Less is More Week #348

Good morning, crafters

Hopefully this post makes sense, I've been coming down with a bug all week and am writing this whilst very tired and constantly sneezing and blowing my nose.  Anyway, back to the reason for the post, and that's a Lucky Dip challenge over at Less is More, due to there being an extra Saturday this month.  And our cue word is...

And as we're still in September, the fabulous Happy Little Stampers continues to be our sponsor this month.

And we have our monthly winner for August, the lovely Jane Taylor joining us as a Guestie this week, so please do pop over and show her some love.


I have two cards for you this week, and both are very different.  Here's my first to add another Christmas card to my pitiful 2017 collection so far...

I actually only bought this stamp last weekend at a hobbycraft show but I love the quirky sketchy design so couldn't wait to use it.  On some watercolour card I stamped the baubles image with VersaMark before heat embossing in silver.  I then watercoloured the images with Distress Inks, using the wet on wet technique, and the embossed outlines create a great barrier for this.  I then also heat embossed the sentiment in silver before cutting down the panel and mounting onto a deep purple card base.  You can't see it in the photo but as a finishing touch I added some clear Wink of Stella to all the little circles of the image to add some Christmas sparkle.

Materials used:

• Stamps: Woodware - Sketchy Baubles; Clearly Besotted - Little Pudding (sentiment)
• Ink: VersaMark; Distress Ink - Picked Raspberry, Wilted Violet, Peacock Feathers
• Embossing Powder: Wow! - Metallic Silver
• Coloured Cardstock: Bazzill Basics Premium Cardstock
• Accents: Wink of Stella - clear

Challenge entries

Darnell's NBUS Challenge #12 - brand sparkly new stamp

Addicted to Stamps and More - Challenge #261 - Anything Goes

Simon Says Stamp Wednesday Challenge - Anything Goes

And for my second card, I went for a completely different feel...

On some watercolour card I stamped the lattice design which was heat embossed in white.  I then watercoloured by dropping in two shades of Distress Inks.  Once dry I die cut a section using a stitched circle die and adhered this to a white card base.  I then die cut a leaf, once from white cardstock, and another from some peach/pink vellum, and layered these up over the watercoloured piece.  I finished by layering up a 'you' die cut and the sentiment, heat embossed in white on some pink cardstock.

Materials used:

• Stamps: MFT - Moroccan Latice Background; Personal Impressions - Mix and Match
• Ink: VersaMark; Distress Ink - Spun Sugar, Dried Marigold
• Embossing Powder: Wow! - Opaque Bright White
• Dies: Creative Expressions - Laurel Leaves; MFT Die-namics - Double Stitched Circles, Twice the Thanks
• Vellum from stash

Challenge entries:

CAS on Friday - Challenge #117 - Dies

Creative with Stamps - Challenge #18 - Leaves

Thanks so much for dropping by.  I've not done any watercolouring for a while so I enjoyed making these this week.  My teamies have some great examples for you this week which you can find over at the main challenge blog, and by following the links for more details.

I'm looking forward to seeing your watercolour projects this week, keeping them clean and simple of course.

Less is More Week #329

Hi guys

Firstly, apologies that it's been a whole week since my last post.  I have been really busy making....but not cards.  I've been busy building my Ikea furniture and filling it with my stash!  Woohoo!!  I'm still trying to get everything in its ideal place and have a good tidy up of my existing cupboard so once that's done I'll share some pics with you.  It's a small area so it's taking some organising but I'm getting there! :)

So, that said, I'll move on to the real reason for today's post.

It's week three of May so this week at Less is More it's the turn of our regular Theme challenge.  Here is what we want to see...

We have another Guest Designer joining us this week, our lovely April winner, Julie Beech.  Please do pop over to her blog to see her inspiration project :)


After going back to basics last week I really struggled this week and I think I was trying too hard again.  They are a little busier than I would have liked but I have managed two card samples for you.


I recently picked up a lovely card pack called Midnight Blush and I wanted to use it on this first card.  The pack contains cardstock in four shades of grey and some sheets in a lovely blush colour.  The photos don't really do it justice but I think it's a gorgeous combination.

The cardstock in the pack isn't thick enough to use for card bases so I started by covering a card base with the blush card.  I then cut a dark grey piece slightly smaller than the base and used some transparent gloss texture paste through a squares stencil.  Once dry I mounted the panel onto the card base using fun foam.  I then die cut the doily from the blush cardstock and a sentiment strip onto which I stamped the sentiment in charcoal ink.

Here's a better view of the glossy paste, I need to get a better spatula/scraper to avoid the line marks...

Materials used:

• Cardstock: Papermania (DoCrafts) - Midnight Blush Capsule Collection
• Stencil: STAMPlorations - Just Squares
• Texture Paste: Ranger - Transparent Gloss
• Die: Clearly Besotted - Geometric Doily
• Stamp: Personal Impressions - Mix and Match
• Ink: Versa Color - Charcoal

Challenge entries:

Daring Cardmakers - Two Colours
Crafty Catz - Challenge #371 - Anything Goes with twist of more than two layers

Freshly Made Sketches - Challenge #288 (flipped it to the right)

I went for a rainbow on my second card...

I used some dark grey cardstock to cover my card base and then cut a white piece slightly smaller.  I die cut some circles from a scrap of cardstock and placed this over my white panel.  I then placed a stencil over the top and blended ink through the circles in rainbow colours, placing the stencil in different directions for each circle.  I finished off with a bold sentiment in charcoal ink and mounted the white panel on fun foam.

Materials used:

• Stencil: The Crafter's Workshop - Mini Solace
• Ink: Distress Ink - Mustard Seed, Carved Pumpkin, Festive Berries, Wilted Violent, Blueprint Sketch, Mermaid Lagoon, Lucky Clover, Twisted Citron; Versa Color - Charcoal
• Stamp: Paper Smooches - Bold Buzzwords

My teamies, as always have created an array of wonderful inspiration for you this week so please do pop over to the challenge blog and follow the links to their personal blogs.

Happy Saturday everyone!

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.

CAS with Designer Paper

Hi guys

We've whizzed around to another Saturday morning so it's new challenge time at Less is More.  As there are five Saturdays in April that means this month we have a Lucky Dip challenge for you and our theme is...

Use Designer Paper in a CAS Way

With every Lucky Dip challenge comes a Guest Designer and this week we have one of our fabulous LIMettes, the lovely Esther of The Carnelian Wood.  Esther participates every week and shows so much support by visiting so many of our entries!  It's a pleasure to have you as our Guestie this week, Esther xx


So, this week I have three cards to share with you.  Here's the first...

I wanted to create the look of a wrapped present for this card.  I took some red gingham patterned paper and cut two strips.  I also used a die set to create the bow.  As the bow had a stitched edge detail I used a straight stitched detail die to die cut along both edges of my two strips.  On a white cardstock panel I adhered the two strips and topped with the bow before stamping my sentiment.  The panel was then adhered on 3D foam.  I was really pleased with how this one turned out, it looks so much like gingham ribbon!

Materials used:

• Patterned Paper: Pebbles - Sunny Side
• Dies: Frantic Stamper - Small Solid Bow; Paper Smooches - Stitched
• Stamp: Clearly Besotted - Celebrating You
• Ink; Versafine - Onyx Black

Challenge entries:

613 Avenue Create - Challenge #173 - Anything Goes

Time Out - Challenge #55 - Celebrations with optional twist of die cutting/fussy cutting

I used some digi paper for this next card...

I started by printing the designer paper.  I then cut two strips of white cardstock, and a strip of the paper the same length.  I adhered the paper flat to the cardbase and the two white panels on 3D foam.  I then cut the scribble die cut from some pink cardstock and on a strip of green cardstock heat embossed the sentiment in white.  These were then adhered across the aperture.

Materials used:

• Digi Paper: Pink Petticoat - Perfect Papers
• Stamp: Personal Impressions - Mix & Match
• Ink: VersaMark
• Embosssing Powder: Wow! - Opaque Bright White
• Die: MFT Die-namics - Scribble

Challenge entry:

Simon Says Stamp Wednesday Challenge - Anything Goes

And a super simple design for my third card...

I die cut the balloon three times from polka dot papers.  I temporarily placed them where I wanted them and stamped the sentiment and strings, then adhered the balloons on 3D foam.

Materials used:

• Die: Clearly Besotted - Make a Wish
• Patterned Paper: Lawn Fawn - Let's Polka
• Stamps: Lawn Fawn - Scripty Sayings
• Ink: Versafine - Onyx Black

Challenge entry:

Seize the Birthday - Anything Goes

I don't use designer paper nearly enough and I have a fair amount piled up in my stash.  But I must say, I thoroughly enjoyed creating these this week.  Why not have a rummage and join in the fun this week!

Sunrise Poppies

Hi there

As promised, here is my second card I made this morning.

I made a stencil from a scrap of cardstock using a circle die and then blended two inks to create the sun.  Next I stamped the poppies.  I took the sentiment stamp and curved it to follow the contour of the stem to the right before stamping in the same black ink and I finished off by stamping the birds.  A super simple, one layer card.

Materials used:

• Die: Clearly Besotted - Geometric Style II (I used one of the circles to make the stencil)
• Ink: Memento - Tangelo, Cantaloupe; Versafine - Onyx Black
• Stamps: Kanban - Spring Meadow; Personal Impressions - Mix & Match

Challenge entries:

Less is More - Week 218 - Colour Challenge - Predominantly Black

Happy Little Stampers - April CAS Challenge - Stenciling

Muse - Challenge #111 - CASing Kristie (I used the sunset and the silhouette as my inspiration)

Thanks so much for popping by.  I'm now off out for a few hours to my brother's house as he's creating some mouthwatering BBQ food...he takes part in BBQ competitions and needs feedback from us, can't complain at that!

Hope to see you again soon, Happy Easter x

Butterfly Kisses and Christmas Wishes

Hi guys

I'm so sorry it's been a whole week since I shared anything with you.  I will have a few cards to share with you in the coming week so I hope you'll swing by again.

Today's card, well actually two cards, were made for the latest challenge at Less is More.  I ran out of time to enter last week's challenge so have made sure I could enter this current one where the theme is 'Non-Traditional Colour Christmas Card'.

Here is my entry...

I bought this stamp set over a year ago and never used it last Christmas so felt it deserved an inking this year.  On a panel of white cardstock I stamped the butterfly tree and sentiment in Memento Tuxedo Black ink and then coloured the butterflies with FlexMarkers.  The panel was then popped up on 3D foam.

Materials used:

• Stamps: Personal Impressions - Butterfly Kisses and Christmas Wishes
• Ink: Memento - Tuxedo Black
• FlexMarkers: Duck Egg, Sorbet and Tulip Yellow

I would also like to link this card up at the following challenge blogs:

Simply Create Too - Challenge #73 - Shop in your Craft Room (old unused stamp set)

The Crafter's Cafe - Challenge #88 - Things with Wings

Totally Gorjuss - Challenge 260 - Non-traditional Christmas Colours

Addicted to Stamps and More - Challenge #119 - CAS

Now, this second card was actually the one I made first.  It's made in exactly the same way but I coloured it with ProMarkers in Ocean Teal, Pastel Green and Cloud Blue.

I was going to enter this one but Less is More state that no green would be allowed for the challenge.  Although these are teal, aqua and blue I thought I'd make another to be sure it qualified.  But, if I had to choose a fave I think this one would win, mainly because teal is one of my favourite colours.  Which would win your vote?

On a separate note...

Those of you that follow my blog regularly may have noticed I have recently changed my photograph watermark.  In the past I've made my own with a bit of a struggle as I only have the option of free online editing at the moment.  The watermark I am currently using was created by the super-talented and lovely Kylie Purtell, who also happens to be my 'boss' at Addicted to Stamps and More.  

Watermarks are such a good idea as I know a couple of people who have had their photographs 'stolen' and then gained recognition for work that isn't their own.  For a small fee Kylie will happily create a bespoke watermark for you.  Here are her details...

That's all for now folks, Happy Sunday!

Under the Mistletoe

Hi there

Ever since CASology posted their latest challenge with the code word 'Under' the cogs have been turning very slowly in my mind to come up with an idea.

Then this afternoon....bingo!  Where do people stand to kiss at Christmas?  UNDER the mistletoe!  So I had a rummage through my stamps when I came home this evening and luckily I found a mistletoe image in a stamp set that was free with a publication...phew!

Here's my clean and simple card...

Continuing on with the 'under' theme I stamped the mistletoe on the base card so that it would appear under the panel I placed over the top, which was die cut to create a circular aperture.  I coloured the mistletoe with FlexMarkers and finished by stamping a small sentiment to keep the card very clean and simple.

Materials used:

• Stamps: 'Tis the Season - free set with publication; Personal Impressions - Butterfly Kisses and Christmas Wishes (sentiment)
• Ink: Memento - Tuxedo Black; Versafine - Onyx Black
• Coloured with FlexMarkers
• Die: Xcut - Nested Circles

I would also like to link up this card at the following challenge blogs:

Daring Cardmakers - Clean and Simple

Let's Craft and Create - Challenge #96 - Anything Goes

Thanks so much for visiting, I always appreciate your visits and comments so I'd love to know your thoughts.

Take care

Cosy Snowman

Hi guys

I'm back today to share my final card this side of Christmas, having now tidied away my crafty mess for the second time!

This is the card I made for my chap and I'm really pleased with how this one turned out :)

I stamped the snowman image and coloured him in using ProMarkers and FlexMarkers before die cutting using a circle die.  I then used a smaller die from the same set of nested dies and stamped the first sentiment.  I then stamped a piece of background cardstock with a cluster of snowflakes stamp and the second sentiment.  I popped both die cuts up on 3D foam before tying some twine around the whole panel and attaching a heart button.  The whole panel was then adhered to the card base.

Materials used:

• Stamps: Penny Black - Sweet Snowman; Marion Emberson Designs - Sparkling Christmas; Personal Impressions - To My... (Sue Dix)
• Ink: Impress - Jet Black; Versafine - Onyx Black; Versa Color - Polar Blue
• Coloured with ProMarkers and FlexMarkers
• Dies: Xcut - Nested Circles
• Twine: Doodlebug - Brights Selection
• Button: Craftime Additions - Country Love

Challenge entries:

A Gem of a Challenge - Anything Goes

Addicted to Stamps and More - Anything Goes

Charisma Cardz Challenges - Anything Goes

Dream Valley - Christmas

Paper Pretties - Let It Snow

Passion for Promarkers - Include a Sentiment

Sketch Saturday - Anything Goes - Any Sketch: I chose #272

So now I take this opportunity of wishing you all a wonderful Christmas and very best wishes for a happy and healthy New Year - but hopefully I'll be back with more to share before 2014 makes an appearance!

Bye for now...I'm off to open the Baileys! :)

Wishing You Luck

Hi there

This is my second post today and I'm just popping by this afternoon to share a card I've made for a very good friend and work colleague who is leaving Torbay for pastures new.

Hollie, we're going to miss you heaps but I know you'll be back down to see us in no time - Good Luck my lovely friend :) xxx

She loves clean and simple cards, she loves pink, she loves butterflies and she loves bling...so I combined all that and came up with this...

 

 

Materials used:

• Stamps: Clearly Besotted Stamps - Building Blocks II, Leafy Accents and Butterfly Wishes (and co-ordinating die); Personal Impressions - Mix and Match
• Ink: Versa Color - Sky Gray, Orchid and Green Tea; Versafine - Onyx Black
• Bling from stash

 

Challenge entry:

 

Addicted to Stamps and More #69 - Clean and Simple

 

 



Thanks for visiting and thank you for all your lovely comments, I'm still amazed by all the positive feedback!

 

TTFN

 

 

Masculine Stitches & Hexagons

Good morning crafters

I'm not usually here in the morning on a weekday but it's my boyfriend's birthday today so we've taken the day off.  I woke up early and as he's still in the land of nod I thought I'd share the card I made for him.

I really struggle with masculine cards and don't having much in my stash in the way of stamps so I decided to just use masculine colours and some die cuts.  I wasn't happy with this at all until I finally stuck everything in position and now I actually really like it.

 

I cut out the heart and hexagons from some coloured cardstock, not really knowing what to do with them at this stage.  I used a stitched line stamp to frame the white cardstock, which was then adhered to some charcoal grey cardstock.  It was then just a case of arranging everything until I found a layout I liked.  I stamped the sentiment and added some dew drops to finish.

Materials used:

• Coloured Cardstock: Papermania Premium Textured Cardstock
• Dies: Clearly Besotted Stamps - Love Hearts and Honeycomb
• Stamps: Clearly Besotted Stamps - Love Hearts; Hot Off The Press - Stamped Stitches; Personal Impressions - To My...(Sue Dix)
• Ink: Versa Color - Charcoal and Pinecone

I'm entering this card into the following challenges:

Daring Cardmakers - November Colour Combination

Moving Along With The Times - No (Design or Digital) Papers


That's all from me today, I've no idea what we're up to today but a good start would be to go and wake him up! :)

Take care and have a happy Tuesday.

Butterfly Bling

Hi there

This afternoon I've made a card for four challenges:

Less is More Week 144 - Dark Background with a Splash of Colour
Casology Week 68 - Black
Addicted to Stamps and More #69 - Clean and Simple
CAS-ual Fridays 119 - Embossing


I recently purchased a lovely butterfly stencil from eBay and decided to use the same technique as I used on this card, but this time with a black background instead of white. 

Apologies for the bad photography, I'd lost the daylight so had to use my daylight lamp...

I attached the brass stencil to the black cardstock with low tack tape and used translucent embossing paste which I spread over the design.  Once the stencil was carefully removed, I covered different sections of the butterfly in three different colours of fine glitter.  The sentiment was stamped in VersaMark and embossed with white embossing powder.

Materials used:

• Brass butterfly stencil: unknown brand
• Embossing paste: Dreamweaver - translucent
• Stamp: Personal Impressions - Mix and Match
• Embossing powder: Stampin' Up - White
• Die: Clearly Besotted Stamps - Tag Along
• Glitter and cardstock from stash

That's all from me today.  I'm off out for a meal tonight at a local Mexican restaurant, can't wait :)

Thanks for taking the time to visit my blog, I appreciate all your visits and comments.

Take care