Sunday 28 February 2016

AAA Cards Challenge #59


Hi there it's time for the latest challenge over at AAA Cards
and it's all about Embossing

Here's my cards which uses the Pure Florals: Chrysanthemums from Uniko
and a sentiment, also from Uniko, Simply Said Birthday. 

I started out by stamping the largest flower head on water colour card
and the leaves on the base of the card, using a mask, with Versamark.
Next up I've used Stampendous Sterling Silver embossing powder before adding 
various purple watercolours from Distress Inks and Kuretake Gamsai paints.
The sentiment is heat-embossed with Hero Arts white EP and to finish some
sequins and gems from Pretty Pink Posh.
As it's an 'Anything Goes Week' at Simon Says Stamp - Wednesday challenge
I'm' going to pop this card in over there too!
Simon Wednesday Challenge Blog
Our sponsor for this challenge is 
Stampendous
with a prize of a $20 gift certificate
Here's our little photo inspiration and I hope you feel inspired to play along with this one. 
Please keep your designs Clean and Simple and there's more magical ideas from 
my fellow teamies on the main AAA Cards blog HERE
Thanks as always for calling by and I'll catch up again soon.
Sarah

Saturday 27 February 2016

Less is More #265


Hello there Limettes are you ready for our latest challenge at Less is More?

... but first ... if you haven't already swung by the main Less is More blog
you certainly need to as we are announcing our brand new Design Team members.
I'm sure you'd like to know who they are and welcome them in true LIM fashion!

All the links and details can be found HERE along with some stunning inspiration!


... Our challenge for you this week is to use or feature some wire on your card

First up is one for the CAS(E) This Sketch Challenge although try
as I might that wire had a mind of it's own and wouldn't let my butterfly
sit to the right of the card as per the sketch so hope I can get away with this!!!

 I've coiled some wire around a paint brush then stretched it to sit behind 
my die-cut sentiment from Hero Arts: Stamp & Cut birthday. The butterfly is from 
Clearly Besotted: Elegant Butterfly Duo and die cut from a scrap of distressed / 
watercolour spritzing! To finish a few gems from my stash.



When I made this card I realised I'd been inspired by a couple of our recent
Less is More challenges ... 'Use a Stem' and 'Add Texture'

So I came across Honey Doo Crafts and their stamps for the first time 
last weekend and here's one of the gorgeous sets I purchased: Flowers for Design.
It's teamed with a sentiment from Clearly Besotted: Say it In Style. My 'wire' is coiled 
round a pen initially then flattened against the card to create the stem and I've used
one of the We R Memory Keepers Next Level embossing folders to add some
interest to the background plus some sequins and dew drops from Pretty Pink Posh.
I'd like to link this one up at Simon Says Stamp - Wednesday Challenge
where it's an Anything Goes week!

Simon Wednesday Challenge Blog


and last but not least ....


... just to show that you don't have to use 'actual' wire
here's a card using the 'birds on a wire' stamp from Inkylicious with a 
little bit of smooshing for the background, an off-set panel from 
MFT Die-Namics: Blueprint 15, sentiment from Clearly Besotted:
Say it in Style and sequins from Little Things by Lucy Abrams.


Ok that's all for me for today and I hope you feel inspired to reach
for your wire and get creating. Have fun and thanks as always for calling by!
Sarah

Friday 26 February 2016

Uniko Challenge #29 Reminder


Hi there it's time for a little reminder about the current challenge
over at Uniko and it's a colour one this time!

I've gone a little bolder in colour with this one but still tried to 
stick closely to the required combo. 


I think the Pure Florals: Gerbera has to be all time favourite Uniko bloom
so hear it is coloured using distress inks  and a 'no line' technique.
I've also blended the deeper turquoise colour along 2 sides of my card
and flicked some of the lighter shade on my 'notebook' panel.
the sentiment is made up from Simply Said and Simply Said Birthday.


I'd like to link this card up at CASology where the theme is 'Distressed' 
My card uses lots of distressed inks for colouring the image, spritzing and
ink blending to the card base. 


I'd also like to play along at INKspirational where the theme is 'POP'
I think this flower looks like it's just 'popped' open so hope that counts!


... and I've just spotted it's an Anything Goes week at 

Simon Wednesday Challenge Blog

Hopefully you'll have some time to play along and please head across to 
the main Uniko blog HERE where there's links to my teamies creations
along with our Guest Designer AJ of AJ's Creative Energy 

You'll also find all the details you need about the super challenge prizes
and how you can try to win one. 

Thanks as always for stopping by my blog today and I'll be back tomorrow
with the latest challenge for Less is More.

Sarah

Saturday 20 February 2016

Less is More #264

Another week has zipped by so I'm here with the latest challenge 
from Less is More and it's Theme week! 

We're looking for some TEXTURE on your cards!


This one uses texture paste through a leaf stencil from STAMPlorations
then sprinkled with Glamour Dust. The sentiment is from Clearly Besotted
with the 'Happy' heat embossed onto vellum and the matching die used for
'Anniversary' The sequins are by Lucy Abrams.


I'd like to link this card up at CAS(E) This Sketch and hope my
texture paste embossing will work in with the sketch below.



The bottom half of this card has been dry embossed using a
We R memory keepers Next Level embossing folder BUT it's not
showing up too well on the photo which is frustrating. I've loosely watercoloured
some blooms from the Altenew Vintage Flowers set which adds an element of
texture along with the gold heat embossed detail. The large sentiment is by
My Favourite Things with the 'Today' from Uniko. 

I'd like to link this one up at the Muse Card Challenge and although
Tracey has used a one layer card I was inspired by the gorgeous colours
on her card and tried to recreate that look here. 





This one uses the same stencil as my first card but this time I've
fuzzy cut a couple of leaves having used coloured texture paste.
A little detail is added to the top of the card with distress ink and splatters.
The Dragonfly is from Clearly Besotted along with the sentiment and I've
added a couple of accents using Pretty Pink Post sequins and gem from my stash


I must be mad but went texture-crazy this week so here's another!


Here I've added texture to a piece of watercolour card using a Cuttlebug Stars
 embossing folder. Blended with various blue shades of distress inks over the 
embossed area then spritzed with water to remove some colour and brushed 
perfect pearls over the top. The sentiments are from the Clearly Besotted Stamp & 
Die set (Happy Birthday) and there's a few doodlebug sprinkles and gems to finish.


I hope you feel inspired to create some texture and there's more 
superb examples on the main Less is More blog HERE 

Thanks as always for calling by and have a wonderful crafty weekend.

Sarah

Addicted To CAS Challenge #82

Hi there, time for a new challenge over at 

Addicted To CAS 

and our host is the lovely Barb for this one and she's chosen



My parent's are moving house in a few weeks so new home card in the bag!!!
I've used a We R Memory Keepers Next Level embossing folder, 
Simon Says Stamp: Stitched Circle Dies:
Clearly Besotted: Home Sweet Home sentiment and On The Line Dies
Distress inks and sequins from Pretty Pink Posh.

I'd like to enter this card over at Happy Little Stampers - 
CASE the Designer challenge and although I've not used an
animal or stamped around the card base I was inspired by the gorgeous
layout of Shona's card below and had to play along. Hope the embossed
background works instead of stamping!!!




Our sponsor for this challenge is Create a Smile with a 15 Euro Gift Card
for our lucky winner to spend in their store HERE

You'll find more stunning creations by my fellow teamies over on
the main ATCAS blog HERE and we also have a guest designer:

Beate Rauer - our winner of challenge #80
I'm sure she'd love a friendly visit to her blog too!

Ok that's all for now but I'll be back in a moment with the details 
of our latest Less is More Challenge!


Sarah

Friday 19 February 2016

Time for a little Pandamonium!


Hi there! I decided to have a little pandamonium playtime
this afternoon with that gorgeous set from Mama Elephant. 


I'm going to link this one up at the Happy Little Stampers - CAS challenge
where they'd like us to stamp with an embossing folder. I tried out several
different inks and techniques and folders but settled on this Retro Circles
one from Cuttlebug. I used some Altenew inks in an ombre style and spritzed
 with water and perfect pearls before stamping. The edges are 'distressed' with blue ink;
with a sentiment and juggling balls from Clearly Besotted: Life's a Circus set.



Ok that's all for now as I'm off to catch up on Mr Selfridge! 
Thanks for calling by and I'll be back tomorrow with a couple of challenge posts!


Sarah

Uniko Challenge #29


Morning friends, can you believe it's time for a new challenge over at
Uniko? Well we have a colour challenge for you this time, which ties in
perfectly with Uniko's own trademark colour scheme!


I've tried out a bleaching technique for the first time as inspired by 
this card by Marika. I've used the freebie set from the latest release plus
a sentiment combo from All Occasion Sentiments and Simply Said!



For links to the superb creations by my fellow teamies plus our Guest Designer for this one, 
please head across to the Uniko blog HERE where you'll find all the details including
what prizes are on offer for our challenge winner!

I hope you find some time to play along and thanks as always for stopping by.

I'll be back tomorrow with a couple more challenges! 

Sarah

Sunday 14 February 2016

A Little Sunday Duo


Hi there buddies I'm sneaking back in - 2 posts in one day!
Woah! Anyway I've made a card which I'm hoping I'll have chance
to link up at The Muse Card Challenge and CAS(E) This Sketch.

Muse because my super fun and crazy blog buddie Anita is the MUSE
this week and I think the style of her card and the sketch at CAS(E) This Sketch
are so close Anita could have almost set their sketch this week!

I've gone with Anita's colour scheme but not in the same arrangement ...


This uses a Multi Faceted Stamp by Winnie & Walter which is 
Heat Embossed with Ranger Silver Pearl before inky blending in
Cracked Pistachio Distress Ink. I've used the Beautiful Blooms III set
(recently released from Uniko) along with a mini birthday sentiment 
from their new Simply Said set. The die-cut 'mum' is from Clearly 
Besotted and it's inlaid into the white panel. I've used Altenew Inks for the 
flower and added a couple of white spots with my gel pen for added interest.

Here's Anita's gorgeous creation along with the sketch ...

   


Ok that's all for now and thanks as always for popping by!
It's half term for me this week so no work but lots of dashing about!
Hopefully I'll squeeze some crafty time in too!
Have a good week and catch you soon.

Sarah

AAA Cards Challenge #58


Morning friends I'm back with details of the latest challenge over at

AAA Cards Challenge

and although it's Valentine's Day today we are blinging
it up with Sequins for this one. Please remember to keep your
creations Clean and Simple and here's what I came up with!


I'm definitely in the mood for Spring so there's been a few bright and colourful
blooms on my blog in the last few days ... do you think it might rush the season in?

My card uses a mish-mash of products from some of my favourite companies:
Gerbera die-cuts: MFT Die-Namics (coloured with Zig Clear Brush Pens)
Die-cut vase: CBS - Sweet Rose; filled with sequins by Pretty Pink Posh, 
'Wishing' word die: Simon Says Stamp
'You Happiness' sentiment: Uniko - Pure Florals Gerbera.

There's loads more inspiration over on the main AAA Cards blog
HERE as my fellow teamies have been working their little sequins 
off! Hope you feel inspired to play along and can't wait to see what 
you make of this one.

As usual there is a prize up for grabs for our winner. 
This challenge is being generously sponsored by Happy Little Stampers 
with a gift certificate for $30 for our lucky winner!

Picture

Thanks as always for stopping by and I'll be back again soon!

Sarah

Saturday 13 February 2016

Less Is More #263


Hello crafty buddies - can you believe it's a week since our birthday challenge went live?
I certainly can't and yet here we are with a new challenge today for

Less is More

It's that ONE Layer week too which I know some of you dread,
including me but hey-ho just go for it! If you mess it up you can always
chop and layer it after you've photographed it! That's my trick any way!
Our theme for this one is 'STEM' so take that however you wish!
So long as it's on one layer, clean and simple with lots of white space
We are Happy Bunnies!

Here's mine:



Here I've used the floral images from Uniko: Pure Florals Cosmos
and there's a fair bit of masking! 'Love' sentiment is CBS: Say it in Style
and the others are from WPlus9: Sending you Sunshine. 
The images are coloured with Zig Clear Brush pens with some wink
of stella and a blob of glossy accents to the flower centres.


I'd like to link this one up at Time Out Challenges
and it's an 'inspired by words challenge' using the following:


Love is the flower you've got to let grow (John Lennon) 
So I've added some extra growth to my bloom and used some 
love in my sentiment so hope that works for the DT there!





Next up using a brand new set (to me) having had a little crafty spend
with some Christmas money I had left over! It's WPlus9 Doodle Buds.
Once again coloured with Zig Clear Brush pens. Seriously CAS even for me!


As look would have it there's also a 'One Layer Week' going on at 
Simon Says Stamp - Wednesday Challenge so guess where I'm off to?


Simon Wednesday Challenge Blog




This one is a little sneaky as I wanted to use a glass with a stem and 
couldn't resist using another new set from My Favourite Things - gorgeous
Brush stroke sentiments. BUT the sentiment is kind of obscuring the stem of the glass!
The 'On Your Birthday' is from Uniko: Simply Said Birthday and the wine glass plus
 accessories are from Paper Smooches: Free Spirits.

... and that's all I've got for you today so hope you feel inspired to play along.
Anita is taking a little break from the DT but there's still more inspiration
on the main blog HERE so please head across and check them out!

Sarah

Thursday 11 February 2016

Uniko Reveal, Release & GIVEAWAY - February 2016

Hey blog buddies!
It's time! You've seen the Sneak Peeks, 
You've had the introductions and NOW we can reveal and
 open the shop doors ... to the latest and 4th Birthday release from


So without further ado here's a couple of my cards using these
gorgeous new sets and I hope you like what you see.





 You're not seeing double!!! 
I did 2 versions of this one!
Just couldn't get enough of that bunny!



There's loads more inspiration and super duper designs from my
fellow teamies at Uniko plus all the details you need to grab 
yourself some goodies - just head HERE if you haven't already!


Here's the images of the sets which are available to purchase from today
over at the Uniko Shop HERE
   

       


So all that's left for me to do is thank you for visiting and following the 
release posts this week and send you off on a blog hop! 

Here's the order:

Bev (Uniko)
Sarah P (That's Me!)

We're also joined again today by a couple of ex DT members so 
please hop across to their blogs too - you won't be disappointed!


Go on have a bit of fun and catch up again soon!

Sarah