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...

Waltzing Mouse Wedding

The cold weather has given me a push into the craft room and last night, as the roads in the village were gritted for the first time this winter, I came up with this card for the Waltzing Mouse Sketch Challenge.  I absolutely LOVE the detail of the stitches on their Nordic stamps and now I see from a sneak peek that they may be coming out with a quilt block style set - can't wait!  Don't know if you can see in the picture, the large white panel is embossed.  All stamps Waltzing Mouse.
I'm also entering my card for:
Stampin' for the Weekend - anything goes
Allsorts - in stitches
CAS-ual Fridays - kraft
Chocolate, Coffee and Cards - stitching
Do you stack up - embossing
Papercrafting Journey - ribbon or twine

Less is More Sketch

 I think sketches are great when I'm struggling a bit with my mojo.  This week there is a sketch to follow at Less is More Challenge.  When I checked back at the blog to add my entry I see that I have the sketch rotated and that I didn't HAVE to put the sentiment bottom right.  Oh well it works there for me lol!  First card uses Memory Box DP and dies, along with a Papermania sentiment. I drew in the string for the bauble.

Second card uses a Phindy's Place image called Big Hill.  Coloured with Copics and some icy Stickles, this is added to a dry embossed panel lifted from Chrissie's card for inspiration.

Kraft On

The CAS-ual Fridays Challenge this week is to use Kraft in your creation.  I've used my Snowy Village set from Stamp Addicts, giving it white highlights with a Koh-i-nor pencil and added a Memory Box diecut.  The sentiment is also from the Snowy Village set.

Less is More - Autumn

My card for this week's Less is More Challenge uses a piece of DP far too beautiful to cut up and hide in a card.  So I've matted a strip with the bird onto another DP from the pack, added a small strip under the punched border and added a sentiment.  Very quick, very simple, don't mention all the stamped, embossed rejects that came before!  DP Memory Box Blackbird, sentiment Wow.
I'm also entering my card for:
Allsorts - autumn colours
Charisma Cardz - clean & simple

A bit of glitz

Here's a simple easel card I made using the Stamp Addicts Wildflowers set.  It's stamped with Versafine Olympia Green and it has lots of Glamour Dust sprinkled across the flowers.  Very hard to see in the photo, it's really glitzy in real life!
I'm entering my card for Charisma Cardzclean and simple and Cute Card Thursday's Got Glitter.

Copycat Christmas Cards

 Went to my local stamp shop, Stamp Attic, on Monday and bought this lovely Woodware stamp.  I would like to say that my cards are inspired by the sample in Stamp Attic but in truth they are so close to it as to be pretty much the same!  All the cards are paper pieced, variations include twine, ribbon, card candy and a 3D ornament.  I'm entering my cards for Cute Card Thursday's paper piecing challenge.

Rescued from the bin

For some reason this week's one layer LIM Challenge of Wings gave me a real mental block.  I inked up this Sheena Douglass stamp for the first time but had a lot of trouble stamping it out without either an unclear image or dirty marks around the edge of the stamp.  I have rockerblocks to avoid this problem and haven't a clue what I was doing wrong!  This attempt, watercoloured with Distress Inks, ended up in the bin last night, however I decided it wasn't as bad as I thought and I rescued it.

This is the last piece of watercolour cardstock I had so my confession is that this won't end up a one layer card:  I like it as it is, but if you turn it over there is a reject stamped image on the other side!  Oh well, just a very simple mat will turn it into a useable card...

Hi (Ho) Silver

Sorry for the long absence, haven't felt at all creative lately.  Reading that today is World Cardmaking Day shamed me into action and here is a card I've made for this week's Less is More colour challenge - silver.  I've used my WOW silver embossing powder and stamped a Stampin' Up Lovely as a Tree, adding a silver gem and white, then silver mirri mats.  The sentiment is Indygo Blue.  I'm also linking my card to the World Cardmaking Day celebrations at the WOW blog - pop over there for a chance to win some of their brilliant embossing powders.

Less is More - Fur or Feather

I'm bright and early with a card for this week's Less is More: this is an old Lili of the Valley stamp, coloured with Copics and with some Woodware Fluffy Stuff on his hat.  I love the Stampin Up sentiment.

Last minute Less is More

I've been struggling to get enthusiasm to craft lately.  But I didn't want to miss the Less is More Challenge, so here's my blue & green card, which has Bashful Blue inked in a strip.  The flowers are this month's free stamp from Craft Stamper - designed by Lady Limette Chrissie herself - and the sentiment is Stampin' Up, both inked in Versamark Olympic Green

Thank You and Farewell

Today I post my last card for the Phindy's Place Challenge - at least for now.  Phindy has family matters that need her time and is unable to find the time to draw her stunning images at present.
I have used Bountiful Bouquet to make a Thank You card for Phindy with a Penny Black sentiment.  I would like to thank all the Design Team, past and present, who have become friends, some virtual and some in real life.  I'd like to thank everyone who entered the challenges, but most of all I'd like to thank Phindy who gave me the chance to work with her beautiful images.

THANK YOU!

Fun in the Sun

I have lots of bags of decoupage cut out and ready to assemble, thought it was time I put one together!  I've added a couple of ribbons to this one, I'm entering it for House Mouse & Friends Fun in the Sun Challenge and Simon Says Anything Goes.

Less is More Sketch

This week at Less is More Chrissie and Mandi have challenged us with a sketch.  I've added a white panel and embossed sentiment to a Kraft card.  A couple of scored lines, a Martha Stewart punch and some seam binding complete the panel, sentiment is Stampin' Up.

Cover a Card

 

This card uses two Cover a Card stamps:  clouds and the branches.  The clouds were stamped in Versamark, then I used chalks rubbed on with a cotton wool ball to give it colour.  Saw someone demoing this at Newbury Art Stamps, really pleased with the effect it gives. 

I am entering my card for the Simon Says Anything Goes Challenge and Shopping Our Stash - Something new (the two stamps)..

Phindy's Place Challenge #114 - button it

This weeks' Phindy's Place Challenge is to use buttons.  I've added a good sprinkling of assorted buttons to my card, based on this weeks' Sketch Saturday.  The image is Spools and the sentiment from Pink Petticoat.

Less is More - Three

Sorry for an absence from Blogdom; I've not been feeling much like crafting.  However I don't like to miss the Less is More Challenge and here is my card for their Three Challenge.  The fairies stamp is Lavinia Stamps, the sentiment is Stampin' Up and I've brushed inks on to make a background.  The wings have a rather heavy layer of Stickles.

Less Is More - Gold

Today I had a fun day at Newbury Artstamps and met my friend Val.  One of my purchases was a set of Hobby Art clear stamps, here I've used Wow Superfine Gold and embossed them onto black for this week's Less is More Challenge. 

Less is More Lucky Dip

This week Less is More is asking us to take inspiration from their header.  Yikes I'm usually rubbish at inspiration challenges...   but this time my card came together in about 5 minutes.  I am taking part in an envelope swap on the Joanna Sheen Forum and I got the most sumptuous colour co-ordinated pack a while back that has been sitting on my desk.  I used two strips of the paper and a diecut, adding a Hobby Art sentiment.  If anyone knows who makes this diecut I'd love to know, gorgeous isn't it?

Phindy's Place Challenge #112 - inspired by song or movie

Good Morning and welcome to a rainy Friday.  This week at Phindy's we're challenging you to make a card inspired by a song or a movie.  I've chosen a very fitting song for this English summer that we're enduring:  Will it Ever Stop Raining by the Saw Doctors.  Check out the video, they are a brilliant band to see live, one of my all-time favourites.  I've coloured with Copics, Distress Ink and Stickles and I followed Sketch 8 from Sketch'n'Stash for my card, using some lovely new stash of a 6x6 paper pad from Stamp Attic.

My card is also for the following challenges:
Sketch'n'Stash - free choice
Deep Ocean - welcome summer
LEJ Designs - summer's here
Sweet Stamps - patriotic or summer
Corrosive Challenge - summertime girls
Joanna Sheen - summer daze
Totally Gorjuss - something yellow

Digi Doodle Shop Challenge #114 - pink & purple

Here's my card for this week's Digi Doodle Shop Challenge, which is to use pink and purple.  I thought this lovely scene, Beach Babes, just cried out to have pink and purple swimming costumes - but I have ended up with other colours of course for the scene!  No idea where my DP came from, I've used lots of squares here.
My card is also for the following challenges:
Inky Impressions - beach fun
Scrapalicious - summertime
Bearly Mine - anything goes
Deep Ocean - summer
Sassy Cheryls - summer

New Home

Today I've a New Home card to show you, it uses a keyhole from a lovely Stamp Addicts set.  I've stamped in Sepia Versafine and simply matted and layered.

Just Chill

 Today's card uses warm summer colours - if only we had the weather to go with it!  I've used a Sketch'n'Stash sketch and the House Mouse & Friends Monday Challenge of Liquid Refreshments for hot summer days as the theme.  I've coated the glass with lots of Glossy Accents, can you see the shine?  The sentiment came with the HM stamp.

Some pretty pink paper piecing

I'm a bit late entering Less is More this week but it's a favourite technique of mine: paper piecing.  I've used a sweet Phindy's Place image called Spring Dress Mei Mei and I've paper pieced her dress from Basic Grey Indian Summer DP.  Never mind Indian Summer, please can we have a summer first!   The image is matted and layered a few times and a sentiment that came free with a magazine added to it.  I'm also entering CAS-ual Friday's Pretty in Pink Challenge.
My hairdresser asked me to make her a wedding card and I've come up with these two, what do you think?

First one is a Whiff of Joy stamp silver embossed and the second is a Waltzing Mouse sentiment on a Spellbinder mounted onto gold pearlescent card.

Phindy's Place Challenge #111, Plaid/Check

This week at Phindy's Place we're challenging you to use a check or plaid.  I've used a My Mind's Eye check that I like so much I bought it as a 6x6 pad and a sheet of the 12"!   I've paper pieced Spring Dress Mei Mei and kept my card very simple, adding some yummy roses ribbon from Stamp Attic.