Faithful Friends - Ooh La La Challenge #155

Sorry to be late posting my card for today's Ooh La La Challenge, I have a horrid cold and have slept most of the day away!  Our challenge this week is called Faithful Friends and I have used the lovely Golden Retriever from the Ooh La La CD Faithful Friends.  This card is one of those DT cards that I feel should be more complex, but although I tried adding all sorts of embellishments and bells and whistles the image really says it all and any more than the backing paper from the CD and a nice stripy grosgrain ribbon was just too fussy!

I am building up a collection of Golden Retriever cards for my Mum, who kept them most of her life and this card is to add to the collection, so I'm entering my card for CD Sunday's "for someone special" challenge.

Less is More Week 169 - a sketch

This week's Less is More Challenge is to make your CAS card based on this simple sketch.  My first card uses the Stampin' Up Build a Bird punch.  I've coloured my kraft card birds with a bit of Distress Ink and given them a pop hole.  The sentiment is from Joanna Sheen.  I can't decide whether this is a young bird being fed in the nest or a lovely-dovey pair of birds, could be either...


Second card is cut with my Portrait,uses soft pastel shades and a Stampin' Up sentiment.

I'm entering a few challenges with my cards:
Just a Note:
 Get Inky - die cuts
Simon Says - clean and simple
Sisterhood of Crafters - things with wings

Butterfly Birthday
Scrappers Delight - pretty pastels
Simon Says - clean and simple
Stempelgarten - pastel colours mix

 

Spectacular

Today's card is monochromatic and masculine.  Specs are cut with my Portrait, sentiment is computer generated, I added a couple of tiny holographic rhinestones.
I'm entering my card for:
Simon Says - clean and simple
Artistic Impressions - CAS/anything goes
Aurora Wings - monochromatic
Eureka Stamps - clean and simple

Collection of Cats

 A few weeks back I was lucky enough to get a copy of Joanna Sheen's Ivory Cats CD on EBay.  I am a dog person rather than a cat person but the artwork on this CD is exquisite, I love it and I'm sure my many friends who love cats will too!  I printed off a few images over the weekend and have finished a couple of cards to show you.

First one is for CD Sunday's Art Deco/ Art Nouveau Challenge.  It may a different entry, but it is Art Nouveau!  Image is matted onto embossed gold card, gems, Stickles and a Craftwork Cards sentiment added to the image.  Some hand-dyed thread and some Card Candi finish it off.
I'm also entering my card for:
Simon Says - animal antics
Incy Wincy - furry friends



 
I love the vibrant colours in this image, but admit that I should have teamed it with black die cut cats not brown!   I didn't want the orange paper and black to shout "Halloween"...
I'm entering my card for:
Krafty Katz - B is for...   boats, buoys, black cats, blue card candi
Simon Says - animal antics
Cute Card Thursday - splish splash

Less is More - Week 168 - Makes me Smile

This week's theme at Less is More is "Makes me Smile".  This is a four day weekend, so that makes me smile for a start :).  I have some cards to show you that make me smile, I hope they make you smile too.

First up is a favourite stamp from Acid Drops and What-Nots, this character is called Christine.  Now Chrissie (Lady LIM) does enjoy a glass of red, this Copic coloured card certainly makes me smile.  Actually it makes me jealous too; I absolutely love red wine but for the last year or so it has not liked me and with sadness I have given up for now and am trying to learn to love white...

My next card has a great sentiment stamp from Woodware.  I've resist embossed it and then brushed Salty Ocean and Mown Lawn Distress Inks onto it.  The frame and the balloons were cut by my Portrait and again I inked the balloons.  A bit of twine and some tiny green pearls finished this one off.

Third card is completely die-cut.  The Memory Box sentiment has All Occasions diecuts of puppies added, I bought the dies last week at Ally Pally whilst on a crafty shopping spree with Chrissie.  Puppies make me smile and so does new stash.

Feline Fun

I bought a couple of sets of dies at Ally Pally, dogs and cats, from All Occasions.  Now I am a dog person, not a cat person, but these really appealed to me.  The dies are tiny, but they cut perfectly and the diecuts come out of the die really easily.
I had this week's CAS(E) this Sketch Challenge in mind when I got them out to play with... what do you think?  The cardstock is hammered card, I've popped the squares up on dimensionals.  The sentiment was a free stamp with a magazine and the pawprints were hand drawn.  They camouflage a tiny, tiny, ink mark that bugged me even though it was all but invisible :)

Ooh La La Challenge - Easter or Spring

This week's Ooh La La Challenge is to make an Easter or Spring card, doesn't have to be using an Ooh La La image but we love it when you do!  I like the faux layered effect images and of course, being a keen poultry keeper, I love this image, called Henpecked, from the Carnival of Colour CD which has artwork by Beverly Morgan.  They look like Partridge Pekins to me, don't know what you think!
The co-ordinating DP from the CD is just gorgeous, printed two sheets as I like it so much, it looks like it has the linear texture of dupion silk, fab!  Top white layer is embossed with Swiss Dots, I've added some feathers and some chicks cut with my Silhouette.

I'm entering my card for the following challenges:
Simon Says - Happy Easter
Di's Digi Designs - Easter
Dream Valley Challenges - Easter
That Craft Place - Easter
Jo's Scrap Place - Easter
Totally Papercrafts - Easter (sorry to see their challenge is closing)
Alphabet Challenge - E is for Easter
Craft for the Craic- Easter
Crafting 4 Eternity - Easter

Far Away

Just home from a fantabulous day at Ally Pally with Lady LIM herself, Chrissie.  Made this card yesterday, reached straight for this Judikins stamp that I've had for ages when I saw the Addicted to CAS Challenge this week.  I'm very into washi tape right now (can you believe I didn't notice a single roll there today!!) and added a couple of strips in.  OK, to be truthful, I got a tiny smudge from the sentiment on the bottom of the card and it seemed a good cover-up lol!
Stamped in Versafine, Distress Ink brushed through a mask and some DI added to the detail with a brush.

Less is More - Week 167

After a rather roller-coaster week, here are my cards for this week's Less is More Challenge, this week is One Layer week and the challenge is Shadow Stamping.  I must apologise for the poor quality photos, I didn't get a chance to do these until it was dark!  Both cards have something in common: they use neglected stash.

First card uses Card-Io tapestry stamps to make a floral wreath, the twigs, flowers and leaves are all stamped several times without re-inking.  Some of the flower centres have Stickles added.  I haven't added a sentiment to this card, though it's meant to be an Easter wreath, I felt it was looking quite busy enough...

 

Second card uses my Inkadinkado Stamping Gear, with repeat stamping under an embossed line.  The sentiment is Hero Arts and I added some gems to the flower centres.

I've really enjoyed all the Touch of Turquoise cards and I'm looking forward to lots of lovely LIMette cards with shadow stamping.  Also looking forward to a trip to Ally Pally with Chrissie!

Less is More - Week 166 - Touch of Turquoise

 I'm very proud to say that I am now a full-time member of the Less is More team and here are my cards for this week's colour challenge:
A Touch of Turquoise.
My first card was cut with my Portrait, I like the turquoise against kraft card, not a combination I've tried before.  Sentiment, from Simon Says Stamp, is inked in Memento Bahama Blue.
I'm entering this card for some challenges:
 Allsorts Challenge - no flowers
Crafty Calender Challenge - things with wings 
Wags 'n' Whiskers - CAS
 

Second card is a one layer tent fold.  I bought an Inkadinkado Stamping Gear last year and have hardly used it.  Got it out for this card and used a bubble stamp, adding a sentiment from Different Colours in the middle, as well as some turquoise bling and twine.
I'm entering this card for some more challenges:
Simon Says - birthday
Brown Sugar - clean and simple

Hope you like my cards and I look forward to visiting your blogs and seeing your turquoise creations.

Pretty Pastel Shades

At the weekend I got out my Copics again; my eyesight is deteriorating and I'm not generally pleased with my colouring these days.  So I printed a couple of ADFD images larger than usual and had another go, was quite pleased with this image which I'm entering for A Day for Daisie's Challenge this week which is Pretty Pastels.
Background is embossed with Swiss Dots, Card Candi and sentiment are Craftwork Cards, die cut flowers are Memory Box and I've added Glossy Accents to the die cut flowers and the flowers in Mum's hair.  What do you think?

I'm also entering the following challenges:
Digi Choosday - flower power
Cheerful Stamp Pad - add some flowers
Crafty Cardmakers - you've been framed
Paper Makeup Stamps - pastel colours
Kaboodledoodles - spring is coming
Allsorts - use those dies
Creative Romance - spring flowers
Stampin' for the Weekend - spring colours

Less is More - Round & Round

Morning!  Just dropping by with a quick posting for this week's Less is More Challenge, which is Round and Round.  Life is busy and chaotic at present, round and round in circles, however I like this card which looks very serene to me :).  Memory Box dies and Little Claire sentiment, textured cardstock.  Back later for a hope Round and Round the other LIMettes!

Ooh La La Challenge - card for a child

This week's Ooh La La Challenge is to make a card for a child.  I've made an adorable Christmas pyramage card that uses an image from the Shawn Jenkins collection.  I've printed a matching DP for the background and added some Card Candi.  Aren't the bears adorable?
I'm also entering couple of other challenges:
Crafting When We Can -  for a child
My Time to Craft - Beary Nice

A bit of sparkle for Mothering Sunday

I made a few cards yesterday as a bit of therapy, as I've been dealing with a lot of ghastly paperwork recently.  Here's a CAS card for Mum for next week.  It's ok, she is a technophobe and has no access to a computer lol!  Isabelline background and sentiment are both from Pink Petticoat.  I've added lots of  glitter with a glue pen.

I'm entering my card for a few challenges:
Simon Says - glitter
Ladybug Crafts - spring is here
Seemacrafts - something for Mum
Cupboard Trilogy - mothers
Hiding in my Craft Room - let's get digital

Less is More - Week 164 - use three of something

 This is my last week of guesting and commenting at Less is More and this week we have a brilliant theme - which is to use three of something, but also to comment on at least three fellow participant's blogs.  It's maybe a bit of a gardening thing, but I do love using things in threes and I found it hard to narrow my ideas down into - you've guessed it - three cards!  LIM gives a lot of emphasis to supporting those who join in and commenting is a big part of this, please don't feel you need to stop at three comments :)

First one up uses Clearly Besotted stamps and dies, stamped in grey onto scraps of Bazzil bling.  Feathers were stuck down with Pinflair and some raffia tied around them when this was dry.

 Next card uses three Spellbinders circles to cut from the top layer, sentiment is Stampin' Up.  I added 3 pearls as I felt it looked a bit sparse...

Third card uses the trimmings from beside my guillotine!  I tried this first with washi tape but found it too flexible and hard to keep straight. 

Looking forward to more amazing cards to enjoy from all the lovely LIMettes out there - you won't forget the commenting bit will you?

Ooh La La Challenge #152 - To a special lady

As we are approaching Mothering Sunday in the UK, Ooh La La has a great challenge to join in with:  to a special lady.  Of course this doesn't have to be a Mother's Day card, but I have chosen to make one using an image from the Shawn Jenkins Collection CD.  I've added in an embossed panel, some of the matching paper from the CD, a fair bit of bling and a few extras, sentiment cut with my Portrait.

I'm entering my card for:
CD Sunday Challenge - Mums
Simon Says - Mother's Day
Papertake Weekly - for a Mum
Make my Monday - beautiful butterflies
Eclectic Ellapu - Wings and Flowers & Butterflies

Guest Designer - Christmas Fun Challenge

I am pleased to say that I've been picked as a Guest Designer for the Christmas Fun Challenge Blog.  I've been playing along there to try to keep the flow of Christmas cards coming, do pop on over there if you can.  This fortnight's challenge is Green Christmas Tree - or anything goes.  I chose to make a tree with bakers twine wrapped around a sturdy bit of card.  Sentiment is an old Hero Arts stamp.

Less is More - Week 163 - Masking or stencilling

Here I am again after a ridiculously busy week!  There were some totally stunning one layer cards for LIM this week, I'm getting very into Pinterest and have pinned quite a few for future inspiration.  This week at LIM we would like to see you use Masking or Stencilling on your card, not forgetting that all-important white space.

My card is very straightforward, I have used Post-Its to mask off my card, leaving an off-centre panel which I inked with Adirondack Lake Mist.  I overstamped with the same ink, using a JOFY stamp, then added a Stampin' Up Lovely as a Tree Christmas tree in Versafine Olympia Green, stamped a second time without re-inking.  The tiny sentiment from Inkylicious has ended up in the bin after this card, there's a mark across the "h" as though a hair is stuck on the stamp :(.  Hmm...  could have left a bit more white space on this one...

Christmas Fun

Here4's a quick card for the Christmas Fun Challenge, which now has an Anything Goes option.  My card fits the baubles and bows theme, it is an image from the Shawn Jenkins CD by Ooh La La, with some pearls, a Martha Stewart border and Perfect Pearls added.

Less is More Week 162 - Spring Flowers - One Layer Cards

 Looks like Chrissie is having an amazing time in Australia, lucky beggar :).  I'm still stand-in commenter for LIM until her return and my word the green and yellow challenge kept me busy!  This week we have our one layer card week and the theme is spring flowers, so I think a few of us may be dusting off the same stamps!

My first card  uses a Paper Artsy stamp onto kraft card, using Whisper White Stampin' Up ink and coloured with Koh-I-Noor pencils.  I'm really pleased with this card, turned out just how I hoped.  My second card is rather less adventurous, it uses Hobby Art stamps, the primroses were masked to add the flowerpot.  These are coloured with Distress Ink markers and a frame is embossed around the image.

Thanks so much to those of you who have visited my blog and commented :)