Less is More

The challenge at Less is More this week is a Recipe - a combination of any 3 previous challenges. So plenty of options as the challenge has reached week       
For my choice I have picked 3 squares - Week 4, Embossing - Week ,and a touch of Red -  Week 9.  I decided to use this Woman in the Hat, by Rubber Stampeed, she was one of the first stamps I bought and hasn't seen ink for some time!
I matted the  3 images onto red cardstock and embossed the with love in the right-hand top corner (no choice about this as the folder only works 1 way ( I have thought about cutting it open and sticking  the other end but most cards I make have the fold on the left, so it stays as it is).  Easy Peasy, card done - then I wondered about colouring her necklace red or the ribbons on the hat, but thought this might be more than 'a touch' so have left well alone. (it might get done before sending)
I see that the challenge has it the 1,000 followers - Well Done Chrissy and Mandy!  This challenge takes me out of my comfort zone, but it is addictive and I'm sure I'm not the only one who thinks like this.

I am also entering this card in the following challenges:
  Ooh La La - No backing paper
  Stamps R Us - Anything Goes
  Make It Monday - As Always - Anything Goes

I would like to say 'hello' to my new followers, and I'm glad to say Mr Blogger didn't keep them too long.

Just thought I mention -I didn't get made redundant last week as 'rain stopped play' again, but after my  'interfeering again' this morning, DH says I might be!   I have started calling it the 'Winter House' cause there's not much summer left, it feels  like Autum.

Thats it for now, and thanks for looking.

Avril xx

Latest News !!!

Well girls, I can now tell you my latest news! I am absolutely thrilled to have been invited to join the fabulous Design Team at Fashionable Stamping Challenges and become a 'Fashionette' !!!  This is  an extremely talented team, so please pop over to the challenge blog and see their amazing creations.           

For my first outing on the catwalk I created this little blue number ........

For my card I used K&Co papers, the image is a Crafty Individuals, that I have had for a couple of weeks and this is the first 'inking'.  I stamped the bill head on a cream tag, masked and then overstamped  Hero Arts Old French Writing, I stamped the heading again and on cream card and cut out with a nestie label.  I used Walnut Stain DI for the stamping and distressed with a combination of Vintage Photo and Tattered Rose. I paper pieced the corset bodices and parasol from scraps in the same pad. The  lace flowers were cut from an old lace collar and inked with Adirondack Denim ink.  I haven't added a sentiment, because I didn't want to cover all the swirls on the paper!
Well , I hope you like my first 'exhibit' on the catwalk of stamping and that I have encouraged you to pop over to see the fabulous show of inspiration from the rest of the Team.

I am also going to enter this card in the following challenges:
  Just Add Ink - Something from stash - Old lace collar
  Some Odd Girl - Paper piece
  Craft Us Crazy  - Anything Goes
  Phindy's Place - Mak your own embellishments
  Papercrafting Journey - Anything Goes
  Fab & Funky - Mono Madness
  Crafts & Me - Lace

Well that's it for now - have a great week -end and I hope the sun shines for you.

Avril xx

Enjoy the Ride!

Well, another week  has just whizzed by - helping DH (my new job as 'Gofer' on the Summer House - almost got the sack for interfering last week - I wish!)  - but its looking good and almost finished,   and in my spare time I've managed to do a bit of housework.! Oh and I  gave myself a day off and met up with friends for coffee- but very little crafting I'm afraid. I am hoping to be redundant this week-end and then normal service can be resumed - unlike Mr Blogger who has lost my followers again!!

I did manage to make a card last night while DH was at work, at least that's what he call the Youth Club!

Its for the Less is More challenge, which this week is 'Things that Move'.  This is the second card, not too sure if the first is LIM - will think about it.  This was one of the first stamps I  bought, (my Son still loves his mountain bike(s) yes, he has more than one and both very expensive!) and I used this stamp for the first birthday card I made him, and the last! I can't remember who made it. I have just stamped the image, matted with black and added brads, did some soft chalking and that's its, very LIM!! The sentiment was made on the computer.

I am also entering this card in the following challenges:
  Cards for Men - Anything Goes
  Make It Monday - Anything Goes

Thats it for tonight, thanks for looking and if you find my followers, please send them back to me

Avril xx

Less is More

The challenge at Less is More this week is to use inks - on a One Layer Card!
I have had a few ideas using one of the new stamps I bought from Crafty Individuals at the beggining of the week, but its been a busy week and haven't had a chance to do anything until now. This stamp was a 'freebie' I received in my "delivery" and I stamped it onto some scrap papers to see exactly what the image was, I am not really into birds for cards, but when I saw this image stamped, the idea for the card was there.
I have used my brayer before, but only a couple of times and then just for blue skies, and although I watch Barbara Grey on Create&Craft, I haven't really played with it!  I used Distress Inks Tattered Rose and Spiced Marmalade for the sky and Walnut stain on the hills.  Because this image was smaller than I wanted, I drew a frame with a Black Embossing Pen and then heat embossed with clear powder (I have seen Barbara G do this - so I can't take any credit for this idea).  I did the same frame around the sentiment.  This card is a 5" x 7" as I felt the image suited an oblong card and a DL was too long and thin!
This is a different type of card for me, and I really enjoyed doing it, so Thanks Chrissy & Mandy for the challenge - LIM really does take me out of my comfort zone, and I am starting to like the cards I make.  I will tell you a little secret - some of the cards have been 'altered' (or binned) after the challenges .

I am also entering this card in the following challenges:
  Craft Us Crazy - Anything Goes
  Try It On Tuesdays - Anything Goes
  The Stamp Man - Anything Goes with summer colours

That's it for now, thanks for looking and if you like what you see, please leave a comment and I can come and visit you.

Avril xx

House Mouse - Fruity?

Well - where has the week gone! I can't blame DD this time, as she went back to Preston on Friday.
I think its just a case of catching up on everything - blog comments - which was a priority  as well as washing, ironing, housework and of course homework for the never ending curtains. One pair is finished and they look great, although not up yet, but the finished look with 'hand-made' is worth the effort!

I had planned a 'play day' today, but DH asked for a 'hand' with the "finishing" of the Summerhouse (yes the one he started months ago) - I  couldn't really say 'no' as I had been out most of yesterday meeting some friends for a 'girly' lunch. So, this is another short post to enter my card for the House Mouse challenge, which is 'To see fruit '.  I didn't have a stamp with HM and Fruit so this (lemonade! or whatever) image was the nearest - I did add extra lemons to the image, so I hope this will do.  Its not that long since I made a card using this image so to make it different I made it into an easel card. The papers are 'old' freebies from some magazine, the image is  coloured with Promarkers, and I used stickles and  Glossy Accents on the ice cubes. The sentiment was done on the computer.

I am also entering this card in the following challenges:
  Simon Says - Food & Drink
  Anything Goes challenge - Birthdays
  Celebrate the Occasion - Easel card
  Make It Monday - Anything Goes
  Craft Us Crazy - Anything Goes
  Frosted Designs - Friday challenge - Animals
  I Love Promarkers - Easel Card

That's it for now and thanks for looking.

Avril xx

Penny Black Challenge

Just another quick post as DD has just popped out to hand deliver this card for her friends birthday.
I haven't managed a Penny Black challenge  for a while, so when she asked for a card, thought I would make the most of the opportunity to craft while she packed!
I have used Rain or Shine Friends - which seems appropriate considering the weather! Coloured it with Promarkers and used an oval nestability and 'cut outside the frame'.  The papers are Pink Petticoat and were a freebi from a magazine, I distressed all the edges with Adirondac Denim ink, and I used this weeks sketch from Totally Gorjuss.  The challenge at Papertake Weekly is 'Grown Your Own' so made my flowers with punches and the DP.
Challenges for my card are:
  Penny Black challenge - Anything Goes
  Totally Gorguss - Sketch
  Papertake Weekly - Grow Your Own
  Charisma Cards challenges - Distressing
  Crafty Sentiments challenge - Die Cuts & Punches

I'm off for a glass of wine and a 'girly' last night with DD, and hopefully I will catch up with everyone tomorrow night.
Thanks for looking and if you like what you see, please leave a comment and I will come and visit you.

Avril xx

Less Is More

I missed the challenge at LIM last week - in fact, I think I missed most challenges last week!
So this week - and all quick posts - I have actually managed a few challenges.
The challenge at Less Is More this week is 'The colour of your Nations Flag'.  I have chosen an easy option of red  on white, and used my new Hero Arts Poppy stamp. I inked with Black Versamark and heat embossed with clear powder on a  3" x7" card blank.  Coloured with red Promarkers and then stamped the Thanks sentiment.
A very quick card, but no doubt when I go to link it in and see all the other creative entries I will probably think looks too CAS.
I am also entering this card in the Allsorts Challenge - Red

As I said, a quick post,  DD and I have had a 'girly day' shopping and lunch and tonight we are all going to the cinema to see - 'Harry Potter'.

Thanks for looking and I  hope to catch up with everyone on Friday when DD goes back.

Avril xx

House Mouse and First ATC!!

The challenge at House Mouse & Friends this fortnight is ATCs.  I haven't really got into these, but I suppose its just the first step of cardmaking (without the papers).  I try not to miss these challenges as I really love HM stamps and this image was just sitting there - already coloured in - waiting for the right card.This image is from one of the unmounted sets and I added an extra parasol from a different set (courtesy of Crafty friend Diane). The image is coloured with Promarkers and I added a little glitter to make it look as if the sun was glinting off the sand - well we can all dream can't we!
Some challenged for my card are:
  Creative Craft Challenge - Summertime
  Cupcake Craft - Sew Mad
  Die Cut Dreams -  Holiday Fun
  Make It Monday - Anything Goes
 
This is another quick post -I'm off to Diane's for the 'next lesson in the hand made curtains'  and have just managed to get my 'homework' done while DD was out meeting a friend for coffee this morning. Only 2 more days left before she goes back and then I will have time on my hands, or something like that!!
Thanks for looking and Thanks for all the nice comments I have had lately, I do promise to catch up with you all at the weekend.

Avril xx

There's a new Challenge!

Well...another week has just whizzed by!!  I can't believe just how quickly the last few week have gone by.
Yesterday was DD last day working on her  8 week Summer Placement - and although she doesn't start Uni until 19th September she has to go back next Friday as her  student -'term time' job working one and a half days a week 'need' her back in store and don't even allow her to take time off unpaid.  Still, only 1 more year left at Uni and then she will move back to the N.E.  She has had a  Trainee Pharmacist job offer to start next summer (I think this means she will be independent! - can't wait!!!)

Last night I was 'home alone' for a few hours and decided on 'me' time - it was heaven to craft in peace -and made this card for a friends birthday.  This stamp, Hampton Art Stamps 'Odes', hasn't been inked up for a while - don't know why cause I love it. She is coloured with Promarkers and inked with DI inks Dusty Concord and Antique Linen.  The Postcard is from the Royal Langnickel travel stamp set and the music sheet is the LOTV  clear stamp. These were both distressed and inked with Antique Linen.
I gave her a 'real' feather fan, I also stamped an extra butterfly on vellum, and glittered it before adding.
I stitched the paper, which is from Papermania and also stitched the cotton lace down the side of the image by machine. I added a little glitter to the Marianne flourish.

I am entering this card  in the new Fashionable Stamping Challenge - which is Anything Goes
and also in the following challenges:
  The Stamp Man - Stitching 
  Crafts and Me - Anything Goes
  Sir Stampalot - Anything Goes
  Just Add Ink - Distressing
  Make It Monday - Anything Goes

Only 1 more week of DD distractions and then hopefully I will be a better blogger!  but I am not really complaining as I do enjoy her company. We are supposed to be having a family barbecue tomorrow with Son and DIL, but I think the weather will probably dictate that I cook a Sunday lunch instead - so much for 'summer'.

That's it for now, hope you all have a good weekend and its not too wet where you are!

Avril xx