Less Is More Take 2

You may have gathered from my post below that I was not entirely happy with my entry to this week's LIM challenge. I had to have another go. I decided to use this Crafty Individuals stamp that I bought on ebay before Christmas. I stamped it with Versafine onyx black and masked off the bird. I then used an old Hero Arts shadow stamp with spun sugar DI for the background. The text stamp is one I had made several years ago. I am much happier with this.

Less is More 50

Oooh my brain hurts after this one! This CAS lark is not easy - you have nothing to hide your mistakes under and every mark on the card has to be there for a reason. Firstly let me say how totally awed I am by all the kind comments left for my purple entry last week. I would like to thank everyone who took the time to leave a few words of encouragement, it really is appreciated. I did try and visit as many people as I could but I'm sorry it wasn't everyone.
Now onto this weeks which is a one layer card on the theme of birds. You have no idea how many bird stamps I rejected in favour of this one. They were all too big, too grungy, too ornamental, too plain etc etc etc. Finally I went with this little Studio G stamp. I was still undecided as to whether the card looked finished - it was missing something but I wasn't too sure what embellishments were allowed under the CAS one layer guidelines. The card needed a bit of colour so I tore a couple of strips of paper and sponged between them in Brilliance pearlescent orange (the colour hasn't scanned too well and is more orangey IRL). Why orange? Why not? I could have gone for blue or green but why play safe? I think it needed something more offbeat to stop it looking boring and the pearlescent sheen definitely adds more interest. I still thought it needed something else so I present bird card mark 2

Which one do you prefer?

Half Gatefold Card

I'm not sure if this has an official name but I'm calling it a half gatefold card. The bottom (printed) part opens out gatefold style and the top flips up. This is  a card for my lovely niece who will be 13 this month. I hope she will enjoy seeing how it's made. I've used Basic Grey Eskimo Kisses paper and various diecuts.
Edited to add - I now know this is called a Double Dutch Fold Card and I 've linked to a tutorial.

Travelcard Holder

front

back



I wish I had taken a pic of this before I redecorated it. It was a promotional cardholder for Shrek the musical so was a lurid green and white. DS2 had thrown it away as it was far too uncool to use. I covered it with grunge paper and used DI and various stamps and was pleased when he said he would  like to use it now. Too bad he was the one that threw it away and I think I'd like to use it! I'm debating whether to blanket stitch around the edge to secure the grunge paper to the plastic cover and make it more hardwearing.

Less is More 49

I've often admired the work on the Less is More challenge blog - the clean style appeals to me. Now I have my own blog I thought I would give it a go. This week's challenge is 'predominantly purple'. The flower stamp is the agapanthus one by Stampendous with the word stamp from Katzelkraft's Norris fleurs set stamped with Stazon vibrant violet.

UK Stampers Postcard Swap

UK Stampers have a monthly postcard swap and the theme for January is 'Numbers'. I've used tumbled glass, broken china & faded jeans DI for the background which I sponged over the waste from cutting some numbers from the CB typewriter alpha set. I also used pumice stone DI through some sequin waste. The number stamps are all by Paper Artsy stamped with a Kaleidacolor pad in spectrum. The 'Posy' image is from a grab bag I just received from a fellow UK Stampers member.

Craft Barn Art Journal 1

New Year new challenge! Happy New Year and I hope 2012 brings you peace and happiness. The Craft Barn are starting up an art journal challenge on their blog and I though I'd give it a go. First problem was I didn't have a suitable journal. My books all have thin lined paper which would not have been suitable. I have a pad of watercolour paper which I thought would work so for the moment it's pages for a journal. The theme was buildings so I used my Paper Artsy bricks & mortar sets. My BG is broken china, peeled paint & brushed corduroy DI spritzed with copper and maple Sticky Fingers sprays. I randomly stamped the sequin waste stamp from a Christine Adolph cube with pumice stone DI and circles from an Inkadinkadoo set with weathered wood DI.. The top & bottom edging is a TH vintage lace die cut and the word home is stamped with a Paper Artsy alpha. I've written along the roofs of the houses 'a house is not a home if there's no one there to hold you tight and no one you can kiss goodnight' which is the message of this page. Buildings are structures but what makes a building a home is love.