A Challenge & a Birthday!

This week's Less is More challenge is to make a card using the colours of your nation's flag. I love the combination of red, white and blue, so this was fun, and I just loooooove red so I have used it as the main colour…

Stamps: Just believe

Card: Whisper White, Night of Navy, Riding Hood Red (textured)

Ink: Riding Hood Red, Versa Mark

Other: White Embossing Powder

The next card is not for the LIM challenge, but I wanted to share with you what else I've been creating this weekend. It was my precious friend Toni's birthday yesterday and she celebrated last night with a small group of friends — one of those relaxed evenings chatting, eating chocolatey desserts, drinking coffee… LOVELY!

It was a big "0" birthday, so I decided it would be fun to put that many candles on the card. It took forever to stick all the bits together and those candles were soooooooo tedious — I had to use tweezers to stick the flames on! But it was definitely well worth the effort ;)

Stamps: Solid Stripes, Bring on the Cake

Card: Whisper White, Night of Navy, Brocade Blue, Bashful Blue,

Crumb Cake, Peach Parfait

Ink: Crumb Cake, Night of Navy

Other: Night of Navy 1/4" Grosgrain Ribbon, Linen Thread,

Perfect Polka Dots Embossing Folder,

Cupcake Builder and Scallop Trim Border Punches

Something Fruity

Hi there bloggers! Just popping in quick to enter a couple of challenges. Inkspirations have a colour challenge and over at Less is More they are "Feeling Fruity"! I thought the colours would suit the fruit theme.

Once again I was in a dilemma over whether or not to add ribbon — I felt that the sentiment was floating a bit and needed to be more grounded. Now that they're on the screen in front of me here, I think I prefer it without…

Stamps: Tart & Tangy

Card: Whisper White, Concord Crush

Ink: Concord Crush, Peach Parfait, Pear Pizzazz

Other: 1 1/4"Square Punch, A Perfect Day Rub-Ons

Concord Crush 1/2" Stitched-poly Ribbon (Card 2)

More or Less…

The other day I was discussing design with my graphic designer hubby. We commented on how some card makers feel the need to use everything they own on the one card, possibly because it's there — they have purchased it and want to use it. Sometimes I'm guilty of the same thing. Often, if I show my hubby a card I've made he says something like "if you get rid of the ribbon it would be great". Too many design elements can overcrowd each other and look messy, which has lead me to believe that limiting the number of elements helps keep a card clean and simple. Although hubby agrees with me, he also believes that you can have a design with lots of elements that also looks good. So… he challenged me to create a good design using lots of stuff!

When I saw that this week's Less is More challenge involves buttons and ribbon, I thought it a great opportunity to enter the challenge and also take on hubby's :)

Stamps: Love & Care, Heard From the Heart

Card: Very Vanilla, Soft Suede, Pink Pirouette

Ink: Pretty in Pink, Soft Suede

Other: Light Pink Gingham Ribbon, Designer Button,

Scallop Trim Border Punch, Dazzling Diamonds Glitter

In this card I have managed to include ribbon, a button, a punched border edge, glitter and a sentiment that uses two different fonts! I wonder if I could have squeezed in a couple of different patterned papers somewhere as well!

Anyway, I am pleased with the result… a good amount of "white space" to balance the other stuff definitely helps.

Okay… so I have shown hubby the card and he likes the design, but feels I misinterpreted the brief. What? What does he mean then? Well… I will try again to create something that uses LOTS of stuff. Can I do it? We will see ;)

LIM — Circles

This week's Less is More Challenge is circles. After making a card and being disappointed with the outcome, I went to the web for some inspiration. I searched for "circles in design" in google images, and was very inspired — there were so many great ideas including a spiral bookshelf! Anyway, I came across this image of a business card and it just cried out to me.

Orange and lime green are not usually colours I would put together (too "seventies" for my liking), but they are colours that a friend of mine loves. She is a real fan of orange and has a collection of funky orange things in her home. And when she and another friend visited me in hospital, they brought some gorgeous orange tulips!

So… I decided to use the design of the business card (with some small alterations) to make a card for my friend Dylan ;)

After a little stamping and a lot of fiddling with circle punches, the card finally came together — and I am really pleased with the end result…

Stamps: Seeing Spots

Card: Whisper White, Soft Suede, Pumpkin Pie, Kiwi Kiss, Old Olive

Ink: Pumpkin Pie, Soft Suede

Other: The full range of SU's Circle Punches

jac-inks Challenge 13

Hi there again! I am back with the latest jac-inks challenge — Monotone! I really enjoyed this challenge and have made a couple of cards for it…

Stamps: Easter Blossoms, Sincere Salutations, En Français

Card: Whisper White, Riding Hood Red

Ink: Cherry Cobbler, Riding Hood Red, Ruby Red

Other: 3/8" Riding Hood Red Taffeta Ribbon

Stamps: Pocket Silhouettes

Card: Whisper White, Old Olive

Ink: Old Olive

I was really happy with the way the first card turned out — red does happen to be my favourite colour, and I just love that blossom stamp! I thought that the sentiment might get lost in the background, but it was dark enough to be noticed.

The second card is similar to some I've done before. I penciled in the border and stamped the sentiment along it, then using an Old Olive marker I ruled over the penciled line from one side of the sentiment to the other.

Inkspirations Colour Challenge #78

I really love the colours for the current Inkspiration challenge. They are soooooo pretty and I just had to create something using them.

I decided to experiment with watercolour paper and the "Awash with Flowers" stamp set — an appropriately named set for this card don't you think? I wet the paper before stamping the solid images and also sprayed them some more with a shimmer spray, which allowed the colour to bleed into the paper. Once dry, I stamped the outline images over the top using Crumb Cake ink. I don't mind the "washy" look of the flowers, I think the softness suits the pretty colours…

Stamps: Awash with Flowers, Bring on the Cake

Card: Very Vanilla, Kraft, Rose Red

Ink: Rose Red, Perfect Plum, Crumb Cake

Other: Water Colour Paper, 3/8" Kraft Taffeta Ribbon

Ladybug Love

This post is all about my daughter Zali's love of ladybugs! And it all ties in nicely with this week's One-Layer Wednesday challenge — make it personal — and is also another one layer with legs for the less is more challenge!

The ladybug theme has come up a few times in the last week or so (more than the usual amount it does with Zali), firstly, when we were reminiscing over Sesame Street's "ladybug picnic" song from way back in my childhood, and then during the week while grocery shopping, I found some adorable ladybug muffin cases and had to get them for Zali.

So… it seemed appropriate for this challenge to make a ladybug card for her — just to tell her I love her and that she's cute as a bug ;)

Stamps: Just Believe, Bugs & Kisses

Card: Whisper White

Ink: Basic Black, Real Red, Pear Pizzazz

Other: 1/8" Real Red Taffeta Ribbon (card 2)

The card in the second picture is the one that Zali actually received. I decided to add some ribbon because I thought the scored lines on the original were not quite enough. I thought I liked the ribbon better, but now I'm not sure. Anyway, Zali was thrilled with the card and that's all that matters! She was also thrilled with the muffin cases!

Earlier in the year I made cupcakes for her birthday party and the muffin cases might have been good then. Anyway, I did find some gorgeous ladybug candles at the time, which each cupcake featured. They were so cute, and Zali was very happy!

And just in case you haven't seen "Ladybug Picnic", or you want to reminisce with me, here it is for you…

We are still singing the song…

Love

Shell

Let the cute begin...

My brother and his wife are expecting their first baby in January and have recently shared the news with us. I am so pleased for them, it is very exciting! We are all soooooo ready for another bub in the family — my mum is beside herself with joy!

I made this card to congratulate them on their wonderful news, and sent it off today along with a couple of little baby gifts.

Stamps: Big on Spring

Card: Whisper White, Night of Navy

Paper: Certainly Celery DSP

Ink: Night of Navy

Other: Perfect Polka Dots Embossing Folder, 1/8" White Taffeta Ribbon

I wasn't a huge fan of the polka dot look to begin with, but I've since seen the potential. I think pale blue or pink baby cards look so adorable with polka dots!

We also received the news last night that a friend has just given birth to a baby girl! I thought it would give me the opportunity to make a polka dot card in pink, but my daughter has claimed the card making privilege, since she is more closely connected with the family. I might make one anyway, to stash for another occasion ;)

Less is More — One Layer & Legs!

This week over at Less is More, the challenge is to create a one layer card that involves something with legs! It took me so long to decide what to do and a few attempts before I came up with something I was happy with — too many "legs" to choose from! The legs in this card are only tiny, but there...

Stamps: Easter Blossoms, So Happy For You, Asian Artistry

Card: Whisper White

Ink: Chocolate Chip, Pretty in Pink, Regal Rose

OLW — Clouds

Jennifer Styles is hosting this week's One-Layer Wednesday challenge and has chosen "clouds" as the theme. I just did clouds the other day (this post), but it was definitely not a one-layer card, and it was also not really "clean" enough for the Less is more challenge which I made it for — not enough white space! This card would have been more suitable for that challenge — I think Mandi and Chrissie over at LIM would agree!!

So here is my One-Layer cloud card...

Stamps: Lovely as a Tree

Card: Whisper White

Ink: Baja Breeze, Not Quite Navy, Night of Navy

I created a mask by punching three squares into some grid paper, which enabled me to get even spacing etc. then placed the card underneath, sponged the clouds and stamped the trees. I decided that it was best left without any sentiment.

Under the Sea...

The other day I mentioned that I had a pile of unused "experiments", and that every so often I make them into something new. Before I posted that comment, I had just been going through that pile, searching for something else, and stumbled across some fish images that I had made years ago. So I have made them into some birthday cards!

I have added a little tutorial at the end of this post if you want to know how to get the under water look...

Stamps: Fishy Friends, Party This Way

Card: Whisper White Gloss & Smooth, Peach Parfait

Paper: Bali Breeze DSP

Ink: Black Stazon,Taken with Teal, Pumpkin Pie

Other: Peach Parfait 1/2" Stiched-poly ribbon, Linnen Thread

Stamps: Fishy Friends, Birthday Wish

Card: Whisper White Gloss & Smooth, Pacific Point

Paper: Bali Breeze DSP

Ink: Taken with Teal, Sumer Sun, Brilliant Blue, Pacific Point

Other: Linnen Thread

Stamps: Fishy Friends, Party This Way

Card: Whisper White Gloss & Smooth, Rich Razzleberry

Paper: Bali Breeze DSP

Ink: Taken with Teal, Purely Pomegranate, Rich Razzleberry

Other: Linnen Thread

Stamps: Fishy Friends, Party This Way

Card: Whisper White Gloss & Smooth, Certainly Celery

Paper: Bali Breeze DSP

Ink:Taken with Teal, Certainly Celery

Other: Linnen Thread, Certainly Celery 1/4" Grosgrain Ribbon

How to achieve the under water look!

You will need the following things:

Brayer and elastic band

Gloss white card

Black Stazon ink

Suitable stamp for under the sea theme

White Crayon

Your choice of ink colours

Blender pen (for colouring your sea creature)

Stamp the image in Black Stazon ink on the gloss card.

Colour the image with the white crayon. The crayon resists the ink, so it is like masking your image.

Wrap the elastic band a couple of times around the brayer wheel and ink up with the colour you wish your water to be.

Roll the brayer up and down the card, over the image.

Once the ink has had enough time to absorb into the card and dry, rub the crayon off with a tissue. (I didn't allow enough time so you can see that I have rubbed some of the blue off too!)

To colour the image, imagine a light source. Apply the colour with a blender pen, leaving some white space closest to your light source and making the colour darkest on the opposite side. Because the gloss card takes longer to absorb the ink, you may need to keep applying it until you achieve the desired intensity of colour.

So that is how I made those original sea pictures. I hope you feel inspired to create your own "under the sea" creations!