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.

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.

Less is More #226

Morning all, hope you're ready to be challenged at Less is More! It's a 5-Saturday month which means we have a  'Lucky Dip' Challenge - Two or Four legs
...what's more we've a guest designer too this week Rebecca (MellyMoo) so I do hope you'll pop across  to her blog and check out her wonderful creations.
Here's my cards and first up I'm using the Eiffel Tower AGAIN -  The die was still on my desk from last week and I looked  around for something with 2 or 4 legs ... and there it was!!! 

Card Recipe:

Clearly Besotted: Je T'aime, Basic Numbers & Superstar

Artplorations: Bubble Stencil inked with Tumbled Glass DI

MFT Die-Namics: Stitched border and rectangle dies

I'd like to link this card up at the STAMPlorations - Anything Goes challenge

Edit: thanks to Julie B air suggesting I also link up at

STAMPlorations flash stencil Linky party with this card!

Next up a very obvious 4 legged animal and I'd also

like to link this card up at Freshly Made Sketches and Addicted To CAS,

where Animals is the codeword this week.

Card Recipe:

Paper Smooches: Chubby Chumbs

Hero Arts: Happy stamp & die set

Clearly Besotted: Grass die

MFT Die-Namics: Stitched Square Dies & Sentiment strip

Tumbled Glass distress ink over a home-made stencil for the sky

using Mama Elephant stitched landscape die

   

And the last one is to link up at Muse Christmas Visions although I'm not sure

 if I've taken this Muse a step too far this time; turning Tracey's card upside down and 

using penguins instead of trees - will see whether it's deleted from the gallery.

Truth is I was late to the Arctic penguin party and can't miss an opportunity to use them!!!

Card Recipe:

Sheena Douglas: Falling Snow Embossing folder

Mama Elephant: Arctic Penguins

Clearly Besotted: Signature Christmas

Distress inks in Tumbled Glass & Broken China

Here's Tracey's gorgeous Christmas card

I'd also like to link up at 

Simon Says Stamp Wednesday challenge - where it's Anything Goes

Ok I'm handing over to you now and looking forward to 

some super clever ideas this week as always. 

Have some crafty fun and don't forget to check out the fabulous cards 

from my LIM teamies over on the main blog here

Thanks for stopping by and catch up with you again soon.

Monday Muse and Love in Purple

Happy Bank Holiday Monday ... well if you live in the UK! Here's a couple of cards I finished off yesterday.
First up it's a sea of purple paradise for Inkspirational. Huge Congrats to Pia (DT member) on your upcoming nuptials  and here's my take on a wedding card for the Happy couple.

Pia is super talented and I love it when she is a GD for Clearly Besotted  (which happens to be one of my favourite stamp companies)  so I simply had to use some of their sets to create this card.
Clearly Besotted: Mr & Mrs Set: Flourish image and Bridal Bouquet Sentiment Uniko Studio: Congratulations sentiment  The images & sentiments are heat-embossed using clear EP from Hero Arts Before inking and blending distress ink in Dusty Concord. To add a touch of glam I've used some silver and purple gems from my stash.

Next up is my entry to this week's Muse Christmas Visions It's not obvious in the photo but I used distress ink in Barn Door  over my 'red' cardstock panel to add a velvety sheen. 

Card Recipe:

I love Betty's card but in the absence of a pierced oval die in my stash  I've used a Nestabilities label set and trimmed the edges. Clearly Besotted: Autumn Blooms Flowers with a sentiment from Pretty Poinsettia To give the impression of snow on my foliage I've added fluffy stuff and heat-embossed with a touch of glamour dust then gems and pearls to finish

I hope you all enjoy your day and get chance to do some crafting.

Thanks for calling in and see you soon.

A Muse or Two and More

Morning Friends I'm trying my bestest to keep to my  New Years Resolution of entering the Merry Monday challenge every week to stock up my Christmas box ... THEN another Christmas challenge enters blogland and I'm literally FORCED to make 2 this week! Happy Days!
I'll have my feet up sipping mulled wine come 30th November!!!! Ha Ha ... we'll see about that eh!

So here goes with my Muse Christmas Visions entry

Card Recipe: Uniko Studio: Decorative Doilies & 'Christmas' sentiment from Peace on Earth both heat embossed in WOW metallic silver sparkle Clearly Besotted: 'Merry' word die ... looks like I'll have look out for a JOY die cut! So hope this will count. A strip of vellum plus some gems and pearls from my stash to accent
Here's Chriss's card and just as I'm adding this gorgeous Muse card I think I may have dropped a 'clanger' - classic mistake on a one layer card - adding a layer! Grrr!  The thought was there ladies just got carried away with the excitement!


Next up is my entry to Merry Monday Christmas Card Challenge where we've been asked to use a stencil.

So a while ago I was lucky to win a blog hop stash giveaway

by Lisa 'I'm in Haven' and this gorgeous Christmas scene stencil

with pull-outs for trees and landscape, from Simon Says Stamp, was included.

It's a first outing for it, for me, so I've sponged the trees using the stencil 

with Distress Ink in Mowed Lawn.

I've 'very' loosely followed the sketch from Freshly Made Sketches 

using a snow drift die from MFT Die-Namics to create the 

'ski slope' effect with a sentiment from Clearly Besotted curved

to match (as best I could). To finish I've added some shading in 

Tumbled Glass DI and some glamour dust.

 

Last one is the 'other' Muse challenge and I have to say that 

once again Michele freaked me out with her classy style using muted colours

Here's my take ....

Card Recipe:

Dovecrafts Textured card panel die-cut using Mama Elephant stitched index card

Clearly Besotted: Flower Blocks - heat embossed in WOW brass metallic EP

and 'Congrats' word die which looking at my photo is rather too camouflaged!

Uniko Studio: Flower Power #3 sentiment

A few sparkly gems to finish. 

When I made this card I had in mind 2 superb guys who are getting 

married in a couple of weeks time - my sister is 'chief bridesmaid' 

if that's a role at a gay wedding and my brother-in-law is 'best man'

If any of you watched the Graham Norton show on Friday night 

they were in the audience and featured - having seen the show I'm not 

sure whether the card is 'camp' enough so your feedback would be most welcome!

Here's Michele's amazing card that I've tried to Muse!

Thanks as always for stopping by and catch you again soon.

Christmas Is Coming!

Well not really but a new Christmas Card Challenge has  popped up in blogland this week 
Muse Christmas Visions (sister challenge to the super popular Muse Card Club)
I love Muse so simply had to join the fun, especially when I saw the fabulously dramatic DT card from Kimberley Weiner
As luck would have it the theme at another of my favourite Chrismas Challenge blogs, Merry Monday fits perfectly with the same card! They are looking for a Christmas card with wet or dry embossing! Sorted.
So here's my card followed by Kimberley's inspiration Muse 

Card Recipe:

Clearly Besotted: Pretty Poinsettia set & sentiment from the same

Heat embossed with WoW copper sparkle EP

Stabilo pens (thanks to the amazingly talented Julia of Just One More Card

for introducing these pens to us - I love them)

Gems and nailheads to accent from my stash.

   

Thanks as always for stopping by and hope you've not lost my previous posts from today as I don't normally post so many in one day! Had to catch these Christmas ones though before the gates close!
My Less is More post is HERE My Uniko Studio Introducing Nautical Treasures is HERE