Owl family

First of all I would like to wish all my friends and followers a very Happy New Year.

This is the card I made for this week's Less is More challenge where the theme is Family. I am on holiday at the moment so had to borrow the owl stamps from my sister. I used distress inks to watercolour the images - the tree and branch were hand drawn.

Materials used:-
Owls and leaf stamps - Kanban Autumn Silhouettes
Sentiment - Uniko Studio Fontiments Birthday
Various distress inks

Thanks for visiting my blog - I really enjoy reading your comments. Margaret

Plaid Christmas

First of all I would like to extend a warm welcome to my new followers - it is lovely to "meet" people from all over the world.

The inspiration for my card came from the challenge on AAA cards this week which is "Plaid Christmas". The design team have produced some lovely cards using tartan. As a Scot, I was pleased with the Scottish effect I managed to create with my card.

I am also entering this card into 52 {Christmas} Card Throwdown challenge where you can pick a previous theme - I have chosen the June challenge which is Rudolf/reindeer.

Materials used:-
Reindeer stamp - Cardmaking and Papercraft Magazine
Sentiment - Creative Stamping Magazine
Tartan paper - download from Printable Heaven
Inks - DI tumbled glass and Archival black

Thank you for visiting my blog - I really appreciate your comments. Margaret

Let it snow

We woke up to a covering of snow yesterday so the challenge on Less is More was very appropriate - Chrissie and the team want to see one layer cards on the theme of snow. Once I had masked the card, it was quite simple to make.

I'm also entering this card into the 52 {Christmas} Card Throwdown where you have to pick a previous challenge. I have chosen the Christmas Landscape theme from Feb 2014.

Materials used:-

Distress inks - tumbled glass, broken china and dusty concord

Ink dusters - Inkylicious 

Branches stamp - Penny Black Etched Branches

Sentiment - Uniko Studio Stunning Snowflakes

Thanks for visiting my blog - I really appreciate your comments. Margaret 

Xmas trees

I'm very late with my entry to Less is More this week - I've had visitors staying so no time for crafting. This week's challenge on LIM is a colour challenge with lovely shades of turquoise and greens.  I coloured the sky with distress inks and then spritzed this with perfect pearls. I'm happy with the clean and simple look I think I've achieved. I'm also entering this card into game 29 at AAA cards which is Blue Christmas!

Materials used:-
Stampin Up "Festival of trees" set
Lawn Fawn stitched hillside borders
Distress inks - evergreen bough, broken China and tumbled glass
Perfect pearls
Sentiment - Banana Frog Xmas Elegance

Thanks for visiting - I really appreciate your comments. Margaret

Smile!

I was inspired to make this card by the code word DOTS at the challenge over at Addicted to CAS this week. I used some dotty paper for the background, machine stitching around the panel to echo the stitching on the circle.  I gave the butterfly an extra vellum layer - I've started using vellum again as I like the effect it creates.

Materials used:-
Circle die - Lawn Fawn stitched party banners
Butterfly die - Sizzix butterfly framelits
Dotty paper - download from Mad about Cards
Sentiment - Uniko Studio Fontiments Birthday
Ink - Archival cobalt
Vellum and pearls from stash

Thanks for visiting my blog.

Congratulations!

This is a special week at Less is More as it is their 200th challenge! The theme this week is celebrations so here is the card I made to thank Chrissie and her team for all their hard work - their designs provide great inspiration and it is amazing that the team comment on every entry.

To make my card, I inked a panel with distress inks and then spritzed this with perfect pearls. I used my favourite tag punch for the sentiment which was embossed with silver embossing powder. The final addition was to add some glitter - it is a celebration after all!

I am also going to enter this card into the Time Out #19 challenge which is embossing with an optional twist of sparkle.

Materials used:-
Tag punch - Stampin Up
Sentiment - Stampin Up Sassy Salutations
Star dies - Paper Smooches
Metallic silver embossing powder
Distress inks - seedless preserves, broken china, tumbled glass
Perfect pearls mist
Glitter paper from stash

Thanks for visiting my blog - I really appreciate your comments. Margaret

Reindeer card

I am running late in entering this week's Muse challenge - the light here this morning was so poor I had difficulty taking a photo. I was inspired by Caroline's card - I like using tags and I loved the simplicity of her card. I had lots of attempts before deciding to use some patterned paper for my background.

Materials used:-
Reindeer stamp - Cardmaking and Papercraft magazine
Sentiment - Creative Stamping magazine
Papers - Scrapbook magazine issue 85
Tag punches - Stampin Up and Nestsbilities
Embellishments- from stash

Thanks for visiting my blog!

Enjoy!

The cue card on CASology this week is EAT. I immediately thought of this stamp as I felt it would work well for a simple card. I sewed around the background paper to give an indication of a tablecloth and used alphabet stamps to make my own sentiment.

Materials used:-
Cake stamp - Cardmaking magazine
Dies - Nestabilities circles and Dienamics banner
Paper - Printable Heaven
Inks - Archival black, Colorbox berry and various distress markers
Letters - make unknown

Thanks for visiting my blog!

Jingle all the way!

As this week's challenge on Less is More is "Jingle all the way"  I thought this snowy scene would be appropriate as it features a one-horse open sleigh! I used a lovely set of little dies from Penny Black and had great fun creating the scene.

I'm also going to enter this card in the Uniko Studio challenge for this month where Anything Goes.
Materials used:-
Penny Black die set - Around Town
Sentiment - Uniko Studio "Peace on Earth" set
Archival ink - cobalt
Frame - made from a Nestie die
Card - White Co-redinations



Thanks for visiting my blog - now pop over to Less is More and Uniko Studio to see all the lovely creations inspired by "Jingle all the way"!

Funkie Junkie tag 5

This is my take on Linda's tag in the Funkie Junkie Tag Challenge - I was inspired by her design but didn't have all the materials so had to improvise!

Linda's challenge is sponsored by The Funkie Junkie Boutique with prizes being won if you play along.

Materials used:-
Card - Centura pearl, turquoise pearlescent and silver mirri card
Dies - Sizzix holiday words script; Paper Smooches stars; Tim Holtz Alterations snowman
Embossing folder - Sizzix
Frontage embossing powder
Distress stains - broken China and brushed platinum

Trees

This week's challenge on Less is More is trees and Chrissie and her team want to see more than one tree! I was inspired to make this card by seeing some of Heather Telford's designs - she creates the most wonderful snowy scenes using a spatter brush so I had to get one! It is used with masking fluid to create spatters which are rubbed off after the inking is done. Here is my first attempt using this technique.

Materials:-
Tree stamp - Clarity stamps
Bushes - Penny Black etched branches
DI - broken China, tumbled glass, faded jeans
Black archival ink
Keeper spatter brush and Pebeo masking fluid

Thanks for visiting my blog! Now pop over to LIM to see all the wonderful designs created by the participants this week.

Twinkling baubles

I think dies can make lovely clean and simple cards so here is a Christmas card I made recently using dies. I die cut the ornaments and word from silver mirri card. The panel is made from watercolour card coloured with distress inks and then spritzed with perfect pearls - I like the subtle sheen this produces. The panel was mounted on foam to provide some dimension.

I am going to submit this card into the following challenges:-

Merry Monday #134 - ornaments using silver/grey and blue

Inkspirational #69 - prompt word SHINE

CASology week 121 - FESTIVE 

Materials used:-

Memory box die - hanging ornaments 

Sentiment - Sizzix holiday words script

Distress inks - tumbled glass, broken china, salty ocean and chipped sapphire

Perfect pearls mister

Silver mirri card and gems from stash

Thanks for visiting my blog - I really appreciate your comments. Margaret

Twinkle

I love clean and simple designs and was inspired by Therese's card on Muse this week (see below). I used her stylised tree design as the basis of my card. I was tempted to put a star on the top of my tree but I refrained! The tree was mounted on foam to give it some dimension. The sentiment is cut out of silver mirri card but unfortunately this looks more like gold in my photo. It was a very dark day when I took the photo!

Materials used:-

Joanna Sheen ice white card

Sizzix swirls embossing folder

Sizzix die - holiday words script

Gems from stash

Silver mirri card

Thanks for visiting - now pop over to Muse to see what the other participants have created. Margaret

LIM Starry, starry night

This week's challenge on Less is More is to make a one layer card with the focus being "starry, starry night". Chrissie and her team want to see some stars! This caused me some problems as I have very few star stamps. However, after many attempts, this is what I came up with.

I made my own mask from masking tissue based on a design by Stamps Away. This is the first time I have used this and I was pleased with the result. I used blending brushes to ink the background and spritzed this with perfect pearls. I then stamped the nativity scene and finally added an embossed star - one star is all that was needed!

Materials used:-
Nativity stamp - Clarity stamps; star - Crafty Individuals
Sentiment - Uniko Studio "Peace on Earth"
Distress inks - dusty concord, broken china, salty ocean
Brilliance Pearlescent Crimson ink; black archival ink
Perfect pearls
Silver embossing powder
Chocolate Baroque masking tissue

Another Noel tag card!

I really like this tag punch from Stampin Up so I've used it again to make a CAS card for challenge #51 over at Addicted to CAS where the code word is TAG.

Materials used:-
Letters cut out on Cricut using Type Candy Font then stamped and embossed with Cosmic Shimmer Ivory embossing powder
Music stamp - Stamps Away
Embossing folder - Sizzix Holly
Tag punch - Stampin Up
Card - SU crumb cake and Kanban cream card

Thanks very much for visiting today! Margaret

Noel tag card

I was inspired to make this Christmas card by the photo in the Time Out Challenge this week. The colours are lovely and if you look closely you can see "Noel" in the corner of the room. I'm also entering this card in Challenge #133 on Merry Monday where you have to make a card using creams, tans and browns. Finally I think this card also fits the bill at for the Tag You're It Challenge #10! I used holly instead of flowers as a decoration.

Materials used:-

Stampin Up tag punch

Music stamp - Stamps Away embossed with Cosmic Shimmer Ivory embossing powder

Letters cut out on the Cricut - Type Candy Font

Embossing folder - Craft Concepts Woodgrain

Leaves die cut with Tim Holtz Festive Greenery die then coloured with distress markers and clear embossed

Card - SU crumb cake and Kanban cream card


Thanks for visiting my blog - I really appreciate your comments. Margaret

Birds of a Feather

I really like this stamp from the Stampin Up set "Wetlands" and thought it very appropriate for the current challenge at Time Out which is entitled "Birds of a Feather". I'm also going to enter it in challenge 27 at AAA cards which is Play with Watercolours. I stamped the image with archival ink and then used distress inks to watercolour it. The reeds were stamped and then clear embossed.

Materials used:-

Stamps - SU Wetlands set

Archival black ink and various distress inks

Card - SU crumb cake

Thanks for visiting my blog - I really appreciate your comments. Margaret

LIM snowflakes

Good morning everyone and a special welcome to my new followers.

This week's challenge at Less is More is to make a Christmas card using non-traditional colours so not red or green. I have been impressed with some designs I have seen recently using cream and kraft card so I thought I would try this combination.

Materials used:-
Card - Stampin Up crumb cake and Centura Pearl
Embossing folder - Cuttlebug snowflakes
Sentiment - SU Sassy Salutations
Snowflake dies - Uniko Studio and Marianne Creatables Swedish Star

Thanks for visiting my blog and thanks to Kylie for creating my watermark. Margaret

Muse challenge #91

This week's challenge at Muse, set by the guest designer Michele, is to make a set of 3 cards using designer paper sharing a theme. Not the easiest of challenges! I have loads of designer papers as I can't resist buying them. For these cards I used paper from the Maja Design "A gift for you". I had to use 2 sheets as the paper was 6x6 inch - this size is great for making cards and mini books.

Materials used:-
Papers - Maja Design and Stampin Up Coredinations in cherry cobbler

Dies -  Lawn Fawn Scripty Joy and Stitched Party Banners; Dienamics pierced rectangles

Tag punch - Stampin Up

Ink - SU cherry cobbler; sentiment stamps from Lakeland (I think)

Embossing folder - SU modern mosaics

Thank you for visiting my blog and for your comments. Now pop over to Muse and see the amazing designs there. Margaret

The Funkie Junkie Tag Challenge - week 4

This is my take on Linda's tag for week 4 which you can see here. I liked the way she stamped the sentiment on another piece of card so I have tried to replicate this. My tag is veering towards the clean and simple style which I like. I made the the little number embellishment using a Tim Holtz set.

This challenge is sponsored by The Funkie Junkie Boutique and there are prizes to be won!

Materials used:-
Pine stamp - Hobby Art "From our home to yours"
Holly stamp  - Creative Stamping magazine
Swirl stamp - Stampin Up
Sentiment - Creative Stamping
Distress inks - festive berries, evergreen bough
Die - pierced rectangles from Dienamics
Punch - Stampin Up
WOW embossing powder "vintage candy cane"
ribbon - from stash

Thanks for visiting my blog and for your comments. I really appreciate them. Margaret

LIM newsprint

This week's challenge on Less is More is to use newsprint in your card and this is my entry using a die cut poppy. I liked the contrast of the black against the vintage tone of the newsprint.

Materials used:-
Newsprint - Graphic 45 paper "Typography
Sentiment - Woodware
Poppy die - Tattered lace
Oval dies - Nestabilities

Thank you for visiting my blog - now pop over to LIM and see what the other participants have created. Margaret

Acrylic block stamping

I came across the blog "Just Add Ink" when I was blog hopping recently and liked their current challenge which is "Just add an acrylic block". I first came across this technique on an online course - you ink up an acrylic block and use it to stamp a background. It's a fun technique which can produce some interesting results. I thought this orange one was striking and had some texture.

Materials used:-
Distress inks - ripe persimmon and spiced marmalade
Black tuxedo memento ink
Flowers - Stamps Away "Pilkington Silhouette Flowers"
Sentiment - Stampin Up "So happy for you"

Butterfly thanks

I have been inspired to use vellum again after seeing some lovely designs on various blogs. I embossed the butterflies in white on vellum and then coloured them on the wrong side with distress markers. I attached the vellum to a panel which I stuck on the card base with dimensional foam.

I am entering this card into the following challenges:-
CAS on Sunday #44 "Emboss it"
Addicted to CAS #50 where the code word is VELLUM

Materials used:-
Butterfly stamp - Martha Stewart
Sentiment - SU Sassy Salutations
Distress markers - picked raspberry and salty ocean
Archival ink - cornflower blue (Wendy Vecci)
Pearls from stash

Thank you for visiting my blog - I really appreciate your comments. Margaret

Pink Christmas Card!

I'm still busy making Christmas cards!  Pink is not a colour I would normally choose for anything but it seemed appropriate for a couple of card challenges.

I am entering this card in these challenges:-

55 {Christmas} Card Throwdown Recipe challenge - one layer card (I hope the tiny peel off sticker is allowed!)

Merry Monday #131 - use non-traditional Christmas colours on your card

Jingle Belles - Pink Christmas Challenge to raise awareness of breast cancer

Materials used:-

Mask - Stamps Away

Snowflake stamps - Stamps Away Montage Winter Set

Sentiment - Banana Frog "Xmas Elegance"

Distress ink - worn lipstick

Ink Duster - Inkylicious 

Thank you for visiting my blog - I really appreciate your comments. Margaret

Spread sunshine

This week's theme at Less is More is "Little Creatures" - they can be cute, cuddly or creepy! This was quite a challenge for me as I don't have any Hallowe'en stamps so that ruled out "creepy"! Then I remembered this bee stamp and after that the card came together very quickly. I hope you like it.

Materials used:-
Bee stamp - cArt-us
Sentiment - Hero arts "Anytime Messages"
Mask - Crafter's Workshop "Balzer Designs"
Inks - DI wild honey and black archival (clear embossed)

Thank you for visiting my blog - now hop over to LIM and see the amazing variety of little creatures created by the other participants! Margaret

Smile!

I am entering this card into challenge #8 on the Tag You're It Blog. I made the tag which I mounted on foam pads for some dimension. I clear embossed all the stamping and added a few embellishments. Hopefully this still counts as a CAS card!

Materials used:-
Stamps - Uniko Studio "Strike a Pose" set
Papers - My Mind's Eye "The Sweetest Thing" and Coredinations card
Embellishments - Sprinkles - swimming pool and Bon bon arrows


Thank you for visiting my blog - I really appreciate your comments. Margaret

Peace on Earth

This week's challenge on Less is More is to make a one layer card with TWO items on it. I decided to use the lovely Uniko Studio "Peace on Earth" set for my card. I had difficulty deciding on my design and also whether I should colour the doves. After much deliberation, I clear embossed all the stamping and pierced around the card. I hope you like it.

Materials used:-
Uniko Studio "Peace on Earth" set
Archival ink - watering can (this is less stark than black)
Colorbox ink - mint
Stampin Up piercing kit

Thank you for visiting my blog - now pop over to LIM to see what the other participants have created. Margaret

Autumn leaves

The challenge for week 192 on Less is More is a colour challenge entitled Autumn's Bounty. I made this card using a lovely Clarity stamp set. I cannot claim to have been inspired by the changing leaves on the trees as there are very few trees in Shetland and the leaves never get the chance to change colour as they get blown off by the autumn gales!

I am also entering this card into the One Layer Simplicity Challenge #10 where the theme is Turning to Fall.

Materials used:-
Clarity stamps - Autumn Maple leaves set
Stamps away mask
Inkylicious ink duster
Various distress inks
Archival ink - potting soil

Many thanks for popping by - Margaret

Snowflake tag

I am going to enter this card in the Tag You're It Challenge which I discovered recently. I love this tag punch from Stampin Up and I have gone back to using vellum again having seen some lovely designs on blogland. I embossed the Merry Christmas sentiment on vellum which I placed on top of the card tag - its perhaps not that clear in the photo.

Materials used:-
SU tag punch
Vellum and white embossing powder
Distress ink - evergreen bough
Cuttlebug embossing folder - snowflakes
Penny Black Snowflake stamp - "giving and receiving"

Thanks for visiting - I really appreciate your comments! Margaret

The Funkie Junkie Tag 1

I was very disappointed when Tim Holtz changed the format of his tag challenge as I really enjoyed playing along with his 12 tags of Christmas Challenge.

I was delighted to find this challenge on The Funkie Junkie blog - Linda posts a tag for inspiration each week which participants use to create their own projects. This challenge is sponsored by Linda's shop The Funkie Junkie Boutique.

I decided it would be fun to make tags again and here is my first one. It is very different from my usual CAS style!  I used the Tim Holtz Holiday Knits stamp for my background although I feel it is a bit dark. I altered the colour of the bell with nail varnish as it was brass and didn't go with the colours of the tag. I saw this tip in this month's Craft Stamper.

Materials used:-
Background stamp - Tim Holtz Holiday Knits
Reindeer - Stampers Anonymous Season's Silhouettes
Sentiment - Chocolate Baroque
Pine Needles  and Santa - Hobby Arts "From our home to yours"
Bell from stash
Die - Nestabilities
Distress inks - stormy sky and evergreen bough

Thanks for visiting my blog - I really appreciate your comments. Margaret

LIM Mostly Words

I had a lovely surprise waiting for me when I got back from holiday - my prize from Less is More had arrived! Thank you ladies. This was a set of WOW embossing powders which I had to try out immediately. The result was this CAS Christmas card. I hope the subtle glitter shows up in the photo.

Materials used:-
Clarity stamp - Holly and the ivy
Cuttlebug embossing folder - snowflakes
WOW embossing powder - vintage peacock
Coredinations card
Dienamics Pierced Rectangles dies

Thank you for visiting my blog - I really appreciate your comments. Margaret

The words have it!

I am entering this card into Challenge #126 on the Merry Monday blog where you have to use a sentiment and make it the main focus of your Christmas card. This card is based on a design I saw on Anita's blog. (See below) I embossed the snowflakes on the vellum and then coloured it on the wrong side with distress ink.

Materials used:-
Distress ink - broken china
Sentiment stamp - Stampin Up Sassy Salutations
White embossing powder and vellum
Snowflake stamps

Congratulations!

This week's challenge on Less is More is to make a one layer card on the theme of beverages. I decided to use a wine glass stamp as I do enjoy the odd glass of wine! I made the heart mask then stamped the glasses with archival ink and then brushed distress ink through the mask. Finally I added some music and highlighted the glasses with Wink of Stella. I had difficulty getting this to show up in the photo.

I am also going to enter this card into a special challenge on Time Out entitled "Double the Joy" to celebrate the birth of Bev's beautiful twin boys.

Materials used:-
Stamps - Creative Stamping Magazine "The Celebration Collection"
Music - Crafty Individuals
Distress ink - tumbled glass
Archival ink - cornflower blue
Wink of Stella - clear

Thank you for visiting my blog - I really appreciate it! Margaret

Three presents

I am entering this card into week 112 challenge on CASology where the cue word is THREE. I embossed the image of the 3 presents on vellum and then coloured the wrong side with distress markers. I attached the vellum to the card with brads.

Materials used:-
Stamps - a free set from a magazine
Distress markers - picked raspberry and peacock feathers
White embossing powder and vellum
Sentiment inked with Colorbox mint
Glitter card from stash

Thank you very much for visiting my blog - I really appreciate your comments. Margaret

Santa and sleigh

I've made an early start with my Christmas cards this year! This one qualifies for the NBUS challenge as the stamps have been sitting in my stash for some time. I used an ink duster to apply distress inks to the sky and then spritzed this with perfect pearls for a frosty look. I tried to keep the card clean and simple but felt it need a little sparkle as it was a snowy scene!

I am going to enter this card into the following challenges:-
AAA cards #19 Moon sketch
NBUS #2 - Christmas
Merry Monday #125 Transportation

Materials used:-
Hobby Art stamps "From our home to yours "
Sentiment - Stampin Up "Season of Joy" set
Distress inks - broken china and tumbled glass
Perfect pearls
Diamond sparkles "Angel Whispers" by Hunkydory
Clarity masks - moon and hills
Ink duster - Inkylicious


Thank you very much for visiting my blog - I really appreciate your comments. Margaret

Autumn leaf

This is a card I made recently using one of the Tim Holtz Alterations sets. This consists of a stamp and a matching die. I used watercolour card and coloured the images with distress inks. I mounted the panel on Coredinations card which I had distressed slightly.

I am entering this card into The Male Room blog where challenge #18 is Autumn/Fall.

Materials used:-
Sissix Leaf Blueprint set
Distress inks - crushed olive, wild honey, tea dye, pumice stone, vintage photo and peeled paint

Thanks for visiting my blog  - I really appreciate your comments. Margaret

Oriental card

I am entering this card for Challenge #47 at Addicted to CAS where the code word is ORIENTAL. I inked a Hero Arts stamp and clear embossed it before watercolouring it with distress ink. I then used a white gel pen to go over the leaves. I felt the sentiment matched the oriental style.

Materials used:-
Stamp - Hero Arts Asian Frames
Sentiment - Chocolate Baroque Mackintosh Sentiments
Distress ink - festive berries
Background screen - EK punch

Thank you very much for visiting my blog - now pop over to Addicted to CAS to see what the design team and the other participants have created.

Welcome baby!

Challenge #48 at Keep it Simple is to make a baby card. This gave me an opportunity to use the new baby stamps from Uniko Studio. They are so versatile and great for CAS cards. I used distress inks to watercolour the image and machine stitched around the card to link in with the stitching on the circle.

Materials used:-
Uniko Studio "Sweet baby" stamps
Distress inks - tea dye, vintage photo, broken china and stormy sky
Black archival ink
Lawn Fawn "stitched party banners " circle die

Thanks for visiting!

Harbour tag

This is a tag I made recently using Hobby Art stamps to create a scene. I stamped the images on to watercolour card and then used distress inks to watercolour the scene. The background is from an old chart - I often use this in projects with a nautical theme. I am going to enter this tag in this month's Country View Crafts Blog Challenge which is to create a project with a nautical theme.

Materials used:-
Hobby Art stamps - Harbour Set and Coastal Wildlife Set
Distress inks and markers - various
Dies - Memory Box dies Parker Lower Alphabet

Thank you for visiting my blog and for leaving comments - I really appreciate the feedback.

Chocolate and mint!

Week 188 on Less is More is a colour challenge using chocolate and mint. The hardest part of the challenge was finding a mint coloured ink. I finally settled on a metallic watercolour marker. I clear embossed the image before colouring it. Then I mounted the image on some dimensional foam and added some tiny brown pearls to the centre of the flowers to finish it off.

Materials used:-
Stamp -  Hero Arts Asian Frames
Sentiment - Chocolate Baroque Mackintosh Sentiments
Archival ink - Potting Soil
Letraset Metallic Marker - green
Die - Lawn Fawn Stitched Party Banners


Thank you for visiting my blog - now pop over to LIM to see what the other participants created.