Less is More Week 196 - colour challenge

What a wonderful week of newsprint entries we had for last weeks' Less is More!  This week we have a colour challenge, to use non-traditional Christmas colours.  So many colours are used for Christmas cards these days, but I decided that, as long as I avoided red and green, it would be non-traditional!  My first card is a tentfold.  It uses some gorgeous Penny Black silhouette stamps against a Distress Inked background with a SU sentiment, I've created shadows with second generation stamp.
 
Second card uses pink and white, a very non-trad Christmas combi for me! The background paper and the sentiment are both from Pink Petticoat and I've diecut with a Memory Box die and added a few gems, like this CAS layout.

 
My third card is very Pinterest influenced, I've free-cut my tree trunk and branches and added them to a Kraft background cut with my Simon Says Stamp die and added a die cut bird and an SU sentiment.

I look forward to lots of CAS inspiration for Christmas!

Silhouette?

I've quite a few things printed off and waiting to be used, including this beautiful image from the Halcyon Days CD.  Being contrary, I've entered it for CD Sunday's Silhouette challenge, though my seagull silhouettes are white - don't know whether this counts or not?!
I've stitched around the frame, added some twine and used a couple of papers from Pink Petticoat that were also printed out.
I'm also entering my card for:
Simon Says - anything goes
Crafters Cafe - things with wings

Less is More Week 195 - recipe - newsprint

 This week we are challenging you to use newsprint in your CAS creation.  I have cleared so many books from my home this last year and couldn't find anything to cut up, so I went to Pinterest and found a free printable dictionary page for my cards.  Not sure which is my favourite...

First card uses Memory Box butterflies on a monochrome tentfold card.  I drew in the antennae, the tag and rectangle are both cut with Simon Says Stamp dies.  I was lucky enough to win a voucher to spend with them recently, thanks to Splitcoast Stampers and the dies, along with the bird, were part of my purchase.  A Hero Arts sentiment and some black and white twine finished this card off.

Next card uses Stampin' Up holiday home.  The lights in the windows are coloured with Inktense pencil and the colourful house at the front is shaded with Copics and popped up on Pinflair glue.  The sentiment is by Lindsey Duncan.
I'm entering my card for:
CAS-ology - home

 

My final card has a Scribbly Bird stamped onto the newsprint.  I've used the Inktense pencils with a bit of water to bring out the colour, and added a Paper Artsy sentiment embossed onto the kraft card. 

I'm entering my card for:

Simon Says -  get crafty and use kraft

Jingle Belles - holiday card with a creature

Crafting by Designs - get ready for Christmas

WTF stands for...

...Who's turning forty of course!  Made this card for a friend to send to his sister, it uses a set of CAS-ual Fridays stamps, which really make me smile.  Heat embossed for the WTF with Wow glittery blue and with Wow blueberry on the circle row and the question mark.  I had a few specks of powder on the card so, of course, I added a few sequins - got some tiny, tiny mixed ones at Ally Pally Knitting and Stitching show, love them!
I'm entering my card for:
Allsorts - embossing
Hiding in my Craft Room - embossing
Crafty Sentiments - use a sentiment
Digi Choosday - Happy Birthday
Crafty Cardmakers - it's only words
CAS on Sunday - emboss it

A Few Challenges

 I spent a bit if time playing in my craft space yesterday and have some cards to share :).  First up is a card for the colour challenge at CAS Colours and Sketches.  I didn't have any of the SU colours for this challenge so I've substituted Versafine Olympia Green and Distress Inks Barn Door and Wild Honey.  I think they are fab autumnal shades together.  The wreath is stamped with a branch from Card-io, using first and second generation inkings, the SU Petite Petals are punched out with gems in the middles.
I'm also entering my card for:
Patties Creations - autumn colours
Alphabet Challenge - R is for round
A Creative Need - yellow and orange
Docerela - fall colours
Kitty Bee - dies and or punches

 Second card is a birthday card for a lady who likes elephants.  I've used a Pink Petticoat digi, matted and layered a few times, and following the layout at Sketch Saturday.
I'm also entering my card for:
4 Crafty Chicks - happy birthday
Crafty Little Fairies - only 1 DP (pennant)
Milk, Coffee - lots of layers
Seize the Day - anything goes birthday

 

Third card is one of my favourite Pink Petticoat Ewe images, paper pieced in polka dots with a bow and stitching added.

I'm entering my card for:

Creative Knockout - animal friends

Digi Stamps 4 Joy  - animals

Less is More - Week 194

 This week at Less is More Sarah has chosen the very cute theme of "Little Creatures".  My first card has a jar with tiny ladybirds.  The stamp set unfortunately has a typo so I computer generated my sentiment.  I used lots of Glossy Accents on my jar.

 Second card and the little creatures are slightly bigger, with wings this time.  I've coloured the die cut with bright jewel colours with my Copics and mounted their branch on top of some chicken wire embossed card.  The sentiment is by Whiff of Joy and I added some washi tape.

My third card has the largest little creatures, some adorable Avery Elle bunnies.  I have seen this set used to great effect several times at LIM and had to add it to my collection...  Cut my background out by hand from some Memory Box DP scraps.

Hope you like my Little Creatures :)

Ooh La La - Inspired by Nature

We have a super theme for you at this week's Ooh La La Creations Challenge - Inspired by Nature.  I reached for my Carnival of Colour CD with Beverly Morgan's artwork and then came the difficult bit, choosing which of the gorgeous images to use!  I chose Yorkshire Quilt, a beautiful autumnal/post harvest scene and used it for a card for my father-in-law, his birthday is on Tuesday.  DP also from the disk, I added some punched leaves and a bit of ribbon

Less is More One Layer Week

 This week our one layer challenge at Less is More is to use Two of Something.  My first card uses a totally stunning Impression Obsession stamp with a Woodware sentiment.  The only colour is in the hats, which are coloured with an Inktense pencil.

My second card has a Hero Arts tree masked and stamped using Lyra Aquacolour crayons, misted with water before stamping.  The stars are part of the stamp and where I have a blotch the sequins came in useful :)

Lost lagoon

A quick last minute posting for CAS colours and sketches where this week's colours are lost Lagoon, Crumb Cake and Soft Sky.  While I love SU I don't often buy their inks, never mind papers.  But for once, I have both cardstock and ink in Lost Lagoon!  I've added in kraft paper and Bashful Blue ink, using the Festival of Trees stamps and punch, as well as some washi tape.

Hare today...

Fell for both the tree stencil and the hares from Clarity and came up with this card to represent spring and mad March hares.  My photo isn't brilliant though, the greens are brighter IRL, this picture could be Autumn!  Brushed Distress Inks through the stencil, outlined the circle with a grey Copic and added a few dots with Copics to the leaves budding on the tree.  The sentiment was cut with my Portrait and I pierced the edge of my square by stitching around it on a 3.5 length stitch with no thread.
I'm entering my card for:
Clarity Challenges - seasons (I picked spring)
Amusing Challenges - trees
Crafting when we can - no designer papers
Addicted to CAS - stencil
Stamping Boutique - stitching real or faux - hmm... is it a stitch without any thread??

Less is More - Week 192

Wow the Mostly Words theme was certainly popular, you've all kept me busy with commenting on your wonderful cards!

  This week's Less is More theme is Autumn Bounty and once I stopped getting hung up on the 'bounty' part of it I had a lot of fun with my cards this week.  First up is a one layer card.  Clarity stencil was taped down then I stamped some Jenny Mayes scene-it stamps into the leaf and coloured with Distress Inks.  The wheat and birds were added after I removed the stencil.  Sentiment is Stampin' Up.  I'm really pleased with this card, hope you like it!
I'm entering my card for:
House that stamps built - Fall
Ladybug Crafts - autumn/Hallowe'en

 This card uses Darkroom Door leaf stamps with a Clearly Besotted sentiment.  I scribbled over the stamp with Lyra Aquacrayons and then misted it with water to get a soft effect.  Masked and repeated, then drew round the outlines with a Pigma pen.
I'm entering my card for:
Moo Mania - autumn colouring (but not a moo!)
Ruby's Rainbow - autumn leaves
Whimsie Doodles - autumnal colours
Craftroom Challenges - seasonal colours (spring or autumn depending where you live!)

And finally some more wheat, cut with my Portrait this time and with a doodled Pigma pen border.
Looking forward to seeing lots of CAS autumn bounty
I'm entering my card for:
Scrapper's Delight - no design paper

CAS-ology chocolate

This week's word at CAS-ology is irrestistable - well actually it's chocolate but you know what I mean :) !
I used the Rubber Romance stamp recently for a beverage challenge, so out it came again, this time I added some chocolates that I bought years ago from Dimension Fourth - yummy aren't they?  I've added some 'caramel' to top a couple of the choccies and cut the panel around them.

Hmm... think I need some chocolate to go with my lunchtime coffee now

I'm also entering my card for:
Gem of a Challenge - clean & simple
Vintage Stamping - anything goes

Ooh La La Creations - Challenge #166 - use a bow

It's time for a new challenge at Ooh La La Creations and this time Michelle has set a fun challenge: use a bow.  I've added an ombre bow to my gorgeous image from the Say it with Words CD.  The background uses an insert, matted onto some lovely bright gold DP from the same collection on the CD, and with a few sequins added.  Wonderful sentiment on this autumnal image reads:
'Those who don't believe in magic will never find it'.

I'm entering the following challenges:
Crafting from the Heart - anything goes
Love to Create - ribbon

Less is More Week 191

 It's Saturday again - hooray - which of course means it's time for another Less is More Challenge.  This week our theme is 'Mostly Words'.  Having made my two cards several days apary, I was surprised to realise that they are such similar layouts and styles  - oops!

First card uses Endless Wishes, a new Stampin' Up set that will be really useful:  sentiments in two sizes and an assortment of snowflakes.  Blue pearls and a narrow blue mat were added to this tentfold card.

Second card is a tentfold again, this time I used my Portrait to cut the Happy words, in a similar font to the Simon Says sentiment.  Narrow strips of scraps were added beneath the words.  This is very CAS, the only additions are the twine and the rounded corners.  It was time consuming to add the tiny centres to the 'P's and 'A's but was worth it I felt.

I'm looking forward to seeing what words you all come up with :)

Just Lion Around

It's been a while since I've managed to make a card for CD Sunday.  Just in time (I hope) here is my card for the current challenge, birthday card for a male.

The DP square, image and sentiment all print from one page of the Pollyanna Pickering World Wildlife DVD.  I've matted them all onto gold card and added an embossed background as well as some of the webbing in brown.  I think the sentiment is perfect :)
I'm also entering my card for:
Simon Says - anything goes
Hobbybook - embossing
Tok Bobok - masculine (second entry)

A Moment of Clarity

Wasn't able to get to Ally Pally last week so treated myself to some Clarity retail therapy instead.  I'm waiting for stencil brushes to arrive but in the meantime I made this using ink dusters and Distress Inks for the masked off background.    The trees are Chipped Sapphire DI and the deer are Versafine.  I doodled a border and added a thin mat to mount it onto my card.

I'm entering my card for:
Clarity Stamp Challenge - nature
Simon Says - anything goes
Craftroom Challenge - forest friends (deer and trees, reckon that fits this one :) )
Ruby's Rainbow - anything goes
Inky Impressions - anything goes

Love the Retro Look

I've been dithering for ages about buying this set of dies and now I have them I'm so glad I did, I absolutely LOVE the look of them!  They are by Avery Elle (Thanks Tara at Make the Day Special for a super-speedy service) and this is my first card from a series.  Colourscheme is from CAS - Colours and Sketches where this week's combi is black, white and hello honey.  My yellow is quite a bright one but it is yellow, not orange - honest!  The stamps are both Visible Image and I added a bit of ribbon to match.
I'm also entering my card for:
Simon Says - anything goes
NBUS - the amazing Darnell's 2nd challenge
Incy Wincy Designs - anything goes
Scrapper's Delight - anything goes - no design paper

Falling Leaves

Today's card is scratching an itch - I saw a wonderful card here via Pinterest and felt the need to make it.  I had a Crafts Too embossing folder and a tiny leaf punch that may even be the exact same one used by Joanne!  I cut leaves from the autumnal paper scraps and glued them down with Glossy Accents.  The sentiment is by Hero Arts.  I tried adding some twine to give it something different but it just didn't look as good.  Sometimes you can't improve on perfection and that's what I reckon the original I CASEd is!

I'm entering my card for a few of the current Fall/Autumn challenges:
Bearly Mine - autumnal
2cuteink - fall
Lexi's Creations - autumn colours
Stempelgarten - autumn
Simply Create Too - fall/autumn
4 Crafty Chicks - fall
Delightful Challenges - all fall down
Milk, Coffee - colours of autumn

Fantastic Fox

Today's card started with the layout for CAS(E) this Sketch and evolved slightly as it went along, which brought in the Tag theme at Simon Says. Hope it isn't too far removed from the original sketch!  Started with a Pink Petticoat digi coloured that has been sitting on my desk.  Added a frame cut with the Portrait and threaded some SU ribbon through it.  Made the digi into a tag and added twine, used a SU embossing folder with dots (echoing the sketch) and made it into a tent fold card.
I'm also entering a few other challenges:
Addicted to CAS - cuddly (ok foxes are really not cuddly in real life but this one is rather cute!)
Wag'n'Whiskers - with our furry friends
Delicious Doodles - tag it

Less is More Week 190

 This week at Less is More our theme is "Let's face the music and dance", which can be interpreted in all sorts of different ways; I just hope you don't have that dratted music stuck in your brain as I do!  My first card uses a Lavinia Designs silhouette stamp on an inked background.  I outlined the 'hill' with a Pigma pen, something I saw on Barbara Gray's blog.  This was so nearly a one layer card, until the clear plastic that the stamp is stored on shed a small black mark...
I am behind on my challenges after the past week, so I'm entering my card for the following:
Art Impressions - orange, purple and black
Crafty Little Fairies - sparkle and bling
Moving along with the Times - fairies
Natalie and Amy's Challenge - things with wings

MY second card uses an Impression Obsession stamp that I fell for recently on one of my craft show forays with Chrissie, I think it was Newbury?  The two girls look as though they are just waiting to dance.  Sentiment is SU and I embossed part of a music folder onto the card. Coloured with Copics.
I'm entering my card for:
Crafty Catz - Pretty Women
Hobbybook Designer - embossing

Ooh La La Challenge #165 - Birthday Boy

A big OOPS with my DT posting for Ooh La La this week - this should have been posted on Monday and I completely forgot!  So sorry.  A lot going on here.

Anyhow, this week at Ooh La La Creations our theme is Birthday Boy.  You may have spotted that my card doesn't say "happy birthday", however it was made by request for a chap, with a Border Collie on it!  Image is from the brilliant Faithful Friends CD, I've added some twine and used my Portrait to make a paw-print border.  Quite c&s, it went down very well I'm told.

I'm also entering my card for:
Cards for Guys - no patterned paper
Tokbobok - masculine
Jellypark - pets and animals (love the hamster on their blog!)
The Squirrel and the Fox - for a male
Creative Corner - male challenge
Patti's Creations - dog or cat (hope a CD image counts)

Three is a Magic Number

Threes of anything work really well in gardening, crafting, most things really and I am so pleased I made this in time to enter CAS-ology's THREE challenge, using stamps and punch from SU's 2014 catalogue.  I've mounted them on a triangular tree embossed card and added a sentiment.  Very simple, but I love it.  Have lots and lots of ideas for this set, watch this space...
My card is for:
CAS-ology - Three
Simon Says - create your own background
Crafty Katz - clean and simple
Left of Centre - no design paper
Delightful Challenges - simpler times
Dream it Up - Christmas/holidays
Paper Shelter - embossing
Cuttlebug Mania - anything embossed

Less is More - Week 189 - one layer

 Whew, what a week, I hope not to have another one like that and I have certainly felt like hitting the beverages!  Our theme for one layer week at Less is More is Beverages and my first card uses a stamp that I bought when I was first starting out.  It's by Rubber Romance and don't even think of Googling that without adding stamps to the search, the images you get otherwise are rather unsavoury!  My martini girl is coloured with Copics and has a sentiment added from Acid Drops and What-Nots, which always makes me smile.  The background is made with an Inky Doodles stencil and some Milled Lavender Distress Ink.
I'm entering my card for a couple of challenges:
Simon Says - create your own background
That's Crafty - girl power!

My second card is a bit less literal.  I began by inking up an acrylic block with Desert Sand and then Sepia and stamped that for my background.  The sentiment (Rubber Romance again) and the coffee ring are embossed with WOW bark.
I'm entering my card for a couple of challenges:
Cards und More - clean and simple
Sisterhood of Crafters - single layer cards

I would like to finish up with a sentiment I found on Pinterest that I like - so true!

Two Ewes

A CAS card that I made with those fabulous sheep from Pink Petticoat.  I added my own computer generated sentiment, some pearls and a brown mat onto the kraft card.  Love these images!
I'm entering my card for:
Sweet Pea Stamps - all creatures great and small
Double Click Skittles - use any animal
Whimsy Stamps - monochromatic
Cutie Pie - two's company
Basteltraum - animals

Black and White - and Shocking Pink

I've made a card for this week's CAS on Sunday Challenge, black, white with one other colour.  As you can see I've added pink for my other colour!  Image is from Pink Petticoat coloured with Coics and a bit of Glossy Accents.  I've added a black and white DP and coloured it in a bit to match my image, a bit of b&w ribbon and some sequins have finished it off and hopefully left it CAS enough...
I'm also entering my card for:
CCC Digi Designs - digi with wings
Natalie and Amy's Challenge - things with wings
Ribbons Girls - add ribbon
Allsorts - pretty in pink
Paper Make Up - digi/ sequins

Sisterhood of the Snarky Stampers - O is for One

 A couple of weeks back I was delighted to be crowned Queen of Snark and to be invited to be a Guest Designer for the Sisterhood of the Snarky Stampers!  This week their challenge is to create a monochromatic card or other project.

I reached for my Acid Drops and What-Nots stamps and created a sepia and snarky card.  I stamped the lady and masked her to add the frame, then put that totally brilliant quote to the left, with flourishes above and below.  As I wasn't quite sure who it would be appropriate to send this to I added the birthday message.  Coloured with Copics, a few pearls and mats and layers were added to complete my card.  Hope you like it!

Less is More - Week 188

 Saturday has come around again and it is time for another Less Is More Challenge, this week our colour challenge is Chocolate Mint.  First card uses a Taylored Expressions diecut that came in an order from Dies to Die For (thank you Tracey!), some brown pearls and twine added. The sentiment is, I think, a magazine freebie and I found a scrap of mint to mount it on, which is matted with dark chocolate and mounted onto milk chocolate (kraft!).

Second card is my Peppermint Aero girl.  Her dress is pieced from an old Basic Grey Porcelain DP pad.  Don't know the make/name of the DP that part lines the inner card, but if it isn't called Aero Bar then it should be!  Sentiment is Simon Says.

I will be blogging again later today, I am honoured to be a Guest Designer for the Sisterhood of Snarky Stampers, please do call by to see my card for them.

Card for a Chap - aka mistakes made in life

Today's card uses a scene that I stamped and Distress Inked a long time ago.  I've added some perle thread, kraft card, embossing to make it into a masculine card, I never have enough of these.  The sentiment was a free folder with a magazine, sorry don't know who makes the netting folder. The stamps are Stampscapes, the only two I own.

Mistakes?   1. Bought to make cards for my now-ex to give to his fly fishing friends!
                   2. Bought a LH fisherman and a RH bank - what ever is he doing casting towards the bank?!

Which was the bigger mistake I wonder...!

I'm entering my card for a few challenges:
Tok Bobok - masculine
Cards und More - clean and simple
Cuttlebuggle - anything embossed
Crafty Cardmaking - dry embossing
Corrosive Challenge - let's hear it for the boys
Speedy Fox & Friends - use a silhouette figure
Sweet Stampin' - embossing (second entry)
That's Crafty - man's world

Luxury...

This week I have the luxury of a few days 'me' time.  Mum has been visiting for the past ten days or so and it has been lovely to see her.  However now I have a few days to get younger son ready for his return to uni.  His day does not start at the same time as mine (by a long way!) and I have time to myself - bliss  :).
The theme at Addicted to CAS this week is Luxury and I have based my card around it.  I had the luxury of treating myself to a new stamp and die set and the sentiment and the bling also seem to fit the theme.

I'd like to give a shout-out to Dies to Die For, where I bought them from:  it's the first time I've bought from there and it was lovely to open a beautifully packaged parcel of goodies, with a few extra die-cuts from other sets added, a handmade tag, a handwritten note on the order form and a credit note for shipping too (as the order cost less than expected to send).  Oh, it arrived in under 48 hours too.  Not affiliation, but a very happy customer!

Embossing uses WOW Totally Teal, ink is DI Broken China for the sentiment, I've added diecut sequins, stamped and embossed sequins and real ones too.  Hope your day sparkles :).

I'm also entering my card for:
Simon Says - anything goes
Catch the Bug - bling, teal, diecut
Sweet Stampin' - embossing
Fairytale Challenge - clean & simple
Crafting for all Seasons - monochromatic

Letter

Quickly dropping by to blog a card for CAS-ology's Letter challenge, have managed to grab a few precious minutes in the craft room!  I found a free printable of Scrabble letters here and came up with my card, adding a stitched vellum heart and a vellum mat onto kraft, keeping a very simple, neutral colourscheme.
Hope you like it!

I'm also entering my card for:
Simon Says - anything goes
Sisterhood of Snarky Stampers - k is for kraft
A Creative Romance - a touch of kraft
Daring Cardmakers - clean and simple

Ooh La La Creations - Clean & Simple

This week my favourite cardmaking methods meet:  CAS and CD crafting!  This week at Ooh La La Creations we are challenging you to make clean and simple cards.  I have used a design from the Yesterday's Memories CD, when I first saw it I thought it was perfect for simple Christmas cards.  I've matted it onto gold, with an EK Success border of leaves added, then onto red cardstock.  It would be fab if it were left even simpler, but then I wouldn't feel it was a DT card lol!