Less is More Challenge - Sketch

I spent a wonderful birthday playing with crafty things at Chrissie's (Lady LIMette herself)  on Wednesday and when I heard that Jen might not be able to make her cards for this week's challenge I jumped in and asked if I could do some for Less is More.  Chrissie kindly agreed and let me see Jen's fab sketch for this week's challenge, this is what I came up with.

First card is a slavish copy of the sketch:  the sentiment is computer generated, I've embossed Swiss Dots on the star, used my sewing machine to pierce a border round the card and added a simple mat.  The cardstock is White Laid, really interesting texture in real life.

 
Second card  is a little more adventurous, the shape is now a rectangle and my star has become a 3D flower made using my Portrait.  The lime green mesh came from Stamp Attic, the card candi and sentiment are from Craftwork cards.

Hope you like my cards and I may add some more using this great sketch...

Stashbusting for Christmas

Here's a card I made using papers that came with a Debbi Moore magazine and based on the Sketch Saturday layout.  I'm sticking to my resolution to make a Christmas card a week - so far - as well as enjoying the stash that I have.  I'm also entering my card for Christmas Fun's non-traditional Christmas colours challenge.

DT Card - Ooh La La - Man Card

Today we have a really useful new challenge from Ooh La La Creations, which is to make a card for a man.  I always seem to have lots of feminine cards and not enough man cards, so this is a great time to redress the balance!  My Golden Retriever image comes from the Ooh La La CD Faithful Friends, which has gorgeous dog images and some fab masculine papers too, I've used plaid and a woodgrain for my card.  The sentiments are Joanna Sheen stamps, corners die cut with Memory Box die and ribbon from Stampin' Up.

Oh Deer!

I treated myself to the Pollyanna Pickering papercrafting kit for Christmas and yesterday night sat down to make a couple of cards instead of just stroking the papers...

My card is based on Jen's layout at Sketch Saturday, though I opted to move the banner down as it didn't look right when it was across the image.  Very clean and simple, this card uses DP from the kit, image matted onto silver mirri which was also used to punch the snowflake.  The banner is made from a scrap of dotty embossed card.

I'm entering my card for:
Sketch Saturday - sketch
Christmas Fun - anything (Christmas) goes
Simon Says - ice inspiration
Cute Card Thursday - cold and frosty
Totally Papercrafts - winter wonderland

Less is More - one layer hearts

I used this week's Less is More Challenge as an excuse to buy a new stamp on Saturday, as I didn't think I had any heart stamps.  Of course when I got home I found an Inkadinkado Stamping Gear one as well as a freebie from Craft Stamper!  Oh well, I love JOFY stamps and this is so pretty.  I stamped 3 times, coloured with Pan Pastels and added Glossy Accents to the hearts.  The background was meant to be a distressed, old book page kind of colour; not sure it has worked too well...  Kisses stamp is Hero Arts.
I'm also entering:
Pan Pastels - anything goes
A Gem of a Challenge - something new (stamp)

New card, old stash

Continuing my New Year theme of enjoying the stash I have, here is a very pink, very pretty card made using the Precious Petals CD by Joanna Sheen.  Bought it on Ebay last year, but never used it until now...
Butterflies and Cand Candy are Craftwork Cards, paper is very very old from my stash and sentiment computer generated.

The butterflies are there as cover-up because my printer has left a dirty mark on the paper, happened a couple of times lately when I've been printing for craft.  I've had stern words with it, watch this space...

I'm entering my card for:
CD Sunday - pretty in pink
Feeling Crafty - butterflies
Just Inspiration - girly
Use Your Stuff - new beginnings
Crafty Sentiments - new

Ooh La La Challenge - Easel Cards

Hmm... that was an interesting weekend.  Both sons now back at uni, older son evacuated multiple times from various halls of residence on the seafront at Aberystwyth, not the best place to be just now!

Anyhow, today is the first challenge of the New Year for Ooh La La, to make an easel card.  I have opted to use artwork from the Carnival of Colour CD, which has gorgeous images from Beverly Morgan.  I've added punched and diecut poppies as well as backing paper from the CD.  My sentiment says "Happy Birthday" - I never seem to get a good photo of both base and topper on easel cards, but really it does look great IRL :)

Love the stash you have

I've a few good intentions for my crafting in 2014 - not resolutions as they never seem to last past January :).

•  I plan to make a Christmas card each week, how did Christmas catch me out last year, did they move the date or something?!  I was still making cards on the 23rd, rather stressful...

• Love and use the stash that I am lucky enough to have.

 

My entries for this week's Less Is More Challenge - Winter Blues - fit the bill for both.  I have a vast stock of card candy and I am in awe of those who create clever things with it.  Used it to make a tree; I found it quite challenging enough to keep my tree from leaning at a drunken angle!  Note to self:  all candy candy is not equal (in size that is).  Pot stamp from Inky Doodles, sentiment from Stampin' Up.

  


Second card uses pattern stamps by Inky Doodles that I fell for at the NEC last year.  These make the most amazing and varied backgrounds.  Yesterday they were featured on Create & Craft which reminded me just how much they needed to be inked up and played with.  They do match up to repeat but I needed just one strip of pattern on my LIM card.  I had several attempts at this, but the problem was not caused by the stamps, my inky fingers on the pristine white space were the problem :).  Inks used:  Versafine, Memento and Stampin' Up.  Sentiment from Inky Doodles.

I'm also entering my cards for:
Allsorts - free and easy
Keep it Simple - anything goes
Gem of a Challenge - something new (new stamps)
Open Minded Crafting - new toys or technique

Hope to bring you some more 2014 "enjoying my stash" cards soon.

New Beginnings

 It's a new year and new beginnings, with this in mind I've two rather ornate new baby cards to show you today.  Both are made with CraftsUPrint downloads and each has a tag with it, though I've only shown it for the boy card.  I've decoupaged, added lace, ribbon, gems, embossing...  between them the cards have most embellies!

I'm entering my cards for:
Simon Says - something new
Little Red Wagon - new beginnings
Allways something creative - something new
Ready teddy go - new beginnings (the teddy is in the baby's arms)

Happy New Year to all my blogging friends and I hope that 2014 brings you health and happiness.