Less Is More

Once again I am entering the Less is More  challenge at the last minute!  I wonder if its because I still find this 'challenging' to create a 'clean' card!

I used large and small Clarity Swirls stamped in Pearlescent Purple Brilliance Ink and heat embossed with clear powder. The sentiment was printed straight onto the card, something I am not used to doing!
It looks a little pale, I think that's because the sun is still shining - or maybe I'm still not very good at taking photographs!

I am also entering this card in:
Crafty Creations challenge - White Space

Hope everyone has a good Bank Holiday Weekend.

Avril x

Another Clarity Corset!

I inked and embossed this image a couple of weeks ago and last time the sewing machine was out I stitched a frame around it with gold embroidery thread, and it has been sitting there waiting to be used. When I saw the challenge at Lets Ink It Up - stitching - I thought this was the right time to use it. This is the first time I have used machine stitching on my cards!
I wanted the image to make the statement so kept the layout simple just adding gold and a black MS punched mat,I decided to make it an Easel card (love these). I continued with the same layout for the sentiment which is a Hero Arts stamp. The border is a Black Promarker drawn with a ruler - something I 'picked up' from a Barbra Gray demo. I rubbed some gold in ink over the image.


A couple of challenges for my card:
Lets Ink It Up - Stitching
Sir Stampalot - Ladies & Fashion
Creative Corner - Easel cards
Ladybugs Crafts Ink Challenge - Fashion

Hope you're not bored with this Corset stamp - I'm sure there will be more to come!

Thats it for now, I am trying to be a better blogger and crafter - so watch this space as they say!

Enjoy the sunny weather!

Avril x

House Mouse & Friends

I hope you all had a lovely Easter and I think everyone was lucky with the weather which makes a nice change!

This is my second card as a Guest Designer for the House Mouse Team, I have really enjoyed this opportunity of working with a great bunch of girls. The theme this week on the House Mouse & Friends Monday Challenge is Way to Go - Travel, and there are some gorgeous card for inspiration on the blog.
For my card I have used 'Fancy Pants' (one of my favourite stamps!) I masked the image and then stamped the Eifeel Tower to tie in with the Craftwork Cards Paris papers, the sentiment is also from the Royal Langnickel set. The distressed flower was made with a Retro Flower punch (3 large and 3 medium shapes) held together with a brad and then spritzed with water, scrunched up and then opened again and left to dry. I saw this technique on a tutorial last year, but its the first time I have use it.


I have been a terrible blogger these last couple of weeks, but DH is very good at DIY and is making a 'Summer House' in the garden! I am priviledged to be his 'gofer/labourour' (you know what I mean - get this - hold this - where's this or that) so very little time for crafting and then I find I'm shattered at the end of the day. He's not very well at the moment, (man flu) so I have had yesterday and today off,and managed to make some much needed cards this afternoon. Hopefully I can do a 'catch up' in blogland tomorrow and come and say 'hello'.
A couple of challenges for my card:
Cupcake challenges - Fluffy Bunnies
Totally Gorjuss - Bling it on(her shoes & bag should count)
CES - Spring (April in Paris 'springs to mind')
Fuzzy Wuzzy Challenge - Well my bunny is brown and I have used green

Less Is More - 2nd Attempt!

After looking at some of the other submissions which are fantastic, I felt as if I needed to to better - sounds like a school report!
A couple of weeks ago I stamped up some neglected images onto acetate, one a Crafty Individuals, I did make up. This one - Declaration of Intention - have loaned the stamp to crafty buddy Diane and can't remember who it is by - I had also stamped it onto some photo paper coloured with golds and bronze alcohol inks, and it was waiting to be put on the right card - I love this image, but - I think its the wording down the side - I always wonder if its 'right' for what I want to use it for - or is that just me! Anyway, I printed the sentiment onto the acetate, something I haven't done before and then put the images and backing paper onto the acetate card with brads. I added brown velvet ribbon to hold them together. Once again, a nightmare to photograph!



So 'not too bad' turned into a week long nightmare and I have turned into the worst blogger ever. I really must try harder next week!!
I am entering both of these card in the Less is More Challenge because my 2 efforts have got to be better than 1!

Thanks for popping by.

Avril x

Two for One!

After doing the challenge at Less is More last week, I was determined to enter every week. The challenge this week is Acetate - I thought hmm not too bad - I have worked with acetate before - but beware Avril - Pride comes before a Fall!!!

I have never worked with a 'whole' piece before and what a difference that makes.
Decided on Saturday what I was going to do - but had a busy weekend and didn't get around to it till Tuesday. I stamped straight onto the acetate with the birthday stamp and then positioned the Clarity Swirl around that. That was the easy bit, putting the card together was the nightmare! The bow to hold it all together was a disaster so I tried one of Debby 4000's 'flat bows', mine just doesn't look as good.
This card has been photographed around the house and I'm still not happy with it.



Thanks for looking, will show another soon!

Avril x

I'm taking the plunge!!!

Once again the week has flown by. DD decided to come home for a few days inbetween finishing uni work and before starting revision for exams. We have had a lovely week 'doing girly things'.
Unfortunately, I haven't had much time for crafting, but I had decided on Saturday that I was going to enter Less is More - Sentiment focus challenge this week. I have planned in my head what I wanted to do, but now that its done (DD said are you not going to finish it) I'm a little uncertain, but here goes - I can only be told its rubbish compared to some the the lovely cards submitted to this challenge.



I have used the verse and feather Clarity stamps that I bought at Harrogate a couple of weeks ago. I stamped on Linen card and then heat embossed with clear powder.
I don't seem to have a lot to say about it, wonder what others will say!!!

Well, all I can say is Thanks for looking,

Avril xx

House Mouse GDT card for April

This is my first card as GDT for April on the House Mouse Challenge. I was really thrilled to be chosen, as not only do I love these stamps, but it is the only challenge that I have never missed - apart from holidays!
The theme this week is Easter and the challenge is being sponsored by Simon Says Stamps. The team members have created some fabulous cards for inspiration, so please check them out.
For my card I used Stampabilities 'Easter Surprise' and coloured with Promarkers. The papers are from a Laura Ashley pad and I punched the butterflies from the paper and vellum and then stickled. The sentiment is from comp.
I am also entering this card in some challenges:
Simon Says challenge - Easter
Stampin for the Weekend - Easter
Sarah Hurley - Easter
Everybody Art - Easter
Die Cut Dreams - Easter
Dream Valley ChallengeThings with Wings

Thats it for now and thanks for looking, and don't forget to check out the fab cards on the House Mouse blog.

Avril x

News to Share!

Well once again, where did the week go! I was full of good intentions after my lack of blogging but it happened again, and I haven't even shared my good news with you - I was chosen to be a GDT for the month of April on my favourite challenge - House Mouse! You will see my first 'creation' tomorrow!!!
Although the blogging was neglected (the garden is now looking very nice though) I did make a couple of cards. This one was made using a set of Hobby Art stamps bought a Harrogate. I must admit though, I did see a card on one of the stands using a Penny Black stamp with a similar effect using the black circle embossed with white.
I am entering this card in the following challenges:
CES - Monochromatic
Craft Your Passion - Anything Goes (just made it)
Anything Goes Challenge - Pearls
One Stop Crafts - Monochromatic
Stamp Scrap & Doodle Saturdaays - Clean & Simple
Stamp Something - Circles
Alphabet Challenge - W White + one
Cratfy Catz - Embossing
ABC Challenge - Ribbon

Well thats it for now, I'm back out in the gardens to catch the last of todays glorious sunshine.

Thanks for looking

Avril x

House Mouse Challenge

Well - where did my week go!
It started off OK and I made this card for a young person who goes to the Youth Club that my DH works who is having an op on her leg. I followed Scoopy's sketch for the House Mouse challenge and made the image girly as this young lady 'loves pink girly things' the papers are from a Laura Ashley pack.

Then my Daughter came home mid week as she was going to a friends wedding on Saturday ....so ... need I say more! It was lovely to have her home and she didn't go back till last night which meant she was here for Mothers Day and my Son came for lunch, so a lovely day!

Its back to normal now - the house always seems so quiet when she has gone, but I can now have some me time!!

I have had a quick browse and found I can enter this card in:
House Mouse challenge - sketch
By the Cute & Girly - Cute & Girly
Cute card Thursday - Couples (Well - there are a couple of animals on this card)
CES - Cards featuring or for Children
Colour Create - Pastels

Well that's it for now - I'm off to blogland to find out what I have been missing!

Thanks for looking

Avril x