Clean and Simple

I liked the look of this weeks sketch challenge at Lili of the Valley Challenge Blog, so I thought I would try it with my CAS touch, which also fits well with this weeks Moving Along with the Times challenge of a Clean and Simple card…

It my MIL’s birthday on Monday 4th July and as it is also American Independence Day I’ve used this as the inspiration for my colour scheme. The stamp I’ve used is the very cute ‘Big Presents which I picked up at the NEC in March and until now haven’t inked it up. Now he’s coloured in (with my ProMarkers) I love him even more…with blonde hair he reminds me of my little boy.
I would like to enter my card into the following challenges:

• Lili of the Valley Challenge Blog  – Sketch Challenge
• I Love ProMarkers – Anything Goes
• MAWTT – Clean and Simple

Item’s: White 8x8 card blank, Red and Blue C’ordinations Cardstock, Lili of the Valley ‘Big Presents’ stamp, Pink Gem Sentiment stamp ‘Birthday Wishes’, Alphabet Clear stamps (make unknown), ProMarkers, VersaFine Majestic Blue, Memento Tuxedo Black, Nesties, Nellie Multi Frame dies and red Stickles

Less is More – Week 20

Just a quick post from me tonight as I wanted to share my creation for this weeks challenge over at LIM where the theme is Monograms.  My followers will know I have been on holiday for a week and only got back this afternoon. So I have had a week to think about this challenge and really I’ve been a bit stumped all week. It wasn’t until I actually sat down with my stash that this idea came to me. My card is a wedding card for my Sister and I’ve used her and her fiancé's initials as the Monogram:

Apologies for the poor photo, it’s so gloomy here this afternoon and that always makes for a bad photo.  Anyhoo onto the card… I stamped a strip of purple card with a small flourish stamp from a Hearts set by Hero Arts, embossed and then washed over it with a mix of Perfect Pearls and water. The Monograms were also stamped and embossed and then I stamped the heart (from the same Hero Arts set) over the top, also adding glitter glue to the letters. A bit of matting and layering on some purple, white and black card and finally a rub on sentiment.

I’ll edit with the supplies later.

Ta for now xxx

Critter Sketch Challenge #70

This week over at Critter Sketch Challenge we have a sketch for you to follow:

Here’s my take on the sketch:

It was Fathers Day yesterday here in the UK so I used the adorable Lenny with Note from Stamp Fairy (who are our sponsors for the month of June) and added the word Daddy before printing to make a cute fathers day card for my little boy to give to my hubby.  I wanted to keep the rest of the card quite simple so coloured the image with ProMarkers, decoupaged for a bit of depth, added a ribbon and finally a little paper pleated rosette.  I even used the left over bits to decorate the inside of the card.

Fingers cross this scheduled post has worked as right now I should be enjoying a nice week away with the in-laws!

Items: All card Papermill Direct, Image from Stamp Fairy, ProMarkers, MS Scoreboard, Stickles, corner punch (sorry can’t remember make) and ribbon from stash.

ATC Challenge Blog – Challenge 4

Fingers crossed Mr Blogger is playing nice today as this is a scheduled post. I’m on holiday and hopefully right about now I will be in a nice Pub enjoying a yummy roast dinner. Anyhoo, enough waffle, it is challenge number four over on the ATC Challenge Blog and the theme this week is very appropriate for Fathers Day and is:

MALE THEMED/FATHERS DAY

Below is my ATC and this week I think all the Less is More cards I’ve been making have sent me down a clean and simple route with my ATC and this is the one layer ATC I’ve made:



I stamped the postage marks and stamped & embossed the the image of the man. Painted over entire ATC with acrylic paint and then wiped over with a tissue to remove some of the paint. Stamped 'Man' in bottom right.

Don’t forget to take a look at ATC Challenge Blog for more inspiration and as well as the challenge why not swap your ATCs as well....head over to Craftymess and take a look at the Everything ATC group where this months theme is a very similar ‘Male and including some sort of motor vehicle’.

Items: ATC base from stash, VersaFine Deep Lagoon, Clear Sparkle Embossing Powder, Acrylic Pain, Paper Artsy Stamp Set and Alphabet stamps unknown make.

Less is More – Week 19 take three

Only two more sleeps till my holiday, hurrah.  And on an even better note we are away Friday to Friday so hopefully I’ll get a few hours on my return home to have a go at next weeks LIM challenge, I would hate to miss a week...I think I have an addiction!

I have got myself up to date with all the cards I need to make including the final fathers day card which I made with this weeks challenge in mind.

I drew a faint pencil square and then stamped and embossed the sentiment on all four sides, finally adding pearls at the corner. Decided not to add anything further as I wanted to maximise the white space

I would also like to enter this card in the Paper Pretties Challenge – Single Layer Card.

Items: White 6x6 card blank, Sentiment stamp from Pink Gem, VersaFine Deep Lagoon, Clear Sparkle Embossing Powder and Pearls from Wild Orchid Crafts.

Less is More – Week 19 take two

Back again with my second attempt for the challenge at LIM Towers:

To start I cut a mask from copy paper (using my Cuttlebug and Nesties) and stamped with the script stamp and embossed with gold embossing powder. The areas of script were coloured with distress ink and the centre square was also embossed with clear sparkle embossing powder.  Lastly I triple embossed a metal heart and whilst the EP was hot stamped onto with the script stamp inked with perfected medium and attached to the centre square.

I love this card and it’s my husbands favourite of the two cards (see here for other LIM entry) but it may not have quite enough white space for Lady LIM and Diva LIM…we’ll see !

Items: Cream 5x5 card blank, Cuttlebug, Nesties, VersaColor Gold inkpad, Gold detail embossing powder, Prima Script Stamp, Antique Linen Distress inkpad, clear sparkle embossing powder, Perfect Medium inkpad and Metal Heart from Hobbycraft.

Less is More – Week 19

I think I may be psychic!  This is about the third or fourth week in a row now where I have managed to cover the current weeks challenge in my card for the previous weeks challenge ( this was my one layer frame card from last week here).  Our challenge this week at Less is More is ‘One Layer’ and a ‘Frame’ and to be as inventive as we like in creating said frame.  This is my first attempt:

To start I dry embossed the frame on my scoreboard, then stamped and embossed the butterfly in silver and coloured with distress ink. Next I masked the frame and butterfly and over stamped with my new script stamp, then dusted with Perfect Pearls. Sentiment was also stamped and dusted with Perfect Pearls and to finish a few restrained dot’s of stickles on the butterfly and frame.
I think I need some new sentiment stamps, all mine are too plain/cute….I saw some lovely Kaisercraft sets yesterday at Snazzys and very reasonably priced as well.  May just have to treat myself to some.
Items: White 5x5 card blank, MS Scoreboard, Butterfly stamp free from Craft Stamper, VersaColor Silver inkpad, silver detail embossing powder, Prima Script Stamp, Antique Linen Distress inkpad, sentiment from a Molly Blooms set, Gold Perfect Pearls and Platinum Stickles.

DT call at Allsorts

My answer is yes I would love to be.  The DT call is open till 14th June at 6pm. You have to make a specific project just for the DT call, so click on the badge above (or on my sidebar) to go to their blog and find out what you need to do to enter.
At first I was thinking of making a ‘Circle Table Top Card’ but then on Tuesday I was lucky enough to win the gorgeous (and very versatile) Room With A View - 4 Seasons stamp set from Little Claire, it arrived in the post Wednesday morning and as soon as I opened it I decided I wanted to make a little room scene, yet I still wanted it to be a card that would fold up.
So using some scrap paper I had a play. I figured if I used a square instead of a circle and only do one square not four (still with me…lol) then it would look like a little room but would still fold up to be able to post.  Here’s the end result…

I’ve used the stamp set to decorate the inside, doing a bit of paper piecing, a bit of decoupage and some colouring. I’ve also made a little picture frame to hold the sentiment. On the outside I have used anther Little Claire stamp set Room with a View - Dog in a Window and also cut some bunting from patterned paper and stamped letters to spell the word party.
I’ll be back later with my entry for this weeks Less is More challenge, early for me this week, lol!
Item’s: plain card from stash, DP is First Edition Animal Antics, Memento Tuxedo Black Inkpad, Balers Twine from Ribbon Girl, Papermania Flower punch, wood beads from stash, sentiment from Hero Arts, ProMarkers, Stickles Glitter Glue and Little Claire stamp sets Room With A View - 4 Seasons and Room with a View - Dog in a Window .

Top 3 at Little Claire

Woohoo! My exploding box card was in the top three at Little Claire’s Challenge #7 ‘Sparkle’.  I’m really chuffed, but even more so as it was my sisters birthday card and she loved it!

I’ve been a crafty little bee this weekend…well certainly haven’t been able to do any gardening in this lovely summer weather we’re having.  So I will be back later to share a few things I have made, including a couple of things using my new script stamp that I picked yesterday at my local stamp store Snazzys.

Behind the Times!

As the title suggests I may be a little bit behind the times here but I have just downloaded Windows Live Writer and after a little play I am very impressed.

I’ve been having quite a few editing problems with blogger lately and posting a card seems to take me longer than actually making it, this always puts me in a mood as I would much rather spend the time crafting.  I think Live Writer is going to help enormously. It has some nifty things for saving links to use again and the bit I like most is it downloads your blog theme so you can see what your post looks like as you type without having to go in and out of the post preview.

Sorry if I’m preaching to the converted, but if you don't use it already give it a try. And lastly I would like to thank the person who mentioned using Windows Live Writer in one of their posts….but me being be I’ve forgotten who’s blog I read it in, so thank you whoever you were!

Lunch over now back to the housework.

Exciting news

Well as you know I have been a guest designer over at Paper Crafting Journey this week, well imagine my surprise when the lovely Lisa emailed me to ask me if I would like to join her team!  I was so excited I did a little dance around the lounge (my little boy looked very confused!).

I was due to do another GDT on the 7th July, but this is when I will become part of the DT.  I can’t wait, the whole team has made me feel so incredibly welcome.

Really random thing….and I know it’s only a coincidence but I keep meeting so many other craft bloggers called Lisa!  I even came across a ‘Lisa Andrews’ the other day which seemed really weird as it was my maiden name lol.

Bye for now xxx

Less is More - Week 18 Take Two

OMG, it's way past my bedtime but I must get this posted now..no point trying to do it in the morning as Elliot likes to try and help me do everything at the moment (even craft)!  This is my second card for the challenge at Less Is More...

After the masculine colour on my first card I thought I would restore the balance and go for some nice girly pink. Image was stamped and embossed, then coloured with Versa Color inks applied like watercolours with a waterbrush. I used a nestie as a frame and sponged inside with Versa Magic ink, also I highlighted with a white border hand drawn with a gel pen and finally stamped the sentiment.  Hope you like. 

Item's: White 5x5 Card Blank, Gorjuss Girl stamp from Sugar Nellie/Funkykits, Sentiment is Polka Doodles (came free with a craft magazine), white gel pen, Magenta and Orchid Versa Color inkpads, clear embossing powder and Pink Peony Versa Magic inkpad.

Less is More - Week 18

Oh my where does the time go? I can't believe it's a week into June already, but a week tomorrow we go on holiday, hurrah! I made my first card for this weeks challenge at Less Is More on Tuesday evening but have only just had the chance to take a picture. Our challenge set by Mandi and Chrissie is Monochrome and this is my take on it...

 

 

I've gone with shades of teal card and ink, although in the picture the embossed detail on the letters looks black, but IRL it's dark teal!

It's taken me well over an hour to write this post! My husband has just bought himself and Xbox (as if he doesn't own enough games consoles already) and the game he playing is so distracting, but in a good way. The graphics are fantastic and it's like watching a really high quality animated film. Anyhoo, enough waffle I have a few bit's to do and then I may pop back and post my other attempt at this weeks LIM challenge.

I would also like to enter this card into the following challenges:

CES Challenges: Clean and simple

Ladybug Crafts Ink TLT Challenge: Male theme (thanks to my follower Lisa Jane for pointing this one out to me)

Crafty Card Makers: Love the lasting kind

Sparkles Forum Challenges: Fathers Day

Item's: White A6 Card Blank, Teal card from Paper Mill Direct, Papermania brads, letters printed from word, Hessian Background Stamp from Dimension Forth, Pacific VersaColor ink pad, clear sparkle embossing powder and white gel pen.

Paper Crafting Journey Guest Designer

I'm really lucky to be a guest designer this week over at Paper Crafting Journey. Here's my card:

 

The theme this week is “Our Feathered Friends” so anything bird related will do. I chose to use a couple of really sweet images from our sponsor Glitterbabe’s Digis.

 

 

I was having a tidy of some of my paper and card when I found a gorgeous DCWV stack that I had forgotten about and knew immediately that I wanted to use it, so everything else was fitted around it.  Pop over to PCJ and have a look at the wonderful inspiration from the DT and don't forget that the winner will receive three digis of their choice from Glitterbabe’s Digis!

 

I might be back again later with a Less is More card, but tara for now xxx

Items: Cream 5x5 card blank, teal, brown and patterned card DCWV (sorry the front cover was missing so don’t know which one), ProMarkers, Liquid Pearls ‘Mint’, Cream Seam Binding from The Ribbon Girl (coloured with ProMarkers) and Martha Stewart Border Punch

Critter Sketch Challenge #68

It's a new month and a new challenge over at Critter Sketch Challenge Blog and the challenge is:

 

LET'S GET CRAFTY 

(just use Kraft paper/card on your project)

 

This months sponser is the Stamp Fairy and this months prize will be...

Stamp Fairy have loads of gorgeous images to chose from and I chose this adorable little bunny which I printed directly onto kraft card and coloured with ProMarkers and paper pieced the tulip and leaf to match the DP.

Item's: White 6x6 card blank, digi kraft paper from Pink Petticoat, Sentiment Pink Gem, DP from Forever Friends by DoCrafts, Puffy Flower Stickers from Paperchase and ProMarkers.

ATC Challenge Blog - Challenge 3

June already and we have our usual British Summer....it's pouring down with rain. Anyhoo enough waffle, it challenge number three over on the ATC Challenge Blog and the theme this time is a very groovy: 

AUSTIN POWERS

Below is my ATC but don’t forget to take a look at ATC Challenge Blog for more inspiration and there are also some fabulous free papers from the wonderful Shendy :

Background made using alcohol inks and cosmic shimmer sprays, sentiment printed on printer and embossed with clear sparkle embossing powder, flowers punched from same background and added sparkly stars.

And finally as well as the challenge why not swap your ATCs as well....head over to Craftymess and take a look at the Everything ATC group.

Item's: Silk white card from Clarity Stamps, Alcohol Inks, Cosmic Shimmer Mists, Woodware Flower Punch, Little Stars from stash, Sentiment printed on computer and clear sparkle embossing powder.

Exploding Box Card

I've been admiring the exploding box cards on Melly's blog for quite a while now.  So as it's my Sister's Birthday tomorrow I thought I would have a go at making one myself.  Not being one for instructions I set fourth with my trimmer, scoreboard, and stash and here's what I've come up with...I've left the centre clear for me to write my greeting.

I've used a lot of die cuts to layer up the insides and handmade some Fimo flower embellishments. The stamp is one of the first Little Claire stamps I bought and has been a little bit neglected of late.

Item's: all card from stash, Cherry Patterned Paper - a freebie from Bearly Mine Designs, other patterned paper was free from a craft mag, Fimo, Papermania Flower punches, Roses and Pearls from Wild Orchid Crafts, Fiskars Border Punch, Lace from local sewing shop, Nellie Dies, Nesties, circle punch from Woodware, Sentiment stamp from Pink Gem, Teddy Stamp from Little Claire, Memento Cocoa Brown, ProMarkers and Sakura Metallic Gelly Roll Pens.

I would like to enter this card into the following challenges:

Oldie But A Goodie - Lot's of layers

Little Claire - Shaped Cards

Bearly Mine Challenges - Die Cuts and Lace

A Spoon Full of Sugar - Flower Power

Ladybug Crafts Ink - Make your own Embellishments

Divas by Design - Florals

I Love ProMarkers - Sparkly Bling

Crafty Sentiments - Neutral Colours

Dream Valley - Stamp Something

Paper Sundaes - Vintage or Shabby Chic

Less is More - Week 17

You'll be pleased to hear I haven't got quite so carried away with this weeks challenge at LIM and just have the one card to share (at the moment...lol).  The theme this week is pick one square of the card blank to use and leave the rest of the card completely bare.  I've been trying to use some of my older (and somewhat neglected) stamps, so I had a root around in my box of wood mounted stamps and found this little lovely from Papermania. There was a time a few years back when I loved medallion stamps and thought this would like nice for this card.

Items: White 5x5 card blank, Papermania flower medallion stamp, pink and white card from stash, Magenta and Diamond Stickles, Versacolor gold  and Magenta inkpads, gold detail and clear sparkle embossing powders and sentiment stamp by Polka Doodles free from a craft magazine

I would like to enter this card into the following challenges:

Less is More - Pick a square

Secret Crafter - Clean and Simple

 

Thanks for popping by xxx