Happy New Year 2012

I would like to wish everyone a

Happy & Healthy New Year!

Best Wishes for 2012

Recycling A Mistake..........Hope!

If you haven't visited me before you won't be aware that I have been struggling recently with Less Is More.

This card is an idea I had which didn't work following Less Is More guidelines (I tend to embellish/layer and stitch a lot ... I also love texture!) so it was out of my comfort zone ... The Challenge Card is Here if you want a peek.

This was the Less Is More Reject which just didn't look right but I tried to salvage and this is the result.

Just so you know the mistake is under the layer ... amazing what you can do with a Spellbinders Die lol!

So the Background was stamped with my Stampin' Up! Hope Set, Shimmer Spritzed and embossed with a Cuttlebug Embossing Folder (I think it's Victoria but I'm sure you'll let me know if it isn't) .. I embossed it and then flattened it again through the Bigshot so the embossing wouldn't be deep so there would only be a little texture.

As I had to cover the original mistake this layer was stamped first using the Hope Set and Hero Arts Soft Sand Shadow Ink Pad ... I also stamped the Butterfly underneath as a shadow.

A little stitching around the edge of the Spellbinder embossed layer and once I attached the Butterfly (Worn Lipstick Distress Ink) I added the pearls.

Here's a close-up of the Martha Stewart Punched Butterfly ... the gems have been added to stick the Butterfly to the Card but I also added some strands of cotton on the back and secured with Glossy Accents to make sure it wouldn't fly anywhere lol!

Trying to show you the Shimmer ... Unfortunately the photograph looks a little bit yellow as the camera didn't pick up the Shimmer very well.

Well which is your favourite ... my Less Is More Option or this one.

I've also entered this into the Simon Say Stamp Challenge Blog which is 'Anything goes!'

Many thanks for looking

Less is More Continued.........Wish!

I would like to thank Marrigje who had me thinking outside the box on this one and gave me the idea and inspiration to create my next card for the Less Is More One Word Challenge.

Still using my Metallic Silver and Teal Colourway .. I really enjoyed this one and it came together quite quickly.

I already had some pre-cut Sizzix Scallop Cards so I first of all added the Tim Holtz Wish Word Cut and then carefully placed the Snowflake I wanted as I had to cut it separately ... the Die is Here so you can see how carefully I had to cut.

Then I stamped the Stampin' Up! Serene Snowflakes ... Spritzed with Vanilla Shimmer and again embossed with my Kars Snowflake Embossing Folder.

The Gems were then added.

Another view and a peek at the inside ...... Yes I stamped a Snowflake on the inside using my Stamp-a-majig so that when you close the card the Snowflake is in the correct postition.

Many thanks for looking and thanks again for Marrigje for giving me the inspiration.

I've also entered this into the Simon Say Stamp Challenge Blog which is 'Anything goes!'

Less Is More...............Hope!

Well, not letting it beat me I thought I might have another go at the Less Is More One Word Challenge ...  As you probably know this is not a theme I usually go for as I struggle (I like everything but the kitchen sink lol!) and it is very much out of my comfort zone.

So I made one card which will follow after this post (it's the same colour scheme as the previous post so I thought I'd better post something different first).

This is the third attempt ... the first went in the bin ... the second didn't look right so has been recycled and embellished a bit more (this is the idea I had in my head to begin with but will not be acceptable for the Challenge ... It will be Here when I've sorted out the post and link)

So I'll now stop my waffling and show you the card lol!

The Card Shape is created with a Sizzix Die ... The stamp set is Stampin' Up! Hope and I think it was from the last Mini Catalogue ... I just loved this set when I saw it and part of the price of the set went towards Cancer Research which is another reason I had to get it.

I've used Brushed Corduroy and Worn Lipstick Distress Ink ... I then sprayed with Vanilla Shimmer Spritz and punched the Martha Stewart Butterfly ... I had to add the Pearls for a little embellishment but also to secure the punch Butterfly to the Card.

Here's a little close-up to show the Shimmer ... and it's got one word so I'll give myself a pat on the back lol!

Thanks for looking

No Matter How I Try................

............... I won't can't do Clean & Simple.

I see some gorgeous creations out in Blogland but as hard as I try when I attempt to try my hand at Less Is More I just can't get my card to look right.

I thought I'd have a go at the Less Is More Challenge which is to use "Just One Word"

I used my lighter stamped HA Fabulous Flourish Card (the reject from my Snowflake Set using the Play Date Cafe Inspiration Challenge Photo)

All on one layer ... one flat card which is unusual for me ... I overstamped with SU Snowflakes and stamped one of them in teal ink .. and then numpty that I am I stamped a Sentiment using more than one word ... Doh!

I sprayed Vanilla Shimmer over the top and then embossed with my Kars Snowflake Embossing Folder ... just had to have a little texture ... Lastly came the gems.

So this was my first attempt!

So I had another go.............

Using one of my first Hero Arts Holiday Stamps I stamped my Peace Snowflake four times with Silver Metallic Ink ... My SU Snowflake was stamped in Teal again ... Vanilla Shimmer, Kars Embossing Folder and a gem added again and to finish a little bakers twine.

Still not sure so I had another go...........

This time I used my Hero Arts Pine Bough stamped in Silver Metallic Ink added some SU Snowflakes and my Hero Arts Delight Sentiment (One Word lol!) ... Snowflake Embossed and Vanilla Shimmer added again and the gems to finish.

And before I knew it I had created a little Set.........

Another entry for this months Hero Arts Challenge as well as a couple of options to enter into the Less Is More Challenge.

Well I suppose the saying goes that if you don't succeed Try, Try Again so I might attempt Less Is More again ... Hopefully they will allow my entries.

Many thanks for looking

A Challenge Missed............

.............but the inspiration image over at The Play Date Cafe caught my eye and I just had to have a go.

I've used Metallic Silver in my card instead of Black.

I had an idea what to use straight away but I'm not sure if I like it now as I think I lost something in translation from what I envisaged to what actually appeared on the card.

I stamped my HA Fabulous Flourish a few times with Metallic Silver Ink and decided to make a set of two Cards (the third image stamped too light but that's another Post lol!)

Here is a close-up of the card.

The Snowflake is made using Sizzix Dies ... I inked the teal layer with an old ink pad ... The top Snowflake layer has been stamped with an SU Snowflake Stamp ... I have I then sprayed with Vanilla Shimmer Smoosh Spritz ... attached the pieces together with foam pads and attached the gem.

After stamping the background of the card with my HA Fabulous Flourish, I then stamped the HOTP 'Tis the Season' with the Teal Ink .. Then I sprayed with Vanilla Shimmer and once dry embossed with my Kars Snowflake Embossing Folder ... lastly I attached the gems.

Unfortunately it hasn't photographed well so you can't see the lovely Shimmer.

I'm also going to enter this into this months Hero Arts Challenge.

Many thanks for looking

My Favourite Cards 2011......

Well I missed a few months for 2011 and in some months I had quite a few posts so here are my Favourites for 2011 ...

January



February

March

April

May

Then I had a little break..................

August

September

So many favourites ... makes up for my lack of posts in June and July

 October

November

December

oops ..... I missed one

How could I forget Hubby's Christmas Gift Card lol!

Well that's my little recap of 2011 ... I hope you've enjoyed my little browse through my favourites .. The link to the original post is included in the picture if you want to view more details.

If you could leave me a comment I would love to know which ones you like the best from my little selection.

Thanks for looking