Less is More Week 8 ~ sketch ~ card 2

Second entry for this week's challenge over at http://simplylessismoore.blogspot.com/.

I thought this might be an easier task as we were given a sketch to follow but how wrong can you be? It took me ages to think of something different from my first card and then even longer to plan/print it in Publisher.  The word Love is printed directly on to the ivory pearl card (the same size card as before ~70mm x 185mm) and then heat embossed in gold. I missed out the letter 'O' and put black/cream heart pattern ribbon between two embossed lines. (I found this helps with getting the ribbon on straight) Then I punched out a 'funky' heart in gold, mounted it on foam pads to give just a little height and placed it where the 'O' should be. Think this might make a good anniversary card (or just to tell someone you love them!)



close up of punched heart and grosgrain patterned ribbon

So now I can go and visit everyone else's cards.

http://simplylessismoore.blogspot.week-8-sketch.

At last I've found a spare minute to check out the 'simplylessismoore week-8 challenge, which, this week is a sketch.  I've just got back from a long weekend in Cornwall. OH and I went on a tour of the 'gardens' and saw the fabulous Lost Gardens of Heligan, the amazing Eden project and the beautiful gardens at Lanhydrock! It was a weekend of wonderful hot, sunny days and fantastic flowers of every description.
But, back to the challenge. I deliberately haven't looked at any of the cards yet because I want this to be my own inspiration. So obviously, after the weekend, I had to put a flower on the card!
I really, really don't like the size of DL cards, so I've used a card size that I always made when I started papercrafting a few years ago ~ 70mm x 185mm ~ which is smaller than standard DL. Mmm,  I think I quite like this size/shape again now! I used an ivory pearl base card and embossed two lines either side of the black grosgrain ribbon. The flower is 3 layers (in different sizes) of a silk flower which I 'distressed' by twisting them round while they were a bit damp. (I thought it looked a bit like a camellia) Then a black gem in the centre and three long leaves to finish it off. The sentiment is a rub on I found in the drawer!


close up of the silk flower and ribbon.














Hopefully I'll get time to make another card before Friday's deadline because next week I'm house/cat sitting for my daughter so won't be able to enter ~ do you think I'll have withdrawal symptoms being separated from all my 'crafty stash'?
Once again, thanks to Mandi and Chrissie for all their helpful comments and for starting this great challenge.

Tutorial on 'how to make a shirt'

Ok so a couple of lovely ladies who commented on my 'shirt' card wanted to know how to fold the lotto ticket. This is my first ever effort at a tutorial so here goes :

First of all mark the centre points on the back of the lotto ticket This is a normal 'only having one go' type of ticket - about 11.5 cms long

Then fold both sides in to the middle towards the back

Turn ticket over and fold up (towards the back) just over half way. I usually fold it to the top of the bar code. This small piece at the top is the collar

 Then turn over again and fold diagonally from the halfway point to the top (shoulder) point - this forms the sleeve. I usually cut about 1cm down to give the sleeve a bit more definition

Fold over a tiny cuff for the sleeve and then cut in the small piece at the top for the collar - about 1cm / 1.5cm - enough to be able to fold it down to the centre front of shirt.

Then you can draw a line down the middle for the centre front and cut in a small 'vee-shape' at the bottom of shirt. At this point you have to decide whether or not to glue it all down securely. Obviously not, if it's a current lotto ticket! Add  2/3 buttons and it's finished.



Try different papers for different effects - maybe an Hawaian shirt for someone going on holiday!

Less is More - week 7

Chrissie and Mandi - what have you started? Since you began your amazing blog -http://simplylessismoore.blogspot.com/ - I can't stop doing these CAS cards.
Well, here's number 3. A 'tie' stamp by Sirius/Hobby (one that my daughter gave me when she stopped card making and began home making!). Stamped on to 3 different papers from a Dovecraft paper pack (Masculine) and then cut out (with shaking hands in case I spoiled them) Sentiment done in Publisher and a border in brown to finish. I prefer A6 landscape cards to horizontal and this shape was just right for the ties.
I probably won't have time for cards next week - we're off to Cornwall to see the gardens of Heligan, Lanhydrock and Eden (my Christmas present from OH - isn't he wonderful?) and then I have a week house/cat sitting for my daughter and her fiance while they go to Cornwall. It's all go when you're retired!

Less is more - week 7 - masculine theme

Another light bulb moment when I woke up this morning! I suddenly remembered doing this sort of card ages ago - usually for Father's Day cards but it could be used for any occasion when you want to flatter the man in your life!

It's a shirt made out of a lottery ticket and no, it didn't win! Simple folding (which I watched someone do at the NEC years ago using patterned paper) and 3 tiny brads which look like buttons and ....  bingo! (or should that be lotto!) you have a shirt. The sentiment  which I made up myself (clever eh?) was designed as usual in Publisher and then some faux stitching (which I hope matches the font colour) and that's it. Simples!

I suppose if you felt really generous,could use a current lotto ticket and if it wasn't glued or cut and then put on the card with repositionable tape and maybe if it was a winner .......................................

Hope it fits the CAS criteria - it is after all only one embellishment!LOL!

I think after all this brain work I'm going to do some theraputic gardening today - the sun's shining and it looks like a lovely Spring day out there.

http://simplylessismoore.blogspot.com/2011/03/week-7-theme-challenge-masculine.html

Less is More week 7 ~ Masculine!



Amended card after Mandi's suggestion that it might look good 'parked' alongside the sentiment and I have to agree with her.



Phew! -  a toughie this week - card for a man!!!Do we all struggle with these? Or is it just me?

I remembered this Austin Healey die cut (a Go Kreate die)

that I bought a long time ago and then ...ting!A light bulb moment. The sentiment (from Create with TLC) just seemed so appropriate I simply had to have a play. My first effort  was almost finished when concentration slipped and so did my pen. OOPS!
Although I'm getting more comfortable with stamping, my first choice is definitely die cutting.


Right, so now I'm off for a shower,get dressed and then brekkie!

Thanks to all who left me such lovely and sympathetic messages on my last post. It's helps to know that others understand what it's like to lose a much loved pet.

http://simplylessismoore.blogspot.com/2011/03/week-7-theme-challenge-masculine.html

Less is More ~ 3rd try

Two cards which reflect how I'm feeling this week after having to have my lovely cat put to sleep on Monday. (See earlier post on Tuesday)
The butterflies and flower is a digi image - again a freebie I've had stored for ages - coloured with Promarkers and a sentiment done in Publisher.
The leaves on the other card are actually a font called Arboris Folium which I played about with in Publisher and coloured with promarkers.

Have to say I think I could have improved the colouring in but my heart isn't truly in it this week.

 

Less is More week 6 (no 2 effort)

Just a simple stamped card with a sentiment that I generated in Publisher. It's based on a freebie download on Create with TLC but I changed the fonts. 5 gems added to the sentiment to give it emphasis.

Since I posted this card I coloured a few of the parts of the shoes in with red marker ~ definitely an improvement. But  I'd already sold it to someone before I photographed it!

Lottie



Last photo of Lottie



I'm feeling very sad today ~ yesterday I had to make the heart rending decision to have my beautiful tortoiseshell cat put to sleep. She had been unwell for a while and I suspected she had kidney failure which the vet confirmed. Aged 14, she'd had a wonderful life after my daughter resued her from a local garden centre as a tiny kitten and she wound her way into the hearts of the other 3 male cats I had at the time. Muffin the long haired tabby was her especial favourite and they were rarely parted. She became very depressed when he died and then transferred her affections to my handsome ginger tom , Elmo. After he died a couple of years ago she attached herself to me and went everywhere with me in the house ~ even to the bathroom!! I miss her so much and the house seems very empty without her.

Elmo

Less is More ~week 6

Strawberries off the edge.

Well I don't know about 'off the edge' this one nearly sent me over the edge!

After about 5 or 6 attempts this afternoon I finally managed to complete a card that wasn't splodgy.



Not a brilliant photo but the light isn't good today



This one is a digi image I found stored away on my computer (goodness knows where it came from I've had it for so long). I printed it out on a cream linen card with an added sentiment done in Publisher and then set about colouring it in with Promarkers.It's a 5inch square card ~ my favourite size and shape at the moment. I may put one of my other attempts on later if I have the courage!



Close up of the strawberries

And now I think I'm going to have to have a lie down!

Less is More ~ week 5

Less is More ~ number 3!

Wow! I'm on a roll now with this clean and simple look. (Many thanks to Chrissie and Mandi for opening my eyes to it.) I had a sudden thought (as you do) this morning and remembered a freebie flower stamp in my very small collection of stamps. Just right for a CAS card I thought.
I stamped it on to white linen card (not the best for stamping I know but I wanted a sort of distressed look) with tattered rose DI then I coloured it in using the same ink pad and my finest paint brush ~ there's about 3 hairs in it! LOL! Now for a stalk ~ hadn't got anything suitable in stamps so I used the edge of a ruler and crushed olive DI and ......... bingo! a stalk. Then a tiny pearl coloured with Promarker added to the centre of the flower.I matted it on to a pale pink pearl card and the did the sentiment in - yes, as before, Publisher. I saw this sentiment somewhere (?)and wrote it down in my little 'book of things to remember' and it just seemed right for this card. 3 tiny white pearls finished it off. Hope I'm allowed to enter 3 cards for this challenge ~ as I said ~ can't seem to stop now.
I used: white linen card , pink pearl card
            Freebie flower stamp (origin unknown!)
            tattered rose and crushed olive DI
            tiny pearls
            Publisher prog
http://simplylessismoore.blogspot.com/2011/03/week-5-colour-pastel-colours.html

Less is More ~ week 5 (no 2)

I decided to have another attempt at this challenge. Though I know I should step out of my comfort zone, I'm definitely more comfortable with die cuts/punching shapes. Once again the theme is daisies. Punched daisy shapes are coloured very lightly with 'tattered rose' just to give the hint of pink that daisies have, then glued together in pairs and a small circle of lemon, shaped with an embossing tool for a dome effect, in the centre. Pale green, very thin strips of card cut for stems. Daisies 'tied' together with a bow (just like we did as children to give a bunch of daisies to our mums!)

The sentiment once again generated in Publisher (I'm such a creature of habit) and printed in pale pink straight on to the white linen card and a 'cross stitch' border added.

I've used : white linen base card

                 pale lemon card and pale green card

                 Woodware small daisy punch

                 tattered rose DI

                 tiny white ribbon bow

Thanks for looking.

http://simplylessismoore.blogspot.com/2011/03/week-5-colour-pastel-colours.html

                

Less is more ~ week 5

Sooooo ........................pastels! I think of pastels and I think of daisies - tiny white flowers tinted with pink - sitting on the grass making daisy chains on a warm summer afternoon!!! Well we can all dream eh? But, back to the challenge. I immediately thought of daisies when I saw 'pastels' and then the song 'Daisy, daisy' kept going over and over in my head, because the children at the  school where I help out with art lessons, are practising their Victorian assembly. And guess which song they're doing? Hence the sentiment. Now I can't get it out of my head!!(The children sing it much better than me!) So daisies it is.

I used a very pale pink pearlised base card, embossed the daisy on to the same card, then coloured it with pastel chalks to just hint at the colour and finished the centre with a tiny lemon circle which I shaped with embossing tool. The sentiment was done in Publisher and printed in a silver colour onto the same pale pink card. Both the daisy and sentiment were then matted on silver card with a very narrow border.

I used : pink base card, silver card for matting

             Cuttlebug 'daisy' border embossing folder

             pastel chalks

             Publisher program

Now off to rest my brain and check out the other entries.
http://simplylessismoore.blogspot.com/2011/03/week-5-colour-pastel-colours.html

Different styles?

I've been trying to think up some different styles for cards. I always seem to use flowers (which I love, being a keen, though very amateur gardener) and needed to come up with ideas which could be unisex!

OOps! Flowers have managed to sneak in here too. I'm going to have to try this out with 'non-flowery' papers methinks.

There! Think these could be for men.......................perhaps.

This is DEFINITELY not a "man's" card but I couldn't resist this pack of toppers from local £land and the hippo was just crying out for this "does my bum look big in this" saying! Now to find the right person to send it to .........................mmmm!