Saturday 27 February 2016

Wired ...

When I saw the challenge for this week at "Less is More" my immediate thoughts were 'no way'!  You see the theme is to include wire in your design ... I was fairly certain that I didn't have any! ... and so the search began.  I found some and then realised that was the least of my problems ... what on earth was I going to do with it now I'd found some!

Well I had an idea (just the one!) and here it is:



I took the wire and fashioned it into "hello".  I die cut a circle, ink blended some distress ink added the sentiment and popped it onto the card with some foam adhesive to add dimension. And that was that!!

Enjoy!

Vibrant smile ...

I've been inspired to play with alcohol inks and glossy paper (waiting for my Yupo card to arrive) and it must be the only time it is fun watching ink dry!!  Once you drop it onto glossy photo paper or yupo (a synthetic paper made from plastic) it starts to move all on its own add more drops of different colours and the effect is amazing.  The reason for my new obsession is the fabulous work of a fellow blogger - Janey of Janey's Cards - you must pop and see her designs they are vibrant, stunning and very stylish.  My first attempt does not do justice to the effect but it is my first go.



I used:
Adirondack Alcohol Inks - Wild Plum, Cranberry, Sunshine Yellow, Stream and Clover
Stampin Up - Hexagon Hives Thinlit Die
Stampin Up - Happy Day Stamp Set

I'm entering the following challenge:

Inkspirational #103


Enjoy!

Monday 22 February 2016

Bloom where you are ...

Back again ... I've decided that my blogger problems are all caused by my ancient laptop!! 

This is my second card for the evening:



I've taken the sketch from STAMPlorations February sketch and theme challenge:





I used:

STAMPlorations Floral Bliss and Subway Art Builders DARE stamp sets, Tribal Weave Stencil
Distress Inks - Spiced Marmalade, Squeezed Lemonade
Golden Light Molding Paste

As I've added texture to this card I'm also going to make this my third entry into this week's "Less is More" challenge.

Enjoy!

Enthusiasm moves the world ...

... or in my case enthusiasm moves card, ink, stamps and dies!!  There are times when the fact that I work full time concentrates my mind and absurdly sparks my creativity.  Since getting in from work I have managed to design and create two cards and now blogger is giving me problems ... from high to low in minutes!

This is the first card and is a 'loose' interpretation of the challenge at TIME OUT (see the photograph below).  When I saw the black and white patchwork this was my starting point so I stuck to a (very) limited palette and added a sentiment that reflects the world globe in the top corner of the photograph.



I used:
STAMPlorations Stamp sets - Typografia Encouragement and Mixed Media Grunge
Stampin Up Hexagon Hives Thinlit Die
versafine Onyx Black Ink


The TIME OUT challenge is to be inspired by this photograph:



I also going to enter the Never Ending Challenge over at STAMPlorations

Enjoy!

Sunday 21 February 2016

50 ...

Another folder day, another card and more texture ... but not an embossing folder in sight!  Half term ends today so it is back to work in the morning, so I thought I would take the opportunity for a little more play!



I stamped the grid and ink splats first and then added a line of chevrons using molding paste to add the texture.  I heavily inked a scrap piece of card before covering in perfect pearls to add some shimmer - I used this card for the scribble circle and the numbers.  I die cut extra numbers to add dimension to the 50.

I used:
Die namics number dies
Distress inks - Salty Ocean, Tumbled Glass and Chipped Sapphire
Golden Light Molding Paste
Tim Holtz Chevron Stencil
Sizzix Thinlits Scribble dies
Stampin Up - Off the Grid, Gorgeous Grunge
Perfect Pearls

I'm entering the following challenges:
"Less is More" Week 264 Add Texture
Addicted to Stamps and More #181 Anything Goes

Enjoy!

Saturday 20 February 2016

Hearts galore ...

Back to share another of today's projects ... not a card this time although card and paint is involved.  I've been creating more prints using the Gelli Arts Gel Plate - I love playing with acrylic paints, stencils and masks to create one off prints, it's just hard to know what to do with them all!  So today I took one of the prints and cut it up to create this:



These are not the best of photographs as the colours are stronger in real life - I have to find a way of taking better photographs especially when daylight is in short supply!

Enjoy!

Simply texture ...

Wet and windy ... a good excuse to spend the afternoon crafting!  After much faffing around and a touch of procrastination I managed to waste quite a bit of card, ink and glue before creating one very simple card!



I stamped and heat embossed the flower onto some vellum before colour on the reverse with Zig markers.  I cut and embossed a small panel of card which I then machine stitched onto the base before popping the flower up on foam adhesive to add dimension.  I haven't added a sentiment at the moment as I'm not sure what occasion I might use it for.

I have quite a few embossing folders which rarely come out of the cupboard!  I usually leave them well alone but the challenge at "Less is More" this week is to create a design incorporating texture - so out of the cupboard they came but which one to use!!  I can safely say that I have enough pieces of embossed card to last me quite a while.

I used:
UNIKO Pure Florals: Gerbera
Versamark Ink
Zig Clean Color Real Brush Markers
White detail Embossing Powder
Diamond stitch embossing folder (make unknown)

I'm entering the following challenges:

"Less is More" Week 264 Add Texture
Stamping Sensations February Challenge - Anything Goes

Enjoy!

Friday 19 February 2016

Kindness ...

Friday seems to have whizzed around so quickly ... one minute I was finishing work for half term and a week's holiday and the next thing I know it is over with only the weekend to go!!  I've had a lot of family commitments this week so not quite as much time for crafting as I had hoped.  I've also spent quite a bit of time procrastinating!!!

This morning I woke up full of resolve to get on ... so I've done the weekly food shopping, planned dinners for the next few days, washed three loads and finally made a card!!

Today's card takes inspiration from the challenge at "Less is More" - it is back round to the One Layer challenge this time with the theme to include a Stem - they also have a call out for new Designers to join the team.  I dream of being good enough to join a design team ... but don't think I'm there yet! 

This is my card for the challenge:



I used:

PaperArtsy JOFY 11 stamp set
Stampin Up Lotus Blossom sentiment
Distress Inks - Picked Raspberry, Seedless Preserves
Versafine Onyx Black
Lawn Cuts Stitched Rectangles
Perfect Pearls Spray

I'm entering the following challenges:

"Less is More" Week 263 One Layer Challenge
Addicted to CAS #81


Enjoy!

Tuesday 9 February 2016

Stylised flowers ...

I feel like I'm on a bit of a roll this week as it's Tuesday and I'm posting on my blog!  It is quite a while since I've had the time and energy to craft in the evenings!  So here goes ...

I created this card with a new stamp set from PaperArtsy  (Eclectica EDY10) ...




The flowers have been stamped with Versafine Onyx Black ink and then coloured with Inktense pencils.  A simple clean design.  My mum has the same stamp set and I'm hoping this will give her an idea as to how she can use one of the stamps.

I'm entering the following challenge:

Stamping Sensations February Challenge - Anything Goes

Addicted to CAS Challenge 81



Enjoy!

Sunday 7 February 2016

Colourful chevrons ...

My last post for the day ... from one extreme "white on white" to all the colours of the rainbow!  I don't often make cards with so much colour!



I used: 
Distress Inks
Clearly Besotted - Geometric Style II stamp set and matching dies
Sizzix Framelits Circle die
Dienamics number die

I'm entering the following challenges:

Penny Black and More February challenge "Anything Goes with stamps and dies"
Stamping Sensations  February Challenge "Anything Goes"

Enjoy!

A trio of butterflies ...

One day, two posts ... this is turning into a successful day! A post this morning, ironing complete, a chat with my mum and a new recipe being created for dinner this evening!!  So this will be a quick post while I wait for one element of dinner to cook!

Another white on white card for the challenge at "Less is More" ... this time a birthday card, still no stamping just die cuts and a little embossing.



The butterflies are made of two layers - one of card and one of vellum attached to the panel by a line of machine stitching.  The sentiment has been heat embossed twice to give a faux metal appearance.

I used:
Die'sire Delicate Butterfly
Clearly Besotted Happy and Birthday die
Wow embossing powder.

Enjoy!

White on white ...

First thing on a Sunday morning and I'm already posting!! I have a ton of things to do but decided to start by posting this card (far more interesting than the ironing!!).

The challenge this week at "Less is More" is a 'White on White' and Chrissie and her team are celebrating 5 years of running the challenge - a great achievement - congratulations.  I love to do their challenges but haven't been very successful in recent weeks, ideas have been in short supply - well ideas to fit the challenge criteria! This is my card:



I think I should really spend the day working out how to take decent indoor photographs ... these are not exactly brilliant!!

I used:
Sweet Dixie Butterfly die
X Cut Flower Doilie die
Lawn Cuts - Stitched Rectangle and Thanks dies
Wink of Stella clear to add just a touch of sparkle.

Enjoy!