Less is More #353 & #354

Morning friends!
YES you read the title correctly it's a 2-week challenge over at Less is More due to a few of the Design Team spending a mini-break together at the Happy Little Stampers Retreat. So to avoid any mishaps with scheduling posts we're giving you a little extra time to play along and a little breather for us too!
Being the first challenge of the month it's COLOUR week and we're delighted to welcome back Dies to Die for as our sponsor for this month. What's more we have a FAB-ulous Guest Designer and winner of our September Challenges joining in for this one! It's the awesome Birgit of Rapport Fran ett Skrivbord so I hope you'll head over to her blog to leave some lovely feedback and check out her A* talents while you're there.

There's no need to use actual Firework images as it's the colours we are looking for but we're happy to see some fireworks too! 
Here's my card and just the one this week as I'm frantically trying to get organised for next weekend's retreat and keep up to date with all my DT posts at the same time as working! 

I've used a mish-mash of multi-coloured circles using Distress Inks blended through some hand-made die-cut circle stencils. Once the ink had dried I stamped and heat-embossed various 'firework' images from the Clearly Besotted set: Set the Scene. To finish a white strip with a die-cut sentiment by Sugar Pea Designs. I used the same embossing powder over the die-cut to match my fireworks and popped the strip up on 3d foam.

As always there's loads of fabulous designs from my fellow teamies over on the main blog HERE and don't forget our sponsor for this month is Dies to Die For so do play along for a chance of a prize, which we announce at the start of next month.

Hope you'll play along and have some fun and thanks for calling by 

Less is More #313

Morning friends, are you ready for this week's challenge at Less is More This week it's our Recipe week and the theme for this one is to use
1 or More balloons on your card
Here's mine and there's loads of fabulous designs from my fellow teamies over on the main blog HERE with links to their own blogs. Do check them out and pay them a visit if you've time - they'd love it!

I have to admit I'm a bit of hoarder in the craft department and seem

to hang on to any little bit of die-cut scraps and off-cuts so this card

is made up of a lot of scraps that have been cluttering my desk!

The die-cut BG was a surplus piece from a previous card, the 

die-cut balloons were from a left-over scrap of distress-inked 

watercolour card and an off-cut of cardstock for the sentiment strip! 

Items used:

Neat & Tangled: Punchinella die

Sugar Pea Designs: Celebrate word die

Paper Smooches: Big Balloon dies

Distress inks and Doodlebug Sprinkles

It's an 'Anything Goes' week over at Addicted to Stamps and More

so I thought I'd pop this one in over there plus the 'Anything Goes with Dies'

at Happy Little Stampers.

This one uses some yummy Altenew inks to create a flurry of balloons.

The balloon and strings are from the Clearly Besotted set: Let's Party

with sentiments from our sponsor for this month, Happy Little Stampers;

Every Day Sentiments and Fun Birthday Sentiments

It's also an Anything Goes Challenge at Simon Says Stamp - Wednesday

so I'd like to head over there plus 'Anything Goes with HLS'

I hope you'll play along and have some fun.
Thanks for calling by and I'll be back soon!

Less is More Challenge #310

Morning friends, are you ready for this week's challenge at
Less is More
It's the first one of the month which means we're also announcing our sponsor for the month which is Happy Little Stampers and what's more the super-talented and wonderful owner, Kylie is also our Guest designer too so I hope you'll visit her blog and leave lots of love!
This week it's COLOUR week and we've chosen  OMBRE You can use any colour but with an ombre / graduated effect.
Here's mine and there's loads of fabulous designs from my fellow teamies over on the main blog HERE with links to their own blogs. Do check them out and pay them a visit if you've time - they'd love it!

I couldn't resist using one of the newly released sets from Happy Little Stampers and this one is called 'Wish you were Here' with a sentiment from 'Fun Birthday Sentiments'. I've created the ombre effect using Zig Clear brush pens, blending with a water brush then a little flicking and spritzing of a water and perfect pearl mist. The card base is dry-embossed using an embossing folder by We R Memory Keepers (2 pk set - pressie from Santa aka. my kids!) and the ombre panel is die-cut with  a pierced square die by MFT Die-namics and mounted on 3d foam.
I'd like to enter this one over at Anything Goes Using - Happy Little Stampers ... rude not to don't you think!

This time I've used Distress inks to create the ombre effect using

Broken China, Salty Ocean, Mermaid Lagoon and Blueprint Sketch.

The card base had a heavy spritz of perfect pearls and water and I've

die-cut the 'smile' from Lil'inker Designs from an off-cut of the card base

before adding dimension with several layers of die-cut cardstock.

The stamped sentiments are from Avery Elle 'Sentimental' and I've

added a few coordinating sequins just for the 'bling' of it!

Although I've not gone with the 'Stencil' optional twist I would like

to link up at the Happy Little Stampers - Watercolour challenge

Last one and again using the zig clear brush pens to create an ombre

panel before dry-embossing the panel with the 2nd embossing folder from 

the We R Memory Keepers set mentioned above. The 'celebrate' word die

is by Sugar Pea Designs and is die-cut on some glitter tape from Heidi Swapp

plus several layers of white card stock to add dimension. The '70' numbers are

die-cut from the 'count on us' set by Avery elle from the same glitter tape

and adhered flat to the card base. A couple of sequins and stars finishes the design.

I'd like to link this card up at Simon Says Stamp - Wednesday Challenge

where it's 'Something New' and both my embossing folder and celebrate die

were goodies from Santa under my Christmas tree!

I hope you feel inspired to play along and I can't wait to see your ombre techniques and ideas! Thanks for calling by and I'll be back soon!