Sunday 22 May 2011

Plum Butterflies

Hello!

This is my second post for the week-end and, as some of you will know I am not a prolific blogger, this is a bit unusual for me.

I have had ideas floating through my head all week-end for this new card.  When I finally decided on layout, theme, and colours, my original ideas were dramatically changed. That seems to be my usual way of creating! I might still make the original idea up, if I can figure out how to make it work.

This card is for three challenges:
Clean and Simple FTL#141 - Layout
CR84FN29 - Colours: Light Plum, Plum, Kraft
Less is More - Theme: Butterfly/Butterflies  (I had already made a butterfly card this week-end, but I thought my design was probably a bit "More" than "Less", so decided to try again)

Here is the CAS FTL141 Layout:

These are the gorgeous colours at CR84FN:


Here is my card:

I reversed the layout to suit the direction of the sentiment.  It's been a while since I used my wheel to stamp, and probably a bit longer since I've done any heat embossing, so I am really enjoying that border along the bottom of the card.  I also clear embossed the flowers on the butterfly to give it a little shine.


What I used (all Stampin' Up!):
Card: Pale Plum, Perfect Plum, and Sahara Sand (?) I ran out of Kraft!
Ink: Perfect Plum, Versamark watermark
Ribbon: Elegant Eggplant grosgrain
Stamps: Flight of the Butterfly, It's Beautiful (wheel)


It is certainly Clean and Simple, but is it too CAS? Is that possible? I feel like something's missing.

What do you think?

Michelle
xxx


Saturday 21 May 2011

Bliss in Blue, Green, and Purple

Hello!

I have birthday season coming again, so I need to get some cards made in preparation. I had a few spare minutes to think about making a card yesterday, but needed a little inspiration.  I came across the new Just Add Ink Challenge   JAI#68

Well, I didn't have the exact colours, but I had similar colours, so I thought I'd give it a go.  I made two cards, one of which I'm entering in the challenge, and the other I'll let you take a look anyway!

The first card and challenge entry:


Stampset: Bliss
Paper: Perfect Plum, Certainly Celery, Bashful Blue, Whisper White
Ink: Perfect Plum, Certainly Celery, Bashful Blue


I really like Bliss, although I sent my thumb to sleep yesterday from all the cutting out - somehow I pinched a nerve, LOL!


The second card I actually made first.  I wanted to have a go at using a Digi Stamp and see if I could use them.  I don't have any Copics or ProMarkers or any type of marker really (I must do something about that!), so I used my blender pens to colour in this lovely little image I found at Little Claire Designs. She's called "Lydia Goes Shopping".


My colouring was a bit dodgy, but my family really like this card.  It was the most excited I've seen them about any of my cards for a while. :-) 

Colours: Certainly Celery, Bashful Blue,  Perfect Plum
Ribbon: Certainly Celery Grosgrain
DSP: Washington Apple
I also put some shimmer mist on Lydia's earrings, her belt buckle, and her bag button, but I don't think you can see that in this photo.

So what do you think?  I love having you to visit and hearing what you have to say.

Michelle
xxx

Sunday 15 May 2011

One layer home sweet home

Welcome!

Oh my goodness!  What an afternoon.  I have been playing around with one-layer cards because I really like the CAS (clean and simple) style.  I knew that one-layer cards and the CAS style were  challenging, but it challenged me more than I can say this afternoon!  First of all - Clean has a few meanings, and one of them would involve my NOT dropping the inked stamp back onto the card! Or placing my inky fingers on the card.  Ugh!  When I finally managed to do that, I could not seem to line up my images, argh!  So the picture I am putting on here has a smudge, I picked that over uneven rooflines, LOL!

Today's efforts are for three challenges and a blog hop.  This is my first blog hop, and I'm looking forward to it.

The challenges are Stamp Something (theme - Anything Goes) One Layer Wednesday (OLW53 - Home Sweet Home) and I chose to use the CR84FN colours this week


I'm also taking part in the Stamp Something 3 Year Celebration Blog Hop.

So, without any more ado, here is my entry:


I used (all Stampin' Up!):
Whisper White Cardstock
Ink Colours: Real Red, Daffodil Delight, and Chocolate Chip
Stamps: Good Neighbors, Congrats


Before I created the challenge card, I also whipped up another little card.  I was going to add a sentiment, and then I decided that I would just leave it as it is.  I like it, and I know a person who will like it too so it will be winging its way to a new home very soon.


Unfortunately I couldn't photograph the colours true to life.  The three little owls (from Punch Bunch stampset) are Chocolate Chip on each side and Elegant Eggplant in the middle.  The cardstock is Very Vanilla.

Please do leave me a message and let me know what you think of my first attempts at one-layer cards.  I really enjoy hearing from my visitors, new and old. :-)

Michelle
xxx