O - One Word

Over at Alphabet Challenges Tammy has chosen for the letter O - One Word Only for the challenge for the next two weeks, please pop over to see the inspiration from the Design Team. I needed to make a few Christmas cards for my class, this being one of them which fitted in perfectly for the challenge. I am really enjoying using Kraft card. The tartan background is from a LOTV Christmas papers pad, the stamp is a favourite of mine, Winter Scene from Hero Arts stamped in black, with the addition of a larger tree from a Creative Expressions set designed by Sheena Douglas. I stamped it with Pine Needles, added glitter to the snow. The JOY word is from another Sheena Douglas set called Pinescape. I edged the Kraft card with Frayed Burlap and Vintage Photo. I look forward to popping around to see your projects with  One Word Only, have fun everyone. 

Blue, White and Red at MMM

We are still in France for our challenge at Make My Monday, this week Fliss is challenging us to produce a French themed card with the French Tricoleur of Blue, White and Red. Please do visit the main blog for the Design Team and our guest Designer have produced some manifique samples. For my card, I have used Chipped Sapphire and Fired Brick for the blue and red, a Hero Arts Tag stamp and lots of small clear stamps of Paris to produce the collage background. Red and white ribbon for the tag. I didn't have any dark blue ribbon but I have got to say colouring with a dark blue Promarker was both so easy and effective. My first time I have used this method, I am very impressed. Watch out, I'll be only buying white ribbon in future. LOL I apologise for the poor quality photo, I had to take a pic very late at night, I so ran out of time today.

No Flower Embellishments

This is my second card today, please check for the one below "Birds of a Feather"-thanks.

Crafty Cardmaker's have asked us to make a card with flowers if we wish, but we aren't allowed to add any flower embellishments. Cool! Saves on postage. Stamped with Memento Tuxedo Black, the four flower stamps are in a Hero Arts set called Poetic Petals, it's an old but favourite purchase from E Bay.  Using a white wax crayon, one from a child's pack will do, I added white touches to give a resist. (Wax Resist). I then blended the background with Milled Lavender, Victorian Velvet, Scattered Straw and Mustard Seed. It's amazing how white the sections become after you have buffed with a soft clean paper hankie. Added a sentiment and a toning piece of ribbon.

Less Is More Fest My No 8

Continuing the Fest for Less Is More Anything CAS Goes, with my No 8. I used four stamps from one of my very first successful bids, ages ago, on E bay, this is what set me on the slippery slope of becoming a serious stamp collector. Those are my OH's words, of course, not mine. The stamps are a boxed set by Hero Arts called Poetic Petals. I think I may have missed the challenge 'Off the Page', if not here is another.

Aiming for 1000

Over at Less is More, this week the subject is Anything CAS Goes, with the hopes of Chrissie and Mindi to reach 1000 entries, come on everyone, three days to go and only a third of the way there. I'm not sure how many entries we can make but I am hoping to get a few more made. This is one of several alike, I have made to send to some friends, for their recent acts of kindness. I had a fair number of odd envelopes, so in reverse fashion I have made some cards to match the envelopes. Cut to size then I used an old favourite background stamp from Anitas, using Mustard Seed, Dried marigold and Spiced Marmalade. I then over stamped with Tuxedo black the Pinter's Vase from Hero Arts. The sentiment is an old faithful foam stamp. I hope you girls make it with a last minute deluge of entries.

Petals Wax Resist

If any of my class are looking in they will have a sneak preview of one of the cards they could choose to make at our next class. I stamped a variety of stamps from two sources, La Blanche and a Poetic Petals set from Hero Arts. I first stamped each flower randomly on an A5 card. I used a white oil pastel, although a wax crayon or even a candle will work, to add highlighted areas, which will also provide a resist when the coloured inks are add. I used several distress inks, to colour the flowers and the background, always adding in a circular motion. I layered the card onto pink,  grey and finally a white base. I am entering this card into
The Cheeful Stamp Pad whose theme this month is Petals. Thanks for looking at my blog and for leaving any comments, which are always a joy to read.

A tag with a flower

Week 3 at our Make My Monday, the monthly theme of Flowers continues, the challenge for you this week is to make a tag with a flower, it can be on it's own or part of card. Using Cut & Dry foam I rubbed several TH Distress inks onto the cut cream card. Mustard Seed, Spiced Marmalde, Scattered Straw and Walnut Stain. Heat dried it, sprinkled water from my fingers, again heat dried. I then stamped with Memento Onyx Black ink pad my latest, wonderful stamp from Hero Arts, Gratitude.  I re-stamped the flower, coloured it with Spiced Marmalade, cut it out and applied as a second layer, added a glaze to help to emphasise the flower, but I think too much of the glaze ran to the centre, now that it's dried properly it looks so much better. Leson learnt - "be patient and wait for wet parts to dry." I added a few swirls where there were big gaps and finished off with a black braid tied into a bow.