Simply Less is More...Friendship

Hello there,

I'm popping in today with my entry for this fortnights Less is More challenge, which is Friendship.
I've been in a CAS sort of mood for a couple weeks now so couldn't wait to get started on this one.

A few weeks ago I had a messy session making marbled backgrounds using the shaving foam technique and some cheap acrylic paints. I used small amount to cut out my circle and the Memory Box Branches.
Before that though I stamped a flower from a set by Chocolate Baroque onto the front panel. I wanted a faint image so used a nearly dry Spun Sugar Distress ink pad.
I cut a deckled edge rectangle from a Caroles Craft die set and embossed it with a Craft Concepts Wood grain folder.
The sentiment is from a Flourishes set called Gerbera daisies stamped in black versamark.
To finish off I punched a tiny heart from the circle and placed the heart above the sentiment.

I do enjoy making CAS cards and like to keep them as simple as possible but I do love my colour too and I think the pop of colour from the marbled paper is just enough.

Thank you for looking today X

Simply Less is More # 265

 Hi there,
A quick post from me today to share my card for this weeks Simply Less is more 
challenge which is to use WIRE on our creations.
I tried really hard to come up with something interesting and unique but to no avail and so this
little card evolved. I'll call it " Spring has Sprung" in more ways than one.

I cut 2 squares of different sizes from a Die-namics die set and embossed the smaller one with an EF from
Craft Concepts ( Woodgrain)
The leaves are from a Memory Box die, trimmed down.
The flowers are made with a punch and pastel paper.
I've added some flat back pearls for the centres.
The sentiment is from Flourishes.
I made a spring by coiling some wire on a scewer and stretching it slightly and slotting it into a butterfly bead.
So, I have a butterfly with a spring sticking out of it's bum. Not my finest moment :-)

Thanks for popping in...Lynne xxx

Simply Less is More # 212

Hi there
I`m quite late with my card for this weeks Simply Less is More Challenge which is titled WINGS
I made two cards over the weekend but have only found time to post them.

For my first card I used Kaisercraft stains stamp set using Versacolor Mint, Orchid and Heliotrope.
The leaf stem is from Papertrey Turning a new Leaf stamp set stamped in Memento London Fog
I made the butterfly with Memory Box dies and purple and white vellum.
The sentiment is Flourishes Tag Line stamped and embossed in silver ep.
I added some gems to finish.

My second card also features a butterfly ( I`m so predictable).
I started with a scrap of paper printed with yellow hexagons from Pink Petticoat and given a fishtail.
I added a tiny strip of bright orange paper to give it some zing.
The tag is cut with a die from Die- namics and embossed with a Cuttlebug Birds & Swirls EF.
The sentiment is also from Flourishes.
I cut a circle from yellow card and embossed that with a Craft Concepts Woodgrain EF.
The leaf is part of a Memory Box Lorelai Stem die.
The butterfly is a stamp from Docrafts stamped in Versa mark Black and embossed in clear EP then coloured using Promarkers.

Not a great deal to tell you this week. Ruby continues to improve and although she`s still having terrible trouble with her calf and ankle muscles, she`s finding her own way around which is all good.

Thanks for popping in...Lynne xxx

Simply Less is More # 159 & a Ruby update

Happy Saturday All!
Yes it is me and it is still satuday. I missed last weeks Simply Less is More challenge as I ran out of time so was determined to get in early this week. Funnily enough I was only thinking last week that I needed some more CaS male cards for the fundraising box and this weeks challenge is to make a Masculine card.
Here is what I`ve come up with;

I`ve used Papermill Direct`s Cream Hammered card and made a panel for the front of the base card.
I lighty stamped the Chevrons from Avery Elle because I didn`t want a solid block of colour, in Mememto OliveGrove.
I cut 3 hexagons from the same cad and embossed them with a Craft Concepts Woodgrain EF.
The leaf is a die from Joanna Sheen cut from Olive card.
The sentiment is computer generated.

Speaking of the fundraising box, it is 2 years today since our grandaughter Ruby was diagnosed with kidney cancer ( Wilms Tumour).
As regular followers will kow, her treatment finshed last july but she has had to have regular scans and checkups since then. All scans show that everything is fine and she is cancer clear. You can imagine what a huge relief this is to all the family but especially her mum and dad. Lots of people think that once tretment is finished then thats the end of it and she is better ( especially the LEA) but this is far from reality. Because her immune system is practically non existant Ruby has picked up every bug going from the usual tummy bugs to a very nasty chest infection but apart from that she is going from strength to strength. She is doing really well at school and a couple of weeks ago she recieved a merit for her handwriting and she has joined a lunchtime dance club so she often shows off her latest moves.
I`d like to thank you once again for all the support and good wishes you sent while Ruby was poorly. It meant the world, thank you. X

This was Ruby in Hull Royal Infirmary during one of her stays for an infection. I think there`s more paint on her than on the paper.

What a difference! This was Ruby just before Christmas celebrating losing her first tooth. Her hair is a bit longer now and is the most amazing shade of platinum blonde. It`s a lot thicker too.
We have so much to be grateful for.

Thanks for popping in...Lynne xxx

Less is More # 111

Good Afternoon All!

I`ve got a really busy day today so this will have to be short and sweet I`m afraid. I do have time to welcome my new follower Sue though. Welcome to my little blog Sue.

The theme for this weeks Simply Less is More challenge is to  FRAME IT.
Right up my street as this is the style I use most often lately.

As spring will soon be here ( hopefully) I thought I`d use this stamp and some lovely fresh colours.
I bought the stamp at a craft fair earlier this year but there`s no name on it, sorry. Coloured with Promarkers and Spectrum Noir pens. The sentiment is by TSG.

I already had this stamp, from Papermania, out for a commisioned card so thought it would look good in a frame too. I`ve lightly chalked the background in a very pale green before colouring the image with Promarkers and Spectrum Noir Pens. I`ve added some Glamour Dust to the image and some Glossy  Accents to the cherry.
The sentiment is a mix of Waltzing Mouse and Layers of Color.

This is a card I made last night for someone at Alan`s work and then realised that it was a frame of sorts so I`m adding it to the challenge.
The stamp is by Funstamps and I`ve had it forever, coloured with markers.
I used cream card this time and made a panel which I embossed with a woodgrain pattern using a Crafts Concepts EF.
I cut the image out and placed it using foam pads, the sentiment is again from TSG.

Thanks for popping in...Lynne xxx

Less is More # 83

Good Morning All.

As it`s the first week of a new month it`s a colour challenge at Simply Less is More and this week we are asked to make a card using  Pink and Brown.
I love pink and brown together in all their shades but putting them on a card proved a tad difficult. It`s not the challenge...it`s me... I`m craftily challenged at the moment I think
Lets just say that I`m not doing the happy dance about any of this collection,

 My first one was going great until I tried to be clever and make the bottom trim of the car a slightly darker shade of pink and went over the lines.As this was the last to be made I`d had enough faffing so I`m posting it anyway so you get the gist of the design.
Pink hammered base card. Milk chocolate panel embossed with swiss Dots EF.
Stamp from Hero Arts. Sentiment computer generated.

 This one I`m reasonably pleased with. DP is from Papermania. Stars are X cut nested stars.
Sentiment done on comp.

 Hot pink base card. Dark chocolate panel raised on foam pads.
Heart is Woodware punch, letters Die-namics die cuts. All cut out of hot pink glitter paper by Craftime.

And lastly, hot pink base card ( all card is Papermill) Dark chocolate panel embossed with Craft Concepts Wood Grain EF and two corners rounded.
Flwers are tissue paper cut out with nestie scalloped circles and crunched. Brads in centre are Papermania.
Sentiment stamp is Anita`s stamped in Versafine Onyx and embossed in clear EP. Inverted `v` done with corner of square nestie.

So, nothing very imaginative or ground breaking. I don`t know what`s the matter with my mojo, maybe just a bit tired. I`ve got another week at work and then I`m off for a week so hopefully I`ll be able to get my backside into gear.

Thanks for popping in...Lynne xxx

Eye, Eye...It`s time for another Less is More Challenge.

Hello All!
 I`m a bit late with my entry for this weeks Less is More Challenge. As it`s the first week of the month we have a colour challenge...with a difference,

THE COLOUR OF YOUR EYES

My eyes are brown. Plain old muddy looking brown. I got out the 5x magnifying mirror to try to find anything unusual in there, little glints of gold or even amber but apart from some mucky looking bits around the edges that would terrify an iridologist I`ve come to the conclusion that they`re nothing special. Having said that, I wouldn`t be without them for the world lol..
My creative imagination has dried up in the mini heatwave too, so after several failed attempts at producing a world class work of art, I gave up and made this one ROFL.

I used cream hammered card for the base.
I had some scraps of kraft that had already been run through the Bug with a Woodgrain  EF (Craft Concepts) on my desk from my St Lukes DT card so I cut them into squares with a nestie die before matting them onto dark tan card.
The leaf stamp is from Chocolate Baroque Autumn Hedgerow stamp set, stamped in Versafine Onyx Black onto dark tan card and cut out. I`ve placed them at different angles and both they and the mats are raised with foam pads.
The sentiment is Papertrey Inc also stamped in Versafine Black.

I would like to say a very big welcome to my two new followers Susan and Doreen. Thank you for choosing to follow my little blog :)

Considering yesterday was World Card Making Day, I didn`t get a great deal done in the loft but my garden is looking a treat at the moment. I just couldn`t pass up on what had to be the best 1st October in years. Sadly it`s back to the cardigan tomorrow me thinks lol.

Thanks for popping in...Lynne xxx

St Lukes Charity Card Challenge... October

Good Morning All!
Well the calendar says it`s the 1st of October but looking out the window this morning I think we could all have mistaken it for July. Yet another glorious day ahead, make the most of it peeps `cos it sure won`t last lol.
As it`s the 1st of October it also means a brand new month for St Lukes Charity Card Challenge.
This month it`s...Lets Hear It For The Boys.
Uh oh I can hear you all groaning from here lol. Actually it`s a nice easy one, any image for any boy of any age or any occasion- just make it masculine.
There`s another amazing prize for our October winner too from Craftie Charlie. Just look at all this,

My Mind's Eye Limited Edition 6x6 Double Sided Paper Pad - Dwell

East of India Pale Pink Ric Rac

Inkadinkado Mini Stamp - Thanks

Tsukineko Memento Dew Drop - New Sprout

Ranger Liquid Pearls - White Opal

K&Co Glitter Chipboard Alphabet - Smitten

K&Co Amy Butler Lotus Embellishment Jars

Creative Expressions Decorative Pins - Cream Pearl


Wowsers! Such a pity I can`t enter :(

Something a bit different from my usual style.
I started with a pale blue A5 base card.
Ran some Kraft card through the Bug using a Craft Concepts Woodgrain EF.
The image is by Rubbadubbadoo and is from a set called Men at Work, coloured with Promarkers and watercolour pencils.
I cut the image out with a nestie circle and matted that onto a rectangle in dark blue that was cut with a nestie rectangle die, placed at an angle.
No sentiment so it can be used for anyone or any occasion.
I love this image as it reminds me so much of my OH. The countless hours he`s spent tinkering with engines and trying to get old bangers to even start let alone move. His dad was just the same and they were never happier than when they were covered in oil and muck. Usually while wearing a decent, clean tee shirt (sigh).
Alan still mourns the day car engines became computerised.

So that`s the challenge for this month and I just know you are going to astound us with your creativity. Don`t forget you can also donate your cards ( and others you may have) to the St Lukes Hospice. The address to send them to is on the sidebar of the main blog. And please check out the other DT members designs too.

Thanks for popping in...Lynne xxx