in gold, and heated to melt the various powders.

Once cooled I die cut the panel with a stitched rectangle before stamping the sentiment and popping the panel onto the card base using fun foam.

Materials used:

• Stamps: Skull and Cross Buns - Christmas Stocking; Paul Pascual - Christmas Messages
• Ink: VersaMark; Versafine - Onyx Black
• Embossing Powder: Wow! - Metallic Pewter, Metallic Copper, Metallic Gold Rich
• Die: MFT Die-namics - Wonky Stitched Rectangles

Challenge entries:

AAA Cards -CAS Game #104 - Christmas

Crimbo Crackers - Challenge #146 - Anything Goes

Uniko - Challenge #44 - Christmas

Addicted to Stamps and More - Challenge #269 - Clean and Simple

Inkspirational - Challenge #148 - Christmas Card using Only Neutrals

Thanks so much for visiting, I'll be back with more throughout the day today :)

Less is More Week #304

Hi there

It's new challenge day at Less is More and this week we're back with our Recipe challenge.  This week we have a technique for you and it's one that can create some fabulous effects.  We would like to see you...

Use an Emboss Resist Technique

Apologies again, just one card for you this week.  I was away last weekend and have had two evening meetings this week as well as visiting a friend so I've struggled to make any more in the evenings.  Hopefully things will now slow down a little....I hope so, I've not really started my Christmas cards yet!  But here's one to add to my pathetically small collection so far!

I decided to use the work of the awesome Heather Telford as my inspiration.  Heather is an amazing artist and I particularly love her snowscape creations.  I've seen her previously create snow on branches using emboss resist so I decided to give it a go.  If you have time you really should pop over to her blog, you certainly won't be disappointed.

This look is created by stamping first in VersaMark, and then shifting very slightly, only a millimetre or two, before stamping again in coloured ink.  I used black here.  The MISTI was the perfect tool for this as I stamped and then just shifted my card up a touch before stamping again, you could use a stamp positioner for this too. All the stamping is then heat embossed in clear so that when you ink blend over the top the stamped images resist the ink.

I finished by stamping the sentiment and then adhering the panel to my card base on some fun foam.

Materials used:

• Stamps: Card-io - Branching Out; Paul Pascual - Christmas Messages
• Ink: VersaMark; Versafine - Onyx Black; Distress Ink - Stormy Sky, Tumbled Glass, Victorian Velvet
• Embossing Powder: Rubber Stampede - Clear

Challenge entries:

Addicted to Stamps and More - Challenge #221 - Anything Goes
The Male Room - Challenge #49 - ????Scapes
Time Out - Challenge #71 - Christmas
Moving Along with the Times - Challenge #34 - Anything Goes Christmas
CASology - Challenge #225 - Soft
Inkspirational - Challenge #122 - Chill

I love how this turned out, although I shifted the card a little more on the lower branch than the upper  one...it was obviously snowing heavier lower down! lol :)

Thanks so much for joining me today, and please don't forget to visit my teamies over at the challenge blog for lots more emboss resist inspiration.