Less is More #254

Happy Saturday friends!
Are you well? Ready for a Less is More challenge? ... and  are you ready for Christmas?
Well I might be ahead of you on this challenge but I'm certainly  panicking at the unhealthy speed of Christmas of approaching!
Anyway onto our challenge and unlucky for some maybe it's the turn of the ONE LAYER CARD week! and the theme is 'What's in My Stocking'

For me ... I've not got a clue what will be in my stocking so I've  made a couple of cards showing items I'd quite happily like to find!!! First up neatly wrapped surprise pressies!

I was inspired by Therese Calvird's cards and video this week HERE so I  decided to have a go at heat-embossing some simple images in white EP onto  coloured cardstock. The images are from Clearly Besotted: It's Your Birthday and sentiment from Rockin' Robin (also CBS). To finish a few mini gems

Next up is also to enter at Merry Monday Christmas Challenge as I  adore their photo inspiration below and I'm quite partial to a few sweeties in my Christmas stocking - shhhh don't tell the dentist!

The images are from Clearly Besotted: Naughty or Nice, coated in 

glossy accents and left to dry overnight before inking with distress ink

in Blueprint Sketch. The curve detail is created using the MFT Die-namics stitched 

border dies to emboss the card base. The sentiment is from CAS-ual Fridays

Last but not least I do love having flowers around at Christmas but whether

 they'll be peeping out of my stocking on Christmas morning remains to be seen!

The flower stamps are from Altenew Vintage Flowers and I'm still trying

to get to grips with stamping these intricate flowers. They are beautiful but

quite tricky and time-consuming to line up accurately. Once stamped I masked

the blooms then used some Evergreen Bough Distress Ink to create a wintry 

background. The sentiment is from Uniko: All Occasion Sentiments #6

Ok hope you enjoy the challenge and have some fun!

Check out those wish lists and see if you can re-create on card!

If you need more inspiration then please head over to the Less is More

blog HERE where my teamies have worked their little socks (stockings) off!

As always thanks for stopping by and catch up with you soon.

Uniko: Countdown to Christmas Blog Hop

Hello Friends, I'm back again and this time it's for the  Uniko  Countdown to Christmas Blog Hop
Here's my cards using sets from the latest release and this first  one is definitely not your traditional colours but I just can't resist a rainbow now and again. I've also used Balloon Bash to decorate my bells using versamark ink and clear embossing powder. The other  'shiny' details are created with a versamark pen and the clear EP. To finish a hand-drawn string using a Signo silver gel pen.

I'd like to enter this one over at Simon Says Stamp - Wednesday challenge where this week it's Anything Goes!

This one uses distress inks to create a snowy sky but using silver embossed

bells instead of the traditional snowflakes! I couldn't stop humming the 

'Silver Bells' tune which gave me the idea. 

I'd like to enter this one over at Merry Monday where they are looking for

blue and white Christmas cards with texture this week! I'm hoping the 

raised silver embossing will count as texture! 

Ok it's time to hop and don't forget to leave a comment at 

each of the Design Team blogs below in order to be eligible 

for a prize. You'll find all the details you need over at the main

Uniko blog HERE (also the first stop on the hop!) 

Bev

Deborah

Jane

Nicki

Sarah G

Sarah P (That's Me)

Thanks as always for calling by and good luck with the hop!

Less is More #244

Another whoosh-by-week from where I'm standing and I'm zipping in with this post as I'll be heading out soon!
Anyway back to the job in hand and it's a new challenge at  Less is More
This week is Colour week and we are looking for  Jewel colours and I'll warn you I've gone a bit mad this  week, especially with Clearly Besotted goodies. Quite by chance Simon Says Stamp - Wednesday Challenge are featuring CBS! So I'll be jet-setting over there with this little bundle!
For some jewel colour inspiration I popped onto Pinterest and  here's the image that caught my eye and sent me into butterfly mania ...

... and it looks like my fellow Teamie, Anita had the same idea as we've both  used the CBS butterfly duo die! Then again we are both self-confessed  completely BESOTTED CBS addicts so it was going to happen sooner or later!
I think my favourite of my bunch of cards is this one

I'm calling it 'Amethyst' and as well as the CBS die, the sentiment is from their Say it in Style set and I've used the Simon Says Stamp Stitched Circle die with a Darice honeycomb embossing folder and some gems of course for a bit of glitz and glam!

This one's 'Ruby' of course and another CBS sentiment from Say it in Style with a Distress ink-splattered background panel die-cut using MFT die-namics pierced rectangle dies and a Sizzix embossing folder with a few more gems and nail heads to coordinate.

You'll never guess this one!!! Yep! 'Emerald' Using a Brushos-created background  (my first attempt at this medium and likely my last based on the horrendous mess I got myself in! And the desk and the floor!) Oh! another sentiment from the same CBS set

This is what started it off as I tried to combine multiple jewel colours on one card 

by die-cutting butterflies in different coloured foil card to then inlay the little 

bits and bobs from the wings! I die-cut another outline to sit on top for added 

dimension with an inlaid circle die from Simon Says Stamp: Stitched Circle dies 

For detail to the sides of the panel Paper Smooches: Dots and Dashes. 

The sentiment is another CBS one but this time from the Sweet Little Sentiments set.

I think all these intricate little bits should warrant a trip over to 

Pixies Crafty Snippets Playground for this one!

I hope you are still with me as this one doesn't feature a

butterfly! In fact I've gone all Christmassy and used those

jewel coloured gems as the decorations on my Christmas wreath.

Another CBS frenzy though using the 'Joy to the World' stamp set

and dies and the Geometric I die set to hopefully create a 'door'!

The sentiment is from Uniko: Rustic Christmas and I tried to pick out

some 'rainbow' coloured jewels so that I could drop this in at 

Merry Monday for this week's challenge.

Ok that's all from me for today and if you've stayed with me to the end 

of this then you deserve a medal! I truly appreciate your time and visit.

Have a fun week and I'll catch up with you again soon.

Less is More #240

Morning friends it's that time of the week again! A new challenge over at Less is More and following the  messy lucky dip week it's a clean colour challenge today.
We're looking for Green and Gold ... not my favourite combination I have to say and I  immediately thought Christmas but I'm sure there's loads more ideas in your crafty minds to WOW us!
Here's what I've created which I hope inspires you but there's plenty more from my teamies over on the LIM blog HERE
So first up in true Christmas style and using the stunning  inspiration from Kimberley over at Muse Christmas Visions 

Naturally the gold embossed trees with the wide gold border around the main panel drew me in immediately. Kimberley has used lots of superb colours  on her trees but to keep with our challenge I've stuck with various shades  of green distress ink on some watercolour card and blended them in an 'ombre-type'  fashion before heat embossing the Christmas tree from Uniko: Rustic Christmas  using WOW gold metallic sparkle embossing powder.  The birds and sentiment are from the same Uniko set and for added detail I die-cut my panel using MFT Die-namics inside out stitched rectangle stax!
Here's Kimberley's fabulous card too

Next up ...

Using a floral stamp set which I've had for years but no idea who the manufacturer is I've used a watercolour backdrop using distress inks in Evergreen Bough and  Cracked Pistachio before heat embossing the flower head in WOW metallic pale gold embossing powder. The sentiment is heat embossed with the same powder and is from the Simple Silhouettes set by Clearly Besotted. I made a strip of  gold cardstock using the same EP and added it to the side of my panel with a strip of black card for added definition. To finish some sparkly gems from my stash. Ok were back to Christmas for this one!


The theme at Merry Monday this week is to use Holly! Strictly speaking holly berries aren't gold but my artistic licence  allowed this change of colour and to adhere to the challenge colours!
I seem to have neglected those Christmas challenges over the summer so perhaps I can get back into the swing of it as I've still plenty of  festive cards needed! 


As luck would have it Happy Little Stampers Christmas challenge is also looking for holly so I'm off there too with this card!


I've used a sentiment from Clearly Besotted: Pretty Poinsettias and the holly border is from Uniko: Background Builders Christmas. The holly die-cut to the left is  from the Clearly Besotted: Little Puddings set. 
Ok that's all I've managed so it's over to you and I can't wait to see where your inspiration takes you this week.
Thanks as always for stopping by and I'll catch up again soon.

Uniko Challenge #23 Reminder

Morning all, have you entered the latest challenge at Uniko  as there's still time to do so and I'm here with a quick reminder card. 
The theme this time is Black & White with an optional splash of another. I've gone all Christmassy so my splash is 'red'

Card recipe:

Uniko: Rustic Christmas & Simply Said: Christmas

Impression Obsession: Heart of Hearts die

Pink Petticoat: gingham DP

Mama Elephant: Landscape Trio dies

I'd like to enter this card over at Merry Monday and I'm literally hanging

my head in shame as I've missed this challenge for quite a few weeks

and it was my new years resolution to enter every week! Tut Tut!

The theme for their challenge is 'Add a Heart' - I've added several!

Also the theme at the brand new Christmas Challenge at Happy Little Stampers

is 'Tree' so it would be rude not to head across there too!

      

I do hope you get the chance to join in the Uniko challenge

and if you head across to the main blog HERE there's more inspiration

from the DT along with details of the prizes you could win.

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

tomorrow with the latest challenge from Less is More

so hope to see you then.

Less is More #230

Morning friends it's that time of the week again... Saturday morning 8am UK time! 
New challenge at Less is More
This week we have a sketch for you and please feel free to flip/rotate it  so long as we can see the that it resembles the original.
So here's my cards followed by the sketch

I've turned the sketch on it's head with the smaller panel at the top

and also used landscape rectangles rather than portrait ones. The images from

Paper Smooches: Briny Blue which are coloured using Stabilo Markers

with water, twinkled with Winks of Stella and Glossy Accents.

Rectangles die-cut using MFT Die-Namics pierced rectangle dies

and the 'birthday wishes' sentiment is from Clearly Besotted

It's an Anything Goes challenge at Simon Says Stamp

this week so I'm heading over there with my card too.

Here's another Christmas card - I'm trying to stick with my

New Years Resolution so my little box of Christmas cards is

steadily bulging but still a way to go!

A bit of a crazy image but it's to enter over at Merry Monday too

where they'd like us to use a 'funky' hat on our Christmas card this week.

I'm not sure about 'funky' but certainly 'silly'!

I've used Clearly Besotted: Let it snow stamps and a 

sentiment from Uniko: Simply Said Christmas

The cloudy sky is created using a home-made die-cut stencil

using Mama Elephant: Landscape Trio Dies and linked with

Tumbled Glass Distress Ink. To finish I've added some glamour dust

and glossy accents for added interest.

Ok crafty buddies it's your turn and let's see what you make

of this week's challenge. I'll be back a little later with another card

so if you've time to pop back I'd be very grateful.

Thanks as always for stopping by.

Less is More #229

Hi there friends it's that time again - the latest challenge at 
Less is More
This week we'd like you to use some stencilling on  your project and please remember to keep it Clean and Simple too.
Here's my cards

Card Recipe:

Simon Says Stamp: Mosaic Ornaments inked with

Ranger Dye Inks then clear embossed to add some shine

Uniko Studio: Balloon Bash and sentiment from

Clearly Besotted: Christmas Sparkle

I'd like to skip over to Merry Monday Christmas Challenge

and Simon Says Stamp Wednesday Challenge with this card.

It's a 'red and white' theme at Merry Monday

and describe your favourite technique and product at SSS.

So whenever I can add water-colouring to a project 

especially using Distress Inks and possibly stencilling would be 

the most enjoyable and satisfying techniques for me to use.

I did find it quite tricky however to showcase stencils whilst keeping 

to that all important CAS and white space for Less is More. 

   

Card Recipe:

 My Favourite Things: Rose Builder stencil with embossing paste 

coloured with DIs in Picked Raspberry and Mowed Lawn

then a sprinkling of glamour dust to the leaves

The sentiment is from Clearly Besotted: Say it in Style

For my last one I wanted to try out a technique showcased by the wonderful 

Jennifer McGuire HERE. Again I think this would have looked better if I 

could have filled the whole card front with the stencilled panel rather than

maintaining the area of 'white space' at the top.

Card Recipe:

Memory Box: Ornate Texture stencil

Inked with Hero Arts white pigment ink and Memento Bahama Blue

Clearly Besotted: It's Your Birthday sentiment on a 

Nestabilities Scalloped Circle die with a circle of vellum behind,

some embroidery thread in silver then finished with gems and sequins.

Ok time to hand over to you crafty people and don't forget 

to check out the rest of the DT over on the LIM blog

for more inspiration.

Thanks as always for calling by and I'll be back tomorrow

with the latest challenge details from AAA Cards.

A MUSE or 2 plus 1

Hi there, back again for a second post today!
My first card for today is to enter at the Pretty Pink Posh Watercolour Blog Hop and WOW! Talk about inspiration ... you need to check out those stunning creations on Paulina's blog.
I couldn't wait to crack open some watercolours and play along so  two of my cards include water and colour! I simply can't stop!



My card is also to enter over at Muse Card Club where the fabulous Vicki Dutcher is the Muse, sadly her last post on the DT!   Vicki is a huge inspiration and will be missed enormously but hey ho ... lots of travel awaits her so can't sniff at that for long!
Have a fabulous time Vicki and thanks for inspiring me to create.
Here's my card using the same set and colour way as Vicki's card and  I'm also heading over to Addicted to CAS with it where the theme is 'butterfly'


Card Recipe: Clearly Besotted: Everything Changes - butterflies are heat embossed with Hero Arts white EP then coloured using Stabilo Markers with water - I'm loving these pens and thanks to Julia Altermann of Just one More card for introducing them. The sentiment is from another Clearly Besotted set - Dandelion Dreams
Here's Vicki's Muse card



Still on the water-colour theme and the colours I've used fit here quite nicely  with the colour palette 3 over at Make The Day Special Challenge blog  So I'm heading there too and having had a 'naughty' spend there this month  I couldn't wait to try out some new goodies.

Card Recipe:

Winnie & Walter: Mini Scenery - Multi Faceted stamp

heat-embossed in Hero Arts Clear EP, then water coloured using

Stabilo Marker pens. Sentiment is from Uniko Studio: Simply Said - Birthday

The watercolour panel is adhered with 3d foam for added dimension then placed

 on a stitched die-cut rectangle from Mama Elephant - Index card set

So having entered one Muse Card Challenge here's my card for this week's Muse Christmas Visions which I'm pleased to say I've 'twisted' slightly,  by adding some sparkle and bling to enter at Merry Monday Christmas Challenge too.
 Here's my card followed by Kimberley's and I've stuck with the white on white layered  theme with a sprinkling of glamour dust along the torn edges and the trees are die-cut  from glitter card then embellised with crystal bling gems from my stash!

Card Recipe: Clearly besotted: Signature Christmas dies & Woodland Pals stamps & dies plus sentiment from Sweet Little Sentiments The frame is die-cut using MFT Die-namics pierced rectangle dies and I've used a 'falling snow' embossing folder from Sheena Douglass

I hope you are still with me as that's quite a lengthy post

Thanks as always for calling in and I'd love your feedback if you get a minute.

I'll be back tomorrow with a new challenge for 

AAA Cards CAS Challenge so hope to catch you then.