Less is More

Village Christmas

I made this card for a Faux Window technique challenge where it had to appear as though you were looking out through a window. This Thomas Kinkade stamp was ideal for the challenge. I decided to keep it simple and go black and white because the stamp had enough detail in itself. Some yellow pencil was added to give the appearance of lights shining through the windows. After stamping I cut my image into four and matted on black. The embossed edge is a cuttlebug border folder. Quick and simple for mass production, but effective.

STAMP: Thomas Kinkade - Village Christmas
CUTTLEBUG: Borders Folder

Shades of Grey - Country Scene

Another challenge was for a monochrome card and I decided to stick with the idea of a scene, this time a country scene. For a change I went with grey as my colour. I stamped with distress ink on watercolour paper and then pulled the colour out or added more with my water brush. This technique is actually quicker than you might think.

You will note that both these cards need little or no embellishment because sometimes less is more.

I make a lot of my cards non-specific and then when I need a card I can finish it to suit the occasion or person. Cards like this are often left without any greeting on the front because some recipients have been known to frame them as a small picture.

STAMP: Creative Expressions -Country

DISTRESS INK: Weathered Wood

Thanks for looking.

Sugar Bowl 24

The Sugar Bowl offers two weeks for their challenges and I'm still last minute. Just didn't realise the two weeks were up already.

STAMP: Sugar Nellie

Before Coca Cola

It has been way too long since my last post but this is due to having no internet connection for days on end and then coming down with a real bad head cold. So unsure just where to begin I'll post my most recent project.

Yesterday I was at a demo day at my local craft shop and the main interest was a demo on colouring Magnolia stamps. It was very relaxed and the demonstrator Nina couldn't have been more helpful. Made you want to try everything. Anyhow I bought the stamp I used in this project and just to add a twist I decided to use it for Monday's colour challenge (olive, yellow, kraft or tan and dark brown optional) at Stamptv.

I am also linking it to the Belles and Whistles GDT call.

They say that before Coca Cola came along Santa wore a green suit.

This image is watercoloured using Ranger Distress inks and although I'm happy enough with how my first attempt with this medium turned out it didn't go as easy as the demo. I think this was down to not having the right card. The only watercolour paper I have is textured and you really need smooth. I decided to use good quality smooth paper but because it wasn't proper watercolour paper the inks dried before you could blend them properly. Just need a trip to the art supplies shop.

inside

By the way, a message to the 3 ladies who were with me, - I know you'll be reading this and I will be waiting to see what you've done with your stamps.

STAMP: Magnolia - Santa with Gift CHF - Pine Needles and Cones Backgrounder

RIBBON: GinaK BUTTONS: Lasting Impressions

CARDSTOCK: GinaK

Baby Girl / Christening

Just to try to make a hole in the backlog of posts here is a card I made for a sketch challenge last week.

stvsc32

The background is made by inking the Houndstooth Cuttlebug embossing folder.

The sentiment is stamped and embossed in silver and cut using the long rectangle nestabilities. There is too much of a difference between the size of the nesties I stamped on and the one I used for a mat - it had to be tweaked slightly.

STAMP: Stampendous- Shine on You

CUTTLEBUG: Houndstooth

NESTABILITIES: Long Rectangles