Less is More, Clean and simple Stamping

Morning all, today I have a couple of cards for two challenges: Less is More and Clean and Simple Stamping Sketch.

This week, the Lady LIMs would like us to create a card using the colours of your nation's flag. I'm guessing we are going to see a lot of red, white and blue this week! However, I'm half Irish, both my parents are from Dublin, and with the exception of two uncles and aunts, all my family are in Ireland. So with this in mind, I have made a card in the colours of the Irish Tricolor as well as The Union Jack.

Here's the sketch:





So, my first card is made using a white linen card base, 4 x 6 in size, and I have layered some blue and red dot embossed bazzill together with a running stitch - it's the first time I have used this stitch so it's a bit wonky!



Then using Nestabilities Labels 5, cut a blue panel and a red and white checked panel from Wild Rose Studio For Men paper Pack.



Then layered then together, cut in half and attached to the back of the stitched panel, after wrapping some blue and red bakers twine around it, from the Ribbon Reel.

Finally added some little white flowers that I got last year at The Newbury Show, but have never used! Shame on me!

The sentiment is from Stampin' Up!


Now onto my next card.

Again using a white linen card base, but this one is a large card, 6x8 1/2 inches.

Using some dark green pearlescent bazzill, layered this with some paler green dotted embossed bazzill and stitched together, then layered this onto a label cut using Nestabilities Labels 2 in some glittery green card. Cut in half and attached to top and bottom of the stitched panel.



Cut a large butterfly using a die I've had for about a year, but never used! It's by Marianne Designs, and is gorgeous, but was very tricky to remove, and not all the wing holes had cut properly, so I had to use scissors. Grrr. However, it makes a stunning focal point on it's own, so I mustn't grumble!




Finally added some dewdrops to the centre of the body, and some gold glittery gems to the wings, and stamped the sentiment from Waltzingmouse in Distress ink Spiced Marmalade and Dried Marigold several times from one pressing as I wanted a graduation of colour.

Well, this has got me thinking again as to what nationality means to us in this modern age. But I'm not going to bore any one with my thoughts, but thank you Chrissie and Mandi for coming up with a challenge that has certainly got me thinking. We all like to know where we are from, and have a sense of place, and thinking about which flags to use today has made me realise that I for one don't know enough about my forbears.

Right off for a cuppa, all this thinking has worn me out lol!!

Pauline xx