Frugal February

 Today I'm detouring from my 6x6 pad into some more stash busting, this time I have made up some decoupage cards for an order.  When I was doing a lot of quilting, there was a lovely shop in the US that made homely, plaid quilts, it was called Country Threads.  They published a whole book of quilts and projects based around:

Use it up, wear it out,

Make it do or go without.

I'm pleased that these cards are in the same spirit:  the decoupage has been cut out for ages and ages and sitting in plastic bags waiting to be glued.  All DP is from my stash and I finished up several sheets.  The purple ribbon on the first and last cards came from some flowers that I was given ages ago, I've made it do and used it up!  All decoupage is Joanna Sheen, three Faye Whitaker and a House Mouse.  First card uses Papermania DP and the florist ribbon.

 Second card used up a scrap of seam binding and some My Minds Eye DP.

 Third card is more Faye Whitaker, there is some of the DP left...  This one has a little bling added.

Last card has, I think, MME DP again and some tiny buttons from my stash.

Today I plan to get back to my 6x6 pad but the sun is shining, a rare event this winter, I may just go AWOL from the craft room and get out before it snows/rains/sleets again!

Charisma Cardz has an Anything Goes challenge starting today; I'm entering my cards for this.

Using up the DP pad continues...

Today the snow is coming down thick and fast, a perfect day for crafting!  I'm continuing with my quest to use up the gorgeous Basic Grey Out of Print pad that is on my desk and I have made another couple of cards. 

The first one uses a super layout from Sketch Saturday along with a topper from the Hobby House, by Sylvia Zet I think.  Some ribbons and pearls finish it off.  Please note this is a topper and NOT coloured by me - if only!  I'm also entering Paperminute's Challenge of butterflies in springtime - the butterflies are small but they are there on the topper!  Also Anything Goes vintage/shabby chic.



 My next card is a real stash buster, I found this cute Whiff of Joy image in my box, already coloured.  I coloured this so long ago that I'm pretty sure it uses Promarkers not Copics!  The sketch comes from this week's Cupcake Crafts Challenge .  Every other challenge at present seems to be about hearts, or lurve or red.  The patches on this little girl's overalls are hearts so I am entering this card for a few hearts and flowers challenges, sorry no Valentine from me this year:(.
My card is for:
Cupcake Crafts - sketch
Flourishes Timesless Tuesday - put your heart on it
Papertake Weekly - hearts and flowers
Corrosive Challenges - hearts and flowers
Great Impressions - have a heart
Catch the Bug - affairs of the heart
2 Sisters - hearts

More from my Out of Print 6x6

Today I've a couple more cards to show you that come from the Basic Grey Out of Print 6x6 which is sitting on my desk, I'm trying hard to use up some of my paper mountain, pad by pad lol!  The first card uses a big Woodware stamp that looks very useful for Mothering Sunday or for birthdays.  I've stamped it twice and popped the middle text up on Pinflair and added some brown pearls to the corners.  The sketch is from Little Miss Muffet Challenge .


The second card looks quite busy for such a lovely C&S sketch, which is from Seize the Birthday and is for a feminine birthday.  The image is from Phindy's Place and is called Bountiful Boy, what a cutie! The sentiment came on a freebie sheet with a magazine recently, not sure which one!  I'm also entering the Shopping our Stash Challenge which is a birthday one.

Just a Note

The theme for Less is More this week is Music.  My stamp is a large Imag-e-nation stamp which I hadn't thought of for a CAS card.  However when I got it out to use the sentiment (which is included with the stamp) I decided that, unadorned, it works fine as a one layer card.  What do you think?  I've put it on a tent-folded card and coloured with Koh-i-Nor pencils, blended with Sansodor.
My card is also for:
Delicious Doodles - no designer papers
Delightful Challenges - think spring (pastel colours)

My next card to show stems from an addiction.  My name is Anne and I am addicted to 6x6 paper pads!  I have decided that I must buy NO MORE PADS until I have used some up totally.  So I took a nearly full pad from the drawer and it will stay upon my craft desk until I have used it all up.

My card is for CAS(E) this Sketch and uses a Stampin' Bella  sentiment and stamp.  I've used silicon glue to give the figure dimension, she is paper pieced and coloured with Copics.  The "ribbon" is also from the DP.  I hope to blog some more cards from my Out of Print paper pad this week...
This card is also for:
Marker POP Challenge - texturising
Eclectic Ellapu - anything girly
One Stitch at a Time - anything goes
Basic Grey - your favourite...  technique (paper piecing), DPs - Basic Grey of course!

A Clutch of Cards

I wanted to have another go at this week's Less is More Challenge of using kraft and creme and pulled this stunning brown and cream stripy grosgrain from my ribbon drawer, it's a Stampin' Up ribbon that I would have in all the colours if I could :).  However this is the only one I have and I think it works perfectly for this card.  The sentiment is from Pink Petticoat, this month's sponsor.  I love it and it is very true.  I used it for Mum's card last year so I'll have to think up something else this year!  The buttons are made with a Woodware punch.
This card is also for:

Anything Goes - monochrome
Word Art Wednesday - anything goes
Papertake - anything goes

 

The sentiments print out 3 to a page in varying shapes so I decided to make a couple more cards.  I'm very keen on the idea of taking part in Paulina's 10 minute craft dash so I gathered my Nesties, bowmaker, buttons and perfect layers tool and came up with this card in just over 6 minutes.  Then I re-read the challenge, which I had thought of as love (I think it's a loving sentiment anyway!) and realised that it is a Hearts challenge.  Oops!

Instead of 10 minute dash, this card is for:

Penny's Paper Crafty - ribbons and bows

Fussy & Fancy - circles

Catch the Bug - anything goes

Creative Moments - buttons and bows

So for my 10 minute craft dash I went back to the kraft and cream colourscheme.  This time I added some tiny craft buttons and used a sizzlits die to cut some hearts.  It's matted onto coffee brown card and I used some more of that yummy wide ribbon.  Without the bow this was a quicker card at 6 minutes and 23 seconds.  What a good thing I didn't have to include the time spent searching for inspiration into turning it into a card with hearts!
This card is for:
10 minute card dash - hearts
Simon Says - have a heart
Digital Tuesday - hearts
Charisma Cardz - love
Crazy Amigos - hearts


This card was made by request, it used the Joanna Sheen Viva la Divas CD and some Craftwork Cards glossy dotty DP, as well as some ribbon roses on a tulle ribbon, a generous sprinkling of gems finished it off.
This card is for:
CD Sunday - showtime
Ruby's Rainbow - roses
Bearly Mine - anything goes

Here's another by request card, this uses an image from a La Pashe CD, with a simple stamped sentiment and some Basic Grey DP added.  I am entering this card for C.R.A.F.T.'s Get Well challenge.

 

And last but not least, I have a decoupaged Joanna Sheen card to show, with no stamping, just lots of layers and then matting.  I am entering this card for Crafting when we Can's cards for boys challenge.

Phew, I think that's me caught up now,  if you're still with me thanks for reading this far lol!

Happy 2nd Birthday Less is More!

Here is a card for the Less is More challenge, which is kraft and cream, to celebrate their second birthday.  I have added a teeny touch of red, the hearts just looked wrong when I stamped them in brown :).  I cut the chevrons all at once, with square Nesties taped together, a technique from the current Online Card Class Clean & Simple Cards 2 (highly recommend this).  They are popped up on foam tape. The sentiment is from Wow and the heart is an Inkadinkado stamp.  Cream linen texture card matted onto kraft.
My card is also for:
Craftroom Challenges - make your own embellishments
Loves Rubberstamps - anything goes
Papertake Weekly - anything goes
Try it On Tuesday - get ready to celebrate Valentine's Day

Dance the Blues

The uber-talented Elaine Wheeler has been using some stunning, unusual digi stamps from Scrapbook Stamp Society and I treated myself to this image recently.  The drawing is intricate and delicate and I was worried that I may have sized it down too far to colour successfully.  Not a bit of it, this coloured with BG Copics like a dream, LOVE the image!  I've followed the Sketch'n'Stash layout (but not the optional theme), adding a flower and ribbon.
My card is for the following challenges;
Sketch'n'Stash - sketch
Totally Papercrafts - let's dance
Cute Card Thursday - out of this world - I think she is a fantasy dancer, what do you think?
Stampin' for the Weekend - something girlie

Have a Heart

Today's Less is More Challenge uses a simple sketch that we are asked to stick closely to.  I was looking for a long thin geometric border among my Waltzing Mouse stamps and saw this in my first ever WM set, Nordic Winter.  With the dreaded Valentines Day coming up I thought a card for the card basket in the local hairdresser might be a good idea.  Added a WM sentiment, some die cut hearts and lightly coloured some of the hearts with a Copic which hasn't bled through to the reverse.  One layer, lots of white space!
My card is also for:
Addicted to CAS - heart
CAS-ual Fridays - make your mark
C.R.A.F.T. - Valentines/love
Addicted to Stamps - clean and simple

Is it too late to negotiate?

Before Christmas Mo Mannning had a sale and I treated myself to a couple of images, here is Bismarck.  I've based my card on Sketch Saturday's layout, using a manly Echo Park DP - never have enough masculine cards!  The sentiment is Dylusions, from the Stamp Attic.  I have popped up both dog and sentiment on Pinflair glue, the background to Bismarck is embossed with bricks, hope you can see it if you click on the card...
My card is for the following challenges:
Sketch Saturday - sketch
Bella and Bronte's - embossing with Mo image
Daring Cardmakers - embossability
Addicted to CAS - embossing (hope my card has enough "white" space!)
Copic Marker Europe - anything goes using Copics
Tuesday Throwdown - furry friends
ABC Christmas - B for bows or boys (it's a boy card)
A Gem of a Challenge - emboss it

Friends

Here is my card for this week's Less is More Challenge, which is Friends.  I've used an old favourite from my images, Let's Play from Phindy's Place.  It's coloured with Copics, I used a Memory Box die for the RH border and added some twine.  I may add a sentiment when I send it, but quite like it without.
My card is for:
Less is More - Friends
Papertake - ties up your loose ends (bow)
Tuesday Throwdown - furry friends
Creative Creations - keep it simple
Without Words - baby it's cold outside

Round is a shape

This week's Less is More challenge is to use a sport or exercise image.  I knew just the image I wanted to use:  Yes You Can from Phindy's Place.  She looks like a lady who is regretting her New Year Resolution.  At the moment Phindy has a 2 for 1 deal on her gorgeous images, well worth a visit to the shop.  I saw the layout at Sketch Saturday this week and thought it was brilliant for a clean and simple card, so I pinched Chrissie's sentiment and came up with this card.  DP is Basic Grey Out of Print, sentiment computer generated.
Then I realised that Less is More is on One Layer week...   Drat!  Oh well, back to the drawing board lol!
My card is for:
Sketch Saturday - sketch
Basic Grey - new beginnings (New Year resolutions)
SweetPeaStampers - clean and simple
Creative Moments - anything goes
Ruby's Rainbow - smile (what a lovely theme for a grey January day!)

 

 And here is my one layer exercise card for Less is More.  Not sure how this will look in daylight and I may well have another go at it.  I fought with those bleedin' text boxes and gave up.  Coloured with Copics but wanted to add a round shape to the round lady again.  Used my Pan Pastels and erased the yellow from the coloured bits of the design, but I think there may be a bit of Simpsons yellow left in her flesh tones  :).  Or maybe she's a dire warning...  too much exercise can give you jaundice.  Hmm, time for a glass of wine once I pick younger son up from work I think.

Winter Bough

OK my new year resolution to work through my C&S class daily hit a stumbling block - a horrid cold that took my mojo along with my energy.  Hopefully the worst of the snivelling is over and here is a card I made for CAS(E) this Sketch.  As soon as I saw it I knew I wanted to use an Inkylicious stamp that appealed to me when I saw it at the NEC last Autumn.  The sentiment came with it and I've coloured in the berries and added some Glossy Accents.
My card is also for:
Simon Says - black and white with a splash of colour
Less is More - black and white and a splash of colour
CAS-ology - winter

Celebrate with Cake

Here's another card using one of my much-loved Phindy's Place images, this little girl is called Celebrate with Cake.  She is coloured with Copics, cute image or what?  I've used Basic Grey Kioshi DP and followed the sketch at Sweet Sketch Wednesday.  The little flowers are from an EK Success punch, the sentiment is by request!
I am entering my card for:
Sweet Sketch Wednesday - sketch
Basic Grey - anything goes
Colour Me Creative Copic Classroom - soft pastels
Forever Friends - birthdays

Black & white + one

This week's Less is More Challenge is to make a card using black and white with just a hint of another colour.  I've used a stunning Technique Tuesday stamp that I got at the NEC, paired with a WOW sentiment.  I've used a marker to give a hint of colour to the petals (tried colouring the centre red at first but that was a lot more than a hint of red lol) and matted onto red cardstock.
My card is also for:
CAS-ual Fridays - thanks
Hiding in my Craftroom - black and white + 1
Moving Along with the Times - thank you

Pretty purple

Today's clean & simple class card uses some stamps that have never before seen ink.  The text is a Christmas stamp that I bought at the NEC over a year ago, comes with a lovely poinsettia, never used it till today!  And the flower is a Craft Stamper freebie.  The sentiment is Joanna Sheen House Mouse, as you can probably guess I messed up the first sentiment, which is why it's popped up from the card, over the first attempt!

All stamping white embossed, dotty white ribbon coloured with Copic.

My card is entered for the following challenges:
Allsorts - clean & simple
Hotshot Crafts - clean & simple
Charisma Cardz - monochrome
Creative Moments - embossing
ABC Challenge - E is for embossing

Keep in Touch

I couldn't resist playing along at Sketch Saturday this week, they have a fab sketch.  So, in the nick of time, here's my card:).  The Connected Girl image is by Phindy O'Neill and the DP is Basic Grey Out of Print.  I've added a computer generated sentiment and a couple of gemstones.  I'm also entering the Anything Goes Challenge at both Stampin' for the Weekend and Papertake Weekly. 

January Blues

Today's offering from my Clean & Simple class that I'm taking is my favourite so far, it was also incredibly time consuming!  The class card layered many diecuts to give a chipboard effect with the underneath layers in white so the white edges can be seen.  I drove myself temporarily (or is it nothing new?) insane trying to layer and adhere  my wreaths perfectly.  In the end I gave up and cut them from the blue card.  Die is Poppystamps, the circles are from a punch and from a good old four hole office punch.  Sentiment is Hobby Arts.
I am entering my card for:
Charisma Cardz - monchrome
Totally Papercrafts - something new (the die is new and so is the technique to me)
Cute Card Thursday - something new (ditto)

Is it possible to have too much white space?!

Here are my cards from day 2 of my c&s course.  I ended up making 2 as my standard card size of 5x7 had too much  white space, I felt.  All stamps are Waltzing Mouse and I used Versafine Vermilion Red for the flowers. 

New Year, New Start

Happy New Year to all my friends in blogdom.  My kind FIL gave me a cheque for Christmas and told me to treat myself, so I decided to sign up for Clean & Simple Cardmaking with Online Card Classes.  This is an independent class and I have promised myself that I will make a card each day for a fortnight.  If I keep up, there is an interactive C&S2 class coming soon...
Yesterday's card used a simple sketch.  The sentiment was white embossed but it didn't stand out enough, so I covered that mistake with a 3D sentiment.  That meant my punched shapes looked awkward above the sentiment so I moved them to top left.  Stamp used is from Do-Craft, sentiment is Waltzing Mouse.  The flowers are punched from card inked with the same ink I stamped with.
Next card coming up tomorrow...
I am entering my card for the Simon Says Something New Challenge - the class I'm taking being new to me

Peace be with you

I often have good intentions to enter challenges and one that I'm guilty of not entering as often as I should is the Waltzing Mouse Sketch Challenge.  I was sad to see that this week is the last sketch challenge and I look forward to the new challenges that they will be bringing us from time to time.

My card is very clean and simple, using the set Yonder Star as well as a centre from Dainty Doilies.  Everything is stamped in Versafine Majestic Blue, the centre and the sentiment are popped up on some Pinflair glue and I've added a few touches of Ice Stickles.

I'm also entering my card for:
Cute Card Thursday - anything goes
Charisma Cardz - anything goes
Catch the bug - holiday/seasonal
Hotshot Crafts - clean and simple

Cheers!

This week the Less is More Challenge has the theme of drinks.  Chrissie, imitation is a form of flattery!  I've noticed several offset circle frames recently and really like the effect, so I've made this card which is very similar to one of your gorgeous creations!  The stamp and sentiment are Elusive Images (now Chocolate Baroque).  I've coloured with watercolour markers and added Glossy Accents to my glass.  I noticed yesterday that CAS-ual Fridays have a 10 minute holiday card challenge, teaming up with Paulina's 10 minute craft dash,  which I thought was a fun idea.  So I set my kitchen timer and rattled this card off in just under 8 minutes!  Of course the Glossy Accents still needs time to dry.

The weather outside is ghastly, wet, wet, wet.  I have endured the worst year of my life.  But I am determined that my glass is full, not empty and I'm raising my glass (metaphorically, it's a bit early!) to all my fellow bloggers and wishing you a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.  Cheers!

In a row

This week the challenge at Less is More is In a Row.  I had a request for some last minute Christmas cards and this is what I came up with:  Memory Box tree stamp, Stickles for the tree lights, a double row scored above and below the picture and a Hero Arts sentiment.  Really pleased with this one... wish I could get a better photo in this winter gloom.
I'm also entering my card for:
Simon Says - what's your favourite - my favourite stamps are tree stamps, I have a forest of them!  Also love Stickles
Charisma Cardz - Christmas makes
C.R.A.F.T. - Winter
Cupcake Craft - Merry Christmas

Home Sweet Home

Today's card uses a super new big stamp from Stamp Addicts, called Thatched House.  To give you an idea of its size, this is an 8" card.  I've stamped it four times in Versafine black and cut and decoupaged the layers.  I used a watercolour pen to add a few bright red highlights, the girl on the steps isn't too easy to see without colour on her dress.  The ribbon picks out the red highlights and I've added some matting and layering and a few black gemstones.

My card is for:

Pile it On - anything but a Christmas card

Cupcake Crafts - black and white plus one

Fashionable Stamping Challenges - home sweet home

Robyn's Fetish - black and white plus one

Less is More - glamour and glitz

This week's Less is More card is for a friend who is getting married between Christmas and New Year.  This rather odd angle was the most successful for photographing mirri card and Wow silver sparkle embossing!  The wreath is from Stamps by Chloe, the sentiment is Waltzing Mouse.  There are a couple of embossed lines under the image. 

Poppies aren't always yellow

As a change from the Christmas and Baby cards I've been making, Stamp Addicts have a fab new poppy stamp.  I've made a Welsh Poppy card using the CAS(e) this sketch layout.  It's watercoloured with Distress Inks, with some brads instead of the sentiment, a hardware entry for Less is More.  The yellow raffia behind the matted image was around some flowers that I was sent.

This card is for:
CAS(e) this Sketch - sketch
Less is More - hardware



My second card has the poppy stamped onto Kraft card, coloured with Koh-i-nor pencils and some Glossy Accents.  I've embossed a panel behind the image.
This card is for:
Sassy Studios - no patterned paper
Polka Doodles - square card with a round element

Washing Line

I'm trying to build up enough baby cards in my stash and here is one I finished last night, using DP with faux stitching that has been in my stash for... umm..  some years!  Washing line, sentiment and washing stamps from StampsbyChloe.  The "washing" has Pinflair glue to give it dimension.
My card is for:
My Time to Craft - new baby
Totally Gorjuss - plain and simple
Stampin' with the Dragon - so cute
Anything Goes - stitching real or faux

Let it Snow

Here is a card I have made to combine several challenges.  Less is More this week wants us to use hardware so I added a snowflake charm on some ribbon to some white cardstock cut with a Memory Box die (does this count as using metal?!).  Snow is the theme at a new challenge blog, Addicted to C&S and the CAS-ual Fridays theme is winter blues.  I'm sure you can guess that I matted and layered my sentiment after I smudged the direct to card sentiment first time round!
My card is for:
Less is More - hardware
Addicted to CAS - snow
CAS-ual Fridays - winter blues

C&S = Christmas

 Today I have two C&S cards to show you.  The first, which is black and white with a tiny accent of red, is for TotallyPapercrafts' Clean and Simple Black and White Challenge.  I've used a Memory Box tree die a couple of times and then die cut with a Nestie octagon.  There are tiny red Stickles lights glowing in my tree and a Craftwork Cards sentiment is added to a Nestie scalloped circle.
My card is for:
Totally Papercrafts - c&s black & white
My Mum's Craft Shop - winter wonderland
Crafty Sentiments - Christmas

Crafty Cardmakers - more than one punch or die cut

The second card uses a Memory Box sentiment stamp, stamped in Majestic Blue Versafine on textured cardstock.  I've added some matting and a blue bow (looks almost black in the rubbish ligt we have today!) and this card is for:
CAS-ual Fridays - winter blues.
 LEJ - seasons greetings
Fashionista Challenge - blue Christmas
Great Impressions Stamps - holidays

New Baby Boy

Here's another card for the local baby boom, paper pieced in blue spots and stripes.  I've followed the sketch at Woodware Challenge, adding a Stamps by Chloe sentiment to my Woodware stamp.

Last night a bunch of us went to see Skyfall which was great fun.  Tonight I had a go at re-enacting the shower scene but not in such glamourous circumstances!  Stella the dog rolled in something that smelled like very rotten fish (unlikely as we're many miles inland and nowhere near the river) and the only thing to do was to strip off and get in with her, in the interest of confining the mess to the shower cubicle.
My card is for the following challenges:
Woodware Challenge - sketch
Catch the Bug - things with tails
Charisma Cardz - feeling blue
Divas by Design - let's get cute

Pretty pink paper piecing

I have several friends due to have babies over the next few weeks and one of them, Laurie, has opted not to know the sex of her baby.  Good for her!  However it does mean I need a good supply of cards for both sexes!  I followed the sketch at Cute Card Thursday, paper piecing my Francoise Reed Woodware elephant and adding a bit of extra colout with a Copic.  The hearts and sentiment are part of the stamp set, they are popped up on 3D dots.
My card is for:
Cute Card Thursday - sketch
Stampin' for the Weekend - all stitched up
Allsorts - young at heart
Loves Rubber Stamps - anything goes
Magic in the Air - pretty in pink

Safe as Houses or the Mysterious Missing Stamp

Good morning and for once I'm bright and early with my Less is More card.  I had a lovely time at the NEC with Chrissie, Lady Limette herself, earlier in the week and replaced my Little Claire houses stamp.  I've used this a lot since I got it, but somehow it has totally vanished, despite turning the draft room and house upside down searching.
Several friends have moved home recently and I spent yesterday evening making cards very similar to this, but with more vivid colours and a bit of matting and layering.  It was easy to modify and stamp up  a one layer, I've coloured very gently with my Copics in pastel shades, there is next to no show through on the back.  The line from the hill is extended with a Pigma Micron pen off the edge of the card.  Punch at the bottom is an EK success that I've had for ages.  Now I've got the stamp out I may do some Christmas scenes with it but they probably won't be one layer! 

Speedy Service

Here's a very quick, very clean and simple card I've made in my lunch hour, having got home to find my gorgeous new Waltzing Mouse stamps had arrived already; they were only released at the weekend!  It's loosely based on this week's Waltzing Mouse Sketch Challenge and I will be back later to enter some more challenges I hope.  I've cut out the Yonder Star image, stamped in red Versafine and added it to a strip of card.  Perfect for all my quilting friends this Christmas!  In case anyone is wondering about the quilt block, it is called Feathered Star and below is a 6" finished size feathered star, a spare from a cot quilt I made some years ago.  Yes I DID say 6" - madness!!!

Less is More - Pink Mark II

I'm a bit happier with this second attempt at a pink Christmas.  This bears a strong resemblance to last week's sketch challenge at Less is More.  I've used clear and silver WOW embossing powders and inked with Spun Sugar and Won Lipstick.  The stamp was free with this month's Craft Stamper, sentiment is Indigo Blu.
My card is for:
Less is More - pink
WOW Embossing - Christmas

Less is More - pink

This week's Less is More Challenge is to use pink.  I was looking through my cards yesterday and decided that I have a desperate shortage of masculine cards and need to concentrate on making a batch.  So pink wasn't ideal!  I also need Christmas cards so I made a non-traditional, pink, Christmas card with a Memory Box die, a Martha Stewart punch, ribbon, a bit of bling and a Craftwork Cards sentiment.  Now I've photographed it I see that my ribbon needs trimming - oops.  Hope this isn't too busy, if so I have an idea for Pink Mk II...