A couple of challenges and a bit of a birdy post!

At Allsorts this week the theme is the colour purple. My inspiration for this card was the sight of two whirling buzzards on Saturday afternoon, and the scrap paper pile I lean on when I am ink dusting sometimes!
Here is the card...

The background was created using ink dusters, Memento inks in dandelion, rosebud, purple twilight, elderberry and Danube blue. The stamp is from Inkylicious, on the old beech tree plate.
Here is the top of the pile of scrap paper I have been using and taking some inspiration from!

My second card is for the current theme at Less is More, where they want to see wings.

This started off as a one layer card with the lower half masked off. It was when I removed the masks and attempted to stamp the sentiment that it all went wrong! I dropped the stamp in completely the wrong place and made a right mess! I ended up cutting part of the front off the card, mounting it on some blue and using a fresh base card. Good job it wasn't a one layer week! Stamps are from inkylicious, stamped in memento ink and coloured with distress markers and a water brush. The background was dusted with tumbled glass DI using a cloud stencil.
Thanks for looking!

Less is more and snow

 The Challenge this week at Less is More is to include beads. I made this little tag a few weeks ago (must have been longing for some sunshine!)but hadn't blogged it, what with the inspection and everything. this seemed like the perfect opportunity to mount it on a card. The flip flop straps are my beads, threaded on wire. The stamp used on the flip flops is from Hero arts and the sentiment stamp is from Hobby Art.
Well, the snow here is still coming down, but I don't think it is getting any deeper, so I guess it must be melting a bit too. I popped out this morning whilst Meg was at Science on stage rehearsals to snap a few pics, but didn't venture further than a few steps from the door. I have a stinking cold with streaming nose as it is! Here are a few photos.

Hope you are staying nice and warm, and thanks for looking!

A couple of quick cards

I had been playing with a new stamp from Little Claire, and had coloured it with promarkers when I saw this week's challenge at Less is More was a colour theme that it fit pretty well! I made it into a card and here it is:

I hope it is CAS enough for you ladies! There is less white space than I would normally use. Looking at it now, it might need some glitter too!
I also needed another card last weekend - not the sort you ever want to make...

I used Spring Distress inks and stamps from Inkylicious and Personal Impressions.  I had intended posting this Monday evening, but then there was a phone call on Monday lunchtime, from Ofsted.They left the building at 4.15 today, so I will be relaxing this evening and recharging the batteries rather than being at school for 12 hours solid. Thanks for your lovely comments and I will do my best to pop and see you when I get the chance.

Last Minute Less is More

A quick dash to pop a card on my blog for Less is More this week, where the theme is 3-2-1.

What, no stamping?! For once it was a very quick card! I used three gems, two sparkly pearls and one cuttlebug embossing folder. I added just a touch of colour using tumbled glass Distress ink and distress marker, to tone in with the mat beneath it.
Thanks for looking and leaving comments. I'll hopefully be back to visit you this evening.

A bit more Red, White and Blue and Cake!

 The challenge at Less is More this week is to use Red White and Blue, so I got my thinking cap on and tried several one layer cards that failed miserably! Instead I got my dusters and distress inks (Chipped Sapphire and Fired Brick) out again and made a background. I stamped over this with the friends text stamp from Penny Black with stormy sky DI. Once this was dry I used the indigo Blue grasses with versamark and Fine detail white embossing powder. The sentiment (Waltzing Mouse) was stamped in Majestic Blue versafine. I mounted this on a strip of iridescent red paper and placed it across one of my failed single layer attempts!
I am also entering this into the June Challenge at Samuel Taylors where the theme is also red, white and blue. The prize this month includes:
* A metre of each of the ribbons: red/white and blue satin, distressed union jack and "Best of British"
* A Portello Road Tri-Boss Union Jack embossing folder
* Craft for Occasions - Red. white, blue wire flowers
   and some white Card Candi.
 Sounds fabulous!
Before I go I thought I would share a couple of pictures of my jubilee banana cupcakes. They are in Red white and blue cases, but I don't think they would pass for clean and simple - sticky and multi-layered is more accurate! A perfect way to use up over ripe bananas, though.

Here is one on it's own, just for you in the garden sunshine!

That is toffee sauce dribbling down the cream cheese frosting - enjoy!
Thanks for looking!

Less is More - Babies

Oh my goodness! Where did last week go? I can't believe it is a whole week since I last posted. I have been busy making cards for friends and family which I will post soon. When I saw the theme for Less is More was babies I was very happy, as one of my colleagues on Mat leave went into labour on Friday, so I'm hoping she has had him by now! I really can't get used to how everyone seems to know for definite whether they are having boys or girls these days. Anyway, I made two CAS cards.

The first features a gorgeous Digi stamp from my mate Teri at Delicious Doodles, coloured with promarkers and matted onto some papers from my snippets drawer. The sentiment is from Waltzing Mouse. Very simple.

For my second card I stamped a scrap of white card with a gingham stamp from Waltzing Mouse with broken china DI, layered it onto some white card punched with a Martha Stewart border punch, and added a digi image from Squigglefly, coloured with promarkers. I added a bow coloured with broken China Distress stain, a button and a Sizzlet die cut sentiment. As this has a button and a bow I think it is eligible for Allsorts this week where the theme is Buttons and bows.

Both of these cards used up snippets, so I'm entering them in Di's Crafty snippets challenge. I'll be off to the playground with them and some chocolate limes as soon as I have finished here.
Finally I will leave you with a photo of the latest babies on the river near my Dad's house - nine cygnets...

 all being protected by Mummy and Daddy swan. A good zoom is essential!

Thanks for looking!

Less is more - one layer and 3 stamps

Hi There
It has been a bit of a topsy turvy weekend, so I'm later getting here than intended. There I was Saturday afternoon starting my LIM card and suddenly it was walked over by an ant! I cleared my craft space and found one more, removed the packet of boiled sweets and sat down to craft again. Five minutes later there was another! I've still not found where they are coming from, but I have spent some time crawling round on my hands and knees!
Anyway, I finally finished my card for this weeks Less is More challenge.

I have to admit I was inspired my my lovely friend Sylvia, to get out my Indigo Blu stamps. All of these are from the Poppy Meadow plate except for the butterfly that was from a set of butterflies I picked up in Tescos a few years ago. I added a bit of distress inks in Crushed Olive and Tumbled Glass with my ink dusters, and added some colour to the butterfly with aqua-markers, before covering it in glitter.
I have emptied my craft space a further twice today, chasing the elusive blighters, and found them very distracting, hence just the one card! However, it was not all bad, as I was delighted to discover I have won some flitter glu and Yorkshire Dales mega flakes  in the Samuel Taylor April challenge. That definitely made my day! Right, off to lay some traps and peer at the skirting boards!
Thanks for looking!

Two very different colour challenges

Hi there!
The long weekend was great! I got to finish preparations for work, have half a day in the garden, see some friends and make three cards and two cakes too! I wanted to join in with Less is more where the challenge was to use yellow. I had been meaning to try the sun rays technique that I saw used by Glenda Waterworth some time ago and came up with this:

 I used squeezed lemonade and wild honey distress inks with my ink dusters and some masking to make the rays. The main image is a Chocolate Baroque stamp and the sentiment and border are from my new Waltzing Mouse stamps. I used a Wild Honey distress marker to do the faux stitching and a die from Go Kreate.
I hope that is enough white space for you ladies.
I couldn't let my mask go to waste so I used it again! This time I coloured the stamp with distress markers in wild honey and peeled paint. I used the same colours as last time for the rays, but added a bit of Brushed corduroy to the yellow soil. Not strictly yellow, and no white space so not really eligible, but I thought I'd show you anyway!

The sentiment on this one is from Waltzing Mouse too. After that I decided to have a go at Allsorts challenge this week where the theme is black and white.

The lace and pattern stamps are from the Waltzing Mouse French Country set. The sentiment and circle border are also from Waltzing Mouse.Thanks for looking and for all your lovely comments xxx

Long time no post

No post for over a week! Can't you tell I'm back at work?! Well, I have managed a Less is more card, and I am putting the finishing touches to a couple of card commissions, so I may manage two posts this week! Anyway, enough of my chatter. Here is my Less is More card where they have a sketch this week

I used a waltzing mouse stamp for the circular frame, an inkylicious stamp for the foliage and a Hero arts digi stamp for the butterfly, coloured with promarkers and a bit of glitter too. Yes, I have the butterfly in the wood mounted and the clear version, but wanted to be able to resize it so HAD to buy the digi too. I admit it. I have nearly as many butterflies as tree stamps!!!
I've just realised I haven't added a sentiment, but it is one layer except for the butterfly, so please let me know if it doesn't fit the criteria, Chrissie and Mandi and I will put one on. Thanks for another brilliant sketch - I normally don't like them, but this is just my style! Thanks also for the lovely comments from the lovely LIMettes. I will hopefully get round to visiting you over the week. Thanks for looking!

Doodling at Less is More

The theme at Less is More this week is doodling on a one layer card. Now although I do doodle a bit sometimes, it is never in an arty way (more scribble than doodle to be honest!), so this was a bit out of my comfort zone. I thought of what stamps I have that have very little detail and opted for my Waltzing Mouse Tea time sets. I got out my set of fine tipped markers and set to. Here is my first attempt.

I thought this looked okay, but decided I should try a bit of Zentangle. A Zentangle teacup...

Please excuse the wonky photo. Now there is probably some rule that Zentangle should be just black and white, but I added a little bit of pastel blue promarker and cool grey promarker to give it some depth. Then the tea in the cup needed colouring too.

At this point I should've stopped, but no, I wanted to try something else, so I chose three colours and tried to decorate another kettle. Disaster! I think the problem was I tried to do stripes rather than random shapes. I will show you, but please don't consider it for the challenge!

It reminds me of a poem by Paul Cookson called 'I'm not going out like that in the jumper Grandma knitted!'. I bet this kettle is thinking the same!!! I think I'll stick to black and white in the future!

Well, thanks for looking and I'll hopefully pay a visit to my fellow LIMettes later in the week.

Less is More - 3 Shades of Green

Here is my card for this week's Less is More, where the theme is three shades of green. I used Adirondack inks in Citrus, Lettuce and Meadow, with the freebie from last months Craft stamper (the Hares designed by Indigo Blu) and some Inkylicious Grass stamps. I added a few blobs of diamond stickles to the scene. My ability to do anything straight today seems a little impaired, as you can see by the photo, and my first stamping of the sentiment was not straight, so I stamped it again, cut it out and placed it over the wonky one - good job it isn't a one layer week, Chrissie and Mandi! The Stamp is from Hobby Art and I edged the sentiment panel with a bit more stickles. I'm also entering this into the Samuel Taylors Challenge where the theme is green. This months fabulous prize is a pot of Indigo Blu "Yorkshire Dales" mega flakes, a tub of Flitter Glu and a sponge which allows you to apply your flakes effectively.

I am going to share a couple more photos from Scotland, just to show how green the fields looked in the sunshine.

Thanks for looking!

Better late than never...

Well, I finally managed to make a card for the latest Less is More challenge where the theme is Masking. I made a one layer card using post its to mask off a sun within a section of the card. I used Adirondack inks in mountain rose, denim and lake mist with my ink dusters. I then removed the masking and stamped with Inkylicious flower and sentiment stamps.

 I used a touch of white gel pen and some cotton candy stickles to add a bit of interest. I'd never made a card in this style before seeing one of Chrissie's nearly 15 months ago, here. I now make them very regularly - thanks, Chrissie for the inspiration. Thanks for looking and I hope to visit some of my fellow LIMettes after Karate tomorrow night.

Neutrals at Less is more

Hi There
I've managed to snatch half an hour to make a card for this week's Less is More where the theme is Neutral colours.

I used a couple of nesties, a couple of Waltzing Mouse stamps  and the cuttlebug Swiss dots embossing folder. The sentiment is computer generated. I really didn't manage to capture the true colour of the prima flowers, as the yellow one is much less bright in real life - honest!
This is a birthday card for one of our staff at work. I am struggling a bit to find much time to craft at the moment, as work and life are encroaching. All in all I'm feeling constantly tired and my get up and go has gone on holiday I think! It doesn't help when someone dials a wrong number at quarter to one in the morning either, mind you, it must have looked quite comical, me trying to operate the phone with no glasses on when half mostly asleep, lol! You will have to forgive me if I don't get round to everyone leaving comments this week, but serious sleeping  needs to come first!
Thanks for looking!

A hanky card!

Well, it is way past my bed time, but finally I came up with an idea for less is more this week, where the theme is stripes. I remembered this waltzing mouse stamp which was a Christmas present, but hadn't been inked yet. I stamped it a couple of times down the side of the card, but it needed more, so I went across the bottom of the card, and realised I had recreated a men's hanky! The sentiment (Waltzing Mouse) was pretty obvious after that. I was thinking about sticking a packet of  Lemsip to the corner, but then it might not be one layer, so I didn't! 

I can see this stamp being used to recreate all sorts of tartan and plaid designs now - Tablecloths, pyjamas, tea towels, hankies...
Thanks for looking!

Less is more - sketch

The challenge at Less is More this week is a sketch and I have to tell you this is my third attempt. I tried a variety of strips of patterned paper, but it just didn't look right. In the end I got my trusty dusters out and came up with this.

 I used Adirondack inks in sunshine yellow, sunset orange and espresso, along with distress ink in Tea dye. The stamp is from Inkylicious and is called Willow twigs. The sentiment is also from Inkylicious. I was trying to recreate one of those yellow sunrises you sometimes get this time of year, but I think the colour is a bit strong for that. Thanks for looking and I hope I will find the time to pay you a return visit. Steve had another operation on his knee today, so I am working from home tomorrow to keep an eye on him, and make sure he stays sitting down with his leg elevated.

Less is more birds

The theme at Less is More this week is birds and it needs to be a one layer card. I had a major reorganisation of my stamps over the Christmas holiday and rediscovered a sheet of Elusive Images stamps with lots of birds on, so I used those on my first card.

The ink dusting and stamping were done with big and juicy soothing sunset. I added a tiny bit of cotton candy distress stickles to the berries and the pattern on the bird.  Having seen Chrissie's and Mandi's cards this week I decided to take some inspiration from Chrissie's scene card on her blog and came up with this.

The landscape stamp is from stamp addicts and the bird of prey is from Inkylicious. I stamped all of it in Chipped Sapphire distress ink and  dragged colour onto the image with a damp paintbrush. I also added a hint of colour to the sky with my ink dusters. This was my second attempt, but I rescued the first by doing this with it (no birds, because I smudged the ink!)

both of these cards would be suitable for the stampalot challenge too, where the theme is monochrome. Have you seen the prize for stampalot this month? Feast your eyes on this little lot!

Isn't it a gorgeous colour combination?

Well, I'd better go as my niece and her boyfriend will be arriving shortly and we are going to go for a walk near Clumber park. Hopefully we will see lots of birds whilst we are out. Thanks for looking and I will hopefully get round to visiting you during the week.

Purple, snippets and paper piecing

I have made a few more cards this weekend. Thought I would try and squeeze in a few challenges before going back to school.
First up is my offering for this week's Less is More where the theme is 'predominantly purple' - one of my favourite colours incidentally.

I used ink dusters to make the background with purple twilight and eggplant adirondack ink. I then stamped the plant (indigo blu) with eggplant and added a bit of stickles to the flowers.
Next up is my snippet creation for this week.

I used snippets of snippets from last week's card and a larger piece that has been lurking for a couple of years I think! the flowers (Hero Arts) were stamped and cut from another snippet too, with added stickles.

 I coloured the centre of the flower with a promarker. If you want to join in with your snippets pop over to Pixie's crafty Snippets challenge.
Finally I have also completed some paper piecing for this week's theme at Allsorts.

This was done with snippets too. This fabulous Woodware Poppy was a Christmas present from a lovely friend.
Well, it is back to work tomorrow, so don't be surprised if it is a while before I post again! Thanks for looking!

Second post this week and it's only Tuesday!

Well, my Less is More mojo is on overdrive and I haven't made a mess of anything yet, so I made a few more bling cards. These were all very very quick too, which doesn't always go hand in hand with LIM!
My first uses a previously uninked stamp that I got last year. It is a Hero Arts cling stamp called Wreath of leaves. I just added a few gems and a little Hero Arts sentiment.

After that I remembered some other stamps I bought last year, and didn't really get round to using. These are called Joyful Bubbles by Paula Pascual and were an absolute snip at £4.99. I stamped both cards with versafine (Royal purple and majestic blue) then embossed with Kaleidoscope embossing powder, adding a couple of gems too. The first is the blue one...

 

...with a close up of the sparkle...

The second is the purple one...

...and another close up...

I am thinking this kaleidoscope embossing powder is seriously addictive!

Challenges:

Stamptacular Sunday : Anything Christmas

Crafty cardmakers : Heat Embossing

Thanks for looking!

Bling at Less is More

It has been one of those weeks at work, which has led to my craft space getting overcrowded and mistakes and spillages a plenty. First of all I have managed a Less is More entry where the theme is Bling. I dug out an ancient Stamporium stamp, embossed in silver sparkle and painted the holly leaves with bleach. I added some red gems and then decided the leaves needed a bit of sparkle too and added diamond stickles. Not my best, I'm afraid.

Last week the theme was silhouettes and I was really trying to join in. Unfortunately I got some really bad ink smudges on the one layer card I had made. I tried to get rid of them with bleach, but the colour of the base card was affected, so I gave up and put it to one side. Suddenly yesterday I had a brain wave and found the Parisienne borderability I had bought but not yet used. I was quite impressed with how well it covered up the mistakes!

I used ink dusters, dusty concord, wild honey and black soot distress inks, and tree stamps from the Inkylicious Winter's tale plate. Thanks for looking. I am hoping to visit a few more LIMettes this week, but with School Panto week rapidly approaching I may well not get the chance!

Less is More - one layer and leaves

When I saw the challenge was leaves at Less Is More this week I knew straight away which stamps I was going to use. I bought these Chappell Road maple leaves at the first show I ever went to in Leeds many years ago. I stamped them in Big and Juicy Foliage, sponged around the edges with Tea dye distress ink and used a damp brush to spread a little colour across the leaves.
I thought I would also show you yet another triptych card that I would have submitted for last week's challenge had I finished it in time!

The Allium stamps are from Lavinia and I used Copper embossing powder this time. More details about how I made it can be found here.
Thanks for looking, and I hope I will get round to visiting a few more of you this week!