Less is More

I hate packing - I find it so stressful - do I take this /have I got enough to wear?

So I had to have a little break and managed to make my card for the LIM challenge which is 'One Layer with some Embossing'  I had thought about it since Saturday, but my original idea which seemed a good one, didn't turn out that good.   So thinking caps on and came up with this. I have stamped the Hobby Art Lady of  Fashion in black and coloured her skin with Blush Promarkers. I added red glitter on her necklace and to tie in with that I stamped and heat embossed the Hero Arts sentiment in red.

Well, must get back to the packing.  I hope the weather improves here and we can all enjoy some sunshine.

I have made a post holiday resolution - Get control of my life! I feel as if I have been on a roller coaster lately
time is just flying by and I never have a minute - and I don't think I am the only one in blogland saying this!!
It will be hard - DD will be home for the summer a couple of days after we get back and her bofriend is staying for a week before going to see his family, but the resolution stands.

I would just like to say 'hello' to a couple of new followers - I am absolutely thrilled that people want to follow me!  I will pop by to say hello when I return from holiday as we are off tomorrow morning.

A couple of challenges for my card:
Crafty Cardmakers - Embossing
 Divas by Design - One for the Girls

Thanks for looking,

Avril xx

House Mouse Challenge.

It was a great experience being a  Guest Designer with the House Mouse team for the month of April, but now its back to making and entering their challenges.
This fortnights challenge is flowers, and I have had this image coloured up for a couple of weeks just waiting to be used. The image is from one of the unmounted sets which I bought a few months ago. I have used some papers which were a freebie with a card magazine. My flowers, as I didn't have any poppies, started out as pink cherry blossom from Wild Orchid crafts, were coloured with Promarkers The sentiment came with the unmounted stamps. I used a MS pop up butterfly punch and added a few 'flying' butterflies.

 I did set myself the target of entering all the HM challenges this year, but I will probably miss the next one due to holidays (these things can sometimes get in the ways of blogging).

I would like to say 'hello' to my new followers, its great to see you!

I hope to be back with one more card - but if not, I hope the weather improves and we can all have some sunshine!

I am entering this card in : House Mouse & Friends Challenge - Flowers
One Stitch at a Time  - Anything Goes
Crafty Creations - Anything Goes
Divas by Design - Anything Goes
The StampMan - Poppies

Enjoy the rest of the weekend.

Avril xx

This really is LESS!!

The challenge over at Less is More this week is White on White, something I have done a few times, but you know, as well as me, when it is for this challenge its a different 'ball game' so to speak.  I did a card at Christmas - White on White, with an aperture and a snowflake and have thought about doing something similar for a Wedding, so that was the plan - the snowflake card was a tent card - wasn't sure if that was OK for LIM - so just a folded card. Everything went to plan until I thought about embellishments, made flowers - made roses - cut swirls - looked at pearls - but nothing seemed right, so this card really is LESS is More!
I used white hammer card, aperture cut with Nellie Snellen die, then white vellum and used the smaller die for the die cut. I embossed Swiss Dots on the back of the card, so used the 'cut out' from the front for a  greetings label on the back. I embossed CB With Love on the front. The hearts are cut in white pearlised card with a Mariann die and the larger one has another die cut heart attached to the back to hide the silver thread and tape (whoops - said silver - but it is so fine).
I am also entering this card into Tuesday Throwdown- Die cuts
Papertake Weekly - Die cuts/punches

Thats it for now - have a load of ironing to do.

Avril x

Messy Play!

After doing my card for Less is More I wanted to enter The Stamp Man Challenge which is 'Resist'. I haven't done this technique for ages and I needed to play with my new stamps and ones I bought at Harrogate that hadn't been inked up!

When I 'play' I usually do a few extra pieces which I will use up in a couple of weeks, but this is the only one I finished today so that I can enter the challenge - just!

I have used Hobby Art stamps and embossed in white, then 'shadow' stamped the image again with DI Dusty Concord, which I then used on the white card. The sentiment is computer generated and again I distressed with the Dusty Concord. The background was mauve card stock which I stamped  with a smaller flower using the same ink. I added Glamour Dust and some vellum butterflies after colouring the vellum with the ink, these are also glittered.

I am also entering this card in the Lets Ink It Up challenge - Embellish it - No Digis
Papertake Weekly - Anything Goes
By the Cute & Girly Monthly challenge - Anything Goes

That's it for now - a glass of wine awaits!

Will do some catching up with you lovely bloggers tomorrow.

Avril x

Less is More - And Not Last Minute!!

I know I haven't been a good blogger again!! but at least I have been busy (well some of the time).
I hope everyone had a good Bank Holiday - again.  I did, but didn't get to do much crafting, but I did manage to buy a couple of things on Sunday at the  '1st SincerelYours  Papercrafts show in the N.E.' held at Gateshead International Stadium which isn't too far away. I went with my friend Diane and no doubt Thursday when Diane comes over,will be a 'play with each others goodies' night . I bought a couple of new stamps, coloured embossing powders (which I couldn't get locally and NEEDED to finish off some projects) and some Nesties.
Back to normal now and after catching up with housework & washing yesterday, I have had a crafting day today.
I made my card for the Less is More challenge (I am hooked). The theme is Congratulations or Thank You.
Well!!! I did Thank You last week, so it had to be Congratulations (I took the easy option and did a remake of a card I did for my Son & DIL's Wedding Anniversary last week (theirs had 'Wedding Anniversary' and more pearls and had different coloured hearts)
I used 'Pearl' pearlised card - 'Textile CB folder - and the text computer generated - Marianne dies.

I am also entering this card in Crafty Creations - Anniversary challenge
Die Cut Dreams - Wedding

That's it for now, will be back with another show of today's play.

Avril x

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