HLS March Watercolour Challenge

Hi everyone, it's time for a brand new Watercolour Challenge over at Happy Little Stampers.

I've had a busy week! I've just started my online University Degree in Criminology and Criminal Justice so I am very excited about that. I haven't had much time in the craft room but I try and make something as soon as I get the chance.

Anything Goes but I decided to use our optional twist.

I started with a panel of glossy card stock, sprinkled busho randomly, then misted with water. I left it to dry.

I used a new die from Lawn Fawn that pops up butterflies!

I used my MISTI to stamp my sentiment which is from the HLS Doodled Flowers set. You need to be VERY careful when stamping on glossy paper as the ink can smudge or you can slip when stamping.

That's it from me, I hope to see you over at the challenge blog.

I would like to enter my card into the following challenges:

Double 'D' Challenges (Pink and White + mood board)

Try It on Tuesdays (Powder it.. I used Brusho)

Creations in Pink (Anything Goes)

Inkspirational #181 - Use your Stash

Hey everyone! It's now time for a brand new challenge over at Inkspirational where our teamie, Carol, has decided on a fun theme for us. Use your stash!

I am lucky enough to have some new stash which has been begging to be used. Due to time contraints with working at the moment, I haven't had time to really play :( So, this challenge was the perfect excuse :)

This is a new to me 'two part' stamp set by Stampin' Up which is retired. I picked it up on ebay. The best thing is that you don't have to use the second overlay stamp to create your colour. You can just use markers or watercolours if you like. I stamped the scene behind straight onto my card panel then stamped a few more buildings and fussy cut them out to pop them up with foam tape.

I would like to enter my card into the following challenges

 

Thanks for popping in today and I hope to see you over at the challenge blog.

Less Is More #389 - One Layer Card

Happy Saturday everyone. Do you ever have one or two of those weeks where you don't even know what day it is? Ugh - that's me at the moment. I nearly even forgot to get this post done even though I had created my cards with plenty of time to spare. I'm working at least for 16 days straight at the moment so please forgive me if I'm not visiting as often as I should.

Ok, enough about me - it's time for a new challenge at Less Is More!

I created two cards using our Sponsor Stamps.

Card#1

Very quick and easy - I inked up the Starlequin background stamp using different colours then simply stamped the sentiment from the Pretty Posies set.

Card #2

I used the flowers from the Pretty Posie set to create a muted background so my sentiment could pop.

We have wonderful guest designers with us this month because it's our 8th Birthday!

Chrissie

Sarah Platt

Sarah Grey

Our sponsor is

At CAS-ual Fridays Stamps, we've been creating clever, stylish and sorta sassy designs in beautiful Colorado since 2012. All the stamp and die sets you'll find here were personally dreamed up and designed by owner Michele Gross - just a little glimpse of the fun stuff happening in her head! With new designs released throughout the year, and regular jaw-dropping inspiration from our amazing design team, you'll want to visit often so you don't miss a thing.

Let us inspire you! Follow us on Instagram, Pinterest, Facebook, Blog

Don't forget to follow our rules!

OLC (One Layer Cards)

A one layer card is made from a single piece of card i.e. one piece of card folded in half where the image is stamped or printed directly onto the card stock. It has no additional layers and minimal embellishments.

See you over at Less Is More!

HLS February CAS Challenge

Hello again! It's time for our brand new CAS challenge over at Happy Little Stampers. 

You may have noticed a change in my blog header. I have kept the same blog address but decided that a name change was in order. I created a name for my facebook page a while ago due to creating clocks, canveses etc. I really like the name even though it may be hard to pronounce. 

I say it as 'Ma-ky-a-bee', or something like that lol. 

How did I come up with it? I took the first two letters from some important names in my life.

Ma = Maree and Matt (my mother and father)

Ky = Kylie (me)

Ai = Aidan (my son)

Be = Benjamin (my grandson)

Anyway, enough babbling and on to the challenge!

Here are my cards -

Card #1

Simply created using the stamps from the Whimsical Friends set (HLS) and coloured in.

Card #2

Another simple card using stamping and a small die cut. 

Thanks for popping in today. I hope to see you over at the challenge blog!

I would like to enter my cards into these wonderful challenges -

Card #1 - Crafting by Designs (Animals), Crafty Friends (Animals / Birds)

Card #2 - Crafty Gals Corner (CAS)

Less Is More #388 Navy and Yellow - BIRTHDAY MONTH

Welcome everyone! Today a new challenge starts at Less Is More and the month of February sees us celebrating our 8th Birthday. I am only a new Designer on the team but have been following the challenge blog since I started blogging back in 2012. We have a colour challenge to inspire you over the next fortnight -



I have to admit... not my favourite colour combo, BUT, it works! Getting a good navy colour, I think, it the challenge here :)

Card #1
My first card is very simple. I used a navy Zig watercolour marker on my images which I then die cut and popped up for dimension.

Card #2

For this card, I used a Spectrum Noir marker as close that I could find to the colour Navy. I simply coloured in a panel then embossed my sentiment in white. A few yellow enamel dots finished it off.

We have 4 amazing Guest Designers joining us for the celebrations -

Bev from Uniko (our sponsor)

Chrissie (original LIM owner and Designer)

Sarah P (former LIM Designer)

Sarah G (former LIM Designer)

See you over at the challenge blog :)

I would like to enter my card into the following challenges:

Card #1 - Crafty Gals Corner (CAS), Simon Says Wednesday (Anything Goes)

Card #2 - Use your Stuff (Enamel Dots)

Happy Little Stampers February Watercolour Challenge

Hi everyone! Time for a new monthly round of challenges over at Happy Little Stampers. We have our Watercolour challenge kicking off the start of the month, and here is our theme.

Anything Goes but you may like to play along with our optional twist.

Here is my card

I used a background which I had created with Brushos and a stencil. I had just received this new stamp set from CAS-ual Fridays which was perfect because a co-worker/friend of mine has a new venture starting this weekend - her own dance studio! I wanted to give her an encouragement card and wish her all the best :)

Over at the challenge blog you will find heaps of inspiration from our fabulous design team!

I would like to enter my card into the following challenges -

Allsorts (Friends)

Lost Coast Designs (Silhouette)

Sparkles Forum Challenge (New Year, New Stash)

Tinker Dream (Die Cut / Stencil)

Thanks for popping in! xx

Guesting for the Sisterhood of Snarky Stampers

Today I am a Guest Designer for the Sisterhood of Snarky Stampers! Yay! I won their R is for Rude Christmas Challenge and became their Queen! If you are game enough to check out my card, you can find it HERE.

For their latest challenge the theme is - V is for VALENTINE

I decided to go with a snarky card but this is just optional. All lovey dovey cards are accepted :)

At first glance, it's not a very nice sentiment but you have to read the fine print!

So there you have it. This card took no time at all to create which is always great for someone with a busy schedule. A quick stamp for the background, a couple of heart dies, and the sentiment to finish it off.

Thank you to all the girls over at the Sisterhood for having me play along as their Guest. 

I would also like to enter my card into the following challenges -

Moving along with the Times - Have a Heart

Thanks for popping in today xx

Inkspirational #179

Hi everyone! It's time for a new challenge over at Inkspirational. For this fortnight, we would like you to take inspiration from our photo.

I used the pink and gold theme for my colour scheme and was inspired by the word Love in gold script.

I created my background using Brusho (I tried to create a Pink colour) and smooshing it onto my cardstock. I add some water to gold mica powder and smooshed it as well.

I die cut the heart and word from gold mirror card. This photo really shows you the shine of the mica powder :)

There is plenty to inspire you in this photo. I hope you will play along :)

I would like to enter my card into the following challenges:

Daisy Chain Challenge (Add some Sparkle)

Creations in Pink (Anything Goes mainly in Pink)

Thanks for popping in today :)

Less Is More #387 - Sketch

Hi everyone! We have a brand new challenge starting right now over at Less Is More! We are looking for entries that use our Sketch as inspiration.

Card #1

I used some masking tape to create my area to stamp in. I used circles to create a 'boy' themed background in green, brown, and orange. My little dinosaur (new set from Lawn Fawn) is coloured with a sharpie and a white gel pen for effect. For this card I flipped the sketch.

Card #2

Again, I created a mask and used distress ink to create my lighthouse beams. I coloured the lighthouse and die cut it so I could pop it up with foam tape. Again, I flipped the sketch for this card. The sentiment was also masked so I could stamp it within the beams of light.

Card #3

This time I went as close to the sketch as possible. I used a ruler and pencil to create the lines then I cut through them with a craft knife. I assembled some patterned paper behind the 'cutouts' and like a jigsaw, put it all back together again. I used a combo of a die cut and stamped sentiment.

There is heaps more inspiration from our Design Team over at the challenge blog including our wonderful Guest Designer - Toni (Frankie Loves Craft).

Our sponsor for this month is 

www.skullandcrossbuns.com

I would also like to enter my cards into the following challenges -

Card #1 - Just Add Ink (Something New), STAMPlorations (Stamps and Animals), Watercooler Challenge (Masculine)

Card #2 - Daring Cardmakers (Just Stamping), The Crafters Cafe (CAS using Yellow)

Card #3 - Simons Says (CAS), City Crafter (CAS)

   

Thanks for popping in, see you over there!

Inkspirational #178

Hello again! Time for a brand new challenge over at Inkspirational. Our lovely Anila has chosen an awesome challenge for us - Use Kraft

Kraft card stock is really fun to colour in on! I just used my watercolour pencils after embossing my NEW images (from Paper Artsy), and sentiment (from HLS). The background was created with a white gel pen.

I hope to see you over at the challenge!

I would also like to enter my card into the following challenges -

Little Red Wagon - Thanks

Cardz 4 Galz - New Year, New Stash

Crazy for CAS - Animal

Thanks for popping in xx

Less Is More #386 - Water

Hi everyone and Happy New Year. I am very, very excited today because it's my first post as a new Designer for the team at Less Is More! Woo hoo, girls, thank you for the opportunity. 

Well! This challenge is right up my alley. I love making cards using this theme. You may know already that I love using Brushos. Spritzing them with water then smooshing them is one of my favourite techniques.
I have a number of cards showing you different ways to interpret water into your Clean and Simple card making.

Card #1

This was created by using a piece of watercolour paper that I had smooshed with Turquoise Brusho, I die cut the sentiment to make a bold colour pop on my black and white card.

Card #2

I decided to create a little island scene to represent water on this card. My water background was created by using Distress Ink and then flicking water over it. I stamped and die cut all my little images and coloured them in with pencils (I also live on an island so this is the perfect card for me).

Card #3

When you go to the water/coast who is there trying to steal your hot chips? Seagulls of course!

(thank you to Anita for sending me this stamp set, I love it!)

Card #4

I created a wave like effect using a new border die. I had some leftover paint after doing an Acrylic pour and smooshed it up with yupo paper.

As you can see, there are plenty of ways to interpret our theme for this challenge. The girls will have plenty more over at the challenge blog for you to see. We also have a wonderful Guest Designer joining us - Viv (Daizy-Mae's Crafty Blog).

Our sponsor this month is

www.skullandcrossbuns.com

I will be entering my cards into the following challenges:

Card #1 - Mix it Up - (Anything Goes with option of Sentiment as the main focus)

Card #2 - A2z Scrapbooking (Anything Goes), DigiStamps4joy (Anthing Goes using the twist of Four Seasons)

Card #3 - 2 Crafty Critters (Anything Goes), Double Trouble Challenges (using Thing 1/3)

Card #4 - Die Cut Divas (Something New)

That's it for me! Thanks for popping in xx

HLS January CAS Challenge

Hi everyone! Time for a new challenge over at Happy Little Stampers. Our CAS theme for this month is -

I don't think I have ever used washi tape on a card! I do have some in my stash, however, so it was good to put it to use :)

I started by stamping a background stamp in different coloured inks, stuck some washi tape on, then popped up my die cut sentiment. Easy!!!

I hope to see you over at the challenge blog where you will find more ideas from the Design Team.

HLS January Watercolour Challenge

Happy New Year! I hope everyone has had a wonderful Christmas and survived the New Year's Eve festivities. The start of the new month over at Happy Little Stampers means that we kick off the New Year with our Watercolour Challenge.

I have made a very CAS card using a new stamp set that was a gift from my good friend, Anita. Thank you Anita! I loved this set when I had a play with it at the last HLS Retreat in the UK. 

I embossed my flower onto watercolour paper then coloured it with my Zigs. The image was fussy cut out and popped up using some foam tape.

I am hoping you can see where I incorporated my texture. This beautiful white linen card is perfect for it! Our theme is always Anything Goes but you may like to play along with our optional twist for something different :)

See you at the challenge blog :)