With a flourish

Of all the challenges over at Less is More, I think I find the one layer ones the hardest. Somehow there's always the temptation to stick something on...

Anyway, I've been doing a few thank you's after all the Christmas one and this is what I came up with for the theme 'flourish.'

I just love this vine stamp from Lavinia Stamps. I inked a little versa colour ink in the background and embossed the stamp with gold 'wow' embossing powder. The thank you stamp is by hobby art.

Thanks for joining me today. Pop back soon as I will be revealing my entry for the Craft Barn's new alpha/dictionary challenge. It's the first week and there's still time to enter. They're not doing things in order so this week it's B is for...

The two types of crafters

I have come to the conclusion there are two types of crafters in this world. Those who do simple, clean and those who do embellishments to the max. I love the look of both. In the same way that it is often said those with curly hair wish it was straight and vice versa, I wonder if the same is true of crafters?

I certainly find it a lot easier to create clean and simple looking things and try as I might, even when I set out to create a complex, multi layered 'all out' sort of piece, more often than not, once I've put the first couple of things on the card I realise I'm happy with it and nothing else added looks right. This is not to say that I don't like doing clean and simple, I do, I love it. I just want to do both!

The Little Claire's challenge to create a 'special' Christmas card set in me that very feeling. 'This must have LOTS on it.' I had it out on the table for the best part of a week, kept going back to it time and again and still I would say it is only very tentatively dipping its toe in the waters of 'embellished to the max.'

I can only apologise for adding a Christmas card in January. I love Christmas but even I'm not ready to start again yet! This is going to be my hubby's card for next year as I didn't get to enter the Little Claire's challenge before the big day this year but still wanted to take part. He also tends to get neglected and ended up with a rather hurried offering this time around. So as long as I remember to give it to him next year he'll at least have something I've spent time over!

I used a mixture of rather fiddly paper piecing as well as colouring to decorate the snowman. 

Ingredients for this card;

Little Claires, Snowman bunting stamp

Basic Grey 'Figgy pudding' and 'fruitcake' papers

Memory Box Winter sprig die

Sizzix nesting scalloped circles dies

Promarkers

Liquid pearls - Garnet

Stickles - Eucalyptus

Button, brad  and ribbon from stash

So then, which type of crafter are you?

I want to ride my...

Bicycle!

A very simple flat stamped card following this weeks Freshly made sketches challenge.  I've made this one for my brother who goes everywhere on his. 

I used; Little Claire's bicycle stamp ( avoiding inking the basket on the bike for a more manly feel!)

Woodware words (from a very old tool and construction themed set)

And papermania bazzill card.

Apologies for the poor photo quality, I lost the light today before I had time to photograph it.

Something new for a new year!

Happy New Year everyone! I hope you all had a super Christmas. I took a short break from the blog over the festive season - we had quite a houseful, nine in total, plenty to keep me busy. Anyway, with the new year underway I thought it high time I share one of my Christmas pressies with you. A new speedball stamp making kit! That's right, there's no stopping me now, with this kit I can make any stamp I want!!! (I may be a little too excited about this!)

It's very simple to use. I've had a go at designing my own images but alternatively you can trace anything you like and print it on to the rubber ready to carve. I've made a little woodland set to start off with an oak leaf, mushroom and birds.

These are the first cards I've done using the stamps, along with a penny black sentiment and tiny scraps of paper from my stash.

Here they each are close up

I stamped the oak leaf in DI antique linen, everything else was stamped with impress 'chocolate'.

I'd like to enter them in to the following challenges;

Allsorts- what's new? (Answer; carving your own stamps!)

Less is more-neutrals

Casology - simple

Lavinias's Let it Snow

I made this card using Lavinia stamps, inspired by some of the beautiful design team work on their challenge this month. You can have a look at it here.

The challenge title is 'Let it snow' and, inspired by the DT, I had a go at creating a northern lights background. Seeing the Northern Lights in real life is one of the items on my bucket list, but for now I'll have to make do with making them up!

Thank you to Zoe for your advice on Northern Lights inking, Visit Zoe's blog here.

As the Lavinia challenge calls for just one entry per month, I now have to choose my favourite and I keep changing my mind!

The Christmas post

My lovely new little Claire's stamps arrived this week and so it only seemed right that I should take the opportunity to enter in to their monthly competition!

Ingredients for this card;
Little Claire's dinky post box stamp
Card-io Christmas sentiment stamp
Stickles frosted lace
Kan ban snowflake sparkles paper
Pro markers and copics
White pearly satin ribbon

I would like to enter this card in to...
Little Claire's Christmas in white
Crafty ribbons cultural Christmas - what could signify British culture at Christmas more than a red post box?!
Stamping sensations anything stamped with ribbon
My time to craft- Christmas animals - the robins are my animals

Paper folding gift bag

This week I've had a go at following Neil's tutorial from the craft barn blog here. It is surprisingly quick and easy to do and now that I've done this one I reckon there'll be plenty more to follow!

This one was made with a paper from my stash. I added extra white brilliance ink to the to followed by some liquid pearls to make icicles. I made holes in the top with a little woodware star punch and tied silver ribbon on for handles.

I'd like to enter this in to this week's Craft barn challenge.