Less is More # 321 - Use a frame

Well hello there!  Are you well?

Are you ready for another Less is More Challenge?  It's recipe week this week and our recipe is sure to get your creative juices going.

I'm back to 3 cards to share this week.

We have another amazing guest designer with us this week - it is Nonnie from Nonni's Handmade Cards. She has made a beautiful card so please pop over to her blog to leave some love for her.

The rest of the LIM DT have made some beauties too so please visit them and the challenge blog for lots of inspiration.

1) Relax!

I am a complete terror with my family because I have such a warped sense of humour. I just cannot resist a cheeky sentiment so when I spotted set that this sentiment came from I just HAD to have it. This is a tame sentiment but I can guarantee I will have years of fun with the rest of those stamps ;-)

STAMPS:Hero Arts Irreverent birthday messages
DISTRESS INKS: Peacock feathers, shaded lilac - my favourites!
DIES: MFT Inside out stitch rectangles, Sizzix Thinlets (Tim Holtz) Mix Media Halloween
OTHER: Linen card, matt black card, 3d foam pads, Versamark clear ink, WOW! Opaque Bright White embossing powder

With this one I'm heading over to:
Addicted to stamps and more! #234 - Clean and Simple
Fairy Tale Challenge #164 - Favourite colour combo - anyone that knows me knows I adore those two background colours together
Simon Says Stamp Wednesday challenge - Use more than one die or punch - 3 dies used

2) Metal frame

I have had some of these vintage metal frames in my crafty stash since practically the dawn of time! So it was great to get one out and actually use it.

STAMPS: Anna Griffin swirl, Cadence lace flower and WOW! Just sayin' sentiment.
DISTRESS INKS: Brushed corduroy, vintage photo
OTHER INKS: Versafine vintage sepia, Versacolour ultimate pigment ink in white
OTHER: Docrafts Chronology frame, White pearls, White linen card Kraft card, 3d foam pads, small piece of smooshed card

I'd like to pop this one in at Create and Makes #9 - Vintage

3) Mix Media card

I fancied doing a 'mixed media look' card for this challenge. This one does have a few more layers and embellishments than usual but as they are contained in one corner it helps to keep that CAS look.  I'm really pleased that for once my camera picked up all the lovely sparkle and shine from the dimension paste and glitter.

LEAF STAMPS & DIE: Altenew Majestic Bloom (leaves only)
SENTIMENT DIE: Die'Sire
DISTRESS INKS: Rusty Hinge, Wild Honey, Dried Marigold
STENCIL: Clarity Stamp
OTHER: Cotton, Sweet Poppy Pearlescent dimension past (also sprinkled with glamour dust), Pearls, Frames cut on ScanNCut.

This one is for
Tuesday Throwdown TT335 - Use Dimension
The Crafty Addicts #34 - Anything goes CAS
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I do hope you get the time to join in with us this week and I can't wait to see what inspirational cards you all make.


Hugs,
Sharon xx



Less is More # 320 - Washi Tape

Hi there,

I've got a really short post for you today as I have a house full of guests who came over to celebrate St Patrick's day over here. That means crafting time has been at a premium so just the one card from me today.

We're onto the March theme week at Less is More and we want to see you use some washi tape on your creations.  I had high hopes of making my own washi tape for this challenge but that just wasn't to be this time around.

This card was made by adding washi tape to the outside edges of the card blank. Then the same washi tape was added to some card and the sentiment was die cut. It was finished by inking the spoldges through a stencil, stamping the remaining part of the sentiment and doodling a border on the raised panel.

DIE: Altenew Halftone Hello
STAMP: Altenew Halftone Hello
STENCIL: ARTplorations art splatter stencil
INKS: Distress Ink Peacock Feathers
OTHER: White Linen Card, black card, 3d foam tape, peacock feathers distress marker, corner rounder punch

I'd like to pop this one in at:
Creative Moments #113 - Anything goes with a twist of winter blies
Cards In Envy - Keep it Simple

Please hop over to the Less is More challenge blog as my fellow teammates have created some beautiful cards for this challenge and I bet that most of them will have more inspiration on their personal blogs too.

It was lovely to see you here today and I do hope you get a chance to join in with us this week.

See you soon

Hugs,
Sharon xx

Less is More #319 - OLC Leaves

Well hello there!
 Thanks so much for stopping by. I'm here to share the next Less is More challenge today and .....
.....YAY!!! it is the dreaded one layer week. Not so dreaded any more because you all rock those weeks!

My fellow teamies have some amazing cards on the challenge blog today, and no doubt a few of them will have some additional inspiration on their personal blogs too so I do urge you to visit them.

Anyway, this week we want to see One Layer CAS Cards with a theme of leaves.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I have 3 cards to share:

 

1) Awesome Birthday

 

I wanted to do something a little dramatic from the colour perspective with, hopefully, some impact. So using my favourite techniques for one layer cards I did some masking, heat embossing and sponging and I came up with this card. I adore just how black that black soot marker is! 

 

Did you spot my usual boo-boo? Yes, I got a tiny smudge of the green ink on the inside of the card and had to make a 'feature' of it by inking a band all round the inside again. Note to self - put a large piece of paper inside the card when sponging in future.

 

STAMPS: Clarity Stamps leaves and Happy Little Stampers everyday sentiments

DISTRESS INKS: twisted citron, mustard seeds, hickory smoke 

OTHER: Detail Silver embossing powder, versamark clear ink,masking tape (to create the band), black soot distress marker (I love how this gives a 'true' black colour!), white linen card

 

I'd like to pop this in at

Stampin' Royalty #364 - Favourite Technique

The Crafty Addicts #34 - Clean and Simple

Cardz 4 Guys #160 - Clean and Simple (CAS)

 

2) Birthday greenery

Sticking with the green theme, this time using 2nd and 3rd generation stamping with a bit of dimension paste for the sentiment.

STAMPS: Lavinia stamps Vine
STENCIL: Sweet Poppy Happy Birthday
INKS: Adirondack in Juniper and Meadow
OTHER: Sweet Poppy Silver dimension paste, stardust stickles, square super smooth white card blank

This card is for:
Creative Knockouts #184 - Lots of Green
Cards In Envy - Keep it Simple
Crafty Cardmakers #183 - Go Green

3) Pink Leaves

So, here I am pushing the boundaries again. Who says that leaves can't be white against a pink background? This card uses the emboss resist technique on the leaves and a tiny mask over the sentiment when sponging. I'm a bit disappointed that the pink pearls I added look so much darker in the photograph than they are in real life. Hey Ho! need to improve those photography skills - I'll add it to my ever growing 'to-do' list ;-)

STAMPS: Penny Black Trims, Happy Little Stampers Mix Mash set (sentiment)
INKS: Versamark Clear, Distress Ink Spun Sugar
EMBOSSING POWDER: Stampendous clear and detail gold
OTHER: seed beads, linen card, post-it for masking

With this card I'm heading over to:
CAS(E) this sketch #212 - I mirror imaged the sketch

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I do hope you find time to join us this week and thank you so much for stopping by today.

Hugs,
Sharon xx

Less is More # 318 - Mainly Teal

Well hello! How wonderful to see you. Hope you are well and enjoying your weekend. Did you join in the birthday month celebrations with us at Less is More? If you did, stay tuned to the challenge blog because a little birdie told me that the winners will be announced in a few days time!

So, welcome to the beautiful month of March! Our first challenge at LIM is the good old colour challenge

and as it is a new month we have a new sponsor

 

AND we also are joined by Elaine from Crafteplace who is our guest designer this week. Do pop over to see her as she is a talented lady and you will not be disappointed with her cards, and remember to leave her some <3 too. She has made a beautiful card for us.

 

I have 2 cards to share today.

1) Special Friend

I made an octagon card a few weeks ago when I was guest designer for AAA cards (here's the LINK). I really loved the way that shaped card looked so I have made another one today and swapped the focal point over to the other side.

STAMPS: Chocolate Baroque Woodland Dreams
DISTRESS STAINS: peacock feathers, wilted violet, mowed lawn
OTHER: WOW! bright opaque white embossing powder, Versamark clear ink, Tattered Angels glimmer mist in marshmallow, tiny gems, watercolour paper, linen card

With this card I'd like to head over to the following challenges:
Cards Und More #179 - Friendship
Case this sketch #211

Time Out challenge #78 - Love and friendship (optional to spotlight stamp - but I passed on that) It's their 3rd birthday - happy birthday ladies and may there be many more!

 

2) Teal Thanks

Here I've stamped onto the card blank to add interest around the edge of the card.

I made this before I started the Daily Marker 30 day colouring challenge - I think perhaps my colouring may have improved a lot in only 3 days! My colouring challenge efforts can be see on my Instagram or pintrest accounts (links in the sidebar)

STAMPS: Papermania Everyday Assortment mini stamps PMA907003
INKS: Adirondack stream
OTHER: Peacock feathers distress marker, Spectrum Noir pencil 062, teal and white card, 3dfoam tape, pearl brad.

I'd like to enter this in at
Crafty Creations - Anything goes
Little Red Wagon # 383 - March Birthstone (Aquamarine)
Simon Says Stamp Wednesday Challenge - Tags

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Well, thank you so much for popping over here today, I enjoyed your visit! Don't forget to head over to the challenge blog to see what my other team mates have been up to by clicking HERE.

Hope to see you again real soon! Take care and have a wonderful week.
Hugs,
Sharon xx

Day 1 of the 30 day colouring challenge

Hello there! How are you today?

I'm into a bit of self improvement at the moment so I decided to plunge in and try to participate in......

 

Personally, the main aim in joining the challenge is to get those long forgotten colouring mediums out of those drawers and cupboards and, well.... just have a bash at using them - and see if I can make them sparkle instead of just gathering dust.

I've seen this event happening many times but I just haven't had time to commit to it until now. I'm not saying I'll be able to do some colouring every single day, but I will give it a good try.  I won't necessarily blog my results every day either - I'll probably stick to Instagram.

Anyhoo, as a result of the inspiration from day 1 of the challenge this is the card I made.

In today's video Kathy did some colouring in with sharpie markers and I was amazed to see how good they looked.  That was enough inspiration for me to give it a try, so I rummaged around and spotted a pack of Steadler fine line markers that I actually bought to see if I could do coloured Zentangle. Ha! That NEVER happened.

 

Normally I would not consider using pens like these to shade and colour, but I tried them out and set about colouring.

 

Now, I'm not sure how often I will use this medium because to be honest it took me an age to colour the large rose. But I had fun!

STAMPS: ClarityStamps rose and leaf, Waltzing Mouse sentiment
OTHER: Stamping card, Steadler pens, Pan Pastel in orange tint, Versamark clear ink, Stampendous detail gold embossing powder, 3d foam pads.

While I'm here I'd like to also pop this card in at
CAS colours and Sketches #212 as I used this sketch as a basis (I did a horizontal flip on the sketch)

 

Thanks so much for your visit! I do hope to see you again soon
Hugs,
Sharon xx