Christmassy pair

Another entry for Less is More challenge.
I've been playing with Christmas cards this morning, in between tea making duties (see last blog post!) and tidying up a lot of mess.  Think this may be my Christmas card design for this year - definitely clean and simple and fairly quick to make too.
5 inch square pearl card with sentiment generated in Publisher and printed. I embossed it in silver as soon as it emerged from the printer. The bauble is die cut and also embossed with the same silver embossing powder and mounted on 1mm sticky pads which I cut down into teeny tiny squares so that they wouldn't show!

This is the second attempt - not too sure about the first one (below) which I did in blue metallic card mainly because the sentiment didn't print out in the proper colours when I discovered that the inks were almost empty in printer! OOPS!

We're off to see Fascinating Aida in Coventry this evening so no more posts from me today, but I've got loads of ideas buzzing round in my head so maybe tomorrow...

Less is More - week 34 - sketch

Well done, Chrissie and Mandi!!!!!!!! Although it wasn't 1000 entries it was a fantastic result and shows how everyone who took part, really appreciates all the effort you two ladies put into this challenge blog.
Well today it's a sketch. Lovely and easy, this one. I have to make it quick this morning because OH has just gone to B & Q for a new shower unit and I'm supposed to be up and ready to help when he gets back! By help, I really mean moving everything out of his way and then making tea every hour on the hour while he's working!! Sound familiar to anyone?
So, today's card is a 5 inch white linen effect base. Computer generated sentiment (in Publisher) and then in the top corner I made a patchwork 'quilt'. Patchwork is something I'm going to have a go at as soon as time and wedding preparations allow.I did faux stitching, because I don't use my fantastic computerised sewing machine on paper!! Think I must try out one of those little £15 machine from Poundstretcher.
OOOOOer, himself is back so action stations in the bathroom and the first of many cuppas!
See you later and thanks to everyone who wrote such kind comments last week.

Another one - just in time!

Just a very quick post to try to boost the numbers over at Less is More. Almost reached the 1000 entries for this week but not quite there yet.

Right, so this is a card I made last weekend but wasn't sure if I liked it. Anyway it's a stamp I 'acquired' when my daughter gave up card making, so I'm not sure where it came from. Stamped in Old Rose and embossed with clear embossing powder. Sentiment was generated in Publisher and printed directly on to white linen card. I think I would have liked it more on my usual 5inch square card!
Now to wait for tomorrow's challenge. See you all there!

Less is More - week 33 - Anything goes for 1000 entries!

And there's more ..................

I've gone with die cutting for these cards - I'm giving stamping a rest! The tree was cut on my Cricut and I added some Candi (coffee bean) with faux stitching around the edges. The base card is an iridescent gold. The font and dots were by Helen at  'It's all fiddle fart'  (where you can buy the font). I typed it out on the computer and rubbed pencil on the back to make a sort of carbon paper. Then I pencilled over the letters to give me an outline and finally went over in felt tip pen.

The second card is very similar but I used a pre-embossed dotty base card in a peachy/orange colour. Both cards are 5 inch squares.

This time the Candi is Sahara, the font and dots as above, inspired by the very talented Helen

Less is More - week 33 - Anything goes for 1000 entries!

This week is 'Anything goes' over at Less is More, the wonderful challenge blog for CAS type cards.  Chrissie and Mandi have this amazing idea of achieving over 1000 entries this week so let's see what we can do, Limettes!
As I've said before, stamping isn't really my 'thing' but ............... these are CHALLENGES so I decided I should bite the bullet and go for it. I definitely need more practice but I'm fairly happy with this one.
2 freebie stamps that came with a magazine earlier this year and I coloured them with Promarkers. Then I did partial cutting with an oval Nestie and mounted on the scalloped nestie in a matching card to highlight one of the colours.

I think I should send this to my lovely daughter who could shop for England! A day in Birmingham shopping with her and I need to lie down for at least 2 days.





Ok so now I'm on a roll with this stamping business! Another freebie stamp and this time it's cupcakes.

After colouring in, again with Promarkers,  I cut this into a triangle/pyramid shape and then tinted the edges with a silver ink pad just to define it. The sentiment was stamped and embossed.

Less is More - week 32 - seeing double!

Seeing double! - well I almost did when I saw this week's challenge over at Less is More. However I decided that this time I would REALLY do some proper stamping (which is my personal 'bête noire'!)
So this is it. Two dandelions stamped and embossed in silver onto a pale lilac pearl card - 5inch square. The sentiment - Make a wish - was generated in Publisher, printed and embossed as soon as it emerged from the printer! I've used this technique before but found it's only successful on pearl card.On reflection I think this should have been in a heavier font, although it does show up more in real life than in the photo. I added a narrow silver ribbon because I thought it was just a bit TOO CAS
Thanks to everyone who took the time to visit last week and make comments. I managed to visit a few blogs but not as many as I would have liked. We seem to be well and truly into the wedding preparations now (only 15 weeks to go) and spent the weekend sorting, washing and packing the china for Libbie and Stuart's vintage tea party wedding reception - no mean task for over 100 guests! And this was after a day shopping in Birmingham buying my wedding shoes.
I keep going into the guest bedroom and taking a look at Libbie's beautiful wedding dress!

If anyone reading this hasn't looked at the Less is More blog then do hop over there and check it out. I think the two lady LIMs have changed my whole way of making cards - they are so full of inspiration. That's all for now. If I have time I'll be back with more - maybe even more stamping!

Less is More - Week 31 - Colour (Metallics)

And here's another 'Metallic' one for the Less is More challenge! I found this lovely metal flower while I was having a sort out the other day. I think it was part of the stuff my daughter gave me when she gave up card making and took up cupcake making!
A 5inch square purple base card with a scalloped framie shape (Sizzix) placed in the bottom right hand corner. The metal daisy shape was secured with a silver brad and the sentiment is a white rub on. I was tempted to handwrite it but chickened out in the end!

Less is More - Week 31 - Colour (Metallics)

DH has bought us membership of the National Trust for our 41st anniversary (on Monday) so this morning we decided to go to Little Moreton Hall In Cheshire. It's a Tudor Manor house with an amazing history.So this is the reason I've only just had time to look at today's challenge from Less is More which this week is Colour and our two Limettes have chosen 'Metallics'.
But back to today's card.

My usual 5inch square card - white linen effect
Sentiment generated in Publisher and printed in silver colour
Leaves are a Marianne die cut out in silver foil that I've had for ages and have no idea where it came from!
The flowers are in the same foil but punched and embossed with  Nellie Snellen Floral punch set

Thanks for all the lovely and encouraging comments last week. I'm sorry that I didn't get time to check out more than a few blogs, but on Sunday afternoon I had a wasp sting and then had a very bad reaction to it and my hand swelled up until it was almost twice it's normal size!! It was so painful and very itchy.

Thank goodness it's more or less back to it's proper size and shape now.