Distressed Circles ...

This evening I have found time to create a card for the challenge over at Uniko Studio the challenge is for Distressed or Vintage using a specific colour palette.  I do not own many Uniko stamps (yet!) but I really wanted to have a go.  My first problem came when I tried to match my inks with those shown on the challenge - computers seem to distort colours.  I think that I'm going to create a swatch of my inks onto card and up load a photograph and use this to compare with challenge colours!!  Hopefully it will be useful - I'll let you know how I get on.

Less of the waffle... here is my card:

I used the following:

Uniko Studios Stamps - Background Builders: Round In Circles
Stampin Up Inks Baked Brown Sugar and Crisp Cantaloupe

Enjoy!

All is not what it seems ...

Spring has arrived!! At least for today - we've had blue skies and sunshine all day, it's a great change from grey skies and rain!

I began my day with a payday trip to The Stamp Attic - it is a brilliant shop full of lots of essentials and lots of things that you didn't know you needed!  I left with a full bag and an empty purse.  

After lunch it was down to the serious business of creating cards. This card took three attempts - such a simple idea turned into an absolute nightmare!  Firstly I couldn't get the embossing how I wanted it, then I stamped the yellow and somehow managed to get a spot of ink exactly where I didn't want it!  Finally I couldn't decide what sentiment to use, as you will see I decided to go without a sentiment.  I think the design fits with the Clean and Simple principle (at least it does when there are no random ink smudges!).

I've been blog hopping all week - looking for inspiration and admiring all the great cards.  In hopping around I've spotted some more card challenges and have decided to spread my wings.  So I will be entering this card into the following challenges:

"Less is More" this week is a colour theme - Green and Yellow
The Card Concept where the theme is Floral
Addicted to Stamps and More where the theme is Clean and Simple

Enjoy!

Change in style ....

Today I've been crafting outside of my comfort zone trying out a new style.  I'm not sure what you would call the style - Vintage, Steam Punk, Shabby Chic or just plain shabby!!  I wanted to try something different and this sure is different.  I'm not sure what I think of the final card but thought I would share it with the world to see what kind of response it provokes.

 

It certainly looks distressed!  A bit like I felt when I was making it!!

The challenge over at retro sketches involves the following sketch:



As my card is based around a tag I am going to enter into the challenge.

If you've popped over for a peak I would love to know what you think - please leave a comment I love to read them all.

Enjoy!

Take two cans ...

It's back to work on Monday - half term is over so back to school!  It's a real shame that holidays seem to pass so quickly but it will soon be the Easter Break, I really shouldn't wish my life away!

The sun has been shining today so maybe Spring is just around the corner - it sure helps to lift the spirits and bring a smile to your face.

This week the challenge at "Less is More" is to use METAL.  I wanted to try and use something more than just a brad (which is the only metal embellishments in my stash) but didn't really know where to start.  To cut a long story short I decided to use two soft drink cans, a Tim Holtz die and an embossing folder- this is the result:

Close up of the flower to show the embossing

I used the following:

Coca Cola can

Fanta Can

Tattered Flora Die by Tim Holtz

Versafine Onyx Black

Woodware Clear Magic Sentiment stamp

Paper Piercing Essentials from Stampin Up

Enjoy!

Masculine card.....

This week seems to be disappearing quicker than normal - I guess that's because I have a week off work!  I've been away for a few days visiting my parents in Lincolnshire which means no crafting but lots of buying of craft supplies!  My mum is a card maker so it's always fun to chat about ideas and see the cards she has been making.  We also managed to fit in quite a lot of shopping - mainly stamps, dies, inks, adhesives, card, paper, foam for making our own stamps, and lots more besides.  All essential, of course.

I have managed to find time today to create a card for this week's challenge at "Less is More" the theme is Masculine.  I've spent days thinking about this - below is what I came up with (using some of my new dies).

I used the following:

Uniko Studios Background Builders, Round in Circles stamps
Ranger Archival Black Ink
Creative Expressions Metallic Gilding Wax - Cast Bronze
XCut dies Chronology Cogs
Clearly Besotted Geometric Style  Sentiment Stamp.

Enjoy!

Dandelion dreams......

Another day, another one layer card to enter in the challenge over at "Less is More".  This is really unusual card for me because I've owned the stamps for less than a week!!  I usually buy stamps full of good intentions to use them immediately but I seldom do - these stamps from Clearly Besotted  were only released this week and I love them.  I could wait to have a go with them and now I'm really pleased I bought them.

I've tried another new (to me!) technique of embossing using a square cutting die to create an embossed square in the card adding texture to it.  I like the effect that it creates and how it adds to the one layer design.

Dandelion dreams ..

I used the following:

Clearly Besotted Stamp Set - Dandelion Dreams
Distress Ink - Rusty Hinge
Stampin Up Ink - Bravo Burgundy
Nestabilities Square Dies

Enjoy!

Dahlia delight .....

Another stormy Saturday .. at least I have a good reason not to sort the garden out!  We have been lucky to have some blue sky and sunshine but the dark dreary clouds are now back and the wind is blowing a storm.

On to crafting .. this week's challenge at "Less is More" is  for a One Layer Card with the theme of Anything Goes.  I love one layer cards but I struggle with anything goes!  In the end I've spent more time thinking about what I could do and less time actually doing it.

I've tried out a new technique (new to me!) of using household bleach to "colour" an image.

From the close up you can see the effect of the bleach!

Inside the card

I used the following:

Stampin Up Baked Brown Sugar Card and ink for the inside image
Ranger Archival Ink
Clearly Besotted Many Messages sentiment
Heartfelt Creations  Blooming Dahlia stamp
Household bleach!!

Enjoy!